The Druid Chronicles: Book 5
Publication Date: December 15, 2026
For fans of medieval literature and classic fantasy, an adventurous series finale that follows a Saxon sheriff and a Druid priest as they join forces to save an imprisoned princess and bring a homicidal king to justice.
Stefan, once a Saxon warrior and now sheriff of Codswallow, has fought to reclaim his shire from the forces of his estranged wife. But peacetime brings its own reckoning, and Stefan finds himself unprepared for the challenges of parenthood. After a confrontation with his son exposes Stefan’s darkest emotional wounds, he impulsively rides off accompanied by Caelym, an enslaved Druid priest.
Trading stories by campfire, the two men discover that they have both betrayed the same woman, Princess Aleswina. United by remorse, they take on the all-but-impossible odds of doing battle against the murderous king who holds her prisoner.
In this fifth and final installment of The Druid Chronicles, Stefan and Caelym must set aside their differences and atone for their pasts as they fight for justice in an unjust world.
At long last, author A.M. Linden delivers the grand finale of a five-book historical series set during the Dark Ages.
Best read in sequence, The Challenge brings together Stefan, the sheriff, and Caelym, a Druid priest. Both characters previously appeared in earlier installments.
These two unlikely allies find themselves in the midst of deception and a battle for power. Both men have ties to Princess Aleswina, but they are at cross purposes.
One compelling aspect of the series is the rich character development that brings the time period to life. In a time when Druids fell prey to persecution, there’s plenty of action and adventure.
The Challenge sets up the grand finale of the Druid Chronicles, where the heroes battle to save the day.
I have undergraduate degrees in anthropology and in nursing and a master’s degree as a nurse practitioner, and I have worked in a variety of acute care and community health settings. Writing The Druid Chronicles began as something I did for fun and to indulge my fascination with ancient history. It became a lengthy journey that included creative writing courses, researching early British history, and traveling to England, Scotland, and Wales. Retirement has allowed me to finish it.
