{"product_id":"hero-in-the-shadows-isbn-9780345432254","title":"Hero in the Shadows","description":"The ruined city of Kuan Hador reeks of dark mystery. Shunned by brigands and merchants alike, it is home to fearsome wild things and legends that freeze the blood--tales that speak of slavering white beasts, locked behind a powerful wall of spells, who possess an insatiable appetite for death. Millennia have passed since they were bound, and the spell of imprisonment has begun to fade. Soon the foul minions will be free to wreak a horrible vengeance against all that lives.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut no army waits to oppose them, only a ragtag group of unlikely heroes. Leading them is the mysterious Gray Man, an enigmatic figure with a blood-drenched past who has killed for principle and for payment--a man of destiny known throughout the lands of the Drenai as Waylander the Slayer . . .\"Everything a fan of heroic fantasy could desire.\"\u003cbr\u003e--STEPHEN DONALDSON\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I am truly amazed at David Gemmell's ability to focus his writer's eye. His images are crisp and complete, a history lesson woven within the detailed tapestry of the highest adventure. Gemmell's characters are no less complete, real men and women with qualities good and bad, placed in trying times and rising to heroism or falling victim to their own weaknesses.\"\u003cbr\u003e--R. A. SALVATORE\u003cbr\u003e   Author of Mortalis\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Gemmell is very talented; his characters are vivid and very convincingly realistic.\"\u003cbr\u003e--CHRISTOPHER STASHEFF\u003cbr\u003e   Author of the Wizard of Rhyme novelsDavid Gemmell was born in London, England, in the summer of 1948. Expelled from school at sixteen, he became a bouncer by night, working nightclubs in Soho. Born with a silver tongue, Gemmell rarely needed to bounce customers, relying on his gift of gab to talk his way out of trouble. This talent eventually led to a job as freelancer for the London Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, and Daily Express. His first novel, Legend, was published in 1984 and has remained in print ever since. He became a full-time writer in 1986.Waylander moved warily across the killing ground, examining the\u003cbr\u003ehoofprints left by riders who had come upon the scene later. Twenty,\u003cbr\u003emaybe thirty riders had entered the wood and left in the same direction.\u003cbr\u003eAll around the site were the bodies of scores of birds. He found a dead\u003cbr\u003efox in the bushes to the north of the wagons. There were no marks on it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVenturing deeper into the woods, he followed the trail of dead birds and\u003cbr\u003eice-scorched grass, coming at last to what he believed to be the point\u003cbr\u003eof origin. It was a perfect circle some thirty feet in diameter.\u003cbr\u003eWaylander walked around it, picturing as best he could what must have\u003cbr\u003ehappened there. An icy mist had formed in the spot, then had rolled\u003cbr\u003etoward the west as if driven by a fierce breeze. Everything in its path\u003cbr\u003ehad died, including the wagoners and their families.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut where, then, were the remains of the bodies, the discarded bones,\u003cbr\u003ethe shredded clothing?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBacktracking toward the wagons, he stopped and examined an area where\u003cbr\u003ebushes had been crushed or torn from the ground. Blood had seeped into\u003cbr\u003ethe earth. This was where one of the dead horses had been dragged.\u003cbr\u003eWaylander found more deep imprints of taloned feet close by. One\u003cbr\u003ecreature had killed the horse and torn it from its traces, pulling it\u003cbr\u003edeeper into the woods. The blood trail stopped suddenly. Waylander\u003cbr\u003esquatted down, his fingers tracing the indented earth. The horse had\u003cbr\u003ebeen dragged to this point and then had lost all body weight. Yet it had\u003cbr\u003enot been devoured here. Even if the demon had been ten feet tall, it\u003cbr\u003ecould not have consumed an entire horse. And there were no signs that\u003cbr\u003eothers of the creatures had gathered around to share a feast. There were\u003cbr\u003eno split and discarded bones, no guts or offal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWaylander rose and reexamined the surrounding area. The tracks of\u003cbr\u003etaloned feet just beyond this point were all heading in one direction,\u003cbr\u003etoward the lake. The demons, having slaughtered the wagoners and their\u003cbr\u003ehorses, had returned to where he now stood and had vanished. As\u003cbr\u003eincredible as it seemed, there was no other explanation. They had\u003cbr\u003ereturned to wherever they had come, taking the bodies with them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe light was beginning to fail. Waylander returned to the steeldust and\u003cbr\u003estepped into the saddle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat had caused the demons to materialize in the first place? Surely it\u003cbr\u003ecould not be chance that they had happened upon a convoy. As far as he\u003cbr\u003eknew, there had been two attacks: one on Matze Chai and his men and the\u003cbr\u003esecond on these unfortunate wagoners. Both parties had contained large\u003cbr\u003enumbers of men and horses.