This landmark history chronicles the dramatic, decade-long war against al Qa'ida and provides a model for understanding the ebb and flow of terrorist activity. Tracing intricately orchestrated terrorist plots and the elaborate, multiyear investigations to disrupt them, Seth G. Jones identifies three distinct "waves" of al Qa'ida violence. As Jonathan Mahler wrote in the New York Times Book Review, "studying these waves and the counterwaves that repelled them can tell us a lot about what works and what doesn't when it comes to fighting terrorism." The result is a sweeping, insider's account of what the war has been and what it might become.
It will take the Keepers of legend to save Queensland. Too bad all they've got is one man haunted by his past, another who's a failure at magic, and an untrained girl. Mallon the Undying's reign of terror ended eight years ago when he entered the elven wood and never returned. The country of Queensland has shakily returned to normal, and the Keepers who helped defend her have returned to their own pursuits as historians, storytellers, and studiers of magic.But Mallon's moniker was truer than anyone knew. His followers still work to keep his ruthless ideas alive by abducting powerful children, sowing discord among the people, and nibbling away at Queensland's borders.Unfortunately, the only Keepers left between Queensland and destruction are: -Alaric, who betrayed everything he believed to save his wife - and still failed.-Will, a storyteller who's convinced his weak magic makes him useless.-And Sini, a former slave girl with unimagined power but no way to wield it.With the help of unsettling elves, gruff dwarves, sentient stones, and magical swords, Alaric, Will, and Sini will have to find a way to overcome their own weaknesses and face the growing shadows.Can the Keepers survive being hunted by dragons, attacked by frost goblins, and deceived by wizards?Or will Mallon's forces of destruction overwhelm them and the land they love?The complete trilogy of The Keepers Chronicles includes: A Threat of ShadowsPursuit of ShadowsSiege of Shadows
-Killien, the unyielding clan chief who's becoming increasingly volatile.-Sora, the suspicious ranger who sees more than she should.-A swarm of frost goblins that devour with tooth and claw.The list of people and things that could get Will killed keeps growing.While Alaric is in Queensland, searching for Kordan's Wellstone, Keeper Will is over the mountains in the hostile Roven Sweep, searching for his missing sister.After catching a glimpse of a woman who could be her in a Keeper-hating Roven clan. Will convinces Killien to let him travel north with them to their summer homes.Under the relentless suspicions of Sora, a tenuous friendship grows between Will and Killien, who talks of building peace among the hostile Roven.Except Will's thin disguise as a storyteller is crumbling quickly and Sora may already know who he is.The more Will gets to know Killien, the more troubling things he learns. Killien's hatred for Keepers runs deep, and for all his talk of peace, the man's greatest wish is to control a vicious army.And a dragon.But Will doesn't know that the chief has taken more from him than just his sister.And Killien controls enough power to gain everything he wants.
Shadows of Doubt reveals how deeply stereotypes distort our interactions, shape crime, and deform the criminal justice system. If you’re a robber, how do you choose your victims? As a police officer, how afraid are you of the young man you’re about to arrest? As a judge, do you think the suspect in front of you will show up in court if released from pretrial detention? As a juror, does the defendant seem guilty to you? Your answers may depend on the stereotypes you hold, and the stereotypes you believe others hold. In this provocative, pioneering book, economists Brendan O’Flaherty and Rajiv Sethi explore how stereotypes can shape the ways crimes unfold and how they contaminate the justice system through far more insidious, pervasive, and surprising paths than we have previously imagined. Crime and punishment occur under extreme uncertainty. Offenders, victims, police officers, judges, and jurors make high-stakes decisions with limited information, under severe time pressure. With compelling stories and extensive data on how people act as they try to commit, prevent, or punish crimes, O’Flaherty and Sethi reveal the extent to which we rely on stereotypes as shortcuts in our decision making. Sometimes it’s simple: Robbers tend to target those they stereotype as being more compliant. Other interactions display a complex and sometimes tragic interplay of assumptions: “If he thinks I’m dangerous, he might shoot. I’ll shoot first.” Shadows of Doubt shows how deeply stereotypes are implicated in the most controversial criminal justice issues of our time, and how a clearer understanding of their effects can guide us toward a more just society.
