Skyborn

Informationen zum Autor Lou Anders drew on his adventures traveling to Greece in his twenties to write Skyborn, combining these experiences with his love of adventure fiction and games (both tabletop and role playing). While he has yet to ride a hippalektryon, creating his own board games for Frostborn, Nightborn, and now Skyborn is one of his favorite indulgences. Anders is the recipient of a Hugo Award for editing and a Chesley Award for art direction, and was named a Thurber House Writer-in-Residence. He has published over 500 articles and stories on science fiction and fantasy television and literature. He resides with his family in Birmingham, Alabama. You can visit Anders online at louanders.com and ThronesandBones.com, on Facebook, on Tumblr, and on Twitter at @Louanders and @ThronesandBones. Klappentext For fans of Lloyd Alexander and Brandon Mull comes the epic conclusion to the acclaimed Thrones and Bones fantasy-adventure trilogy that began with Frostborn. Find the Horn. Free the City. The chase continues for the legendary Horns of Osius. Thianna and Karn's quest to retrieve the horns from those who wish to abuse their power takes them to Thica, an ancient land where two tyrant queens reign supreme and where years earlier Thianna's mother was labeled a traitor. Soon the two heroes are caught up in an epic battle for control of the kingdom, one that puts their very lives at stake. The only way to overthrow the queens is to beat them at their own game. But with an entire empire against them, how can Karn and Thianna hope to compete-or better yet, survive? The novel includes instructions for playing the board game the Queen's Champion, a Thican timeline, and King Herakles Hammerfist's recipe for the Best Spanakopita Ever. Visit ThronesandBones.com for additional games, maps, character profiles, and more! Praise for the Thrones and Bones series "Future fans of Tolkien and George R. R. Martin can happily cut their serial-fantasy teeth on this first book of an eventual series." -Kirkus Reviews * "A powerful, fast-paced tale. . . . The setting is rich, the characters well-defined, and the danger ever-paramount." -Publishers Weekly, Starred "Good pacing, well-drawn characters, and engaging action scenes. And yes, there's the promise of more to come." -Booklist Chapter One The One Truth The javelin flew with lethal speed. A long, thin messenger of death in an otherwise blue sky. It was fast, but Sirena struck even faster. The young girl's blade sliced the wooden shaft in half. The two pieces clattered on the polished marble squares of the courtyard. Then everything was still except for the noise of waves crashing on rocks far below, the beating of hearts, and the rushing of blood. Well done, her opponent said. Sirena narrowed her brown eyes. Of course it was, she replied. Compliments are a waste of breath. You tell me nothing I don't already know. Her opponent nodded grimly and drew her sword. She was close to Sirena in size and age. Both wore bronze breastplates molded to the contours of their torsos above tunics hung with strips of black leather. Both carried shields, while their heads were protected by bronze helmets with proud black plumes. Is your mind as sharp as your weapon? Sirena's opponent charged as she spoke, sandals pounding on the smooth stone of the courtyard. What is the One Truth? the soldier asked. Sirena shifted her own stance to meet the assault. War is the mother of all, she replied, catching the blade on her own. With a twist of the wrist, Sirena opened the soldier's guard, driving her shield hard into the armored breastplate. Stunned by the blow, the soldier fell to the ground. Sirena pointed the tip of her sword at the gi...

Auteur

Lou Anders drew on his adventures traveling to Greece in his twenties to write Skyborn, combining these experiences with his love of adventure fiction and games (both tabletop and role playing). While he has yet to ride a hippalektryon, creating his own board games for Frostborn, Nightborn, and now Skyborn is one of his favorite indulgences. Anders is the recipient of a Hugo Award for editing and a Chesley Award for art direction, and was named a Thurber House Writer-in-Residence. He has published over 500 articles and stories on science fiction and fantasy television and literature. He resides with his family in Birmingham, Alabama. You can visit Anders online at louanders.com and ThronesandBones.com, on Facebook, on Tumblr, and on Twitter at @Louanders and @ThronesandBones.

Texte du rabat

For fans of Lloyd Alexander and Brandon Mull comes the epic conclusion to the acclaimed Thrones and Bones fantasy-adventure trilogy that began with Frostborn.

Find the Horn. Free the City.

The chase continues for the legendary Horns of Osius. Thianna and Karn's quest to retrieve the horns from those who wish to abuse their power takes them to Thica, an ancient land where two tyrant queens reign supreme and where years earlier Thianna's mother was labeled a traitor. Soon the two heroes are caught up in an epic battle for control of the kingdom, one that puts their very lives at stake. The only way to overthrow the queens is to beat them at their own game. But with an entire empire against them, how can Karn and Thianna hope to compete-or better yet, survive?

The novel includes instructions for playing the board game the Queen's Champion, a Thican timeline, and King Herakles Hammerfist's recipe for the Best Spanakopita Ever. Visit ThronesandBones.com for additional games, maps, character profiles, and more!

Praise for the Thrones and Bones series
"Future fans of Tolkien and George R. R. Martin can happily cut their serial-fantasy teeth on this first book of an eventual series." -Kirkus Reviews

• "A powerful, fast-paced tale. . . . The setting is rich, the characters well-defined, and the danger ever-paramount." -Publishers Weekly, Starred

  "Good pacing, well-drawn characters, and engaging action scenes. And yes, there's the promise of more to come." -Booklist

Échantillon de lecture

Chapter One

 

 

The One Truth

 

 

The javelin flew with lethal speed. A long, thin messenger of death in an otherwise blue sky. It was fast, but Sirena struck even faster. The young girl’s blade sliced the wooden shaft in half. The two pieces clattered on the polished marble squares of the courtyard. Then everything was still except for the noise of waves crashing on rocks far below, the beating of hearts, and the rushing of blood.

 

“Well done,” her opponent said.

 

Sirena narrowed her brown eyes.

 

“Of course it was,” she replied. “Compliments are a waste of breath. You tell me nothing I don’t already know.”

 

Her opponent nodded grimly and drew her sword. She was close to Sirena in size and age. Both wore bronze breastplates molded to the contours of their torsos above tunics hung with strips of black leather. Both carried shields, while their heads were protected by bronze helmets with proud black plumes.

 

“Is your mind as sharp as your weapon?” Sirena’s opponent charged as she spoke, sandals pounding on the smooth stone of the courtyard. “What is the One Truth?” the soldier asked.

 

Sirena shifted her own stance to meet the assault.

 

“War is the mother of all,” she replied, catching the blade on her own. With a twist of the wrist, Sirena opened the soldier’s guard, driving her shield hard into the armored breastplate.

 

Stunned by the blow, the soldier fell to the ground. Sirena pointed the tip of her sword at the girl’s throat.

 

“I yield,” her opponent said.

 

Sirena hesitated before withdrawing her blade.

 

“You yield,” she said. The word was like dung in …