'Wonderfully written and characteristically brilliant' Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads 'Elegant, readable ... an impressive synthesis ... Not many historians could have done it' - Jonathan Sumption, Spectator 'Tyerman's book is fascinating not just for what it has to tell us about the Crusades, but for the mirror it holds up to today's religious extremism' - Tom Holland, Spectator Thousands left their homelands in the Middle Ages to fight wars abroad. But how did the Crusades actually happen? From recruitment propaganda to raising money, ships to siege engines, medicine to the power of prayer, this vivid, surprising history shows holy war - and medieval society - in a new light.
Join pastor and bestselling author Kyle Idleman as he illustrates a clear path away from the heartache of our twenty-first-century idolatry and back to the heart of God--enabling us to be completely committed followers of Jesus. What do Netflix, our desire for the corner office, and that perfect picture we just posted on Instagram have to do with each other? None of these things are wrong in and of themselves. But when we begin to allow entertainment, success, or social media to control us, we miss out on the joy of God's rule in our hearts. In Gods at War, Idleman helps every believer recognize that there are false gods at war within each of us, and they battle for the place of glory and control in our lives. According to Idleman, idolatry isn't an issue; it is the issue. And he reveals which false gods we are allowing on the throne of our lives by asking insightful questions, including: What do you sacrifice for? What makes you mad? What do you worry about? Whose applause do you long for? We're all wired for worship, but we often end up valuing and honoring the idols of money, sex, food, romance, success, and many others that keep us from the intimate relationship with God that we desire. In this updated and expanded edition of Gods at War, Idleman adds a new introduction as well as new content about the battle many of us face with technology, whether we are tempted to send just one more text, stay online when our bodies need rest, or put email before in-person relationships, teaching us how to seek God with our whole heart instead. Praise for Gods at War: "Today's false gods are more tempting than ever as they promise comfort, wealth, and happiness. Kyle Idleman equips us to kill the deceitful pests that harass our hearts. Get ready for battle." --Mark Batterson, pastor, National Community Church, and bestselling author of The Circle Maker "Don't just read this book--read it now! Kyle's words will dig deep to expose the false gods that drive us away from the real One. In these pages, liberation awaits." --Lee Strobel, bestselling author of The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith
Calamadaria is on the brink of war. A war fought for the eternal gods, but one where only mortals will feel the suffering it brings. As the eternal beings vie for supremacy in the heavens they move their pawns below. Plans are made as dark forces gather to the north with a single purpose. Undead legions march alongside evil knights towards the grandest bastion of good hearted men to the south. Elven sages and dwarven kings argue whether it is right to leave their homelands to aid the armies of men. Dragons, long forgotten, have appeared and are adding their uncountable strength to the evil hoards. And a young magic user is told about a long forgotten prophecy, that will plunge himself and his companions into a war no one knows is coming. Will anyone have the strength, courage and faith to fight off the malevolent gods, or will Calamadaria's light fade forever?
The stone-age, cave-like beings of Zeon have certain death coming straight at them in the form of the neighboring planet Tareon. Zeon and Tareon orbit their sun in opposite directions, and every time they pass each other, Tareon draws Zeon closer and closer to Tareon’s own orbit path. With no technology and only just beginning to discover electricity, the Zeons have no chance for survival. Follow the family of Kairn; his wife, Rayelle; teenage daughter Evene; and younger son Trillo as they and the other two million Zeons try to survive the convergence of planets. When Gods War (Roman Candle) is a war of worlds—not between the peoples of those worlds but between the planets themselves. And the two million simple beings of Zeon are caught in the middle. With no technology and no hope, all two million Zeons just might die, until one day, a lucky few of them discover something that just might change everything.
New York Times Bestseller The final volume of the magisterial Pacific War Trilogy from acclaimed historian Ian W. Toll, “one of the great storytellers of War” (Evan Thomas). In June 1944, the United States launched a crushing assault on the Japanese navy in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The capture of the Mariana Islands and the accompanying ruin of Japanese carrier airpower marked a pivotal moment in the Pacific War. No tactical masterstroke or blunder could reverse the increasingly lopsided balance of power between the two combatants. The War in the Pacific had entered its endgame. Beginning with the Honolulu Conference, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt met with his Pacific theater commanders to plan the last phase of the campaign against Japan, Twilight of the Gods brings to life the harrowing last year of World War II in the Pacific, when the U.S. Navy won the largest naval battle in history; Douglas MacArthur made good his pledge to return to the Philippines; waves of kamikazes attacked the Allied fleets; the Japanese fought to the last man on one island after another; B-29 bombers burned down Japanese cities; and Hiroshima and Nagasaki were vaporized in atomic blasts. Ian W. Toll’s narratives of combat in the air, at sea, and on the beaches are as gripping as ever, but he also reconstructs the Japanese and American home fronts and takes the reader into the halls of power in Washington and Tokyo, where the great questions of strategy and diplomacy were decided. Drawing from a wealth of rich archival sources and new material, Twilight of the Gods casts a penetrating light on the battles, grand strategic decisions and naval logistics that enabled the Allied victory in the Pacific. An authoritative and riveting account of the final phase of the War in the Pacific, Twilight of the Gods brings Toll’s masterful trilogy to a thrilling conclusion. This prize-winning and best-selling trilogy will stand as the first complete history of the Pacific War in more than twenty-five years, and the first multivolume history of the Pacific naval war since Samuel Eliot Morison’s series was published in the 1950s.
