The Order of the Manuscript is a series of books by the American science fiction writer Ted Williams, written in the fantasy genre. She is also known as "Memory, Sorrow and Turn". This name comes from three swords with the corresponding names that appear in it. The series consists of four volumes, designed in the style of historical and epic fantasy, there are many references to Celtic mythology. All events unfold on a fictional continent called Ard, time corresponds to the early Middle Ages.
Mythology of novels
In the series of novels "Order of the Manuscript" there are many allusions to the earlier Middle Ages. For example, most heroes profess faith in Uziris Aidon, who was crucified on a tree. These are simultaneously references to Jesus Christ, the Egyptian bow Osiris (only in the name itself) and the Scandinavian Odin, who hung on the ash tree upside down.
Heroes celebrate Celtic holidays, and most of the gods are written off from the Scandinavian pantheon. The peoples described in the work are similar to earthly ones. For example, rimmers are Normans, Erkilander - Anglo-Saxons, tritirgs - Scythians, and Ernistrians - Celts.
At the same time, Williams in the Order of the Manuscript uses many little-known mythical analogies. There are references to the legends of King Arthur, and the name of the main character (Simon) and the fact that he comes from a fishing family, a hint of the apostle Peter.
First book
The first book in the Order of the Manuscript series was called The Throne of the Dragon Bones, it was written in 1988. Events begin to develop after the death of the old King Prester John in Heyholt, uniting almost the entire Light Ard. Two brothers remain the heirs - Elias and Joshua.
Among the advisers to Elias is a priest with a dubious reputation Preirats, who is considered a sorcerer. The king often leaves with him for the sake of cruel experiments, abandoning state affairs. Soon the country is in decline, starvation and the plague begin. Elias suppresses the displeased, and Joshua disappears from the capital.
At this time, the main character appears - an orphan Simon, who discovers Joshua chained. He frees the prince, thereby incurring the wrath of the king. Incidentally, Simon witnesses how Elias enters into a secret treaty with the Dark Elf King.
Hiding from the chase, he meets the troll of Binabik, one of the members of the Order of the Manuscript, the so-called secret society of scientists. Simon meets Princess Miriamel, the heiress of Elias, who escaped from a crazy father. Meanwhile, Joshua expects to go to war on his brother. In the midst of the council comes another member of the Order of the Manuscript, the old man Yarnaug, who tells the legend of three swords that can stop evil. Heroes go in search of these swords.
At the end of the first novel from the Ted Williams Order of the Manuscript series, Simon injures the dragon and gets monster blood on his face, leaving a scar and a lock of gray hair. Since then, it has been called Seoman Snow Strand.
"Rock of Farewell"
The second novel of the Order of the Manuscript was published in 1990. In it, Simon and his comrades manage to free Binabik from prison. Meanwhile, in Nabban, fanatics worship the Storm King, making self-immolations in his honor.
Joshua with the remnants of the inhabitants of Naglymund is hiding in the forests of Aldhort, suffering heavy losses. The sorceress Julia advises them to take refuge on the Rock of Farewell.
Miriamel took under his protection the head of the church Dinnivan. Preirats comes to him to swear allegiance to the king and fiery dancers. When he refuses, he is killed on the spot, the heiress to the throne miraculously manages to escape.
Simon carries the Turn sword to the south. He is captured by Shawdy, who wants to sacrifice him for the Storm King. Escapes, but gets lost in the forest. He is saved by Adita, who takes him to the holy city of the Sith. There they announce to him that they will never let out so that he does not tell people about the city. Only after the assassination of the Queen do elves make concessions. At the end of this book, Ted Williams from the series "Order of the Manuscript" the hero gets to the Rock of Farewell, where he meets with comrades.
"Road of the winds"
In the same 1990, the next novel, The Road of the Winds, was released. The order of the Books of the Ted Williams Order of the Manuscript is given in this article. Joshua discovers the whereabouts of the sword of Remembrance.
Miriamel manages to escape from the ship of Aspitis, who hoped to marry her. She is assisted by the monk Kadrah, who was once a member of the Order of the Manuscript, but he was expelled due to his addiction to drinking. Once he came across a forbidden holy book. For the sake of money for alcohol, he began to sell pages from it. So she was in the hands of the treacherous Preirats.
In Quantitupul, the heiress to the throne meets her uncle, the Duke of Izgrimnur. They are pursued by Aspitis, who survived the storm. They are hiding in the village of Tiamaka, all of whose inhabitants were abducted by arachnids. Tiamak himself disappears, who serves as a guide through the marshes of Wrann. Friends are sent to help him.
"Tower of the Green Angel"
The order of the books of the Order of the Manuscript is completed by the novel The Tower of the Green Angel, which was released in 1993. Miriamel along with his comrades-in-arms gets to the Rock of Farewell. Joshua gives Turn's sword to an old knight, to whom the memory returns, he promises to help in the war against Elias.
Simon and Miriamel go to Erkinland to unite with the people, dissatisfied with the rule of the current king. Assassins make their way to the camp, the target of which is the Turn sword. They are revealed, a fight ensues, in which Juloy receives a mortal wound. He goes to die in his native forest, finally warning Joshua about the false messenger.
In Erkinland
Simon and Miriamel stop on the outskirts of Falshire along the way. For the sake of saving the couple, the main character gets involved in a fight in which he kills a fiery dancer. Later they again meet this couple, which invites them to an overnight stay. In fact, this turns out to be a trap; they fall into the hands of fiery dancers.
Binabik helps them out of captivity. Near the grave of Prestor John, in which they hoped to find one of the Great Swords, they are attacked by bukkens. Simon falls through the loose earth, finding himself in a network of underground tunnels. Binabik and Miriamel, fighting off the Bukkens, set off to look for him.
Coming to the surface, the main character is in Hayholt. He searches for the Great Sword in the Preyrats tower, suspecting that it was he who abducted him. Elias captures him, but soon lets go. Simon is captured by the Norn. He is sent to the foundry forging weapons for the upcoming battles. There, Inch recognizes him, who decides to take revenge for the fact that once it was the young man who favored Dr. Morgens, leaving him out of work. He ties Simon to a wooden wheel that constantly rotates. He enters the Road of Dreams and gets lost there. He is saved by Megwin by sacrificing himself. Killing Inch, Simon in the tunnel discovers the Great Sword. Together with him, he returns to the Tower of the Green Angel.
The siege of Hayholt
Joshua fights against his brother Elias. The siege of Hayholt begins successfully, but when an advanced detachment enters the city, magical gates cut them off from the allies. The Norns enter the rear of Joshua’s troops through the tunnels and strike.
Joshua himself at that time went down the tunnel after Kamaris, who could not resist the call of Tern. Preirats kills Brendalis and Isorn, who were disguised as Joshua and Kamarisa. Miriamel wounds the sorcerer with an arrow, Binabik shoots him from the wind pipe, but he still remains alive.
Decisive battle
Joshua fights with Elias and dies in an unequal duel. Meanwhile, the Storm King kills Preirats, who wanted to subdue him. At the same time, Ineluki and Elias die in battle with the heroes. Joshua's army wins.
Simon learns that he was in fact the heir to Elstan Fisher. The next day, Joshua visits him and Miriamel, who escaped death thanks to the forged handcuff from chains. But he admits that he wants to stay dead, does not want to be a king and leaves the heroes. Simon and Miriamel begin to rule the country.
On the site of the Tower of the Green Angel, which has turned into ruins, a grandiose construction of a bastion of knowledge has been organized.