The Hawk and the Wolf

Britain, the Island of the Mighty, stands on the brink of war with the Roman Empire. But the King is without a sword—Excalibur, the sword forged by the gods in the dawn of days, which has been passed down through the generations, has been lost. And it is doubtful that the kingdom can stand, without the help of the gods. But the young prince Emrys, nicknamed Merlin, knows that it is his destiny to seek Excalibur. For the gods have given him a special gift—or a curse, as it sometimes seems—the Sight, the ability to see further into the heart of mysteries than other men. But he also knows that Morgana, the goddess who rebelled against the gods in the ancient days, will pursue and kill him in her attempt to take Excalibur for herself. With Excalibur in her possession, Morgana will become Queen of the Island of the Mighty, and the days will be dark and bloody. In this fast‐moving and violent tale, the world seems poised upon the brink of two possibilities. Darkness and death; or the age of Arthur.

“Intriguing and original . . . myth, legend, romance, and history are inextricably entwined” (Tom Shippey, author of J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century, for Arthuriana) “Drawing simultaneously from history and legend, Mark Adderley skillfully weaves realistic detail into the Arthurian mythos. His characters inhabit a very tangible ancient world, where magic must compete with the mud and smoke of the everyday. He gives us a young, struggling Merlin whose travels around the British Isles provide us tantalizing glimpses of the mature wizard he’ll become. The result should prove satisfying for both scholars of Arthuriana and lovers of fantasy literature.” (Nathaniel Williams, AboutSF, University of Kansas)

“A worthy addition to the Arthurian Canon” (Bill Tolliver, Renditions of Camelot) “Merlin’s Britain . . . is situated somewhere between the mystical world of legend and the cold world of modern historical imaginings. . . . Ripe reading material for Merlin enthusiasts and lovers of fantasy” (Jonathan Schindler, The Englewood Review of Books)

The Hawk and the Cup

The Island of the Mighty has been defeated. The shadow of the Eagle lies across the land. The Britons are a broken and defeated people. But hope lives in one man and one woman. The man is Merlin, Seer of the Island of the Mighty, whose quest for the ancient sword, Excalibur, kindles hope that the royal bloodline of Britain will one day be restored. The woman is the fiery-tempered red-haired beauty Boudicea, whose destiny it is to strike fear into the hearts of her Roman oppressors, and bring fire and blood to the cities raised by these foreign invaders. This sequel to The Hawk and the Wolf continues the tales of Merlin and Boudicea, but paints a vivid tapestry of a defeated land, torn by betrayal and deceit, by political and religious factions. It is a land of war, a land of passion, a land of savagery; but it is also a land where, beyond all hope, can be found the one miraculous treasure that can restore peace to the land and fulfill the purposes of the gods of old. The Grail.

“Mark Adderley leads us through the Arthurian realm with the timeless enchantment of the true storyteller” (Joseph Pearce)

“I confess that my first reaction on hearing about the books was ‘Hm, another fantasy about Merlin. Where have I heard that one before?’ . . . [But] Adderley’s ingenious twist on Merlin’s story managed to surprise me . . . Adderley’s novels are an intriguing cross between historical fiction and fantasy . . . For readers familiar with the history and mythology of ancient Britain, this leads to a wonderful series of allusions. . . . Adderley’s knowledge of the history and myths of ancient Britain is the best feature of these books. The sheer dizzying number of references contained in them tempts the reader to turn his sessions with the books into a literary-historical matching game” (Sophia Mason, St. Austin Review)

The Hawk and the Huntress

Her home and family destroyed by Saxon invaders, young Nymve of the Cornawfi pursues her enemies relentlessly, bow in hand. She has nothing left; but the mysterious stranger who saves her life tells her that she is the possessor of a strange and daunting power that will enable her to influence kings and change the destinies of nations, a power he calls the Sight. Set in an age hundreds of years after The Hawk and the Cup, The Hawk and the Huntress depicts the turmoil left in the Island of the Mighty when the Romans leave, and the Saxon barbarians invade. Seers and kings, warriors and goddesses abound in this exciting and violent novel. And at the centre of it all is Nymve, huntress and horse-tamer, prophetess and advisor to the High Kings of the Island of the Mighty.

“A great romantic Arthurian tale, complete with scrumptious maidens, sweet battle scenes—including some serious hacking and finely envisioned strategies; it owes a little to those greats Lewis and Tolkien, though the pacing is much crisper here. And who has EVER delivered a better sub-Roman Britain in fiction? I can’t think of anyone! This is a great read.” (David Craig, Franciscan University at Steubenville)

“A clever blend of Celtic mythology and Arthurian legend” (Kathleen Cunningham Guler, author of the Macsen’s Treasure Series)