Ashman Ian Libri

Prince Llewellyn is dead, defeated at Orewen bridge by the forces of Longshanks. Elated by the final defeat of his old enemy, the English King sweeps through the country, wiping out any remnants of Welsh resistance and building a system of mighty castles as a symbol of his might. The occupation is brutal and for twelve years Longshanks rests easy in the knowledge that this ring of steel is impregnable, a system of invincible fortresses unassailable by any living man ... Or so he thought.

AD 1294Caernarfon has fallen to Madog and the Welsh uprising spreads like a wildfire.The four main warlords of Wales join forces to wreak havoc amongst the English settlers and rampage across the country in a frenzy of aggression born of a lifetime of servitude.One by one, Edward’s castles fall before the Welsh onslaught but though there seems to be little reaction from the king, across the border he musters his armies and plans the re-taking of his famed Ring of Steel.In the south, Garyn languishes deep in a filthy castle dungeon, a beaten man at the hands of a corrupt knight and with only days left to live, it seems his fate is sealed and the famed Macsen Sword is destined for the hands of an English king.

AD 1055. With the crisis of 1051 long behind them and finally coming to terms with the death of Sweyn, the Godwin family's influence across England is growing. Harold enjoys a position of trust with King Edward and the country is at peace, but Edward knows that he needs an heir before it is too late. In Hungary, there is one potential heir with royal blood running through his veins, but before he can be contacted another king, much closer to home, rises to power, and Harold finds himself torn between diplomacy and violence to maintain the peace. With King Edward relying on him more and more, Harold travels to Normandy to find the two hostages still missing after many years. But while there, he uncovers a situation far more dangerous than any threat from the Welsh king... With England now being torn apart by internal politics, can Harold forge unity amongst his fellow nobles before it is too late? The gripping next step along the road to Hastings, perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden.

Britannia - 60 AD. When her husband dies, Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni expects Rome to enter into a new power sharing agreement with her people. However, when Rome Reneges on the agreement and her daughters are raped by Roman soldiers, she raises an army to fight back against the occupation. The Britannic tribes rise up and join her in a campaign against their oppressors and soon her enormous army is sweeping across Britannia in an unstoppable campaign of Brutality. Meanwhile in the south, a young boy races to join her cause but when it is realised he is the last true blood prince of the Deceangli, Prydain the ex-legionary now living with the Silures, embarks on a dangerous mission to save him. Once more he is destined to cross with Cassus, the boyhood friend who has sworn to kill him and this time, there will be resolution.

Henry III is dead. His son, Edward Longshanks is on his way back from crusade to claim the crown and impose his iron will on a weakened country. The nobles of North Wales are nervous and grow frustrated at the inaction of their own leader and make a daring pact to replace him with a figurehead to unite the warring factions against the English Prince. In the south, two young men attempt to rebuild their lives after a terrifying ordeal in Acre. Desperate to heal old wounds and build for the future, they try to rebuild the family forge but the appearance of an old enemy tears them apart once more and forces them onto different paths. Whilst the life of an outlaw beckons for one, the other finds himself on an extraordinary quest to find an unknown land, achieve an unlikely outcome and secure an uncertain future.

AD 1270 Antioch has fallen, Tripoli is under siege and Sultan Baibaars targets his Mamluk hoards against Krak des Chevalier, the Crusaders' greatest stronghold in Syria. 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 fourteen 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.

Old friends will clash, armies will collide… let there be blood. 50 AD. The Invasion is over and Roman legions spread throughout the land, a blood red stain on Britannia. Caratacus has fled south to rebuild his army and warriors flock to his banner.In the north, a disgraced legionary grasps the chance to regain his honour and joins the Exploratores, the elite Roman unit operating behind enemy lines. He nurtures a deeper desire, however: the chance to fulfill an oath made six years previous.As the armies of Caratacus and Scapula prepare for their final clash, a devastating, blood-soaked battle, the soldier draws closer to his ultimate prize, the chance to murder the man he once called brother.

Britannia 43AD. The last unconquered stronghold of the Celts and a land of gold and slaves. A dangerous place of men without fear, led by mystical Druid warriors, yet still to face the might of Rome in the unrelenting expansion of the Empire. Four Roman legions have assembled in Gaul undertaking final preparations for the invasion of Britannia and two young men are posted to a training cohort under the sadistic tutorage of a battle scarred veteran, Remus. The training is brutal but eventually the trainees find themselves involved in their first campaign, The invasion of Britannia. The legions invade in a frenzy of brutality and aggression, and one of the defending Celtic warriors is forced to flee the battle to embark on a frantic rescue mission the isle of Druids, where a young girl is due to be sacrificed. Meanwhile a cohort of legionaries under the command of Remus, is tasked with finding the source of the Celtic gold. The Romans find themselves in strange and unfriendly environment and, as they close in on their quarry, the fates of all four men become intertwined and a long held secret revealed, culminating in a savage and astonishing climax that affects the very future of Britannia.

The fight for England began long before 1066…AD 1045. Godwin of Wessex, one of the most powerful earls in the country, prepares for the marriage of his daughter to King Edward of England. The mood is jubilant, his family’s relationship with the Crown secured through matrimony. But one man seeks to undermine him at every opportunity.French-born Bishop of London, Robert of Jumièges, has the ear of the king. As a trusted adviser, his position is one of power and privilege, and he wields it to gain ever-greater influence over the English Crown for his kinsmen in Normandy, at Godwin’s expense.As the bishop’s control increases, the king’s relationship with the House of Godwin frays until, eventually, it breaks down completely. With civil war looming, Godwin fights to pull England back from the brink. But with the king under Norman influence, it could be too little, too late.

1081. William's bloody conquest is over and Britain is under Norman rule. But one bastion of resistance remains: Wales. A divided land where brother fights brother and kings battle for power. The English use this to further their own ends, and while one king is tempted by an offer he cannot resist, the others wage war over long-forgotten feuds. Gruffydd ap Cynan, true heir to the kingdom of Gwynedd, is in exile across the sea. When he hears of the betrayal of the Welsh people by the imposter in his throne, Gruffydd unites with Tewdwr, a monarch deposed by the traitors, and they forge an army from the ashes of their kingdoms. But Tewdwr's wife and daughter--the source of much of the allies' strength--are a weakness their enemies will exploit. Betrayal, treachery and war await, but both men know they must fight to the bitter end, when the sundered lands of Wales are drenched...in the blood of kings.

1066 dawns on a fractious England. The death of Edward the Confessor has set in motion a chain of events that can no longer be stopped. In London, Harold Godwinson, anointed king by Edward on his deathbed, girds the nation for war. Across the channel in Normandy, Duke William prepares his invasion fleet to sail, supported by Harald's treacherous brother, Tostig, who has promised to help William strike at the very heart of England. Battle shall be joined in Hastings, and the future of the country decided with sword, lance and bow.