Product Description Searching for his long-lost father, Bransen Garibond is tricked into journeying across the Gulf of Corona to the wild lands of Vanguard, where he is pressed into service in a desperate war against the brutal Samhaist, Ancient Badden. On an Alpinadoran lake, just below Ancient Badden's magical ice castle, several societies, caught in the web of their own conflicts, are oblivious to Ancient Badden's devastating plans to destroy them.Branson becomes the link between the wars, and if he fails, all who live on the lake will perish, and all of northern Honce will fall under the shadow of the merciless and vengeful Samhaists. The Ancient is part of the Saga of the First King, a four-book series that chronicles the early days of Corona, the same world as Salvatore's bestselling Demon Wars saga. Review Praise for R.A. Salvatore:“Salvatore excels in worldbuilding and creating complex, introspective characters who triumph through wit and determination as well as skill in open combat.”—Library Journal “Bob Salvatore always makes the most fantastic seem real. His heroes become friends we care about, and his foes fascinate.”—Ed Greenwood “[Salvatore’s] potent mixture of detailed historical context, well-rounded characters (including secondary figures torn by conflicted loyalties to their church and state), brisk pacing and exciting battle scenes make for a consuming read.”—Publishers Weekly on The Demon Apostle "Read by Erik Singer, an accomplished actor of Shakespearean merit, and he does a very good job of the narration...Salvatore has lots of hooks which make you carry on from one chapter to the next or from one CD to the next as in this case." - SFCrowsnest.com About the Author R. A. Salvatore was born in Massachusetts in 1959. He is the acclaimed author of the DemonWars trilogy: The Demon Awakens, The Demon Spirit, and The Demon Apostle, as well as Mortalis, Bastion of Darkness, Ascendance, and the New York Times bestseller Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Vector Prime. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Diane, and their three children. Erik Singer’s theatrical credits include the title role in The Hostage (Off-Broadway), A Life in the Theatre, Greetings! and national tours of Othello and The Taming of the Shrew. He has also appeared on All My Children and As the World Turns, and was the voice of Vincent Van Gogh in the A&E Biography about Van Gogh and Gauguin.  His audiobook credits include works by John Grisham, Stephen Frey, and James Shreeve. In 2009 he won an Audie award for Best Inspirational Audiobook for his narration of The Last Lecture.  Erik is a graduate of Yale University.  From AudioFile The world is being torn apart by a religious war between Ancient Badden, leader of the Samhaists, and the Abellican church, which is gaining a foothold. Bransen Garibond, journeying across the Gulf of Corona to the land of Vanguard, is on a mission to find the father he has never known. Without the aid of a gemstone, Garibond is a cripple; with it, he is an awesome fighting machine. Familiarity with prior Corona books, particularly THE HIGHWAYMAN, would be a boon, given the large number of characters in this series and the extensive relationships between current and past events. Erik Singer is an enthusiastic and engaged narrator. He keeps the battles fresh. His accents help to identify ties within the various communities whose members move in and out of the story. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine