The Bard's Tale: Naitachal Series by Mercedes Lackey, Ru Emerson, Mark Shepherd, Josepha Sherman

Believing his new life as a bard's apprentice will be filled with excitement and adventure, young Kevin is disappointed by his first task to deliver a manuscript to the castle of Count Volmar. Disappointed, that is, until the Count's niece is kidnapped by elves. Kevin agrees to locate the young woman, unaware that she is not actually the Count's niece and that the elves are not actually elves.A great new novel by two fantasy stars of the first magnitude... moreBelieving his new life as a bard's apprentice will be filled with excitement and adventure, young Kevin is disappointed by his first task to deliver a manuscript to the castle of Count Volmar. Disappointed, that is, until the Count's niece is kidnapped by elves. Kevin agrees to locate the young woman, unaware that she is not actually the Count's niece and that the elves are not actually elves.A great new novel by two fantasy stars of the first magnitude. A young bard faces a web of lies and deception in a world where nothing is as it seems--and everything is a trap for the unwary. Set in the same literary universe as the bestselling computer adventure, The Bard's Tale IV. less

Return to the world of The Bard's Tale in this stand-alone sequel to the smash hit Castle of Deception. Naitachal, the Dark Elf who showed his true heroic nature in Castle, is now a Master Bard with a mystical apprentice. On an adventure to a distant, icy land, the pair rescue three strangers who make for strange companions indeed.

Sent by King Reynard to Suinomen, a kingdom on the northern border where magic is banned, Alaire and Naitchal must find out why their once-peaceful neighbor is preparing for war and prevent a conflict.

The Prodigal's unwilling returnThe Dark Elf Naitachal, once a Necromancer who gained power by depriving others of their life forces, is now happy in the more peaceful role of Bard. But shadows from his past linger. Naitachal's Dark Elf clan sees him as the worst of traitors for daring to turn towards the Light. They mean to take revenge.They create a trap, the Chaos Gate, a sorcerous portal that is meant to draw him into their lands and into their power... moreThe Prodigal's unwilling returnThe Dark Elf Naitachal, once a Necromancer who gained power by depriving others of their life forces, is now happy in the more peaceful role of Bard. But shadows from his past linger. Naitachal's Dark Elf clan sees him as the worst of traitors for daring to turn towards the Light. They mean to take revenge.They create a trap, the Chaos Gate, a sorcerous portal that is meant to draw him into their lands and into their power.Only Kevin, once Naitachal's apprentice, now a full Bard and Count in his own castle, stands between the Dark Elf and certain doom. But can even the powers of Bardic Magic be enough to vanquish the Darkness? less

Once again, instead of writing music, working spells or training his apprentice, Bard Alaire is asked to turn his hand to diplomacy. Because he's the only man the king, his brother, can trust to investigate the death of the previous ambassador, Alaire has been made ambassador to the troubled kingdom of Suinomen. Once before Alaire was in Suinomen--and barely made it out alive from its Prison of Souls... moreOnce again, instead of writing music, working spells or training his apprentice, Bard Alaire is asked to turn his hand to diplomacy. Because he's the only man the king, his brother, can trust to investigate the death of the previous ambassador, Alaire has been made ambassador to the troubled kingdom of Suinomen. Once before Alaire was in Suinomen--and barely made it out alive from its Prison of Souls. Now he will face high seas, low magic, and kidnapping by giant spiders--and that's before he even gets there.... 0 less