The Blade
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With nothing but a sword and a gritty determination to live, Woden, the son of a Germanic ex-slave from the land of the steppe, stumbles into the far reaches of the eighth-century empire of Byzantium. He quickly learns that a soldier’s skills and the right blend of ruthlessness, cunning, and luck will win him women, wealth, status, and power.
His quest for worldly rewards propels him through primeval forest lands, vast empty deserts, the great city of Constantinople, Saracen hordes, tribal armies, and walled cities. His skills in hand-to-hand combat and brutal military slaughter and his cunning strategizing gain the respect of his men, the favor of generals, and the adoration of the Empire.
A faithless man among the faithful, Woden lives by the sword as others die by his sword. But is there more to life than surviving? Will Woden’s desperate search for a mental edge to sustain him within the violence surpass his quest for riches?
John Johnson
John R. Johnson's journey from New Canton, Virginia, to the bustling streets of Washington, D.C., has shaped a unique perspective that informs his extensive body of work. Arriving in the District at age six, John became a product of the D.C. educational system-from elementary school through to his graduation from the University of the District of Columbia with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
His thirst for knowledge later led him to the University of Maryland University College, where he earned a second degree in Paralegal Studies. This rare combination of engineering logic and legal insight provides the backbone for his disciplined approach to the craft of writing.
Though he began writing in 1985, John entered a highly productive era in 2012, since which he has self-published 18 books. A true "Renaissance man," John balances his literary life with a passion for the visual and performing arts, often finding inspiration in museums, film, and world travel. He is also a lifelong enthusiast of horseback riding and photography, hobbies that allow him to capture the quiet moments between his next great chapter
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