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When grad student Benton Collins tries to recapture an escaped lab rat, he's led through a maze into a world not his own. Just how different the land of Barakhai is Ben doesn't discover until he's been arrested for a horrific crime. For Barakhai is peopled by inadvertent shapeshifters, and driven by hunger and unaware of the fact that he's now in a place where animals are literally people too, Ben catches and eats a rabbit. Arrested and convicted for the crimes of murder and cannibalism, Ben is condemned to die.

Rescued by the white rat, who in human form is a man named Zylas, Ben learns Zylas is part of a group of rebels dissatisfied with life in Barakhai. Ruled by the dictatorial royals who remain in human form at all times, many of the shapeshifters have been reduced to second-class citizens, their status determined by what kind of animal form they take on.

As Ben is not a shapeshifter, Zylas and his comrades hope the grad student can become the means to turn their world around. But even if Ben agrees to join their cause, will he only be postponing the moment of his execution - and will he ever be allowed to return to his own world?

THEY'VE SURVIVED THE END OF THEIR UNIVERSE...

But now, nearly three hundred years after the time of Ragnarok - the death battle of the gods - humankind faces a new and potentially fatal trial. The balance between Law and Chaos has long been maintained by the rulers of Béarn, but with the current king dying, a new keeper of neutrality must be found among his heirs. And with an unknown enemy bent on destroying all who stand in line to the throne, King Kohleran has no choice but to decree that anyone with a claim to the crown must take the Test of the Staves.

What the testing reveals; however, is the need to carry the search beyond Béarn. But all the king's envoys disappear without a trace, and deciding that desperate times call for desperate actions, a small band forms in secret to seek out the last posssible heir. But can the king's granddaughter, a knight in training, an apprentice bard, a young and untested Renshai warrior, and a thief who may as easily prove their betrayer as their friend survive the perils of the wild, and enemies equipped with magical powers in a world long bereft of spell casters? And if any of them actually reach their goal, can they bring the one remaining untested heir back to Béarn alive?

For Al Larson it began with his death in a firefight in Vietnam. He woke from death to find himself alive - in a body and a world not his own! Transformed into an elf warrior, he became an unsuspecting pawn of the Norse gods, claimed by both Chaos and Law. Faced with challenges that would take him to Hel and back, Al teamed up with two sorceresses and a master theif in the endless battle against Chaos. But when Al and Shadow the thief slew the Chaos Dragon, they unleashed a magical force beyond anyone's power to contain. Working a desperate magic, Al and his companions fled back to a twentieth century America which was not quite Al's own. But Chaos wouldn't let Al, Shadow and the Dragonrank mages Silme and Astryd escape so easily. A mortal man once again, Al found himself caught in a last-ditch fight to save everyone he held dear, as Chaos pursued him into the heart of New York City.

THE EIGHTH TASK OF WIZARDRY

His duties in the world of mortals seemingly done - the Renshai safely established in a community of their own, Sterrane ruling peacefully in the kingdom of Béarn - Colbey must face the Seven Tasks of Wizardry and learn whether he is truly the new Western Wizard, keeper of neutrality.

But what Colbey is about to discover is that there is an Eighth Task far more dangerous not only to himself but to the worlds of humans and gods alike. And even if he survives to take on that eighth challenge, there are those among the gods, Wizards, and mortalkind ready to make loyal allies into weapons to use against Colbey. For with Ragnarok looming over all the worlds, both those sworn to law and those promised to chaos will unite to stop the Wizard-warrior by any means - though their very actions against Colbey may become the catalyst for mutual destruction!

IS THIS THE END OF THE MORTAL WORLD?

In this final volume of The Renshai Chronicles, the mortal kingdoms are caught up in a shared catastrophe, cursed with sterility by the magic of the dark elves. Still what elves have caused they may perhaps put right. Humanity's last hope hinges on a magical talisman - the Pica Stone. One of only nine solid objects ever created by magic, the Pica Stone was shattered in the days of the last Wizards, but when Captian, oldest of the elves, joins with his fellow light elves to work a spell to draw together all the scattered pieces of this legendary gem, eight shards remain missing, lost on worlds throughout the planes of existence.

