"David Gemmell - Stones of Power 1 - Ghost King" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

DEDICATION
This book is dedicated with love to Stella Graham, to Tom Taylor and to Jeremy Wells for the gift
of friendship.
Also to the ladies of the Folkestone Herald -Sharon, Madders, Susie and Carol-for Rocky. And to
Pip Clarkson who cast the pearls anyway.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
So much in the literary world depends on the skill of those who take the manuscript and edit it
for publication. A writer can all too easily take the wrong direction, or lose the thread of the
drama. A good editor will re-direct skilfully and enhance greatly the work that will then accrue
credit to the author. Similarly, a good copy editor can, with an inserted word, or a clever
deletion, polish a dull sentence to diamond brightness.
My thanks to my editor Liza Reeves for making it all seem so easy, to copy editor Jean Maund for


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the fine tuning and the elegant polishing, and to my agent, Pamela Buckmaster, for bringing us
together.

FOREWORD
Ghost King is a fantasy novel and not intended as historically accurate. However the cities of
Roman Britain, as named, did exist in the areas suggested, as did certain of the characters who
appear in these pages.
Cunobelin was certainly a powerful warrior king, who earned the title Brittanorum Rex from the
Roman writer Seutonius. Cunobelin reigned for forty years from his base at Camulo-dunum, possibly
giving rise to the Arthurian legends.
Paullinus was also a true man of history, and did defeat the Iceni of Boudicca during the ill-
fated uprising. During the same period the Ninth Legion did indeed disappear. Some historians
claim they were ambushed and destroyed, others suggest a mutiny that the Romans covered up.
The manoeuvres of Roman military units are detailed as accurately as research and the needs of
drama allow.
The language used is relatively modern, and undoubtedly there will be some students who find it
jarring to read of arrows being 'fired', when of course the expression evolved only after the
introduction of matchlock muskets.
Similarly 'minutes' and 'seconds' appear ahead of their time.
Such arguments as may be offered can be overcome by pointing out that since the language being
spoken is not English, but a bastardized form of Latin-Celtic, some licence in translation should
be allowed.
Of the life of Uther Pendragon, little is known. This is not a history of the man, but a fantasy.
In other words it is not the story as it was -but as it ought to have been.
David A. Gemmell Hastings, 1988

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
(in alphabetical order)
ALHYFFA Daughter of Hengist, wife of Moret
BALDRIC Warrior of the Pinrae
GAEL Son of Eldared, King of the Brigante