The Promised One (30 page)

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Authors: David Alric

BOOK: The Promised One
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toerag
n
. (slang) an unpleasant, despicable or contemptible person

tolerant
adj
. able to accept the behaviour of another; uncritical; indulgent; forbearing; easygoing

toodle-oo
interjection
(old-fashioned slang) goodbye

torrent
n
. a large and rapid flow of water, words, etc.

trance
n
. a dreamlike or hypnotic state

tranquil
adj
. peaceful; calm

tranquillizer
n
. a calming drug

transmit
v
. to pass on; to transfer; to impart

trauma
n
. physical or emotional injury

traverse
v
. to cross; go over

treasure trove
n
. a hidden store of valuables

trek
v
. to make a journey, often a long and difficult one

tributary
n
. a river or stream that joins a larger one

trip
n
. (slang) an abnormal state of mind caused by an hallucinogenic drug

trivial
adj
. unimportant; petty

troupe
n
. a company of travelling players or actors

truculent
adj
. aggressive

tuber
n
. a fleshy underground stem or root

turbulence
n
. gusty air currents

twig
v
. (slang) to understand suddenly; to work out what is going on; to catch on

twinge
n
. Chapter 1: a sudden, brief stab of pain

Chapter 19: a sudden pang of emotion

ultimatum
n
. a final demand

umpteenth
adj
. (slang) one of very many

unanimous
adj
. in complete agreement (of a group of people)

uncanny
adj
. having a supernatural quality; eerie

understatement
n
. a description of something that represents it as being less than it really is

unerring
adj
. consistently accurate; without any mistakes

unfathomable
adj
. immeasurably deep

ungainly
adj
. awkward; ungraceful

unison
n
. complete harmony; complete co-ordination

unkempt
adj
. untidy; ungroomed; dishevelled

unmolested
adj
. left alone; not attacked; not interfered with

unravel
v
. to untangle or undo

unsavoury
adj
. unpleasant; distasteful; disagreeable

unscalable
adj
. not possible to climb; insurmountable

unwieldy
adj
. too awkwardly shaped to be handled easily

vanguard
n
. the leading group in a party; those at the front

vantage point
n
. a position giving a favourable view of a scene or situation

vegetate
v
. to pass time monotonously and inactively

venomous
adj
. poisonous

venture
v
. to set out on a possibly hazardous undertaking; to set forth with caution or trepidation

vestige
n
. a very small amount; a trace of something larger that was there before; a remnant

veterinary
adj
. to do with the health of animals

veto
v
. to forbid; to refuse to give consent to

vile
adj
. particularly unpleasant; abominable; wicked; hateful

villa
n
. a large and often luxurious residence

villain
n
. a wicked person

vivid
adj
. bright; brilliant

vulnerable
adj
. capable of being hurt or wounded; weak

waft
n
. something carried on the air, especially a smell

warrant
n
. an official document that authorizes a course of action such as an arrest

wax and wane
both verbs
to get bigger and smaller

well
v
. to flow upwards or outwards. In Chapter 15 it means that the water comes up out of the ground like a spring

whence
adv
. (poetic) from; ‘from what place’

white lie
n
. a fib; a minor untruth

whither
adv
. (poetic) ‘to what place’

wide berth
n
. in Chapter 14 the machrauchenia give Richard a
wide berth
(originally a nautical expression) meaning they avoided him by staying well clear of him

wimp
n
. (slang) a feeble, ineffectual individual

wince
v
. to move or grimace suddenly because of a pain or injury; to flinch

wistful
adj
. sad; pensive

WPC
n
. abbreviation for
woman police constable

wrath
n
. extreme anger; rage leading to retribution or vengeance

wreak
v
. to cause; to inflict (havoc, chaos, etc.)

wrinklies
pl. n
. (slang) old people

yonder
adv
. (poetic) ‘over there’ – often far away

zillion
n
. (slang) an unimaginably large number (based upon a million, billion, trillion … etc.)

zoom
v
. to move rapidly with a buzzing sound

Unit conversion table

1 inch = 2.54 centimetres

1 foot = 12 inches = 0.3 metres

1 yard = 3 feet = 0.91 metres

1 mile = 1760 yards = 1.61 kilometres

1 league = 3 miles (archaic)

1 ton = 2240 pounds (1016 kilograms)

 

1 centimetre = 0.39 inches

1 metre = 3.28 feet = 1.09 yards

1 kilometre = 0.62 miles 

David Alric has had a highly distinguished career as a medical professor in which his publications, research and teaching established him as an eminent medical writer and an international leader in his field. He was a pioneer in the development of methods of investigation and treatment that are now routinely used in medical practice and he played a major role in the introduction of computer technology into medicine.

 

David’s writing experience and scientific knowledge have now been brought to bear on writing for a very different readership. In
The Valley of the Ancients
and his first novel,
The Promised One
, he combines his storytelling skills – honed by years of reading to his children and grandchildren – with his deep and wide-ranging understanding of natural history, science and general knowledge to create a fascinating mixture of adventure, fantasy and factual knowledge.

 

David is married with three children and six grandchildren. They see him most days and are his severest critics.

First published in 2004
by Bladon Publishing
12 New Street, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire OX7 5LJ

This edition first published by
by Faber and Faber Ltd
Bloomsbury House
74–77 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DA
This ebook edition first published in 2012

All rights reserved
© David Alric, 2004
Artwork © David Dean 2007

The right of David Alric to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

Disclaimer: With the exception of the historical characters, any resemblance between the people and animals in this book and any real person, living or dead, is entirely accidental

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly

ISBN 978–0–571–29714–6

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