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Table of ContentsTitle PageCopyright PageAcknowledgementsDedication Part I - THE COMING OF THE KINGChapter 1 - THE STONE HORSEMAN The steppes of Scythia, near the River ...Chapter 2 - THE BURNING TENTChapter 3 - THE CHOSEN MENChapter 4 - LITTLE BIRDChapter 5 - THE RAID ON TANAISChapter 6 - THE SPIESChapter 7 - THE EMPRESS AND THE GENERALChapter 8 - THE NEW ROMEChapter 9 - THE STORY OF ATHENAÏSChapter 10 - THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEMChapter 11 - THE BARBARY COAST IN FLAMESChapter 12 - THE PRINCESS AND THE SLAVE-GIRLChapter 13 - THE DOOM OF ROME Part II - THE BINDING OF THE TRIBESChapter 1 - THE SWORD OF SAVASH AND THE TRIBUTE KINGSChapter 2 - RIDING EAST: MEMORIES OF CHINAChapter 3 - THE FATE OF THE MERCHANTS FROM PERSIAChapter 4 - THE VILLAGEChapter 5 - THE BUDUN-BORU: THE PEOPLE OF THE WOLFChapter 6 - THE TRIBUTE, IN WEIGHT NOT LESS THAN A MANChapter 7 - A FEW YARDS OF GREY DESERTChapter 8 - THE CAPTURED, THE WOUNDED AND THE DAMNEDChapter 9 - GOOD MEDICINE, BAD MEDICINEChapter 10 - HUSBANDS AND WIVESChapter 11 - THE COLUMN OF THE NORTHERN WEIChapter 12 - THE MOUNTAINSChapter 13 - THE MOUNTAIN KINGDOM OF THE SYPHILITIC GOD-KINGChapter 14 - BAYAN-KASGARChapter 15 - HOMECOMINGChapter 16 - THE SICKNESS OF ELLAK, THE POWER OF ENKHTUYAChapter 17 - ATTILA SPEAKS, THE COUNCIL LISTENS Part III - THE HUNGVARChapter 1 - RIDING WESTChapter 2 - THE IDIOT CHILDChapter 3 - A PUNITIVE EXPEDITIONChapter 4 - IN THE COURT OF THE VISIGOTHS: A GAME OF CHESS EPILOGUE
Praise for Attila: the Gathering of the Storm‘[A] rip-roaring account of the boyhood of Attila the Hun, a tale jam-packed with epic set pieces, bloody battles, a fair bit of history and the requisite lusty interludes ... [a] gripping novel’Daily Mail‘William Napier has a genius for making the blood-dimmed chaos of ancient history into the very stuff of thrilling narrative’Tom Holland, author of Rubicon and Persian Fire‘He brings the fifth century back to horrible life and convincingly sets up the major players of the time for the turmoil that will have the world rocking on its axis ... Attila’s a winner’Sunday Sport‘William Napier’s rattling good yarn ... Napier tells a great story, complete with smells and sounds, and lots of gore. The battle descriptions are particularly good . . . I couldn’t put it down’Big Issue
William Napier is the author of two previous novels. He lives in Wiltshire and travels widely. He is currently working on the final novel in the Attila trilogy.
Title Page
Copyright Page
Acknowledgements
Dedication
LIST OF PRINCIPAL CHARACTERSCharacters marked with an asterisk were real historical figures. The rest might have been.Aëtius* (pronounced Eye-EE-shuss) - Gaius Flavius Aëtius, born 15 August, 398, in the frontier town of Silestria, in modern-day Bulgaria. The son of Gaudentius, Master-General of Cavalry, and himself later Master-General of the Roman Armies of the WestAladar - Hun warrior, the son of Chanat, and one of the eight chosen menAmalasuntha* - only daughter of King Theodoric of the VisigothsAthenais* - daughter of Leontius, a Professor at Athens, and later the wife of the Emperor Theodosius IIAttila* - born 15 August 398. The King of the HunsBayan-Kasgar - general and later king of the People of OronchaBela - Hun warrior, one of the eight chosen menBleda* (pronounced BLAY-da) - Elder brother of AttilaCandac - Hun warrior, one of the eight chosen menChanat - Hun warrior, one of the eight chosen menCharaton (pronounced Karaton) - chief of the White HunsCheca* - Queen Checa, first wife of AttilaCsaba - Hun warrior, one of the eight chosen menDengizek* - eldest son of AttilaEllak* - second son of AttilaEnkhtuya - a witch of the Kutrigur HunsGalla Placidia* (pronounced Galla Pla-SID-ia) - born 388. Sister of Emperor Honorius, mother of Emperor Valentinian IIIGenseric* - born 389 near Lake Balaton, modern-day Hungary. King of the Vandals