Book excerpt: A dark sorcerer, a corrupt king and a hidden village of rebels. Assassins are not always the bad guys. A page-turning, sword-fighting fantasy adventure for middle grade and up. In Abbarkon, it is best to keep your head down and your guard up. As long as he can remember, 14-year-old Flint has done exactly that. He ignores both the whispers of a monster named Martokallu and the rumours of a rebel group assassinating high-born dukes. Those stories mean little to him as he washes dishes and scrubs floors. On the one day that Flint breaks his own rule to defend a friend, his master ends up dead. Accident or not, Flint is sentenced to death. Hearing of his exploits, the Hawks rescue him from the executioner and whisk him away to the hidden village of Halklyen. Experts with their blades and bows, the rebels are the true defenders of the kingdom. They give Flint a sword and teach him how to use it. Before long, Flint learns that the dark sorcerer, Martokallu is real. When the Hawks are forced into the open, Flint is ready to join the fight. Will the Hawks be strong enough to win against an army of Martokallu’s Followers? An epic fantasy of heroes and villains, this first book in The Hawks trilogy is the perfect adventure for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, Darren Shan’s Demonata, and John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice. The excitement starts here! Scroll up and order today with one click.