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Seven Viking Romances
By Hermann Palsson and Paul Edwards, Hermann Palsson, Paul Edwards. 1985
Combining traditional myth, oral history and re-worked European legend to depict an ancient realm of heroism and wonder, the seven…
tales collected here are among the most fantastical of all the Norse romances. Powerfully inspired works of Icelandic imagination, they relate intriguing, often comical tales of famous kings, difficult gods and women of great beauty, goodness or cunning. The tales plunder a wide range of earlier literature from Homer to the French romances - as in the tale of the wandering hero Arrow-Odd, which combines several older legends, or Egil and Asmund, where the story of Odysseus and the Cyclops is skilfully adapted into a traditional Norse legend. These are among the most outrageous, delightful and exhilarating tales in all Icelandic literature.Seriously Funny: The Endlessly Quotable Terry Pratchett
By Terry Pratchett. 2016
‘I’ll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there’s evidence of any thinking going on inside it.’The…
most quotable writer of our time, Terry Pratchett’s unique brand of wit made him both a bestseller and an enduring, endearing source of modern wisdom. This collection is filled with his funniest and most memorable words about life, the universe and snoring.Selected Tales
By Brothers Grimm. 1982
Selected Tales contains some of the most timeless and enchanting folk and fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, translated…
with an introduction by David Luke in Penguin Classics.These folktales collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are among the most memorable stories in European culture - conjuring up a world of spells and bewitchment, outwitted villains and cruel stepmothers, animal bridegrooms and enchanted princesses. Tales such as 'Hansel and Gretel', 'Little Red Cape' and 'The Robber Bridegroom' depict the dangers lurking in dark forests, and others, including 'Briar-Rose' and 'Snow White' show young beauties punished by unforgiving sorceresses. Other tales include 'Thickasathumb', which portrays a childless young couple whose wish for a baby is granted in an unexpected way, while 'The Frog King' tells of a rash promise made by a haughty princess to share her bed with a frog, and a fortune is won in 'The Blue Lamp', when a soldier gains a kingdom with the help of a magic lamp.David Luke's vibrant translation is accompanied by an introduction discussing the key themes of the tales and the literary background of the Brothers Grimm. This edition also includes new further reading and a chronology, with notes and a glossary.Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) are nowadays simply known as 'the brothers Grimm'. Both brothers were state-appointed librarians in Kassel, and later members of the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Berlin, where Frederick William IV of Prussia had invited them to settle. Two of Germany's greatest scholars, Jacob is regarded as the founder of the scientific study of the German language, and with his brother Wilhelm initiated the Deutsches Wörterbuch, a dictionary of all words in modern High German since 1450.If you enjoyed the Selected Tales of the Brothers Grimm, you might like Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales, also available in Penguin Classics.The Seed and the Sower
By Sir Laurens Van Der Post. 1963
What follows is the story of two British officers whose spirit the Japanese try to break. Yet out of all…
the violence and misery strange bonds are forged between prisoners - and their gaolers. In a battle for survival that becomes a battle of contrasting wills and philosophies as the intensity of the men's relationships develop.The Secrets of Time and Fate (Secrets #3)
By Rebecca Alexander. 2016
16th CenturyEdward Kelley and his mentor Dr John Dee have come to a crossroads. At the mercy of Countess Elizabeth…
Báthory, they set out to find a cure for her unnatural condition.21st CenturyJackdaw Hammond is living rough in London, blacking out and waking with a sense of dread. Can the lessons of the past help defeat the dark magic that threatens to steal her soul?Secrets of the Railway Girls (The railway girls series #2)
By Maisie Thomas. 2020
The second novel in the uplifting railway girls series. Perfect for fans of Nancy Revell and Margaret Dickinson.--------------------------------- Manchester, November…
