Embittered by past failures and broken dreams, American fighter pilot David Duane believes in but one cause—his own. Europe is at war, and he’ll fight it for a price, selling his deadly flying skills to the highest bidder. Just as Bogart came to Casablanca to escape his past, Duane has come to the icy white wastes of Scandinavia to wage a private war in the skies. But he’s about to take off on a flight and undertake an unforgettable journey—On Blazing Wings—to a place beyond the imagination . . . leading to a revelation that will open his eyes and his heart. In a world divided by war, Duane discovers that sometimes you have to make a choice, and that making the wrong one could cost him the woman he loves. . . . As a barnstorming pilot in the early days of aviation, Hubbard was dubbed “Flash” Hubbard by the aviation magazines of the day. His unique personal and pioneering knowledge of flight streaks across the page in novels like On Blazing Wings. “Expect twists and turns to the very end.” —Yahoo Voices * International Book Award Winner

During the Renaissance, the most renowned model of epic poetry was Virgil’s Aeneid, a poem promoting an influential concept of heroism based on the commitment to one’s nation and gods. However, Longinus’ theory of the sublime – newly recovered during the Renaissance – contradicted this absolute devotion to nation as a marker of religious piety. Heroic Awe explores how Renaissance epic poetry used the sublime to challenge the assumption that epic heroism was primarily about civic duty and glorification of state. The book demonstrates how the significant investment of Renaissance epic poetry in Longinus’ theory of the sublime reshaped the genre of epic. To do so, Kelly Lehtonen examines the intersection between the Longinian sublime and early modern Protestant and Catholic discourses in Renaissance poems such as the Gerusalemme Liberata, Les Semaines, The Faerie Queene, and Paradise Lost. In illuminating the role of Longinus along with that of religious discourses, Heroic Awe offers a new perspective on epic heroism in Renaissance epic poetry, redefining heroism as the capacity to be overwhelmed emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually by encounters with divine glory. In considering the links between religion, the sublime, and epic, the book aims to shed new light on several core topics in early modern studies, including epic heroism, Renaissance philosophy, theories of emotion, and the psychology of religion.

Ride a trail of blazing guns and two-fisted action in the Wild West as L. Ron Hubbard brings American history to life. Growing up in Montana provided him with the first-hand experience that added a tone of authenticity to his western tales. Readers will feel the heat, taste the dust and hear the thunder of horses’ hooves in these tales from a master storyteller of the genre. The 4-audiobook collection includes 10 short stories for 8 hours of immersive entertainment. All audiobooks are unabridged, full-cast productions with cinematic quality sound effects that bring the stories and characters to life. The titles and short stories in this collection are: King of the Gunmen (includes: “The No-Gun Gunhawk”), The Magic Quirt (includes: “Vengeance Is Mine!” and “Stacked Bullets”), The No-Gun Man (includes: “Man for Breakfast”) and Shadows from Boot Hill (includes: “The Gunner from Gehenna” and “Gunman!”). “With the flair of a Louis L’Amour or Zane Grey.” —True West Magazine -- L. Ron Hubbard

Take the law into your own hands, and you risk losing your grip on everything else—including your life. Lee Weston—a young Paul Newman with a Colt revolver at his hip—is as good-looking as he is quick-tempered, and he’s got a lot to be angry about. His father murdered, his family ranch torched, he goes gunning for Harvey Dodge—the man who he’s convinced is the killer—and it’s Lee who ends up on the wrong side of the law. Shot in a gunfight, on the run and running out of time, he holes up in a mountain hideout and waits for death to come find him. But he wakes up in the arms of a beautiful woman who has beat death to his door and nursed him back to life. She’s the first and only woman he has ever fallen for, and her name is Ellen Dodge—Harvey’s daughter. Can a great loss lead to a great love? Can the search for revenge lead to redemption? The answers lie in the wild heart of the Wild West—in Branded Outlaw. L. Ron Hubbard was so prolific, and his stories so much in demand, he occasionally had to publish under a pseudonym to ensure that his name wouldn’t appear twice in a single issue of a magazine. Thus did Branded Outlaw originally appear as being written by a writer named Barry Randolph. But as is clear from the action and authenticity of the story, it was Hubbard behind the curtain pulling the levers. This is one of sixteen westerns Hubbard wrote in 1938—all influenced by a foray into New Mexico to round out his research. His unsurpassed knowledge of the West originated in his years growing up—and riding on—the range. “Packs a ton of action and some priceless shootout scenes.” —EZReader.com

The doomed Chinese city of Shunkien was being systematically destroyed. Japan’s war machine was pounding wreckage into ashes—wiping out a city that had thrived since the time of Genghis Khan. One of the few buildings still standing is the American consulate where one hundred and sixteen US refugees are facing almost certain death, either from high explosives, the ravages of starvation or Asiatic cholera. Unbeknownst to the refugees, their fate rests in the hands of two US Marines—Gunnery Sergeant James Mitchell and Private Spivits—and their ability to negotiate two hundred miles of occupied territory in order to bring desperately needed gold and medicine, while overcoming bullets, dive bombers, butchery and Mitchell's own personal nemesis and deadly vice—alcohol. Add to these seemingly insurmountable odds, a seductive American fan-dancer who hitches along for the ride and saving the lives of the hostages is far from a fait accompli. As a young man, Hubbard visited Manchuria, where his closest friend headed up British intelligence in northern China. Hubbard gained a unique insight into the hostile political climate between China and Japan—a knowledge that informs stories like Orders Is Orders. In addition, he served as a First Sergeant with the 20th United States Marine Corps Reserve—giving him first-hand knowledge of what it means to be a Marine. “Demonstrating his unique ability to relate even to the most complicated story with a keen eye for detail and realism, Hubbard’s stunning writing ability and creative imagination set him apart as one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century.” —Publishers Weekly

For SF and fantasy enthusiasts who love to escape to unknown worlds. As a master of the art of narrative and one of the leaders in the Golden Age of Science Fiction, L. Ron Hubbard’s Sci-Fi and Fantasy stories helped reshape the future of speculative fiction. The universe is yours as you explore fabulous worlds of unfolding mystery and unlimited potential. Discover the herald of possibility in these out-of-this-world adventures. The 4-book collection includes 10 short stories along with illustrations from the original publications and glossaries of hard-to-find terms. The titles and short stories in this collection are: The Great Secret (includes: “Space Can,” “The Beast” and “The Slaver”), If I Were You (includes: “The Last Drop”), One Was Stubborn (includes: “A Can of Vacuum” and “240,000 Miles Straight Up”) and The Tramp. “A super-writer of the Golden Age of Science Fiction.” —A. E. van Vogt -- L. Ron Hubbard

The Japanese military has turned the once-thriving Chinese city of Nencheng into a reeking pile of blood and ash. And now the Japanese Rising Sun threatens to scorch the ancient—and oil-rich—Kingdom of the Silver Lake. Can the Chinese survive the onslaught? Do they have a prayer? The answer is about to fall out of the sky. He is The Falcon Killer. China’s ace fighter pilot and scourge of the Japanese air force, he is in fact Bill Gaylord, an American orphaned and self-reliant—a man without a country and without fear. Like William Holden, he’s the guy every man wants to be . . . and every woman wants to be with. Shot down over Nencheng, Gaylord parachutes into the arms of the one woman who can give him reason to live . . . and to rejoin the fight against Japan—as he squares off against their top spy. His prey is in his sights, and catching it will change everything . . . for The Falcon Killer. As a young man, Hubbard visited Manchuria, where his closest friend headed up British intelligence in northern China. Hubbard gained a unique insight into the intelligence operations and spy-craft in the region as well as the hostile political climate between China and Japan—a knowledge that informs stories like The Falcon Killer.

Lucky Martin is a daredevil of the skies—a test pilot who lives to break the rules and push the envelope. Sound like a perfect role for Errol Flynn? It did to Hollywood, as Flynn was cast in the movie of the same name. Lucky’s a trailblazer—flying higher and faster than any pilot out there. His latest invention could change the face of air warfare and alter the balance of world power. It’s The Dive Bomber—a perfectly designed aircraft for the U.S. Navy. There’s only one problem—up to now every test flight has ended in disaster. The reason: sabotage. America’s enemies will go to any length to get their hands on his design—from savage attacks to kidnapping his fiancée. Lucky’ll have to push his luck to the very limit to save his plane, save his girl . . . and save his country. As a barnstorming pilot in the early days of aviation, Hubbard was dubbed “Flash” Hubbard by the aviation magazines of the day. Expanding his knowledge even more, he visited Boeing in Seattle where the president and chief engineer gave him an inside look at their test pilot program. His unique and pioneering insight of flight streaks across the page in novels like The Dive Bomber. “Hubbard grounds his cliffhanger adventure firmly in aeronautical details that make it thrilling.” —Publishers Weekly

Lieutenant Jonathan Daly sets out on?a fateful expedition into the depths of?China to unearth a fabulous fortune in red?diamonds, leading him down a dark maze?of betrayal, ?espionage and death?with?more on the line than he ever expected.?...

Who is Wind-Gone-Mad? He is an ace pilot, a fearless fighter, and the ultimate defender of a war-torn China. But like the storied hero Batman, he is also an enigma, a man in disguise, his true identity shrouded in mystery. And, as with the Caped Crusader and the Joker, he faces one ruthless nemesis above all . . . a man known simply as “The Butcher.” The epic battle has been set into motion by Jim Dahlgren—an American executive with the Amalgamated Aeronautical Company. He is determined to give China a fighting chance against The Butcher . . . and against the Western diplomats whose sole interest in the country is to profit from its internal strife. China’s only chance, Dahlgren realizes, is the legendary Wind-Gone-Mad. . . . To The Butcher, China is a side of beef to carve up and serve at his pleasure. But when Wind-Gone-Mad flies into the action, it may well be The Butcher who ends up being dead meat. Ultimately, the only thing more thrilling than the mystery man’s fighting spirit is the true nature of his identity. . . . As a young man, Hubbard visited pre-Communist China three times, where his closest friend headed up British intelligence. In a land where communists, nationalists, warlords and foreign adventurers schemed for control, Hubbard gained a unique insight into the treacherous and bloody battles for domination in the region. In addition, his personal experiences as a pilot gave his air stories a vivid sense of reality that no other writer could match. Combining this with his first-hand knowledge of China gave him the opportunity to create stories such as Wind-Gone-Mad, which left readers feeling like they had lived the adventures themselves. Also includes the Asian adventures, Tah, the tragic story of a twelve-year-old boy betrayed by his father . . . and by his life; and Yellow Loot, in which the pursuit of a priceless stash of ancient amber leads to a heart-stopping chase on the Great Wall of China. “Excellent.” —Midwest Book Review