Swords of Riverside

Swords Of Riverside is an omnibus of Ellen Kushner's swashbuckling novels, set in a perilous world of labyrinthine intrigue, where sharp swords and even sharper wits rule, and even the nobles on the Hill turn to duels to settle their disputes. In Swordspoint, the dangerous Richard St. Vier is the undisputed master, as skilled as he is ruthless - until a death by the sword is met with outrage instead of awe, and the city discovers that the line between hero and villain can be altered in the blink of an eye. The Privilege of the Sword follows Katherine, a well-bred country girl, whose uncle, the decadent Mad Duke Tremontaine decides it would be far more amusing for his niece to learn swordplay than to follow the usual path to ballroom and husband. Blade in hand, she must find her way through a maze of secrets and betrayals to gain the power, respect and self-discovery that come to those who master the privilege of the sword.
Against a rich tapestry of artists and aristocrats, students, strumpets, and spies, The Fall of the Kings finds a gentleman and a scholar playing out an ancient drama destined to explode their society's smug view of itself - and reveal that sometimes the price of uncovering history is being forced to repeat it ...