empire earth

WITH A NEW FOREWORD BY GILES MILTON 'Peter Hopkirk is truly the Laureate of the Great Game' Jan Morris 'One of the paciest and most exciting works of narrative history I have ever read' William Dalrymple 'There can be few more fascinating subjects, or few authors better qualified to write about it' Independent For nearly a century the two most powerful nations on earth, Victorian Britain and Tsarist Russia, fought a secret war in the lonely passes and deserts of Central Asia. Those engaged in this shadowy struggle called it 'The Great Game', a phrase immortalized by Rudyard Kipling. When play first began the two rival empires lay nearly 2,000 miles apart. By the end, some Russian outposts were within 20 miles of India. This classic book tells the story of the Great Game through the exploits of the young officers, both British and Russian, who risked their lives playing it. Disguised as holy men or native horse-traders, they mapped secret passes, gathered intelligence and sought the allegiance of powerful khans. Some never returned. The violent repercussions of the Great Game are still convulsing Central Asia today.

Neal Asher takes us on a thrilling ride into interstellar politics and impending war, in this second volume of Rise of the Jain. Their nemesis lies in wait . . . Orlandine has destroyed the alien Jain super-soldier by deploying an actual black hole. And now that same weapon hoovers up clouds of lethal Jain technology, swarming within the deadly accretion disc's event horizon. All seems just as she planned. Yet behind her back, forces incite rebellion on her home world, planning her assassination. Earth Central, humanity's ruling intelligence, knows Orlandine was tricked into releasing her weapon, and fears the Jain are behind it. The prador king knows this too - and both foes gather fleets of warships to surround the disc. The alien Client is returning to the accretion disc to save the last of her kind, buried on a ship deep within it. She upgrades her vast weapons platform in preparation, and she'll need it. Her nemesis also waits within the disc's swirling dusts - and the Jain have committed genocide before. The Warship is set in Neal Asher's popular Polity universe. 'Neal Asher's books are like an adrenaline shot targeted directly for the brain' - John Scalzi, author of Old Man's War and The Collapsing Empire.

It's 1477 in the province of Jülich-Berg of the Holy Roman Empire, where a group of nuns and monks have an accord with the Duke of the province to protect the lands against the beings of Hell. But Duke's younger nephew wants to take his place, so he tries to use the knowledge of the abbey to summon Astaroth, a powerful demon. When the ritual fails and a lesser demon is summoned in its place, Sister Irene is commanded to kill it. She doesn't have the heart to do it, so instead, she decides to hide and protect the weak demon. The longer the demon remains on earth and learns the ways of humans, more complicated life becomes for Sister Irene, as she is unable to resolve the conflict between growing maternal instincts and the sense of duty to her calling. But as she is denying the benevolent demon a bond that would keep him corporeal, the demon's body keeps disappearing. Will Sister Irene let her sacred duty or call of motherhood prevail, and will the demon be able to survive amidst growing tensions, as his body slowly disintegrates due to the lack of connection to the human world?

A King without his kingdom! Two worlds…two empires…occupying the same space. The magic that once separated them is fading fast. Now, with the shadow world of Thule threatening to consume Atlantis, Earth and beyond, only Atlantis' king, the hero known as Aquaman, can stop the invasion. But Aquaman soon discovers there's far more to Thule and its inhabitants than meets the eye. When he refuses to carry out his mission and destroy the invading world, he's branded a traitor by both his kingdom and his Queen, Mera. Exiled and on the run from his reigning consort and Atlantis' mightiest hunters, Aquaman-now exhibiting an array of all-new powers-must act alone in trying to stop Thule from obliterating everything he holds dear. But even if he succeeds, how will the exiled king ever be able to reconcile with his city…or a fiercely determined Mera? It's a startling new look and direction for Aquaman from writer CULLEN BUNN (SINESTRO, LOBO) and artists including TREVOR McCARTHY (BATWOMAN, KLARION) and VICENTE CIFUENTES (BATGIRL, BIRDS OF PREY). AQUAMAN VOL. 7: EXILED Collects AQUAMAN #41-48 and DC SNEAK PEEK: AQUAMAN #1.

WITH A NEW FOREWORD BY GILES MILTON 'Peter Hopkirk is truly the Laureate of the Great Game' Jan Morris 'One of the paciest and most exciting works of narrative history I have ever read' William Dalrymple 'There can be few more fascinating subjects, or few authors better qualified to write about it' Independent For nearly a century the two most powerful nations on earth, Victorian Britain and Tsarist Russia, fought a secret war in the lonely passes and deserts of Central Asia. Those engaged in this shadowy struggle called it 'The Great Game', a phrase immortalized by Rudyard Kipling. When play first began the two rival empires lay nearly 2,000 miles apart. By the end, some Russian outposts were within 20 miles of India. This classic book tells the story of the Great Game through the exploits of the young officers, both British and Russian, who risked their lives playing it. Disguised as holy men or native horse-traders, they mapped secret passes, gathered intelligence and sought the allegiance of powerful khans. Some never returned. The violent repercussions of the Great Game are still convulsing Central Asia today.

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'THE GOLD STANDARD OF NARRATIVE HISTORY' - DAN SNOW How could a barely literate peasant from Siberia determine the fate of the world? Undoubtedly, the so-called 'mad monk' Rasputin bewitched Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. Yet their strange and scandalous relationship conceals a riddle, one that casts an intriguing light on the controversial 'great man' theory of history. Rasputin was a devoted monarchist, not a revolutionary. He had no official position, no forces at his command. Nevertheless, he contributed more to the fall of the Romanov dynasty than any other individual. So demoralised was the Tsarist officer corps by stories of corruption, to say nothing of the rumours of his debauchery with the Empress - and even her daughters - that when the February Revolution broke out, not a sword was raised in defence of the regime. Just as Rasputin cast a spell over the Romanovs, his legend has bewitched historians. More than a century later, we still fail to comprehend fully the collapse of the greatest autocracy on Earth. Was there any truth to the wild tales that brought down the empire? Or was his true legacy an unsettling lesson on the potency of myth?

SIMON TURNEY'S THRILLING NEW ROMAN NOVEL AGRICOLA: CONQUEROR AVAILABLE NOW! A thrilling Roman historical adventure in a series based around one of the most renowned and intriguing figures of Ancient Rome. In Nero's Rome, ambition is a dangerous thing... Agricola has won renown for his military exploits in Britannia. Now returned to Rome with his new family, he seeks to rise further - but life in the greatest city on earth proves more difficult than he expected. Roman politics are on a knife-edge - often literally. The Emperor Nero is unpredictable, the manner of his rule unstable. Agricola soon finds himself posted to the troublesome province of Asia Minor. The local governor is ambitious and dangerous. Falling foul of such a man could mean certain death... and yet a rebellious young warrior like Agricola cannot stay silent for long. When Agricola experiences personal tragedy, he seeks revenge. Rome, meanwhile, burns in a great fire... but further tumult is to come in the wake of Nero's death. Agricola must tread a careful path to stay alive through the Year of the Four Emperors... a year of blood and ruin throughout the empire. 'You should be reading Simon Turney.' Anthony Riches

A King without his kingdom! Two worlds…two empires…occupying the same space. The magic that once separated them is fading fast. Now, with the shadow world of Thule threatening to consume Atlantis, Earth and beyond, only Atlantis' king, the hero known as Aquaman, can stop the invasion. But Aquaman soon discovers there's far more to Thule and its inhabitants than meets the eye. When he refuses to carry out his mission and destroy the invading world, he's branded a traitor by both his kingdom and his Queen, Mera. Exiled and on the run from his reigning consort and Atlantis' mightiest hunters, Aquaman-now exhibiting an array of all-new powers-must act alone in trying to stop Thule from obliterating everything he holds dear. But even if he succeeds, how will the exiled king ever be able to reconcile with his city…or a fiercely determined Mera? It's a startling new look and direction for Aquaman from writer CULLEN BUNN (SINESTRO, LOBO) and artists including TREVOR McCARTHY (BATWOMAN, KLARION) and VICENTE CIFUENTES (BATGIRL, BIRDS OF PREY). AQUAMAN VOL. 7: EXILED Collects AQUAMAN #41-48 and DC SNEAK PEEK: AQUAMAN #1.

It's 1477 in the province of Jülich-Berg of the Holy Roman Empire, where a group of nuns and monks have an accord with the Duke of the province to protect the lands against the beings of Hell. But Duke's younger nephew wants to take his place, so he tries to use the knowledge of the abbey to summon Astaroth, a powerful demon. When the ritual fails and a lesser demon is summoned in its place, Sister Irene is commanded to kill it. She doesn't have the heart to do it, so instead, she decides to hide and protect the weak demon. The longer the demon remains on earth and learns the ways of humans, more complicated life becomes for Sister Irene, as she is unable to resolve the conflict between growing maternal instincts and the sense of duty to her calling. But as she is denying the benevolent demon a bond that would keep him corporeal, the demon's body keeps disappearing. Will Sister Irene let her sacred duty or call of motherhood prevail, and will the demon be able to survive amidst growing tensions, as his body slowly disintegrates due to the lack of connection to the human world?

