Vulcan the god has a hard task to perform for his bored and restless colleagues — forge 12 magic Swords, quenched with human blood, and scatter them across the world. Each Sword possesses a different power. With them the gods will play a new, grand, and glorious Game. Mere humans foolishly striving for dominion, wealth and glory, are invited to risk their puny lives by joining in. (Later, the gods realize with horror that something has gone wrong in the forging, and with the Game. The Swords are much too powerful, controlling chance, enhancing fortune, changing destiny. And lethal even to their divine creators.) Jord the Smith, drafted to help Vulcan in his task, loses his right arm in the process (receiving the Sword Townsaver as pay). He is too weak to claim Mala, his bride-to-be, who joins a traditional fertility rite, where her partner might be the enigmatic Emperor, his face hidden by a leather mask. Nine months later, she gives birth to Mark. Thirteen years pass, then Townsaver wipes out a raiding party on orange-furred warbeasts, sent to Mark’s village. It falls to Mark to carry the blade away to hide or destroy it.

The third and final novel in 'The Book of Swords' trilogy. More stories of the twelve Swords continue with The Lost Swords series. The gods, the creators of the twelve Swords, realize their error in giving powerful Swords to humans. The humans, both good and evil, are ready to fight to the death to acquire and retain the Swords. With the Swords, new ideas and new dreams have entered the world. A change is taking place that threats the gods' very existence.

Saberhagen's original trilogy is now collected for the first time in one volume. The gods have given the world 12 Swords of Power so that they might be amused as the nations battle for their possession. But they didn't know that Vulcan gave the Swords the power to kill the gods themselves.

Twelve swords are created as the playing pieces in a whimsical game of the gods.

Swords of Power, treacherous dealings, a search for healing, a menacing giant worm, a mermaid, an infatuated young boy, a desperate father, an extraordinary young child, a way of wonder and magic — Once the gods forged twelve Swords of Power, but they forged too well: The Swords could kill the gods themselves. Now, the gods gone, the Swords scattered across the land and Mark, Prince Consort of Tasavalta, must find Woundhealer, the Sword of Healing, to help his young son Adrian. But the evil wizard Burslam has joined with Mark’s enemy, Baron Amintor, stealing Woundhealer and luring Mark’s nephew Zoltan away — only to have Zoltan begin his own dangerous quest.

Mark and Ben travel deep into the Blue Temple's hidden horde in an attempt to recover whatever gold and Swords they can for the forces of Sir Andrew. Gods, demons and human traitors have other plans for the Swords and for the adventurers. In the game of the gods, no one’s survival is secure, even a god’s.

 Vilkata, the Dark King, returns from exile seeking revenge. His goal: the Tasavalta vault where Prince Mark has stored the remaining Swords. With possession of Shieldbreaker, Vilkata aims to destroy all other Swords and to rule the world and perhaps beyond. Only Mark’s young son Stephen is on hand to oppose the Dark King. He must get word to his father and grandfather. Swords clash and are destroyed. Only one Sword will survive.