Arthor Series by A.A. Attanasio

A queen, a pilgrim, a demon -- and a king with a world to saveBeneath every beloved legend there is a deeper legend still, etched in ancient stone. The Dragon and the Unicorn begins before the beginning of Time, as light first cools to matter, bearing within it the electron glow of lost Heaven... moreA queen, a pilgrim, a demon -- and a king with a world to saveBeneath every beloved legend there is a deeper legend still, etched in ancient stone. The Dragon and the Unicorn begins before the beginning of Time, as light first cools to matter, bearing within it the electron glow of lost Heaven. Attanasio's epic tale of a quest for immortality spans all history, human and demihuman, from the dung fires on the steppes to the snows of Himalayas, from the mudhut cities on the Euphrates to the glass and steel towers of tomorrow, from the hunt for the Unicorn's horn to the ceaseless wars of elf and dragon, Celt and Roman. It is a quest that end -- and begins -- in a legend-heavy place at the edge of the Western Sea, with the first cry of a King new born. A place called Tint gel. A King, the Heir Pendragon, called Eagle of Thor, or...Arthor.One of today's boldest, most imaginative, and most inventive authors, A. A. Attanasio unites all the legends of creation and redemption into a dream song as old as the druid chants, and as timeless as the quantum hum at creation's shinning heart.And so a new departure in epic fantasy takes flight. less

Merlin's BeaconAttanasio's The Dragon and the Unicorn began with the Dawn of Time. This equally ambitious and magical epic begins with the Dawn of History.The demon Lailoken, Merlin to humankind, has groomed Pendragon's son, the eagle of Thor, to lead the doomed Celts against the Saxon, Pict, and Angle conquerors. In defeat will Arthor find his victory, and Camelot its triumph. Their light will shine across the ages, a beacon to humankind... moreMerlin's BeaconAttanasio's The Dragon and the Unicorn began with the Dawn of Time. This equally ambitious and magical epic begins with the Dawn of History.The demon Lailoken, Merlin to humankind, has groomed Pendragon's son, the eagle of Thor, to lead the doomed Celts against the Saxon, Pict, and Angle conquerors. In defeat will Arthor find his victory, and Camelot its triumph. Their light will shine across the ages, a beacon to humankind.But Merlin is shocked to discover that his Eagle is a vicious, callow youth whose only joy is killing. With his Roman sword "Short-Life," Arthor will bathe Tintagel in blood, unless another sword offers itself to his gore-slick hand. A sword that must be pulled from the star-stone at Creation's radiant heart... less

The Warrior King Arthor, Eagle of Thor, has triumphed through war. Now Britain--and destiny--are his to claim. Already rolling on the roads from Tintagel to Camelot is the great wheel that will become the Round Table.But the perilous order promised by Arthor' s victory is threatened by forces beyond human ken. For Merlin has descended into Hell, to fend with the Fire Lords who give the Universe its shimmering form... moreThe Warrior King Arthor, Eagle of Thor, has triumphed through war. Now Britain--and destiny--are his to claim. Already rolling on the roads from Tintagel to Camelot is the great wheel that will become the Round Table.But the perilous order promised by Arthor' s victory is threatened by forces beyond human ken. For Merlin has descended into Hell, to fend with the Fire Lords who give the Universe its shimmering form. And for the young king himself, there is a sacred Graal, and an Earthly love, to seek...A. A. Attanasio' s epic retelling of humankind' s most beloved legend weaves into one magnificent tapestry the hallowed warp of Arthurian lore, the shaggy woof of Druidic myth, and the shimmering strands of quantum science. less

The boy-king Arthor has beaten back the berserker wolf warriors of the Saxon god, uniting his island kingdom -- but at a terrible cost. For the Grail, the chalice of the Last Supper and the magical shield of Britain, has been stolen.Without the Grail's protection, Britain lies parched and barren, a demon-haunted landscape where sulfurous vapors taint ther air... moreThe boy-king Arthor has beaten back the berserker wolf warriors of the Saxon god, uniting his island kingdom -- but at a terrible cost. For the Grail, the chalice of the Last Supper and the magical shield of Britain, has been stolen.Without the Grail's protection, Britain lies parched and barren, a demon-haunted landscape where sulfurous vapors taint ther air. To find the Grail, Arthor's mother, Ygrane, must strike a dark bargain with Bright Night, elf-prince of the "pale people,"in the hollow hills. Merlin must use his magic to show the way. But it is Arthor himself who must confront the Serpent, Sword in hand.A.A.. Atanasio's epic retelling of humankind's most powerful legend weaves together, for the first time, the hallowed yarn of ancient Arthurian lore and the shimmering strands of modern quantum science. less

Arthor has achieved the impossible - pulling the sword Excalibur from the stone. He is now king of all Britain. But the tribal chieftains are not willing to accept a beardless 15-year-old lad as their ruler. Arthor must take his frail power and win the pledges of loyalty from his subjects.