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If you visited my site in the past and clicked on "Other Novels" you may recall the "pseudo-medieval, world war thingie" I mentioned. Onslaught is a major rewrite of that novel. A couple of young Frangerian Sea Soldiers (read "Marines") find themselves isolated in a city just conquered by the invading Jokapcul army -- an army that uses magic as a weapon. They evade capture and head off alone to cross a continent and an ocean to get home -- with the ravening Jokapcul close behind. Along the way they have adventures, gain friends and companions, fight against magic, and even learn how to use some magic themselves. Magic, incidentally, is not practiced by the waving of arms and chanting in arcane languages. That's not to say magicians don't wave their arms and chant, but that's generally wasted effort. All magic, you see, is control of demons. If you've read other books of mine you might have gotten the impression that I don't do things quite the same way as anybody else. At least I hope you've gotten that impression. The magic and demons in this series aren't quite like what you've seen before. Hope you like it.
Rally Point picks up shortly after Onslaught left off. The band has grown from the eight people (and a wolf) of the first book as they have taken in refugees fleeing the Jokapcul. Following a failed attempt to cross the Eastern Waste during winter, they turn south, onto the Princedon Peninsula in search of a still-free seaport. Before they reach one, they find themselves in the town of Eikby just as it is attacked by a strong force of the bandits who terrorize the interior of the peninsula. After beating off the bandits, Spinner and Haft organize the town's defenses and lead a raiding party to disrupt the bandits' plans for a larger assault. In the meanwhile, the Dark Prince has send bees to find them -- they are the only people to successfully fight against his invasion force. Eikby's defenses are almost ready by the time the bees locate the band and a Jokapcul force is sent to defeat them. Instead of the expected Jokapcul victory, Spinner, Haft, their own fighters, and the townspeople defeat the attackers, but at a high cost -- the town is destroyed. Along the way: Xundoe the mage increases his supply of demon weapons, including a variety of new demons; both Spinner and Haft find themselves deep in woman-trouble, involving more women than Alyline and Doli; and Haft enjoys being called "Lord" while Spinner agonizes about why are the two of them, very young and junior men, responsible for the well-being of so many refugees. People who have read Rally Point tell me it's better than Onslaught.
Spinner and Haft have defeated the Jokapcul force sent to destroy them, but the victory was pyrric as Eikby was destroyed. Spinner and Haft now find themselves responsible for the safety of several thousand refugees, who they elect to lead north across the spine of the Princedon Peninsula to the city-state of Dartmutt, at the head of Princedon Gulf. But they reach the city just as it is attacked by a Jokapcul sea-force, and can only watch helplessly as the city is captured. They head west, taking the long way around to the north coast of Princedon Gulf, which they plan to follow to the Inner Sea, and then north to Handor's Bay, which is still unmolested. Before they get very far, though, they are joined by the Duke of Princedon's concubines and their guard, as well as many refugees from the doomed city. North of the Gulf, they find the Jokapcul are ahead of them again. Spinner and Haft decided to turn north, across the treacherous Low Desert -- but the Desert Men, fierce nomads of the Low Desert, refuse to allow them passage and attack. At the same time, Jokapcul scouts discover the long refugee train, and the implacable foe speeds north to attack them from the rear. Alyline, the Golden Girl, comes up with a daring strategem to make the Jokapcul fight the Desert Men instead. With the pursuing Jokapcul defeated, and the Desert Men ready for a break in fighting, Spinner and Haft return their refugee train to the coast. There they discover a Jokapcul prison camp, which they attack to free the prisoners.
(a Division of Dark Quest Books) [from the back cover]
Send in the Marines! Because the Golden Girl is on the loose...
And it's up to Haft and the Bloody Axes to...Get Her Back!
When headstrong Alyline sets off on her own to find her left-behind musician, life gets interesting for those who must go after her. Angry nomads, great hunting cats, and desert death-matches stand between the Golden Girl and her rescuers. Using every trick at their disposal, Haft and his men are more than up to the challenge!
Have no doubt, they'll get their Girl! Now available!
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| PS. Under the "Short Stories" link on the front page you'll find a couple of anthologies that have DemonTech short stories. |