Guardians of the East

2300 BC. The Akkadians have blazed a trail of death and destruction through the Sumerian city-states as they carve out the first empire the world has ever seen. Barbarian raids and bandit attacks plague the outskirts of the burgeoning empire. From the chaos, a tribe emerges and establishes their reputation as Guardians - protectors of innocent traders. When an Akkadian army crosses the mighty Zagros Mountains, to forge a stronghold in the East, only the Guardians stand in their way. Millennia later, in 1850 AD, English archaeologist, Fred Baker, becomes embroiled in this ancient past when he learns of a manuscript that survived the fall of the Great Library of Alexandria. His authentication of the text could challenge written history but he must also tread carefully or risk losing more than his reputation.

Unrivalled and growing stronger, the Akkadian Empire is expanding its borders to the frontiers of the known world. But, the threat of the Guardians, a humiliating stain on King Sargon's otherwise unblemished war record, remains. From a hidden tower, east of the Zagros Mountains, a cohort of experienced Guardians embark on a deadly mission west to rescue villagers thought taken as slaves. Kar, the youngest Guardian man, must decide whether his duty is to protect those who remain at the tower or another tribe in peril. Millennia later, in Cairo 1850 AD, English archaeologist Fred Baker follows an account of the Guardians' journey beyond Nineveh, believing it could reveal an undiscovered city-the ultimate dig site. If he can identify it before his meeting with the Egyptian librarian who loaned him the ancient manuscript, a daring journey in the footsteps of the Guardians awaits. J.P. Manning's second novel awakens the ancient past in splendid detail, leaving no sword unsheathed in book 2 of the Guardians of the East trilogy.

Destiny. Death. Change. 1850 AD. English archaeologist Fred Baker has identified the location of the lost city of Assur. To lay claim on the site he must venture into the heart of the Ottoman Empire. Luckily, he has something rarely afforded to archaeologists, the written accounts of ancient guides-the Guardians of the East. 2300 BC. Kar, a Guardian of the East, has travelled west to the Great Sea to rescue a peaceful people from Akkadian domination. If successful, he can pursue his ultimate quest, fighting the illusive God King, Sargon, thus challenging his mortality. King Sargon has his own plans and a second assault on the Guardians' homeland looms. East and West clash in this final book in the Guardians of the East trilogy. The mystery of the Tree and all that will be hereafter is revealed. Here be told the fate of the Guardians, the fate of the last God King and the inherent fate of all humankind.