Traditional or cultural fiction and true stories, tales and retellings

Book SynopsisChina Miéville lives and works in London. He is three-time winner of the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award (Perdido Street Station, Iron Council and The City & The City) and has also won the British Fantasy Award twice (Perdido Street Station and The Scar). The City & The City, an existential thriller, was published to dazzling critical acclaim and drew comparison with the works of Kafka and Orwell (The Times) and Philip K. Dick (Guardian).Trade ReviewTackles his theme with a dark assurance . . . with its original blend of twisted urban fairytale and modern gothic horror, King Rat marks out China Miéville as an author to be watched. * The Times *Brings together elements of fantasy, fairytale and the detective story . . . I greatly enjoyed Miéville's weird and engaging myth-making. * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisAs Scheherazade proved long ago, good stories make the best bedtime entertainment. The tales collected here represent the essence of the storyteller's art, with its ancient roots in fantastical legends and tales told around a fire. From the surreal night visions of Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'Young Goodman Brown' to the unspeakable horror that haunts two little girls in A. S. Byatt's 'The Thing in the Forest', from Washington Irving's comical 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' to Ursula K. LeGuin's sly perspective on Sleeping Beauty in 'The Poacher', these spellbinding stories transform the stuff of fables and fairy tales into high art. Robert Louis Stevenson, H. G. Wells, Isak Dinesen, Vladimir Nabokov, Angela Carter, Haruki Murakami and many more mingle their voices in this one-volume gateway to dreams - the perfect bedside companion for fiction lovers everywhere

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Book SynopsisYoung Rhea is a miller’s daughter of low birth, so she is understandably surprised when a mysterious nobleman, Lord Crevan, shows up on her doorstep and proposes marriage. Since commoners don’t turn down lords—no matter how sinister they may seem—Rhea is forced to agree to the engagement. Lord Crevan demands that Rhea visit his remote manor before their wedding. Upon arrival, she discovers that not only was her betrothed married six times before, but his previous wives are all imprisoned in his enchanted castle. Determined not to share their same fate, Rhea asserts her desire for freedom. In answer, Lord Crevan gives Rhea a series of magical tasks to complete, with the threat “Come back before dawn, or else I’ll marry you.” With time running out and each task more dangerous and bizarre than the last, Rhea must use her resourcefulness, compassion, and bravery to rally the other wives and defeat the sorcerer before he binds her to him forever.Trade Review“Like any good fairy tale, Seventh Bride accesses a lizard-brain sense of justice, and of what makes a story symmetrical and satisfying.” —Tasha Robinson, NPR Books

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Book SynopsisUnikkaaqtuat is the Inuktitut word meaning "to tell stories." This definitive collection of Inuit legends is thoughtfully introduced and carefully annotated to provide the historical and cultural context in which to understand this rich oral tradition. Fascinating and educational, this little-known part of Canada's heritage will captivate readers of all ages. As a work of historical and cultural preservation, this textbook will be invaluable to those studying Inuit. Table of ContentsTable of Contents Editor’s Note ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Chapter One How the World Came to Be and Other Creation Stories...................................................................25 The Struggle for Day and Night................................................................................................................................... 27 Origin of Death................................................................................................................................................................... 29 How Children were Formerly Obtained.................................................................................................................. 30 Thunder and Lightning................................................................................................................................................... 31 The Brother and Sister who Became Thunder and Lightning....................................................................... 33 Origin of the Sun and the Moon.................................................................................................................................. 35 The Mother of the Sea Mammals................................................................................................................................ 37 The Orphan Girl who Became the Mother of the Sea Mammals................................................................... 42 The Woman who Married the Dog ............................................................................................................................ 44 Origin of the Walrus and of the Caribou ................................................................................................................. 48 Origin of the Caribou....................................................................................................................................................... 50 Origin of the Narwhal...................................................................................................................................................... 51 How the Narwhal Came.................................................................................................................................................. 58 Origin of the Agdlaq......................................................................................................................................................... 62 The Hunters that Transformed into a Constellation.......................................................................................... 64 The Akla that Turned into Fog..................................................................................................................................... 65 Origin of Fog........................................................................................................................................................................ 67 Origin of the Red Phalarope and of the Web-footed Loon............................................................................... 71 The Ptarmigan.................................................................................................................................................................... 73 The Ptarmigan and the Snow Bunting..................................................................................................................... 74 The Ptarmigan and the Small Bird ............................................................................................................................ 75 The Wind .............................................................................................................................................................................. 76 The Loon and the Raven................................................................................................................................................. 77 Chapter Two Mistreatment and Consequence ..............................................................................................................79 Qaudjaqdjuq........................................................................................................................................................................ 81 The Boy who Harpooned a Whale ............................................................................................................................. 86 The Artificial Skull that Frightened People to Death......................................................................................... 89 Papik....................................................................................................................................................................................... 91 Pautusôrssuaq, who Murdered his Uncle............................................................................................................... 95 The Wife-changers ........................................................................................................................................................... 98 The Man who did not Observe Taboos .................................................................................................................... 100 The Emigration to the Land Beyond the Sea......................................................................................................... 102 Podluksak............................................................................................................................................................................. 106 Murdering a Stranger...................................................................................................................................................... 107 Tale of an Agdlaq............................................................................................................................................................... 110 The Emigration of Women............................................................................................................................................ 112 The Woman who Escaped to the Moon................................................................................................................... 114 Atanaarjuat.......................................................................................................................................................................... 121 Lice.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 128 Storm Caused by a Loon................................................................................................................................................. 129 Chapter Three Journeys and Adventures ...........................................................................................................................131 Kiviuq..................................................................................................................................................................................... 133 Kiviuq..................................................................................................................................................................................... 140 Atungait................................................................................................................................................................................. 150 The Soul ................................................................................................................................................................................ 157 The Soul that Let itself Be Born Again in all the Animals of the Earth....................................................... 161 Chapter Four Hardships and Famine ................................................................................................................................165 Ijimagasukdjukdjuaq....................................................................................................................................................... 167 Igimagajug, the Cannibal ............................................................................................................................................... 170 Karnapik, the Cannibal................................................................................................................................................... 174 Separated from Camp...................................................................................................................................................... 177 Kating Saved his Family in Time of Famine........................................................................................................... 179 Taboos and Starvation .................................................................................................................................................... 182 An Unsuccessful Whale Hunt....................................................................................................................................... 183 The Old Woman and her Grandchild........................................................................................................................ 186 The Woman who Could not Be Satiated.................................................................................................................. 189 Chapter Five Animals in Human Form.............................................................................................................................193 The Woman who Heard Bears Speak ....................................................................................................................... 195 The Man who Took a Wife from Among the Wild Geese.................................................................................. 198 The Man who Took a Fox for a Wife.......................................................................................................................... 202 Ititaujang .............................................................................................................................................................................. 205 Dialogue between Two Ravens ................................................................................................................................... 210 The Man who Married the Fox .................................................................................................................................... 213 The Boy who Lived on Ravens..................................................................................................................................... 219 The Visitor............................................................................................................................................................................ 222 The Woman who Transformed herself into a Bear ............................................................................................ 226 The Woman who Became a Bear and Killed her Enemy.................................................................................. 229 The Fox .................................................................................................................................................................................. 233 The Woman who Became a Raven............................................................................................................................. 234 Story of Three Girls .......................................................................................................................................................... 236 The Fox and the Wolf....................................................................................................................................................... 240 The Bear Country.............................................................................................................................................................. 241 The Country of the Bears and Wolves...................................................................................................................... 243 The Muskox ......................................................................................................................................................................... 246 The Country of the Wolves............................................................................................................................................ 247 How Inuit Learned the Proper Taboos for when a Bear is Killed................................................................. 250 The Polar Bear and the Boy.......................................................................................................................................... 251 The Woman and her Bear Cub..................................................................................................................................... 255 Chapter Six Animal Fables.................................................................................................................................................259 The Owl and the Lemming............................................................................................................................................ 261 The Owl and the Lemming............................................................................................................................................ 263 The Bear and the Caribou.............................................................................................................................................. 264 The Owl and the Raven................................................................................................................................................... 265 The Foxes.............................................................................................................................................................................. 266 The Fox and the Rabbit................................................................................................................................................... 268 The Owl and the Two Rabbits...................................................................................................................................... 269 The Owl that was Too Greedy...................................................................................................................................... 270 The Owl and the Bear...................................................................................................................................................... 272 The Race of the Worm and the Louse....................................................................................................................... 273 The Raven that was Anxious to be Married........................................................................................................... 274 Glossary................................................................................................................................................................................. 277 References............................................................................................................................................................................ 285

