Tad Williams

The second book in the trilogy that launched one of the most important fantasy writers of our time. It is a time of darkness, dread, and ultimate testing for the realm of Osten Ard, for the wild magic and terrifying minions of the undead Sithi ruler, Ineluki the Storm King, are spreading their seemingly undefeatable evil across the kingdom. With the very land blighted by the power of Ineluki’s wrath, the tattered remnants of a once-proud human army flee in search of a last sanctuary and rallying point—the Stone of Farewell, a place shrouded in mystery and ancient sorrow. And even as Prince Josua seeks to rally his scattered forces, Simon and the surviving members of the League of the Scroll are desperately struggling to discover the truth behind an almost-forgotten legend, which will take them from the fallen citadels of humans to the secret heartland of the Sithi—where near-immortals must at last decide whether to ally with the race of men in a final war against those of their own blood.

A war fueled by the powers of dark sorcery is about to engulf the peaceful land of Osten Ard—for Prester John, the High King, lies dying. And with his death, the Storm King, the undead ruler of the elf-like Sithi, seizes the chance to regain his lost realm through a pact with the newly ascended king. Knowing the consequences of this bargain, the king’s younger brother joins with a small, scattered group of scholars, the League of the Scroll, to confront the true danger threatening Osten Ard. Simon, a kitchen boy from the royal castle unknowingly apprenticed to a member of this League, will be sent on a quest that offers the only hope of salvation, a deadly riddle concerning long-lost swords of power. Compelled by fate and perilous magics, he must leave the only home he’s ever known and face enemies more terrifying than Osten Ard has ever seen, even as the land itself begins to die. After the landmark Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy, the epic saga of Osten Ard continues with the brand-new novel, The Heart of What Was Lost. Then don’t miss the upcoming trilogy, The Last King of Osten Ard, beginning with The Witchwood Crown!

Renie Sulaweyo, a teacher in the South Africa of tomorrow, realizes something is wrong on the network. Kids, including her brother Stephen, have logged into the net, and cannot escape. Clues point to a mysterious golden city called Otherland, but investigators all end up dead.

As the evil minions of the undead Sithi Storm King prepare for the kingdom-shattering culmination of their dark sorceries and King Elias is drawn ever deeper into their nightmarish, spell spun world, the loyal allies of Prince Josua desperately struggle to rally their forces at the Stone of Farewell. And with time running out, the remaining members of the now devastated League of the Scroll have also gathered there to unravel mysteries from the forgotten past in an attempt to find something to strike down their unslayable foe. But whether or not they are successful, the call of battle will lead the valiant followers of Josua Lackhand on a memorable trek to the haunted halls of Asu'a itself - the Sithi's greatest stronghold.

The Dragonbone Chair, the first volume of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, was published in hardcover in October, 1988, launching the series that was to become one of the seminal works of modern epic fantasy. Many of today's top-selling fantasy authors, from Patrick Rothfuss to George R. R. Martin to Christopher Paolini credit Tad with being the inspiration for their own series. Now, twenty-four years after the conclusion of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Tad returns to his beloved universe and characters with The Witchwood Crown, the first novel in the long-awaited sequel trilogy, The Last King of Osten Ard. Thirty years have passed since the events of the earlier novels, and the world has reached a critical turning point once again. The realm is threatened by divisive forces, even as old allies are lost, and others are lured down darker paths. Perhaps most terrifying of all, the Norns--the long-vanquished elvish foe--are stirring once again, preparing to reclaim the mortal-ruled lands that once were theirs....

