SYNOPSIS:

We start out with a siege of Constantinople by the Arabs, when the Byzantines first used the Greek Fire. Those events are commented by Princess Anna Comnena. The main story begins in 1087. England is conquered by the Normans. Little Thunor lost his parents, when the Norman knights burned their castle. He lives with his uncle, who also gets killed by the Normans. Thunor wants to avenge the Normans. His teacher Bishop Wulfstan sends Thunor to Europe. In 1095 Thunor witnesses a call of the Pope of Rome Urban II to the first crusade. He returns to England to find out about death of Bishop Wulfstan. Nothing holds him in the country and he agrees to go on Ranulf Flambard’s assignment to Constantinople to uncover the Greek fire secret. Thunor is asked to find a guy who calls himself Prometheus and who may know the secret. Ranulf is the chief advisor to the King William II (Rufus). On the way to Constantinople Thunor saves life of merchant Severus of Amalfi and becomes his assistant. Also he gets to know sailor Leontius. In Constantinople Thunor meets Aglæca, who becomes his assistant and friend. Thunor gives the boy assignments with respect to discovering the Greek fire secret. Aglæca attracts to their team Nizam (from secret society of hashishiyuns – assassins), Chu from China and Leontius. They try to find not only the Greek fire secret but also Prometheus. Together with Severus Thunor visits both crusaders and Turks. We see the history of the first crusade through Thunor’s eyes. After return to Constantinople Thunor meets Victorina and they fall in love with each other. But Thunor has to go with Severus to witness liberation of Jerusalem by the crusaders. Severus dies during this trip. At this time a secret plot of Roger Bigot, another advisor to the King William II, reaches culmination. His mercenary, claiming to be Prometheus to catch the real one, starts killing the Byzantine officials. Aglæca seems to discover the secret of Prometheus, however the intrigue is kept until the end. By accident Thunor betrays himself to Victorina. Princess Anna Comnena comes to Thunor indicating her attachment to the Varangian guard, responsible for keeping the Greek fire in secret. Thunor is sure that he is doomed, but it turns out that the Byzantine politics is full of underwater currents, some of which may benefit even such secret enemies of the Empire as Thunor.

FIRE OF PROMETHEUS