In the second novel in Guy Gavriel Kay’s critically acclaimed Fionavar Tapestry, five men and women from our world must play their parts in a colossal war, as the first of all worlds confronts an ancient evil… After a thousand years of imprisonment the Unraveller has broken free and frozen Fionavar in the ice of eternal winter. His terrible vengeance has begun to take its toll on mortals and demi-gods, mages and priestesses, dwarves and the Children of Light.  The five brought from Earth across the tapestry of worlds must act to wake the allies Fionavar desperately needs. But no one can know if these figures out of legend have power enough to shatter the icy grip of death upon the land—or if they even want to... Praise for The Fionovar Tapestry “Kay has delivered such a magnificent...volume that I can’t praise it enough. The Fionavar Tapestry is a work that will be read for many years to come. It is a book that makes one proud to be working in the same genre as its author.”—Charles de Lint “I’m overwhelmed... The Summer Tree is one of those books that change your perception of the world forever afterward.”—Marion Zimmer Bradley “A remarkable achievement…the essence of high fantasy.”— Locus “Kay’s intricate Celtic background will please fantasy buffs...in the manner of The Silmarillion , the posthumous Tolkien work that Kay helped edit.”— Publishers Weekly “Immense scale, literary richness and dazzling heroes.”— Toronto Star   “Certainly this is one of the very best of the fantasies which have appeared since Tolkien, and I trust it will be recognized as such.”—Andre Norton   “This is the only fantasy work I know which does not suffer by comparison to The Lord of the Rings .”— Interzone   “Can be compared only with Tolkien’s masterpiece. A passionate battle between good and evil...it delights the spirit.”— Star-Phoenix “Satisfying...a highly literate, lovingly detailed work of fantasy.”— Fantasy Review “Kay's bestselling—and stunning—fantasy trilogy finds its power not in its feats of imagination or world-building (though there are dazzling heapings of both) but from its rootedness in the reality of human emotions and relationships.”— The Globe and Mail   “A grand galloping narrative...reverberates with centuries of mythic and incantory implications—with a little Prince Hal and Falstaff on the side.”— Christian Science Monitor   “ The Fionavar Tapestry , when all is said and done, is one of the most beautifully written and moving fantasy trilogies ever written. Those are very large words, but I truly believe this book is large enough to fit into such a reputation.”—Green Man Review Guy Gavriel Kay is the international bestselling author of numerous fantasy novels including The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, Tigana , The Last Light of the Sun , Under Heaven ,  River of Stars , and  Children of Earth and Sky . He has been awarded the International Goliardos Prize for his work in the literature of the fantastic, and won the World Fantasy Award for Ysabel in 2008. In 2014 he was named to the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honor. His works have been translated into more than twenty-five languages. Chapter 1 Winter was coming. Last night’s snow hadn’t melted and the bare trees were laced with it. Toronto woke that morning to see itself cloaked and made over in white, and it was only November. Cutting across Nathan Philips Square in front of the twin curves of the City Hall, Dave Martyniuk walked as carefully as he could and wished he’d worn boots. As he maneuvered toward the restaurant entrance on the far side, he saw with some surprise that the other three were already waiting. “Dave,” said sharp-eyed Kevin Laine. “A new suit! When did this happen?” “Hi, everyone,” Dave said. “I got it last week. Can’t wear the same corduroy jackets all year, can I?” “A deep truth,” said Kevin, grinning. He was wearing jeans and a sheepskin jacket. And boots. Having finished the obligatory apprenticeship with a law firm that Dave had just begun, Kevin was now immersed in the equally tedious if less formal six-month Bar Admission course. “If that is a three-piece suit,” he added, “my image of you is going to be irrevocably shattered.” Wordlessly, Dave unbuttoned his overcoat to reveal the shattering navy vest beneath. “Angels and ministers of grace defend us!” Kevin exclaimed, crossing himself with the wrong hand while making the sign against evil with the other. Paul Schafer laughed. “Actually,” Kevin said, “it looks very nice. Why didn’t you buy it in your size?” “Oh, Kev, give him a break!” Kim Ford said. “It is nice, Dave, and it fits perfectly. Kevin’s feeling scruffy and jealous.” “I am not,” Kevin protested. “I am simply giving my buddy a hard time. If I can’t tease Dave, who can I tease?” “It’s okay,” said Dave. “I’m tough, I can take it.” But what he was remembering in that moment was the face of Kevin Laine the spring before, in a room in the Park Plaza Hotel. The face