Search results for ""Epic""

An unforgettable era of AVENGERS, courtesy of comic book titans George Perez and John Byrne! Henry Peter Gyrich has his sights set on stripping Earth''s Mightiest Heroes of their government charter, but when the Grey Gargoyle crashes the hearing, the only motion is Avengers Assemble! Then, the action moves to Pittsburgh before a new nemesis arrives in the form of the Taskmaster. In his first appearance, the villain who can replicate any hero''s actions, holds his own against the Avengers, Yellowjacket, the Wasp and Scott Lang, the new Ant-Man! On the way to issue #200, the team battles the towering robot Red Ronin and then unites against Ultron in an all-time classic. Also featuring Chris Claremont and Michael Golden''s iconic Avengers Annual #10 that introduces Rogue and co-stars Ms. Marvel, Spider-Woman and X-Men! Collecting: Avengers (1963) #189-#209, Avengers Annual (1967) #10; material from Tales to Astonish (1979) #12.

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This Norton Critical Edition includes: An expanded translation from the Akkadian by Benjamin R. Foster based on new discoveries, adding lines throughout the world’s oldest epic masterpiece. Benjamin R. Foster’s full introduction and expanded explanatory annotations. Eleven illustrations. Analogues from the Sumerian and Hittite narrative traditions along with “The Gilgamesh Letter,” a parody of the epic enjoyed by Mesopotamian schoolchildren during the first millennium BCE. Essays by Thorkild Jacobsen, William L. Moran, Susan Ackerman, and Andrew R. George, and a poem by Hillary Major. A Glossary of Proper Names and a Selected Bibliography.

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This is a revision of Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali, a best seller for 30 years. Retold by griots, the guardians of African Culture, this oral tradition has been handed down from the thirteenth century and captures all the mystery and majesty of medieval African kingship. It is the epic tale, based on an actual figure, of Sundiata (Sunjata). Part history and part legend, it tells how Sundiata fulfilled the prophesies that he would unite the twelve kingdoms of Mali into a powerful empire. This Revised Edition includes background information which provides a geographical, religious, social, and political context for the story. A ‘who’s who of characters’ and ‘a glossary of places’ will enhance the reader’s experience.

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Although Paradise Lost is one of the greatest poems in the English language, it is also among the most difficult and intimidating, especially to unsophisticated readers. One of the most accessible critical studies of Paradise Lost—and one frequently recommended by those teaching Milton—is Anne Ferry's Milton's Epic Voice.

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Beowulf is an epic poem probably written in the 900s CE. It tells of events 600 years before in vivid detail, where the hero Beowulf is entreated to help a king defend his halls against the monster Grendel. The poem was written in old English, about a hero of the Goths (the early Swedish people) who came to help the King of the Danes. Its vivid accounts bear some historical evidence, and served to influence heroic literature of Europe and the modern era. 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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Stan Lee and Jack Kirby usher forth the stunning debut of one of the greatest hero teams of all time - Earth''s Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers! Gathering together to face Loki, Marvel''s greatest heroes - Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man and the Wasp - formed comics'' greatest team: the Avengers! They were joined by Captain America soon after, and there was no doubt these were Earth''s Mightiest Heroes! But Marvel heroes don''t just battle villains, they live, breathe, argue... and even fall out. And in an innovative twist, Stan Lee eventually chose to have those original Avengers depart, leaving Captain America to carry on! Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch - all conflicted villains - became Cap''s new recruits, transforming the Avengers into a dynamic, unpredictable and exciting quartet! So grab a copy of this Epic Collection, and experience the origins and permutations of the world''s most-famous super team from the very beginning! Collecting: Avengers (1963) #1-#20.

