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The Latter Annals of Lystra #4
Road of Vanishing
Thirteen-year-old Chatain Henry has disappeared. Fearing that he regrets abdicating the throne to his guardian, Surchatain Ares, Commander Thom wants to place a bounty on his head. But when Thom captures a slave trader who claims to have sold Henry, Ares takes it upon himself to go look for him. And the road he must travel is rumored to end at a portal that takes travelers to unknown realms. Because his young wife Nicole is the only one who can see the portal, she must go with him. While Nicole and Ares are gone, the Chataine Renée finds ample opportunity to wreak mischief with their five-year-old twin daughters, as well as with her husband, the Counselor Carmine, who is desperately trying to stay sober. For Carmine knows something about the portal that no one else has guessed. Road of Vanishing is the fourth book of the Latter Annals of Lystra. Previous books in the series are Nicole of Prie Mer, Ares of Westford, and Prisoners of Hope. Robin Hardy is the author of the Streiker Saga, the Sammy Series, and Padre (a new edition and a sequel, His Strange Ways, are coming March 2007). She is also the editor of W.W. Melton's classic devotional, Sifted But Saved. For photos, articles, guest features, and updates on new releases, see www.robinhardy.com.
230 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2006
4 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Robin Hardy
57 books48 followersI've written a new series! It's a distant sequel to The Annals of Lystra (begun in Chataine's Guardian) and The Latter Annals (begun in Nicole of Prie Mer). This is where it begins:
Thirty-five years after the assassination of Henry, Surchatain of Lystra, the province is no more and its capital Westford a shadow of its medieval greatness. With the fever now ravaging the palace, the army, and the town, a new Surchatain has ascended the throne of Westford, requiring a loyalty oath for all his subjects and soldiers.
Efran, Captain of the Red Regiment of the Army of Westford, is Polonti—a member of the brown-skinned, black-haired race generally regarded with contempt by Southerners on the Continent, including many in Westford. Knowing of the loyalty oath required on pain of death, Efran lays plans to leave once he has recovered from the fever himself.
But Efran is hindered by entanglements with the Surchatain’s two daughters—one who despises him and one who adores him.
He is appointed guardian of one Chataine. When the palace begins crumbling on its foundations, Efran takes his charge and a street urchin to an abandoned fortress south of Westford in the midst of wolf territory. While he gathers more homeless children at the fortress, the other Chataine prepares to lead an army against him for the legendary treasure hidden in the desolate Abbey of St. Benedict on the Sea.
The Stories of the Abbey of St. Benedict on the Sea comprise 36 novellas, each around 50,000 words, that make for one continuous story from the beginning to a definite end. To introduce this series, I'm offering free pdf and epub downloads of all the stories. Each pdf includes links, pronunciations, maps, and an illustration with notes. (The epubs contain all of the above except maps.)
Thirty-five years after the assassination of Henry, Surchatain of Lystra, the province is no more and its capital Westford a shadow of its medieval greatness. With the fever now ravaging the palace, the army, and the town, a new Surchatain has ascended the throne of Westford, requiring a loyalty oath for all his subjects and soldiers.
Efran, Captain of the Red Regiment of the Army of Westford, is Polonti—a member of the brown-skinned, black-haired race generally regarded with contempt by Southerners on the Continent, including many in Westford. Knowing of the loyalty oath required on pain of death, Efran lays plans to leave once he has recovered from the fever himself.
But Efran is hindered by entanglements with the Surchatain’s two daughters—one who despises him and one who adores him.
He is appointed guardian of one Chataine. When the palace begins crumbling on its foundations, Efran takes his charge and a street urchin to an abandoned fortress south of Westford in the midst of wolf territory. While he gathers more homeless children at the fortress, the other Chataine prepares to lead an army against him for the legendary treasure hidden in the desolate Abbey of St. Benedict on the Sea.
The Stories of the Abbey of St. Benedict on the Sea comprise 36 novellas, each around 50,000 words, that make for one continuous story from the beginning to a definite end. To introduce this series, I'm offering free pdf and epub downloads of all the stories. Each pdf includes links, pronunciations, maps, and an illustration with notes. (The epubs contain all of the above except maps.)
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 11, 2019
Fourth in the series builds on the beginning three books.
I love this series, Ares and Nicole continue to grow as regulars and followers of God. The two twin girls show much scope for trouble in the future, and I can't wait to read the 5th book
I love this series, Ares and Nicole continue to grow as regulars and followers of God. The two twin girls show much scope for trouble in the future, and I can't wait to read the 5th book
July 28, 2015
Historically speaking this `Medieval' novel is very poor. The characters' speech is totally out-of-place, riddled with modern terms, phrases and slang words, as well as numerous Americanisms. There are also a number of silly anachronisms and historical errors modern military salutes , a rather modern personal science lab, a telescope (which were not inventing until c1600) and references to and `firing' bows amongst others.
Then there was the passage in which the narration suddenly broke from the usual third into first person- which could be jarring to say the least, not to mention a little unprofessional, as there seemed little reason for it.
The book is slow-moving and the `action' almost painfully repetitive (consisting of much to-ing and fro-ing through the mysterious portal that allows people to travel through time and space) until about halfway through the novel.
When something actually begins to happen and we are introduced to the indelibly evil and tyrannical, yet unintelligent villain, who along with his minion supposedly terrorizes his people had been going around wearing `scary' black costumes to wreak their evil deeds. Not, perhaps, the most original.