1940As the war continues and secrets threaten the railway girls, they will discover the true meaning of friendship.---------------------------------For Dot, her job on the railways is everything. Transporting parcels around the country gives her pride that she is doing her bit for the war effort, but a growing friendship causes problems when home and work collide.Joan loves her boyfriend Bob dearly, but when tragedy strikes, her heart is torn apart, and she is forced to make a decision that could hurt those she loves most.Meanwhile Mabel has finally found a place to call home and her relationship seems to be going from strength to strength. However, the relentless bombing in the Christmas blitz is about to destroy everything she holds dear, and she will need her friends' courage and generosity now more than ever.Brought together by their work on Manchester's railways, the three women find that with the support and encouragement of each other, they can get through even the most challenging of times. --------------------------------- **Maisie's brand new novel THE RAILWAY GIRLS IN LOVE is available to pre-order now. Just search: 9781787463981** Readers LOVE the Railway Girls . . .'Beautifully written with a quiet charm' Jaffareadstoo 'Suberbly written . . . a gripping read' Ginger Book Geek 'Stunning . . . perfectly paced' Frost Magazine 'Poignant' Donna's Book BlogThe Seal Hunter: A Magic Beans Story
By Tony Mitton. 1998
Duncan MacKinnon is an ordinary fisherman who lives in a croft by the sea. Everything is going swimmingly well for…
him, until one day a mysterious stranger knocks at his door . . . This story is a magic bean. It may not look much like a bean, but I can promise you that it is. For if you plant it in a young mind, it will grow into a love of story and reading. These beans are favourite fairytales and legends that will delight, thrill and thoroughly entertain. Each story has been brilliantly crafted by one of the best-loved writers for children. This story was published by David Fickling Books as part of the Magic Beans anthology. The complete anthology is available in hardback and in ebook format.Sea Horses: The Last Secret (Sea Horses #4)
By Louise Cooper. 2005
Tamzin is trying hard to come to terms with the loss of Moonlight, whom she now knows is the Blue…
Horse, the kind spirit who is trying to protect her. Although the evil spirit of the Grey Horse has been quiet for some time, Tamzin is inexplicably drawn towards a rocky outcrop just off the coast and goes out in a little boat to investigate. Soon she realises it is a trap and the Grey Horse has succeeded in capturing her in his den. Her blue talisman isn't powerful enough to summon up the Blue Horse, until she spots a small fragment of blue glass - the missing piece of her bracelet. The Blue Horse and the Grey Horse face each other for the final time while Tamzin tries desperately to escape. With the help of the Blue Horse, her friends and her Nan, Tamzin reaches safety and the spirit of the Grey Horse is recaptured forever. And much to everyone's surprise and delight, Moonlight returns, a pony once more.Sea Horses: Gathering Storm (Sea Horses #3)
By Louise Cooper. 2004
When Tamzin goes to stay with her grandmother in Cornwall, she is drawn towards a small grey statue of a…
grey horse, kept in a cabinet for safe-keeping. One day she accidentally drops the statue and unwittingly releases the evil spirit of the Grey Horse that has been trapped inside. Her mistake threatens to bring storms and danger, and it is only Tamzin who can put things right. To do this she needs the help of the benevolent spirit of the Blue Horse who, according to the ancient legend, defeated the Grey Horse once before. In this third adventure, a newcomer arrives and with his help Tamzin is nearer to solving the mystery behind the ancient legend. But the Grey Horse's power is growing even stronger, putting not only her life in danger but that of the whole village. Hoewever Tamzin is almost sure that the spirit of the Blue Horse is nearby when her favourite pony Moonlight comes to her rescue once again.Sea Horses (Sea Horses Ser. #2)
By Louise Cooper. 2004
Tamzin Weston unwittingly releases the evil spirit of the Grey Horse, who has been trapped inside a small statue for…
hundreds of years. Her mistake threatens to bring perpetual storms and danger. Only Tamzin can put things right and bring balance back to nature. To do this she must find and enlist the spirit of the Blue Horse, a force for good, who has battled and overcome the Grey Horse once before.Bestselling author Douglas Jackson expertly brings the Roman Empire to life in this riveting historical adventure of fire, blood and…
