Brian Ruckley – författare

An action-packed novella from acclaimed fantasy author Brian Ruckley, following the adventures of the Free - the most feared mercenary company the world has ever seen. For years the Free have sold their martial and magical skills to the highest bidder, winning countless victories that have overthrown kings and shaken empires. Yulan is a newcomer to their ranks, keen to prove himself worthy of the Free''s name. When corsair marauders ravage the Hommetic Kingdom''s coastline, Yulan gets his chance. His mission is simple: travel to the corsairs'' island fortress, persuade their self-proclaimed king to sign a peace treaty, then head home with sword unbloodied. Yet the crumbling fortress holds many secrets, and blades speak louder than words. Soon Yulan must fight not just for the glory of the Free, but for his very survival.Look out for more thrilling tales of the Free: A TALE OF THE FREE: EXILE A TALE OF THE FREE: TYRANT

An action-packed novella from acclaimed fantasy author Brian Ruckley, following the adventures of the Free - the most feared mercenary company the world has ever seen. Wren is a Clever, someone who can shape the unseen forces of the world. Such powers are more a curse than a blessing, and Wren has been running all of her life - from the consequences of her actions, and from those who would use her abilities for their own ends.Now she finally has a direction. Rumours talk of a legendary Clever living in the Hommetic Kingdom''s borderlands, a man who can teach her how to control the forces that rage inside her - if she can find him.Yet enemies from Wren''s past hound her every step, and a horde of ferocious barbarians ravages the very lands that she must travel. Somewhere in this chaos, the Free - the most feared mercenary company in the world - are fighting against the invaders. Surely they would help her in her quest . . .Or perhaps the Free will need her help even more.Look out for further thrilling tales of the Free: A TALE OF THE FREE: CORSAIRA TALE OF THE FREE: TYRANT

An action-packed novella from acclaimed fantasy author Brian Ruckley, following the adventures of the Free - the most feared mercenary company the world has ever seen.For years the Free have sold their martial and magical skills to the highest bidder, winning countless victories that have overthrown kings and shaken empires.Brennan is proud to serve in the Free''s ranks. He has blooded his sword to defend the company''s ideals of honour, freedom and justice, and he will gladly do so again. It is this devotion that now sees him riding hard on the heels of a band of slavers, who have burned two villages to the ground and escaped with sixty prisoners.It has fallen to the Free to hunt the slavers down and rescue their captives - a simple task for soldiers of their skill.Yet the Slavers have fled into the Empire of Orphans, a dangerous land of rumour and intrigue, where every step the Free take will bring them closer to the deadliest enemy they could ever face: the Orphanidons of the mad emperor.But the Free have never backed down from a challenge.Look out for further thrilling tales of the Free: A TALE OF THE FREE: CORSAIRA TALE OF THE FREE: EXILE

An uneasy truce exists between the thanes of the True Bloods.Now, as another winter approaches, the armies of the Black Road march south, from their exile beyond the Vale of Stones. For some, war will bring a swift and violent death. Others will not hear the clash of swords or see the corpses strewn over the fields. They instead will see an opportunity to advance their own ambitions. But all, soon, will fall under the shadow that is descending. For, while the storm of battle rages, one man is following a path that will awaken a terrible power in him - and his legacy will be written in blood.

As ever greater battles are fought between the Black Road and the True Bloods, so each side in the conflict becomes ever more riven by internal dissent and disunity. Amidst the mounting chaos, Aeglyss the na''kyrim gradually masters the remarkable powers that have been unleashed upon him by his crucifixion. Twisting everything and everyone around him to serve his own mad desires, he begins to exert a dangerous, insidious influence over the course of events both near and far. Orisian, lord of the ruined Lannis Blood, faces not only the consequences of that malign influence, but also the machinations of his supposed allies and the stirring of the long-dormant Anain, the most potent race the world has ever known.

Tension between the clans of the Black Road and the True Bloods is mounting, as each side in the conflict becomes ever more riven by internal dissent and disunity. And Aeglyss the na''kyrim continues to spread chaos in the world, exerting a dangerous, insidious influence over events both near and far. As events mount to a climax, the world will change and no side can anticipate the twisted pattern of what lies ahead.

Edinburgh 1827. In the starkly-lit operating theatres of the city, grisly experiments are being carried out on corpses in the name of medical science. But elsewhere, there are those experimenting with more sinister forces.Amongst the crowded, sprawling tenements of the labyrinthine Old Town, a body is found, its neck torn to pieces. Charged with investigating the murder is Adam Quire, Officer of the Edinburgh Police. The trail will lead him into the deepest reaches of the city''s criminal underclass, and to the highest echelons of the filthy rich.Soon Quire will discover that a darkness is crawling through this city of enlightenment - and no one is safe from its corruption.

They are the most feared mercenary company the kingdom has ever known. Led by Yulan, their charismatic captain, the Free have spent years selling their martial and magical skills to the highest bidder - winning countless victories that shook the foundations of the world. Now they finally plan to lay down their swords.Yet when Yulan is offered a final contract, he cannot refuse - for the mission offers him the chance to erase the memories of the Free''s darkest hour, which have haunted him for years.As The Free embark on their last mission, a potent mix of loyalty and vengeance is building to a storm. Freedom, it seems, carries a deadly price.Look out for: A Tale of the Free: Corsair A Tale of the Free: Exile A Tale of the Free: Tyrant