\u003cbr\u003eOr, looked at from another viewpoint, a great deal of food.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWaylander headed the steeldust away from the woods and began the long\u003cbr\u003eride around the lake. In the years he had dwelt in Kydor there had been\u003cbr\u003eno such attacks. Why now?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe sun was setting behind the mountains as he skirted the lake. A\u003cbr\u003efeeling of unease grew within him as he headed toward the distant ruins.\u003cbr\u003eLifting his crossbow, he slid two bolts into place.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen the sword had begun to shine, Yu Yu Liang had been frightened. Now,\u003cbr\u003ean hour later, he would have given anything he possessed to be merely\u003cbr\u003efrightened. Clouds had obscured the moon and stars, and the only light\u003cbr\u003ecame from the blade in his hands. From beyond the ruined walls and all\u003cbr\u003earound him he could hear stealthy sounds. Sweat dripped into Yu Yu's\u003cbr\u003eeyes as he strained to see beyond the jagged stonework. Twice he had\u003cbr\u003etried to wake Kysumu, the second time shaking him roughly. It was like\u003cbr\u003etrying to rouse the dead.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYu Yu's mouth was dry. He heard a scratching on the stony ground to his\u003cbr\u003eleft and swung toward it, raising his sword high. As the light shone, he\u003cbr\u003esaw a dark shadow disappear behind the rocks. A low growl came from\u003cbr\u003esomewhere close by, the sound echoing in the night air. Yu Yu was\u003cbr\u003epetrified now. His hands began to tremble, and he was gripping the sword\u003cbr\u003ehilt so powerfully that he could hardly feel his fingers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey are just wild dogs, he told himself. Scavenging for scraps. Nothing\u003cbr\u003eto fear.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWild dogs that could make the Rajnee blade shine?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith a trembling hand he wiped sweat from his eyes and glanced back\u003cbr\u003etoward the horses. They were tethered within the ruin. The gray mare was\u003cbr\u003eshivering with terror, her eyes wide, her ears flat back against her\u003cbr\u003eskull. Kysumu's bay gelding was pawing the ground nervously. From there\u003cbr\u003eYu Yu could just make out the line of hills and the slope he had ridden\u003cbr\u003edown only a few hours before. If he ran to the mare and clambered into\u003cbr\u003ethe saddle, he could make that ride again and be clear of the ruins\u003cbr\u003ewithin moments.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe thought was like cool water to a man dying of thirst.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe flicked a glance to the seated Kysumu. His face, as ever, was calm.\u003cbr\u003eYu Yu swore loudly, feeling his anger rise.\u003cbr\u003e\"Only an idiot goes seeking demons,\" he said, his voice sounding shrill.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHigh above him the clouds parted briefly, and moonlight bathed the\u003cbr\u003eghostly city of Kuan Hador. In that sudden light Yu Yu saw several dark\u003cbr\u003eshapes scatter to hide among the rocks. As he tried to focus on them,\u003cbr\u003ethe clouds gathered once more. Yu Yu licked his lips and backed across\u003cbr\u003ethe ruin to stand alongside Kysumu.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Wake up!\" he shouted, nudging the man with his foot.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe moon shone once more. Again the dark shapes scattered. But they were\u003cbr\u003ecloser now. Yu Yu rubbed his sweating palms on the sides of his leggings\u003cbr\u003eand took up his sword once more, swinging it left and right to loosen\u003cbr\u003ethe muscles of his shoulders. \"I am Yu Yu Liang!\" he shouted. \"I am a\u003cbr\u003egreat swordsman, and I fear nothing!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I can taste your fear,\" came a sibilant voice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYu Yu leapt backward, catching his leg on the low wall and falling over\u003cbr\u003eit. He scrambled to his feet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt that moment a huge black form came hurtling toward him, its great\u003cbr\u003ejaws open, long fangs snapping for his face. Yu Yu swung the sword. It\u003cbr\u003eslashed into the beast's neck, slicing through flesh and bone and\u003cbr\u003eexiting in a bloody spray. The creature's dead body cannoned into him,\u003cbr\u003ehurling him from his feet. Yu Yu hit the ground hard, rolled to his\u003cbr\u003eknees, then surged to his feet. Smoke began to ooze from the carcass\u003cbr\u003ealongside him, and a terrible stench filled the air.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFive more of the beasts came padding toward the ruin, clambering over\u003cbr\u003ethe broken stones and forming a circle around him. Yu Yu saw that they\u003cbr\u003ewere hounds, but of a kind he had never seen before. Their shoulders\u003cbr\u003ewere bunched with muscle, their heads huge. Their eyes were on him, and\u003cbr\u003ehe sensed a feral intelligence in their baleful gaze.