In 1980s New York, a ruthless couple rockets up the corporate ladder Tommy is waiting in the bushes when the woman comes home crying. He unlocks the door and pads through the darkened house as he has done so many times in the past. He finds her upstairs in her nightgown, half asleep but not surprised to see him—until he pulls out the gun. She is not afraid. She dares him to shoot. It would not be the first time she has convinced him to commit a crime. Tommy met Kitty Goldmark at Tavern on the Green, at a company holiday party for New York's least scrupulous millionaires. Recently divorced and professionally adrift, Tommy could not help but be seduced by this gorgeous young widow. She brought him into a world of erotic passion, paid for by the sort of crime found only on Wall Street. Views: 32
The Hope Chest. A glossy box, inlaid with an image of a dark-haired woman, its mysteries sealed tight for generations. Or were they?The reclusive Maxwell Wolford, Earl of Dorsey, acquires the Views: 32
A shadow moved in the doorway of the building. It was a boy. As he hesitated, someone must have pushes him from behind. He stumbled down the short stairway and fell heavily to his knees.He couldn't break his fall, Hector realized, because his arms were tied behind him.A mysterious talisman transports a boy back to ancient ItalyNo one ever listens to Hector. He wanted to hang out with his friends this summer, but instead he's stuck in Italy at an archaeological dig with his mom. The ancient Etruscan artifacts are interesting, but no one has time for him. Then he makes a discovery of his own-a strange, unsettling stone that looks like an eye. The stone brings nightmares about Arath, an Etruscan boy who died thousands of years ago but now begs for Hector's help. Are these just dreams, or is Arath really in danger? As Hector unearths the truth, he realizes that he can make himself heard when it counts. Views: 32
For fans of the movie Gladiator comes this bloody account of the clashing of civilizations, as Attila the Hun, "The Scourge of God," struggles to overthrow the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire is weakening. In 367 AD, approximately eight years after the great battle at Hadrian's Wall, Roman garrisons begin to hear rumors of barbarian tribes massing to the north. By 449 AD, Attila, the ruler of the Huns, has become the continent's most powerful monarch, his reputation in battle earning him the title "The Scourge of God."Anticipating an imminent attack by the Huns, Roman leaders negotiate with one of Attila's lieutenants, convincing him to play the part of assassin. He is joined on his mission by a Roman citizen, Jonas, an ambassador dispatched to negotiate a peace treaty with the Huns. When the plot is discovered, Jonas becomes a hostage, forced to fight for his captors if he wishes to remain alive. But he soon learns that Attila intends to conquer Rome itself, and is caught between two mighty empires, both poised for one of the greatest conflicts the world has ever seen. Jonas, knowing his life could be forfeit, has the potential to tip the battle in either direction––and his decision will alter the face of Western civilization. For readers of historically nuanced thrillers and adventure stories by authors like Bernard Cornwell and Colleen McCullough. For readers interested in Roman and Barbarian culture and warfare.From Publishers WeeklySet in the dark final days of the Roman Empire, Dietrich's rousing fifth novel (after Hadrian's Wall, etc.) chronicles the bid of the charismatic Attila the Hun to conquer the West and dominate all of Europe. Standing in his way are the crumbling vestiges of the Roman Empire, now divided between West (Rome) and East (Constantinople) and still struggling with the adoption of Christian faith. The story of Attila's western march is given additional human dimension by a romance between Jonas Alabanda, a scribe assigned to an embassy mission to Attila from Theodosius II, emperor of the Eastern Empire, and Ilana, a gorgeous Roman taken by the Huns as a slave. Because of a foiled Roman plot to assassinate Attila, Jonas finds himself held hostage, but with the aid of a cunning and intrepid dwarf jester, Zerco, he manages to steal a legendary giant sword and upset Attila's plans and fortunes long enough for the Roman general Aetius to assemble the Germanic tribes into an effective defense force. Because the period is comparatively undocumented, the historical background is somewhat thin, and the standard-issue romance doesn't quite fill in the blanks. Still, the story unfolds swiftly and satisfyingly, and the confusing array of tribes and leaders are deftly presented--no mean feat. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistLife was not secure for citizens of the Roman Empire in the mid-fifth century, who had reason to fear the "scourge of God," as Attila the Hun was called. A canny leader and warrior, Attila had his forces destroy everything in his path as he set out to conquer both eastern and western Roman empires. Dietrich (Hadrian's Wall, 2004) hews strongly to historical fact, providing a cast of characters and map of the period, adding just three fictitious characters to his primary cast: Jonas Alabanda, a Roman historian and diplomat from Constantinople; Ilana, a Roman who loses father, home in Axiopolis, and fiance to the Huns, who take her hostage; and Skilla, a Hun soldier and nephew of warlord Edeco. Their personal relationships help connect the actual events of the time and add humanity to them. Dietrich vividly describes treachery, betrayals, assassination attempts, executions, and battles, culminating in the almost incomprehensibly massive and bloody Battle of Chalons, in 451 A.D. Michele LeberCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Views: 31
It's around 15,000–12,000 BC, the Late Stone Age, and an orphan boy is surviving on the fringes of a hunters' camp. A passion to find mammoths has been ignited in him by Old Mother, the ancient crone who guards the camp fire and cares for him. In his travels to find the mammoths, he is adopted by a mysterious hunchback, Agaratz, who lives alone in a cave and is perhaps the last of a vanished people. Urrell learns survival and instinct as a stone-age hunter as well as gaining insight into the meaning of the cave paintings of deer, bison, mammoths and other creatures. The story culminates in a long journey to the Great Meet of the Clan Groups where rites de passage are held in caves, goods traded and mates secured. Time sometimes slips, and when the powers that Agaratz holds are transferred to Urrell, they will be a match for those of the leader of the rites, the horned shaman and his acolytes. But who will win? Mammoth Boy recreates the semi-magical world of... Views: 31
This story of Magnus Eisengrim, master illusionist, the most illustrious magician of his age, has been called “a spectacular, soaring work, an astounding tour de force unequaled in recent literature.” World of Wonders is the final volume in Robertson Davies’s celebrated Deptford Trilogy, which began with Fifth Business and The Manticore. Views: 31
Ryder is the hardest Montgomery brother to figure out—with a tough-as-nails outside and possibly nothing too soft underneath. He’s surly and unsociable, but when he straps on a tool belt, no woman can resist his sexy swagger. Except apparently Hope Beaumont, the innkeeper of his own Inn BoonsBoro... As the former manager of a D.C. hotel, Hope is used to excitement and glamour, but that doesn’t mean she can’t appreciate the joys of small-town living. She’s where she wants to be—except for in her love life. Her only interaction with the opposite sex has been sparring with the infuriating Ryder, who always seems to get under her skin. Still, no one can deny the electricity that crackles between them…a spark that ignited with a New Year’s Eve kiss. While the Inn is running smoothly, thanks to Hope’s experience and unerring instincts, her big-city past is about to make an unwelcome—and embarrassing—appearance. Seeing Hope vulnerable stirs up Ryder’s emotions and makes him realize that while Hope may not be perfect, she just might be perfect for him... Views: 31
The Harton School for Boys and Girls, run by Isabelle and Frederick Harton, is one of the few schools that takes students whose magic doesn't pertain to the elements, and who are, therefore, frequently ignored by the Elemental Masters. Such unheeded gifts include clairvoyance, telepathy, and the very rare ability to truly communicate with the dead. Sarah Jane's parents, missionary healers in Africa, send the 12-year-old to Harton, and she is happy there, especially after she befriends Nan, a street urchin. After an attempt is made on Sarah and Nan's lives, it is clear that a powerful Elemental Master wants one or both girls dead. Isabelle Harton must seek the aid of the Elemental Masters of London, though the Masters' Circle is led by Lord Alderscroft, who once cruelly jilted her. Views: 31
Science Fiction. 83037 words long. First published in 2001, 2001
Product DescriptionA mysterious and dangerous alien presence, the Cluster, threatens a peaceful star ship. Captain John Mark Ellis is called to the rescue, but the ship is destroyed. Disgraced, Ellis is booted out of the service. He joins an alien warrior and an evangelist to solve the mystery of the Cluster. About the AuthorDavid Lee Summers is an astronomer who has discovered a variable star and the founding editor of Hadrosaur Tales, a science fiction and fantasy anthology magazine. He is also the editor of Voces: An Altar of Stories, the poetry anthology of the Border Book Festival in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Summers is the author of numerous works ranging from short fiction to newspaper articles to scientific papers. He lives among the chile, corn, and pecans of Southern New Mexico with his wife, daughter and two cats.
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