In the distance others of his kind yowled and yapped, but this close to prey, he moved in silence. A lurking jackal soon appeared, sniffing warily. The quavering cry hung in the air, an invitation to predators. The refuse heap lay downwind of a ramshackle cluster of mud-brick hovels. By communing with them, it is theoretically possible to be aware of almost everything that is happening on Urte.Īs the sun stabbed through a cleft in the eastern mountains, a thin wail lifted from a midden. There are millions of such spirits wandering the lands.
But what we do know is that a mage may commune with such ghosts and gain access to all that those spirits perceive. Whether it eventually dissipates or passes to some other place, we can only speculate. But we of the Ordo Costruo teach this: that when the soul detaches from the body it remains here on Urte for a time, a disembodied ghost. What happens when the soul leaves the body? Paradise or Damnation? Rebirth? Oneness with God? Or Oblivion? The faiths of mankind have made a case for each and many other variants. To my patient test readers (you know who you are),Īnd to friends and family everywhere. It also goes out with my love to Brendan and Melissa, my children This book is dedicated to my wife Kerry Lucky me! You can find this and many other great books at:ġ: The Vexations of Emperor Constant (Part 1) Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.Ī CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library The moral right of David Hair to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.Īll rights reserved.
#THE MOONTIDE QUARTET BOOKS 1 2 SUMMARY SERIES#
Always read the second part prior to deciding if the series is not for you and if you wait long enough you could well get it at bargain prices. All round its a cracking start and whilst a number of people may think that the book takes its time to get going, please remember that when you're dealing with epic fantasy a lot of the first title is set up to get all the details out of the way so subsequent offerings deal purely with the situation that the cast find themselves in. As you expect it is filled with a lot of the same things that made his previous series so enjoyable, great characters, solid prose and of course a huge plot leaving you wondering if its going to be possible to fit it all in.Īdd to this huge epic combat sequences alongside a lot of political double-dealing maneuvering and all round its a book that really does give. Having read David's Moontide Quartet I was pretty excited to return to hs world for the beginning of a new series. Once more, Urte stands on the brink of cataclysm.
In the East, Sultan Salim, peacemaker and visionary ruler, faces his greatest challenge as his people demand an invasion of the West in retribution for the Rondian CrusadesĪnd lurking in the darkness, orchestrating both the power struggles and the inevitable conflicts, is a shadowy group threatening to destroy civilisation itself. Two brothers, imprisoned veterans of the Crusades, finally return home to find their father's kingdom being plundered - but the price of regaining their birthright will have far-reaching implications for the entire empire. The Imperial throne is not the only one in jeopardy. The Emperor is dead - long live the Empress!Įmperor Constant is dead and his rivals are scrabbling for power - but any misstep could plunge the land, already devastated by the shocking outcome of the Third Crusade, into a calamitous civil war.