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Now is the time to tell the story of an ancient realm, a tragic tale that sets the stage for all the tales yet to come and all those already told...It's a conflicted time in Kurald Galain, the realm of Darkness, where Mother Dark reigns. But this ancient land was once home to many a power… and even death is not quite eternal. The commoners' great hero, Vatha Urusander, is being promoted by his followers to take Mother Dark's hand in marriage, but her Consort, Lord Draconus, stands in the way of such ambitions. The impending clash sends fissures throughout the realm, and as the rumors of civil war burn through the masses, an ancient power emerges from the long dead seas. Caught in the middle of it all are the First Sons of Darkness, Anomander, Andarist, and Silchas Ruin of the Purake Hold...Steven Erikson entered the pantheon of great fantasy writers with his debut Gardens of the Moon. Now he returns with the first novel in a trilogy that takes place millennia before the events of the Malazan Book of the Fallen and introduces readers to Kurald Galain, the warren of Darkness. It is the epic story of a realm whose fate plays a crucial role in shaping the world of the Malazan Empire.

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How did everything around us-the air, the land, the sea, and the stars-originate? What is the source of order, form, and structure characterizing all material things? These are just some of the grand scientific questions Eric J. Chaisson, author of the classic work Cosmic Dawn, explores in his enthralling and illuminating history of the universe. Explaining new discoveries and a range of cutting-edge ideas and theories, Chaisson provides a creative and coherent synthesis of current scientific thinking on the universe's beginnings. He takes us on a tour of the seven ages of the cosmos, from the formless era of radiation through the origins of human culture. Along the way he examines the development of the most microscopic and the most immense aspects of our universe and the complex ways in which they interact. Drawing on recent breakthroughs in astrophysics and biochemistry, Chaisson discusses the contemporary scientific view that all objects-from quarks and quasars to microbes and the human mind-are interrelated. Researchers in all the natural sciences are beginning to identify an underlying pattern penetrating the fabric of existence-a sweepingly encompassing view of the formation, structure, and function of all objects in our multitudinous universe. Moreover, as Chaisson demonstrates, by deciphering the scenario of cosmic evolution, scientists can also determine how living organisms managed to inhabit the land, generate language, and create culture. Epic of Evolution offers a stunning view of how various changes, operating across almost incomprehensible domains of space and nearly inconceivable stretches of time and through the evolutionary combination of necessity and chance, have given rise to our galaxy, our star, our planet, and ourselves.

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The epic story concludes in Cherish, the sixth in New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff's lush, action-packed and romantic young adult paranormal fantasy series.'Fandom's new favourite vampire romance obsession' Hypable'This generation's Twilight' Lynn Rush 'I'm having the BEST book hangover. Filled with danger, humour, and heart, Crave proves that vampires are definitely back!' J. Kenner'Beautifully descriptive with amazing pacing and wonderfully sinister settings' Christine Feehan...................It's been over three months since my friends and I took down Cyrus. Three months where my biggest fear was what paper was due next . . . But I should have known it was too good to last. Now everything is falling apart.The Vampire Court has no king, the Dragon Court has no heart, and the Gargoyle Court has me - a teenager in way over her head. And it's the worst possible timing, because a threat is brewing just as the Circle is collapsing.I have no choice but to return to the Shadow Realm and face the terrifying queen who nearly ended us . . . and make a deal with her to save Mekhi. But this time, I'm bringing my powerful friends with me - and Hudson. Except something is wrong with him, too. He's keeping a secret - even from me.All I know is that everyone's life hangs in the balance. And it's my fault - because I still owe the Crone a favour . . . and now she's come to collect....................Don't miss a single book in the series that spawned a phenomenon! The Crave series is best enjoyed in order:CraveCrushCovetCourtCharmCherish'Suffice it to say: I have a new book boyfriend!' Pintip Dunn'Intricately crafted, deeply romantic' Victoria Scott'Funny, smart, and compelling' Emily McKay

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Our culture is well-populated with superheroes: Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, and more. Superheroes are not a modern invention; in fact, they are prehistoric. The gods and goddesses of the Greeks, for example, walked on water, flew, visited the land of the dead, and lived forever. Ancient Christians told similar stories about Jesus, their primary superhero—he possessed incredible powers of healing, walked on water, rose from the dead, and more. Dennis R. MacDonald shows how the stories told in the Gospels parallel many in Greek and Roman epics with the aim of compelling their readers into life-changing decisions to follow Jesus. MacDonald doesn’t call into question the existence of Jesus but rather asks readers to examine the biblical stories about him through a new, mythological lens.

