The Horsekin are assembling along Prince Dar's northern border, and the Deverry alliance doesn't have the men or resources to prevent their enemies from moving into the wilderness areas known as the Ghostlands. But then the Dwrgi folk and the dragons come to Dar's aid, tipping the balance in their favor and offering Dar's people a chance to defeat the Horsekin once and for all.
'A dagger laid against our throat.'
Such is the description Prince Dar of the Weslands uses for Zakh Gral, a new fortress built by the Horsekin, the ancient enemies of his people.
To help him destroy this threat, the elven prince has called upon his allies: the dwarven folk of the northern mountains and the human men of Deverry to the east. Their leaders know that if the Westlands fall to the Horsekin, their own throats will feel that dagger next. Joining them are two powerful dragons, who have their own bitter reasons to hate the Horsekin.
But the fanatical Horsekin believe they have the most powerful ally of all, a new goddess. Alshandra's priestesses have announced that She has given the Horsekin the lands belonging to the prince-and that his people must be utterly destroyed . . .
The wild Northlands hold many secrets, among them the mysterious island of Haen Marn, the mountain settlements of Dwarveholt, and the fortified city of Cerr Cawnen. All three communities-and the alliance of humans, elves, and dwarves-are threatened by the religious fanaticism of the Horsekin. Only the magic of Dallandra and Valandario and the might of the powerful dragons, Arzosah and Rori, can save the Northlands from conquest.
Orphaned by a cholera epidemic, Neb and his young brother are sent to the desolate farm of their last living relative. But when the savage Horsekin tribes begin raiding the villages along Deverry's western border, the brothers must flee for their lives. A chance encounter with Salamander-a bard and master of dweomer magic-proves their salvation, as he brings them to the shelter of Tieryn Cadryc's dun. Here Neb finds love with his soulmate Branna only to be dragged into a war for the very survival of the kingdom. And though both Neb and Branna are gifted with dweomer magic, they are also facing powerful enemies they have fought before in past lives they no longer remember.
Katharine Kerr has enchanted fans with her magical Deverry and Westlands cycle, and now she brings to a breathtaking conclusion the epic saga.
The final chapter begins in the holy city as it rises from the ashes of Deverry's long wars. Prince Maryn prepares to claim the high kingship, but still the rebel Boar clan stands fast against him. And at court, his illicit passion for the young dweomer apprentice, Lilli, threatens to revive a curse that only she-at her own peril-can lift.
It is a drama that will be played out centuries later in the city of Cerr Cawnen. Among the many who take refuge in the lakeside citadel, nestled in a volcano's shadow, are a Westfolk band guided by the elven enchantress Dallandra and protected by Rhodry Maelwaedd and his fiery guardian dragon.
Meanwhile, from the north come the savage Horsekin slavers, ancient foe of the Westfolk, now bent on the domination of Cerr Cawnen. They are awaited by the sorceress Raena, their self-sworn high priestess and the votary of an evil goddess. Now, as Rhodry and Raena renew their timeless enmity, the fate of the city and every soul within it hangs in the balance-and on an act of self-sacrifice dangerous beyond imagining.
For the devoted followers of the dazzling Deverry and Westlands cycle, Katharine Kerr continues the magical epic saga she began in The Red Wyvern.
In her latest tale, the scene shifts seamlessly between the shattered land of the Rhiddaer and the historic end of the Civil Wars, when Lilli, newly apprenticed to dweomer, fought with her untried powers to save her beloved Prince Maryn from evil.
Centuries later, in the city of Cerr Cawnen, the old evil awakens yet again when the sorceress Raena schemes to destroy Rhodry Maelwaedd, her bitter enemy during life after life. But her malice will draw the intervention of astral powers-and unleash the ravaging rage of Rhodry's guardian dragon. Only another untried dweomer can buy safety for the city and the berserker himself-and only at a most fearsome price . . .
Katharine Kerr's richly imagined cycle of novels set in Deverry and the Westlands has earned a devoted following-and a reputation as the finest Celtic fantasy being written today. Now she returns to Deverry's war-ravaged past . . .
