Charles Cordell is the author of English Civil War historical fiction series Divided Kingdom. This is the website for his books, English Civil War historical notes, news and events, the Divided Kingdom Readers’ Club and more.

The Keys of Hell and Death - an English Civil War novel by Charles Cordell
The Keys of Hell and Death novel

The Keys of Hell and Death

From the brutal Battle of Lansdown Hill to the Storming of Bristol in 1643 – Divided Kingdom book #2 takes some of the characters from God’s Vindictive Wrath to the edge of Hell and drags others into the Civil War that racks Britain. All must face the brutal reality of war.

‘Heart-pounding action, heartbreaking loss as a nation tears itself apart. The ground shudders from cavalry attack and cannon fire. You can smell the sweat of fear. Not to be missed.’

David Gilman, award-winning author of the Master of War series, The Last Horseman and The Englishman

‘Charles Cordell, a former soldier, writes with bravura confidence.’

Antonia Senior, The Times

God’s Vindictive Wrath

God's Vindictive Wrath - an English Civil War novel by Charles Cordell

From the carnage of Edgehill to the barricades at Brentford – ordinary men and women have answered a call to save England. Now, only an English mile separates them on the battlefield.

Desecration: Winchester 1642

Desecration: Winchester 1642 - Civil War short story

A desperate ride, a city stormed, a final stand, a forlorn hope. Humiliation, cleansing fire and bitter wind sweep through Winchester’s streets, cathedral close and sacred aisles.

Historical Notes & Maps

Historical map of London showing English Civil War fortifications

Read historical notes and maps to accompany God’s Vindictive Wrath and Desecration. These cover: the Little Ice Age and The General Crisis of the 17th Century; the English Revolution and causes of war in 1642; Early Modern warfare; the battles of Edgehill, Aylesbury, Brentford and Turnham Green; the Storming of Winchester; and more.

Talks & Walks

Charles Cordell at an author talk to readers of English Civil War historical fiction series Divided Kingdom in a Waterstones bookshop.

Let Charles Cordell support you and your projects. Available for talks and battlefield walks. If you would like the author to join you, click for more.

News & Events

Readers’ Club

Divided Kingdom readers at the book launch for The Keys of Hell and Death in Toppings of Bath bookshop.

Join the Divided Kingdom Readers’ Club for exclusive FREE access to unpublished work, opportunities to meet the author and more. Click for details and join us.

Charles Cordell – the Author

I am a writer with experience as a soldier on the ground in the Middle East, South Asia, North Africa and the Sahel. I think I have seen humanity at its best, its worst and close to its most desperate. My writing draws on my time spent in the fraying margins of civilisation, as well as a long study of The General Crisis of the 17th Century.

If you want to know a little more, please do visit the About Page which includes more about the author, the Divided Kingdom books, writing and publishing and the Service Charities I support. If that does not give you enough, please do join the Readers’ Club for more. Clubmen receive exclusive access to unpublished work, opportunities to meet and a monthly email from me.

Alternatively, simply follow Charles Cordell Author and/or #DividedKingdomBooks on social media at:

Divided Kingdom – the Books

God’s Vindictive Wrath was endorsed by Ben Kane (Sunday Times bestselling author), Michael Arnold (author of the Civil War Chronicles), a senior British Army general and Professor Ronald Hutton. It was reviewed in The Times and its writing described as ‘excellent’, ‘strong and vivid’, ‘impressively rendered’, with descriptive prose of ‘exceptional quality’. Please do check out the reviews. Historical Notes to accompany the text can be found at English Civil War Notes and Maps.

The Keys of Hell and Death – book #2 in the Divided Kingdom series – was published on 4 June 2024. It too has received high praise, from the likes of David Gilman (award winning author of the Master of War series) and Professor Ronald Hutton CBE. I am now writing book #3. Do check out the individual Books pages for more details.

You might also enjoy Desecration, set around the Storming of Winchester in December 1642. This is available as an ebook short story with Amazon.

I very much hope you appreciate and enjoy these books. However, they will not be for all readers. They are historically authentic. But they are also brutally real. I do not believe in hiding the realities of war. They are not to be trivialised.

If you are unsure if these books are for you, please try the First Chapters for FREE or download the ebook at: FREE eBook.

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