Siege of Heaven (63 page)

This was not an easy book to write, but it would have been infinitely harder without the tremendous generosity of others. I owe an enormous debt to my editor, Oliver Johnson, who watched deadlines fly by with cheerful stoicism, and managed to keep my head when I was in danger of losing it. His insights on the first draft were key to shaping the final book, and gave me one of my most enjoyable days working on it (and a fine lunch to boot). Meanwhile, it would need more words than are in this book to justly describe how much my wife Marianna contributed to it: from tramping around Jerusalem to teasing out plot tangles, she endured every step of the journey with good humour and much-tested patience. I was and am lucky to have her with me.

I’m grateful as ever to the British Library, both in London and at their Boston Spa redoubt, and to the Minster Library in York. Susan Edgington generously supplied a pre-publication copy of her translation of Albert of Aachen’s chronicle, which once again gave me access to a wealth of material that would have been otherwise unavailable. The prophecy in the book is adapted from a variety of contemporary sources, but chiefly from translations of the letter of Adso of Montier-en-Der and the
Revelations of Pseudo-Methodius
by Bernard McGinn. The biblical excerpts are generally adapted from the New Revised Standard Version, whose copyright is held by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA.

Ariel and Sigal Knafo were wonderful hosts on my research trip to Israel, while Emma Pointon kindly showed me her holiday snaps. When inspiration ran dry at home, I found a happy substitute in the Danish Kitchen tearoom in York. Particular thanks go to my agent, Jane Conway-Gordon, and to all the people at Century who worked on giving form to the book: Charlotte Haycock, Richard Ogle, Rodney Paull, Alison Tulett and especially Steve Stone for his magnificent artwork.

The First Crusade ended in victory, but the crusaders’ work had barely begun. The atrocity at Jerusalem left a hunger for revenge across the Muslim world, while in Europe a new order had begun to assert itself. Demetrios’ journey may have ended, but the story goes on.

Tom Harper

July 2006

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Tom Harper

Byzantium, 1096. When a mysterious assassin looses his arrow at the emperor, he has more than a man in his sights; the keystone of a crumbling empire, he is the solitary figure holding its enemies in check. If he falls, then the mightiest power in Christendom will be torn apart. Aware of the stakes, the emperor hires Demetrios Askiates, the unveiler of mysteries, to catch the would-be killer.

But Demetrios is entering an unknown world, a babbling cauldron of princes, slaves, mercenaries, pimps and eunuchs. From the depths of the slums to the golden towers of the palace, and from the sands of the hippodrome to the soaring domes of Ayia Sophia, he must edge his way through a glittering maze of treachery and deceit before time runs out. Nor are all the enemies within the city walls. With the Turks rampant across Asia, the emperor has sent to the west for mercenaries to reinforce his position. He gets more than he bargained for, however, when a great army, tens of thousands strong, appears before the gates. The first crusaders have arrived, intent on making their fortunes in war, and they have no allegiance to an empire they eye with jealousy and suspicion. As the armies of east and west confront each other, and the assassin creeps ever closer to his prey, Demetrios must untangle the golden web of intrigue which surrounds the emperor before the city – and the empire – are drowned in blood.

‘Gripping from the first page . . . a fast-paced and exciting debut’ Ink

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Tom Harper

1098. The armies of the First Crusade race across Asia minor, routing the Turks and reclaiming the land for Christendom. But on the Syrian border, their advance is halted before the impregnable walls of Antioch.

As winter draws on, they are forced to suffer a fruitless, interminable siege, gnawed by famine and tormented by the Turkish defenders. The entire crusade is on the verge of collapse. His lord, the ruthlessly ambitious Bohemond charges Demetrios Askiates to find the killer. But as Demetrios investigates, the trail seems to lead ever deeper into the vipers’ nest of jealousy, betrayal and fanaticism which lies at the heart of the crusade.

Praise for Tom Harper:

‘Tom Harper writes with strident clarity in this epic tale of murder and betrayal, bloodshed and romance. Gripping from the first page, the reader is swept up in this colourful and convincing portrayal of an Emperor and his realm, under siege. Wellresearched, and cinematic in its imagery, this is a fast-paced and exciting debut.’
Ink

‘Harper effortlessly draws the reader into the court intrigues and conspiracies of 11th-century Byzantium in his outstanding debut.’
Publishers’ Weekly

‘Scholarly but speedy narrative, steeped in medieval horrors ranging from flogging to famine, all anchored in what feels like a passion for history and spelling out the way things were.’
Literary Review

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