Neal Asher takes us on a thrilling ride into interstellar politics and impending war, in this second volume of Rise of the Jain. Their nemesis lies in wait . . . Orlandine has destroyed the alien Jain super-soldier by deploying an actual black hole. And now that same weapon hoovers up clouds of lethal Jain technology, swarming within the deadly accretion disc's event horizon. All seems just as she planned. Yet behind her back, forces incite rebellion on her home world, planning her assassination. Earth Central, humanity's ruling intelligence, knows Orlandine was tricked into releasing her weapon, and fears the Jain are behind it. The prador king knows this too - and both foes gather fleets of warships to surround the disc. The alien Client is returning to the accretion disc to save the last of her kind, buried on a ship deep within it. She upgrades her vast weapons platform in preparation, and she'll need it. Her nemesis also waits within the disc's swirling dusts - and the Jain have committed genocide before. The Warship is set in Neal Asher's popular Polity universe. 'Neal Asher's books are like an adrenaline shot targeted directly for the brain' - John Scalzi, author of Old Man's War and The Collapsing Empire.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2025 & BSHS PICKSTONE PRIZE 2026 A GUARDIAN & TELEGRAPH BEST SCIENCE BOOK 2025 WATERSTONES BEST POPULAR SCIENCE BOOK 2025 'A vital and important book' David Olusoga From an award-winning historian of race, science and empire, a path-breaking and poignant history of extinction as a scientific idea, an imperial legacy and a political choice Anyone alive today is among a tiny fraction of the once living: over 90% of species that ever existed are now extinct. How did we come to think of ourselves as survivors in a world where species can vanish forever, or as capable of pushing our planet to the verge of a sixth mass extinction? Extinction, Sadiah Qureshi shows us, is a surprisingly modern concept - and a phenomenon that's not as natural as we might think. In Europe until the late eighteenth century, species were considered perfect and unchanging creations of God. Then in the age of revolutions, scientists gathered enough fossil evidence to determine that mammoth bones, for example, were not just large elephants but a lost species that once roamed the Earth alongside ancient humans. Extinction went from being regarded as theologically dangerous to pervasive, and even inevitable. Yet Vanished shows us that extinction is more than a scientific idea; it's a political choice that has led to devasting consequences. Europeans and Americans quickly used the notion that extinction was a natural process to justify persecution and genocide, predicting that nations from Newfoundland's Beothuk to Aboriginal Australians were doomed to die out from imperial expansion. Exploring the tangled and unnatural histories of extinction and empire, Vanished weaves together pioneering original research and breath-taking storytelling to show us extinction is both an evolutionary process and a human act: one which illuminates our past, and may alter our future.

In the aftermath of World War II, Prussia-a centuries-old state pivotal to Europe's development-ceased to exist. In their eagerness to erase all traces of the Third Reich from the earth, the Allies believed that Prussia, the very embodiment of German militarism, had to be abolished. But as Christopher Clark reveals in this pioneering history, Prussia's legacy is far more complex. Though now a fading memory in Europe's heartland, the true story of Prussia offers a remarkable glimpse into the dynamic rise of modern Europe. What we find is a kingdom that existed nearly half a millennium ago as a patchwork of territorial fragments, with neither significant resources nor a coherent culture. With its capital in Berlin, Prussia grew from being a small, poor, disregarded medieval state into one of the most vigorous and powerful nations in Europe. Iron Kingdom traces Prussia's involvement in the continent's foundational religious and political conflagrations: from the devastations of the Thirty Years War through centuries of political machinations to the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, from the enlightenment of Frederick the Great to the destructive conquests of Napoleon, and from the "iron and blood" policies of Bismarck to the creation of the German Empire in 1871, and all that implied for the tumultuous twentieth century. By 1947, Prussia was deemed an intolerable threat to the safety of Europe; what is often forgotten, Clark argues, is that it had also been an exemplar of the European humanistic tradition, boasting a formidable government administration, an incorruptible civil service, and religious tolerance. Clark demonstrates how a state deemed the bane of twentieth-century Europe has played an incalculable role in Western civilization's fortunes. Iron Kingdom is a definitive, gripping account of Prussia's fascinating, influential, and critical role in modern times.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2025 & BSHS PICKSTONE PRIZE 2026 A GUARDIAN & TELEGRAPH BEST SCIENCE BOOK 2025 WATERSTONES BEST POPULAR SCIENCE BOOK 2025 'A vital and important book' David Olusoga From an award-winning historian of race, science and empire, a path-breaking and poignant history of extinction as a scientific idea, an imperial legacy and a political choice Anyone alive today is among a tiny fraction of the once living: over 90% of species that ever existed are now extinct. How did we come to think of ourselves as survivors in a world where species can vanish forever, or as capable of pushing our planet to the verge of a sixth mass extinction? Extinction, Sadiah Qureshi shows us, is a surprisingly modern concept - and a phenomenon that's not as natural as we might think. In Europe until the late eighteenth century, species were considered perfect and unchanging creations of God. Then in the age of revolutions, scientists gathered enough fossil evidence to determine that mammoth bones, for example, were not just large elephants but a lost species that once roamed the Earth alongside ancient humans. Extinction went from being regarded as theologically dangerous to pervasive, and even inevitable. Yet Vanished shows us that extinction is more than a scientific idea; it's a political choice that has led to devasting consequences. Europeans and Americans quickly used the notion that extinction was a natural process to justify persecution and genocide, predicting that nations from Newfoundland's Beothuk to Aboriginal Australians were doomed to die out from imperial expansion. Exploring the tangled and unnatural histories of extinction and empire, Vanished weaves together pioneering original research and breath-taking storytelling to show us extinction is both an evolutionary process and a human act: one which illuminates our past, and may alter our future.

