At the Ruin of the World

A.D. 448. The Roman Empire is crumbling.

The Emperor is weak. Countless Romans live under the rule of barbarian kings. Politicians scheme and ambitious generals vie for power.

Then from the depths of Germany arises an even darker threat: Attila, King of the Huns, gathering his hordes and determined to crush Rome once and for all.

In a time of danger and deception, where every smile conceals betrayal and every sleeve a dagger, three young people hold onto the dream that Rome can be made great once more. But as their fates collide, they find themselves forced to survive in a world more deadly than any of them could ever have imagined.

What can they possibly do to save the Empire, or themselves, from destruction?

“THE LION AND THE LAMB was one of my very favourite novels of last year and John Henry Clay has done it again withAT THE RUIN OF THE WORLD (incidentally, what a great title). Firmly routed in history, this is a compelling and addictive account of the demise of Rome's western empire, focusing in particular on one family that was influential in both the fields of battle and politics.”

Praise for John Henry Clay's debut novel, THE LION AND THE LAMB - ...

Excellent . . . A real page-turner.

One of the finest historical fiction debuts in years.

John Henry Clay is a historian gifted with the imagination of a novelist, and his portrayal of the struggle for Britannia as Rome begins to lose control is vivid, memorable and unsettling.

An engrossing read. - WI Life

Dr John Henry Clay is a Lecturer in History at the University of Durham, from where he has built up an international academic and research reputation in Anglo-Saxon and Frankish history and archaeology, particularly concerning themes of conversion and religious identity, landscape perception and the transition from the late-Roman to the early-medieval period both in Britain and on the Continent. He completed his PhD at the University of York in 2008 and spent time as a visiting researcher at the Institute for Medieval Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, before taking up his post in Durham in 2010.

His first novel was THE LION AND THE LAMB.

A.D. 448. The Roman Empire is crumbling.The Emperor is weak. Countless Romans live under the rule of barbarian kings. Politicians scheme and ambitious generals vie for power. Then from the depths of Germany arises an even darker threat: Attila, King of the Huns, gathering his hordes and determined to crush Rome once and for all.In a time of danger and deception, where every smile conceals betrayal and every sleeve a dagger, three young people hold onto the dream that Rome can be made great once more. But as their fates collide, they find themselves forced to survive in a world more deadly than any of them could ever have imagined. What can they possibly do to save the Empire, or themselves, from destruction?

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.