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Durham, David Anthony Acacia ISBN 13 : 9780385614474

Acacia - Couverture souple

 
9780385614474: Acacia
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Acacia From an acclaimed novelist comes a thrilling new work that creates a timeless tale of heroism and betrayal, of treachery and revenge, of primal wrongs and ultimate redemption. Full description

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Chapter One
The assassin left the stronghold of Mein Tahalian by the great front gate, riding through a crack in the armored pine beams just wide enough to let him slip out. He departed at sunrise, dressed much as any soldier of the Mein. He wore a cloak of elk fur that wrapped his body completely. It even covered his legs and gave warmth to the large–hoofed mount beneath him. Over his torso he wore a breastplate of double thickness: two sheaves of iron pounded to the contours of his body, with a layer of otter fur pressed beneath them. He moved south through a snowy land frozen into gelid brilliance.

The winter was so bitterly cold that for the first few days the man’s breath crystallized as it escaped his lips. The vapor formed a strange protuberance around his mouth, making the passage into it a cavelike channel. Knots of ice dangled from his beard, brushing against each other like glass chimes. He met few people, even when he passed through settlements of low, domed shelters. He saw the prints of white foxes and hares in the snow but rarely the creatures themselves. Once a snow cat paused to watch his progress from atop a boulder, its gaze one of indecision, considering whether he ought to flee the rider or pursue him. In the end he did neither, and the man put the beast to his back.

On one occasion he crested a rise and looked out upon a plain teeming with reindeer. It was sight almost unseen since distant times. At first he thought he might have wandered upon a gathering from the spirit world. Then he smelled the musty stink of the animals. This broke the mood of mystery. He rode down into them, taking joy in the way the herd peeled away from him, the sound of their hooves a rumble he felt inside his chest.

If Mein lands had been their own, he might have hunted these creatures as his ancestors had. But his wish did not change the reality. The race of people called the Mein, the high northern plateau of the same name, the great fortress of Tahalian, the royal line of men who should rule the territory without interference, all had been servants to Acacia for the last five hundred years. They had been defeated, massacred in great numbers, and since overseen by foreign governors. They had been taxed unfairly and robbed of fighting men, many of whom were sent to serve in the Acacian military in distant lands far from home, out of the hearing of their ancestors. This, at least, was how the rider saw it—as an injustice that should not go on forever.

Twice in the first week he cut away from the main road to avoid Northern Guard checkpoints. His papers were in order. In all likelihood he would not have been delayed, but he had no trust in Acacians and abhorred the notion of even feigning acknowledgment of their authority. Each looping excursion brought him closer to the Black Mountains that paralleled his route. Their peaks jutted up out of the snow like enormous flakes of obsidian that had been chipped to razor sharpness. If old tales were to be believed, the summits were the points of spearheads slammed up through the roof of their world by the race of angry giants whose own land lay beneath the earth’s skin.

After ten days of riding, he reached the edge of the Methalian Rim, the southern boundary of the Mein. He paused a moment to look down at the fertile woodlands three thousand feet below, aware that he would never again breathe the high country air. He slipped the headgear from his mount and dropped it where he stood. He chose a looser rein arrangement that bore no trace of his origins. Though it was still chilly and the land dusted with frost, he unfastened his cloak and tossed it to the ground. He drew out a dagger and slit the leather band that secured his helmet. He hurled the dome into the bushes and shook out his hair. Loosed from the confines of pounded metal, it whipped out as if in joy at the newfound freedom, long and brown. His hair was one of the features that had prompted him to take this assignment on. It bore little resemblance to the brittle straw coloration of most of the Mein race and had always embarrassed him.

After putting on a cotton shirt to disguise his breastplate, the horseman and his mount descended from the heights. They rode a switchback trail that spilled out onto a terrain of an altogether different sort, a temperate forest of hardwood trees, dotted with the small woodland settlements that made up the northern extent of the lands administered directly from Alecia, the bureaucratic seat of the Acacian government.

As his mastery of the empire’s tongue was loathsome to him he rarely spoke to anybody, except on the occasions that he had no choice. When he sold his horse to a trader at the southern edge of the woodlands he growled into the back of his hand, mumbling and gruff. He accepted in payment coins of the realm, clothes that would not attract attention, and a sturdy pair of leather boots, as he would walk the rest of the way to the shore. Thus he was transformed again.

He followed the main road to the south, a large sack slung over his shoulder. It bulged here and there with the items he would yet need. He passed the nights huddled in depressions at the edge of farms or in patches of woodland. Though the people around him believed the land to be gripped by winter, to him it was more like a Tahalian summer, warm enough that he found himself sweating.

Not far from the port of Alecia he discarded his garb once more. He peeled off his breastplate, sunk it beneath stones in a riverbed, and took up a cloak that had been sewn in the cold chambers of the Mein, hoping that it would pass for authentic. With it draped across his shoulders he appeared to be one of the Vadayan. Though an ancient order, the Vadayan were no longer the functioning religious sect they had once been. They were scholars who studied and preserved the old lore under the ceremonial direction of the priestess of Vada. They were a closemouthed group, disdainful of the workings of the empire. As such, it would not appear odd that he had few words for those around him.

To complete his appearance, the man shaved the sides of his head and bound the long hair at the top of his skull up into one tight knot wrapped in thin strips of leather. The skin at either side of his head was as pale and pink as pig flesh. He rubbed a tanning agent used to stain wood into it. Once completed, none but the keenest of eyes would have taken him for anything other than the scholar he pretended to be.

Though he wore these various guises with composure, he was in truth none of the things he passed for. His name was Thasren Mein. He was born of noble blood, son of the late Heberen Mein. He was the younger brother of Hanish, the rightful chieftain of the tribes of the Mein Plateau, and of Maeander, head of the Punisari, the elite guard force and proud heart of his people’s martial tradition. It was a lineage to be proud of, but he’d set all else aside to become an assassin. For the first time his existence truly made sense to him. He had never been more focused than he was now, more complete in himself, charged with a mission he had sworn his life to. How many walking the earth know exactly why they breathe and understand exactly what they must do before passing into the afterdeath? How fortunate he was.

From aboard a transport boat, he watched the isle of Acacia push out of the pale green sea in a knotted jumble of rock. It was innocent enough at a distance. The island’s highest point was at the southern end. In the center, the hilly farmland and ridges dropped somewhat, but rose again into the series of plateaus that generations of settlement had carved into a land fit to house the palace. Acacia trees stood as dark as the black–skinned Talayans of the south, wearing great crests of plumage, dotted here and there with white blossoms. Despite the great twisting length of the island’s coastline relatively little of it was easily accessible; beaches and ports were few.

Sailing past the port’s protective towers Thasren saw a flag of the empire, hanging limp from lack of breeze. He knew from the colors what he would see if it had stood out: a yellow sun inside a red–bordered square, at the center a black silhouette of the tree that gave this island its name. Every child of the Known World recognized the emblem, no matter how far distant their place of birth. The assassin had to check his desire to clear the phlegm from his throat and spit in contempt.

He climbed from the boat to the main dock in a rush of other passengers, merchants and laborers, women and children, all leaping the gap above the crystal–clear water like herd animals. There were a few other Vadayan among them, but Thasren avoided eye contact with them. Standing on the solid stone of the dock as his fellow passengers moved around him, he understood that he was about to step into the mouth of the enemy. If any person around him now found out his name or could divine his thoughts, he would become the target of every dagger, sword, and spear on the island. He waited a moment longer than he intended, surprised that nobody condemned him. Nobody shouted warnings or even paused to study him.

He took in the great wall of a pinkish stone with cold eyes. Beyond it, spires and towers and domes jutted up into the air, many of these painted dark blue or a somber red or a brown with a rusty quality, some gilded and twinkling in the sunlight. The structures rose terraced level by level with the steepness of a sheer mountain. It was beautiful to behold; even he could acknowledge that much. It was nothing like the low, brooding presence of the assassin's home. Tahalian was built with massive beams of fir wood, half dug into the ground as protection from the cold, undecorated because so much of the year it was drowned in winter darkness, with snow piled high on every flat surface. The difference between the two was hard to square, and so Thasren shook off thought of it.

He strolled toward the gates of the lower town. It might ta...
Quatrième de couverture :

BOOK ONE: THE WAR WITH THE MEIN

Presiding over Acacia, an empire named after the idyllic island from which he rules, Leodan Akaran has inherited a peace and prosperity won long ago by his ancestors.

He's an intelligent man, a widower who dotes on his four children, and it is this devotion that obliges him to hide a terrible secret from them - that Acacia's wealth is founded on the trafficking of drugs and human lives. A man of integrity, he determines to end this vile trade. But powerful forces stand in his way.

Then an assassin, sent by the Mein - a race exiled long ago to an ice-locked stronghold in the frozen north - strikes, and the Mein unleash surprise attacks against their old oppressor. Mortally wounded, Leodan puts into play a plan to enable his children to escape, to survive and to fulfil their destinies.

And so begins an epic quest - to avenge a father's death and restore an empire, this time on the basis of universal freedom.

In Acacia, the bestselling author of Hannibal: Pride of Carthage recounts a thrilling, engrossing and wonderfully imagined story of treachery and revenge, heroism and betrayal, of wrongs righted and redemption found . . .

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  • ÉditeurDoubleday
  • Date d'édition2008
  • ISBN 10 0385614470
  • ISBN 13 9780385614474
  • ReliureBroché
  • Nombre de pages592
  • Evaluation vendeur

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Autres éditions populaires du même titre

9780385722520: Acacia: The Acacia Trilogy, Book One

Edition présentée

ISBN 10 :  0385722524 ISBN 13 :  9780385722520
Editeur : Anchor, 2008
Couverture souple

  • 9780307947130: Acacia: The Acacia Trilogy, Book One

    Anchor, 2012
    Couverture souple

  • 9780385506069: The War With the Mein

    Doubleday, 2007
    Couverture rigide

  • 9780553819670: Acacia

    Bantam, 2009
    Couverture souple

  • 9780385614467: Acacia (Bk. 1)

    Doubleday, 2099
    Couverture rigide

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David Anthony Durham
ISBN 10 : 0385614470 ISBN 13 : 9780385614474
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Description du livre Paperback. Etat : Very Good. Book One: The War with the Mein: Presiding over Acacia, an empire named after the idyllic island from which he rules, Leodan Akaran has inherited a peace and prosperity won long ago by his ancestors. He's an intelligent man, a widower who dotes on his four children, and it is this devotion that obliges him to hide a terrible secret from them - that Acacia's wealth is founded on the trafficking of drugs and human lives. A man of integrity, he determines to end this vile trade. But powerful forces stand in his way. Then an assassin, sent by the Mein - a race exiled long ago to an ice-locked stronghold in the frozen north - strikes, and the Mein unleash surprise attacks against their old oppressor. Mortally wounded, Leodan puts into play a plan to enable his children to escape, to survive and to fulfil their destinies. And so begins an epic quest - to avenge a father's death and restore an empire, this time on the basis of universal freedom.In Acacia, the bestselling author of Hannibal: Pride of Carthage recounts a thrilling, engrossing and wonderfully imagined story of treachery and revenge, heroism and betrayal, of wrongs righted and redemption found. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. N° de réf. du vendeur GOR000854158

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Durham, David Anthony
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ISBN 10 : 0385614470 ISBN 13 : 9780385614474
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Description du livre Paperback. Etat : Used; Good. ***Simply Brit*** Welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there is something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality. N° de réf. du vendeur mon0000468737

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Durham, David Anthony
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ISBN 10 : 0385614470 ISBN 13 : 9780385614474
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Description du livre Paperback: 9¼" x 6". Etat : Near Fine: Small signs of wear. Cover Art: Larry Rostant (illustrateur). 2008 Edition. © 2007: 1st in the 'Acacia' series of books. 1st printing of 2008 edition:- Synopsis: Presiding over Acacia, an empire named after the idyllic island from which he rules, Leodan Akaran has inherited a peace and prosperity won long ago by his ancestors. He's an intelligent man, a widower who dotes on his four children, and it is this devotion that obliges him to hide a terrible secret from them - that Acacia's wealth is founded on the trafficking of drugs and human lives. A man of integrity, he determines to end this vile trade. But powerful forces stand in his way. An assassin, sent by the Mein - a race exiled long ago to an ice-locked stronghold in the frozen north - strikes, and the Mein unleash surprise attacks against their old oppressor. Mortally wounded, Leodan puts into play a plan to enable his children to escape, to survive and to fulfil their destinies. And so begins an epic quest - to avenge a father's death and restore an empire, this time on the basis of universal freedom. In 'Acacia', the bestselling author of 'Hannibal: Pride Of Carthage' recounts a thrilling, engrossing and wonderfully imagined story of treachery and revenge, heroism and betrayal, of wrongs righted and redemption found:- Review(s): "How will it all end? If the first volume of this projected series is any indication, in brilliant - and brutal - defiance of fantasy conventions" - Washington Post / "Entertaining and engaging. If 'The War With the Mein' is an indication of what is to come in this epic saga, Durham could be making a very big name for himself" - SFFWorld / "Demonstrates that he is a master of the fantasy epic" - Washington Post:- (original cost £12.99). N° de réf. du vendeur 16.999.00050

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Durham, David Anthony
Edité par Doubleday, United Kingdom (2008)
ISBN 10 : 0385614470 ISBN 13 : 9780385614474
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Description du livre Paperback. Etat : Very Good. First Paperback Edition; First Printing. Very Good 1st Paperback Edition with lightly creased spine, very lightly bumped to ends and corners. Internally, no writing or stamps. Clean, bright pages. Carefully packaged and despatched within 48 hours from our wee bookshop in Scotland.; Acacia Trilogy; Vol. 1; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 576 pages. N° de réf. du vendeur 60963

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