Book description
The author of the Masters of the Sea series, is back with a standalone
battle book that will blow all others out of the water.
1587. Two nations are locked in bitter conflict. One strives for
dominance, the other for survival.
After decades of religious strife, Elizabeth sits on the throne of
England. The reformation continues. Catholic revolts have been
ruthlessly quashed, and Elizabeth has ordered the execution of her
cousin, Mary Queen of Scots. On the continent bloody religious wars
rage, but England stands apart, her surrounding seas keeping her safe
from the land armies of her would-be enemies. Only at sea do the English
show their teeth. Sea captains and adventurers, hungry for the spoils of
trade from the Spanish Main, regularly attack the gold-laden galleons of
Catholic Spain. They are terriers nipping at the feet of war-horses but
their victories disrupt the treasury of Spain, England's greatest
threat, and Elizabeth's refusal to rein in her sea-captains further
antagonises Philip II.
Thomas Varian is a captain in Drake's formidable navy, rising quickly
through the ranks. But he guards a secret - one for which he would pay
with his life if discovered: he is a Catholic. He is about to find his
conflicting loyalty to his religion, to his Queen, and to his country
tested under the most formidable of circumstances: facing the mighty
Armada. Unknown to Varian, he will also be facing his long-estranged
father, who is fighting on the side of the Spanish enemy… Praise for
the Masters of the Sea series:
'Strong characters, excellent action, Ship of Rome builds to a suberb climax'
Conn Iggulden
'Peopled with characters both fictional and historical, this debut
novel - the first in the Masters Of The Sea series - gives a fascinating
and evocative insight into the high politics and military life of the times'
Daily Mail
'This is a seriously entertaining book for anyone who enjoys stirring
descriptions of ancient warfare. You can almost taste the salt, see the
blood and hear the shouts and screams…John Stack is to be welcomed into
the ranks of first-rate historical writers'
Tuam Herald
'Crank up the testosterone, this one's a fighter!'
U Magazine, Ireland John Stack was born and lives in County Cork. He
has always wanted to write but has done a variety of jobs ending up in
IT. He is married with three children, and is the author of the Sunday
Times bestselling MASTERS OF THE SEA series.
