Extensively researched and compellingly told, it introduces us to the passionate drama and violent upheaval of eleventh-century Europe. The world as we know it, and the English language, would have been vastly different were it not for the driving ambition of one man: William the Conqueror. But conquerors are made, not born, and William was made in fire and blood. How does a boy become a man, surviving a tumultuous and terrifying childhood? And how does that man become a legend? William Rising plunges us into this world of danger and betrayal, of choosing sides and dying for absolutes. It follows the creation of a conqueror, as he grows up abandoned, learns to fight at an early age for anything he hopes to keep, and is sculpted into a remorseless, far-sighted, ruthlessly efficient soldier and statesman. From his origins as an orphaned, penniless bastard boy, to his personal and political trials by fire, to the climactic battle with his rebellious barons where he finally comes of age, the young duke increasingly establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with. But as the shadowy intrigues of English politics, and the all-consuming question of an heir for a childless king, begin to draw him into their web, it may just be that William of Normandy has a destiny far greater than even he has ever dreamed.

    This is great new saga about an archer and his family who fought for gold and treasure in an effort to rise in cruel and difficult feudal times - and how they did it. It will appeal to the fans of Bernard Cornwell, Jeffrey Archer, C.S. Forester. De Melo, Griff Hosker, Peter Darman, and Jerry Auteri. This is British and English action & adventure of the medieval war & military historical fiction variety at its action-packed best.

    He watched his father ascend the ranks within the academy to become one of the most respected warriors in the kingdom. The only thing he has ever wanted is to become an academy student and follow the path of his father. Unfortunately, only the best can enter the academy and Justan is a horrible fighter. Everyone tells him that he is more suited to scholarly work than swordplay. In desperation he hurls himself into training, eager to overcome the doubters and walk into the academy triumphant, unaware that secretive powers plot to disrupt his plans. Meanwhile, an evil wizard of immense power is using magic to twist the bodies of the creatures of the land and transform them into monsters. With these creatures and the peoples of the wilds, he is building an army . . . Ogres and dragons, warriors and wizards are destined to clash, their fates guided by The Bowl of Souls.

     Now Lord Barnard is dead and his son, Lord Charles, has come home from the crusades with the last of their men -- and Simon is not among them. Lord Charles claims Simon died saving his life. Melisende suspects there is more to the story. Left to fend for herself and her two young children, Melisende is determined to discover what really happened to Simon at the battle for Acre. The truth is far stranger and more unsettling than she could ever have imagined. If you enjoy true-to-life historical fiction based on real events, with all the passion, drama, and heartache of life in Medieval Europe, you’ll love The Lode Stone, written by multi-award-winning author Jane Ann McLachlan.

    Abandoned by his parents at an early age and raised by a foster father, later imprisoned, chained and tortured, somehow Villon survived to write one of the most enduring epics ever. Louis Simpson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in poetry, is the author of several books of poetry and criticism. He has received a number of prestigious awards throughout his career, including the Prix de Rome, fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, and the Columbia Medal for Excellence. Louis Simpson lives in Setauket, New York.

    The wit and wisdom of the West, as documented by Dalton Wilcox, poet laureate of the West.

    He's set to wrestle and study creative writing at Columbia University in New York. These poems are a look into his early experiences with love and loss, an introspective coming of age tale told in verse.

    From his earliest songs of the 1960s to his years with Island Records, these are the potent lyrics to the international reggae sound that was to make Bob Marley an unforgettable music legend.

    The author discusses, regret, anxiousness, racial issues, craving for love, and much more. Tavon gets deeply personal and introspective, in hopes of helping those who are in need of self-healing too. "Entrapped inside your Heart-shaped box For lonely years You’ve left me here To survive off hope and tears I know your return is unlikely Unlike me, You have a gift Of hurting others with a smile Luring your victims Into the traps of your eyes I enjoy this place Although it’s often cold It has pockets of warmth In your Heart-Shaped Box I’ll forever be stored Waiting for you Love me more Than August loves to storm."

    Ramanan is dramatic pastoral elegy and it is beautifully illustrated by Artist Madanan.

    Yum! I hope you like it.

