At the heart of The Three Lands, there is a paradise, filled with beauty and wonders of all kinds. A lush and vibrant place, it stands in sharp contrast to the baseness and squalor of the world outside the walls of Osrakum. But this beauty comes at a cost. The Masters who rule the world are driven by sadistic dreams and mythic charms. They use their vast powers to leech the resources of the world unto themselves, to create an artificial haven where they play out twisted games of power amid a decadent splendor. Within the inner circle of power lies a glittering court where the royal houses plot vile atrocities, and madness and bestiality hold sway. The Masters are nothing less than gods in this realm and their plans (or whims) can bring either perfect pleasure... or death. Young Carnelian has spent his entire life in exile with his father, a nobleman who rejected the evil ways of his people and fled to the ends of the known world. But forces conspired to change all that, and Carnelian returned to his homeland. He is a sheep among wolves, and it has taken every ounce of his strength to resist the temptations of power that threaten to seduce his very soul. What Carnelian could never have imagined was that he would fall in love with none other than Osidian, one of the twin Gods, ruler of his world--or that forces far darker than he thought possible would use him as a weapon. When the young lovers are kidnapped by the Empress Ykoriana and forced from the safety of the empire, it appears that their lives are forfeit. But Carnelian and Osidian fall into the hands of barbarians from the southern plain they call the Undersky. These raiders manage to elude the legions of the Masters, and after enduring terrible hardships, they succeed in bringing their prizes home to their tribe. Carnelian comes to realize that the world is much more bizarre than he could ever imagine, that love can sometimes blind you to things that may destroy you, that the simple things the heart can teach you will prove to be the most true.... And that he holds in his hands the potential to save or doom all of his world. The Standing Dead is the powerful sequel to Ricardo Pinto's first novel The Chosen, and it continues this unique fantasy series about power, eros, and madness...and the depths a man will go to for love. It is the second volume in The Stone Dance of the Chameleon series, and he is currently at work on the third. Ricardo Pinto resides in Edinburgh, Scotland.

THE ACCLAIMED SEQUEL TO THE CHOSEN In desperation, the Ruling Lord Suth searches within the sacred walls of Osrakum for Carnelian, his son, and Osidian, the God Emperor elect. He suspects the Empress Ykoriana is behind their disappearance and knows that if they are not found soon it is her other son, Osidian's brother Molochite, who will rule - with fearful consequences for the Three Lands. Captive of the tribes of the Earthsky, Carnelian is - for the moment - safe, and succumbs readily to the seasonal rhythms of tribal life, he is convinced by unexpected discoveries that it is fate that has bought him there.He grows to love these simple people and hopes for sanctuary among them. But the dark forces Carnelian helped unleash in Osrakum begin to cast their shadow over his adopted home. He is witness to the awful oppression that the Masters - whom the tribesmen call the Standing Dead - have been inflicting on them for millennia. But even more terrible is the presence Carnelian has unwittingly brought with him. Potent and terrifying, it threatens everything he now holds dear in this new-found world. With The Standing Dead, Ricardo Pinto gives us a tumultuous new chapter in the Stone Dance of the Chameleon trilogy and confirms his place as one of fantasy's most singular and literate voices.

A gripping narrative of unprecedented valor and personal courage, here is the story of the first American battle of World War II: the battle for Wake Island. Based on firsthand accounts from long-lost survivors who have emerged to tell about it, this stirring tale of the “Alamo of the Pacific” will reverberate for generations to come. On December 8, 1941, just five hours after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese planes attacked a remote U.S. outpost in the westernmost reaches of the Pacific. It was the beginning of an incredible sixteen-day fight for Wake Island, a tiny but strategically valuable dot in the ocean. Unprepared for the stunning assault, the small battalion was dangerously outnumbered and outgunned. But they compensated with a surplus of bravery and perseverance, waging an extraordinary battle against all odds. When it was over, a few hundred American Marines, sailors, and soldiers, along with a small army of heroic civilian laborers, had repulsed enemy forces several thousand strong––but it was still not enough. Among the Marines was twenty-year-old PFC Wiley Sloman. By Christmas Day, he lay semiconscious in the sand, struck by enemy fire. Another day would pass before he was found—stripped of his rifle and his uniform. Shocked to realize he hadn’t awakened to victory, Sloman wondered: Had he been given up for dead—and had the Marines simply given up? In this riveting account, veteran journalist Bill Sloan re-creates this history-making battle, the crushing surrender, and the stories of the uncommonly gutsy men who fought it. From the civilians who served as gunmen, medics, and even preachers, to the daily grind of life on an isolated island—literally at the ends of the earth—to the agony of POW camps, here we meet our heroes and confront the enemy face-to-face, bayonet to bayonet.

The book presents the current state and good practices of national forest inventories in monitoring wood resources and demonstrates pathways for harmonisation and improved common reporting. Beyond a general overview over availability and use of wood resources in different countries, it provides a unique collection of original contributions from national forest inventory experts with in-depth descriptions of current NFI methods in assessing wood availability and wood use in European countries, and selected countries from America and Asia.The main topics are national definitions and improvements in common reporting of forests available for wood supply, stem quality and assortments, estimation of change including growth and drain, and tree resources outside forest land. The book is a must-have for everyone who is contributing to national forest inventories either methodologically or operatively, for people who want or need to understand national forest inventory provided data and information on the availability of wood resources. By providing profound knowledge it is a valuable basis for scientists involved in scenario modelling and analysing effects of climate change, as well as individuals in private organisations and public administrations promoting the sustainable use of natural resources and the potential of green economy.

A derivative of the Encyclopedia of Inland Waters, Plankton of Inland Waters covers protists, bacteria, fungi, algae, and zooplankton as well as the functional and system interactions of planktonic and attached forms in aquatic ecosystems. Because the articles are drawn from an encyclopedia, the articles are easily accessible to interested members of the public, such as conservationists and environmental decision makers. - Includes an up-to-date summary of global aquatic ecosystems and issues - Covers current environmental problems and management solutions - Features full-color figures and tables to support the text and aid in understanding

Inland aquatic habitats occur world-wide at all scales from marshes, swamps and temporary puddles, to ponds, lakes and inland seas; from streams and creeks to rolling rivers. Vital for biological diversity, ecosystem function and as resources for human life, commerce and leisure, inland waters are a vital component of life on Earth. The Encyclopedia of Inland Waters describes and explains all the basic features of the subject, from water chemistry and physics, to the biology of aquatic creatures and the complex function and balance of aquatic ecosystems of varying size and complexity. Used and abused as an essential resource, it is vital that we understand and manage them as much as we appreciate and enjoy them. This extraordinary reference brings together the very best research to provide the basic and advanced information necessary for scientists to understand these ecosystems – and for water resource managers and consultants to manage and protect them for future generations. Encyclopedic reference to Limnology - a key core subject in ecology taught as a specialist course in universitiesOver 240 topic related articles cover the field Gene Likens is a renowned limnologist and conservationist, Emeritus Director of the Institute of Ecosystems Research, elected member of the American Philosophical Society and recipient of the 2001 National Medal of Science Subject Section Editors and authors include the very best research workers in the field