A girl without a family. A monster who craves humanity. An alliance could bring the kingdom to its knees. The Snakesblood Saga is an epic fantasy adventure filled with intrigue, love, lies, and betrayal, beginning with Serpent's Mark, book one of a six book series.
According to ancient records, the patriarchs and founders of the early civilizations in Egypt, India, China, Peru, Mesopotamia, Britain, and the Americas were colonized by the Serpents of Wisdom-spiritual masters associated with the serpent-who arrived in these lands after abandoning their beloved homelands and crossing great seas. While bearing names denoting snake or dragon (such as Naga, Lung, Djedhi, Amaru, Quetzalcoatl, Adder, etc.), these Serpents of Wisdom oversaw the construction of magnificent civilizations within which they and their descendants served as the priest kings and as the enlightened heads of mystery school traditions. The Return of the Serpents of Wisdom recounts the history of these “Serpents”-where they came from, why they came, the secret wisdom they disseminated, and why they are returning now.
Burton seeks to present a balanced view of the remote churches of East Tennessee where believers take literally the words of Saint Mark: "and they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them."
It is the beginning of the end ... The end of the axe-age, the sword-age, leading to the passing of gods and men from the universe. As all the ancient prophecies fall into place, the final battle rages, on Earth, across Faerie, and into the land of the dead. Jack Churchill, Champion of Existence, must lead the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons in a last, desperate assault on the Fortress of the Enemy, to confront the ultimate incarnation of destruction: the Burning Man. It is humanity's only chance to avert the coming extinction. At his back is an army of gods culled from the world's great mythologies - Greek, Norse, Chinese, Aztec, and more. But will even that be enough? Driven to the brink by betrayal, sacrifice and death, his allies fear Jack may instead bring about the very devastation he is trying to prevent ...
Derek Stillwater, bioterrorism expert for the Department of Homeland Security, already has his bags packed for vacation when he gets the call: "Sarin gas attack on a detroit restaurant. Fifty-two dead." The killer calls himself the Serpent and demands three million dollars. If he is not paid on time, more people will die. Special Agent Jill Church is assigned to keep tabs on Stillwater. While the FBI brass are playing politics with the press, Stillwater and Church discover a disturbing link to a cult responsible for the sarin attacks on a Japanese subway. Furious at Stillwater's unorthodox methods, the FBI demands his immediate arrest. Now suspended from the case, Church knows that she and Stillwater are the only ones who can stop the Serpent from releasing sarin gas at a concert. 21,000 lives are at stake-including her own son's.
Photographer Mark Laita unveils a pantheon of spectacular snakes in this electrifying collection. Inciting both allure and alarm, shining pastel pythons and vibrant green vipers slither across the pages. An illuminating essay by William T. Vollmann accompanies the images, delving into the associations with snakes that haunt our collective imagination. From the iridescent blue Malaysian coral snake to the candy-cane-striped albino Honduran milk snake, the aptly named beautiful pit viper, and the gleaming black mamba, the world's most dangerous and gorgeous snakes are pictured in Serpentine, showing off their fascinating colors and textures--as well as the sensual forms their movement creates. Through Laita's lens, there is nothing they can do, no position they can take, that fails to be anything but mesmerizing.
Betrayal has many guises . . . London, 1593: Five years on from the Armada and England is taking its first faltering steps towards a future as a global power. Nicholas Shelby--reluctant spy and maverick physician--and his companion Bianca Merton are settling into a life on Bankside. But in London there is always a plot afoot . . . Robert Cecil, the Queen's spymaster, once again recruits Nicholas to embark on a dangerous undercover mission that will take him to the back alleys of Marrakech in search of a missing informer. However, while Nicholas hunts for the truth across the seas, plague returns once more to London--ravaging the streets and threatening those dearest to him. Can Bianca and Nicholas' budding relationship weather the threats of pestilence and conspiracy? And will Nicholas survive the dangers of his mission in a hostile city to return safely home?
All major and unusual venomous snakes, their range, habitats and venom, along with personal anecdotes (including snakebite stories) feature in this excellent book. Written by Mark O'Shea - one of the leading authorities on reptiles.