Children of the Serpent Gates

Zusatztext "Rousing.... with its vivid 18th-century European flavor and fallen angels who evoke Paradise Lost . Lovers of big, complex fantasy sagas (think Robert Jordan or George R.R. Martin) will be well pleased." Publishers Weekly , starred review "Themes of redemptive transformation, a labyrinthine plot, and the spectacular Drakhaoul memorably conclude the Tears of Artamon trilogy." Booklist Informationen zum Autor Sarah Ash is the author of six fantasy novels: Children of the Serpent Gate, Lord of Snow and Shadows, Prisoner of the Iron Tower, Moths to a Flame, Songspinners, and The Lost Child. She also runs the library in a local primary school. Ash has two grown sons and lives in Beckenham, Kent, with her husband and their mad cat, Molly. Klappentext In this third novel in her acclaimed Tears of Artamon saga! Sarah Ash once again transports readers to a realm where sorcery collides with political intrigue . . . and where one man haunted by a dark legacy is locked in a fierce struggle between the forces of good and evil battling for supremacy within him. . . . Gavril Nagarian is believed dead-perished in the heat of battle. But the Lord Drakhaon of Azhkendir lives on. Now he is entrusted with a sacred mission: to rescue the aged Magus! who has been kidnapped and in whose possession are the five priceless rubies that compose the fabled Tears of Artamon. Ancient law decrees that whoever possesses the coveted stones has the power to impose his rule over the five princedoms in the Empire of New Rossiya. But the task exacts a cost. The Drakhaoul that destroyed his forebears has penetrated Gavril's psyche and is gaining power over his soul. With the dark forces inside him seeking immortality! Gavril must feed on the blood of innocents-or die. Toppled by the loss of the Tears of Artamon! Emperor Eugene of Tielen is tormented by his own daemon. Now he must defend his lands against King Enguerrand of Francia! who claims ownership of the Tears. But both men share a common goal: to destroy Gavril Nagarian and the Drakhaoul that lives within him once and for all. Ingenious and unforgettable! Children of the Serpent Gate delivers a thrilling conclusion to the epic trials of a man of honor in a world run amok-a calamity that can be laid to rest only by an Emperor's Tears. Leseprobe Chapter 1 "I'm old." Kiukiu stared in disbelief at her reflection. "I'm an old woman." Her fingertips moved over her lined face, lifting her wild, dry locks of greying hair, searching in vain for a thread of gold. She was so shocked she could only stare at the aging stranger in the mirror glass. "How long was I gone?" "Many days, my dear." Malusha had never called her "my dear" before. That in itself made Kiukiu fearful. "Too many days." "There's a remedy, isn't there, Grandma?" She turned to Malusha. "Tell me what to do, I'll do it. No matter what it is." Malusha sat a moment, thinking. "I'll go put the kettle on," she said, easing herself up from Kiukiu's side. Making tea was Malusha's remedy for all ills, great and small. "Grandma, what do you know?" Kiukiu persisted. "I know that you wouldn't be still in this world if Lord Gavril hadn't flown to Swanholm to rescue you." "Lord Gavril?" The glass dropped from her fingers. She looked up and found herself staring into the deep blue of Gavril's eyes. "You're alive ?" She forgot her own distress and just gazed up at him. "But they said you were dead. They showed me the tower, they showed me where the lightning struck" And then she realized that he must be able to see every wrinkle, each strand of dull grey hair. She covered her face with her hands, turning away from him, not wanting him to see her like this. "Kiukiu?" he said. He said her name so gentlyand yet she could...

Auteur
Sarah Ash is the author of six fantasy novels: Children of the Serpent Gate, Lord of Snow and Shadows, Prisoner of the Iron Tower, Moths to a Flame, *Songspinners, and *The Lost Child. She also runs the library in a local primary school. Ash has two grown sons and lives in Beckenham, Kent, with her husband and their mad cat, Molly.

Texte du rabat

In this third novel in her acclaimed Tears of Artamon saga, Sarah Ash once again transports readers to a realm where sorcery collides with political intrigue . . . and where one man haunted by a dark legacy is locked in a fierce struggle between the forces of good and evil battling for supremacy within him. . . .

Gavril Nagarian is believed dead-perished in the heat of battle. But the Lord Drakhaon of Azhkendir lives on. Now he is entrusted with a sacred mission: to rescue the aged Magus, who has been kidnapped and in whose possession are the five priceless rubies that compose the fabled Tears of Artamon. Ancient law decrees that whoever possesses the coveted stones has the power to impose his rule over the five princedoms in the Empire of New Rossiya.

But the task exacts a cost. The Drakhaoul that destroyed his forebears has penetrated Gavril's psyche and is gaining power over his soul. With the dark forces inside him seeking immortality, Gavril must feed on the blood of innocents-or die.

Toppled by the loss of the Tears of Artamon, Emperor Eugene of Tielen is tormented by his own daemon. Now he must defend his lands against King Enguerrand of Francia, who claims ownership of the Tears. But both men share a common goal: to destroy Gavril Nagarian and the Drakhaoul that lives within him once and for all.

Ingenious and unforgettable, Children of the Serpent Gate delivers a thrilling conclusion to the epic trials of a man of honor in a world run amok-a calamity that can be laid to rest only by an Emperor's Tears.

Échantillon de lecture
Chapter 1

"I'm old." Kiukiu stared in disbelief at her reflection. "I'm an old woman." Her fingertips moved over her lined face, lifting her wild, dry locks of greying hair, searching in vain for a thread of gold. She was so shocked she could only stare at the aging stranger in the mirror glass. "How long was I gone?"

"Many days, my dear." Malusha had never called her "my dear" before. That in itself made Kiukiu fearful. "Too many days."

"There's a remedy, isn't there, Grandma?" She turned to Malusha. "Tell me what to do, I'll do it. No matter what it is."

Malusha sat a moment, thinking. "I'll go put the kettle on," she said, easing herself up from Kiukiu's side. Making tea was Malusha's remedy for all ills, great and small.

"Grandma, what do you know?" Kiukiu persisted.

"I know that you wouldn't be still in this world if Lord Gavril hadn't flown to Swanholm to rescue you."

"Lord Gavril?" The glass dropped from her fingers. She looked up and found herself staring into the deep blue of Gavril's eyes. "You're alive?" She forgot her own distress and just gazed up at him. "But they said you were dead. They showed me the tower, they showed me where the lightning struck—"

And then she realized that he must be able to see every wrinkle, each strand of dull grey hair. She covered her face with her hands, turning away from him, not wanting him to see her like this.

"Kiukiu?" he said. He said her name so gently—and yet she could detect the bewilderment in his tone.

"Don't look at me. Please." This was the reunion she had dreamed of for so long. But in her dreams, she had been unchanged by the Ways Beyond. She had run to greet him, her arms outstretched, her golden hair loose about her shoulders. "That evil old man," she muttered. "He lied to me. He made me think you were dead, and all to trick me into his trap."

"What old man?"

"Kaspar Linnaius. He sent me into the Ways Beyond to look for you. And then, when I couldn't find you, he spun me some foolish story. And I believed him! Why didn't I trust my own instincts?" She was so angry with herself that she began to shake. "Why did I let him use me?"

"So you got lost in the Ways Beyond, searchin…