It soon becomes obvious that the only way the Pica Stone can become whole once more is for the elves to spell-shift a party of questers to each of these worlds to find and return with the shards. Among those chosen are the Renshai warrior Kevral, her husband Ra-khir the knight, and Tae, a newly made prince and former thief.

Each world offers unique challenges - and losing their lives is the least of the perils they'll face. But with the extinction of the human race as the price of failure, there can be no turning back.

The balance between Chaos and Law has been all but lost. Fenris Wolf and Hel herself both seek vengeance on Al Larson and his allies, the Shadow Climber, and the master swordsman Gaelinar. Pursued by these nightmare foes can Larson and the rest survive long enough to recover the one hope of the forces of Law - the legendary rod of Geirmagnus, the first Dragonrank mage - a mission that will take them from the citadel of Dragonrank powers to war-torn Vietnam to Hel's dark realm and beyond?

Flight of the Renshai continues the Renshai saga begun in the previous two trilogies. Opening eighteen years after The Children of Wrath ended, Flight of the Renshai focuses on the main characters from the second trilogy, as well as their now-grown children. At the center of the story are the three sons of Kevral Tainharsdatter: Saviar Ra-khirsson, Subikahn Taesson, and Calistin Ra-khirsson.

Béarn and its allies, including the Renshai, are faced with mysterious pirates, the vanguard of an army sent from a continent across the sea. The "pirates" are becoming bolder, and have now attacked one of Béarn's flagships, a vessel on which young Prince Arturo was sailing with his Renshai guards. With all hands presumed lost, the threat of these marauders can no longer be ignored.

And even as King Griff grieves over the loss of the prince, Béarn must devise a strategy against this deadly enemy. Though Griff's two greatest weapons are the Kinghts of Erythane and the Renshai warriors with who Béarn is allied, prejudice against the Renshai is growing rapidly, fueled by their centuries-old enemies in the Northlands. The Northmen have convinced a faction in Erythane that the Renshai lands were stolen from them. As tensions escalate, the future of the Renshai hinges on a trial by combat. And though it appears that the Northmen have cheated, there is no way to prove it. Under the terms agreed to, King Griff is reluctantly forced to banish the Renshai from the Westlands.

Shunned by the Westerners and hunted by the Northmen, the Renshai will face many trials, while Saviar, Subikahn, and Calistin must each take his own stand in a world where there are no longer any safe havens for their people. Yet not only the Renshai are in dire straits. Without their aid, Béarn may well fall to the "pirate" army which is fast approaching its shores...

Tamison was a miner until a cave-in killed his brother and father and left him afraid to venture underground. Though willing to turn his hand to any trade that would feed his wife and three children, Tamison was eventually forced to steal or see his family starve. Caught in the act, he was sentenced to four years on a chain gang. And when he was finally released he discovered that his family had vanished.

Searching for his loved ones, Tamison became so desperate that when a guard named Dallan claimed to know their fate he was ready to listen. And when Dallan said that he'd had someone stolen by the same villains, Tamison agreed to join forces with him. But before setting out, Tamison visited a fortune-teller, only to find himself helping her escape from the city guards. With nowhere else to go, Rifkah the fortune-teller joined forces with Tamison and Dallan. And the three headed out for the rival trading city where Dallan was positive those they sought were being held.

Tamison's earlier search had led him into an encounter with a theif, who now attached himself to their group, and this unlikely foursome carried out a daring plan to break into the seemingly impenetrable city. Yet success in this venture might well prove their doom, for gaining entrance to the town didn't mean they'd find what they sought - or survive to win free of the place with their prize!

Torn away from the midst of a firefight in Vietnam and catapulted to a time and place where the Norse gods fight a deadly war of their own, Al Larson finds himself locked into an elvish body on a world where swords and spells are the means of battle. Al must adapt swiftly - or die. For the gods have marked him as their own private battleground, and Al's only chance rests in completing the quest Freyr has set him, a quest that will lead him to the very gates of Hel, where he must save a god - or destroy one!

