It's Brent Weeks meets China Mieville in this wildly imaginative fantasy debut featuring high action, elegant writing, and sword and sorcery with a Chinese flare. Persimmon Gaunt and Imago Bone are a romantic couple and partners in crime. Persimmon is a poet from a well-to-do family, who found herself looking for adventure, while Imago is a thief in his ninth decade who is double-cursed, and his body has not aged in nearly seventy years. Together, their services and wanderlust have taken them into places better left unseen, and against odds best not spoken about. Now, they find themselves looking to get away, to the edge of the world, with Persimmon pregnant with their child, and the most feared duo of assassins hot on their trail. However, all is never what it seems, and a sordid adventure--complete with magic scrolls, gangs of thieves, and dragons both eastern and western--is at hand.

Yamamoto Kansuke was a 16th Century general under Takeda Shingen in the Warring States Period of Japan. This is a collection of four versions of a document attributed to him. Each of the four versions describe sword, spear and military tactics that are fully illustrated by different Edo Era artists. The text adds explanations on the underlying feeling fighting in each illustration. Long thought to be a fictional character, historical letters mentioning Yamamoto Kansuke and establishing him as a authentic historical figure are reproduced and translated. There are additional chapters highlighting techniques in Kansuke's book that also appears in the Chinese Bubishi military manual. Finally, some of the unusual weapons within the Bubishi are explained.

One by one, three ancient and heavily-guarded talismans disappear. Columba Riverford has just been inducted into the Hall of Swords. But during his swearing-in ceremony, the sacred sword Genesyx is stolen, and Columba accused of its theft. Meanwhile, Aridisia Myric is about to be granted membership to the Crypt of Scrolls when the One Scroll Canodex vanishes. Soon after, the One Stone Luxullian disappears and Baron Marl Gneiss is denied induction into the Vault of Stones. Banished, all three embark on a quest to recover the sacred artifacts and restore their good names. But unknown to them all is an ancient evil that seeks to destroy the Order of Magic, and claim the talismans as his own.

The eighth episode in a unique interactive series of 32 books. Hidden in a temple deep within a jungle-swamp known as the Danarg lies the Lorestone of Ohrido. To find it you must survive the assassins of Gnaag, the armies of the Warlord Zagron, and the creatures of Agarash the Damned, who seek to protect the jungle and its treasures.

An unexpected knock at the door of his cottage will forever change the life of young Rennis. With an unsettling warning of impending danger and a compelling invitation, he escapes from the Tresed Valley, traverses the Plains of Eil, and finds himself standing before the gate of the Castle of Ekklesia. Follow his journey as it takes him through the Cross-Gate into a palace fi lled with mystery and intrigue. Graced with a new identity (now called Nevigrof ) and a new life purpose, Nev will spend a lifetime unlocking and exploring the castles innumerable rooms. Discover with him the secrets of passage that will lead him to the castles upper levels and consequently to a higher understanding of the castles Master. Be warned: the way is difficult, riddled with unforeseen dangers, as the Masters enemies stop at nothing to frustrate Nevs progress. Even the Great Dragon, Reficul himself, openly defies him. Will Nev survive the onslaught? And can he overcome the greatest challenge to his resolvehis own flawed humanity? A gripping allegorical tale of life and death, defeat and victory, as well as love and loss, you will be enriched as you identify with the similarities in your own life journey and are challenged with life-altering choices of your own.

Years ago the Order of Virtues waged war against God's angels. The Order was defeated and banished to Earth, where they now wander, infecting human souls with evil. Amis Trepe is a young man back in his old neighborhood on family business. Soon he feels as though he is being watched. He has terrible dreams, possibly visions. Then he discovers a mysterious dagger in his coat pocket. The Order of Virtues must find the "Sword of Glory" to enable their victory in a new fight against the angels. But Amis is standing in their way.

This volume is a collection of essays written in honour of Martin G. Abegg from a range of contributors with expertise in Second Temple Jewish literature in reflection upon Prof. Abegg’s work. These essays are arranged according to four topics that deal with various aspects of text, language and interpretation of the Qumran War Scroll, and concepts of war and peace in Second Temple Jewish literature. The contents of the volume are divided into the following four main sections: (1) The War Scroll, (2) War and Peace in the Hebrew Scriptures, (3) War and Peace in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and (4) War and Peace in early Jewish and Christian texts and interpretation.

N. T. Wright is well known for his view that the majority of Second Temple Jews saw themselves as living within an ongoing exile. This book engages a lively conversation with this idea, beginning with a lengthy thesis from Wright, responses from eleven New Testament scholars, and a concluding essay from Wright responding to his interlocutors.

In the world of Terracaelstra only one thing matters: the Seven Scrolls must be found. With the theft of the divine scrolls by Whorkh, supreme Lord of the Underworld, evil has reigned for five hundred years over a darkening world. But the time of the Great Fulfillment is at hand. Pantok, the Creator and inspirer of the scrolls, summons his forces, beginning with an unlikely team of characters, including an abused runaway, a disillusioned king and a seagull. In another part of Terracaelstra, searching the seas, a young queen with her adopted family of children and animals, along with the assistance of an angel, join the quest aboard a small resurrected ship christened Invincible. Both parties—one on land, the other on sea—gain strength in faith and numbers as they fight against unimaginable evils during their hunt for each hidden scroll. These scrolls, together, have the power to break Whorkh's curse and change the world.