In this stunning follow-up to his epic fantasy debut, Alan Campbell propels readers into a captivating city battling for its own survival—and that of humankind—in a world of deities and demons, fallen angels and killers.**
**After a destructive battle, the ancient swaying city of Deepgate has been overtaken. Most of the chains that suspend it have given way, toxic fumes are emanating from blazing structures, and the temple once inhabited by the ruling Presbyter now dangles upside down above the once-uncharted abyss. The victorious Spine have initiated martial law and are ruthlessly pursuing all who attempt to leave. Amid the turmoil, two captives are returned.
Arriving by ship are the young angel Dill, now toughened by war, and traitor assassin Rachel Hael. Incarcerated in the slowly crumbling temple, the two await their fate, while from the abyss beneath them ghosts rise—for the death of the god Ulcis has left open the gates to Hell.
But on orders from his divine brethren, Cospinol, the god of brine and fog, is traveling the world to Deepgate to seal this breach. His great skyship is being dragged through the air by the giant John Anchor, a monster of a man enslaved to pull the god’s vessel, moving slowly, inevitably, toward the city.
As the city waits, teetering on the brink, myriad plans for vengeance are set in motion, from the continent of Pandemeria to Heaven itself. Among them is a ghostly archon sent to deliver a message to the gods on earth—using Dill as his vessel. Thrust from his body, Dill’s own soul returns to Hell. When Dill and Rachel are attacked by Spine assassins, Rachel has no choice but to try to escape with the creature that calls itself Dill…and to somehow find a way to restore her friend’s soul before it’s too late. For powerful forces are stirring, and in the coming battle between gods, it is the world of men that is at stake.
From the Hardcover edition. Views: 575
A novelette. Paul’s daughter is taken when he leaves her alone for a few minutes at the park. He thinks he saw the man who took her, but not everybody believes his story. Ten years later Paul crosses paths with this man again, and he plans his retribution.A song for Rebekah from the fairies heals her hurt and pain bringing her back to love and life. Views: 574
When the authorities discover they have missed a serial killer's murders for decades, do they relish the thought of putting away a killer or do they cover up their own ineptness? This short story explores that question with a surprising answer.The first shot shattered the home's rear window and storm glass, plowed a furrow along the man's scalp and buried itself in the opposite wall. The second, without any obstruction to slow its velocity, tore through the wall and ended up in the bathroom medicine chest, where it nested between a bottle of aspirin and a toothbrush. The tall, thin man crumpled to the floor, unconscious, cold November air pouring over him like a waterfall through the broken window. It was a few minutes into a new day, two days before Thanksgiving. Views: 563
A short story set on Hirta, an island in the archipelago of St Kilda, Scotland.Part one of a trilogy of short stories about St Kilda.Five talented teenage girls have beaten out the toughest competition on the television show, "America's Best Band" and are facing the semi-finals. Their rock band, Nightingale, has won every week since they started the competition, but will their luck hold? Throughout it all, the girls still manage to have fun and find a little romance. But someone is out to sabotage their chances of winning. Will the final round end up in disaster or victory? Views: 557
It is spring in the valley and the Moomins are ready for adventure Moomintroll and his friends Snufkin and Sniff find the Hobgoblin's top hat, all shiny and new and just waiting to be taken home. They soon realize that his is no ordinary hat; it can turn anything--or anyone--into something else Views: 557
Naomi, at twenty six has had enough of men mistreating her and applies to be a Jillaroo in outback Australia. She falls in love with a cowboy. They make a bet. From the city of Melbourne to a fast flowing river where Trent has to save Naomi from drowning, love germinates in a storm. Will Naomi save the cattle station from bankrupcy? Can Trent save Naomi from her obssesive ex-boyfriend, Brandt?Naomi is a young woman who has had one bad relationship after another. She decides to find a temporary job and is accepted as a jillaroo on a cattle station in outback Australia. She falls in love with a cowboy. She wants to help save the station from bankrupcy. Her hero cowboy has to save her from her exboyfriend. To win her heart he needs to unravel what the perfect gift is. Some novels are available in print at amazon create space Views: 556
Humanity is nearly extinct after 300 years of hungry demon corelings. A handful of Messengers brave the night between the increasingly isolated populace behind protective wards. Arlen Bales will search anywhere, dare anything, to save the world. Maybe Abban, a merchant in the Great Bazaar of Krasia who purports to sell anything, has the answer. Views: 549
A short story. A man wakes up in a seemingly endless white hallway with no memory of who he is, or how he got there.The Orus system’s Orussians had found a brilliant way to harness the power of labor by engineering ant-monkeys, a hard-working and unswervingly loyal slave species—until the uprising.Having further manipulated the genes of her own male ant-monkey, Inoatar, and granting him free will, bioscientist Uriëlla has grievously breached the code of conduct. The barbaric penalty for these acts would not only involve her, but her entire clan as well. As a result, she must wrestle with emancipating Inoatar despite desperately needing him.The uprising, Uriëlla’s actions and their subsequent fallout lead to a struggle of biblical proportions which promises to forever alter Orus civilization. Views: 548
The first account of the role Britain played in Einstein's life—first by inspiring his teenage passion for physics, then by providing refuge from the NazisIn autumn 1933, Albert Einstein found himself living alone in an isolated holiday hut in rural England. There, he toiled peacefully at mathematics while occasionally stepping out for walks or to play his violin. But how had Einstein come to abandon his Berlin home and go "on the run"? In this lively account, Andrew Robinson tells the story of the world's greatest scientist and Britain for the first time, showing why Britain was the perfect refuge for Einstein from rumored assassination by Nazi agents. Young Einstein's passion for British physics, epitomized by Newton, had sparked his scientific development around 1900. British astronomers had confirmed his general theory of relativity, making him internationally famous in 1919. Welcomed by the British people, who helped him campaign against Nazi... Views: 536
