hugh cook fanfiction

[Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly]

Hugh Cook Fanfiction

Fanfiction for the author of 'Chronicles of an Age of Darkness' and
other works

http://hughcookfanfiction.angelfire.com





Submissions: danielthoma...@live.com.au



Chronicles of an Age of Darkness – by Hugh Cook
(From Wikipedia – Public Domain Information)
The books
The Wizards and the Warriors - (aka Wizard War[1]) 1986 (ISBN
0-552-12566-0)
The Wordsmiths and the Warguild - (aka The Questing Hero and The
Hero's Return (2 volumes)[2]) 1987 (ISBN 0-552-13130-X)
The Women and the Warlords - (aka The Oracle [3]) 1987 (ISBN
0-552-13131-8)
The Walrus and the Warwolf - (aka The Lords of the Sword) 1988 (ISBN
0-552-13327-2)
The Wicked and the Witless - 1989 (ISBN 0-552-13439-2)
The Wishstone and the Wonderworkers - 1990 (ISBN 0-552-13536-4)
The Wazir and the Witch - 1990 (ISBN 0-552-13537-2)
The Werewolf and the Wormlord - 1991 (ISBN 0-552-13538-0)
The Worshippers and the Way - 1992 (ISBN 0-552-13848-7)
The Witchlord and the Weaponmaster - 1992 (ISBN 0-552-13849-5)
The Chronicles of an Age of Darkness broadly tell the story of the
events leading to the end of a dark age.

The Chronicles of an Age of Darkness began with an ambitious outline
for a series of twenty novels. This would have been followed by two
equally long series, The Chronicles of an Age of Wrath, and The
Chronicles of an Age of Heroes. This sixty-volume scheme ended with
the publication of the tenth volume because of disappointing sales
[4].

The novels are written in vastly different styles, which may have
confused or alienated readers who expected continuity in each novel.
Another theory is that the naming scheme, consisting of continual
alliterative "W"-titles featuring unusual words put people off.

His remarkable ability to alter his writing style, coupled with a
truly striking ability to convey vastly differing characters and
places, has led many people to believe that "Hugh Cook" is a generic
name used by various authors. [5]

The Chronicles defy the conventions of the fantasy genre, by including
elements of science fiction, graphic violence, grotesque and macabre
elements, and political cynicism. They are sometimes described as
'gritty' because of their realism.

The novels aren't high fantasy. They could be described as New Wave
Sword and sorcery or Planetary romance/Sword and Planet. They also
include elements of comedy.

At different times, the novels portray or allude to murder,
bestiality, female genital cutting, cannibalism, racism, sexism,
speciesism, abortion, masturbation, mutation, incest, inbreeding,
constipation, assassination, gambling, drunkenness, brawling,
diarrhoea, capitalism, leprosy, castration, slavery, evolution,
patricide, regicide, venereal disease, forgery, treason, dwarf
tossing, torture, orgies, incontinence, suicide, disembowelment,
capital and corporal punishment, drug use, religious fraud, bribery,
blackmail, animal cruelty, disfigurement, infanticide, the caste
system, democratic revolutionary movements, rape, theft, genocide,
transvestitism, premature ejaculation, prostitution, piracy, and
polygamy.

[edit] Themes
Unlike most fantasy literature, the series eschews the concept and
good and evil. Drama is created by characters pursuing conflicting
goals, and the text often refuses to assign a moral function to their
actions.

For example, Justina Thrug appears as the central protagonist in The
Wazir and the Witch; the reader accepts all of her actions as
justifying her aims. In The Werewolf and the Wormlord, she appears as
a minor member of the group who oppose Alfric Danbrog's quest for
power. She does not change from being "good" to being "bad", the
narrative merely assigned her a different role that conflicts with
that of the central character.

[edit] Chronology
The Chronicles differ from most fantasy or science fiction series by
not telling the adventures of a main protagonist, on a particular
quest, in sequential order.

Instead, each book is written from the viewpoint of a different
character, whose personality and objectives differ markedly from the
protagonists of other books in the series. The novels are set over the
course of about thirty years.

