The Jack of Souls (Fantasy): A Rogue & Knight Epic Adventure: 1 (Unseen Moon)

A NEW ROGUE & KNIGHT FANTASY SERIES BEGINS... Harric is an outcast rogue who must break a curse laid on his fate or die on his nineteenth birthday. As the day approaches nightmares from the spirit world stalk him and tear at his soul. To survive hell need more than his usual tricks. Hell need help-and a lot of it-but on the kingdoms lawless frontier his only allies are other outcasts. One of these outcasts is Caris a mysterious horse-whispering runaway intent upon becoming one of the Queens first female knights. The other is Sir Willard-ex-immortal ex-champion now addicted to pain-killing herbs and banished from the court. With their help Harric might keep his curse at bay. But for how long? And both companions bring perils and secrets of their own: Caris bears the scars of a troubled past that still hunts her; Willard is at war with the Old Ones an order of insane immortal knights who once enslaved the kingdom. The Old Ones have returned to murder Willard and seize the throne from his queen as Willard attempts one final desperate quest to save her. Together Harric and his companions must overcome fanatical armies murderous sorcerers and powerful supernatural foes. Alone Harric must face the temptation of a forbidden magic that could break his curse but cost him the only woman hes ever loved. ...A TALE OF MISCHEIF MAGIC AND THE TRIUMP OF TRICKSTERS. * * * ...The Jack of Souls is a terrific read from beginning to end and clearly establishes Merlino as a master of the fantasy action/adventure genre. Highly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections... - MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW * * * ...a tribute to the Trickster an exhilarating and funny and larger-than-life paen to the ones who might not be the strongest or bravest but can out-think outlast or outplay their musclebound foes. Its a lightning-paced rollercoaster world built of humor bravery brains and excellent writing. The villains are unequivocally evil. The heroes are flawed hexed unlucky or just plain old. And sometimes they smell really bad. - BARB TAUB Author of the Null City series * * * Of all the books Ive read in the past couple of years The Jack of Souls is by far my favorite. Merlinos remarkable imagination and storytelling skills had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I want to read the next book NOW! -KAREN DUVALL author of Darkest Knight and Demon Fare. * * * A rich and rewarding new fantasy mythos! -ROB MAY author of Dragon Killer .