Rise of Empires
3 total works
'One hell of a fine book' Conn Iggulden
ROME NEVER FELL. IT BECAME BYZANTIUM.
AS OTTOMAN FORCES INVADE, ONE MAN MUST DEFEND HIS COUNTRY AND FACE HIS OWN PERSONAL DESTINY...
A rich tale of clashing empires and trade wars, lost treasure and tempestuous love in an age when the fate of the world hung on the survival of Byzantium, the hinge between east and west.
Luke Magoris, a descendant of the princes of England, is a man with a rare talent for war and trade. To him falls the overwhelming task of defending his beloved Mistra against the rampant Ottoman forces.
'One hell of a fine book' Conn Iggulden
CAN THE GREATEST WARRIOR OF THE AGE AND A LOST ANGLO-SAXON TREASURE BE UNITED IN TIME TO RESCUE CONSTANTINOPLE?
With an Ottoman army at the gates and Constantinople set to submit, Luke Magoris must make an epic journey across a continent to the ancient city of Samarcand to approach the last hope for the Byzantine world; the Mongolian conqueror Tamerlane.
Luke, torn away from the woman he loves and all he knows, is trained as a Mongol warrior to impress Tamerlane and his army before joining his fellow Varangian guards, descendants of the men who once brought a vital treasure out of Constantinople. It is this treasure, some say, that can still save the empire - uniting the Christian churches of the east and west in one final triumphant crusade to smite the Ottomans.
Set against the vast backdrop of the Anatolian plains, this is a powerful and enthralling historical novel, full of vivid characters, compelling mystery and sensational battles.
This sweeping historical novel is shaped by the quest for a mysterious relic, guarded through generations, and by one man that might yet save the threatened Byzantine empire.
In an age of clashing empires, dark forces from the east are endangering the first light of the western Renaissance. It is an age of ruthless rulers, divided churches, fractured dynasties and intrepid traders. It is an age of great cities like Venice and Constantinople; an age of conquerors like Tamerlane who will drown the world in blood; an age when only a hero of exceptional gifts can make a difference.
Luke Magoris is that hero. Born the son of one of the Varangian guards who had sworn to keep the secret relic safe, he will find himself committed to a long journey to discover - and try to avoid - his destiny. He will travel from battle to trading fortune, from horse dealing to captivity, and to the love of three very different women and the unrelenting enmity of two remarkable men.
The Walls of Byzantium is the first of a series that will leave you impatient and longing for the next.