In twenty years, the de Hauteville brothers have risen from penniless obscurity to become the most potent warrior family in Christendom: depended on by the Pope, feared by Byzantium, and respected by the Holy Roman Emperor. And now Roger, the youngest son, has finally come to Italy, where he also proves himself to be a great warrior and canny politician. It is he who will raise the family to the pinnacle of influence, not as vassals beholden to a greater power, but rulers in their own right. But the path is not easy; brotherly love only goes so far and nothing has altered in the bubbling stew of Italian politics. There are enemies at Roger’s back as well as before him, battles to fight and defeats to be reversed, treacheries both secret and transparent to circumvent. Yet the loyalty of blood that binds this family of warriors together is still present and it is that, above everything, which will in the end be the catalyst that propels the name de Hauteville to the pinnacle of power as they face the mighty Saracen Emirs of Sicily and undertake, with papal blessing, the first true crusade of the eleventh century.

With barbarians at the gate and enemies within, two men must fight for the soul of the Republic and the greatest empire in the world. Inside a cave hacked out of the rock, lit by flickering torches, two young boys appeal to the famed Roman oracle for a glimpse into their future. The Sybil draws a blood-red shape of an eagle with wings outstretched: an omen of death. As the boys flee from the cave in fear, Aulus and Lucius make an oath of loyalty until death—an oath that will be tested in the years to come. Thirty years on, Aulus is Rome’s most successful general and faces his toughest battle. Barbarian rebels have captured his wife and are demanding the withdrawal of Roman legions from their land in return for her life. It is unthinkable for Aulus to agree, and he fears his beloved must be forfeit to Rome. Meanwhile, Lucius has risen to high rank in the Senate, a position he uses and abuses. But when Lucius is suspected of arranging a murder, the very foundations of the Republic are threatened. Lucius and Aulus soon find themselves on very different sides of the conflict—perhaps the prophecy of the eagle will come true after all. History and adventure, brutality and courage combine to powerful effect, making The Pillars of Rome an outstanding opening to the Republic series.

The final volume in the powerful Crusades trilogy The crusading armies go from besieging the citadel of Antioch to themselves being besieged. Although Bohemund, leader of the Apulian Normans, manages to take a firm grip on the city, the army of crusaders is depleted, thinned by death, disease, and defection. And for Bohemund and his nephew Tancred there is yet another difficulty: the dissent between the Crusade leaders has broken out into the open, with the wealthy Raymond of Toulouse stirring up conflict. If the Christian host is fighting on two fronts, so is Bohemund himself. With the enemy Turks at his front and his warring peers at his back, can he gain the mighty city of Antioch once and for all? Only one of the greatest battles of the age will decide.

With his fiery Irish blood and well-known reputation for trouble, Lieutenant George Markham leads his embattled Royal Marines against the French in Corsica. His mission: to seize the island. His problem: not just the French, but spies, traitors, and jealous rivals—including jealous husbands. As the bastard son of a Catholic father and a Protestant mother, Markham has a lot to prove. But as a scarred veteran of the war in America and against the French, Markham is battle-hardened in a way too many of his senior officers aren't, and his hardness wins over his men—men whom even their own officers regard as the scum of the earth. With the help of these men, Markham ventures across the island to persuade the veteran war hero Pasquali Paoli to unite the Corsicans behind him. But their loyalty remains torn by a heritage of vendettas, French bribery, and cross and double-cross. Enemies abound, in both French blue and British red, and the only men Markham can rely on are the grim, taciturn Sergeant Rannoch and a man who owes Markham his life: Bellamy, the educated, black Marine. Brimming with violent action and an energetic, pulsating plot, Honour Redeemed is a worthy successor to A Shred of Honour in the gripping Markham of the Marines series.

In the tradition of Patrick O’Brian’s adventure novels and C.S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower series, A Shred of Honour is an epic of eighteenth-century warfare that introduces Lieutenant George Markham of His Majesty’s Royal Marines. Irishman, papist, reputed coward: Markham is a man with something to prove. The death of his commander—killed by a lucky French musket ball to the throat—provides him with a chance to lead his men to glory. But it’s not that easy. Markham, a foot soldier by training, is no sailor, and he is suddenly left with a band of surly, disgruntled conscripts under his command. The salty marines aboard the frigate Hebe deride his ignorance and undermine his authority. The soldiers from Markham’s old regiment who have been transferred to the Hebe blame him for the fact that they now must spend their days crammed on a ship. Worse, as the winter of 1793 comes, Markham and his troublemaking men must face the expansive terror of Revolutionary France. The fighting takes Markham to the city of Toulon, where he makes the acquaintance of a French soldier named Napoleon Bonaparte. Acclaimed author David Donachie follows Markham through bloody battles, lively seductions, fights with superiors, and run-ins with French spies to offer a stirring tale of derring-do that heats the blood and fires the imagination.

Following David Donachie's earlier Conquest trilogy, the de Hautville warrior dynasty shows no sign of falling back into obscurity. This is the first volume in the powerful Crusades trilogy. Eleventh-century Italy: The domination of the Normans, the most feared warriors in Christendom, is causing trouble. At their head is Robert de Hauteville, the “Guiscard,” who has colonised much of Italy and now commands the triple dukedom of the extended Norman family. But Robert has made many enemies, including the ever-powerful papacy in Rome. As Robert successfully suppresses a Lombard revolt, his firstborn, Bohemund – now seventeen and blessed with the strength, height, and military prowess of his father – has come to fight in his army. Already recognised as a formidable warrior, Bohemund seeks to assert his natural right as the heir of his father's dukedom. But with Robert's second son, Borsa, legally entitled to inherit, his quest is not without conflict. A battle between the sons is inevitable, and blood ties will count for nothing.

The second volume in the powerful Crusades trilogy 1096: The Pope has called for a crusade to free Jerusalem, and half the warriors of Europe have responded. Among them is the Norman Count Bohemund, one-time enemy of Byzantium, whose help is required if progress is to be possible. His first task, pushing back the infidel Turks from the holy places of Christendom, calls for an uneasy alliance with old enemy Emperor Alexius. But can the crusaders trust the wily emperor? With past tensions and grudges arising, Bohemund is faced once again with the opportunity to gain power, land, and riches for himself – but will the risks of doing so outweigh the rewards? The crusaders must contend with sieges, open battles, hunger, and want on their journey to mighty Antioch, where they face the stiffest test of their mettle. As defeat threatens, only Norman discipline can save the day.

Edward Brazier is enlisted by Prime Minister William Pitt to assist his investigation into smuggling activity in Deal. However, with his love Betsy now locked into a loveless marriage with Tom Spafford, a useless drunk, and living as a prisoner, Brazier is distracted from his mission. Having foiled Spafford's plan to steal Betsy away to her family-owned plantation in the West Indies, Brazier finds himself taken captive. Only his ingenuity will help engineer his escape and his cunning use of subterfuge will then allow him to infiltrate the smuggling gangs of Deal in a determined bid to unmask those in control. But with suspicion raised around him and his enemies banding together, can Brazier survive long enough to bring those responsible to justice?

Fourteenth-century Italy: The Hundred Years' War is over and the country is in upheaval as desperate cities struggle against both each other and venal Papal rule. Unable to rely on their own citizens to fight their battles, the cities and Popes are forced to pay vast amounts of money to mercenary captains to fight on their behalf. Newly-knighted Sir John Hawkwood is headed for France to make his fortune. A valiant Englishman, shrewd and relentless on the battlefield, Hawkwood soon finds himself fighting for and against any state of Italy prepared to pay handsomely. If none will pay, he and the White Company brutally seize what they desire. As he leaves stains of his presence up and down the country, those who curse Hawkwood at their defeat can soon be those who praise him for their deliverance. It is a world of massacre and pillage in which life is less than cheap and no one can be trusted. To survive, a man has to be quick thinking, fleet of foot, and strong in his sword arm . . . and Hawkwood is such a man.

Eleventh-century Italy: The Byzantine Empire rules much of Europe, but in the Italian states to the south it does so in the face of constant revolt from its unwilling subjects—a strife that extends from the great trading ports to the rich agricultural lands of Apulia. The Lombards, heirs to a northern tribe, are no exception and their leader, Arduin of Fassano, feels the time may have come to rejoin his brethren and rise up in revolt against their Eastern rulers. And so he brings into the conflict the fearsome mercenary brothers, the de Hautevilles, to help him in his quest to destroy the power of Constantinople. Will the might of the Byzantine Empire crush Arduin's revolt? Can his ambitious plan succeed, or will the treachery that stalks the land play into the hands of the Normans?

Honour Be Damned finds the fiery British lieutenant George Markham in the waning days of the French Revolution. The revolution is turning in on itself—Robespierre has met the guillotine—but still the French fight on. After completing the siege of a French fortress in Corsica, Markham and his men are assigned to the sloop Sylphide under the impetuous Captain Germain. Before long, Germain's foolhardy hunt for glory throws Markham and his “Lobsters” into desperate ship-to-ship action. Fortunately, fighting hand to hand is what the battle-hardened Marines do best. Like Markham, Germain has been branded a coward, but in his zeal to restore his good name he sets Markham on another, more perilous venture. This time, Markham must go ashore to escort a group of French royalists on a secret mission. Dodging the French army patrols is difficult enough, but it is particularly hazardous because he is shackled with a French count, a devious Catholic prelate, a young lady, and their contingent of servants. But what is the secret prize they are hunting for? Why have they embarked on this fool's errand? Markham must answer these questions as he untangles the deceit and subterfuge all around him. And he must rely on the loyalty of his men and the ever-grudging assistance of Sergeant Rannoch to succeed in this most unusual and dangerous mission—one complicated by the unexpected arrival of a figure from Markham's past.

Justinian, a paranoid leader, desperately wants the lost provinces returned to his rule but must first dispatch his brave general, Belisaurius, to fight the Persians in the East. Justinian grows concerned that Belisaurius will grow successful and courageous in his feats, thus becoming a threat to his power and person. He subsequently dispatches him on a near-impossible mission to North Africa to take back from the Vandals what was once ancient Carthage. Meanwhile back in Constantinople, Marcus Donatus has found favor with Empress Theodora, wife of Justinian, in the hopes of being able to influence Justinian himself.

1033, on the Norman–French border: It is thirty years before William Duke of Normandy sails to England and does battle at Hastings, but the events leading up to that epic moment are already taking shape. The twelve sons of Tancred de Hauteville are following in their father’s footsteps. As knights, they have but one true purpose: to fight. But denied service with their duke, they are forced to take employment as mercenaries. Their unequalled battle skills are for hire to the highest bidder. Victory and defeat, betrayal and revenge combine as the desperation to rule becomes an intense battle, testing even the strongest of ties. But through it all shines the loyalty of blood that binds families—and warriors—together. This is the epic story of a true band of brothers.

John Pearce faces a court martial, but will cowardly Toby Burns, chief witness, stand up to questioning? With the matter unresolved, HMS Hazard is put under the command of Horatio Nelson, with whom no cruise can be without incident. Sure enough, battle is joined with two Spanish frigates, though success is short-lived and flight in the face of a superior foe becomes the only option. In London, the government denies prize money for the cargo of silver Pearce took off the Santa Leocadia, claiming it as property of the Crown. Pearce’s prize agent seeks to fight this, only to be outmanoeuvred by devious Henry Dundas. Worse, some very bad pennies from the past have come back to haunt the life of Emily Barclay and the thief-taker Walter Hodgson. From Elba, Pearce is sent on a mission to collect fleeing members of the Corsican government: an assignment which looks simple but is anything but. Seeking a solution which will not risk his ship, he seeks the aid of a local clan chief, inadvertently putting himself, his crew, and his rescued charges in jeopardy. Pearce finds himself trapped in a deep Corsican bay, facing odds of two to one, which he can only overcome by employing devious tactics. And even successful, he will be forced to make a decision: to follow his instincts or to obey his orders.

1938: While Hitler sets his sights on the Sudetenland, not everyone in Britain is willing to appease him. Convinced that the Fuhrer's land-hunger is insatiable, the head of the SIS recruits Cal Jardine to help him prove that Czechoslovakia is threatened with invasion. As jealousy and mutual suspicions within secret service ranks make it impossible for Jardine to tell friend from foe, he rediscovers old friends of dubious loyalty and makes new enemies of untested ruthlessness. This is the final installment in Ludlow's sweeping series set in the pre-WWII European powder-keg.

Lucius Falerius is dead, and Rome in its entirety mourns the passing of its most powerful senator. It falls to his young son Marcellus to carry out his father’s legacy and restore the rights promised to the defeated Sicilian slaves, yet there are those who will not see the honour of Rome compromised and the slaves assuaged. On the Roman border provinces there is also trouble, and the legions move north to neutralize the threat posed by the Celts. The confederation of Celtic tribes is united under one chieftain, the formidable and unpredictable Brennos, but a plot is being crafted to see him dead and the confederation broken. For Brennos, the treachery comes from within his own family, for which he will exact a brutal and bloody revenge. Meanwhile Aquila, accompanied by his ‘nephew,’ Fabius, finds himself under the command of a young tribune who bears the same name as the man responsible for the death of his old friend and mentor. And still there remains the question of the eagle charm he wears around his neck—the only clue as to his real identity.

It is the fifth century of the Byzantium Empire. Flavius Belisaurius is son of the governor of Dorostorum City, and his father has two goals: to keep out the barbarians and to expose the deep roots of secular and ecclesiastical corruption. Seeking to prevent a raid, the governor enlists the help of the powerful magnate Senuthius Vicinus. Vicinus's corruption is widespread but his support is crucial to win the battle. When Vicinus betrays this trust, Belisaurius Jnr witnesses the death of his father and the irretrievable tarnishing of his reputation. With Belisaurius's life changed for good, he swears vengeance on the man who betrayed his father and begins a journey from which there is no virtuous way back.

