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Category: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy
Description: "A Bard' Eye View is a wild and weird collection of fantasy stories that present some of the freshest writing around. Derring-do with a great sense of fun. Highly recommended." -- New York Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry, author of The King of Plagues and Dust & Decay

"Rollicking good fun perfect for a beach read, subway read, airplane read--heck, just buy it and read it! Mirth, mayhem and magic in an intriguing world." -- Gail Z. Martin, author of the Chronicles of the Necromancer series

"A Bard's Eye View is a varied collection of adventures, whimsies, variously grim, grand and comedic; this book will appeal to fans of gaming and fantasy alike." -- Jay Lake, Campbell Award-winning author of Green and Mainspring

"You don't need to know the background material to enjoy the range of stories from the talespinners assembled here. It has plenty of adventures that end with a twist that leave you shaking your head in pleased surprise. I'll be happy to look for many of these writers in days to come." -- Jody Lynn Nye, author of View From the Imperium and Dragon's Deal
eBook Publisher: Double Dragon Publishing/Double Dragon eBooks, 2011 Double Dragon Publishing
eBookwise Release Date: May 2011

Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [347 KB]
Words: 75822
Reading time: 216-303 min.

Introduction

Welcome to the magical world of Fortannis--a place where adventure awaits to waylay you around every corner.

It's a land where humans mingle with stubborn dwarves, mysterious elves, and feathered biata to battle against shape-shifting gryphons, necromantic zombies, and silly goblins. It's a land where things are never as they seem, where good and evil are not always clear-cut, and where the strong do not always prevail.

In Fortannis, you can learn magic by summoning the power of the flow of order in the world, by tying yourself to the living cycle of all around you. Or, if your inclinations are darker, you might be tempted by the flow of chaos and entropy, which allows you to create undead abominations and cast substantially more powerful spells----in exchange for the corruption of your soul and the destruction of the land around you. The choice is yours.

The world of Fortannis was originally created years ago for a live-action role-playing game called the Alliance. The game has chapters all over the US and Canada, where players experience the adventures it provides. A few years ago, I began writing novels set in this world (although I admittedly ignored most of the rules of the game). Knowledge of the game is not necessary for your enjoyment of these books or the stories in this collection.

I am very proud of the stories collected here. There are grand adventures, humorous contrivances, and strong morality tales. You'll meet clever con artists, suspicious spies, and pompous nobles. Unexpected twists and turns and danger lurk on every page. Enjoy the adventure!

Michael A. Ventrella

Table of Contents

The Zombie King's Plan Michael A. Ventrella

Stealing the Sky Danny Birt

Listen to a Tale, My Friends Michael Strauss

Bad Debts Bernie Mojzes

Grip of Chaos Laurel Anne Hill

The Great Green Kettle Pie Recipe Caper Roy C. Booth and Brian Woods

Behind the Bar Mark Mensch

A Rock is a Rock is a Rock ... Or Is It? J. Thomas Ross

The Messenger's Trap Matthew C. Plourde

Faith Tera Fulbright

A Child's Tale Davey Beauchamp

Suffer the Liar Ron F. Leota

The Long Sleep Nick Bond

The Otherside Alliance Jon Cory