It was called the Steadfast sword. In truth it was never really given a name by its creator. It was a weapon fit for the gods, and yet the gods have never seen it. To the gods the Steadfast sword remains a mystery. What vexes the gods most was that there are rumors that humans have found and used the sword. Again the gods were disappointed. All they heard was, “It was here. The hero had used it, but when the task was done, the sword disappeared without a trace. The sword was being sought again by two competing forces. One group was made up of seasoned raiders and lead by the Iron Thegn. The warlord had plans for the sword. He would use its great power to conquer and enslave the world, then he would ascend to the realm of the gods. The other group was an odd paring of a priestess and a hunter. These two seek the sword to protect it. A thousand years have passed since anyone has seen the sword. The only source of information about the sword is a group called the wanderers.

**Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) Winner** An incredible, untold story of survival and acceptance that sheds light on one of the darkest chapters in Japanese history. This book tells the story of Kazuo Odachi who--in 1943, when he was just 16 years-old--joined the Imperial Japanese Navy to become a pilot. A year later, he was unknowingly assigned to the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps--a group of airmen whose mission was to sacrifice their lives by crashing planes into enemy ships. Their callsign was "ten dead, zero alive." By picking up Memoirs of a Kamikaze, readers will experience the hardships of fighter pilot training--dipping and diving and watching as other trainees crash into nearby mountainsides. They'll witness the psychological trauma of coming to terms with death before each mission, and breathe a sigh of relief with Odachi when his last mission is cut short by Japan's eventual surrender. They'll feel the anger at a government and society that swept so much of the sacrifice under the rug in its desperation to rebuild. Odachi's innate "samurai spirit" carried him through childhood, WWII and his eventual life as a kendo instructor, police officer and detective. His attention to detail, unwavering self-discipline and impenetrably strong mind were often the difference between life and death. Odachi, who is now well into his nineties, kept his Kamikaze past a secret for most of his life. Seven decades later, he agreed to sit for nearly seventy hours of interviews with the authors of this book--who know Odachi personally. He felt it was his responsibility to finally reveal the truth about the Kamikaze pilots: that they were unsuspecting teenagers and young men asked to do the bidding of superior officers who were never held to account. This book offers a new perspective on these infamous suicide pilots. It is not a chronicle of war, nor is it a collection of research papers compiled by scholars. It is a transcript of Odachi's words.

In this updated edition of the popular textbook An Introduction to the Old Testament, Walter Brueggemann and Tod Linafelt introduce the reader to the broad theological scope of the Old Testament, treating some of the most important issues and methods in contemporary biblical interpretation. This clearly written textbook focuses on the literature of the Old Testament as it grew out of religious, political, and ideological contexts over many centuries in Israel's history. Covering every book in the Old Testament (arranged in canonical order), the authors demonstrate the development of theological concepts in biblical writings from the Torah through postexilic Judaism. Incorporating the most current scholarship, this new edition also includes concrete tips for doing close readings of the Old Testament text, and a chapter on ways to read Scripture and respond in light of pressing contemporary issues, such as economic inequality, racial and gender justice, and environmental degradation. This introduction invites readers to engage in the construction of meaning as they venture into these timeless texts.

This book examines the movement towards Italian nationality and independence during the period between June 1846 and January 1848.

In the alliterative verse of the original.

Set in an alternate Europe where bloody conflicts rage, the third book of the Crown of Stars epic fantasy series continues the world-shaking conflict for the survival of humanity It is a crucial time in the war-torn kingdoms of Wendar and Varre, a moment when even one wrong decision can tilt the balance of events into total disaster. For Sanglant—King Henry’s son—and Liath—the woman he loves—the offer of both a haven from their enemies and the chance for Liath to study the ancient lore with those who claim her as their own, seems like the answer they have been seeking. But no place can truly be safe for them. Both their lives and their love will be at risk when they are forced to choose which pathway each will follow—lured by the equally strong demands of politics, forbidden knowledge, and family. Liath, born with a dangerous power beyond her control, is torn between her longing for Sanglant and the child they are about to have and the call of sorcery, which can open the way into the land of the Aoi, the Lost Ones. And even as Liath struggles with magic’s seductive spell, Sanglant’s Aoi mother returns to the mortal world, seeking the son she abandoned as a babe. As the fates of kingdoms shift with the changing fortunes of those caught up in the dangers of both civil war and continuing attacks by the nonhuman Eika and the Quman invaders, time is running out for Liath, Sanglant, King Henry, and the people of Wendar and Varre. For the time of cataclysm is fast approaching—and no one can foretell who will survive—or rule—when it is over….

The war between demon and man has been successfully thwarted, marking the students’ return to the Demon King Academy. If only peace were so easy to obtain. The people of Dilhade must now face the truth about the long-awaited Demon King and adjust to the abolishment of royalty. Anos must tread carefully–for old enemies, and even old friends, have been awaiting his return. A familiar face from two thousand years ago then arrives at the Demon King Academy—but he’s somehow been possessed by a god! Nosgalia the Heavenly Father, who opposed Anos during the Mythical Age, swears to impose his downfall and return order to the world. But can order truly fight the foe that abolishes all reason? Find out in the fourth installment of The Misfit of Demon King Academy: the Great Spirit Arc!