Showing results by narrator "Gerard Tim Reynolds" in All Categories

Three years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and the cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start life as thieves for hire. Things have gone well enough until they receive the odd assignment to prevent a murder. Now they must venture into a forgotten corner of southern Avryn—a place whose history predates the empire. As usual, challenges abound as they try to anticipate the moves of an unknown assassin before it's too late.

In the age of belief, magic is a myth. But when an apocalyptic crusade comes to the remote border of Gul Kana, that belief is shattered, as is the tenuous peace that held the Five Isles together. Now the prophecies that were used to justify this war are unraveling, revealing a hidden agenda while the world lies in the wake of the degradations of this war. But a slim skein of hope resides within the hidden truths, long kept secret and scattered throughout the isles—truths less reliant upon prophecy than heroism and great sacrifice.

Dante, Blays, and Gladdic's final effort to defeat him has failed. Within weeks—if not days—Rale will be destroyed. One last hope remains. They can't kill Nolost, but they may be able to eject him from Rale before he can complete his work. To do so, though, they'll have to destroy a world themselves: Olastar, the home of the portals that link all other places together.

WHAT DOES ONE DO AFTER THE WORLD ENDS? That is the question plaguing every imperial citizen after the destruction of the capital city of Percepliquis. How three pivotal people answer will determine the course of Elan’s future: one will come to understand that she was spared for a reason; another will resolve to become the ruler he was meant to be, and the third will set off in search of a nefarious wizard known as Esrahaddon.

Meet Threadbare. He is 12 inches tall, full of fluff, and really, really bad at being a hero. Magically animated and discarded by his maker as a failed experiment, he is saved by a little girl. But she's got problems of her own, and he might not be able to help her. Fortunately for the little golem, he's quick to find allies, learn skills, gain levels, and survive horrible predicaments. Which is good, because his creator has a whole lot of enemies …

A remarkable story of high hopes and crushing disappointment, the campaign contains moments of sheer horror and nerve-shattering excitement; pathos and comic relief; occasional cowardice and much selfless courage - all culminating in the climax of the First Battle of Ypres. And yet, as Peter Hart shows in this gripping and revisionary look at the war's first year, for too long the British part in the 1914 campaigns has been veiled in layers of self-congratulatory myth.

The publication of a new book by William Trevor is a true literary event. One of our finest chroniclers of the human condition, Trevor's precise and unflinching insights into the lives of ordinary people are evidenced once again in this stunning collection of twelve stories. Subtle yet powerful, these exquisitely nuanced tales of regret, deception, adultery, aging, and forgiveness are a rare pleasure, and they confirm Trevor's reputation as a master of the form.

After obtaining the secret to creating dragons, the leader of the Fhrey has turned the tide of war once more - but gaining the advantage has come at a terrible price. While Imaly plots to overthrow the fane for transgressions against his people, a mystic and a keeper are the only hope for the Rhunes. Time is short, and the future of both races hangs in the balance. In this exciting conclusion to the Legends of the First Empire series, the Great War finally comes to a climactic end, and with it dawns a new era in the Age of Empyre.

Cally and Rowe have scoured the demonic wights from Narashtovik. But during the war, Cally learned he can no longer be part of the pacifist Order that raised him to be a sorcerer. The pair has traveled south, seeking the true copy of The Cycle of Arawn - the artifact Cally believes can restore proper rule to Narashtovik. There's a few problems with this plan, though. For one, nobody's seen the true copy in decades. And another, in these lands, possessing a copy of the Cycle is rewarded with a quick trip to the hangman.

The Spellweaver: a legendary sorcerer who crafted magic with their words. These spells were written down and given to others who would become mages. Over time, the Spellweaver was no longer reincarnated through the ages. Without the magic-creating words of the Spellweaver, magic is now a finite resource. Soon, magic will be lost to the sands of time. Unless a new Spellweaver can be found. Calwyn Weft lives in the village of Pebbert and works as an apothecary’s apprentice. It’s the one job he knows how to do well. But then the village is visited by a strange, red-robed figure.

Once a Protector enforcing the Capitol’s strict laws with an iron fist, Ashok Vadal discovers his entire life is built on lies. The ancient black steel sword chose him not for his bloodline but for his spirit, thrusting him into a destiny fraught with peril and glory. The Capitol is in chaos, teetering on the brink of collapse as the Great Extermination spreads its dark shadow across the land. The casteless, descendants of the once-great kings, are hunted to extinction. Their only hope lies in Ashok Vadal, now a fugitive, and Thera, the prophet of the forgotten gods.

Destroying the portals between worlds was supposed to force the entity out of Rale. Instead, it's trapped him there. This has cut Nolost off from much of his power, buying some time to try to stop him from annihilating the world. Dante and Blays' last hope lies in finding someone or something called the Burdan rah Saylan. Knowing nothing about the Burdan except for their name, they travel far to the east into lands they've never heard of.

Hump and his companions return to Sheercliff City to find a region plagued by monsters—bad news for most, but for a hedge wizard, it's just good business. With the gorger dead and the bond with his unhatched dragon growing quickly, Hump looked forward to some ordinary adventures. Yet trouble finds him as the Inquisition arrives, accusing him of his master's murder. It seems there is more to the old man's death than he believed.

As Kingfall’s fuse burns ever closer to the powder keg of all-out war, the secrets of the godblades are slowly unsheathed. In Travail, Dane and Peony face usurpers and a scheme by those seeking to overthrow the dragon throne, forcing Peony to flee to Solarii with Daneus to request help from the Dead King. In Teravainen, Jarrod must face his demons and learn how to rule in the wake of his father’s murder. When the darkblades are stolen, he is forced to ride south seeking retribution, while a newly graduated mage named Quill is sent by Aeromand to investigate.

"The Secret" is set in the world where the Broken Empire and Red Queen's War trilogies take place. I've been writing short stories based on the various members of Jorg Ancrath's brotherhood of the road, exploring their origins. When I saw that the Blackguards anthology was seeking tales of assassins, I thought it was time to write about Brother Sim.

As heroes and villains seek to secure the seven godblades, the greatest evil to threaten Kingfall draws ever closer. Six of the seven godblades have been revealed, but is Kingfall any safer than it was before these ancient weapons were returned to the light? This and myriad other questions must be answered before the world can know true peace.

Hoping to prevent a bloody war, Will departs in search of the mythical hidden gate to the elven homeland and believes the country is safe in his absence. He is wrong. Adept at manipulation, the elves seek to conquer from within, and their spies have already infiltrated the kingdom. As Selene prepares to defend her throne, she discovers that the elven plot runs deeper than the blackest shadows. Duty demands she put her nation first, but a loathsome ally urges a darker choice.

Since the Battle of Shal Gara, the Scions have lurked in the dangerous loam, hunting the survivors of the Last Clan. But malice grows in the treetops and the canopies of the bloodwoods. The lies of the Fireborn creep like a rot through the Swathe, turning citizen against citizen, brother against brother. Their purpose? To open another fiery gate to the demon realm. Racing against time, Tarko and Serisi must fight not only the demon threat but their own growing power. The bond of nectra and demon blood is as alluring as a precipice and just as perilous.

Gladiator. Assassin. Thief. Princess. And the slave. The five warrior angels have been revealed; one by one, the mystical weapons they once wielded are being found, and an ancient prophecy is finally being fulfilled. Or is it? For when it comes to recorded history, much is intended to manipulate and deceive. 

The Tour de France is always one of the most spectacular and dramatic events in sports. But the 1998 Tour provided drama like no other. As the opening stages in Ireland unfolded, the Festina team's soigneur, Willy Voet, was arrested at the French-Belgian border with a carload of drugs. Raid upon police raid followed, with arrest after arrest hammering the Tour.