In the year 2130 a mysterious & apparently untenanted alien spaceship Rama enters our solar system. The first product of an alien civilisation to be encountered by man it reveals a world of technological marvels & an unparalleled artificial ecology. But what is its purpose in 2131? Who is inside it? & why? ...

Rama is a vast alien spacecraft that enters the Solar System A perfect cylinder some fifty kilometres long spinning rapidly racing through space Rama is a technological marvel a mysterious & deeply enigmatic alien artifact. It is Mankinds first visitor from the stars & must be investigated.. . ...

The second book in the Mill of the Flea series continues the often farcical & always entertaining adventures of the author & his wife as they attempt to make a new life in rural France. As financial disaster looms Rene & Me sees the author & his wife moving across the Channel to try & live off the land & their wits in an isolated corner of Normandy. They arrive at the ruined Mill of the Flea & embark on a series of hare-brained schemes as they struggle to come to terms with a very different culture. Then an unlikely ally arrives in the shape of wily countryman Rene Ribet who offers to become their guide & mentor for what proves to be an unforgettable year
- Told in the inimitable style which has already won the author an army of followers Rene & Me is a sometimes hilarious sometimes moving & always captivating celebration of human nature people & above all life & living.
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The final book in the Soldier Son from the author of the Tawny Man & Farseer trilogies following on from the bestselling Shaman's Crossing & Forest Mage. The people of Getty's town remember the death of their cemetery soldier vividly. They remember believing him guilty of unspeakable crimes condemning him & then watching as other men of his unit beat him until he no longer drew breath. But Nevare Burvelle didn't die that day though everyone believes they saw it happen. He was cornered by a power far more intractable than an angry mob. When he was a boy the magic of the Specks
- the dapple-skinned tribes of the frontier forests
- claimed Nevare as a saviour; severing his soul in two naming his stolen half Soldier's Boy & shaping him into a weapon to halt the Gernian expansion into their lands & save their beloved ancestor trees. Until now Nevare has defied the magic unable to accept his traitorous fate. But the magic has won: it has extinguished his once golden future devastated his family & has now turned his own people against him. Faced with endangering the only loved-ones he has left Nevare has no choice but to surrender to its will & enter the forest. But surrendering to his Speck destiny is only the beginning of his trials. Before he submits completely Nevare makes one desperate last attempt to deter the Gernians from the Barrier Mountains without causing them harm. But the magic accepts no compromise. Exhausted Nevare can no longer suppress his traitorous Speck self Soldiers Boy. Losing control he becomes a prisoner in his own body; able only to watch helplessly as his other half takes Soldier's Boy is determined to stop the Gernian expansion at all cost & unlike Nevare he has no love nor sympathy for his spirit-twin's world.

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The provision of sustainable energy supplies for an expanding & increasingly productive world is one of the major issues facing civilisation today. Renewable Energy examines both the practical & economic potential of the renewable energy sources to meet this challenge. The underlying physical & technological principles behind deriving power from direct solar (solar thermal & photovoltaics) indirect solar (biomass hydro wind & wave) & non-solar (tidal & geothermal) energy sources are explained within the context of their environmental impacts their economics & their future prospects. Together with its companion volume Energy Systems & Sustainability this book provides both perspective & detail on the relative merits & state of progress of technologies for utilizing the various 'renewables'. The analysis considers emissions sustainability cost implications & energy security as political & economic pressures move society towards a low-carbon future. From an overview of basic energy conversion processes through a discussion of the individual renewable sources to a concluding examination of the prospects for their integration into national & international networks this book provides a valuable insight into prospects for the renewables. Online Resource Centre The Online Resource Centre to accompany Renewable Energy

Features: For students: * Self-assessment questions. * Links to further information & up-to-date energy statistics. For registered adopters of the book: * Figures from the book in electronic format.

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Property whether you are buying a house to live in or to let represents an enormous financial commitment. This book by bricks-&-mortar expert Michael Holmes will show you how to maximise the value of your investment & will reveal the kind of home improvements that make economic sense. Authoritative & detailed text covers all major aspects of home improvement including conservatories loft & basement conversions double-glazing central heating kitchens & bathrooms. With sound advice & clear comprehensive charts & tables it adds up to an indispensable handbook for any homeowner who is thinking of building on to extending altering or selling their property. No other book gives such sensible practical or authoritative advice on improvements to your home that will really make a difference to the house itself & to its market value. ...

