- Table View
- List View
Fire Dance: The Harp and Ring Sequence #2 (The\harp And Ring Sequence Ser. #2)
by Ilana C. MyerPalace intrigue, dark magic, and terrifying secrets drive the beautifully written standalone novel Fire Dance, set in the world of Last Song Before Night.Espionage, diplomacy, conspiracy, passion, and power are the sensuously choreographed steps of the soaring new high fantasy novel by Ilana C. Myer, one woman's epic mission to stop a magical conflagration.Lin, newly initiated in the art of otherwordly enchantments, is sent to aid her homeland's allies against savage attacks from the Fire Dancers: mysterious practitioners of strange and deadly magic. Forced to step into a dangerous waltz of tradition, treachery, and palace secrets, Lin must also race the ticking clock of her own rapidly dwindling life to learn the truth of the Fire Dancers' war, and how she might prevent death on a scale too terrifying to contemplate.Myer's novel is a symphony of secret towers, desert winds, burning sands, blood and dust. Her prose soars, and fluid movements of the politically charged plot carry the reader toward a shocking crescendo.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Song of Ireland
by Juilene Osborne-McKnightThe Sons of Mil long held the dream of the Island of Destiny close to their hearts. A dream perhaps, but to these restless, adventuring people it was a shining emerald prize to be won by those who were brave or foolhardy enough to sail to the very ends of the known world. For the Bard Amergin and his people that dream comes true. When they land safely on the shores of this enchanted isle, they know that they have won the favor of their gods. In joy, they begin to build their settlement. Soon it is clear that they are not alone in this green and pleasant land; their fellow inhabitants are the secretive Danu, a people who resonate power and mystery in abundance. As Amergin negotiates with the Danu so that both peoples may peacefully share the island's wealth, he sees their beauty, their wisdom, and their love for the land. And one more thing. Amergin's second sight shows him that the Danu are not human.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Scandalous Flirt (Cinderella Sisterhood Series #6)
by Olivia DrakeScandal begins with just one kiss...Aurora Paxton was once the belle of the ball, the most sought-after debutante of the season—until a scandalous mistake ruined her. Shunned by her family, Rory was banished to the country to live in disgrace. Now she’s been summoned back to London by her stepmother, who is being blackmailed by the least likely person Rory can imagine: Lucas Vale, Marquess of Dashell. Lucas is someone Rory’s known for years—a man as devastatingly handsome as he is coldly disapproving of her. What in the world could he want from her or her family? Rory intends to find out as soon as she comes face to face with her old foe. What she never expects, however, is that the icy aristocrat has a soft spot for her—and a secret plan to redeem her status. Could it be that Lucas has been in love with Rory all along. . .and has finally found a way to win her heart?The Scandalous Flirt by Olivia Drake is a sweeping Regency romance you won't be able to put down! The Cinderella Sisterhood series is:"Beautiful." - RT Book Reviews"Breathtaking." - Night Owl Reviews"Magical." - Once Upon a Romance
Giap: The General Who Defeated America in Vietnam
by James A. WarrenAn in-depth look at the strategy and tactics of the visionary commander who beat the United States in the Vietnam War.General Vo Nguyen Giap was the commander in chief of the communist armed forces during two of his country's most difficult conflicts—the first against Vietnam's colonial masters, the French, and the second against the most powerful nation on earth, the United States. After long and bloody conflicts, he defeated both Western powers and their Vietnamese allies, forever changing modern warfare. In Giap, military historian James A. Warren dives deep into the conflict to bring to life a revolutionary general and reveal the groundbreaking strategies that defeated world powers against incredible odds. Synthesizing ideas and tactics from an extraordinary range of sources, Giap was one of the first to realize that war is more than a series of battles between two armies and that victory can be won through the strength of a society's social fabric. As America's wars in the Middle East rage on, this is an important and timely look at a man who was a master at defeating his enemies even as they thought they were winning.
