The Noricin Chronicles: Amphictyon

By Mark Sheldon

Enter the world of Hans Gottlehrling, the first of the Noricin race, as he struggles to harness and understand his newfound powers, while protecting his sister, Caroline, from the malevolent being who pursues them relentlessly throughout the streets of of 19th century London. As Hans fights for the lives of himself and his sister, he draws ever closer to a hidden family secret - a secret that will change his world forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark Sheldon
• Release date: Apr 22, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301056071

Mark Sheldon

Mark Sheldon is the author of the upcoming series, "The Noricin Chronicles." The first installment, "The Lost Boy," is due to be released on January 11th, 2011. Visit http://noricin.webs.com for more information!

Book preview

Praise for

The Noricin Chronicles

The Lost Boy

A story that draws the reader in from the very first line…The story of the Noricin legacy is compelling and magical. Mark Sheldon has created a masterpiece.

~Mark Miner, Author

A House Divided; The Bed and Breakfast; The Spell of Deception; and Willamette Werewolves

www.markminerwrites.weebly.com

A real page-turner, easy to read, easy to follow and I want to read more…[Mark Sheldon’s] words flow as smooth as a Stephen King novel.

~Bill Rosen, Author

"Altogether I found [The Lost Boy] delightfully refreshing, and it took me back to when I sat in a fence corner of our family farm reading about wizards and villains. Enthusiastically recommended."

Gerry Burnie, Author, Two Irish Lads

"To read the Mark Sheldon book, The Lost Boy, is to become a part of a puzzle...Sheldon has a mind which explores deep concepts in intriguing ways."

~Anna Patterson, Journalist

The Gottlehrling Goblet

"[The Gottlehrling Goblet] brings you deeper into the mythology of the Norcinites and Dan Regal …Amongst the challenges of final exams, the distraction of first love, riddles and secrets, mystery and murder, how will Dan and his friends manage to survive?"

~Kyra Dawson, Brighter Scribe

http://www.thescribesdesk.com

Through Mark Sheldon’s adept storytelling, this fast-paced book delights and intrigues with a glimpse into coming of age possibilities and the dangerous catastrophes which are sure to follow.

~Diane Sismour

"Engaging, imaginative, and action-packed, The Gottlehrling Goblet is an enthralling continuation of what is quickly proving to be quite the entertaining fantasy saga. A recommended read."

Chelsea Perry, Apex Reviews

www.apexreviews.net

"Book 2 in The Noricin Chronicles steps up the adventure and raises the stakes for Dan and his two best friends. Mark Sheldon’s witty, engrossing tale is a definite must read. Captivating and thrilling, you won’t be able to put this book down.

~Yoli Washington, Amazon

The Room of Death

"The third installment in The Noricin Chronicles series...takes the action and intrigue to an entirely new level of intensity...A solid new literary talent, author Mark Sheldon scores again with another entertaining installment sure to leave readers craving the next episode. A highly satisfying read."

~Chelsea Perry, Apex Reviews

www.apexreviews.net

"In storytelling style, Mark Sheldon weaves another vibrant tale as he continues in The Noricin Chronicles..."

~Diane Sismour

"The Room of Death has action right from the get-go and you hurriedly turn the pages to find out what is going to happen next...I found this very pleasant to read and enjoyed the various climaxes throughout the book."

Stephanie, www.goodreads.com

Scorpio Rising

"Every bit as fantastical and imaginative as its predecessors, Scorpio Rising does a commendable job of introducing an intriguing new layer to Sheldon’s ongoing fantasy series, ensuring that readers will remain just as compelled to discover the outcome of Dan’s latest daunting challenge. Creatively well-crafted, Scorpio Rising is a thoroughly engaging read – one that definitely leaves you wanting more."

~Chelsea Perry, Apex Reviews

www.apexreviews.net

This is my first discovery of this Series and without knowing of what went on before I was able to pick up on the story-line quite quickly and it left me with wanting more. Witty, imaginative, and quite thought-provoking.

~Don Ball, www.goodreads.com

I Loved this book so much I read it cover to cover without putting it down once and when I finished it I was left with a sense of loss…Definitely the best book of the four, learning more about the other characters, secrets of the Scorpion's past are revealed and some amazing events take place that leave you speechless!

~Calley Bryson, www.goodreads.com

The Noricin Chronicles

Chronicle the Third:

Bloodline

Part 2: Amphictyon: The White Knight

By Mark Sheldon

The Noricin Chronicles: Amphictyon: The White Knight

© 2013 by Mark Sheldon

Cover Artwork

© 2013 by Mark Sheldon

Smashwords Edition

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

Visit The Noricin Chronicles homepage at http://noricin.webs.com

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Other books in The Noricin Chronicles:

Chronicle the First: The Steven Noricin School for the New Race

The Lost Boy

The Gottlehrling Goblet

The Room of Death

Scorpio Rising

Chronicle the Second: The Scorpion’s Sting

The Relics of Time

The Fall of the Eagle

A Window to the Past

The Lost Journal

Chronicle the Second: Bloodline

Deucalion: The Fallen Angel of Vengeance

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Real Family

Chapter 2: Refuge

Chapter 3: Are There No Workhouses?

Chapter 4: Recovering Relics

Chapter 5: The Real Work

Chapter 6: A Warmer Haven

Chapter 7: Confrontation

Chapter 8: The Lost Journals

Chapter 9: The Monster in the Darkness

Chapter 10: Secrets Revealed

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another"

Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend

Chapter 1

The Real Family

Hans Gottlehrling knew, intellectually at least, that the family he had grown up with was not his birth family. He didn’t know very much about who his real parents had been, but it didn’t concern him much, either. He had been told by his adoptive parents, Ahren and Adelaide Gottlehrling, that his biological mother, Jarvinia, had been a servant of Ahren’s family, and that she had died giving birth to him. Ahren and Adelaide knew nothing of his father’s identity, or so at least they claimed, and thus Hans was forced to assume that his father had abandoned his mother. So, to all intents and purposes, Hans’ father was as good as dead too.

As far as Hans was concerned, the Gottlehrlings were his real family; Ahren was his father, Adelaide was his mother, and their daughter, Caroline, was his sister. Adelaide’s relatives were his kin as well, providing grandparents, an aunt and uncle, and a cousin.

And as far as appearances were concerned, he could easily have passed as one of the Gottlehrling children, except for one slight genetic variation. The one trait that betrayed his heritage was the color of his eyes. Ahren Gottlehrling’s eyes were a very dark shade of brown. Adelaide’s eyes were a light blue. Caroline’s came out as something of a mixture between the two in a dark shade of green. Hans’ eyes, on the other hand, were an extremely light shade of brown – so light they were almost orange.

Hans learned at an early age not to inquire about Ahren’s family, for a dark cloud of remorse would fill the gentle man’s eyes at any mention of his kin and he would become sullen and unreachable for hours at a time. Hans imagined that some family squabble had come between them and provoked Ahren’s migration from Geneva, Switzerland, to London. The young boy could think of no other catalyst – other than death itself – that would separate a family so drastically.

Whatever feud or plague had torn Ahren Gottlehrling from his family, it had not, however, torn him from the family’s wealth. In a time when many Londoners were