The exiles of Israel and Judah cast a long shadow over the biblical text and the whole subsequent history of Judaism. Scholars have long recognized the importance of the theme of exile for the Hebrew Bible. Indeed, critical study of the Old Testament has, at least since Wellhausen, been dominated by the Babylonian exile of Judah. In 586 BC, several factors, including the destruction of Jerusalem, the cessation of the sacrificial cult and of the monarchy, and the experience of the exile, began to cause a transformation of Israelite religion which supplied the contours of the larger Judaic framework within which the various forms of Judaism, including the early Christian movement, developed. Given the importance of the exile to the development of Judaism and Christianity even to the present day, this volume delves into the conceptions of exile which contributed to that development during the formative period.
Enjoy this new romantic historical fantasy series from RITA® Award nominated author M.J. Scott. To save her new life, she needs the man who destroyed her old one... Chloe de Montesse never thought she’d return from exile. Now she has a chance to reclaim the life she fled after her husband was executed for treason. But coming home again isn’t as simple as it sounds. Her magic is rusty, her family want her to wrap her in cotton wool, and Illvyan society views her as a scandal waiting to happen. Worse, fate keeps throwing her into the path of the man who ruined her life. Lucien de Roche’s magic bares the truth for all to see. He’s used it to serve the empire, but there’s one secret he’s always kept hidden. The fact that he fell in love with his best friend’s wife. And that he’s never quite fallen out again. Now Chloe is back and it’s no secret at all that she loathes him for his part in her husband’s death. A sensible man would forget her…but he’s tired of being sensible. And determined to keep her safe. When a mission from the emperor takes them both into the wildest heart of the empire, to a country where power and loyalties collide, and old plots simmer back to life, Chloe finds herself dragged back into the past she wants to leave behind. And her only way out might be Lucien. The man she thinks she can never trust. The man she wants to hate. Or hates to want… The Exile’s Curse is the first book in the Daughter of Ravens series, a new romantic gaslamp fantasy series from RITA® Award nominated author M.J. Scott, set in the same world as the Four Arts series. This series has old friends turned enemies (and then enemies to lovers), a heroine looking for a second chance, a smitten hero, political intrigue, royal witches, inconvenient marriages, sexy times and more. Enjoy! Author's note: For tropes and CW, please check the author's website.
Part One Of The Exiles Saga In the peaceful land of Ket-Ta-Witko, the People have lived for generations in harmony, kept from trouble by their Seers' guiding dreams. But not even those talents are proof against the powers of love and love thwarted. When a blood feud escalates into violence, the People find themselves beset by a race of implacable demons, intent on destroying everything they hold dear. And their one chance at redemption lies worlds away, in the harsh and dismal prison colony of Salvation, where a tavern girl, a gambler, and a young boy with the forbidden talent for True Dreaming have been unjustly accused and bound into a lifetime of servitude. Individually, they are helpless. Together, they may alter the future forever.
Two Native American brothers serve as soldiers in World War I in this “emotionally wrought, finely crafted historical novel” (Karl Helicher, ForeWord). Blue Ravens is set at the start of the twentieth century in the days leading up to the Great War in France. It moves from the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota into the bitter and bloody fighting at Château-Thierry, Montbréhain, and Bois de Fays. Through this journey, author and poet Gerald Vizenor returns to the cultural themes central to his writing—the power and irony of trickster stories, the privilege of survivance over victimry, natural reason and resistance. After serving in the American Expeditionary Forces, two brothers from the Anishinaabe culture return home. They eventually leave for a second time to live in Paris where they lead successful and creative lives. With a spirited sense of “chance, totemic connections, and the tricky stories of our natural transience in the world,” Vizenor creates an expression of presence commonly denied Native Americans. Blue Ravens is a story of courage in poverty and war, a human story of art and literature from a recognized master of the postwar American novel and one of the most original and outspoken Native voices writing today.
