When Serrel Hawthorne joined the Imperial Legion, the last thing he was expecting was to be selected for battlemage training. Now he and seven other misfits are going to have to learn how to weave the magical ether, and preferably not kill each other in the process. Of course, their gruff sergeant might just do that anyway, if they keep annoying him. Views: 20
Medicine, anatomy, astronomy, mathematics and cosmology, science began with the Greeks, and Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Archimedes and Hippocrates were amongst its stars. That man ever managed to develop a 'scientific' attitude to the natural world at all is one of the true wonders of human thought. Eureka! shows how, free from intellectual and religious dogma, these early thinkers rejected myths and capricious gods and, in distinguishing between the natural and supernatural, effectively discovered nature. Andrew Gregory, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at University College London, unravels the genesis of science in this fascinating exploration of the origins of Western civilisation, and our desire for a rational, legitimating system of the world. Views: 20
Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester, the youngest brother of King Charles II is a handsome man with sound principles. When the twenty-year-old prince contracts smallpox in 1660, however, his life takes a decidedly sinister turn. Obsessed with Henry from afar, Contessa Griselda di Cuorenero - one of the Devil's concubines - turns him into a vampire and plunges him into the world of night. But Henry soon discovers that not all horrors are of the paranormal kind... In the unnaturally close village of Coffin's Bishop, Henry encounters a severely abused young woman - a woman who has suffered under humans more monstrous than vampires. Could love save them from the evil they have known? And at what cost? Henry must choose between his humanity and his monstrous, insatiable desire for human blood. Views: 20
From acclaimed author Ursula K. Le Guin, and with an introduction by Karen Joy Fowler, a collection of thoughts—always adroit, often acerbic—on aging, belief, the state of literature, and the state of the nation. Ursula K. Le Guin has taken readers to imaginary worlds for decades. Now she's in the last great frontier of life, old age, and exploring new literary territory: the blog, a forum where her voice—sharp, witty, as compassionate as it is critical—shines. No Time to Spare collects the best of Ursula's blog, presenting perfectly crystallized dispatches on what matters to her now, her concerns with this world, and her wonder at it. On the absurdity of denying your age, she says, "If I'm ninety and believe I'm forty-five, I'm headed for a very bad time trying to get out of the bathtub." On cultural perceptions of fantasy: "The direction of escape is toward freedom. So what is 'escapism' an accusation of?" On her new cat: "He... Views: 20
Bestselling erotica author Cairo delivers a decadent tale of an alluring and cunning woman's rise from inmate to seductress while serving a ten-year prison sentence.Everyone wants to get to Heaven... Meet inmate 22345-C, Heaven Lewis, serving a ten-year sentence without parole for shooting her wealthy, drug-dealing boyfriend. But what's a beautiful woman who is used to living a lavish lifestyle and has a voracious sex drive to do within the confines of her concrete and barbed-wire dwelling? Simple. Seduce correctional officers. Blackmail the warden. And unleash the dark desires of those who are responsible for overseeing her safety and security, becoming one of the world's most seductively brazen inmates ever to grace the inside of a prison. Once the gates of seduction are opened, no man or woman can resist its allure. Views: 20
Life for Honesty and his sisters Mercy and Patience is not a bundle of laughs. His family are strict Puritans and singing, dancing and anything that sounds like fun is forbidden. Life, Honesty thinks, can't get much worse when Christmas is cancelled by order of the government.But he is wrong - the real problem is Gran who has one tooth, a hooked nose, a very hairy chin and a pet toad called Merlin. Honesty suspects she may be a witch, especially since she's been helping the neighbours with love potions and cures for sick pigs. When the WitchFinder General - Ezekial Bones visits the village, Honesty is convinced his family's terrible secret will be discovered. Can he save Gran from the terrible Three Tests for Witches (eg pond ducking - if she swims she's a witch, if she drowns she's innocent.) For a boy who has never told a lie in his whole life - it's asking a lot. Views: 20
Carly Cooper, harassed mother and disillusioned writer, has often been tempted to head for the hills. She just never imagined they'd be the Hollywood ones...A hilarious romantic comedy for anyone who's ever had their head in the clouds...Carly's living the dream. Almost. She has the kids, the husband, the lethargic sex life, and who cares if her novels aren't exactly bestsellers – pole-vaulting her ironing pile is excitement enough.Just when she's resigned to domestic mediocrity, a phone call from Hollywood changes everything. Carly is off to Tinseltown...As she arrives in LA, Carly knows life will be transformed...but she doesn't count on marital disaster, a career roller-coaster and an A-list movie star who wants to offer her more than just a friendly welcome.Carly Cooper is strutting along the Hollywood Walk of Fame but can she get to the end without falling flat on her face? Views: 20
It’s 1806 and mountain man John Colter is ready to leave the Lewis and Clark Expedition. When two fur trappers come up the Missouri River, he has his chance. Heading up into the upper reaches of the Yellowstone River, the men seek their fortune trapping beaver. What Colter doesn’t know, however, is that his two companions harbor a dark secret. Views: 20
Buckle up for intrigue and adventure in scenic Depression-era America. George Hall, a draftsman, buys a 1936 Packard sedan from the estate of spinster Abigale Watling in Oakwood, Illinois. At first, the car brings George, his wife Jean, and their daughter Rose an unexpected boon. But tragedy follows when Rose is kidnapped. The auto then comes into the possession of salesman William Landers, FBI agent Helen Meeker, and serviceman James Coffman's family. As clues to the kidnapping caper come to light, more than one life is in jeopardy. Will Agent Meeker catch the culprit before it's too late? Views: 20
Arken Freeth is a 14-year-old boy in the Lantish Military Academy. War has broken out with the Amarrat Empire. Arken and his classmates set off on their first training voyage as officers-to-be into waters previously controlled by the Lantish Sea Service, but now patrolled by the Tookans, pirate allies of the Amarrats.
Join Arken as he struggles to survive 13,000 years ago in the lost world of the Lantish Empire on the Western edge of the Circle Sea, now called the Atlantic Ocean. Arken is the only commoner in an academy for Royals, and to make matters worse, he is also part Neanderthal, a secret he must hide from the people of Lanth or he will be put to death. Views: 20
Two friends, fighting their way home . . . SHANTI and her baby daughter TARA are beautiful circus elephants. HARVEY is a faithful old collie who leads the show.Together they are the best of friends. But with the First World War raging in Europe, the circus is forced to close. The men are off to fight and the animals will be sent to new homes. In a twist of fate, Mother and Baby elephant are cruelly separated. While Shanti is sent to work on a farm in the Lake District, Tara's bound for a much harsher home. Knowing Tara must be with her mother to survive, brave Harvey is determined to reunite them. Breaking free, they embark on an extraordinary journey across country. But can the unlikely pair reach Shanti in time? Views: 20
