Search results for ""orion""

Legends of the Raven: One THE ELVES ARE DYING.The rivalry between the four colleges of magic has brought misery and war to Balaia, and throughout it the Elves have remained apart. They have watched, aloof and untouched, from their homeland of Calaius as human dynasties came and went. Until now. Suddenly, the Elves are dying in their thousands, seemingly struck down at random. Ilkar, an Elven mage, is uniquely placed to find the cause of this plague and put an end to it. For Ilkar is one of The Raven: a tiny mercenary band of warriors and mages, bound together by a vow stronger than blood. Over many years their prowess has become legendary. But like elves, even heroes are mortal ...

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Why the British forces fought so badly in World War II and who was to blameGordon Corrigan's Mud, Blood and Poppycock overturned the myths that surround the First World War. Now he challenges our assumptions about the Second World War in this brilliant, caustic narrative that exposes just how close Britain came to losing. He reveals how Winston Churchill bears a heavy responsibility for the state of our forces in 1939, and how his interference in military operations caused a string of disasters. The reputations of some of our most famous generals are also overturned: above all, Montgomery, whose post-war stature owes more to his skill with a pen than talent for command. But this is not just a story of personalities. Gordon Corrigan investigates how the British, who had the biggest and best army in the world in 1918, managed to forget everything they had learned in just twenty years. The British invented the tank, but in 1940 it was the Germans who showed the world how to use them. After we avoided defeat, but the slimmest of margins, it was a very long haul to defeat Hitler's army, and one in which the Russians would ultimately bear the heaviest burden.

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A beautifully illustrated companion to the Royal family throughout historySpanning ten dynasties of England's monarchs, The Kings and Queens of England presents portraits and potted biographies of England's monarchs. Spanning from the Normans through to the House of Windsor, this exquisite little book captures the personalities behind the crowns and records the landmarks, traditions and events of each reign.

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ENTER CASTLE DRACULA... IF YOU DAREImmerse yourself in the Gothic World of Dracula in this stunning jigsaw puzzle by Adam Simpson. Packed with characters from the story, the illustration includes all the key scenes from the novel in incredible detail – every piece has something to capture the imagination. This richly rewarding puzzle is accompanied by an illustrated poster and explanatory text by leading Dracula expert Roger Luckhurst detailing who''s who in the Count''s grisly world.A 1000-PIECE JIGSAW FOR LITERATURE LOVERS. Piece together the grisly world of Dracula with a comprehensive poster guide.WORLD EXPERT ON DRACULA. Text by world Dracula expert Roger Luckhurst, the editor of The Cambridge Companion to Dracula and the Oxford World''s Classics edition of Dracula.HOURS OF SPOOKY FUN. Stalk graveyards, climb castle stairs and fraternize with the undead – all from the comfort of home!THE PERFECT GIFT

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54 CARD DECK - A set of playing cards featuring illustrations of Austen's most famous characters. Features standard playing card suits, numbers and court cards: can be used in exactly the same way as normal playing cards FUN, COLOURFUL ILLUSTRATIONS: Illustrator Barry Falls perfectly captures some of Austen's most loved characters. Suits are themed on character traits, with hearts for the Heroines and Heroes and spades for the Fools and Bores BOOKLET INCLUDED: The accompanying booklet includes the rules to Regency card games and their mentions in Austen's novels EASY HANDLING: The cards will not crack or bend when shuffled or flexed due to their weight. Held within a box these cards are perfect for taking anywhere on the go GIFTS: The playing cards make the perfect gift for any bookworm, or fan of Jane AustenPlay cards with Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet as King and Queen of Hearts, Henry Crawford as Ace Rogue, and many more of Jane Austen's most memorable characters. Add some 19th-century drama to your favourite card games or learn to play the ones featured in Austen's stories with the help of the accompanying booklet.

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Following the success of the bestselling colouring books Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest by Johanna Basford, this set of 20 detachable postcards contain stunningly intricate and inspirational drawings of woodland flowers and animals for you to colour in and either keep for yourself or send to friends.The 20 postcards are presented in a beautifully decorative package and the intricately realised world of the secret garden will appeal to all ages.'Colouring in isn’t just for kids. These intricate, magical drawings from Secret Garden by Johanna Basford are just waiting to be brought to life.’ The Guardian'Joanna Basford's Secret Garden is an 'inky treasure hunt and colouring book' filled with intricate drawings waiting to be brought to life. It's the colouring-in book you wish you had the hand-eye coordination to do, aged two.' The Independent'Prepare yourself to get lost in a magical world with this interactive activity book that takes you through a secret garden of incredible drawings by Johanna Basford.' Buzzfeed'Coloring books for adults have been around for decades, but Basford's success…has helped to create a massive new industry category.' The New YorkerAlso available by Johanna Basford from Laurence King Publishing:Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Colouring Book (9781780671062)Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest and Colouring Book (9781780674872)Secret Garden: Journal (9781856699853)Enchanted Forest: Artist's Edition (9781780677842)Enchanted Forest: Journal (9781780679181)Enchanted Forest: 12 Notecards (9781780677835) Secret Garden: 20 Postcards(9781856699464)

