In the beginning, the Goddess danced the world into existence. Peace reigned for generations through matriarchal rule within the Minca, Dute, and Carroo tribes. But then one man’s lust for power destroyed this balance: Vestor assassinated his sister, Mother of the Minca tribe. His army ravaged the Dute and Carroo tribes. A once-idyllic world was thrust into war, famine, and despair. Yet today, there is hope. Vestor’s niece, Cora, has a vision: if she can convince an emissary from each tribe to rendezvous at the Heart Stone, she can overthrow her evil uncle, take her rightful place as Mother Minca, and restore harmony. But the Dutes have disappeared deep into their mountains. There are rumors that the Carroos are extinct. And Cora must move swiftly—lest Vestor learn that she’s pregnant with the Mincan heir.
In A Journey of Sea and Stone, spiritual director Tracy Balzer takes us along as she journeys to the revered Isle of Iona in Scotland. She carries with her key questions of the spiritual life: Where is God? Who am I? What can I offer the world? With Balzer as our guide, and through the storied history of Iona, we see that all sacred spaces can offer us a unique path to God.
An American Library Association Notable Book When he proposed to his girlfriend, Tom Zoellner gave what is expected of every American man--a diamond engagement ring. But when the relationship broke apart, he was left with a used diamond that began to haunt him. His obsession carried him around the globe; from the "blood diamond" rings of Africa; to the sweltering polishing factories of India; to mines above the Arctic Circle; to illegal diggings in Brazil; to the London headquarters of De Beers, the secretive global colossus that has dominated the industry for more than a century and permanently carved the phrase "A diamond is forever" on the psyche. An adventure story in the tradition of Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief, The Heartless Stone is a voyage into the cold heart of the world's most unyielding gem.
The fifth novel in the Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery series—the inspiration for the Hulu original series Shardlake! Summer 1545. A massive French armada is threatening England, and Henry VIII has plunged the country into economic crisis to finance the war. Meanwhile, an old servant of Queen Catherine Parr has asked Matthew Shardlake to investigate claims of "monstrous" wrongs committed against a young ward of the court. As the French fleet approaches, Shardlake's inquiries reunite him with an old friend-and an old enemy close to the throne. This fast-paced fifth installment in C. J. Sansom's "richly entertaining and reassuringly scholarly series" (Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review) will enchant fans of Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies, and The Other Boleyn Girl. Awarded the CWA Diamond Dagger – the highest honor in British crime writing
Mercenary. Murderer. Monster. Task has been called many names in his time. “Echoes of Brandon Sanderson and Scott Lynch.” – SFF World “Grimdark with heart and soul.” – Anna Smith Spark, author of The Empires of Dust Trilogy “A very, very good read." – Fantasy Faction “A brutal delight with thrilling action and heart, rowdy and wise, bloody and tender at the same time." – Dyrk Ashton, author of The Paternus Trilogy Best Self-Published Fantasy Novel – 2017 Booknest Fantasy Awards ——— Golems are built for war and little else. In centuries past, they were a terrifying staple of the battlefield. Empires were conquered on the backs of golems. Now, time and fear have whittled their kind down to a precious few, kept only by kings and warlords. Task of Wind-Cut is one such machine of war. Task was built to kill. Built to win. Thousands have died at his stone hands. He cared once, perhaps, but far too many years have passed and too much blood has been spilled. Task has become numb to the chaos he wreaks for his masters. A slave to the spells that bind him. Now, Task has a new master to serve and a new war to endure. In the far reaches of the Realm, Hartlund is in the grip of civil war, tearing itself in two over coin and crown. This time, Task will fight for a boy king and a general bent on victory. Beneath his formidable stone, Task longs for change. For an end to this cycle of warfare. For proof of light and good amongst the foul darkness of humanity and war. It will take the mind of an unusual stable-girl to change his. ——— ABOUT THE HEART OF STONE Packed with action and yet emotionally charged, The Heart of Stone is an epic military fantasy novel that explores the facets of human nature and the roots of warfare and conflict. Told through the eyes of Task, a five hundred year-old war-golem, this standalone fantasy is perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, Mark Lawrence, Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie. ——— MORE PRAISE FOR THE HEART OF STONE “From the fascinating world-building to the intriguing, colorful and memorable characters, The Heart of Stone is a pleasure to read.” – BookNest “Dark, brutal and violent, and packed with heart and emotional depth, The Heart of Stone is an intriguing novel.” – Alan Baxter, author of The Alex Caine Series “This is Ben’s best book yet. Plain and simple.” – Michael R. Miller, author of The Dragon’s Blade Trilogy "A solidly written and fascinating dark fantasy." – BiblioSanctum ——— MORE BOOKS BY BEN GALLEY (Available in ebook, paperback and audio) Emaneska Series – The Written – Pale Kings – Dead Stars - Part One – Dead Stars - Part Two – No Fairytale Scarlet Star Trilogy – Bloodrush – Bloodmoon – Bloodfeud Chasing Graves Trilogy – Chasing Graves – Grim Solace – Breaking Chaos Standalones – Shards Keywords: fantasy, epic fantasy, epic, dark fantasy, dark, ya fantasy, military fantasy, golem, golems, monsters, mythological creatures, magic, standalone novel, stand alone, battle, war, emotion, humanity, ben galley, fantasy author
A book of 42 photographs of wrought-iron gates and accompanying prose that parallels the author's journey through the gates of despair to peace and joy.
Journey to the Heart by New York Times bestselling author of Codependent No More, Beyond Codependency, and Lessons of Love, contains 365 insightful daily meditations that inspire readers to unlock their personal creativity and discover their divine purposes in life. “Melody Beattie gives you the tools to discover the magnificence and splendor of your being.” –Deepak Chopra, author of Jesus and Buddha
You can almost hear the sabers clash in this rousing tale of good and evil, of passionate love, of warrior queens and white witches. Cydell, the imperious queen of Mauldar, and Elayna, the Fair Witch of Avoreed, join forces to combat the evil that menaces the empire, and in the course of doing so find rapturous love.
A broken man, Khraen awakens alone and lost. His stone heart has been shattered, littered across the world. With each piece, he regains some small shard of the man he once was. He follows the trail, fragment by fragment, remembering his terrible past. There was a woman. There was a sword. There was an end to sorrow. Khraen walks the obsidian path.
Culture, Creativity and Environment: New Environmentalist Criticism is a collection of new work which examines the intersection between philosophy, literature, visual art, film and the environment at a time of environmental crisis. This book is unusual in the way in which the ‘imaginative’, ‘creative’, element is privileged, notwithstanding the creativity of rigorous cultural criticism. Genuinely interdisciplinary, this book aims to be inclusive in its discussions of diverse cultural media (different literary genres, art forms and film for instance), which offer thoughtful and thought-provoking critiques of our relationships with the environment. Our ability to transcend the ethical and aesthetic categories and discourses that have contributed to our alienation from our environment is dependant upon an enlargement of our imaginative capacities. In a modest way this book might contribute to what Ted Hughes, speaking of the imagination of each new child, described as “nature’s chance to correct culture’s error”.
