Shardik is a fantasy of tragic character, centred around the long-awaited reincarnation of the gigantic eponymous bear and his appearance among the half-barbaric Ortelgan people. Mighty, ferocious and unpredictable, Shardik changes the life of every person in the story. Kelderek, the hunter who loves and trusts the great bear, is swept along by destiny: he becomes first a devotee and then a prophet; a victorious soldier and then ruler of an empire and priest-king of Lord Shardik Messenger of God. Meanwhile he discovers the ever-deeper layers of meaning implicit in his passionate belief in the bear's divinity.

A gripping tale of war, adventure, horror and romance, Shardik, on a deeper level, is a remarkable exploration of mankind's universal desire for divine incarnation.

-- from the cover