from 428Geukchu - Hun warrior, one of the eight chosen menHonoria* - born 422, daughter of Galla Placidia, sister of Valentinian IIIHonorius* - born 390. Emperor of the Western Empire until 423Juchi - Hun warrior, one of the eight chosen menKouridach (pronounced Kuridak) - chief of the Hepthalite HunsLittle Bird - a Hun shamanMundzuk* - older brother of Ruga, and briefly King of the HunsNoyan - Hun warrior, one of the eight chosen menOrestes* - a Greek slave by birth, and lifelong companion of AttilaPulcheria* - sister to the Emperor Theodosius IIRuga* - younger brother of Mundzuk, and later King of the HunsSky-in-Tatters - chief of the Kutrigur HunsTheodoric* - son of Alaric, and himself King of the Visigoths, 419-451Theodoric the Younger* - the first of Theodoric’s six sonsTheodosius II*, nicknamed ‘Kalligraphos’, the Calligrapher - Emperor of the Eastern Empire, 408-450Tokuz-Ok, ‘Nine Arrows’ - God-King of the People of OronchaTorismond* - the second of King Theodoric’s six sonsValentinian* - born 419, Emperor of the Western Empire, 425-455Yesukai - Hun warrior, one of the eight chosen men
Chapter 9
PROLOGUEThirty years passed after the Hun boy, Prince Attila, was sent into exile, and the world knew an uneasy peace. What he experienced during that exile in the unimaginable wastes of Scythia, with only his faithful Greek slave Orestes for company, none can tell. But one can surmise well enough. For scripture warns us that man is born to sorrow as the sparks fly upward. And exceptional men are born to exceptional sorrow.In the first volume of my chronicle, I, Priscus of Panium, told of Attila’s boyhood as a hostage in Rome, of his escape and flight through an Italy ravaged and laid waste by the Goths, and of his doomed return to his Hun homelands. In this, my second volume, I shall tell of what came thereafter: of Attila’s return from the haunted wilderness, and the blood-darkened day on which he made himself king; and of how he gathered all the tribes of his own and kindred peoples and welded them into an army vast and terrible enough to fulfil his final ambition. To turn upon the Empire of Rome, that hated Empire which had tormented his boyhood, destroyed his youth, and humiliated his people during the long years of his exile. To make all ready for his long-meditated and apocalyptic vengeance.Then let our story resume.
Part I - THE COMING OF THE KING
Chapter 1 - THE STONE HORSEMAN The steppes of Scythia, near the River ...
Chapter 2 - THE BURNING TENT
Chapter 3 - THE CHOSEN MEN
Chapter 4 - LITTLE BIRD
Chapter 5 - THE RAID ON TANAIS
Chapter 6 - THE SPIES
Chapter 7 - THE EMPRESS AND THE GENERAL
Chapter 8 - THE NEW ROME
Chapter 9 - THE STORY OF ATHENAÏS
Chapter 10 - THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM
Chapter 11 - THE BARBARY COAST IN FLAMES
Chapter 12 - THE PRINCESS AND THE SLAVE-GIRL
Chapter 13 - THE DOOM OF ROME
Part II - THE BINDING OF THE TRIBES
Chapter 1 - THE SWORD OF SAVASH AND THE TRIBUTE KINGS
Chapter 2 - RIDING EAST: MEMORIES OF CHINA
Chapter 3 - THE FATE OF THE MERCHANTS FROM PERSIA
Chapter 4 - THE VILLAGE
Chapter 5 - THE BUDUN-BORU: THE PEOPLE OF THE WOLF
Chapter 6 - THE TRIBUTE, IN WEIGHT NOT LESS THAN A MAN
Chapter 7 - A FEW YARDS OF GREY DESERT
Chapter 8 - THE CAPTURED, THE WOUNDED AND THE DAMNED
Chapter 9 - GOOD MEDICINE, BAD MEDICINE
Chapter 10 - HUSBANDS AND WIVES
Chapter 11 - THE COLUMN OF THE NORTHERN WEI
Chapter 12 - THE MOUNTAINS
Chapter 13 - THE MOUNTAIN KINGDOM OF THE SYPHILITIC GOD-KING
Chapter 14 - BAYAN-KASGAR
Chapter 15 - HOMECOMING
Chapter 16 - THE SICKNESS OF ELLAK, THE POWER OF ENKHTUYA
Chapter 17 - ATTILA SPEAKS, THE COUNCIL LISTENS
Part III - THE HUNGVAR
Chapter 1 - RIDING WEST
Chapter 2 - THE IDIOT CHILD
Chapter 3 - A PUNITIVE EXPEDITION
Chapter 4 - IN THE COURT OF THE VISIGOTHS: A GAME OF CHESS
EPILOGUE
Attila: The Gathering Of The Storm WILLIAM NAPIER Orionwww.orionbooks.co.uk
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