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo his left the gray mare suddenly reared, dragged her reins loose of\u003cbr\u003ethe rock, and leapt over the wall. The bay gelding followed her lead,\u003cbr\u003eand the two horses galloped away toward the hills. The huge hounds\u003cbr\u003eignored the horses.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe voice came again, and he realized it was somehow speaking inside his\u003cbr\u003ehead. \"Your order has fallen a long way since the Great Battle. My\u003cbr\u003ebrothers will be pleased to hear of your decline. The mighty Riaj-nor,\u003cbr\u003ewho once were lions, are now frightened monkeys with bright swords.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"You show yourself,\" said Yu Yu, \"and this monkey will cut your poxy\u003cbr\u003ehead from your poxy shoulders.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"You cannot see me? Better and better.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"No, but I can see you, creature of darkness,\" came the voice of Kysumu.\u003cbr\u003eThe little Rajnee stepped up alongside Yu Yu. \"Cloaked in shadow, you\u003cbr\u003estand just out of harm's way.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYu Yu glanced at Kysumu and saw that he was staring toward the eastern\u003cbr\u003ewall. Yu Yu squinted, trying to make out a figure there, but he could\u003cbr\u003esee nothing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe demon hounds began to move. Kysumu had still not drawn his sword.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I see there are still lions in this world. But lions can also die.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe hounds rushed in. Kysumu's blade flashed left and right. Two of the\u003cbr\u003ebeasts fell, writhing on the stones. A third struck Yu Yu, fangs closing\u003cbr\u003eon his shoulder. With a cry of pain Yu Yu rammed his sword deep into the\u003cbr\u003ebeast's belly. In its agony the hound opened its jaws, letting out a\u003cbr\u003eferocious howl. Yu Yu tore the blade clear and brought it down on the\u003cbr\u003ehound's skull. The sword tore through bone and wedged itself there.\u003cbr\u003eDesperately Yu Yu tried to haul it clear. The last two beasts rushed at\u003cbr\u003ehim. Kysumu's sword sliced through the neck of the first, but the second\u003cbr\u003eleapt for Yu Yu's throat.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn that instant a black bolt materialized in the creature's skull, a\u003cbr\u003esecond lancing through its neck. The hound fell at Yu Yu's feet. Freeing\u003cbr\u003ehis sword, Yu Yu swung around to see the Gray Man upon his steeldust\u003cbr\u003egelding, a small crossbow in his hand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Time to go,\" the Gray Man said softly, pointing toward the east.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA thick mist was moving across the ancient city, a wall of fog slowly\u003cbr\u003erolling toward them. The Gray Man swung the gelding and galloped away.\u003cbr\u003eYu Yu and Kysumu followed him. The pain in Yu Yu's shoulder was intense\u003cbr\u003enow, and he could feel blood flowing down his left arm. Even so he ran\u003cbr\u003eswiftly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFar ahead he saw the Gray Man still riding away. \"A pox on you,\u003cbr\u003ebastard!\" he shouted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGlancing back, he saw that the wall of mist was closer, moving faster\u003cbr\u003ethan he could run. Kysumu also glanced back. Yu Yu staggered and almost\u003cbr\u003efell. Kysumu dropped back to take his arm. \"Just a little farther,\" said\u003cbr\u003eKysumu.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"We ... can't ... outrun it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKysumu said nothing, and the two men moved on in the darkness. Yu Yu\u003cbr\u003eheard hoofbeats and looked up to see the Gray Man riding back toward\u003cbr\u003ethem, leading the gray mare and the bay gelding. Kysumu helped Yu Yu\u003cbr\u003einto the saddle, then ran to his own mount.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe mist was very close now, and Yu Yu could hear bestial sounds\u003cbr\u003eemanating from it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe gray mare needed no urging and took off at speed, Yu Yu clinging to\u003cbr\u003ethe saddle pommel. She was panting heavily by the time they reached the\u003cbr\u003eslope, but panic gave her greater strength and she fought her way up the\u003cbr\u003esteep incline.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA little ahead, the Gray Man swung the steeldust, gazing back down\u003cbr\u003etoward the plain.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe mist was swirling at the foot of the slope but not advancing. Yu Yu\u003cbr\u003eswayed in the saddle. He felt Kysumu's hand upon his arm and then passed\u003cbr\u003einto darkness.","brand":"Del Rey","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300279406821,"sku":"NP9780345432254","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780345432254.jpg?v=1767728977","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/hero-in-the-shadows-isbn-9780345432254","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}