Nero fiddled while Rome burned. As catchy as that aphorism is, it’s sadly untrue, even if it has a nice ring to it. The one thing Nero is well-known for is the one thing he actually didn’t do. But fear not, the truth of his life, his rule and what he did with unrestrained power, is plenty weird, salacious and horrifying. And he is not alone. Roman history, from the very foundation of the city, is replete with people and stories that shock our modern sensibilities. Evil Roman Emperors puts the worst of Rome’s rulers in one place and offers a review of their lives and a historical context for what made them into what they became. It concludes by ranking them, counting down to the worst ruler in Rome’s long history. Lucius Tarquinius Suburbus called peace conferences with warring states, only to slaughter foreign leaders; Commodus sold offices of the empire to the highest bidder; Caligula demanded to be worshipped as a god, and marched troops all the way to the ocean simply to collect seashells as “proof” of their conquest; even the Roman Senate itself was made up of oppressors, exploiters, and murderers of all stripes. Author Phillip Barlag profiles a host of evil Roman rulers across the history of their empire, along with the faceless governing bodies that condoned and even carried out heinous acts. Roman history, deviant or otherwise, is a subject of endless fascination. What’s never been done before is to look at the worst of the worst at the same time, comparing them side by side, and ranking them against one another. Until now.
The last 15 years have witnessed an unprecedented explosion of interest in psychic phenomena. Johanna Michaelsen shares an extraordinary story about how she became a personal assistant to a psychic surgeon and witnessed miraculous healings, yet realized the true occultic source behind The Beautiful Side of Evil. Over 235,000 sold!
A sinister king. A scheming queen. A deadly plot. An Evil Spirit Out of the West is the first novel in a trilogy set in one of the most turbulent and exciting periods of Ancient Egyptian history, from acclaimed author Paul Doherty. Perfect for fans of Brad Geagley and Wilbur Smith. 'Doherty has typically woven a delightfully dark tale around what must have been the most remarkable period of Egyptian history... So stoke up the fire, draw the curtains and put your feet up in order to enjoy this delightfully spooky and robust tale of demons, death and disease in old Egypt. Great stuff!' - Historical Novels Review Known as the Veiled One, the ugly and deformed Akenhaten is a shadowy figure. As a child he is overlooked and despised by his own father. As an adult he is thrust into the political limelight when his elder brother dies. Mahu, ambitious and ruthless, watches the young prince carve his own path to power. He becomes Akenhaten's alter ego, his protector and confidant, standing by as Akenhaten proclaims that there is only one God, the Aten, and that he, Akenhaten, is that God's only son. Revolution and chaos follow in this dramatic reign filled with fraud, abduction, assassination, betrayal and treachery. But when Mahu becomes suspicious of Akenhaten's majestic and glorious wife Nefertiti, and the political skill of her brother, Ay, it seems that a hidden and malign influence may also be at work. And then Akenhaten disappears... What readers are saying about Paul Doherty: '5 stars are not enough for this book!' 'Beautifully written, exciting and interesting' 'The sounds and smells of the period seem to waft from the pages of [Paul Doherty's] books'
A vampirish killer is stalking D.C., but Dr. Katherine O'Keefe finds a rare abnormality in the killer's blood that links him with her ex-lover, detective Merrick Chapman, who is also assigned to the murder case. Reprint.
"Did rebel angels take on human bodies to fulfill their lust for the “daughters of men”? Did these fallen angels teach men to build weapons of war? That is the premise of the Book of Enoch, a text cherished by the Essenes, early Jews, and Christians but later condemned by both rabbis and Church Fathers. Elizabeth Clare Prophet examines the controversy surrounding this book and sheds new light on Enoch’s forbidden mysteries. She demonstrates that Jesus and the apostles studied the Book of Enoch and tells why Church Fathers suppressed its teaching that angels could incarnate in human bodies. Fallen Angels and the Origins of Evil takes you back to the primordial drama of Good and Evil, when the first hint of corruption entered a pristine world—earth. Contains Richard Laurence’s translation of the Book of Enoch, all the other Enoch texts (including the Book of the Secrets of Enoch) and biblical parallels."
Queen Holly Blue is suspicious when Lord Hairstreak, leader of the Faeries of the Night, offers the Faeries of the Light a peace treaty. But while the Faeries are bickering, the Demons of the Faerie Realm are plotting a takeover. They deviously implant Henry Atherton with a controlling device and force him to kidnap Blue, right under the noses of her brother, Pyrgus, and Lord Hairstreak. Grand adventure ensues as Henry and his friends rush to save the Faerie Realm. This dynamic new novel lives up to its predecessors in every way, filling each page with a fast-paced story that will thrill fans new and old.
Recounting over 2,000 years of daft despots, raving rulers and potty potentates, this unique look at the world’s craziest kings and queens will leave you shocked, amazed – and often in fits of laughter. From the madness of ancient Rome, exemplified by the Emperor Caligula who wanted to appoint his horse to the consulate, we go on to meet Charles VI of France, convinced he was made of glass, Queen Juana of Spain, never separated from her late husband’s coffin, and King Otto of Bavaria, who tried to ward off hereditary insanity by shooting a peasant a day. Throughout history, royalty and scandal have gone hand-in-hand like a Prince of Wales and his mistress – witness the pocket-picking Farouk I of Egypt, Augustus II of Poland, who fathered an estimated 355 children, only one of whom was legitimate, and, more recently, Britain’s master of tact and diplomacy, Prince Philip. From kleptomania and incest to transvestism and even pigeon fancying, all these and many more colourful characters can be found in this revealing trawl of the world’s royal families.
The fairy tale of Sophie and Agatha comes to a dramatic conclusion in this sixth and final book. Who will sit on Camelot's throne and rule the Endless Woods? Who will be the One True King?