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Series

The Saxon Shore Trilogy

The Saxon Shore Trilogy traces the weakening of Roman authority in Britain from the breakaway empire of Carausius to the political world remembered in Arthurian legend. Successive generations of Valdor’s family serve as soldiers and commanders while imperial rivalry, frontier warfare and the withdrawal of Roman forces transform Britannia.

The first two novels are grounded in the military crises of the late Roman Empire, including the Great Conspiracy and Magnus Maximus’s usurpation. The final volume moves into a historically framed Arthurian Britain, imagining how a Roman commander might become the ruler later remembered as Arthur while defending the surviving British kingdoms from invasion.

Reading order

Books in this series (3 books)

The Saxon Shore cover

#1 – The Saxon Shore

John Broughton

Britannia, late third century. Valdor, a young Batavian soldier, flees Roman justice after a centurion’s death and is drawn into the service of Carausius, the naval commander who declares himself emperor in Britain and northern Gaul. Valdor’s loyalty and practical ability earn him command along the…

The Great Conspiracy cover

#2 – The Great Conspiracy

John Broughton

Roman Britain, fourth century. Leo and Valdor, descendants of the first trilogy hero, survive the coordinated invasions and mutinies remembered as the Great Conspiracy. Their victories against Picts, Scots and other raiders bring military advancement, but family rivalry blocks Valdor from the command of the Saxon…

The Woken Talisman cover

#3 – The Woken Talisman

John Broughton

Britain after Roman rule. Valdor, serving as Comes Britanniarum, accepts the kingship of Logres as the old imperial command structure fragments. Under the guidance of the seer Myrddin he takes the name Arthur and attempts to unite the surviving British forces from a stronghold remembered as…