AustLit

The gripping conclusion to M. K. Hume's stunning Tintagel trilogy, that takes readers into a world of bloody battlefields, evil machinations, honour, ambition and greed. Sure to appeal to fans of George R R Martin, Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow.

'The Wolf of Midnight is the thrilling final instalment in M. K. Hume's Tintagel trilogy, not to be missed by fans of George R R Martin and Bernard Cornwell. This gripping conclusion takes readers on a journey of bravery and brutality within tribal Britain and throughout the Roman Empire: a world of bloody battlefields, evil machinations, honour, ambition and greed.

'When Flavius Constantine, the High King of Britannia, is killed and his eldest son and heir Constans, is murdered, the path lies clear for Vortigern to seize the throne.

'Only Queen Severa's young sons, Ambrosius and Uther, stand in the way of Vortigern's evil plan. Sensing the boys are in mortal danger, Constantine's loyal Decurion, Paulus, and Severa's beloved brother, Pridenow, smuggle the infants into exile.

'Meanwhile, Queen Severa is forced to endure Vortigern's relentless brutality in her desperate bid to hold together the fractured throne. But she is no match for the Wolf of Midnight and it is only in the fullness of time that her sons will return to Britannia to claim the throne and fulfil their destiny... ' (Publication summary)

'A true warrior fights without mercy…

'A dramatic and gripping exclusive e-short story set in Roman Britain that brings the bitter rivalry between Constans, son of Emperor Constantine III, and Lord Vortigern vividly to life. The perfect read for fans of James Wilde and Michael Arnold.

'Constans travels to Vienna to relieve his father’s troops, accompanied by the Cymru king, Vortigern, who cannot decide of the boy should live or die in order to facilitate Vortigern’s rise to prominence. An ambush attack at a dangerous river crossing forces Constans to devise a courageous plan and fate to play its hand…'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A decade has passed since the death of Caradoc, King of the Dumnonii tribe, and his friend, Flavius Magnus Maximus. Britain is battered by Pict invaders, and centurion Constantinus and his legionnaires are fighting them to the death. Maximus's daughter, Lady Severa, holds the key to the throne of the High King of the Britons and when she is threatened with abduction, Constantinus escorts her to the safety of Tintagel. Agreeing to marry her, he is crowned the High King, and Severa bears him two sons, Ambrosius and Uther. But, as the ruler of Britain, Constantinus is poisoned by greed and jealousy, and his thirst for greatness in the Roman Empire will cost him dear...' (publication blurb)

'The start of a stunning new trilogy charting the life of the first High King of the Britons, sure to appeal to fans of George R R Martin, Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow

'Flavius Magnus Maximus, a man of great ability and enormous charm, is hailed as one of the most influential Roman officers in Britain. When he befriends Caradoc Strong Arm, the King of the Dumnonii Tribe in Tintagel, he gains an understanding of the disunity that exists between the tribal kings of Britain and thus an ambitious plan ignites within Maximus's mind...

'As the first High King of the Britons, Maximus gathers together a huge force of brave Roman and British warriors and leads them into battle at Gaul. He has cast his eyes on the throne of the Emperor of Rome and nothing will stand in his way...' (Publication summary)

Conceived as a trilogy, the Tintagel Cycle books chart the life of the first High Kings of the Britons.

'The triumphant conclusion to M.K. Hume's magnificent Twilight of the Celts trilogy that completes the epic series about the legend of King Arthur, sure to appeal to fans of Conn Iggulden and George R. R. Martin.

The legend of King Arthur lives on...

'It is several years now since Arthur, the Last Dragon of Britain, has set foot on home soil. Roaming the Land of the Denes, he has not only engaged in brutal and bloody conflict with the barbaric Geats but he has also unearthed the most evil force within the royal court of Heorot. And, under the guidance of Stormbringer, the mighty Sae Dene king, he has honed his skills as a commander. Now the time has come for Arthur to brave the dangers of the frozen north as he and a band of daring sea-faring warriors prepare to embark on his ultimate voyage - to return to Britain and to create a kingdom of his own...' (Publication summary)

'The second part in an epic trilogy about the legend of King Arthur, sure to appeal to fans of Conn Iggulden and George R. R. Martin.

The legend of King Arthur lives on...

'Crippled with hunger and weary to the point of collapse, Gareth Minor enters the fortress of Arden to deliver the dire news that Lord Arthur, the Last Dragon, has been captured by barbarians and taken to the frozen north. With Father Lorcan and Germanus by his side, Gareth embarks on a quest to rescue his master.

'Meanwhile, in the Land of the Denes, Arthur and his fellow prisoners enrage the Dene King when they are presented at court. Fleeing for their lives, Stormbringer, their captor turned protector, leads them to safety. But the northern shores are under threat of invasion and Stormbringer and Arthur unite in battle, knowing few will survive...' (Publication summary)

'M.K. Hume’s exclusive short story The Last Dragon’s Voyage is an untold adventure from The Ice King (Twilight of the Celts Book III).

[...]

'When Arthur, the illegitimate son of King Arthur, embarks on a dangerous voyage across the uncharted, frozen seas off the coast of Norway, the hazardous ice forces him to shelter in a fjord during the winter.

