Stonehenge

The following story is a fictional representation of what may have transpired,

 based on found artifacts at Stonehenge . . .

It is the year 2000 B.C. and the people of Ratharryn are at peace. For years they have been ruled justly and wisely by their Chieftain, Hengall, the father of three very different sons. One day, Hengall's youngest, Saban, is begrudgingly shown where and how to hunt by his older brother, Lengar. While out on the plains, the brothers encounter a lone stranger, an Outfolk. After killing the man, Lengar discovered that he had been carrying dozens of small gold pieces. Lengar, craving power, tries to hide the gold, but Saban informs their father of the treasure who promptly confiscates the gold. Enraged, Lengar flees Ratharryn and plots his return. Meanwhile, the people of Ratharryn, believing that the gold must be offered to Slaol, the Sun God, decide to sacrifice Camaban, Hengall's middle and illegitimate son, to the Moon Goddess, Lahanna. He will be an offering so Lahanna is not jealous of Slaol, and the  deities are balanced, but Lahanna the Moon Goddess 'rejects' the offering. Meanwhile, Lengar returns with an army, killing his father and turning his younger brother Saban into a slave, while Camaban disappears into the night. To make things right, Saban must somehow stop his brother Lengar and return his tribe to its former glory. However, Camaban has a different plan. He is determined to create a temple  to end winter and suffering. It will be the greatest the world has even known, Stonehenge. All will be Camaban's tools in the creation of this monument. Saban truly believes that winter shall be ended with the construction of the temple, but what Saban does not realize is that his most dangerous enemy isn't Lengar, but the brother right before his eyes, the madman no one suspects. Will Saban be able to make things right for Ratharryn and those he loves, or will Camaban's plot succeed? Find out in Stonehenge!

Stonehenge is one of my all-time favorite books. Filled with temple suspense and plots of patricide, Bernard Cornwell weaves a tale of deceit and cunning, but of hope as well. I loved this book as soon as I began reading it and I recommend it for anyone who loves fiction based on ancient history, or who is just fascinated with Stonehenge.

The Crimson Crown (Book Four, The Seven Realms)

A thousand years ago, Alger Waterlow, the Demon King, the most powerful wizard ever born, kidnapped the first Grey Wolf Queen, Hanalea, to make her his queen. When his plans were thwarted by the wizards of the realm, he nearly destroyed the world in a fit of rage. That is how the story is told, but is it how it truly happened? Raisa ana'Mariana, heir to the Grey Wolf Throne, has been crowned queen of the Fells with the aid of Han Alister, Waterlow's only living descendant, and the Mountain Clans who are the other inhabitants of the Fells. Despite opposition from the Bayars, a powerful wizarding family, Raisa has cemented her claim as the one true heir. However, with this small beacon of hope for the the people of the Queendom comes a torrent of shadow. Gerard Montaigne, now King of the neighboring nation of Arden, has delivered an ultimatum to Raisa, marry me and join our two kingdoms together, or be crushed by the might of Arden's armies. Forced to choose between life and love, Raisa must make a decision that will not only decide her fate, but the fate of her people and the people she loves. Han Alister has an agenda, and a problem. He loves Raisa, and she loves him, yet, at every corner, fate tears them apart. With the upcoming battle against Arden looming, Han must prepare himself and settle the score. With Alger Waterlow on his side, Han will finally take revenge against those who killed his family, the enemy right before his eyes, the Bayars.

The Crimson Crown is the fourth and final installment to the Seven Realms Series. Cinda Williams Chima weaves such a moving tale that, when it was over, I didn't want to put it down. The Crimson Crown is, by far, my favorite in the series, a fantastic end to a spellbinding series.

The Grey Wolf Throne (Book Three, The Seven Realms)

After being abducted, and lost, by Micah Bayar, Raisa ana'Mariana has made her way to the Queendom of the Fells, lost and alone. She knows that if she doesn't return to Fellsmarch soon and reclaim her position as Heir, the Bayars will crown her sister the new Heir. Han Alister, thief-turned-wizard has left Oden's Forge and is now in search of his friend, Rebecca Morley. However,  the Rebecca Morley Han knew never existed, as this was the false name of Raisa during her time with Han at Oden's Forge. Simultaneously, dark clouds are gathering. Queen Mariana is killed, plunging the land of the Fells into further turmoil. When Han finds Raisa near death in the Spirit Mountains of the Fells, he knows that he must do whatever he can to help her. When 'Rebecca' reveals her true status, Han knows that he must do whatever he can to see her crowned.

tGWT is an exhilarating read, filled with action, mystery, and magic. This book will keep you on the edge of your chairs until the very last word.