battle. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow, Ben Kane and Conn Iggulden. Readers are loving Gaius Valerius Verrens! "Storytelling of the highest order" - 5 STARS"Glorious Roman adventure." - 5 STARS"The drama never lets up - it is gripping" - 5 STARS"I'm just gutted to have finished it!" - 5 STARS"Verrens rules, ok?" - 5 STARS************************************************************BETRAYED, BANISHED BUT NOT BROKEN...70 AD: Disgraced, dishonoured and banished on pain of execution if he ever returns to Rome, Gaius Valerius Verrens makes his way East through the death and destruction of the savage Judaean rebellion. He knows his only hope of long term survival lies with his friend Titus, commander of the Army of Judaea and son of the newly crowned Emperor Vespasian.But when he reaches the Roman camps that surround the seemingly impregnable city of Jerusalem he finds Titus a changed man. Gone is the cheerful young officer he knew; in his place, a tough, ruthless soldier under pressure from his father to end the insurrection at any cost. Soon, Valerius finds himself at the centre of a web of intrigue spun by Titus' lover, Queen Berenice of Cilicia, and her sometime ally, the general's turncoat adviser, Flavius Josephus, who together have an ulterior motive for wanting the siege to end quickly.Yet the laurels Valerius needs in order to regain his honour cannot be won in the tunnels that run beneath Jerusalem. Only in the heat and blood of battle can he find the glory that brought him the title Hero of Rome.Gaius Valerius Verrens' adventures continue in Saviour of Rome.Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales from Burns to Buchan
By Gordon Jarvie. 2008
Mystery and excitement abound in this lively collection of fairy tales, folklore and legends, which celebrate Scotland's enormously rich oral…
tradition and offers a carefully chosen combination of old favourites such as Tam Lin, Thomas Rymer and Adam Bell, as well as more modern stories by master story-tellers like Andrew Lang, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and John Buchan.Scorpion Trail: A deadly mission to hunt a deadly killer…
By Geoffrey Archer. 1995
_______________________________________Alex Crawford has been out of MI5 and the combat zone for twenty years, but now fate has thrust him…
back into the front line.Though he is an aid worker, the secret service minders who have protected him for so long have reactivated him: they want information about the man who perpetrated a massacre in a Muslim village in Bosnia at the height of the Kosovo War.His target is the most ruthless killer in the whole war zone: Milan Pravic, codename the Scorpion. And the only eyewitness to the massacre is a twelve-year-old girl whom Pravic will do anything to silence.A gripping and breath-taking novel of Roman adventure from bestselling author Douglas Jackson. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and…
Ben Kane.Readers are loving Gaius Valerius Verrens! "Spellbinding" - 5 STARS"I didn't want to come to the end, some really fascinating detail and a great story." - 5 STARS"Unexpected twists and an ending full of surprise rates it among my favorite reads to date." - 5 STARS"Kept me absolutely gripped from start to finish [-] historically accurate with the fictitious stories and characters expertly weaved into the real makes it utterly believable." - 5 STARS*****************************************REBELLION SIMMERS...AND TREACHERY LIES IN WAIT. AD 72: Vespasian is Emperor of Rome - but his grip on power is weakening. Economic disaster threatens the city - and when Rome is threatened, so too is the Empire.Recently married and building a new home, Gaius Valerius Verrens thought he'd at last found a life away from the battlefield. But he is summoned by the Emperor to do one last favour for Rome: he must journey to the remote, mountainous region of Asturica Augusta and investigate claims that a bandit called 'The Ghost' is raiding the Empire's gold convoys.When Valerius arrives, he finds a tortured, gods-forsaken land whose native tribes, exploited for so long, are a growing threat. But treachery lurks in the shadows, and it seems the real danger comes from those closer to him.Valerius must put an end to a conspiracy that would plunge the Empire into a devastating new conflict - but first he must establish who is a friend, and who a foe . . .Gaius Valerius Verrens's adventures continue in Glory of Rome.Saving Neverland
By Abi Elphinstone. 2023
'A wonderful whirlwind of magic and adventure, and every bit as enchanting as the original Peter Pan. I absolutely loved…
it!' Catherine DoyleNumber 14 Darlington Road, looks like a perfectly ordinary townhouse - at first glance, anyway, but magic is good at hiding . . . when it's waiting for the right person to discover it . . .Martha Pennydrop is ten, and desperate to grow up. But growing up is a tricky business. It means turning your back on imagination, fun and magic, because those were the things that led to the Terrible Day when something awful nearly happened to Martha's younger brother, Scruff, which would have been All Her Fault.But when Martha and Scruff discover a drawer full of mysterious gold dust in the bedroom of their new house - along with a window that's seemingly impossible to close - it's the start of an incredible adventure to a magical world: Neverland! The