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Book SynopsisTHE THIRD NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING CHOCOLAT SERIES''Expertly crafted, typically mouthwatering'' DAILY MAILWhen Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she allows the wind to blow her back to the village in south-west France where, eight years ago, she opened up a chocolate shop. But Lansquenet is different now: women veiled in black, the scent of spices and peppermint tea, and, on the bank of the river Tannes, facing the church: a minaret.Nor is it only the incomers from North Africa that have brought change. Father Reynaud, Vianne''s erstwhile adversary, is disgraced and under threat. Could it be that Vianne is the only one who can save him now?''A brave and grippingly confected story'' SUNDAY TIMES''Like Chocolat, this book is a feast for the senses. Every page is steeped in scents, colours and tastes'' LITERARY REVIEW''Prepare to be transported by Joanne Harris as she revisits the characters and setting of her first bestseller, Chocolat'' GOOD HOUSEKEEPINGTrade ReviewVianne - unconventional, good-hearted, slightly magical - blows in like a refreshing breeze, forcing people to question their prejudices. A delight * The Times *Expertly crafted, typically mouthwatering * Daily Mail *A delightful jumble of the sensuous sights, sounds and smells the author describes so well * Glamour *Her characteristic love affair with texture – scents, smells and sounds – immerses the reader in a bath of seductive imagery in a brave and grippingly confected story * The Sunday Times *Prepare to be transported by Joanne Harris as she revisits the characters and setting of her first bestseller, Chocolat...Deftly tackling the subject of religious intolerance, this bewitching novel stirs the senses * Good Housekeeping (Book of the Month) *

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Book SynopsisThe first in an epic trilogy charting the legend of Merlin.The legend begins...In the town of Segontium, a fugitive is washed ashore. He brutally rapes the granddaughter of the king of the Deceangli tribe, leaving her to bear his son, Myrddion Merlinus. Spurned as a demon seed, the boy is raised by his grandmother and he is apprenticed to a skilled healer who hones his remarkable gift. Meanwhile, the High King of the Celts, Vortigern, is rebuilding the ancient fortress at Dinas Emrys. According to a prophecy, he must use the blood of a demon seed to make the towers stand firm. Myrddion''s life is in jeopardy. But the boy has a prophecy of his own and a richer destiny to fulfil. Soon Vortigern shall be known as the harbinger of chaos, and Myrddion must use his gifts for good in a kingdom besieged by evil. So begins the healer''s journey to greatness...Trade ReviewPraise for M. K. Hume's Arthurian trilogy: 'Historical fiction of the most bloodthirsty and roistering kind * Australian Bookseller & Publishers Magazine *Exciting, violent and bloody... Up there with Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell * www.lovereading.co.uk *

