The Place of Blood – Rinn-Iru
Conall Book I
by David H. Millar
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Over four hundred years before the birth of Christ, the island of Ériu is a patchwork of feuding kingdoms, wide plains, and impassable bogs. Battle, intrigue, betrayals, and courage are part of life for the Celts who call Ériu home, while from their underground halls the mysterious aes sidhe seduce brave warriors, turning men in to kings and binding them with fearsome geis.
Conall Mac Gabhann is content with his apprenticeship to the local blacksmith. Content, that is, until his family is slaughtered in their home.
Two men share responsibility for the massacre: a mad Irish king and a dissolute Roman. Conall will have his vengeance on both, or die in the attempt.
Accompanied by his childhood friend Brion ó Cathasaigh and the veteran warrior Fearghal ó Maoilriain, Conall's hunt takes him northward through unfriendly kingdoms and treacherous bogs to a confrontation beyond the ancient earthworks of the Black Pig's Dyke.
Along the way, Conall will gather an army, and come to the attention of the aes sidhe. An apprentice blacksmith could become a king with their help—if he so desires.
The Raven's Flight – Eitilt an Fhiagh Dhuibh
Conall Book II
Conall II: The Raven’s Flight continues to chronicle the epic journey of the warriors from Ériu (Ireland).
Conall Mac Gabhann and his brooding queen, Mórrígan, lead over two thousand warriors together with their followers across the narrow sea that separates Ériu from Albu (Britain). Their quest: the capture of Cassius Fabius Scaeva, the dissolute Roman patrician held responsible for the slaughter of their families.
The Ériu encounter human, natural, and supernatural foes and friends. At the mercy of the aes sidhe, a race of demi-goddesses who demand that he fulfill an ancient geis, Conall is named as the “Hand of the Goddess” and given the instrument that will crush the Na Daoine Tùrsach—a tribe of fanatical, blood-lusting priests.
They battle fierce northern tribes: the Aos na Coille, whose one-eyed king, Drostan Ruadh, opposes their presence as do the Na Mèadaidh led by the sly Finnean Mac Sèitheach. Not all are enemies. The Aos an Fhithich offer their support, although it too comes at a price.
Heroes and villains from myth, legend, and history converge in this saga set in the vast ancient forests, treacherous bogs, snow-capped mountains, and mysterious lochs of Scotland some four hundred years before the birth of Christ.
The Sisters – Na Deirfiúracha
Conall Book III
Cloaked in a rich tapestry of tattoos or wearing armour inlaid with iron scales, the Gaels stand as one, taunting their enemies with fierce battle-cries and insults.
In Conall III: The Sisters—the third book of the Conall series—the women take centre stage. Brighid and Danu are kidnapped on the orders of Kartimandu, a malevolent queen bent on conquering the North. Mórrígan and Conall’s blood oath promises no quarter until the young twins are returned.
Will Eachdonn Breac, betrayed by his queen—Ceana, redeem his honour on the battlefield? A merciless assassin stalks the community. Tadhg Ó Cuileannáin is given the unenviable task of tracking the killer down. A mission made worse, when the signs point to the sister of one of Conall’s closest friends. Amid, the battles and intrigue, Mòrag Ni Artair, a tall beauty and fearsome warrior, sets her sights on Conall. A clash with Mórrígan—Conall’s queen, appears inevitable.
A Brace of Eagles - Snaidhm Iolar
Conall Book IV
“Butter-gold
and cruelly hooked, the beak ripped a ragged gash across the
newborn’s throat.”
Son
of a blacksmith, Conall Mac Gabhann’s only desire was to follow in
his father’s footsteps and enjoy a long life with his childhood
love, Mórrígan. The slaughter of their parents dashed those dreams.
Fuelled by vengeance, both embark on the dark path of retribution.
From the ancient forest, two great eagles take wing. With amber-gold eyes, Fate and the Goddess watch, ready to guide and meddle in human lives. Conall, now Clann Ui Flaithimh’s ‘king over kings’, must complete his geis—at any cost. Conall takes another stride closer to Rome and a reckoning with Marcus Fabius Ambustus. Flat-bottomed biremes carry Conall’s army cross the Muir nIocht to crash on the shingle beaches of North-western Gaul. New enemies and uneasy alliances flourish.