Pennydrop's new house used to belong to another family - the Darlings - who once visited this world themselves. Now Peter Pan is back, and in need of their help. Neverland is in the icy grip of a terrible curse - cast long ago by Captain Hook. And only Martha and Scruff can save it . . .A reluctant Martha and excited Scruff are swept off to Neverland and into the company of the Lost Kids. But when Scruff is kidnapped, Martha must rediscover all the imagination, magic and belief she has buried deep inside herself for so long, to save him - and Neverland itself.Praise for Saving Neverland'Abi Elphinstone's imagination is as colourful and enticing as a sweetshop. In reimagining Peter Pan, she blows fairy dust over the classic tale and makes it fly . . . the perfect bedtime story for children of all ages.' M.G. Leonard 'Saving Neverland soars with Joy' Piers Torday'An awfully big new adventure in Neverland that's icy, dicey, delightful and dazzling in equal measure!' Peter Bunzl 'Full of wit, wonder and high-stakes action, with the most brilliant cast of characters . . . a true classic and Abi Elphinstone's best book yet!' Emma Carroll 'Daring, joyful, funny' Maz EvansCapturing Angels
By V. C. Andrews. 2012
V.C. Andrews, queen of Gothic fiction for twenty-five years, explores a new genre in her women’s fiction debut—available exclusively as…
an eBook. A young mother struggles to keep her marriage together in the wake of her daughter’s kidnapping…and to keep hope of her return alive. Grace is the doting mother of Mary, an angelic five-year-old who charms everyone around her. But in one tragic moment at a local shopping mall, Grace looks down to discover that Mary is no longer at her side…and can&’t be found anywhere. She and her husband wait by the phone for a ransom demand that never comes. For months Grace believes that Mary is somewhere, alive and safe, waiting to come home to her—but as her family and friends give up hope, Grace&’s marriage begins to crumble. Only one detective, Sam Abraham, shares her determination to find Mary…but could his motives be less than altruistic? As Sam and Mary work together to track Mary&’s disappearance, they discover clues that this was more than a random kidnapping—and that Mary may have been special to more than just her mother…Sagas of Warrior-poets
By Leifur Eiricksson. 1997
Kormak's Saga, The Saga of Hallfred Troublesome-Poet, The Saga of Gunnlaug Serpent-Tongue, The Saga of Bjorn, Champion of the Hitardal…
People, Viglund's Saga Set in the farmsteads of Viking age Iceland at a time when the old ethos of honour and heroic adventure merged with new ideas of romantic infatuation, each of these sagas features poet heroes, complex love triangles, and travels to foreign lands.In Iceland, the age of the Vikings is also known as the Saga Age. A unique body of medieval literature,…
the Sagas rank with the world’s great literary treasures – as epic as Homer, as deep in tragedy as Sophocles, as engagingly human as Shakespeare. Set around the turn of the last millennium, these stories depict with an astonishingly modern realism the lives and deeds of the Norse men and women who first settled in Iceland and of their descendants, who ventured farther west to Greenland and, ultimately, North America. Sailing as far from the archetypal heroic adventure as the long ships did from home, the Sagas are written with psychological intensity, peopled by characters with depth, and explore perennial human issues like love, hate, fate and freedom.Sagas and Myths of the Northmen
By Jesse Byock. 2006
In a land of ice, great warriors search for glory...When a dragon threatens the people of the north, only one…
man can destroy the fearsome beast. Elsewhere, a mighty leader gathers a court of champions, including a noble warrior under a terrible curse. The Earth's creation is described; tales of the gods and evil Frost Giants are related; and the dark days of Ragnarok foretold.Journey into a realm of legend, where heroes from an ancient age do battle with savage monsters, and every man must live or die by the sword ...The Saga of the Volsungs: The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer
By Jesse Byock. 1990
The epic Viking Age stories that inspired J. R. R. Tolkien and Wagner's Ring cycleWritten in thirteenth-century Iceland but based…
on ancient Norse poetry cycles, The Saga of the Volsungs combines mythology, legend and sheer human drama. It tells of the cursed treasure of the Rhine, a sword reforged and a magic ring of power, and at its heart are the heroic deeds of Sigurd the dragon slayer, who acquires magical knowledge from one of Odin's Valkyries. One of the great books of world literature, the saga is an unforgettable tale of princely jealousy, unrequited love, greed, vengeance and the downfall of a dynasty. Translated with an Introduction by Jesse L. Byock