Rhymer: Hel - by Gregory Frost (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Thomas Rimor, a man hunted by time and bound by destiny, roams the sinister pathways of ¤agalwood-a haunted realm where grotesque trees whisper his name and prey upon the unwise. Armed with a mysterious èordstone and fueled by a relentless mission to thwart the sinister Yvag elves, Thomas risks his life to rescue the helpless teinds, victims destined for sacrifice in the fathomless pit of Hel. But the woods hold secrets as dangerous as the Yvags themselves. When a spectral figure emerges from the depths, leaving a trail only the èordstone can illuminate, Thomas is drawn into a deadly mystery that challenges the limits of his courage and cunning. Poisonous blooms, traps within traps, and a shocking betrayal await him in a perilous game of survival against ancient powers. With each step, Thomas ventures closer to uncovering the truth of his enemy's dark designs-and the shadowy forces that may already control his fate"--

Book Synopsis

A Wild Chase Through Elizabethan England

Thomas the Rhymer, immortal, shape-changing foe of the diabolical Elf Queen and her merciless Yvag knights, continues his one-man war into the reign of England's "Faerie Queen"--Elizabeth I. When he learns of an assassination plot against Elizabeth, the Rhymer intervenes, only to find himself the object of the special attention of the Queen's spymaster, Francis Walsingham.

Walsingham blackmails the Rhymer into joining his intelligence network. Allied with Walsingham's minions and a mysterious shape-changing stage actress, Thomas finds he must deal with Mary, Queen of Scots, scheming Jesuits, and Italian bankers as well as further Yvag attempts against Elizabeth. He moves in the circles of William Shakespeare, John Dee, Giordano Bruno, and Christopher Marlowe, desperately defeating one conspiracy after another in defense of the throne, leading him to an inevitable final confrontation with the Elf Queen, in which to survive he must destroy the source of her power . . . and to do that, he must enter the mouth of Hel itself.

After all the sacrifice, will the Rhymer find peace? And, perhaps, even love?

Review Quotes

Praise for Gregory Frost:
"[A] sparkling gem of mythic invention and wonder." --Publishers Weekly on Shadowbridge

"[A] rather stunning new fantasy novel. . . . . Frost could be on his way toward a masterpiece." --Locus on Shadowbridge

"Beautifully written and realized." --Jeffrey Ford on Shadowbridge

"A ripping good read." --Booklist on Fitcher's Brides

"A good, big, satisfying book. Lyrec holds enough good things to keep even the most jaded reader engrossed." --John Morressy

Praise for Rhymer:
"Gregory Frost brings real magic to Rhymer! The novel is a mystical blend of ancient folklore, new ideas, dynamic action, and real surprises. Very highly recommended!" --Jonathan Maberry, NY Times best-selling author of Kagan the Damned

"I love this book! Rhymer is flawless. The plot is compelling, the action is riveting and the prose is perfect. True Tom is a hero for the ages--and one you can believe in. Gregory Frost has taken Celtic fantasy and made it new. No, better than new. He has made it exciting again. You will not encounter a finer fantasy novel this year." --Jonathan Maberry, New York Time best-selling author of Kagan the Damned

"Ring bells and throw confetti from the rooftops! Gregory Frost's Rhymer is a wonder and a delight and easily the best thing I've read in years. I recommend it to literally everyone in the world. It's just that good." --Michael Swanwick, Hugo Award-winning author of Chasing the Phoenix

Praise for Rhymer: Hoode:
"Intricately plotted and peopled with fantastic characters both real and imagined, Gregory Frost's Rhymer: Hoode occupies a fresh space in the legend of Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest. Book Two of the Rhymer Trilogy, Hoode takes aim at blending real history with science fiction, and hits the bullseye . . . Very highly recommended." --Rick Wilber, author of Alien Morning and Alien Day

About the Author

Gregory Frost is an American author of science fiction and fantasy, including the Shadowbridge series, Fitcher's Brides, the Philip K. Dick-ian science fiction novel The Pure Cold Light, as well as two novels derived from the Celtic epic the táin bó cuailnge. His short fiction has appeared in many anthologies and magazines and includes a Best Novelette winner of Asimov's Science Fiction's Readers' Award, "Lock Up Your Chickens and Daughters, H'ard and Andy Are Come to Town," collaboratively written with Michael Swanwick. He taught the fiction writing workshop at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, for eighteen years.