In this compelling fantasy from a debut author, two young people must unite two warring cultures to banish the gods who destroyed their homeland. The Fallen Gods' War drove the remnants of a victorious army across the ocean in search of a new homeland. A thousand years later, the lifeless continent of Draegora is largely forgotten, a symbol for the regiments that remain. Demons to some. Protectors to others. The power of their god-touched blades has forged a nation, though many resent their absolute control. Riam and Nola are unknowing descendants of the old world. When it’s discovered they carry enough Draegoran blood to serve in the regiments, they are dragged away from their families to begin training. If they survive, they will be expected to enforce the laws of the covenant, to fight the Esharii tribesmen who raid along the border, and to be judge, jury, and executioners for those accused of crimes. For Riam, who welcomes his escape from an abusive father, the power to protect those who cannot defend themselves is alluring. For Nola, who wishes to return home, it is a betrayal by all she holds dear. Neither is given a choice...and neither may ever get the chance to serve. Lies of Descent begins an epic trilogy of fallen gods, betrayal, and magic—where dark motives often dwell within the true and just, and where the things most feared sometimes lead to salvation.
Dread Trident examines the rise of imaginary worlds in tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs), such as Dungeons and Dragons. With the combination of analog and digital mechanisms, from traditional books to the internet, new ways of engaging the fantastic have become increasingly realized in recent years, and this book seeks an understanding of this phenomenon within the discourses of trans- and posthumanism, as well as within a gameist mode. The book explores a number of case studies of foundational TRPGs. Dungeons and Dragons provides an illustration of pulp-driven fantasy, particularly in the way it harmonizes its many campaign settings into a functional multiverse. It also acts as a supreme example of depth within its archive of official and unofficial published material, stretching back four decades. Warhammer 40k and the Worlds of Darkness present an interesting dialogue between Gothic and science-fantasy elements. The Mythos of HP Lovecraft also features prominently in the book as an example of a realized world that spans the literary and gameist modes. Realized fantasy worlds are becoming ever more popular as a way of experiencing a touch of the magical within modern life. Reworking Northrop Frye's definition of irony, Dread Trident theorizes an ironic understanding of this process and in particular of its embodied forms.
Help his friend go home. Just because Gavin's goal is simple, doesn't mean it's easy! His friend's home is Vushaar, the world's oldest monarchy and a land fractured by civil war. Slaver parties roam the countryside at will, claiming any they desire for their vile trade, and a great army lays siege to the capital. Many question if Vushaar will survive, so what does that mean for Gavin and his friends? Ties of friendship from two directions compel Gavin to enter this war-torn land, but will he succeed in returning his friend home safe and sound? Read Now to find out!
Thieves, dangerous magic, and a weapon built with the power to destroy a god clash in this second novel of Gareth Hanrahan's acclaimed epic fantasy series, The Black Iron Legacy. "This is genre-defying fantasy at its very best... Insanely inventive and deeply twisted" (Michael R. Fletcher). Enter a city of spires and shadows . . . The Gutter Miracle changed the landscape of Guerdon forever. Six months after it was conjured into being, the labyrinthine New City has become a haven for criminals and refugees. Rumors have spread of a devastating new weapon buried beneath the streets - a weapon with the power to destroy a god. As Guerdon strives to remain neutral, two of the most powerful factions in the godswar send agents into the city to find it. As tensions escalate and armies gather at the borders, how long will Guerdon be able to keep its enemies at bay? "A groundbreaking and extraordinary novel . . . Hanrahan has an astonishing imagination" (Peter McLean). The Shadow Saint continues the gripping tale of dark gods and dangerous magic that began with Hanrahan's acclaimed debut The Gutter Prayer.
Kiri yearns to go home. To see her family once more. There's just one problem: she's an escaped slave. Gavin wakes up with his cheek pressed against the dirty cobblestones of an alley. But he has a bigger problem: he has no memories beyond his name. When ruthless slavers corner them with no escape, Gavin makes a choice that will change the world. If you love Epic Fantasy set in high-magic worlds... Get your copy of Awakening today!
