Imperial Fire - by Robert Lyndon (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

AN EPIC HISTORICAL QUEST SET AT THE DAWN OF THE AGE OF GUNPOWDER.

In the world after 1066, vast empires clamor for dominance.

From the Normans in the north to the Byzantines in the south, battles rage across Europe and around its fringes. But in the east, an empire still mightier stirs, wielding a weapon to rule the world: gunpowder.

Seeking the destructive might of this 'fire drug, ' the mercenary Vallon -- a man made of grit and earth as much as of flesh and blood -- is sent by the defeated Byzantine emperor on a secret and near-impossible quest to the far off land of Song Dynasty China. Alongside a squadron of highly trained soldiers, Vallon is accompanied by the learned physician Hero, hermit-like tracker Wayland and a young, ego-driven upstart named Lucas. All have their own reasons for going, all have secrets.

It's a quest that will lead them across treacherous seas and arid desserts and into an uncharted land of mountains and plains beyond the Silk Road. Many will die. . .but the rewards could be extraordinary.

Review Quotes

"[Hawk Quest] is replete with historically accurate details of medieval warfare... Lyndon is a debut author worth watching and will be appreciated by readers of Bernard Cornwell and Steven Pressfield."--Library Journal (starred review) on Hawk Quest

"[An] utterly engrossing historical adventure... For readers who relish high-concept adventure well grounded in historical detail, this remarkably well-orchestrated epic delivers the goods."--Booklist on Hawk Quest

"An 11th-century epic with action to equal the best of Bernard Cornwell. THISis writing."--Anthony Riches on Hawk Quest

"If you enjoy a great, adventurous, historical novel with diverse, interesting characters, accurate depictions of geopolitics and geography, and a compelling and captivating storyline then you can do no better than Hawk Quest... [Lyndon's] characters are well-developed and believable and the sea and land adventures are exciting and well-versed. This is a book that you will not want to see end."--Aspen Daily News on Hawk Quest

"Only once in a generation does a first novel emerge which has such power and depth and scope. With Hawk Quest, Robert Lyndon has shown himself a master storyteller of the highest quality. An absorbing, viscerally moving epic that takes the standard historical fare of love, treachery, passion, and redemption and lifts them into a new stratosphere. I got lost in this for days on end, and never wanted to emerge. Outstanding!"--M.C. Scott on Hawk Quest

"Quite simply, Hawk Quest is the best book I've read this year. I lovedthis book. I wish I'd written it."--Ben Kane on Hawk Quest

About the Author

Robert Lyndon has long been a keen student of history. Lyndon's novels are inspired by his own experiences as a falconer, climber and traveller in remote places. He has written many books and articles on history and exploration. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, he lives in Dorset.