The Great Game Series by Dave Duncan

Edward Exeter, seemingly a golden child of a golden age, has a past spattered with tragedy and blood. His present is marred by the outbreak of the Great War, and it is further stained by the death of his friend, Timothy Bodgley, in circumstances that leave Edward in hospital, implicated as Bodgley's murderer... moreEdward Exeter, seemingly a golden child of a golden age, has a past spattered with tragedy and blood. His present is marred by the outbreak of the Great War, and it is further stained by the death of his friend, Timothy Bodgley, in circumstances that leave Edward in hospital, implicated as Bodgley's murderer. Strange chains of history and causality tighten on Edward's life: He is the unwilling key figure in an otherworldly prediction of salvation and/or disaster, bound to break the prophecy or fulfill it. less

A masterful world-builder and award-winning fantasist nonpareil, DAVE DUNCAN carries us through the hidden portals that link two war-wounded worlds...into a miraculous realm where mortals become gods. THE GREAT GAME IS AFOOT!In the midst of the horror of the first World War, a stranger falls from nowhere into the mud and death of the Flanders battlefield--bruised, babbling, and stark naked...with a remarkable story to tell... moreA masterful world-builder and award-winning fantasist nonpareil, DAVE DUNCAN carries us through the hidden portals that link two war-wounded worlds...into a miraculous realm where mortals become gods. THE GREAT GAME IS AFOOT!In the midst of the horror of the first World War, a stranger falls from nowhere into the mud and death of the Flanders battlefield--bruised, babbling, and stark naked...with a remarkable story to tell.Wrongly accused murderer Edward Exeter has reappeared on this Earth hearing scars and secrets. From somewhere he calls next door--a place old godly intrigues and an ancient prophecy that he wants no part of. But powerful forces on both sides of a mystical border have other plans for the young fugitive. And now, in the company of loyal comrades, he must flee murderous pursuers from two separate worlds. But there is no escape from his destiny. For Exeter has obligations to the past and the future that must be met...if myriad civilizations are to survive.A masterful world-builder and award-winning fantasistnonpareil, DAVE DUNCAN carries us through the hidden portals that link two war-wounded worlds...into a miraculous realm where mortals become gods.THE GREAT GAME IS AFOOT!In the midst of the horror of the first World War, a stranger falls from nowhere into the mud and death of the Flanders battlefield--bruised, babbling, and stark naked...with a remarkable story to tell.Wrongly accused murderer Edward Exeter has reappeared on this Earth hearing scars and secrets. From somewhere he calls next door--a place old godly intrigues and an ancient prophecy that he wants no part of. But powerful forces on both sides of a mystical border have other plans forthe young fugitive. And now, in the company of loyal comrades, he must flee murderous pursuers from two separate worlds. But there is no escape from his destiny. For Exeter has obligations to the past and the future that must be met...if myriad civilizations are to survive. less

In this richly layered and relentlessly exciting conclusion to The Great Game, Edward Exeter accepts the destiny that has been prophesied for him in the strange, alternate world called Nextdoor -- a far-flung outpost of British imperialism where earthborn mortals possess the powers of gods... moreIn this richly layered and relentlessly exciting conclusion to The Great Game, Edward Exeter accepts the destiny that has been prophesied for him in the strange, alternate world called Nextdoor -- a far-flung outpost of British imperialism where earthborn mortals possess the powers of gods. His decision to assume the mantle and responsibilities of Liberator has turned old friends into foes and enemies into acolytes -- and has made him the target in a seemingly unending series of betrayals and murderous plots. But Exeter has learned the Game well in his short time in Nextdoor -- far better than his adversaries could ever imagine -- and he plays it boldly to its unexpected, worlds-shattering conclusion in a remarkable adventure that ingeniously explores religion, ethics, and the human condition. less