Viper’s Blood by David Gilman, the thrilling 4th book in the MASTER OF WAR series is released today in paperback, published by Head of Zeus. This much-praised series – described as ‘gripping’, ‘sharper than a bodkin arrow’, ‘better than Bernard Cornwell’ and of ‘bone-crunching intensity’ – is also taking translation markets by storm.

Provoked by the Dauphin's refusal to honour the terms of his father's surrender, Edward III has invaded France with the greatest army England has ever assembled. But the English lion's attempts to claw the French crown from its master are futile. After defeats at Crecy and Poitiers, the Dauphin will no longer meet the English in the field.

Mired down in costly sieges and facing a stalemate, Edward's great army is forced to agree a treaty. But peace comes at a price. The French request that Blackstone escort their King's daughter to Italy to see her married to one of the two brothers who rule Milan – the same brothers who killed Blackstone's family to revenge the defeats they suffered at his hand.

Blackstone, the French are certain, will never leave Milan alive...

Robert Fabbri, bestselling author of the Vespasian series, has described the MASTER OF WAR series as a “gripping chronicle of pitched battle, treachery and cruelty”. The series is sold in translation in Brazil, Czech, Spain, Hungary and Germany, where MASTER OF WAR recently went straight into the Top 50 Bestseller charts at No. 36. David Gilman is currently completing the fifth book in this series, SCOURGE OF WOLVES which will be released in ebook in December 2017 and in hardback in February 2018.

Earlier this year, David’s "gripping... smart and subtle" standalone THE LAST HORSEMAN, was shortlisted for Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on 7 September,  

Praise for David Gilman’s MASTER OF WAR series

‘A thrilling, fast-moving, engaging tale, with unexpected twists, beautiful prose, excellent characterisation and dialogue, human sentiment and motivation, and graphic descriptions of war… Move over Bernard Cornwell. … Historical fiction at its best’. – Historical Novel Society

‘Adjectives like action-packed, exciting and wonderfully researched are a given. Yet only the qualities of the work stay the same; the story is as fresh and shock-filled as each of its predecessors.... Do please treat yourself if you haven't read MASTER OF WAR by David Gilman or any of the series that came afterwards.’ – Ani Johnson, The Bookbag

‘Book Four in the MASTER OF WAR series and the bone-crunching intensity of this series shows no signs of abating. ... A truly excellent book and part of an excellent series.’ – Parmenion Books

 'The fourth novel in David Gilman’s powerful and uncompromising chronicle of the Hundred Years War … VIPER’S BLOOD is an exciting, bloody and well-written tale of Europe at a time of terrible crisis. ... A fine addition to a series that continues to bring these cruel years to life in such rich and meticulous detail.' – For Winter Nights