The Charnel Prince

About “The Charnel Prince”

When the legendary Briar King awoke from his slumber, a season of darkness and horror fell upon the Kingdom of Crotheny. Monsters roam the countryside, and an epidemic of madness turns villagers into savage fiends. In Eslen, King William has been murdered, Queen Muriele faces treachery, and her last surviving daughter, Anne, flees assassins. Young knight Neil MeqVren, the queen's trusted ally, is sworn to rescue Anne from her pursuers. Anne travels toward the sanctuary of her paramour, but faces a dangerous conspiracy. Meanwhile, spies serving Praifec Hespero, a powerful Churchman, attempt to destroy the Briar King in his domain. The Church, driven by mystical events, launches an inquisition that threatens the queen. As intrigue tightens, personal fates and the kingdom's destiny are decided in a conflict between virtue and malevolence. This is Book II of The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone, an epic fantasy novel by Greg Keyes.