"The Grail Brotherhood has built the most powerful, sophisticated simulation network imaginable. At the same time, they have manipulated ad injured the minds of thousands of children." This proclamation from the mysterious Mr. Sellars confirmed what Renie Sulaweyo had feared to be true when she first broke into the Otherland network in a desperate search for the cause of her brother Stephen's deathlike coma. Now Renie, the Bushman !Xabbu, and their companions find themselves navigating a treacherous and ever-changing course―from a strangely unfinished land, ro a seemingly endless labyrinthine House―pursuing a sociopathic killer who has stolen one of their group. To Renie's despair she is no closer to uncovering the secrets which could help save Stephen's life, and now it appears that something may be very wrong with the Otherland network itself. As Paul Jonas, Orlando, Renie and the rest strive to reach Priam's Walls, in the heart of Troy, they know that their quest is running perilously short of time. For the Grail Brotherhood has finally set the date for the Ceremony when they will make their bid for the immortality, and thereby seal the fate of Earth's children forever. But before Renie and her allies can hope to stop the Brotherhood, they must first solve the mysteries of Otherland itself, and confront its darkest secret―an enitity known only at the Other.

Second book in  New York Times -bestselling author Tad Williams's cyberpunk fantasy series  • “Tad Williams is the brightest and best of the fantasists.” ―Neil Gaiman, author of  American Gods  Otherland. In many ways it is humankind's most stunning a private, multidimensional universe built over two generations by the greatest minds of the twenty-first century. But this most exclusive of places is also one of the world's best kept secrets, created and controlled by an organization made up of the world's most powerful and ruthless individuals, a private cartel known—to those who know of their existence at all—as The Grail Brotherhood. Though their purpose in creating Otherland is still a mystery, it may not remain so for long. For they have exacted a terrible price from humanity in the process, and even their highly organized global conspiracy cannot hide the nature of their crimes forever. And now a small band of adventurers has penetrated the veil of secrecy that prevents the uninitiated from entering Otherland. But having broken into the amazing worlds within worlds that make up this universe, they are trapped, unable to escape back to their own flesh-and-blood bodies in the real world. And as dangers and circumstances split their party into small, widely scattered groups, their only hope of reuniting lies in returning again and again to the River that flows—in one form or another—through all the worlds. But the odds seem to be completely against them as they—and the one outsider with whom they might join forces—become hopelessly lost in realms where an Ice Age tribe's fears can only be quenched in blood...where insects are as large and deadly as dinosaurs...where they are caught in the war between a man made of straw and one made of tin...where cartoon ads take on a life of their own...where humans strive to survive in the aftermath of an alien invasion...and where one among their party is actually The Grail Brotherhood's most terrifying weapon—a sociopathic killer who has never failed and whose current mission is to make certain that not even one member of this little invasion force lives long enough to reveal the truth about Otherland to the people of Earth...

Following on from The Witchwood Crown, Empire of Grass: Book Two of The Last King of Osten Ard continues the story of one of the best loved fantasy epics of all time - Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, the inspiration for Christopher Paolini and George R. R. Martin.

The New York Times bestselling world of Osten Ard returns in the third Last King of Osten Ard novel, as threats to the kingdom loom... The High Throne of Erkynland is tottering, its royal family divided and diminished. Queen Miriamele has been caught up in a brutal rebellion in the south and thought to have died in a fiery attack. Her grandson Morgan, heir to the throne, has been captured by one of Utuk’ku’s soldiers in the ruins of an abandoned city. Miriamele’s husband, King Simon, is overwhelmed by grief and hopelessness, unaware that many of these terrible things have been caused by Pasevalles, a murderous traitor inside Simon’s own court at the Hayholt. Meanwhile, a deadly army of Norns led by the ageless, vengeful Queen Utuk’ku, has swept into Erkynland and thrown down the fortress of Naglimund, slaughtering the inhabitants and digging up the ancient grave of Ruyan the Navigator. Utuk’ku plans to use the Navigator’s fabled armor to call up the spirit of Hakatri, the evil Storm King’s brother. Even the Sithi, fairy-kin to the Norns, are helpless to stop Utuk’ku’s triumph as her armies simultaneously march on the Hayholt and force their way into the forbidden, ogre-guarded valley of Tanakirú—the Narrowdark—where a secret waits that might bring Simon’s people and their Sithi allies salvation—or doom.

Are magic and romance really so separate? In this rich fantasy novel, Tad Williams--New York Times bestselling author of To Green Angel Tower--explores the tangled roots of sorcery and passion, and gives us an astonishing answer. Caliban is the Beast who finds in Prospero's daughter, Miranda, the Beauty to whom he tells his incredible story--an extraordinary tale of dark desires and shining wizardry.

Though best known for his epic series, Tad Williams is also an accomplished practitioner of the short form. Short Work gives ample evidence of this, as it contains a knockout novella later expanded to novel length ( Child of an Ancient City ); riffs on the great fantasist Michael Moorcock ( The Author at the End of Time, Go Ask Elric ), along with excursions into some of his most popular creations and beyond. At over 140,000 words, Rite is essential for every Tad Williams fan and fantasy aficianado. Each tale features a full-page black-and-while illustration by Mark A. Nelson.

Meet Fritti Tailchaser, a ginger tom cat of rare courage and curiosity, a born survivor in a world of heroes and villains, of powerful feline gods and whiskery legends about those strange furless, erect creatures called M’an. “The hour of Unfolding Dark had begun, and the rooftop where Tailchaser lay was smothered in shadow. He was deep in a dream of leaping and flying when he felt an unusual tingling in his whiskers. Fritti Tailchaser, hunterchild of the Folk, came suddenly awake and sniffed the air. Ears pricked and whiskers flared straight, he sifted the evening breeze. Nothing unusual. Then what had awakened him? Pondering, he splayed his claws and began a spine-limbering stretch that finally ended at the tip of his reddish tail.” Join Tailchaser on his magical quest to rescue his catfriend Hushpad on a quest that will take him all the way to cat hell and beyond.

Theo Vilmos' life is about to take a real turn for the worse. He is drawn from his home in Northern California into the parallel world of Faerie, for, unknown to him, he is a pivotal figure in a war between certain of Faerie's powerful lords and the rest of the strange creatures who live in this exotic realm.

The maze-like castle of Southmarch stands sentry along the border between the human kingdoms and the land of the immortal Qua. Now, the darkness from beyond that border has begun to enfold Southmarch - or Shadowmarch - the Qua's ancient home. To stop the darkness falling, the Southmarch royal family must face their human enemies, supposed friends and the family curse. Twins Barrick and Briony shoulder impossible burdens as their father is imprisoned and their brother murdered. Briony flees towards her father and the slave armies of the Autarch, while her brother Barrick crosses the Shadowline gripped by madness ..

A year ago, the March Kingdoms were at peace, the Eddon family held the throne, and all was right in Southmarch Castle and the north of the world. Now the family has been shattered. King Olin Eddon is a prisoner in a faraway land. Olin's heir Kendrick is dead - slain by treachery and dark, bloody magic - and Kendric's younger brother and sister have barely escaped several attempts on their own lives. With their father and brother taken from them, the royal twins Barrick and Briony have done their best to hold the kingdom together, but now Barrick has been captured in a failed war against the immortal Twilight People and Briony has been forced to flee the castle. Everywhere in the north the fierce Twilight People, led by the ageless warrior-witch Yasammez, hold sway. Old magics are stirring beneath the ancient castle and behind the Shadowline, and the machinations of gods, fairies, and mortals threaten to spread devastation across the entire world. Meanwhile, the Autarch, the insane god-king of the southern continent, has set in motion his plan to bring the entire northern world - and most especially Southmarch Castle - under his way. Behind the Shadowline, Prince Barrick Eddon of Southmarch is lost and spellbound in the land of the fairies. Though he has barely begun to uncover the strange secrets of his own past, Barrick must also solve the mystery of his even stranger destiny - a destiny which will lead him to places no man has ever gone and force him to take on a burden even the greatest hero couldn't bear - preserving the lives of all humans and fairy-folk. As she flees Southmarch, Princess Briony finds both allies and deadly enemies in unexpected places far from the land of her birth. In her quest to survive and win back her family's throne she encounters spies and murderers, traveling players and ancient gods. During their desperate journeys the twins discover that even a land's rulers may know little of its true history, and that both families and nations can hide dark and terrible secrets. But even if Barrick and Briony survive learning the astonishing truths at the heart of their own family and of Southmarch itself, they must still find a way to do the impossible - they must reclaim their kingdom and rescue their home and people from a multitude of powerful enemies - from traitors, tyrants, a god-king, and even the angry gods themselves.

With King Olin imprisoned and Prince Kendrick slain, the royal twins Barrick and Briony have been forced to flee their homeland. But both families and nations can hide dark and terrible secrets. Even if Barrick and Briony survive learning the astonishing truths at the heart of their own family and of Southmarch itself, they must find a way to reclaim their kingdom and rescue their home-from traitors, tyrants, a god-king, and even the angry gods themselves.

Set in the New York Times bestselling world of Osten Ard, this short novel continues the saga that inspired a generation of fantasists Pride often goes before a fall, but sometimes that prideful fall is so catastrophic that it changes history itself. Among the immortal Sithi of Osten Ard, none are more beloved and admired than the two sons of the ruling family, steady Hakatri and his proud and fiery younger brother Ineluki -- Ineluki, who will one day become the undead Storm King. The younger brother makes a bold, terrible oath that he will destroy deadly Hidohebhi, a terrifying monster, but instead drags his brother with him into a disaster that threatens not just their family but all the Sithi -- and perhaps all of humankind as well. Set a thousand years before the events of Williams's The Dragonbone Chair, the tale of Ineluki's tragic boast and what it brings is told by Pamon Kes, Hakatri's faithful servant. Kes is not one of the Sithi but a member of the enslaved Changeling race, and his loyalty has never before been tested. Now he must face the terrible black dragon at his master's side, then see his own life changed forever in a mere instant by Ineluki's rash, selfish promise.

The Heart of What Was Lost takes place in the half-year after the end of To Green Angel Tower, and tells of the attempt by Isgrimnur and a force largely made up of Rimmersgard soldiers to destroy the remaining Norns as they flee back to their homeland and their mountain. It also answers some questions about what actually happened in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Green Angel Tower.

The epic conclusion of the Otherland saga journeys back to the bizarre world of virtual realities in which the characters discover a multifaceted pathways to immortality, which could be available if one is willing to pay a dangerous price. By the author of City of Golden Shadow, River of Blue Fire, and Mountain of Black Glass.

A novel of vast scope, detail, and complexity, To Green Angel Tower is the momentous tour-de-force finale of a ground-breaking series. Replete with war, deception, adventure, sorcery, and romance, To Green Angel Tower brings to a stunning and surprising conclusion Tad Williams' monumental tale of a magical conflict which fractures the very fabric of time and space, turning both humans and Sithi against those of their own blood. As the evil minions of the undead Sithi Storm King prepare for the kingdom-shattering culmination of their dark sorceries and King Elias is drawn ever deeper into their nightmarish, spell-spun world, the loyal allies of Prince Josua desperately struggle to rally their forces at The Stone of Farewell. And with time running out, the remaining members of the now-devastated League of the Scroll have also gathered there to unravel mysteries from the forgotten past. For if the League can reclaim these age-old secrets of magic long-buried beneath the dusts of time, they may be able to reveal to Josua and his army the only means of striking down the unslayable foe. But whether or not the League is successful in its quest, the call of battle will lead the valiant followers of Josua Lackhand across storm tossed seas brimming with bloodthirsty kilpa...through forests swarming with those both mind- and soul-lost... through ancient caverns built by legendary Dwarrows...to the haunted halls of Asu'a itself—the Sithi's greatest stronghold!