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Book SynopsisA commemorative golden anniversary edition of Tolkien's classic book, including a new introduction, a map, a copy of Tolkien's unpublished short story which he expanded for publication, his notes for an aborted sequel, and the original first edition illustrations by Pauline Baynes.Farmer Giles of Ham did not look like a hero. He was fat and red-bearded and enjoyed a slow, comfortable life.Then one day a rather deaf and short-sighted giant blundered on to his land. More by luck than skill, Farmer Giles managed to scare him away. The people of the village cheered: Farmer Giles was a hero.His reputation spread far and wide across the kingdom. So it was natural that when the dragon Chrysophylax visited the area it was Farmer Giles who was expected to do battle with it!Trade Review‘A fabulous tale of the days when giants and dragons walked the kingdom’Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisThe Iliad has had a far-reaching impact on Western literature and culture, inspiring writers, artists and classical composers across the ages. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition features an introduction by classicist, writer and broadcaster Natalie Haynes, author of A Thousand Ships and host of her own BBC Radio 4 show, Natalie Haynes Stands up for the Classics.Paris, a Trojan prince, wins Helen as his prize for judging a beauty contest between three goddesses, and abducts her from her Greek husband Menelaos. The Greeks, enraged by his audacity, sail to Troy and begin a long siege of the city. The Iliad is set in the tenth year of the war. Achilles – the greatest Greek warrior – is angry with his commander, Agamemnon, for failing to show him respect. He refuses to fight any longer, which is catastrophic for the Greeks, and results in personal tragedy for Achilles, too. With themes of war, rage, grief and love, The Iliad remains powerful and enthralling more than 2,700 years after it was composed.This edition is translated into prose by Andrew Lang, Walter Leaf and Ernest Myers.Trade ReviewThe final book of The Iliad has to be regarded, for my money, as the first great work in Western literature -- Ranjit Bolt * Guardian *The granddaddy of all classics -- Luke Slattery * Sydney Morning Herald *All we read today would be unwritable without the ‘love,’ ‘death’ and ‘dark’ that come to us in the first book of The Iliad * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisAri, Merlin and her Rainbow knights must pull off a heist thousands of years in the past – to save humanity’s future. The battle against the tyrannical Mercer corporation may have been won, but the war has only just begun. Now Ari and her cursed wizard Merlin must travel back in time to the unenlightened Middle Ages and steal King Arthur’s Grail – the very definition of impossible. But the time travellers have to tread carefully. If they come face-to-face with the original Arthurian legend, it could produce a ripple effect that changes the course of history. It’s a risky game where the past can be even more dangerous than the future.Trade Review'Empowering and boisterously modern.' * Booklist *Praise for Once and Future: ‘When I read Once and Future, a bold unexpected re-telling of King Arthur as an immigrant teenage girl, I knew it had all the same thrilling elements that would make the legend…a modern favourite once again.’ James Patterson ‘The inclusive, gender-bent King Arthur retelling that your bookshelf has been missing... An adventure of epic scale.’ B & N Teen Blog ‘A marvelous mythology remix for teens who enjoy action-packed speculative fiction and genderqueer romance.’ Publishers Weekly (starred review) ‘All hail this worthier-than-ever, fresh and affirming reincarnation of the legendary king and her round table of knights, which dazzles with heroic flair, humour and suspense.’ Kirkus (starred review)

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Book SynopsisHades and Persephone's love-struck misadventures. The classic tale of Greek mythology, but 100% more awkwardly relatable. Hades is the officious, antisocial ruler of the Underworld; Persephone, daughter of Demeter, is an earth goddess of growth and renewal - they've been crushing on each other for the past two centuries. But when a festival (and a little liquid courage) present an opportunity to put an end to their olympian will-they-won't-they, a meddlesome pantheon and several titanic misassumptions threaten to give every god in the sky the wrong impression... and leave their romance dead before it can bloom.

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Book SynopsisHe was my enemy. My lover. My husband. And the one man I swore by all Olympus I would destroy.*A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Aphrodite and Hephaestus (and Pandora and Adonis).*Aphrodite has never flinched at getting her perfectly manicured hands dirty, and she's not about to start now-even if that means marrying Olympus's enemy number one, the new Hephaestus. She has a wicked plan to keep her deadly new husband off-balance, seducing the one person he seems to care about most in this world: Pandora, a woman as beautiful as she is sweet.Two can play the seduction game, however, and Hephaestus is all too happy to put his new wife in her place. Her ex, Adonis, seems like he'll do the trick. It doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous in the way of fallen angels, either.The only problem with using seduction as a weapon? Hearts are all too quick to get involved. With Hephaestus and Aphrodite trading venomous strikes that feel a whole lot like foreplay, lines become blurred and emotions entangled. But a broken heart may be the least of their worries. With unrest in Olympus reaching new heights, these bedroom games may have deadly consequences for themselves, their city, and everyone they've come to love."Deliciously inventive...Red-hot."-Publishers Weekly STARRED Review for Neon Gods"I get shivers just thinking of their interactions. SHIVERS."-Mimi Koehler for The Nerd Daily for Neon GodsThe World of Dark Olympus:Neon Gods (Hades & Persephone)Electric Idol (Eros & Psyche)Wicked Beauty (Achilles & Patroclus & Helen)Radiant Sin (Apollo & Cassandra)Cruel Seduction (Aphrodite & Hephaestus & Adonis & Pandora)

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Book Synopsis A special illustrated edition of Black Dog by bestselling storytelling legend, Neil Gaiman. This American Gods world novella will thrill Games of Thrones devotees and Terry Pratchett fans alike. Illustrations by celebrated artist Daniel Egnéus.''Original, engrossing, and endlessly entertaining'' George R.R Martin on American Gods''It followed me home,'' he said, conversationally. In a rural northern village, legend tells of a ghostly black dog that appears from the darkness before you die. Shadow Moon has been on the road a while now but he can''t walk any further tonight, not with the rain lashing down. Gratefully, he heads home with a nice English couple, who offer a box room, hot whisky and local tales. But when the man collapses en route, Shadow realises that something about this place has been left untold. Something ancient, something within the very walls of the vTrade Reviewtold with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. * Mid-West Times *

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Book SynopsisAnd then a mysterious figure called Bird Man guides Ava into a perilous part of the swamp called the Underworld, promising he can save both her sister and the park...Swamplandia! was longlisted for the 2011 Orange Prize and shortlisted for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize and 2013 IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.Trade ReviewMs Russell has produces a rich and humid world of spirits and dreams, buzzing mosquitoes and prehistoric reptiles, baby-green cocoplums and marsh rabbits, and musty old tomes about heroes and spells. With Ava she has created a goofy and self-conscious girl who is young enough to hope that all darkness has an answering lightness. Inevitably she must learn otherwise. Swamplandia! is ultimately about the aching beauties of youth - the way life begins with such dumb sweetness, while the lessons that give it meaning lurk around each bend like terrifying gators in a mossy fragrant swamp * The Economist *The tale of the two flyaway sisters proves lyrically powerful as it maps the enchanted but dangerous worlds that young minds can conjure to deal with grief -- Stephen Amidon * Sunday Times *It's a wonderfully extravagant, eccentric story by a brilliant young writer with an amazing imagination -- Kate Saunders * The Times *I was looking forward to Swamplandia! and I wasn't disappointed. I found this novel beautifully written and very witty, yet often extremely sad too * TheBookBag.com *The Miami-born writer renders the travails and delights of a...dreamlike world that leaves you intoxicated and slightly dishevelled * Monocle *

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Book SynopsisThe Forest House tells of an era of upheaval and change. The Roman grip on their empire was slackening; the Druidic Order - far stronger that the tiny Christian sect - was itself in turmoil. Caught in the centre of the conflict is a young British girl of druidic family, chosen to be a priestess, and a roman tribune, ambitious for power but - as the son of a British mother - torn between two cultures. This is a dramatic, illuminating tale of rebellion and religion.

