THE SWORDMAKER

The saga of a Norse Conan! Gunther the Viking, son of a swordmaker is on a raid with his fellow Norsemen, when he becomes separated and enters enchanted woods that encircle the realm of Fairy. There he encounters the Celtic goddess Aoifa who defeats him in a sword fight. He is then seduced by La Belle Darne Sans Merci, who takes his heart but leaves him. Next he encounters Nimue, The Lady of the Lake. Gunther asks her how he can escape the enchanted woods. She tells him that he can only leave their confines al dawn. Nimue takes him to the court of the fairy queen, Aevel. She bestows on him a wand of learning and the cauldron of plenty. Gunther will need every implement the fairies give him. For back among mortals, he will encounter women as dangerous as any in the enchanted realms. There is Aine, who first steals his heart and then his purse and lures him to a deadly encounter, and Guida, the lady pirate and princess, who would as soon spill blood as drink ale. And before his adventures are over Gunther will brave Nitheim, region of icy darkness and cold, wash up on the shore of corpses, battle the dread serpent Nidhogg,  fight polar Yeti, and be tortured by Hela, the Ice Queen of Nifheim. Throughout, only his swordmaking and swordfighting skills hold death at bay – until at last he meets his destiny. Cover art: Jade.