title: The Tale of Krispos: Krispos Rising  Krispos of Videssos  Krispos the Emperor (The Tale of Krispos of Videssos)
author:  Harry Turtledove 
description: <b>Harry Turtledove</b> is the award-winning author of the alternate-history works <i>The Man with the Iron Heart, The Guns of the South, </i>and <i>How Few Remain</i> (winner of the Sidewise Award for Best Novel); the Hot War books: <i>Bombs Away, Fallout, </i>and<i> Armistice;</i> the War That Came Early novels: <i>Hitlers War, West and East, The Big Switch,</i> <i>Coup dEtat, Two Fronts, </i>and<i> Last Orders; </i>the Worldwar saga: <i>In the Balance, Tilting the Balance, Upsetting the Balance,</i> and<i> Striking the Balance;</i> the Colonization books: <i>Second Contact, Down to Earth,</i> and<i> Aftershocks; </i>the Great War epics: <i>American Front, Walk in Hell,</i> and <i>Breakthroughs;</i> the American Empire novels: <i>Blood and Iron, The Center Cannot Hold, </i>and <i>Victorious Opposition;</i> and the Settling Accounts series: <i>Return Engagement, Drive to the East, The Grapple, </i>and<i> In at the Death</i>. Turtledove is married to fellow novelist Laura Frankos. They have three daughtersAlison, Rachel, and Rebeccaand two granddaughters, Cordelia Turtledove Katayanagi and Phoebe Quinn Turtledove Katayanagi.
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  ## Krispos Rising
  
  
    
  
  
  ### Harry Turtledove
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Krispos Rising
  
  
  by Harry Turtledove
  
  
  
  
  
  ![](images/0.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  This one is for Rebecca (who arrived during Chapter V)
  
  
  and for her grandmothers, Gertrude and Nancy.
  
  
  AUTHOR'S NOTE
  
  
  
  
  
  _Krispos Rising_ and the second book in _The Tale of Krispos_ , _Krispos of
  Videssos_ , are set in the same universe as the four books of _The Videssos
  Cycle: The Misplaced Legion, An Emperor for the Legion, The Legion of
  Videssos_ , and _Swords of the Legion_. The events described in _The Tale of
  Krispos_ take place about five hundred years before those chronicled in _The
  Videssos Cycle_. Thus the map that precedes the text is different from the one
  in front of the books of _The Videssos Cycle_. So, too, are some of the
  customs that appear here: nations, even imaginary ones, do not stand still
  over five hundred years.
  
  
  I
  
  
  "The thunder of hoofbeats. Shouts in a harsh tongue.
  
  
  Krispos opened one eye. It was still dark. It felt 