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Book SynopsisThis magnificent collection of eleven early [1250–1450] Chinese plays will give readers a vivid sense of life and a clear understanding of dramatic literature during an extraordinarily eventful period in Chinese history. Not only are the eleven plays in this volume expertly translated into lively, idiomatic English; they are each provided with illuminating, scholarly introductions that are yet fully intelligible to the educated lay reader. A marvelous volume.--Victor Mair, University of PennsylvaniaTrade Review"An exciting new resource for undergraduate teaching. The translated plays were clearly chosen for their literary value as well as their significance to the history of Chinese drama, and each is preceded by an introduction providing its historical context In their lucid introduction, West and Idema describe the historical background of early drama, discussing its urban setting, the theater, the actors, and the sources to trace the transformation of Yuan drama from urban popular performance into an elite reading form by the end of the Ming dynasty". --Kimberly Besio, Colby College, in The Journal of Asian StudiesWest and Idema's Monks, Bandits, Lovers, and Immortals represents a milestone in the reception of early Chinese drama in the West. Not only do the translations of eleven plays take precision, readability, and range to new heights, but the substantial yet accessible Introduction, together with a number of useful appendices, illustrations, and tables, make it the anthology of choice for courses in Chinese literature, world literature, and theater.--Patricia Sieber, Ohio State UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction: Mending a Broken Lineage: Women, Writing, Theology; Fear & Women's Writing: Choosing the Better Part; 'A Wretched Choice?': Evangelical Women & the Word; 'My God Became Flesh': Angela of Foligno Writing the Incarnation; Speaking Funk: Womanist Insights into the Lives of Syncletica & Macrina; 'A Moor of One's Own': Writing & Silence in Sara Maitland's "A Book of Silence"; With Prayer & Pen: Reading Mother E J Dabney's "What It Means to Pray Through"; Writing a Life, Writing Theology: Edith Stein in the Company of the Saints; Writing Hunger on the Body: Simone Weil's Ethic of Hunger & Eucharistic Practice; The Body, to be Eaten, to be Written: A Theological Reflection on the Act of Writing in Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's "Dictee"; Not with One Voice: The Counterpoint of Life, Diaspora, Women, Theology, & Writing; Embodying Theology: Motherhood as Metaphor/Method; Postscript: Wounded Writing / Healing Writing.

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Book SynopsisThis, the eagerly awaited link between THE FOREST HOUSE and THE MISTS OF AVALON, spans the creation of Avalon itself, right up to the birth of King Arthur.This enchanting novel of the Holy Isle is told through the successive lives of its three most powerful priestesses: Caillean; Dierna; and finally Viviane, high priestess of Avalon and Lady of the Lake who safeguards the Grail.

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Book SynopsisThe Sea Priestess is the highly acclaimed novel in which Dion Fortune introduces her most powerful fictional character, Vivien Le Fay Morgan- a practicing initiate of the Hermetic Path. Vivien has the ability to transform herself into magical images, and here she becomes Morgan Le Fay, sea priestess of Atlantis and foster daughter to Merlin!Desperately in love with Vivien, Wilfred Maxwell works by her side at an isolated seaside retreat, investigating these occult mysteries. They soon find themselves inextricably drawn to an ancient cult through which they learn the esoteric significance of the magnetic ebb and flow of the moontides.

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Book SynopsisOnce upon a time fairy tales weren't meant just for children, and neither is Angela Carter's Book of Fairy Tales. This stunning collection contains lyrical tales, bloody tales and hilariously funny and ripely bawdy stories from countries all around the world- from the Arctic to Asia - and no dippy princesses or soppy fairies. Instead, we have pretty maids and old crones; crafty women and bad girls; enchantresses and midwives; rascal aunts and odd sisters. This fabulous celebration of strong minds, low cunning, black arts and dirty tricks could only have been collected by the unique and much-missed Angela Carter. Illustrated throughout with original woodcuts.Trade ReviewA chest of riches * TLS *Trumps Grimm, with a world-wide selection of savage and funny stories * Observer *A spicy collection of folk stories * Independent on Sunday *A marvellous new anthology * TES *

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Book SynopsisThe fairy tales collected by the brothers Grimm are among the best known and most widely-read stories in western literature. In recent years commentators such as Bruno Bettelheim have, usually from a psychological perspective, pondered the underlying meaning of the stories, why children are so enthralled by them, and what effect they have on the developing child. In this book, Ronald Murphy takes five of the best-known tales (Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty) and shows that the Grimms saw them as Christian fables. Murphy examines the arguments of previous interpreters of the tales, and demonstrates how they missed the Grimms'' intention. His own readings of the five so-called magical tales reveal them as the beautiful and inspiring documents of faith that the Grimms meant them to be. Offering an entirely new perspective on these often-analyzed tales, Murphy''s book will appeal to those concerned with the moral and religious educatioTrade ReviewMurphy had done the Brothers Grimm a great service ... But he has done more than that. He has brought home to us the essentially hospitable nature of the stories ... admirable. The TabletMurphy has added several dazzling layers of meaning to the tales. * First Things *

