Cutting the Gordian Knot synopsis

Cutting the Gordian Knot (The final solution)

I am pleased to reveal the synopsis of the final book in The Torc Trilogy.

I will be revealing the meaning behind the title in another blog soon.

Please note; this book is not yet available for purchase.

Two months after their disastrous holiday, Orlagh and Jerry are at home in Ireland recovering from their terrifying ordeal.

The Belgae Torc is at last on display at the National Museum and Orlagh is under increasing pressure to divide her time between her work at the museum and heading up an archaeological dig in County Meath.  She is convinced that an ancient battle between Iron Age tribes took place here and is determined to prove her theory, but as archaeologists begin to unearth the truth, they are faced with some unexpected surprises.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, Jack Harrington is making discoveries of his own and finds himself juggling personal and professional commitments.  His organisation is still recovering from recent events in the Mediterranean and is loathed to be drawn into another deadly conflict, but like it or not, there are unresolved issues that cannot be avoided.

The Phoenix Legion is about to implement the final phase of its master plan and this time Schiffer is convinced that nothing can stop him from realising his goal.

With the past merging with the present, the elements of a deadly conclusion are finally coming together.  Will history repeat itself or can another worldwide catastrophe be avoided?   

Book cover, the design process

When designing the cover for the final book in The Torc Trilogy,

I decided to focus on the druid/Celtic elements of the plot.  I wanted to use an image of a standing stone so began searching the internet for standing stones.  Once I had shortlisted a number of likely images, I became increasingly undecided.  It was then that I remembered drawing a number of stones some years ago, so looking through my files I came across this pen, ink and colouring pencil drawing.  

This simple sketch of a bleak landscape with standing stones was exactly what I was looking for, so I photographed it and cropped about half of it out, deciding on this view.

I had found the basic design for my cover and was pleased that it was one of my own pieces of artwork.

The Gordian Knot

The second part of the design was to underpin the Celtic element. 
I wanted to keep the theme of my previous book going, so I decided to include the Celtic knot.

The second book in The Torc Trilogy incorporating the Celtic knot design

The Trinity or Celtic knot

Only a fraction of this design was used in the finished book cover.


After much thought I settled on my title. 

I had used this as my working title throughout the writing of this book, but decided on a small addition so my title became:-

Cutting the Gordian Knot (the final solution)

And so the cover was created.

I will be explaining more about the title of this book in future blogs.

This book is not yet available for purchase.

More information to follow so watch this space!

Exciting news!

The Torc Trilogy

The third book in The Torc Trilogy will be revealed soon.

Book One

Book Two

For more information about my books visit my website: www.kevinmarshnovels.co.uk 

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Next book almost done.

My next book, part three in The Torc Trilogy is almost done.
The cover has been produced from my own artwork and the design has been agreed.
Today I sent the text and extra pages to my publisher so when it has been PDF'd, one more read through will be required and probably some minor tweaks then it will be ready for publishing.
I'm gearing up to reveal the title and cover, so watch this space!

Thoughts on a dreary Sunday morning

Sunday morning and I’m sitting under the veranda listening to rain tap dancing on the roof.  Flicking lazily through the latest edition of a writing magazine, I come across an article on successful marketing and I can’t help thinking about my own rapidly sinking sales figures.  I must find ways to raise the profile of my books.

The article suggests spending a frightening amount of time on social media sites, submitting book reviews, (to who I wonder?), arranging promotions, compiling databases, writing regular newsletters to send to anyone willing to read them.  The list of ‘good ideas’ goes on. 

When, I think do I get time to write the next novel?

The article continues with success stories written by authors who it seems have been advertising guru’s in previous lives or have had careers in publishing or some other such organisation.

The day is becoming as miserable as my mood and I regret stumbling across this article.  Turning the page I see colourful adverts that are full of promises but in reality are designed to maximise the profits of the service providers.

Sinking deeper into despondency I decide to cheer myself up with a chocolate biscuit and a cup of coffee but I notice that birds are gathering in the trees at the bottom of my garden.  They come together a spontaneous community, creatures searching for shelter as they wait silently for the weather to improve, then suddenly a dove begins to coo, it's the sound of hope, a sign sent to encourage me to direct my thoughts more positively.

My list of ‘good ideas’ is almost complete and flicking through the remaining pages the rain stops and the birds go mad with relief.   All I have to do it seems is to follow the directions from my list of marketing strategies and like the smiling faces on the pages of my magazine I too can become a bestselling author.

So I’m let to believe!   

The druids and The Torc Trilogy

Druids are members of the educated, professional class among the Celtic peoples of Gaul, Britain and Ireland.  The druid class included law speakers, poets, doctors and other learned professions but were best known as religious leaders.

Very little is known about ancient druids.  They left no written accounts of themselves and the only evidence are a few descriptions left by Greek, Roman and various scattered authors and artists.

Archaeological evidence has been uncovered pertaining to the religious practices of the Iron Age people but not a single artifact or image has been unearthed that can undoubtedly be connected with the ancient druids.

Druids play a large role in the books from The Torc Trilogy; I like to think they form the physical link between the modern world and the past.  They have power and dominate various chapters and I liked the way I could play with the mysticism surrounding them then portray them as vulnerable human beings.  The power struggle between them and the Phoenix Legion is evident throughout my three novels and the persecution to which they are subjected is reminiscent of the Nazi control over ethnic peoples in Europe during the 1940s.

A lot of the story in my books takes place underground.  This is an idea of what a druid ceremony might look like in the depths of the earth.

I wanted to use the elements of distrust and constant antagonism between the druids and the Phoenix Legion as a kind of power race; whoever got there first would be the victor.  The druids suffered greatly at the hands of the Phoenix Legion who used the theory of divide and conquer. I also used this to help add mystery to my plot, I was hoping that the reader would not be aware of which druids to trust and which ones to avoid.

Often the druids would conduct a ceremony in a sacred grove.

The druids and the Phoenix Legion were unlikely allies, but both parties were aware of how powerful the other was and by uniting they could became a much stronger force.

Another image of a sacred grove.  Orlagh would have experienced scenes like this when on her Dream Quest.

I was working on the theory that eventually the Phoenix Legion would come to despise the druids and regard them as some kind of ethnic minority, so in each novel the tension between them builds until eventually a victor must emerge.  

Sacred stones also featured in my books as a link between the spirit world and modern day.