the Sparrow and Blade

Rome, AD 980.A city rots beneath its former splendour. Aurelius is a Benedictine monk, surgeon, and reluctant keeper of forbidden knowledge. When the life of the emperor's son hangs on a knife edge, Aurelius makes a fateful decision that binds him to power and leaves him questioning his vows. Sent from the monastery to accompany the ailing Hugo to Rome, he finds himself persuaded to remain as an adviser to the Imperial Household before the city's walls are even in sight. In Rome, he finds a people starving, noble houses divided by ambition, and streets haunted by violence. As altered charters, bought loyalties, and buried secrets come to light, Aurelius discovers that in Rome even faith and hunger have become weapons. To heal Rome, he must learn how deeply the sickness runs - and decide whether breaking silence will cost him his soul, his life, or both. A tale of faith, blood, knowledge, and redemption, The Sparrow and the Blade is the first book in the Journals of Aurelius.