In a kingdom torn by civil war, young Lillorigga seeks to shield her dawning powers from her cruel mother Merodda's manipulation. Mistress of a magic that, untamed, could kill her, Lilli brings her terrifying visions under the kindlier tutelage of the mysterious dweomermaster, Nevyn. But soon she must choose between her own clan and the true king who fights to claim his rightful throne, between sanctuary and blood feud, loyalty and love. Little does she dream that the slaughter she invites, and the malevolence she defies, could stalk her across the ages . . . twisting and twining the strands of timeless destinies.
Acclaimed author of the dazzling cycle of fantasy novels set in Deverry and the Westlands, Katharine Kerr continues her epic saga of humanity as a shift of power on the astral plane brings change to the world of men . . .
The city of Cengarn is under siege. Armies both astral and physical are massing for and against the goddess Alshandra, who seeks to prevent the birth of one fate-bound child. It falls to the dweomermaster Jill and her allies to protect the child's human mother, Princess Carra-and Deverry's already foretold future-by magic and by might. But as the warrior Rhodry wings toward the battle on dragonback, he cannot know that soon he will face his ancient enemy, Alshandra's high priestess Raena, who will use any means to destroy him. Their confrontation could turn the tide of the siege-and change the fate of Deverry forever.
In the peaceful land of the Rhiddaer, Jahdo, the rat-catcher's son stumbles upon a secret meeting between a city council man and a dangerous, mysterious woman. Suddenly the boy is tangled in a web of intrigue and black magic that drags him far from home. In the company of a blind bard, Jahdo must travel to Deverry to unravel the evil that binds him. But there the boy is caught up in dangers far greater than he has ever known. Two powerful sorcerers-one human, the other elven-are battling to save the country from a goddess gone mad. Their strongest ally is the mercenary soldier Rhodry Maelwaedd, a berserker bound to both women by fate and magic . . . and to the dragon upon whom all their lives may depend. Days of Blood and Fire begins an exciting new chapter in the chronicles of Deverry and the Westlands, with a story suited to new audiences and loyal fans alike.
In Deverry the volatile history of humanity continues as a dashing young king journeys to his throne in disguise, fulfilling an ancient prophecy. In the Westlands the exiled lord Rhodry travels anonymously as a silver dagger-a mercenary-as he did in his youth, following a destiny that will take him from the grassy plains of the elven peoples to the hills and towns of Deverry, where dark forces are gathering. And from the shadowy land of the Guardians come omens, ill-defined and mysterious, that seem to point the way toward cataclysmic war . . .
The world of Deverry: an intricate tapestry of fate, past lives, and unfathomable magic. With A Time of Exile, Katharine Kerr opens new territory in the Deverry Saga, exploring the history of the Elcyion Lacar, the elves who inhabit the country west of Deverry. It is years since the half-elven Lord Rhodry took the throne of Aberwyn. When Rhodry's lost lover, Jill-now a powerful wizard-comes to Aberyn and tells him it's time he accepted his elven heritage, Rhodry faces the most difficult choice of his life. But with Jill's help and that of a human wizard named Aderyn who has lived for years in the westlands, Rhodry begins to understand how his life is connected not just to his own people, but to the Elcyion Lacar as well. At last, destiny begins to unravel its secrets, revealing Aderyn's true purpose among the elves-and the gods' deeper design behind Rhodry's dual heritage.
This boxed set includes Books 1-4 in the the Deverry series.
Daggerspell: Here in this newly revised edition comes the incredible novel that began one of the best-loved fantasy seers in recent years-a tale of bold adventure and timeless love, perilous battle, and pure magic.
Darkspell: The epic saga that began with Daggerspell continues-a tale of might and magic, lust and glory, dark danger, and poignant desires that echo from Deverry's sapphire waters to its secret mountain caverns. It's a spellbinding story destined to please fantasy lovers everywhere.
The Bristling Wood: Katharine Kerr's enthralling tales Daggerspell and Darkspell introduced listeners to the kingdom of Deverry. Now the dazzling fantasy saga continues with a vast and intricate tapestry of conflict, intrigue, and high magic that transcends the bounds of time and space.
The Dragon Revenant: Katharine Kerr's novels of the Kingdom of Deverry unfold in a world of stunning richness and depth. Her vivid portrayal of characters caught in a complex web of fate and magic captures the imagination with a realism that few can match. Now she returns to this enchanted kingdom, where the wheels of destiny are turning anew.
