In this story, set in the same universe as "The Squire of Carlovain and The Knight of Carlovain" and "The Explorer of Carlovain," we meet Tenber Nellandrew, the descedent of Andrew and Banred of these prior novels. Again, I am filled with pride at the strength and vibrancy of this novel. Tenber is a soldier through and through in the year 1662, and working with the Duchy of Bremen when he gets a rather peremptory summons from the new King of Carlovain. Returning home, he finds that the new,very young King has fallen passionately in love with him and brought Tenber back to be his lover. But he also places Tenber in supreme command of his armies, including the contingents the other lords have to send to help guard the kingdom. Tenber uses his new rank to establish a powerful centralized army, for he has watched the politics of Europe develop and knows that Carlovain is in imminent danger of being conquered by her neighbors. Added to this, the young King is enamored of the pagentry of the court of the French King, the "Sun King" Louis XIV, and wants to turn Carlovain over to the French in turn for being made a lord of the French court. So High Captain Tenber must not only fend off a pending invasion from England with a force one-quarter the English army's size, he has to keep the King from simply giving Carlovain away in the process. Before it is done, the very fate of Carlovain will rest in Tenber's reluctant hands and he has to make the most important decision of his life--should he seize the throne of Carlovain for himself, or let his country become embroiled in civil war? And never fear, all along the way, Tenber enjoys passionate sex with his fellow officers, members of his army, and others.
