High Medieval

Pirate mercenary Lochlan MacLean loves his life on the sea, yet yearns for lands of his own to call home. He chooses his missions wisely, taking care they don’t go against his strict moral code. But when a deceitful father hires him for a challenging task - kidnapping a woman - he questions himself and his ethics. The spoils in both land and coin will fulfill his dream, and he can’t resist the job or the beautiful lass.

Caution: Dragons ahead. Prepare to delve into fiery worlds full of dragons. From hatchlings to ancients. From tame to wild. Many have their own goals, and most want to see the world reduced to ash. To reshape the world in their own reptilian image. Others struggle to survive, but heroes rise among them. Which side will you choose? 18 stories by the following authors: Deborah Brown, Zachary Vincent, Eric Tobiason, Bruno Lombardi, Joel Realubit, Katie Kent, Barend Nieuwstraten III, E.B. Hunter, Dylan Roche, Lucy A. McLaren, Aaron H. Arm, Jennifer Strassel, Natascha Eschweiler, A.E. Lowan, Ash...

Cleopatra is one of the most famous women in history - and thanks to Shakespeare, one of the most intriguing personalities in literature. Award-winning writer and beloved professor Harold Bloom delivers exhilarating clarity and invites us to look at this character as a flawed human who might be living in our world. He also explores his own personal relationship to the character: Just as we encounter one Anna Karenina or Jay Gatsby when we are in high school and college and another when we are adults, Bloom explains his shifting understanding of Cleopatra over the course of his own lifetime.

"Magic and other races really add to the magnificent story!" –Auburn, Vine Voice "Great dark fantasy!" -Vine Voice "If you love Tolkien, as I do, you will love this book." -Veronica Richards "Fantasy done right!" -Kindle Reviewer Ancient evil crawls from the dark. The great river of magic threatened. An epic struggle to prevail. Wielding the strongest magic ever known to Astura, Crystalyn faces the hooded man’s ruthless determination to annihilate a peaceful race dwelling within the vibrant beauty of an ancient vale. Ultimately, she faces a desperate choice: hunt down a former dear ...

Harmony can be hard to achieve. As the spell inside Elaria begins to burn out, taking her with it, she becomes desperate to find the third lover the spell needs to fuel itself. But love isn't the only thing eluding her. Someone is setting monsters loose on Earth, and even her spellsinging seems to be failing her. Can she stop the attacks before the spell stops her heart? Playlists for every book in the Spellsinger Series can be found on Spotify under Amy Sumida, or by searching for the book title.

Best-selling author Richard E. Rubenstein brings the past to life in this engrossing story of social, religious, and scientific revolution during one of the darkest periods in European history. When a group of Dark Ages scholars rediscovered the works of Aristotle, the great thinker's ideas ignited a firestorm of enlightened thought. This is the endlessly fascinating account of the pivotal period in history when the modern era took root.

In this indispensable volume, one of America's ranking scholars combines a life's work of research and teaching with the art of lively narration. Both authoritative and beautifully told, The Middle Ages is the full story of the thousand years between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance - a time that saw the rise of kings and emperors, the flowering of knighthood, the development of Europe, the increasing power of the Catholic Church, and the advent of the middle class.

There are some things that even a song can't fix. Ever since Lucifer tried to ease his ache for Elaria by altering human women to look like her, there have been doppelgangers of the Spellsinger on Earth. Now, those Elaria-look-alikes are dying, murdered by assassins who are most likely after Elaria. But assassins are the least of her worries. Greek Gods are disappearing and it looks as if Apollo's warning of Poseidon conquering the Beneath might not be so farfetched after all. As doppelgangers start dropping like flies, the Spellsinger must find a way to save herself and the entire world. ...

Paris, 1393. A masquerade ball at the palace ends in tragedy, with four revelers burned to death. Was it an accident...or did someone deliberately hurl a flaming torch at the dancers? Convinced it was an act of murder and that the king himself was the real target, Queen Isabeau has asked Christine de Pizan to spend time at court in an attempt to uncover the identity of the would-be assassin.

"It takes an entire lifetime to learn how to die", wrote the Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca (c. 4 BC-65 AD). He counseled readers to "study death always", and took his own advice, returning to the subject again and again in all his writings, yet he never treated it in a complete work. How to Die gathers in one volume, for the first time, Seneca's remarkable meditations on death and dying. Edited and translated by James S. Romm, How to Die reveals a provocative thinker who speaks with a startling frankness about the need to accept death or even, under certain conditions, to seek it out.