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Following the success of the bestselling colouring book Secret Garden by Johanna Basford, this set of 20 detachable postcards contain stunningly intricate and inspirational drawings of flowers, plants, insects, birds and small animals for you to colour in and either keep for yourself or send to friends.The 20 postcards are presented in a beautifully decorative package and the intricately realised world of the secret garden will appeal to all ages.'Colouring in isn’t just for kids. These intricate, magical drawings from Secret Garden by Johanna Basford are just waiting to be brought to life.’ The Guardian'Joanna Basford's Secret Garden is an 'inky treasure hunt and colouring book' filled with intricate drawings waiting to be brought to life. It's the colouring-in book you wish you had the hand-eye coordination to do, aged two.' The Independent'Prepare yourself to get lost in a magical world with this interactive activity book that takes you through a secret garden of incredible drawings by Johanna Basford.' Buzzfeed'Coloring books for adults have been around for decades, but Basford's success…has helped to create a massive new industry category.' The New YorkerAlso available by Johanna Basford from Laurence King Publishing:Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Colouring Book (9781780671062)Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest and Colouring Book (9781780674872)Secret Garden: Journal (9781856699853)Enchanted Forest: Artist's Edition (9781780677842)Enchanted Forest: Journal (9781780679181)Enchanted Forest: 12 Notecards (9781780677835)

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A dazzling short history of the Balkans from the Romans to the present, which provides vital historical and cultural background to contemporary Balkan politics.At the end of the twentieth century people spoke as if the Balkans had plagued Europe for ever. But two hundred years earlier, the Balkans did not exist. It was not the Balkans but the 'Rumeli' that the Ottomans ruled, the formerly Roman lands they had conquered from Byzantium, together with their Christian inhabitants. In this original account of the region Mark Mazower dispels current Western clichés and replaces stereotypes with a vivid account of how mountains, empires and religions have shaped its inhabitants' lives. As a bridge between Europe and Asia it has been exposed to a constant incursion of nomadic peoples across the centuries.Mazower's narrative ranges broadly both in time and in space, treating the former Turkish domains in Europe as part of a common if complex historical inheritance.

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A short and vivid biography, which deconstructs the Napoleonic myth and reveals the reality of his rule.'Written with his customary verve and certainty' Andrew Roberts, SUNDAY TELEGRAPHWritten with great wit and panache, this biography also has a serious purpose: to make us face up to the moral bankruptcy of Napoleon's dictatorship. Johnson tells the whole story: his astonishing gift for battle tactics and his complete control of propaganda. His audacious, hyperactive and aggressive leadership alongside his failure as an international statesman, as Europe grew to hate him. His marshals and ministers; his wives, mistresses. The mistakes he made; the escape from Elba, and the world-changing events leading up to Waterloo and the battle itself. This riveting account is a fascinating look at one of the most notorious military leaders of all time.

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'Immensely powerful and is an extraordinary testament to the human desire for survival' Daily MailA harrowing and inspiring true story of a young boy's abusive childhood, from internationally bestselling author Dave Pelzer. Brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother - Dave became a slave; he was no longer a boy, but an 'it'. His bed was an old army cot in the basement, his clothes were torn and unwashed, and when he was allowed the luxury of food it was scraps from the dog's bowl. The outside world knew nothing of the nightmare played out behind closed doors. But throughout Dave kept alive dreams of finding a family to love him. This book covers the early years of his life and is an affecting and inspirational book of the horrors of child abuse and the steadfast determination of one child to survive. It is the first book in the My Story trilogy.'Heartfelt... cannot fail to move you' Heat

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The first anthology of Instagram poetry, Instagram Poetry for Every Day, collates over 100 poems by some of the top handles to follow in the exciting world of digital poetry.A must-have for fans of Rupi Kaur, Atticus and R.H. Sin and the perfect introduction to the wide scope of Insta-poetry for newcomers to the genre.The first of its kind, this anthology brings together work of popular Insta-poets as well as up-and-coming talent. Short, relatable and hard-hitting, the poems embrace contemporary themes of mental health, women's empowerment, racial prejudice, gender diversity and political turmoil, as well as the perennial poetic preoccupations of love, nature and loss. With a wide range of voices, themes and visual approaches, there is something here that will speak to all of us.Instagram poetry has become a massive phenomenon in recent years and is credited with introducing and popularising verse with a new generation. Insta-poets are dominating not only the poetry charts, but the bestseller lists and bringing poetry books to prime front of shop display in bookshops. The accessibility and shareable nature of the Instagram poem has hit a nerve and offers an emotional release with the modern, online audiences.Including works from Instagram sensations:• Nikita Gill @nikita_gill• Travis @travisalabanza• M.ivy @ivyatmidnight• Christopher Poindexter @christopherpoindexterInstagram Poetry for Every Day is curated by editors Chris McCabe and Jessica Atkinson from the National Poetry Library. Founded in 1953 and opened by poets T.S. Eliot and Herbert Read, the National Poetry Library is home to the most comprehensive collection of poetry in the UK. In 2017, the National Poetry Library curated the world's first Instagram poetry exhibition.

