The Hero and the Fiend is a twelve-thousand word novelette set in the same world, and featuring some of the same characters, as Glenn G. Thater’s Harbinger of Doom series of fantasy novels and novellas. Hero, however, is a stand-alone story that requires no familiarity with his other books to enjoy. Like much of Thater’s work, Hero explores the nature of good and evil, and plumbs the depths of heroism and courage. Morzagast, Prince of Nifleheim, an immortal fiend of frightening power rampages across Lomion City on an insatiable quest for blood and souls. Stalwart soldiers, gallant knights, and grayed wizards cannot kill it or contain it. Yet a lone warrior, bound by duty, and girded with courage and cold steel, sacrifices all to bar its path. BOOKS BY GLENN G. THATER THE HARBINGER OF DOOM SAGA GATEWAY TO NIFLEHEIM THE FALLEN ANGLE KNIGHT ETERNAL DWELLERS OF THE DEEP VOLUME 5+ forthcoming HARBINGER OF DOOM (Combines The Gateway and The Fallen Angle into a single volume) THE HERO AND THE FIEND (A novelette set in the Harbinger of Doom universe) THE GATEWAY (A novella length version of Gateway to Nifleheim) Floating at the surface of the Harbinger of Doom Saga stories are action, heroism, villainy, fantastical creatures, magic, and intrigue, obvious and entertaining to all those that skim its pages. But for those who delve deeper, these tales present truths both shocking and eternal. The nature of good and evil is explored in ways that led to the Saga's banning for either religious or political reasons in much of Western Europe for centuries. Ironically, a more careful reading of a wider swath of "Thetian" canon affirms the time-honored truths and values taught by the Church and upheld by the best of nations.The Harbinger of Doom Saga presents a vast, complex world populated by a myriad of memorable characters, and beset with magic, monsters, mystery, myth, and mayhem. It is epic fantasy on its grandest scale. Dropping a reader somewhere amidst that maelstrom is a daunting prospect for author and reader alike. To ease the entrance, I begin the telling with the novella, The Gateway , which is decidedly not epic in scope but introduces some of the most beloved characters of the Saga, showcases Theta at his finest, and features the realistic, gritty action the Saga is known for, while also hinting at the wonders and mystery that define the ancient world of Midgaard. Fantasy readers may find it reminiscent in scope and feel to some of Robert E. Howard's stories of Conan, Kull, or Solomon Kane. If you prefer to take a slightly more ambitious plunge into the Saga, I recommend that you begin with Gateway to Nifleheim , the full-length novel version (approximately 66,000 words, available in kindle and paperback) of the shorter work, The Gateway (approximately 25,000 words, also available in kindle and paperback). Subsequent volumes of the Saga expose the reader to the vast landscape of Midgaard as the Saga's reach spirals outward and becomes truly epic in scale and complexity. As you take your first dip into the waters of Midgaard and experience the vivid descriptions of the landscape and the heart-thumping action, you may, as I do, feel the urge to pick up a sword and dive into the fray. Although we can't fight at Theta's side, take solace that we can revel in his exploits and follow him again and again as he strides across Midgaard in the days of high adventure. For more than twenty-five years, Glenn G. Thater has written works of fiction and historical fiction that focus on the genres of epic fantasy and sword and sorcery. His published works of fiction include the first four volumes of the Harbinger of Doom saga: Gateway to Nifleheim, The Fallen Angle, Knight Eternal, and Dwellers of the Deep; the novella, The Gateway; and the novelette, The Hero and the Fiend.  Mr. Thater holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics with concentrations in Astronomy and Religious Studies, and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering, specializing in Structural Engineering. He has undertaken advanced graduate study in Classical Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Statistical Mechanics, and Astrophysics, and is a practicing licensed professional engineer specializing in the multi-disciplinary alteration and remediation of buildings, and the forensic investigation of building failures and other disasters. Mr. Thater has investigated failures and collapses of numerous structures around the United States and internationally. Since 1998, he has served on the American Society of Civil Engineers' Technical Council on Forensic Engineering (TCFE), is a member of that Council's Executive Committee, and is the past Chairman of TCFE's Committee on Practices to Reduce Failures. Mr. Thater is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional and has testified as an expert witness in the field of structural engineering before the Supreme Court of the State of New York.  Mr. Thater is an author of numerous