- Paperback: 240 pages
- Publisher: KHP Industries (1 Jan 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0967922046
- ISBN-13: 978-0967922041
- Product Dimensions: 21.5 x 14.2 x 1.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,448,715 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Watchers: The Coming of the King
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More About the Author
Product Description
Lesley Mazey for The Eternal Night website
...It is a superb story. Thoroughly enjoyable from the first word to the last. William Meikle has a wonderfully unique style...
Nancy Kilpatrick, author of The Power of the Blood series
William Meikle does it again! The past comes alive, especially the undead!
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If the concept of a hoard of Royalist vampires attacking from Scotland and trying to reclaim the English crown sounds a bit corny, don't worry - it really works.
William Meikle has managed to forge a dark and compelling story by taking some exciting British history and his own brand of vampire story telling and then giving them a good mix.
The story introduces us to Martin and Sean, two soldiers of the Hadrian's Wall watch who are tasked with looking after a traveller and his daughter who arrive from the north.
Between them, their stories introduce the reader to the history of the Others and how they plan to retake the throne.
As the first part of a trilogy, it sets the scene perfectly for the remainder of the series - and I, for one, can't wait for the next book.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
It's the mid 1700s, and while most of England is carrying on its day-to-day activities as usual, up at Hadrian's Wall, everyone lives in fear for their souls - for on the other side, the vampires rule.
Our introduction to this alternate history is first as a witness to the execution of Charles I in London, in 1649. We learn he had been liked - until he "came out" as a vampire, whereupon he was quickly condemned, thus keeping England vampire-free.
We are then transported a hundred or so years forward, to 1745, and to a border fort/town, where we meet our two mischievous protagonists. Still young, they don't take their guard duties too seriously, unable to believe the dire warnings of the elders. But it all beings to come true.
The first inkling of the true horror beyond the wall is given when a refugee comes seeking sanctuary for himself and his daughter. He brings tales of the marauders, and knowledge that they are gathering strength again. It was in one of their raids on the few remaining human settlements that he lost the rest of his family, and his daughter was injured and left in a coma. He had nowhere left to turn, so sought the borders.
And so the adventure begins: one of the young men, Sean, is besotted by the unconscious girl, and takes on the duty to convey her to a doctor in Sheffield; the other, Martin, volunteers to go over the wall with the man, Campbell, with the aim of gathering more precise information on the plans of the vampires.
During their various travels, we are given the opportunity to learn the relevant history. For example, that the Battle of Bannockburn, where Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II, was in fact won thanks to the Bruce recruiting the vampires, and granting them land in return for their help. And thus, the vampire population of Scotland was begun.
The adventures of Sean and Martin remain linked through the story, and at the end, the find themselves back at their hometown quite unexpectedly. Their lives have already changed immeasurably, but further change is still on the horizon, for this is the first book of three.
The book is very well-written. The language is rich, giving you no trouble imagining things hiding in every shadow and around every corner, and the pace keeps you going -long after you should have turned out the lights and gone to bed yourself :) I found myself carrying the book everywhere, and taking slightly longer over lunch than I should have, as I just had to know what was happening!
Book Two was published about a month ago, and my copy has just arrived, so with this review now complete - I am off to read the next instalment.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Meikle just gets better.
A tour through his vast back catalogue of superb short stories followed by the scarce debut novel "Book of the Dark" and the ground breaking "Island Life" leads us to his best work yet, "Watchers of the Wall". Not content with confining himself to the realms of fiction, this time Meikle takes us on a journey through the mists of time and myth, seamlessly melding his unique exploration of vampire lore with the cast iron straight jacket of fact. Armed with the skilfully drawn characters of Martin, Sean, Campbell and the Thane he begins an epic tale of the vampire involvement in the hard fought battle for the glory and valour of a long ago Scotland. "Watchers" gives the reader an immensely compelling read replete with a tantalising cliff-hanger, paving the way well for a sequel.
Could it really have happened this way? Find out for yourself. In the past. In the shadows of the Glens and the Black Horde. In the thick of the battle. In the Forty-Five.
A tour through his vast back catalogue of superb short stories followed by the scarce debut novel "Book of the Dark" and the ground breaking "Island Life" leads us to his best work yet, "Watchers of the Wall". Not content with confining himself to the realms of fiction, this time Meikle takes us on a journey through the mists of time and myth, seamlessly melding his unique exploration of vampire lore with the cast iron straight jacket of fact. Armed with the skilfully drawn characters of Martin, Sean, Campbell and the Thane he begins an epic tale of the vampire involvement in the hard fought battle for the glory and valour of a long ago Scotland. "Watchers" gives the reader an immensely compelling read replete with a tantalising cliff-hanger, paving the way well for a sequel.
Could it really have happened this way? Find out for yourself. In the past. In the shadows of the Glens and the Black Horde. In the thick of the battle. In the Forty-Five.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Another Dark story unfolds..
Jacobite Vampires, biblical curses and mystical forest dwellers - you'd think there would eventually be a limit to Mr Meikle's verdant imagination, but once again we have a... Read more
Published 6 months ago by DJP
Now for Books 2 & 3
I've just finished reading this book, the first of three and can say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm not usually one for vampire stories but coupled with an 18th century... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Gayle Ramage
A Really Good Read
It's a long time since I read a vampire novel, although I remember being hooked on Bram Stoker's Dracula many moons ago. This vampire novel, though, is nothing like the Stoker one. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mrs. C. H. Longmuir
The beginning of a magnificent adventure.
Hi there,
I read this book as a portion of the Omnibus edition that contained the trilogy. Read more
I read this book as a portion of the Omnibus edition that contained the trilogy. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Ricky Sides
Watchers
This book had me gripped from beginning to end. Cant wait to read more from this author
Published on 18 Jun 2005
Meikle's best so far
Readers familiar with William Meikle's previous work will definitely appreciate his latest novel, Watchers: The Coming of the King. Read more
Published on 14 Feb 2003
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