From dungeon to cathedral, from brothel to hermit's hut, the gambits of the mighty face the power of seers and stars. In the fortress of Bren, mad King Kylock and the wizard Baralis spread their sadistic terror across the shattered kingdoms. Meanwhile, the fallen knight Tawl and Jack, the baker's boy, meet in a quest to save widowed Melliandra and her unborn child.

The conflict that follows will rewrite the meaning of Destiny and unknit the very fabric of Time ... MASTER AND FOOL is the conclusion to the Book of Words - an epic tale of grandeur and magic which has been acclaimed as one of the most brilliant fantasy debuts for many years