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Ever dreamt that you were flying? Or being chased? Do you wake up and wonder 'what did that mean'?Decoding your dreams can offer incredible insight into yourself and your life. Every night, your dreaming mind is gently and subtly counselling, guiding and inspiring you. This journal is the perfect tool to recall and interpret your dreams, giving an incredible opportunity for personal growth.The Dream Decoder Journal gives you instructions and helpful tips on how to recall your dreams, as well as tools to decipher their meanings, including interpretations of 60 of the most common dreams, explaining what your unconscious mind is telling you, and what events or situations in your waking life might inspire certain dreams. This improved self-awareness can be used as a tool to deal with challenging emotional situations or life choices.This book is the companion to Dream Decoder, a set of cards that pairs archetypal dreams with common interpretations.Author Theresa Cheung has been researching and writing about spirituality and personal transformation for over 20 years. She has written two Sunday Times top 10 bestselling books about dream interpretation.

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Learn how to play mah-jong with this beautifully illustrated mah-jong set!Animal Mah-jong takes the traditional Chinese tile game and updates it for a new audience in this affordable card format. Rather than the traditional line drawings of bamboo and Chinese characters, it features Ryuto Miyake''s beautiful animal illustrations – each suit features Asian animals from the land, sea and air. Get ready to pong, chow and kong like you never have before!• Stunning illustrations by Ryuto Miyake• Affordable new card format• Screen-free fun – a high quality non-digital game for all ages• Suitable for children and families to play together

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Ever dream that you were flying? Or being chased? Do you wake up and wonder ‘what did that mean’? Dream Decoder presents 60 of the most common dreams, explaining what your unconscious mind is telling you, and what events or situations in your waking life might inspire certain dreams. This improved self-awareness can be used as a tool to deal with challenging emotional situations or life choices. Each card shows an atmospheric illustration of an archetypal dream on one side and common interpretations on the other. Includes tips on how to use the cards and optional games for one or more people.

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1000 PIECE PUZZLE: This 1000-piece puzzle  features Shakespeare's London in glorious detail.CAST OF CHARACTERS: Spot famous characters, fellow writers and historical characters as you build the puzzle.INCLUDES PULL-OUT POSTER: Includes educational poster with fun facts about Shakespeare and his works.  Piece together the world of Shakespeare in this art jigsaw puzzle depicting the London of his day. Spot a huge cast of contemporary extras as A Midsummer Night's Dream is rehearsed at the Globe and fellow actors wander the streets, along with local characters who may well have provided the Bard with inspiration. From lovers ascending ladders and bears being baited to tavern brawls and summer fetes, there is something to delight in every detail. Laurence King Publishing's ‘The World Of…’ jigsaws are a fun way of celebrating the lives and works of creative greats. Also available in

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Be guided and inspired by the gods of the music world with this creative set of oracle cards. Are you suffering from creative block? Struggling to make a difficult life decision? Find out what David Bowie, Grace Jones, Maria Callas and other great artists would have done. Simply select a card from the pack and channel the oracle’s advice on attitude, lifestyle or inspiration – any obstacle will become surmountable. Contains 50 oracle cards plus a booklet featuring the artists’ biographies and details of how to use the cards.

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In the 1950s the space race between the USA and the USSR was well and truly on, and was for both a matter of pride and propaganda. But before man ventured into the cosmos, his four-legged friends would pave the way for space exploration. The first canine cosmonaut was Laika, meaning ‘barker’. The little stray could never have anticipated that she would one day float 200 miles above the Moscow streets. She would be canonized as a proletarian hero, appearing on stamps, postcards and souvenirs. Her successors were Belka and Strelka, the first dogs to successfully return safely to Earth, and with them, the cult of the space dog was born. This fascinating book tells the story of the space dogs, illustrated with legendary photographer Martin Parr’s vintage space dog memorabilia. In a regime that eschewed celebrating individual achievement, these dogs became Soviet superstars, with a vast array of merchandise, books and films in their honour.

