FOREWORD
(TO HARBINGER OF DOOM)
The following stories are the first volume in a collection of the adventures of the ancient warrior-hero most commonly referred to as Angle Theta. Although the original historical manuscripts detailing the life and times of this classic warrior are still inaccessible to the general public my contacts and travels have afforded me rare opportunities to view and even duplicate some of the original manuscripts which consist of more than ten thousand documents stored in protected archives in twelve museums and universities scattered across seven countries.
Due to the inaccessibility of these documents, few modern scholars or authors are familiar with the “Thetian manuscripts”. Consequently, the general public knows little or nothing about this ancient hero who some scholars believe helped shape much of the ancient world and perhaps was the historical inspiration for the legends of Beowulf, Gilgamesh, King Arthur and others.
Until now, no scholar has attempted a detailed compilation of the entire Angle Theta saga although several notable works containing Thetian stories have been penned through the centuries. Grenville’s work “Ancient Warriors of Scandinavia” (1884) and Addleson’s “The Ancient Cities of Prehistoric Europe” (1921) both contain several stories of Theta’s exploits. The text “The Warlords” (1408) by Chuan Chien contains two tales of Theta’s adventures in ancient Asia. While there is no complete English translation of Chien’s text, the accounts contained therein serve as independent evidence of the existence of Theta as a historical figure. The essay “Forgotten Empires” by Charles Sawyer (1754) and Da Vinci’s manuscript “Of Prehistory” (1502) also contain story fragments and references to the historical Theta. The voluminous treatise “Prehistoric Cities of Europe” by Cantor (1928) presents noteworthy, though non-conclusive, evidence of the historical existence of the city of Lomion in what is now southwestern England.
Some modern scholars do not accept the historical efficacy of the Thetian manuscripts due to the relatively small quantity of corroborating archeological evidence for the ancient cities and cultures detailed therein. Thus, they relegate Theta to the realms of myth, legend and allegory. Others maintain that the scholarly texts mentioned above, coupled with the original archived manuscripts, serve as sufficient evidence to verify the historical existence of Theta the man. One can only hope that in time the archeological record will further reinforce this position.
Several years ago while researching Theta for a story that I had planned to write, I had the good fortune to meet and begin a long-standing collaboration with several leading Thetian scholars, most notably Professor Augustine DiPipcorno of the University of Padua, and Dr. Ann Lewis of The University of Indiana, who have for some years been actively translating the entire body of available original manuscripts. These professors are leading a team that is currently preparing a series of detailed scholarly texts that include all the original tales plus their commentary and thorough critique of the corroborating scholarly, historical, literary and archeological evidence.
The work you are now reading, however, represents my re-envisioning of the first volume of the Professors’ translations into modern prose with additional dialogue and descriptive language added so that these stories will be found more accessible and entertaining to the typical reader. Further, I have sometimes chosen to label certain fanciful creatures and devices described in the original manuscripts using names and words that are familiar to modern readers of fantasy and science fiction tales. The story titles are my own and are meant to be entertaining. In all cases, however, the central plots, facts, themes, and spirit of the original tales remain unchanged.
I hope you will come to enjoy the Thetian tales as much as I have.
****
Author's Note:
The above is the 'Foreword' contained in the book, 'Harbinger of Doom'.
glenn g. thater
Author of 'Harbinger of Doom'
www.glenngthater.com (my website)
Mr. Thater's books can be purchased from Amazon.com. Mr. Thater's Amazon.com profile page, which includes a complete listing of his books can be accessed here:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BMFQUO
If you're outside the United States and can't purchase from Amazon.com or if you just don't want to purchase from Amazon, you can purchase Mr. Thater's Trade Paperback books directly from the Publisher using these links:
Harbinger of Doom (1st Edition):
http://www.createspace.com/3334712
Harbinger of Doom (2nd Edition):
http://www.createspace.com/3342167
What Readers are saying about Harbinger of Doom:
--- Glenn Thater's "Harbinger of Doom", set in a world of men, gnomes, elves, and wizards, asks a tough question: what if we've got it all wrong? What if the God we follow turned bad, and the one we call the Devil is really a maligned angel on a quest to rid the world of evil? So goes Thater's tale, and he tells it in a voice as pretentious as Tolkein's. His world is called Midgaard, its capital called Lomion. Thater populates Midgaard with knights, a young-man-turned-king, a belligerent gnome, a couple scardey-cat wizards, Sir Gabriel, and Lord Angle Theta, the Harbinger of Doom. ...what fascinated me was the clever idea that Azathoth/Odin/God's heart turned black, and the one we know as the Bogeyman is really the one who is trying to save us. What a twist, and what an imagination!