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There is an old, deeply rooted story about America that goes like this: Columbus “discovers” a strange continent and brings back tales of untold riches. The European empires rush over, eager to stake out as much of this astonishing “New World” as possible. Though Indigenous peoples fight back, they cannot stop the onslaught. White imperialists are destined to rule the continent, and history is an irreversible march toward Indigenous destruction. Yet as with other long-accepted origin stories, this one, too, turns out to be based in myth and distortion. In Indigenous Continent, acclaimed historian Pekka Hämäläinen presents a sweeping counter-narrative that shatters the most basic assumptions about American history. Shifting our perspective away from Jamestown, Plymouth Rock, the Revolution and other well-trodden episodes on the conventional timeline, he depicts a sovereign world of Native nations whose members, far from helpless victims of colonial violence, dominated the continent for centuries after the first European arrivals. From the Iroquois in the Northeast to the Comanches on the Plains, and from the Pueblos in the Southwest to the Cherokees in the Southeast, Native nations frequently decimated white newcomers in battle. Even as the white population exploded and colonists’ land greed grew more extravagant, Indigenous peoples flourished due to sophisticated diplomacy and leadership structures. By 1776, various colonial powers claimed nearly all of the continent, but Indigenous peoples still controlled it—as Hämäläinen points out, the maps in modern textbooks that paint much of North America in neat, colour-coded blocks confuse outlandish imperial boasts for actual holdings. In fact, Native power peaked in the late nineteenth century, with the Lakota victory in 1876 at Little Big Horn, which was not an American blunder, but an all-too-expected outcome. Hämäläinen ultimately contends that the very notion of “colonial America” is misleading, and that we should speak instead of an “Indigenous America” that was only slowly and unevenly becoming colonial. The evidence of Indigenous defiance is apparent today in the hundreds of Native nations that still dot the United States and Canada. Necessary reading for anyone who cares about America’s past, present and future, Indigenous Continent restores Native peoples to their rightful place at the very fulcrum of American history.

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Witness the might of Thor in a story only J. Michael Straczynski could tell! The glory of Asgard begins anew! Thor and the Asgardians recently perished, swallowed up by Ragnarok. But when Mjolnir crash-lands in Oklahoma, the hammer attracts the attention of the Fantastic Four... and Doctor Doom! Thor has awoken from the slumber of death. Now, he must reckon with the mythic Norse kingdom''s legacy and the awakening of its immortal heroes - but in a world that may not want them back! Thor is determined that the Asgardian cycle of life must begin again, even for his brother Loki. But the Trickster comes back as... Thor''s sister! Loki has returned with a sense of purpose, seeking a fresh start to write her story anew - but her scheming remains unchanged, and that can only be a bad thing for Asgard! Collecting: Fantastic Four (1998) 536-537; Thor (2007) 1-12, 600; material from Dark Reign: the Cabal (2009) 1.

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A new age of Star Wars storytelling begins! The greatest space saga of all returns to Marvel! The ragtag Rebel Alliance has just destroyed the massive Death Star - but the Empire isn''t toppled yet! Join Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO and R2-D2 as they continue the fight for freedom against Darth Vader and the evil Emperor! But when a rebel assault goes wrong, Luke comes face-to-face with Vader himself! Luke''s quest to learn about the Jedi leads to an encounter with Boba Fett - and lands him in the Arena of Death! Meanwhile, Han and Leia face a mysterious woman from the charming smuggler''s past - one with a very personal grudge! And when Vader crash-lands on a desolate world, is this the rebels'' best chance to defeat him? Collecting: Star Wars (2015) 1-14, 1 Director''s Cut; Star Wars: Vader Down (2015) 1, Darth Vader (2015) 13-15.

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From a preeminent presidential historian comes a “superb and important” (The New York Times Book Review) saga of America’s wartime chief executives “Fascinating and heartbreaking . . . timely . . . Beschloss’s broad scope lets you draw important crosscutting lessons about presidential leadership.”—Bill Gates Widely acclaimed and ten years in the making, Michael Beschloss’s Presidents of War is an intimate and irresistibly readable chronicle of the Chief Executives who took the United States into conflict and mobilized it for victory. From the War of 1812 to Vietnam, we see these leaders considering the difficult decision to send hundreds of thousands of Americans to their deaths; struggling with Congress, the courts, the press, and antiwar protesters; seeking comfort from their spouses and friends; and dropping to their

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What does it take to win at the Olympic Games? How many years of hard work and dedication does it take to prepare for such a feat? How many disappointments do you have to endure on this journey? Danielle Brittain has walked this journey over and over again--her two sons won Olympic medals for South Africa in rowing, all four of her sons have rowed at top levels, and she is currently the team doctor for the SA rowing team. Danielle has faced her own battles with cancer and then watched as her son battled Hodgkin's Lymphoma during his Olympic training and overcame it, and went on to win silver after his recovery in this high-performance sport. The Olympic wins for the South African teams at the 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics were iconic moments for South Africa, and Brittain's descriptions of what the wins meant for the individuals in the teams, their families, the coaching staff, and ordinary South Africans demonstrates the power of sport to unite the country. A rowing story, a family story, a cancer survival story, a South African story--and the story of a mother watching it all unfold.

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In the international bestseller Roma, Steven Saylor told the story of the first thousand years of Rome by following the descendants of a single bloodline. Now, in Empire, Saylor charts the destinies of five more generations of the Pinarius family, from the reign of the first emperor, Augustus, to the glorious height of Rome's empire under Hadrian. Through the eyes of the Pinarii, we witness the machinations of Tiberius, the madness of Caligula, the cruel escapades of Nero, and the chaos of the Year of Four Emperors in 69 A.D. The deadly paranoia of Domitian is followed by the Golden Age of Trajan and Hadrian-but even the most enlightened emperors wield the power to inflict death and destruction on a whim. Empire is strewn with spectacular scenes, including the Great Fire of 64 A.D. that ravaged the city, Nero's terrifying persecution of the Christians, and the mind-blowing opening games of the Colosseum. But at the novel's heart are the wrenching choices and seductive temptations faced by each new generation of the Pinarii. One unwittingly becomes the sexual plaything of the notorious Messalina. One enters into a clandestine affair with a Vestal virgin. One falls under the charismatic spell of Nero, while another is drawn into the strange new cult of those who deny the gods and call themselves Christians. However diverse their destinies and desires, all the Pinarii are united by one thing: the mysterious golden talisman called the fascinum handed down from a time before Rome existed. As it passes from generation to generation, the fascinum seems to exercise a power not only over those who wear it, but over the very fate of the empire. Praise for Steven Saylor: 'Saylor expertly weaves the true history of Rome with the lives and loves of its fictional citizens.' Daily Express 'Saylor's scholarship is breathtaking and his writing enthrals' Ruth Rendell 'With the scalpel-like deftness of a Hollywood director, Saylor puts his finger on the very essence of Roman history.' Times Literary Supplement 'Readers will find his work wonderfully (and gracefully) researched...this is entertainment of the first order.' Washington Post

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The Italian romance epic of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with its multitude of characters, complex plots, and roots in medieval Carolingian and Arthurian chivalric romances, was a form popular with courtly and urban audiences. In the hands of writers such as Boiardo, Ariosto, and Tasso, works of remarkable sophistication that combined high seriousness and low comedy were created. Their works went on to influence Cervantes, Milton, Ronsard, Shakespeare, and Spenser.In this volume, instructors will find ideas for teaching the Italian Renaissance romance epic along with its adaptations in film, theater, visual art, and music. An extensive resources section locates primary texts online and lists critical studies, anthologies, and reference works.

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Part of a new series created for the modern reader, introducing the heroes, cultures, myths and religions of the world, this is the epic story of Julius Caesar who was born in 100 BCE, eventually becoming one of the most influential leaders in history. After a bloody civil war, where famously he crossed the Rubicon with his army, he defeated Pompey and the Republicans and was appointed as dictator of Rome, preparing the path for the Imperial might of the Roman Empire. He died at the hands of Cassius and Brutus on the Ides of March in 44 BC and centuries later his life was immortalized by Shakespeare. From myth to mystery, the supernatural to horror, fantasy and science fiction FLAME TREE 451 offers tales, myths and epic literature from the beginnings of humankind, through the medieval era to the stories of imagination and dark romance of today.

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This new selection of myths offers a broad insight into the nature and lifestyle of the ancestral lands of the Native American tribes that once stretched from the tip of Alaska, down to the Bay of Mexico. Hundreds of languages, with traditions and folkore, grew independently across the continent, flourishing in deserts, mountains and lush valleys of a vast land. The loss of such ancient traditions is a reminder of the damage humans can wreak through ignorance, desperation and greed, as settlers from Europe swept imperiously across the newly discovered, but long-populated lands of the so-called New World. From ‘The Great Deeds of Michabo’ to ‘The Legend of Hiawatha’, from trickster creator-deities, heroes and supernatural beings to epic voyages and an affinity with animals, there is so much to discover in this comprehensive new book. It’s the latest addition to Flame Tree’s Epic Tales series of deluxe anthologies and brings together a thoughtful selection of myths and tales from across the ancient plains of North America.

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The authoritative new translation of the epic Ramayana, as retold by the sixteenth-century poet Tulsidas and cherished by millions to this day.The Epic of Ram presents a new translation of the Rāmcaritmānas of Tulsidas (1543–1623). Written in Avadhi, a literary dialect of classical Hindi, the poem has become the most beloved retelling of the ancient Ramayana story across northern India. A devotional work revered and recited by millions of Hindus today, it is also a magisterial compendium of philosophy and lore and a literary masterpiece.The third volume details the turbulent events surrounding the scheming of Prince Ram’s stepmother, who thwarts his installation on the throne of Avadh. Ram calmly accepts fourteen years of forest exile and begins his journey through the wilderness accompanied by his wife, Sita, and younger brother Lakshman. As they walk the long road, their beauty and serenity bring joy to villagers and sages dwelling in the forest.This new translation into free verse conveys the passion and momentum of the inspired poet and storyteller. It is accompanied by the most widely accepted edition of the Avadhi text, presented in the Devanagari script.

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When super cheerful Stick and grumpy stuffed bunny Huggie get thrown from a backpack, the adventure is on! Together this odd couple survives encounters with sea-faring pirates, raging rhinos in Africa, sword-wielding royalty in Europe, stick-eating panda bears in Asia, sharks in Australia, hungry penguins in Antarctica, and piranhas in South America - all before finally making it home to North America. A fantastically funny read-aloud about two unlikely friends and their epic journey around the world.

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A new title in the series created for the modern reader, introducing the heroes, cultures, myths and religions of the world. The tale of the legendary Mongol General Genghis Khan is as phenomenal as the man himself. Probably the greatest conqueror in history, he ruled vast swathes of land in the early 1200s, vanquishing people across Asia and Europe, so that by the mid-1200s the Mongol Empire covered over 12 million square miles of land. From myth to mystery, the supernatural to horror, fantasy and science fiction FLAME TREE 451 offers tales, myths and epic literature from the beginnings of humankind, through the medieval era to the stories of imagination and dark romance of today.

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This large-format, comprehensive book offers the itineraries of a lifetime for explorers and adrenaline junkies alike, from navigating class-five rapids through the Grand Canyon to tubing the glow worm caves of New Zealand to parasailing over the hills of Cartagena. Written by the father of adventure travel, Expedia founder Richard Bangs, and featuring more than 300 vivid photographs, each of the 100 itineraries in this inspirational guide reveals the planet's best destinations for hikers, skiers, divers, rafters, and more. Featuring more than 20 top-ten lists covering everything from the world's best hiking trails to the top wildlife parks, you'll also learn everything you need to know for the ultimate epic journey: what to pack, when to go, and what to do. Blending adventure with cultural experiences--for example, a safari through Madagascar or visiting the ruins of Buddhist temples after sea kayaking the warm waters of Vietnam--this one-of-a-kind collection will lead you to new heights of exploration.

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