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“This intriguing book takes an in-depth look at mazes from all over the world.” - Alan Titchmarsh “Prepare to get lost in the world of labyrinth and maze-making in this attractively packaged book that looks at the history of mazes.” - Gardens Illustrated Mazes have been a part of civilization for at least 4,000 years, and there are more being built now than ever before. What is it about these magical life-size puzzles that continues to intrigue us? This beautifully illustrated book will delight lovers of mazes, acting as a guide, directory and puzzle book combined. Specially commissioned illustrations by Thibaud Hérem represent 60 real and imagined mazes from around the world, with a bird’s eye view of each maze so that readers can make their own journey. Each maze is also accompanied by a fascinating and witty short history. A must-read book for fans of Red Thread: On Mazes and Labyrinths by Charlotte Higgins and Follow This Thread: A Maze Book to Get Lost In by Henry Eliot

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Piece together the artists, poets and muses behind the movement that turned the art world on its head, and then pushed it through the looking glass. Wander the abandoned streets of a Giorgio de Chirico city and follow Salvador Dalí’s moustache and René Magritte’s bowler hat into a world where a pipe is not a pipe, Sigmund Freud dances a tango with a skeleton, lobsters answer the phone and donkeys tap out the rhythm on baby grands.

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Since software programs have come to dominate offices and studios, the pencil has become a symbol for creative freedom. In other words, the work you do on the computer is what you do for work, to pay the rent, whereas the stuff you do with your pencil is the stuff you do for fun. Apart from stimulating the world’s most important creative minds, the pencil has become the modern creative’s ultimate fetish. This book presents a unique collection of close-up pictures of pencils from some of our foremost artists, designers, writers, architects and musicians. What makes these pictures compelling is the fact that they somehow reflect the creative personalities of their owners: Philippe Starck’s is a stylish black and red, Paul Smith’s is a classic jewel-like thing worth £3,000 (a present from Jonathan Ive), William Boyd’s is nicely aged and rusty, while Anish Kapoor’s is sculpted into a mini ArcelorMittal Orbital tower. The pictures are complemented by material such as sketches, quotes and brief interviews, giving a further insight into the workings of these great creative minds.

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Be guided and inspired by the world’s greatest artists with this creative set of oracle cards. Are you suffering from creative block? Struggling to make a difficult life decision? Find out what Picasso, Pollock, Kahlo and other great artists would have done. Simply select an artist's card from the pack, select the oracles’ advice on life, work or inspiration and any obstacle becomes surmountable. Contains 50 oracle cards plus a booklet featuring the artists’ biographies and details of how to use the cards.

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Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) is the most renowned and popular architect and designer in America. His buildings, including Fallingwater and New York’s Guggenheim Museum, are iconic landmarks. Now you can create 14 of his best-loved buildings using the art of kirigami (cutting and folding). Each project features step-by-step instructions and a template that you remove from the book. You follow the lines on the template, cutting and folding to make your own model. All you need is a scalpel, a cutting mat and a ruler. Clear cutting tips help you with the tricky stages, while photos of the finished model show you the final design. To make things easier, the most intricate parts of the templates have been pre-cut. Then simply display your finished model and admire your handiwork. Suitable for folding experts and beginners alike, Frank Lloyd Wright Paper Models is a must for Wright fans and architectural model enthusiasts.

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Featuring all kinds of dogs – big, small, graceful, cute, funny – The Book of the Dog is a cool and quirky collection of dog art and illustration by artists around the world. Interspersed through the illustrations are short texts about the artists and different breeds, paying homage to man's best friend. Beautifully designed and packaged, the book will appeal to dog lovers of all ages.

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Fall under the spell of the #1 New York Times Bestseller, Enchanted Forest!This stunning colouring book by Johanna Basford takes readers on an inky quest through an enchanted forest to discover what lies in the castle at its heart. As well as drawings to complete, colour, and embellish, there are hidden objects to be found along the way. Can you spot the wild flowers, animals, and birds? What about the lanterns, keys, and treasure chests? Beginning at the entrance to the forest, the journey progresses through woodlands, rocky caves, and tree-lined mazes. Colour your way past streams and waterfalls and over treetops, until you finally reach your destination: a secluded, magical castle.Hidden throughout the book are nine symbols. Readers must find all the symbols to unlock the castle door at the end of the quest and discover what lies within. Additional special features include a gate-folded two-page spread and a colourable jacket.Praise for the book and author:"The colourists have a queen, and her name is Johanna Basford." — New York Magazine"Consider trading in your yoga mat for a set of markers and peruse the gorgeous gardens of Basford’s imagination." — The Huffington Post"The best colouring book for anxiety." — Teen Vogue"This book celebrates the glory of all things green and nature-y in the best way possible: coloring book form! Even if you don’t want to add color, the illustrations themselves are frame-worthy loveliness." mdash; Brit+ CoOther popular titles by Johanna Basford include:•⊂ Secret Garden•⊂ Johanna Basford's Secret Garden Journal•⊂ Secret Garden: 20 Postcards•⊂ Enchanted Forest: 12 Colour-in Notecards•⊂ Enchanted Forest: 20 PostcardsFans of Leila Duly, Millie Marotta, and Daisy Fletcher will devour Johanna Basford's intricate scenes of flora and fauna. To learn more about her latest offerings, visit Basford's author website at www.johannabasford.com

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THE ADDICTIVE No.1 BESTSELLER AND INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENONOVER 20 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDEWho are you?What have we done to each other?These are the questions Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they weren't made by him. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone. So what really did happen to Nick's beautiful wife?