Only occasionally do the plots of the novels interact directly, and
when characters cross paths, they perceive events in markedly
different fashions, as the following passages illustrate. The first
shows the view of a prisoner, Drake Douay, the second that of his
jailer, Watashi.

"Watashi's private torture chamber was a soundproof room containing a
narrow wooden bench, which bore an ominous number of russet stains,
and many ugly implements of iron. Drake did his thinking - and fast.
Clearly posing as an innocent peddlar was not going to save him." -
The Walrus and the Warwolf, p.352.

"... Douay was gagged and taken to an abandoned store room. Over the
last three days, this had been converted into a horror house. Many
ugly implements of iron had been gathered together; a torture bench
had been installed; and Jarl had slaughtered a chicken in the room to
make sure it was suitably blood-bespattered." - The Wicked and the
Witless, p. 303.

The Wizards and the Warriors – Volume One
The Wizards and the Warriors is the closest to a traditional epic
fantasy of the series, however, like all Cook's books, it has fun with
fantasy themes. This novel set the scene and plot that would dominate
the first five books, introducing all the characters that would
feature in the following novels. This, the first book, told the story
chiefly from the view of the Rovac warriors Elkor Alish and Morgan
Hearst, as well as the wizards Phyphor, Miphon & Garash.


The Wordsmiths and the Warguild – Volume Two - CLICK THIS LINK TO THE
FULL ONLINE TEXT FOR THE STORY, FREE TO READ ON HUGH COOK’S OWN
WEBSITE
http://www.zenvirus.com/fantasy-novel-complete-text-online/index.html

Hugh originally intended for The Women and the Warlords to be the
second in the series:

"The Women and the Warlords was, apparently, a miscue, at least from a
commercial perspective. Nobody said so outright, but I was politely
asked to write an intermediate book to sit between The Wizards and the
Warriors and The Women and the Warlords.

Not really understanding why I was being asked to write this
additional book, I nevertheless sat down and wrote it, and had fun
doing so ... the result was The Wordsmiths and the Warguild which is
the story of Togura Poulaan, a rather hapless young man who endures
all manner of adventures but achieves nothing. If he had achieved
something, he would have upset my ideas for the overall structure of
the series, which was already becoming difficult to control.

As The Wordsmiths and the Warguild was not a long book to start with,
I was a bit dismayed to have it cut into two parts for American
publication." [6]


The Women and the Warlords – Volume Three
Frequently described as the book that ended the commercial viability
of the series, Women and the Warlords tells the story of Yen Olass, a
female oracle from the Collosnon Empire. Being a female in a male
dominated society (the Collosnon Empire and its people, the Yarglat
being loosely based on the Mongols) she suffers some very unpleasant
experiences. There is evidence of her displaying lesbian tendencies
due to her hardship at the hands of men, and she is not what you would
call a stereotypical heroine. She has a penchant for swearing and for
violence, amongst other character flaws.


The Walrus and the Warwolf – Volume Four
Perhaps the most popular book of the series, The Walrus and the
Warwolf describes the picaresque adventures of Drake Douay, an
apprentice swordsmith turned pirate. Drake's story is driven by two
narrative strands, both of which are established in the opening
chapters. Firstly, Drake meets and falls in love with Zanya
Kliedervaust, who rejects him; secondly, the swordsmith for whom Drake
works becomes insane and founds a new religion in which Drake is
denoted as a figure of evil.

The novel relates Drake's exile from homeland (which has fallen into
the hands of adherents of his ex-master's religion), and his long
quest to win Zanya. It is intertwined with the central events of the
first five volumes of the series: the war of Elkor Alish, the invasion
of Argan by the Collosnon Empire, and the fall of the Confederation of
Wizards. For fans of the series, Drake's adventures with the pirates
are highly regarded; the novel is also popular for its depiction of
Drake's exploits in the areas of religion, war, power struggle, the
courtroom, and the torture chamber.


