Love and magic don't mix, and neither do wizardry and the church. But that doesn't stop Daimbert, the royal wizard of Yurt. When Daimbert discovers that the woman he's loved for years is marrying someone else, he decides to leave Yurt for Caelrhon. But no one wants him there and he senses hidden sinister plots at work.

A fascinating guide to decoding the secret language of the churches of England through the medieval carved markings and personal etchings found on our church walls from archaeologist Matthew Champion. 'Rare, lovely glimmers of everyday life in the Middle Ages.' -- The Sunday Times 'A fascinating and enjoyable read' -- ***** Reader review 'Superb' -- ***** Reader review 'Riveting' -- ***** Reader review 'Compelling, moving and fascinating' -- ***** Reader review ***************************************************************************************************** Our churches are full of hidden messages from years gone by and for centuries these carved writings and artworks have lain largely unnoticed. Having launched a nationwide survey to gather the best examples, archaeologist Matthew Champion shines a spotlight on a forgotten world of ships, prayers for good fortune, satirical cartoons, charms, curses, windmills, word puzzles, architectural plans and heraldic designs. Here are strange medieval beasts, knights battling unseen dragons, ships sailing across lime-washed oceans and demons who stalk the walls. Latin prayers for the dead jostle with medieval curses, builders' accounts and slanderous comments concerning a long-dead archdeacon. Strange and complex geometric designs, created to ward off the 'evil eye' and thwart the works of the devil, share church pillars with the heraldic shields of England's medieval nobility. Giving a voice to the secret graffiti artists of Medieval times, this engaging, enthralling and - at times - eye-opening book, with a glossary of key terms and a county-by-county directory of key churches, will put this often overlooked period in a whole new light.

"Raymond Meeks is renowned for his use of photography and the book form to poetically distill the liminal junctures of vision, consciousness and comprehension. In 'ciprian honey cathedral', he brings this scrutiny close to home, delicately probing at the legibility of our material surroundings and the people closest to us. Meeks has long been fascinated by the way we construct the world around us; how we carry our possessions, these accumulated comforts, inheritances, markers of material success; how we adorn homes with trees and shrubs, a mantle clock to count the hours. Stumbling across an abandoned house or unkempt lawn becomes a search for common clues to tiny hidden transgressions. This question of knowledge and understanding is perhaps most drastic in our solipsistic reality. Meeks also photographed his partner, Adrianna Ault, in the early mornings before she awoke, on the threshold at which daily domestic life converges with the deepest state of sleep. This plight of supine trance is a place of reprieve beneath the surface of consciousness, free from the chaos and uncertainty of the sentient world above, and alludes to the veiled threat that, ultimately, we are utterly unknowable to one another."--Publisher's web page for the book.

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut. In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet's word is law, Immanuelle Moore's very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement. But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood. Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

In a post-apocalyptic world where tyranny and medieval torture reign supreme and witch burnings are an everyday occurrence, a top Witchfinder must confront the very Church he serves when he learns of its dark past and twisted plans for the future. With the arrival of the year 1000 AE, the Crimson Fathers, aided by the Crimson Mother, have conquered the Tex’ahn lands. In Deiparia, the Crimson Fathers continue to rule unchallenged. The evil of the Crimson Fathers and the Crimson Mother leads Thorne, Hawkes, Warner, Tua, and two new resistance fighters—Jarkko Constantin Liikanen and Madia de Paiva—on a dangerous and life-altering journey to rescue Teska Vaun. A holy relic, the Iron Hand of Michael the Victorious, may offer hope and help, but as the final battle ensues our heroes must contend with their own terrors, the magical might of the Crimson Fathers, the Twelve Hells, and the deaths of those closest to them. Fans of Winterlight by Kristen Britain and The Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley will find a new favorite series in the Deiparian Saga. Filled with high-stakes magic, an eclectic group of adventurers, and plenty of witches, this action-packed quest for justice is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy and post-apocalyptic fiction.

A sweeping story about obsession, mysticism, art, earthly desire, and the construction of a Cathedral in medieval Germany. At the center of this story is the Cathedral. Its design and construction in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries in the Rhineland town of Hagenburg unites a vast array of unforgettable characters whose fortunes are inseparable from the shifting political factions and economic interests vying for supremacy. From the bishop to his treasurer to local merchants and lowly stonecutters, everyone, even the town’s Jewish denizens, is implicated and affected by the slow rise of Hagenburg’s Cathedral, which in no way enforces morality or charity. Around this narrative center, Ben Hopkins has constructed his own monumental edifice, a novel that is rich with the vicissitudes of mercantilism, politics, religion, and human enterprise. Fans of Umberto Eco, Hilary Mantel, and Ken Follett will delight at the atmosphere, the beautiful prose, and the vivid characters of Ben Hopkins’s Cathedral. “Cathedral is a brilliantly organized mess of great, great characters. It is fascinating, fun, and gripping to the very end.” —Roddy Doyle, Booker Prize–winning author of Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha “A varied cast of hugely engaging characters jostle for status, rising and falling according to the whims of pirates and Popes. An immersive, old-fashioned read that rattles along at a cracking pace.” —Richard Beard, author of Lazarus is Dead and The Day That Went Missing “Six hundred pages sounds long, but this deeply human take on a medieval city and its commerce and aspirations, its violent battles and small intimacies, never feels that way. This sweeping work is as impressive as the cathedral at its center.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review, PW Pick

Exeter, 1195. When a prominent burgess and guildmaster falls dead across his horse, Crowner John declines to hold an inquest as the man had been complaining of chest pains and shows no signs of injury. Events take a sinister turn, however, when a straw-doll is discovered hidden under the man's saddle, a spike driven through its heart. The victim's wife declares her husband's death to have been the result of an evil spell, cast at the behest of a rival mill-owner. Enlisting the help of her cousin, the widow begins a campaign in the name of the Church against witchcraft and the so-called 'cunning women' who practice it. This escalates until Exeter is divided into two camps and a climate of fear predominates. Still the coroner refuses to get involved--until his beloved mistress is accused of witchcraft. Can Crowner John unearth the real culprit and save Nesta from the hangman's noose?

The extremists of the anti-witch faction have finally made their move, unleashing Remnants of Disaster upon the village. But why did their vanguard consist of a lone, powerless boy? And where is the follow-up attack that surely must be coming? Saybil must put aside the startling revelations about his past-and even his newfound love for Professor Los-to help his friends stand up to this new threat, where victory will mean graduation, but failure could mean the end of peace between the witches and the Church for good. Both sides will bring all their power and cunning to bear, but will this war end in tragedy or farce? The stage is set, and Saybil, Hort, and Kudo must prepare for the biggest performance of their lives!