Two enemies who meet in the line of duty during the early days of the Soviet Union's last war in Afghanistan. Behind enemy lines respect and finally love grow ... but that's only the official version. This epic spans across over twenty-five years of their lives. It's harsh and violent, but life is cruel and they just do what they need to survive. Special Forces - Soldiers is the first cycle of the Special Forces epic, which consists of three cycles and is about a million words. The second cycle is Mercenaries and the third one is Veterans.This print version is the original version of Special Forces (1st edition), as it was edited by the authors of the time of first publication on Marquesate’s website. The Soldiers cycle was published between July 2006 and March 2007. This is the only version that is authorised by Marquesate.The ebook version is available for free download, and the original chapters remain as a free read on Marquesate’s website below:This print version of Special Forces is strictly non-profit and print cost only. The paperback of this original version is available from Lulu.

    Although superficially resembling a vampire, Ryan possesses all of the mythical creature's abilities and none of its weaknesses. Surrounded by ancient beings who seek to dominate her by force or seduction, she has become the most powerful of her Kind. Due to Victor's illness, she is compelled to lead the hierarchy. Ryan assumes command but is troubled by dark dreams, images that do not belong to any of her Kind. With growing concern, Ryan realizes the dreams belong to one preceding her father. Just as she begins to solidify power, new enemies appear, challenging not only her supremacy but her conception of all that she is. Once thought immortal, she is confronted with the unimaginable: defeat and destruction. For the first time in her life, Ryan faces the possibility of death. And although many of the predators of her Kind would face such a fate with horror or dread...Ryan finds it exhilarating.

    But my fate was far more terrible than an arranged marriage when my family became prisoners to one of the most fearsome and powerful vampires of all time, Count Vlad Dracula. Imprisoned in the decrepit castle in the Carpathian Mountains, my new life as a Bride of Dracula was filled with bloody feasts, cruel beatings, and sexual depravity. There was no hope of escape It was only when he took me to the picturesque city of Buda on the Danube River and I met a handsome, mysterious vampire in the darkened city streets, did I dare hope to find love and freedom.

    An uncertain future. The blood on his hands may never rinse clean… Outsiders call Manuel a villain. After spending his youth entangled in inner-city gang warfare, he’s lied, robbed, and murdered his way to the top. His path was set long ago, when two killers massacred his family in front of him…While Manuel was able to take down one of the murderers, his bloodlust has grown for the killer who got away. When he gets the chance to complete his vengeance, the city cowers beneath his thirst for retribution. As he retraces his old scars, Manuel has one chance for vindication. To succeed, he’ll need to take a hard look at the life he’s built upon the ashes of his childhood…The Testimony of a Villain is a dark crime novel set on the unforgiving streets of the inner city. If you like graphic realism, complex characters, and an unapologetic look at reality, then you’ll love AAron G. Harrell’s poignant tale. Buy the book today to see a frightening villain in a whole new light…

    He s created his own imaginary world that is grounded in Victorian and Edwardian times. It is inhabited by human oddities, mythical beings, and otherworldly characters who appear to have had their formal portraits taken to mark their existence and place in society. The underlining thread that connects all these characters is the unusual circumstances that shape who they were and how they lived. Some of their origins are a complete mystery while others are hinted at. A man is cursed by a goat, a strange furry being is discovered sleeping in a hedge, an engine driver can t seem to stop vibrating in his sleep, a man overcomes his phobia of spiders, etc, . . .Using inventive techniques of painting with acrylic washes and simple textures on smooth boards, he s created portraits from an alternate universe that may or may not have existed.

    The story of Hamlet, and his anguish following the murder of his father, is retold by Martin Waddell with colour and black and white illustrations by Alan Marks.

    But Sally Mann's take on these iconic themes, rendered through both traditional and esoteric processes, is anything but common. Astonishingly original both in imagery and technique, Mann's work consistently challenges the viewer: in her hands, experiences drawn from daily life are rendered both disquieting and sublime. Now, having studied relationships between parent and child, artist and subject, life and death, Mann investigates the bonds between husband and wife. Exquisitely detailed, intimate, psychologically and emotionally intense, Sally Mann: Proud Flesh engages territory most often inhabited by male artists portraying their wives and female lovers, as Mann turns the camera to her husband of 39 years, Larry. Beautiful, textured and provocative, these unprecedented nude studies neither objectify nor celebrate; rather, they go far under the skin to suggest a relationship between man and woman that is profoundly trusting: sensual, sexual, sometimes painful, often indescribably tender and always unblinkingly honest.

    The terrible overcrowding, the constant hunger, and the presence of thousands of hardened criminals, in a prison lacking the most basic hygienic standards and where filth and disease are rampant, caused most prisoners to lose their human dignity.While in this living hell, Ronen is further tortured by loneliness and longing for his wife, daughters, and loving family. But Ronen's imprisonment serves as the impetus to rise above the prison walls and finally escape from his own evil inclination. With his powerful wellspring of faith, Ronen dedicates every waking hour to learning Torah and immersing himself in prayer; he repents from the depths of his heart, and attains freedom, even behind bars. Trusting only in God to help him, Ronen miraculously succeeds in escaping, seemingly accompanied by angels, all the way back to Tel Aviv.The book is translated from the original Hebrew, in Ronen's own straightforward touching style. You will journey through Ronen's fascinating and unique inner struggle. It is a journey that will take you from despair to hope; from a broken heart and body, to a spiritual and physical triumph. It is a journey that will never leave you!This book is dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Gavriel and Rebbetzin Rivka Holtzberg Hy"d, who were viciously murdered in the Mumbai Massacre of 2008. The many generous acts of kindness they bestowed upon me, Ronen, and so many others, will be remembered forever.

    Gosh's Poem! Samurai Sloth! With more mayhem and mutilation than you can shake a severed head at, Lenore is the celebrated product of creator Roman Dirge's twisted genius.

    It's the first appearance of Ragamuffin, the vampiric monster trapped in the body of a cute lil' doll! The boy with his heart in a box! Little Miss Muffet! Roman Dirge's Tattooed Autopsy! It's all in another jam-packed, chaotic issue starring everyone's favorite little dead girl.