http://www.hodder.co.uk/books/work.aspx?WorkID=166843

612 AD.

Decadent, desperate Athens is the Roman Empire’s most vulnerable city.

Aelric – senator of the Roman Empire, fresh from a bloodbath in Egypt that may or may not be regarded in Constantinople as his fault- is forced to divert the Imperial galley to Athens for reasons the Emperor has neglected to share with him.

He finds a demoralized and corrupt provincial city threatened by an army rumoured to contain twenty million starving barbarians.

Not to mention an explosive religious dispute, an unexplained corpse, and hints of something worse than murder. Is he on a high level mission to save the Empire? Or has he been set up to fail? Or is the truth even worse than he can at first imagine?

He will have to call upon all his formidable intellect and lethal ingenuity to survive his enemies inside and outside the city walls . . .

Reviews

‘Vivid characters, devious plotting and buckets of gore are enhanced by his unfamiliar choice of period. Nasty, fun and educational.’

Daily Telegraph on THE TERROR OF CONSTANTINOPLE

‘He knows how to deliver a fast-paced story and his grasp of the period is impressively detailed’

Mail on Sunday on THE TERROR OF CONSTANTINOPLE

‘Fascinating to read, very well written, an intriguing plot and I enjoyed it very much.’ 

Derek Jacobi on CONSPIRACIES OF ROME

‘A rollicking and raunchy read . . . Anyone who enjoys their history with large dollops of action, sex, intrigue and, above all, fun will absolutely love this novel.’

Historical Novels Review on THE TERROR OF CONSTANTINOPLE

‘Blake’s plotting is as brilliantly devious as the mind of his sardonic and very earthy hero. This is a story of villainy that reels you in from its prosaic opening through a series of death-defying thrills and spills.’

Lancashire Evening Post on THE SWORD OF DAMASCUS