The West Rises - Davies, S. M.

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Résumé :
The 5th Century A.D. The Dark Age. Abandoned by the Romans, facing slaughter by raiding Picts and Saxons, Britain stands on the brink of catastrophe. Only one man can save the nation: VORTIGERN. His adopted name means High King, but he is an outsider from the far west; despised by the establishment and opposed by jealous rivals who will block his path to power. Vortigern's greatest ally is young warrior Kerin Brightspear, famed for his quick wits and fighting skills. Kerin is bound by oath and love to Vortigern, who saved him from death as an abandoned child and raised him with his own sons. He yearns to prove his worth to the man he idolises, but time is running out. At home, powerful British warlords, politicians and priests are locked in their own disputes. Beyond the borders, enemies are growing stronger by the day. Can Kerin seize the chance to repay his debt as Vortigern bids to become all that his name proclaims: lord of the Britons, the High King? The HIGH KING series At one of the most dangerous moments in British history, when the Roman Empire was crumbling and invasion threatened on all sides, a warlord known as Vortigern became King of all the Britons. His people called him the High King, but the legends call him a villain. This is another view of his story, seen through the eyes of the young warrior who becomes his devoted companion.

Biographie:
Born in Swansea, Welsh author Susan Davies read English at Cambridge, specialising in medieval literature and exploring the history underlying the legends of Early Britain. The period is often called the Dark Age, but she was convinced that it held a rich store of material for historical fiction, and that King Arthur's was not the only story worth telling. After graduating she worked as a professional indexer for leading publishers, usually on historical texts from ancient to modern. Since then she has spent her working life on the Gower Peninsula, first as a farmer, then a hotelier, and finally as a pub and nightclub owner. During these years she continued her research and wrote the first draft of the historical fiction series 'High King', much of it based in the Welsh settings she knows and loves. In 2023, Book One, 'The West Rises', was shortlisted for the Selfies Awards by BookBrunch, which recognises the year's best independently published books in the UK. Susan still lives on the edge of Gower, close to her children and their families, where she continues to write and research her next project....

Sommaire:
The West Rises : Book 1 in High KingAn exciting new historical fiction series by Welsh author S.M.Davies, bringing the Dark Age to life. When the Romans abandon Britain, they leave behind chaos and threats of invasion from all sides. A land full of frightened people, facing slaughter by raiding Picts and Saxons. Feckless leaders and powerful priests, too obsessed with their own feuds to see that the islands are standing on the brink of catastrophe. Only one man can save the nation: VORTIGERN.His adopted name means 'High King', but he is an outsider from the far West, despised by the establishment and by jealous rivals who will block his path to power.Vortigern's greatest ally is young warrior Kerin Brightspear. Bound by oath and love to Vortigern, who saved him from death as an abandoned child and raised him with his own sons, Kerin yearns to prove his worth to the man he idolises. But time is running out. Beyond the borders, enemies are growing stronger by the day. Can Kerin seize the chance to repay his debt as Vortigern bids for the crown?Centuries later, the legends will call Vortigern a villain, but to a frightened people threatened with annihilation he was the High King. This is his story, seen through the eyes of Kerin, the young warrior who becomes his devoted companion....