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A magisterial, single-volume history of the greatest conflict the world has ever known by our foremost military historian.The Second World War began in August 1939 on the edge of Manchuria and ended there exactly six years later with the Soviet invasion of northern China. The war in Europe appeared completely divorced from the war in the Pacific and China, and yet events on opposite sides of the world had profound effects. Using the most up-to-date scholarship and research, Beevor assembles the whole picture in a gripping narrative that extends from the North Atlantic to the South Pacific and from the snowbound steppe to the North African Desert.Although filling the broadest canvas on a heroic scale, Beevor's The Second World War never loses sight of the fate of the ordinary soldiers and civilians whose lives were crushed by the titanic forces unleashed in this, the most terrible war in history.

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'Too often we treat popular music as wallpaper surrounding us as we live our lives. Jude Rogers shows the emotional and cerebral heft such music can have. It's a personal journey which becomes universal. Fascinating' Ian Rankin'Moving and absorbing, The Sound of Being Human mixes memoir, analysis, anecdote and personal chronicle into a mosaic that evokes what music means to the individual and the human tribe. A candid, beautiful read' Stuart MaconieThe Sound of Being Human explores, in detail, why music plays such a deep-rooted role in so many lives, from before we are born to our last days. At its heart is Jude's own story: how songs helped her wrestle with the grief of losing her father at age five; concoct her own sense of self as a lonely adolescent; sky-rocket her relationships, both real and imagined, in the flushes of early womanhood, propel her own journey into working life, adulthood and parenthood, and look to the future.Shaped around twelve songs, ranging from ABBA's 'Super Trouper' to Neneh Cherry's 'Buffalo Stance', Kraftwerk's 'Radioactivity' to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas' 'Heat Wave', the book combines memoir and historical, scientific and cultural enquiry to show how music can shape different versions of ourselves; how we rely upon music for comfort, for epiphanies, and for sexual and physical connection; how we grow with songs, and songs grow inside us, helping us come to terms with grief, getting older and powerful memories. It is about music's power to help us tell our own stories, whatever they are, and make them sing.

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'A Swallows and Amazons adventure for the modern day by one of the most interesting travel writers working today' Bijan Omrani, author of Caesar's Footprints'A headlong plunge into the deep, dark waters of the Lake District and its islands. Packed with curious historical facts, philosophical and literary footnotes' Shaun Bythell, author of Diary of a BooksellerRobert Twigger, poet, artist and travel author, is a lover of uninhabited islands. A lifelong passion for the Lake District led him to embark on a mission to visit all 36 islands of the region - some little more than rocks, some home only to wildlife, some the perfect spot for a night of wild-camping. Armed only with an inflatable canoe, and inspired by Arthur Ransome, Wainwright, Wordsworth and other writers of the region, he journeys beyond the tourists and the busy roads, beneath the surface, to islands both real and remembered. Here the low tide of the unconscious reveals itself through the strange flotsam that it leaves on the shore - a new sense of discovery, about himself and the world we live in.

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A 'jewel of romantic comedy' (New York Times) from the late great author, adored by Nigella Lawson, Dolly Alderton, Katherine Heiny and Caroline O'Donoghue.It was just as she suspected: love turned you into perfect mush.GUIDO is not in the habit of falling in love with women he sees in museums. Until he meets HOLLY. Precise about everything, she knows what she likes: pressed sheets, oranges (but nothing orange-flavoured), tea on a tray - and now, Guido.Meanwhile VINCENT, Guido's eternally cheerful best friend and cousin, falls for his misanthropic new colleague, MISTY. She seems as uninterested in love as she is in Vincent (at first).Through courtship, arguments, wedding plans and other perils, the couples find a way to be happy (almost) all the time.'Seriously wise, seriously wonderful, seriously comic - your life will be richer for it' Katherine Heiny 'Uplifting, funny, generous. One of the most comforting, clever novels I know' Samantha Ellis'Human and humorous, full of wisdom and love' Emma Straub

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THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE NO.1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MURDER BEFORE EVENSONGCANON DANIEL CLEMENT IS BACK...It''s been a few months since murder tore apart the community of Champton apart. As Canon Daniel Clement tries to steady his flock, the parish is joined with Upper and Lower Badsaddle, bringing a new tide of unwanted change. But church politics soon become the least of Daniel''s problems. His mother - headstrong, fearless Audrey - is obviously up to something, something she is determined to keep from him. And she is not the only one. And then all hell breaks loose when murder returns to Champton in the form of a shocking ritualistic killing...

