The stone dance of the chameleon : the Chosen : trilogy

The sequel to The Chosen and the second book in The Stone Dance of the Chameleon trilogy. Twelve years in the creating, Ricardo Pinto's sumptuously imagined Commonwealth of the Three Lands first enthralled fantasy readers in his acclaimed debut, The Chosen . Now the story of the Masters and their imperious, cruel world continues in a novel as original and absorbing as the first. Escaping the clutches of the Empress Ykoriana, Carnelian and Osidian find themselves captives of a barbarian tribe from the southern plain. Dark, unexpected and unbidden forces surface, threatening this new-found world. Rich in detail, passion and drama, The Standing Dead confirms Ricardo Pinto as one of fantasy's most singular and literate new voices. The first novel in a trilogy, this book recounts the adventures of Carnelian. He is taken away from his own race of majestic but cruel beings called the Masters, due to his father's self-imposed exile. Years later, through bitter winter gales, a great black ship arrives to shatter his world. In desperation, the Ruling Lord Suth searches within the sacred walls of Osrakum for Carnelian, his son. He suspects the Empress is behind the disappearance and knows that if he is not found then her other son, Molochite, will rule - with fearful consequences for the Three Lands. Escaping the clutches of the Empress Ykoriana, Carnelian and Osidian find themselves captives of a barbarian tribe from the southern plain. While Carnelian succumbs to the seasonal rhythm of tribal life, Osidian's lust for revenge deepens