The Eye of Scales: A Shroud of the Avatar Novel

by Tracy Hickman, Richard Garriott

Overview

Fantasy great Tracy Hickman teams up with the video game legend Richard Garriott in this epic novel The Eye of Scales, based on the award-winning game, Shroud of the Avatar.

The sword rules all.

Aren Bendis, former soldier in the Obsidian army, has managed to protect a rebel city from his former friends and now finds his fate bound to a weapon once wielded by the Avatars themselves. Now, he is being secreted away to the capital of the last alliance of free nations with the hopes that the Hero of Opalis will lead their army against his former masters.

What Aren doesn't know is that his former friend Evard Dirae, a Craft Master of the Obsidian Order, is seeking Aren out. Worried that Aren is being manipulated against his will by the magic of the Avatars, Evard seeks to find the sword and break its hold over Aren once and for all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780765382320
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/26/2022
Series:	Blade of the Avatar , #2
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	534,636
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

TRACY HICKMAN has been publishing game designs, books, and stories for more than thirty-five years. In addition, he is a New York Times bestselling coauthor of many novels, including the original Dragonlance Chronicles. Hickman lives in Utah.

RICHARD GARRIOTT DE CAYEUX is a video game designer, collector, and private astronaut. In 2006 Richard was awarded with two industry honors for his work in the games business: selection into The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards.

Editorial Reviews

04/11/2022

Hickman and Garriott team up once more for the rousing sequel to 2016’s The Sword of Midras. Aren Bendis, the Hero of Opalis, possesses the Avatar sword, a powerful ancient artifact, which some believe chooses—and controls—its wielder. After turning his back on the Obsidian Empire, Aren is offered command of the Army of Might, the combined forces of all the squabbling nations banding together to resist the Empire. Meanwhile, within the shadowy Obsidian forces, rebellion brews as power struggles come to a head. As the Obsidians turn to increasingly desperate means to fulfill a prophecy about their future—including reshaping humans into mindless creatures to do their bidding—the Avatar sword presents a tempting offer to its holder that may tip the balance of power forever. Character development is secondary to plot here, lending the story the feel of an RPG video game as subtle plot twists keep the pages turning. Sword and sorcery fans looking for action-packed political intrigue will find plenty to enjoy here. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Eye of Scales:
"Hickman and Garriott team up once more for the rousing sequel.... Character development is secondary to plot here, lending the story the feel of an RPG video game as subtle plot twists keep the pages turning. Sword and sorcery fans looking for action-packed political intrigue will find plenty to enjoy here."—Publishers Weekly

Praise for the authors:

"Hickman creates memorable characters and realms of immense richness, while holding the reader enthralled." —Publishers Weekly on the Blade of the Avatar series

"The scope, detail, meticulous planning, and weaving and winding storyline...are just breathtaking." —R. A. Salvatore on Mystic Warrior

"Weis and Hickman have created a believably human story out of their mix of saga and sorcery." —Publishers Weekly on Bones of the Dragon

"The authors of the 'Dragonlance' series again demonstrate their talent for vivid world-crafting and strong characterization in a novel that will appeal to fans of epic fantasy." —Library Journal on the Darksword Series

"The worlds created by Weis and Hickman become more attractively complex with each book of the series." —Publishers Weekly on The Death Gate Cycle

"An entertaining high fantasy adventure." —Publishers Weekly on Dragonlance

From the Publisher