Imprint
- Gollancz
- Gateway
Fantasy Masterworks, Fiction, Science fiction
The first volume of Michael Scott Rohan's acclaimed The Winter of the World sequence.
The chronicles of The Winter of the World echo down the ages in half-remembered myth and song - tales of mysterious powers of the Mastersmiths, of the forging of great weapons, of the subterranean kingdoms of the duergar, of Gods who walked abroad, and of the Powers that struggled endlessly for dominion.
In the Northlands, beleaguered by the ever-encroaching Ice and the marauding Ekwesh, a young cowherd, saved from the raiders by the mysterious Mastersmith, discovers in himself an uncanny power to shape metal - but it is a power that may easily be turned to evil ends, and on a dreadful night he flees his new home, and embarks on the quest to find both his own destiny, and a weapon that will let him stand against the Power of the Ice.
His wanderings will bring him great friends but earn him greater enemies, and eventually they will transform him from lowly cowherd to a mastersmith fit to stand with the greatest of all men.
Praise for The Anvil of Ice
-
A wonderful story. Michael Scott Rohan has conceived an interesting and original fantasy concept. It is sure to gather a strong following.
-
Rohan creates a haunting sense of mythology rather than fantasy. This remarkable novel reveals a gifted writer of stories, and pages turn as if by magic.
-
A skilfully told tale, blending myth and prehistory into a carefully wrought world where the conflict of Ice Age forces is focussed in the person of an enigmatic smith. It begins a trilogy which will be worth following.
-
I consider The Anvil of Ice to be an outstanding piece of fantasy fiction, leaving one eager to welcome the second book in the series.
-
Scott Rohan has an extraordinary gift for making every scene come to life with vivid reality
-
A very good and a very powerful writer . . . The concept of the Ice itself as the ultimate enemy is a remarkable feat . . . strong and intricate characterizations . . . compelling reading.
-
A good read . . . Much fascinating research is evident here . . . a grittily solid background of impending Ice Age. The characters are nicely done, and the final confrontation between Elof and the representative of the Ice powers has a nifty magical twist . . . Rohan clears the major hurdle of a trilogy opening; he actually makes me want to read book two! Stay tuned. - White Dwarf
-
Rohan has picked up where Tolkien left off and then some. He has a sure touch with the mythology of Northern Europe, handles the high style beautifully, and in the smithcraft of his protagonist finds a fresh metaphor for magic. - The New York Review of Science Fiction
Michael Scott Rohan
Michael Scott Rohan is the author of nine fantasy and science fiction novels, and co-author of three more, as well as several non-fiction books. After many years in Oxford and Yorkshire, he and his American wife Deborah now live in a small village near Cambridge, next to the pub.
Find a book you’ll love, get our Word Up newsletter
.png?auto=compress&w=150&h=60&fit=crop&fm=jpg)
.png?auto=compress&w=150&h=60&fit=crop&fm=jpg)
Hachette Australia acknowledges and pays our respects to the past, present and future Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our head office is located on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.
