The Mark Of Ran - Softcover

Kearney, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0593047761 ISBN 13: 9780593047767

Publisher: Bantam Press, 2004

Synopsis

The world is dying, forsaken by its Creator. Man schemes and plots and makes wars across it, forgetting that this turning earth does not belong to mankind alone. Another race once dwelled here. Some think they were the last of the Angels, banished to this world for a forgotten crime; others that they were demons imprisoned here by a disgusted Creator.Rol Cortishane's quiet life is about to come to an end, for in his family runs the blood of this Elder race. Driven from his home, he seeks refuge in the ancient tower of Michal Psellos, where he is trained to be a killer of men, an assassin without pity. His tutor in murder is the beautiful and deadly Rowen, whom he loves without hope. THE MARK OF RAN is the beginning of Cortishane's story. A tale in which he journeys across the breadth of this teeming, wicked world and finds a legendary Hidden City where the desperate and the dispossessed fight for survival. This is the first of the chronicles of Rol's great voyages, and those of his compatriots; a band of outcasts who took to the wide oceans of the world when every nation of the earth set its face against them. Ussa's Orphans they were called, the Beggars of the Sea...

About this title

About the Author

Paul Kearney was born and grew up in Northern Ireland. He studied English at Oxford University and ived for several years in both Denmark and the United States. He now lives by the sea in County Down with his wife and two dogs.

From the Back Cover

The world is dying, seemingly forsaken by its Creator. Mankind schemes and plots and makes wars across it, forgetting that this turning sphere does not belong to him alone. Another race once dwelled here. Some believe that they were the last of the Angels, exiled here for a long-forgotten crime; others that they were demons imprisoned here by a disgusted Creator.

Rol Cortishane's quiet life is about to come to an end, for unknown to him in his veins runs the precious blood of this Elder race. Driven from his home by the ignorant and the envious, he finds refuge in the ancient, brooding tower of the malevolent Michael Psellos, where he is bequeathed a sword with a blood-thirst of its own and trained to be a killer of men, an assassin without pity. His tutor in murder is the beautiful, damaged and deadly Rowen, whom he loves without hope. Rejected, Rol turns his back on this teeming, wicked world and goes in search of the Hidden City where the desperate and the dispossessed fight for survival against those who would enslave them.
So here begin the chronicles of the great voyages of Rol Cortishane, and those of his compatriots: a band of outcasts who took to the wide oceans when every nation of the earth set its face against them. Ussa's Orphans, they were called, the Beggars of the Sea
One of fantasy's most exciting storytellers, author of the acclaimed Monarchies of God', Paul Kearney returns to the fray with this riproaring tale of the birth of a legend an adventure bursting with magic, mayhem and brilliant invention.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bantam Press
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593047761
• ISBN 13: 9780593047767
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 359