Happy Solstice! How about a little Stonesinger for the holidays?
Folks, it was my intention to have at least three shorts done by now, but a three-day hospital stay and recuperation, not to mention metric tonnes of Christmas cheer and preparation for the holidays, have resulted in me having only ONE of the three completed at this point. The other two are nearly finished, and I expect to have them done shortly, but as I have mentioned that I wanted to have a story up by now and I do, indeed, have one, it seems unfair of me not to share it.
So here it is, free. Happy Yule!
I will be including it in future anthologies, as well, but you folk have been so patient, understanding, and enthusiastic I felt compelled to publish this for you in gratitude for your support. Just a little thing, but please accept it as a token of my profound appreciation of your patronage.
I just received the first few chapters of Hawkmaiden back from my editor, Emily (who is about to publish her own first novel) and I'm close to finishing the book. I'm anticipating an early January release, Briga willing. Remember: it's shorter (less than 100,000 words), written for a YA audience, and it doesn't really break any new ground plot-wise. If you're a plot-and-action junkie, more interested in Min and the goblin body count than the rest of the world, you can probably skip it and not miss much. This is Dara's story, told from her perspective, and it isn't the kind of epic adventure tale you've grown used to. If I had to liken it to any other series, I'd say it's most in style like Anne McCaffery's Harper Hall trilogy. Only with hawks.
Min's tales will resume with Journeymage, which I'm looking to have done for this Spring (another shorter work, but more action-packed and plot-heavy and less world building). To bridge this gap I'm planning a shortstory/novella for February or March, featuring Tyndal and Rondal and Friends. And it's quite possible you'll see a few other shorts pop up here and there, too.
But I want to sincerely and deeply thank each and every one of you who have been following me on this journey. Believe it or not, we're just getting started.
You may now use this comment section to discuss the story and when I'm ACTUALLY going to get all of this done. And Spaceviking (still finishing). And "other". Then you may speculate when I might actually sleep.
Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Joyous Yule!
Terry
So here it is, free. Happy Yule!
I will be including it in future anthologies, as well, but you folk have been so patient, understanding, and enthusiastic I felt compelled to publish this for you in gratitude for your support. Just a little thing, but please accept it as a token of my profound appreciation of your patronage.
I just received the first few chapters of Hawkmaiden back from my editor, Emily (who is about to publish her own first novel) and I'm close to finishing the book. I'm anticipating an early January release, Briga willing. Remember: it's shorter (less than 100,000 words), written for a YA audience, and it doesn't really break any new ground plot-wise. If you're a plot-and-action junkie, more interested in Min and the goblin body count than the rest of the world, you can probably skip it and not miss much. This is Dara's story, told from her perspective, and it isn't the kind of epic adventure tale you've grown used to. If I had to liken it to any other series, I'd say it's most in style like Anne McCaffery's Harper Hall trilogy. Only with hawks.
Min's tales will resume with Journeymage, which I'm looking to have done for this Spring (another shorter work, but more action-packed and plot-heavy and less world building). To bridge this gap I'm planning a shortstory/novella for February or March, featuring Tyndal and Rondal and Friends. And it's quite possible you'll see a few other shorts pop up here and there, too.
But I want to sincerely and deeply thank each and every one of you who have been following me on this journey. Believe it or not, we're just getting started.
You may now use this comment section to discuss the story and when I'm ACTUALLY going to get all of this done. And Spaceviking (still finishing). And "other". Then you may speculate when I might actually sleep.
Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Joyous Yule!
Terry
Comparing Hawkmaiden to Harper Hall is a very good thing! It is one of my favorite parts in the entire Pern series. It made Menolly & Piemur so much more alive and the overall series had this depth because of it. If Hawkmaiden does the same for the Spellmonger series then that is excellent news.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it! I like a lot of different kinds of fantasy, even "soft" fantasy without a lot of swords or sorcery. And seeing the transition between childhood and adulthood is important for any character.
DeleteIt helps that I have a 12 year old girl, myself. I wanted to write something she and her friends could read without all the sex magic.
Would you be willing to release the titles of the short stories so we can wildly speculate and wind ourselves up? Also, is Journeymage the start of the new arc with people starting to worry about Minalan's citadel being built or is that the story after?