The first volume of the graphic adaptation of Yuval Noah Harari's global phenomenon and smash SUNDAY TIMES #1 BESTSELLER. Featuring 256 pages of gorgeous full-colour illustrations and wrapped in a beautiful package. One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one-homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us? In this first volume of the adaptation of his ground-breaking book, renowned historian Yuval Harari tells the story of humankind's creation and evolution, exploring the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be "human". From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens challenges us to reconsider accepted beliefs, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and view specific events within the context of larger ideas. Featuring easy-to-understand text covering the first part of the original edition, this adaptation of the mind-expanding book furthers the ongoing conversation as it introduces Harari's ideas to a wider new readership. '[A] wonderful graphic novel... Smart, funny and dipped deep in the reality of what we as a species are...' Big Issue *Books of the Year*

The Book of Daniel is a series of stories and visions. It is divided into three sections. It begins with an overview followed by stories about Daniel and his three friends who belong to the royal family of David. After being captured by the Babylonians, they are chosen to serve in their royal court, where they are instructed to adapt to their culture and food. They refuse to violate God's law and are ordered to be burned alive in a furnace. The fire does not kill them. The king is impressed and elevates their status. This follows the king's dream, which Daniel interprets as the fall of all kingdoms that do not obey God's law and the coming of God's kingdom. Then his friends are thrown into a furnace because they choose not to disobey God's law. They survive. Daniel has a recurring vision of the sequence of empires that will descend on earth followed by an evil king who will exalt himself above God and then be destroyed. The common theme is that people go astray and become like "beasts," that they glorify their own power and define right and wrong. In the end, God will establish His kingdom, destroy the "beast," and rescue His world.

The first volume of the graphic adaptation of Yuval Noah Harari's global phenomenon and smash SUNDAY TIMES #1 BESTSELLER. Featuring 256 pages of gorgeous full-colour illustrations and wrapped in a beautiful package. One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one-homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us? In this first volume of the adaptation of his ground-breaking book, renowned historian Yuval Harari tells the story of humankind's creation and evolution, exploring the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be "human". From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens challenges us to reconsider accepted beliefs, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and view specific events within the context of larger ideas. Featuring easy-to-understand text covering the first part of the original edition, this adaptation of the mind-expanding book furthers the ongoing conversation as it introduces Harari's ideas to a wider new readership. '[A] wonderful graphic novel... Smart, funny and dipped deep in the reality of what we as a species are...' Big Issue *Books of the Year*

A groundbreaking collection of 75 African myths and legends, beautifully retold and illustrated. There's an African proverb that says, 'until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.' So here we are, telling our stories. Myths and legends are powerful. They shape our earliest understandings of the world, and tell us about ourselves, our ancestors, and the fabric of our culture. You know about The Odyssey. You've read tales about Venus and Mars. You've heard the names of Thor, Odin and Loki. These European pantheons are rightly beloved, their stories endlessly retold and enjoyed. But for too long, the myths and folklore of Africa - the continent that everyone ultimately comes from - have been buried, distorted or forgotten. In Afro Mythos, Adwoa Botchey and Solomon Adebiyi bring the spellbinding stories of Africa to light. Drawn from ancient empires and spanning the African continent and diaspora, from the Maasai to Yoruba, Zulu to Hodou, these beautiful retellings will give you a new way of seeing the world. Discover how wisdom spread across the earth, and how humans lost the ability to speak to animals. Learn about seven-headed serpents, gods who cry rivers, and tricksters who reshape fate. So, are you ready? The stories are waiting. They were always meant to be shared.

