Before the fall of the Empire, Rome is a decadent and dangerous place. When Marcus is plucked from the sewers and restored to his father's house he makes enemies. Auriane's destiny is one of war and blood-shed; of age-old feuds; and leads her to Marcus, her enemy and her love.

A Quest for Simbilis. Cugel the Clever, his mind bent on revenge against Iouconnou, throws in with Mumber Sull, a deposed ruler seeking the legendary wizard Simbilis for help against the minions of Slaye. Cugel and Mumber go up against cannibals, a crooked bridge keeper, and have a short stint as exorcists.

The Animal Wife. The setting is Siberia, 2000 years ago. Kori is a young hunter whose assurance while hunting deserts him when among women. Then he finds a wife or is she a slave? from another tribe.

A Time of Justice. The city of Cengarn is under siege. Armies both astral and physical are massing for and against the goddess Alshandra who seeks to prevent the birth of one fate-bound child. It falls to the dweomermaster Jill and her allies to protect the child's human mother, Princess Carra--and Deverry's already foretold future--by magic and by might. But as the warrior Rhodry wings toward the battle on dragonback he cannot know that soon he will face his ancient enemy, Alshandra...

Fellowship of the Ring Book I: The Ring Sets Out. The first chapter in the book begins in a light vein, following the tone of The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins celebrates his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called in Hobbiton) birthday on the same day, September 22, that his relative and adopted heir Frodo Baggins celebrates his coming of age at 33. At the birthday party, Bilbo departs from the Shire, the land of the Hobbits, for what he calls a permanent holiday. He leaves Frodo his remaining...