Den of Shadows Collection: Lose yourself in the fantasy, mystery, and intrigue of this stand out trilogy
Enter a world of sin and fantasy in this collection of fantastical stories!Welcome to the Gambler’s Den where every night is a party, and every day is a battle with the law…Den of ShadowsWhile fighting off poverty in the blistering desert heat a travelling casino offers one night of solace. One chance to change your fortunes. But once on board there is more to the show than meets the eye: enter Franco, the elaborate ringleader, Wyld the stowaway thief and Misu the fire breathing showgirl.In a kingdom ruled by the law Franco ensures his den remains in line. But when he’s faced with saving the fate of the train, and those on board, he may be forced to break his own rules. Life on the den isn’t just a job but a way of life and once you’re in you’ll never be able to leave.Den of StarsThe Gambler’s Den lies in ruins, its staff scattered across the Sand Sea, all but a memory of the minds of its past patrons. But when the Morning Star appears, ruled by a mysterious figure known only as the Hare, the comparisons can’t be helped. Who is this larger-than-life character? Why do the showgirls wear masks? What are they hiding? The answer…they should be dead.Franco and Misu were safe only in their anonymity, but with Franco gone Misu must find him – jeopardising all they have built. In order to save the man she trusts Misu must put her faith in the villain.Wilheim does not forget disobedience lightly, and Misu’s was a great betrayal, so now he will call in his debt, and his revenge on the staff of the Morning Star.Den of SmokeThere is always someone ready to take the title villain…Jackdaw may once have been a part of Wilheim’s gang but now he’s looking for a new life, a free life.But will he be able to shake his past for good, or will he end up in a worse position than he was before?Readers love Christopher Byford:‘Definitely recommend this book, it has something for everyone’‘Beautifully Descriptive’‘full of mystery, intrigue and felt a little bit magical’‘Christopher Byford has created a world that had me blown away!’
Читать Den of Shadows Collection: Lose yourself in the fantasy, mystery, and intrigue of this stand out trilogy онлайн беплатно
Welcome to the Gambler’s Den where every night is a party, and every day is a battle with the law…
Den of Shadows
While fighting off poverty in the blistering desert heat a travelling casino offers one night of solace. One chance to change your fortunes. But once on board there is more to the show than meets the eye: enter Franco, the elaborate ringleader, Wyld the stowaway thief and Misu the fire breathing showgirl.
In a kingdom ruled by the law Franco ensures his den remains in line. But when he’s faced with saving the fate of the train, and those on board, he may be forced to break his own rules. Life on the den isn’t just a job but a way of life and once you’re in you’ll never be able to leave.
Den of Stars
The Gambler’s Den lies in ruins, its staff scattered across the Sand Sea, all but a memory of the minds of its past patrons. But when the Morning Star appears, ruled by a mysterious figure known only as the Hare, the comparisons can’t be helped. Who is this larger-than-life character? Why do the showgirls wear masks? What are they hiding? The answer…they should be dead.
Franco and Misu were safe only in their anonymity, but with Franco gone Misu must find him – jeopardising all they have built. In order to save the man she trusts Misu must put her faith in the villain
Wilheim does not forget disobedience lightly, and Misu’s was a great betrayal, so now he will call in his debt, and his revenge on the staff of the Morning Star.
Den of Smoke
There is always someone ready to take the title villain…
Jackdaw may once have been a part of Willheim’s gang but now he’s looking for a new life, a free life.
But will he be able to shake his past for good, or will he end up in a worse position than he was before?
CHRISTOPHER BYFORD
was born in 1980 in Wellingborough, England. He learnt to walk whilst holding onto a Golden Retriever and fondly remembers the days of BMX bikes and conker matches. He left college to suffer as an IT Manager for a small multinational before, in his words, escaping to Gloucester. After working for some large tech companies he seized the opportunity to become a full time author. It was the best thing he’s ever done.
Also by Christopher Byford
The Gambler's Den Series
Den of Shadows
Den of Stars
Den of Smoke
Den of Shadows Collection
Christopher Byford
ONE PLACE. MANY STORIES
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018
Copyright © Christopher Byford 2018
Christopher Byford asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
E-book Edition © December 2018 ISBN: 9780008314446
Version: 2018-11-01
Contents
Den of Shadows
Den of Shadows was the product of grit, determination and outright stubbornness on my part but like all things, required the input of others to become what you read now. Not thanking these individuals would be inappropriate.
My father, Allan, who seeded the concept for Den of Shadows in my youth despite being completely unaware of this.
My wife Emma. No greater muse could there be for someone such as I. You helped me forge the underlying concept into something respectable.
Corinne, Hayley & Debs, for providing much needed spirit for some characters.
All the great team at HQ for their hard work, especially Hannah who saw something worthwhile to share to the world.
And to you, reading this now. Thank you for coming along for the journey.
To all those who proved that chance, luck
and good fortune can pay off, no matter the stakes.
For my mother and father.
The Arrival
Everyone in Surenth deserved one fine time regardless of their status.
Not that any who lived in the region would confess to expecting such a thing.
The lush green kingdom of Eifera was a paradise compared to other nations. Rolling hills were peppered with mountain ranges, bountiful forests harboured lakes and rivers, with abundant wildlife that ascended to the fabulous. Everything was plentiful and living was joyous.
This delight all came at a cost.