The evil minions of the undead Sithi Storm King are beginning their final preparations for the kingdom-shattering culmination of their dark sorceries, drawing King Elias ever deeper into their nightmarish, spell-spun world. As the Storm King’s power grows and the boundaries of time begin to blur, the loyal allies of Prince Josua struggle to rally their forces at the Stone of Farewell. There, too, Simon and the surviving members of the League of the Scroll have gathered for a desperate attempt to unravel mysteries from the forgotten past. For if the League can reclaim these age-old secrets of magic long-buried beneath the dusts of time, they may be able to reveal to Josua and his army the only means of striking down the unslayable foe....

The long-awaited concluding novel in Tad Williams's thrilling epic Shadowmarch series. Southmarch Castle is about to be caught between two implacable enemies, the ancient, immortal Qar and the insane god-king, the Autarch of Xis. Meanwhile, its two young defenders, Princess Briony and Prince Barrick, are both trapped far away from home and fighting for their lives. And now, something is awakening underneath Southmarch Castle, something powerful and terrible that the world has not seen for thousands of years. Can Barrick and Briony, along with a tiny handful of allies, ordinary and extraordinary, find a way to save their world and prevent the rise of a terrible new age-an age of unending darkness?

Bobby Dollar is an angel -- a real one. He knows a lot about sin, and not just in his professional capacity as an advocate for souls caught between Heaven and Hell. Bobby's wrestling with a few deadly sins of his own -- pride, anger, even lust. But his problems aren't all his fault. Bobby can't entirely trust his heavenly superiors, and he's not too sure about any of his fellow earthbound angels either, especially the new kid that Heaven has dropped into their midst, a trainee angel who asks too many questions. And he sure as hell doesn't trust the achingly gorgeous Countess of Cold Hands, a mysterious she-demon who seems to be the only one willing to tell him the truth. When the souls of the recently departed start disappearing, catching both Heaven and Hell by surprise, things get bad very quickly for Bobby D. "End-of-the-world" bad. "Beast of Revelations" bad. Caught between the angry forces of Hell, the dangerous strategies of his own side, and a monstrous undead avenger that wants to rip his head off and suck out his soul, Bobby's going to need all the friends he can get--in Heaven, on Earth, or anywhere else he can find them. You've never met an angel like Bobby Dollar. And you've never read anything like The Dirty Streets of Heaven. Brace yourself -- the afterlife is weirder than you ever believed.

The latest saga in the New York Times bestselling world of Osten Ard concludes in the fourth and final Last King of Osten Ard novel. The Hayholt is besieged by the Norns. Once the home of their immortal brethren, the Sithi, now capital of the kingdom of men, the fabled castle is under attack. And as the world is distracted by this strike against humankind, the Norns’ deathless witch-queen Utuk’ku turns towards the mysterious fateful valley called Tanakirú—the Vale of Mists. Meanwhile, Queen Miriamele hurries to save the Hayholt and capture the treacherous noble Pasevalles, but arrives to discover the traitor has escaped. And inside Tanakirú, Vale of Mists, the bond between Prince Morgan and Nezeru, a renegade Norn, has become something deeper and stranger than either of them could have anticipated.  They journey ever deeper to the heart of the valley’s mystery, encountering wonder and horror, and come face to face at last with the ancient secret that has kindled the Norn Queen’s war—a secret that will destroy immortals and humans alike.

THE SPLINTERED SUN is a fast-moving adventure that will thrill newcomers diving into the world of Osten Ard for the first time, while weaving together many parts of previously unrevealed Osten Ard history for all the readers who are eager to delve into the pre-DRAGONBONE CHAIR history of Hernystir and Erkynland. Short summary: Set in the New York Times-bestselling world of Osten Ard, Tad Williams’s latest novel is an action-packed, fast-moving adventure following the mythic figure of Flann Alderwood and his band of misfit rebels. As the old King of Hernystir’s health worsens, the realm has been thrown into chaos—warlords divide the land up among themselves and questions about the heir to the throne continue to cause conflict. Flann, along with mysterious allies both common and noble, must aid the King’s one legitimate heir in his quest to receive his father’s blessing and attempt to return stability to the realm, while pursued by enemies eager to end his life. THE SPLINTERED SUN will be published by DAW Books in Fall 2024.

It is June of 1999 and a strange phenomenon has suddenly appeared throughout the world's major giant mirrors which split the cities in half. Dividing natural parkways and cutting buildings in two, these mirrors, are as dangerous as they are beautiful. For soon after it is discovered that people can step through them and enter foreign worlds, it becomes clear that a trip through the Earth's Mirrors is a one-way journey. The mirrors work in only one direction. What started out as a curious odyssey becomes a permanent exile. Yet despite the imminent threat of banishment, people still cross over the bridge of Mirrors - some to find loved ones stranded on the other side, some to challenge new frontiers, and some to reverse the horrors of what is swarming through the Mirrors to challenge the course of civilization. For, back on Earth, huge predatory insects are pouring through the Mirrors, killing or carrying away anything living in their path. The Bugs, as they become known, are a deadly plague with which the world I forced to reckon. A plague which both challenges and fuels the Earth's relationship with the Mirrors, as organizations such as the United Nations become involved, symbolizing the harmonious response of the world's nations and many peoples. The story of the mirrors is revealed through the eyes of Dancer, hero of Mirror World . Thoughtful and brave, Dancer passionately explores the fantastic worlds of the unknown. As he travels through newly established territories such as the city states of Shades and Looking Glass and the downtrodden land of Darklea, we see that the mirrors have created not only an alien civilization but also a new world built upon a the future of hope, love, and a prism of dreams.

Prva knjiga trilogije Sećanje, jad i trn. Rat koji su prouzrokovale mračne sile magije samo što nije zahvatio mirnu zemlju Osten Ard - jer Džon Prezviterijanski,veliki kralj koji je posekao strašnog zmaja Šurakaja , leži na samrti.A posle njegove smrti razulariće se drevno zlo, kad Olujni Kralj, neupokojeni vladar vilovnjačkih Sita , bude zatražio da ponovo vlada nad svojim izgubljenim kraljevstvom u savezu sa jednim pripadnikom ljudske kraljevske loze.Tada će, gonjeni čarolijama što izazivaju ljubomoru i mržnju, princ udariti na princa, a sama zemlja oko njih počeće da umire. Samo mala, raštrkana grupa, Savez Svitka, prepoznaće pravu opasnost koja preti Osten Ardu. A Sajmon - služinče iz zamka koje ni samo ne zna da je šegrt jednog pripadnika Saveza - preuzeće na sebe zadatak da pođe u potragu za rešenjem zagonetke koja nudi jedinu nadu za spasenje, zagonetke odavno izgubljenih mačeva moći, u potragu u kojoj će i da se suočava s neprijateljima iz najgorih košmara!

Eigentlich sollte es ein ganz normaler Ferienaufenthalt auf dem Land werden, aber was die Geschwister Tyler und Lucinda auf der geheimnisvollen Tierfarm ihres Onkels erleben, übersteigt jede Vorstellungskraft.

Der Auftakt von Tad Williams' neuem Epos aus Osten Ard Osten Ard ist in Aufruhr. Seit 30 Jahre regieren König Simon und Königin Miriamel mit Weisheit und Güte über ihr Land. Doch die dunklen Mächte sammeln sich um die Nornenkönigin und wollen sich Osten Ard untertan machen. Vor allem Prinz Morgan ist in Gefahr, denn die Feinde wollen seine Thronbesteigung verhindern und selbst die Macht erlangen. Da ruft König Simon seine alten Freunde zu Hilfe, und Binabiq, Aditu, Jiriki und Jeremias treten gemeinsam mit ihm gegen die Nornen und andere Widersacher an. Wird es einen gerechten Kampf geben? Können die Freunde Osten Ard verteidigen? Und wird Prinz Morgan unversehrt aus der Schlacht zurückkehren?

Die Nornenkönigin streckt ihre Hand nach der sagenumwobenen Hexenholzkrone aus und der Schatten eines aufziehenden Krieges legt sich über Osten Ard. Da wird eine Gesandte der Sithi, die mit einer Nachricht für König Simon und Königin Miriamele unterwegs war, schwer verwundet im Wald nahe dem Palast gefunden. Und ein Attentat auf einen alten Gefährten innerhalb der Palastmauern sorgt für noch größere Unruhe. Der Angreifer erwähnt immer wieder die Morriga, eine uralte Kriegsgöttin. Um mehr über die Bedrohung durch die Nornen herauszufinden, schickt das Thronpaar schweren Herzens Prinz Morgan zu dem Volk der Sithi. Wird er wohlbehalten zurückkehren von seiner Mission? Ist ein Krieg gegen die Nornen noch abzuwenden? Und was hat es mit den Gerüchten um das Erwachen der Morriga auf sich? Und nicht zuletzt ist da noch das Versprechen, das Simon und Miriamele ihrem alten Freund Herzog Isgrimnur auf dem Sterbebett gegeben haben ...

Tad Williams is an acknowledged master of the multi-volume epic. Through such popular series as Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn and Otherland, he has acquired a huge and devoted body of readers who eagerly await each new publication. A Stark and Wormy Knight offers those readers something both special and a virtuoso demonstration of Williams's mastery of a variety of shorter forms. The range of tone, theme, style, and content reflected in this generous volume is nothing short of amazing. The title story is a tale within a tale of dragons and knights and is notable for its wit and verbal inventiveness. 'The Storm Door' uses The Tibetan Book of the Dead to forge a singular new approach to the traditional zombie story. 'The Terrible Conflagration at the Quiller's Mint' offers a brief, independent glimpse into the background of Williams's Shadowmarch series. 'Ants' provides an ironic account of what can happen when a marriage goes irrevocably wrong. Two of the longer entries show Williams working, with great facility, within the fictional creations of other writers. 'The Thursday Men' is a hugely entertaining foray into the world of Mike Mignolla's Hellboy comics. The wonderfully titled 'The Lamentably Comical Tragedy (or the Laughably Tragic Comedy) of Lixal Laqavee' is both a first-rate fantasy and a deeply felt homage to Jack Vance's immortal Dying Earth. Two other pieces offer rare and hard-to-find glimpses into other facets of Williams's talent. 'Bad Guy Factory' is the script for a proposed series of DC Comics that never came to fruition. 'Black Sunshine' is the immensely readable screenplay for a movie that remains, at least for the moment, unproduced. One can only hope. These and other stories and novellas comprise a stellar collection that really does contain something for everyone. For longtime Williams readers, and for anyone with a taste for literate imaginative fiction, A Stark and Wormy Knight is a welcome--and indispensable--volume.

"There is a place, a black mountain that reaches to the sky - that covers up the stars. You must find it. That is where all your answers are." She brought that message to Paul Jonas in a dream. He knew her so well - her oddly beautiful winged form, her sad eyes - but although the woman who described herself as a "shattered mirror" was achingly familiar, Paul's memories of who she was and what she meant to him had been removed.... Yet her cryptic messages were his only hope to survive the incredibly complex virtual reality network known as Otherland.

