#1 – Master of War
Thomas Blackstone is forced into Edward III’s invasion of France after a murder charge leaves him with little choice but the gallows or the war bow. What begins as punishment becomes the making of a soldier, as Blackstone learns the discipline, fear and opportunism of medieval…
#2 – Defiant Unto Death
Ten years after Crécy, Thomas Blackstone is no longer only an archer who survived a great battle. He has become a knight and war leader in northern France, but his position makes his family, land and reputation targets for enemies who understand that war is fought…
#3 – Gate of the Dead
Thomas Blackstone has made a dangerous name in Italy, where mercenary service among rival city-states gives him enemies as useful as his victories. A summons apparently from the English queen pulls him back across the Alps, through courtly obligation, trial by combat and popular violence in…
#4 – Viper’s Blood
In 1360, Edward III’s vast invasion of France has reached stalemate, and the treaty that follows creates as many dangers as it removes. Thomas Blackstone is ordered to escort a French royal bride toward Milan, but the mission takes him back toward men who destroyed his…
#5 – Scourge of Wolves
After the treaty settlement, Thomas Blackstone is sent to enforce English claims in France, but paper rights mean little in a countryside controlled by lords, towns and armed bands with their own interests. His name attracts enemies, and the violence of occupation threatens his men and…
#6 – Cross of Fire
Thomas Blackstone has become Edward III’s Master of War, but the title brings exposure rather than security. In 1362 he is drawn into fortress warfare, noble feuds and missions where his value to the crown makes him a target for trained killers as well as open…
#7 – Shadow of the Hawk
In 1364, the death of John II and the accession of Charles V signal that the uneasy peace with England will not hold. Thomas Blackstone is sent first into the struggle over Brittany and then toward Castile, where the fate of Don Pedro threatens to open…
#8 – To Kill a King
In 1367, Thomas Blackstone is entangled with Don Pedro of Castile while the Prince of Wales’s position in Aquitaine grows more dangerous. Blackstone remains bound by oath and service, but the mission forces him into a landscape where Plantagenet strategy, Castilian brutality and French opportunity all…
#9 – Rage of Swords
In 1368, Thomas Blackstone rides toward Milan to secure gold and alliances for the Plantagenet war in France. Lionel of Antwerp’s marriage mission promises political advantage, but Milanese power, assassination and Blackstone’s own enemies turn diplomacy into a road of traps. The book moves the Hundred…