The Wizard Lord's duty is to keep the world in its delicate balance. He must govern lightly to protect his domain from power-hungry interlopers, such as certain wizards who previously fought to rule the world...But if the Wizard Lord himself strays from the way of the just, then it is up to the Chosen to intercede. The Chosen ones are the Leader, the Seer, the Swordsman, the Beauty, the Thief, the Scholar, the Archer, and the Speaker. Each are magically-infused mortal individuals who, for the term of their service, have only one function--to be available to remove an errant Wizard Lord, whether by persuasion or by stronger means. Breaker, a young man of ambition, has taken the mantle of Swordsman from its former bearer who wished to retire. Never did he realize that he would be called to duty so quickly, or that the balance of power in his world would be so precarious. He had a duty to perform. A world to save. So why does he still have doubts...not just about himself, but about the entire balance of power? At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

All of the world is kept in a delicate balance under the supervision of the Wizard Lord. It is his duty to govern lightly and protect his domain...but if he should stray from the way of the just, then it is up to the Chosen to intercede. The Chosen are the Leader, the Seer, the Swordsman, the Beauty, the Thief, the Scholar, the Archer, and the Speaker. These are magically infused mortal individuals who for the term of their service have only one function--to remove an errant Wizard Lord. The Chosen fulfilled this role when they removed the previous Wizard Lord and exposed treachery from within their own ranks. Since their last adventure, the world has returned to apparent peace and prosperity. The new Wizard Lord rules benevolently...but with an eye towards modernization through technology, instead of magic. Do such plans jeopardize the delicate balance of power? Is a Wizard Lord who is able to rule without magic a threat to the Chosen? At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Mirshalla, who just found out her real name is Miranda, couldn't believe she was wandering alone in another dangerous forest, in a shredded dress, and with no shoes. Why was it that she was always thrust into dangerous situations in the wrong clothes and without shoes? She thought she was going meet her cousin the Grand Wizard for the first time, and spend a month as his companion, getting to know him and having him remove her cursed anklet... and hopefully her curse. Yet here she was, being chased by the evil wizard cousin and his evil wizard cohorts as she dodged deadly monsters at every turn. All while her curse continued to change her in frightening ways. And what did the fey prophesies of her finding the fabled land of the Fey or of her toppling a kingdom have to do with any of it? Little does Miranda know she is soon to find out the truth about herself and her curse... and it will shock her to her very core. But worse yet, she will meet a fate that will rip her apart.

All of the world is kept in a delicate balance under the supervision of the Wizard Lord. It is his duty to govern lightly and protect his domain...but if he should stray from the way of the just then it is up to the Chosen to intercede. The Chosen are the Leader, the Seer, the Swordsman, the Beauty, the Thief, the Scholar, the Archer, and the Speaker, magically infused mortal individuals who for the term of their service have only one function--to remove an errant Wizard Lord. But the new Wizard Lord has now changed the playing field by neutralizing all magic in his domain (both his own and that of the Chosen) and has successfully killed and/or blocked his adversaries and their challenges to his omnipotence. Sword (now on the run) must work alone to restore order to their fair land and unravel the mystery of the Ninth Talisman--which might be the salvation or downfall of all that is good in their well ordered land. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

All of the world is kept in a delicate balance under the supervision of the Wizard Lord. It is his duty to govern lightly and protect his domain...but if he should stray from the way of the just then it is up to the Chosen to intercede. The Chosen are the Leader, the Seer, the Swordsman, the Beauty, the Thief, the Scholar, the Archer, and the Speaker, magically infused mortal individuals who for the term of their service have only one function—to remove an errant Wizard Lord. But the new Wizard Lord has now changed the playing field by neutralizing all magic in his domain, both his own and that of the Chosen, and he has successfully killed his adversaries or blocked their challenges to his omnipotence. Now on the run, Sword must work alone to restore order to their fair land and unravel the mystery of the Ninth Talisman—which might be the salvation or downfall of all that is good in their well-ordered land. The Summer Palace is the conclusion of The Annals of the Chosen, an epic fantasy trilogy of duty, honor, and abuse of power by the award-winning author Lawrence Watt-Evans.

Mr. Chesney operates Pilgrim Parties, a tour group that takes paying participants into an outer realm where the inhabitants play frightening and foreboding roles. The time has come to end the staged madness . . . but can it really be stopped? Master storyteller Diana Wynne Jones serves up twists and turns, introduces Querida, Derk, Blade, and Shona and a remarkable cast of wizards, soldiers, kings, dragons, and griffins, and mixes in a lively dash of humor. With all the ingredients of high fantasy, this unforgettable novel will delight fans old and new.