The world that the former monk Thomas Neville knows is crumbling about him. The Holy Mother Church of Rome is losing its power and men are coming to question the nature of religion and the role of those who rule them by sword and cross.
Thomas knows that it is not merely the dawning of a new time for men to try to think and judge for themselves but it is a direct result of the rift in the fabric of the world, where demons have escaped their prison and are trying to breach the very gates of heaven. The great archangel Michael gave Thomas the task to find the demons who now dwell in human form and expose their evil natures.
To accomplish this he had to turn his back on one set of vows and return to his once lofty noble connections. In doing so, his life is caught up with his childhood friend Harold Bollinbroke, the fair young "Prince Hal"-who might be more (or less) than he seems. And he meets the fair young Margaret, an enigmatic beauty who he takes to wife--not out of love, but as a means to discover if she is one of those who would destroy mankind.
Old friends, a new love, and temptations that will try his conscience. And his very soul.
For Thomas is beginning to think that all that he knows may not be true. Faced with mortal love and friendships that he desperately wants and fears, he knows that time is growing short.
And the choice that he makes will reshape the world.
Show moreThe world that the former monk Thomas Neville knows is crumbling about him. The Holy Mother Church of Rome is losing its power and men are coming to question the nature of religion and the role of those who rule them by sword and cross.
Thomas knows that it is not merely the dawning of a new time for men to try to think and judge for themselves but it is a direct result of the rift in the fabric of the world, where demons have escaped their prison and are trying to breach the very gates of heaven. The great archangel Michael gave Thomas the task to find the demons who now dwell in human form and expose their evil natures.
To accomplish this he had to turn his back on one set of vows and return to his once lofty noble connections. In doing so, his life is caught up with his childhood friend Harold Bollinbroke, the fair young "Prince Hal"-who might be more (or less) than he seems. And he meets the fair young Margaret, an enigmatic beauty who he takes to wife--not out of love, but as a means to discover if she is one of those who would destroy mankind.
Old friends, a new love, and temptations that will try his conscience. And his very soul.
For Thomas is beginning to think that all that he knows may not be true. Faced with mortal love and friendships that he desperately wants and fears, he knows that time is growing short.
And the choice that he makes will reshape the world.
Show moreSara Douglass (1957-2011) was Australia's leading fantasy author and one of its top novelists, earning two Aurealis Awards. Her beloved series include Wayfarer Redemption (including the award winning Enchanter and Starman), The Troy Game (beginning with Hades' Daughter) and Crucible (with award winner The Wounded Hawk). Her standalone novels include Beyond the Hanging Wall and Threshold.
"With a keen eye for detail and the nuances of medieval Europe, Douglass begins a new multivolume fantasy set on alternate, 14th-century Earth. Filled with the intricate weave of religious and political history that made up an era when church and state were not yet divided, this powerfully written tale belongs in every fantasy collection and has strong appeal for fans of historical fiction." --Library Journal on The Nameless Day (Book One in the Crucible series) "This is an extraordinary novel, ...meticulously researched for an authentic 14th century atmosphere, not just in terms of aesthetic details, but in terms of the character's beliefs and philosophies of life." --SFX Magazine on The Nameless Day (Book One in the Crucible series) "Historical fantasy aficionados should not miss this compelling multilayered series." --Romantic Times (4 stars) on The Wounded Hawk (Book Two in the Crucible series) "Douglass seamlessly fuses the period's class struggle for freedom against tyranny with a disturbingly vivid look at the ambiguous battle between good and evil." --Publishers Weekly on The Wounded Hawk (Book Two in the Crucible series)
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