Bøger af S J a Turney

It is 48 BC and Caesar is master of Rome, but Pompey is at large in the huge recruiting grounds of the east with a core of powerful officers, nominally representing the senate in absentia. As the general deals with matters in the city his army gathers at the coast, waiting to cross the sea and fight that worst of all conflicts: civil war.This will be no easy campaign for Caesar and his officers. Fronto and Galronus, both preparing to join the campaign, know that they will face appalling odds right from the outset, for Pompey's immense navy controls the seas, and the force he has gathered in the east will dwarf that of Caesar, commanded by shrewd officers like the great Scipio and the turncoat Labienus.From the bitter Adriatic Sea to the mountains and valleys of the Balkans, Fronto and his men strive to stop Pompey and bring the war to an end, heading for a conflict the likes of which none have ever seen. Hades awaits the legions of Rome on the plains of Pharsalus.

Five years have passed since Skiouros left Istanbul with his brother's remains and a nebulous goal to make the usurper prince Cem pay for Lykaion's death. Skiouros is older and wiser, and has come to understand the dreadful price that vengeance exacts from its wielders. Saved from the French authorities by Dragi, the Romani crewman of a Turkish galley, he and his friend Parmenio are bound once more for the east. But Dragi's aid in desperate times comes with a price: the Romani await Skiouros' return to the great city of Constantine, bringing about the conclusion of a series of events that has been building since those that first led to his flight five years ago. In the Ottoman capital, the populace prepares for a great festival, and for the first time in many years the Sultan's three sons are all present in the same place at the same time. And in the dangerous streets a sect of disenfranchised Romani plot a deadly coup to overthrow the Sultan and place one prince on the throne. Can Skiouros, Dragi, Parmenio and Diego thwart the mysterious Kingbreaker and save the lives of the Sultan's sons? The sequence of events that shattered Skiouros' life is coming to an end...

54bc. As tensions build in Gaul and the druids manoeuvre the tribes towards general rebellion, Priscus and the diminishing senior staff of Caesar's army prepare to return to Britannia, this time with a vast army and a will to crush the tribes of that mysterious island.Meanwhile in Rome and with his ties to the general severed, Fronto contemplates a non-military future as he settles into the life of a married nobleman, socialising with Rome's elite and coming to terms with the decline in his fitness in recent months.In this year of rising troubles, Priscus will miss his former commander's presence more than ever, while Fronto will learn more than he wishes to of the great Pompey. With rebellious Gauls, defiant Britons, vengeful giants, veteran gladiators and dangerous criminals, Fronto is pushed to the limits, driving him to a decision he dreads and a battle for his very life at the steaming, hellish land of Hades' Gate.

55BC and Caesar's army gathers in the north of Gaul, preparing to drive invading Germanic peoples from Gaul and to traverse the dangerous northern ocean bringing punishment to the tribes of Britannia for their assistance of Gaulish rebels.But Fronto's troubles don't stop there. As his burgeoning relationship with Lucilia steps to a new level, so do his responsibilities at home, a situation exacerbated by the disruptive influence of the villainous Clodius in the city, causing trouble and endangering those about whom Fronto cares most.With two troublesome new centurions, a selection of worthless and argumentative senior officers and the suspicious deaths of a number of notables, Fronto's year is about to take a turn for the unexpected.

It is 56bc. As Fronto and his friends winter in Rome and Caesar in Illyricum, trouble is brewing in the north. The tribes of Armorica, driven to desperate action by the harsh rule of Crassus, raise their standards in defiance of the Roman eagle, causing a chain reaction that threatens everything the legions of Caesar have achieved. Can the general's commanders stamp out the fires of rebellion before the whole of Gaul is ablaze?Meanwhile, in Rome, the conspiracies against Caesar take an unexpected turn, plunging Fronto and his friends into a world of crime, violence and intrigue that threaten everything the legate cares about. The city is in turmoil and the republic is teetering on the brink of disaster.In a year that takes the legions and their commanders to the heaving Atlantic Ocean, the treacherous valleys of the Pyrenees, and the seething underbelly of the greatest city in the world, everything is about to change for Marcus Falerius Fronto.

51 BC. In the aftermath of the dreadful siege of Alesia the tribes of Gaul lie broken and sparse, and yet the fires of rebellion still burn in the hearts of a few. As Caesar and his army continue to pacify the land wherever revolt can be found, a new conspiracy is rising.Lucterius of the Cadurci, survivor of Alesia, seeks to raise a new great revolt, building an army in his homeland while a small group of dangerous warriors embark upon a secret and dangerous mission to rebuild all that was lost in that great siege.Meanwhile, Marcus Falerius Fronto tries to adjust to life as a wine merchant in Massilia, little suspecting that old friends and new will soon be fighting alongside him as the last great threat from Gaul is brought right to his door.The final battle for Gaul is about to begin.

