Skystone

The Boy Who Would be King Everyone knowns the story of how Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, how Camelot came to be, and how power struggles ultimately destroyed Arthur's dreams. But what of the time before Arthur and the forces that created him? How did the legend really come to pass? Before the time of Arthur and his Camelot, Britain was a dark and deadly place, savaged by warring factions of Picts, Celts, and invading Saxons. The Roman citizens who had lived there for generations were suddenly faced with a deadly choice: leave and take up residence in a corrupt Roman world that was utterly foreign, or stay and face the madness that would ensue when the Roman legions, Britain's last bastion of safety for the civilized, leave. For two Romans, Publius Varrus and his friend, Caius Britannicus, there can be only one answer. They will stay to preserve what is best of Roman life, and they will create a new culture out of the wreckage. In doing so, Publius and Caius will unknowingly plant the seeds of legend-for these two men are Arthur's great-grandfathers, and their actions will shape a nation ... and forge a sword known as Excalibur.Whyte, Jack is the author of 'Skystone', published 2004 under ISBN 9780765350695 and ISBN 0765350696.