The Wicked and the Witless – Volume Five
This is the last book in the series to be set entirely on the
continent of Argan and deal with the events around which the early
novels revolve. It is the story of Sean Sarazin, aka Watashi, who is
the oldest son of the ruler of Argan's most powerful state, the
Harvest Plains.

Although very ambitious, Watashi is barred by law from seeking power
for himself. The novel relates his attempts to make himself a ruler,
both in the Harvest Plains and elsewhere. Along with book seven of the
series, The Wazir and the Witch, this novel most clearly demonstrates
Cook's liking, and talent, for writing about political intrigue.


The Wishstone and the Wonderworkers – Volume Six
This volume is purportedly a manuscript written by a madman which has
been extensively censored and annotated by hostile editors. It
represents a break with the narrative of the previous five novels,
being set at an earlier time and in a largely unconnected location.
Although some of the characters from the Argan novels appear, the
Wishstone and the Wonderworkers does not deal with the events of the
Argan chronology (the war launched by Elkor Alish and the fall of the
Confederation of Wizards). Instead it is concerned with events on the
continent of Yestron, specifically on the tropical island of
Untunchilamon which is subject to Yestron's rulers.

This novel is the first to introduce the Nexus, the interstellar
civilization which forms the distant backstory of the Chronicles. It
provides an explanation of the history of the planet, and of how it
came to be separated from the Nexus and plunged into the "Age of
Darkness".


The Wazir and the Witch – Volume Seven
This seventh novel continues the story begun in book six. It is
narrated by the same madman, this time writing at a later date at
which he has, for the most part, recovered his sanity. In The Wazir
and the Witch, Cook demonstrates (as he did in book three) his ability
to write strong and nuanced female characters, considered atypical for
adventure fantasy. It concerns the ruler of Untunchilamon, the Empress
Justina. Justina's enemy, Aldarch the Third, has triumphed in the
political struggle on the continent of Yestron and Justina's rule is
at an end. The novel relates her attempts to stay alive and in power
long enough to flee the island with her supporters.


The Werewolf and the Wormlord – Volume Eight
The events of The Werewolf and the Wormlord take place shortly after
those of the two Untunchilamon novels. The novel is set in the Empress
Justina's homeland, Wen Endex, in the north of Yestron and nominally
subject to Aldarch the Third. Justina herself is a peripheral
character for much of the novel. Wen Endex is ruled by the Yudonic
Knights who are reminiscient of the heroic characters of Scandinavian
myth.

The novel relates a power struggle to succeed the Wormlord, ruler of
Wen Endex, between his daughter Ursula and his grandson Alfric, the
protagonist. Alfric is a Yudonic Knight who has largely abandoned his
heritage to work for the supranational organization of the Partnership
Banks. He is drawn, reluctantly at first, into the contest to succeed
his grandfather. Volume eight is notable for its original, and
humorous, treatment of traditional monsters such as werewolves,
vampires, and giants.



The Worshippers and the Way – Volume Nine – CLICK THIS LINK TO THE
FULL ONLINE TEXT FOR THE STORY, FREE TO READ ON HUGH COOK’S OWN
WEBSITE http://www.zenvirus.com/military-sf-sci-fi-war/sf-novel-worshippers-way.html
Volume nine is set on the continent of Parengarenga. For the most
part, it does not deal with the events that take place on either Argan
or Yestron. In this novel Cook returns to the backstory of the series
first introduced in book six, the interstellar civilization of the
Nexus. On Parengarenga, a Nexus combat school has survived the twenty
thousand years since the link between the Nexus and the world of the
Chronicles was broken.

The AI which administers the combat school continues to train students
from the city in which it is located. Thus many inhabitants of the
Dark Age city are trained to be members of the advanced technological
civilization of the Nexus. However, none of the space-going vessels
and superweapons of the Nexus are still in existence and the cadets
are trained by means of virtual reality programs. Their technological
skill and advanced scientific knowledge are of no use to them in the
world they inhabit. The novel deals with one trainee, Asodo Hatch, and
the conflict between his loyalty to his family and people in the real
world, and his involvement in what he knows to be the futile concerns
of the combat school.