The Reign of the Kingfisher: A Novel
by T. J. Martinson"Hits a grand slam for its intended audience. It might even convince skeptics that superhero stories can make good literature." —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"An extraordinary novel." —Emily St. John Mandel, bestselling author of Station Eleven30 years ago a superhero tried to save Chicago. Now the city is again under siege, in this gritty, suspenseful, and beautifully written novel from award-winning debut author T.J. MartinsonSomewhere in Chicago, a roomful of people have been taken hostage. The hostages will be killed one by one, the masked gunman says on-screen, unless the police will admit that they faked the death of the legendary superhero called the Kingfisher and helped him to give up his defense of the city thirty years ago.Retired reporter Marcus Waters made his name as a journalist covering the enigmatic superhero’s five years of cleaning up Chicago’s streets. Then the Kingfisher died, Chicago resumed its violent turmoil, and Marcus slid back into obscurity. But did the Kingfisher really die? And who would take hostages connected to the Kingfisher's past attempts to clean up the streets? With the help of disgraced police officer Lucinda Tillman and a young hacktivist named Wren, Marcus will explore the city's violence, corruption, and chaos to figure out if the vigilante hero died tragically, or gave up hope and abandoned the city—and for the hostages, the clock is ticking.
Virga: Sun Of Suns And Queen Of Candesce (Virga)
by Karl SchroederIt is the distant future. The world known as Virga is a fullerene balloon three thousand kilometers in diameter, filled with air, water, and floating chunks of rock. The humans who live in this vast environment must build their own fusion suns and "towns" —enormous wood and rope wheels that are spun for centripetal gravity.This complex and fascinating world is the setting for the novels of Virga, Karl Schroeder's interstellar far-future space habitat sealed off from contamination by the rest of the inhabited universe. These books have set a high standard for hard SF adventure in the last decade, and now the first two novels, Sun of Suns and Queen of Candesce, are brought out for the first time in one trade paper omnibus.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems: 30th International Conference, TACAS 2024, Held as Part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2024, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, April 6–11, 2024, Proceedings, Part II (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14571)
by Bernd Finkbeiner Laura KovácsThe open access book 3-volume set LNCS 14570-14573 constitutes the proceedings of the 30th International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems, TACAS 2024, which was held as part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2024, during April 6-11, 2024, in Luxembourg.The 53 full papers and 16 short SVComp contributions included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 159 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows:Part I: STA and SMT solving; synthesis; logic and decidability; program analysis and proofs; proof checking; Part II: Model Checking; automata and learning; software verification; probabilistic systems; simulations; Part III: Neural networks; testing and verification; games; concurrency; SV-Comp 2024.
Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Production Research – Americas: ICPR Americas 2022
by Fernando Deschamps Edson Pinheiro de Lima Sérgio E. Gouvêa da Costa Marcelo G. TrentinThis book presents the proceedings of the conference and provides valuable insights into the issues facing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), particularly in the areas of sustainable operations and digitalization. It comprises a series of papers presented at the conference, covering topics such as: challenges faced by SMEs in a post-pandemic era; digitalization and its impact on SMEs; sustainable operations in SMEs; international market performance improvement in SMEs; SMEs infrastructure and integration with research, development, and innovation institutions; and SMEs participation in business networks. The papers offer a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing SMEs and provides practical solutions for those looking to help their organizations thrive in a rapidly changing business environment.
Natural Resources Deterioration in MENA Region: Land Degradation, Soil Erosion, and Desertification (Earth and Environmental Sciences Library)
by Ayad M. Fadhil Al-Quraishi Yaseen T. MustafaLand deterioration, drought, desertification, and water resources shrinkage threaten natural resources, negatively impacting environmental, economic, and political stability. The increasing occurrence of climate change (extremes) impacts land degradation processes, soil erosion by water and wind, and salinization. The researchers have invested several years of scientific research in natural resources deterioration, including soil degradation and erosion, land degradation, desertification, and climate changes, which are interesting enough. However, the link between science and policymaking appears to be less active as serious actions do not take fast. The eighteen chapters of this book focus more on topics related to natural resources deterioration, such as land degradation, desertification, drought, climate change, and analysis of numerous case studies. This book presents experts' overviews, study results, experiences, and knowledge of natural resources deterioration in MENA countries. It attracts researchers, experts, scholars, scientists, academics, students, practitioners, graduates, or anybody interested in land degradation, desertification, climate change, and natural hazards that fall within natural resources deterioration. Therefore, researchers keep continuing to do their investigations and produce results that convince stakeholders and policymaking to act immediately towards protecting natural resources and their sustainability.
Soil Science in Italy: 1861 to 2024
by Carmelo Dazzi Anna Benedetti Giuseppe Corti Edoardo A.C. CostantiniHistory is generally defined as “the study of past events, particularly in human affairs” and is mostly understood when presented chronologically. That’s why someone also defined it as the ‘chronological record of the past’. Knowing the past is extremely important for any society and human being. Past gives us insights into our evolving behavior in many matters of life. The book is seen as a unique opportunity to preserve the memory of the Italian history of soil science. It represents a milestone and a cultural heritage. Moreover, the book is a sort of ideal bridge between the pioneers of soil science in Italy and the young generation of researchers, contributing to spreading awareness of the importance of soil as a fundamental resource.
Crushed: An Ellie Macintosh Thriller (Detective Ellie MacIntosh #5)
by Kate WattersonCrushed: the next sizzling thriller in Kate Watterson's Ellie MacIntosh series, for fans of Allison Brennan and Sandra BrownWhat do you think?The strange message, inked on a homicide victim, makes Detective Ellie MacIntosh’s blood run cold. What do you think now?Worse, it is soon followed by a message on a second victim in the same location. MacIntosh realizes this is personal—a challenge directed at her and her volatile partner, Jason Santiago. As a cat and mouse game with a conscienceless killer emerges, the detectives start to fear that they have met their match. His deranged obsession is costing lives, and soon he contacts MacIntosh personally to taunt her. Ellie must race against time to try to solve the unsolvable before it is too late.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Through Darkest Europe: A Novel
by Harry Turtledove*io9's New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books You Need to Put On Your Radar This FallFrom the modern master of alternate history and New York Times bestselling author Harry Turtledove, Through Darkest Europe envisions a world dominated by a prosperous and democratic Middle East—and under threat from the world's worst trouble spot.Senior investigator Khalid al-Zarzisi is a modern man, a product of the unsurpassed educational systems of North Africa and the Middle East. Liberal, tolerant, and above all rich, the countries and cultures of North Africa and the Middle East have dominated the globe for centuries, from the Far East to the young nations of the Sunset Lands.But one region has festered for decades: Europe, whose despots and monarchs can barely contain the simmering anger of their people. From Ireland to Scandinavia, Italy to Spain, European fundamentalists have carried out assassinations, hijackings, and bombings on their own soil and elsewhere. Extremist fundamentalist leaders have begun calling for a "crusade", an obscure term from the mists of European history. Now Khalid has been sent to Rome, ground zero of backwater discontent. He and his partner Dawud have been tasked with figuring out how to protect the tinpot Grand Duke, the impoverished Pope, and the overall status quo, before European instability starts overflowing into the First World.Then the bombs start to go off.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
"Those Damn Horse Soldiers": True Tales of the Civil War Cavalry
by George WalshMany accounts of the Civil War battles, armies, and key figures have been written over the years, but none have looked at the bloodiest war in our nation's history through the eyes of the cavalry. The horse soldiers in the Civil War are often referred to as the last of the cavaliers, men who valued their honor as much as their cause. In this sweeping saga George Walsh brings to life anew the gallant horse soldiers of the North and South, showing in dramatic detail how their raids and expeditions affected the outcome of the war and how their fortunes waxed and waned. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Intergalactic Medicine Show: An Anthology
by Orson Scott Card Edmund R. SchubertBestselling writer Orson Scott Card founded the online magazine Intergalactic Medicine Show in 2006. It has been a big success, drawing submissions from well-known sf and fantasy writers, as well as fostering some amazing new talents. This collection contains some of the best of those stories from the past year.There is fiction from David Farber, Tim Pratt, and David Lubar among others, also four new Ender's Game universe stories by Card himself. This collection is sure to appeal to Card's fans, and be a great ambassador to them for these other talented writers.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Gift of Fire: Two Short Novels From Crosstown To Oblivion (From Crosstown to Oblivion)
