The Hemlock Throne

The Celtic resistance is on the verge of breaking. Will a mysterious sickness be the final nail in the coffin, or fire their fighting spirit? The Celtic tribes are in disarray. After their crushing defeat at the River Vaga, they fall back to the mighty Tamesas river. But another mighty assault from the legions sees High King Tugodubnos mortally wounded, leaving his brother, Caratacos, in charge of an army on the verge of rout. The Romans now have a clear path to Camulodunon, the very heart of Britannia — the Isle of the Mighty — but, inexplicably, they choose to stop, and fortify their position. Gifted this blessed respite, the Celts plan to withdraw to the Celtarno Ridge, but then a mysterious sickness strikes the army. Aoife the Dread, leader of Caractacos’ forces, is struck down by the ailment. Faced with losing a talismanic military commander, no effort is spared in the search for a cure. Healer Cassia, accompanied by her warrior beau Cullen, are sent off in search of a rare medical ingredient, and cross a landscape gripped by terror, as chieftains and tribes grapple with the realities of the ongoing invasion, and their vision of the best way to survive it. But there is more to this sickness than meets the eye. And there are forces at work, including a maniacal druid, that don’t want Cassia and Cullen to make it back to Aoife at all... The thrilling third instalment in the Savage Isle series, following the Roman advance into London and beyond, and the desperate politicking needed to prevent the Britannic resistance from vanishing into the wind. A fresh new take on a beloved period of history, with a cast of characters that readers will fall in love with. Perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden and Simon Scarrow.