From the publisher:
The English countryside has become a stage for guerrilla warfare and outlandish battle tactics since the rise to power of Duke Stephan Monthamer – known by friend and foe as “the Hammer”. Stories of snake pits, boiling tar, and mobile torture racks, are rife. Whether these tales are designed to scare those who would stand against him, or whether they hold merit, it is certainly true that the Hammer has consolidated power in the new Duchy of Rochford and aims to bring the County of Essex back under control of the English Crown, since its turmoil following the Extinguishing. This would make Duke Monthamer the most powerful holder of English territory south of York, which is a threat to many roving the islands of Britain at this point in time.