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Welcome to fifth-century Britain: the Romans have left, the Saxons have invaded, the towns are decaying and the countryside dangerous. A young leader has forged a reputation as both a warrior and a diplomat and supreme power is within his grasp. But Camelot does not exist; chivalry is nonexistent; betrayal and treachery are endemic. This is not the Arthur of legend. And neither is this Arthur's story.
This tale belongs to its grim narrator, Malgwyn ap Cuneglas, a man whose broken life mirrors the broken Roman roads that divide the landscape. Once a feared warrior, he should have lost his life when he lost his swordhand on the battlefield. But Arthur saved him, condemning Malgwyn to a half-life as a meagre scribe. But when a young woman is murdered and Arthur's reputation is threatened, Malgwyn is tasked with solving the mystery and safeguarding the stability of Arthur's newborn realm.
About the author
Anthony Hays is a native of Nashville, Tennessee. He holds a first degree in history and a graduate degree in English/Creative Writing. As a former journalist, his work appeared in a variety of publications, from Civil War Times Illustrated to The Chronicle of Higher Education. An avid traveler, he has visited some thirty countries, living in six of them, including 3.5 years in Kuwait. He currently has five novels in print in the United States.
Summary
Battle, intrigue, murder; welcome to fifth century Britain
Foreword
Battle, intrigue, murder; welcome to fifth century Britain
Report
A moving, gritty, intriguing take on the Arthurian myth with solid, well-drawn characters, and a fantastic murder mystery you can really sink your teeth into. The best of Ellis Peters rendered in the battle-tongue of Bernard Cornwell. MC Scott
