The Harlequin's Dance
The god Orok gave to his five children crystals of surpassing beauty, to be embedded in a circle on the Rock of Being and Unbeing, whence had sprung the gods, the earth and all its peoples. This circle, known as The Orokon, ensured the harmony of life, until the dark god Koros plucked his crystal from the Rock and plunged the world into chaos and despair.
The true king of Ejland, Ejard Red, has been betrayed and captured, and his throne seized by his twin brother, Ejard Blue. In the village of Irion the crippled boy known as Jemany Vexing lives with his dying mother and his fanatical Aunt Umbecca. Unable to walk, Jem is condemned to a wretched half-life, until he meets a mysterious dwarf... and with his new strength comes a new friendship, with the wild girl Catayane.
As the horrors of the Bluejacket regime begin, Jem becomes aware of his greater destiny – to find and reunite the five crystals of The Orokon. But he is not the only seeker: the evil sorceror Toth-Vexrah has his own plans and will let no one stand in his way.
Readers also enjoyed
Tom Arden
David Rain (1961–2015), known by his pen name Tom Arden, was a British science fiction and fantasy writer. He was born in Australia. His main work is the five volume Orokon saga, as well as the novels Shadow Black, The Translation of Bastian Test and the Doctor Who novella Nightdreamers.
Arden was born in 1961 and grew up in Mount Gambier, South Australia. He wrote his first unpublished novel, Moon Escape at the age of seven and later studied English at the University of Adelaide, graduating with First Class Honours. Arden completed his Ph.D. thesis on Clarissa, the epic tale by 18th-century novelist Samuel Richardson.
The Orokon
The Orokon consists of five books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
