Traders

By Johnson, Kevin, Wade

Book Id: WPLBN0100751116
Format Type: PDF (eBook)
File Size: 7.98 MB.
Reproduction Date: 12/20/2025

Title:	Traders
Author:	Johnson, Kevin, Wade
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Fiction, Drama and Literature
Collections:	Authors Community, Fantasy
Historic Publication Date:	2025
Publisher:	Self-Published

Member Page:	Kevin Johnson
Citation APA MLA Chicago Johnson, K. W. (2025). Traders. Retrieved from https://self.gutenberg.org/

Description
A two-bit trading caravan, a young man serving as lead guard for little more than meals. Traveling from one small, poor village to the next, barely making enough to survive. The lead guard is young—too young. He's determined on a better life, but will his lack of maturity keep him from attaining it? Will he cause too much unthinking harm to others on the way? What trade-offs will he have to make?

Summary
A coming-of-age story in a world where all magic comes from three different *loci* - incredibly dangerous to approach. And yet, what other way can a young man in near-poverty make anything of himself?

Excerpt
He stood maybe an inch taller, ten pounds heavier. A few years older, maybe. He had a relaxed smile on his face. "Begin!" His expression didn't change. As he advanced with caution, he started talking. "Hey now, you look like a challenge, young man. I'm Aramund, who are you?" I stopped, wary. "Brytram." He had stopped when I did. I tried not to let that lull me in anyway. He went on talking as resumed advancing. "Hey, it's a pleasure to meet you." He feinted, and I waited. "Nice there, glad to see I've got a real opponent this time." He swung his truncheon, no feint this time, and almost got my hand instead of my truncheon. "I like a challenge," he continued without pausing. "Can't get better fighting inferiors." He half-feinted, I met his truncheon with mine, and he tried to lever mine around and out of my hand. I slipped the attempt and stepped back. "Yes, this time I'm going to have to give it my best, no question, you're up to my weight and maybe then some." He feinted again, and I thought I'd spotted the difference between his real attacks and his feints and half-feints. He shifts his weight, just the tiniest bit— I didn't stop to wonder about it, I lunged in—

Table of Contents
Cast of Characters Maps Prologue: Growing Up One: Traders Trade Two: In Terms of Gold Three: They Do Not Think of Blood Four: Gold on Gold Five: They Count Their Gain Six: And Never Count on Love Seven: When Blood Runs High Eight: When Blood Runs Hot Nine: Then They Notice Take Ten: But All the While Eleven: Behind a Sigh Twelve: They Care More What They've Got Thirteen: When We Compete Fourteen: To Gain a Mate Fifteen: That Makes Us Look Complete Sixteen: Or Seek a Manse Seventeen: A Vast Expanse Eighteen: To Make Us Look So Great Nineteen: But What Is Won? Twenty: When All Is Done? Afterword Thinking Through the Premise About the Author