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Book Synopsis The debut novel from the triple Hugo Award-winning N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season***WINNER of the Locus Award for Best First Novel******WINNER of the RT Reviewer's Choice Award******Shortlisted for the Tiptree, the Crawford, the Nebula, the Hugo, the World Fantasy, the David Gemmell and the Goodreads Readers' Choice Awards***Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky - a palace above the clouds where gods' and mortals' lives are intertwined. There, to her shock, Yeine is named one of the potential heirs to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with a pair of cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history. But it's not just mortals who have secrets worth hiding and Yeine will learn how perilous the world can be when love and hate - and gods and mortals - are bound inseparably.The Inheritance Trilogy begins with The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, continues in The Broken Kingdoms and concludes in The Kingdom of Gods.Also by N. K. Jemisin:The Broken Earth trilogyThe Fifth SeasonThe Obelisk GateThe Stone SkyThe Dreamblood DuologyThe Killing MoonThe Shadowed SunTrade ReviewJemisin's first novel has a wistful, lyrical tone, and the intrigue - both romantic and political - is skillfully handled. Book one in the Inheritance Trilogy is sensitive, restrained high fantasy * Guardian *A story that manages to be both fantastically grand and very personal. Definitely recommended * Waterstones Books Quarterly *"A bold and strong new voice in fantasy fiction" Tricia Sullivan, Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author

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Book Synopsis The debut series from the double Hugo Award-winning N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season'Lush and evocative' Naomi Novik, author of UprootedIn the city of Shadow, beneath the World Tree, alleyways shimmer with magic and godlings live hidden among mortalkind. Oree Shoth, a blind artist, takes in a homeless man who glows like a living sun to her strange sight.However, this act of kindness is to engulf Oree in a nightmarish conspiracy. Someone, somehow, is murdering godlings, leaving their desecrated bodies all over the city. Oree's peculiar guest is at the heart of it, his presence putting her in mortal danger - but is it him the killers want, or Oree? And is the earthly power of the Arameri king their ultimate goal, or have they set their sights on the Lord of Night himself?The Inheritance Trilogy begins with The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, continues in The Broken Kingdoms and concludes in The Kingdom of Gods.Trade ReviewThe very best kind of sequel: as lush and evocative and true as the first, with all the same sense of mystery, giving us the world and characters we already love, and yet with a new story and a wonderfully new perspective on the whole dazzling world and pantheon the author has built * Naomi Novik *A fresh new series . . . with a unique edge and a different voice . . . flowing, almost poetic prose . . . Jemisin is on the path to becoming a big name in fantasy fiction * SciFiNow *This is a book that readers won't be able to put down . . . A magnificent novel and one of the best books this reviewer has read this year * ROMANTIC TIMES *Intense, epic, and involving * i09.com *

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Book SynopsisThe Celtic belief that by recording a story the spirit of the story and its teller would die, has meant that generations worth of stories of have been lost. Celtic Sea Stories brings together myths and legends from the past, which the author has collected throughout his lifetime, along with others written specifically for the collection, to provide an enchanting vision of Scottish life by the sea. From kings and fairies to mermaids and witches every tale explores a different aspect of a forgotten way of life. Before schools and television storytelling was the only way to entertain, impart wisdom and explain the inexplicable. Celtic Sea Stories allows readers to share in the storytelling experience again and again, while learning about Scottish history and culture.Trade Review.

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Book SynopsisEach line of this beautifully crafted Christmas story evokes the rugged countryside that the author loves, the heartlands of the Yorkshire Dales. A moving and charming story to warm our hearts at Christmas time.Trade Review'THE VISITOR is a moving, evocative story that touches on the many aspects of my own experience, those childhood memories of Christmas at my home in the West Riding of Yorkshire'. PATRICK STEWART, actor. 'Chris Simpson is a master storyteller from the heartlands of the Dales. This tale will take you there and will touch your heart.' JAMES HERRIOT, author. 'Chris Simpson is a born storyteller'. DR PETER CLARK

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Book SynopsisAn essential collection of chivalric romance, swordplay, wizardry and brutal feats of courage, Malory’s 15th century Morte d’Arthur is one of the world’s greatest pieces of myth-making, with most gothic and modern fantasy finding its roots in this splendid mix of history, magic and literature. This selected edition features all the best stories and many of Aubrey Beardsley’s classic illustrations. Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore, epic literature and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories, the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.

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Book SynopsisThe legend of King Arthur lives on in this epic and dramatic new trilogy from the magnificent storyteller M. K. Hume. Sure to appeal to fans of Game of Thrones.Trade ReviewHume brings the bloody, violent, conniving world vividly to life...will appeal to those who thrill to Game of Thrones and other tales of intersecting, ever-warring, noble lineages * Kirkus Review *Hume deftly navigates the Arthurian legends, populating them with likable and despicable characters, and casting them in a fully realized historical setting * Publishers Weekly *Historical fiction of the most bloodthirsty and roistering kind * Australian Bookseller & Publishers Magazine *Exciting, violent and bloody... Up there with Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell * www.lovereading.co.uk *It's a slice of history that's totally, utterly believable. Magnificent * www.booksmonthly.co.uk *

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Book SynopsisThe third book in an exciting Arthurian trilogy.For many years, the people of Briton have enjoyed peace and prosperity under the reign of King Artor and the Union of Kings. Having spurned the despotism of his predecessor, Uther Pendragon, Arthur has ruled with a strong sense of duty, goodness and honour. Artor is now weakening with age, however, and the seeds of discontent are being sown. Seeking to cleanse the land of Christian belief, dissenters need a symbol with which to legitimise their pagan claim and gather malcontents together into a cohesive weapon. These shadowy, subversive elements seize upon the ancient cup of Bishop Lucius of Glastonbury as a way of fragmenting Artor''s hard-fought-for kingdom. But first, they must lay their hands on the relic and, in doing so, unleash a force for evil from which murder and violent mayhem ensue. But it emerges that the ultimate threat to Artor''s rule lies far closer to home; Artor is betrayed by kin. Celt will sTrade ReviewPraise for M. K. Hume: 'Hume brings the bloody, violent, conniving world vividly to life...will appeal to those who thrill to Game of Thrones and other tales of intersecting, ever-warring, noble lineages * Kirkus Review *Historical fiction of the most bloodthirsty and roistering kind * Australian Bookseller & Publishers Magazine *

