The Sword and the Throne


Book Description

AD 69. Aulus Caecina Severus has thrown in his lot with the hedonistic Vitellius and prepares his legions for a gruelling march over the Alps. Driven by the desire to repay the treachery of his former patron, the Emperor Galba, and to keep his rival Valens in check, Severus leads his army against barbarian rebellions and against the mountains themselves in his race to reach Italy first. With the vast Po valley almost in sight, news reaches the army that Galba has been killed in a coup, and that Otho has been declared Emperor by the Praetorians who he had bribed to murder their own emperor. But there is no turning back for Severus, even if he wanted to. The Rhine legions want their man on the throne, and they won't stop until they reach Rome itself. Even once Otho is defeated, the battle for supremacy between Severus and Valens is far from over. The politics of the court and the mob is the new battleground, and Severus needs the help of his wife Salonina and his freedman Totavalas in this constant game of thrones. When stories spread of a new power in the east, Severus has to decide where his real loyalty lies: to his Emperor, to his city or to himself?




Sword of the Rightful King


Book Description

The newly crowned King Arthur has yet to win the support of the people. Merlin must do something before the king is betrayed, or murdered, or--worst of all--gets married. So Merlin creates a trick: a sword magically placed into a slab of rock that only Arthur can withdraw. Then he lets it be known that whosoever removes the blade will rule all of England, and invites any man who would dare, to try to pull out the sword. But then someone else pulls the sword out first. . . .




Swords Around A Throne


Book Description

This authoritative, comprehensive, and enthralling book describes and analyzes Napoleon's most powerful weapon -- the Grande Armee which at its peak numbered over a million soldiers. Elting examines every facet of this incredibly complex human machine: its organization, command system, logistics, weapons, tactics, discipline, recreation, mobile hospitals, camp followers, and more. From the army's formation out of the turmoil of Revolutionary France through its swift conquests of vast territories across Europe to its legendary death at Waterloo, this book uses excerpts from soldiers' letters, eyewitness accounts, and numerous firsthand details to place the reader in the boots of Napoleon's conscripts and generals. In Elting's masterful hands the experience is truly unforgettable.




The Seer And The Sword


Book Description

Flame-haired Princess Torina knows nothing of battles and conquest until her father, the king of Bellandra, returns home with an orphaned prince from the neighbouring enemy kingdom. The boy prince is offered to Torina as a slave, but she frees him from his bonds and their unusual friendship develops in the years that follow. But Torina faces terrible danger - she has an amazing gift that many would kill for, and when her father is brutally murdered she is forced to flee for her life. An evil usurper takes over her rightful throne, and the kingdom is ruled by cruelty and fear. Can Torina's gift - to look into the future of others - help her win back what is rightly hers? This is an epic fantasy of extraordinary scope and vision. Its twists and turns will leave readers breathless.




Swords Around The Throne


Book Description

Rome is in peril... The old order is changing. Centurion Aurelius Castus has been summoned back from Britain to find himself caught up in a treasonous conspiracy threatening to bring down the Emperor Constantine. Rewarded for saving the emperor's life, Castus is promoted to the elite imperial bodyguard: the swords around the throne. But he soon discovers the court to be as dangerous as the battlefield. Behind the gilded facade of empire lurks a nest of traitors and one relentless enemy.




Arthur and the Sword


Book Description

In this retelling which features stained glass illustrations, young Arthur proves himself to be the rightful heir to the throne by being the only one able to pull the sword from the steel anvil.




The Oleander Sword


Book Description

Winner of the World Fantasy Award, The Jasmine Throne has been hailed as a series opener that will 'undoubtedly reshape the landscape of epic fantasy for years to come' (Booklist, starred). Now, Tasha Suri's provocative and powerful Burning Kingdoms trilogy continues with The Oleander Sword. The prophecy of the nameless god - the words that declared Malini the rightful empress of Parijatdvipa - has proven a blessing and curse. She is determined to claim the throne that fate offered her. But even with the strength of the rage in her heart and the army of loyal men by her side, deposing her brother is going to be a brutal and bloody fight. The power of the deathless waters flows through Priya's blood. Thrice born priestess, Elder of Ahiranya, Priya's dream is to see her country rid of the rot that plagues it: both Parijatdvipa's poisonous rule, and the blooming sickness that is slowly spreading through all living things. But she doesn't yet understand the truth of the magic she carries. Their chosen paths once pulled them apart. But Malini and Priya's souls remain as entwined as their destinies. And they soon realize that coming together is the only way to save their kingdom from those who would rather see it burn - even if it will cost them. ***Shortlisted for the British Fantasy Awards*** Praise for the Burning Kingdoms trilogy: 'Will undoubtedly reshape the landscape of epic fantasy for years to come' Booklist (starred review) 'Lush and stunning...this sapphic fantasy will rip your heart out' BuzzFeed News 'Raises the bar for what epic fantasy should be' Chloe Gong, author of These Violent Delights 'This cutthroat and sapphic novel will grip you until the very end' Vulture (Best of the Year) 'It left me breathless' Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter 'I loved it' Alix E. Harrow, Hugo award-winning author of The Once and Future Witches 'Suri's incandescent feminist masterpiece hits like a steel fist inside a velvet glove' Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun




The Sword and the Dragon (Revised)


Book Description

Deemed One of the Top 10 indie Fantasy releases of 2010 by Fantasy Book Critic, and listed in the first ever Publishers Weekly Indie Select issue, the original 235k word epic title was written in longhand in a Texas prison cell by M. R. Mathias. The Sword and the Dragon (Revised) is a Fully polished version that includes two Wardstone Short Stories. One is a piece of flash fiction called "The Blood of Coldfrost." The other is a Short Story called "Roar." These tales can only be found in print, in this volume. "The Sword and the Dragon" When the Royal Wizard of Westland poisons the king so that his puppet prince can take the throne and start a continental war, a young squire is forced to run for his life carrying the powerful sword that his dying monarch burdened him with from the death bed. Two brothers find a magic ring and start on paths to becoming the most powerful sort of enemies, while an evil young sorceress unwillingly falls in love with one of them when he agrees to help her steal a dragon's egg for her father. Her father just happens to be the Royal Wizard, and despite his daughter's feelings, he would love nothing more than to sacrifice the boy! All of these characters, along with the Wolf King of Wildermont, the Lion Lord of Westland, and a magical hawk named Talon, are on a collision course toward Willa the Witch Queen's palace in the distant kingdom of Highwander. There the very bedrock is formed of the powerful magical substance called Wardstone. Who are the heroes? And will they get there before the Royal Wizard and his evil hordes do? Whatever happens, the journey will be spectacular, and the confrontation will be cataclysmic. Kings, Queens, Heroes, & Fools - The Wardstone Trilogy Book II is now available The Wizard & the Warlord - The Wardstone Trilogy Book III releases in July 2012 Don't miss the International Bestselling 'Saga of the Dragoneers' The First Dragoneer - Free The Royal Dragoneers - Now Available Cold Hearted Son of a Witch - Now Available The Confliction - Now Available Confliction Compendium - (The Dragoneers Omnibus) - Now Available Also by M.R. Mathias Crimzon & Clover I - Orphaned Dragon, Lucky Girl Crimzon & Clover II - The Tricky Wizard Crimzon & Clover II - The Grog Crimzon & Clover IV - The Wrath of Crimzon Oathbreaker - A Faery Tale Short King of Fools The Adventurion - A YA sci-fi novel




The Sword of Winter


Book Description

In the cold and dangerous land of Cherek, emerging from an era of magic and confronted by technological advances, Lord Gambin of Jentesi lies dying and chaos reigns. During his four decades in power, Gambin has wielded a tight and tyrannical hold over his province, and as his four heirs jockey to inherit his vast power, the people of Cherek teeter on the brink of change and watch the passing of the sword in Jentesi.




The Sword and the Throne


Book Description

As Rome enters the Year of the Four Emperors, a soldier marches into the crucible of battle to meet his uncertain fate in the sequel to The Last Caesar. Rome, 69 AD: In the bloody contest for control of Rome, Aulus Caecina Severus has thrown in his lot with the hedonistic military commander Vitellius. Now he must prepare his legions for a grueling march over the Alps. Severus leads his army against barbarian rebellions and the tough mountain passes in his race to reach Italy before his rival Valens. With the Po valley almost in sight, news comes that Emperor Galba has been killed in a coup, and that Otho has been declared Emperor by the Praetorians. But there is no turning back for Severus: the Rhine legions want their man on the throne, leading Severus down a dark path. Politics is the new battleground, and Severus needs the help of his wife Salonina and his freedman Totavalas if he wants to survive. And as a new power emerges in the east, Severus must decide where his true loyalty lies . . .