Cornered beasts fight more like demons than men. Tohmas Galanth has arrived in the north, outnumbered on every front. To survive his commitments to his besieged uncle, he must defeat the hordes, but their leader DoomDragon is no easy foe, and the battles are fought in steady retreat. Even after reaching his uncle, city walls and fortifications give only the illusion of safety; DoomDragon and his allies have been biding their time. Now they will take the land as their own and drive Tohmas and Sol across the tundra. Morale of the dogged forces is further pressed by fights among the religious leaders, where Inac’s followers plot a sinister take over. Where once balance was maintained, now domination is planned. Fires and assassinations thrive among Tohmas’ trapped army as the winter moves in. Unless Tohmas turns the tide, the Galanth forces will not see spring.
There will be no peace, not even for the people of Espar. The people have suffered long enough under the reign of squabbling princes. Prince Tohmas of Galanth has the perfect solution: supersede the Princes with a King. With the blessing of his Goddess Inac and the strength of the enchanted sword SoulBurner, he will be that King. While half of Espar pledges allegiance, the other half declares war. Tohmas’ eyes turn to his greatest opposition, the Princedom of Trulin, where Prince Kelland is readying his majestic warhorses for battle. Victory in Trulin will only come with persistence and faith, but Inac’s favor is becoming fickle. Without Inac, SoulBurner is nothing, and Tohmas’ claim to Espar cannot be upheld. As magic powers collide and dragons take to the skies, Tohmas faces a threat his training and years of experience in war are useless against: Prince Kelland’s daughter Arnika Trulin.
These are the first steps along the path to conquest. Tread lightly. Born Esparan but raised in isolation, Tohmas Galanth wavers between blood and upbringing. Called north to defend the family he never knew, he must inspire Espar to rally, lest the invading Northlander forces conquer the land between the Ice Oceans and Outland Plains. But Tohmas is not the naive commander his enemies or his allies expect. War is in his blood. He will not be deterred, though remnants of a crushed Rydan clan seek his head for a secret crime, and the Northlander chief readies a legendary dragon-wing axe for his throat. His allies are no less eager to spill his blood. The Princes of Espar bicker for supremacy, unaware that the greatest threat to them all is Tohmas himself.
The war will end, one way or another… Winter eats away at Tohmas Galanth's forces pinned in HillTop. Tohmas' wizard is outmatched and in hiding. His warriors are tired and losing faith. The longer they wait, the closer the truth comes to unseating Tohmas' position as Prince of Galanth. His chances at victory are dwindling, and the more Tohmas learns about his powerful enemy DoomDragon, the more his confidence wanes. As Tohmas battles on, his family’s crimes come to light. The Galanths have guarded their secrets for a generation, but now the blood of the fallen washes away their deceptions. Lies have always come easier for Tohmas, yet to protect the obscurity of his past, he must set right the blood feud he inherited. In a war where no one can be trusted, can anyone emerge victorious? Dragons, wizards, and magical forces collide in this complex world of swords, sorcery, and ancient revenge.
History is written by the victors. Victory has been bought with a bracelet; Tohmas Galanth is to be married. With Arnika Trulin's hand comes the Princedom of Trulin, freeing Tohmas to continue his conquest of Espar. But even magical love is real, and Tohmas is blind to any betrayal from within his ranks. As he marches, his enemies from this world and beyond plan a unified strike meant to stop him and free the conquered princedoms. Arnika is not the only target. The closer he comes to success, the further Tohmas feels he is from what he wants for himself and for Espar. Chief Tamv of the Rydans is expecting homage and obedience. How can a son, even a pretend son, not honor his father? He was born Esparan but raised Rydan. Now Tohmas must choose which to serve.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The third book of the suspense-filled, enduringly popular Gentleman Bastard Sequence about a roguish group of conmen, which George R. R. Martin has called “fresh, original, and engrossing . . . gorgeously realized.” “Fast paced, fun, and impossible to put down . . . Locke and company remain among the most engaging protagonists in fantasy.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) ONE OF PASTE’S BEST FANTASY BOOKS OF THE DECADE With the greatest heist of their career gone spectacularly sour, con artist extraordinaire Locke Lamora and his trusted partner, Jean, have barely escaped with their lives. Or at least Jean has. Locke is slowly succumbing to a lethal poison that no alchemist can cure. With the end nearing, Locke’s only hope is to accept a mysterious Bondsmage’s offer: act as a political pawn in the Magi elections, and in exchange be healed. But the lifesaving sorcery promises to rival even the most excruciating death, and Locke refuses. Until the Bondsmage invokes the name of Sabetha, the love of Locke’s life, his equal in skill and wit . . . and now his greatest rival. From his first glimpse of Sabetha as a fellow orphan and thief-in-training, Locke was smitten. But after a tumultuous courtship, she broke away. Now they will reunite in another clash of wills. Faced with his only equal in both love and trickery, Locke must choose whether to fight Sabetha—or woo her. It is a decision on which both of their lives may depend. Don’t miss any of Scott Lynch’s epic fantasy Gentleman Bastard Sequence: THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA • RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES • THE REPUBLIC OF THIEVES
