Book excerpt: A shattered weapon. A job undone. A new danger. An ancient hero and an uprooted inventor reunite to deal with an old problem, all the while confronting changes, new fears, and a duty without end. “The Things She Made” is a short story set in Anthony St. Clair’s acclaimed Rucksack Universe. The Rucksack Universe series combines alternate history, speculative fiction, myth, adventure, globetrotting, and intrigue—all with well-poured pints of beer. Library Journal says Anthony St. Clair’s storytelling has “universe building reminiscent of Terry Pratchett,” and readers say they love the Rucksack Universe’s unique combination of “quirk, wit, travel, and magic.”