Ardneh's World
Empire of the East Book III
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
The Demon Lord Zapranoth will devour you, if the Beast Lord Draffut cannot save you.
Her look seemed to him that his behavior was far from being unendurable; that, perhaps, if it went on a little longer it might even begin to give her pleasure …
He found her lips. He tenderly kissed her checkbone before he began a line of kisses moving down her throat.
Wait! What was this upon her skin?
What had happened—
What—
With a cry Rolf sprang to his feet and backed away, almost falling in his haste. Before him now, and lately enfolded most tenderly in his arms was one of the most hideous human shapes it had ever been his ill-fortune to behold. What had been Catherine’s healthy young face had altered while he kissed it to the visage of a withered, snaggle-toothed, misshapen crone.
Moving like some crippled sleepwalker, she tottered toward him. “Rolf?” she cawed out the one word, in something like a reptile’s voice, and then her figure seemed to blur, and down she fell on hands and knees.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Simple prose and a straightforward plot make the latest entry in Saberhagen's Empire of the East saga perfect for younger fantasy fans. The aristocratic parents of 15-year-old Chance Rolfson, a descendant of the hero Rolf, whose adventures are chronicled in Empire of the East (2003), encourage the lad to join an expedition seeking ancient artifacts associated with the godlike being Ardneh. They hope a taste of the outdoor life will cure Chance of "certain dreamy, unambitious tendencies." Chance soon finds that traveling with a scholar, an intelligent owl and a small band of troopers isn't all that easy. When Chance starts to notice strange occurrences, the adults in his party doubt his explanations. Eventually, the expedition becomes an exhilarating mad dash to reach Ardneh's sword, an object of immense power with the potential to change the world forever. Chance, however, remains pretty passive throughout. Hopefully, he will take a more active role in future installments.
