The epic saga begun in The Crystal Gryphon continues in the Witch World as the destiny of two embattled lovers may decide the fate of all . . . Kerovan of Ulmsdale released his wife, Joisan, of all obligations to him. Though their love is unbreakable, he could not burden her with his unrest as he was beckoned to wander the Waste in search of his true destiny. But Joisan, unable to bear his absence, leaves her refuge to find him. And with both of them gone, the Dales are sure to fall under the power of the Dark as the shadows of evil begin to rise across the land. Even when they are reunited in the Waste, Kerovan cannot open his heart to his beloved. Not as long as the mystery of his lineage remains. Undaunted and guided by the powerful crystal gryphon given to her by Kerovan, Joisan refuses to leave his side. For it will take both of their great wills to confront the horrors of the coming Darkness. Nominated for a Locus Award, this fantastical novel by the Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master Andre Norton explores the Witch World land of High Hallack. Gryphon in Glory is the 4th book in the Witch World: High Hallack Cycle, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

The adventures of Witch World continue as a cursed hero and his true love struggle for survival in a vast parallel universe of magic and high fantasy. Kerovan of Ulmsdale has long borne the curse of his ancestors’ depredations. After pillaging a sanctum of the Old Ones, his bloodline has been forever marred by painful sickness and death. Kerovan was born strong and hardy, but he walks on hooves instead of human feet and sees through eyes of amber—just as the Old Ones had. Bound in marriage to the beautiful Joisan of Ithkrypt, Kerovan seeks to claim his rightful place as Lord-heir of Ulmsdale. But first, the couple—separated by distance, yet linked in spirit—must unlock the powers held within a mystical necklace Joisan wears. The small crystal gryphon bears secrets that will bring them to the farthest reaches of the wilderness on a quest to save their people and their world from doom. Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master Andre Norton’s beloved novels of sword and sorcery have sold millions of copies worldwide. The Crystal Gryphon is the 3rd book in the Witch World: High Hallack Cycle, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

It has been ten years since the magical Cataclysm, which destroyed the twin strongholds of the two world's most powerful Mages, killing Urtho, creator of the gryphons, and sending his forces into exile. Now Urthro's peoples--human and non-human alike live in a terraced city carved into the face of a gleaming white cliff on the edge of the Western Ocean. Secure at least, ...until the fleet of the mysterious Black Kings appears in their harbor, bringing envoys who inform the residents of White Gryphon that their newfound home lies on the northern perimeter of lands claimed by this powerful kingdom. Desperate not to lose their hard won home, Skandranon, along with his longtime friend Amberdrake--agree to accompany the envoys back to the Court of the Black Kings, hoping to negotiate an alliance. ...When a high ranking noble who opposes this alliance is found murdered--Skandranon and Amberdrake realize that they are up against unknown enemies who will stop at nothing, even the use of diabolical Blood Magic, to destroy White Gryphon.

A cursed prince. A vain beauty. Glory is the seventh daughter of Balthazar, High King of the Twelve Kingdoms. Glory hopes that - of all her sisters - she can escape the fate of a loveless marriage. But on the night she plans to elope with the royal falconer, her world comes crashing down: Her father announces Glory's betrothal to Eoghan of the Blood Realm - a prince no one has ever seen. The prince is said to be a recluse, cursed and deformed by the gods for the sins of his power-hungry father. Yet when Glory is trapped in Blackthorn Keep she discovers that not everything is what she expected. An insulting gryphon, a persistent ghost, and a secret plan to usurp the prince keep Glory reeling. Can she overcome her vanity to learn that what you want isn’t necessarily what you need—and save the cursed prince?

A dozen years of peace have passed in the city of White Gryphon - providing well deserved and much needed security for the people who had lost their homes in the magical Cataclysm which killed the Mage Urtho, creator of the gryphons. But the inhabitants of White Gryphon have not forgotten their long struggles, and have trained an elite guard force, the Silver Gryphons, to protect their city, and if necessary, to join with the army of the Black Kings for mutual defense.

The urge within him is overwhelming, and Kerovan is driven to the mountains followed closely by Lady Joisan. Together they wage the final battle against That Which Runs the Ridges to protect the world from Everlasting Undeath which will take them if they fail.

Jon Spurling has travelled the world to scratch beneath the glossy, confetti-strewn surface of the world's biggest sporting events to uncover their dark secrets. Did Argentina's fascist Junta really bribe Peru with grain and arms to facilitate victory in a crucial match on their way to winning the 1978 World Cup? Which country's players were sent to work in a chicken plucking factory as punishment for a poor result during the 2010 tournament? Part travelogue, part history, Death or Glory is based on more than 100 exclusive interviews.

From the first Arab-Islamic Empire of the mid-seventh century to the Ottomans, the last great Muslim empire, the story of the Middle East has been the story of the rise and fall of universal empires and, no less important, of imperialist dreams. So argues Efraim Karsh in this highly provocative book. Rejecting the conventional Western interpretation of Middle Eastern history as an offshoot of global power politics, Karsh contends that the region's experience is the culmination of long-existing indigenous trends, passions, and patterns of behavior, and that foremost among these is Islam's millenarian imperial tradition. The author explores the history of Islam's imperialism and the persistence of the Ottoman imperialist dream that outlasted World War I to haunt Islamic and Middle Eastern politics to the present day. September 11 can be seen as simply the latest expression of this dream, and such attacks have little to do with U.S. international behavior or policy in the Middle East, says Karsh. The House of Islam's war for world mastery is traditional, indeed venerable, and it is a quest that is far from over.

"[An] elucidating cultural history of Hollywood’s most popular child star…a must-read." —Bill Desowitz, USA Today For four consecutive years she was the world’s box-office champion. With her image appearing in periodicals and advertisements roughly twenty times daily, she rivaled FDR and Edward VIII as the most photographed person in the world. Her portrait brightened the homes of countless admirers, among them J. Edgar Hoover, Andy Warhol, and Anne Frank. Distinguished cultural historian John F. Kasson shows how, amid the deprivation and despair of the Great Depression, Shirley Temple radiated optimism and plucky good cheer that lifted the spirits of millions and shaped their collective character for generations to come.

Washed-up seventies glam rock star and British expat, Harrington Gloss, has been contracted to write a fantasy novel. As the deadline looms, he is at a loss as to how to begin, never having written a novel before in his life. Help arrives when he ducks into the Gryphon’s Claw Cafe one fateful evening. There he meets a prickly rock diva, Kincaid McAllister, and inspiration begins to take hold. The would-be writer embarks on a fantastical tale about a scarred and battle-hardened medieval knight-errant, Sir Fenmar of Raventry, the preeminent warrior of the age. Sir Fenmar is sent on an improbable quest into the Jagged Mountains by Princess Isabella of Castle Splendour. His assignment? To locate a mythical dragon she believes can save the kingdom from a mysterious calamity that has befallen it. So begins a serpentine and scaly saga, which parallels and finally intersects its writer’s own story as it builds to a climax, pitting its heroes against a diabolical evil and impossibly long odds as the fate of the world hangs precariously in the balance. As the hero, Sir Fenmar, is given a final shot at redemption, can his hapless author, Harrington Gloss, find a way to transform his own destiny? “The novel’s unique blend of genres and its charismatic protagonist make it a standout in contemporary fiction.” --The Literary Reporter on Angels’ Keep