The Virgin of Valkarion by Poul Anderson
"The Virgin of Valkarion" by Poul Anderson is a fantasy novel written in the early 1950s. The book explores themes of power, prophecy, and conflict against a backdrop of a crumbling empire, where the fate of the city of Valkarion hangs in balance. The story revolves around a prophecy concerning a barbarian who will bring ruin to the city and the struggle between the remnants of the imperial family and the priesthood
seeking absolute power. The narrative follows Alfric, a wandering warrior from the north, who arrives in Valkarion amidst political turmoil and assassination attempts aimed at the Empress Hildaborg. As the story unfolds, Alfric finds himself entangled in a grander scheme that involves ancient prophecies foretelling doom for the current dynasty. After a series of fierce confrontations and a battle against the oppressive Temple, Alfric and Hildaborg join forces, culminating in a rebellion that challenges the very foundations of their world. The tale intertwines strong character development, vivid descriptions of a decaying civilization, and the personal stakes of love and loyalty, ultimately leading to a tumultuous climax that reshapes their destinies. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Anderson, Poul, 1926-2001 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Mayan, Earl, 1916-2009 |
| Title | The Virgin of Valkarion |
| Series Title | Produced from Planet Stories July 1951 |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 83.2 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Adventure stories |
| Subject | Man-woman relationships -- Fiction |
| Subject | Life on other planets -- Fiction |
| Subject | Prophecies -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 64022 |
| Release Date | Dec 12, 2020 |
| Most Recently Updated | Oct 18, 2024 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 238 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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