First published 1989
Graf Ulrich von Bek rides through a verdant forest that stands as the sole sanctuary from the religious wars ravaging the countryside. Beyond the treeline, armies clash in bloody combat, leaving corpses scattered across paths and streams while smoke chokes the desolate landscape. The forest offers refuge but remains eerily lifeless and silent. Von Bek discovers a magnificent castle with golden towers rising in the sunlight, yet it too sits in absolute quiet. Inside he encounters Lady Sabrina, the castle's chatelaine, who serves Lucifer, the Prince of Darkness. The Devil himself presents von Bek with an extraordinary challenge: undertake a perilous quest that only the damned can complete. This supernatural mission will test everything von Bek believes about redemption, damnation, and the price of salvation in a world torn apart by fanaticism and violence.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, fantasy, supernatural
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: quest, supernatural-elements
Setting: Verdant Forest, Golden Castle
Period: Religious Wars
198 pages · Paperback · New English Library
Content warnings: violence