ReplyDeleteSo far, "The Ugliest Maid in Castal" and "Checkered Past", with more on the way.
DeleteJourneymage does start a new arc, but not the one where folks start worrying about his citadel yet. There are more pressing concerns. They'll worry more when it gets closer to completion.
It will concern the migration of the Kasari from Braunsei, in northern Alshar, across the Penumbra to the relative safety of Kasar in norther Castal. It will be based loosely on the Children's Crusade, only with magic and goblins.
Thank you for your hard work and the free story. Merry Christmas Terry!
ReplyDeleteThank you, so much; you totally made my day! A very happy Christmas to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the short story. You are my favorite author. I can't wait till Hawkmaiden and Journeymage comes out. You have inspired me to try my hand at writing again. Thank you agian.
ReplyDeleteNot gunna lie, while I'm exited for all the upcoming releases and will absoluely be buying them. I am eagerly anticipating the next World-Building addition to Min's story and Sevendor.
ReplyDeleteThere are just not enough stories with that stuff in them..Especially medieval/Sorcery ect. I mean I absolutely love it, watching not onl the characters grow (Min as a lord in this case and all of his retainers like Sir Cei at the tourney ect) but we also see the LAND grow. With Oleg and Banamor and all the others all helping to make it into a truly wonderous land. And from what I can tell..There is sooo much more to do. The fortress, the town, the surround land and even the outer fiefs not actually in the valley. I'd love to see it all continue to evolve and progress.
Coupled with a bit of action and political stuff (Like Magelord and High Mage had in them) you get a great story. When they decided to turn Sevendor village into a Town I was so excited. Sevendor was truly upping the stakes. As the population grows in the valley and surrounding area due to refugee's ect. (..At first I was hoping the Kasari rangers might consider moving a portion of their population to Sevendor for safety ect..That would be so amazing. Same for other special refugees that might help in some major way eventually) I can totally see multiple towns popping up, with the village next to the Dike eventually becoming it's own large defensive town. The Dike wall becoming a large gate and wall that you would have to pass through inspection and such before you can enter the valley proper. Stop scoundrels and such :P.. All of it is a part of my dreams. The series is that good.
Hell, I can even picture Sevendor town growing into a proper City to go with the Citadel. A true mageland with Schools, Hospitals, incredible temples and buildings. I love it all, seeing it all progress through the years and seeing Min truly create something marvelous.
I'm getting excited just imaging the possibilities for that sort of stuff. Hope you do too Terry, you're a great writer and I can't wait to see what you come up with in future.
That all being said, thanks for the great Stonesinger read. (Just what I want) and the timing couldn't be much better. Merry Christmas and a Happy Yule to you mate from an extremely loyal fan in New Zealand.
P.S. Can I also make a suggestion that you perhaps start up a facebook page and even possibly a twitter for us to interact with you more? The blog is great but I'd love to get possible regular updates for you and see the opinions and theories ect of other people on Facebook for example. Even possible discussing my own. Interacting with the author and other fans is a great advantage I have found with other series I am a fan of.. Hope you'll consider it. Might not be your thing but who knows..Thought I'd mention it. :D
Your vision of Sevendor is admirable, and I'll tell you that at least some of the speculation is accurate. Min's work there attracts several races for different reasons . . . and that's going to cause some conflict with the natives. And the neighbors. And the king.
DeleteThe Karshak, thanks to their new bonus schedule, will be taking their time and making Sevendor into a well-defended valley. The gatetower complex will be expanded/rebuilt into a real fortress, and Caolan's Pass will be totally re-done. In addition, a secondary fortress will be built on a spur of rock inn the Westwood, the Mewstower. You have to stash hawks with a 40-foot wingspan somewhere, after all. In just a few years time, Sevendor will become a picturesque valley studded with majestic white spires. This will bug the hell out of a lot of people, near and far. But it will be pretty.
Look for Olmeg, Banamor, Bemia, the Westwoodmen, Rollo, Gareth, and a few other characters become particularly important in the background as Min continues the main plot arc. You world-building junkies will particularly enjoy the novel Spellwarden I've planned, then. Not sure where it will pop up on the schedule, but it will concern all of those folks and the vibrant development of Sevendor.
