The
Road to Kalbakar
Road to Kalbakar
Wyrms
of Pasandir Book 1
of Pasandir Book 1
by
Paul E. Horsman
Paul E. Horsman
Genre:
Fantasy Adventure
Fantasy Adventure
190
pages
pages
Seventeen-year-old
Eskandar is the lowest of the low among the crew of the Navy sloop
Tipred. As ship's boy, he runs messages, gets the dirtiest jobs and
tries to stay out of his betters' way. It is a dull but safe life,
for the tired old Tipred patrols a shipping lane to nowhere and
nothing ever happens to disturb their peace.
Eskandar is the lowest of the low among the crew of the Navy sloop
Tipred. As ship's boy, he runs messages, gets the dirtiest jobs and
tries to stay out of his betters' way. It is a dull but safe life,
for the tired old Tipred patrols a shipping lane to nowhere and
nothing ever happens to disturb their peace.
None
aboard know Eskandar's big secret. For he is not alone. In his head
lives the voice of Teodar, who has guided and guarded him all his
life, and who is teaching him magic. Teodar is a mystery; he won't
say who he is or why he is helping him. Eskandar has stopped asking;
the voice is his only friend, and that is all that matters to
him.
aboard know Eskandar's big secret. For he is not alone. In his head
lives the voice of Teodar, who has guided and guarded him all his
life, and who is teaching him magic. Teodar is a mystery; he won't
say who he is or why he is helping him. Eskandar has stopped asking;
the voice is his only friend, and that is all that matters to
him.
Life
goes on placidly - until the sea monsters appear. To save himself and
his ship, Eskandar has to use his secret magic and manages to defeat
the monsters. Now his enemies know him and his humdrum life becomes a
maelstrom of action - fighting monsters, desert robbers and even more
fearful enemies.
goes on placidly - until the sea monsters appear. To save himself and
his ship, Eskandar has to use his secret magic and manages to defeat
the monsters. Now his enemies know him and his humdrum life becomes a
maelstrom of action - fighting monsters, desert robbers and even more
fearful enemies.
Will
Eskandar's barely tested powers be enough against an undead
necromancer who wants him killed? And what about those mighty wyrms
in the sky, are they friend or foe? Follow Eskandar's adventures as
he gathers a strange band of companions in his battle against
terrible enemies in The Road to Kalbakar, Book One of Wyrms of
Pasandir.
Eskandar's barely tested powers be enough against an undead
necromancer who wants him killed? And what about those mighty wyrms
in the sky, are they friend or foe? Follow Eskandar's adventures as
he gathers a strange band of companions in his battle against
terrible enemies in The Road to Kalbakar, Book One of Wyrms of
Pasandir.
Note:
This series is the next-generation sequel to Lioness of Kell.
This series is the next-generation sequel to Lioness of Kell.
Excerpt 2
CHAPTER 9 – JEM’S BOTTLE (EXCERPT)
We waited in silence. Naudin stood with his back to the stone coffin, polishing his glasses, Jem stared at the coffin, looking lost. I kept half an eye on the stairs to the outside world while I mulled over what had happened. After five hundred years, the king made himself a lich and walked away. Darn, where would he have found a sleeping god? How strong is a lich? Teodar... No, not with Wastrels around. Wait for Kellani.
At the sound of a cough and a suppressed sneeze at the top of the stair, I looked up.
‘You sure it’s only those kids down ‘ere?’ a gruff voice said from upstairs.
‘Yeah; there wasn’t anyone else around,’ a lighter, vicious voice answered. ‘Those pups just sent that call.’
Naudin’s face tightened. ‘That’s the guy who clobbered me.’
I gripped his wrist and looked around at Jem. ‘We must hide.’ Together, we ran past the king’s sarcophagus, deeper into the crypt.
‘It’s a dead end,’ Jem said.
I had expected as much; why would there be a back door to a crypt. ‘We’re stalling until Kellani comes. Let’s hope the Wastrels won’t follow us.’
The walls gave off a soft light like the glowing of the sea at night, when the weather was calm. Here among the dead it was even eerier, and I shivered as we hurried along.
Beside me, Naudin suppressed a cry as he caught a large, long dead cobweb full in his face. He gagged, but didn’t stop running. Nor did Jem. She had pulled up her dress to above her knees and raced without ever touching the ground.
We hurried around a corner and ran pell-mell into a large metal candelabrum some ancient visitor had left in the middle of the corridor. The thing clattered across the floor, echoing down the hall.
‘They’re there!’ Gruff Voice said agitatedly.
‘Those kids are as good as dead!’ Vicious sounded triumphant and a moment later a red bolt of energy splashed against a wall only a foot away from me. A chip of stone shot free and hit Naudin on the shoulder. He uttered a low cry.
‘I got one!’ Vicious shouted in triumph. ‘Quickly!’
We fled breathlessly through the narrow corridor, past ancient sarcophagi and walls full of niches with linen-wrapped remains. Twice, a deadly energy beam burned into a wall right behind us, showering bits of stone all over us, but we ran until we ended up in a circular room. Skulls, stacked and mortared together like bricks, made up the curved walls, their jaws grinning at our plight.
‘This is it,’ Naudin panted. ‘We must fight.’ He waved his arms and I felt rather than saw the dreadful illusion he hurled at their pursuers.
Gruff Voice cried out, but Vicious only laughed. ‘Nice trick, pup. Try this for size.’
A large beast came out of the corridor, jaws dripping stinking goo. Its hairy skin was covered in sores and its cloven hoofs ended in sharp claws. It came toward us, belly almost touching the ground, its forked tail swishing, the small round pupils of its eyes fixed unblinkingly on us.
Naudin shouted a spell that must’ve come from his belly, a deep, hollow incantation. The monster hesitated, then uttered a heart-rending snarl and crept nearer, its tail now still as the Tipred’s stern flag.
I formulated the loudest mindscream I could manage and cast it out into the world. Anyone out there – help! Wastrels at the crypt!
We waited in silence. Naudin stood with his back to the stone coffin, polishing his glasses, Jem stared at the coffin, looking lost. I kept half an eye on the stairs to the outside world while I mulled over what had happened. After five hundred years, the king made himself a lich and walked away. Darn, where would he have found a sleeping god? How strong is a lich? Teodar... No, not with Wastrels around. Wait for Kellani.
At the sound of a cough and a suppressed sneeze at the top of the stair, I looked up.
‘You sure it’s only those kids down ‘ere?’ a gruff voice said from upstairs.
‘Yeah; there wasn’t anyone else around,’ a lighter, vicious voice answered. ‘Those pups just sent that call.’
Naudin’s face tightened. ‘That’s the guy who clobbered me.’
I gripped his wrist and looked around at Jem. ‘We must hide.’ Together, we ran past the king’s sarcophagus, deeper into the crypt.
‘It’s a dead end,’ Jem said.
I had expected as much; why would there be a back door to a crypt. ‘We’re stalling until Kellani comes. Let’s hope the Wastrels won’t follow us.’
The walls gave off a soft light like the glowing of the sea at night, when the weather was calm. Here among the dead it was even eerier, and I shivered as we hurried along.
Beside me, Naudin suppressed a cry as he caught a large, long dead cobweb full in his face. He gagged, but didn’t stop running. Nor did Jem. She had pulled up her dress to above her knees and raced without ever touching the ground.
We hurried around a corner and ran pell-mell into a large metal candelabrum some ancient visitor had left in the middle of the corridor. The thing clattered across the floor, echoing down the hall.
‘They’re there!’ Gruff Voice said agitatedly.
‘Those kids are as good as dead!’ Vicious sounded triumphant and a moment later a red bolt of energy splashed against a wall only a foot away from me. A chip of stone shot free and hit Naudin on the shoulder. He uttered a low cry.
‘I got one!’ Vicious shouted in triumph. ‘Quickly!’
We fled breathlessly through the narrow corridor, past ancient sarcophagi and walls full of niches with linen-wrapped remains. Twice, a deadly energy beam burned into a wall right behind us, showering bits of stone all over us, but we ran until we ended up in a circular room. Skulls, stacked and mortared together like bricks, made up the curved walls, their jaws grinning at our plight.
‘This is it,’ Naudin panted. ‘We must fight.’ He waved his arms and I felt rather than saw the dreadful illusion he hurled at their pursuers.
Gruff Voice cried out, but Vicious only laughed. ‘Nice trick, pup. Try this for size.’
A large beast came out of the corridor, jaws dripping stinking goo. Its hairy skin was covered in sores and its cloven hoofs ended in sharp claws. It came toward us, belly almost touching the ground, its forked tail swishing, the small round pupils of its eyes fixed unblinkingly on us.
Naudin shouted a spell that must’ve come from his belly, a deep, hollow incantation. The monster hesitated, then uttered a heart-rending snarl and crept nearer, its tail now still as the Tipred’s stern flag.
I formulated the loudest mindscream I could manage and cast it out into the world. Anyone out there – help! Wastrels at the crypt!
The
Pirates of Brisa
Pirates of Brisa
Wyrms
of Pasandir Book 2
of Pasandir Book 2
228
pages
pages
When
young Eskandar leaves his ship with the tough broomrider girl
Kellani, he has no idea how much his dull life in the navy is about
to change.
young Eskandar leaves his ship with the tough broomrider girl
Kellani, he has no idea how much his dull life in the navy is about
to change.
