In 232 CE, a Roman envoy returned from China and met Emperor Severus Alexander at Antioch. He showed the emperor a sky lantern and how the hot air in its envelope lifted it upward. The envoy also recounted how sky lanterns were used by a Chinese army commander to signal his troops over long distances. Other than a short account of this moment, a footnote in our history, nothing came of it. But what if one person who witnessed that demonstration had decided to see if a person could be lifted upward in a similar manner? What could have been built and how might it have evolved using the technology of that era?
Answering those questions led Stittsville author John W. Egan to use his historical research skills and military experience to create the Roman Sky series, novels set in a 6th century Roman Empire that has airships.
Published at the end of June, Justinian’s Shore is John W. Egan’s fifth novel in the series. This latest story starts a year after the Romans and Caledonii (Picts) have reluctantly joined forces to stop the Scoti (Irish) invasion of Caledonia and Roman Britannia. After pushing the Scoti back to Dalriada, their colony on Caledonia’s west coast, the fragile alliance must now defend Caledonia’s east coast from a pending invasion by the seafaring tribes of Scandia and Germania. When and where the Germani and Scandiae longships will land is not known, nor if the Scots of Dalriada will join them. So, the Roman legions, including the airships of the Fourth Airborne Legion, must spread out along Caledonia’s eastern shores to help the Caledonii defend their land.
One century of airships is commanded by the series’ protagonist, Cillian. He became a Roman citizen when his Scotian father, a Roman Army centurion, retired. This reward also obligated Cillian to join the army. Some in the army hate his Scot-Goth parentage and resent his rapid rise in rank. But Empress Theodora and the Caledonian druidess, Coevla, believe Cillian’s mixed lineage can serve their causes. Cillian is determined to seek his own destiny instead of serving theirs and not let them distract him from his duties and the coming battles of this summer. But the empress and the druidess have other ideas for Cillian.
Author John W. Egan settled in Stittsville a dozen years ago, shortly before he was released from the Canadian Forces due to injuries including those incurred while on loan to Sierra Leone Army. John and a small team helped rebuild Sierra Leone’s defeated, shattered army and led it against the Revolutionary United Front, or RUF, infamous for its amputations and blood diamonds. John helped the army take back its country from the rebels and end the RUF War in one year, something a decade of UN peacekeeping and other interventions had failed to do over ten years. Three decades later, the peace and democracy won back then still endures.
It was John’s experience in the RUF War that led him to become an author. After John came to Stittsville, he started a writing group at the local library. He wrote on many topics but found that stories about the war were difficult to write; that is until he wrote them from the viewpoint of several girl rebels he had fought, some of whom later fought alongside him and two of whom saved his life at different times.
John then used his interest in history and science fiction and experience of war to write about the paths not taken in our history. Some of his short stories were set in the same alternative timelines and those stories grew into novels. And several novels have grown into series, such as the Roman Sky series that John started four years ago.
The Roman Sky series has been read by thousands in eleven countries so far. Each new story attracts new readers to the series. The growing readership, their reviews, and their ratings are appreciated by a self-publishing author who does little to promote his books. Even the Boston Public Library of Massachusetts has purchased the series, which prevents John from claiming that he too was “banned in Boston.”
John’s novels are available around the world as e-books from major booksellers, except Chapters-Indigo Canada. That ironic exclusion inspired the paraphrase, “An author is not without booksellers except in his own country.” John’s books are available as paperbacks through Amazon.
