Myfanwy Thomas awakens in a London park surrounded by dead bodies. With her memory gone, she must trust the instructions left by her former in order to survive. She quickly learns that she is a Rook, a high-level operative in a secret agency that protects the world from supernatural threats. But there is a mole inside the organization, and this person wants her dead. Battling to save herself, Myfanwy will encounter a person with four bodies, a woman who can enter her dreams, children transformed into deadly fighters, and terrifyingly vast conspiracy. Suspenseful and hilarious, The Rook is an outrageously imaginative thriller for readers who like their espionage with a dollop of purple slime. "Utterly convincing and engrossing -- -totally thought-through and frequently hilarious....Even this aging, jaded, attention-deficit-disordered critic was blown away."-Lev Grossman, Time

Who needs a wedding ring when you can pick up a sword? A remarkable and utterly inventive novel from Sharon Cameron, author of THE DARK UNWINDING, which USA TODAY called "spellbindingly imaginative." History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy's arranged marriage to the wealthy Rene Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiance is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she. As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and Rene find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse. Daring intrigue, delicious romance, and spine-tingling suspense fill the pages of this extraordinary tale from award-winning author Sharon Cameron.

The year is 2090. Earth is a dystopian nightmare filled with lonely people seeking connection in virtual worlds while corporate conglomerates profit from war and secretly run every country's government. So, nothing's changed. Except there are more robots! Like the one the slovenly Null Lasker (he's your hero, unfortunately) controls from the comfort of his living room in order to fight for SKIRM® in a distant warzone. Think of SKIRM® as like Uber for war, except there are less benefits and the pay is somehow worse. Everything goes well until Null pushes the system too far and finds himself in a world of trouble — and on the run from his employer. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, the George Orwell estate, Olive Garden... these are just a few of the potential plaintiffs in lawsuits that could come from this book. Oh, and Uber now. One last thing: 10% of all book sales go to shatterproof.org — forever. For all time. Contributing to a charity was a huge part of this project and it goes towards a cause we're very passionate about. Enjoy.

An arsonist has struck a top-secret research facility at a key US naval base. But it's not just a random terrorist attack. These people were after something specific. When Special Agent Patrick Bowers is called in to investigate, he is drawn into a deadly web of intrigue and deception. With his own criminology research being turned against him and one of the world's most deadly devices missing, Bowers is caught up in a race against time to stop an international assassin before it's too late. Full of fast-paced action and mind-bending plot twists, The Rook is an adrenaline-laced page-turner that will keep readers up all night. Book 2 in the Bowers Files, this riveting look into the criminal mind is the perfect follow-up to James's well-reviewed The Pawn.

In this spirited sequel to the acclaimed The Rook, Myfanwy Thomas returns to clinch an alliance between deadly rivals and avert epic -- and slimy -- supernatural war. When secret organizations are forced to merge after years of enmity and bloodshed, only one person has the fearsome powers -- -and the bureaucratic finesse -- -to get the job done. Facing her greatest challenge yet, Rook Myfanwy Thomas must broker a deal between two bitter adversaries: The Checquy -- -the centuries-old covert British organization that protects society from supernatural threats, and... The Grafters -- -a centuries-old supernatural threat. But as bizarre attacks sweep London, threatening to sabotage negotiations, old hatreds flare. Surrounded by spies, only the Rook and two women who absolutely hate each other, can seek out the culprits before they trigger a devastating otherworldly war. Stiletto is a novel of preternatural diplomacy, paranoia, and snide remarks, from an author who "adroitly straddles the thin line between fantasy, thriller, and spoof "(Booklist).

In 1860s London, Arthur sees his wife, Emily, suddenly struck down by a pain for which she can find no words, forced to endure harmful treatments, and reliant on him for guidance. Meanwhile, in contemporary Perth, Alice, a writer, and her older husband, Duncan, find their marriage threatened as Alice investigates the history of hysteria, female sexuality, and the treatment of the female body—her own and the bodies of those who came before.

Victor Korchnoi, one of the greatest experts in the field of rook endings, now documents his own experiences in tournament play. His main purpose is to inspire readers with a deep interest in rook endings, and he promises that anyone who thoroughly masters the given material will raise his Elo rating by 100 points or more!

Inspired by President Obama's memoirs the author tells a gritty story that brought him from: the woods of Keene, New Hampshire, to the beaches of Orange County, California, to the Grandeur of Spokane, Washington; as a transient laborer.

To coincide with the launch of The Magic Key on BBC Educational television, OUP is publishing a series of picture books based on the Magic Key adventure the characters have in each episode. This section of the television show is also due to be broadcast on Children's BBC television soon. In The Rook King the children have an adventure on a fantastical farm and help to save the farmer from the wicked Rook King. The Magic Key is to be a major 26 part BBC television series featuring the characters from Oxford Reading Tree. The Oxford Reading Tree characters are recognized by children in virtually all primary schools, and know and loved by parents and children. This is the first time BBC Education and BBC children's have jointly invested in a children's TV series. It will be shown on both. Transmission dates to be confirmed. The series is produced by HIT Entertainment, makers of Kipper, Percy the Park Keeper and Bob the Builder programmes.

Endgames with rooks and pawns are the most frequently occurring in chess, arising in about 1 game in 10. If you learn an important technique in this endgame, chances are you will end up using it sooner or later. And there are a great many methods and concepts that can be mastered with a little effort. This book highlights the key themes in rook endings, and at each turn invites the reader to test his knowledge and skills with abundant exercises. Rook endgame theory does not stand still. New practical examples illustrate novel approaches as players seek to pose problems to their opponents - Magnus Carlsen has shown that even the driest-looking positions can feature deadly traps. The ongoing creation of new endgame tablebases - of which co-author Yakov Konoval has been at the forefront - enables new classes of positions to be assessed with definitive certainty. Using six-man and the brand new seven-man tablebases, the authors re-examine many of the old evaluations and reach new and enlightening conclusions about classic rook endings. You will be startled and amazed, and soon discover that you are becoming a far more effective endgame player. German grandmaster Karsten Müller is arguably the world's foremost writer on chess endgames. His 'masterwork', Fundamental Chess Endings, is a modern endgame 'bible' and was studied intensively by current World Champion Magnus Carlsen in his youth. Yakov Konoval is a Russian chess-player and programmer who studied at Mikhail Botvinnik's chess school. He has written programs for solving chess problems and has pioneered new techniques for generating endgame tablebases.