Julian Stockwin’s thrilling historical novel, THE POWDER OF DEATH is published in paperback by Allison & Busby on 20 April. THE POWDER OF DEATH follows THE SILK TREE (also published by Allison & Busby), another standalone historical action-adventure novel examining and reimagining a key turning point in the past.
As Alan Eggleston writes in Booksville: ‘I'm a big fan of Julian Stockwin novels. He doesn't disappoint…Stockwin is a master teller of grand historical fiction tales. Pick one, any one, and you will be highly entertained…Stockwin writes brilliantly, bringing wonderful characters to life in a wholly realistic setting exploring history and times in thoroughly researched detail…’
1261. Oxford, England. An envoy returns from the land of the Tartars to meet with an English scholar and share a deadly secret that touches on the future of Christianity itself. The two men vow that the knowledge of gunpowder must die with them as the consequences are otherwise too fatal to contemplate.
1290. Hurnwych Green, England. After his quiet life is shattered by tragedy, local blacksmith Jared begins a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Aboard a ship to Venice, he meets Sir Nicholas Gayne who invites him to join the Knights Hospitallers as their blacksmith on a holy crusade for King Edward.
The adventure that follows sees Jared encounter men from distant Cathay who harbour the secret of huo yao, and so begins one man’s obsession with the powder of death and a king’s determination to change the very nature of warfare…
Julian at sea
The most recently published book in Julian Stockwin’s popular Thomas Kydd series is INFERNO, with PERSEPHONE to be published on 18 May this year (Hodder & Stoughton). THE BALTIC PRIZE, the nineteenth title in the maritime adventure series, comes out in November.
At 14 Stockwin joined a tough sea-training school, followed by the Royal Navy, transferring to the Royal Australian Navy when his family emigrated. He saw active service in the Far East, the Antarctic, the South Seas and Vietnam, and was on board the Melbourne at the time of its disastrous peace-time collision with the Voyager. Later he worked for NATO on the strategic deployment of merchant shipping.
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Praise for Julian Stockwin, and THE POWDER OF DEATH
‘The preeminent living historical naval fiction writer on either side of the Atlantic.’ – George Jepson, Quarterdeck (Spring 2017)
‘Stockwin has the knack of weaving a great story around an event in history to create an entertaining and informative adventure. He is up there with the best of the maritime novelists.’ – Ross Gates, Sunday Tasmanian
‘Historical fiction is a tricky beast. As a writer you have to keep your history in proper shape while combining it with a narrative that someone actually wants to read. Score two out of two for Julian Stockwin.’ -- Daily Mail
‘Julian Stockwin has become a master at this craft, no more so than in POWDER OF DEATH…The plan is cunning and the struggle is compelling. Your payoff is the life-changing journey…a great adventure.’ – Alan Eggleston, Booksville