Böcker av Tanya Huff

It was a long fall from Clan Heir to common thief, but Aaron never wanted any part of his father's brutal outlander reign. In fact, besides coin purses and jewels, there's very little in all of Cisali that interests Aaron, until he stumbles-quite literally-into a prince's bedchamber...Prince Davish of Ischia is a skilled swordsman both on the field and beneath the sheets, at least when he isn't outrageously drunk. But the wine helps him forget all the ways he's disappointed his father, his family, and soon enough, his young bride-to-be...A trained Wizard of the Nine with more raw talent than real-world experience, Princess Chandra has no interest in the politically arranged marriage. She flees to the royal city of Ischia seeking a way out of the union. But there, she discovers something far more shocking than Prince Davish's rakish reputation...The Stone of Ischia has been stolen. A powerful talisman, The Stone protects the city from the active volcano that looms over its terraces and streets. Without it, Ischia will be destroyed and the kingdom of Cisali will fall. Its only hope is an unlikely band of heroes-a failed thief, a drunken prince, and a runaway wizard-who must face pirates, powerful magic, and their own carefully guarded secrets in order to find and restore the Stone of Ischia.

In these seven contemporary fantasies from Tanya Huff, we see a dog's eye view of loyalty and a cat's eye view of sea serpents. We learn that some Brownies could use a shave - although cookies will still be sold - and that there are at least two sides to every relationship, no matter how accidental and/or mythical that relationship is. We're also reminded that however worthwhile it may be to die with purpose, it's better to live well. Huff's ability to leaven heartache with humour - and vise versa - gives this collection of previously published stories an unexpected emotional variety.A December release, He Said, Sidhe Said also includes the seasonally appropriate "I'll be Home for Christmas."

The Bards of Shkoder hold the country together. They, and the elemental spirits they Sing - earth, air, fire, and water - bring the news of the sea to the mountains, news of the mountains to the plains. They give their people, from peasant to king, a song in common.Annice is a rare talent, able to Sing all four quarters, but her brother, the newly enthroned King Theron, sees her request to study at the Bardic Hall as a betrayal. To his surprise, Annice accepts his conditions, renouncing her royal blood and swearing to remain childless so as not to jeopardize the line of succession. She walks away from political responsibilities, royal privilege and her family.Ten years later, Annice has become the Princess Bard and her real life is about to become the exact opposite of the overwrought ballad her fellow students at the Bardic Hall wrote about her. Now, she's on the run from the Royal Guards with the Duc of Ohrid, the father of her unborn child, both of them guilty of treason - one of them unjustly accused. To save the Duc's life, they'll have to cross the country, manage to keep from strangling each other, and defeat an enemy too damaged for even a Bard's song to reach.