Europe is aflame. On the Iberian Peninsula the wars of the Reconquista rage across Aragon and Castile. Once again, the Moors are gaining the upper hand. Christendom is divided. Amidst the chaos comes a young knight: Arnau of Valbona. After his Lord is killed in an act of treachery, Arnau pledges to look after his daughter, whose life is now at risk. But in protecting her Arnau will face terrible challenges, and enter a world of Templars, steely knights and visceral combat he could never have imagined. She in turn will find a new destiny with the Knights as a daughter of war... Can she survive? And can Arnau find his destiny? An explosive novel of greed and lust, God and blood, Daughter of War marks the beginning of an epic new series from bestseller S.J.A. Turney. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden and Matt Harffy.

Crete, 1492. After a sojourn of more than a year on the Venetian-controlled island, Skiouros has learned the art of the sword, the languages of both his peers and his enemies, and everything he believes he needs to know in order to begin his great quest: to seek the death of the one remaining conspirator in the plot responsible for his brother's death. Circumstances collide, pushing the former thief to finally set forth on his journey, with the aid of his friends Parmenio and Nicolo. Meanwhile, far across the Mediterranean, a small fleet of Turkish galleys is engaged in a last desperate attempt to preserve Islamic influence in the Iberian Peninsula. While the great naval commander Kemal Reis battles to save a lost people, his subordinate burns to sack, destroy and murder every hint of Christian life in the west. When the caravel 'Isabella', replete with the three companions and a young Italian nobleman, crosses paths with the violent Ottoman would-be pirate, things turn sour and Skiouros finds himself driven ever further from his end goal, a series of calamities bringing him to face some harsh and unsettling personal truths. Skiouros is about to be tested to the limits of his endurance, with his very life at stake, for Hassan 'the butcher' prowls the seas...

46 BC. Pompey is dead, Egypt is settled, and Rome is controlled by the loyal Marcus Antonius. As the new year looms, Rome's greatest general and dictator Julius Caesar moves precipitously to take on the last stronghold of the rebel faction: Africa.Crossing against all advice in the middle of winter, with minimal forces and little forward planning, the campaign almost dies before it begins, legions scattered across the sea by vicious storms, the general putting ashore with just a single legion and his most trusted veteran commander: Marcus Falerius Fronto.But the war in Africa is no easy task. Scipio, Cato and Caesar's one-time lieutenant Labienus have gathered an enormous force to counter him, and are prepared to fight to the death. With few troops, no supplies, little foreknowledge, and all the problems of a winter campaign, Fronto and Caesar face a monumental struggle, yet they know they must win for the prize in this campaign is nothing less than control of the republic itself. Rome hangs in the balance.

Risk everything; fight to the last: a taut and intense historical thriller from master author S.J.A. TurneyThe relics of Christendom have been plundered during the long Moorish conquest of the Iberian peninsula. Newly minted Templar Sergeant Arnau de Vallbona must recover one of the most elusive to save his priory at Rourell in Spain.Travelling to Majorca on a stealth mission to retrieve the bones of St Stephen, Arnau soon discovers the raid is more complex than it first appears: the mighty Almohad dynasty has laid claim to the island, and will fight them every step of the way.Along with his companion, the aged warrior Balthesar, Arnau is in desperate straits. Surrounded on all sides by hostile forces, it will take all their cunning and strength to escape with their prize - and their lives....A thrilling and unexplored account of the Knights Templar, grounded in extraordinary research, The Last Emir is perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, K.M. Ashman and C.F. Iggulden.

It is 50BC and Caesar winters with his legions in the north, all Gaul conquered but a triumphant return to Rome denied him by the senate who seek his blood. Yet unrest stirs in unknown lands as the tribes of mountainous Aquitania rise under a terrifying new leader and drive out their Roman occupiers.Marcus Falerius Fronto, exiled from Rome, seeks out his former commander in an effort to build a future and soon finds himself in command of a most unusual legion with a remit to restore peace in Aquitania. Accompanied by his friend Galronus and his closest companions, and as part of a deal with Caesar to help restore the Falerii, Fronto marches southwest to battle with mountain tribes who have remained largely untouched by Roman conquest and the revolt in Gaul.But sometimes the past casts long shadows, and Fronto is about to come face to face with enemies old and new; enemies who will bring him to the brink of destruction and force him to confront personal demons long buried.The legion is marching. The war for Gaul is over, but the war for Aquitania has begun.