1794: Stuck in Palermo harbour, headstrong Lieutenant John Pearce and his trusty Pelicans must repair the battle-damaged HMS Larcher with only meagre funds. Once again, he finds himself protecting Emily Barclay, abandoned by the captain of her merchantman after he discovers her true identity. When Pearce sets sail for Naples, he discovers disloyalty among his crew, who are suspicious of Emily's presence and the troubles that seem to be coming their way. Sailing into danger, they encounter enemies armed with more speed and greater firepower. Lacking proper masts and a bowsprit, Pearce has no option but to run until forced to abandon and burn his ship trapped in an Italian bay. Pearce must face a court-martial for his actions. However, his troubles are only beginning. Admiral Hotham, now in command, seeks to neutralise Pearce, who poses a threat to him. Hotham contrives a deadly plan to send the unwitting Pelicans into mortal danger against a bloodthirsty and piratical Turk called Mehmet Pasha. Only luck and Pearce's fiery thirst for battle can save them.

1794: The Mediterranean is proving dangerous waters for John Pearce and his Pelicans. Having left his lover, Emily, the wife of his mortal enemy Ralph Barclay, in the Tuscan port of Leghorn, Pearce is detained in Naples. When he unknowingly delivers a letter promoting the shady and incompetent Admiral Hotham, Pearce finds himself entangled in a political plot that soon puts those closest to him at peril. When reunited with Emily, John Pearce faces a losing battle to maintain her reputation. Emily sees no future for herself with Pearce and leaves while he is conveying private letters for Horatio Nelson to the British Ambassador, Sir William Hamilton. Learning of her departure, Pearce sets off in pursuit. At the same time, he takes on a superior Barbary corsairs force that has targeted the merchant ship on which Emily is traveling, the Sandown Castle. Outgunned by a barbaric opponent, John Pearce's chances of survival-and those of Emily and Pearce's crew-are dubious. And even if they can win this fierce battle, another threat looms on the horizon, as Pearce is not the only one chasing Emily. Ralph Barclay has learned of his wife's desertion and is on his way to recapture her.

Lieutenant John Pearce is in London seeking protection for his friends, the Pelicans, from a reluctant Admiralty. Sitting in the tavern where they were first press ganged, Pearce considers his future. Lacking the evidence of perjury he once had to bring Captain Ralph Barclay to justice, his prospects are not promising. Ralph Barclay's young wife, Emily, is refusing to live under the same roof as him and she has the means to get her own way: the evidence Pearce believes was lost at sea. Pearce's companions finally arrive in London just in time to join Pearce in fetching a ship laden with contraband back from France-an illegal act but very profitable. Are Pearce and his Pelicans sailing into prosperity or danger?

July 1940: A month after the evacuation of the defeated and battered Allied forces from Dunkirk, a German invasion of England threatens. In this thrilling historical "what-if," Prime Minister Winston Churchill has resigned without naming a successor and leaders of Parliament are calling for an armistice with Hitler. Meanwhile, the Deputy Director of Counter-Espionage at MI5, Adam Strachan, faces his own daunting task. During a botched burglary, the fugitive Billy Houston commits murder and discovers his victim was in possession of Britain's plans to thwart the German invasion. No patriot, Houston is determined to get the information to the right people and help bring about a Nazi-run Britain. Strachan soon finds himself pursuing Houston through England, from London's blacked-out streets and seedy narrow lanes to the thinly guarded Channel coast and the Isle of Wight, in a desperate bid to stop the missing defense plans from falling into German hands. The clock is ticking, and Britain's immediate future is anything but secure.

Rome has lost its greatest warrior; Aulus Cornelius is dead. Although he is hailed as a hero, the stench of betrayal by cowardly governor Flaminus lingers heavy in the air. The death of their father has left Aulus’s sons, Quintus and Titus, with new and grave responsibilities. While Titus swears vengeance against Flaminus and aims to be as great a general as his father, Quintus chooses to pursue politics—under the guidance of Lucius Falerius, now the most powerful senator in Rome. Despite his fortune, Lucius is still haunted by the prophecy that binds his fate to Aulus’s. And as he trains his son, Marcellus, in the ways of wielding their immense power, he manipulates the Cornelius family in an attempt to achieve his own goals. Meanwhile, the young Aquila broods over his mother’s deathbed revelation. With only memories and a mysterious eagle amulet left to him, Aquila joins a band of mercenaries. Unknowingly he heads straight into the heart of a slave uprising and takes a step closer to a destiny entwined with the fate of the great Roman Republic.