New Releases by Eric Flint

The Ring of Fire Series Returns with Conflict and Intrigue in the Middle East! The more things change, the more they stay the same. . . . Jahanara Begum is on pilgrimage, a journey and rite every Muslim must essay if able. The uptimers of the USE Mission are escorting the princess in her travels to Jeddah before returning home, their mission accomplished and allies made of the court of Dara Shikoh, having helped to place him on the Peacock Throne. But the pilgrimage is only the public-facing reason for her departure from Agra. In reality, the begum sahib is also carrying her love child off to Jeddah in hopes of giving birth in secrecy. Everyone outside the Mission and her most loyal followers must be kept ignorant of the impending birth, a feat which would be hard enough if her brother hadn’t saddled her with the presence of her great aunt and frequent adversary, the sometime empress Nur Jahan. If the presence of her most brilliant adversary in her court wasn’t enough, a Mughal princess abroad is an important figure, and the political situation in the Hijaz—a complex of relations between Ottoman Bey, Sharif of the Hijaz, the Bedouin, and Persian interests—is about to boil over. Can Jahanara Begum and her USE allies safely navigate the power politics of the Pilgrim’s Passage? At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). Praise for 1635: A Parcel of Rogues: "The 20th volume in this popular, fast-paced alternative history series follows close on the heels of the events in The Baltic War, picking up with the protagonists in London, including sharpshooter Julie Sims. This time the 20th-century transplants are determined to prevent the rise of Oliver Cromwell and even have the support of King Charles." —Library Journal Praise for 1634: The Galileo Affair: "A rich, complex alternate history with great characters and vivid action. A great read and an excellent book." —David Drake "Gripping . . . depicted with power!" —Publishers Weekly Praise for Eric Flint's Ring of Fire series: “This alternate history series is . . . a landmark . . .” —Booklist “[Eric] Flint's 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.” —Booklist “ . . . reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . . ” —Publishers Weekly

When astronomer Stephanie Bronson uncovers a massive alien vessel named Fenrir racing toward the Sun, she must lead a desperate mission to rescue its crew before a catastrophic failure dooms them both to fiery destruction. It was just a dot of light . . . . . . a dot of light that appeared out of nowhere. Stephanie Bronson thought she might have found a distant supernova. Instead, what she’d found was something more than a thousand miles across, moving towards the Sun at almost a third the speed of light from the constellation of Lupus, the Wolf. Even more frightening, the object—called Fenrir, after the Norse Wolf of the World’s End—was slowing down. It was not a comet or even a rogue planet. It was an alien vessel. And despite the increasingly detailed and insistent messages of greeting from Earth, it showed no sign of responding. As the world braced itself for the arrival of the immense, frighteningly silent alien visitor, Stephanie held hope that they still might communicate with Fenrir—until something happened that no one had imagined: Fenrir flared and its drive died, leaving the huge ship careening out of control to a fiery death inside the orbit of Venus. There was—just possibly—a chance for Earth to act—to rescue the now-shipwrecked “Fens.” But even Stephanie—or those trying to stop her and the rescue ship Carpathia—could not imagine that not merely the fate of the aliens, but that of Earth itself, would be decided by Fenrir. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

NEW RING OF FIRE SERIES ENTRY FROM THE LATE ERIC FLINT AND BEST-SELLING AUTHOR JODY LYNN NYE A young gentlewoman, Margaret de Beauchamp, finds her fate twisted into the lives of the up-timers when she meets the Americans imprisoned in the Tower of London. In exchange for her help, Rita Simpson and Harry Lefferts give her a huge sum of money to keep her family’s manor and its woolen trade from falling into the hands of the crown and its unscrupulous minister, Lord Cork. But Margaret’s troubles are not at an end. Her family’s fortunes are in a downward spiral. Her trip to Grantville brings unexpected dangers and a possible up-time solution. Inspired by books in the Grantville library, Margaret has an idea to restore her family’s fortunes with an innovation never before seen in fabric design. With the help of Aaron Craig, an up-timer programmer using aqualators, water-powered computers, they teach her father’s craftsmen to create a combination machine loom that can produce a new type of woolen cloth. The ornate and perfect patterns quickly trend among the nobility. However, the Master Weavers of the county’s Weaver’s Guild aren’t happy about being overshadowed by the changes to the status quo, and take their grievance to Lord Cork, who is still looking for the people who helped the Americans escape from the Tower. Cork isn’t interested in squabbles between mere tradesmen, but he is very interested in taking over the new calculating machine that is fueling the upsurge in the de Beauchamp fortunes. He sends agents ordered to stop at nothing to secure it for his own ends. Margaret has to protect her new business, and prevent anyone from discovering that up-timers are in the country to assist her, but she still has to deal with an uprising at home. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

ALTERNATE HISTORY FROM A MASTER. Best known for his genre-defining Ring of Fire novels, Flint continues his alternate look at Jacksonian America in 1824: The Arkansas War. The relocation of the southern Indian tribes to Oklahoma engineered by Sam Houston following the War of 1812 also swept up many black inhabitants of North America. Many of the states in the USA—free as well as slaveholding—have passed laws ordering the expulsion of black freedmen. Having nowhere else to go, they joined the migration of the southern Indian tribes and settled in Arkansas. What results by 1824 is a hybrid nation of Indians, black people, and a number of white settlers as well. The situation is intolerable for the slaveholding states, which find a champion in Speaker of the House Henry Clay, whose longstanding ambition to become President of the United States looks to be coming to fruition. But Sam Houston and his friends and allies —the freedman Charles Ball, a former gunner for the US Navy and now a general in the Arkansas army, and the Irish revolutionary Patrick Driscol—are building a powerful army of their own in Arkansas. The crisis is brought to a head by the election of 1824. The war that follows will be a bloody crisis of conscience, politics, economics, and military action, drawing in players from as far away as England. And for such men as outgoing president James Monroe, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, charismatic war hero Andrew Jackson, and the violent abolitionist John Brown, it is a time to change history itself. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About 1635: A Parcel of Rogues: “The 20th volume in this popular, fast-paced alternative history series follows close on the heels of the events in The Baltic War, picking up with the protagonists in London, including sharpshooter Julie Sims. This time the 20th-century transplants are determined to prevent the rise of Oliver Cromwell and even have the support of King Charles.”—Library Journal About 1634: The Galileo Affair: “A rich, complex alternate history with great characters and vivid action. A great read and an excellent book.”—David Drake “Gripping . . . depicted with power!”—Publishers Weekly About Eric Flint''s Ring of Fire series: “This alternate history series is . . . a landmark.”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “ . . . reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . .”—Publishers Weekly

