The Time of Troubles · #2
THE RED BOOTS
Videssos was beset by enemies. A pretender held the throne - a despot who cared little that barbarian hordes and rival realms carved away at his empire, so long as the wealth and booty of the land satisfied his unbridled appetites.
Few stood against him. And those few soon found their heads on pikes.
Only one name held hope for freedom: Maniakes. And from his exile on the very edge of the civilized world, young Maniakes took up the challenge, rallied his forces, and sailed off to topple the tyrant.
But the
tyrant would use every means at his disposal - fair or most hideously
foul - to destroy the crusading upstart. And even if Maniakes could stay
alive, he would still have to pull together a battered, divided land as
well as fend off a host of enemies - and thwart the former friend who
had become his empire's most deadly
foe!
Harry Norman Turtledove (born 1949) is an American historian and novelist. He writes historical fiction, alternate history, science fiction and fantasy novels. Harry Turtledove has written books under three pseudonyms: Eric Iverson, Dan Chernenko and H. N. Turteltaub. Photo source: Wikimedia Commons.
