The Wandering King

Motivated by jealousy and the desire to receive acclaim as a great poet, Walid ibn Huyr, a prince of ancient Arabia, commits acts which completely change the course of his life.

A clean, unique twist on a classic fantasy action/adventure novel, The Wandering King is a story that follows a group of young friends through turbulent times, as war breaks out across their world and forces them to consider paths they had never dreamed of or even thought possible before... Eager to explore the world beyond their little village, young Lev Alaric and his four friends set out as caravan guards for an up and coming merchant. When war suddenly breaks out, the friends are met with hardships they never thought they would face, and they are forced to decide what their roles will be in the dangerous and uncertain world ahead of them. Unbeknownst to the five friends and the rest of the world at large, however, is the fact that, in the background of everything else that is going on, a dangerous, mythical group - known only to those who have delved too deeply into the oldest, most arcane secrets of the world - is on the move, looking for information that very few can give. What impact will these two seemingly unrelated groups have on the world and its future? Read The Wandering King and begin the grand, epic journey of finding out...

The dramatic conclusion of the Sleeping King fantasy trilogy by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cindy Dees. Their rebellion in tatters, freedom fighters Raina of Tyrel, White Heart healer, and Will Cobb, woodsman turned battle wizard, race to wake the Sleeping King, who is their only hope to end the evil Kothite Empire. The Sleeping King’s enemies are awakening and are more powerful than anyone feared. Old enemies will test their allegiance in the coming confrontation between good and evil. As our young heroes face their destinies, one question remains: will their shared loyalties and passion for freedom bring the world a peace that all who are oppressed so desperately desire? “Engaging and complex. . . for fans of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time or Terry Brooks’ Shannara series.” —RT Book Reviews on The Sleeping King The Sleeping King Trilogy #1 The Sleeping King #2 The Dreaming Hunt #3 The Wandering War At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Six years ago, schoolgirls Evelyn and Philippa Hapwell were swept from a war-time bunker to a fantasy kingdom. Now almost grown-up, they've returned to the real world, but grieving Evie will do almost anything to go back to the magical Woodlands that holds her heart ...

I have a horse, a beautiful horse, and her name is Wandering Star. We roam wild and free, from the hills to the sea, and it's magic wherever we are.

A frightening suspense novel about nine-year-old Trisha, who becomes lost in the woods as night falls.

Euryanax is encamped with his father Dorieus' army in Italy. While sleeping outside the walls of Taras, they are attacked by indigenous tribesmen called Messapians. The Italians charge the camp on horseback, barking like dogs, throwing javelins and pelting the Spartan shieldwall with arrows and sling stones. The cavalry attack is only a feint meant to draw the Spartans' attention. While the army repels the invaders, a lone man sneaks into the tent of Dorieus' mistress, the beautiful hetaera Stesilaus and carries her off to the mysterious city of Sybaris. In the ancient world, Sybaris was synonymous with wealth, debauchery and impiety. The Sybarites are ruled by the tyrant Telys, who is intent on conquering all of southern Italy, including its neighboring city of Croton, home of the philosopher Pythagoras and his peaceful followers, the Cenobites. Will Dorieus' army become embroiled in the war between Sybaris and Croton, a struggle the Greeks considered akin to the Biblical tale of Sodom and Gomorrah? Or will the Spartans continue on to Sicily, where they intend on building a colony on Mount Eryx and resuming Dorieus' private war against the Persian Empire? Wander with Euryanax as his adventures lead him to the cities of Taras, Croton and Sybaris in Italy, and Heraklea, Motya and Selenius in Sicily. Then sail with him across the wine-dark sea to Attica, where Athens is attempting to overthrow its own tyrant, Hippias. Stand with Eury as he battles tyrants, mercenaries, barbarians and the powers of the East. Listen to the wisdom of Pythagoras, the schemes of the wily, lawyer Themistocles and the speeches of the future 'father of democracy, ' Cleisthenes. As you do, you'll watch Euryanax learn that becoming a Spartan King, means a lot more than leading soldiers to victory.

Twenty-five hundred years ago, the people of ancient Sparta developed a military society and ethos unlike anything the world had ever seen. At age seven boys were taken from their homes and enrolled in a training school called the 'agoge' designed to encourage discipline and physical toughness. At age twelve they were given one garment that was to last all year, went around barefoot and fed sparingly. At age 18, they roamed the countryside as members of a mysterious organization called the krypteia, murdering unsuspecting serfs called helots. If they survived, at age 20 they graduated and entered the Spartan army where they served till age 60. Though harsh, Sparta produced the best professional soldiers of the ancient Greek world.Stephen Marte has gone back to the time period prior to the Persian Wars to Sparta's golden age to write a carefully researched novel about its people and its part in a seminal period during Greek history that saw the first clashes between East and West and creation of the world's first democracy. His central character is based on a little known Prince of Sparta named Euryanax. The book begins, "I am called Euryanax and I am a Spartan. In the Dorian tongue 'eury' means wandering and 'anax' means king. The wandering king. From my name comes my story..."Euryanax was a grandson of the Spartan King Anaxandridas, and potential heir to one of Sparta's two royal families. The story starts twenty-four years before the fabled Battle of Marathon, when Euryanax is twelve years old and follows him from his training in the agoge to the shores of Libya where his father Dorieus builds a colony and comes into conflict with the Persian Empire's allies, Phoenicia and Carthage. This is only the beginning of a lifetime of wandering for Euryanax. During his adventures around the Mediterranean, this Prince of Sparta learns how to fight, how to lead men, how to think, and how to love; all of which is woven across the colorful tapestry of actual historical events.One of the author's goals in writing this series was to introduce readers to the intriguing characters found in Herodotus' great work 'The Historie.' Leonidas, Gorgo, Chilon, Dorieus, Cleomenes, Pausanias, Themistocles, Miltiades, Mardonius, Pythagoras0́4they are all here and depicted from an engaging new perspective. For example, is Euryanax's uncle Leonidas the legendary hero glorified in books and movies who sacrificed himself at the pass of Thermopylae to save Greece, or is he a schemer, a murderer, the killer of his own brother Cleomenes, whose daughter Gorgo he married to become king? Was Euryanax's cousin Pausanias, the strategos of the Battle of Plataea, one of the greatest generals of all time, or was he a simple-minded bully who took credit for the achievements of better men? Was Euryanax's uncle Cleomenes the madman Herodotus reports, or was he in fact a wise ruler, misunderstood and maligned by his own countrymen and history? What motivated Euryanax's father Dorieus to leave Sparta and build colonies in Libya and Sicily; was he working under the orders of the Spartan state or was he envious because the ephors had selected his brother Cleomenes king? The answers to these and other questions are a part of the rich fabric of 'The Wandering King.'It is no small wonder that Euryanax is called the 'wandering king.' His father was a king in his own right and fought his way across Libya, Italy and Sicily. Join Euryanax as he wanders from Sparta to North Africa where he takes part in the siege of the Phoenician stronghold at Oea. Venture with him to the city of merchants, Corinth, fight pirates in the Ionian Sea, and sail with the Spartans to the Temple of Apollo where Euryanax learns his fate from the Delphic...