To the Lost Genre Guild — may this novel be one more signpost on the road to our genre being found by the masses. To all the ArthurNetters — I appreciate each and every discussion about Arthuriana, and I continue to be corrected and enriched by your scholarly points of view.
To all my reviewers at Authonomy.com, especially Nichole White — thanks for the great suggestions and encouragement.
To Nick Burns and everyone at Burns Family Studios — thank you for including Leighton and me as extras in Pendragon: Sword of His Father. To be the author of an Arthurian fantasy who has appeared, even if briefly, in an Arthurian film is a rare privilege.
To all my loyal blog followers (you know who you are) — thank you for believing in me and my writing during the long years that it has taken to get to this point. Your faith has finally been rewarded.
To Rebecca Luella Miller and the Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour participants — one more of us has now graduated from fan to author. I appreciate all that you do to promote Christian fantasy and sci-fi. May there be many more graduates, and may the tour increase in influence and strength!
To Les Stobbe, my agent beyond extraordinaire — you have accomplished a miracle and my thanks will always be with you. To Jacque Alberta, my editor at Zondervan — you fought hard for Merlin’s Blade, improved it greatly, and confirmed that King Arthur still lives on in the hearts of people everywhere. To all the other Zondervan staff, I am grateful to you for helping refine and promote Merlin’s Blade.
In memory of Phyllis Mary Angove, Studhyores Kernow — your bardic and scholarly legacy still lives as an inspiration to our family.
And finally, to Mrs. Sitts, wherever you are. You were the first to recognize my writing in the eighth grade when you requested a copy of my first book. It took nearly twenty-five years for me to start writing, but here it is. At long last.
About the Author
ROBERT TRESKILLARD has been crafting stories from his early youth, and is a software developer, graphic artist, and sometime bladesmith. He and his wife have three children and are still homeschooling their youngest. They live in the country near St. Louis, Missouri.
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All Scripture paraphrased by the author to approximate a fifth-century cultural context.
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Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
PROLOGUE: THE DRAGON STAR
PART ONE: GUILE’S DUST CHAPTER 1: AN ERRAND GONE ASTRAY
CHAPTER 2: A PATH FOR WOLVES
CHAPTER 3: THE TRIAL
CHAPTER 4: THE JUDGMENT
CHAPTER 5: HUNTED
CHAPTER 6: FEVERED VISIONS
CHAPTER 7: THE STONE
CHAPTER 8: NOTHING TO HOLD ON TO
CHAPTER 9: THE NIGHT OF DECISIONS
PART TWO: SHACKLE’S POWER CHAPTER 10: STRANGE MEETINGS
CHAPTER 11: A GIFT AND A PROPHECY
CHAPTER 12: TOUCHING FIRE
CHAPTER 13: STANDING STRONG
CHAPTER 14: A CHANGE OF PLANS
CHAPTER 15: THE GALOW GOLM
CHAPTER 16: THINGS FORGOTTEN
CHAPTER 17: SHACKLED SECRETS
CHAPTER 18: HIDDEN PLANS
CHAPTER 19: REVELATIONS OF THE HEART
CHAPTER 20: THE ARCH DRUID
PART THREE: BLADE’S EDGE CHAPTER 21: THE HIGH KING