THE CROWN OF SLAVES SAGA CONTINUES. ADVENTURE AND INTRIGUE IN THE STAR KINGDOM FROM NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHORS DAVID WEBER AND ERIC FLINT. The Solarian League lies in defeat, crushed by the Grand Alliance of Manticore, Haven, and Grayson. Obedient to the Alliance''s surrender demands, the League is writing a new Constitution, to prevent the reemergence of out-of-control bureaucrats, like the "Mandarins" who led it to disaster. Frontier Security has been disbanded, the Outworlds'' have regained control of their own economic destinies, and multiple star systems will soon secede from the League entirely. Yet the League is — and will remain — the largest, most economically powerful human star nation in existence, and despite the overwhelming evidence that their unelected political leaders were the driving force behind the war, many League citizens deeply resent the fashion in which their star nation — the Solarian League — has been humbled. And those who most resent the Grand Alliance continue to blame Manticore for the nuclear bombardment of the planet Mesa after its surrender. They refuse to accept that the League — and the members of the Grand Alliance — could have been manipulated by a deeply hidden interstellar conspiracy called the Mesan Alignment. The Alignment is only an invention of the Grand Alliance, no more than a mask, a cover, for its own horrific Eridani Violations. Those Solarians will never accept the "war guilt" of the League, because they know the Grand Alliance was just as bad. Because they deeply resent the way in which the Grand Alliance pretends to be the innocent "good guys." And in the fullness of time, those Solarians will seek vengeance upon their enemies. Not all Solarians feel that way, but even some of those who accept that there was an interstellar conspiracy cherish doubts about its origins. But it is still out there, and now defeated Solarians and agents of the victorious Alliance must join forces to find it. Even if they don''t believe in it, it believes in them. They must find it and identify it, to prove to revanchist Solarians that there was a conspiracy. And they must find it and destroy it to end its evil once and for all. The Crown of Slaves Honorverse Series: Crown of Slaves Torch of Freedom Cauldron of Ghosts About the Crown of Slave Series: “Fans of Weber''s Honor Harrington series . . . will be delighted with this offshoot in which he and coauthor Flint develop several situations and characters from other stories. . . . This outstanding effort transcends the label ‘space opera’ and truly is a novel of ideas.”—Publishers Weekly About David Weber: “[A] balanced mix of interstellar intrigue, counterespionage, and epic fleet action . . . with all the hard- and software details and tactical proficiency that Weber delivers like no one else; along with a large cast of well-developed, believable characters, giving each clash of fleets emotional weight.”—Booklist “[M]oves . . . as inexorably as the Star Kingdom’s Grand Fleet, commanded by series protagonist Honor Harrington. . . . Weber is the Tom Clancy of science fiction. . . . His fans will relish this latest installment.”—Publishers Weekly “This entry is just as exciting as Weber’s initial offering. . . . The result is a fast-paced and action-packed story that follows [our characters] as they move from reaction to command of the situation. Weber builds Shadow of Freedom to an exciting and unexpected climax.”—The Galveston County Daily News “Weber combines realistic, engaging characters with intelligent technological projection and a deep understanding of military bureaucracy in this long-awaited Honor Harrington novel. . . . Fans of this venerable space opera will rejoice to see Honor back in action.”—Publishers Weekly “This latest Honor Harrington novel brings the saga to another crucial turning point. . . . Readers may feel confident that they will be Honored many more times and enjoy it every time.”—Booklist About Eric Flint: “This alternate history series is . . . a landmark . . . ”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “[R]eads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly

NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING SERIES. The ninth anthology of tales set in Eric Flint’s phenomenal Ring of Fire universe—all selected and edited by Flint. WHERE WERE YOU IN 1632? The most popular alternate history series of all continues. When a cosmic disturbance hurls your town from twentieth-century West Virginia back to seventeenth-century Europe—and into the middle of the Thirty Years War—you have to adapt to survive. And the natives of that time period, faced with American technology and politics, need to be equally adaptable. Here’s a generous helping of more stories of Grantville, the American town lost in time, and its impact on the people and societies of a tumultuous age. Featuring stories by Eric Flint, Tim Sayeau, Robert Noxon, Griffin Barber, Bjorn Hasseler, Clair Kiernan, Margo Ryor, Mark Huston, Robert Waters, Phillip Riviezzo, Jack Carroll, Terry Howard, Tim Roesch, Sarah Hays, Mike Watson, Iver P. Cooper, Kerryn Offord, Rick Boatright, Brad Banner, Anne Keener, Jackie Britton Lopatin, Bjorn Hasseler, and David Carrico. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Eric Flint’s Ring of Fire series: “[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “[Eric Flint] can entertain and edify in equal, and major, measure.”—Publishers Weekly

