The Giants’ Dance

The Giants’ Dance
Robert Carter

A rich and evocative tale set in a mythic 15th century Britain, to rival the work of Bernard Cornwell.

In the peaceful village of Nether Norton life goes on as it has for centuries in the Realm. On Loaf Day, as the villagers celebrate gathering in the first of their harvest, Will looks back fondly on the two years since he and his sweetheart Willow circled the fire together, especially the year since their daughter Bethe was born. But despite his good fortune, a feeling of unease is stirring inside him. When he sees an unnatural storm raging on the horizon he knows that his past is coming back to haunt him.

Four years ago Will succeeded in cracking the Doomstone in the vault of the Chapter House at Verlamion to bring a bloody battle to its end. It seemed then that the lust for war in men's hearts had been calmed forever. But now Will is no longer certain his success was quite so absolute, and he calls on his old friend and mentor Gwydion, a wizard of deep knowledge and power once called 'Merlyn', for advice. Gwydion suspects his old enemy, the sorcerer Maskull, has escaped from the prison he was banished to when Will cracked the Doomstone. Now Maskull is once again working to hasten a devastating war between King Hal and Duke Richard of Ebor, with the help of the battlestones that litter the landscape inciting hatred in all who draw near.

Only Will, whom Gwydion believes to be an incarnation of King Arthur, has the skill to break the power of the battlestones. When Will last left Nether Norton he was an unworldly youth of thirteen. Now he is a husband and father, he has a lot more to lose. But he has a whole Realm to save.

The Giants’ Dance

Robert Carter

For Gerald Wiley, Four Candles.

‘First there were nine,

Then nine became seven,

And seven became five.

Now, as sure as the Ages decline,

Three are no more,

But one is alive.’

The Black Book of Tara

Table of Contents

Cover Page (#u6e79c4b8-0406-5660-b7ee-b1ab82c84a60)

Title Page (#u7f503037-3720-5418-827d-f3f4a1f86c43)

Epigraph (#u50692310-92c8-5eec-8541-bce12dd66da8)

PROLOGUE (#u68bd8e92-b925-572b-bb2c-6eec10cdc023)

PART ONE JEOPARDY’S DILEMMA (#ua0ac6008-dcfe-539d-8a92-884c3c81eddf)

CHAPTER ONE THE BLAZING (#ua207d640-f7dd-5814-b915-47e2248b38dd)

CHAPTER TWO LITTLE SLAUGHTER (#uc1d19165-e42f-5376-a853-6c2df8c0e1f7)

CHAPTER THREE WHAT LIES WITHIN (#uea67f319-dec8-517e-a1b0-332c32ac9a47)

CHAPTER FOUR THE LIGN OF THE ASH TREE (#udd0a45af-4537-54d6-9759-9c72288cf319)

CHAPTER FIVE MAGICIAN, HEAL THYSELF! (#u5d55ddc5-f288-5b39-a3f4-f2232e14c61a)

CHAPTER SIX AN UNWELCOME GUEST (#ud7f7b216-141c-5853-aa50-dd965517c3dc)

CHAPTER SEVEN A GOOD NIGHT’S REST (#u352c3990-7cd4-5bfc-bb75-dc6af2ab0d0a)

PART TWO A LOSING BATTLE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER EIGHT THIS BLIGHTED LAND (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER NINE STONEHUNTERS (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TEN THE MAD BARON (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ELEVEN THE FLIES (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWELVE CAPTIVES (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE KINDLY STUMP (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN A THIEF AT LUDFORD (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN MOTHER BRIG (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN THE HOSTS GATHER (#litres_trial_promo)

PART THREE MADNESS AT LUDFORD (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN HONEY MEAD (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER NINETEEN A TOAST BY THE DUKE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY THE MADNESS GROWS (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE A GLIMPSE OF THE ENEMY (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO RAW MEAT (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE THE BLOOD STONE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR FLESH ANEW (#litres_trial_promo)

PART FOUR THE TURNING OF THE TIDE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE TURLOCH’S RING (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX CASTLE CORBEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN THE DRAGON’S JAWS (#litres_trial_promo)