Being
chased by desert robbers, delving through ancient tombs, fighting
mighty jinn and liberating Kalbakar Keep makes him aware of his past
– and his future.
chased by desert robbers, delving through ancient tombs, fighting
mighty jinn and liberating Kalbakar Keep makes him aware of his past
– and his future.
He
is a Wyrmcaller; a person of great magic, a speaker with wyrms, and
the defender of Bodrus the Sleeping God. Quite a change for a
one-handed seventeen-year-old, five-feet-plus ship’s boy.
is a Wyrmcaller; a person of great magic, a speaker with wyrms, and
the defender of Bodrus the Sleeping God. Quite a change for a
one-handed seventeen-year-old, five-feet-plus ship’s boy.
And
that’s not all; an ancient lich lord with an army of mad minions,
aided by the jinn and a bunch of pirates, threaten the Sleeping God’s
safety. As Bodrus’ defender, Eskandar is the one to foil their
plans. But for that he needs an army. An army of kids...
that’s not all; an ancient lich lord with an army of mad minions,
aided by the jinn and a bunch of pirates, threaten the Sleeping God’s
safety. As Bodrus’ defender, Eskandar is the one to foil their
plans. But for that he needs an army. An army of kids...
Follow
Eskandar and his friends in The Pirates of Brisa, Book 2 of Wyrms of
Pasandir, a grand fantasy adventure in a world of wyrms, steamships,
magic and mayhem!
Eskandar and his friends in The Pirates of Brisa, Book 2 of Wyrms of
Pasandir, a grand fantasy adventure in a world of wyrms, steamships,
magic and mayhem!
The
Bokkaners of the North
Bokkaners of the North
Wyrms
of Pasandir Book 3
of Pasandir Book 3
220
pages
pages
Against
all odds, Eskandar and his bunch of ragtag youngsters have managed to
capture a powerful Qoori fourmaster warship, and used her cannons to
blow up the pirate harbor of Brisa. Victory!
all odds, Eskandar and his bunch of ragtag youngsters have managed to
capture a powerful Qoori fourmaster warship, and used her cannons to
blow up the pirate harbor of Brisa. Victory!
But
his enemies won’t give the young wyrmcaller time to bask in the
glory of a job well done, and soon the voice of Teodar in his head
summons him north, where new and even more powerful pirates create
havoc on the seas.
his enemies won’t give the young wyrmcaller time to bask in the
glory of a job well done, and soon the voice of Teodar in his head
summons him north, where new and even more powerful pirates create
havoc on the seas.
Two
thousand miles north... that means finding a new base for his army of
kids. Teodar sends them by airship to Smalkand, a deserted cave
system on the coast of their own Pasandir Peaks. On arrival, Eskandar
and his companions discover their new home harbors some
surprises...
thousand miles north... that means finding a new base for his army of
kids. Teodar sends them by airship to Smalkand, a deserted cave
system on the coast of their own Pasandir Peaks. On arrival, Eskandar
and his companions discover their new home harbors some
surprises...
Once
inside Smalkand Keep, and with his main force in the ships still days
away, Eskandar and his small group find themselves under attack from
Bokkaners and other minions of their ultimate nemesis, the lich
lord.
inside Smalkand Keep, and with his main force in the ships still days
away, Eskandar and his small group find themselves under attack from
Bokkaners and other minions of their ultimate nemesis, the lich
lord.
New
adventures in the mighty, snowcapped Peaks, at sea, and in the rich
lands of the Hizmyran kingdom await our heroes in ‘The Bokkaners of
the North’, the third book of Wyrms of Pasandir.
adventures in the mighty, snowcapped Peaks, at sea, and in the rich
lands of the Hizmyran kingdom await our heroes in ‘The Bokkaners of
the North’, the third book of Wyrms of Pasandir.
Building
a Trade Empire
a Trade Empire
Wyrms
of Pasandir Book 4
of Pasandir Book 4
322
pages
pages
SHAW:
A GIRL’S GOAL TO BECOME A WEALTHY MERCHANT
A GIRL’S GOAL TO BECOME A WEALTHY MERCHANT
Trade
had been Shaw’s life, her dream, her future – until a terrible
fire destroyed her parents and their business. Now the 15-year-old
orphan follows the wyrmcaller, using her mercantile genius to sell
his honestly gained loot and finance his battle against pirates and
jinn.
had been Shaw’s life, her dream, her future – until a terrible
fire destroyed her parents and their business. Now the 15-year-old
orphan follows the wyrmcaller, using her mercantile genius to sell
his honestly gained loot and finance his battle against pirates and
jinn.
When
Wyrmcaller Eskandar leaves for the north, she gets the chance to
branch out. A large cargo of confiscated foreign goodies brings in
much more gold than she had expected, and with that money she opens
her first trade center.