---- Dennis Batchelder, Author of Soul Identity
(Reposted from Goodreads.com)
--- An amazing tale of swords, sorcerers, and more!...In the foreword, Thater has introduced the legend of Angle Theta. He is a character that has been cited in a number of ancient writings, and is the stuff legends are made of. ... Thater's writing has you in the heat of the battle, and leaves you wanting more of this epic story. ...[Angle Theta] reminds me a little of Moorcock's Lord Elric of Melnibone, who struggles with issues in the fight of good and evil. Cannot wait to read more of this saga from Glenn G. Thater. For those of us who love to read of demons and dragons, knights in armor and legends of long ago.
--- "Ellen in Atlanta", Amazon Top 500 Reviewer
(Reposted from Amazon.com)
--- …now I have something I can reread over and over again. Harbinger of Doom has just shattered everything I knew of the epic fantasy realm and created a sub genre all of its own. With a masterful craft of writing with sly wit you are pulled into an epic tale of dark portions. If you are like me, you will scream at the book, and several characters in certain parts as they become like kin folk. The characters own the pages, the story never disappoints, and thank God for this author! In addition, if you are a Brian Lumley fan, I would suggest you give this book a try. A must for fantasy fans!
--- "PoetryLover"
(Reposted from Amazon.com)
--- I find Mr. Thater's book, Harbinger of Doom, to be an excellent foray into dark story adventure, … good story, good action. Excellent flow of the story line to hold the attention. Overall very well done.
--- Jacamo Peterson, Author of "A Hard Place: A Sergeant's Tale"
(Reposted from Amazon.com)
--- At its core, Harbinger of Doom is a story of heroes and villains and explores the nature of good and evil, of religion and even politics. But this is no four color comic book world, it's a land where the good guys can die, and where it's not always clear who is the hero and who is the villain....
--- "P. Martucci"
(Reposted from Amazon.com)
--- This is a complex but highly entertaining swords and sorcery story, reminiscent of the pulp novels of Robert E. Howard, but with more depth and undercurrents to the plot. Thater's character `Lord Angle Theta' is an almost larger than life hero like Howard's Conan or Kull. And although he's perhaps their equal in brawn, he's far their better in brains. The other characters are all memorable and interesting, especially the grumpy gnome called Ob….
--- "Fantasy Fan"
(Reposted from Amazon.com)
--- Harbinger of Doom by Glenn Thater is what this genre of literature is all about!...I truly did not put the book down!
--- “Greg M.”
(Reposted from Amazon.com)
--- Who can resisit a good sword and sorcery book? Not me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Harbinger of Doom. It plunges you into a magic fog right at the start, and the action never stops! Fast-paced and exciting, it's a page turner. The characters are interesting folk. I loved the twist of the weak-kneed wizard, and the gnome was highly entertaining. I also smiled at the references a true sci-fi fan would appreciate. Clever nods to Dr. Who and Star Trek, to name but two! There are dark secrets and many mysteries in this tale of good vs. evil. I hope it continues!
--- “Susan Jane”
(Reposted from Amazon.com)
--- …It took me by surprise because I had never heard of this author and was blown away by how exciting this story and the characters were from the get go. I literally could not put this book down once I started reading it. ...It has all the adventure and excitement of the Star Wars Saga but set in a different world of endless time.
--- "Mythical Books Aficionado"
(Reposted from Amazon.com)
--- …Thater takes his fantasy and places it inside your brain. I wasn't reading a book, I was standing in the middle of the action, looking to pick up a sword and jump in…
--- "George T"
(Reposted from Amazon.com)
--- My New Favorite Book. Ok, that's saying a lot, but this book is just that good. The author doesn't just spit out a story here - he's crafted every line and word - there's a rhythm to the way it reads; both the exposition and the dialog. It draws you in; providing a more immersive experience than you'd expect in fantasy fiction. The depth of the world, and the complexity of the characters, and an underlying ambiguity as to who's really the hero and who's really the villain make this story a true standout. I liked it so much, I actually read it twice - and found that on the second read I picked up all sorts of subtleties and nuances that I'd missed on the first go round.
--- "Connie Brady"
(Reposted from Amazon.com)