'But Arthur and his crew are soon confronted with an even greater danger when an enormous blue whale enters the fjord and starts attacking the natives’ vessels. They must risk their lives in a death-defying mission to slay the whale before it destroys them all…'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In the dying days of Roman rule, Magnus Maximus casts his eyes on the throne of the Western Empire and with a band of brave Roman and British warriors he marches to Gaul and challenges the might of Rome itself...'  (Publication summary)

'The first part in an epic sequel to M.K. Hume's King Arthur trilogy

'The legend of King Arthur lives on...

'King Artor lies slain and Ector, a mere boy, is acknowledged as the legitimate heir to the kingdom. But the land of the Celts is weakened and Ector grows up torn between a sense of doom and duty.

'Meanwhile, in the Forest of Arden, it is revealed to young Arthur that he is the Bastard Prince, son of King Artor and Lady Elayne. Trained in the skills of a warrior, Arthur cannot challenge the position of his ruler and childhood friend, but nor can he stand back and watch Briton crumble under the threat of invasion. As the Last Dragon, he must ensure that his father's legacy lives on...' (Publication summary)

'M.K. Hume’s exclusive e-novella tells the dramatic story of how the Storm Lord became king of the Sae Dene.

'When the king of the Sae Dene is murdered by treacherous Geats, his young son, Valdar Bjornsen, swears an oath of vengeance. But first he must learn the skills of the sea-faring warriors to prove he is a worthy heir to the throne.

'Setting sail on his father’s ship, Loki’s Eye, Valdar embarks on a voyage of pillage and murder that earns him the name of Stormbringer. When news of his triumphant conquest reaches Hrolf Kraki, the newly crowned king of the Dene, Valdar is summoned to take on a mission that will change his destiny for ever…'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'M. K. Hume's epic retelling of the legend of Merlin concludes in this gripping tale of loyalty, sacrifice and betrayal.

'The earth-shattering conclusion to the legend of Merlin.

'Returning from his epic journey to Constantinople, Myrddion Merlinus finds Briton in the grip of Uther Pendragon's blood-thirsty war against the Saxons. Coerced into obedience, Myrddion must serve Uther's brother Ambrosius, the High King, in order to spare the lives of his beloved fellow travellers.

'Ambrosius is an honest and wise ruler and Myrddion's skills are put to good use setting up a spy network while training healers across the land. But when Ambrosius is poisoned, his untimely death propels Myrddion back into the callous hands of Uther Pendragon. The new High King will stop at nothing to force Myrddion to accede to his unthinkable wishes. Myrddion's only solace is the prophecy that his suffering is not in vain. But will he survive the taint of Uther's madness and enable good to come from evil?' (Publisher's blurb)

'Amid the bloody battlefields of Britain, Merlin is marked for greatness ...

'In the town of Segontium, a fugitive is washed ashore. He brutally rapes the granddaughter of the king of the Deceangli tribe, leaving her to bear his son, Myrddion. Spurned as a demon seed, the boy is raised by his grandmother and he is apprenticed to a skilled healer who hones his remarkable gift. Meanwhile, the High King of the Celts, Vortigern, is rebuilding the ancient fortress at Dinas Emrys. According to a prophecy, he must use the blood of a demon seed to make the towers stand firm. Myrddion's life is in jeopardy. But the boy has a prophecy of his own and a richer destiny to fulfil. Soon Vortigern shall be known as the harbinger of chaos, and Myrddion must use his gifts for good in a kingdom besieged by evil. So begins the healer's journey to greatness...'. Source: bookseller's website.

'Uther Pendragon, High King of Britain, is dying. As he weakens, Britain is being torn apart by the squabbling of kings. Only one man can bring them together. This is the legend of Artorex, the man destined to be King Arthur. Artorex, tall for his years, is growing up in the household of Lord Ector. Artorex was sent here by the Bishop of Glastonbury when he was but a babe in arms and, although his parentage is unknown, life has been unremarkable.

'That is, until the arrival of three men who arrange for him to be trained in the skills of the warrior; blade and shield, horse and fire; pain and bravery. By the time the men return, Artorex is both a father and a warrior - and married to Lady Gallia. The country is in a desperate state - Londinium is about to fall to the Saxons and Artorex is needed to help fight their advance. But to do so, he must leave his wife and family in the care of others. In an act of appalling treachery, they are slaughtered.

'But despite his terrible grief, Artorex's destiny is set. He launches into a campaign of battle against the Saxon hordes, earning himself the trust of all men, and proving himself to be the only worthy successor to Uther... ' - Publisher's website

'Twelve long, blood-soaked years, have passed since Artor fulfilled his destiny and was crowned the High King of the Britons. Against all odds, Artor has united Celtic Britain and with a last great campaign, has banished the Saxon scourge. The legend of Camlann has begun.

But even as Artor's kingdom is at its zenith, even as he has succeeded in conquering all external threats to his rule, his kingdom is being undermined from within. For Artor has chosen Wenhaver as his queen and second wife. Wenhaver will always love what she cannot have and have what she cannot love, and her bitterness threatens to bring down all those around her.

Not only is Artor betrayed by the one person he should be able to trust, he has also learned of appalling perversion at the heart of his kingdom. He must make a terrible choice. Does he commit a deed that leaves him open to comparison with the despotic Uther Pendragon, or does he let evil go unchecked? The burden of leadership, of power, now rests solely - and heavily - on Artor's shoulders for Myrddion Merlinus, master tactician, guiding light for so many years, has left Artor to his fate. Could all that Artor has fought for, the destiny of Britain, be lost? Will Britain be torn apart?' (Publisher's blurb)