Wyrmcaller Eskandar leaves for the north, she gets the chance to
branch out. A large cargo of confiscated foreign goodies brings in
much more gold than she had expected, and with that money she opens
her first trade center.
Armed
with her inborn stubbornness and her fire-hardened will to become a
powerful trader, she dives into the business world of the Weal
Nations; battling scheming financiers and protecting the rights of
the people she employs.
with her inborn stubbornness and her fire-hardened will to become a
powerful trader, she dives into the business world of the Weal
Nations; battling scheming financiers and protecting the rights of
the people she employs.
Aided
by Nate, the only true love in her life, she fights her enemies on
land and at sea, conquering pirate vessels, islands and important
companies on her way to become a rich and powerful High Merchant.
by Nate, the only true love in her life, she fights her enemies on
land and at sea, conquering pirate vessels, islands and important
companies on her way to become a rich and powerful High Merchant.
High
Merchant
Merchant
Wyrms
of Pasandir Book 5
of Pasandir Book 5
279
pages
pages
Fifteen-year-old
Shaw is already at the head of a fast-growing transnational business.
With the acquisition of the great WyDir airlines company, she became
a power in the lands of the Weal, and now she is ready to
expand.
Shaw is already at the head of a fast-growing transnational business.
With the acquisition of the great WyDir airlines company, she became
a power in the lands of the Weal, and now she is ready to
expand.
She
manages to get an airship concession from the king of Hizmyr, a large
and rich country to the north. This brings her into conflict with the
local guilds, who have a monopoly on all businesses in that
kingdom.
manages to get an airship concession from the king of Hizmyr, a large
and rich country to the north. This brings her into conflict with the
local guilds, who have a monopoly on all businesses in that
kingdom.
The
Guilds of Hizmyr are ruthless and go to any length to maintain their
hold over the king. Soon, Shaw finds herself embroiled in a battle
demanding all her grit and ingenuity to win.
Guilds of Hizmyr are ruthless and go to any length to maintain their
hold over the king. Soon, Shaw finds herself embroiled in a battle
demanding all her grit and ingenuity to win.
Meanwhile
the populace, fed up with their poverty, is on the brink of
rebellion. To save her plans, Shaw must not only defeat the guilds,
she must prevent a civil war as well!
the populace, fed up with their poverty, is on the brink of
rebellion. To save her plans, Shaw must not only defeat the guilds,
she must prevent a civil war as well!
Paul
E. Horsman is a Dutch and international Fantasy author.
E. Horsman is a Dutch and international Fantasy author.
Born
in Bussum, a quiet little suburbal village in the Netherlands (1952),
he now lives in Roosendaal, a town near the Belgian border.
in Bussum, a quiet little suburbal village in the Netherlands (1952),
he now lives in Roosendaal, a town near the Belgian border.
After
finishing school and doing a stint in the army in tropical Surinam,
he served for thirty years as a Scoutmaster. Professionally, he
earned his bread in various business capacities.
finishing school and doing a stint in the army in tropical Surinam,
he served for thirty years as a Scoutmaster. Professionally, he
earned his bread in various business capacities.
From
1995 to 2012 he was an instructor at a large educational institution
- where he explained to foreigners the wonders of the Dutch language
and customs - until Governmental budget cuts terminated both the
school and his job.
1995 to 2012 he was an instructor at a large educational institution
- where he explained to foreigners the wonders of the Dutch language
and customs - until Governmental budget cuts terminated both the
school and his job.
Since
then is Horsman a full-time fantasy author.
then is Horsman a full-time fantasy author.
His
first three Dutch books have been trade published in The Netherlands
by Zilverspoor.
first three Dutch books have been trade published in The Netherlands
by Zilverspoor.
His
English books and later Dutch books are self-published under the Red
Rune Books label and appear at Amazon and many major on-line
bookstores, both in print and e-book.
English books and later Dutch books are self-published under the Red
Rune Books label and appear at Amazon and many major on-line
bookstores, both in print and e-book.
His
tales are a mixture of high fantasy, mythology and steampunk, and are
characterized by their positive mood. Equality and friendship,
courage and determination, humor and growth form some of the colors
with which Horsman paints his stories. His worlds and their peoples
are diverse and full of adventure. And behind it all there is always
that dusty scent of old death so characteristic of dungeons, and the
smell of dragons, kobolds or other denizens of other
worlds.
tales are a mixture of high fantasy, mythology and steampunk, and are
characterized by their positive mood. Equality and friendship,
courage and determination, humor and growth form some of the colors
with which Horsman paints his stories. His worlds and their peoples
are diverse and full of adventure. And behind it all there is always
that dusty scent of old death so characteristic of dungeons, and the
smell of dragons, kobolds or other denizens of other
worlds.
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