Book & CD-ROM. Take a look through the Forbes annual issue of the richest Americans & you will find a majority of those personal fortunes have something to do with real estate. Real estate rental income rarely experiences wild swings in value instead providing predictable returns at many times the rate of money market accounts or CDs. In addition there can be substantial tax advantages as well. However being the landlord" can be difficult time consuming & potentially wrought with financial & legal obstacles. This new book will make the process of managing your rental properties easier. This new book & companion CD-ROM will teach you how to avoid headaches hassles & lawsuits by learning how to professionally manage your rental property. Maximise your profits & minimise your risks. Learn about advertising tenant screening managing tenants legal rights landlord rights discrimination vacancies essential lease clauses crime prevention drugs gangs security issues as well as premises liability security deposits handling problems evictions maintenance record keeping & taxes. The CD-ROM contains dozens of forms sample contracts letters notices rental applications agreements & checklists. It

Includes:: topics such as evicting irresponsible tenants collecting damages running multiple properties handling complaints emergency procedures expenses & utility management. We spent thousands of hours interviewing & e-mailing real estate property managers & investors. This book is a compilation of their secrets & proven successful ideas. If you are interested in learning hundreds of hints tricks & secrets on how to make money (or more money) on managing your rental properties then this book is for you. Instruction is great but advice from experts is even better & the experts chronicled in this book earn $1 000 to $300 000 per month managing rental properties. Inside the pages of this new exhaustively researched guide you will find a jam-packed assortment of innovative ideas that you can put to use today."

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Now fully updated ' Renting & Letting' is essential reading for both landlords & tenants. Whether you are a landlord looking to make a success of buy to let or you are keen to understand your rights as a tenant ' Renting & Letting' is the definitive handbook for you. Packed with expert guidance & jargon-free tips this practical guide covers the legal rights & obligations of both landlords & tenants advice on tenancy agreements & law how to manage a let & rental income Capital Gains Tax energy performance certificates & deposit protection schemes. This new edition of ' Renting & Letting'

Includes:: fully up-to-date figures & changes to regulations including the introduction of Universal Credit. Drawing on many years of experience in property investment & as a consultant to residential property companies Kate Faulkner gives clear advice on the possible pitfalls explaining vital financial & legal considerations in an accessible jargon-free manner.

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Everything potential landlords need to know about the UK rental market Renting Out Your Property For Dummies is the essential roadmap to successful property letting. This easy-to-read guide walks readers through every step of renting out their property
- showing how to avoid legal problems find & keep the best tenants maintain the property & maximise their rental income. As well as lots of helpful advice it contains a wealth of sample forms & standard letters that can be used when dealing with their own tenants. Crucially it is fully up to date on all the latest legislation including the Tenancy Deposit Scheme & Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). Renting Out Your Property For Dummies covers: How to prepare a rental property for prospective tenants Tackling rent deposits & tenancy agreements Deciding whether to manage the property yourself or to hire an agent Essential information on financial management & record-keeping
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This book covers the principles & techniques that will help you develop the skills needed to carry out effective vehicle body repair & re-finishing. This edition has been updated to deal with changes in technology & best practice & meets the current Automotive Skills standards. It also covers the topics studied at NVQ levels 2 & 3 & contains handy revision notes making it an ideal text for students on the following courses: Automotive Skills Council Vehicle Body & Paint Operations requirements IMI Body Repair & Refinishing Technical Certificates (VRQs) National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) City & Guilds Vehicle Body Repair Competence courses NVQ & Progression Awards of both City & Guilds & the Institute of the Motor Industry at levels 2 & 3. Professionals & hobbyists will continue to find this an essential manual for the workshop when repairing the latest models or classic cars. Other books by Andrew Livesey: Basic Motorsport Engineering 9780750689090 Advanced Motorsport Engineering 9780750689083 ...