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Forging the Blade, a New Novel About the Goths
#1
I'm introducing Forging the Blade here on RAT. It's the first novel ever written about the Goths. And it gave me a chance to introduce Fritigern as a disenfranchised young man caught between pagan tradition and a foreign religion. We see him interacting with Athanaric (his nemesis) and Junius Soranus (who would become his friend).

Surprisingly, the story is pre-Arthurian... based upon passages from the Libre Llandavensis and the research of Prof. John Morris, the first acedemic to notice that, "Tewdrig ap Theithfallt" was a Welsh version of, "Theodoric, son of Thiudebalth." While Fritigern is the male protagonist, his equal is the young woman, Thulia. :cheer:

If anyone is interested, I can answer any questions you might have. The novel is available on Amazon; and here are the front and back covers:


[attachment=6863]FtB_Cover3_copy_2013-03-30.jpg[/attachment]


[attachment=6864]FtB_BookCoverBack.jpg[/attachment]


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Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
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#2
I wouldn't say that it's the first novel written about the Goths. Caecilia Holland's "The Death of Atilla" is about a Gothic prince and his uneasy friendship with a common Hunnish warrior.
Pecunia non olet
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#3
Well, guess I'll have to pick a different Germanic tribe to write about then :lol:

Looks like an interesting read.
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#4
Sorry about that! 8-)

Well, it's the first novel written about the Tyrfingi Goths, then. Also includes the Taifali and a small contingent of Alans... even Theodosius the Elder.
Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
Reply
#5
Don't forget about the Huns. Small bands of Huns were recruited by the Tervingi.
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#6
Quote:I wouldn't say that it's the first novel written about the Goths. Caecilia Holland's "The Death of Atilla" is about a Gothic prince and his uneasy friendship with a common Hunnish warrior.

Is Holland's novel about the Goth's lifestyle and tribal structure, their religion, their hierarchy? Or is it about a Goth in a Hunnic context?
Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
Reply
#7
Quote:Don't forget about the Huns. Small bands of Huns were recruited by the Tervingi.

I didn't get the Huns in due to plot constraints. Also, trying to keep major characters within an average reader's perspective. As it is, the novel is epic... the timeframe over 20 years.
Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
Reply
#8
Hi Alanus, is it available as a kindle or ebook. I am surprised that you haven't written one about the Alans. You seem knowledgeable about their culture and military skills. Maybe the Alans that fought at Chalons with Aetius. I read on another thread that they were put into the centre of the Roman lines because Aetius didn't trust their leader. But with Alans, Visigoths and Romans against Huns and allies cavalry must have played some part as except for the Romans, the majority of combatants seem mostly horsemen and it would be good to have an Alan protagonist. And you can throw in some background about Wusun history sort of "Educate and Entertain.". Or something about the taifales in Britain.
Regards
Michael Kerr
Michael Kerr
"You can conquer an empire from the back of a horse but you can't rule it from one"
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#9
Hi, Michael

Actually, there's quite a bit about the Alans in the novel. We meet Safrax as a boy, then a teenager, and finally when he hooks up with Alatheus. The sword in the novel is Tyrfing the Ironbreaker, the "sword in the stones" in Alanic and Taifali culture. In the story, the Taifali and a small group of Alans are part of the Tyrfingi confederation... the "kunja." And the major female character is a Taifala.

So, overall, it's a tale of three tribes who came together in mutual defense, something historically probable. Unfortunately, the novel is epic; and I have not put together a Kindle version because I'm not thrilled in the way PDFs get botched when they come out as htmail. The print version has a missing "a" in the first sentence and then we get 500 pages with no errors. That little error in the front of the book really devistated me. :dizzy: I walked away from it for several months, but I'm finally getting over it.

Overall, it's a good story... touching on the metaphysical. A bit of humor, but not like The Demon's Door Bolt. What I tried to do was give a characterization of a young Fritigern that fits his historical profile when he arrives in the books of Socrates Scholasticus, Zosiman, and Ammianus Marcellinus. Confusedmile:
Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
Reply
#10
Hi Alanus, I suppose I will get a copy off Amazon, I only use the ipad because my wife is fed up with all my books. I myself have started a novel about a group of Roxolani horsemen who get caught up in Marcomannic wars fighting alongside Iazyges when they get tricked by Iazyges into being part of the 5500 horsemen sent to Britain. The thing that got me going was the fact that in the "Life Of Marcus Aurelius" the author mentions "Marcus Claudius Fronto" not to be confused with Cornelius Fronto (no relation I think) who was the Governor of the Three Dacias and a bit of a gung-ho character who was a war hero in the Eastern Wars, he was also suffect Consul in 165 ad who was killed in a battle with either Costobocci, Iazyges or Roxolani and the only reason I can think that he would fight Roxolani would be to stop a group of them from migrating to Hungary. (Another cover up by Romans when their army is beaten by barbarians). Anyway early days yet.
Regards
Michael Kerr
Michael Kerr
"You can conquer an empire from the back of a horse but you can't rule it from one"
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#11
Michael,

That's about the time the Roxolani DID make it to Hungary. Might make a good novel, and keep your main character strong, perhaps a victim of fate but still strong.

If you get a copy of Forging the Blade, tell your wife it really doesn't take up much space. After all, it's not a hardback. Confusedilly:

I think we're posting on the Wrong Channel. This stuff should be on the Forging the Blade thread. :unsure:
Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
Reply


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