Beyond World's End by Mercedes Lackey (English) Hardcover Book

Description: Beyond World's End by Mercedes Lackey, Rosemary Edghill THIS IS YOUR SOUL ON DRUGS . . .After the events chronicled in Bedlam's Bard, world-saving bard and magician Eric Banyon moves into his new New York apartment hoping to settle down to the quiet life. No such luck: his building is a safe-house for a group of occultist Guardians protecting the city from supernatural evil. And there's a new evil for them to guard against. . . .When unethical drug researchers discover that they can induce amazing mental powers using psychotropic drugs, they begin planning to raise a drug-enslaved army of mercenaries and grow very, very rich. But this gets the attention of Aerune mac Audelaine, lord of the dark Unseleighe Sidhe, who hopes to use the drugs to break through to the human world and feed on the suffering there. Both plans will bring terror to the world — and both are threatened by the very existence of Eric Banyon.With his possibly loyal companions — a beautiful elven half-breed and a gargoyle — Eric heads for a three-way battle of wizardry that will determine Gotham's fate — and his own. FORMAT Hardcover LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description "This is your soul on drugs..."After the events chronicled in "Bedlam's Bard, " world-saving bard and magician Eric Banyon moves into his new New York apartment hoping to settle down to the quiet life. No such luck: his building is a safe-house for a group of occultist Guardians protecting the city from supernatural evil. And there's a new evil for them to quard against....When unethical drug researchers discover that they can induce amazing mental powers using psychotropic drugs, they begin planning to raise a drug-enslaved army of mercenaries and grow very, very rich. But this gets the attention of Aerune mac Audelaine, lord of the dark Unseleighe Sidhe, who hopes to use the drugs to break through to the human world and feed on the suffering there. Both plans will bring terror to the world — and both are threatened by the very existence of Eric Banyon.With his possibly loyal companions — a beautiful elven half-breed and a gargoyle — Eric heads for a three-way battle of wizardry that will determine Gotham's fate — and his own. Author Biography Mercedes Lackey is the author of the Valdemar series, including Take a Thief and Exiles Honor. She is the coauthor, with Andre Norton, of the Halfblood Chronicles, including Elvenborn. Some of her other novels include The Gates of Sleep, Sacred Ground, The Firebird, The Black Swan, and The Serpents Shadow. She lives in Oklahoma. Review "[Lackey is] an undoubted mistress of the well-told tale".-- Booklist Long Description This is your soul on drugs...After the events chronicled inBedlams Bard,world-saving bard and magician Eric Banyon moves into his new New York apartment hoping to settle down to the quiet life. No such luck: his building is a safe-house for a group of occultist Guardians protecting the city from supernatural evil. And theres a new evil for them to quard against....When unethical drug researchers discover that they can induce amazing mental powers using psychotropic drugs, they begin planning to raise a drug-enslaved army of mercenaries and grow very, very rich. But this gets the attention of Aerune mac Audelaine, lord of the dark Unseleighe Sidhe, who hopes to use the drugs to break through to the human world and feed on the suffering there. Both plans will bring terror to the world -- and both are threatened by the very existence of Eric Banyon.With his possibly loyal companions -- a beautiful elven half-breed and a gargoyle -- Eric heads for a three-way battle of wizardry that will determine Gothams fate -- and his own. Excerpt from Book ONE: THE PARTING of FRIENDS "Are you sure you really want to do this?" Beth asked Eric for roughly the five hundredth time in the past month. As a long-time stranger to big cities, it was hard for Eric to believe that there was anywhere in New York City where she could have been heard without shouting, but this strange little tree-shaded court was somehow as quiet as a desert canyon miles outside of Los Angeles -- and just about as hot. It was September, but there was no hint of fall in the air, and the leaves on the slender maples growing in their squares of earth allocated in the sidewalk were still green. Today was one of the shimmering-hot days that persisted well into October here, and the stone of the buildings surrounding them seemed to hold and reflect back every degree of heat. The buildings also shut most of the traffic noise out, making a private oasis in the heart of the city. Beth and Kory -- and their motorcycles cum-elvensteeds -- were the only creatures on the street besides Eric. Eric looked up at the old apartment building that was going to be his home for the next year or so, and nodded. "I m sure," he replied firmly. "Things couldnt go on the way they have been-and none of us wanted them to." Then he grinned. "Besides, you arent going to be that far away by Underhill standards. And Im a fully functional Bard now, remember? I can come visit you any time I want to -- or any time you guys are getting stir-crazy." Beth looked as if she might want to argue that point for a moment; then, instead of saying anything, she just sighed. "You certainly arent the same Eric Banyon anymore" she admitted. "You not only have feck, but you know what machine to buy your clues from," she said, grinning proudly. "And I brought my own roll of quarters to put in the machine," Eric shot back, grinning. Earlier this morning, the three of them had packed up the last of their stuff from the friends place theyd been crashing at between Faire weekends. The Sterling Forest Renfaire ran every year from July to September at a site about an hour north of New York City. There was even a Nexus there, Elfhame Everforest, the only one on the East Coast, tucked away in the State Park that surrounded the Fairesite. The three of them had been working the Faire together, just like old times. Only this time it was a farewell performance, and theyd all known it. It had added a certain sweetness to the music. But all good things must come to an end. He put down his two bags to hug her. "No worries, pretty lady. Ill be fine. The kids at Juilliard are already calling me old man, and taking bets on whos going to win the confrontations between me and the administration. Odds are in my favor, by the way." Classes started on Monday, but hed already been up to the school several times, for Registration and Orientation. It hadnt changed much in all the years hed been away -- schools had a lot in common with Underhill in that respect. Beth traded places with Kory, who was not at all ashamed to bestow as hearty a hug on Eric as Beth had. "You do know the way Underhill, if you need to come," Korendil appealed. There was an unspoken plea in the elfs emerald-green eyes. "Do not allow pride to keep you from seeking your friends if you need help." Eric shook his shaggy head; haircuts had not been a priority either Underhill or at the Faire, and he didnt want to do anything about the length of his mane just yet. "Believe me, Elfhame Everforest is the first place Ill head for if I get into trouble," he promised. "Now, you two -- go! If you dont make some tracks, you wont reach Sterling Forest before sunset, elvensteeds or no elvensteeds, and this is going to be your last Renfaire gig before the baby comes. I think I can manage to move my last two bags into an apartment without help -- and take care of myself once Ive settled in." Theyd been staying with Bonnie and Kit up in Inwood -- a comic book writer and a Witch that Beth knew from years ago -- while Eric and Beth made the many purchases necessary to turn a rented apartment into a home -- and waited the several weeks for delivery of the furniture! Eric wasnt displeased to have the transition time: living Underhill for an extended period made returning to the World Above a distinct shock. And no place else, in Underhill or the World Above, was quite like New York City. It made even the Chaos Lands seem quiet. Beth paused to hug him once more. "You know, I think you can" she admitted, looking just a little tearful. "And maybe thats the scariest part of all. You dont need us anymore." There wasnt any reply he could make to that statement there was enough truth in it to sting -- so Eric didnt bother to try. Instead, he picked up his bags and moved away from the curb, walking backwards, as Kory and Beth mounted their sleek, exotic motorcycles. A third bike already resided in the tiny parking lot behind the building, and Eric had no fear that anyone was going to steal it. For one thing, they wouldnt be able to find a starter or a place to hotwire it. For another, she wouldnt let them. Lady Day was an elvensteed, and could take any form she chose. Eric didnt really ride her, she carried him; he could go to sleep while riding her and she would get him safely to his destination no matter what the conditions were. She could take any shape he wanted her to -- hed heard that there were even elves in other Elffiames that had elvensteeds the shape of racing cars, though frankly Eric would believe that when he saw it. His mind was already running ahead, into his future here. He preferred her as a motorcycle, and Lady Day preferred to take that form, but as soon as the weather turned, she was going to have to take on the form of a little econobox car, unless he intended to take the subway across town to Juilliard. She wasnt looking forward to that, and frankly, neither was he, but that was the price he paid for returning to Juilliard -- East Coast winters. Maybe I can have her clone a Kia, a Neon or a sporty little Isuzu 4x4 instead. That wouldnt be too out-of-keeping with my cover story, Eric thought hopefully. It had been so long since hed had to worry about money at all that he wasnt too sure he remembered the gory details. I can always say I put the bike in storage for the winter. Nobody at Juilliard is likely to know enough about cars to wonder how I can keep a maintenance hog fuelled and running! Eric paused at the front door of the building for a last look back. Beth and Kory had donned their helmets, and "started" the bikes, thus making further conversation a moot point. The elvensteeds not only knew enough to counterfeit the roar of powerful motorcycle engines, they seemed to enjoy doing so. The two riders, anonymous now in their matching helmets and leathers, pulled neat little reversal moves that got them going in the right direction on the street with an appropriate amount of tire spin and smoke. They waved, and Eric tucked one bag under his arm and freed up a hand to wave back. He kept waving as they roared out of sight. That didnt take long in the city; they were out of sight as soon as they turned the corner. He evened his load again, and walked soberly up to the door of the building. Home. Sweet home? Well, home is what you make it, I guess. This is as good as any. And a lot better than some. Good thing Im not on a starving students budget. He could have had any apartment in any building in the city, of course: as an adult student, Eric didnt have the same residence restrictions that the minors and first-year students did at Juilliard, and a fellow with a safety-deposit box full of gold Krugerrands could pretty much afford whatever he wanted. But hed gone out walking one day when he and Beth and Kory first arrived here, and found the old building as if hed been drawn to it. Itd had a name once -- most old New York apartment buildings were named -- but time had eroded the carving above the door, until all that remained was a florid "G" and a barely legible "ouse. " Something-house. Maybe Gargoyle House, for when Eric had looked up -- he was enough of an out-of-towner to do that frequently -- he had been surprised to see the hunched winged forms of classic medieval gargoyles perched on the buildings four corners. New York was rich in such hidden sculpture, he knew. Art for birds, someone had once called it. Thered been a discreet sign in the building managers window -- the only "For Rent" sign he could remember seeing anywhere, actually -- and the building itself had attracted him. There were three apartments available. One was a corner apartment on the top floor, and when he saw that there was a gargoyle perched right outside the living-room window, hed been sold. That had been the good part. The bad part was the age of the building. Old buildings had old building problems. Still, it had a lot more heart to it than some of those highrise condos that were going up everywhere. And a place like this would be a lot easier to explain if anyone ever asked. For a wonder, the building manager -- her name was Toni Hernandez, a middle-aged Latina woman -- had been ready to show him around right then. The building was of about the same vintage as the Gunfight at the OK Corral, which meant that the ceilings were high and the bathrooms were ancient-which meant very cool lion-footed bathtubs, but teeny sinks and plumbing he wasnt altogether sure about. The kitchen cabinets and counters looked like originals from when the building was new, and forget central Details ISBN0671319558 Author Rosemary Edghill Short Title BEYOND WORLDS END Pages 352 Publisher Baen Books Language English ISBN-10 0671319558 ISBN-13 9780671319557 Media Book Format Hardcover DEWEY FIC Year 2001 Publication Date 2001-01-31 Residence OK, US Birth 1950 DOI 10.1604/9780671319557 Audience General/Trade We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:137880198;

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