Elizabeth Stavely sits in the Bodleian Library her hands trembling as she holds a fragment of parchment the key to a story untold for four hundred years Constantinople 1599: the English merchant Paul Pindar must deliver an extraordinary gift to the Sultan. Grieving for his lost love drowned in a shipwreck he hears rumours of a new golden-haired slave in the Sultans harem. Could this be his Celia? ...

The Black Watch 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland Battle Group deployed on Op HERRICK 10 to Afghanistan for six months during the summer of 2009. Its role was that of Aviation Assault Battle Group & its main task was raiding into insurgent-held areas in both Helmand & Kandahar Provinces. The Battle Group was dubbed the flying squad by the media as it took the fight to the Taliban with aggressive helicopter assaults. The book follows the Battle Groups progress starting with pre-tour training & deployment. It describes using first-hand accounts the thirteen Battle Group operations including the Sangin Valley raids & the one wave assault at the start of Operation PANTHERS CLAW. Also covered are the fighting patrols in Kandahar Province in an area known as the heart of darkness. Above all this is a record of the achievements of every member of the Battle Group who were individually & collectively asked to do extraordinary things in the face of an highly experienced & ruthless enemy. Personal accounts & letters supported by superb images many taken by Battle Group members vividly illustrate the paradox of conflict: the elation & fear of contact; the intensity of combat & the boredom of waiting; the calm of camp life & chaos of battle. The book exposes the humour the grief the hardship & the camaraderie experienced by soldiers on the front line of modern warfare. The vital contribution of those left behind both Rear Party & families is underlined. There were casualties & losses each one felt deeply & we see how the joy of the homecoming was tempered by these. While members families & friends of the Battle Group should see this as a personal tribute others will find Aviation Assault Battle Group an inspiring account of the combined efforts of this highly professional dedicated & courageous team. It is hoped that the book will also lead to a better understanding of what our Servicemen & women are achieving in this most dangerous & controversial of war zones. ...

At the heart of Ryhope Wood Steven & the mythago Guiwenneth live in the ruins of a Roman villa close to a haunted fortress from the Iron Age from which Guiwenneths myth arose. She is comfortable here almost tied to the place & Steven has long since abandoned all thought of returning to his own world. They have animals protection & crops. They also have two children a combination of human & mythago. Jack is like his father an active boy keen to know all about the outer world; Yssobel takes after her mother even to her long auburn hair. But this idyll cannot last. The hunters who protected Guiwenneth as a child have come to warn her she is in danger. Yssobel is dreaming increasingly of her Uncle Christian Stevens brother who disappeared into Lavondyss & Jack wants to see the outer world more than anything. Events are about to overtake them. ...

When you & your brother Tony need work in prohibition-era Chicago you find yourselves helping the police force by going undercover in an infamous Chicago gang. As a gangster youll go from rigging slot machines to running a protection racket all the while risking your life. This exciting title details the ins & outs of the criminal mind in the 1920s leading to an explosive finale in which the good win out & the bad guys are rumbled. Humourous cartoon-style illustrations & speech bubbles bring the characters to life while informative captions explain processes or chronological events. Each spread comes complete with a Handy Hint box offering a clever tip on how to survive whatever ghastly situation youve found yourself in. A complete glossary & index featured in every title makes The Danger Zone" an ideal introduction to the conventions of non-fiction texts for young readers." ...

Do you have what it takes to be a ninja warrior? Could you make the grade as one of Japans silent stealthy & most feared fighters? Before you answer that you need to know what life is like for a so-called shadow warrior
- then maybe youll decide you wouldnt want to be a ninja warrior at all! As a Japanese child in the Warring States Period you are going to be trained in the strict craft of ninjutsu & join a ninja school before you are given dangerous orders & become a Ninja Warrior! Humourous cartoon-style illustrations & speech bubbles bring the characters to life while informative captions explain processes or chronological events. Each spread comes complete with a Handy Hint box offering a clever tip on how to survive whatever ghastly situation youve found yourself in.
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This work contains amusing illustrations & descriptive text which provide an interesting insight into the age of exploration & the beginnings of colonial enterprise. The book serves as an enlightening introduction to the early relationship between settlers & Native American tribes prefiguring tensions that would remain for centuries. Informative captions a complete glossary & an index make this title an ideal introduction to the conventions of non-fiction text. This is an ideal text for Key Stage 2 history & helps achieve the goals of the Scottish Standard Curriculum 5-14. ...

As if the plague wasnt bad enough here comes the fiery antidote! As famous diary-keeper Samuel Pepys youll witness four days & four nights of fire & live to tell the tale. Find out how people lived in the London of 1666 how they coped in the aftermath & all importantly whodunnit!
- or at least who we think dunnit! The Danger Zone" is a constantly-growing library of over 50 exciting titles which transport the reader to the grisliest times & places in history. The first-person narrative approach puts the reader in the shoes (or sandals or army boots or cloth sacks) of some of the most unfortunate people ever to have lived
- from pyramid builders to viking explorers from medieval knights to the crew of the Titanic. Humourous cartoon-style illustrations & speech bubbles bring the characters to life while informative captions explain processes or chronological events. Each spread comes complete with a Handy Hint box offering a clever tip on how to survive whatever ghastly situation youve found yourself in."

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This is an ideal text for shared & guided reading for Key Stage 2 pupils within the framework of the National Literacy Strategy. It is set in the 1840s & casts the reader as a farmer setting out on the journey of a lifetime seeking the fertile farmlands of Oregon. Travelling overland as part of a wagon train from the east coast of America to Oregon on the west coast you face dangers including high mountains lack of food & water & the prospect of catching various diseases. The cartoon-style illustrations & the narrative approach encourage readers to get emotionally involved with the characters & to follow the story right across North America. Will the wagon train succeed in reaching its goal? The book

Includes:: handy hints & informative captions to keep you alive on this dangerous journey!

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An account of the story of one of the most difficult adventures of all time across the bitterly cold continent of Antarctica. This book charts the events of the Endurance expedition & describes the ways in which Shackletons polar team dealt with extreme cold strong icy winds & the lack of food & water. The illustrations & text provide an insight into the conditions experienced by the explorers on this epic journey. ...

The Avro Vulcan was the last V Bomber to see active service in its primary role during the Falklands conflict. It is the most popular of the three & one aircraft has recently become airborne again after a long period of rejuvenation. It has always been a major attraction at air shows throughout the world attracting crowds who delight in its unique delta-wing shape & amazing manoeuvrability. The book examines the origins of the design the prototypes & experimental aircraft & goes on to explain the modifications that were made to the last of the breed. The author has access to many previously unpublished photographs & experimental design plans. This is because he is a leading member of the Avro Heritage Centre & discovered a great deal of unpublished material in their archives. ...