The Covenant Rising: Book One of The Dreamtime

In the land of Bhealfa, magic defines and controls the social order. But the most powerful and expensive spells are used by the authorities to control the entire population.Reeth Caldason is one of the last remaining members of a warrior race that was brutally massacred decades ago. Cursed with episodes of blind, uncontrollable rage, he is forced to wander the world seeking revenge for his people and a cure for his magical affliction. But the spell that binds Reeth is highly mysterious, and only when a young sorcerer's apprentice tells him of the mysterious Covenant does he regain a glimmer of hope. Forming an uneasy alliance, the two head for Bhealfa's capital city in search of the secretive magical society, unaware that they are about to be drawn into a dangerous world of conspiracy and treachery.

From Publishers Weekly

Weak characterization undercuts British author Nicholls's otherwise alluring fantasy, the first in a new sword-and-sorcery series with a well-conceived setting. Prince Melyobar, the mad ruler of Bhealfa, a small state caught between two large empires, believes that Death is an animate creature intent on stalking him. Long ground under the heel of the powerful in Bhealfa and the two empires, a few rebels are looking for ways to create a more egalitarian society. Enter Reeth Caldason, a brooding, nearly immortal swordsman straight out of the movie Highlander, looking for a magician who can help remove the curse he's under. Instead, Reeth ends up stuck with an inept and earnest magician's apprentice, Kutch, who may have hidden talents that will enable both Reeth and the rebels to get what they want. Unfortunately, the supporting characters—notably Melyobar, who's built a mobile palace in his attempt to outrun Death, and Serrah Ardacris, a crack soldier in the army of the empire of Gath Tampoor turned reluctant rebel—are far more compelling than the clichéd Reeth and Kutch. Still, Nicholls has the makings of a truly interesting series, and hopefully will do better in book two. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

San Diego Union-Tribune

“A suitably complex and nicely written new fantasy series… Good sword and sorcery…An enjoyable journey, so far.”

From the Back Cover

In the land of Bhealfa, magic defines and controls the social order. But the most powerful and expensive spells are used by the authorities to control the entire population.Reeth Caldason is one of the last remaining members of a warrior race that was brutally massacred decades ago. Cursed with episodes of blind, uncontrollable rage, he is forced to wander the world seeking revenge for his people and a cure for his magical affliction. But the spell that binds Reeth is highly mysterious, and only when a young sorcerer's apprentice tells him of the mysterious Covenant does he regain a glimmer of hope. Forming an uneasy alliance, the two head for Bhealfa's capital city in search of the secretive magical society, unaware that they are about to be drawn into a dangerous world of conspiracy and treachery.

About the Author

Stan Nicholls is best known for the internationally acclaimed Orcs: First Blood series. His journalism has appeared in Locus, SFX, the Guardian, the Independent, the Daily Mirror, Time Out, Sight and Sound, and Rolling Stone, among many other publications. He currently lives in the West Midlands, U.K., with his wife, the writer Anne Gay.

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