Constantinopolis. 1096.
Sometimes the enemy comes from within.
Edmund has fought the Normans most of his life - at Hastings under King Harold of England, and later in Greece as a soldier in the Varangian Guard of the Byzantine Emperor.
His dream is to lead an army of battle-hardened warriors back home and expel the Normans from England.
With the Empire finally at peace, Edmund feels that the time has arrived to fulfil his duty and avenge his king.
But there are rumours of a new threat. Large hosts of armed Latins - westerners - are marching towards the city, brandishing the sign of the Cross. One of the Crusader leaders is Bohemond of Taranto.
England will have to wait, while Edmund is tasked by his Emperor with a delicate and dangerous assignment: find out if Bohemond is friend or enemy. And if he is an enemy - stop him.
Edmund's assignment will take him through Anatolia. Battles and sieges await.
The Varangian's strength - and spirit - will be tested like never before.
Recommended for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Simon Scarrow and Michael Jecks.
Praise for Gabriel Stein:
"Recommended reading for fans of the genre." Saul David.
"Meticulously researched. Stein fills a gap in history and historical fiction." Richard Foreman.
'Stein's English King is a gripping account of the exploits of an English mercenary in the service of the Byzantine emperor in a critical period of the Empire's history, the coming of the First Crusade. The novel is a rich blend of history, adventure and politics, and provides a captivating historical journey through one of the most challenging and dramatic periods in the history of Byzantium and the eastern Mediterranean.' George Theotokis
Gabriel lives in London, England.
