In ""Soulsmith's Paradox,"" Zara, a talented but disillusioned soulsmith, discovers a startling truth: her emotional creations are developing consciousness. This revelation plunges her into a whirlwind of ethical dilemmas and corporate intrigue, set against a backdrop of urban fantasy and magical realism. As Zara navigates a society divided over emotional engineering, she must protect her sentient creations while unraveling the mysteries of her craft. The novel weaves a tapestry of contemporary fantasy and philosophical inquiry, challenging readers to ponder the nature of consciousness and the essence of human emotions. Through lyrical prose that mirrors the fluidity of feelings, the story alternates between Zara's present-day struggles and the rich history of soulsmiths. With its diverse cast of characters offering varied perspectives on the moral complexities at hand, this thought-provoking tale invites readers to question their understanding of identity and free will in a world where emotions can be forged into tangible reality.

The return to religion has perhaps become the dominant cliché of contemporary theory, which rarely offers anything more than an exaggerated echo of a political reality dominated by religious war. Somehow, the secular age seems to have been replaced by a new era, where political action flows directly from metaphysical conflict. The Faith of the Faithless asks how we might respond. Following Critchley’s Infinitely Demanding, this new book builds on its philosophical and political framework, also venturing into the questions of faith, love, religion and violence. Should we defend a version of secularism and quietly accept the slide into a form of theism—or is there another way? From Rousseau’s politics and religion to the return to St. Paul in Taubes, Agamben and Badiou, via explorations of politics and original sin in the work of Schmitt and John Gray, Critchley examines whether there can be a faith of the faithless, a belief for unbelievers. Expanding on his debate with Slavoj Žižek, Critchley concludes with a meditation on the question of violence, and the limits of non-violence.

What survives of the notions, principles and values of critical criminology? Faced with contexts that could not be more dramatically different to those fostering critical approaches to crime and its control, what is left of the radical theories and practical initiatives that characterized it in the 1970s? This book argues that critical criminology today can be reimagined if new concepts are elaborated, which bring academic efforts close to the practices of social movements. Building on an original collection of anti-hegemonic essays focused on specific criminological areas, including femicide, organized crime, drug use, punishment, state-corporate terrorism and financial crime, this book identifies the radical potential inherent in the choice of areas, topics and variables that critical criminologists can address today. In discussing concepts of distance, power, mercy and troublemaking, this book considers the relationship between critical criminology, social justice and activism. An accessible and compelling read, this book will appeal to all those engaged with critical criminology, sociology and cultural studies.

This book explores the relevance of utopia in relation to contemporary criminology. The range of contributors explore the application of a utopian method for uncovering the potential within criminology and criminal justice, as well as the relevance of the utopian impulse for developing a challenge to the status quo in academia and beyond.

The second volume in the New York Times best-selling Cradle series! Lindon has taken his first step on the road to power, but the sacred artists of the world outside his homeland are still far beyond him. To advance, he turns to the arcane skills of the Soulsmiths, who craft weapons from the stuff of souls. With new powers come new enemies, but also new allies, including a mysterious mentor who seems interested in Lindon for his own purposes. Even with new training and new help, Lindon is still only a Copper, and he soon finds himself facing down an entire sect of enemy Golds. SERIES DESCRIPTION The Cradle series is the best-selling example of the Progression Fantasy subgenre, which includes works of fantasy where the primary plot revolves around a character growing more powerful in their use of magic. Cradle is high-stakes, fast-paced, and action-focused, with minimal time dedicated to world-building, and as such the books are lean and focused. The series is often compared to anime, with fans using phrases like "anime in book form" or "fantasy novels meet Dragon Ball Z," emphasizing the story's specialty of loud and colorful super-powered battles.

The return to religion has arguably become the dominant theme of contemporary culture. Somehow, the secular age seems to have been replaced by a new era where political action flows directly from theological, indeed cosmic, conflict. The Faith of the Faithless lays out the philosophical and political framework of this idea and seeks to find a way beyond it. Should we defend a version of secularism or quietly accept the slide into theism? Or is there another way?

"A modern-day classic."—Ron Charles, Washington Post “A spectacular invention.”—The New York Times "Compulsively readable."—NPR Things do not bode well for Father Julius. . . A street preacher decked out in denim robes and running shoes, Julius is a source of inspiration for a community that knows nothing of his scandalous origins. But when a nearby mental hospital releases its patients to run amok in his neighborhood, his trusted if bedraggled flock turns expectantly to Julius to find out what’s going on. Amid the descending chaos, Julius encounters a hospital escapee who babbles prophecies of doom, and the growing palpable sense of impending danger intensifies . . . as does the feeling that everyone may be relying on a street preacher just a little too much. Still, Julius decides he must confront the forces that threaten his congregation—including the peculiar followers of a religious cult, the mysterious men and women dressed all in red seen fleetingly amid the bedlam, and an enigmatic smoking figure who seems to know what’s going to happen just before it does. The Revisionaries is a wildly imaginative, masterfully rendered, and suspenseful tale that conjures the bold outlandish stylishness of Thomas Pynchon, Margaret Atwood, and Alan Moore—while being unlike anything that’s come before.

This annual selection guide covers new novels in the mystery fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, western fiction and romance genres. By identifying similarities in various books, it seeks to help readers to independently choose titles of interest published during 1995 - 1996. Entries are arranged by author within six genre sections, and provide: publisher and publication date; series name and number; description of characters; time/geographical setting; review citation; genre and setting notations; and related books.