“Entertainment is the very heartbeat of Sanvar, and we are the blood, and as long as it remains that way, whether we live or die is immaterial.” In the Greco-Roman culture of Sanvar, a tale unfolds that follows the story of two orphans: one incredibly important, the other apparently insignificant. Isla Eliseus is the Iram of Sanvar, and among the most powerful people in the entire empire. Despite the honor and influence of her position, Isla wrestles with a prospect too monstrous to ignore: the exploitation of children, orphaned as she was. Determined to act, Isla agrees to spy for a rebel organization committed to ending the vile practices of the orphanages. Silas Carter's life is wholly different. Raised in obscurity within a state-run orphanage, he was trained to fulfill a single task: to serve Sanvar. Like other orphans, he knows how wrong it is to kill, but has no other choice when he's sent to the regional colosseum as a gladiator, forced to live out his own worst nightmare. Although separated by social class and fortune, Silas and Isla are connected through their past. Spotting each other at a colosseum, they rekindle their friendship, meeting again for the first time since childhood: Isla as Iram, and Silas as gladiator-slave, destined for death. Using her influence in Sanvar and position as spy to the rebellion, Isla promises Silas his freedom, setting in motion a series of terrible and thought-provoking events that promise to change Sanvar forever. "Silas and Isla face internal conflict that will resonate with today’s readers: dealing with hope and betrayal, managing obstacles, facing self-doubt, finding one’s place in the world, and overcoming life circumstances beyond one’s control" - WinterPromise Publishing

This book is a study of one of the most powerful revelations God has given me. Delivering captives in the traditional manner requires a lot of time, dedication, physical and spiritual strength, a price few are willing to pay. The battle can be fierce due to the ruthless manifestations of the demons. The reality is many times this type of deliverance is unsuccessful. However, there is an easier, more efficient way to deliver people and it is how Jesus did it. Jesus didn't come to earth simply to save us and to die for our sins, but also to give us freedom in every area of our life. He conquered the devil's empire and set the captives free. This goes beyond casting out demons of the occult, drugs, alcohol, etc. Captivity plays a role in the lives of all mankind

Unlike most books on slavery in the Americas, this social history of Africans and their enslaved descendants in colonial Costa Rica recounts the journey of specific people from West Africa to the New World. Tracing the experiences of Africans on two Danish slave ships that arrived in Costa Rica in 1710, the Christianus Quintus and Fredericus Quartus, the author examines slavery in Costa Rica from 1600 to 1750. Lohse looks at the ethnic origins of the Africans and narrates their capture and transport to the coast, their embarkation and passage, and finally their acculturation to slavery and their lives as slaves in Costa Rica. Following the experiences of girls and boys, women and men, he shows how the conditions of slavery in a unique local setting determined the constraints that slaves faced and how they responded to their condition.

In Felix Dahn's historical novel, 'A Captive of the Roman Eagles,' readers are transported to ancient Rome as they follow the story of a Germanic chieftain's daughter taken captive by Roman soldiers. The narrative is rich in detail and offers a vivid portrayal of the clash of cultures and values between the Roman Empire and the Germanic tribes. Dahn's writing style is both engaging and informative, capturing the reader's imagination while providing valuable insights into the historical context of the time period. The novel showcases Dahn's extensive research and knowledge of antiquity, making it a compelling and educational read for history enthusiasts and fiction lovers alike. With its blend of adventure, romance, and historical accuracy, 'A Captive of the Roman Eagles' is a must-read for anyone interested in the ancient world and its complex interactions.

Captives in Blue, a study of Union prisoners in Confederate prisons, is a companion to Roger Pickenpaugh's earlier groundbreaking book Captives in Gray: The Civil War Prisons of the Union, rounding out his examination of Civil War prisoner of war facilities. In June of 1861, only a few weeks after the first shots at Fort Sumter ignited the Civil War, Union prisoners of war began to arrive in Southern prisons. One hundred and fifty years later Civil War prisons and the way prisoners of war were treated remain contentious topics. Partisans of each side continue to vilify the other for POW maltreatment. Roger Pickenpaugh's two studies of Civil War prisoners of war facilities complement one another and offer a thoughtful exploration of issues that captives taken from both sides of the Civil War faced. In Captives in Blue, Pickenpaugh tackles issues such as the ways the Confederate Army contended with the growing prison population, the variations in the policies and practices inthe different Confederate prison camps, the effects these policies and practices had on Union prisoners, and the logistics of prisoner exchanges. Digging further into prison policy and practices, Pickenpaugh explores conditions that arose from conscious government policy decisions and conditions that were the product of local officials or unique local situations. One issue unique to Captives in Blue is the way Confederate prisons and policies dealt with African American Union soldiers. Black soldiers held captive in Confederate prisons faced uncertain fates; many former slaves were returned to their former owners, while others were tortured in the camps. Drawing on prisoner diaries, Pickenpaugh provides compelling first-person accounts of life in prison camps often overlooked by scholars in the field.

It was horror enough to be penned up in just one of the Confederacy's prison camps. Solon Hyde endured five of them. In Andersonville, Salisbury, Libby, and others, he nearly lost his life to starvation and disease. All the while, he used his skills as a hospital steward to try to save the lives of his fellow inmates. Educated and articulate, Hyde's memoir is a rare example of excellent, detailed storytelling. Captured at Chickamauga, he endured nearly 18 months as a POW. Here he shares the horrible and the humorous as he explains what it took to survive a Rebel prison. "...historically important...life and emotion under some of the most trying periods of our history. Hyde...has a rare gift for telling his experiences." The New York Times Every memoir of the American Civil War provides us with another view of the catastrophe that changed the country forever. For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers, tablets, and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample