Margins
Tales of the Empire book cover 1
Tales of the Empire book cover 2
Tales of the Empire book cover 3
Tales of the Empire
Series · 7 books · 2009-2017

Books in series

Interregnum book cover
#1

Interregnum

2009

The Empire has fallen. The Empire must rise A historical fantasy tale of valour, honour, and determination against all odds For twenty years civil war has torn the Empire apart; the Imperial line extinguished after the mad Emperor Quintus was burned in his palace, betrayed by his greatest general and oldest friend, Kiva Caerdin. Against a background of war, decay and violence, men who once served in the proud Imperial army now fight as hands for hire, little but fodder for greedy lords fighting over the remnants of more glorious times. Kiva’s memories of the Empire are reignited when fighting alongside a fearsome mercenary unit, the Grey Company. Forced to face a dark and shameful past, he struggles to put his life back together. To achieve redemption, he and his men must defeat an ancient, cunning and bitter rival. Only then can the Empire be unified and become reborn… Set in a hugely imaginative and atmospheric world inspired by Roman history, Interregnum is the first novel in S.J.A. Turney’s epic Tales of the Empire series, and is perfect for readers of Conn Iggulden, Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow.
Ironroot book cover
#2

Ironroot

2010

In the riveting second instalment of a new and epic historical fantasy series, an Imperial captain must confront an ancient treachery... Lucius Varro, a captain in the Fourth Army, is about to have the worst day of his life. Wounded and poisoned in battle, and fearing for his life and his future, he stumbles upon a plot that reaches deep into the past and the roots of everything in which he believes. Accompanied by a young engineer from his unit and the daughter of his commander in chief, he begins to unpeel layers of treachery and murder that threaten not only himself, but the people that he loves. Varro is determined to find his betrayer, but the poison is incurable, and there isn’t much time left… Ironroot is set twenty years after the events of the first Tales of the Empire novel, Interregnum. Inspired by Roman history, this is an evocative and action-packed tale of treason and revenge, sure to delight fans of Conn Iggulden, Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow.
Dark Empress book cover
#3

Dark Empress

2011

When stranded on the fringe of a crumbling Empire, how do you defend what really matters? The nomads of the southern deserts have a saying: “When something is broken it should never be discarded. So long as the pieces remains, the whole can be remade.” A time of trials, war and terror is coming to the desert city of M’Dahz, the Empire’s southernmost outpost. As Imperial power falters, then withdraws, the population lives in constant fear of invasion by vicious Pelasian satraps. Meanwhile, brothers Samir and Ghassan, and their childhood friend Asima, are about to discover that while people can change the world, the world can also change people. They must follow separate paths – as courtesan, naval officer, and pirate – yet their destinies are forever intertwined. Nothing is ever as it seems in this distant corner of the Empire, and a world of unexpected alliances, dangerous jealousies and deepest betrayals awaits them… The third book in S.J.A. Turney’s Tales of the Empire series, Dark Empress is a heart-stopping journey by land and sea through a world of deception, scheming, and surprising valour. Reminiscent of C. S. Forester, Simon Scarrow, and Conn Iggulden, this is historical fantasy at its most readable, its enlightening and exciting best.
Insurgency book cover
#4

Insurgency

2016

A forbidden love. A daring escape. A gathering storm. Forty years have passed since the Empire was restored. Emperor Kiva the Golden, his wife Jala Parishid, and his brother Marshal Quintillian have together overseen decades of peace and prosperity, a time when the horrors of the civil war could begin to fade from memory. But nothing can last forever. A forbidden love drives Quintillian from the capital far into the eastern deserts, where he discovers an unprecedented threat to the Empire’s very survival. And when Jala is kidnapped by a sinister and ruthless group of warriors, it will take all of Kiva’s strength to defend her, his people, and their destiny… Insurgency is the fourth novel in S.J.A. Turney’s Tales of the Empire series, set in a world inspired by Roman history. A sweeping tale of deception, cunning, and military valour, this will appeal to readers of Matthew Harffy, Simon Scarrow, and K.M. Ashman.
Emperor's Bane book cover
#4.5

