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Tintagel #2
The Poisoned Throne
A decade has passed since the death of Caradoc, King of the Dumnonii tribe, and his friend, Flavius Magnus Maximus. Britain is battered by Pict invaders, and centurion Constantinus and his legionnaires are fighting them to the death.
Maximus's daughter, Lady Severa, holds the key to the throne of the High King of the Britons and when she is threatened with abduction, Constantinus escorts her to the safety of Tintagel. Agreeing to marry her, he is crowned the High King, and Severa bears him two sons, Ambrosius and Uther. But, as the ruler of Britain, Constantinus is poisoned by greed and jealousy, and his thirst for greatness in the Roman Empire will cost him dear...
Maximus's daughter, Lady Severa, holds the key to the throne of the High King of the Britons and when she is threatened with abduction, Constantinus escorts her to the safety of Tintagel. Agreeing to marry her, he is crowned the High King, and Severa bears him two sons, Ambrosius and Uther. But, as the ruler of Britain, Constantinus is poisoned by greed and jealousy, and his thirst for greatness in the Roman Empire will cost him dear...
- GenresHistorical Fiction
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 14, 2016
9 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Hume
24 books159 followersMarilyn K. Hume is an Australian author, born in 1948, and based in Brisbane, Australia.
Hume graduated as a teacher in 1967, specializing in Art and Ancient History before commencing teaching high school students. While teaching, she studied university courses as an external student in English and Ancient History. Along the way, Hume obtained a BA, an MA, a Master of Literary Studies degree and a Phd in Arthurian Literature.
In 1996, Hume was encouraged to enter an historical romance writing competition conducted by the Random House Publishing Group under the sponsorship of a popular women’s magazine. Hume had no interest in romance writing, but she dashed off a novel based on her family history. The novel won second prize from a massive field of recognised authors - and she won $5,000 for her efforts.
In 2007, Hume retired from the Queensland Education Department, and immediately commenced to write a trilogy based on the life and times of King Arthur of Britain.
Hume’s agent, the Dorie Simmonds Agency in London, brokered a contract with Headline Review to publish the three books in the trilogy. This agreement soon became six books, for Hume soon produced a further trilogy on the life and times of Merlin, which is now a prequel to the Arthurian trilogy.
Her works are now published at six-monthly intervals, and the author maintains a punishing schedule involving eight hours of research and/or writing every day. She doesn’t believe that there is any such thing as ‘writer’s block’, and loves the whole creative process.
Hume intends to write at least 30 novels before ‘she drops off the perch’. She reads voraciously and adores meeting friends, attending rummage sales, making porcelain dolls and painting portraits.
Hume graduated as a teacher in 1967, specializing in Art and Ancient History before commencing teaching high school students. While teaching, she studied university courses as an external student in English and Ancient History. Along the way, Hume obtained a BA, an MA, a Master of Literary Studies degree and a Phd in Arthurian Literature.
In 1996, Hume was encouraged to enter an historical romance writing competition conducted by the Random House Publishing Group under the sponsorship of a popular women’s magazine. Hume had no interest in romance writing, but she dashed off a novel based on her family history. The novel won second prize from a massive field of recognised authors - and she won $5,000 for her efforts.
In 2007, Hume retired from the Queensland Education Department, and immediately commenced to write a trilogy based on the life and times of King Arthur of Britain.
Hume’s agent, the Dorie Simmonds Agency in London, brokered a contract with Headline Review to publish the three books in the trilogy. This agreement soon became six books, for Hume soon produced a further trilogy on the life and times of Merlin, which is now a prequel to the Arthurian trilogy.
Her works are now published at six-monthly intervals, and the author maintains a punishing schedule involving eight hours of research and/or writing every day. She doesn’t believe that there is any such thing as ‘writer’s block’, and loves the whole creative process.
Hume intends to write at least 30 novels before ‘she drops off the perch’. She reads voraciously and adores meeting friends, attending rummage sales, making porcelain dolls and painting portraits.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 29, 2018
This exciting novel is the 2nd part of the wonderful Tintagel trilogy by the lady author M.K. Hume.
At the beginning of the book you'll notice a great list of characters within the Dramatis Personae, as well as 2 very well-drawn maps of Britannia in Roman times.
At the end of this same book you'll find a well documented Author's Notes, and certainly not to forget glossaries of Place Names and Tribal Names in Britannia.
Story-telling is once more of a superb quality, for the author uses her knowledge and learning about this period of history to the best of her ability and she expresses them in her own wonderful fashion to make this story such a thrilling read, an extraordinary achievement that makes this author deservingly worthy of being read.
Real historical figures and fictional ones who are featuring here within this great historical tale come all vividly to life, while she also describes in a most elegant way the lives and habits of the Celts in Roman Britain.
The book is set around approximately c. AD 383-410, and Roman Britain in turmoil with Centurion Constantinus and his Legionnaires fighting the invading Picts to the death, in an attempt to keep Britannia save for the Romans and Celts.
With Maximus's daughter, Lady Severa, holding the key to the throne of the High King of the Britons, and after being threatened by abduction she's escorted to safety to Tintagel by Constantinus, where he agrees after consultation with King Cadal to marry Severa, and so to become crowned as High King himself.
What follows is an intriguing and fascinating tale in which Queen Severa will bear him two sons, Ambrosius and Uther, but in the end High King Constantinus is very much poisoned himself by greed and jealousy, and because of that poisoning he tries everything to become Emperor Constantine III of the Western Roman Empire, a definite challenge that will cost him dear in the end.
Very much recommended, for this is a great tale about Roman Britain just before the times of Merlin and Artor, and that's why I call this book: "A Highly Enjoyable Centrepiece"!
At the beginning of the book you'll notice a great list of characters within the Dramatis Personae, as well as 2 very well-drawn maps of Britannia in Roman times.
At the end of this same book you'll find a well documented Author's Notes, and certainly not to forget glossaries of Place Names and Tribal Names in Britannia.
Story-telling is once more of a superb quality, for the author uses her knowledge and learning about this period of history to the best of her ability and she expresses them in her own wonderful fashion to make this story such a thrilling read, an extraordinary achievement that makes this author deservingly worthy of being read.
Real historical figures and fictional ones who are featuring here within this great historical tale come all vividly to life, while she also describes in a most elegant way the lives and habits of the Celts in Roman Britain.
The book is set around approximately c. AD 383-410, and Roman Britain in turmoil with Centurion Constantinus and his Legionnaires fighting the invading Picts to the death, in an attempt to keep Britannia save for the Romans and Celts.
With Maximus's daughter, Lady Severa, holding the key to the throne of the High King of the Britons, and after being threatened by abduction she's escorted to safety to Tintagel by Constantinus, where he agrees after consultation with King Cadal to marry Severa, and so to become crowned as High King himself.
What follows is an intriguing and fascinating tale in which Queen Severa will bear him two sons, Ambrosius and Uther, but in the end High King Constantinus is very much poisoned himself by greed and jealousy, and because of that poisoning he tries everything to become Emperor Constantine III of the Western Roman Empire, a definite challenge that will cost him dear in the end.
Very much recommended, for this is a great tale about Roman Britain just before the times of Merlin and Artor, and that's why I call this book: "A Highly Enjoyable Centrepiece"!
November 14, 2021
Great once again. these novels are superb imagining of the world during the late Empire in Britannia and the politics of a fading Empire.
August 10, 2016
Love anything by m k hume. Great australian historical fiction writer.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews