The Killing Way [Hardcover]

Tony Hays (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 31, 2009

It is the time of Arthur, but this is not his storied epic. Arthur is a young and powerful warrior who some would say stands on the brink of legend. Britain’s leaders have come to elect a new supreme king, and Arthur is favored. But when a young woman is brutally murdered and the blame is placed at Merlin’s feet, Arthur’s reputation is at stake and his enemies are poised to strike. Arthur turns to Malgwyn ap Cuneglas, a man whose knowledge of battle and keen insight into how the human mind works has helped Arthur come to the brink of kingship. 

Malgwyn is also the man who hates Arthur most in the world.

After the death of Malgwyn's wife by Saxon hands, he became Mad Malgwyn, killer of Saxons and right-hand lieutenant to the warrior Arthur. Right hand, that is, until a Saxon cut his sword arm off and left him to die on the battlefield. Arthur rescued him. Now a one-armed scribe and a heavy drinker, Malgwyn rejects the half-life that his liege gave him. But loyalty is sometimes stronger than loathing…and Malgwyn is pulled toward a puzzle that he can’t walk away from.

Think CSI: Medieval: gritty, powerful, and with the true ring of historical perspective and a character who sees more than those around him. The Killing Way is the first in a mystery series that is sure to be a hit with both mystery readers and historical fans alike.        

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Hays turns a time-honored historical legend on its head, creating a new mystery series steeped in Arthurian mythology. As young Lord Arthur hones his reputation as both a warrior and a diplomat, his formidable enemies stand poised and ready to pounce on any perceived weakness or transgression. When Merlin is accused of murdering a young servant girl, it provides the anti-Arthur faction with an excuse to challenge his ascension to the throne. In order to solve the mystery, Arthur calls upon the one man he trusts above all others—Malgwyn ap Cuneglas, a cunning warrior with a keen mind. Though a one-armed Malgwyn has been nursing a grudge against his lord since Arthur rescued him from a preferred death on the battlefield, he finds it difficult to resist the mental challenge of the investigation. The popularity of both historical mysteries and new twists on the Arthurian tales will provide a tailor-made audience for this promising new series. --Margaret Flanagan

Review

"This author knows his history and produces a first class, page turning tale. We shall doubtless hear much more of Tony Hays."--Peter Tremayne

"There's nothing like seeing an old story through new eyes.  So, how about a murder mystery set in Camelot? King Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin and the rest of the gang are all here, but Tony Hays brings them to life anew, in a tale filled with twists and turns and surprises on every page. The joy of discovery--and re-discovery--will keep you reading long into the night." --William Martin, New York Times Best Selling author of The Lost Constitution

“True to the magic of the Arthurian legend.  The Killing Way is a beautiful tale rich in character and atmosphere, and dark with emotions old as time.”--Howard Bahr, author of Pelican Road

“A vivid and original detective story, The Killing Way is an unusual Arthurian murder mystery set against an evocative fifth century background that is more genuine than the usual Arthurian fare. Tony Hays makes thorough and intelligent use of modern research. Yes, it might actually have been like that.”--Geoffrey Ashe, leading Arthurian scholar and author of Merlin: The Prophet & His History

“An exciting, suspenseful murder mystery, The Killing Way is an excellent read.”--Richard Tuerk, author of Oz in Perspective

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See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; First Edition edition (March 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765319454
• ISBN-13: 978-0765319456
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,560,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tony Hays is a novelist and journalist who has visited nearly thirty countries, while living and teaching in six of them, including three and a half years in Kuwait. As he works on his latest effort, a new historical mystery series, set in Dark Ages Britain, for Tor/Forge, Tony continues to teach and lecture both at home and abroad. The first two volumes of his new series, The Killing Way and The Divine Sacrifice, have been released to critical acclaim. Both books received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Library Journal. He currently resides in Tennessee.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars powerful Dark Ages mystery, March 31, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Killing Way (Hardcover)

In the fifth century after the Romans left Britannia, farmer Malgwyn ap Cuneglas loves his wife and child. However, when Saxons murder his spouse, he loses his grip on sanity. He leaves his daughter with his brother to join King Arthur's legion in order to kill Saxons. Malgwyn becomes renowned as Mad Malgwyn with killing rages in battle until his arm is severed. He wants to die but Arthur saves his life and turns him into a scribe. Instead of enjoying life, he becomes a drunk, who hates the monarch for saving his life.

Someone kills peasant Eleonore slicing her apart and leaving her heart in the home of Arthur's beloved former tutor and former advisor Merlin.. Although the evidence strongly points to Merlin as a mad murderer. Arthur rejects the concept. He orders Malgwyn to investigate, but before the one armed scribe can begin, a second homicide as brutal as the first occurs. The superstitious peasants believe Merlin used magic to kill the second female since he was incarcerated when she was killed. Finally a guard who witnessed Eleonore talking with a hooded person has vanished. As Malgwyn makes inquiries amidst anger and dissension, he concludes the motive is to keep Arthur from being crowned Rigotamo (High King).

Anyone who thought there can be no new spin to the Arthurian legend will need to revise that opinion as Tony Hays provides a refreshing radical twist with a terrific gritty fifth century Noir. Camelot does not exist; instead Britannia is a decaying dangerous place. Chivalry is nonexistent as backstabbers are everywhere. Arthur is pragmatic seeking power with the Saxons and Druids opposing him; Genevieve is a fallen nun who he loves but politically cannot marry. However, the tale belongs to its grim narrator Malgwyn who knows Britannia as a place where the broken Roman roads mirror broken lives. This is the powerful beginning of a Dark Ages mystery series.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Mystery, July 8, 2010

By 

Ernest J. Moosa Jr. "ejmoosa" (Johns Creek, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Killing Way (Arthurian Mysteries) (Paperback)

The challenge for any author writing about a time frame that is truly unfamiliar to the readers is overcome the language barriers and make the reader feel as if they are present in the scenes.

Mr. Hays does an excellent job with these challenges. Vivid in my mind are the dining room scenes where the toothless guests must feast upon mashed foods as well as the various odorous smells that would be present in a society where more than one bath a year would be a luxury.

Hays works diligently to apply the language of the time in such a way that we can understand it and keep the dialogue flowing. Not an easy task, but I felt Hays pulls it off.

Malgwyn is a character who may be seeking his last chance at redemption in a life filled with wine, women and self-loathing(Two out of three Ain't Bad). Yet time is running short.

To find out if the sun sets on his chances, you'll have to read the book.

The only suggestion I have for Mr. Hays is that along with the list of descriptions of locations and items at the end of the volume, to include a list of names and their intended pronunciations. It would have made the story more enjoyable for me(and faster to read) had I not debated each time I read a name how it was supposed to sound.

EJ

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read!!!, April 14, 2009

By 

jana shelby - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Killing Way (Hardcover)

King Arthur, move over and make way for Malgwyn! Tony Hays, has made this character come to life in a love... hate relationship toward the Rigatomus.

While written as fiction it will carry you back in time with the most believable story line involving drama, mystery and murder from the Druids and Saxtons battles while trying to obtain power over the land and the people. Everyones loyalty is questioned. The author's knowledge on the time and era of King Arthur is phenomenal and I would hope there would be more to follow.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves medieval literature and lore.