David Donachie

The seventeenth volume in the popular John Pearce Adventures set on the high seasJohn Pearce discovers that Madrid plans to desert the British-led coalition and join the enemy. In company with Lord Langholm, he has taken a Spanish treasure ship. But a violent Atlantic westerly forces them into a deep bay overlooked by Spaniards, who have created a trap with cannon on the heights aimed at the narrow entrance.Pearce must take the lead, exposed to plunging fire, lucky the guns do not quite have the range. Then, having succeeded, he must get Langholm’s frigate and the damaged Santa Leocadia through the same bottleneck. Only quick thinking and an act of sheer inspiration make it possible.His orders take him via Gibraltar, then on to Admiral Jervis, who hates him, to warn of Spanish duplicity. Finally, Jervis sends him to Bastia in Corsica, where the Viceroy, Sir Gilbert Elliot, is seeking to hold the island for Britannia in the face of Napoleon’s successes in Italy.In night actions, outnumbered on land and sea, Pearce must fight the Francophile Corsicans, who are arming themselves for an insurrection. Will he succeed, or will he, HMS Hazard, and the Pelicans pay the ultimate price of failure?

1796: John Pearce is stuck with a difficult mission—a raw crew of Quota Men forced to enlist in the Royal Navy and four brand-new midshipmen as well as Samuel Oliphant, companion cum spy, whom he finds a constant irritant. In his favour he commands HMS Hazard, a sound and speedy warship, a pair of competent officers and, of course, his trusty old friends the Pelicans. Their primary mission is to head for the Mediterranean Fleet and warn Admiral Sir John Jervis of impending danger he will face, fighting a combined French/Spanish fleet. But there is a serious distraction: the imminent arrival of a Spanish vessel from South America carrying silver, for which the Spaniards are waiting before declaring war. Stop that and they will lack the funds to truly engage as an enemy of Britannia, but it is a distraction from his main task and specific orders. Can John Pearce resist the lure of such a valuable capture and risk his ship in a dangerous battle to gain it, or will his duty come first?

In April 1784, Captain Horatio Nelson, commanding His Majesty’s frigate Boreas, sets sail from Spithead, bound for the Caribbean to enforce the hated Navigation Acts. While stationed in the Leeward Islands, a dream of domestic happiness leads him to marry a young widow, Fanny Nesbit. Meanwhile, Emma Lyon, mistress of Charles Grenville, sits as an artist’s model, her pictures selling briskly. When Grenville’s uncle, Sir William Hamilton, joins them in Naples, Emma finds herself the object of Hamilton’s desire. Her eventual marriage to Hamilton seems the epitome of good fortune, opening all the doors of Europe to her.Three years later, Nelson is ordered to carry a letter to King Ferdinand in Naples. There he meets the Hamiltons, and Emma finds herself inexplicably drawn to the brash sea captain.David Donachie’s compelling dialogue and re-creation of vivid naval battles—Cape St Vincent, Tenerife, and the Nile—are meticulously based on detailed historical research. The toll of war, both physical and emotional, becomes a poignant part of Nelson’s journey as he battles not only his enemies but also his own inner demons. Despite the hardships, he gains the fame and honor he desperately craves—and the woman he loves.

In March 1771, on a windy, rain-swept afternoon, twelve-year-old Horatio Nelson arrives at the Royal Navy dockyard at Chatham. Small for his age, he has traveled alone by coach from London after parting company with his father, the parson of Burnham Thorpe in Norfolk. The lad has come to join his first ship, the 64-gun Raisonnable, as a midshipman, launching what will become a legendary naval career.At the same time, young Emma Lyon becomes the subject of a deal: her mother’s “services” as a kept mistress in London in return for Emma’s education. Pretty, wayward, high-spirited, and determined to make something of her life, Emma gives up the constraints of life as a domestic servant to live in a bawdy.David Donachie’s captivating novel, steeped in vivid historical detail, follows Nelson from his trials in a midshipman’s berth to promotion as a lieutenant and to frustration as a post captain at age twenty aboard his first commands. During the American Revolution, he establishes a reputation as a daring, compassionate officer. Meanwhile, Emma, a striking but destitute figure, shrewdly confronts her limited prospects to ascend the social ranks from teenage bawd to nobleman’s courtesan to celebrated artist’s model.On a Making Tide—Part One of the Nelson Trilogy—chronicles Nelson’s and Emma’s formative years as they defy tradition and expectations. The Georgian era comes vividly to life with thrilling sea action and a rare glimpse into London’s demimonde, where the lives of a beautiful courtesan and Britain’s greatest naval hero unexpectedly collide, sparking a chain of events that will shape their futures.

