An epic medieval fantasy saga of love, legacy and heroic sacrifice 

Perfect for fans of Robin Hobb and Guy Gavriel Kay, Tales of Castle Rory is a richly emotional medieval fantasy saga which blends personal journal narration with political tension, moral conflict and deep character evolution. Set in a fictional borderland with real historical background, the story follows a former Crusader navigating loyalty, betrayal and the burdens of leadership in a world where magic laps at the edges of consciousness.

A BOX THAT SHOULD NEVER BE OPENED. A SECRET THAT COULD DESTROY THEM ALL.

It’s 1263, and Lord Rory of Hambrig presides over a castle that towers above the treacherous River Hurogol. Beyond the fast-flowing waters live a Celtic tribe, who claim the right to live in Hambrig. The ancient treaty has vanished, and tensions simmer as the tribe yearns to reclaim their ancestral lands.

When the King and his son arrive unexpectedly at Castle Rory, the delicate balance of peace begins to unravel. The son bears a gift from the tribe's chief—a large, mysterious box, rumoured to contain a deadly lizard whose release spells doom. But that is only the beginning. A strange minstrel appears at the castle, with an eerie knowledge of things to come and abilities that defy explanation. His warnings are cryptic and his presence unsettling. But the Box of Death cannot be ignored.

Lord Rory is torn between loyalty to the crown and whispers of inevitable death that follow the Box. With ancient grievances resurfacing and the lives of his people at stake, he must decide whether to open the Box of Death—or let the fate it holds remain sealed. Will opening the Box unleash unspeakable horrors, or is it the only way to prevent greater destruction?

AS ANCIENT GRUDGES AND DEADLY SECRETS CLOSE IN AROUND HIM, RORY REALISES THAT SOME DOORS, ONCE OPENED, CAN NEVER BE CLOSED…

About the author

Rory Marsden is an historical fiction writer who conjures medieval mysteries, alchemical secrets, and firelight incantations within his Tales of Castle Rory series. A trained biochemist turned musician, he merges scientific precision and lyrical artistry to breathe life into thirteenth-century realms. Inspired by his mother Joan and grounded in rural Norfolk, Rory writes by candlelit hearth, his cat by his side. His passion for history pulses through every page, blending period detail with a sense of enchanted realism. Rory's narratives shimmer with the uncanny, and his stories invite readers into the alchemical heart of the past.