About this item
In 1529 the vast Turkish army threatens Vienna and all of Europe, but at the core of the conflict is the fabled Herzwesten beer, brewed in Vienna ever since the city was a Celtic village. And from both East and West, ancient supernatural forces are gathering to take part in the fight. Gray-haired soldier of fortune Brian Duffy, hired to be a bouncer at the inn that houses the brewery, only hopes to find the girl he was in love with years ago--but he learns to his dismay that he is a crucial figure in a centuries-old war for the heart of the civilized world.Swept up in the bloodshed and sorcery of the epic Siege of Vienna, fighting Eastern demons and leading mythological Western allies, Duffy learns his true identity and destiny in the crucible of a war that decided the fate of Europe.
About the Author
is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Powers has won the World Fantasy Award twice for his critically acclaimed novels Last Call and Declare. Most of Powers's novels are : he uses actual, documented historical events featuring famous people, but shows another view of them in which occult or supernatural factors heavily influence the motivations and actions of the characters. Powers was born in Buffalo, New York, and grew up in California, where his Roman Catholic family moved in 1959. He studied English Literature at Cal State Fullerton, where he first met and , both of whom remained close friends and occasional collaborators; the trio have half-seriously referred to themselves as "steampunks" in contrast to the prevailing cyberpunk genre of the 1980s. Powers and Blaylock invented the poet while they were at Cal State Fullerton. Another friend Powers first met during this period was noted science fiction writer ; the character named "David" in Dick's novel is based on Powers and (Blade Runner) is dedicated to him. Powers's first major novel was (1979) , but the novel that earned him wide praise was , which won the Philip K. Dick Award, and has since been published in many other languages. Powers also teaches part-time in his role as Writer in Residence for the Orange County High School of the Arts where his friend, Blaylock, is Director of the Creative Writing Department. Powers and his wife, Serena, currently live in Muscoy, California. He has frequently served as a mentor author as part of the Clarion science fiction/fantasy writer's workshop. He also taught part time at the University of Redlands.
