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WritingPermanent catalogue Work

Blades for France

4textual states14Characters
Genre
Historical Adventures

Introduction

Blades for France is one of Howard’s Dark Agnes de Chastillon stories, set in sixteenth-century France. Howard’s Dark Agnes material was not published until after his death.

Textual states

Shown in a practical developmental order where possible: synopsis/outline, numbered drafts, submission states, then published or posthumous states. This display order does not itself assert exact chronology or textual authority.

SynopsisUntitled synopsis (Blades for France).
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Draft 1Blades for France — Draft 1
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Draft 2Blades for France — Draft 2
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Primary textBlades for France
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Characters in this Work

Counts are across exact Textual Versions currently represented. Additional textual research may add further appearances.

Agnès de ChastillonFrench adventurer known as Dark Agnès2 textual statesCharleshistorical ruler opposed to François in the story1 textual stateDuke of AlençonFrench duke/ruler invoked in the Dark Agnès stories1 textual stateÉtienne VilliersFrench adventurer and companion of Agnès1 textual stateFrançois Ihistorical king of France1 textual stateFrançoise de Foixhistorical French noblewoman named in the story1 textual stateGuiscard de Clissonmercenary captain who trained Agnès1 textual stateJehanFrenchman in Blades for France1 textual stateLa Balafrereal man whose identity/disguise Agnès later uses1 textual stateLouise de Savoiehistorical French noblewoman/ruler1 textual stateRenault de ValenceFrench noble/antagonist in Blades for France1 textual stateRoger HawkslyEnglishman in Blades for France1 textual stateSatansupernatural figure invoked by comparison in The Last Man.1 textual stateThe Resolute Friendnamed ship in Blades for France1 textual state

Publication appearances

Blades for FranceGeorge Hamilton1975↗Terra Fantasy 37: Horde aus dem Morgenland (Horde from the East)Erich Pabel Verlag KGAugust 1977 April 1980 (2nd printing)↗The Sword WomanZebraMay 1977↗The Sword WomanBerkley1979↗Agnès de ChastillonNeOJune 1983 September 1985 (2nd printing ?)↗Sword WomanAceOctober 1986↗Agnès de ChastillonFleuve NoirJuly 1993↗Bucanero 2Bucanero (Spain)1996↗Врата империи (Vrata imperii) ( Gates of Empire ) P ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Северо-Запад (Severo-Zapad) (North-West)1998↗Cобрания Cочинений Том 4. След Гунна (Cobraniia Cochinenii Tom 4. Sled Gunna) (Collected Works Volume 4. Trace of the Hun) Cover and p ublication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy .Терра — Книжный клуб (Terra - Book Club) Северо-Запад (Severo-Zapad) (North-West)2003↗Espadachinas (Sword Woman)La Biblioteca del Laberinto (Spain)June 2006↗The Robert E. Howard Foundation Newsletter v4 #4Robert E. Howard FoundationWinter 2010 (mailed December 2010)↗Sword Woman and Other Historical AdventuresBallantine Books - Del ReyJanuary 2011↗Dark Agnes, donna di spadaElaraMay 2011↗The Dark Agnes Series: Blades for FranceParadox Entertainment Inc.June 2012↗Agnès la NoireBragelonneJune 2014↗Herrin des Todes (Mistress of Death)Apex VerlagAugust 2018 ( Trade paperback ) May 2018 (eBook)↗Проклятие океана (Prokliatie okeana) (Curse of the Ocean) Cover and publication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy.Подсолнухи (Sunflowers)2020↗Тигры морей (Tigry morei) (Tigers of the Seas) Covers and publication information courtesy of the Russian website Laboratory of Fantasy. 2020 November 2021Северо-Запад (Severo-Zapad) (North-West) T8 Rugram (See notes)2020 November 2021↗Agnès de Chastillon: kvinnan med Svärd ( Agnès de Chastillon: The Sword Woman)YabotOctober 2021 November 2021 (eBook & Audiobook)↗La espadachina y otras fantasías históricas (The Sword Woman and Other Historical Fantasies)La Hermandad del Enmascarado (Spain)July 2024↗Agnès de Chastillon: The Sword WomanYabotJanuary 2025↗Dark Agnes e Outras HistóriasPipoca e NanquimJanuary 2026↗