Anvil of the World Books In Order

Publication Order of Anvil Of The World Books

Chronological Order of Anvil Of The World Books

The “Anvil of the World” novels are Kage Baker’s first foray into the fantasy genre.

There are different groups of people found in the books. Children of the Sun are full of energy, and have mechanical minds. They are the result of a blacksmith god and fire goddess mating a long time ago. Children of the Sun live in stone cities, are careless with their technology, artistic, fighters, and inventive. They were almost wiped out by a large catastrophe, something they ignore; right as their cities get more and more crowded.

The Yendri live in the forest, and are refugees from slavery that happened in a foreign land. They were freed by a Holy Child. Yendri live a peaceful life full of meditation and pursuits of things spiritual. They see the Children of the Sun as vulgar and a destructive people; this means that they cannot live with them. The Holy Child (also called the Green Saint) went and married someone that they despise a lot more than the Children of the Sun. It is the Master of the Mountain, a shadowy figure.

The couple has had many children, that are part divine and part demon and completely conflicted with themselves. This has angered the Yendri, who view the Children of the Sun to be a Sacrilege.

And then there are demons. These are not evil, hosts of hell. Rather these are elementals, that are not a whole lot to concerned about. Unless they are given bodies to inhabit; they have the same good to evil as just about any race that is out there. Some of these demons are highly intelligent, some are quite stupid; all are both powerful and dangerous, if someone crosses them.

“Anvil of the World” is the first novel in the “The Anvil of the World” series and was released in the year 2003. Smith is the star of the novel. He is from the Children of the Sun and he is from the extended family of Smiths that is quite large. It is a race that is known to have blood feuds. Smith used to be a quite successful as an assassin. He is tired of doing this job and wants to go to another country to retire. He just wants to live an honest and quiet life, despite those that would like to kill him. His trouble starts when he agrees to be master of a caravan that is supposed to go from Troon, the inland city, to Salesh, which is a city by the sea. The caravan gets plagued with some magic, murder, and the Master of the Mountain (which is a demon with a lot of power, who looks down from his kingdom on the mountain). The Master looks down at the green lands and the travelers going by below. When Smith finally gets to where he is going in Salesh, he begins working as an innkeeper. Someone that Smith met and made friends with while traveling (who is called Lord Ermenwyr, and is a demonic half-breed with decadent tastes). Everytime this Lord shows up, he brings trouble with him.

Fans of the novel found that they love the book, even after multiple reads of the book. Baker does a great job building a world in this book, it is rich and detailed and varied. Some found that the book contains twists on well worn fantasy tropes. Some found that the conclusion is the best part of the entire read, as it is well written and poignant. It is so good that it saves the beginning and makes it even better.

“The House of the Stag” is the second novel in the “The Anvil of the World” series and was released in the year 2008. The events of this novel take place before those described in the first novel in the series. This story starts with tragedy. The Yendri led a peaceful life in the remote valley. That was before the Riders showed up, conquered, and enslaved them. Only a few were able to get away by going into the forests. Gard the foundling, who is a demon, was the only one with enough rage to wage a one man war against them. His struggle condemned him from his own people and made him lose the only family he ever knew. Gard was exiled and taken by powerful mages to be a slave in their underground kingdom. He gets wiser and more bitter; Gard is learning new ways to get some freedom.

Fans of the novel find that Kage Baker is an ace storyteller; she is creative at building a world and she has a great sense of humor. Baker writes smart, odd, totally original stories that is her signature. Some find that Baker is an author that they buy in hardcover, something that is an honor held for only certain books due to a shortage of money. Readers find that if you like Kage’s other work, pick this one up, you should like it as well.

“The Bird of the River” is the third novel in the “The Anvil of the World” series and was released in the year 2010. Two teens join a huge river barge as a member of the crew. This is after their mother (who was an addict) drowned. The girl and her younger half-brother try to make the ship their home. The great boat makes its way up the river, and cities and cultures of different kinds go by. There seems to be a pattern in the way these pirates attack different cities. Eliss (the sister) is able to spot obstacles in the river with a sharp eye. She also sees deeply. Krelan (young boy that is about Eliss’s age) is trained as an assassin boards the ship. He wants a dead nobleman’s head for a proper burial. The head is elusive, just like the real reason the pirates loot the cities. Krelan needs Eliss’s help. There is also the massive man of a Captain, who is able to do supernatural tricks. But instead, he stays in his quarters and drinks most of the time.

Fans of the novel enjoyed the story and Eliss, who seems to be the reason why she and her brother are still alive. She is the strong and smart one of the pair.