Book excerpt: Being a Hero isn’t easy—but it’s a lot easier than being a Dark Lord. Dark forces just aren’t what they used to be in the good old days. The Manticore’s Secret is the spellbinding sequel to The Simoqin Prophecies: Part One of the GameWorld Trilogy. Once again Samit Basu creates a mesmeric landscape bursting with weird and wonderful characters and a gripping narrative that’s complex, playful, sometimes sombre but always dazzlingly inventive. A mysterious Dark Lord and his grotesque army threaten all that is good on earth... or do they? The heroic immortals who vanquished his rakshas father long ago have returned to do battle with the forces of evil, which is good news... or is it? In the shadows a secret society of shapeshifters battles deadly mind-controlling foes who threaten history, humanity and the future of the planet. A beautiful, amoral rakshasi plots world domination while a strangely civilized barbarian fights to save the world. But the world is spinning out of control. Because the gods are back. And they want to play...