Spoil of War: An Arthurian Saga [Kindle Edition]

Phoenix Sullivan (Author)

Book Description

An iTunes All-Time Bestseller! As of April 24, 2013:

#2 Historical Fantasy on iTunes US
#1 Historical Fantasy on iTunes UK
#1 Historical Fantasy on iTunes Canada
#1 Historical Fantasy on iTunes Australia

Top 10 Paid Historical Fantasy in all iTunes stores since December 2011, with over 480 ratings averaging 4.2 stars.

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"SPOIL OF WAR is a fascinating account of early Britain; a gripping tale of lust, love and the horrors of ancient warfare. Beautifully written, filled with myriad period details and compelling characters, it takes you deep into the heart of a brutal era - and into the nature of feminine honor, feminine courage. I was enthralled." - Jennifer Blake, NY Times Bestselling Author

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Elsbeth of Olmsbury desires nothing beyond helping her father run his dukedom - until the duke's forces are overwhelmed, his castle torched and Elsbeth seized for the invading king's personal spoil. Expecting the same abuse as the other surviving women of her house, Elsbeth instead finds the king, Leodegrance, treating her with a civility that belies his flagrant desire for her. A desire that will have her his consort in Cameliard once he can convince her rank and duty alone forced his hand against her father.

But Elsbeth is not so easily won. There is the matter of Leodegrance gifting his steward with an unwilling young handmaid from Elsbeth's household. Of his marriage of convenience to his Byzantine queen. And of his plans to subjugate more of Britain's citadels and unite the wild isle under Roman rule.

If Elsbeth can't find her tangled way to forgiveness with the king - or escape the dark designs and perverse desires of Uther Pendragon, enemy to them both - then a legend of Camelot may never be conceived, never be born, and never change history forever ...

Please note: This novel takes place in a harsh era when spoils were often treated as commodities. While the violence toward women and children is period-appropriate and for mature adults only, it is never gratuitous. The story focuses on adaptation, survival and, ultimately, love in the Dark Ages before Arthur was made king.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Phoenix Sullivan has 20+ years in the corporate world as a writer and editor.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

SPOIL OF WAR is best described as women's historical fiction with romantic elements. It is a realistic look at what it was like to be chattel in a time of war and how precious love can be when hope is nearly lost.

If you prefer lighter historical fare with a more conventional romance, I urge you to browse the list of "Also Boughts" on this page instead. Otherwise, please read the sample to decide if the quality of the story and the writing meet your expectations, and if the heroine, Elsbeth, is someone you want to root for and would like to spend more time with.

About the Author

Phoenix Sullivan has 20+ years in the corporate world as a writer and editor. Reviewers have compared SPOIL OF WAR favorably to MISTS OF AVALON, authored by Marion Zimmer Bradley. A fun fact: Marion published several of Phoenix's short stories in anthologies sold worldwide and in the fantasy magazine she edited in the early 90s. She was Phoenix's first editor.

Product Details

• File Size: 597 KB
• Print Length: 289 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Dare To Dream Press (March 29, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004UH7Z7U
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,398 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #4 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Arthurian
  • #26 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy > Arthurian
  • #70 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy > Myths & Legends

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

156 of 171 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Ugh September 29, 2011

By JB

Format:Kindle Edition

If this was an actual paperback, I would have hurled it across the room. Or maybe burnt it (as sacrilegious as I would have normally found such an act). It was not "woman's fiction", historical fiction, and most certainly NOT a romance novel. The story was unbelievably bad, with the heroine falling in love with the man who killed her father and enslaved her people. Not only that, but the so-called "hero" condoned such acts as one of his soldiers raping a dead woman. The hero also "gave" an 11-year-old girl to an old man, who raped her every night--and the heroine was turned on by this! There were other examples of rape in this book, and frankly, I did not bother to finish reading it. I have to say I'm disappointed, because the idea of an Arthurian "prequel" is intriguing.

134 of 150 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Please get your history RIGHT as well as your characters! September 6, 2011

By Kat

Format:Kindle Edition

I will just give a few of the "highlights":

As this refers to the pope Celestine, this would probably take place in the pre-500 AD timeframe.

1) Britons did not live in castles - they lived in longhouses, all one big room, with no separate rooms.
2) "Ryan" is a modern name, not even a Gallic form of "Rian."
3) Squash originated in the New World which would not be "discovered" by the Europeans for eons.
4) The Great Schism didn't happen for another 500 years at least.
5) Why are flint arrows being used when iron is present and so much more efficiently fashioned into arrow points?

and so forth and so forth.

I'm not even going to go into the issues of rape, constant underage rape, etc, etc. I got halfway through the book and couldn't finish it. If it's your thing, *shrugs*. Just not mine to read a poorly-written one.

78 of 90 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Open A History Book Please "Phoenix"! August 19, 2011

By Las Vegas Shaving-Man!

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The author of this book seriously needs to open a history book! "Prince Valiant" and "Le Morte De Arthur" have more accurate history than "Spoils of War: An Aurthurian Saga" and though Phoenix Sullivan is writing alternate history it's so clumsily done as to be downright silly and laughable. This would be forgiveable if the book was exciting and while the book started out farely well it quickly fell into meandering slowless with long diatribes of dialogue that sounded like grad students speaking rather than late Roman Empire or Dark Ages nobles. Historical romance and even Arthurian romance needs a certain feel and this one missed big time!

More About the Author

Over the years, Phoenix Sullivan's short stories have been published under her real name in various pro anthologies and magazines. Marion Zimmer Bradley was her first editor. In the corporate world, Phoenix was a professional writer and editor for 23 years. Before that, she was a registered veterinary technician, working with small animal clinics and wildlife rehab centers.

To be first to find out about upcoming new releases by Phoenix, sign up for the monthly Fresh Leaves newsletter at www.steelmagnoliapress.com.