Beyond the Summerland
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Beyond the Summerland is a fantasy story by L. B. Graham, the first in the Binding of the Blade series, primarily about a 22-year-old man named Joraiem who leaves for "The Summerland", meeting many other young people, all bound for the same destination.
[edit] Plot summary
Joraiem Andira is a young Novaana over twenty who is soon to be sent away to Sulare, also called the Summerland. He and his friend Evrim slay one of the voiceless Malekim, servants of the evil but supposedly dead Malek, near his hometown of Dal Harat. He also falls in love with a young woman whom he finds out is engaged. He also begins to have strange dreams that trouble him. With his bow Suruna he sets out for Sulare, and on the way meets several personages who are also heading to Sulare, such as scar-faced Aljeron and his tiger, Koshti, the blind prophet Valzaan, the secretive Rulalin, the quick-tongued Mindarin, and the lovers Bryar and Kelvan.
They reach Sulare, and begin their training, meeting among others a Great Bear called Sarneth. There Joraiem meets the beautiful Wylla Someris, future queen of Enthanin, Saegan, a quiet but seemingly wise young Novaana, Pedraal and Pedraan, brothers of Wylla, and several others. Valzaan, who was in Joraiem’s dreams, reveals to him that Joraiem is also a prophet. After they are attacked by Black Wolves and when a light is spotted over the Forbidden Isle, Valzaan receives a message from Allfather (God) that the young trainees must sail to that isle, to see what is happening. So with the ship-master Ulmindos and the weapon-master Caan, as well as the Great Bear and the prophet, they sail across the sea to the isle.
There they meet the strange crippled abandoned sailor called Synoki, and go to Nal Gildoroth, the City of Malek, where they find a strange being in the waters and that all is not well. They battle Malekim and Black Wolves there, and then while the women are ordered back to the ship the men stay to fight back and cover their retreat. Kelvan is slain, and Caan is wounded perhaps mortally. They return to find that the women have been captured by Malekim and a giant Vulsutyrim, and the ship was scuttled. Fearing that Caan might die, Valzaan sends a message via a Windhover to Sulare, and a dragon, Eliandir, is sent to carry them back to Kirthanin. Upon landing they pursue the gradually increasing force of Malekim, as well as now two Vulsutyrim, and at last battle them. Joraiem particularly distinguishes himself in this battle, for while the others fight the Malekim he and the dragon slay both Vulsutyrim. Therefore the women are rescued. An unexpected twist at the end Joraiem is killed at the end by Rulalin, to be continued in the second, Bringer of Storms.
