Next


This Rough Magic


The Demon Chernobog—
Foiled but Not Conquered
in The Shadow of the Lion—
is Back to Conquer Sixteenth-Century Venice!

Chernobog had come within a hair of seizing absolute power in Venice, but was thwarted by the guardian Lion-spirit, who awoke to protect his city from the power-mad demon. But the power of the Lion is limited to Venice, and Chernobog has a new ally in the King of Hungary, who has beseiged the island of Corfu to seize control of the Adriatic from Venice. Trapped on the island is the small band of heroes who awoke the Lion and thwarted Chernobog before. Far from the Lion’s help, Manfred and Erik lead guerrillas against the foe, and Maria discovers ancient magical powers on the island. If she can make alliance with them, she may be able to repel the invaders—but not without paying a bitter personal price. . . .

Praise for the Prequel, The Shadow of the Lion:

“The prolific Lackey and cohorts Flint and Freer whip up a luscious bouillabaisse of politics, intrigue, love and black magic set in an “Other-worldly, New-Age Venice. . . .” The authors' use of contemporary American vernacular . . . instead of pompous period speech keeps the pages turning fast. . . .” —Publishers Weekly

“[A] massive concoction of alternate history, high fantasy, and historical romance set in the sixteenth-century Venice of an alternate world . . . rich plotting, vivid characterization, and splendid evocation of Renaissance ethics and culture should make readers turn all the pages.” —Booklist

“. . . a sweeping alternate history. .. .The authors deftly wield the juxtaposition of fantasy and history into a finely crafted story.” —Romantic Times

“[A] top pick . . . fast-paced action and complex, believable settings.” —The Bookwatch

Cover art by Larry Dixon


ORDER Hardcover

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First printing, December 2003

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 0-7434-7149-0

Copyright 2003 by Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint & Dave Freer

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
http://www.baen.com

Production by Windhaven Press
Auburn, NH

Electronic version by WebWrights
http://www.webwrights.com


To Bishop Bartolomé de las Casas
(1474–1566 a.d.)

BAEN BOOKS by MERCEDES LACKEY

Also in this series:

The Shadow of the Lion

BARDIC VOICES

The Lark & the Wren
The Robin & the Kestrel
The Eagle & the Nightingales
The Free Bards (omnibus)
Four & Twenty Blackbirds
Bardic Choices: A Cast of Corbies
(with Josepha Sherman)
The Fire Rose

Beyond World's End
(with Rosemary Edghill)

Spirits White as Lightning
(with Rosemary Edghill)

Mad Maudlin
(with Rosemary Edghill)

Bedlam's Bard
(omnibus with Ellen Guon)

Born to Run (with Larry Dixon)
Wheels of Fire (with Mark Shepherd)
Chrome Circle (with Larry Dixon)

The Chrome Borne
(omnibus with Larry Dixon)

The Otherworld
(omnibus with Mark Shepherd & Holly Lisle)

The Ship Who Searched
(with Anne McCaffrey)

Castle of Deception
(with Josepha Sherman)

Fortress of Frost & Fire (with Ru Emerson)
Prison of Souls (with Mark Shepherd)

Lammas Night
(edited by Josepha Sherman)

Werehunter
Fiddler Fair

BAEN BOOKS by ERIC FLINT

Joe's World series:

The Philosophical Strangler
Forward the Mage (with Richard Roach)

The Belisarius series, with David Drake:

An Oblique Approach
In the Heart of Darkness
Destiny's Shield
Fortune's Stroke
The Tide of Victory

The General series, with David Drake:

The Tyrant

1632
1633 (with David Weber)
Mother of Demons

BAEN BOOKS by DAVE FREER

The Forlorn
Rats, Bats & Vats (with Eric Flint)
Pyramid Scheme (with Eric Flint)

Next