But please understand I have action junkies to fulfill, too. The short/novella I'm hoping to publish in February is going to be action-heavy and world-building light, although there will be some intriguing plot points that occur along the way. As well as your first real glimpse of Sevendor's past, concerning humanity's early days there. And you'll probably meet the first Iron Folk, too.
That story will be even more important to me because it will A) set up the story for Journeymage and B) it will be done as a charitable fundraiser for a worthy cause. More details later.
swiftfate I daydream about every thing you just said +1 to you good sir
DeleteI whole-heartedly concur with SwiftFate. I, too, find especially the world-building in Sevendor fascinating; the description of the construction of the castle, the expansion of Sevendor Town, the planting of fertile fields, etc. are all brilliant parts of your books that I enjoy immensely and most certainly cannot get enough of. Please have as manner refugees settle in Sevendor as possible so that Minalan's domain may grow faster and stronger than otherwise possible. The more people that inhabit Sevendor the more powerful he becomes.
ReplyDeleteI know right? I was thinking the Nirodi, the Kasari ect. It seems like eventually some of them WILL have to flee their previous homes and what better place than Sevendor for a new one? Hell, I could even see other 'races' becoming a permanent part of Sevendor..Kind of like the Puds/Tal. Imagine what would happen if the Karshak stayed? What if he were to not only hire them to build the Citadel, but also when they were done build the surrounding town/city. So much potential.
DeleteHell, we are yet to see the "Iron Dwarves" yet. I forget their name but if I remember correctly they are essentially the miners right? Where the Karshak work stone the other ones work with minerals and forges? Not sure about the forgeing part but It'd be cool if Sevendor had a village of them as well.
I also want to see the valley entrance built up more. The Dike and Tower are great mundane defence, but I could totally see that and the area around it becoming so much more :P.
Indeed. It has been explicitly stated on several occasions that thousands upon thousands of refugees have fled northern Alshar and now live in frightful conditions in temporary camps. Minalan should make arrangements to have tens of thousands of these refugees (if not all of them) removed to Sevendor. It's not like they would be a burden indefinitely. Obviously, Minalan has to spend rather a lot of money at the beginning, but taking into consideration how extremely rich he has already become and how in the end the growth of the population of his domains will mean a considerable expansion of the local economy and therefore also add to Minalan's own wealth, such an arrangement seems to be in Minalan's own interest. Obviously, Minalan has loads of free space both in his original domains as well as in Greater Sevendor. Also, Minalan needs to deal with his hostile neighbours (i.e. conquer them and add their lands to his own as well as his allies no matter how tedious he may find this) as well as that out-of-control Master Dunselen whose stone he needs to take back.
DeleteI think at this point he reserves the right to be picky. While I agree thousands of refugees would have some bonuses, from what can tell (When he visited the frontlines and saw some of the conditions) I don't think many of those 'standard' refugees would be any help or use. They seemed like a pretty pathetic bunch, even taking away the fact that they are homeless from what I can tell they are utter drains on society at this point.It would take more work than it's worth in my opinion to integrate them into Sevendor's society. Would probably end up backfiring if he took on too many. They outnumber the Bovali 10 to 1 and that isn't ideal.
DeleteHOWEVER. There are some refugees and probable future ones I could see being useful and beneficial to Sevendor. The Nirodi for one. Although they aren't at the point of running quite yet I get the feeling they will be sometime soon. They could be seriously useful and fit in very well with the current population. Same goes for the Kasari. It's possible some of their population would need to move at some point (Other than their kids moving already). And even possible that the amount of children they are sending to other areas already are too much for them to sustain. The Kasari would make a great addition.
There are a few others I can see being useful but at this point..If he takes on too many freeloading refugees from the general population it will only prove to be disadvantageous.
As for his neighbors, I figure we'll see something happen soon with them and given that both of them are Barons as well, they will prove more challenging than the Warbird. Hell, I could even see Dunselen try to join them in an attempt at taking Min down.
Frankly I was a little pissed Min didn't take the stone away from him..His entire purpose in the beginning was to CONTROL that type of shit, yet all he has done is warn him. Even after he got confirmation of his madness. Twice. First second hand, then 1st hand at the fair. It's clear he was insane but what does he do? Give him a warning and a slap on the wrist. Like...What? That makes absolutely no sense. He could have taken the stone easily at that point or even simply waited for the fair to end and gone after him with allies in tow if he didn't want to cause a ruckus there..Now he'll have to deal with Dunselen and probably more men, not to mention the insane idiots home turf. Rather than simply take it then and there with hundreds of people in his support...
