If he survives, hell just may freeze over. The savage Hammer Worlds are not only near invincible but almost certain to win their war to crush the Federated Worlds and control humanspace–unless the Feds can find and destroy their secret antimatter warhead facility. Only dreadnoughts, the lone Federated ships able to withstand antimatter missile attacks, can do the job, and only Lieutenant Michael Helfort has the skill to lead them. But skill may not be enough, because Helfort is more than the newly appointed captain: He’s a hero, and this means that his own senior officers want him to fail–and that the enemy’s kingpin wants him dead. Helfort’s early victories merely intensify everyone’s determination. No action is too low, no price too high, to bring him down–with treachery, or betrayal, or an offer he can’t refuse, even if it means selling out his own side.

It was insane, it was suicidal, it was wrong— and by God he was going to do it. The Hammer Worlds have Helfort exactly where they want him. The ultimatum is brutal and precise. Unless the Federated hero surrenders, the Hammer World’s prisoner Anna Cheung—the only woman Helfort has ever loved—will be handed over to a bunch of depraved troopers to be violated, then executed by firing squad. Helfort can obey, or he can do what the crew proposes: sail his three frontline dreadnoughts into the Hammers’ stronghold Commitment Planet, liberate Anna and the rest of the POWs held captive there, and continue the fight in the jaws of the enemy. Helfort’s decision? Bring it on!

“A planet-stomping space opera that bursts off the page like a tactical nuke.”—John Birmingham, author of Weapons of Choice The Hammer Worlds—the most brutal and oppressive interstellar government in the universe—have hijacked the Federated Worlds cruise ship Mumtaz, seizing its valuable terraforming cargo and damning its passengers to mining the moons of the prison planet known as Hell. For Junior Lieutenant Michael Helfort and the crew aboard deep space scout vessel 387, the mission is clear: infiltrate enemy territory, locate the Mumtaz, and rescue the prisoners. The odds are appalling, and the damage will probably be fatal, but victory is nonnegotiable–especially for Helfort, whose mother and sister were on the Mumtaz. And Michael Helfort will be damned if he’ll let his family rot on the moons of Hell.

He thought Hell was the worst they could throw at him. He was wrong. Back from tangling with the Hammer of Kraa, the most brutal, trigger-happy tyrants in humanspace, Junior Lieutenant Michael Helfort is assigned to the Federated Worlds heavy cruiser Ishaq, which is struggling to rise to the threat posed by a newly resurgent Hammer. Aboard the floundering ship, Helfort is coming to grips with a painful injury and the unpleasant truth that nobody likes a young hero–least of all senior officers. Without warning, the Ishaq and twenty-seven Fed merchant ships are blown apart in a horrific ambush, the first step in the Hammer’s master strategy to destroy the hated Federated Worlds. Michael and a pitiful remnant of the Ishaq’s crew escape the inferno. The Feds have no idea who’s behind the heinous attack, and the Hammer are determined to keep it that way, consigning the Ishaq’s survivors to a prison camp deep in the wilderness of the Hammer’s home planet. No one’s getting out alive to derail the Hammer’s lethal master plan–especially not the FedWorlds hero who so humiliated them on the battlefield. It’s payback time, and the Hammers intend to throw their entire space fleet into destroying Michael Helfort and the Federated Worlds. Too bad it won’t be enough.

This dictionary is designed for non-native speakers of Japanese, perfect for business people and students. There are over 50,000 entries, including the most common meanings. Japanese terms are shown in romanized Japanese and standard Japanese characters. The romanized entries are listed in alphabetical order, so no knowledge of Japanese is required.

Create authentic-looking maps of fantasy cities, hamlets, fortifications and more in a popular tabletop, RPG style. • 30+ step-by-step demonstrations show you how to create your own unique RPG maps • Learn how to draw fantasy cities, medieval settlements and more from a professional gaming illustrator • Tips and techniques for drawing fences, stone walls, forests, fields, bridges, footpaths, mountains, harbors, shields, coats of arms and other cartography elements Put your design and drawing skills on the map!

In the breathtaking tradition of Once a Warrior and The Witch and the Warrior comes Karyn Monk's passionate new tale of a distant time, a proud people--and a forbidden love. She was an infamous thief... When the ruthless MacTiers destroyed Melantha's clan, she vowed to do whatever was necessary to keep her people alive. It was a daring risk to disguise herself as "the Falcon," a mysterious horseman who stole food and gold from the enemy, always slipping away unscathed. But when Melantha captured the MacTier warrior who was sent to kill her, the danger she faced was the desire aroused by this enigmatic stranger.... ...until one man stole her heart. Roarke had known only battle for far too long. With his family gone, he had proved his loyalty to his laird in countless conflicts, fighting with the fearless arrogance of a man who had nothing to lose--and untold rewards to gain. But murdering the enchanting spitfire who had waged her own maddening war against his clan was unthinkable. Torn between fealty to his lord and the dictates of his conscience, Roarke would look for an answer in the emerald eyes of a woman who dared to show him the meaning of honor, the bonds of family--and the power of love.

Virtually everything Vaclav Havel has ever written has acquired a new resonance, whether ironic, artistic, philosophical or political, since he became President of his country in 1989. This selection of his prose ranges in time from the early 1960s to his New Year message of 1990.

“Pay attention.”—Jason Fried A revolutionary roadmap for building startups that go the distance Now more than ever, you don’t need a fancy office, Ivy League degree, or millions of dollars in venture capital to launch a business that matters for the communities you care most about. Software, the internet, and remote work have made it possible for entrepreneurs to start for free, make a customer of anyone, and grow a profitable, sustainable company from anywhere. Packed with hard-won, battle-tested lessons from Lavingia’s own journey of building Gumroad, a platform for creators to sell their work, The Minimalist Entrepreneur teaches founders how to: • start then learn • build a community, then solve a problem for them • charge for something even before you’ve built anything • avoid running out of money and, more importantly, energy • run a tight ship amid the rise of the gig economy and remote work • own a business without it owning you back. The Minimalist Entrepreneur is the manifesto for a new generation of founders who would rather build great companies than big ones. This is essential knowledge for every founder aspiring to build a business worth building.

Her stories are tender and sensual, humorous and deeply involving. Now Karyn Monk offers her most enthralling romance ever: a tale of a shattered hero fighting for redemption--and fighting for love... Ariella MacKendrick knew her people had only one hope for survival: she must find the mighty warrior known as the Black Wolf and bring him home to defend her clan. But when Ariella finally tracks him down, Malcolm MacFane is nothing like the hero she dreamed he would be. The fearless laird who once led a thousand men is a drunken shell of his former self, scarred inside and out, with no army in sight. Yet Ariella has no choice but to put her trust in MacFane. And soon something begins to stir in the fallen legend. A fire still rages in his warrior heart--a passion that could lead them into battle...a desire, barely leashed, that could brand a Highland beauty's soul.