Sailing To Sarantium: Guy Gavriel Kay

Book I of The Sarantine Mosaic. Valerius II of Sarantium and his brilliant Empress find themselves contending with pagan Bassanids to the east, barbarian tribes in the west and south and plots of their own dazzling court. The Emperor intends extending his empire and building the largest holy Sanctuary the world has even known as a monument to his reign - even though his soldiers would rather he paid them. Meanwhile, illegal pagan rites are being conducted in the provinces policed by the restive unpaid soldiers. Crispin, a master mosaicist from the west makes the long perilous journey to Sarantium, under a false name and carrying a secret message. Cover art by Geoff Taylor.