Change how you see our world with this book of mind-blowing and beautiful maps for children. Curiosity meets cartography in this brilliant book of maps for children aged 9-12, showcasing different countries and habitats from around the world. From the Roman Empire to medieval sea monsters to shipwrecks, Maptastic! showcases the craziest, most mind-blowing and most spectacular maps you've ever seen. Children can explore ingenious and detailed maps that turn data into captivating visual stories. This map book for kids offers: A collection of diverse maps from all over the world that show children unique and fresh perspectives on each place. Diagrams and annotations on each map to break down different concepts and topics. An educational and entertaining book that sparks curiosity in geography, history and data science. Where do swallows go for winter? What's under Antarctica's ice? Where on Earth would you find the most money, the deadliest animals, the strangest place names, or the best place to see a tornado or a volcano? Delve into the wonders of science with maps on geology, climate, astronomy and nature, and find out how the world's worst maps led to some of the greatest discoveries of history. This map book is perfect for trivia lovers and map geeks of all ages.

The No. 1 Sunday Times and international bestseller - a major reassessment of world history in light of the economic and political renaissance in the re-emerging east For centuries, fame and fortune was to be found in the west - in the New World of the Americas. Today, it is the east which calls out to those in search of adventure and riches. The region stretching from eastern Europe and sweeping right across Central Asia deep into China and India, is taking centre stage in international politics, commerce and culture - and is shaping the modern world. This region, the true centre of the earth, is obscure to many in the English-speaking world. Yet this is where civilization itself began, where the world's great religions were born and took root. The Silk Roads were no exotic series of connections, but networks that linked continents and oceans together. Along them flowed ideas, goods, disease and death. This was where empires were won - and where they were lost. As a new era emerges, the patterns of exchange are mirroring those that have criss-crossed Asia for millennia. The Silk Roads are rising again. A major reassessment of world history, The Silk Roads is an important account of the forces that have shaped the global economy and the political renaissance in the re-emerging east.

A groundbreaking collection of 75 African myths and legends, beautifully retold and illustrated. There's an African proverb that says, 'until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.' So here we are, telling our stories. Myths and legends are powerful. They shape our earliest understandings of the world, and tell us about ourselves, our ancestors, and the fabric of our culture. You know about The Odyssey. You've read tales about Venus and Mars. You've heard the names of Thor, Odin and Loki. These European pantheons are rightly beloved, their stories endlessly retold and enjoyed. But for too long, the myths and folklore of Africa - the continent that everyone ultimately comes from - have been buried, distorted or forgotten. In Afro Mythos, Adwoa Botchey and Solomon Adebiyi bring the spellbinding stories of Africa to light. Drawn from ancient empires and spanning the African continent and diaspora, from the Maasai to Yoruba, Zulu to Hodou, these beautiful retellings will give you a new way of seeing the world. Discover how wisdom spread across the earth, and how humans lost the ability to speak to animals. Learn about seven-headed serpents, gods who cry rivers, and tricksters who reshape fate. So, are you ready? The stories are waiting. They were always meant to be shared.

After a decade, acclaimed science fiction master John Scalzi returns to the galaxy of the Old Man's War series with the long awaited seventh book, The Shattering Peace THE PEACE IS SHATTERING For a decade, peace has reigned in interstellar space. A tripartite agreement between the Colonial Union, the Earth, and the alien Conclave has kept the forces of war at bay, even when some would have preferred to return to the fighting and struggle of former times. For now, more sensible heads have prevailed - and have even championed unity. But now, there is a new force that threatens the hard-maintained peace: The Consu, the most advanced intelligent species humans have ever met, are on the cusp of a species-defining civil war. This war is between Consu factions... but nothing the Consu ever do is just about them. The Colonial Union, the Earth and the Conclave have been unwillingly dragged into the conflict, in the most surprising of ways. Gretchen Trujillo is a mid-level diplomat, working in an unimportant part of the Colonial Union bureaucracy. But when she is called to take part in a secret mission involving representatives from every powerful faction in space, what she finds there has the chance to redefine the destinies of humans and aliens alike... or destroy them forever. OTHER TOR BOOKS BY JOHN SCALZI Agent to the Stars The Android's Dream Fuzzy Nation Redshirts Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded: A Decade of Whatever, 1998-2008 The Kaiju Preservation Society Starter Villain When the Moon Hits Your Eye Monsters of Ohio THE OLD MAN'S WAR NOVELS Old Man's War The Ghost Brigades The Last Colony Zoë's Tale The Human Division The End of All Things THE LOCK IN SERIES Lock In Head On Unlocked THE INTERDEPENDENCY SEQUENCE The Collapsing Empire The Consuming Fire The Last Emperox EDITED BY JOHN SCALZI Metatropolis At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

When Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863, he had broader aims than simply rallying a war-weary nation. Lincoln realized that the Civil War had taken on a wider significance -- that all of Europe and Latin America was watching to see whether the United States, a beleaguered model of democracy, would indeed "perish from the earth." In The Cause of All Nations, distinguished historian Don H. Doyle explains that the Civil War was viewed abroad as part of a much larger struggle for democracy that spanned the Atlantic Ocean, and had begun with the American and French Revolutions. While battles raged at Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg, a parallel contest took place abroad, both in the marbled courts of power and in the public square. Foreign observers held widely divergent views on the war -- from radicals such as Karl Marx and Giuseppe Garibaldi who called on the North to fight for liberty and equality, to aristocratic monarchists, who hoped that the collapse of the Union would strike a death blow against democratic movements on both sides of the Atlantic. Nowhere were these monarchist dreams more ominous than in Mexico, where Napoleon III sought to implement his Grand Design for a Latin Catholic empire that would thwart the spread of Anglo-Saxon democracy and use the Confederacy as a buffer state. Hoping to capitalize on public sympathies abroad, both the Union and the Confederacy sent diplomats and special agents overseas: the South to seek recognition and support, and the North to keep European powers from interfering. Confederate agents appealed to those conservative elements who wanted the South to serve as a bulwark against radical egalitarianism. Lincoln and his Union agents overseas learned to appeal to many foreigners by embracing emancipation and casting the Union as the embattled defender of universal republican ideals, the "last best hope of earth." A bold account of the international dimensions of America's defining conflict, The Cause of All Nations frames the Civil War as a pivotal moment in a global struggle that would decide the survival of democracy.

'This political sci-fi mind-stretcher is destined to be a classic' NICHOLAS BINGE 'A breathtaking, textured, wildly imaginative tapestry ... I loved every moment of it' ALIETTE DE BODARD * * * * * The Safina is a city ship, two hundred years into its voyage from the ruins of Earth towards a new habitable world. Its crew maintain the ship, generation after generation, while protecting their 'ancestors' - the final remnants of Earth's doomed Network Empire - by keeping them alive in cryostasis. But a lot can change in two hundred years, and people are starting to ask questions. Why should the crew continue to toil for people none of them remember? What exactly gives Administration its authority over everyone else? And when the blackouts start, they set in motion a chain of events that will change life on the Safina forever. A reckoning is coming. The system is only secure so long as those in power maintain the obedience of those beneath them. And the crew has had enough. A science fiction odyssey of breathtaking scope, The Republic of Memory is a gripping examination of what divides us, and what brings us together. This is an ambitious work of Arabfuturism, and is perfect for fans of The Expanse, A Memory Called Empire or Children of Time. * * * * * 'Those who love the depth and wonder of language, and who see it as the seed of revolution, will find this an essential contribution to the canon' BETHANY JACOBS 'Brilliant, timely, and incisive ... This is science fiction at its finest and not to be missed' M.H. AYINDE 'A riveting and deeply thoughtful book ... A thrillingly intricate epic - a book to feed the soul' LORRAINE WILSON 'Science fiction as it's meant to be - big ideas, big politics and amazing characters' STEWART HOTSTON 'THIS is why we read science fiction' SAM J. MILLER 'A novel of astounding scale and ambition - an instant classic that deserves to be spoken of in the company of Iain M. Banks' Culture series' GAUTAM BHATIA 'Utterly original, full of thrilling plot twists, deeply wise and politically nuanced ... I loved this book with my brain and my heart' ANNALEE NEWITZ

Lika has fiery red curls, an attitude problem, and shifter blood she didn't know she had. So when a two-meter werewolf agent recruits her from a Petersburg sidewalk to the Empire of Terra—a parallel world of vampires, mages, and assorted creatures that are supposedly just folklore—she figures the offered mountains of gold are worth a try. Three years at the Magical Academy later, things have not gone according to plan. The Ritual of Initialization, the moment every Earth-born student finally shifts into their second form, was supposed to be Lika's coronation. Instead, the law of conservation of energy decided to make a personal exception just for her, and what came out of the ritual was something nobody in the Empire had seen before. Now she's stuck doing her mandatory placement in the dustiest archive of the dustiest district police department in the imperial capital, brewing cardamom coffee for an ancient vampire boss who only cares about his next glass of twelve-year Scotch. Then she rescues a battered puppy from a crevice full of goblin shifters in Crooked Lane, and the lid blows off her quiet life completely. The puppy is not what he seems. The Crown Prince is not what he seems. The Emperor's Grandson has decided he is going to marry her. A century-old archive case turns out to hide combat scrolls valuable enough to start a war over. And somewhere on a distant continent, Aunt Jane—the only family Lika has left—is falling for an elf prince and refusing to come home. To bring Aunt Jane to Terra, beat the Empire's grandmasters at their own game, and run a detective agency out of a crumbling mansion with a snarky three-tailed kitsune and an alchemist who lives in the cellar, Lika is going to have to be very, very good at being bad. Book One of the Detective Agency "Red Cat" series. Approximately 63,000 words. A snarky, fast-paced urban fantasy with shifters, slow-burn romance, imperial intrigue, and a heroine who hits first and asks questions later.