by Walter MosleyIn ancient mythology, the Titan Prometheus was punished by the gods for bringing man the gift of fire—an event that set humankind on its course of knowledge. As punishment for making man as powerful as gods, Prometheus was bound to a rock; every day his immortal body was devoured by a giant eagle. But in Walter Mosley's The Gift of Fire, those chains cease to be, and the great champion of man walks from that immortal prison into present-day South Central Los Angeles.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Mother's Milk: Never Mind, Bad News, Some Hope, Mother's Milk, And At Last (The Patrick Melrose Novels #4)
by Edward St. AubynNow a 5-Part Limited Event Series on Showtime, Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Blythe DannerMan Booker–shortlisted Mother's Milk, the fourth installment in Edward St. Aubyn's wonderful, wry, and profound Patrick Melrose Cycle, sees Patrick as a lawyer, married, with a five-year-old child and another on the way. The novel shifts points of view from Patrick—furious over his mother's decision to sell their mansion in the South of France to a ridiculous New Age hippie—to Patrick's wife, overburdened by motherhood, to Patrick's mother, growing senile and despondent, and even to Patrick's young son Robert, who reflects with hilarious and disturbing clarity on the moments of his birth.
Sons of the Oak: (the Runelords, Brotherhood Of The Wolf, Wizardborn, The Lair Of Bones, Sons Of The Oak, Worldbinder, The Wyrmling Horde, Chaosbound) (The Runelords #5)
by David FarlandCertain works of fantasy are immediately recognizable as monuments, towering above the rest of the category. Authors of those works, such as Stephen R. Donaldson, Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind, come immediately to mind. Add to that list David Farland, whose epic fantasy series continues now.The story picks up eight years after the events of Lair of Bones and begins a new chapter in the Runelords saga focusing on Gaborn's son, Fallion. Gaborn, the Earth King, has been traveling far from his home, to strange and unknown places. While beyond the edge of the earth, he finally succumbs to the accelerated aging that comes from all of the endowments he has taken. His death is the signal for a revolution, an attack from the supernatural realms by immensely powerful immortal beings. These forces have discovered that Gaborn's son is the resurrection of an immortal, one whose potential power is so great that he might be able to reorder the entire universe. Fallion's enemies have decided that they must control him, and failing that, destroy him. He is only a child, but he is the heir to Gaborn's kingdom, and so must flee to the ends of the earth to avoid the destruction of all that Gaborn accomplished. One of the mightiest of contemporary fantasy epics continues.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Banksy: The Man Behind the Wall
by Will Ellsworth-JonesWhile hiding from the limelight, Banksy has made himself into one of the world's best-known living artists. His pieces have fetched millions of dollars at prestigious auction houses. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his film Exit Through the Gift Shop. Once viewed as vandalism, his work is now venerated; fans have gone so far as to dismantle the walls that he has painted on for collection and sale.But as famous as Banksy is, he is also utterly unknown—he conceals his real name, hides his face, distorts his voice, and reveals his identity to only a select few. Who is this man that has captivated millions? How did a graffiti artist from Bristol, England, find himself at the center of an artistic movement? How has someone who goes to such great lengths to keep himself hidden achieved such great notoriety? And is his anonymity a necessity to continue his vandalism—or a marketing tool to make him ever more famous?Now, in the first ever full-scale investigation of the artist, reporter Will Ellsworth-Jones pieces together the story of Banksy, building up a picture of the man and the world in which he operates. He talks to his friends and enemies, those who knew him in his early, unnoticed days, and those who have watched him try to come to terms with his newfound fame and success. And he explores the contradictions of a champion of renegade art going to greater and greater lengths to control his image and his work.Banksy offers a revealing glimpse at an enigmatic figure and a riveting account of how a self-professed vandal became an international icon—and turned the art world upside down in the process.
