For fans of historical fiction there’s a wealth of great new writing to choose from at the moment – and thanks to the splendid folks at Headline, one lucky winner of our new competition can get two trilogies of great historical novels.

Firstly, we have the nautical adventures of Nathan Peake, as written by Seth Hunter: The Time of Terror, The Tide of War and the forthcoming The Price of Glory. Described as ‘Patrick O’Brian meets John Le Carre’, they feature Nathan Peake, British naval officer and spy during the war with Revolutionary France. In the first of these tales, it is 1793, and Peake, Commander of the brig-sloop Nereus based at Rye in East Sussex, is unhappy with his commission and is desperate for some real action. When revolutionary France declares war on England, he gets his chance. The French have killed their king and are about to embark on that violent period of bloodletting known as the Terror. Peake is entrusted with a vital mission to wreck the French economy by smuggling millions of French banknotes across the Channel and into the heart of Paris. But opposition to the Terror mounts and Peake is soon forced to leave Paris and find the storm-tossed British squadrons in the Atlantic…

Secondly, we have first three books of M.K. Hume’s King Arthur series: Dragon’s Child, Warrior of the West and The Bloody Cup. They tell the epic tale of the man destined to become Arthur, High King of the Britons.

The Dark Ages: a time of chaos and bloodshed.  The Roman legions have long deserted the Isles and the despotic Uther Pendragon, High King of Celtic Britain, is nearing death, his kingdom torn apart by the jostling for his throne. Of unknown parentage, Artorex in growing up in the household of his foster father Lord Ector.  One day, three strangers arrive and arrange for Artorex to be taught the martial skills of the warrior; blade and shield, horse and fire, pain and bravery. When they return, years later, Artorex is not only trained in the arts of battle, he is also a married man. The country is in desperate straits for the great cities of the east are falling to the menace of the Saxon hordes. Artorex becomes a war chieftain, and wins many battles that earns him the trust of his Celtic warriors and proves that Artorex alone can unite the tribes. But, if he is to fulfil his destiny and become the High King of the Britons, Artorex must find Uther’s crown and sword. The future of Britain is at stake.

To be in with a chance of winning, display your historical knowledge and answer the following two questions:

1. Which of these Knights of the Round Table was King Arthur’s illegitimate son?
2. What was the execution method favoured in Revolutionary France?

Terms and conditions

1. Closing date for entries: 3rd July 2010.
2. Open to residents of the United Kingdom only.
3. Entry to the competition is by completion of the above form only. Anyone submitting multiple entries will be disqualified.
4. The winners will be selected at random from those correct entries received before the closing date.
5. Only the winning entrants will be contacted by Bookgeeks. Our decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
6. The winner’s name(s) may be published on the Bookgeeks website after the closing date of the competition.
7. The competition is not open to Bookgeeks and their families, or to employees of Headline Publishing and their families.

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