The masterful conclusion to the Exiles saga: Angus Wells is one of today's masters of epic fantasy. Now, continuing the thrilling new adventure begun in Exile's Children, he weaves his beguiling powers of magic into an unforgettable tale... Escaping a life of servitude under the evil Autarchy, a warrior, his beautiful wife, and a gifted Dreamer are refugees from the war-ravaged prison colony of Salvation. It was the young Davyd's dreams, magically bound to those of a far-off Seer, that guided their perilous flight to the land of the Matawaye. But even now they might not be safe. For a man whose gifts are eclipsed by Davyd's is looking for the perfect vengeance. Meanwhile, a renegade band of the Matawaye, forced out by their peaceable leaders, is wreaking havoc on Salvation. And there's worse to come. For the real threat has yet to descend on Salvation--and when it does, its bloodlust and magic could well mean the end of them all.
The fourth and final book in the epic Morgaine science fiction saga Morgaine must meet her greatest challenge—Gault, who is both human and alien, and also seeks control of the world and its Gate. She will meet the true Gatemaster—a mysterious lord with power as great, or greater, than her own.
In 1952, the Canadian government forcibly relocated three dozen Inuit from their flourishing home on the Hudson Bay to the barren, arctic landscape of Ellesmere Island, the most northerly landmass on the planet. Among this group was Josephie Flaherty, the unrecognized, half-Inuit son of filmmaker Robert Flaherty, director of Nanook of the North. In a narrative rich with human drama, Melanie McGrath follows three generations of the Flaherty family—Robert, Josephie, and Josephie's daughters—to bring this extraordinary tale of deception and harsh deprivation to life.
To become a legend, a young groundhog must unravel a shocking secret to stop a weather catastrophe. When a mysterious flood strikes the small mining town of Punxsutawney, Junior the groundhog embarks on a journey to uncover why nature itself has turned on his people. As Junior and his new friends adventure through the fantastical world of Erda, he realizes that there's more to his family and their weather-controlling powers than he ever imagined. Junior desperately searches for legendary animal Guardians who have always offered help in times of need, but the evil raven overlord Callidus fights to protect a secret that could change Erda forever. Guided by the wisdom of Jill, an ingenious hedgehog, Junior's voyage becomes more than a quest for answers. It's a journey of self-discovery, responsibility, and redemption. As the story unfolds, Junior faces hard truths about climate change and the environment, the weight of legacy, and the magic of storytelling. Can he step out of his father's shadow to save the world? For those who reveled in the action of Redwall by Brian Jacques or the legend of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathyn Lasky, The Great Weather Diviner is a fractured fairy tale with a rich tapestry of fantasy, adventure, and enlightenment. This middle grade adventure is also beloved by older readers looking for an exciting story with a message. Will Junior harness the power of his past to shape Erda's future? Find out in this epic fantasy adventure for a new generation of middle-grade dreamers! Get your copy of The Great Weather Diviner now!
A “quirky and absorbing” exploration of the history and mythology surrounding the ravens at the Tower of London (Publishers Weekly). Tales tell of how Charles II, fearful of ancient legends that Britain will fall if the ravens at the Tower of London ever leave their abode, ordered that the wings of the six ravens be clipped. But the truth is that the ravens only arrived at the Tower in 1883, when they were brought in as props in tales of Gothic horror that were told to tourists. The legend itself originated from the summer of 1944, when ravens in London were used as unofficial spotters for enemy bombs and planes. Boria Sax gives us the first book to tell the true story of the ravens, which has far more high drama than any of the tales the tourists get to hear. Its heroes are the raven couple Grip and Mable, who eloped from the Tower together after World War II, leaving it empty and prompting fears that the British Empire would end; Jackie, who kept watch at a brewery; McDonald, who was murdered; and Thor, who could not accept his loss of flight. For over a century, the ravens have been symbols of cruelty, avatars of fate—and cuddly national pets. But Sax shows us how the ravens have come to represent Britain’s natural heritage, without which any nation would be impoverished. This informing and reflective volume addresses the need to connect with animals and the natural world and shows us the human need for wonder at nature. Praise for City of Ravens “Both a delight and a profound illumination of the subject . . . with unexpected and fascinating conclusions.” —Esther Woolfson, author of Corvus “A wonderful contribution to the modern history and mythology of one of the world’s greatest cities.” —Ronald Hutton, Commissioner of English Heritage “Boria Sax traces the history of the ravens in the Tower of London with accurate scholarship and engaging stories.” —John Marzluff, co-author of In the Company of Crows and Ravens “The author delves into the true history and cultural importance of these massive corvids. It’s a lively, entertaining tale, with a few grisly details from real events.” —Anna Sanders, Audubon Magazine