It's the same thing as when they ran ack into insane arky in the Penumbra. They just walked out and did NOTHING about there being a crazy mage under the control of the Dead God. They could hae just wiped the floor with him and not face any silly problems at a later date.
There have been a few cases of this sort of thing in the series so far..And they annoy the crap out of me. just hope there is a decent endgame for that stuff since it seems to m like Min just stacked up more problems for him to deal with that will likely end up being harder than they were at first.
I agree with you, or that is to some extent at least; taking in all of the refugees at once would be neither practical nor good for the refugees themselves or for Sevendor for that matter, no matter the amount of money Minalan spends, the huge number of refugees taken into consideration. However, I still think that in the long run Sevendor needs as many people as it can get the better to improve the local economy as well as increasing the might of the domain in general and Minalan himself, more specifically. Whether the integration of the refugees into the local community can be feasible depends on the manner and the rate at which this happens.
DeleteEven though, the refugees hardly can be considered scholars there still must be some craftsmen amongst them; they were not quite slaves before the Goblins knocked on their doors after all. All in all, I daresay people who have been trained as blacksmiths, millers, thatchers, shoemakers, etc. could all show themselves to be of value to Sevendor in the long run. To begin with they would of course most assuredly be a burden as they are without homes, money or their most basic belongings, something which Minalan would have to deal with. In my mind, however, this seems to be an acceptable price to pay for a valuable expansion of Sevendor's population.
Amongst these new settlers in Sevendor should be Minalan’s own extended family. He has, more than once, remarked himself that his domain is in need of a bakery and who better than his own kin? Also, in this way he could keep them protected from the future aggressions of the Goblins as well as the devious machinations of the Family, not the mention Minalan’s other enemies of whom I’m sure there are many.
Speaking of enemies; I to am baffled by the hesitation on Minalan’s part regarding the transgressions of Dunselen, who in my opinion should have had his stone withheld from him after it became quite plain how he’s misusing it as well as conspiring against Minalan with the latter's enemies. Why Minalan didn’t act against Dunselen when he first had the chance (when the latter attended the Sevendor Magic Fair) and was backed by all of his allies and Dunselen was practically undefended is beyond me. Perhaps, Minalan thought it was bad taste to attack a man under such circumstances and when he was there as a guest and therefore officially under his protection? In that regard, Minalan should have acted when Dunselen offered his services, along with all the other mages, for the battle against the Goblins. But again, perhaps Minalan thought this wrong as Dunselen acted loyally in heeding Minalan’s summons? Anyhow, Minalan needs to get his act together and strike against Dunselen. The Magi (as well as the Non-Magi) need to see that Minalan’s authority is supreme and that conspiracies against him as well as blatant misuse of one’s stone will not be accepted. Also, Minalan does not want the Family to be involved in magical matters more than they already are.
For some reason an addition I posted didn't publish properly so I'll rewrite a quick short one I hope might be answered.
ReplyDeleteI have a few things to ask. First is more of a hopeful request.
1. Do you think it's possible you could create a Facebook page and/or Twitter account for us fans to interact with you more and get more regular(Though smaller) updates on not only you, but your work? It's entirely up to you of course what you post ect but I feel like a Facebook page alone would be a great place for many fans to potentially interact with you to some degree and even discuss the series and your books with each other on the page?
2. Not sure if you are able to answer or not, might be spoilerish but I'll ask anyway. Will Min's family and co' be moving to Sevendor? It's been said once or twice he had a plan for a Bakery in Sevendor and what better bakers than his family who are supposedly AMAZING at what they do. Not to mention he must miss them to some degree.. I also think it would prove to be a very entertaining read with them around. Seeing Min interact with his parents and sisters could make for some really funny and interesting tidbits so I was justt curious whether you were planning something like this?
Thanks :D
Well I have a solution for those that want to discuss the books, the series, and canon of the series. It's a forum for discussing books called Beyond the Bindings. beyondthebindings.com , I've started a thread for the Spellmonger series in Si-Fi / Fantasy / Si-Fi other authors.