THE WIZARDS -

Down through the centuries these four masters of magic have struggled to maintain the delicate balance of power in the troubled Northlands. But now the mortal world teeters on the brink of the long-foretold Great War, and not even the enternally conflicting sorceries of the Wizards may be enough to stave off the start of a battle which could - so legends say - herald the beginning of the dreaded final age for mortals, Wizards, and even the gods themselves.

THE RENSHAI -

They are the mightiest, most hated and feared of all warrior races. When their enemies band together in a surprise attack on their homeland, one Renshai will escape the genocidal ambush. He is a fighter destined to walk the pathways of prophecy, a lone warrior determined to keep the memory of his peaople alive and to claim his vengeance on the slayers of his race - and a master of destruction who - if he can survive in a world where the very name Renshai is guaranteed sentence of death - may be doomed to become the Champion of the Great War.

He has been known by countless names and terrifying deeds throughout the lands of mankind - thief, magic wielder, swordsman, assassin, adventurer. But chief among those names and perhaps the most dangerous of his personae is that of Nightfall, a man - or perhaps the legendary demon himself - gifted with unique powers which any sorcerer would kill to possess.

Yet though Nightfall has always escaped his pursuers by moving on to new realms, new identities, and new enterprises, even the cleverest of beings must occasionally slip. And when this master of the night finally falls prey to a royal trap, he finds the consequences beyond even his ability to evade. Bound by sorcery and oath to guard and guide a young prince on his quest, Nightfall will need every trick and talent at his command to keep both himself and his idealistic young charge from death at the hands of unknown betrayers.

SHAPESHIFTER'S CURSE -

Benton Collins was a biology graduate student whose life changed forever when he chased a white rat from the laboratory into a storeroom that led him through a secret gateway into the realm called Barakhai. Barakhai was a land peopled by inadvertent shapeshifters, humans forced to spend half their day - or night - in animal form. When Ben accidentally committed a crime punishable by death, his only chance for survival was to league with the white rat who'd lured him there. In his human shape, the rat's name was Zylas, and he'd brought Ben to Barakhai hoping he could aid the rebel cause.

Though Ben succeeded in his mission, it did not lead to the overthorow of the rulers of Barakhai nor break the shapeshifting curse. Critically injured, Ben was returned to Earth along with the dog/boy Korfius.

But a year and a half later, Zylas came to beg Ben to return to Barakhai, for the rebel cause was still in desperate straits. Despite his trepidations, Ben agreed, arriving in Barakhai only to find himself immediately attacked by the king's forces. Though rescued by Zylas' allies, Ben still faced a nearly impossible mission - to find and free two young dragons who were being held by the king. For only with the aid of their magic would the rebels have any hope of breaking the curse and freeing their people.

THE BALANCE BETWEEN LAW AND CHAOS...

...has long been maintained by the rulers of Béarn, but the death of the current king has enabled the elves to magically substitute one of their own on the throne. And under the leadership of Dh'arlo'mé, the dark elves are preparing to claim their long-sought vengeance on humandkind.

But when the small party which set out to find and bring back the last possible heir to the throne returns to Béarn, Dh'arlo'mé realizes that even magic and murder combined will not be enought to overturn the balance. Now his solution must hinge on Béarn's burden and treasure, the Staves of Law and Chaos. Within these plain pieces of wood dweel the essences of Law and Chaos, each eternally seeking its Champion to destroy the other.

Lured into one Staff's power, Dh'arlo'mé seeks to seduce the mortals into championing the other. And with all the worlds teetering on the brink of doom, it falls to Colbey Calistinsson - son of the god Thor and the greatest of Renshai warriors - to select that Champion. If he chooses wrongly, all life will come to an end. Yet even success will come at a high price. For the only way to insure that this danger can never arise again, is for both Champions and Staves to be totally annihilated.

He has been known by countless names and terrifying deeds throughout the lands of mankind - thief, magic wielder, swordsman, assassin, adventurer. But chief among those names and perhaps the most dangerous of his personae is that of Nightfall, a man - or perhaps the legendary demon himself - gifted with a unique power that any sorcerer would kill to possess.

