A Century of Swords: Meet the Authors bringing the Hundred Years War back to life

A Century of Swords is a new Hundred Years War historical fiction anthology from 35 authors, launching on Kickstarter alongside the game Chronicles Medieval. Here's how I got involved, who's writing, and why the period is such a gift for short fiction.

Earlier this year I was approached by fellow Historical Fiction Author Richard Ford, and asked if I would like to be part of an anthology launching on Kickstarter to go alongside a game called Chronicles Medieval which is launching next year.

I thought why not? They wanted a relatively short story that wouldn't take up much of my time, plus they were going to throw a few quid my way. I didn't realise the scale of the thing they were attempting to bring to life though!

The Hundred Years War gives the anthology its scale and tension.

What A Century of Swords is bringing together

Thirty five authors are currently involved. Yep, you read that right! Some huge names in the world of Historical fiction have signed up to take part. Once I had seen the full rostra, I was just happy to be included!

It's a huge project, with authors from France and Germany also taking part to bring this all to life. There will be three full length novels (perhaps more depending on how funding goes) plus a huge anthology with all the authors contributing short stories and novellas to really bring the period to the page.

Digital only to start with, this is to ensure that the funds raised are solely concentrated on the work itself, and not the printing, binding and shipping of physical books. So what backers will get is fully realised stories from some of the finest authors writing today (and one from me).

Why the author lineup is the heart of the project

Pick your favourite Historical fiction author from this list:

• Conn Iggulden

• Ben Kane

• Anthony Riches

• Matthew Harffy

• MJ Porter

• Justin Hill

• Gordon Doherty

• Donovan Cook

• Angus Donald

• Richard Ford

• Giles Kristian

• Steven Savile (who is the lead writer for this)

• Peter Gibbons

• Ian Ross

• Griff Hosker

• Michael Jecks

• Steven Mckay

• James Wilde

• Tim Hodkinson

Plus a cohort of authors from across France and Germany. These are the best writers there are when it comes to bringing the heart of the past to the pages of the present, and I can't wait to read what they all come up with.

The Hundred Years War gives every story built-in pressure

Some historical settings need a lot of explanation before the drama becomes clear. The Hundred Years War does not.

The stakes are already high. Crowns, land, legitimacy, money, religion, law, and family honor all collide. Armies march through farmland. Fortified towns wait behind walls. Captains seek profit. Lords gamble reputations. Common people pay the price when grand strategy turns into burned fields and empty barns.

That pressure is useful for short fiction. A short story has limited space, so the setting needs to do real work. The Hundred Years War gives us authors immediate conflict before a character even speaks.

A soldier may face danger from the enemy, but also hunger, disease, bad orders, and unpaid wages. A noble may chase glory, but fear capture and ransom. A village may not care who has the rightful claim to a crown, only which army arrives first. A priest may try to hold a community together while the world keeps breaking around it.

These are not abstract historical questions. They are story engines. The scope for stories in this setting is immense, and the team of authors working on this project are going to make sure we cover as many different aspects of the Hundred Years War that we can.

Want to read more about this exciting project? Visit Century of Swords to explore the anthology, meet the contributing authors, and see what backers can receive.

Click the image to discover more about the Kickstarter campaign!