Abandoned!

A Light in the Dark Ages #1

by Tim Walker

Marcus Aquilius is a young half-Roman cavalry commander, left behind when the Roman garrison departs from Calleva Atrebatum. Together with the tribal chief, Valorian, he must look to the defenses of the town and take on fierce Saxon warlord, Cerdric, in a bitter battle for survival. As the story progresses he decides to shake off his Roman cloak and adopted his mother’s family name – Pendragon.

Abandoned! is a short novella, the starting point of a three-generation story of a family who must use their wits and skills to survive in post-Roman Britannia in the fifth century. The Romans made an orderly withdrawal from their most northerly province between 409-410 AD, after which the island was beset with invaders from all sides, precipitating a bloody and destructive slide into a time of fear and anguish. This story forms part one of the Light in the Dark Ages series.

Genres: Historical Fiction

80 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 10, 2015

About the author

Welcome to my Goodreads page.
I'm an independent author living near Windsor in the UK. To date, I have written and self-published fourteen books and two audiobooks. Historical fiction is my main genre for both reading and writing.

In July 2025 I published a novella, The Trials of Arthur Whitty. This follows the fortunes of ordinary Arthur who overcomes many setbacks through a sense of humour and vivid imagination.

In 2024 I re-hired British actor and author, Richard James, to voice London Tales audiobook, available from Amazon Audible and Apple i-Tunes.

In November 2023 I published London Tales, a collection of 11 short stories that echo London's past, reflect the present and imagine its future. Mainly historical fiction shorts, with two contemporary tales and one dystopian story predicting the city's final days as rising sea levels claim it. This is a companion volume to Thames Valley Tales.

In March 2023 my first audiobook, Thames Valley Tales, was published on Amazon Audible and Apple i-Tunes. The audiobook was narrated and produced by actor and author, Richard James. This second, extensively revised edition, is also available in Kindle, paperback and Kindle Unlimited.

My most recent novel is Guardians at the Wall, published in June 2021, an historical dual timeline action and adventure novel set at Hadrian's Wall. It's about archaeologists who uncover artefacts that connect them to the life of a Roman centurion in second century Britannia, and an ensuing search for a missing payroll chest.

In June 2020, Arthur Rex Brittonum, was published - the fifth and final instalment in A Light in the Dark Ages series. This is part two of my re-imagining of King Arthur, and follows on from 2019's Arthur Dux Bellorum.

In March 2015, whilst visiting the site of a former Roman town, I pondered the question, 'what would life have been like for the native Britons after the end of the Roman occupation?' This kindled an interest that led to extensive research and my first book, Abandoned (2015 novella/2018 novel 2nd edition) that became the first book in what was to become a series.

Abandoned was followed by Ambrosius: Last of the Romans (2017); Uther's Destiny (2018); Arthur Dux Bellorum (2019) and Arthur Rex Brittonum (2020).

My first novel, Devil Gate Dawn, released in April 2016, is a thriller set in 2026 that predicted political chaos in a divided post-Brexit UK, and a dystopian Trump America (way back in 2015 I figured Trump had a chance of winning, and if he did, he would behave like a Third World dictator and re-write the constitution to make himself President for Life - OK we were spared that... although there's always next time - that's the magic of fiction, folks!).

Postcards from London, published in September 2017, was unpublished and delisted in August 2023 to make way for London Tales. Some stories were retained in updated versions, supplemented by new stories set in London. Similarly, Thames Valley Tales, first published in 2015, was relaunched as an extensively revised second edition in March 2023. Perverse, a book of short fiction and verse, came out in April 2020.

In 2017 I published my first children's book, The Adventures of Charly Holmes, co-authored with my daughter, Cathy. This was followed in 2018 by book two, Charly & the Superheroes, and in 2020 by Charly in Space.

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abandoned was re-launched as a second edition in 2018. The original novella is now incorporated in the longer second edition novel, together with new story lines and characters.
I hope you enjoy it, and please take advantage of the price reduction on Kindle to £0.99 and $1.36

[Richard James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling adventure from the Dark Ages.

Tim Walker puts us right at the heart of the action, whether that’s on the bloody battle fields of post-Roman Britain, or in the midst of council meeting to decide who should rule the country now. It’s a thought provoking tale charting an era shrouded in the mists of time and populated by an intriguing cast of characters.

[Susan Hampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the cover of this book. The novel is broken down into three sections, Guithelin, Marcus and Constantine, making it very easy to follow the characters in each of the massive events that set the course of history for Briton at the time that the Romans left our shores. After so many years of Roman rule and command, it was now utter chaos after they left, leaving us open to invasion from other countries. As there was little actual record of this period it leaves our history a little sketchy but the story that follows sounds pretty cool to me.
The is the first in a set of three novels, a family saga that follows the key players that lead to some of the let me dare say, 'stars' of history that everyone knows today, whether they are history buffs or not. This novel has the more personal touch, a passion in its characters, such as Marcus, one of my favourites, that brought the people together and definitely steered our course in history. OK the inevitable would happen further down the line but not for a few year yet. Marcus, being half Roman, had learnt the skills of fighting and more from the Romans while they ruled Britain. His knowledge and tactics were our saving grace against invasions at the time.
This book gives you a real feel of what life was like back then from King to servant. The battles and strategies that were used explained in detail that made it visual not overpowering with battles and blow-by-blow accounts without the gore. I also appreciated the map of Roman Britannia and how it was divided up, including the names of town and cities that was in front of the book. I am now looking forward to reading the second book in the series.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abandoned by Tim Walker
Read October 2020

Abandoned is the kind of story I like to read, set in post-Roman Britain and leading up to the Arthurian era. In this book, author Tim Walker begins laying the background for the appearance of Arthur years down the road.

The year is 410, and drawing upon Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain, Walker tells how Prince Constantine of Armorica is invited to Britain to help fight off Saxon raids and become high king.

Among the main characters is Marcus Aquilius. The son of a Roman centurion, Marcus decides to stay in Britain when the legions leave. He drops his father’s Roman name and instead takes his mother’s Briton name – Pendragon – and when tragedy strikes, he and his family take in young Aurelius, Constantine’s son, to be raised alongside his children including son Uther.

Walker definitely knows his material and presents a realistic story of what could have happened, and I’m definitely going to be diving into the rest of the books in this series!

[Elizabeth Noyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abandoned, book 1 in the A Light In The Dark Ages series, is a love story. No, not the mushy, lust-filled, emotional roller-coaster ride where two people come together. This is a love story between the author, Tim Walker, and the epic historical period we call the Dark Ages.

This is a well written historical fiction that reveals a wealth of hard work and research. The story is told narrator style and while you’re never drawn too deeply into any single character, Mr. Walker gives us enough insight into each one to give them substance; to make them feel real. The descriptions of the day-to-day life, the battle strategies, the fighting (bloody, but not gory), the clothing/food/lodging, and the weaponry—I could picture them all so clearly in my mind I felt I was there. Better yet was the masterful way the author insinuated nuggets of information, tiny hints at laying the foundation of the Arthurian Legends for the follow-on books.

Much of what we know about this period right after the Romans abandoned the island of Brittania (today’s British Isles) is garnered from folklore, fables, word of mouth stories handed down through the centuries, and a few written scraps of information—in other words, speculation. What this author has done with his research is remarkable. He’s woven a very believable tapestry that sets the reader down in the midst of the village where we experience the hardships and difficult plight of the people.

Clean, thought-provoking, and immensely enjoyable. I look forward to reading more from Tim Walker.

[Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent storytelling.

Set at the end of the Roman occupation of Britain, ‘Abandoned’ tells the story of the settlement of Calleva Atrebatum, and the determination of its people to resist the fearsome invading Saxon raiding parties who threaten their home and their lives.

This is a story of bravery and commitment, and of townsfolk uniting for a common cause. The danger they face is very real, and in their determination to survive and overcome, the reader witnesses both the best and worst of human nature.

The story gives us a realistic and thought-provoking view of a period of history that is little-known to most, and foreshadows the rest of Walker’s series which continues to tell the story of post-Roman England and those who seek to not only live there but also to control it.

Walker’s storytelling is fluid and lively, full of action, adventure and intrigue. The cast of characters is varied and interesting, ranging from slaves to the ranks of Briton members of the Roman army who, like their countrymen, were left behind when the Romans evacuated to Gaul.

At the end of this novella, the reader is left feeling as though they have become an ally of the people of Calleva Atrebatum, and keen to discover what happens next in the following book in the series.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting interpretation of what might have happened in the aftermath of the Roman occupation of Britannia. I love novels set in the era and looked forward to reading this one. I’m sure there would have been some chaos and a lot of societal breakdown after the structure, and strictures, of Roman rule broke down. I can easily imagine scenes where the inhabitants of what would have been a well run fortress were in a state of limbo after the withdrawal of the Roman troops. After some 300 years of Roman rule, those who regarded themselves as natives (non-military) were probably very well integrated with the Roman way of life, especially with the fortress being in southern Britannia. However, the question of how quickly those locals shed off any Romanisation and reverted back to their Celtic inheritance is one that might never be resolved. The lack of Roman routine in ‘Abandoned’ opens the doors for new invaders and those settler survivors really needed a strong leader like Marcus Aquilius to marshal them into as credible a fighting force as possible

[Leo McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blimey, this is thorough in its exploration of British history! Much credit to author Tim Walker for a well researched story looking at the time of the Roman withdrawal from Britain - and the consequences it means for both sides involved.

Abandoned looks at the early part of the Dark Ages, and you can see the amount of effort the author has put in to ensuring accuracy.