The final volume in the powerful Crusades trilogyThe crusading armies go from besieging the citadel of Antioch to themselves being besieged. Although Bohemund, leader of the Apulian Normans, manages to take a firm grip on the city, the army of crusaders is depleted, thinned by death, disease, and defection.And for Bohemund and his nephew Tancred there is yet another difficulty: the dissent between the Crusade leaders has broken out into the open, with the wealthy Raymond of Toulouse stirring up conflict. If the Christian host is fighting on two fronts, so is Bohemund himself. With the enemy Turks at his front and his warring peers at his back, can he gain the mighty city of Antioch once and for all? Only one of the greatest battles of the age will decide.

The second volume in the powerful Crusades trilogy1096: The Pope has called for a crusade to free Jerusalem, and half the warriors of Europe have responded. Among them is the Norman Count Bohemund, one-time enemy of Byzantium, whose help is required if progress is to be possible. His first task, pushing back the infidel Turks from the holy places of Christendom, calls for an uneasy alliance with old enemy Emperor Alexius. But can the crusaders trust the wily emperor?With past tensions and grudges arising, Bohemund is faced once again with the opportunity to gain power, land, and riches for himself – but will the risks of doing so outweigh the rewards? The crusaders must contend with sieges, open battles, hunger, and want on their journey to mighty Antioch, where they face the stiffest test of their mettle. As defeat threatens, only Norman discipline can save the day.

Eleventh-century Italy: The Byzantine Empire rules much of Europe, but in the Italian states to the south it does so in the face of constant revolt from its unwilling subjects—a strife that extends from the great trading ports to the rich agricultural lands of Apulia. The Lombards, heirs to a northern tribe, are no exception and their leader, Arduin of Fassano, feels the time may have come to rejoin his brethren and rise up in revolt against their Eastern rulers. And so he brings into the conflict the fearsome mercenary brothers, the de Hautevilles, to help him in his quest to destroy the power of Constantinople.Will the might of the Byzantine Empire crush Arduin's revolt? Can his ambitious plan succeed, or will the treachery that stalks the land play into the hands of the Normans?

In twenty years, the de Hauteville brothers have risen from penniless obscurity to become the most potent warrior family in Christendom: depended on by the Pope, feared by Byzantium, and respected by the Holy Roman Emperor. And now Roger, the youngest son, has finally come to Italy, where he also proves himself to be a great warrior and canny politician. It is he who will raise the family to the pinnacle of influence, not as vassals beholden to a greater power, but rulers in their own right.But the path is not easy; brotherly love only goes so far and nothing has altered in the bubbling stew of Italian politics. There are enemies at Roger’s back as well as before him, battles to fight and defeats to be reversed, treacheries both secret and transparent to circumvent. Yet the loyalty of blood that binds this family of warriors together is still present and it is that, above everything, which will in the end be the catalyst that propels the name de Hauteville to the pinnacle of power as they face the mighty Saracen Emirs of Sicily and undertake, with papal blessing, the first true crusade of the eleventh century.

1033, on the Norman–French border: It is thirty years before William Duke of Normandy sails to England and does battle at Hastings, but the events leading up to that epic moment are already taking shape. The twelve sons of Tancred de Hauteville are following in their father’s footsteps. As knights, they have but one true purpose: to fight. But denied service with their duke, they are forced to take employment as mercenaries. Their unequalled battle skills are for hire to the highest bidder.Victory and defeat, betrayal and revenge combine as the desperation to rule becomes an intense battle, testing even the strongest of ties. But through it all shines the loyalty of blood that binds families—and warriors—together. This is the epic story of a true band of brothers.

Following David Donachie's earlier Conquest trilogy, the de Hautville warrior dynasty shows no sign of falling back into obscurity. This is the first volume in the powerful Crusades trilogy.Eleventh-century Italy: The domination of the Normans, the most feared warriors in Christendom, is causing trouble. At their head is Robert de Hauteville, the “Guiscard,” who has colonised much of Italy and now commands the triple dukedom of the extended Norman family. But Robert has made many enemies, including the ever-powerful papacy in Rome.As Robert successfully suppresses a Lombard revolt, his firstborn, Bohemund – now seventeen and blessed with the strength, height, and military prowess of his father – has come to fight in his army. Already recognised as a formidable warrior, Bohemund seeks to assert his natural right as the heir of his father's dukedom. But with Robert's second son, Borsa, legally entitled to inherit, his quest is not without conflict. A battle between the sons is inevitable, and blood ties will count for nothing.

With barbarians at the gate and enemies within, two men must fight for the soul of the Republic and the greatest empire in the world.Inside a cave hacked out of the rock, lit by flickering torches, two young boys appeal to the famed Roman oracle for a glimpse into their future. The Sybil draws a blood-red shape of an eagle with wings outstretched: an omen of death. As the boys flee from the cave in fear, Aulus and Lucius make an oath of loyalty until death—an oath that will be tested in the years to come.Thirty years on, Aulus is Rome’s most successful general and faces his toughest battle. Barbarian rebels have captured his wife and are demanding the withdrawal of Roman legions from their land in return for her life. It is unthinkable for Aulus to agree, and he fears his beloved must be forfeit to Rome. Meanwhile, Lucius has risen to high rank in the Senate, a position he uses and abuses. But when Lucius is suspected of arranging a murder, the very foundations of the Republic are threatened. Lucius and Aulus soon find themselves on very different sides of the conflict—perhaps the prophecy of the eagle will come true after all.History and adventure, brutality and courage combine to powerful effect, making The Pillars of Rome an outstanding opening to the Republic series.