The Exiled Queen (Book Two, The Seven Realms)

Still tormented by his family's death at the hands of the Bayars, Han enrolls in the wizard school, Mystwerk Academy at Oden's Forge, in an attempt to become stronger so that he may confront the Bayars. However, this education comes with a price. In order for the Clans to fund his education, Han must agree to aid them against the Wizards. The journey south, through the nation of Arden, is long and not without sacrifices. However, the rewards are worth the effort. At Mystwerk, Han meets a Sorcerer named Crow, who offers to further Han's training if Han will help him destroy the Bayars. Fleeing from a forced marriage to Micah Bayar, Raisa ana'Mariana, Heir the the Grey Wolf Throne, has departed from Fellsmarch with Amon Byrne. Her destination, Wien House at Oden's Forge, the one place where she can escape the Bayars . . . and maybe find an ally in a most unexpected place.

The Exiled Queen is a joyride. Almost immediately, readers are flung into the action of the book and are held until the end. Chima brilliantly weaves suspense and mystery into the plotline and crafts amazingly detailed and complex characters. 

The Demon King (Book One, The Seven Realms)

In the city of Fellsmarch, there are some that will do whatever it takes to survive. Han Alister is one of those people. One day, while hunting in the Spirit Mountains with his friend, Fire Dancer, Han comes across the Bayars, a powerful wizard family, from whom he steals an amulet. However, this is no ordinary amulet, it once belonged to the Demon King, the legendary wizard that nearly destroyed the world a thousand years ago. The Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back. At the same time, in the Royal Palace of Fellsmarch, the Princess Heir, Raisa ana'Mariana, will become eligible for marriage on her Sixteenth Name Day. However, she refuses to be a mere pawn in the game of chess that is life. She wishes to be like the first Grey Wolf Queen of the Fells, Hanalea, who saved the world from the Demon King a millennia ago. As Raisa and Han's lives collide, the Seven Realms shall never be the same.

The Demon King is filled with mystery, intrigue, and magic that will leave you craving for more. The Demon King is the first of a quartet. The fourth installment is coming out in the fall. Cinda Williams Chima also wrote the Heir Series, of which the fourth and fifth books are in the writing process.

Winter of the World (Book Two, Century Trilogy)

It has been nearly a decade since the events of Fall of Giants unfolded, and since he the First World War ravaged the earth. It is now 1933. Hitler is beginning his rise to power and the world has fallen into economic depression. Germany's relations with other nations is strained, the setting is ripe for another conflict, one even greater than it's predecessor. Once again we join five families, one German, one British, one Welsh, one Russian, and one American, on the journey, and the fight, of a lifetime. Carla Von Ulrich, the daughter of Walter and Maud, lives in Berlin. However, when war erupts she finds that her life, and the lives of those around her, is changed forever. Lloyd Williams, the illegitimate son of Ethel and Fitz, never knew his true father. However, when Lloyd is flung into battle, both in England, his home, and abroad, he comes closer to the realization of his true heritage, the son of a nobleman. Volodya (Vladimir) Peshkov, the son of Lev, but fathered by his uncle, Grigori, is a member of the Russian Intelligence Agency. He is a spy. When the war begins and Volodya is sent to the lion's den, Berlin,  every turn could mean certain death, or worse. These five interconnected families managed to survive the Great War, but, will they manage to escape this war with their lives, and their humanity?

Ken Follet takes his series to a whole new level of awesomeness in this truly fantastic novel. Like its predecessor, Fall of Giants, it captures the horrors of strife and conflict, while, at the same time, crafts characters with unimaginable depth. I loved this book, and hope you do too. To read the previous blog about Fall of Giants CLICK HERE.

Fall of Giants (Book One, Century Trilogy)

It is the year 1914, dark clouds are gathering and tensions are rising across borders and across the world. The Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria has just been assassinated; the world is at war. Lev and Grigori Peshkov have always dreamed of journeying to America, but their plans go amiss as Russia is flung into a revolution. Gus Dewar, an American law student, finds himself in Wilson's White House when he is needed most. Billy Williams is a worker in the Welsh coal mines, but his life changes as he is drafted into the British Army. Walter Von Ulrich is a German spy in the German embassy in London, however, when he falls in love the Lady Maud Fitzherbert both their lives, and their destinies will never be the same. Join these people and their families as they make their way across a blood soaked planet and change the world around them.

Ken Folett spins a masterful tale of war, peace, lust, spite, and betrayal. Amidst a backdrop of famous historical figures, like Vladimir Lenin, King Charles V and Woodrow Wilson, Follet's characters range from Earls to railway workers, all united by the single goal: to end the war. The first of Follet's Century Trilogy, Fall of Giants is the perfect story for people who are fascinated with history and the 20th Century, particularly WWI, and who love intricate plot lines, and complex characters. Stay tuned for the second in the series coming in late 2012.

(Recommended for ages 14 and older)