The Book of Talismans, Amulets and Zodiacal Gems
The Book of Talismans, Amulets and Zodiacal Gems

Author: William Thomas and Kate Pavitt

Publisher: BEYOND BOOKS HUB

Published: 2021-01-01

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13:

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With 10 illustrative Plates. This is a study of the symbolism of precious stones, and how they have been used as magical objects through the ages, both intrinsically, and as a vehicle for symbolic engravings. The book covers Hindu, Jewish, Chinese, Egyptian, Roman, Gnostic, and Christian lore of gems. The final section discusses the astrological connections of key gems, sign by sign. This work also includes quite a bit of history of important (and often 'cursed') stones such as the Hope diamond, and practical advice about purchasing gems. Anyone interested in the symbolism of gemstones will find this a great reference and a fascinating read.

Hugo and the Bird
Hugo and the Bird

Author: Jeff Mills

Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd

Published: 2020-10-13

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 1800460449

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Death! The children of the three witches of Bideford who were hanged in 1682 have vowed to kill all those people responsible for their parent’s deaths and their own murder by hanging based on trumped-up charges to cover up the crime of their local judge. However, it is not only those directly responsible that are cursed, but all their descendants as well. For Hugo Bennett and his family, that includes them. If Hugo is to survive then he must destroy not just one adversary but now two, who have taken over the bodies of a young ambitious reporter, Sue Redwell and Hugo’s best friend, Emma Jones. Fortunately, he is aided by his friend; Bird. A strange, magical animal that has been mutated by Kadavera, one of the daughters of the witches in her experiments to exist in daylight so that she can fulfil her deadly vow. Hugo has found a magical amulet that originated from the sword of King Arthur; Excalibur. It was the inheritance of the witches and gave them their power. Its loss makes them even more determined to regain it and its power, irrespective of who or what gets in their way. In this case, Hugo and his family. The witches won’t stop until they’ve fulfilled their vow and time is running out for Hugo if he’s to prevail in his quest and stay alive...

Textual Amulets from Antiquity to Early Modern Times
Textual Amulets from Antiquity to Early Modern Times

Author: Christoffer Theis

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2022-10-20

Total Pages: 217

ISBN-13: 1350254541

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Comparing amulets over time and space, this volume focuses on the function of written words on these fascinating artefacts. Ranging from Roman Egypt to the Middle Ages and the Modern period, this book provides an overview on these artefacts in the Mediterranean world and beyond, including Europe, Iran, and Turkey. A deep analysis of the textuality of amulets provides comparative information on themes and structures of the religious traditions examined. A strong emphasis is placed on the material features of the amulets and their connections to ritual purposes. The textual content, as well as other characteristics, is examined systematically, in order to establish patterns of influence and diffusion. The question of production, which includes the relationships that linked professional magicians, artists and craftsmen to their clientele, is also discussed, as well as the sacred and cultural economies involved.

Old Venus
Old Venus

Author: George R. R. Martin

Publisher: Bantam

Published: 2015-03-03

Total Pages: 584

ISBN-13: 0804179859

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Sixteen all-new stories by science fiction’s top talents, collected by bestselling author George R. R. Martin and multiple-award-winning editor Gardner Dozois From pulp adventures such as Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Carson of Venus to classic short stories such as Ray Bradbury’s “The Long Rain” to visionary novels such as C. S. Lewis’s Perelandra, the planet Venus has loomed almost as large in the imaginations of science fiction writers as Earth’s next-nearest neighbor, Mars. But while the Red Planet conjured up in Golden Age science fiction stories was a place of vast deserts and ruined cities, bright blue Venus was its polar opposite: a steamy, swampy jungle world with strange creatures lurking amidst the dripping vegetation. Alas, just as the last century’s space probes exploded our dreams of Mars, so, too, did they shatter our romantic visions of Venus, revealing, instead of a lush paradise, a hellish world inimical to all life. But don’t despair! This new anthology of sixteen original stories by some of science fiction’s best writers—edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin and award-winning editor Gardner Dozois—turns back the clock to that more innocent time, before the hard-won knowledge of science vanquished the infinite possibilities of the imagination. Join our cast of award-winning contributors—including Elizabeth Bear, David Brin, Joe Haldeman, Gwyneth Jones, Mike Resnick, Eleanor Arnason, Allen M. Steele, and more—as we travel back in time to a planet that never was but should have been: a young, rain-drenched world of fabulous monsters and seductive mysteries. FEATURING ALL-NEW STORIES BY Eleanor Arnason • Elizabeth Bear • David Brin • Tobias S. Buckell • Michael Cassutt • Joe Haldeman • Matthew Hughes • Gwyneth Jones • Joe R. Lansdale • Stephen Leigh • Paul McAuley • Ian McDonald • Garth Nix • Mike Resnick • Allen M. Steele • Lavie Tidhar And an Introduction by Gardner Dozois

The Year's Best Military & Adventure SF 2015
The Year's Best Military & Adventure SF 2015

Author: David Ashfarirad

Publisher: Baen Books

Published: 2016-06-07

Total Pages: 307

ISBN-13: 1625795033

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The year’s best military SF, space opera, and adventure SF stories. The second of a new series featuring the best stories of the year from the top magazines and online venues with a military and adventure science fiction theme. The new Golden Age of short science fiction has arrived! Selected from the premier print and online markets in the field, here are stories to challenge, provoke, thrill, and entertain. Stories of future military men and women, space opera on a grand scale, and edge-of-your-seat adventure science fiction in the grand pulp tradition. The second volume in an on-going series, The Year’s Best Military and Adventure Science Fiction, features stories by giants of the genre and the hottest new voices. Plus, you be the judge! INTERACTIVE READER VOTING. One story from this anthology will be chosen via proctored online voting for The Best Military and Adventure Science Fiction Reader's Choice Award, presented at DragonCon in Summer 2016. For more information, go to Baen.com. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About The Year’s Best Military and Adventure Science Fiction 2015: “Baen’s fan-guided anthology series roars into its second year with a collection of stories just as eclectic as the first. . . . Afsharirad has put together a refreshing military and SF anthology that will be enjoyed by a wide range of readers.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) About The Year's Best Military SF and Space Opera Volume 1: “This intriguing anthology explores the human race’s violent potential [but] also bends toward exploration and the triumph of the human spirit, with brave tales [that] take the reader on a fascinating, thought-provoking, enjoyable journey . . . ”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[A] nice eclectic mix of magazines—hardcopy and digital—and original anthologies. Afsharirad seems to have cast his nets admirably wide. . . . The variety of styles and topics and themes, and the high level of craft in this assemblage, prove that this subgenre is flourishing. . . . [The collection] should be welcome by raw recruits and veterans alike.”—Locus