Watchers: The Coming of the King - Book 1 of a historical vampire trilogy

williemeikle · 01-02-2011, 03:41 PM

Book 1 of the Watchers Trilogy

The old wall is a border: England and Scotland, South and North, light and darkness.

It is 1745, and the long-awaited night as come. The Bloodking calls his army to battle, and armed with the powers of the undead and the damned, he will bring them South to claim his birthright: The throne of Britain.

Only the old Watchers on the wall stand in his way. They, their swords, and their faith. But too much time has passed and the Watch has grown slack and ill-prepared for the coming war. Only Martin and Sean have seen the horrors that lie ahead for humankind. Only they have the power to stop it.

Now, two young officers of the Watch have a duty to perform:

Stop the Bloodking.

Or die trying.

“…horrifying Highland vampires from the bloodline of the diabolical Stuarts. This first novel…offers excitement that never slackens.” ~ Margaret L. Carter, author of the Eppie Award-winning vampire novel Dark Changeling

“…superb story. Thoroughly enjoyable from the first word to the last. William Meikle has a wonderfully unique style…” — The Eternal Night Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror

“Breathtaking, Scary and Original. A must read. An impressive blend of horror, history and imagination.” ~Dave Dreher, Horror News Network

“I was captivated from the very first scene…Very well written.” ~ Patricia Altner, author of Vampire Readings: An Annotated Bibliography (Scarecrow Press, 1998)

“I’m always impressed when anyone can add a new twist to the venerable vampire canon. Hugely enjoyable fun to read.” ~ Joe Gordon, The Alien Online

“It is refreshing to read a story where the triumph of good over evil is far from definite…” ~ The Eternal Night Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror

“Meikle blends reality and fantasy so well that the reader believes that it could have happened.” ~ Kelly Rothenberg, author of Hitler in Progress

“Meikle…can grace the page with words of beauty whilst twisting a nightmare into grotesque shapes before your eyes.” ~ Len Maynard and Mick Sims, author of The Secret Geography of Nightmare and Incantations

davejeffery · 01-02-2011, 04:57 PM

A great series.

williemeikle · 01-03-2011, 11:35 AM

Thanks Dave

The book is my retelling of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion in Britain. Bonnie Prince Charlie, and all his highland army, are Vampires and are heading south to claim the British throne. The "Watchers" of the title are the guards of the old Roman wall built by Hadrian, now reinforced to keep the vamps out. It is constantly patrolled by officers of the Watch, two of whom become the main protagonists of the series. I got the idea on a walk along what is left of the wall, and by the time I'd had finished my walk and had a few beers the first part of the trilogy was fully formed in my head. Think "ZULU" or "Last of the Mohicans" with vamps and you'll get a feel of what I was trying to do.

I was dealing with a retelling of the Bonnie Prince Charlie story, where romantic myths have subsumed the harsh reality of a coup gone badly wrong. I needed to strip all the romance out of the Highlanders and build them up from the bottom. Making them a shambling army of vamps and mindless drones seemed an obvious place to start. The Watchers series is a swashbuckler, but there is little lace and finery. What I do have is blood and thunder, death and glory in big scale battles and small scale heartbreak. I love it.

01-02-2011, 03:41 PM	#1
williemeikle Are the stars right yet? Posts: 209 Karma: 250270 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Newfoundland Device: none	Watchers: The Coming of the King - Book 1 of a historical vampire trilogy Book 1 of the Watchers Trilogy The old wall is a border: England and Scotland, South and North, light and darkness. It is 1745, and the long-awaited night as come. The Bloodking calls his army to battle, and armed with the powers of the undead and the damned, he will bring them South to claim his birthright: The throne of Britain. Only the old Watchers on the wall stand in his way. They, their swords, and their faith. But too much time has passed and the Watch has grown slack and ill-prepared for the coming war. Only Martin and Sean have seen the horrors that lie ahead for humankind. Only they have the power to stop it. Now, two young officers of the Watch have a duty to perform: Stop the Bloodking. Or die trying. “…horrifying Highland vampires from the bloodline of the diabolical Stuarts. This first novel…offers excitement that never slackens.” ~ Margaret L. Carter, author of the Eppie Award-winning vampire novel Dark Changeling “…superb story. Thoroughly enjoyable from the first word to the last. William Meikle has a wonderfully unique style…” — The Eternal Night Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror “Breathtaking, Scary and Original. A must read. An impressive blend of horror, history and imagination.” ~Dave Dreher, Horror News Network “I was captivated from the very first scene…Very well written.” ~ Patricia Altner, author of Vampire Readings: An Annotated Bibliography (Scarecrow Press, 1998) “I’m always impressed when anyone can add a new twist to the venerable vampire canon. Hugely enjoyable fun to read.” ~ Joe Gordon, The Alien Online “It is refreshing to read a story where the triumph of good over evil is far from definite…” ~ The Eternal Night Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror “Meikle blends reality and fantasy so well that the reader believes that it could have happened.” ~ Kelly Rothenberg, author of Hitler in Progress “Meikle…can grace the page with words of beauty whilst twisting a nightmare into grotesque shapes before your eyes.” ~ Len Maynard and Mick Sims, author of The Secret Geography of Nightmare and Incantations

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01-02-2011, 04:57 PM	#2
davejeffery Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 1302 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	A great series.

01-03-2011, 11:35 AM	#3
williemeikle Are the stars right yet? Posts: 209 Karma: 250270 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Newfoundland Device: none	Thanks Dave The book is my retelling of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion in Britain. Bonnie Prince Charlie, and all his highland army, are Vampires and are heading south to claim the British throne. The "Watchers" of the title are the guards of the old Roman wall built by Hadrian, now reinforced to keep the vamps out. It is constantly patrolled by officers of the Watch, two of whom become the main protagonists of the series. I got the idea on a walk along what is left of the wall, and by the time I'd had finished my walk and had a few beers the first part of the trilogy was fully formed in my head. Think "ZULU" or "Last of the Mohicans" with vamps and you'll get a feel of what I was trying to do. I was dealing with a retelling of the Bonnie Prince Charlie story, where romantic myths have subsumed the harsh reality of a coup gone badly wrong. I needed to strip all the romance out of the Highlanders and build them up from the bottom. Making them a shambling army of vamps and mindless drones seemed an obvious place to start. The Watchers series is a swashbuckler, but there is little lace and finery. What I do have is blood and thunder, death and glory in big scale battles and small scale heartbreak. I love it.