Though Nightfall has always escaped his pursuers by moving on to new realms, new identities, and new enterprises, even the cleverest of beings must occasionally slip. And when this master of the night falls prey to a royal trap, it changes the entire course of his life. Bound first by sorcery and oath to guard and guide a young prince on his quest - and later by trust and friendship - Nightfall is forced to reveal his true name, Sudian, and to use every trick and talent at his command to keep both himself and his idealistic young charge alive.

And when Prince Edward takes on the burdens of kingship, he shares these burdens by making Sudian his adviser. But advisor or not, Sudian cannot dissuade King Edward from the journey they are now undertaking. For Edward feels he owes a debt of honor to Duke Varsah, even though Sudian has in the past been forced to rescue him from imprisonment in the duke's court. That Sudian is right to argue against this diplomatic mission is proved when, with the adviser briefly away on a mission of his own, the inn where the party is staying is attacked, all of Edward's guards are slain, and the king himself vanishes without a trace. Suddenly Sudian has no choice but to turn to Duke Varsah for aid. But is he putting himself into the hands of the very man responsible for Edward's disappearance, a man whose greatest desire is vengeance against Sudian himself?

Taziar Medakan is the Shadow Climber, skilled at remaining one with the shadows, unseen in the midst of his enemies. But though Taz can defeat any trap, he isn't prepared for the treachery that lands him in the baran's dreaded dungeon. In that seemingly inescapable place, he meets Moonbear, a prince among barbarians, a swordsman beyond compare, and Taz's only hope for salvation. But when the two seek a pathway to freedom, they find the whole kingdom on their trail in a pursuit led by a Dragonrank sorcerer on his own mission of magical revenge.

When Shadow received a message that Shylar needed his aid, the master thief and three companions, Allerum - once a twentieth century American soldier but now an elf swordsman - and the Dragonmages, Silme and Astryd, immediately set out for Shadow's hometown of Cullingsberg. For Shylar, town madam and high in the thieves' underground, was all the family Shadow had. But Cullinsberg was an armed trap waiting to close on them. For they had slain the Chaos Dragon, and unleashed a force of pure Chaos, a force which then bonded with the single greatest surviving Dragonmage. Driven by Chaos-induced madness, this master of powers far beyond thiers would use anyone and any means to take his deadly revenge on these four warriors of Law.

THE CLASH OF POWERS -

When Odin breathed life into the mortal realms, he also created the Cardinal Wazards: The Northern Wizard as the representative of Good, The Southern as master of Evil, and the Western and Eastern as the keepers of the balance between Good and Evil, each neutral, both sharing the burden of holding their fellow magic wielders in check.

But now the days decreed in ancient prophecy have come upon the mortal realms. The Great War has been fought and a Renshai has proven its Champion. Yet even as the war's heroes struggle to place the rightful king of Béarn upon his throne, and the last true Renshai seeks to train a new generation of his warrior race, the word is carried forth on falcon's wings that the Western Wizard is no more. And unless Shadimar, the Wizard of the East, can find the one mortal with any hope of surviving the challenge of the Seven Tasks of Wizardry, the worlds of gods and mortals alike will fall.

Then, Jewett's world comes crashing down around her. A colleague and mentor winds up on her ward, paralyzed and nearly brain-dead. Knowing his wishes to terminate life support, and pressured by his wife who is also her friend, Jewett is forced by law to keep him alive despite his vegetative state. The very next morning, a young nurse is brutally murdered in the private room of her patient. Not only is Jewett the prime suspect, but also the only witness. In the midst of all the chaos, the president of the United States arrives on his tour of chronic care wards, pushing his agenda of bringing the vote to machine-dependent patients.

No longer able to fade quietly into the background, Patricia is forced to deal with the problems she would rather leave to almost anyone else. Hounded by the police and hunted by assassins, pressured by the needs and desires of friends, forced to choose between morality and Moralism, Jewett is forced into terrifying situations she could never have imagined. How she handles these new responsibilities will ultimately determine who lives or dies and whether or not a murderer goes free.