ReplyDeleteAlso I'm not running the web site, just in case one wonders. It's a new site started from a web site for another author, but all of us there began discussing other authors and other books which became the focus of most of the threads and discussions. So the owner closed the old site for the author and started this one. Hope to see some of you there to discuss The Spellmonger series.
While I appreciate the effort on your part for sure, I personally try to steer clear of individual forums. It involves an account usually which is a bit of a pain. (I have enough passwords and accounts on stuff.) And they tend to be 'too' obscure. Not enough people go on them. I tend to stick with 3 main social media sites that involve discussion, interaction and of course, Authors/Artists that myself and others have the chance to talk to/ask questions. Reddit, Facebook and Twitter. The latter I use rarely and only have 1 author right now I actually ask questions ect but it's still useful. But the other two (and I regret saying it..Not entirely a fan.) Especially Facebook. Are VERY useful in pretty much all regards.
DeleteThat being said, I will be sure to check out the forum anyway just to see what's up but to be honest I feel like a page on Facebook run by Terry himself would be best. He doesn't have to devote much time to it himself of course if he doesn't feel like it, it just gives us a place to vent/discuss things freely as actual people. Less likely for someone acting like a complete douchebag as well since we would be using our actual FB accounts. (Uness you made a fake one..Which is just dumb.)
And if he DID decide to interact, there is no pressure for him to answer every single question. If he wanted he could just add ones he has already answered that are quite big/important ect into the notes for people to read through whenever they wanted. And smaller questions are quick and easy answers. (Twitter is good for the quick ones as well.)
Well I sort of jumped the gun anyways. The site is not officially up and open to registrations until Jan 1st. It's transitioning from being a site dedicated to one author who I won't mention, to a site that caters to all authors across most genre of books. I'm a big fan of Terry and promote his books wherever I can. Amazon, or in other sites that are for authors and discussing books by authors.
DeleteI like discussion and debate about books, canon of series, characters, and what ifs... so a site that's dedicated to just that I thought other readers would like.
But Beyond the Bindings does have a Facebook page and Twitter page, and people can go to the web site, just can't register yet. But it's a great place with great people, and it's not limited to any one particular author or genre of books.
DeleteTerry, Can blood coral used in conjunction with land or buildings to gain dominion over them.
DeleteI started out waiting anxiously for the third Space Viking novel but now I am a Spellmonger addict. I am currently rereading High Mage. I was thinking about how Min would address the refugee problem. He would throw money at it and then figure out a way to make a profit.
ReplyDeleteThe most poignant refugee problem is the children. Min has the money and power to start a program of building orphanages in every estate and shrines or temples in every demesne in his barony. I envision large defensible stone compounds suitable for housing and teaching 200 orphans eventually. The Sevendor Town compound would be even larger with a capacity of 500.
The buildings would not be built simultaneously and estates that were too small would wait until they were larger. Initially only a few dozen children would go in each orphanage as caravans start bringing a couple of hundred children every month or so.
Hiring builders, buying food and bringing in clergy will all help the local economies. If you cannot fill all the jobs return to the refugees and offer to make them villeins. Offer the new villeins 2 days working their own fields, 2 days working their master's fields and 3 days training as soldiers. After a year of training allow them the option of joining the Iron Ring. 6 months makes a child free. 1 year makes a relative such as wife, sibling or parent free. 1 more year frees themselves. Allow any villein this choice. If you run low on villeins then go to the refugee camps and get more.
When the orphans reach 15 make them villeins with the same option to join the Iron Ring after 1 year. Orphans who cannot fight still have the option of becoming support personnel or clergy sworn to a time on the battle front.
What do you think?
I sort of like the idea of Min starting orpahages's / schools and then using them as places to recruit members of a Mage Guard - Soldiers sworn to the Arcane Orders.
DeleteThink Templars from Dragonage meets the WItcher (mutations and augmentations). They could also have a kit that includes heavily enchanted weaponry and specialised magical explosives for the elite in the Guard.
Great comments and speculation, here. While I don't want to spoil anything, I will make a few comments:
ReplyDelete1. Y'all aren't the only ones unhappy with how Min is reacting to Dunselen and various other issues. As the series progresses, it will become clear as to which of these are Min's honest mistakes and which were done with purpose . . . and which purposes will go horribly wrong.