At the Empire's northern edge lies Alba: strange, savage, unconquerable. Twenty years ago this rain-sodden island defeated a huge Imperial army. Now the Empire returns. Disgraced generals are looking for vengeance. Their forces are accompanied by three promising Tribunes: warlike Bellacon, intelligent Convocus and the joker in the pack, Cantex. As the armies journey into the interior, it becomes clear all is not as it seems. Beyond the realms of the Emperor, treachery is never far away. The invasion will be harder than anyone could have imagined. Can the Tribunes triumph against the odds? Or is this the very limit of Empire...? The explosive and unputdownable new volume in the Tales of the Empire series, for readers of Simon Scarrow, Conn Iggulden and George R.R. Martin.

The war in Africa is over and the rebel cause hangs by a thread. With opposition to Caesar now led by Labienus and by Pompey's sons in Hispania, Caesar is one step from ending the civil war that has plagued Rome for years. Before the war can be pursued, though, Caesar has matters to attend to in Rome. And against a backdrop of glorious triumphs and civil friction, the general's old warhorse Marcus Falerius Fronto begins to uncover a series of events that may have a cause in common. Investigation, however, is sidelined as necessity finally draws everyone across the sea to the crucible of war once again. In Hispania the clouds gather, for though the rebels may have been pushed into a corner, they are far from beaten. With the great name of Pompey and the tactical genius of Labienus on their side, Caesar must fight hard to win the day. Fronto and his friends must give all they have now, for the prize for this campaign is the ultimate one: the republic itself.

The pieces are in place. After many months of clandestine organisation, Vercingetorix, backed by the druids and leading an army of rebellious tribes, is ready to make his first moves towards independence for his people and the annihilation of Rome's presence in Gaul.Meanwhile, Caesar tends to business in Aquileia, unaware that he is cut off from the bulk of his army in the north by the rebellion. A desperate message brought to Fronto at Massilia spurs the forces of Rome into movement and Caesar is compelled to act in cunning and unexpected ways in order to recover the initiative.Fronto and his friends are heading for a clash of armies the likes of which the north has never seen, and the Tenth's legate is about to face his most trying year yet facing his opposite number - a chieftain of the Arverni - across the fields and hills of Gaul towards the greatest siege he's ever experienced: Alesia.

Italy, 1493. Returning from the new world to the old, Skiouros is confronted with lands ruled by a strict and unyielding religion, and which yet still contrive to be corrupt and debased, as the inquisition takes hold in Spain and the Vatican seethes under the rule of the Borgia family. Through this world of intolerance, greed and wickedness, the former thief-turned-explorer finally sets his mind to that mission that has underlain his every move since leaving the great city of Istanbul some two years earlier: the death of the usurper sultan, Cem. Gathering old friends and new, Skiouros travels the length of Italy in his quest for vengeance and the quieting of his brother's restless soul. But on his dreadful quest he will face more than mere physical danger, for beneath all his strength and will, does Skiouros have a heart black enough to commit murder in the name of revenge?

Istanbul, 1481. The once great city of Constantine that now forms the heart of the Ottoman empire is a strange mix of Christian, Turk and Jew. Despite the benevolent reign of the Sultan Bayezid II, the conquest is still a recent memory, and emotions run high among the inhabitants, with danger never far beneath the surface. Skiouros and Lykaion, the sons of a Greek country farmer, are conscripted into the ranks of the famous Janissary guards and taken to Istanbul where they will play a pivotal, if unsung, role in the history of the new regime. As Skiouros escapes into the Greek quarter and vanishes among its streets to survive on his wits alone, Lykaion remains with the slave chain to fulfill his destiny and become an Islamic convert and a guard of the Imperial palace. Brothers they remain, though standing to either side of an unimaginable divide. On a fateful day in late autumn 1490, Skiouros picks the wrong pocket and begins to unravel a plot that reaches to the very highest peaks of Imperial power. He and his brother are about to be left with the most difficult decision faced by a conquered Greek: whether the rule of the Ottoman Sultan is worth saving.

A forbidden love. A daring escape. A gathering storm. Forty years have passed since the Empire was restored. Emperor Kiva the Golden, his wife Jala Parishid, and his brother Marshal Quintillian have together overseen decades of peace and prosperity, a time when the horrors of the civil war could begin to fade from memory. But nothing can last forever. A forbidden love drives Quintillian from the capital far into the eastern deserts, where he discovers an unprecedented threat to the Empire's very survival. And when Jala is kidnapped by a sinister and ruthless group of warriors, it will take all of Kiva's strength to defend her, his people, and their destiny... Insurgency is the fourth novel in S.J.A. Turney's Tales of the Empire series, set in a world inspired by Roman history. A sweeping tale of deception, cunning, and military valour, this will appeal to readers of Matthew Harffy, Simon Scarrow, and K.M. Ashman.

