Coinspinner's Story

Long ago, the gods forged Twelve Swords of Power and threw them on the gameboard of life to watch men scramble. But they forged too well; the Swords could kill the gods themselves.

Now, the gods are gone, the Swords are scattered. Some are helb by those of good heart, others by those whose purposes are evil. And one – Coinspinner – is held only as long as Coinspinner chooses. The Sword is subject to no rules but its own, and exactly what those rules are no one knows.

At the moment Coinspinner is in the hands of Crown prince Murat of Culm, who is visiting Tasavalta to beg Princess Kristin for permission to take Woundhealer, the sword of Healing, on a mission of mercy to Culm. The princess's refusal sparks a theft: Woundhealer is removed from the White Temple.

Withdrawing the Sword Stonebreaker from the Tasavaltan armory, the doughty General Rostov sets off in pursuit of Prince Murat – only to find that Woundhealer is not with the prince, and that one of the Culmians has absconded with Coinspinner. But Coinspinner will not stay with its new possessor for long...

Meanwhile, far from Tasavalta, a young Prince Adrian, whose magical gifts are immense, is approaching the extremely unreliable City of Wizards, where nothing – not even the sun – is what it seems. He and his beautiful companion Trilby, will face unexpected peril there.

Elsewhere, Wood, the evil Macrowizard who has slipped the bonds of time, is polishing his plans to abduct Adrian, hated spawn of his old enemy Prince Mark.

But first Wood wants Coinspinner.

Coinspinner, however, has its own agenda. Bestowing gigantic luck on he who holds it, the Sword moves where it wants, and when it wants, changing all circumstances in a twinkling.

It's not surprising that Wood wants it. EVERYONE wants Coinspinner.

Told with Fred Saberhagen's huge gusto and narrative skill. THE FIFTH BOOK OF LOST SWORDS: COINSPINNER'S STORY will delight the reader.