Things have been going well on Horizon Station. Ava, Remi, and Vance have begun to turn the abandoned space station that they discovered into their home. But as much as they would like to forget the problems of the worlds and stations, those problems still exist right outside their walls. When pirates attack, they must learn how to survive in a hostile universe.In the distant future, humanity has spread across the stars. Habitable planets have been converted to agricultural purposes and the promise of liberation through space colonization has been forgotten. But even in a universe where people live like insects in hive-like space stations and trade conglomerates have replaced governments, there is hope.Things have been going well on Horizon Station. Ava, Remi, and Vance have begun to turn the abandoned space station that they discovered into their home. But as much as they would like to forget the problems of the worlds and stations, those problems still exist right outside their walls. When pirates attack, they must learn how to survive in a hostile universe.Fractal is the third story in the Horizon Station series, and although each story builds on the previous, they can be read and enjoyed in any order. Views: 534
This poetry has been written during strong emotional times. These poems are how I interpret my feelings. They have to do with love, loss abuse. nature and more.This is a short fictional story, inspired by thinking about the words supposition and speculation. Observing people in daily life, recalling snippets of overheard conversations and the comments of strangers enabled me to stitch together a contemporary scenario wherein a woman notices a young male emerging from a public toilet in a park and notes that he looks ill or ill at ease. The woman is somehow moved to feel concern for his welfare. An older man who is known to the woman exits the toilet block immediately after the young male. This sets off a spark of curious imaginings by the woman as to what might have occurred, if anything, between the two men. Plagued by doubt and speculation, the woman begins to observe the older man at his place of work and she questions his character and possible motives. Views: 534
The study takes a point of departure in explaining how non governmental organisations can adapt and adopt effective corporate governance practices viz- a- viz, how NGOs can adapt and adopt to corporate governance. Several non governmental organizations do not observe good corporate governanceThe collective problem of business today is increasingly attributed to the failure of corporate governance. This means that far too many boards are failing to execute their duties responsibly, both collectively and individually. Despite increasing awareness, there is a general lack of understanding of the principles of effective corporate governance in most quarters.Several non governmental organisations do not observe good corporate governance and this to the collapse of many. There are no set rules that are binding and which establish the ways in which organisations have to govern themselves. Effective governance and accountability begins in one’s organisation, no matter how big or small. This means ensuring that the appropriate processes and structures are in place to direct and manage an organisation’s operations and activities, and to ensure the effectiveness, credibility and viability of the organisation. Increasingly, revelations of deterioration, in quality and transparency have called for the adoption of internationally accepted best practices. Corporate governance encompasses commitment to values and to ethical business conduct to maximize shareholders values on a sustainable basis, while ensuring fairness to all stakeholders including customers or beneficiaries, employees and investors. The harsh economic conditions that prevailed in the country since 2007 have given non governmental organisation a difficult time that required them to have good corporate governance practices. Views: 533
Tom Angleberger's latest, loopiest middle-grade novel begins when M'Lady Luggertuck loosens her corset (it's never been loosened before!), thereby setting off a chain of events in which all the strict rules of Smugwick Manor are abandoned. When, as a result of "the Loosening," the precious family heirloom, the Luggertuck Lump (quite literally a lump), goes missing, the Luggertucks look for someone to blame. Is it Horton Halfpott, the good-natured but lowly kitchen boy who can't tell a lie? Or one of the many colorful cast members in this silly romp of a mystery. Views: 532
The Questionable is Queen Victoria's favorite airship, and for good reason. Posh, exclusive, noble: the ship is everything a rich passenger should desire. But as these five Steampunk stories show, not everything is peaceful up in the clouds.Readers of Sidney Sheldon, Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts will enjoy this book. 5 STARS! “Forbidden takes us on an emotional roller coaster which the reader will ride quickly to the end, as this book is impossible to put down.” - Rhoda D'Ettore, Author5 STARS! “A total page turner that grips at your heart strings.” - Gayle Pace, Book Reviewer5 STARS! “I loved it! I was so drawn in from the first page…so romantic…and perfect.” - A. P. Bullard, Triskele Reviews5 STARS! “A gripping and quick read. A weekend page turner.” - Review Girl5 STARS! "Forbidden" is an intelligent and well-crafted masterpiece that thoroughly deserves five stars indeed!” - Adisha KariyawasamBOOK DESCRIPTIONWhen Lady Eleanor Sotheby unexpectedly enters the life of Jayne Clark, a 23-year old waitress from Wichita, Kansas, Jayne's world is turned upside down. Not only is she welcomed into a family that she never knew, but she is thrust headlong into the highest strata of European society. Nothing is too grand in the fairy tale lives of the uber-rich--the spectacular seaside villas, the sleek, chauffeured limousines, the outrageously expensive designer clothes. When Jayne plays her part and learns to fit into this new world, she meets Robert Astor, the man of her dreams. But her feelings for Robert are forbidden. Jayne's heady new life begins to unravel into a dark web of deceit, domination and greed...and she ultimately finds herself confronting an evil that truly has no limits. Views: 532
