Spirit Of The Stone: Book Two of the Shadowleague (Shadowleague S.) [Paperback]

The second volume in the stunning Shadowleague series, from the author of the bestselling Artefacts of Power

As the Curtain Walls across Myrial continue to fail, the threat of war grows ever greater. But the Shadowleague, the council responsible for peace and order, is beginning to tear itself apart. If this occurs, any hope of avoiding the deepening crisis will be destroyed. And as the divisions spread, the ruthless and enigmatic Lord Blade rallies his supporters, waiting for his chance to take over. To prevent catastrophe, Loremaster Veldan must persuade Zavahl, the tortured former Hierarch, to open his mind and unlock the knowledge of Aethon the Dragon Seer. With the fate of the world hanging on a half-remembered tale from long ago, Veldan, the firedrake Kazairl and their companions must travel down a dark and dangerous road. One that will lead them beneath the beleaguered city of Tiarond, deep within the mountain's living core where the secrets of the past lie buried. Find out more about this title and others at www.orbitbooks.co.uk

The second volume in the stunning Shadowleague series, from the author of the bestselling Artefacts of Power.

Praise for The Artefacts of Power:

'Rich, colourful, infinitely enchanting . . . I loved it!' DAVID GEMMELL

'Pure magic . . . a classic tale of epic fantasy' TODAY

'A new classic. It has the potential to stand with the best' LOCUS

By Maggie Furey

The Artefacts of Power
AURIAN
HARP OF WINDS
THE SWOED OF FLAME
DHIAMMARA

The Shadowleague
THE HEART OF MYRIAL

SPIRIT OF THE STONE

Maggie Furey on

the world and mythology that forms the basis for The Shadowleague novels:

Aeons in the past, there arose a race of beings so powerful that their technology was indistinguishable from magic. As they roamed between the worlds, they became dismayed by disasters that more primitive, destructive beings (including humans) were bringing upon themselves. To save these doomed races, the Ancient Ones constructed artificial worlds as sanctuaries, and one of these was Myrial.

So that species from differing environments could exist side by side, the world was divided into realms, each with its own inhabitants, climate and ecology, which were separated by the Curtain Walls - massive barriers of pure energy, maintained by an artificial intelligence deep within the planet's core. When the Ancients vanished from Myrial, they left behind a select group of custodians - the Shadowleague - whose agents are known as Loremasters. Gleaned from every race, they can pass through the Curtain Walls, and are the only ones with any idea of their world's unusual beginnings.

Unfortunately, however, they don't know enough. At the opening of the story, Myrial's complex systems are breaking down. The Curtain Walls are failing, causing violent climatic upheavals, and allowing aggressive species through to prey on their neighbours. The fate of the world rests with a handful of Loremasters, who must overcome ignorance and apathy amongst their fellows, conflict and old grudges between themselves, and their own weaknesses and fears, before they can plumb the mystery that lies at Myrial's heart.

I probably got this idea in the first place from reading about Gerald Durrel's zoo in Jersey, and his great and laudable mission to breed and preserve endangered species. I particularly like the notion of a world which is a home to many different creatures from different worlds, because it gives enormous scope for future novels, and the possibilities are endless. I can use creatures from mythology (and in an infinite universe, who's to say they don't exist somewhere?), creatures I created especially for Myrial, such as the firedrakes and wind-sprites, and also, I can very sneakily use beings from Aurian's world too, such as the Magefolk and the Dragonfolk!

Even looking at the map, which only shows a portion of the world, it's clear that in the current series we'll only have a taste of all the varied wonders of Myrial, and the potential for future books is endless (I already know exactly what the next Shadowleague series will be about, for instance). It takes so much time and work to create my worlds in sufficient detail to make them become 'real', that I need to get a lot of use from them once I have them!

the new characters appearing in SPIRIT OF THE STONE:

There are a number of new characters in SPIRIT OF THE STONE, including the Grey Ghosts, who are a gang of the city's finest and most enterprising thieves, led by a girl called Aliana and her twin brother Alestan (not to mention the scruffy and appalling Packrat, who is very much a law unto himself.) We'll also be seeing a lot more of Gendival, the Shadowleague headquarters, and its diverse inhabitants. Also, some of the characters who didn't play a very large part in THE HEART OF MYRIAL, such as Galveron, Kaita and Rochalla, really come into their own in the second book.

who she would like to see star in a filmed version of The Shadowleague:

I think Lexa Doig, from Andromeda, would be good as Veldan, and Rutger Hauer would be superb as Blade. Zavahl would probably be Alan Rickman, and Elion might be Nicholas Cage, perhaps? Though I hadn't discovered Kevin Sorbo when I first wrote the character of Galveron, he couldn't really be anybody else, could he? I've racked my brains to think of someone to play Toulac, and just couldn't quite come up with anyone suitable. I know she's out there somewhere, though, so any suggestions will be gratefully accepted! As for the voice of Kaz - we need someone gruff, someone irascible - someone you wouldn't want to mess around with... On his current form, maybe John Prescott? But no, he looks as though he's going to be pretty busy for the next few years...

Seriously, I think Jack Nicholson could bring a lot to the role. Couldn't you just imagine it? --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Maggie Furey was born in North East England. She is a qualified teacher, but has also reviewed books on BBC Radio Newcastle, been an advisor in the Durham Reading Resources centre and organized children's book fairs. She now lives in County Wicklow, Ireland.