I have long been fascinated with the Lewis Chessmen, Britain’s favourite archaeological treasures. I saw them in the British Museum during our spell in London, saw them in the National Museum of Scotland and finally, saw the remaining figures on the Isle of Lewis where they were found.

Writing an origin story for them had been on my bucket list for some time. Here it is, finally! Set in Norway, Orkney and the Western Isles, it follows young slave Kylan who was abducted from the Isle of Lewis in a Viking raid. Now he works in a carving workshop in Trondheim. The new Archbishop, however, has commissioned some chess sets as gifts for his trip to the Hebrides, and Kylan is determined to join the chess pieces on their perilous journey and find his freedom.

It’s a deadly game. But he has made his move and there is no going back.