Seven Princes
Page 49
The hours are long and the work arduous, but soon an exciting new world opens up to her. There are fine clothes and servants and—to Tessia’s delight—regular trips to the great city of Imardin.
However, Tessia is about to discover that her magical gifts bring with them a great deal of responsibility For a storm is approaching that threatens to tear her world apart.
“Some excellent reading to be had.”
—Robert N. Stephenson on The Novice
“A wonderfully and meticulously detailed world, and an edge-of-the-seat plot, this book is a must for lovers of good fantasy.”
—Jennifer Fallon
THE BLACK PRISM
Brent Weeks
Gavin Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. But Prisms never last, and Guile knows his time is short.
But when Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he’s willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.
“It is a truly visionary and original work, and has set the bar high for others in its subgenre.”
—graspingforthewind.com
“Weeks manages to ring new tunes on… old bells, letting a deep background slowly reveal its secrets and presenting his characters in a realistically flawed and human way.”
—Publishers Weekly
THE DWARVES
Markus Heitz
For countless millennia, the dwarves of the Fifthling Kingdom have defended the stone gateway into Girdlegard. Many and varied foes have hurled themselves against the portal and died attempting to breach it.
No man or beast has ever succeeded. Until now…
Abandoned as a child, Tungdil the blacksmith labors contentedly in the land of Ionandar, the only dwarf in a kingdom of men. Although he does not want for friends, Tungdil is very much aware that he is alone—indeed, he has not so much as set eyes on another dwarf. But all that is about to change.
Sent out into the world to deliver a message and reacquaint himself with his people, the young foundling finds himself thrust into a battle for which he has not been trained. Not only his own safety but the life of every man, woman, and child in Girdlegard depends on his ability to embrace his heritage. Although he has many unanswered questions, Tungdil is certain of one thing: no matter where he was raised, he is a true dwarf.
And no one has ever questioned the courage of the Dwarves.
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Publications by John R. Fultz
Books of the Shaper
Seven Princes
Dramatis Personae
Vod the Giant-King—Ruler of New Udurum, City of Men and Giants; slayer of Omagh the Serpent-Father; sorcerer and living legend.
Queen Shaira of Udurum—Wife of Vod; Sister of Ammon; former Princess of Shar Dni; Mother of Fangodrel, Tadarus, Vireon, and Sharadza.
Prince Fangodrel of Udurum—Shaira’s first son; named after Vod’s father; born during the reconstruction of Udurum.
Prince Tadarus of Udurum—Shaira’s second son; named after Shaira’s father; born one year after Fangodrel.
Prince Vireon of Udurum—Shaira’s third son; born one year after Tadarus.
Princess Sharadza of Udurum—Only daughter of Shaira and Vod; sister of Fangodrel, Tadarus, and Vireon; born several years after Vireon.
Prince Tyro of Uurz—Son of Dairon; twin brother of Lyrilan; swordsman of renown.
Prince Lyrilan of Uurz—Son of Dairon; twin brother of Tyro; scholar and scribe.
Prince Andoses of Shar Dni—Son of Ammon; Nephew of Shaira; Cousin to Fangodrel, Tadarus, Vireon, and Sharadza.
Prince D’zan of Yaskatha—Son of Trimesqua; lone heir to the throne.
Olthacus the Stone—Personal bodyguard to Prince D’zan; veteran of the South Island wars.
Elhathym—Usurper of Yaskatha; ancient sorcerer and necromancer.
Ianthe the Claw—Empress of Khyrei; former wife of Gammir; a known sorceress.
Gammir of Khyrei—Former Emperor of Khyrei; a known sorcerer slain by Vod the Giant-King during the rescue of Shaira.
Omagh, Father of Serpents—Ancient progenitor of Serpents; slain by Vod the Giant-King.
Fangodrim the Gray—Uncle of Vod; Brother of Fangodrel the First; Great Uncle of Fangodrel, Tadarus, Vireon, and Sharadza; a leader among Giants.
Dairon, Emperor of Uurz—First Emperor of the New Blood; former Captain of the Uurzian Legions; father to Tyro and Lyrilan.
Indreyah the Sea-Queen—Ruler of an ancient kingdom beneath the Cryptic Sea; a known sorceress.
King Trimesqua of Yaskatha—King of Yaskatha; veteran of the South Island wars; father of D’zan.
King Undutu of Mumbaza—Twelve-year-old Boy-King; son of Umbrala.
Queen Umbrala of Mumbaza—Mother of Undutu; reigning Queen-Regent of Mumbaza.
King Angrid of the Icelands—Lord of the Frozen North; ruler of the Udvorg clans.
King Ammon of Shar Dni—First Son of Tadarus; brother of Shaira; father of Andoses.
Iardu the Shaper—Master of Shapes; a known sorcerer reputed to live on an island in the Cryptic Sea.
Contents
Front Cover Image
Welcome
Dedication
Map
Prologue: Sunset in Yaskatha
1: City of Men and Giants
2: Words of the Giant-King
3: Sea, Storm and Stone
4: Evening in Udurum
5: Hunters
6: In the Palace of Sacred Waters
7: Lessons
8: In the Kingdom of Ice
9: In the Shadow, in the Sun
10: A Storm of Blood and Darkness
11: People of the Cold Flame
12: Patterns
13: Flame and Fang
14: Prince of Shadows
15: Court of the Sea Queen
16: The Blessings of Winter
17: Six Princes
18: War Plans
19: Sunrise in Khyrei
20: Mother and Daughter
21: Wisdom of the Shaper
22: Three Ships
23: On the Cryptic Sea
24: Land of the Feathered Serpent
25: A Shadow from Zaashari
26: The Game of Blood and Fire
27: The Laughter of Elhathym
28: Death in Victory, Victory in Death
29: Secret of the High Realms
30: Stone, Glass, and Crystal
31: Vengeance
32: Beginnings (Kings and Queens)
Epilogue: Shadows and Glass
Acknowledgments
Extras
Meet the Author
Interview
A Preview of Seven Kings
Publications by John R. Fultz
Dramatis Personae
Copyright
Copyright
The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Copyright © 2012 by John R. Fultz
Excerpt from Seven Kings copyright © 2012 by John R. Fultz
Map illustration by Chad Roberts.
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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ISBN 978-0-316-20602-0