Plant polyphenols are secondary metabolites that constitute one of the most common and widespread groups of natural products. They are crucial constituents of a large and diverse range of biological functions and processes, and provide many benefits to both plants and humans. Many polyphenols, from their structurally simplest representatives to their oligo/polymeric versions, are notably known as phytoestrogens, plant pigments, potent antioxidants, and protein interacting agents. This sixth volume of the highly regarded Recent Advances in Polyphenol Research series is edited by Heidi Halbwirth, Karl Stich, Véronique Cheynier and Stéphane Quideau, and is a continuance of the series’ tradition of compiling a cornucopia of cutting-edge chapters, written by some of the leading experts in their respective fields of polyphenol sciences. Highlighted herein are some of the most recent and pertinent developments in polyphenol research, covering such major areas as: Chemistry and physicochemistry Biosynthesis, genetics & metabolic engineering Roles in plants and ecosystems Food, nutrition & health Applied polyphenols This book is a distillation of the most current information, and as such, will surely prove an invaluable source for chemists, biochemists, plant scientists, pharmacognosists and pharmacologists, biologists, ecologists, food scientists and nutritionists.
Hailed by George R. R. Martin as “a fresh, original, and engrossing tale by a bright new voice in the fantasy genre,” The Lies of Locke Lamora introduced one of the most compelling protagonists in years and established Scott Lynch as a household name. Years later, the Gentleman Bastard series continues to shine with Lynch’s signature blend of swashbuckling adventure, sparkling wit, and seemingly impossible heists. It’s all here in this rollicking eBook bundle, which collects the first three volumes of Lynch’s one-of-a-kind series: THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES THE REPUBLIC OF THIEVES An orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game—or die trying. Praise for the Gentleman Bastard series The Lies of Locke Lamora “Remarkable . . . Scott Lynch’s first novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora, exports the suspense and wit of a cleverly constructed crime caper into an exotic realm of fantasy, and the result is engagingly entertaining.”—The Times (London) “Right now, in the full flush of a second reading, I think The Lies of Locke Lamora is probably in my top ten favorite books ever. Maybe my top five. If you haven’t read it, you should. If you have read it, you should probably read it again.”—Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind “A unique fantasy milieu peopled by absorbing, colorful characters . . . Locke’s wit and audacity endear him to victims and bystanders alike.”—The Seattle Times Red Seas Under Red Skies “Lynch hasn’t merely imagined a far-off world, he’s created it, put it all down on paper—the smells, the sounds, the people, the feel of the place. The novel is a virtuoso performance, and sf/fantasy fans will gobble it up.”—Booklist (starred review) “It’ll only be a matter of time before Scott Lynch is mentioned in the same breath as George R. R. Martin and Steven Erikson.”—Fantasy Book Critic “The kind of witty romp that reminds you exactly how much fun heroic fantasy is supposed to be.”—SFX The Republic of Thieves “Fast-paced, fun, and impossible to put down . . . Locke and company remain among the most engaging protagonists in fantasy.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “The Republic of Thieves has all the colorful action, witty repartee, and devious scheming that fans of the series have come to expect.”—Wired “A fantasy world unique among its peers . . . If you’re looking for a great new fantasy series this is one you won’t want to miss. . . . In a word: AWESOME!”—SF Revu
The wizard works alone. She was his one exception. Before Master Kitable appeared in Galanth at the age of thirteen, he’d been a complete unknown. Even twenty years later, he is still only “Master Kitable,” a man without a last name, a wizard without history. He operated in the shadows for the Prince of Galanth when the borders were drawn, then helped the legendary King Tohmas take over Espar. Now, he enforces their tentative unity by policing wizard magic across the kingdom. His offer to take Shimmer Weaver on as an apprentice after the war was unprecedented. She doesn’t fit in the new structure of government; she’s a dancer, an apothecary, and a free spirit at odds with their regimented world. But she’s also brilliant, and after two years, Kitable has to accept that her apprenticeship is ending. There’s only one more mission: a run-of-the-mill investigation of some minor magical issues in an unremarkable corner of Espar. Only this time, the enemy is Kitable’s past hunting him down, seeking to destroy everything he has built, including that which he values most: Shimmer’s loyalty.