High and Heroic, this is Epic Arthurian Fantasy at its deepest. Live it on the Inside – from the Intimate to the World-shattering. .Discovered in the remote forest swamp, the tall, powerfully-built stranger has seemingly appeared from nowhere... Badly injured and speaking an unknown language, he has no memory of who or what he is; or where he is from. Named as “Kyre”, he is dragged away, and forced to fight for his life. By sheer speed and violence, he defeats the sword-wielding patrol that found him. The troopers’ captain and a young woman member of a clandestine sisterhood each ...

In a world where social media, online relationships, and relentless self-absorption threaten the very idea of deep and lasting friendships, the search for true friends is more important than ever. In this short book, famous Roman politician and philosopher Cicero offers a compelling guide to finding, keeping, and appreciating friends. With wit and wisdom, Cicero teaches not only how to build friendships but also why they must be a key part of our lives. For, as Cicero says, life without friends is not worth living.

In his essay On Anger, the Roman Stoic thinker Seneca argues that anger is the most destructive passion. This splendid new translation of essential selections from On Anger, presented with an enlightening introduction, offers listeners a timeless guide to avoiding and managing anger. Drawing on his great arsenal of rhetoric, including historical examples, anecdotes, quips, and soaring flights of eloquence, Seneca builds his case against anger with mounting intensity.

Reviewed by Keana Sackett-Moomey for Readers’ Favorite Knights of the Dragon by A. J. Gallant begins with an action-packed battle scene. King Chromos of the Yurrosy is a diabolical tyrant who enjoys seeing bloodshed and conquering every kingdom in his sight. King Darius of Leeander is vulnerable to Chromos's vicious attacks. Chromos has dedicated warriors and spelled dragons to fight on his behalf. Sadly, Adorok, the wizard responsible for safeguarding Leeander's safety, is old and failing. Adorok's protective shield is not going to defend Leeander forever. This fact prompts Princess ...

It is three centuries after the Shaper Wars, a conflict involving magic so powerful that it altered all of humanity. That magical legacy remains in the form of a handful of young women every generation – so feared that they are cursed and locked away from childhood. But fate promises that their ability will again change the world, for good or ill. As prophecies of a great doom converge, and an ancient race that desires the destruction of all human life arises, those in power attempt to control the legacy of the Daughters of Vae.

Everything hinges on the success of Dougray and Robbie, orphaned brothers and fugitives, to lead King Morgran’s soldiers on a wild goose chase to the Groaning Rocks, a place of demented souls. Attacked by a black dragon, they are rescued and given shelter by Alysam, an exile from Alpinia. But all is not well. Dougray is infected with dragon venom and begins to turn to stone. A desperate race for survival begins as the dragon pursues them through the underground passageways. Found by Navarre, last of the Healers, Dougray is restored to health and the brothers are then offered a place of ...

The assault on the city of Shadowfen has taken its toll. With so many lives lost, the people have begun to rebel while the king desperately searches for answers. How did this happen? Who is to blame for so much bloodshed? Someone must be held accountable. But while the king is doing everything he can to calm his people, barely able to hold his kingdom together by a thread, a deadly force has risen in the north. Unseen, unnoticed, it silently threatens the world of Ayrith from the shadows. Now Viola and her friends must make a choice. Do they defend the humans from this latest threat, or ...

Born a slave, the Roman Stoic philosopher Epictetus (c. 55-135 AD) taught that mental freedom is supreme, since it can liberate one anywhere, even in a prison. In How to Be Free, A. A. Long - one of the world's leading authorities on Stoicism and a pioneer in its remarkable contemporary revival - provides a superb new edition of Epictetus's celebrated guide to the Stoic philosophy of life (the Encheiridion) along with a selection of related reflections in his Discourses.

Book 2 ... The Secret Hamlet is for Historical Fiction fans ... WINNER! American Fiction Awards ... Fantasy Historial Fiction Can the Hamlet of Harmonie Remain Hidden? It’s the 11th century and Nichol with an infant daughter must escape Paris with her extended family. In Book 2 of the Harmonie series, The Secret Hamlet, the power of Nichol is turned loose. At her side is Shadow, her wolf-dog. In the bitter winter, she has become the target of the ruthless priest Loupe and her evil brother Fredric, both in pursuit of her and her daughter, Lucette. With her expanding vision and skills ...

The most eligible bachelor wants to win her back. The wealthiest woman in the ton just wants to forget him. When Anna returns to the London Season, she does so hoping to avoid Ambrose, the man who broke her heart. But he’s become one of London’s most sought after bachelors, and he’s everywhere. As she slowly learns to trust, and Ambrose proves himself worthy, the two navigate the London Season and the machinations of one Lord Featherstone, the famed matchmaker of all men. Enjoy this first novella in a new series, A Gentleman’s Match.