"It's striking how many of the presidents Americans venerate--Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy, to name a few--oversaw some of the republic's bloodiest years. Perhaps it's because they looked out for important political causes. Or maybe they just looked out for themselves. This ... book puts some of America's greatest leaders under the microscope, [positing that] their calls for war, usually remembered as brave and noble, were in fact selfish and convenient"--
All three books in 'Spoils Of War', a series of science fiction novels by Conor H. Carton, now available in one volume! Bottle Born Blues: Shakbout Mansard, an artificial life form, wants a quiet life with his family. However, his dangerous knowledge of a plot to overthrow the government of Mengchi makes him a target for terrorists and security forces alike. To make matters worse, he has been hiding a secret that could threaten the lives of all free bottle-born life forms across the systems. In this gripping sci-fi novel, Shakbout must take desperate measures to protect his loved ones and prevent a systems-wide war between factions. The Thousand Year Fall: In the second book in the series, Shakbout finds himself pursued by his past and embroiled in a race against time to stop a cult from destroying inhabited systems. As he becomes a pawn in the struggle to harness the power of the Bottle Born, Shakbout must rely on allies to survive. Ladder To The Sun: Shakbout is forced back into a dangerous situation when a claimant to the Emperor's throne arises, risking a return to war in the Inhabited Systems. Along with his allies, Shakbout fights to stop the process, but faces many obstacles from those who wish to prevent him. As he delves deeper, he uncovers a conspiracy that reveals the dark truth about the spoils of war.
'Historical fiction of a high order' The Times Germany, October 1944: Dozens of cities lie in ruins. Enemy armies are at the gates. For the Thousand Year Reich, time is running out.Desperate to avoid the humiliation of unconditional surrender, German intelligence launch Operation Finisterre - a last-ditch plan to enable Hitler to deny the savage logic of a war on two fronts and bluff his way to the negotiating table.Success depends on two individuals: Stefan Portisch, a German naval officer washed ashore on the coast of Spain after the loss of his U-boat, and Hector Gomez, an ex-FBI detective, planted by Director J. Edgar Hoover in the middle of the most secret place on earth: the American atomic bomb complex. Both men will find themselves fighting for survival as Operation Finisterre plays itself out.Finisterre is part of the SPOILS OF WAR Collection, a thrilling, beguiling blend of fact and fiction born of some of the most tragic, suspenseful, and action-packed events of World War II. From the mind of highly acclaimed thriller author GRAHAM HURLEY, this blockbuster non-chronological collection allows the reader to explore Hurley's masterful storytelling in any order, with compelling recurring characters whose fragmented lives mirror the war that shattered the globe.
Enslaved during the invasion of the rival King of Herra, Micah cut off his emotions and adapted to his new life in servitude. Xerxes, the Herran King, abuses his captive to keep the neighboring kingdom of Alekia under his yoke, but after Micah nearly dies when plague sweeps Herra, the Alekian King sends Eli to bring his beloved son home.Institutionalized by his slavery, unable to cope with his freedom, Micah seeks to please the new master he's found in Eli throughout their harrowing journey to a homeland he no longer remembers. Eli protects the young man and introduces Micah to the pleasures denied him as a prisoner.Will Micah accept his noble birthright when they reach Alekia, and more importantly, can he accept Eli as the devoted slave his father has given him rather than the master he's come to love?
A gripping account of one of the great forgotten wars of history, revealing how Alexander the Great's vast empire was torn asunder in the years after his death
'Historical fiction of a high order... Hurley's descriptions of the cauldron of Stalingrad, and of Shakespearean vengeance are well worth relishing' The Times Berlin, 1942. For Werner Nehmann, a journalist at the Ministry of Propaganda, the dizzying victory of the last four years has felt like a party without end. But the Reich's attention has turned East, and as winter sets in, the mood is turning. Werner's boss, Joseph Goebbels, can sense it. His words have propelled Germany towards its greater destiny and he won't – he can't – let morale falter now. But the Minister of Propaganda is uneasy and in his discomfort has pulled Werner into his close confidence. And here, amid the power struggle between the Nazi Chieftains, Werner will make his mistake and begin his descent into the hell of Stalingrad... Last Flight to Stalingrad is part of the SPOILS OF WAR Collection, a thrilling, beguiling blend of fact and fiction born of some of the most tragic, suspenseful, and action-packed events of World War II. From the mind of highly acclaimed thriller author GRAHAM HURLEY, this blockbuster non-chronological collection allows the reader to explore Hurley's masterful storytelling in any order, with compelling recurring characters whose fragmented lives mirror the war that shattered the globe.
After millennia of relentless war, the union of alien races called the Weave was on the verge of winning a decisive victory - thanks to their new allies from Earth, who in a mere handful of centuries had proved masters of combat. But then the birdlike Wais scholar Lalelelang found disturbing evidence that Humans might not adapt so easily to peace - that natural Human aggression would next be turned against the Weave, unless they were once again confined to fight amongst themselves. When her field research revealed the existence of a secret group of powerfully telepathic Humans called the Core, it looked as if Lalelelang would be the first victim in a new war between Humans and their allies. But just as her fate was sealed, a lone Core commander took a chance on her intelligence and compassion, gambling the fate of Humanity on the possibility that together they could both find an alternative to a galaxy-wide bloodbath...
Women of color remain arguably the most economically, politically, and socially marginalized group in the United States and the Third World. In Spoils of War, a diverse group of distinguished contributors suggest that acts of aggression resulting from the racism and sexism inherent in social institutions can be viewed as a sort of "war," experienced daily by women of color.
An extensive history of enemy fleets following both World Wars, featuring never-before-seen archival and archaeological materials. Spoils of War traces the histories of navies and ships of the defeated powers from the months leading up to the relevant armistices or surrenders to the final execution of the appropriate post-war settlements. In doing so, it discusses the way in which the victorious powers reached their final demands, how these were implemented, and to what effect. The later histories of ships that saw subsequent service, either in their original navies or in those navies which acquired them, are also described. Much use is made of archival materials, and in some cases archaeological, sources, some of which have never previously been used. Ultimately, a wide range of long-standing myths are busted, and some badly distorted modern views are set right. The fascinating narrative is accompanied by lists of all major navy-built (and certain significant ex-mercantile) enemy ships in commission at the relevant date of the armistice or surrender, or whose hulks were specifically listed for attention in post-Second World War allied agreements. These include key dates in their careers and their ultimate fates. This original book, featuring numerous photographs, is sure to become an essential reference tool for all those interested in the naval history of the two World Wars. Praise for Spoils of War “Most highly recommended.” —Firetrench “For those who need to finally know the ultimate fate of the often gallant ships that strove against the Allies in both world wars, this is the book.” —Julian Stockwin, author of the Thomas Kydd series
The Civil War had been hard on everyone, but Celia Weston felt as if she personally had taken the brunt of it. Left alone on what had once been her family's beautiful estate, she had to scrimp and scrape just to survive, reduced to living like an animal while she tried to take care of her beloved mother, whose mind had been crippled by her great losses.Trey Oaks had been occupied by all sorts during those long years, but the worst was its last occupier Aaron Denehy, who thought that possession was a lot more than nine tenths of the law, and that Celia's body and soul came with the land he claimed as his own.Celia found herself subjugated by Aaron, treated no better than a lady of easy virtue, barely better than the slaves the war had freed.He spanked, belted or paddled her at the least sign of resistance, but brought her to the heights of ecstasy that she hadn't known existed before his touch.And there was nowhere for Celia to escape to. It was her home, but he was the Master.