The assassinated Shah Jahan lies entombed beside his beloved wife in the Taj Mahal, while their progeny drag the Mughal Empire into a three-sided struggle over the succession to the Peacock Throne. The diplomatic and trade mission from the United States of Europe is openly siding with Princess Jahanara and her brother Dara Shikoh. The mission, made up largely of Americans transplanted in time by the Ring of Fire, is providing the siblings with technical assistance as they prepare to fight their rivals for the throne, Aurangzeb and Shah Shuja. Meanwhile, the Afghan adventurer Salim Gadh Yilmaz, confidant of two emperors—Shah Jahan and now his son Dara Shikoh—has been elevated to the position of general. He has great challenges to face, not the least of which is resisting the fierce and forbidden mutual attraction between himself and Princess Jahanara. As the conflict deepens, the junior members of the mission are sent east to buy opium needed by the USE’s doctors. Their guide, merchant Jadu Das, has an agenda of his own, one entrusted to him by Jahanara: seek out her great uncle, Asaf Khan, and promise whatever is needed to bring his army over to Dara’s side. The USE’s mission was sent to India in search of goods needed in Europe. But now they find that straightforward task has become enmeshed in a great civil war—for control of the Peacock Throne. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Eric Flint''s Ring of Fire series: “This alternate history series is . . . a landmark . . .”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “ . . . reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly

TIME TRAVEL ALTERNATE HISTORY FROM A MASTER. A new tale of time-displaced persons fighting for their lives in the ancient world, from 1632 and Boundary series creator Eric Flint. It’s been more than a year since the cruise ship Queen of the Sea was transported in time and space to the ancient Mediterranean not long after the death of Alexander the Great. Captain Lars Floden and the other “Ship People” are trying to plant the seeds of modern civilization. It’s not an easy task, to put it mildly, even if they have a tacit alliance with the co-regents of Alexander’s empire, his widow Roxane, and Eurydice, the wife of his half-brother. For they have plenty of enemies, too. Cassander is using every foul means available to turn Macedonia and Greece into his own empire. The brutal general Antigonus One-Eye is doing the same in Mesopotamia. And Ptolemy, the cleverest of them all, is expanding his Egyptian realm to the Red Sea. Things aren’t any easier in the colony that passengers from the cruise ship founded on the Caribbean island of Trinidad. President Allen Wiley is trying to build a twenty-first century democratic nation, but the people he has to work with aren’t the most suitable for the task: oldsters from the future, local tribesmen, and third-century BCE immigrants from Europe and Africa. War, religious strife, assassinations, espionage, poisonings and other murders—and a fair amount of love, too—all mix together with the Ship People''s knowledge from the 21st century to form a new weaving of the fates. Hopefully, that will lead to a bright new future. If it doesn''t kill everyone first. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Eric Flint’s Ring of Fire Series: “This alternate history series is . . . a landmark . . .” —Booklist “[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.” —Booklist “. . . reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . .” —Publishers Weekly

THE BATTLE FOR THE NEW WORLD IS A FIGHT TO THE FINISH! A NEW RING OF FIRE NOVEL BY BEST-SELLING WRITING TEAM ERIC FLINT AND CHARLES E. GANNON A New Day in the New World It’s 1637 in the Caribbean. Commander Eddie Cantrell and his ally and friend Admiral Martin Tromp start it off with some nasty surprises for Spain, whose centuries-long exploitation and rapine of the New World has run unchecked. Until now. Yet life goes on in the Caribbean. Relationships among the allied Dutch, Swedes, Germans, up-timers, and even Irish mercenaries continue to evolve and deepen. New friendships must be forged with the native peoples, who will not only shape the colonists’ future in the Caribbean, but will also decide whether they will be given access to a Louisiana oilfield that could change the balance of power. But for now, the only oil Imperial Spain knows about is the crude pouring out of the Allies’ pumps on Trinidad—which threatens its interests in both the New and the Old Worlds. So, following in the footsteps of the conquistadors, the empire’s commanders are resolved to show that they do not take threats lightly or lying down. Indeed, their historical reaction is to respond with overwhelming—and often genocidal—force. The battle for the New World has not merely begun; it is a fight to the finish.

THE BEST-SELLING RING OF FIRE SERIES CONQUERS THE NEW WORLD! It has taken almost five years for the United States of Europe to stabilize its position in 17th-century Europe. Now it turns its attention to the New World, where the English have ceded their colonial claims to France. There are vast lands and rich resources across the Atlantic for any nations powerful enough to rule and control them—and equal incentive for other nations to block their path. The time-displaced Americans know about the future path that led to their own United States in North America, in the other universe they came from. But do they want to repeat that history as it was? Yes, they had democracy—but they are helping to create that in Europe. And they have learned the bitter prices paid for chattel slavery and the near-extermination of the native populations. Knowledge is power. Perhaps a new course can be taken. Accordingly, an expedition is sent to the New World to see just what might be happening there and what might be done. They are armed with their technology, among which are a radio and an airship. More importantly, they are armed with the knowledge of future history and their determination not to repeat the errors of their past. What could possibly go wrong? At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Eric Flint: “This alternate history series is . . . a landmark . . . ”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist "[R]eads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly About Walter H. Hunt: "A compelling and immersive novel in which every word feels authentic and every chapter draws the reader deeper into the dark and terrifying power of the mind.”—New York Journal of Books

NEW SOLO NOVEL BY ERIC FLINT IN THE BEST-SELLING RING OF FIRE SERIES! The Ottoman Empire has captured Vienna and is now laying siege to the Austrian government-in-exile established in the city of Linz. Both the United States of Europe and the Kingdom of Bohemia have come to Austria’s assistance, but everyone knows this is going to be a long and brutal struggle. In order to relieve the pressure on the Austrians, General Mike Stearns proposes to open a second front in the Levant. The USE’s emperor Gustavus Adolphus gives his approval to the plan, and Mike sets it in motion, with the very capable assistance of his wife Rebecca Abrabanel, now the USE’s Secretary of State. Meanwhile, Poland is coming to a boil. Gretchen Richter, the newly elected chancellor of Saxony, has seized control of Lower Silesia. Her small army is now approached to form an alliance with the Polish revolutionaries who have seized power in the Ruthenian province of Galicia—which, in the universe the time-displaced Americans of Grantville came from, would have constituted the western Ukraine. Now, the Bohemians send an army led by Morris Roth into Poland, ostensibly to aid the revolutionaries but also with the goal of expanding King Albrecht Wallenstein’s growing empire in eastern Europe. And—the icing on the cake—Mike Stearns sends the Hangman Regiment of his Third Division under the command of Jeff Higgins to reinforce Jeff’s wife Gretchen in Silesia. The maelstrom in Poland grows . . . and grows . . . and grows . . . Will it drag all its displaced Americans and their allies down with it? At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About 1635: A Parcel of Rogues: "The 20th volume in this popular, fast-paced alternative history series follows close on the heels of the events in The Baltic War, picking up with the protagonists in London, including sharpshooter Julie Sims. This time the 20th-century transplants are determined to prevent the rise of Oliver Cromwell and even have the support of King Charles."—Library Journal About 1634: The Galileo Affair: "A rich, complex alternate history with great characters and vivid action. A great read and an excellent book."—David Drake "Gripping . . . depicted with power!"—Publishers Weekly About Eric Flint''s Ring of Fire series: “This alternate history series is . . . a landmark…”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “ . . . reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly

NEW FANTASY BY NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR ERIC FLINT. Orkise is loose. The snake-god of plague has been awakened by Lucia del Maino, the bastard daughter of the recently overthrown duke of Milan, Phillipo Visconti. With the venomous magic of Orkise at her command, Lucia plots to marry and then murder the usurper who now rules Milan, the condottiere Carlo Sforza—known to friend and foe alike as the Wolf the North. Other trouble is brewing as well. Sforza has his own bastard, Benito Valdosta, who is returning to Venice after having conquered the Byzantine empire. Benito has a score to settle with his father, and he will have the help of his half-brother Marco, who is the embodiment of ancient Etruria’s mighty Winged Lion of St. Mark. Adding further to Sforza’s predicament, yet another power has entered the fray. The terrifying sorcerer Count Mindaug has decided to settle in Milan. Will he ally with Sforza, or oppose him? Either will bring trouble, for if Mindaug aids the usurper he will arouse the fury of the Holy Roman Empire and the Knights of the Holy Trinity. Both of those great forces have sworn to destroy Mindaug and anyone who shelters him. On his side, Sforza has only the skill and cunning of his physician, Francisco Turner—who is on good terms with the Valdosta brothers and may be able to neutralize Venetian hostility. But even if he can, will that be enough to save the Wolf of the North? For out there in the countryside of northern Italy, Orkise is uncoiling all the plagues of hell. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Eric Flint: “Another engaging alternate history from a master of the genre.”—Booklist “. . . an old-style police-procedural mystery, set in 17th century Germany. . . . the threads . . . spin together . . . to weave an addictively entertaining story. . . . a strong addition to a fun series.”—Daily News of Galveston County “This alternate history series is … a landmark…”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint's 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “…reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis…”—Publishers Weekly About Dave Freer: “Dave Freer always delivers compelling, fast-moving and addictive fantasy adventures.”–Garth Nix, New York Times best-selling author of The Keys to the Kingdom series "Dave Freer's stories are always well-plotted, fast-paced and—most of all—a lot of fun to read."—Eric Flint, New York Times best-selling creator of the Ring of Fire series About A Mankind Witch, by Dave Freer: “Good characterization, ripsnorting action and an ingenious plot make this a feast. . .” —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

From New York Times best-selling author and creator of the popular Ring of Fire series Eric Flint. A new collection of short stories by a master of sciecne fiction, fantasy, and alternate history. WELCOME TO THE MANY WORLDS OF BEST-SELLING AUTHOR ERIC FLINT Known for his New York Times best-selling alternate history novels, Flint is equally a master of shorter forms, and this second large volume gathers more of Flint’s shorter works. Including several stories and a short novel set in Flint’s celebrated Ring of Fire alternate history series. A commemorative novelette set in Poul Anderson’s Operation Chaos universe. A story with Dave Freer, set in his and Flint’s popular Rats, Bats and Vats series. Several humorous short stories addressing Biblical literalism. A long novella in a Martian steampunk setting. And another long novella set in David Weber’s best-selling Honor Harrington universe. In addition to the fiction, Eric Flint has written an overall introduction, plus an introduction for each story, telling how it came to be written, making this an irresistible book for the many thousands of Eric Flint fans. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Eric Flint: “Another engaging alternate history from a master of the genre.”—Booklist “. . . an old-style police-procedural mystery, set in 17th century Germany. . . . the threads . . . spin together . . . to weave an addictively entertaining story. . . . a strong addition to a fun series.”—Daily News of Galveston County “This alternate history series is … a landmark…”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “…reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis…”—Publishers Weekly p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #454545} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #454545; min-height: 14.0px}

NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING SERIES. The eigth anthology of tales set in Eric Flint’s phenomenal Ring of Fire universe—all selected and edited by Flint. The most popular alternate history series of all continues. When an inexplicable cosmic disturbance hurls your town from twentieth century West Virginia back to seventeenth century Europe—and into the middle of the Thirty Years War—you'd better be adaptable to survive. And the natives of that time period, faced with American technology and politics, need to be equally adaptable. Here’s a generous helping of more stories of Grantville, the American town lost in time, and its impact on the people and societies of a tumultuous age. Edited by Eric Flint and Walt Boyes, the editor of the Grantville Gazette magazine from which the best selections are made, these are stories that fill in the pieces of the Ring of Fire series begun with Flint’s novel 1632. The setting has become a political, economic, social and cultural puzzle as supporting characters we meet in the novels get their own lives, loves and life-changing stories. The future and democracy have arrived with a bang—an historical explosion with a multitude of unforeseen consequences. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Eric Flint’s Ring of Fire series: “[Eric] Flint's1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “[Eric Flint] can entertain and edify in equal, and major, measure.”—Publishers Weekly