'This political sci-fi mind-stretcher is destined to be a classic' NICHOLAS BINGE 'A breathtaking, textured, wildly imaginative tapestry ... I loved every moment of it' ALIETTE DE BODARD * * * * * The Safina is a city ship, two hundred years into its voyage from the ruins of Earth towards a new habitable world. Its crew maintain the ship, generation after generation, while protecting their 'ancestors' - the final remnants of Earth's doomed Network Empire - by keeping them alive in cryostasis. But a lot can change in two hundred years, and people are starting to ask questions. Why should the crew continue to toil for people none of them remember? What exactly gives Administration its authority over everyone else? And when the blackouts start, they set in motion a chain of events that will change life on the Safina forever. A reckoning is coming. The system is only secure so long as those in power maintain the obedience of those beneath them. And the crew has had enough. A science fiction odyssey of breathtaking scope, The Republic of Memory is a gripping examination of what divides us, and what brings us together. This is an ambitious work of Arabfuturism, and is perfect for fans of The Expanse, A Memory Called Empire or Children of Time. * * * * * 'Those who love the depth and wonder of language, and who see it as the seed of revolution, will find this an essential contribution to the canon' BETHANY JACOBS 'Brilliant, timely, and incisive ... This is science fiction at its finest and not to be missed' M.H. AYINDE 'A riveting and deeply thoughtful book ... A thrillingly intricate epic - a book to feed the soul' LORRAINE WILSON 'Science fiction as it's meant to be - big ideas, big politics and amazing characters' STEWART HOTSTON 'THIS is why we read science fiction' SAM J. MILLER 'A novel of astounding scale and ambition - an instant classic that deserves to be spoken of in the company of Iain M. Banks' Culture series' GAUTAM BHATIA 'Utterly original, full of thrilling plot twists, deeply wise and politically nuanced ... I loved this book with my brain and my heart' ANNALEE NEWITZ

'This political sci-fi mind-stretcher is destined to be a classic' NICHOLAS BINGE 'A breathtaking, textured, wildly imaginative tapestry ... I loved every moment of it' ALIETTE DE BODARD * * * * * The Safina is a city ship, two hundred years into its voyage from the ruins of Earth towards a new habitable world. Its crew maintain the ship, generation after generation, while protecting their 'ancestors' - the final remnants of Earth's doomed Network Empire - by keeping them alive in cryostasis. But a lot can change in two hundred years, and people are starting to ask questions. Why should the crew continue to toil for people none of them remember? What exactly gives Administration its authority over everyone else? And when the blackouts start, they set in motion a chain of events that will change life on the Safina forever. A reckoning is coming. The system is only secure so long as those in power maintain the obedience of those beneath them. And the crew has had enough. A science fiction odyssey of breathtaking scope, The Republic of Memory is a gripping examination of what divides us, and what brings us together. This is an ambitious work of Arabfuturism, and is perfect for fans of The Expanse, A Memory Called Empire or Children of Time. * * * * * 'Those who love the depth and wonder of language, and who see it as the seed of revolution, will find this an essential contribution to the canon' BETHANY JACOBS 'Brilliant, timely, and incisive ... This is science fiction at its finest and not to be missed' M.H. AYINDE 'A riveting and deeply thoughtful book ... A thrillingly intricate epic - a book to feed the soul' LORRAINE WILSON 'Science fiction as it's meant to be - big ideas, big politics and amazing characters' STEWART HOTSTON 'THIS is why we read science fiction' SAM J. MILLER 'A novel of astounding scale and ambition - an instant classic that deserves to be spoken of in the company of Iain M. Banks' Culture series' GAUTAM BHATIA 'Utterly original, full of thrilling plot twists, deeply wise and politically nuanced ... I loved this book with my brain and my heart' ANNALEE NEWITZ

