Crystal Rain

Description

Long ago, so the stories say, the old-fathers came to Nanagada through a worm's hole in the sky. Looking for a new world to call their own, they brought with them a rich mélange of cultures, religions, and dialects from a far-off planet called Earth. Mighty were the old-fathers, with the power to shape the world to their liking---but that was many generations ago, and what was once known has long been lost. Steamboats and gas-filled blimps now traverse the planet, where people once looked up to see great silver cities in the sky.Like his world, John deBrun has forgotten more than he remembers. Twenty-seven years ago, he washed up onto the shore of Nanagada with no memory of his past. Although he has made a new life for himself among the peaceful islanders, his soul remains haunted by unanswered questions about his own identity.These mysteries take on new urgency when the fearsome Azteca storm over the Wicked High Mountains in search of fresh blood and hearts to feed their cruel, inhuman gods. Nanagada's only hope lies in a mythical artifact, the Ma Wi Jung, said to be hidden somewhere in the frozen north. And only John deBrun knows the device's secrets, even if he can't remember why or how!Crystal Rain is the much-anticipated debut novel by one of science fiction's newest and most promising talents. CRYSTAL RAIN......Page 2 PROLOGUE......Page 6 PART ONE: THE WICKED HIGHS......Page 9 CHAPTER ONE......Page 10 CHAPTER TWO......Page 16 CHAPTER THREE......Page 20 CHAPTER FOUR......Page 25 CHAPTER FIVE......Page 32 CHAPTER SIX......Page 40 CHAPTER SEVEN......Page 45 CHAPTER EIGHT......Page 50 CHAPTER NINE......Page 52 CHAPTER TEN......Page 57 CHAPTER ELEVEN......Page 65 CHAPTER TWELVE......Page 67 CHAPTER THIRTEEN......Page 75 CHAPTER FOURTEEN......Page 80 CHAPTER FIFTEEN......Page 83 CHAPTER SIXTEEN......Page 89 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN......Page 94 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN......Page 98 CHAPTER NINETEEN......Page 103 CHAPTER TWENTY......Page 106 CHAPTER TWENTY–ONE......Page 111 CHAPTER TWENTY–TWO......Page 116 PART TWO: CAPITOL CITY......Page 120 CHAPTER TWENTY–THREE......Page 121 CHAPTER TWENTY–FOUR......Page 130 CHAPTER TWENTY–FIVE......Page 132 CHAPTER TWENTY–SIX......Page 137 CHAPTER TWENTY–SEVEN......Page 141 CHAPTER TWENTY–EIGHT......Page 145 CHAPTER TWENTY–NINE......Page 149 CHAPTER THIRTY......Page 156 CHAPTER THIRTY–ONE......Page 162 CHAPTER THIRTY–TWO......Page 164 CHAPTER THIRTY–THREE......Page 166 CHAPTER THIRTY–FOUR......Page 168 CHAPTER THIRTY–FIVE......Page 172 CHAPTER THIRTY–SIX......Page 178 CHAPTER THIRTY–SEVEN......Page 183 CHAPTER THIRTY–EIGHT......Page 187 CHAPTER THIRTY–NINE......Page 191 CHAPTER FORTY......Page 196 CHAPTER FORTY–ONE......Page 201 CHAPTER FORTY–TWO......Page 207 CHAPTER FORTY–THREE......Page 209 CHAPTER FORTY–FOUR......Page 214 CHAPTER FORTY–FIVE......Page 215 PART THREE: THE NORTHLANDS......Page 218 CHAPTER FORTY–SIX......Page 219 CHAPTER FORTY–SEVEN......Page 224 CHAPTER FORTY–EIGHT......Page 228 CHAPTER FORTY–NINE......Page 231 CHAPTER FIFTY......Page 235 CHAPTER FIFTY–ONE......Page 242 CHAPTER FIFTY–TWO......Page 246 CHAPTER FIFTY–THREE......Page 251 CHAPTER FIFTY–FOUR......Page 256 CHAPTER FIFTY–FIVE......Page 262 CHAPTER FIFTY–SIX......Page 265 CHAPTER FIFTY–SEVEN......Page 269 CHAPTER FIFTY–EIGHT......Page 271 CHAPTER FIFTY–NINE......Page 276 CHAPTER SIXTY......Page 279 CHAPTER SIXTY–TWO......Page 284 CHAPTER SIXTY–THREE......Page 287 CHAPTER SIXTY–FOUR......Page 291 CHAPTER SIXTY–FIVE......Page 292 CHAPTER SIXTY–SIX......Page 295 CHAPTER SIXTY–SEVEN......Page 302 CHAPTER SIXTY–EIGHT......Page 304 CHAPTER SIXTY–NINE......Page 306 CHAPTER SEVENTY......Page 307 CHAPTER SEVENTY–ONE......Page 309 CHAPTER SEVENTY–TWO......Page 311 CHAPTER SEVENTY–THREE......Page 315 CHAPTER SEVENTY–FOUR......Page 317 CHAPTER SEVENTY–FIVE......Page 325 CHAPTER SEVENTY–SIX......Page 329 CHAPTER SEVENTY–SEVEN......Page 334 CHAPTER SEVENTY–EIGHT......Page 336 PART FOUR: THE BITTER END......Page 340 CHAPTER SEVENTY–NINE......Page 341 CHAPTER EIGHTY......Page 343 CHAPTER EIGHTY–ONE......Page 346 CHAPTER EIGHTY–TWO......Page 347 CHAPTER EIGHTY–THREE......Page 349 EPILOGUE......Page 354 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 356