Medieval English

They call him the Great Defender. As Richard the Lionheart's most powerful general, Sir Juston de Royans is as moody as he is skilled. Reminiscent of the ancient warrior Achilles, Juston fights when it is necessary, instead choosing to command the powerful men beneath him. Never wrong in action or command, he has never lost a battle, and when he finds himself in the midst of a terrible siege at Bowes Castle, he predictably emerges the victor, with the lady of the keep as his prize.

In a nasty battle on the Welsh marches, Dane is forced to make a bargain with the dying duke of Shrewsbury. On his deathbed, he rewards Dane with his only child, his heiress. Now, it is Dane who will inherit the dukedom of Shrewsbury and become a powerful man in his own right. It is a gift any man would be glad to accept, and Dane is no exception. Except for the marriage part. Only on his wedding day does he catch a glimpse of his bride, the Lady Grier de Lara, for the first time. Then, the situation changes markedly.

The Holy Land is in turmoil and desperately awaits the arrival of Edward Longshanks and his relieving army of French and English Crusaders. This is a time of brutality, an age of chivalry. A time of strong men with stronger hearts, an era with no place for the weak. Yet a thousand miles away, a 14-year-old boy learns a disturbing secret that drives him on a Crusade of his own. A quest to avenge his family, save his brother, and in the process recover the holiest relic in the history of Christendom.

Medieval queens were seen as mere dynastic trophies, yet many of the Plantagenet queens of the High Middle Ages dramatically broke away from the restrictions imposed on their sex, as Alison Weir shows in this gripping group biography of England's fourteenth-century consorts. Using personal letters and wonderfully vivid sources, Alison Weir evokes the lives of five remarkable queens: Marguerite of France, Isabella of France, Philippa of Hainault, Anne of Bohemia and Isabella of Valois.

Events are coming to a climax in the Banished Lands, as the war reaches new heights. King Nathair has taken control of the fortress at Drassil and three of the Seven Treasures are in his possession. And together with Calidus and his ally Queen Rhin, Nathair will do anything to obtain the remaining Treasures. With all seven under his command, he can open a portal to the Otherworld. Then Asroth and his demon-horde will finally break into the Banished Lands and become flesh.

It’s a new generation of de Wolfe Pack cubs, carrying on the tradition of their illustrious grandfather. Thomas “Tor” de Wolfe has his hands full with battling women and battling enemies as he secures a border castle for Edward I. Chaos is the name of the game! Tor married, and lost, his wife at a young age. Because his wife was an orphan, he inherited her two sisters when they wed and when she died, they became his responsibility.

AD 1518. As a decorated knight for Henry VIII, Cort is charged with a special mission: to seduce an Irish rebel and learn her secrets. Dera MacRohan is no ordinary Irish warrior lass. Born from the ancient MacRohan warrior bloodlines, Dera is from a long line of warrior women. She deeply resents the English and their conquest, but she also understands the subtleties of tactics and strategy.

In this edition, we hear, translated into modern English, 20-some tales, told in the voices of knight and merchant, wife and miller, squire and nun, and many more. Some are bawdy, some spiritual, some romantic, some mysterious, some chivalrous. Between the stories, the travelers converse, joke, and argue, revealing much about their individual outlooks upon life as well as what life was like in late 14th-century England.

The cunning Queen Rhin has conquered the west and High King Nathair has the cauldron, most powerful of the seven treasures. At his back stands the scheming Calidus and a warband of the Kadoshim, dread demons of the Otherworld. They plan to bring Asroth and his host of the Fallen into the world of flesh, but to do so they need the seven treasures. Nathair has been deceived but now he knows the truth. He has choices to make, choices that will determine the fate of the Banished Lands.

Ashamed of a decision he made in battle that cost good men their lives, the dark Highlander Bane Morgan escapes to Edinburgh to forget his past. But the more time he spends away from his Highland home, the more he's filled with regret and despair. Lucia Symington knows something about despair. Forced to work off a family debt for a clan with little moral compass and a particular hatred for her, Lucia loses herself a little more each day. When a chance meeting with Bane gives them both a glimpse of what their future together could be, Bane pledges himself to the Ludus Caledonia.

When Cassius the Handsome comes face to face with Dacia of Doncaster, a chance meeting turns into something more. Cassius wasn’t looking for a bride and Dacia wasn’t looking for a husband, but when Dacia saves Cassius’ life, it’s more than a debt of honor he feels towards her.

1264 A.D. - Davyss de Winter is the champion for King Henry III, a powerful and arrogant man that descends from a long line of powerful knights. He is also a much-sought after man and has had more than his share of female admirers, including a besotted baron's daughter who bore him bastard twins.

One of the most significant books ever written by a head of state, the Meditations are a collection of philosophical thoughts by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 ce). Covering issues such as duty, forgiveness, brotherhood, strength in adversity and the best way to approach life and death, the Meditations have inspired thinkers, poets and politicians since their first publication more than 500 years ago. Today, the book stands as one of the great guides and companions—a cornerstone of Western thought.

AD 1258 - As Henry III spends most of his time in France, powerful English barons begin to form an alliance against him. Rising to power in this dark and uncertain time is the House of de Shera, headed by Gallus de Shera. A fortuitous moment in time sees him rescue a Welsh daughter of royal blood, Lady Jenniver Tacey ferch Gaerwen, and a powerful love story is born. But English barons would see their marriage torn apart even as they unite to rebel against Henry III.

Dark, sultry, with a hint of fire in his blood from his Visigoth ancestors and a spark in his eye that betray his killer instincts, Thorington “Thor” de Reyne is the son of the Earl of Ashington and one of the greatest knights England has ever seen. His talent is unmatched, so much so that the king himself has demanded Thor’s service.

Andreas de Wolfe is the second-eldest de Wolfe grandchild. Son of Troy, he has inherited his father’s comely looks, his aggression, and his talent with a sword. The man is born for battle. But he is picky when it comes to women, the reason he’s not yet married. Unfortunately, when he does fall for a woman, Andreas sets himself up for a hell of a situation...and it could cost him everything.

In the midst of the devastating Hundred Years’ War between France and England, Jean de Carrouges, a Norman knight, fresh from combat in Scotland finds his wife, Marguerite, accusing squire Jacques Le Gris of brutally raping her. A deadlocked court decrees a “trial by combat” that also leaves Marguerite’s fate in the balance. For if her husband loses the duel, she will be put to death as a false accuser. While enemy troops pillage the land, and rebellion and plague threaten the lives of all, Carrouges and Le Gris meet in full armor on a walled field in Paris.

Philip II ruled France with an iron fist for over 40 years, expanding its borders and increasing its power. For his entire reign his counterpart on the English throne was a member of the Plantagenet dynasty, and Philip took on them all: Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, John and Henry III. And yet we know so little about medieval England’s greatest enemy.

Chandra de Avenell might look like a golden princess, but she fights like a warrior, dreams a warrior’s dreams, and wears a warrior’s pride like a suit of armor. She wants to be strong, independent, and free. She has no use at all for a husband. Enter the man her father has selected for her. Jerval de Vernon takes one look at Chandra, and he wants her. After he saves her from a very bad situation, he sets himself to wooing her—not an easy task.

September 1297. David and his family and friends have come to Carew Castle in Wales to participate in a tournament in the spirit of King Arthur. Two years have passed since the events in Hidden in Time. Questions remain not only as to the whereabouts of the traitor, Bogo de Clare, who is still at large, but the relationship of David's family with Avalon.