The Hero and the Crown (Damar #1)

The Hero and the Crown is a fantasy novel written by Robin McKinley and published by Greenwillow Books in 1984. It is the winner of the 1985 Newbery Medal award. The book is the prequel to The Blue Sword, written in 1982. This story focuses on "Aerin Dragon-Killer," also known as "Aerin Firehair," the heroine who is introduced as a legendary character in The Blue Sword. The book narrates Aerin's evolution from the shy, retiring daughter of the King of Damar to the heroic queen who protects her people from the demonic Northerners.

The Blue Sword (Damar #2)

The Blue Sword is a fantasy novel written by Robin McKinley and published by the Berkley Publishing Group in 1982. The novel The Hero and the Crown serves as a prequel. The Blue Sword has received numerous awards, including: Newbery Honor Award, ALA Best Book for Young Adults and the ALA Notable Children's Book. The story, told in the third-person omniscient perspective, is of a young woman named Angharad Crewe, called Harry, who becomes a warrior in her adopted homeland of Damar.