The Books of Outremer
Once upon a time, a band of believers set out to win control of the holy places for the faithful. It was a long and dangerous journey, and at the end of it they found people whose ways of life were utterly strange to them, who had skills and built cities they could never have imagined. There were miracles, too, and objects of unearthly power, for those who believed. Yet somehow they managed to carve out a group of little kingdoms of the faithful, and to hold on to them for generation after generation. And they called them Outremer, the Land beyond the Sea.
Is this a true story? There are two answers. One is, yes, it is a true story, and you can read about the Crusader Kingdoms in the history books: a good place to start is Sir Steven Runciman's three-volume A History of the Crusades.
The other answer is, yes, of course it's a true story, and Chaz Brenchley invented it. His classic fantasy series The Books of Outremer was first published in the 1990s - and now it is coming back into print.
The new edition of Chaz'z fantasy classic The Books of Outremer from Wizard's Tower Press is completely revised by the author, and appears in six volumes of which the first two are already available. Find ordering details on the publisher's website for the first, The Devil in the Dust, and second, The Tower of the King's Daughter.
For forty years, the Order of the Knights Ransomer has been the sword-arm and conscience of the kingdom. Their stronghold, the Roq de Rançon, is the key to Outremer's defence. But nomadic tribes on the kingdom's borders threaten to reclaim this land that was once theirs, and their charismatic leader, Hasan, is a force to be reckoned with...
Marron, a young man training to be a Ransomer, and Julianne, a noble-born girl betrothed to a man she's never met, have come to the Roq. Here each of them is be put to the test, as they become inextricably bound up in the coming upheaval that will decide the fate of Outremer. And as The Devil in the Dust closes, there are secrets to be revealed.
What is the reason for Sieur Anton's shame? Who is the mysterious prisoner in the Roq's dungeons? Who is Rudel, really, and why does Elisande hate him so? Most importantly of all, what lies within the Roq's forbidden section, the place known as the Tower of the King's Daughter?
Publisher Cheryl Morgan says: "I read the Outremer series in 2004. At the time, Crusader imagery was regularly utilised in support of the war in Iraq, and depiction of queer relationships in fantasy was still a rarity. Consequently the series was a breath of fresh air in a world just starting to go mad. I'm delighted to be able to bring these books back to the reading public."
This website explores the world of Outremer, the magic in it and the factual history behind it, and the interplay between the two.
More about The Books of Outremer:
- Menu for The Devil in the Dust and Tower of the King's Daughter
- Menu for A Dark Way to Glory and Feast of the King's Shadow
- Menu for Hand of the King's Evil and The End of All Roads
- Outremer over the sea - editions outside the UK / covers gallery.
The Books of Outremer (and many of the other books mentioned in this website) can be ordered from Amazon; all you have to do is click on the underlined titles. Or use the search boxes below to buy any other product from Amazon, in the UK or the USA - they will send books anywhere in the world.
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The Books of Outremer © Chaz Brenchley 1998 / 2022
The Outremer website © Jean Rogers 1999 / 2022
Chaz Brenchley is a participant in the Amazon Europe S.a r.l. Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk/Javari.co.uk/Amazon.de/Amazon.fr/Javari.fr/Amazon.it.
Last updated 4th August 2022.