Explaining Wardiyah: Book 2 of Kurgan Tales

by David Uerkvitz

THE BATTLE FOR SUPREMACY IS ABOUT TO Adin, Vlo'Ur's father, is about to be slain by the evil Scythian, Dahig. Vlo rescues his father and immediately finds himself fleeing across the steppe on his horse, Akor. He feels compelled to reunite with his mother, whom he barely remembers. His decision is so impetuous he realizes he is not prepared for such a dangerous undertaking. A lone horseman wandering across the steppe is vulnerable to attacks by robbers or wild beasts, and is in danger of starving. Nearly dying of thirst, he stumbles on a Kurgan clan and lives with them for a while. He leads a disastrous attack on a small renegade tribe of red-headed, green-eyed people that the Kurgans fear is going to raid their camp. They destroy the unfortunate clan and take a few prisoners. As Vlo sets out again on his trek toward his birthplace, he finds he is being pursued by a spindly, fiery red-headed girl, one of the prisoners from the unfortunate tribe. Against Vlo's will, she attaches herself to him as his slave. This requires many explanations as to why he is accompanied by such a strange creature. He finds his mother thriving in her practice of dark sorcery, but in the meantime he discovers a shadowy secret that could bring disaster to the Ur family and the two most prominent clans of the Kurgan tribe. Wardiyah develops into an unusual beauty with intellectual and political abilities. Vlo's explanations further empower her formidable skills of manipulation which she uses when she is captured by the Scythians. Rushing back to his father's side, Vlo must work fast, being aware that they are going to be attacked by the powerful barbaric Scythians at any time. Vlo takes the initiative in attack, knowing that they are lacking in skills of warfare and are greatly outnumbered by the war-like Scythians. The Kurgans must prevail or be headed for complete destruction.
Marked by visceral action and the thundering hordes of darkness and supernatural forces in a land barely out of the Stone Age, this profoundly entertaining, sweeping epic dives deeply into the social structure and culture of its people while mining timeless themes and emotional terrain to provide a glimpse into the human condition that has connected mankind across history.

296 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 15, 2013

About the author

David Uerkvitz grew up on the plains of western Oklahoma. He received the first doctorate in music from the University of Oklahoma. A classical pianist, he has performed around the world in the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. He more recently has performed at venues in New York, including performances in the Carnegie. He has published method books in Spanish for piano teachers and students, and contributed articles to music magazines. He received a Fulbright grant to teach in Tunghai University in Taichung, Taiwan, where he still resides. His family is scattered over the Pacific Rim.