An unflagging Maltese born-and-bred protagonist is set to hit the world of English genre fiction on April 1, with Abel de Santiago gearing up to make a triumphant return in Hero of Rosclogher, the third instalment in Maltese author James Vella-Bardon’s award-winning pentalogy.
This latest instalment, in which The Alamo meets Captain Alatriste, promises to be a gripping tale which further builds on the events of the Spanish Armada as told ‘from the other side’.
Hero of Rosclogher is to be published by Tearaway Press in Sydney, Australia, and follows in the footsteps of its prequel, A Rebel North, which recently earned an honourable mention at the international Royal Dragonfly Awards.
In Hero of Rosclogher, Santiago finds himself one of nine valiant men sworn to defend their Irish protector’s keep against hordes of besieging English troopers with lethal intent. The narrative is woven around one of the least known and remarkable sieges in history, drawing inspiration from a letter penned by the actual survivor of the Spanish Armada in Ireland, Captain Francisco de Cuellar.
The story’s tension is further ratcheted up by questions about Santi’s reunion with his covert passion, Muireann Mac An Bhaird, the poet bard of his adopted tribe. Questions are also raised about Santiago’s secret, emerald ring, an artefact which appears to have prompted the English Viceroy to mobilise over a thousand troops against the westernmost wilds of Ireland.
The recent accolades bestowed upon Vella-Bardon’s work have elevated the author’s status enough for him to be invited to feature at the inaugural Manly Writers Festival. Set to be headlined by world-renowned author Tom Keneally, celebrated for his work on Schindler’s List, the festival promises to be rich in cultural and linguistic diversity and creativity.
The launch dates of Hero of Rosclogher in Malta are soon set to be announced on the author’s social media platforms in the coming weeks.
Local bookshops are already stocked with the first two instalments of Vella-Bardon’s pentalogy, along with two captivating stories centred around Robert the Bruce: Mad King Robin and The Cream of Chivalry. The latter is a bonus, free read for Maltese readers who sign up to Vella-Bardon’s newsletter via his website jamesvellabardon.com.