2. The refugees will, indeed, be a serious problem. That will be dealt with some in Journeymage and a lot more in Court Wizard, but they won't go away. There is a limit to how many Castal is willing to take, and as the young new prince asserts his authority as Duke of Castal that becomes an issue. There is also a limit to how much money Min can throw at the problem. While he's wealthy, there is a limit to how much effect even great wealth can have on a problem if the essential infrastructure through which to apply that wealth has eroded. Logistics becomes more of an issue than resources.
And Min's resources have other places they need to go. As dramatic as the refugee problem is, Journeymage begins the Second Act in the longer war. This will be a period of low-scale warfare, infiltration, assassinations, political action, espionage, and shadow alliances. There will be plenty of bloodshed, and plenty of political developments, but at the end of High Mage things have settled down into an uneasy peace. That changes the scale of the conflict, but not its intensity.
It also opens the door for a sophistication in the magic of the High Magi that the needs of the war effort hadn't afforded. While that sophistication gives them some truly intriguing developments in magic, it also gives them the time to follow their own personal ambitions - and the power to resist anyone who gets in their way.
The next several years will be a very interesting time for Sevendor and the Kingdom. There will be those who doubt the very existence of the Dead God, after awhile, even though there is a goblin presence at court. Other foes will arise. Other plots will be hatched. Other forces are at work. It will be a time of pageantry and intrigue, murder and betrayal, discovery and maturity. By the time it ends, everything will be different.
Keep up the speculation! And I've been toying with the idea of opening up a "fan anthology" for those of you who are intrigued enough to try your own hand at writing in my world, sometime in 2016. A few folks have approached me about this idea, and it has merit.
(And no, I haven't abandoned Space Viking, just to mention that. Trask's Odyssey is still in progress, but I had to move some things around for plot purposes and now its complicated. I'm adding interstitial sections covering what the bad guys are up to, or it simply won't have the same dramatic impact. With Spellmonger I can plunge gaily forward, because it's my own original stuff. With the Piper legacy I have to take more care of certain things or the work suffers. I'd rather turn out a good book than a mediocre one, and while the sad truth is that Spellmonger pays better by far and therefore requires more of my immediate attention, I have a very specific vision in mind for Trask's Odyssey and I don't want to screw that up by slapping an ending on it and throwing it up on Kindle before its ready. But it will get done. I work on it a couple of hours a week, and the plot issues are straightening themselves out as I re-think them. It's coming, I promise,)
Spoiler alert, discussing things from High Mage. And far beyond. Pentandra is a genius. We all know that. It is still going to take the better part of a year for her to learn enough about the Kasari to qualify to marry one. That probably puts her marriage close to the the Sevendor Magic Faire a year and a half in the future.
DeleteBy then the King and especially Queen Grendine are going to be putting all sorts of pressure on Min and the mages. Pressure to be good obedient subjects. No more political rocking the boat. Maybe even considering a new law saying that mages cannot conquer new lands. And of course trying to get the Arcane Orders to intervene in the civil war.
Grendine is fond of veiled statements and threats. This wedding is a chance for Min to make his own statement. Lord Ryff and Lady Falwallan are almost guaranteed to show up with a hundred plus Alka Alon retainers in humani bodies at the next Faire plus the Karshak will be there. Everyone important will hear about it. Add in the Faire and even the Royal Family will accept invitations.
There is nothing like seeing the new Sevendor Castle to make a political statement even if it is still under construction. Then there is the actual wedding. Royal presence means a real jousting tournament with real prizes and a jousting field of spectacular note. I am thinking of something the size of a Texas high school football field. Made of stone and well over a hundred yards long. Ten to fifteen thousand seating capacity, Like Stallworth Stadium or SISD Studen Activities Complex in El Paso. Instead of football goal posts there are hundred foot tall stone posts at each end of the tilting field. The poles are there for the giant hawk races. The stables are located at one end of the stadium and the giant hound kennels are located at the other, below the forest of giant hawk perches. For the wedding the field is covered with benches for courtiers, padded chairs for nobles and even thrones for the Royal Family, king of the Gurvani, Duke of Remere and any other attending Dukes including senior Alka Alon.
