Ajax Penumbra seeks a book--the single surviving copy of the Techne Tycheon, a mysterious volume that has brought and lost great fortune for anyone who has owned it. Late one night, after another day of dispiriting dead ends, he stumbles across a 24-hour bookstore, and the possibilities before him expand exponentially.

    Le Guin is renowned for her spare, elegant prose, rich characterization, and diverse worlds. "Semley's Necklace" is a short story originally published in the collection The Wind's Twelve Quarters.

    Other great kings and paladins are lost in the dim shadows oflong-past centuries, but Arthur still reigns in Camelot and his knightsstill ride forth to seek the Grail. "No little thing shall be The gentle music of the bygone years, Long past to us with all their hopes and fears."So wrote the poet William Morris in _The Earthly Paradise_. And surelyit is no small debt of gratitude we owe the troubadours and chroniclersand poets who through many centuries have sung of Arthur and hischampions, each adding to the song the gifts of his own imagination, sobuilding from simple folk-tales one of the most magnificent and movingstories in all literature.This debt perhaps we owe in greatest measure to three men; to Chrétiende Troies, a Frenchman, who in the twelfth century put many of the oldArthurian legends into verse; to Sir Thomas Malory, who first wrote outmost of the stories in English prose, and whose book, the _MorteDarthur_, was printed by William Caxton, the first English printer, in1485; and to Alfred, Lord Tennyson, who in his series of poems entitledthe _Idylls of the King_ retold the legends in new and beautiful guisein the nineteenth century.The history of Arthur is so shrouded in the mists of early England thatit is difficult to tell exactly who and what he was. There probably wasan actual Arthur, who lived in the island of Britain in the sixthcentury, but probably he was not a king nor even a prince. It seems mostlikely that he was a chieftain who led his countrymen to victory againstthe invading English about the year 500. So proud were his countrymen ofhis victories that they began to invent imaginary stories of his prowessto add to the fame of their hero, just as among all peoples legends soonspring up about the name of a great leader. As each man told the featsof Arthur he contributed those details that appealed most to his ownfancy and each was apt to think of the hero as a man of his own time,dressing and speaking and living as his own kings and princes did, withthe result that when we come to the twelfth century we find Geoffrey ofMonmouth, in his _History of the Kings of Britain_, describing Arthurno longer as a half-barbarous Briton, wearing rude armor, his arms andlegs bare, but instead as a most Christian king, the flower of mediævalchivalry, decked out in all the gorgeous trappings of a knight of theCrusades.As the story of Arthur grew it attracted to itself popular legends ofall kinds. Its roots were in Britain and the chief threads in its fabricremained British-Celtic. The next most important threads were those thatwere added by the Celtic chroniclers of Ireland. Then stories that werenot Celtic at all were woven into the legend, some from Germanicsources, which the Saxons or the descendants of the Franks may havecontributed, and others that came from the Orient, which may have beenbrought back from the East by men returning from the Crusades. And if itwas the Celts who gave us the most of the material for the stories ofArthur it was the French poets who first wrote out the stories and gavethem enduring form.It was the Frenchman, Chrétien de Troies, who lived at the courts ofChampagne and of Flanders, who put the old legends into verse for thepleasure of the noble lords and ladies that were his patrons. Hecomposed six Arthurian poems. The first, which was written about 1160 orearlier, related the story of Tristram. The next was called _Érec etÉnide_, and told some of the adventures that were later used by Tennysonin his _Geraint and Enid_. The third was _Cligès_, a poem that haslittle to do with the stories of Arthur and his knights as we havethem. Next came the _Conte de la Charrette_, or _Le Chevalier de laCharrette_, which set forth the love of Lancelot and Guinevere. Thenfollowed _Yvain_, or _Le Chevalier au Lion_, and finally came_Perceval_, or _Le Conte du Graal_, which gives the first account of theHoly Grail.

    Ranked as a midshipman, when the events of the American Revolution and the ongoing hostilities between France and England send him across the sea, Delancey finds himself instrumental in defending the Isle of Jersey, and later, the Rock of Gibraltar.

    It was first published in the Easter supplement of Prager Tagblatt on 20 April 1924. During his final illness Kafka corrected the proofs of the story for the inclusion into collection A Hunger Artist (Ein Hungerkünstler) published by Verlag Die Schmiede after his death.

    A day out with comrades, brutal gladiator fights, a bet with disastrous consequences. A Roman soldier’s much anticipated payday plays out in very different ways to those he expected.The German frontier, AD 12. Legionary Marcus Piso is set to enjoy a four monthly payday with his comrades. Wine, food and gladiatorial entertainment are on offer, and his purse is full.But thanks to a dishonest bet maker, events take on a very dangerous life of their own...The Arena is a prequel to Ben Kane's upcoming novel, Hunting the Eagles, the second in the new gripping three-part series, Eagles of Rome. It also includes a sample chapter from the new book.

    He is well known for having created the character Conan the Cimmerian, a literary icon whose pop-culture imprint can be compared to such icons as Tarzan of the Apes, Sherlock Holmes, and James Bond. Voracious reading, along with a natural talent for prose writing and the encouragement of teachers, conspired to create in Howard an interest in becoming a professional writer. One by one he discovered the authors that would influence his later work: Jack London and Rudyard Kipling. It's clear from Howard's earliest writings and the recollections of his friends that he suffered from severe depression from an early age. Friends recall him defending the act of suicide as a valid alternative as early as eighteen years old, while many of his stories and poems have a suicidal gloom and intensity that seem prescient in hindsight, describing such an end not as a tragedy but as a release from hell on earth.

