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.

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?

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.

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.

Having evacuated the King and Queen of Naples ahead of Napoleon's advancing army, Nelson must now await developments in Sicily. In the meantime, he and Emma savor their passionate affair, and when Nelson travels back to Britain with the Hamiltons, he finds he is the toast of Europe. Finally he is given the chance he's been waiting for: off a little-known Spanish cape, called Trafalgar, he will show the world what he is made of!

The discovery of an abandoned Spanish merchant ship off the coast of America plunges the Ludlows into a far-reaching conspiracy fueled by jealousy, ambition and nationalistic fervor. The Bucephalas lies trapped under the gaping muzzles of the 32-pounder Spanish guns of New Orleans' harbor fort. It quickly becomes clear that the corridors of the governor's residence are just as busy with treachery, doubled-dealing, and murder as the back alleys of the sweltering city outside.

As war spreads across the globe, Harry Ludlow joins the struggle for the richest trade in the world. When half his crew is illegally pressed into the Royal Navy by the vicious Captain Toner, Harry sets off in pursuit. Toner's ship reaches the West Indies with Harry close behind, and they sail into a maelstrom of piracy, corruption, and murder stirred up by a French privateer.

Returning to England, Harry and James become embroiled in a vicious struggle between rival smugglers played out in the English Channel. Witnesses to a bloody confrontation, they flee to Deal--only to find that, behind its picturesque facade, the town is a haven for traders in contraband, seething with corruption and violence.

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.

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.

London, 1793: Young firebrand John Pearce, on the run from the authorities, is illegally press-ganged from the Pelican Tavern into brutal life aboard HMS Brilliant, a frigate on its way to war. Shipboard life is hard, brutal, and dangerous—that anyone chooses it suggests that life ashore is even worse. But Pearce is not alone; he is drawn to a disparate group of men pressed alongside him who eventually form an exclusive gun crew, the Pelicans, with Pearce their elected leader. The Pelicans find solidarity in facing together the cruelty of their hard-nosed captain, Barclay, and the daily threat of bullying, flogging—even murder. The one light on the horizon is the captain's wife, Emily, who is also aboard and new to life at sea. During an action-packed two weeks, as HMS Brilliant chases a French privateer across the English Channel, Pearce discovers the British Navy is a world in which he can prosper, and he and the Pelicans form friendships that will last a lifetime.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

1935: Cal Jardine is a soldier of fortune. Forced to leave Hamburg, where he has been helping Jews flee the Nazis, he is recruited by a secretive British committee to smuggle guns to Abyssinia, a country threatened by Italian invasion. But first Jardine must procure the weapons from Romania, a country full of treacherous locals as well as German agents seeking his arrest. By sleight of hand, he contrives to steal the weapons he wanted to buy before escaping the country, leaving both the Romanians and Germans floundering. Taken to the Horn of Africa, the arms are then transported over a harsh landscape, along an old slave trader's route full of danger, into the hands of the Ethiopian Army. On his travels, Jardine acquires more baggage than he anticipated, including a beautiful but difficult American woman in search of her archaeologist mother, a determined reporter, and a daredevil French flyer, while missing out on a painful death by sheer good fortune. But the Ethiopians are ill-equipped to face a modern Italian army using tanks, bombers, and poison gas. Trained for war, can Jardine simply walk away? Or will he be drawn into a bloody conflict against massive odds, and manage to save those who now depend on him?

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.

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.

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.

Firebrand John Pearce has been promoted to lieutenant and is in a position of command on board HMS Faron when he returns to Toulon from his successful mission in Corsica. But although he returns with a prize in tow, he receives a mixed welcome from his colleagues. With the fierce Siege of Toulon escalating in violence and the massing forces of the revolutionary army preparing to attack, Pearce is entrusted with the task of escorting 5,000 radical French sailors to a port on the Atlantic coast where they are to be set free. But when the assignment goes awry, it is up to Pearce and his trio of friends, the Pelicans, to prevent judicial murder.

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.

1936: When a favor to a friend leaves Cal Jardine caught up in the Spanish Civil War, he finds himself with an interesting assortment of fighters. His new compatriots are a group of athletes in Barcelona for the People's Olympiad. Together, they make an effective team and are primed for the fight; however, with a communist fanatic in the ranks, trouble is brewing. Even worse, a murderous betrayal lies ahead which threatens not just the fight, but Jardine himself. From the street battles of Barcelona to the fighting in the countryside, Jardine finds action as well as friendship-but will he have suitable revenge on his betrayer?