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Book SynopsisA widely celebrated translator's vivid, accessible, and elegantly concise rendering of an ancient English masterpieceBeowulftells the story of a Scandinavian hero who defeats three evil creaturesa huge, cannibalistic ogre named Grendel, Grendel's monstrous mother, and a dragonand then dies, mortally wounded during his last encounter. If the definition of a superhero is someone who uses his special powers to fight evil, thenBeowulfis our first English superhero story, and arguably our best. It is also a deeply pious poem, so bold in its reverence for a virtuous pagan past that it teeters on the edge of heresy. From beginning to end, we feel we are in the hands of a master storyteller. Stephen Mitchell's marvelously clear and vivid rendering re-creates the robust masculine music of the original. It both hews closely to the meaning of the Old English and captures its wild energy and vitality, not just as a deep work of literature but also as a rousing entertainment that can still stir our feelings and rivet our attention today, after more than a thousand years. This new translationspare, sinuous, vigorous in its narration, and translucent in its poetrymakes a masterpiece accessible to everyone. Trade Review“Mitchell aims to find for Beowulf a ‘contemporary language that seems natural and alive’, and he does this well… His rendering of Beowulf has much to offer —narrative momentum, clarity, a sense of the poem’s heroic verve, and a contemporary slant.”—Susan Irvine, Times Literary Supplement“A most readable, energetic, and colorful translation of this savage epic. . . . An amazing achievement.”—Billy Collins“Stephen Mitchell’s new translation of Beowulf is elegantly wrought, highly accurate, and fully annotated. It is a compact and remarkably readable version.”—Eric Weiskott, Boston College“Stephen Mitchell comes as close to fulfilling the translator’s task as anyone at work today. He admirably balances two imperatives: to maintain fidelity to the text while rendering it available to the English we speak today. Mitchell’s reader-friendly version of Beowulf honors the narrative and will extend the readership for this foundational work of English literature.”—David Lehman“Mitchell’s version is eloquent and conveys a true sense of the original. In addition, his notes are a great enhancement.”—Harold Bloom

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Book Synopsis''Her Imagination was one of the most dazzling this century'' MARINA WALKER, INDEPENDENT ''The way to Carter''s visionary and lurid world'' THE TIMES''The darting, lyrical pen of Angela Carter, mistress of the erotic picaresque'' KIRKUS REVIEWS''I know nothing. I am a tabula rasa, a blank sheet of paper, an unhatched egg. I have not yet become a woman, although I possess a woman''s shape. Not a woman, no: both more and less than a real woman. Now I am a being as mythic and monstrous as Mother herself . . . ''New York has become the City of Dreadful Night where dissolute Leilah performs a dance of chaos for Evelyn. But this young Englishman''s fate lies in the arid desert, where a many-breasted fertility goddess will wield her scalpel to transform him into the new Eve. The Passion of New Eve is an extraordinary journey into the apocalyptic vision of the author Lorna Sage called ''The boldestTrade ReviewHer Imagination was one of the most dazzling this century -- Marina Walker * Independent *If you can imagine Baudelaire, Blake and Kafka getting together to describe America, you are well on the way to Carter's visionary and lurid world * The Times *Her writing is pyrotechnic * Observer *If we must have futuristic fantasies of feminism's nth degrees, let them come from the darting, lyrical pen of Angela Carter, mistress of the erotic picaresque * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisThe Vinland Viking Saga: Book 3Anja has just settled into a new life on the silver shores of Vinland with her beloved, Bjorn.But then a local warrior bursts onto the scene seeking revenge, swearing to spill Viking blood.And so Bjorn must risk everything to save the woman he loves before she steps into the darkness and sets their world ablaze.The Oath of Bjorn is an epic historical novel of gripping adventure and love everlasting perfect for fans of Vikings and Outlander.Praise for The Voyage of Freydis:Anyone who loves Vikings and historical fiction definitely should pick up this book' Emily, NetGalley reviewerVery lyrically written, I felt as if I was reading a song' Tiffany, NetGalley reviewerAs a lover of mythology and historical fiction I knew immediately I was going to like this book and I'm pleased to say I not only liked it but I LOVED it!' Libby, NetGalley reviewerTamara Goranson's writing really shines here. I felt the cold, heard the wind, flinched with the blows that takesTrade Review‘Anyone who loves Vikings and historical fiction definitely should pick up this book’ Emily, NetGalley reviewer ‘Very lyrically written, I felt as if I was reading a song’ Tiffany, NetGalley reviewer ‘As a lover of mythology and historical fiction I knew immediately I was going to like this book – and I’m pleased to say I not only liked it but I LOVED it!’ Libby, NetGalley reviewer ‘Tamara Goranson’s writing really shines here. I felt the cold, heard the wind, flinched with the blows – that takes a lot of skill’ Dawn, NetGalley reviewer ‘Took me on a rollercoaster of emotions’ Charlotte, NetGalley reviewer

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Book SynopsisAnne of Green Gablesmeets Diana Wynne Jones in this whimsical fantasy adventure perfect for teen readers.Each step was like an old familiar songStill recovering from the inferno that consumed Kelseth lighthouse, apothecary Lily Knight, powerful witch Alice Blackwell, and their newfound family find refuge in a mysterious mist-wreathed castle to regroup and draw up a plan of action.Because the shadows are closing in and Hecate Winter, High Priestess of the notorious coven that almost cost Alice her life, is only getting strongerBut there are murmurings of an even more sinister threat brewing on the horizon and it has something to do with the castle.When Alice's nightmares begin to bleed into her daily reality, everything changes.Can Lily pull her back from the edge or will she finally succumb to the darkness?Here's what readers are saying:Absolutely loved it There were stories within stories like a tangled plait of hair. A plait that unravelled as certain characters' stories went off Trade Review‘Hot freaking damn guys. Sisters of Shadow was so good! Beyond addicting. I honestly couldn't put the book down until I reached the very last page’ Alaina, NetGalley ‘Full of raw, dripping magic… characters that are complex, something that I would expect to come from V E Schwab… I cannot get it out of my head. I need more, MORE, from Livesey’ Dalton, NetGalley ‘This was a gripping read, full of love, friendship, working together to overcome fears and the battle of good vs evil… should definitely be added to your TBR’ Ronni, NetGalley ‘I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world the author created was brilliant and so immersive’ Amy, NetGalley ‘I suspect this book will have a certain Tik-Tok generation appeal… A gentle, whimsical fantasy story of best friends, first love and witches!’ Rebecca, NetGalley ‘The young adults in this book are so fierce and full of action’ Kelly, NetGalley ‘This book didn't disappoint’ Natàlia, NetGalley

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Book SynopsisEnter a world in which magic exists, hope wins and every woman’s heart is alive with courage! This global feast of ancient tales features valiant women overcoming every kind of obstacle and danger to fulfil their destinies. Travel through Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and the Pacific. Shudder, cheer and laugh out loud as the heroines deal with trolls, faeries, dragons and ghosts; admire their knowledge, wit and cunning; marvel at shapeshifting and other manifestations of the supernatural. A rich collection of fairy tales, beautifully illustrated throughout with Joe McClaren woodcuts, this book is stitched together like a series of Scheherazade stories. It is story-telling at its best, pitch perfect fairy tales of fearless women for readers everywhere.Trade Review‘An appealing and accessible introduction to the folklore of many different places around the world... The narrative voice is vivid and flexible, drawing in the reader from the beginning... A pleasure to read.’ Folklore Sophia Kingshill 2022

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Book SynopsisRural Cyprus, 1925. Despo is recently married, heavily pregnant and deeply afraid. The twelve days of Christmas are beginning - the time when, according to local folklore, creatures known as kalikantzari come up from Hell to wreak havoc. Meanwhile, her husband Loukas has troubles of his own. Struggling with dreams and desires he doesn't understand, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to an Englishman, a newcomer to the island. In a village wreathed in superstition, Despo and Loukas must protect themselves and their unborn child from ominous forces at play.Trade Review'With beautifully paced, rich prose, Loizou conjures the heady sights, sounds and smells of Cyprus, while exposing the horror that resides in her superstitions and traditions' —Lucie McKnight Hardy, author of 'Water Shall Refuse Them'; 'A story of illicit passion wrapped in a Cypriot folk tale, 'A Good Year' is spellbinding from start to finish, and confirms Polis Loizou as one of our boldest young writers. Evocative and resonant beyond its final page' —Dan Coxon, author of #Only The Broken Remain' and editor of 'This Dreaming Isle'; 'Intense and harrowing, 'A Good Year' is a beautifully crafted meditation on the light and shade of the human psyche in which Loizou explores one of the darkest of human fears-that of being ourselves' —Justin David, author of 'The Pharmacist'; 'A captivating story' —Mechanics Institute Review; 'A sensory supernatural delight. As heady and intoxicating as a shot of zivania, this festive tale both warms the heart and chills the soul' —Josh Winning, author of 'The Shadow Glass'; 'The best kind of horror— atmospheric, intense and deeply unsettling' —Francesca May, author of 'Wild and Wicked Things'

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Book Synopsis________________Set in a 5th century Britain besieged by invading bands of Saxons and Franks, Irish and Picts, Giles Kristian's epic novel tells - in Lancelot's own words - the story of the most revered yet reviled of all Arthur's knights, the warrior who fought at his lord's side - yet stole his wife.Trade ReviewIt is a masterpiece in the true sense of the word. -- CONN IGGULDEN, author of The Falcon of SpartaSome of us grew up with T H White’s Once and Future King as our touchstone for authenticity in the Arthurian myths; others found that Rosemary Sutcliff, Bernard Cornwell or Mary Stewart filled that role. Giles Kristian pulls together the best of the best and infuses it with his own utterly transformative understanding of myth, magic – and the many faces of love . . . There are so many modern retellings of the Arthurian myth, but this one stands head and shoulders above the rest, in the company of true greatness. -- MANDA SCOTT, author of BoudicaWithout doubt this is Giles Kristian’s finest novel to date. Glorious. Tragic. Lyrical. Totally gripping. I loved it. -- BEN KANE, author of Clash of EmpiresThis most fascinating character from Arthurian legend has been plucked from the 14th-century romances and positioned firmly back in the early medieval environment he belongs in. Giles is an extraordinary writer, able to capture sounds, smells, sensations in a sentence. No other writer thinks and feels his way back to the medieval past the way he does . . . Lancelot is an exceptional book and does what only great historical fiction can do: transport you back through time to feast, fight and feel alongside fascinating characters from the past. No one does this better than Giles Kristian. -- DR JANINA RAMIREZA gorgeous, rich retelling of the Arthurian tale. -- Antonia Senior * THE TIMES *I loved the post Roman chaos of Giles’ vision, just as I imagine it would have been but with the life of that vision breathed into it to render it in stark and bloody tones. But what I enjoyed most was the sheer glorious brutality of the age, delivered by a writer with the heart of a warrior and the soul of a poet. It’s really, really good. -- ANTHONY RICHES, author of The Centurions seriesHis Lancelot is no airy tale of magic and romance, but a muscular telling of warriors and survival, beautifully rendered in a prose that is both visceral and lyrical. This is historical fiction at its very best. -- ELIZABETH FREMANTLE, author of The Girl in the Glass TowerIntense and powerful . . . written with deep expression and enormous feeling. It is a marvellous historical adventure. * Sunday Express *Kristian is a writer with rare power to grab you at the opening of the story and to keep the pace going. Lancelot is a powerful reworking of the King Arthur myths. The pages turn by themselves. -- JUSTIN HILL, author of Viking FireMy impression as I was reading Lancelot was of a flare being held up in the gloom of this peculiarly dark passage of history. Every detail illuminated, every motive believable, every heart laid bare. A bright intensity but passing away, guttering, about to go out. And, by the time his tale comes to its conclusion, that seems to be his point. A gentle lament at the onrushing of a dark and inexorable tide which comes to extinguish a bright and golden age of Britain forever. Lancelot is a gem of a book. If there were six stars, it could have them all. Or, to use the words of Spinal Tap, “This one goes to eleven.” Loved it. -- THEODORE BRUN, author of The Wanderer ChroniclesTruly magical . . . reads with the authority and gravitas of Manda Scott's Boudica books, such that I found it utterly believable throughout . . . it was a stroke of genius to retell this legend through Lancelot's POV, the betrayer rather than the betrayed. -- ANNA STEPHENS, author of GodblindGiles Kristian’s brilliant take on the Arthurian love-triangle is impressively fresh and original . . . the language is arrestingly beautiful, poetic and poignant; the fights are satisfyingly bloody; the background is a believably muddy, pagan and benighted post-Roman Britain, against which Giles unfolds a tender and tragic love story. We know it will end badly, but reading this enchanting and elegiac novel, you can’t help rooting for Lancelot and his love and hoping it will all work out somehow by the final page. -- ANGUS DONALD, author of OutlawAuthentic, epic, and wonderfully Arthurian. -- CHRISTIAN CAMERON, author of The Ill-Made KnightKristian is one of the finest storytellers in the genre . . . this is a novel that you feel as much as you read. What we end up with is utterly staggering . . . Giles has surpassed the Cornwell trilogy in a single title. -- ROBIN CARTER * Parmenion Books *Fiercely beautiful and gripping. -- ANNA SMITH-SPARK, author of The Court of Broken KnivesIt’s difficult to think of any author more gifted to retell Lancelot’s story than Giles Kristian . . . [he] writes so beautifully. He brings these post-Roman years so vividly to life. I love the way in which the recent Roman past haunts this landscape. There is myth here, there is the Druid Merlin, and we’re reminded of many of the famous Arthurian legends, such as Excalibur, but Giles Kristian evokes a time rooted in history and in the land around us even now . . . his writing comes closest to the feeling, mood and beauty of the Old and Middle English verse that I love so much . . . there is power here, deep expression and enormous feeling. I cried and cried as the story ended in the only way it could. -- KATE ATHERTON * For Winter Nights *

