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Series · historical fantasy
The Doubled Edge
The Doubled Edge series by Mercedes Lackey has 4 known books (4 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with This Scepter'd Isle (2004).
- Books
- 4 known books (4 novels)
- Published
- 4
- First published
- 2004
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Historical Fiction, Fantasy
- Last checked
Start here: This Scepter'd Isle (2004) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
This Scepter'd Isle
This Scepter'd Isle is the novel that opens The Doubled Edge series, co-written by Mercedes Lackey and Roberta Gellis, published in 2004 at 672 pages. It precedes Ill Met by Moonlight in the reading order. The series ran from 2004 to 2008 across 4 books.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of This Scepter'd Isle - Book 2:
Ill Met by Moonlight
Ill Met by Moonlight is the 2nd book in The Doubled Edge series, co-written by Mercedes Lackey and Roberta Gellis, published in 2005 at 768 pages. It follows This Scepter'd Isle and precedes By Slanderous Tongues in the reading order.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Ill Met by Moonlight - Book 3:
By Slanderous Tongues
By Slanderous Tongues is the 3rd book in The Doubled Edge series, co-written by Mercedes Lackey and Roberta Gellis, published in 2007 at 533 pages. In the reading order it comes after Ill Met by Moonlight and before And Less than Kind.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of By Slanderous Tongues - Book 4:
And Less than Kind
And Less than Kind is the 4th book in The Doubled Edge series, co-written by Mercedes Lackey and Roberta Gellis, published in 2008 at 872 pages. It follows By Slanderous Tongues as the final entry in the series.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of And Less than Kind
About The Doubled Edge
A historical fantasy departure co-written with Roberta Gellis, the Doubled Edge series reimagines Elizabethan England as a world where the fae realm of Underhill exists alongside the human one, and where historical figures — young Elizabeth I among them — have hidden fae allies shaping the political and magical stakes of the era. Where Lackey's SERRAted Edge books transplant elves into modern car culture, Doubled Edge goes the opposite direction: elves and human history colliding in richly-researched Tudor and Elizabethan settings, blending real court intrigue with fae political machinations.
The four novels — This Scepter'd Isle, Ill Met by Moonlight, By Slanderous Tongues, and And Less than Kind — trace this hidden fae history across roughly Elizabeth I's lifetime and reign, published between 2004 and 2008.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Doubled Edge series?
Four: This Scepter'd Isle (2004), Ill Met by Moonlight (2005), By Slanderous Tongues (2007), and And Less than Kind (2008).
Who co-wrote the Doubled Edge series?
Mercedes Lackey co-wrote all four books with historical fantasy and romance author Roberta Gellis.
Is Doubled Edge connected to the SERRAted Edge series?
Only thematically — both series involve elves interacting with the human world, but they're set in completely different eras (Elizabethan England versus modern-day) with no shared characters or continuity.
What order should I read Doubled Edge in?
Publication order: This Scepter'd Isle, Ill Met by Moonlight, By Slanderous Tongues, And Less than Kind. It follows a continuous alternate-historical timeline across Elizabeth I's life and reign.
Is Doubled Edge historical fiction or fantasy?
Both — it's an alternate history blending real Tudor/Elizabethan political events and figures with a hidden fae world (Underhill) influencing them, making it historical fantasy rather than straight historical fiction.
If you like The Doubled Edge
Reading order last verified .