Upland Outlaws
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
A young imperor flees his own kingdom to escape an army of sorcerers in this “lively adventure” of a fantasy novel from the author of The Cutting Edge (Publishers Weekly).
The old imperor was dead at last. His popular soldier grandson, known as Shandie, had succeeded him . . . had he not? No, he had not. The man who sat on the opal throne was not Shandie, but an illusion created by the mad dwarf Xinixo. Year after year, he had been stealthily ensorcelling sorcerers, turning them into loyal minions. Now, wielding their combined power, he was irresistible. He ruled the Impire, so he ruled the world. He would continue to rule it for centuries. Anyone who knew the truth or opposed him in any way, he would destroy or enslave. That especially included his old enemy, King Rap of Krasnegar; Shandie, the rightful imperor; and all their supporters, their friends, their families. All of them! But first he had to catch them. With his infinite magic, that ought to be easy. Rap and Shandie had other ideas, but even they could see that their cause looked hopeless.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A paranoid ex-sorcerer attempts to take over a world of imps, fauns, dwarves, trolls, pixies and other races in this sequel to The Cutting Edge . After the death of his father, young Imperor Emshandar V (known to all as Shandie) is urged to flee by the dwarf warlock Raspnex, a member of the council that controls magic in the Impire. Raspnex warns that his nephew Zinixo has enthralled an army of sorcerers to help him take over the Impire and then the world. Joined by King Rap of Krasnegar, who has lost much of his power, Shandie, his family and a small band of followers escape, planning to foment a counterrevolution with a new Protocol governing magic. The group splits up: Shandie heads to Krasnegar to find Rap's prescient 14-year-old son, whose fate is mysteriously linked with that of the Imperor; Rap tracks rumors about slaves and a possible liberator; Lord Umpily noses around the capital; and Sir Acopulo searches for the other council members. Duncan plots a lively adventure with appealing protagonists capable of carrying the tale through the next two planned volumes.
