A brilliant medieval action thriller perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Matthew Harffy and Giles Kristian. It is 1347 and the French, after a crushing defeat at Crécy, are licking their wounds while their king raises a new army. Locked into a fruitless siege, the English are camped in the marshes around Calais. Among them is foot soldier and archer Martin Kemp, whose dreams of serving his king and reliving the chivalrous adventures of King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table are tempered by the gory and brutal reality of siege warfare. Having narrowly escaped death in a surprise attack from the French, Kemp sees a chance for a reprieve when a shaky truce is signed. But can there really be peace for a man like Kemp? Kemp: Passage at Arms is packed with authentic period detail and narrative verve, and cements Jonathan Lunn’s reputation as one of the most entertaining historical thriller writers working today.
While traditionally powerful Western economies are treading water at best, beset by crises in banking, housing, and employment, industrial growth and economic development are exploding in China and India. The world's two most populous nations are the biggest reasons for Asia's growing footprint on other global regions. The increasing size and impact of that footprint are especially important in the Middle East, an economic, religious, and geopolitical linchpin. The East Moves West details the growing interdependence of the Middle East and Asia and projects the likely ramifications of this evolving relationship. It also examines the role of Pakistan, Japan, and South Korea in the region. Geoffrey Kemp, a longtime analyst of global security and political economy, compares and contrasts Indian and Chinese involvement in the Middle East. He stresses an embedded historical dimension that gives India substantially more familiarity and interest in the region—India was there first, and it has maintained that head start. Both nations, however, are clearly on the rise and leaving an indelible mark on the Middle East, and that enhanced influence has international ramifications for the United States and throughout the world. Does the emergence of these Asian giants—with their increasingly huge need for energy—strengthen the case for cooperative security, particularly in the maritime arena? After all, safe and open sea-lanes remain an essential component of mutually beneficial intercontinental trade, making India and China increasingly dependent on safe passage of oil tankers. Or will we see reversion to more traditional competition and even conflict, given that the major Asian powers themselves have so many unresolved problems and that the future of the U.S. presence in the area is uncertain. Kemp believes the United States will remain the dominant military power in the region but will have to share some security responsibilities with the Asians, esp
Kemp: The Road to Crecy brings the medieval world vividly to life, and introduces us to a new hero. Martin Kemp is fighting for survival, for his friends, for the love of a woman and for the right to be recognised as any man'sequal.
Two kingdoms clash in one of the greatest battles of the Hundred Years War. September 1356. Martin Kemp and his troop of archers ride with the Black Prince’s army as it burns and plunders its way across France. When they find all the bridges across the Loire are destroyed, however, their hopes of uniting with the Duke of Lancaster’s army are dashed, and a hasty retreat is the order of the day. But a French army is closing in fast and Kemp’s old foe, Sir Geoffroi de Chargny, rides with it, now honoured with the duty of bearing the Oriflamme: the sacred war banner of France. Cut off, outnumbered and running out of supplies, the weary English realise their only hope is to risk everything on a pitched battle, and hope the tricks they used ten years earlier at Crécy will pay off a second time, in a field just a few miles outside of Poitiers... A climactic moment in history expertly told by a master of the genre, perfect for fans of Christian Cameron and David Gilman.
Hero of the 100 Years War, Martin Kemp, is back... and this time he’s playing with fire The Count of Targères has seized control of Cazoulat. Determined to stamp his authority on the district, he is playing divide and rule, convincing the townsfolk that only he can crush the heretics in their midst. Medieval archer Martin Kemp arrives on the Gascon frontier, where bands of brigands are pillaging undefended towns like a plague of locusts. Kemp is determined to win back control of the band of mercenaries he once captained, the Company of the Dragon - but with the company now in the pocket of the Count, he faces an impossible task. Kemp soon finds himself caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse with Targères. When the Bishop of Cahors arrives at Cazoulat to carry out a Holy Inquisition, Kemp and his friends must gamble everything – their fortunes, their lives, perhaps even their souls – on a brutal showdown at the Castel Galinièr. The thrilling next instalment of the bestselling series by Jonathan Lunn, perfect for readers of Angus Donald, Bernard Cornwell and Matthew Harffy.
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
Dirt, blood and iron: an unputdownable medieval epic for fans for M.K. Hume and Matt Harffy. France, 1351-2: Kemp and his men are captured in a skirmish near Calais, and subsequently imprisoned in a French castle. All attempts at escape are punished with death. Then Sir Hugues de Beauconray comes to Kemp with an offer: escort a Dominican friar on a quest to steal a mysterious book from an abbey in Scotland. Fail, and ten of Kemp’s friends will be hanged. In the hotly-disputed border country, Kemp will need all his skills as a swordsman and archer if he is to return to France and rescue his comrades. But more importantly, survive... A masterful historical thriller, full of nail-biting action and detailed historical research, perfect for fans of David Gilman, Bernard Cornwell and Giles Kristian.
An epic Medieval adventure of the Hundred Years War When Martin Kemp joins the English army in order to avoid the hangman, he may just be delaying the inevitable. While he remains hopeful that at least there’s the chance for some heroics, the reality is very different. Kemp’s war is instead a terrifying odyssey through the panic and confusion of his first battle, the brutal realities of siege warfare, and eventually to the field of Crécy, where he faces the armoured might of the French nobility. But as an elite longbowman, when it comes to winning or losing, he could have a vital – though dangerous – part to play. This stunning adventure brings the medieval world vividly to life, and is ideal for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Matthew Harffy and Giles Kristian.
Isolated, frozen to the bone and with no way out... Kemp is back 1356. Burnt Candlemas. King Edward III invades Scotland in the dead of winter to punish the Scots for their recent attack on Berwick. When the fleet bringing supplies for his army is scattered by a storm, it seems God himself is punishing the English for the arson of a Scottish church. Wrongly blamed for the fire, archer Martin Kemp finds himself in chains, a victim of the king’s wrath. As the army retreats to England, it is ambushed by the Scots in the whiteout of a blizzard. Kemp is cut off with a handful of men, desperate to find their way home from a bleak and hostile land. But the knight who takes command of this motley band has an agenda of his own, one that will put all of their lives in jeopardy... An enthralling historical adventure, full of intrigue and suspense, perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden and Matthew Harffy.