In a reversal of protocol the Royal Family, courtiers, and an intimidating two thousand Royal Guards are seated first so they cn see the spectacle of the hawk and hound races while the bridal and groom parties file in. Bass and snare drums mark the time as a thousand Kasari file in on the grooms side and a thousand magi, hundreds of then High Magi, file in on the brides side. Next to come are five hundred Karshak on each side. Hey, give them a cash bribe and a chance to tour the works of Sevendor Castle and you'll have to post guards to keep them out. Two thousand Alka Alon in Humani form file in on each side next. Next are a thousand knights, squires and prettied up men at arms from the lands of Sevendor and it's allies on each side. A thousand archers from the Mindens follow on each side and then a thousand veteran militia on each side. Finally 250 Tal on each side with Finally thiry plus giant hawks with Tal riders sit on their perches at the end of the field with fifty more lesser trained birds circling in the sky. Four races and close to fourteen thousand troops at the wedding.
King Rard and Queen Grendine brought 2000 Royal Guard to make a point to the magi at the Faire. Min brought thirteen thousand plus to make his own point. As for Isily? With the war over for the moment problems for the Dynasty are not the end of the world. Attack Min's marriage and he would first take his daughter. The plans are already in place. Afterwards he just might forget that Isily killing the Duke is supposed to be a secret.
DeleteThis might also be a good time to announce that the official patron deity of the Arcane Orders is Briga, Goddess of Wisdom, Magic, and Last Minute Inspiration. A bonfire would be lit in Briga's name as part of the ceremony. At that point who knows who the marriage vows might be exchanged in front of.
Probably not going to happen. But just imagine the look on Grendine's face. Not to mention Pentandra's conversation with Min after the surprise wears off.
Yep. I can imagine it already; as Sevendor Town expands so will the public buildings. In time Minalan should have the Karshak construct an entire street of temples, Temple Street on which the biggest should be the temple dedicated to Briga, Goddess of Magic. Also, after having defeated the remaining of his non-allied neighbours, Minalan should consolidate his new realm by constructing proper fortifications to defend it, e.g. by constructing a wall surrounding his domains. Imagine all the awe-inspiring buildings the Karshak could build: a proper university, a hospital, schools, temples, the citadel, watch towers, fortresses, public library, sewers, public baths, water reservoirs, etc.
DeleteI'm totally interested in writing a short in your world. What do I need to do to submit one?
DeleteIs "The Spellmonger's Honeymoon" going to be part of an anthology alongside Stonesinger and the other new shorts or will it continue to be a standalone novella?
ReplyDeleteHi terry have you got any news for us about the series or any spoilers? Just like to say you have ruined me, I can't seem to get into any other books now that I read yours I must of read each book about at least 3 times now and magelord over 5. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI like the story but there are a lot of inconsistencies between this book and High Mage.
ReplyDeleteHi terry, since coming across youre first book on kindle i have been hooked(how have i not heard of you previously?) I love how you are building this world and all the little setails you keep throwing at us. Ive never come across any author(in fantasy) who stops the breakneck pace of one disaster after the next. I find it refreshing.
ReplyDeleteThe way this is going you will topple robert jordan in my mind for sheer world building. Looking forward to reading the hawkmaiden and finding out more about one of the main characters.
So looking forward to how you handle how min deals with solidifiying the gods and how the alka react.
thanks for bieng such a good author terry, definetly in my top three
Hi Terry, Good thing I left my Facebook e-mail alerts on when I left, otherwise I'd have missed the news about all your new books. I seem to have no free time these days, but I read STONESINGER yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. Congratulations! It's a very intriguing world you've created there.
ReplyDeleteYou're an inspiration too. I finished my first short story last fall, but haven't managed to actually submit it yet. I know you have to write AND submit what you write AND then start working on the next story. You're setting a great example for me there, thanks!
By the way, is there another seller for your books besides Amazon? I don't use Amazon.
All the best,
laura (from UNC days)
Send me your email address to tmancour@gmail.com. I'll hook you up.
DeleteLove the books. Will you be making them into a game?
ReplyDeletejust read hawkmaiden and I loved it! seeing sevendor from that POV was so great, I wasn't looking forward to it because I didn't like knights magi but damn you proved me wrong dara is a great character and I cant wait to read her next book. honestly I think its one of your best written books congrates terry keep em coming
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