There is a lot of corny Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider style action and predictable `narrow escapes' from peril including scaling walls, donning disguises, stealing guards uniforms, creeping though conveniently placed tunnels and opening secret sliding panels.
In one scene Ares fights with a sword in one hand, and a whip in the other, just like Ol' Indy. What with this and lots of other movie style tropes and convenient situations, like gullible guards, useless enemy soldiers and a convenient stash of weapons the goodies just happened to find at their disposal. Naturally....
As always slutty princess Renee goes around tormenting and abusing people, only this time her victims stand up to her and play her at her own game.
Her marriage is on the rocks as husband Carmine, sick of years of psychological and emotional abuse at her hand, and having been driven to alcoholism seeks a divorce.
Yet, one gets the feeling that the description of the breakdown of their relationship is not supposed to be a warning against domestic abuse, as Renee, in a strangely distorted and exaggerated version of feminism clearly things that its natural for women to rule over men and 'demand total devotion' from them, whilst not being required to reciprocate it- or even keep their marriage vows.
Despite the fact that she herself was the tormenter and abuser by means of control, manipulation, emotional and sexual blackmail she is presented as the object of sympathy.
Her life will supposedly be destroyed and we're supposed to feel sorry or her when nasty Carmine is horrid enough to thwart her efforts to prevent this outcome to the sorry saga of their `marriage'. As is not untypical in such abusive relationships she is in denial of her personal responsibility- at one point she ordered a servant to have drink placed in his bedroom to try and tempt him back into the 'habit'- but later claims that she did not try to make him drink, he 'chose' to of his own free will.
How many times do abusers try to justify their actions in such terms in real life? 'You made me do it, you provoked me'.
As if siding with a marital abuser was not bad enough, the conclusion is even worse. Without wanting to give away too much of the specifics, it involves a token 'good deed' which results in the characters repenting their evil of so utterly horrible as to tell the truth and do something about her behaviour.
Apparently, its 'unloving' and 'un-christlike' to stop her from destroying and tyrannizing others.
Then there was the passage in which the narration suddenly broke from the usual third into first person- which could be jarring to say the least, not to mention a little unprofessional, as there seemed little reason for it.
The book is slow-moving and the `action' almost painfully repetitive (consisting of much to-ing and fro-ing through the mysterious portal that allows people to travel through time and space) until about halfway through the novel.
When something actually begins to happen and we are introduced to the indelibly evil and tyrannical, yet unintelligent villain, who along with his minion supposedly terrorizes his people had been going around wearing `scary' black costumes to wreak their evil deeds. Not, perhaps, the most original.
There is a lot of corny Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider style action and predictable `narrow escapes' from peril including scaling walls, donning disguises, stealing guards uniforms, creeping though conveniently placed tunnels and opening secret sliding panels.
In one scene Ares fights with a sword in one hand, and a whip in the other, just like Ol' Indy. What with this and lots of other movie style tropes and convenient situations, like gullible guards, useless enemy soldiers and a convenient stash of weapons the goodies just happened to find at their disposal. Naturally....
As always slutty princess Renee goes around tormenting and abusing people, only this time her victims stand up to her and play her at her own game.
Her marriage is on the rocks as husband Carmine, sick of years of psychological and emotional abuse at her hand, and having been driven to alcoholism seeks a divorce.
Yet, one gets the feeling that the description of the breakdown of their relationship is not supposed to be a warning against domestic abuse, as Renee, in a strangely distorted and exaggerated version of feminism clearly things that its natural for women to rule over men and 'demand total devotion' from them, whilst not being required to reciprocate it- or even keep their marriage vows.
Despite the fact that she herself was the tormenter and abuser by means of control, manipulation, emotional and sexual blackmail she is presented as the object of sympathy.
Her life will supposedly be destroyed and we're supposed to feel sorry or her when nasty Carmine is horrid enough to thwart her efforts to prevent this outcome to the sorry saga of their `marriage'. As is not untypical in such abusive relationships she is in denial of her personal responsibility- at one point she ordered a servant to have drink placed in his bedroom to try and tempt him back into the 'habit'- but later claims that she did not try to make him drink, he 'chose' to of his own free will.
How many times do abusers try to justify their actions in such terms in real life? 'You made me do it, you provoked me'.
As if siding with a marital abuser was not bad enough, the conclusion is even worse. Without wanting to give away too much of the specifics, it involves a token 'good deed' which results in the characters repenting their evil of so utterly horrible as to tell the truth and do something about her behaviour.
Apparently, its 'unloving' and 'un-christlike' to stop her from destroying and tyrannizing others.
January 30, 2012
Robin Hardy was my introduction to contemporary Christian fiction. Back in elementary when Sweet Valley High was the rage, I was given her Streiker series and Annals of Lystra as a gift, and I was hooked. I re-read them several times because I didn't know where to get her other books, not even knowing if she published anything else.
Several years later, I discovered she was still writing and that I had a lot of reading to do to catch up. I emailed her my appreciation of her work and got all fangirl giggly when she replied. I asked for a review copy for a blog review and got seriously giddy when she gave me one.
Several years later, I discovered she was still writing and that I had a lot of reading to do to catch up. I emailed her my appreciation of her work and got all fangirl giggly when she replied. I asked for a review copy for a blog review and got seriously giddy when she gave me one.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews