The Grand Ellipse (Bantam Spectra Book) - Hardcover

Paula Volsky

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0553108042 ISBN 13: 9780553108040

Publisher: Spectra, 2000

Synopsis

The Grand Ellipse

In the modern, civilized republic of Vonahr, a land blessed with gaslight, steam engines, and indoor plumbing, the need for magic seems a thing of the past. But soon the Vonahrish will find that magic is their only hope--for an unstoppable evil is on the march. The Grewzians, an imperialistic race of fanatics, are intent on conquering the world. Nation after nation has disappeared down the maw of these barbaric invaders. No one has been able to halt them--and now they are massing on Vonahr's borders.  But the Vonahrish still have one slim chance for salvation. In a nearby neutral kingdom, a brilliant savant has conjured up the ultimate weapon: Sentient Fire, a miraculous flame that responds to the command of its maker. The potential military value of such a discovery is immeasurable.  But Low Hetz's mad, flamboyant king refuses to relinquish the secret and jeopardize his nation's neutrality. And so the desperate government of Vonahr, unable to take no for an answer, has come up with an enterprising plan.... Her name is Luzelle Devaire. An intrepid adventurer of rare beauty, she is exactly the sort to appeal to the king's weakness for exquisite women. There is just one drawback: To obtain an audience, Luzelle must enter and win the Grand Ellipse, King Miltzin's extraordinary test of endurance, ingenuity, and valor--a race that will cover distant lands and harsh terrain.  To the daring Luzelle, it is a challenge worth taking, for she has her own reasons for wanting to win. But it won't be easy--ahead lie more obstacles, more mystery, and more perils than she ever dreamed. The race is on...and the future of the world rests on its outcome.  Superbly written and imbued with drama and magic, poignancy and power, The Grand Ellipse is fantasy at its finest--unforgettable and deliciously entertaining.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Lavish praise for the books of Paula Volsky

The Grand Ellipse
"Paula Volsky writes like no one else--charmingly, fancifully, hypnotically. The Grand Ellipse, is full of exotic landscapes and adventures. In Volsky's hands, however, even the simplest characters and settings become exotic, tinged with strangeness."
-- Stephen R. Donaldson

The Gates Of Twilight
"Excellent...tightly woven, exotic, tense, atmospheric...I rarely get to read something this impressive."
-- Melanie Rawn

"A captivating novel whose appeal should extend well beyond the fans of the genre."
-- Publishers Weekly

The White Tribunal
"Creates a world in which magic is very real....provocative...wonderfully enjoyable...with fine, intelligent symmetries."
-- Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Paula Volsky, spellbinding author of The White Tribunal, is a rising star in the realm of fantasy writers. Her opulent storytelling is grand in scope, rich in detail, and lush in language and style. Now she returns to hardcover with a spectacular saga of adventure and intrigue, sorcery and sabotage, romance and rebellion. And it all begins with a wondrous discovery that could forever alter the fate of the free world....

Paula Volsky is the author of Illusion, The Wolf of Winter, The White Tribunal, and The Gates of Twilight.

Edition details

• Publisher: Spectra
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0553108042
• ISBN 13: 9780553108040
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 560