Book #24 in the multiple New York Times best-selling Ring of Fire series. SEVEN DAYS IN MAY, 1636 It’s spring in Burgundy. The flowers are out and so are the cardinals—of Pope Urban’s renegade papacy, now on the run from the Vatican’s would-be usurper Borja. Most of the Church’s senior leaders have converged upon the city of Besancon, where the Pope plans to offer an ecumenical olive branch to the other Christian denominations with which Rome has been at war. Fortunately, Urban has up-time help. He can rely upon Cardinal-Protector Larry Mazzare’s theological savvy, Sharon Nichols’ medical skills, and her husband Ruy Sanchez’s keen-eyed experience as a body-guard-in-chief. And even though Urban has a new Papal Guard in the form of Owen Rowe O’Neill’s Wild Geese, Mike Stearns has loaned the Pope a small contingent of the Hibernian Battalion—just in case. Which is prudent, since Urban and his peace initiative are not merely at risk from Borja’s assassins. There is another, more deadly, team of professional killers in town, directed by the man who almost killed the Pope before: lethal Spanish mastermind Pedro Dolor. Dolor hasn’t come to confess murder—he’s come to commit it. About 1635: A Parcel of Rogues: "The 20th volume in this popular, fast-paced alternative history series follows close on the heels of the events in The Baltic War, picking up with the protagonists in London, including sharpshooter Julie Sims. This time the 20th-century transplants are determined to prevent the rise of Oliver Cromwell and even have the support of King Charles."—Library Journal About 1634: The Galileo Affair: "A rich, complex alternate history with great characters and vivid action. A great read and an excellent book."—David Drake "Gripping . . . depicted with power!"—Publishers Weekly About Eric Flint's Ring of Fire series: “This alternate history series is . . . a landmark…”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint's 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “ . . . reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly **

Book #21 in the multiple New York Times best-selling Ring of Fire series. The uptimers and their allies take on the Ottoman Empire at its height of power. The modern West Virginia town of Grantville has been displaced in time to continental Europe in 1632. Now four years have passed. The long-feared attack on Austria by the Ottoman Empire has begun. Armed with new weapons inspired by the time-displaced Americans of Grantville, the Turks are determined to do what they were unable to do in the universe the Americans came from: capture Vienna. The Ottomans have the advantage of being able to study the failings and errors of their own campaigns in a future they can now avoid. They are led by the young, dynamic, and ruthless Murad IV, the most capable emperor the Ottomans have produced in a century. They are equipped with weapons that would have seemed fantastical to the Turks of that other universe: airships, breech-loading rifles, rockets—even primitive tanks. And this time they won’t have to face massive reinforcements from Austria’s allies. In fact, the only force Emperor Gustav Adolf can think of sending to Austria is the United States of Europe Third Division under the command of Mike Stearns. It’s an army currently engaged in a desperate struggle for Bavaria. The emperors of the USE and Austria share the same problem. They have one too many enemies, one too few allies, and only one general to cover the gaps. Fortunately, that general is Mike Stearns, also known as the Prince of Germany. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About 1635: A Parcel of Rogues: "The 20th volume in this popular, fast-paced alternative history series follows close on the heels of the events in The Baltic War, picking up with the protagonists in London, including sharpshooter Julie Sims. This time the 20th-century transplants are determined to prevent the rise of Oliver Cromwell and even have the support of King Charles."—Library Journal About 1634: The Galileo Affair: "A rich, complex alternate history with great characters and vivid action. A great read and an excellent book."—David Drake "Gripping . . . depicted with power!"—Publishers Weekly About Eric Flint''s Ring of Fire series: “This alternate history series is . . . a landmark…”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “ . . . reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly

#5 in the Boundary series universe, and sequel to Castaway Planet, by New York Times multiple best-selling author Eric Flint and veteran science fiction and fantasy author Ryk E. Spoor. Worst-Case Scenario: Sergeant Samuel Morgan Campbell had been in plenty of tight spots before, but nothing like this. It had happened in a few terrifying seconds: the starship he and his crew travelled on, the Outward Initiative, shattered to pieces before their eyes and disappeared, leaving them stranded in the endless night of deep space on Lifeboat LS-88—all systems dead, light-years from any known colony. Somehow, Sergeant Campbell and his crew of half-trained children—ranging from freshly graduated Xander Bird down to eight-year-old Francisco—have to repair systems with no tools, navigate with no computers, and—if they could find a planet they could live on—land a shuttle whose controls were more than half-destroyed. And if they manage all of that, then the real challenge begins; the only planet in range has secrets that even Sergeant Campbell cannot imagine! At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). Praise for previous books in this series: “. . . fast-paced sci-fi espionage thriller . . . light in tone and hard on science . . .” —Publishers Weeklyon Boundary “The whole crew from Flint and Spoor''s Boundary are back . . . Tensions run high throughout the Ceres mission . . . a fine choice for any collection.” —Publishers Weekly on Threshold “[P]aleontology, engineering, and space flight, puzzles in linguistics, biology, physics, and evolution further the story, as well as wacky humor, academic rivalries, and even some sweet romances.” —School Library Journal on Boundary

Book #20 in the multiple New York Times_best-selling Ring of Fire series. When the diplomatic embassy from the United States of Europe was freed from the Tower of London during the Baltic War, most of its members returned to the continent. But some remained behind in Britain: Oliver Cromwell and a few companions, including the sharpshooter Julie Sims, her Scot husband Alex Mackay, and Cromwells Irish-American self-appointed watchdog Darryl McCarthy. Soon, the hunt is on for the most notorious rebel in English history, with King Charles himself demanding Cromwells head. The new chief minister Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork, brings over from Ireland a notorious crew of cutthroats led by the man called Finnegan to track down and capture the escapees from the Tower. The hunt passes through England and into Scotland, where the conflict between Cromwell and his companions and their would-be captors becomes embroiled in Scotlands politics, which are every bit as savage and ruthless as Finnegan and his men. To make things still more conflicted and confused, the time Darryl McCarthy spends fighting alongside Cromwell forces him against his will to admire and respectÊand even likeÊthe man, despite Cromwells demonic reputation among all self-respecting Irish nationalist families like Darryls own. Its a Gordian knot anywhere you lookÊuntil Julie Sims brings out her rifle. Now its the turn of Scot partisans and English lords and Irish toughs to learn the lesson already learned on the continent: A safe distance isnt what you think it is. Not after the American angel of death spreads her wings. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About 1635: A Parcel of Rogues "...[P]opular, fast-paced alternative history series..." --Library Journal About 1634: The Galileo Affair: "A rich complex alternate history with great characters and vivid action. A great read and an excellent book."ÊDavid Drake "Gripping . . . depicted with power!"ÊPublishers Weekly About Eric Flint's Ring of Fire series: _This alternate history series is Ñ a landmarkÑîÊBooklist _[Eric] Flint's 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.îÊBooklist _Ñreads like a technothriller set in the age of the MedicisÑîÊPublishers Weekly

NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING SERIES. The seventh anthology of tales set in Eric Flintu0090s phenomenal Ring of Fire universe¾all selected and edited by Flint. A cosmic accident sets the modern West Virginia town of Grantville down in war-torn seventeenth century Europe. It will take all the gumption of the resourceful, freedom-loving up-timers to find a way to flourish in the mad and bloody beginning of the Renaissance. Are they up for it? You bet they are. Edited by Eric Flint, and inspired by his now-legendary 1632, this is the fun stuff that fills in the pieces of the Ring of Fire political, social and cultural puzzle as supporting characters we meet in the novels get their own lives, loves and life-changing stories. The future and democracy have arrived with a bang. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Eric Flintu0090s Ring of Fire series: _[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.Ó¾Booklist _[Eric Flint] can entertain and edify in equal, and major, measure.Ó¾Publishers Weekly

ORIGINAL TRADE PAPERBACK. New York Times best-selling authors S.M. Stirling, Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint, and Jody Lynn Nye return with four novellas. The cat-like Mrem, our heroes, battle the deep reptilian intelligence of humanoid dinosaurs in a Bronze Age world. SEQUEL TO EXILED: CLAN OF THE CLAW. Second entry in a series with four linked novellas from multiple best-sellers S.M. Stirling, Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint and Jody Lynn Nye! After the extinction asteroid does not strike Earth, the dinosaurs keep evolving–but so do the mammals. We mammals have achieved humanlike shapes, but now it’s cold-blooded, magic-using reptiles against the hot-blooded, hot-tempered descendants of cats.In a heroic, Bronze Age world similar to 300, the Mrem Clans expand their rough-and-tumble territory, but now they face the Lishkash, reptilian masters of a cold-blooded empire of slave armies and magic. It’s mammalian courage and adaptation against reptile cunning in a clash of steel and will that determine who shall inherit the Earth. Exiled Series Exiled: Clan of the Claw By Tooth and Claw At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

NEW ENTRY IN THE BEST-SELLING BOUNDARY SERIES. Stranded humans must adapt alien technology to survive on a dangerous planet. Lost in the dark, half a year into their journey to the colony world of Tantalus, Sakura Kimei, her family, and her best friend, the alien "Bemmie" nicknamed Whips, are torn from the safety of their colony ship. In a crippled lifeboat, they had one chance to find a habitable world. But even then, they would find that their apparent salvation was a world of a thousand secrets. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). Praise for previous books in this series: _. . . fast-paced sci-fi espionage thriller . . . light in tone and hard on science . . .Ó ¾Publishers Weekly on Boundary _The whole crew from Flint and Spoor's Boundary are back. . . . Tensions run high throughout the Ceres mission . . . a fine choice for any collection.Ó ¾Publishers Weekly on Threshold _[P]aleontology, engineering, and space flight, puzzles in linguistics, biology, physics, and evolution further the story, as well as wacky humor, academic rivalries, and even some sweet romances.Ó ¾School Library Journal on Boundary

Book #18 in the multiple New York Times best-selling Ring of Fire series, and the team behind national bestseller 1635: The Kremlin Games. When Grantville, West Virginia was transported back to the year 1631 -- in the middle of the Thirty Years'' War, no less -- many things happened. Many opportunities arose. It''s said that a rising tide lifts all boats. Perhaps not quite as high as the Barbie Consortium rose, however. A cabal of ten- to twelve-year-old girls? They aren''t twelve anymore. And they gave up playing with dolls some years ago, when they sold them all and started an investment consortium. A consortium that did quite well. The Barbie Consortium hits Vienna. In several different ways. The princes and princesses, dukes and duchesses, the common men and women on the street have no idea what''s about to happen.Neither do the girls, but they''re determined it''ll happen their way. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About 1636: The Devil''s Opera: _Another engaging alternate history from a master of the genre.Ó¾Booklist _. . . an old-style police-procedural mystery, set in 17th century Germany. . . . the threads . . . spin together . . . to weave an addictively entertaining story. . . . a strong addition to a fun series.Ó¾ Daily News of Galveston County About Eric Flintu0090s Ring of Fire series: _This alternate history series isãa landmarkãÓ¾Booklist _[Eric] Flint''s 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.Ó¾Booklist _ãreads like a technothriller set in the age of the MedicisãÓ¾Publishers Weekly