This book is the premium edition of my book "Modern Iran and Ancient Persia"! This book is dedicated to the women's movement in Iran. If you announce that you are going to Iran, someone will certainly advise you not to go. Ignore them – this is one of the most exciting countries on Earth. There is much to discover, and explore in Iran, not only cultural and historical sites but mountains, deserts and wilderness. Above all, this is a place defined by the hospitality and curiosity of Iranians despite a totalitarian regime. According to Lonely Planet's Atlas of Adventure – "it might well be the friendliest country you ever visit". The Persian Empire, which once stretched from Greece to India, has left remnants of an extraordinary rich cultural heritage not only in today's Iran but across the Ancient Empire. From Persepolis, the ancient capital of Persia, to the World Heritage sites in Esfahan and Yazd. With its 26 World Heritage Sites, Iran is one of the top 10 countries in the world that represent a masterpiece of human creativity and an exceptional testimony to human civilisation. It was 13,000 years ago on the Iranian plateau that Homo sapiens first settled with the advent of agriculture and the first permanent human settlement. Zoroastrianism, the world's first monotheistic religion, originated in Persia 4,000 years ago. The biblical Magi, also known as the Three Wise Men, were respected Zoroastrian astronomers who came from Persia to "visit" the baby Jesus on the night of his birth in Bethlehem! The game of chess as we play it today was invented in Iran about 2,000 years ago. The algorithm as we use it today in AI and computer science was invented 1,000 years ago in Iran. The stories of "Thousand and One Nights" are taken from the Persian Pahlavi work Hezār Afsān over a thousand years ago. With this book we will travel to all those wonderful places of 1001 Nights tales. This is our historical and cultural journey of two weeks to discover authentic places of those stories from our childhood! And Iran is a safe destination for tourists, despite a totalitarian regime!

From Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Bella Love-Wins, comes this riveting continuation of the emotionally dark mafia crime family romance serial. Antonio DeLucci I'm under fire, but won't take it lying down. The Italian head boss we all answer to is to blame. The boss of everything. We've been loyal without question. Until now. Until he went too far. Because of this ruthless old man, we risk losing it all. Now, the New Jersey empire placed in the palm of my hand is crumbling under my watch. The woman who melted under my heated touch is further out of reach. He crossed the line by taking Natalia from me. I've lost enough. I've fallen too far. But to take it all back, I'll have to fight like never before. And if it takes becoming The Trigger once more, so be it. I'll bring down hell on earth to track down my Natalia. My sweet, virgin, mafia princess. It's our time to rise. I'll kill everyone in my path to get Natalia back. And if they've touched a hair on her head, the boss of everything will be the next target on my list. Author's Note: Rise is book two of the Saints of Sin Series. This is a novella-length serial romance that ends in a cliffhanger. Cover design by Book Cover by Design (Kellie Dennis).

The sun is setting on the Western world. Slowly but surely, the direction in which the world spins has reversed: where for the last five centuries the globe turned westwards on its axis, it now turns to the east...For centuries, fame and fortune was to be found in the west - in the New World of the Americas. Today, it is the east which calls out to those in search of adventure and riches. The region stretching from eastern Europe and sweeping right across Central Asia deep into China and India, is taking centre stage in international politics, commerce and culture - and is shaping the modern world. This region, the true centre of the earth, is obscure to many in the English-speaking world. Yet this is where civilization itself began, where the world's great religions were born and took root. The Silk Roads were no exotic series of connections, but networks that linked continents and oceans together. Along them flowed ideas, goods, disease and death. This was where empires were won - and where they were lost. As a new era emerges, the patterns of exchange are mirroring those that have criss-crossed Asia for millennia. The Silk Roads are rising again. A major reassessment of world history, The Silk Roads is an important account of the forces that have shaped the global economy and the political renaissance in the re-emerging east.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Life-filled and life-affirming history, steeped in romance and written with verve' GUARDIAN 'Richly entertaining and impeccably researched' Peter Frankopan Istanbul has always been a place where stories and histories collide and crackle, where the idea is as potent as the historical fact. From the Qu'ran to Shakespeare, this city with three names - Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul - resonates as an idea and a place, and overspills its boundaries - real and imagined. Standing as the gateway between the East and West, it has served as the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman Empires. For much of its history it was known simply as The City, but, as Bettany Hughes reveals, Istanbul is not just a city, but a story. In this epic new biography, Hughes takes us on a dazzling historical journey through the many incarnations of one of the world's greatest cities. As the longest-lived political entity in Europe, over the last 6,000 years Istanbul has absorbed a mosaic of micro-cities and cultures all gathering around the core. At the latest count archaeologists have measured forty-two human habitation layers. Phoenicians, Genoese, Venetians, Jews, Vikings, Azeris all called a patch of this earth their home. Based on meticulous research and new archaeological evidence, this captivating portrait of the momentous life of Istanbul is visceral, immediate and scholarly narrative history at its finest.