There are decisions that can't be unmade, paths that cannot be unchosen, choices that change us too much for us to ever change back.In a desperate attempt to save his dying wife, Alaric has sacrificed everything. He's abandoned his position as advisor to the Queen, he's cast aside his role as a Keeper, he's betrayed his deepest beliefs. And still he has failed. Now he's found one last chance at a cure. Haunted by the choices he has made and surrounded by companions who have dangerous secrets of their own, he returns to the people and land he turned his back on. But soon the quest to save his wife becomes entangled with a larger quest. Gathering shadows threaten the land, whispering of the return of a dark lord, thought to be defeated.To fight this enemy, the world needs the Keeper Alaric used to be, not the broken man he has become. Can he regain what he's lost? Or do some choices change us too much for us to ever go back?Alaric must decide or, in the face of all the growing shadows, it may be the darkness he carries within himself that destroys everything. A Threat of Shadows is the first book in The Keeper Chronicles, a new classic fantasy series by JA Andrews. In a land of magic, elves, and the occasional dragon, an engaging adventure unfolds about what it means to reconcile who you are, with who you thought you'd be. A story of sacrifice, friendship, and the power of our pasts. If you enjoy epic fantasy with likable characters, you'll love this entertaining beginning to Andrews' new series.
From NYT bestselling author Brent Weeks comes the first novel in his breakout fantasy trilogy in which a young boy trains under the city's most legendary and feared assassin, Durzo Blint. For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art -- and he is the city's most accomplished artist. For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly -- and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint. But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins' world of dangerous politics and strange magics -- and cultivate a flair for death.
Challenging widespread assumptions that persons who are preferentially attracted to minors—often referred to as "pedophiles"—are necessarily also predators and sex offenders, this book takes readers into the lives of non-offending minor-attracted persons (MAPs). There is little research into non-offending MAPs, a group whose experiences offer valuable insights into the prevention of child abuse. Navigating guilt, shame, and fear, this universally maligned group demonstrates remarkable resilience and commitment to living without offending and to supporting and educating others. Using data from interview-based research, A Long, Dark Shadow offers a crucial account of the lived experiences of this hidden population.
The truth is neither plain, nor simple.Sable, a reluctant thief from the slums, can feel truth when people speak. For years she's been using that skill to try to break free from the vicious gang boss she's indebted to.Escape comes in the form of an odd set of companions:-a dwarf running from the past,-an actor with a magical, glowing tree-a too-helpful kobold,-a playwright with a knack for getting stories out of people, and-a man and woman with suspicious, magical powers.But Sable's freedom is short lived.On the edges of civilization, they discover hidden, terrifying lies in the offers of peace from the brutal Kalesh Empire.Now, she must return to the city she fled, and along with her companions, attempt an impossible task-convince everyone, including the powerful Dragon Prioress, of the truth.Except the Kalesh web of lies has ensnared everyone.With her land, her people, and everything she loves hanging in the balance, Sable is the only one standing between freedom, and certain death.Pick up the first book of the Keeper Origins Trilogy today, and begin the tale of how an orphaned thief escaped the slums, united a nation, and brought a mighty Empire to its knees.The Keeper Origins Trilogy, and the Keeper Chronicles Trilogy can be read in any order. They take place in the same world, but are standalone series.
The growing power in Sable's words nearly changed the world. Until she was betrayed and silenced. A year ago on the land's biggest stage, Sable's voice nearly burned down the carefully constructed lies of the Kalesh Empire. Now, Sable's skills are merely tools in High Prioress Vivaine's desperate negotiations with the new Kalesh Ambassador, who's denounced Sable as a zabat. A rebel. A firestarter. Sable would love nothing more than to burn down the Empire. But with threats against her sisters looming, the acting troupe driven away, and no news of Reese for a year, she's too chained and alone to even light a spark. Meanwhile, the Empire grows on the south like a disease and stretches its poisoned fingers even into the northern lands. Desperate to fight, Sable sends details about the Kalesh to the one ember of hope kindling in the north - a small, mysterious band of rebels. Vivaine hates the rebellion, though, and her spies have discovered their location-and that Sable is more deeply connected to them than she knows. Unless Sable turns her back on the rebellion and pledges loyalty to Vivaine, the prioress will reveal the rebel camp to the Kalesh. But Vivaine should not be so rash, because the power of Sable's voice is stirring again, the old coals being stoked into flames. And she's ready to embrace the title of zabat.
