Amid the carnage of the 100 Years War—the bloodiest conflict in medieval history—a young English archer confronts his destiny … England, 1346: For Thomas Blackstone the choice is easy—dance on the end of a rope for a murder he did not commit, or take up his war bow and join the king's invasion. As he fights his way across northern France, Blackstone learns the brutal lessons of war—from the terror and confusion of his first taste of combat, to the savage realities of siege warfare. Blackstone will brave the terrors of the High Alps in winter, face the Black Prince in tournament, confront the bloody anarchy of a popular revolt, and emerge from the Battle of Crécy as a knight. He may yet defy death but he can't defy his destiny: Master of War. Collected in a single volume for the first time, the first three novels in the epic Master of War series, comprising of: Master of War , Defiant unto Death , and Gate of the Dead .