Code White: A Novel
by Scott Britz-CunninghamAli O'Day, a dedicated young neurosurgeon, might have a Nobel Prize in her future—if she can survive the next eleven hours.Under the glare of live television cameras—and with her lover, Dr. Richard Helvelius, and her estranged husband, Kevin, both looking on—Ali is about to implant a revolutionary mini-computer into the brain of a blind boy. If it works, he will see again. But someone wants to stop her triumph. No sooner has she begun to operate than the hospital pagers crackle with the chilling announcement, "CODE WHITE." A bomb has been found in the medical center.But this is no ordinary bomb—and no ordinary bomber. As minutes tick off toward the deadline, Ali suspects that a vast, inhuman intellect lies behind the plot—and that she herself may be the true ransom demand, in Code White by Scott Britz-Cunningham.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Damned of Petersburg: A Novel (The Battle Hymn Cycle #4)
by Ralph PetersNew York Times bestselling author Ralph Peters returns with the fourth installment in his Boyd Award-winning series on the Civil War GLORY TURNED GRIM… …and warfare changed forever. As Grant pinned Lee to Petersburg and Richmond, the Confederacy’s stubborn Army of Northern Virginia struggled against a relentless Union behemoth, with breathtaking valor and sacrifice on both sides. That confrontation in the bloody summer and autumn of 1864 shaped the nation that we know today.From the butchery of The Crater, where stunning success collapsed into a massacre, through near-constant battles fought by heat-stricken soldiers, to the crucial election of 1864, The Damned of Petersburg resurrects our Civil War’s hard reality, as plumes and sabers gave way to miles of trenches.Amid the slaughter of those fateful months, fabled leaders—Grant and Lee, Winfield Scott Hancock and A. P. Hill—turned to rising heroes, Confederates “Little Billy” Mahone and Wade Hampton, last of the cavaliers, or Union warriors such as tragedy-stricken Francis Channing Barlow and the fearless Nelson Miles, a general at twenty-four.Nor does Ralph Peters forget the men in the ranks, the common soldiers who paid the price for the blunders of leaders who’d never know their names. In desperate battles, now forgotten, such as Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern and Reams Station, soldiers on both sides, pushed to the last human limits, fought on as their superiors struggled to master a terrible new age of warfare.The Damned of Petersburg revives heroes aplenty—enriching our knowledge of our most terrible war—but, above all, this novel’s a tribute to the endurance and courage of the American soldier, North or South.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Smoke and Mirrors (Smoke #2)
by Tanya HuffTanya Huff, bestselling author of the Blood Price books, continues a new series where a street kid-turned-production assistant must balance deceptions that might get him fired with the supernatural truth that might get him killed…Working as a PA for a syndicated television show means when problems crop up, it’s Tony Foster’s job to figure them out. Once his producers decide to film at an isolated historic mansion for a week, the wizard-in-training expects disruptions: no cell signal, extras bumbling around the set, lighting cords tangled in hundred-year-old hallways. He doesn’t expect ghosts.A few dead folks wandering around shouldn’t disturb much, though. They’re only perceptible to the sensitive. Except it seems more of the cast and crew are sensitive than Tony knew. And the house isn’t home to only a few spirits. With the memories of murders playing out around them, Tony has to dodge, sneak, and scramble to cover in front of the normies. Until he gets trapped in the mansion overnight—with his boss, his vampire ex, the smoking-hot straight actor sending mixed signals, and the executive producer’s bratty kids. His crew wants answers. The house wants blood. And the horrors are only beginning…
Nanocarriers for Controlled Release and Target Delivery of Bioactive Compounds (SpringerBriefs in Food, Health, and Nutrition)
by Shaba Noore Shivani Pathania Pablo Fuciños Colm P. O'Donnell Brijesh K. TiwariThis brief provides a comprehensive overview of nanocarriers used for nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds. It includes the basis of encapsulation mechanism, encapsulation efficiency, controlled release, target delivery, and its application in food, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals.
Unity, Ambiguity, and Flexibility in Theme Music for Game Shows: A Winning Combination
by Christopher GageWith flashing lights, bright colors, and big money, game shows have been an integral part of American culture since the days of radio. While the music that accompanies game shows is charming and catchy, it presents two unique, opposing challenges: first, it must exhibit unity in its construction so that, at any point and for any length of time, it is a tuneful, recognizable signifier of the show to which it belongs; at the same time, it must also possess the ability to be started and stopped according to the needs of gameplay without seeming truncated. This book argues that game show music, in particular from 1960 to 1990, deploys a variety of shared techniques in order to manage these two goals, including theme-derived vamps; saturation of motivic material; and harmonic, rhythmic, and formal ambiguity. Together, these techniques make game show themes exciting, memorable, and perfectly suited to their role.
Recent Advances in Environmental Science from the Euro-Mediterranean and Surrounding Regions: Proceedings of 3rd Euro-Mediterranean Conference for Environmental Integration (EMCEI-3), Tunisia 2021 (Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation)
by Mohamed Ksibi Abdelazim Negm Olfa Hentati Achraf Ghorbal Arturo Sousa Jesus Rodrigo-Comino Sandeep Panda José Lopes Velho Ahmed M. El-Kenawy Nicola PerilliThis edited book includes over one hundred and eighty short papers that were presented during the third edition of EMCEI, which was held in Sousse, Tunisia, in June 2021. Nowadays, experts as well as most of the general public know that the Mediterranean and surrounding regions are facing environmental degradation that is accelerating at an unprecedented rate. The main causes are the natural and human induced climate change, increasing pollution, urban growth, and the overexploitation and unsustainable use of resources due to rapid population growth. The effects are seen in several indicators such as the warming, more frequent extreme events, severe droughts, water shortages, contraction of natural resources, changes in land use and landscape deterioration, decreasing agricultural yields, biodiversity loss, deterioration of the ecosystems, corrosion of the natural coastal environment, sea-level rise, and ocean acidification. In addition to these more recent issues, the Mediterranean and surrounding region naturally experience a number of hazards such as floods, droughts, desertification, fires, catastrophic forest diebacks, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. By presenting a wide range of environmental topics and new findings relevant to a variety of problems in these regions, this book appeals to anyone working in the subject area and especially students interested in learning more about new developments in environmental research initiatives in light of the worsening environmental degradation of the Mediterranean and surrounding areas, making environmental and resource protection an increasingly important issue that impedes sustainable development and social well-being. The book addresses emerging environmental issues along with new challenges by focusing on innovative approaches that contribute to achieving a sustainable environment in and around the Mediterranean Sea and by highlighting to decision makers from relevant sectors the environmental considerations that should be integrated into their own activities.
Humans, Angels, And Cyborgs Aboard Theseus' Ship: Metaphysics, Mythology, and Mysticism in Trans-/Posthumanist Philosophies
by Mattia GerettoThis book addresses the most suggestive themes of transhumanism and critical posthumanism by placing them in dialogue with classic problems of metaphysics, and with some great thinkers of the past (Bruno, Spinoza, and above all Leibniz). The main purpose of this comparison is to invite transhumanists and critical posthumanists to consider a highly complex problematic tradition rooted in the history of philosophy. This study also makes use of examples drawn from the history of mythology, angelology, and mysticism. At the same time, the book promotes dialogue between scholars of classical metaphysics and philosophy of religion, and the potential metaphysical/spiritual theories developed independently by transhumanist and posthumanist thinkers within an anti-dualist and naturalistic philosophical framework. The goal is to ‘enhance’ contemporary transhumanism and posthumanism by promoting the need to safeguard intelligence as a principle, without falling into the trap of a violent and egotistic metaphysics.