by Joseph J Swope
Author Joseph J. Swope’s new book, Dark Age Monarch: Uther Pendragon, has been released by Black Rose Writing. The historical fantasy novel, Swope’s sixth book, offers an inventive take on the Arthurian legends.
Swope’s new work is a prequel to his previously published book, Dark Age Monarch: The Reign of King Arthur, published in 2022. Dark Age Monarch: Uther Pendragon focuses on the life of Arthur’s father, including his rise to power, his marriage to Ygraine, and his ultimate demise that led to chaos among the beleaguered British forces as they resisted the onslaught of the Saxons, Angles, and other Germanic tribes the 5th and 6th Centuries.
Swope’s books provide an imaginative re-telling of the Arthurian legends that blend the spectacle of Medieval Romance with the research dedicated to identifying the real figures behind King Arthur and his entourage in the early days of the so-called Dark Ages.
“Arthurian legends have been one of my guilty pleasures,” Swope said. “But I have always felt a gap existed between the traditional tales and the historical research that could be bridged. The Dark Age Monarch books represent my attempt to re-cast the Arthur story in a nod to both legend and history.”
Swope taught a course in Arthurian Legends at a local university a number of years ago.
Dark Age Monarch: Uther Pendragon is available from Black Rose Writing at https://www.blackrosewriting.com/fantasy-paranormal/utherpendragon.
In addition, the novel is available at major online booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Dark Age Monarch: Uther Pendragon is available in paperback or ebook.
Black Rose Writing is an independent book publisher based in Texas. Black Rose Writing was established in 2006 and publishes works including fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books.
Earlier works by Joseph J. Swope include:
- Pleasant Valley Lost, which documents the loss of a historic family dairy farm to the Blue March Dam project told through the author’s childhood eyes.
- The Gift, an illustrated children’s book focused on diabetes awareness. The book was illustrated by Swope’s daughter, Chandra.
- Disturbed, a ghost story set in the haunted Coal Region of Northeast Pennsylvania.
- Where Magic and Science Collide, a novel that fuses elements of both fantasy and science fiction.
Swope retired at the beginning of 2024 after completing a 40-year career in public relations and marketing. He worked in the communications department of UGI Utilities, Inc., a natural gas and electric utility based in Pennsylvania for 30 years. Prior to that, he served as the director of public relations at Alvernia College (now University) for 10 years. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at Alvernia for more than 30 years.
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Source: bctv