Time shrouds the deeds of men, yet some tales endure its ravages, immortalised by bards—legends who shaped destiny. 250 BC: Triumphant in their quest for the elixir of life, Qin soldiers defy their oaths and ravage the fabled land of Tianzhu. As retribution, the Aryan gods demand the firstborn of the Emperor when the Yellow River changes course three times. AD 10: In Han, ZhengJun is chosen as the first princess consort because she was conceived under the constellation of the Trident, the symbol of a powerful god. An ancient prophecy unfolds, heralding the birth of an extraordinary warrior prince, yet destined not to rule. When Emperor Cheng’s consorts fail to bear children, they turn in desperation to the witchcraft of midwife Fang. As successive emperors perish without an heir and the Yellow River shifts course, will Empress Wang Zhengjun’s cunning nephew, WangMang, seize the imperial throne? Grandmaster WoShi trains a few talented peasant boys at the ancient HanKaoTzu school. Can Batu the Hun, battle slave of the Green Hunter; JiaShao, the enigmatic dwarf chief; and HuKui, the rebel scholar, transform them into warriors? The Ballad of the Bow is a tale of gods and men, love and hate, valour and treachery. Battle Speed, Brothers. About the Author: I grew up listening to my grandfather's stories, where I was always the hero, saving mankind. A voracious reader, I devour epics from India, Westerns, and more recently, epic fantasies like GOT and LOTR. Unabashedly a fan of Star Wars and a practising engineer, you might notice these influences in my work. The first spark ... See more
Time shrouds the deeds of men, yet some tales endure its ravages, immortalised by bards—legends who shaped destiny. 250 BC: Triumphant in their quest for the elixir of life, Qin soldiers defy their oaths and ravage the fabled land of Tianzhu. As retribution, the Aryan gods demand the firstborn of the Emperor when the Yellow River changes course three times. AD 10: In Han, ZhengJun is chosen as the first princess consort because she was conceived under the constellation of the Trident, the symbol of a powerful god. An ancient prophecy unfolds, heralding the birth of an extraordinary warrior prince, yet destined not to rule. When Emperor Cheng’s consorts fail to bear children, they turn in desperation to the witchcraft of midwife Fang. As successive emperors perish without an heir and the Yellow River shifts course, will Empress Wang Zhengjun’s cunning nephew, WangMang, seize the imperial throne? Grandmaster WoShi trains a few talented peasant boys at the ancient HanKaoTzu school. Can Batu the Hun, battle slave of the Green Hunter; JiaShao, the enigmatic dwarf chief; and HuKui, the rebel scholar, transform them into warriors? The Ballad of the Bow is a tale of gods and men, love and hate, valour and treachery. Battle Speed, Brothers. About the Author: I grew up listening to my grandfather's stories, where I was always the hero, saving mankind. A voracious reader, I devour epics from India, Westerns, and more recently, epic fantasies like GOT and LOTR. Unabashedly a fan of Star Wars and a practising engineer, you might notice these influences in my work. The first spark to write ignited in 1993 while I was in Japan. There, I realised that a common thread connects our cultures. This discovery fuelled my curiosity, leading me to find commonalities in other cultures, particularly along the maritime trade route from China to India on the east and Arabia and beyond on the west. Fascinated, I began reading everything I could lay my hands on, culminating in the creation of "Ballad of the Bow" which took two decades. My goal is to tell a story that reaches a wider audience beyond my friends and family—a story that highlights how, despite our diverse cultures, our ancestors contributed to a shared history. Battle speed, brothers, SK Aby
