Second Son Chronicles

It is the dawn of the Renaissance, a time when new ideas are just beginning to emerge. Alfred - the eponymous second son - comes of age in the enlightened court of his grandfather. Alfred is convinced that his life will be unremarkable, spent in diligent but mundane service to king and kingdom. His grandfather, however, foresees for him a special destiny. It is also a time when peace and stability are tenuous, and threats can arise from unexpected quarters.

It was inevitable that the new king would be very different from his father. What no one could foresee was where his penchant for action would lead. It was equally inevitable that Alfred’s brother, John, would do something outrageous. What no one would have predicted is just how far he would exceed the bounds of royal decorum. At a time when the world is changing faster than anyone expected, Alfred must try to create a role for himself that lives up to his grandfather’s vision of his destiny.

The unthinkable has happened: Alfred’s brother, John, is king. And it isn’t long before everyone’s worst fears are realized. Traditional allegiances are shattered under a style of rule unknown since the grand bargain that formed the kingdom was struck over 200 years ago. These will be the most dangerous years of Alfred’s life, forcing him to reexamine his duty to personal honor and to the kingdom, while the threats posed by his brother constantly remind him of his father’s final words of advice. What choices will he have to make to try to protect the things he holds dear?

Coming to his senses in a place he's never seen before, Alfred discovers he has survived the deadly sickness sweeping the land and has also managed, quite by accident, to find his family. But he's also a traitor to the crown for desertion on the field of battle, so he and his family must live in complete seclusion in a remote corner of Gwen's homeland.

Isabella wants to come home—a rather innocuous request—unless you're the king and Isabella is the aunt whose mental instability led her own father to banish her from the kingdom. Her arrival, unbidden, on the steps of the castle opens old wounds and forces Alfred to examine his grandfather's decision.

Now that the destructive force of black powder has been unleashed, Alfred must reinforce his alliances in a world where the nature of conflict has been changed for all time. Against this backdrop, he faces the daunting task of finding a suitable match for his eldest daughter, knowing he must balance the needs of the kingdom against his vow to ensure the happiness of the child whose anticipated arrival kept him alive during his ordeal in captivity.

After three long years of war and disruptions, Alfred hopes for a time of peace and tranquility. A time to devote his energy to bettering the lives of his people, to focus on what the future holds for his children, to nurture his alliances, and to see his previous endeavors bear fruit. But even the home front has bumps in the road. The campaign to suppress Teuton aggression has been costly, Lord Meriden's threat to disrupt the kingdom shows no sign of abating, and Nerrick's growing negativity casts a shadow over the mutual defense plans with the Territories.