"A towering epic to rank with Douglas Preston's Blasphemy and Michael Crichton's Prey... Pandemic drought, skyrocketing oil prices, dwindling energy supplies and wars of water scarcity threaten the planet. Only four people can prevent global chaos. Gary Morgan--a brilliant, renegade scientist is pilloried by the scientific community for his belief in a space elevator: a pillar to the sky, which he believes will make space flight fast, simple and affordable. Eva Morgan--a brilliant and beautiful scientist of Ukrainian descent, she has had a lifelong obsession to build a pillar to the sky, a vertiginous tower which would mine the power of the sun and supply humanity with cheap, limitless energy forever. Gunther Rothenberg--the ancient but revered rocket-scientist who labored at Peenemunda with von Braun to create the first rockets and continued on to build those of today. A legend, he has mentored Gary and Natalia for two decades, nurturing and encouraging their transcendent vision. Franklin Smith--the eccentric Silicon Valley billionaire who will champion their cause, wage war with Congress and government bureaucracy and most important, finance their herculean undertaking. This journey to the stars will not be easy--a tumultuous struggle filled with violence and heroism, love and death, spellbinding beauty and heartbreaking betrayal. The stakes could not be higher. Humanity's salvation will hang in the balance"--
Here is the story of Moloquin, the unwanted child. Outcast sister-son of the chief of Ladons tribe, he is adopted instead by the wise-woman Karella, storyteller, lawgiver, prophetess. He was a special one, a speaker to the gods, who was determined to build a gateway to heaven, and inspired a people to follow him, to raise the great stones on Salisbury Plain.
#1 New York Times Bestseller Oprah's Book Club Selection The “extraordinary . . . monumental masterpiece” (Booklist) that changed the course of Ken Follett’s already phenomenal career—and begins where its prequel, The Evening and the Morning, ended. “Follett risks all and comes out a clear winner,” extolled Publishers Weekly on the release of The Pillars of the Earth. A departure for the bestselling thriller writer, the historical epic stunned readers and critics alike with its ambitious scope and gripping humanity. Today, it stands as a testament to Follett’s unassailable command of the written word and to his universal appeal. The Pillars of the Earth tells the story of Philip, prior of Kingsbridge, a devout and resourceful monk driven to build the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has known . . . of Tom, the mason who becomes his architect—a man divided in his soul . . . of the beautiful, elusive Lady Aliena, haunted by a secret shame . . . and of a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state and brother against brother. A spellbinding epic tale of ambition, anarchy, and absolute power set against the sprawling medieval canvas of twelfth-century England, this is Ken Follett’s historical masterpiece.
Summary: Eli, a young villager in a magical land where the Pillar of the Sky keeps the balance between earth and sky, finds a prophecy that says this old column will fall, and maybe even the Earth itself. Eli sets out on a mission to stop this terrible ending, driven by both fear and determination. When he meets Maya, a friend with a strong will, and Cora, a wisecracking bird who knows the forest like the back of her wing, his trip changes from a single quest to a monument to the strength of friendship and faith. There are a lot of tasks for the trio that test their bravery, wit, and ability to work together. They have to go through the mysterious Forest of Shadows, solve old tasks in the Cave of Echoes, and face a guardian made of stone and dirt in order to get the Heartstone, a powerful gem that is said to make the pillar stronger. It's not only hard times that help them reach their goal, but they also teach each other and themselves important things. Their experience is more about how they change on the inside than about the trip itself. Eli, Maya, and Cora learn that friendship is as strong as magic, that real strength comes from facing your fears with friends by your side, and that believing in yourself and each other can get you through anything. When they come back to Skyreach with the Heartstone, they are greeted as both heroes and children. How they try to build the Pillar of the Sky is a metaphor for how they change as people and how their trip affects them in the long run. The sky, which had been silent during their troubled times, now shines brightly in celebration of their victory and to remind us of the trip that saved the world. This story, which is about bravery, friendship, and the strength of faith, inspires people to face problems together and with faith. People tell stories about Eli, Maya, and Cora that become tales. Their story gives people hope and shows that even the hardest problems can be solved with brave hearts and a strong will. First things first, The Pillar of the Sky stands as a reflection of the ancient wonders that still watch over the earth in a world where magic lives in everything. This huge structure that rises into the sky is both a natural beauty and an important part of keeping the balance between the earth and the sky. A scary prophecy is written on the stone, telling people that the pillar could fall, and the sky will fall on the land. Eli, a young farmer with a strong will and a lot of interest, finds a prophecy that could mean bad things for everyone in this beautiful but dangerous place. With this finding, Eli starts an amazing journey that goes far beyond the limits of his previous simple life. He knows how serious the situation is and is driven by a sense of duty and a strong desire to stop the tragedy that the old predictions have predicted. There are many hurdles along the way that test his dedication and force him to face his deepest fears and think about how strong he really is. Eli meets people who are more than just supporters during these hard times; they become close friends. They go on a trip together to stop the end of the world, but it's also a chance for them to learn important lessons about courage, friendship, and faith. Each of Eli's friends has their own special skills and ideas that help the group move forward. They show that real power comes from a person's heart, not their sword. They disobey old guardians, figure out hard puzzles, and make their way through dangerous terrain while making lasting ties. Eli learns from their trip that friendship is the brightest light in the dark, that belief can make things happen, and that courage is not being afraid, but being ready to face your fears head on. The explorers' actions get them closer and closer to their goal as the story goes on, based on the lessons they've learned along the way. When they reach the end of their quest, they will be standing in front of the Pillar of the Sky, having gone from being everyday peasants or homeless people to heroes who know the real reason for their journey. This one moment captures the essence of the trip and shows how strong the human spirit is and how powerful unity can be.