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The definitive biography of Cristiano Ronaldo, named Football Book of the Year at the Cross Sports Book Awards 2016Fully updated to include the 2017-18 season and Ronaldo's transfer to JuventusCristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time, a dream he pursued from the age of just twelve when he left his humble origins on Madeira behind.It wasn't long before he had the biggest clubs in Europe knocking on his door, but it was Manchester United who won the race for his signature. Under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo developed into the complete footballer and athlete, winning three league titles and a Champions League along the way.He then became the biggest galáctico of them all when he transferred to Real Madrid for a record-breaking fee. Unprecedented success in the Champions League and a record-equalling five Ballons d'Or followed, before his sensational move to Juventus in the summer of 2018.Guillem Balagué, respected football journalist and expert on the Spanish game, provides the definitive account of a twenty-first-century footballing icon.

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From SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING author Bettany Hughes'A wondrous wonderful achievement' Stephen Fry 'Fascinating' Observer 'Thrilling' GuardianTheir names still echo down the ages: The Great Pyramid at Giza. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The Temple of Artemis. The statue of Zeus at Olympia. The mausoleum of Halikarnassos. The Colossus at Rhodes. The Lighthouse of Alexandria. The Seven Wonders of the World were staggeringly audacious impositions on our planet. They were also brilliant adventures of the mind, test cases for the reaches of human imagination. Now only the great pyramid remains fully standing, yet the scale and majesty of these seven wonders still enthral us today. In a thrilling, colourful narrative enriched with the latest archaeological discoveries, bestselling historian Bettany Hughes walks through the landscapes of both ancient and modern time. This is a journey whose purpose is to ask why we wonder, why we create, why we choose to remember the wonder of others. She explores traces of the Wonders themselves, and the traces they have left in history. A magisterial work of historical storytelling, The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World reinforces the exciting and nourishing notion that humans can make the impossible happen.

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We like to think of ourselves as highly evolved. But if we are evolution's greatest creation, why are we so badly designed? We have retinas that face backward, we must find vitamins and nutrients in our diets that other animals simply make for themselves and millions of us can't reproduce successfully without help from modern science. And that's just the beginning of the story. Biologist Nathan H. Lents takes us on an entertaining and illuminating tour of our four-billion-year-long evolutionary saga, and shows us how each of our flaws tells us a story about our species' history.

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John Lennon was a rock star, a school clown, a writer, a wit, an iconoclast, a sometime peace activist and finally an eccentric millionaire. He was also a Beatle - his plain-speaking and impudent rejection of authority catching, and eloquently articulating, the group's moment in history.Chronicling a famously troubled life, Being John Lennon analyses the contradictions in the singer-songwriter's creative and destructive personality. Drawing on many interviews and conversations with Lennon, his first wife Cynthia and second Yoko Ono, as well as his girlfriend May Pang and song-writing partner Paul McCartney, Ray Connolly unsparingly reassesses the chameleon nature of the perpetually dissatisfied star who just couldn't stop reinventing himself.

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'A work of extraordinary depth; people are going to be unpicking the secrets of Tremaine for years to come' Richard Swan, Sunday Times bestselling authorAll legends are born of truths. And just as much lies. These are mine. Judge me for what you will. But you will hear my story first.I buried the village of Ampur under a mountain of ice and snow. Then I killed their god. I've stolen old magics and been cursed for it. I started a war with those that walked before mankind and lost the princess I loved, and wanted to save. I've called lightning and bound fire. I am legend. And I am a monster.My name is Ari.And this is the story of how I let loose the first evil.Thus begins the tale of a storyteller and a singer on the run and hoping to find obscurity in a tavern bar. But the sins of their past aren't forgotten, and neither are their enemies. Their old lives are catching up swiftly and it could cost them the entire world. No one can escape their pasts and all stories must have an ending.Readers love The First Binding:'The world is extremely rich in its myth and history . . . I loved this book . . . it's only a matter of time until Virdi and the Tales of Tremaine will be remembered for many years to come' Novel Notions'Once you lose yourself in this South Asian-inspired fantasy world, there's no turning back. The First Binding is a grand, mesmerizing story' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Lyrical, lovely, and beautifully South Asian' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'The First Binding is magnificent, it marks itself out because of the way the author has utilized South Asian culture and Hindu mythology to make this epic fantasy story more than a bit unique. R.R. Virdi [has written] a story for readers such as myself & thousands of South Asian fantasy readers' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'[There is something the] author infused into his story with that's completely him: South Asian mythology and culture were clearly the foundation of the world Virdi imagined, while ticking all the boxes of a classical epic fantasy' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'It's beautiful, like poetry. I love the stories within stories and genesis myths shown throughout it. My family is East African in origin ancestrally, and there are themes in here even though this is mostly Asian that feel so similar and like I'm reading bits of my own culture, and that is beautiful to see' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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Geralt of Rivia is on a mission to save his ward, Ciri, and with her the world, in this third novel in the bestselling Witcher series that inspired the Netflix show and video games. The Wizards Guild has been shattered by a coup and, in the uproar, Geralt was seriously injured. The Witcher is supposed to be a guardian of the innocent, a protector of those in need, a defender against powerful and dangerous monsters that prey on men in dark times.But now that dark times have fallen upon the world, Geralt is helpless until he has recovered from his injuries.While war rages across all of the lands, the future of magic is under threat and those sorcerers who survive are determined to protect it. It's an impossible situation in which to find one girl - Ciri, the heiress to the throne of Cintra, has vanished - until a rumour places her in the Niflgaard court, preparing to marry the Emperor. Injured or not, Geralt has a rescue mission on his hands.Translated by David French.

