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When a young Duke seeks to overthrow a vicious king for the good of the land, he is faced with performing atrocities of his own in obtaining his goal. The young daughter of the slain king is publically raped to seal the union of the Duke to the land; afterwards, he extends "mercy" to her and allows her to live. This act leads to three centuries of strife and despair, in which it is discovered that beauty is indeed only skin-deep, and that heroism is not limited by age, sex, or physical abilities. This is a story of love, betrayal, courage, and of the extent to which one will go to seek revenge. It also examines the question of whether the ends can ever justify the means.
Mr. Card's characters are finely-drawn as always.
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