Rome 549 AD. Forced to flee the city, merchant Nicander and legionary Marius escape to a new life in Constantinople. Determined to make their fortune, they plot a number of outrageous money-making schemes, until they chance upon their greatest idea yet. Armed with an audacious plan to steal precious silk seeds from the faraway land of Seres, Nicander and Marius must embark upon a terrifying and treacherous journey across unknown realms. But first they must deceive the powerful ruler Justinian and the rest of his formidable Byzantine Empire in order to begin their voyage into the unknown. In an adventurous tale of mischief and deception, Nicander and Marius face danger of the highest order, where nothing in the land of the Roman Empire is quite what it seems.

About the Author
At the age of fourteen, Julian Stockwin was sent to Indefatigable, a tough sea-training school. He joined the Royal Navy aged fifteen. Julian has written 14 books to date in the Kydd series of historical adventure fiction, as well as a non-fiction book, 'Stockwin's Maritime Miscellany.' He lives in Plymouth with his wife Kathy.

Reviews
'Stockwin's page-turning prose, vividly drawn characters and ability to draw the reader right into these ancient times create a grand and compelling historical epic'. George Jepson, Quarterdeck Magazine 'A gripping story... showing the familiar style of the author and demonstrating careful research that produces an entirely believable historical novel' Fire Project Online 'This page-turning historical fiction of the first order written with great brio and opening the reader's eyes to a world that, as the author says, 'we in the 21st century can only wonder at' THE GOOD BOOK GUIDE



Book Information
ISBN 9780749017538
Author Julian Stockwin
Format Paperback
Page Count 480
Imprint Allison & Busby
Publisher Allison & Busby