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Alex Stern returns in another tale of murder and dark magic set among the Ivy League elite.

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The powerful, moving and turbulent novel of Sally Porter and the multiple personalities she has no idea she lives with... From the award-winning bestselling author of FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON: 'Heartbreaking, and utterly, completely brilliant' GUARDIANSally Porter is perfectly 'ordinary'. A waitress, divorcee, and loner in the great city. But, though she is unaware of it, she is also four other, quite different people: Nola, the cold independent artist who has a studio in Greenwich Village; Derry, the happy-go-lucky tomboy; Bella, the highly-sexed live wire with a talent for singing and dancing; and finally Jinx, the hate-filled killer. Whenever events put too much of a strain on Sally Porter, she feels a headache and a blackout coming on - and a new character takes over. If there is a man to be fascinated, she will become Bella. If there is an intellectual problem, she will become Nola. And - as happens in the opening scene of the novel - if there is a rapist to be dealt with, she becomes the vicious Jinx. It is the task of the wise and patient psychiatrist, Dr. Roger Ash - a man who nevertheless has severe problems of his own - to deal with this case of multiple personality and, through painstaking therapy, to try to fuse the four disparate personalities into "the fifth Sally."

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A stunning portfolio of Discworld illustrations from the brush of Paul Kidby, Sir Terry Pratchett's artist of choice.Paul Kidby, Sir Terry Pratchett's artist of choice, provided the illustrations for The Last Hero, designed the covers for the Discworld novels since 2002, and is the author of the bestselling The Art Of Discworld.Now, Paul Kidby has collected the very best of his Discworld illustrations in this definitive volume, including 40 pieces never before seen, 30 pieces that have only appeared in foreign editions, limited editions and BCA editions, and 17 book cover illustrations since 2004 that have never been seen without cover text.If Terry Pratchett's pen gave his characters life, Paul Kidby's brush allowed them to live it, and nowhere is that better illustrated than in this magnificent book. For fans old and new, this beautiful collectors item is the perfect gift for Christmas.'The closest anyone's got to how I see the characters' - Sir Terry Pratchett

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Thrilling, witty, and oh-so-sexy, Lynsay Sands' Argeneau novel brings together a beautiful Immortal and the man who is her destiny...For someone who's been around for over a hundred and forty years, immortal Elspeth Argeneau hasn't done a whole lot of living. Now that she's moved away from her controlling mother, she's tracking down rogue vampires and enjoying some overdue freedom. A fling would be fun. A life mate can wait. Yet to Elspeth's surprise, her landlady's hot grandson checks both boxes.Wyatt fell instantly in love with Elspeth four years ago. He's stunned to run into her again, especially as she has no memory of him. Then again, there are a lot of things about Elspeth that don't make sense, like the miraculous speed with which her wounds heal. And the chemistry that transforms every touch into an explosion of desire. But with mysterious "accidents" besieging Elspeth, the ex-Special Forces soldier appoints himself her bodyguard. But time is running out to uncover the truth about her enemies-and rediscover the man determined to love her for eternity.

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Enter the worlds of Keith Laumer. From the adventures of self-aware superheavy battle tanks to the intricacies of galactic diplomacy via the clash of parallel worlds, Laumer's imagination knew few bounds.In Worlds of the Imperium, an American diplomat finds himself kidnapped by agents of the British Empire, which rules over a parallel world.James Retief travels the stars, resolving conflicts and avoiding cultural clashes, while battling the endless bureaucracy of the Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne in Retief: Envoy to New Worlds.In Bolo, Laumer explores what happens when mankind's most advanced weapons of war become self aware. These are the opening volumes to three classic series, collected in one exciting, thrill-a-minute omnibus.

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Welcome to Riverside, where the aristocratic and the ambitious battle for power in the city's ballrooms, brothels and boudoirs. Into this alluring world walks Katherine, a well-bred country girl versed in the rules of conventional society. Her mistake is thinking that they apply. For Katherine's host and uncle, Alec Campion, aka the Mad Duke Tremontaine, is in charge here - and to him, rules are made to be broken. When Alec decides it would be more amusing for his niece to learn swordplay than to follow the usual path to marriage, her world changes forever. Blade in hand, it's up to Katherine to navigate a maze of secrets and scoundrels and to gain the self-discovery that comes to those who master the privilege of the sword. This is the second volume in a loose trilogy set in a swashbuckling 'Three Musketeers' style world: Swordspoint, The Privilege Of The Sword & The Fall Of The Kings.