    A startling and precocious example of her celebrated wit—not to mention a brilliant social commentary—this lively piece sweeps rapidly across almost four centuries of British monarchy. In rambunctious and wickedly funny prose, Austen's critique spans from Henry IV to Charles I, from Richard III to Mary Queen of Scots, offering a fierce parody of the kind of biased history that young ladies of Austen's time were being forced to study. Reproduced here in its entirety, this is a rare, tantalizing look at the great novelist's budding talent, and an extraordinary bit of literary history that lay unpublished for more than 130 years.Charles Dickens's A Child's History of England, by contrast, was written and published at the height of its author's considerable fame. A gory and dramatic account, full of villains and heroes, the essay was originally intended as a study-piece for his children, but in fact represented a sly, unconventional countertext to the more straitlaced historical canon. Dickens's exciting, flamboyant narrative is hugely evocative, both of the history he describes and of the time in which he himself was writing.With an insightful introduction by bestselling historian David Starkey, Two Histories of England brings together, in a single, irresistible volume, these remarkable—and remarkably overlooked—literary treasures by two of the world's most beloved writers.

    Name of the Rose meets Basic Instinct in this old-world thriller.

    Beach's extraordinarily successful first two novels, easily meeting their high standards. But unlike these earlier World War II novels, this book is set fifteen years after the war's end as the U.S. Navy converts its fleet of conventional submarines to nuclear-powered ships. The focus of the story is the USS Cushing, whose sixteen missile silos carry more explosive power than all the munitions used in both world wars. The Cushing is on a secret mission to the Arctic Ocean to determine whether her missiles are effective if fired from beneath the ice. When the submarine is incapacitated, with a suspicious Russian sub lurking in the vicinity, the scene is set for a dramatic thriller, rich in technical detail and submarine lore.

    And so, crammed with refugees, harried and bombed by enemy planes, the Sigli had struggled south in a desperate attempt to escape-Rupert Blair's family had been among the passengers on that fateful journey in which the ship and all aboard had disappeared. Twenty years later, he still hasn't forgotten - has never abandoned his obsession to discover exactly what happened. Now Rupert Blair embarks upon a journey of his own - one that will take him to a primitive, savage island in search of the truth.

    There’s only one problem—so was his twin brother, River. A midwife’s mix-up at their birth has left their clan’s leadership in question. Their father has the perfect solution: whichever of his wayward sons can find a bride first shall be named the next Earl. But brides don’t come fast… or easily, as Falcon and River will soon discover… The Jewel’s Embrace by Kathryn Le Veque River de la Haye is determined to be the next Earl of Drumburgh. Frustrated, and ambitious, River abducts his own uncle because the man has heard of women greatly in need of husbands and he needs the man’s guidance to find these legendary – and desperate – females. But the predator is about to become the prey. In the remote borders between Scotland and England, a widow and her three daughters live. Having hardly seen men in their lifetimes, the women capture River when he comes calling. Three big, tough, and strong women hold him captive, demanding that he choose one of them to wed, and River has no desire to pick any one of them. As desperate as he is, he’s not that desperate. But when the youngest daughter, Emerald, finally makes herself known, River realizes he has indeed found his bride… if they can both manage to survive the jealousy of her sisters. It’s a rollicking adventure in the remote borderlands! The Siren’s Kiss by Emma Prince Falcon de la Haye takes to the seas, hell-bent on beating his brother to England in search of a bonny and biddable bride. But fate has other plans. A devastating storm leaves Falcon stranded on a remote island under the care of a mysterious healer. With an iron will to match Falcon’s, Maerwynn insists on treating him before he sets out once more. But when duty calls, can Falcon leave her behind, or will he succumb to his siren’s kiss? Is passion stronger than duty? Don't miss these bodacious border romances!

    

     When Nellie Callaghan marries her love in secret, it causes a rift in the family. But when the bombs drop on Liverpool grievances must be put aside as the people of the city are brought to despair. Nellie’s mother is killed and her sister Lottie is injured, while her other sister Babs runs away to join the WLA. It falls to Nellie to care for the family. Despite the suffering that the war brings, it is trouble on the homefront that leads to further hardship for each of the sisters. Before the war is over, each of the Callaghans will have faced heartbreak and sacrifice. But amongst the sadness they will find some joy, and never giving up hope for a brighter future.

    He needs to protect his secret gaming hell from a group of debutantes who’ve stumbled upon his covert business. The problem… Miss Minerva Chase is not the average lady. From the moment his compatriots assign Daring to keep watch over the fiery redhead, she begins stirring trouble. Not only is her tongue sharper than any sword he’s faced but her lips are achingly soft while she tosses barb after barb in his direction. He’d like to throttle her, or kiss her, or perhaps protect the very spirit that drives him mad.Marquess of MaliceHe’s known as the Marquess of Malice…can one little lady warm his dark heart?Malice, as his friends and fellow gaming hell owners call him, doesn’t have room in his life for love. He’ll take a quiet bride, make an heir, and ship her off to the country. He’s picked the perfect little mouse for the job. The problem? When Malice asks her to marry him, Lady Cordelia refuses. Has she no sense? Any debutante would be happy to catch a marquess. But then again, he’s broken inside. Perhaps Cordelia is the most sensible woman of them all…Earl of Exile:He’s too dangerous and she’s too haunted…Lady Diana Chase has no intention of marrying any man, especially not the large Scot with a deep brogue and penchant for meddling in her business. And when he steps too far and puts his lips on hers…well that’s perfectly dreadful. Or perfectly wonderful…she hasn’t made up her mind. Perhaps Diana will need another kiss to decide…