Ravenheart is dedicated with love to the memory of Bill Woodford, a big, flawed, tough, and kindly man. During World War II he fought with distinction atEl Alamein,Anzio, Salerno, and Monte Cassino, and was mentioned in Despatches twice for gallant conduct. In 1954 he married a woman he adored and raised her son as his own. As I said in the dedication to Legendbaek in 1984, without him Druss the Legend would never have walked the walls of Dros Delnoch. He was the heart of many of the heroes I have created over the years---none more so than Jaim Grymauch, whose story is told within these pages.

Eight hundred years have passed since King Connavar of the Rigante and his bastard son, Bane, defeated the invading army of Stone. Now the Rigante have lost the freedom and culture so many gave their lives to preserve. Only one woman remains who follows the ancient ways-the Wyrd of Wishing Tree Wood-and she alone knows the nature of the evil soon to be unleashed. But the Wyrd pins her hope on two men: a giant Rigante fighter, a man haunted by his failure to save his best friend from betrayal;and a youth whose deadly talents will earn him the rancor of the brutal Varlish. One will become the Ravenheart, an outlaw leader whose daring exploits will inspire the Rigante. The other will forge a legend-and light the fires of revolution...