Two years after their adventures in The Land of the Silver Apples, the apprentice bard Jack and his Viking companion Thorgil confront the malevolent spirit of a vengeful mermaid and begin a quest that casts them among the fin folk of Notland.
Jack is an apprentice bard and just beginning to learn the secrets of his mysterious master, when he and his little sister are captured by Viking chief, Olaf One-Brow, and taken to the court of Ivar the Boneless. Ivar is married to a half-troll named Frith, an evil and unpredictable queen with a strange power over her husband's court. Jack is sent on to the kingdom of the trolls, where he has to find the magical well and undo the charm he has cast on Frith. He is accompanied by Thorgill, a shield maiden, aged 12, who wants to be a berserker when she grows up. Together, they are set for a magical and exciting adventure.
“Like the druidic life force Jack taps, this hearty adventure, as personal as it is epic, will cradle readers in the ‘hollow of its hand’ (Booklist, starred review). Jack has caused an earthquake. He was trying to save his sister Lucy from being thrown down a well, but sometimes the magic doesn’t quite work out. Not only does Jack demolish a monastery, but Lucy is carried off by the Lady of the Lake, and Jack has to follow her through the Hollow Road, which lies underground. Aided by Pega, a slave, and the berserker Thorgil, Jack encounters hobgoblins, kelpies, yarthkins, and elves—not the enchanted sprites one would expect, but fallen angels who steal human children for pets. In the eighth century, the world is caught between belief in the Old Gods and Christianity, and what Jack and his companions do will decide the fate of both religions. From National Book Award winner Nancy Farmer, this second book in the Sea of Trolls trilogy brilliantly enlarges the world of the first story. Look for the conclusion in The Islands of the Blessed.
Minor earthquakes every day; that's what they say. Lucy feels the tremors like a needle sensitized to respond to the slightest movement. She feels the push, the blind thrust of the earth's elastic body, pushing out, pulling in, behaving unpredictably. She lies awake at night, staring into the darkness, thinking of the tectonic plates moving against one another, building up tension, until something has to give. On an isolated island in Lake Ontario live twins Lucy and Levi and their father, Daniel. While Daniel desperately mourns for his dead wife, Levi and Lucy grow up ever more entwined in their enchanted childhood of fairy tales and rhymes. But when a fissure in the fragile cocoon of the family explodes into a chasm, each of the three is hurled in a different direction. Soon, there emerges a geographical triangle - Vancouver, Montreal, the island - that also maps out the terrain of love and the territory of family. Part Egyptian myth, part Alice in Wonderland, How the Blessed Live is an ethereally quiet, unexpected debut from a novelist to be watched.
While shipwrecked on the island of Pala, Will Farnaby, a disenchanted journalist, discovers a utopian society that has flourished for the past 120 years. Although he at first disregards the possibility of an ideal society, as Farnaby spends time with the people of Pala his ideas about humanity change. HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.
An account of ealy maritime exploration and the new lands, both real and mythical, that were charted by pre-Columbian seamen in the Atlantic and the fleets of the Ming Dynasty in the Pacific.
A mesmerizing journey through a chain of tropical islands in a little known part of the Eastern Caribbean. The peaceful azure waters, lagoons, untouched rainforests and stunning white sand beaches will have you packing your bags to leave the world behind. There is a country of small islands in the West Indies, lost in time. Its mountainous terrain has helped in keeping its vast natural beauty intact. Thirty two islands with mystical names like Bequia and Mustique, St Vincent and the Grenadines is in the most blessed part of the Caribbean—dramatic mountains and beaches, fertile soil and plentiful rain. This idyllic setting has nurtured a gentle and simple way life yet one rich in adventure, social contact, and a dazzling variety of locally grown cuisine. Explore the rare flora, taste the fresh fruits, local fish and spices, and partake in Vincentian “liming” —sharing food, drink, jokes and anecdotes, with no other intent than enjoying life. This collection of breathtaking photographs will revitalize both body and soul.
"Tales of the Enchanted Islands of the Atlantic" by Thomas Wentworth Higginson is a collection of myths, legends, and folktales inspired by the islands of the Atlantic Ocean. Higginson, an American author, historian, and minister, compiled stories from various cultures and traditions surrounding islands such as Atlantis, the Azores, the Canaries, and others. The book delves into the rich tapestry of folklore and mythology associated with these islands, exploring themes of magic, adventure, heroism, and the supernatural. From tales of lost civilizations to encounters with mythical creatures, each story offers a glimpse into the imagination and cultural heritage of the people who inhabited or explored these islands throughout history.