The Shadow of Albion

The Shadow of Albion
Book Jacket

Series:
Carolus Rex [1]

Rating:

SUMMARY:
02 For well over a half century, Andre Norton has been one of the most popular science fiction and fantasy authors in the world. Since her first SF novels were published in the 1940s, her adventure SF has enthralled readers young and old. With series such as Time Traders, Solar Queen, Forerunner, Beast Master, Crosstime, and Janus, as well as many stand-alone novels, her tales of action and adventure throughout the galaxy have drawn countless readers to science fiction. Her fantasy, including the best-selling Witch World series, her "Magic" series, and many other unrelated novels, has been popular with readers for decades. Lauded as a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America, she is the recipient of a Life Achievement Award from the World Fantasy Convention. Not only have her books been enormously popular; she also has inspired several generations of SF and fantasy writers, especially many talented women writers who have followed in her footsteps. In the past two decades she has worked with other writers on a number of novels. Most notable among these are collaborations with Mercedes Lackey, the Halfblood Chronicles, as well as collaborations with A.C. Crispin (in the Witch World series) and Sherwood Smith (in the Time Traders and Solar Queen series). An Ohio native, Ms. Norton lived for a number of years in Winter Park, Florida, and now makes her home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she continues to write, and presides over High Hallack, a writers' resource and retreat. For well over a half century, Andre Norton has been one of the most popular science fiction and fantasy authors in the world. Since her first SF novels were published in the 1940s, her adventure SF has enthralled readers young and old. With series such as Time Traders, Solar Queen, Forerunner, Beast Master, Crosstime, and Janus, as well as many stand-alone novels, her tales of action and adventure throughout the galaxy have drawn countless readers to science fiction. Her fantasy, including the best-selling Witch World series, her "Magic" series, and many other unrelated novels, has been popular with readers for decades. Lauded as a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America, she is the recipient of a Life Achievement Award from the World Fantasy Convention. Not only have her books been enormously popular; she also has inspired several generations of SF and fantasy writers, especially many talented women writers who have followed in her footsteps. In the past two decades she has worked with other writers on a number of novels. Most notable among these are collaborations with Mercedes Lackey, the Halfblood Chronicles, as well as collaborations with A.C. Crispin (in the Witch World series) and Sherwood Smith (in the Time Traders and Solar Queen series). An Ohio native, Ms. Norton lived for a number of years in Winter Park, Florida, and now makes her home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she continues to write, and presides over High Hallack, a writers' resource and retreat.

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

EPILOGUE

NOTE: If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen

property. It was reported as „unsold and destroyed“ to the publisher, and neither the author nor the

publisher has received any payment for this „stripped book.“

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are either products of the

author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

THE SHADOW OF ALBION: Carolus Rex: Book I

Copyright © 1999 by Andre Norton, Ltd. & Rosemary Edghill

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

Edited by James Frenkel

A Tor Book

Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10.010

www.tor.com

Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

ISBN: 0-812-54.539-7

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 98-43.790

First edition: April 1999

First mass market edition: February 2000

Printed in the United States of America

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’d like to thank Sherwood Smith for help and quick answers to tough research

questions involving the France of 1805; Andrew Sigel for settling thorny questions

of proper address; the rest of the SFRT1 gang (of fond memory, alas) for the usual

hijinks (hi, Esther! hi, Lois!); Jennara, for putting up with the usual fuss; Jane

Emerson, for Lt. Stephen Price of the Royal Engineers; and (of course) The Lady

herself, Andre Norton, for her endless patience and graciousness during the long,

drawn-out, and sometimes downright baffling process of writing a collaboration. It’s

been a privilege to work with her and learn from her.

 – Rosemary Edghill

Hence, horrible shadow!

 Unreal mockery, hence!

 – Macbeth

AUTHOR’S FOREWORD:

A Regency That Never Was

The „If Theory“ of history is that oftentimes in world history distinct and radical

changes rest upon a single event or person. From that particular point two worlds

then come into existence, one in which the matter goes one way and one wherein it

goes the other.

The point of divergence here is the affair of the Duke of Monmouth in the days of

Charles II. The majority of the English people at that time were bitterly opposed to

the return of a Catholic ruler. Unfortunately, Charles II had not been able to produce

a living heir by his Portuguese wife, though he had a number of illegitimate children

by various mistresses, upon whom he settled dukedoms and other major honors.

Charles’s brother and heir presumptive, James, was a Catholic and was

narrow-mindedly determined to return England to the Catholic fold. James was a

severe, arrogant man, unlike Charles, who had all the Stuart charm in rare abundance.

There has always been a rumor that the Duke of Monmouth, the eldest known of

Charles’s by-blows, was actually legitimate – that Charles, while in exile, did marry

Mistress Waters, the Duke’s mother.

Monmouth had much of his father’s charm and was strongly Protestant in his

religious views. In the real world, following Charles’s death Monmouth led an

uprising against his uncle, King James II, failed, and was beheaded.

In this „If-World,“ Charles II, during his protracted dying, realizes that James’s

inheritance of the throne would mean trouble for all, and finally admits to a selected

body of his strongest council that the rumor was true, that he had in fact made a

marriage (there was no Royal Marriage Act in those days!) with Mistress Waters and

thus the Duke of Monmouth was the legitimate heir of his body. Thus, upon Charles

H’s death, the Duke of Monmouth is crowned Charles III.

The new king has difficulties with a diehard group of strong Catholic lords, and

with James, his uncle, who believes the throne of England should be his. This will