The Witchlord and the Weaponmaster – Volume Ten – CLICK THIS LINK TO
THE FULL ONLINE TEXT FOR THE STORY, FREE TO READ ON HUGH COOK’S OWN
WEBSITE
http://www.zenvirus.com/wizard-wizards-warrior-warriors/saga-novel-witchlord-weaponmaster.html

Book ten tells the story of Guest Gulkan, a recurring character who
appears in many of the first nine novels. Guest's story encompasses
the entire chronology of the Chronicles, beginning before the earliest
previously related events, and ending with the close of the "Age of
Darkness". Guest is a typically complex Cook character, a questing
hero who begins as a thoughtless, over-confident boy of 14 and, by the
time he finally fulfills his ambitions, finishes as a more self-
reflective, semi-traumatized conqueror. Guest's quest for power unites
many of the most significant plot elements of the series and his
eventual success is of a different order from that of the previous
protagonists, giving him enough control over his world to change it
entirely and bring the series to a conclusion.



Stories



Plans of Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly for the future of the ‘Chronicles
of an Age of Darkness’.

On Hugh Cook’s website he has a number of comprehensive documents
giving outlines for the future of the Chronicles of an Age of Darkness
series. Hugh planned 20 volumes in the Chronicles of an Age of
Darkness, yet only managed to complete 10 of the Volumes (apparently
due to lack of sufficient demand and sales) before he passed on.
Volumes 11 through to 20 were planned to be sequels to the original
storylines. Essentially my plan is to continue Hugh’s work in a
fanfiction environment to hopefully live up to the desires of the fans
of the saga for more of the world of ‘Olo Malan’. Hugh also planned
more sequels (and Prequels I think) with Volumes 21 to 40 being called
‘Chronicles of an Age of Wrath’ and Volumes 41 to 60 being called
‘Chronicles of an Age of Heroes.’ There is also information on
‘Chronicles of an Age of Empire’. Much of my writing over the next
decade or so will be to bring to light my version of these plans to
give Hugh Cook fans more entertaining and canon compliant material.

Briefly, Volume 11 through to Volume 20 tell the story of the world
being haphazardly unified through the three Door-Circles which link
key areas of the Realm. It is ultimately up to the wizard Hostaja
Torsen Skin-Pitilkin to establish what will not be an Empire, but an
Alliance, that brings together key world powers and throws the Swarms
of Argan back into the Deep South. On Hugh Cook’s website there are
basic plot summaries of each of the volumes and I have incorporated
these into the plot summaries for Volumes 11 and 12, which I have
worked on below with many of my own original ideas. The plot
summaries of Volumes 13 through to 20 contained below are entirely the
invention of Hugh Cook and I have yet to modify them, but will
naturally develop the ideas into full plot summaries. These plot
summaries can be found on his website. All of the volume titles (with
the exception of volume 13 which was one of Hugh’s tentative titles
for an earlier volume) are my own creation. Over the next few months
I will be doing extensive chapter by chapter plot summaries for the
entire saga up to volume 20.

For information on myself (Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly) and my writing
credentials you can find my autobiography/blog/journal and extensive
writings in the ‘Chronicles of the Children of Destiny’ saga FREE to
read at this weblink:

http://noahidebooks.angelfire.com





LINK TO THE MAP OF THE WORLD OF OLO MALAN FROM HUGH COOK’S WEBSITE



Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Volume 11 - The Wyvvern and the
Warlock (Work in Progress – Click me for the story written so far)

By Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly

Book Eleven Tells the story of Togura Poulaan’s continuing adventures
with the wizard Kalphor (Phyphor’s cousin) from ransacking the
abandoned continent of Argan to seeking out the Warlock Blaz Durass
who, apparently, has power to control the minds of Wyvverns to serve
him. Hoping to utilize such powers, Togura and Kalphor travel to the
Cold West, gain Blaz Durass’s help, who owes a life debt to Kalphor
and return to Argan to continue their treasure hunting with, what they
hope, will be an army of Wyvverns defending them from the beasts of
Argan. Unfortunately Blaz’s exaggerations of his actual abilities
gives him lukewarm power over only one old and quite daft Wyvvern, who
whilst pretending to having succumbed to the power of Blaz, was
actually looking for one last adventure and joined the unlikely team
for the hell of it. Yet, with more dumb luck than any actual heroic
prowess, the group of questing treasure seekers somehow manage to
travel through the continent of Argan which, surprisingly, still has
quite a range of dangerous inhabitants, from mad wizards, to warlords
eager to utilize the beasts of Argan for their wargames, to the home
of the Archimage Zen Durander who, in the ultimate showdown,
challenges the Warlock to a magical series of tests which, if he is
successful, will gain the group untold wealth.

Having gained the wealth they desired from Zen Durander in their
questing adventures they return to Sung were Togura Poulaan is duly,
upon the abdication of his father, announced as the new Baron of the
Poulaan clan. Holding court for the first time Togura is greeted by
the travelling Morgan Hearst who is heading for the islands of Rovac.
Togura, now ambitious to become King of Sung, realizing that with his
increasing fame on Sung due to his newfound wealth and heroic fighting
capabilities, seeks to join Morgan’s questing ambitions and the
economic prosperity in controlling the door-circles, and thus
listening to Morgan’s plans, and joins with him to travel to the
islands of Rovac. Meanwhile, Blaz, leaving their company, returns to
the Cold West to resume his Wizarding work with the Wyvvern. The
Wyvvern, though, having gained some insight into the plans of Morgan
Hearst and his knowledge of the three circles, leaves Blaz and staying
out of sight, follows Morgan Hearst and Togura to the Rovac Islands
were he meets up with Thodric Jarl. Thodric Jarl has an allergic
reaction to Wyvverns, but does his best to listen to the Wyvvern’s
tale and enters into an agreement with the Wyvvern on behalf of the
Wyvvern’s community, aiming to bring Wyvverndom into the anticipated
economic prosperity which seems to lie ahead. On the islands of Rovac
one particular isolated island is contaminated with creatures of the
Swarms. On the island is a Door which Hearst opens with a star-globe
he brought from the Lesser Teeth: the Star Globe originally brought to
the Lessers by Yen Olass Ampadara. The book then follows the progress
of Hearst and Togura’s ambitions as they form an alliance with Jarl,
the Wyvvern staying unseen as they seek to integrate themselves into
the society of Rovac and to control this Third Circle. The story
climaxes with Blaz Durass coming to prominence in Rovac as the great
Wyvvern’s chosen wizard to sit on on the Rovac Guild of Wizards,
Witches and Warlock’s council. The Wyvvern has managed to integrate
himself into Rovac culture as practically a ‘god’ as the Rovac often
worshipped Wyvvern’s in the past and a talking Wyvvern is something
truly to behold. The guild is one of the voices in the new Rovac
Economic Prosperity Government, which seeks to utilize the power of
the circles to amass wealth for itsle and build its civilization.
Togura seeks to act as a voice for Sung in this process and, having
befriended both the Wyvvern and Blaz, is voted upon as official Sung
representative on the Economic Prosperity council of Rovac. Togura
then leaves his friends to return to Sung with the good news, upon
which Sung proclaims him as their new King, with the coronation of
King Togura of Sung being the climax to the novel.







NOTE: (NOTE: This series is to be left unfinished by myself. These
plots are all the work of Hugh Cook, except for Volumes 11 & 12 which
are a mixture of Hugh’s Plots and My own Plots (you can see his plots
for 11 & 12 on his website). Volume 13’s title is one of Hugh’s
titles. The rest of volumes 11 to 20 are my OWN titles.



I have written about 15,000 words of Volume 11. That is as much as I
am going to do. When Volume 11 becomes Public Domain (70 years after
I am dead, as it is technically copyright by myself, even though I
can’t publish the work until 70 years after Hugh’s death, as he is the
author of Volumes 1 to 10) I would welcome any ambitious writer who
wishes to, to continue on with my work if they wish to and finish off
the stories on Hugh Cook’s plots and my own if such a writer wishes
to. Of course, there is nothing to stop anyone using just Hugh Cook’s
plots and writing their own fanfiction series right now, but remember
Hugh’s saga does not become Public Domain until about 2080 AD (he died
just recently), so you can only do fanfiction until then.



Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Volume 12 – The Watchtower and the
Watermelon (Forthcoming very soon)

By Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly

Book Twelve of the Chronicles of an Age of Darkness, an epic and
lengthy novel drawing on all the major characters of the series in an
epic showdown of hilarious contest between the ancient sect of the
Watermelon and the challenging truths of the illustrious Watchtower.
With the Doomsayers coming to the world to pass judgement upon the
main characters of the series for all their various idiosyncracies and
character defaults, ‘The Watchtower and the Watermelon’ hilights
Phyphor’s struggle with his ‘Watermelon’ heritage and the threat of
the Watchtower. ‘Squirrel Dalydius’ is the main new protagonist of
this saga, who draws Phyphor into a special destiny to rid the
Watermelon sect of their frustrating Watchtower opponents. Squirrel,
in assigning a special task for Phyphor, tells him of his
responsibilities, according to the judgements of the Doomsayers, to
teach and uphold the rule of law in the world and to nurture and mould
the young and innocent to take their place as the future rulers of the
world, and thus sends him to the newly established ‘Dominion of Sung’
were, according to the Doomsayers, he is to nurture and encourage the
mental and spiritual growth of a certain bumbling youth, the ambitious
Wart.

After Togura Poulaan becomes king of Sung at the end of Volume 11, he
appoints Wart as guardian of the wreckage of the green bottle which
lies near Keep. The book follows the Wart's difficulties as he
struggles to protect this wreckage, which is increasingly becoming the
focus of questing heroes and other such rabble.

When the wise old Phyphor arrives on Sung he befriends the young Wart
and carefully begins to teach and mould him in the ways of becoming a
man. Wart instantly likes Phyphor and dreams of becoming a wizard,
but Phyphor suggests to him that the area of politics will likely end
up his strength and, following Squirrel’s directives from the
Doomsayers, speaks of a prophecy which emanated from a civilization
only known as ‘The Nexus’, coming down into their universe, of a
special lad who would one day rise up to glory and join the Nexus as
chief representative and King of his own universe. Phyphor tells the
young Wart ‘That could well be you, so learn your lessons well young
king in waiting.’

Through his tribulations in learning to protect the valuables of the
wreckage of the green bottle and learning the ways of responsibility,
Wart grows from being a bumbling young Hardluck hero, to something of
a man who has won the heart of Sonilia Suet, the youngest daughter of
the Suet clan.

The book climaxes with Wart being appointed a barony, and Phyphor
returning to Squirrel with all the news of his lessons for the young
Wart. Thereupon Phyphor is delivered up to the council of the
Doomsayers, who sentence him the next task of sorting out the problems
between the Watermelon Sect and the Watchtower, one of the recurring
themes through volumes 13 to 20.



Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Volume 13 – The Weird and the Warped
(Forthcoming) (Hugh’s plot summary from website)

Nuana Nanalako returns to her home in the Stepping Stone
Islands only to find that she was officially declared dead years ago.
The book follows her difficulties as a living ghost.





Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Volume 14 – The Wheelwright and the
Window-washer (Hugh’s plot summary from website)

Drake Douay and his companions proceed to Tor after the
wrecking of the good ship Dragon. The book follows the adventures of
Drake and his companions during the years in which Jon Arabin
establishes an empire in the Drangsturm Gulf.
With the help of war machines from Ling, most notably a
skavamareen (a PsyOps weapon which flies) Drake and his companions
push deep into the Terror-lands of the Deep South, where Drake makes
himself lord of the ancient city which houses the tectonic lever.


Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Volume 15 – The Woeful and the Wise
(Hugh’s plot summary from website)

As Hostaja Torsen Sken-Pitilkin and the wizards of the
Confederation tighten their grip on the Circle of the Partnership
Banks, it becomes increasingly clear that there is precious little
scope for the more ambitious warriors. Accordingly Watashi and others,
having come into possession of a star-globe, seek to establish their
own empire by opening the Circle accessed through the Old City of
Penvash.
The Penvash Circle runs thus: Old City - Eucalyptus Forest -
Ocean Cay - Drangsturm Southside - Mountain Snowland - Plain of Tazala
- Jungle Temple - Dalar ken Halvar - Cannibal Beach - and back to the
Old City.
Having opened this Circle, Watashi and his allies must cope
with the consequent complications. The Door in the Mountain Snowland
is on one side of a high pass. On the other side is one of the Doors
of the Third Circle exploited by Morgan Hearst and Thodric Jarl. Near
these mountains is the city of the tectonic lever, where Drake Douay
resides; and in due course Drake explores to the Door, mounted on his
trusty skavamareen.
The Door on the Cannibal Beach is disconcertingly near Port
Domax, the free port where Shabble dwells, and it is not long before
Shabble comes bobbing along in company with a considerable retinue to
demand access to the Penvash Circle. The Door in the Eucalyptus Forest
is in the south of Parengarenga, the continent which is home to the
city of Dalar ken Halvar.
The power-seekers heighten all complications when they attempt
to seize the home city of the young Lord Dreldragon, who saves himself
by briefly using the tectonic lever. This has has far-flung
consequences, including the opening of a sea channel between the
Drangsturm Gulf and the Ocean of Cambria.


Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Volume 16 – The Waxman and the
Warthog (Hugh’s plot summary from website)

This book deals with events on Untunchilamon after the fall of
the Empress Justina. It focuses on the artist Slanic Moldova.
A wazir sent by Aldarch III seeks to exercise his authority
over Untunchilamon. An Expeditionary Force from Odrum makes an ill-
advised excursion to the island. And Codlugarthia establishes his rule
on Untunchilamon.


Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Volume 17 – The Whale and the
Watermaiden (Hugh’s plot summary from website)

This book is set in Chi'ash-lan, the ruling city of the Cold
West, which is experiencing severe difficulties. The Rovac will no
longer fight for Chi'ash-lan, but instead have returned to their home
islands to place their swords at the service of the Rovac World Ring,
aka the Rovac Ring, the Third Circle of Doors controlled by Morgan
Hearst and Thodric Jarl.
The old enemies are turning on Chi'ash-lan.
Above all else, those enemies demand the death of Bailiff Vok,
Chi'ash-lan's long-time ruler. They are also intensely interested in
the x-x-zix, the wishstone of Untunchilamon, which has come into
Bailiff Vok's possession. In Bailiff Vok's prisons there is a man who
has the ability to command the x-x-zix. If this man is allowed to
proceed to the City of Ice with the x-x-zix then he can warm the
weather of the Cold West, causing an icemelt which will unlock,
amongst other things, the sea route from the Cold West to the Hauma
Sea.
Bailiff Vok refuses to concede either his own life or Chi'ash-
lan's supremacy. As Vok fights increasingly desperate and savage
battles for control and survival, two men make the decision to
dispossess him. These men are Prince Tatsu and the gladiator Bork. The
book follows their ultimately successful attempt to win control of
Chi'ash-lan and the difficult diplomacy which follows as, by a mixture
of bluff, threat and bribe, they endeavour to protect their city from
its enemies.


Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Volume 18 – The Warmakers and the
Worldring (Hugh’s plot summary from website)

Three Circles are now in operation: that of the Partnership
Banks (the Safrak Circle), that controlled from the Old City (the
Penvash Circle) and that of the Rovac (the Third Circle, aka the Rovac
World Ring, aka the Rovac Ring).
Unfortunately one of the Doors of the Penvash Circle is
underwater, which compromises its effective operation.
Nevertheless ...
It functions, after a fashion, pouring a river of salt water
into the Mountain Snowlands.
The one common meeting place of these three Circles is in the
city of Dalar ken Halvar.
The powers of the three Circles fight an increasingly bloody
war of spies and assassins for control of the city of Dalar ken
Halvar, which some see as meaning the control of the world.
This book deals with the clash of those spies and assassins,
those spies and assassins being themselves caught up in the
complexities of an internal power struggle in Dalar ken Halvar
itself.


Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Volume 19 – The Wolfking and the Web
(Hugh’s plot summary from website)

This book is set in Drake Douay's home city, the city of the
tectonic lever, where he has generously allowed certain wizards of the
Confederation to make their homes.
Drake Douay is progressively unlocking the secrets of his home
city. His latest discovery is a cache of some twenty-seven million
telephones which date back to the days of the Nexus. Drake proposes
setting up a telephone network to link the entire world.
The telephones are very enthusiastic about this idea, as they
are sick and tired of sitting in the dark with nobody to talk to but
each other. Unfortunately, this idea is anathema to the wizards, who
are alarmed at the speed of events, and particularly alarmed at the
way Drake's new technology outstrips their own powers.
The wizards accordingly attempt a coup against the young Lord
Dreldragon, who must struggle against them as best he can.
Fortunately, the telephones are all on Drake's side.
This book deals with the days of the coup and Drake's efforts
to save both himself and his beloved telephones.


Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Volume 20 – The Why and the Wherefore
(Hugh’s plot summary from website)

In Volume 15, one of the Doors of the Penvash Circle was sunk
when Drake Douay briefly used the tectonic lever, with far-flung
consequences which include the opening of a deep sea channel between
Argan North and Argan South.
This book opens at Drangsturm, now a deep sea channel between
Argan North and Argan South. Sken-Pitilkin is supervising the salvage
of a vital Door from the deep water channel. An entirely unrepentent
Drake Douay is assisting.
Drake is now the lord of Babel, the international telephone
network. The telephone is the latest (and in many ways the most
powerful) of the devices which is rapidly changing the world beyond
recognition.
Another change is that airflight is increasingly commonplace.
Hostaja Torsen Sken-Pitilkin, the true inventor of effective
flight, has taught other wizards of his Order the secret of his
stickbirds. A wizard's power is inimical to the natural order of the
universe, which seeks to destroy that power. When enchanted objects
are not properly shielded, they are usually destroyed in short order,
most commonly with devastating effects.
It is Sken-Pitilkin's genius to have devised a system for
partially exposing an enchanted object to destruction, then trapping
and using the turbulent forces which result. This is why he can fly
his stickbird across entire continents, a feat entirely beyond other
wizards of his order until he shows them the way.
The world is now linked by telephones, by three Circles (the
Circle of the Partnership Banks, aka the Safrak Circle; the Circle of
the Old City, aka the Penvash Circle; and the Third Circle, aka the
Rovac World Ring, aka the Rovac Ring) and by many airpowered wizards.
The Confederation of Wizards, which has slowly been
regrouping, and has now established itself firmly on Ashmolea, intends
to bring this new world under its rule, and so summons Sken-Pitilkin
and others to a conference at which submission will be demanded.
Unfortunately for the Confederation, it has severely underestimated
the strength of some of the Powers it has summoned, most notably
Codlugarthia and the young Lord Dreldragon.
The book follows Sken-Pitilkin's ultimately successful efforts
to preserve his own life, his political power and the peace of the
world at this Conference, which he does in part by postponing all
issues which are incapable of easy resolution (such as whether Lord
Dreldragon is within his rights when he lays claim to the Stepping
Stone Islands), and in part by encouraging the destructive tensions
within the Confederation.
By the time the Conference has been brought to a successful
conclusion, the Confederation of Wizards is almost on the point of
destroying itself. As the people who have taken part in the Conference
disperse, Sken-Pitilkin is detained, and must use all his skill, wit
and expertise to bring about the political destruction of the
Confederation and remove the threat which it poses to the new order of
the world.




Links



Main Hugh Cook Website for his Free to read online writings –
http://zenvirus.com



Hugh Cook Blogspot – http://hughcook.blogspot.com







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