The Song of Unmaking

24 Pages·2011·5.54 MB·English

by  D. Barkley Briggs

What others are saying about D. Barkley Briggs and
The Book of Names . . .
“Briggs braids ancient strands of Arthurian myth together with his
own homespun thread into a complex tapestry of magic and meaning,
bravery and brotherhood.”
—JEFFREY OVERSTREET, author of
Auralia’s Colors and Cyndere’s Midnight
“D. Barkley Briggs has a fresh, unique voice. His writing style bright-
ens every page. The lyrical prose suits his intriguing tale and heightens
the feel of another world. The Book of Names is sure to gather a follow-
ing among young and old fantasy lovers.”
—DONITA K. PAUL, author of
The Dragon Keeper Chronicles
“In the same vein as such master fantasy writers as J. R. R. Tolkien
and C. S. Lewis, author D. Barkley Briggs has penned a superb fic-
tional tale. The Book of Names is fast-paced and compelling, and read-
ers will be clamoring for Briggs’s next installment in this exciting and
worthy new series.
—Teenreads.com
“A rousing fantasy packed full of Norse and Celtic mythology with a
hearty dose of Arthurian legend. Strap on your armor, pull out your
sword, and get ready for an adventure!”
—M. C. PEARSON, director, Fiction in Rather
Short Takes (FIRST) Blog Alliances
“Everything . . . about the story is fascinating and intriguing.”
—CHRISTIAN FICTION REVIEW
“The Book of Names weaves a tale that is both thrilling and wrought
with hope. D. Barkley Briggs is a new and welcome voice in fantasy
fiction.”
—WAYNE THOMAS BATSON, author of The Dark Sea Annals
(Living Ink Books) and The Door Within Trilogy
The Song of Unmaking eBk.indd 1 11/8/11 11:16 AM
What others are saying about D. Barkley Briggs and
Corus the Champion . . .
“Corus the Champion is everything we waited for . . . full of sur-
prises, with layers of legend, faith and magic. Highly recommended.”
—KACI HILL, co-author with Ted Dekker of Lunatic and Elyon
“D. Barkley Briggs more than delivers with this rousing second
installment, deftly weaving Arthurian lore with mind bending fan-
tasy. Surprises and twists lurk around every corner while characters
and stunning locations leap off the page. Corus the Champion will
capture your imagination and leave you begging for more.”
—FictionAddict.com
“The Legends of Karac Tor is an epic, thrilling series and D. Bar-
kley Briggs is a major new voice in fantasy fiction. Don’t miss your
chance to discover destiny in these pages.”
—WAYNE THOMAS BATSON, author of The Dark Sea
Annals (Living Ink Books) and The Door Within Trilogy
“Once again, D. Barkley Briggs has managed to capture the mys-
tery of Arthurian legend, the enchantment of fairy tale folklore, and
the valor of Celtic and Norse mythology. This rousing second install-
ment of the Legends of Karac Tor delves deeply into the heart of hero-
ism, its joys and sorrows. Read and let yourself burn with adventure.”
—M. C. PEARSON, director, Fiction in Rather
Short Takes (FIRST) Blog Alliances
“Using engaging and totally credible characters, prose that is
nearly poetic at times, and a complex but comprehensible plot, Briggs
has matched the quality of the book’s predecessor, The Book of Names.
This is some of the best Young Adult Fantasy work available.”
—CHRIS MCCALLISTER, Rambles.net Book Reviews
The Song of Unmaking eBk.indd 2 11/8/11 11:16 AM
The Song of Unmaking eBk.indd 3 11/8/11 11:16 AM
The Song of Unmaking
Volume 3 in the Legends of Karac Tor series
Copyright © 2011 by Dean Briggs
Published by Living Ink Books, an imprint of
AMG Publishers, Inc.
6815 Shallowford Rd.
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in printed reviews, no part of
this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmit-
ted in any form or by any means (printed, written, photocopied, visual elec-
tronic, audio, or otherwise) without the prior permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the
product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual persons, either living or dead, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Print Edition ISBN 13: 978-0-89957-865-1 ISBN 10: 0-89957-865-9
EPUB Edition ISBN 13: 978-1-61715-252-8 ISBN 10: 1-61715-252-8
Mobi Edition ISBN 13: 978-1-61715-253-5 ISBN 10: 1-61715-253-6
E-PDF Edition ISBN 13: 978-1-61715-254-2 ISBN 10: 1-61715-254-4
First Printing—September 2011
LEGENDS OF KARAC TOR™ is a trademark of AMG Publishers.
Cover illustration by Kirk DouPonce, DogEaredDesign.com
Cover photo by IstockPhoto, Shutterstock, and Dreamstime
Cover layout by Daryle Beam at BrightBoy Design, Inc.,
Chattanooga, TN
Interior design and typesetting by Kristin Goble at
PerfecType, Nashville, TN
Creative Team: Rebecca Guzman, Michael Van Schooneveld, Reagen Reed, Darla
Hightower, Arvid Wallen, Sharon Neal, and Rick Steele
Look for The Ravaged Realm—the next book in the
Legends of Karac Tor series, releasing summer 2012
Printed in the United States of America
16 15 14 13 12 11 –VG– 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The Song of Unmaking eBk.indd 4 11/8/11 11:16 AM
For Jeanie,
My beautiful Odessa
The Song of Unmaking eBk.indd 5 11/8/11 11:16 AM
Other books in the Legends of Karac Tor® series by D. Barkley Briggs
The Book of Names
Corus the Champion
The Song of Unmaking eBk.indd 6 11/8/11 11:16 AM
The Song of Unmaking eBk.indd 7 11/8/11 11:16 AM
What if sorrow was a doorway,
And memory, a gate?
What if we never passed through?
What worlds would go unfound?
The Song of Unmaking eBk.indd 9 11/8/11 11:16 AM
In final days / Come final woes
Doors shall open / Doors shall close
Forgotten curse / Blight the land
Four names, one blood / Fall or stand
Great one falls / Fallen low
Rising new / Ancient foe
Darkest path / One turns back
Blade which breaks / Anoint, attack
Once and future / Lord and land
Hidden tomb / Burning brand
Bone and earth / Warriors rise
Haste the day / Of bloody skies
Aion’s breath / Aion’s curse
Making song / Made perverse
Cold beginnings / Wild cry
Truth revealed / Fates divide
Secrets lost / Secrets found
Eight plus one / Hel unbound
Beast shall come / Some must go
Doors shall open / Doors shall close
Hanging prince / Vision seen
Ancient gate / ’Neath crimson green
Nine shall bow / Nine shall rise
Nine shall blow / Nine shall shine
Falling fire / Burning pure
A thousand cries / For mercy heard
Plagues on water / Horns of dread
End of days / Land be red
When final days / Bring final woes
Doors shall open / Doors shall close
Fate for one / For all unleashed
War of swords / Slay the beast
—The Ravna’s Last Riddle
The Song of Unmaking eBk.indd 11 11/8/11 11:16 AM