The Powder of Death opens with a returned envoy to China meeting an English scholar in Oxford, in the mid-13th century; their purpose is to share a deadly secret. They vow that the knowledge of gunpowder must die with them. The novel tells the story of its re?discovery, one man's obsession with the powder of death, and Edward III's determination to use it to his advantage. The nature of warfare is changed forever, and the world hears the death-knell of Knightly chivalry.
Forced to flee Rome, merchant Nicander meets an unlikely ally in the form of Marius, a fierce Roman legionary. Escaping to a new life in Constantinople, the two land upon its shores lonely and penniless. Needing to make money fast, they plot a wicked plan to steal precious silk seeds from the faraway land of Seres, Nicander and Marius must embark upon a terrifyingly treacherous journey across unknown lands, never before completed.
Napoleon's forces are poised to invade Britain, and Commander Thomas Kydd's ship is at the forefront of the fleet. Then Kydd is abruptly withdrawn from the fleet and sent back to Dover on a secret mission to guard a mysterious American inventor. He is furious to find he will miss his opportunity to prove himself in battle. Yet Kydd's role in the approaching war may be the most crucial part he has ever played.
Who will steal the greatest prize of Empire? South America's Spanish colonies are in a ferment of popular unrest. Rumors of a treasure hoard of Spanish silver spur Thomas Kydd's commander-in-chief, Commodore Popham, to assemble a makeshift invasion fleet and launch a bold attack on Buenos Aires. The British invasion force wins a battle against improbable odds, but soon finds itself surrounded by a hostile population. Now Kydd's men must face resistance and the betrayal of their closest allies...
Thomas Kydd was promoted to acting lieutenant at the bloody Battle of Camperdown in October 1797. Now, he must sit an examination to confirm his rank. But this is only the first of many obstacles for a man from humble origins. If he is to avoid spending the rest of his career as a tarpaulin officer, he must also become a gentleman.
The Race for the Empire begins... Captain Kydd joins an expedition to take Dutch-held Cape Town, a strategic imperative to secure the rich trade-route to India. But even if the British can defeat the enemy and take possession of the capital, there is still more fighting to be done.Kydd and his men must defend the fragile colony from attacks by the enemy from all sides, while braving the wild beasts and hostile environment of Africa's vast and savage hinterland.
Thrilled at his first command, a little brig sloop called Teazer; Thomas Kydd must race to bring his ship to battle readiness in order to defend Malta against Barbary corsairs. But his jubilation does not last long - peace is suddenly declared. Instead he sets sail as captain of a convict transport for the penal colony in New South Wales - and challenges that will test both his seamanship and humanity to the limit.
Commander Thomas Kydd is eager to play his part in thwarting Bonaparte's plans for the invasion of England. Joining Admiral Nelson's command, Kydd and his ship soon find themselves at the heart of the action of Trafalgar. Kydd's journey takes him from false sightings of the enemy and dramatic chases across the Atlantic, to the bloody annihilation of the enemy during the actual battle, and the heroic aftermath. This is Kydd's most important adventure so far, and the most thrilling.
It is two years since Thomas Kydd was spirited away in the night aboard the old ship Duke William. Now, he and the other members of the ill-fated Artemis are shipwrecked sailors, back in London to be summoned as court martial witnesses. Then, in a political act to shield an officer's reputation, they are shipped out in haste to the Caribbean - where sugar is king and yellow jack a fearsome peril.
Thomas Kydd is enjoying the recognition and favour of his fellow officers when his ship, Tenacious, is summoned to join Horatio Nelson's taskforce on an urgent reconnaissance mission. Kydd's newfound ambition fuels his desire to be at the forefront of the hunt. But with power comes responsibility; with responsibility, accountability. Kydd will face his greatest challenge ever amidst bloodstained seas. And defeat will mean humiliation - or death.
It's the great age of fighting sail, when the seven seas are stalking grounds for prey and prize money... Aboard the crack frigate HMS Artemis, life can be invigorating-and short. Now a fully-fledged Jack Tar, Kydd sails into Portsmouth Harbour and a hero's welcome after a ferocious battle against the French. However his jubilation is cut short when a family matter threatens to take him from the life he has grown to love. But the sea beckons and Kydd manages to ship out again in his beloved Artemis - a voyage that will take him to the East.
It is 1797 and Thomas Kydd is now master's mate on Achilles. Kydd sails for England, but his joy at returning home is soon forgotten when he finds himself at the centre of one of the most extraordinary events in English history- the Mutiny at the Nore. Ten thousand men and scores of ships hold the country to ransom. Kydd is faced with a terrible choice. Abandon his friends and shipmates? Or join the rebellion?