    Revenge is ripe on his tongue, and he means to have it. His younger sister was raped by an English bastard, and he was going to make him pay even if it meant he had to execute his vengeance on the miscreant's younger, innocent sister. An eye for an eye was the way he saw it.Madeleine Wynton lived her life simply. She had her father and three older brothers, whom she loved dearly. Her life was calm, and while it may seem boring to others, it satisfied her and gave her purpose. She aspired to enter the abbey where she would further serve others. A life of service would surely save her and her mother’s souls from purgatory, wouldn’t it? That was the plan, that is, until she was kidnapped for ransom. Luck wasn't always on her side, but fortunately for her that day, it was. A rather large, intimidating, and surly Highlander came to her rescue. He took her back to the Highlands, promising to send word to her father that she was safe and ready to return home. The more time she spent with Connor and his family, though, the more she began to question everything she always held as truth. Connor was going to make the English reprobates pay, and not even those wide innocent eyes resting above that sharp tongue of Maddie's, was going to make him abandon his intentions. He was not only sending word to Maddie’s father in the form of a ransom, but he also intended to seduce the Englishwoman into his bed. The revenge would taste sweeter if she willingly gave herself to him. Regrettably, Connor didn’t anticipate falling for Maddie’s stubbornness, wit, or charm. It was a dilemma further complicated by his need to keep her safe from one man who wanted to kidnap Maddie for ransom, and another who bought her from her father. Connor needed to keep his secret if he wanted to spend his life with Maddie. Secrets have a way of coming to light no matter how hard you try to keep them in the dark, and his will have everyone questioning the life they thought they knew. Can the love Connor and Maddie nurtured on a net of lies survive the fall when the deceit unravels, or will their love be a casualty of vengeance?The Highlander Who Saved Me is a stand-alone historical romance novel that will have you holding on through twists and turns. The Heart of a Highlander…where the only thing fiercer than a warrior’s battle cry, is the way that he loves…

    John's Cluniac monastery in Lewes. Nestled in the baby's clothing is gold and ruby crucifix of tremendous value, which puzzles the prior. The boy is named Nicodemus (Nick), and is raised by highly educated monks. Unlike other monastic orders that believe in hard labor, the Cluniacs employ servants in order to dedicated more time to study. Groomed since boyhood to be a warrior monk, Nick is ready to fight for God in the Second Crusade. The only thing that stands in his way is pretty Gwen, the daughter of a kitchen maid who constantly haunts his thoughts and stirs forbidden desires. Nick and many other crusaders board a ship heading for Dartmouth, but a storm veers it off course and they arrive in Lisbon, instead. There he meets the wealthy and powerful Lord Richard Fitzwilliam of Kent, who eventually hands Nick the key to unlock the secrets of his true identity and allow him to take his rightful place in English society. Now he must choose between God and Gwen. From the feudal nobility of Medieval England to the exciting recapture of Lisbon from the Moors, and the bloody battlefields of the exotic East, Forbidden is a tale of Honor, Desire, Denial, Love, and Destiny, which can sometimes be cruel…

    With 12 terrifically spine chilling short stories, this anthology contains contributions from some of the best young horror writing talent out there, and was curated by the editors of the PlayWithDeath.com, the premier destination for online horror entertainment. If you're searching for stories that will frighten you to your very core, look no further. List of Short Story Authors Tom Wortman M. B. Vujačić Manen Lyset Jenny Ashford Kyle Yadlosky G. T. Montgomery Ari Drew Patrick Winters Trevor James Zaple John Teel Dexter Findley Kyle Rader

    Here are some of the remarkable features of Barnes & Noble ClassicsNew introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholarsBiographies of the authorsChronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural eventsFootnotes and endnotesSelective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the workComments by other famous authorsStudy questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectationsBibliographies for further readingIndices & Glossaries, when appropriateAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. Barnes & Noble Classics pulls together a constellation of influences--biographical, historical, and literary--to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works. When Leaves of Grass was first published in 1855 as a slim tract of twelve untitled poems, Walt Whitman was still an unknown. But his self-published volume soon became a landmark of poetry, introducing the world to a new and uniquely American form. The "father of free verse," Whitman drew upon the cadence of simple, even idiomatic speech to "sing" such themes as democracy, sexuality, and frank autobiography.Throughout his prolific writing career, Whitman continually revised his work and expanded Leaves of Grass, which went through nine, substantively different editions, culminating in the final, authoritative "Death-bed Edition." Now the original 1855 version and the "Death-bed Edition" of 1892 have been brought together in a single volume, allowing the reader to experience the total scope of Whitman's genius, which produced love lyrics, visionary musings, glimpses of nightmare and ecstasy, celebrations of the human body and spirit, and poems of loneliness, loss, and mourning.Alive with the mythical strength and vitality that epitomized the American experience in the nineteenth century, Leaves of Grass continues to inspire, uplift, and unite those who read it. Karen Karbiener received a Ph.D. from Columbia University and currently teaches at New York University. She also wrote the introduction and notes for the Barnes & Noble Classics edition of Frankenstein.