As a new trilogy begins this week, we shift from Eldritch oblivions to Swords and magical forces. Starting with a piece from her collection of eleven short stories titled "Orsinian Tales", The Barrow was published in 1976 by American author Ursula K. Le Guin. With icy-cold prose and an even colder setting, The Barrow takes us deep into the frostbitten lands of a young lord as he hosts at his snowy keep, a guest from a distant land. With a focus on historical fiction, pagan mysticism and brooding dread The Barrow sets a dark tone for the fantastical worlds we will soon delve into.