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Series · historical fantasy

The Doubled Edge

by Mercedes Lackey

The Doubled Edge series by Mercedes Lackey has 4 books and is best read in publication order, starting with This Scepter'd Isle (2004).

Books
4 books
First published
2004
Status
completed
Last checked

Start here: This Scepter'd Isle (2004) — then read straight through in publication order.

Cover of This Scepter'd Isle, the first book in The Doubled Edge

Reading order

The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.

  1. This Scepter'd Isle

    Novel

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  2. Ill Met by Moonlight

    Novel

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  3. By Slanderous Tongues

    Novel

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  4. And Less than Kind

    Novel

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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.

How to read this series

Read in publication order: This Scepter'd Isle (2004), Ill Met by Moonlight (2005), By Slanderous Tongues (2007), And Less than Kind (2008). The series follows a continuous alternate history across Elizabeth I's life and reign, so reading in sequence gives the clearest through-line, though each book also focuses on different court events and periods within that larger timeline.

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.

Reading order last verified .