John Pearce is going home. But he has to avoid capture by an Algerine warship, having his Pelicans pressed into a British frigate and that's before they are at risk of being hanged for desertion once home. Then there is the problem of Emily Barclay and their son Adam. By cunning and bluff he protects his friends, but not his troubled love life. In a whirlwind of action, there are forged wills, devious trades, contrived murders and dangerous spy missions, with so much deceit that Pearce does not know who to trust. All he can hope to do is survive.

1796: Lieutenant John Pearce is hiding in the smugglers’ hub of Gravelines with his mysterious companion, known only to him as Oliphant, trapped in French territory with no way out. Although they find a crew willing to take them to England, they discover on the journey that Pearce’s old enemies, the Tolland brothers, are still active on the route, and may have been responsible for the murder of Catherine Carruthers.Meanwhile, being on his homeland brings Pearce closer to Emily Barclay and their young son, Adam, but their tumultuous past has left their relationship fragile and the constant need for discretion is an additional strain. Then, just as things may be looking up, it seems Henry Dundas has another role for him and Oliphant: a mission to northeast Spain.

Rome has lost its greatest warrior; Aulus Cornelius is dead. Although he is hailed as a hero, the stench of betrayal by cowardly governor Flaminus lingers heavy in the air. The death of their father has left Aulus’s sons, Quintus and Titus, with new and grave responsibilities. While Titus swears vengeance against Flaminus and aims to be as great a general as his father, Quintus chooses to pursue politics—under the guidance of Lucius Falerius, now the most powerful senator in Rome.Despite his fortune, Lucius is still haunted by the prophecy that binds his fate to Aulus’s. And as he trains his son, Marcellus, in the ways of wielding their immense power, he manipulates the Cornelius family in an attempt to achieve his own goals.Meanwhile, the young Aquila broods over his mother’s deathbed revelation. With only memories and a mysterious eagle amulet left to him, Aquila joins a band of mercenaries. Unknowingly he heads straight into the heart of a slave uprising and takes a step closer to a destiny entwined with the fate of the great Roman Republic.

Lucius Falerius is dead, and Rome in its entirety mourns the passing of its most powerful senator. It falls to his young son Marcellus to carry out his father’s legacy and restore the rights promised to the defeated Sicilian slaves, yet there are those who will not see the honour of Rome compromised and the slaves assuaged.On the Roman border provinces there is also trouble, and the legions move north to neutralize the threat posed by the Celts. The confederation of Celtic tribes is united under one chieftain, the formidable and unpredictable Brennos, but a plot is being crafted to see him dead and the confederation broken. For Brennos, the treachery comes from within his own family, for which he will exact a brutal and bloody revenge.Meanwhile Aquila, accompanied by his ‘nephew,’ Fabius, finds himself under the command of a young tribune who bears the same name as the man responsible for the death of his old friend and mentor. And still there remains the question of the eagle charm he wears around his neck—the only clue as to his real identity.

Winter 1795: Lieutenant John Pearce, reckoning to have finally ditched his old enemy, Admiral Hotham, has found a new one in Henry Digby, previously a friend. Meanwhile, Pearce's pregnant and recently widowed lover is adamant they cannot be seen together for the sake of their unborn child as she seeks respectability in society.Aboard HMS Flirt as part of the squadron led by Horatio Nelson, Pearce and his Pelicans soon join a reconnaissance mission which results in the destruction of a key French battery—though the success is short-lived. In raids ashore, split loyalties, and bloody sea fights, Pearce must show bravery and resourcefulness to ensure his survival and return to Emily. But the headstrong lieutenant is faced with immense danger, not only from the enemy but also from his own captain. Only luck and Pearce's fierce appetite for battle can save them from the perils ahead.

London, 1793: Young firebrand John Pearce, on the run from the authorities, is illegally press-ganged from the Pelican Tavern into brutal life aboard HMS Brilliant, a frigate on its way to war. Shipboard life is hard, brutal, and dangerous—that anyone chooses it suggests that life ashore is even worse. But Pearce is not alone; he is drawn to a disparate group of men pressed alongside him who eventually form an exclusive gun crew, the Pelicans, with Pearce their elected leader.The Pelicans find solidarity in facing together the cruelty of their hard-nosed captain, Barclay, and the daily threat of bullying, flogging—even murder. The one light on the horizon is the captain's wife, Emily, who is also aboard and new to life at sea. During an action-packed two weeks, as HMS Brilliant chases a French privateer across the English Channel, Pearce discovers the British Navy is a world in which he can prosper, and he and the Pelicans form friendships that will last a lifetime.