The Ambrose Chronicles Series

Ambrose, Prince of Wessex; Trader of Kiev, is a story set during the time of the Viking invasions of Europe and Russia. The story chronicles the life of Ambrose, a bastard Saxon Prince of England, and elder brother to Alfred the Great. Ambrose and his companion, Phillip, are caught and enslaved during a Viking raid on his homeland. They are taken to Frisia and then to Denmark, where they meet a Byzantine slave, Polonius. Ambrose and Polonius are fortunate enough to have kind masters, but Phillip is first abused and then condemned to a terrible death. In order to save the life of his faithful companion, Ambrose must flee both his master and his first love. The three escaped slaves flee north by boat to Norway, where they land and recover from their arduous journey. Before the snow closes the high passes, however, they trek overland to Sweden and the land of the Rus. A letter from Ambrose's former master assures a surprising welcome there, but they must once again flee when pursuing Danish ships make port. Sneaking away in the night, they manage to join an expedition of Rus tribesmen who are on their way to take over the Slav city of Novgorod. The three comrades build a trading post there, appoint a factor, and then take the opportunity to move south with another expedition sailing down the Dnieper River with the intention of colonizing the Slav town of Kiev. On the main trade route to the Byzantine empire, the Viking conquerors of Kiev start to organize both Vikings and Slavs into a federation of tribesmen. The area, just north of the open steppes, is terribly vulnerable to attacks from powerful nomad tribes that roam the steppes to the east and the south. After settling in Kiev, Polonius marries Kuralla, the Slav chief's daughter whom Ambrose saved from a terrible death. Kiev is perfectly suited to control the trade from the north to the fabled city of Constantinople, and the friends work hard to establish a secure base for their Swedish sponsor, Gunnar of the Rus. Within a year of arriving, the new settlers find themselves fighting the Pechenegs, a fierce Steppe nation that is, itself, being forced from its traditional territory. Thanks to the mobility offered by the Viking ships, the Slav and Viking allies are able to hold back the savage raiders. Polonius acts as a military advisor, and his ideas allow the Vikings to attack the Pechenegs at their most vulnerable point. With their cavalry decimated by the stubborn river people and their own enemies catching up to them, the Pechenegs flee across the Dnieper and move west. With the Rus leaders now firmly in control of Kiev and much of the Dnieper River Valley, the dead are buried and reconstruction begins. The Rus have come to stay, and, after long and exciting travels, Ambrose, Phillip and Polonius have found an adopted home.

Ambrose, Prince of Wessex; Emissary to Byzantium,is a story set during the time of the Viking invasions of much of Europe and Russia. This story chronicles the life of Ambrose, a bastard Saxon prince of England, and elder brother to Alfred the Great. Forced to flee into the vast Russian wilderness, he helps to establish the Rus domination of the small town of Kiev. Phillip, once Ambrose's stern military tutor, is now his faithful companion and friend. Polonius is a former Byzantine slave who has joined forces with the two Saxons. As the story opens, the Pechenegs, a fierce tribe of nomads, have just been driven from the territory of Kiev by a federation of Swedish and Slav tribesmen. (See Ambrose, Prince of Wesssx; Trader of Kiev.) Soon after they win the desperate struggle against these invaders, the Viking trader-warriors are called to arms over an injustice done a Viking trader by officials in the Byzantine empire. Eager tribesmen join the expedition to attack the very centre of the Byzantine Empire, the premier military power of the era! With incredibly good luck (the story is true), the Vikings and their Slav allies pour out from the Dnieper River, cross the Black Sea, and fall upon Constantinople, a city that has its powerful fleet away fighting in the Mediterranean, and its Emperor and army away in Cappadocia. The Vikings and Slavs are able to loot villas and monasteries at leisure, although their forces are not a serious threat against the immense fortifications of Constantinople itself. The raiders leave in the early fall so that they can ascend their northern rivers before winter arrives. A terrible storm destroys much of the fleet, however. Ambrose, Phillip, and Polonius all retrace their steps the following spring, but this time, instead of being part of a military force, they travel as traders and emissaries for Dir and Askold, the new Rus lords of Kiev. They succeed in coming to acceptable terms with the Emperor of the Byzantines, and travel hurriedly north to take the terms back to the rulers of Kiev. On the way, they fight pirates and ride with the Khazars; mysterious mounted nomads who hold a shadowy overlordship over the territory south of Kiev. Their unmitigated joy at triumphantly returning to Kiev is shattered when the friends discover that Ambrose's former female slave and wife of Polonius, has been kidnapped and is being held captive far to the north; near Novgorod. The friends put together a small expedition, and sail north to the rescue. Ambrose organizes a successful rescue, and the whole force race back to Novgorod, in order to bring charges against the kidnapper. They have a trial, and the three comrades are exonerated from blame for their attack. Exultant, they again sail the dangerous rivers south to Kiev, where they can start yet another journey, back to the court of Byzantium. Ambrose, Phillip, and Polonius once again arrive at court, where they are welcomed by the Emperor himself. Ambrose is swept up by the wealth and excitement of court life, and starts to grow away from his companions. He is infatuated with a doe-eyed wanton of the court. When both Ambrose and Polonius find themselves pawns of a scheming royal chamberlain, however, they all realize that their lives are in imminent danger. They flee by night, with powerful enemies after them. The story ends with the little group sailing west to an unknown destiny in Angleland.

Ambrose and his friends flee for their lives from imperial Constantinople. The Grand Chamberlain wants them dead, and has dispatched an admiral and a fleet to dispose of them. The prince hopes to return to his native Wessex. Caught by pirates, they are enslaved on Crete, but manage to cause a slave rebellion and escape to Alexandria. The Byzantine fleet follows, and Ambrose is forced to flee across all of North Africa. They are forced to fight mercenaries, Tuareg raiders, and the open desert. Finally, a Muslim slave trader sneaks them into southern Italy, but even there the chase is far from over.

Ambrose and his comrades have been marked for death by the emperor of Byzantium. Having being chased from Alexandria and crossing North Africa, they flee north through Italy, doggedly pursued by the Byzantine Admiral Demetrious. The Church attempts to help them, but the Byzantine Emperor has a very long reach. With the pass to France blocked for the winter, they find themselves trapped in northern Italy. Assassins come in the night, and their guides are bribed to kill them. Before the friends can escape to France and England, they must face avalanche, bandits, and savage Viking raiders.

After returning from Constantinople, Ambrose and his friends ride north with his brother the king to face the all-conquering Great Army of the Vikings. The king of Mercia sues for peace and battle is averted. Fearing a massive surprise attack, Ambrose and his friends ride north as spies and join the Great Army. Recognized, the friends must flee and battle their way back to safety. Ambrose is wounded and only the love of a maiden and friendship of a mysterious trader saves his life. Betrothed, Ambrose rides south to Wessex.

The betrothed of Ambrose, bastard prince of Wessex, is kidnapped by Welsh brigands, and then a raiding party of Norse pirates. With the army of Wessex at his back, Ambrose attacks a Welsh coastal stronghold, only to find that Gretchen never made it there. He then travels to Ireland. There he meets a strange ally, and together, they work their way to the Norse stronghold where Gretchen is held. Rebuffed and then threatened by the Jarl who holds her captive, he escapes and flees northward. With the aid of a Viking prince, he obtains two ships and trains Saxon ship crews so he can intercept and free his love.