A Hare in the Wilderness by S. E. Turner

A Hare in the Wilderness

Kingdom of Durundal Book 1

By S. E. Turner.

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An Ancient Evil. A Treacherous Emperor. A Fallen Heir.

Banished to the wilderness as a child, Ajeya finds sanctuary in the clans. Though two decades later, the source of her condemnation starts targeting her people for land and slaves.

Now a leader and formidable warrior, Ajeya is able to strike back. Then she must confront her past to seek her future and unlock a mystery hidden from her since birth.

THE FIGHT FOR POWER HAS BEGUN.

The Kingdom of Durundal
There are none who can say with certain knowledge when the Kingdom of Durundal began, yet this has not stopped the dragons, the kings, the sorcerers and other learned men from seeking the answer. What we do know is that dragons ruled supreme and considered by many to be the dawn of time.

Since the dragons started to disappear, man has ruled the earth. Barbaric, uncivilised, numerous—most with a hunger for wealth, many corrupted by power. We know this because of untold riches discovered in burial sites, and stories that have been passed down since the dawn of time. Henceforth, I bring you my vision of The Kingdom of Durundal. Set in the turbulent age of this ancient world, my eleven-book series follows the clashes between the clans and the courts amid the tumultuous struggles for power.

During this time, no monarch was more feared than Emperor Gnaeus III of Ataxata, along with his general, Domitrius Corbulo, and much later his heir, Cornelius, whose cruelty to Namir (King of the Clans) had become legendary throughout the Kingdom of Durundal. Each of those tyrants had a tale of tragedy, a moment in history that changed them from righteous and ardent to nefarious and malevolent; each wretched memory a painful reminder of what might have been.

The Kingdom of Durundal is a complex place, and the books are written in such a way that the characters’ lives interconnect, and what happens at the very end of book eleven, is the start of book one. The series is an ongoing cycle that can be read again and again for the reader to uncover more connections, more family history, and more hidden meanings. With elements of fantasy, history, and ancient mythology, immerse yourself in this epic adventure.

Excerpt:
The horizon was grey on this morning, and overhead an obscured sun peeked out timidly through low scuttling clouds and tried desperately to brighten an otherwise forlorn day. The wind blew cold and Ajeya could hear the gushing rush of water and the creak of the mill’s great wooden waterwheel. There was a smell of rain in the dawn air, but no drops were falling yet. Smoke was rising from the chimneys, indicating another chilly November. Children’s shrill voices could be heard coming from the homes, and as a wagon disappeared out of view, there came the roar of horses hooves followed by a loud thud. An army of soldiers had thundered into the village, overturned the wagon and set fire to it. There were cries and cheers as they upturned more. Then came further devastation as flaming arrows shivered through the morning mists, trailing pale ribbons of fire, and splintered into the wooden huts. A few smashed through shuttered windows, followed by thin tendrils of smoke rising between the broken shutters. Ajeya ran forward, and without a second thought, shouldered her bow and snatched her quiver of arrows leaning against the door. Suddenly a clap of thunder tore across the sky with such a force the vibration splintered the earth; the clouds opened and a wall of rain swept in battering down the last few remaining flames. Lightning struck in such ferocity that it lit up the true horror, and through the mists of rampage and the stench of fear, a tall, stately man appeared on a charger, and brought hell with him.

‘In the wrong hands, power is a deadly poison.’

“S. E. Turner creates a living, breathing civilization where you become a part of the civilization of the clans united for good. Ajeya becomes a strength stronger than possible for one who would have been left for dead in the caves. Through training and hardship, her clan becomes a part of you and her fierce, indomitable love carries you to unknown heights as you fight for justice and truth. Unmatched in its realities, this series carries you through more action, belief and strength than ever known before. Be transformed into the clans as they learn to fight for each other against evil.” (Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2021)

A Word from the Author

A two year old girl girl is banished from the palace by her father, the Emperor. Believing he is not the true father because the child has a facial deformity, he banishes the mother as well. The story is one of survival and instinct as they wander through the hostile wilderness alone, facing extreme weather, starvation and wild beasts. When they are taken in by the clans they both have to adjust to a new life by living off the land, learning new skills, and becoming part of a tribe. Ajeya also finds love and becomes adept in weapons and warcraft. I wanted to explore the idea that a belief in yourself can overcome all obstacles, even when everything is stacked up against you.

A Hare in the Wilderness takes the reader back to a simple time, where the future is written in the stars, the clans had spirit animals for strength and guidance, ailments are cured with herbs and plants. Because of this attention to detail I had to do a lot of research. Every book in the eleven book series has a wealth of historical accuracies written in the pages, so it is far more than the single genre of fantasy.

But with all the best laid plans, there is always something that will upset the ideal, and that comes in the form of the General and the Emperor, who feature as the antagonists in the first three books. For Ajeya, who’s background has been concealed from her since she was banished from court, all her survival instincts and years of arcane learning will guide her in her fight against this enemy as they try to take her and her people as slaves. Only then will she discover the secret that has been kept from her since birth.

(S. E. Turner, 2021)