Empires rise... and empires fall. Can the Empire survive its most awesome challenge yet? Aram of the Inda, a scattered people, has seen his lands pillaged, his sons taken and his empire crushed by the all-powerful Jade Empire. It's numberless armies have crushed the disunited Inda, swarming in from the East. But to the West lies another power, the Empire, ruled by mad Emperor Bassianus. And something powerful is stirring in the wild mountains... Power abhors a vacuum, and the Inda lands are now fair game. The stage is set for a showdown of cataclysmic proportions. Aram and his sons Jai, Dev and Ravi will find themselves at the heart of events that will shake empires to their very foundations. Who will survive this game of conquest? This epochal clash of titans is the blood-curdling conclusion to S.J.A Turney's Tales of the Empire. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow, Ben Kane and Gordon Doherty.

For twenty years civil war has torn the Empire apart; the Imperial line extinguished as the mad Emperor Quintus burned in his palace, betrayed by his greatest general. Against a background of war, decay, poverty and violence, men who once served in the proud Imperial army now fight as mercenaries, hiring themselves to the greediest lords. On a hopeless battlefield that same general, now a mercenary captain tortured by the events of his past, stumbles across hope in the form of a young man begging for help. Kiva is forced to face more than his dark past as he struggles to put his life and the very Empire back together. The last scion of the Imperial line will change Kiva forever.

Do the Gods control the destiny of men? Can the dead avenge themselves? Captain Varro of the Fourth Army is about to have the worst day of his life, but in the face of hopeless odds, Varro will find justice, honour, friendship, love, and the favour of Gods. In solving a personal mystery, Varro stumbles across a twenty year old tale of treachery and violence that threatens once again the security of the Northern Provinces.

The desert nomads have a saying: "When something is broken it should never be discarded. So long as the pieces remains, the whole can be remade." A time of trials, war and terror is coming to the desert city of M'Dahz, the Empire's southern bastion. As the Empire's government falters and crumbles, the people suffer. But Samir, Ghassan and Asima, childhood friends and citizens of M'Dahz, are about to discover that while people change the world, the world also changes people and that the best and worst of folk are forged in hardship.

Promoted to the elite Praetorian Guard in the thick of battle, a young legionary is thrust into a seedy world of imperial politics and corruption. Tasked with uncovering a plot against the newly-crowned emperor Commodus, his mission takes him from the cold Danubian border all the way to the heart of Rome, the villa of the emperor's scheming sister, and the great Colosseum. What seems a straightforward, if terrifying, assignment soon descends into Machiavellian treachery and peril as everything in which young Rufinus trusts and believes is called into question and he faces warring commanders, Sarmatian cannibals, vicious dogs, mercenary killers and even a clandestine Imperial agent. In a race against time to save the Emperor, Rufinus will be introduced, willing or not, to the great game. "Entertaining, exciting and beautifully researched" - Douglas Jackson "From the Legion to the Guard, from battles to the deep intrigue of court, Praetorian: The Great Game is packed with great characters, wonderfully researched locations and a powerful plot." - Robin Carter

A restive province, a troublesome official, a city on the brink of disaster. 89 AD. Britannia is peaceful under the protection of three legions and the rule of the emperor Domitian, but a plot is afoot to cause trouble at Deva, home of the Twentieth Legion. In eleven linked tales, each from the point of view of one of Deva's inhabitants, the story unfolds. Follow the gladiator, the centurion, the merchant and others as they try to prevent a plot that threatens to undermine the peace of the province. This book has been created solely with the purpose of supporting the Park in the Past project, and ALL profits will go to that charitable organization that aims to bring an authentic ancient landscape to life on the Welsh border, complete with Roman fortlet and iron age village. Your support is appreciated. http: //parkinthepast.org.uk/

Winter, 48 BC. Caesar and his small force are trapped in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. Caught up in the dynastic struggles of the House of Ptolemy, the consul has sided with the clever and ruthless Queen Cleopatra. Her brother and fellow monarch Ptolemy XIII languishes in the palace, a hostage of Caesar's, while a huge army under the command of the Egyptian general Achillas closes on the city to free him.With both the future of this ancient land and the safety of Caesar and his men at stake, Fronto and his friends face the terrible task of holding an unfamiliar city under siege, in the desperate hope that reinforcements will reach them before the enemy break in.But Egyptian reinforcements gather too, and with the interference of the youngest princess, Arsinoë, the future is far from written. Trapped, besieged and outnumbered, time is running out for the Romans, as shadows loom across the sands of Egypt

FEAR IS AS OLD AS TIME ITSELFChilling Tales that will take you through a labyrinth of historical horror.Foreword written by Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Defenders of the Norman Crown You will encounter a tormented Roman general.A Norse woman who must confront her terrifying destiny.Meet a troubled Saxon brother, searching for his twin's murderer.>Down the passages of time, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn wander through a haunted garden and elsewhere, >Join ten talented authors as they take you on a journey of historical horror, from Roman times to Tudor times to Napoleonic and the 20th century.Hauntings is not for the feint hearted!