Contains Books #7 and #8, The Reformer and The Tyrant, in the best selling General series The Empire of Man has fallen and a new Dark Age is upon the stars. With planets cut off and reduced to subsistence and ignorance, humanity has nearly forgotten its past greatness. But one battle computer has survived the Collapse. He is Center. And Center is determined to find and aid leaders who can return a star-faring republic to the galaxy. The first of these leaders is Raj Whitehall, a man born to be a general, and molded to retake civilization itself from the jaws of barbarism. The Reformer by S.M. Stirling and David Drake On Hafardine, civilization had fallen further than most. That men came from the stars was not even a rumor of memory in Adrian Gellert's day. The Empire of Vanbret spread across the lands in a sterile splendor that could only end in another collapse, more ignominious and complete than the first. Adrian Gellert was a philosopher, a Student of the Grove. His greatest desire was a life of contemplation in the service of wisdom . . . until he touched the 'holy relic' that contained the disincarnate minds of Raj Whitehall and Center. On that day, Adrian's search for wisdom would lead him to a life of action, from the law-courts of Vanbret to the pirate cities of the Archipelago and battlefields bloodier than any in the history he'd learned. The prize was the future of humanity. The Tyrant by Eric Flint and David Drake On the planet Hafardine, civilization must rediscover progress or collapse. Adrian, guided by disembodied electronic mentors from space, has brought gunpowder and steam power to the Kingdom of the Isles to break the stranglehold of the Empire. But he will have to avoid being killed by the suspicious King he serves, by the barbarians he must recruit, and even by his insanely vengeful brother. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About the Raj Whitehall/General series: _[T]old with knowledge of military tactics and hardware, and vividly described action . . . devotees of military SF should enjoy themselves.Ó¾Publishers Weekly _[A] thoroughly engrossing military sf series . . . superb battle scenes, ingenious weaponry and tactics, homages to Kipling, and many other goodies. High fun.Ó¾Booklist About David Drake: _[P]rose as cold and hard s the metal alloy of a tank ã rivals Crane and Remarque ãÓ _Chicago Sun-Times _Drake couldnt write a bad action scene at gunpoint.Ó _Booklist The General Series The Forge S. M. Stirling David Drake The Hammer S. M. Stirling David Drake The Anvil S. M. Stirling David Drake The Steel S. M. Stirling David Drake The Sword S. M. Stirling David Drake The Chosen S. M. Stirling David Drake The Reformer S. M. Stirling David Drake The Tyrant Eric Flint David Drake The Heretic Tony Daniel David Drake The Savior Tony Daniel David Drake Omnibus Editions Warlord David Drake S. M. Stirling Contains The Forge and The Hammer Conqueror David Drake S. M. Stirling Contains The Anvil and The Steel Hope Reborn David Drake S. M. Stirling Contains The Forge and The Hammer Hope Rearmed David Drake S. M. Stirling Contains The Anvil and The Steel

Sequel to national bestsellers Torch of Freedom and Crown of Slaves, Book Three in the Crown of Slaves, - Honor Harrington universe. Secret agent Anton Zilwicki and Victor Cachat return in this classic tie-in series set in David Weber's Honorverse. TOIL AND TROUBLE IN THE CAULDRON OF GHOSTS The Mesan Alignment: a centuries-old cabal that seeks to impose its vision of a society dominated by genetic rank onto the human race. Now the conspiracy stands exposed by spies Anton Zilwicki and Victor Cachat¾one an agent of Honor Harringtons Star Kingdom of Manticore, the other a Havenite operative. The outing of the Alignment has turned the galaxys political framework topsy-turvy. Old coalitions have disintegrated. New alliances have been born. For starters, the long and hard-fought war between the Republic of Haven and the Star Empire of Manticore is not only over, but these bitter enemies have formed a new pact. Their common foe: the Mesan Alignment itself. But more information is needed to bring the Alignment out of the shadows. Now, defying the odds and relying on genetic wizardry themselves for a disguise, Zilwicki and Cachat return to Mesa¾only to discover that even they have underestimated the Alignments ruthlessness and savagery. Soon they are on the run in Mesas underworld, not only hunted by the Alignment but threatened by the exploding conflict on the planet between Mesas overlords and the brutalized slaves and descendants of slaves who have suffered under their rule for so long. But if Zilwicki and Cachat succeed in rooting out the ancient conspiracy, a great evil may be finally removed from the galaxy¾and on a long-oppressed planet, freedom may finally dawn. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About the Crown of Slave Series: "Fans of Weber's Honor Harrington series ã will be delighted with this offshoot in which he and coauthor Flint develop several situations and characters from other stories. ...This outstanding effort transcends the label 'space opera' and truly is a novel of ideas.Ó¾Publishers Weekly

In an alternate 15th century where magic still is part of life, the Holy Roman Empire rules Europe. Constantinople is under siege by the Venetians and their allies. Hekate, Goddess of Crossroads, presides over the conflict and carnage as alternate visions of civilization collide. And since Constantinople is the crossroad city of east and west, and it is here that Italian captain Benito Valdosta must deal with the powerful magical manifestation of the Weeping Woman, a disguised Hekate, in order to save his daughter and to destroy the fleets of the Chernobog assembling in the Black Sea before they can cut into the soft underbelly of Europe. With land battle, naval action, cunning assassinations, and heartbreak aplenty¾not to mention the ongoing conflict between Lord of the Dead Aidonus and Benito for the love of a woman, civilization is at the crossroads and choices must be made that will bring victory and freedom for centuries to come¾or a new Dark Age. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

The sequel to Threshold, Book Three in the Boundary series. HELL FROZEN OVER Madeline Fathom had miraculously landed the crippled Nebula Storm_on Europa. She joined on that frozen moon of Jupiter the stranded crewmembers of the ill_fated EU vessel_Odin. The Nebula Storm''s reactor was ruined in the landing, the Odinu0090s shuttle canu0090t make the trip back home, and the only vessel that could have make the journey to save them has just been_destroyed by a renegade crewman, bad luck, and the remorseless forces of nature. But Madeline, Helen Sutter, A.J. Baker and the team have one card left to play. All they have to do... is survive lethal radiation, vacuum, and ice as hard as steel while they figure out how to make_ Nebula Storm fly again. But even as they prepare to make the journey home, Europa has one more discovery waiting for them... a discovery that might be the deadliest trap in the Solar System! At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

A new addition to the multiple New York Times best-selling Ring of Fire series. After carving a place for itself in war-torn 17th century Europe, citizens of the modern town of Grantville, West Virginia take on the Borgias and Papal succession shenanigans that could undermine a Spring of freedom that has come to Europe three centuries early. #15 in the multiple bestselling Ring of Fire Series. It’s springtime in the Eternal City, 1635. But it’s no Roman holiday for uptimer Frank Stone and his pregnant downtime wife, Giovanna. They’re in the clutches of would-be Pope Cardinal Borgia, with the real Pope–Urban VII –on the run with the renegade embassy of uptime Ambassador Sharon Nichols and her swashbuckling downtime husband, Ruy Sanchez de Casador y Ortiz. Up to their necks in papal assassins, power politics, murder, and mayhem, the uptimers and their spouses need help and they need it quickly. Special rescue teams–including Harry Lefferts and his infamous Wrecking Crew–converge on Rome to extract Frank and Gia. And an uptime airplane is on its way to spirit the Pope to safety before Borja’s assassins can find him. It seems that everything is going to work out just fine in sunny Italy. Until, that is, everything goes wrong. Now, whether they are prisoners in Rome or renegades protecting a pope on the run, it’s up to the rough and ready can-do attitude of Grantville natives to once again escape the clutches of aristocratic skullduggery and ring in freedom for a war-torn land. About Eric Flint’s Ring of Fire series: “This alternate history series is…a landmark…”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint's 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “…reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis…”—Publishers Weekly “…each new entry appears better than the previous one, a seemingly impossible feat…terrific.”—Midwest Book Review “[C]ombines accurate historical research with bold leaps of the imagination.”—Library Journal

The Latest Novel in the New York Times Best-Selling Series. Eric Flint, the Reigning Master of Alternate History, Continues the Exciting Story Arc Begun in 1635: The Eastern Front. The West Virginia town of Grantville, torn from the twentieth century and hurled back into seventeenth century Europe has allied with Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, in the United States of Europe. So, when Gustavus invades Poland, managing to unite all the squabbling Polish factions into repelling the common enemy, the time-lost Americans have to worry about getting dragged into the fight along with the Swedish forces. But Mike Stearns has another problem. He was Prime Minister of the USE until he lost an election, and now he’s one of Gustavus’s generals; and he has demonstrated that he’s very good at being a general. And he’s about to really need all his military aptitude. Gretchen , who never saw a revolution she didn’t like, has been arrested in Saxony, and is likely to be executed. The revolutionary groups which she has been working with are not about to let that happen, and suddenly there’s rioting in the streets. Saxony’s ruthless General Baner is determined to suppress the uprising by the time-honored “kill them all and let God sort them out” method, which only adds fuel to the fire. So Gustavus orders Mike Stearns to go to Saxony and restore order. But he makes one mistake. He didn’t tell Mike to take his troops along on the mission. But he didn’t tell him not to, either . . . Praise for the New York Times Best-Selling Series: “. . . gripping and expertly detailed . . . a treat for lovers of action-SF or alternate history . . . battle scenes depicted with power . . . distinguishes Flint as an SF author of particular note, one who can entertain and edify in equal, and major, measure.” —Publishers Weekly (in a starred review) “[This] alternate-history saga . . . is certainly a landmark in that subgenre. . . . A splendid example of character-centered alternate-history, this is a must read for its series'' growing fandom.” —Booklist (Starred Review) “. . . takes historic speculation to a new level in a tale that combines accurate historical research with bold leaps of the imagination. Fans of alternate history and military sf should enjoy this rousing tale of adventure and intrigue.” —Library Journal “This alternate history series is already one of the best around and each new entry appears better than the previous one, a seemingly impossible feat . . . terrific. . . .” —The Midwest Book Review

The Thirty Years War continues to ravage 17th century Europe, but a new force is gathering power and influence: the United States of Europe, a new nation led by Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and the West Virginians from the 20th century led by Mike Stearns who were hurled centuries into the past by a mysterious cosmic accident. While the old entrenched rulers and manipulators continue to plot against this new upstart nation, everyday life goes on in Grantville, even under the shadow of war, as this lost outpost of American freedom and justice must play David against a 17th century Goliath of oppressive feudalism. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). ". . . gripping and expertly detailed . . . a treat for lovers of action-SF or alternate history . . . battle scenes depicted with power . . . distinguishes Flint as an SF author of particular note, one who can entertain and edify in equal, and major, measure." ¾Publishers Weekly (in a starred review) "[This] alternate-history saga . . . is certainly a landmark in that subgenre. . . . A splendid example of character-centered alternate-history, this is a must read for its series'' growing fandom." ¾Booklist (Starred Review) ". . . takes historic speculation to a new level in a tale that combines accurate historical research with bold leaps of the imagination. Fans of alternate history and military sf should enjoy this rousing tale of adventure and intrigue." ¾Library Journal "This alternate history series is already one of the best around and each new entry appears better than the previous one, a seemingly impossible feat . . . terrific. . . ." ¾The Midwest Book Review

Prince Manfred and his mentor and bodyguard, the deadly warrior Erik, survived dangers and enemies both natural and supernatural, and if they thought that their new mission was going to be anything but more of the same, they soon gave up on that hope. Returning from Jerusalem, they and their escort of knights of the Holy Trinity are escorting an envoy of II Khan Mongol to the lands of the Golden Horde-between the Black Sea and the Carpathians, which happen to be eastern bastion against their old enemies, the demon Chernobog and his possessed puppet, the Jangellion. Unfortunately, what began as a diplomatic mission leads to Manfred and his knights being caught up in an inter-clan civil war, rescuing a fugitive woman and her injured brother, and becoming involved in the problems of Prince Vlad, Duke of Valahia, who has been held as a hostage by King Emeric of Hungary until freed by Countess Elizabeth Batholdy to use as bait to capture a group of nonhumans. Instead, the wolflike nonhumans, who masquerade as gypsies, free Prince Vlad, and help him to return to his homeland to raise revolt against Hungary and to renew age-old magics. Manfred and Erik are forced into an alliance of convenience between the Golden Horde and the ancient magical forces of Valahia, as directed by the troubled Vlad. The magic calls for blood and Vlad is deathly afraid of it¾and at the same time, is irresistibly drawn toward it . . . At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).