The story hops through several of the characters involved in the era - which while helping to cover the scope of events of the time does have a tendency to dilute how we feel about the central characters. Also, I felt it could have used, to quote Elvis, a little less conversation, a little more action. The early part is slow but picks up as sides move into conflict with one another.

Stick with it and you'll find yourself drawn into the details of the battle, as the cut and thrust moves beyond the shaping of empires to the visceral desire to protect family.

In the end, this is a love letter to history, and a credit to the author's passion for his subject.

[Linda Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rewrite of Abandoned sandwiches the original novella between two more episodes in the history of Tim Walker's Britannia, the result of his unique blending of historical, literary and cinematic interpretations of the mysterious era. Though a slim volume, Abandoned now includes more characters and covers a longer span of time. Reading it, I was happily absorbed - the geography, politics and warfare enrich a story which is more sword than sorcery. These characters muddle through in human fashion, misled by ignorance and lust as often as not. And once invested in getting to know the background of time and place, there's the prospect of more of the tale to follow.

[Juliane Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating glimpse into early Britain

This book is set in Britain, immediately after the departure of Roman troops, which is a time period I hadn’t read about before. I found it very interesting to read about how the “abandoned” Britons went about defending themselves from invading Saxons. A recommended read for anyone interested in the Dark Ages.

[John Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating insight

The author makes an admirable attempt at portraying one of the most enigmatic, yet pivotal periods in British history. With some skill he depicts the chaos of the time and draws the reader in.

[Kath Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is set in Dark Age Britain as the Romans leave the country at the mercy of the Saxon invaders. The inhabitants of a small town decide to fight rather than retreat in the face of their enemies. With the help of just a few retired legionaries, Marcus leads the town’s small army against greater odds.

I love this era in the history of Britain and found names here I recognised. There was a real feeling of having been thrown to the dogs by the retreating Romans but the local inhabitants refuse to give up. Prepare for some exciting battles and a fair bit of blood. An interesting and very visual story. I enjoyed it a lot.

[Nola · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short story of a siege. Marcus Aquilius, a troop leader, finds himself in charge of a garrison recently abandoned by Roman legions. Saxson armies have been sighted nearby. This is a fast paced read with a very good balance of background history, description of the scene, and action. That can be difficult to manage in a short story but the author pulls it off.

Despite the beginning reference to the barbarian attack, this story would also be appropriate for a younger audience who may be interested in knights, legionnaires, and battles. Not overly gory and no steamy scenes. Some good questions for a younger book club could be easily developed. Why did some soldiers remain behind when the Romans left? Why did the local folk take orders from the men recently released from jail? What steps did Marcus take that would have completely changed the outcome if not done? When the villagers stopped wearing Roman garb, what message did that send to soldiers and to each other?

In my opinion, there were too many long sentences in a row joined with conjunctions but it didn't overly detract from the story. A few too many paragraphs started with the name "Marcus". Some paragraphs began with "He" or "They" and didn't offer another description. That may not bother someone who isn't a speed reader. I would have given this book a 3 rating for that but the content was good enough to override it.

I read novels with historical accuracy in mind and I'm not critical if the writer takes some liberties for benefit of the plot. This book is appropriate and doesn't include current slang (something I don't overlook). Would all the events happen just like this? Would the living conditions be exactly like this? Well, its called the dark ages for a reason.

This book does a lot of things right for a new novelist. I'll look forward to the next.

[J.A. Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced short story, ideal for lovers of that period when Rome left Britain to its own defences. Plenty of believable action, involving authentic battle tactics of the time. This novella was of special interest to me, as I live near one of the locations mentioned.

[Robin Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Those who enjoy dramatizations of history, especially those with a particular interest in the turbulent fifth-century history of a pretty far-flung Northern outpost of the Roman Empire en route to becoming The British Isles, will find much to hold their interest in this short first novel in the Light in the Dark Ages series.
When the Roman garrisons made an orderly withdrawal from their province of ‘Britannia’ in 409-410 to help defend Rome against marauding armies of Goths getting ever nearer to the gates of Rome, the island was beset by invaders from the northern fringes of what we now know as Europe, while warring tribes of Britons struggled either to protect or to expand their borders. Tim Walker has ably researched the period, and his story is full of convincing incidental detail.
His intention is that the series will cover three generations of a family that must use its wit and skills to survive such a precarious and violent period of British history. Of course, he has only just begun to create his cast of characters, and is in the early stages of honing his craft as a writer who, like Hilary Mantel, is capable of bringing his landscapes to life, peopling them with believable, complex human beings struggling with occasionally divided loyalties and with different tribal and cultural affiliations, and making them speak dialogue the reader always finds convincing.
The author has recently addressed the issues highlighted by one reviewer about the length and structure of some of the sentences in his first edition, the occasional difficulty a reader might have experienced when coming across the same pronoun more than once in a particular paragraph referring to different people, and the very occasional use or non-use of punctuation leading to unintended ambiguity. He has now uploaded a revised version, and there is plenty of evidence that his writing style will only become more assured and polished as the series progresses.