MASTER OF WAR: VIPER’S BLOOD by David Gilman published in paperback today!

Viper’s Blood by David Gilman, the thrilling 4th book in the MASTER OF WAR series is released today in paperback, published by Head of Zeus. This much-praised series – described as ‘gripping’, ‘sharper than a bodkin arrow’, ‘better than Bernard Cornwell’ and of ‘bone-crunching intensity’ – is also taking translation markets by storm.

Provoked by the Dauphin's refusal to honour the terms of his father's surrender, Edward III has invaded France with the greatest army England has ever assembled. But the English lion's attempts to claw the French crown from its master are futile. After defeats at Crecy and Poitiers, the Dauphin will no longer meet the English in the field.

Mired down in costly sieges and facing a stalemate, Edward's great army is forced to agree a treaty. But peace comes at a price. The French request that Blackstone escort their King's daughter to Italy to see her married to one of the two brothers who rule Milan – the same brothers who killed Blackstone's family to revenge the defeats they suffered at his hand.

Blackstone, the French are certain, will never leave Milan alive...

Robert Fabbri, bestselling author of the Vespasian series, has described the MASTER OF WAR series as a “gripping chronicle of pitched battle, treachery and cruelty”. The series is sold in translation in Brazil, Czech, Spain, Hungary and Germany, where MASTER OF WAR recently went straight into the Top 50 Bestseller charts at No. 23. David Gilman is currently completing the fifth book in this series, SCOURGE OF WOLVES which will be released in ebook in December 2017 and in hardback in February 2018.

Earlier this year, David’s "gripping... smart and subtle" standalone THE LAST HORSEMAN, was shortlisted for Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on 7 September,  

Praise for David Gilman’s MASTER OF WAR series

‘A thrilling, fast-moving, engaging tale, with unexpected twists, beautiful prose, excellent characterisation and dialogue, human sentiment and motivation, and graphic descriptions of war… Move over Bernard Cornwell. … Historical fiction at its best’. – Historical Novel Society

‘Adjectives like action-packed, exciting and wonderfully researched are a given. Yet only the qualities of the work stay the same; the story is as fresh and shock-filled as each of its predecessors.... Do please treat yourself if you haven't read MASTER OF WAR by David Gilman or any of the series that came afterwards.’ – Ani Johnson, The Bookbag

‘Book Four in the MASTER OF WAR series and the bone-crunching intensity of this series shows no signs of abating. ... A truly excellent book and part of an excellent series.’ – Parmenion Books

 'The fourth novel in David Gilman’s powerful and uncompromising chronicle of the Hundred Years War … VIPER’S BLOOD is an exciting, bloody and well-written tale of Europe at a time of terrible crisis. ... A fine addition to a series that continues to bring these cruel years to life in such rich and meticulous detail.' – For Winter Nights

About David Gilman

David Gilman has had many careers, including firefighter, soldier and photographer, before turning to writing full time. He is an award-winning author and screenwriter.

Find out more about David Gilman on Blake Friedmann’s website or David’s own website.

Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

David Gilman's GATE OF THE DEAD, third in action-packed MASTER OF WAR SERIES, published today

GATE OF THE DEAD, the gripping third title in David Gilman’s action-packed MASTER OF WAR series, is out in hardback in the UK today. This popular series, published by Head of Zeus, began with Amazon #1 bestseller MASTER OF WAR and follows the adventures of Thomas Blackstone, a stonemason-turned-archer during the Hundred Years' War.

As the For Winter Nights review says:  ‘David Gilman, again, achieves wonders with his recreation of the Hundred Years War. But a strong part of its appeal has been watching Thomas Blackstone grow from the young stonemason archer who fought at Crécy.’ Readers love David Gilman’s band of characters, including the strong women, and reviews praise his expert blend of historical fact and fiction in this epic story of conflict, loyalty and love. The MASTER OF WAR series draws hundreds of glowing 5-star reader reviews on Amazon and in total more than 100,000 copies of the first two titles in the series have been sold.

GATE OF THE DEAD opens in Lucca, Tuscany in 1358: Thomas Blackstone has built a formidable reputation in exile, fighting as a mercenary amid the ceaseless internecine warring of Italy's City States. Success has bred many enemies, who will seize any opportunity to destroy the man they cannot overcome on the field. So when a dying man delivers a message recalling Blackstone to England, it seems almost certain to be a trap. Yet Blackstone cannot decline – the summons is apparently from the Queen.

Blackstone will brave the terrors of the High Alps in winter, face the Black Prince in tournament in Windsor, confront the bloody anarchy of a popular revolt in northern France and submit to trial by combat. And every step of the way, he will be shadowed by a notorious assassin, a killer who has been instructed to inflict the maximum pain on his target before he despatches him to hell.

The MASTER OF WAR series has been sold in Brazil, Hungary, Spain and the Czech Republic and more offers are pending. David is currently writing the fourth Thomas Blackstone novel. His stunning standalone THE LAST HORSEMAN, featuring American and Irish characters in the South African War, will also be published by Head of Zeus, in Summer 2016.

Praise for the MASTER OF WAR series:

‘Move over Bernard Cornwell!  Historical fiction at its best’ – Historical Novel Society

‘If you only read one historical debut this year, make it this one. The prose is sharper than a bodkin arrow, the pace faster than thought and to be honest it was a book that I just couldn’t put down. Great stuff.’ – Gareth Wilson, Falcata Times

 ‘A violent, tempestuous, glorious novel. I was gripped from the very beginning and the book never once let go of me until its end, by which point I was exhausted by its intensity, thrills and trauma. Among my top historical fiction reads of 2015.' – For Winter Nights

 ‘See-saw drama at its best… so many reasons why, when life tried to encourage me to put the book down, I resisted stridently. This is writing that twists around seldom seen hist-fict depth.’ – Ani Johnson, The Bookbag

 Visit David’s Website

Follow David On Twitter

Pre-Christmas e-book release for Blackstone fans- GATE OF THE DEAD out now!

David Gilman, author of ‘historical fiction at its best’ (Historical Novel Society) delivers a pre-Christmas treat for readers with the ebook release of GATE OF THE DEAD, the third instalment of his action-packed MASTER OF WAR series. The gripping series, which began with Amazon #1 bestseller MASTER OF WAR, follows the adventures of Thomas Blackstone, a stonemason-turned-archer during the Hundred Years' War.

Tuscany, 1358: Thomas Blackstone has built a formidable reputation in exile, fighting as a mercenary amid the ceaseless internecine warring of Italy's City States. Success has bred many enemies, who will seize any opportunity to destroy the man they cannot overcome on the field. So when a dying man delivers a message recalling Blackstone to England, it seems almost certain to be a trap. Yet Blackstone cannot decline – the summons is apparently from the Queen.

Blackstone will brave the terrors of the High Alps in winter, face the Black Prince in tournament in Windsor, confront the bloody anarchy of a popular revolt in northern France and submit to trial by combat. And every step of the way, he will be shadowed by a notorious assassin, a killer who has been instructed to inflict the maximum pain on his target before he despatches him to hell.

The MASTER OF WAR series has been sold in Brazil, Hungary, Spain and the Czech Republic and more offers are pending. GATE OF THE DEAD will be published in hardback in the UK in February 2016 and David is currently writing the fourth Thomas Blackstone novel. His stunning Boer War novel THE LAST HORSEMAN will also be published by Head of Zeus, in Summer 2016.

Praise for the MASTER OF WAR series:

‘Move over Bernard Cornwell!  Historical fiction at its best’ – Historical Novel Society

‘If you only read one historical debut this year, make it this one. The prose is sharper than a bodkin arrow, the pace faster than thought and to be honest it was a book that I just couldn’t put down. Great stuff.’ – Gareth Wilson, Falcata Times

 ‘A violent, tempestuous, glorious novel. I was gripped from the very beginning and the book never once let go of me until its end, by which point I was exhausted by its intensity, thrills and trauma. Among my top historical fiction reads of 2015.' – For Winter Nights

 ‘See-saw drama at its best… so many reasons why, when life tried to encourage me to put the book down, I resisted stridently. This is writing that twists around seldom seen hist-fict depth.’ – Ani Johnson, The Bookbag

 Visit David’s Website

Follow David On Twitter

David Gilman’s DEFIANT UNTO DEATH published today by Head of Zeus

DEFIANT UNTO DEATH, the second part of the MASTER OF WAR series written by award-winning author and screenwriter David Gilman, is released today by Head of Zeus. It follows the story of former stonemason Thomas Blackstone, now a knight with a small fiefdom in northern France, as he is forced to defy everyone he loves and lives for in order to fight a traitor who has turned the king of France against him.

The first instalment of the series was launched last year and enthusiastically received. Gareth Wilson of the Falcata Times wrote ‘if you only read one historical debut this year, make it this one. The prose is sharper than a bodkin arrow, the pace faster than thought.’ And sales were swift too, with Thomas Blackstone's exploits entertaining more than 50,000 book buyers. 

On 22 January, David was in Goldsboro Books signing the stunning hardcover edition at what can only be described as a defiant speed, scribbling away so quickly that the camera struggled to keep up!

Visit David’s Website.

Follow David On Twitter.

Praise for the MASTER OF WAR series:

'A gritty book, sparing nothing in its descriptions of the realities of Medieval warfare. I'm sure readers will hope for more from this author.' – Kathy Stevenson, Daily Mail

‘First in a series of historical fiction based around the Hundred Years War by an author who can compete with Bernard Cornwell and, in places, wins on points. Exciting, informative and including battle scenes that made me reach for a firm surface. Love it!’ - Ani Johnson, Bookbag

‘As a debut novel, Gilman's MASTER OF WAR stands up well against its heavyweight predecessors …The writing is taut and the story fast-paced. … All lovers of this type of historical fiction will enjoy Master of War and look forward to the next instalment in a planned trilogy.’ – Greg Waite, Ontago Daily Times