I’ve been told to go to Hell more times than I can count. But this time I’m actually going. My name’s Bobby Dollar, sometimes known as Doloriel, and of course, Hell isn’t a great place for someone like me - I’m an angel. They don’t like my kind down there, not even the slightly fallen variety. But they have my girlfriend, who happens to be a beautiful demon named Casimira, Countess of Cold Hands. Why does an angel have a demon girlfriend? Well, certainly not because it helps my career. She’s being held hostage by one of the nastiest, most powerful demons in all of the netherworld - Eligor, Grand Duke of Hell. He already hates me, and he’d like nothing better than to get his hands on me and rip my immortal soul right out of my borrowed but oh-so-mortal body. But wait, it gets better! Not only do I have to sneak into Hell, make my way across thousands of miles of terror and suffering to reach Pandemonium, capital of the fiery depths, but then I have to steal Caz right out from under Eligor’s burning eyes and smuggle her out again, past demon soldiers, hellhounds, and all the murderous creatures imprisoned there for eternity. And even if I somehow manage to escape Hell, I’m also being stalked by an undead psychopath named Smyler who’s been following me for weeks. Oh, and did I mention that he can’t be killed? So if I somehow survive Hell, elude the Grand Duke and all his hideous minions and make it back to the real world, I’ll still be the most hunted soul in Creation. But at least I’ll have Caz. Gotta have something to look forward to, right? So just pour me that damn drink, will you? I’ve got somewhere to go.

Prester John, hjältekungen i det väldiga riket Osten Ard, är död. Han har efterträtts av sin äldste son, prins Elias. Men Elias står helt under sin rådgivare Pryrates onda inflytande och ingår ett förbund med de hämndlystna nornerna. För att försegla förbundet låter Pryrates och Elias fängsla rikets yngre prins, Josua, som ska offras åt nornerna. Men den vise doktor Morgenes och hans lärling, kökspojken Simon, lyckas rädda prins Josua som flyr för sitt liv till bergfästet Naglimund. Så dör Morgenes och Simon måste i sin tur fly; hans mål är att förena sig med Josua. Simon har växt upp i det labyrintiska slottet Hayholt. Nu är han ensam, utkastad i en skrämmande vildmark. Framför honom ligger den mystiska urskogen Aldheorte, som kallas för världens hjärta; bakom honom närmar sig kung Elias soldater. Simon Pilgrim är berättelsen om Simons flykt och om hur han gradvis vaknar till insikt om den roll som ödet bestämt åt honom i kampen mot den vaknande ondska som hotar hans värld.

Det blomstrande Osten Ard är på väg att krossas av krig och förödelse. Den avhållne högkungen prester John är död och hans äldste son Elias härskar från tronen av drakben. Men Elias domineras av den onde prästen Pryrates, som lett honom i förbund med de uråldriga sithiernas stormkung Ineluki, vars syfte är att fördriva människorna från Osten Ard och återupprätta sithiernas sedan länge förlorade välde.Prester Johns yngre son, prins Josua, har med hjälp av kökspojken Simon lyckats fly och tagit sin tillflykt till bergfästet Naglimund, där han med sina trogna vänner inväntar Elias anfall. Hit kommer också Simon efter en äventyrlig färd genom vildmarken tillsammans med trollet Binabik och den outgrundliga Marya.

I många, långa år har Prester John härskat från sin tron av drakben i slottet Hayholt. Under hans styre har Osten Ard upplevt en era av fred och välstånd. Nu är Prester John döende, mellan hans båda söner råder fiendskap - och vid Osten Ards gränser lurar en uråldrig ondska, beredd att med magisk kraft och mäktiga vapen anfalla riket. En gång tillhörde Osten Ard sithierna, och deras odöde härskare planerar att återta riket. Och han avser att segra inte genom vapenmakt, utan förräderi - genom att träda i förbund med den ene av Prester Johns söner. I slottet Hayholt blir kökspojken Simon lärling åt magikern Morgenes. För Simon är det en chans att slippa sina tråkiga sysslor och i stället få lyssna till Morgenes berättelser om forna tiders hjältar, stordåd och bataljer. Men vad Simon inte vet är att Morgenes tillhör Skriftrullens förbund, en liten, maktlös grupp människor som ensamma inser vilka oerhörda faror som hotar Osten Ard. Och när Prester John dör tvingas de förbundna och Simon ut på en lång, farofylld färd, vars syfte är att rädda Osten Ard undan förödelse.