Emperor's Bane

2016

From barbarian slavery to conquest and treachery For centuries, the Khmar have eked out a nomadic existence on the fringes of civilisation. Tenzhin is only a boy when his tribe strikes deep into the Jin Empire and faces the might of the Jade Emperor. After his father is killed before his eyes, he is plunged into a new world: ancient, courtly – and brutal. Adopted by the Emperor, the boy must forget his old life and learn to survive the challenges of life as a prince. Tenzhin must perfect his mind, his soul and finally his body, in order to prepare for what lies ahead. Allies are few and far between, and eventually he must face the biggest trial of them all… Emperor’s Bane is a novella set in the Tales of the Empire universe. A gritty tale based on the Mongolian invasions of imperial China, it will engross readers of Guy Gavriel Kay and Conn Iggulden. The Tales of the Empire series Interregnum Ironroot Dark Empress Insurgency
Invasion book cover
#5

Invasion

2017

For the glory of Empire! At the Empire’s northern edge lies Alba: strange, savage, unconquerable. Twenty years ago this rain-sodden island defeated a huge Imperial army. Now the Empire returns. Disgraced generals are looking for vengeance. Their forces are accompanied by three promising Tribunes: warlike Bellacon, intelligent Convocus and the joker in the pack, Cantex. As the armies journey into the interior, it becomes clear all is not as it seems. Beyond the realms of the Emperor, treachery is never far away. The invasion will be harder than anyone could have imagined. Can the Tribunes triumph against the odds? Or is this the very limit of Empire…? The explosive and unputdownable new volume in the Tales of the Empire series for readers of Simon Scarrow, Conn Iggulden and George R.R. Martin. The Tales of the Empire series Interregnum Ironroot Dark Empress Insurgency Invasion
Jade Empire book cover
#6

Jade Empire

2017

Empires rise… and empires fall. Can the Empire survive its most awesome challenge yet? Aram of the Inda, a scattered people, has seen his lands pillaged, his sons taken and his empire crushed by the all-powerful Jade Empire. Its numberless armies have crushed the disunited Inda, swarming in from the East. But to the West lies another power, the Empire, ruled by mad Emperor Bassianus. And something powerful is stirring in the wild mountains… Power abhors a vacuum, and the Inda lands are now fair game. The stage is set for a showdown of cataclysmic proportions. Aram and his sons Jai, Dev and Ravi will find themselves at the heart of events that will shake empires to their very foundations. Who will survive this game of conquest? This epochal clash of titans is the blood-curdling conclusion to S.J.A Turney’s Tales of the Empire. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow, Ben Kane and Gordon Doherty.

Author

S.J.A. Turney
S.J.A. Turney
Author · 46 books

Simon lives with his wife and children and a menagerie of animals in rural North Yorkshire, where he sits in an office, wired on coffee and digestive biscuits, and attempts to spin engrossing tales out of strands of imagination while his children drive toys across his desk and two dogs howl as they try to share a brain cell. A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architecture, Simon spends most of his rare free time travelling around ancient sites, writing, researching the ancient world and reading voraciously. Following an arcane and eclectic career path that wound through everything from sheep to Microsoft networks and from paint to car sales, Simon wrote Marius’ Mules and, with help and support, made a success of it. Now, with in excess of 20 novels under his belt, Simon writes full time and is represented by MMB Creative literary agents. Simon writes Roman military novels in the form of the bestselling Marius’ Mules series based on Julius Caesar’s campaigns, Roman thrillers in the Praetorian series, set during the troubled reign of Commodus, medieval adventures in the Ottoman Cycle, following a young Greek thief around the 15th century world, and a series of Historical Fantasy novels with a Roman flavour, called the Tales of the Empire. Simon can be found on Twitter as @SJATurney and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SJATurney/ as well as on his website http://www.sjaturney.co.uk

548 Market St PMB 65688, San Francisco California 94104-5401 USA
© 2025 Paratext Inc. All rights reserved
Tales of the Empire