Evil will come and champions will fall, but Britannia shall reign eternal.
Every world has its heroes, and every hero has tales to tell. Britannia, Queen Victoria’s realm, is not the least of these, for its many heroes are varied and inextricably linked. If but one falters, then others might follow.
In a Victorian world off-kilter with our reality, a malevolent entity and an incarnation of past evil seek to overpower Britannia and its weakened queen. The disenchanted Sir Belvedere Magnanimous Wainthrop, the Lion of Britannia, will brave time and space to battle this unholy alliance and return glory to the empire. Others shall follow his lead, and destiny will test every ounce of their courage and resolve.
From a Himalayan Shangri-La to a subterranean London and the corridors of Buckingham Palace itself, this disparate group of individuals will battle the odds and come together to make the ultimate sacrifice. But will it be enough?
As always, a big thank you to editor Manuela Timofte for publishing my latest monthly piece, As I wake. I would encourage anyone reading this to go and have a good look at the works on offer. There is a wonderful selection of poetry and prose for people to read.
It is always a pleasure to contribute to such a fantastic magazine as Gobblers.
Author’s note: Drabbles are a great way to hone your editing skills. Write a very short story and then dissect every word and abbreviation down to the requirement of ‘give or take’ a hundred words. A really straightforward way to become succinct. Give it a go.
A big thank you to editor Manuela Timofte for publishing my latest poem.
This piece was inspired by a chaotic and very tiring recent experience at Heathrow Airport – between you and me, I really hate flying – and the relief at having my headphones on.
Please take a look around this wonderful site at all the fabulous poems and prose on offer.
All three books in ‘The Eternals’, a series of gothic fantasy novels by Richard M. Ankers, now in one volume!
The Eternals: Born to immortality, Jean is the last Eternal lord and one of the last inhabitants of a dying Earth. In the face of the perishing sun, some have accepted their fate; others are ready to fight for their future. When Jean’s bite takes the life of Princess Chantelle, of The New Europa Alliance, his life changes. Now, he’s a man on the run, falling in love and rediscovering his humanity. With the sun’s clock ticking, Jean tries to reconcile his sordid past… but instead stumbles into age-old conspiracies and beyond.
Hunter Hunted: As soon as Jean stands in the sun’s ruby light, he and Princess Linka are drawn into a world of darkness. Journeying deep beneath the Arctic ice, the two find sanctuary. But all is not right, and soon Jean must solve the mystery of who is manipulating him, and the deepening saga of his parents’ deaths. Once again aided by the increasingly manic Merryweather and the mysterious beauty that is Princess Aurora, it seems like all directions point to the legendary city of Hvit, surrounded by the cloying, lavender stench of death, and the never-ending quest for blood.
Into Eternity: Leaving the Arctic ice behind, Jean and the others must reconcile with both current and past deaths, as they close in on the Baltic home of the hated Duke Gorgon. Here, their enemies gather and confrontation is inevitable. Under Merryweather’s frustrating tutelage, Jean marches from one infuriating revelation to another, but as the lies unravel and the truth unfurls, he discovers the Britannian is not the fool he’s taken him for. And at the end of all things, as the sun dies and Shangri-La falls, Jean will know what it means to step into eternity.
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