The city of Paradys was a place of decadence & decay of luxury & lasciviousness & after the revolution a graveyard peopled ...

Flatlands a residential school on Merseyside is the only home Owain Jones can remember. But it's not a happy place for Owain whose mysterious Welsh ancestry makes him stick out like a sore thumb. & then he learns his class is going on a school trip to Wales
- When Owain finds new friends Geth & Marian they're quickly drawn into the age-old conflict between Rippers & Stitchers. Time travel sword fights & kidnap are just some of the perils they face. Will Owain be able to save his mates from the evil Rippers? & will they ever get back to the twenty-first century?
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Secret Britain" is an exploration of the fascinating & beautiful yet more obscure & less-visited corners of the country. Landscapes & heritage sites that receive little coverage in more conventional guides are revealed here in all their glory & there is a diverse range of locations to suit every mood. Travel from the rugged beaches of Cornwall to the ancient burial sites of the Orkney Islands & in between encounter a colourful mix of museums stately homes pubs abbeys monuments nature reserves & the many other gems that add to the rich tapestry of this unique & exciting country. Tom Quinn brings the fascinating architecture eccentricities of local culture breathtaking landscapes & mystical heritage of Britain to life with his lively commentary. Each chapter is accompanied by a full-colour map & Chris Coes beautiful photography which captures the unique character of each site." ...

Ex-Navy Seal Nolan Kilkenny finds himself on his dangerous mission yet one which will take him from the Vatican to the arid steppes of China! Ex-Navy Seal Nolan Kilkenny is called to Rome on the pretence of examining the Vatican library. But on arrival he discovers his real mission one that will ultimately involve China the Mafia & the conclave to elect the next Pope. In agony the ailing Pope reveals the whereabouts of the secret cardinal who has been imprisoned by the Chinese for 30 years & who could become the next leader of the Catholic Church. With the assistance of the US President American Special Forces & the CIA Kilkenny assembles a crack team & in doing so attempts a daring rescue mission that could determine the fate of mankind! ...

In the follow up to Darwins Lost World Martin Brasier book introduces the quest for the missing history of life & the cell. Through a series of journeys it emerges that the modern plant cell is one of the most deeply puzzling & unlikely steps in the whole history of life. Decoding this puzzle is a great adventure that has mainly taken place over the last half century. Brasier puts the big questions into context through lively descriptions of his explorations around the world from the Caribbean Sea & the Egyptian pyramids to the shores of the great lakes in Canada andto the reefs & deserts of Australia. Covering the period from 1 to 2 billion years ago
- a period he once dubbed the boring billion
- he demonstrates how it in fact involved great evolutionary potential with the formation of the complex (eukaryotic) cell. Without this cell there would be nothing on Earth today except bacteria & the formation of this cell was a fundamental turning point in the history of life on Earth. Weaving together several threads Brasier emphasises the importance of single-celled forms to marine ecosystems; symbiosis & coral reefs; & the architecture & beauty of single-celled Foraminifera & what they tell us about evolution. From a master storyteller comes a vivid description of the earliest biological forms & a set of fascinating tales of travels & research.

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In this the bind up of The Initiation & The Captive Part 1 is the start of Cassies story. Forced to move from sunny California to gloomy New England Cassie is homesick
- until she forms a bond with a group of teenagers at her school. This clique rules the school
- no one dare cross them
- but Cassie feels a strange kinship with them & when she is initiated into their secret circle she is both terrified & thrilled to be part of a coven of witches that have controlled New Salem for hundreds of years... But then Cassie falls in love. Now she has a tough decision to make: does she walk away or does she step over to the dark side?


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This fascinating book provides a rare glimpse into a world where fairies & elves fauns & wraiths & other ethereal beings were considered to be as real as any man or woman of the times. Written by a Scottish clergyman in 1692 (and later edited by the great folklorist Andrew Lang) the book has long interested scholars & charmed general readers alike. With the text newly edited & enhanced with appropriate illustrations this new edition makes a wonderful gift book for anyone fascinated by the magical world of fairies & their kin. ...

Anna a young countess has lived in the glittering city of St Petersburg all her life in an ice-blue palace overlooking the River Neva. But when revolution tears Russia apart her now-penniless family is forced to flee to Engl&. Armed with an out-of-date book on housekeeping Anna determines to become a housemaid & she finds work at the Earl of Westerholmes crumbling but magnificent mansion. The staff & the family are sure there is something not quite right about their new maid -- but she soon wins them over with her warmth & dedication. Then the young Earl returns home from the war -- & Anna falls hopelessly in love. But they can never be together: Rupert is engaged to the snobbish & awful Muriel -- & anyway Anna is only a servant. Or so everybody thinks.. . ...

Ben has been saving for weeks to buy the Mongolian fighting fish hes seen in the local pet shop. But on entering Mr Dodds Pet Emporium a small cat hooks his claws into Bens jumper & begs to be bought. The cat tells Ben that Mr Dodds is importing rare magical beasts into this world & he needs his help to save them. Like fish out of water they are dying in this world away from their magical l&. A parallel world Eidolon exists as a neighbour to our own & is filled with magic & magical creatures like dragons selkies sabre-toothed tigers & faeries. With his new friend Iggy the talking cat Ben travels between the worlds & helps some of these amazing creatures return home. On his journey he makes loyal friends encounters danger & adventure & discovers his own royal lineage in the Secret Country... ...

Bavaria 1886 King Ludwig II infamous for his eccentric behavior is declared insane by his government & removed from his throne. A day later Ludwig's corpse washes up in the shallows of Lake Starnberg. Rumours about the cause of the tragedy abound but few people know why Ludwig was really killed. Or what secret was silenced by his death. Germany present day.. . Hidden among the crates in a newly discovered Nazi bunker are documents stamped with a black swan the insignia of the murdered king. As a favour to a friend Jonathon Payne & David Jones fly to Bavaria to protect the documents but soon face a life-or-death battle against an unknown enemy. From the depths of the Black Forest to the water canals underneath Ludwig's castles the duo must solve the mystery behind the king's death or share his tragic fate. ...