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THE FIRST LAW trilogy is a fantasy masterpiece, now available in a stunning box set. It''s a perfect gift for fans of A GAME OF THRONES; a must-have for fans of Joe Abercrombie; and a great way for new readers to discover one of the most highly acclaimed fantasy trilogies of the past decade.

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Edgewood is many houses, all put inside each other, or across each other. It's filled with and surrounded by mystery and enchantment: the further in you go, the bigger it gets. Smoky Barnable, who has fallen in love with Daily Alice Drinkwater, comes to Edgewood, her family home, where he finds himself drawn into a world of magical strangeness.Crowley's work has a special alchemy - mixing the world we know with an imagined world which seems more true and real. Winner of the WORLD FANTASY AWARD, LITTLE, BIG is eloquent, sensual, funny and unforgettable, a true Fantasy Masterwork.Winner of the WORLD FANTASY AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL, 1982.

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Abigail Forsythe's life hasn't been easy lately. Still, if there's one thing guaranteed to take her mind off an empty bank account and abandoned dreams, it's a naked man locked in a plane's cargo hold. A very big, incredibly gorgeous naked man. And when instinct prompts her to free him, Abigail must rely on this stranger for survival . . . a stranger who leaves her thrumming with need every time they touch.Tomasso Notte knows he's found his life mate in Abigail. Now he just has to hold on to her. They're miles from civilization, hunted by his kidnappers. Abigail has no idea of Tomasso's abilities, or of how intensely pleasurable their unique connection can be. But he's about to show her, beginning with one wild, hot, Immortal night . . .

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'Le Guin's storytelling is sharp, magisterial, funny, thought-provoking and exciting, exhibiting all that science fiction can be' EMPIREThe Unreal and the Real is a two-volume collection of stories, selected by Ursula Le Guin herself, and spans the spectrum of fiction from realism through magical realism, satire, science fiction, surrealism and fantasy. Volume One, WHERE ON EARTH, focuses on Le Guin's interest in realism and magical realism and includes 18 of her satirical, political and experimental earthbound stories. Highlights include WORLD FANTASY and HUGO AWARD-winner 'Buffalo Gals, Won't You Come Out Tonight', the rarely reprinted satirical short, 'The Lost Children', JUPITER AWARD-winner, 'The Diary of the Rose' and the title story of her PULITZER PRIZE finalist collection 'Unlocking the Air'.

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'The literary equivalent of a security blanket' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind'This is one of Pratchett's best books. Hilarious and highly recommended' The TimesThis is where the dragons went. They lie... not dead, not asleep, but... dormant. And although the space they occupy isn't like normal space, nevertheless they are packed in tightly. They could put you in mind of a can of sardines, if you thought sardines were huge and scaly. And presumably, somewhere, there's a key...GUARDS! GUARDS! is the 8th Discworld novel - and after this, dragons will never be the same again!Readers adore Guards! Guards!'You will enjoy it if you already enjoy fantasy; you will very likely enjoy it even if you don't generally enjoy fantasy, because the humour, characterisation, and dialogue are ridiculously good' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This is one of my favorite Discworld books and one of the best starting points for the Discworld newbies . . . It is a perfect introduction to the world of intelligent humour peppered with allusions to almost everything you can think of and smart conclusions that make you think and even ask the uncomfortable questions of yourself and the society' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'I love all the tropes and the way Pratchett deals with them. The whole novel is tongue-in-cheek and it's a slight bit more delightful (IMHO) than all the rest of the novels that came before it. Indeed, it's this one that sets the tone for all the rest' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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A beautiful gift edition of the classic Discworld novel.Eric is the Discworld's only demonology hacker. The trouble is, he's not very good at it. All he wants is the usual three wishes: to be immortal, rule the world and have the most beautiful woman fall madly in love with him. The usual stuff.But what he gets is Rincewind, the Disc's most incompetent wizard, and Rincewind's Luggage (the world's most dangerous travel accessory) into the bargain.Terry Pratchett's hilarious take on the Faust legend stars many of the Discworld's most popular characters in an outrageous adventure that will leave Eric wishing once more - this time, quite fervently, that he'd never been born.Readers adore Eric:'Packed with references and laugh-out-loud scenes and I enjoyed myself immensely' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Rincewind and The Luggage are two of my favourite characters and Death makes an appearance too! He is just brilliant, one of Pratchett's many masterpieces of imagination. The book is laugh aloud funny as all his books are' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Fresh and funny and fast paced and so damn entertaining. It reminded me exactly why I fell in love with Pratchett's Discworld in the first place' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Rincewind takes the reader (and, this time, Eric and a parrot) on a hilarious, frenetic and fast-paced journey; for running away is his specialty. . . True British comedy and wit, rollicking fun' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This is one long sequence of gags that manages to have several shrewd observations about humanity while still being funny' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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