Assassins, treason, and treachery thrive. Above all, Conall values loyalty. Thus, treason within the tribe sours his belly. Mercy will have no part in his response.
The fourth novel in the Conall series, Conall IV: A Brace of Eagles is a rousing epic of Celtic heroes and villains, bloody battles, political intrigue, honour, treachery, and forbidden love.
Retribution - Díoltas
Conall Book V
“Witch!”
Tullus gasped.
“You are not that fortunate, Roman,” came the
menacing reply.”
Blood
has purchased a fragile peace for Conall and Mórrígan and the close
circle of friends they call family. Now, allies and enemies alike
wonder if the king and queen have lost the thirst for vengeance on
those who slaughtered their families. Alarmed, gods, kings, and
despots conspire to poke the slumbering fire.
Brennus
of the Senones still smarts at his defeat at Conall’s hands and
covets his lands and wealth. Will a bruised ego and hubris overrule
the Gaulish king’s normal pragmatism?
The
Gaiscedach want revenge for the defeat and execution of their queen.
In the dead of night, like cockroaches, they scuttle over the walls
of Lugudunon.
Marcus
Fabius Ambustus tolerates no challenge to his plan to be Dictator of
Rome. But has arrogance blinded him to the enemy he has nurtured?
The
gates of Rome and retribution draw closer. But Conall needs his
enemies as much as his friends. Still, who are enemies and who are
friends? It is a time of schisms and rebuilding, of loved ones
endangered, and assassins and spies revealed.
Yet,
there has always been one constant. Only the foolish doubt Conall and
Mórrígan will show any mercy to those who threaten their
family.
Conall
V: Retribution is
the fifth and final book in the Conall series.
In high school, I was an A-student in history. Hence, my teacher was sorely disappointed when I took the road to science and later to management and consulting. Fifty years later, and with the fifth book in the Celtic historical fantasy/fiction series—Conall, published, I can visualize him with a wry smile and an “I told you so” on his lips. Maybe he was right but do teens ever listen to good advice?
“Conall Mac Gabhann just watched his life implode. Before him lie the butchered bodies of his father, mother, and sisters. Yesterday, the young man was an apprentice blacksmith. Today, if he wants vengeance, he'll need to become a warrior.”
—Conall I: The Place of Blood
Set around 400, B.C., the Conall series is a yarn of revenge set in ancient times. It revolves around the Celts, and primarily Irish and Scottish Gaels. It is a story of hard men and women who lived in harsh times. It is a sweeping epic that travels from ancient Ireland, through Scotland and Southern England to France and finally to the Battle of Allia, Rome where the Celts and Gauls first sacked Rome. Archaeologically accurate, heroes and villains from myth, legend, and history converge in this saga set in the vast ancient forests, treacherous bogs, snow-capped mountains, and mysterious lochs of the lands of the Celts some four hundred years before the birth of Christ. The novels focus on Conall Mac Gabhann, the blacksmith's apprentice turned warrior-king. Bloody battles, honor, treachery, tragedy, love, and high passions flow through the books. The stories highlight the paradox of the Celts, who while being fierce warriors were also known for amazing art and design.
Like many authors, I tend to be too close to my novels and the characters. So rather than repeat back cover blurbs or book descriptions, I have listed two 5* reviews that summarize better than I could.
“From the first chapter in the book I was gripped. It tells the story of a simple blacksmith's son whose parents and sisters were brutally murdered. Conall starts off on a journey of vengeance with a band of young followers, most not much older than children. The story leads the reader through his growth as a man, a warrior and the leader of his army. The narrative used is authentic, the battle scenes satisfyingly vivid, and the antics of the sidhe will both terrify and delight you. If you like Game of Thrones - you will love Conall.”
“A very well researched novel that brings you back to 415 BC in ancient Ireland and follows an orphaned young man on an epic page turning quest for revenge. Just think of an ancient Batman that Batman would run from. The descriptions of armor, weaponry and battle tactics were so thorough that I could almost hear the battle cries and I loved the bit of folklore blended in.”
As with all self-published authors—and a good few traditionally published writers—my challenge can be summed up in one word—marketing. How best to promote both author and novels? Above choosing a media channel, however, is “what is the best use of time?” How much to spend on writing and how much on marketing? To date, I have tinkered with Facebook and Twitter, and commissioned a great video trailer (https://youtu.be/c4ZwNBBQMrs) but with negligible impact on sales. I participated in my first author event in 2018 and it was highly successful from several perspectives—new sales, raising awareness, and getting to know my market better. This channel goes to the top of my marketing priorities.
“The driving beat of bodhráns echoes off mountain slopes. In dense forests, the mournful wail of war-horns reverberates. Red and gold banners of king and tribe flap in gusting winds. Conall III: The Sisters is an epic tale of vengeance and tragedy, of courage and the frailty of body and spirit.”
My primary marketing focus remains product quality and presentation. I believe in engaging experts for specific tasks. This can be costly but improves the end-product. Ida Jansson of Amygdala Design (http://www.amygdaladesign.net/) is responsible for the amazing cover art for the novels and has also taken over the interior formatting. Both (cover and interior) are critical for the success of any novel. I have seen too many books where poor artwork has made me choose an alternate. Poor interior formatting, eBook and print, can also be a real turn-off. My map illustrations are drawn by well-known fellow Belfast-born international artist Michael McEvoy (https://bit.ly/2HZtxHF). Michael is “old school” and draws his illustrations by hand, which goes to add to the ancient feel of the novel. For Conall IV, I engaged specialist historical fiction editor, Andrew Noakes (https://andrewnoakes.co.uk/), and it was well worth the money. I only wish I had engaged Andrew earlier for the earlier novels.
What am I up to now? Two spinoffs from the Conall series are in progress. The Dog Roses: Na Feirdhriseacha is based on Conall’s twin daughters returning to Ériu (Ireland) and heads to editing in January 2022 with a release date in mid-2022. The Blood Queen: A ’Bhanrigh Fuil is the current work-in-progress and sees Gràinne return to Northern Albu (Scotland). I’m targeting a release date of end-2022 for this story. I am also looking at writing a Celtic-based urban fantasy based in mid-40s Belfast provisionally titled Lazarus. As with most writers, I have too many ideas and not enough time… or money!
“Butter-gold and cruelly hooked, the beak ripped a ragged gash across the newborn’s throat.”
—Conall IV: A Brace of Eagles
REVIEWS
Along with many independently published authors, I face the challenge of encouraging readers to write a review and give a star rating, even if that is only “I liked this book”. I will mail a signed copy, at no cost, to those in the USA (elsewhere is too expensive!) of Conall IV, or indeed any of the Conall series, to anyone who will write a review. Email me at davidm@aweepublishingco.com.
“Against the travails of the weather, they stood firm. Spines were held as straight as the barbs from the blackthorn tree. Silver-grey pelts hung from square shoulders and flapped in the gusting winds. Obsidian-black, unblinking eyes stared southwards. On the ramparts that protected the camp, the grim guard stood silent.”
—Conall IV: A Brace of Eagles
AUTHOR BIO
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, David H. Millar is the founder, owner, and author-in-residence of Houston-based ‘A Wee Publishing Company’—a business that promotes Celtic literature, authors and art. Millar moved from Ireland to Nova Scotia, Canada, in the late 1990s. After ten years shovelling snow, he decided to relocate to warmer climates and has now settled in Houston, Texas. Quite a contrast! An avid reader, armchair sportsman, and longsuffering Liverpool Football Club fan, Millar lives with his family and Bailey, a Manx cat of questionable disposition known to his friends as ‘the small angry one!’
LINKS
Series video trailer https://youtu.be/c4ZwNBBQMrs
Corporate website http://aweepublishingco.com/index.html
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, David H. Millar is the founder, owner, and author-in-residence of Houston-based ‘A Wee Publishing Company’—a business that promotes Celtic literature, authors and art.
Millar moved from Ireland to Nova Scotia, Canada, in the late 1990s. After ten years shovelling snow, he decided to relocate to warmer climates and has now settled in Houston, Texas. Quite a contrast!
An avid reader, armchair sportsman, and Liverpool Football Club fan, Millar lives with his family and Bailey, a Manx cat of questionable disposition known to his friends as ‘the small angry one!’
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$20 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner WW
Conall t-shirt of choice – 3 winners, US only!
Comments
Post a Comment