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Book SynopsisThe Number One Sunday Times BestsellerAn immersive historical fantasy, She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan is a queer retelling of one legendary Chinese ruler's rise to power.'Magnificent in every way. War, desire, vengeance, politics – Shelley Parker-Chan has perfectly measured each ingredient' – Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange TreeIn a famine-stricken village on a dusty plain, a seer shows two children their fates. For a family’s eighth-born son, there’s greatness. For the second daughter, nothing.In 1345, China lies restless under harsh Mongol rule. And when a bandit raid wipes out their home, the two children must somehow survive. Zhu Chongba despairs and gives in. But the girl resolves to overcome her destiny. So she takes her dead brother’s identity and begins her journey. Can Zhu escape what’s written in the stars, as rebellion sweeps the land? Or can she claim her brother’s greatness – and rise, ruthlessly, to take the dragon throne?This is a glorious tale of love, loss, betrayal and triumph by a powerful new voice.She Who Became the Sun is a reimagining of the rise to power of Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu was the peasant rebel who expelled the Mongols, unified China under native rule, and became the founding Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.‘Epic, tragic and gorgeous’ – Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of JanuaryTrade ReviewMagnificent in every way. War, desire, vengeance, politics – Shelley Parker-Chan has perfectly measured each ingredient of this queer historical epic. Glinting with bright rays of wit and tenderness, yet unafraid to delve into the deep shadows of human ambition, She Who Became the Sun, like Zhu, is unquestionably destined for greatness -- Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange TreeShe Who Became the Sun is epic, tragic, and gorgeous. It will wreck you, and you will be grateful -- Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of JanuaryA thoroughly engrossing read with a fabulous, tragic-trickster protagonist. The exploration of gender and personhood was totally absorbing . . . I've been waiting for a book like this -- Megan Campisi, author of Sin EaterEpic, sublime and emotionally devastating, She Who Became the Sun is as brilliant as Circe, and a deft and dazzling triumph -- Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine ThroneParker-Chan unrolls the painted scroll of her epic tale with the control of a master storyteller, revealing a dazzling new world of fate, war, love and betrayal -- Zen Cho, author of Black Water SisterA gripping tale of rise to power, fate, betrayals and the bloody beginnings and endings of dynasties. Heartbreaking, stirring, haunting -- Aliette de Bodard, author of The House of Shattered WingsEvocative and heart-rending, Parker-Chan’s debut is a poetic masterpiece about war, love and identity -- S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of BrassStunning, powerful and complex -- Anna Stephens, author of GodblindShe Who Became the Sun is an intense and sweeping epic that blurs the lines between rebellion and revenge, between fate and ambition, exposing the inherent violence of gendered ideologies and the traumas they create in ourselves and the world -- Tessa Gratton, author of The Queens of Innis LearZhu is a hero unlike any other – her propulsive desire to survive at any cost powers a glorious novel that encompasses grand betrayal, love, loss and triumph. An unforgettable debut -- A. K. Larkwood, author of The Unspoken NameShe Who Became the Sun is just amazingly, blindingly good -- Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat and A Narrow DoorA cinematic tour de force that feels classic and yet utterly fresh -- C. S. Pacat, author of Captive PrinceInstantly enthralling. Zhu is canny, charming, and ruthless as she claims her own fate in a richly detailed world, challenging dynasties and gender in the process -- Malinda Lo, author of LegendThis audacious, brilliant debut is a vivid, original reimagining . . . Peopled by flawed, fearless characters and with a dramatically violent storyline, this is immersive storytelling at its finest -- Daily MailShe Who Became the Sun is an emotional rollercoaster. Highly recommended and I can’t wait for the sequel! -- Sara Rees Brennan, author of the Lynburn Legacy series

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Book SynopsisBabylonian myths, inherited in Mesopotamia from Sumeria, influenced by the ancient Assyrians represent a pinnacle of human achievement in the period around 1800 BC. Here we find humankind battling with the elements in their Flood myth, a grim creation story and the great Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest recorded literary treasures. Babylon, a powerful city state at the time of the ancient Egyptians was a centre of profound spiritual, economic and military power, themes all represented in the fragments and myths of this book of classic tales. FLAME TREE 451: From mystery to crime, supernatural to horror and myth, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.

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Book SynopsisTwo great epics of Western Culture are combined here into one volume. The Iliad tells the story of the Trojan War of the Ancient Greeks, focusing on the struggles of Achilles. The Odyssey covers the events after the war as Odysseus travels home, encountering many strange monsters and creatures along the way. The Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories, the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.

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Book SynopsisThe ancient Mabinogi is a great world literature, and fascinating Celtic mythology. Centuries of oral storytelling worked up its intricate art, delighting every generation of all ages. The Guest translation from Middle Welsh is the most well-loved, in this new edition with expert introduction by Shân Morgain. Featuring war, love, politics, enchantment, and destiny, with companion tales telling the earliest King Arthur. Brave heroes, dangerous villains, and strong, unforgettable women struggle with classic challenges we know today. FLAME TREE 451: From myth to mystery, the supernatural to horror, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.

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