Bøger af J M Hofer

Set in Iron Age Britain and steeped in Welsh legend, the Islands in the Mist series brings to life the magic and mystery of the Arthurian Age. Book 1, Islands in the Mist, was chosen as one of the top five Fantasy novels out of 2,000 entries in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest. In Islands in the Mist, we meet the great warrior, Bran, called home from the battlefield to his mother's deathbed. He honors her final wish by vowing to solve the mystery of what fatally attacked her in the night. Though many have dismissed it as a wolf attack, she insists it was not, and encourages him to seek the counsel of Talhaiarn, druid advisor to their clan. On his journey, Bran encounters the fiery Lucia, widow to a Roman centurion, and her strangely-gifted stable boy, Gwion--an enigmatic child graced with understanding beyond his years. Lucia possesses "the Sight," an ability that has plagued her from the time she was a small girl, tormenting her with disturbing visions of events that invariably come to pass. Fate leads her to discover many of her maternal ancestors were masterful women gifted with similar psychic abilities and that some of them have been watching her from the shadows for years. Upon returning to his village, Bran finds himself at odds with the hot-tempered Aelhaearn, who is determined to become their clan's next chieftain. To Aelhaearn's disappointment, Bran's sister, now priestess in her mother's place, convinces the clan to choose Bran for the honor instead. In the aftermath of their conflict, Bran discovers something shocking about his rival that causes him to rue his sister's decision. As everyone strives to unravel the mystery surrounding their nocturnal enemies, their creator patiently carries out her plan, woven from the exploited weaknesses of her opponents. Slowly, all but one are pulled into the seductive maelstrom of her power.

The last of the Romans have left Britannia, leaving greedy and ruthless men to seize power and rip the land asunder. Without the discipline of Rome to stop them, relentless Pictii come down from the North to raid her settlements, and boatloads of Saxons sail west from Germania to pillage her shores. Grown soft with nearly five generations of Roman order, most men in Brython are unable to defend their homes against these threats, both from within and without. But there is hope. Emrys and Uthyr, the two youngest sons of Constantine, the last great Roman leader in Britannia, have come of age and return to Brython to avenge their father and reclaim his usurped throne. Along with their strange druid advisor, Myrthin Wyllt, they lead a campaign to unite the clans of Brython against the tyranny of her enemies, vowing to restore the peace and order once enjoyed under Rome's protection.Bran knows the war for Brython is far larger than any one clan can hope to win alone. He pledges fealty to Emrys and his obligations thicken. His strength, compassion and loyalty are continually put to the test as he struggles to meet the mounting demands of his country, clan, wife and family, as well as those of his otherworldly master, Arawn, who has daunting plans of his own for him. Meanwhile, strange, winding roads beckon to Taliesin, leading him to worlds both sublime and dark. Arhianna's fate leads her home, but at a frightening and terrible cost. Gareth finds himself duty-bound to Mynyth Aur, but, like his father, longs for the horizon. In Bran's absence, Lucia strives to remain a strong leader and mentor for her children and the people of her clan, determined to keep those she loves and cares for united in mind and spirit.New and unlikely alliances are forged while old enemies churn forth new grievances, testing the limits of every relationship. All struggle to meet their responsibilities within the chaos surrounding their homeland, but remain hopeful they will succeed in putting a just king on the throne who will usher in a new age free from terror and tyranny.