Reaper's Gate & Toll the Hounds - By Steven Erikson Page 0,492

with non-Letherii people

Ahkrata: a Barghast tribe

Andara: temple of the cult of the Black-Winged Lord

Arapay: the easternmost tribe of Tiste Edur

Artisan Battalion: a military unit in Lether

Atri-Preda: military commander who governs a city, town or territory

Awl: a town in Lether. Also the name of a tribe

Awl'dan: grasslands east of Drene

Barahn: a Barghast tribe

Barghast: pastoral nomadic warrior people

Bast Fulmar: battle site

Beneda: a Tiste Edur tribe

Blue Style Steel: a Letherii steel once used for weapons

Bluerose: a subjugated nation in Lether

Bluerose Battalion: a military unit in Lether

Caladara whip: an Awl weapon

Cabil: an archipelago nation south of Perish

Ceda: a High Mage of the Letherii Empire

Cedance: a chamber of tiles representing the Holds, in Letheras

Crimson Rampant Brigade: a military unit in Lether

Den-Ratha: a Tiste Edur tribe

Docks: coin of Lether

Down Markets: a district in Letheras

Drene: a Lether city east of Bluerose

Emlava: a sabre-toothed cat

Eternal Domicile: seat of Lether Emperor

Faraed: a subjugated people of Lether

Fent: a subjugated people of Lether

Finadd: equivalent of captain in the Letherii military

Froth Wolf: Adjunct Tavore's command ship

Gilani: tribe in Seven Cities

Gilk: a Barghast tribe

Harridict Brigade: a Lether military unit

Hiroth: a Tiste Edur tribe

Ilgres: a Barghast tribe

Jheck: a northern tribe

Just Wars: mythical conflict between the Tiste Liosan and the Forkrul Assail

K'risnan: Tiste Edur sorcerers

Kenryll'ah: demon nobility

Liberty Consign: a loose consortium of businesses in Lether

Lupe fish: a large carnivorous fish of Lether River

Meckros: a seafaring people

Merchants' Battalion: a Lether military unit

Merude: a Tiste Edur tribe

Nerek: a subjugated people of Lether

Nith'rithal: a Barghast tribe

Obsidian Throne: traditional throne of Bluerose

Onyx Wizards: Andii wizards ruling the Andara of Bluerose

Patriotists: Lether Empire's secret police

Pamby Doughty: comic poem

Preda: equivalent of a general or commander in Letherii military

Quillas Canal: a main canal in Letheras

Rat Catchers' Guild: a now outlawed guild in Lether

Refugium: a magical realm surrounded by Omtose Phellack

Rhinazan: a winged lizard

Rise (The): Shake title

Rygtha: Awl crescent axe

Scale House: centre of Rat Catchers' Guild in Letheras

Senan: a Barghast tribe

Settle Lake: a decrepit lake in the centre of Letheras

Second Maiden Fort: a penal island now independent

Shake: a subjugated people in the Lether Empire

Shore (The): religion of the Shake

Sollanta: a Tiste Edur tribe

Thrones of War: Perish ships

Twilight: Shake title

Watch (The): Shake title

Verdith'anath: the Jaghut Bridge of Death

Zorala Snicker: comic poem

STEVEN ERIKSON'S

EPIC FANTASY

SEQUENCE

CONTINUES IN

TOLL THE HOUNDS

published by Bantam Press. Here's

the Prologue as a taster . . .

PROLOGUE

'Speak truth, grow still, until the water is clear between us.'

Meditations of the Tiste Andii

'I have no name for this town,' the ragged man said, his hands plucking at the frayed hems of what had once been an opulent cloak. Coiled and tucked into his braided belt was a length of leather leash, rotting and tattered. 'It needs a name, I think,' he continued, his voice raised to be heard above the vicious fighting of the dogs, 'yet I find a certain failing of imagination, and no one seems much interested.'

The woman standing now at his side, to whom he companionably addressed these remarks, had but newly arrived. Of her life in the time before, very little remained. She had not owned a dog, yet she had found herself staggering down the high street of this decrepit, strange town, clutching a leash against which a foul-tempered brute tugged and lunged at every passer-by. The rotted leather had finally parted, freeing the beast to bolt forward, launching an attack upon this man's own dog.

The two animals were now trying to kill each other in the middle of the street, their audience naught but their presumed owners. Dust had given way to blood and tufts of hide.

'There was a garrison, once, three soldiers who didn't know each other,' the man said. 'But one by one they left.'

'I never owned a dog before,' she replied, and it was with a start that she realized that these were the first words she had uttered since...well, since the time before.

'Nor I,' admitted the man. 'And until now, mine was the only dog in town. Oddly enough, I never grew fond of the wretched beast.'

'How long have you...er...been here?'

'I have no idea, but it seems like forever.'

She looked round, then nodded. 'Me too.'

'Alas, I believe your pet has died.'

'Oh! So it has.' She frowned at the broken leash in her hand. 'I suppose I won't be needing a new one, then.'

'Don't be too certain of that,' the man said. 'We seem to repeat things here. Day after day. But listen, you can have mine – I never use it, as you can see.'

She accepted the coiled leash. 'Thank you.' She walked out to where her dead dog was lying, more or less torn to