A novel of primitive England and the birth of the breathtaking monoliths known as Stonehenge, from “a first-class storyteller” (People). In a time before recorded history, on an island that many centuries later would come to be known as Britain, Moloquin, the Unwanted One, dreams of a pathway to the heavens. Cast out as a child, he survives by his wits alone on the fringes of tribal society and grows into manhood driven by one powerful and unshakable ambition: to build a link between the earthly and the spiritual worlds through the raising of an impossible structure. But to accomplish such a momentous feat in this primitive age of stone will not only require superhuman strength, it will entail unraveling the very fabric of life. Still, Moloquin will not be deterred in his quest, and he will stand courageously against all enemies, court untold disaster, sacrifice what he must, and remake his entire world to see his great vision gloriously realized. One of today’s foremost historical novelists, Cecelia Holland explores the strange and enduring mystery of Stonehenge, one of the true wonders of the ancient and modern world. A breathtaking speculation, Pillar of the Sky is an unforgettable tale brimming with action, colorful characters, vivid detail, intelligence, and wonder, while presenting a possible history of the man-made miracle on Salisbury Plain that confounds scientists, scholars, and archaeologists to this day.
The Shattered Pillars is the second book of Bear's The Eternal Sky trilogy and the sequel to Range of Ghosts. Set in a world drawn from our own great Asian Steppes, this saga of magic, politics and war sets Re-Temur, the exiled heir to the great Khagan and his friend Sarmarkar, a Wizard of Tsarepheth, against dark forces determined to conquer all the great Empires along the Celedon Road. Elizabeth Bear is an astonishing writer, whose prose draws you into strange and wonderful worlds, and makes you care deeply about the people and the stories she tells. The world of The Eternal Sky is broadly and deeply created—her award-nominated novella, "Bone and Jewel Creatures" is also set there. The Eternal Sky Trilogy #1 Range of Ghosts #2 Shattered Pillars #3 Steles of the Sky At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Weaving together loss and anxiety with fantastic elements and literary sleight-of-hand, Kevin Brockmeier’s richly imagined Things That Fall from the Sky views the nagging realities of the world through a hopeful lens. In the deftly told “These Hands,” a man named Lewis recounts his time babysitting a young girl and his inconsolable sense of loss after she is wrenched away. In “Apples,” a boy comes to terms with the complex world of adults, his first pangs of love, and the bizarre death of his Bible coach. “The Jesus Stories” examines a people trying to accelerate the Second Coming by telling the story of Christ in every possible way. And in the O. Henry Award winning “The Ceiling,” a man’s marriage begins to disintegrate after the sky starts slowly descending. Achingly beautiful and deceptively simple, Things That Fall from the Sky defies gravity as one of the most original story collections seen in recent years.
How much further should the affluent world push its material consumption? Does relative dematerialization lead to absolute decline in demand for materials? These and many other questions are discussed and answered in Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization. Over the course of time, the modern world has become dependent on unprecedented flows of materials. Now even the most efficient production processes and the highest practical rates of recycling may not be enough to result in dematerialization rates that would be high enough to negate the rising demand for materials generated by continuing population growth and rising standards of living. This book explores the costs of this dependence and the potential for substantial dematerialization of modern economies. Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization considers the principal materials used throughout history, from wood and stone, through to metals, alloys, plastics and silicon, describing their extraction and production as well as their dominant applications. The evolving productivities of material extraction, processing, synthesis, finishing and distribution, and the energy costs and environmental impact of rising material consumption are examined in detail. The book concludes with an outlook for the future, discussing the prospects for dematerialization and potential constrains on materials. This interdisciplinary text provides useful perspectives for readers with backgrounds including resource economics, environmental studies, energy analysis, mineral geology, industrial organization, manufacturing and material science.
