Deathright

About the book

About Deathright

Deathright, a mythic fantasy, is the story of Korth, a slave in the Manor Lands, where he works from early childhood quarrying stone. Given no explanation, he is taken from the quarry and assigned to work in the Manor House gardens while being trained for a strange task, the mercy killing of the old and ill Lord of the Manor through a rite called Lord's-Kill. What Korth does not know is that the person performing this rite will breathe in the old lord's dying breath and with it his spirit, wisdom, and memories, and will then inherit the lordship. Korth is only promised a reward if he does well. Instead, Dama Koralie, the regent, plans to have him assassinated following the old lord's death, so that she can retain her power. But Korth has learned his lesson well. In the same way that he killed the old lord, he kills the assassin. Then, knowing that death by impalement is the punishment for slaves who rise against their master, Korth flees in hope of finding safety and freedom outside of the Manor Lands. He will find neither as he encounters unexpected dangers, and as the old lord's wisdom begins to assert itself Korth comes to realize that he is being manipulated and herded toward diverse goals by an invisible companion, by a mysterious juggler, by Dama Koralie, who is a powerful sorceress, and by a beautiful woman who is an avatar of the goddess Zera. Through his struggles to be his own person, free from these opposing powers, he will discover the true nature of freedom. Woven throughout the novel is the myth of twin gods, Makor and Molor, and the story of how Makor yields to his wife Zera's demand that the falas be transformed to birds and caged. The falas are spirits of music who produce melodies so beautiful and haunting that they drive men mad, and so Zera wants them confined. Molor slays Makor in anger at this treatment of the falas and, to prevent his being resurrected, divides his essence into seven parts and spreads these portions through time. If Zera can collect these portions, she can resurrect her slain consort, but Molor has set safeguards to prevent this. Read the novel to discover how this myth ties in with Korth's story.

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