Search results for ""epic""

It's a battle of the famous strongman versus the great protector. The Roman god Hercules is known for his tremendous strength and determination. Norse god Thor is fearless and commands lighting, thunder and storms. If these two heroes were to go head-to-head, who would come out on top? Compare and contrast Thor’s and Hercules’s strengths and weaknesses in this Mythology Matchup.

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A seismic crossover that literally reshaped the face of Marvel''s Earth! The Fantastic Four reunite... and everything falls apart! As the Invisible Woman searches for her missing husband Mr. Fantastic, the scarred Thing seeks payback on Wolverine, and the wrath of a rogue Watcher leads the FF into war on a truly cosmic scale! Then, sorceress Morgan Le Fay forces the sunken continent of Atlantis back above the waves, causing a crisis for Namor and his water-breathing people! The FF race to their aid as Thor, the Inhumans and Franklin Richards'' young team the Fantastic Force all become ensnared in Morgan''s scheme. But when the sorceress'' chilling endgame comes to light, can even the heroes'' combined might save the day? Collecting: Fantastic Four (1961) 393-402, Fantastic Force (1994) 7-9, Fantastic Four: Atlantis Rising (1995) 1-2, Fantastic Four: Atlantis Rising Collector''s Preview (1995) 1

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This brilliantly illustrated tale of reason, insanity, love and truth recounts the story of Bertrand Russell's life. Raised by his paternal grandparents, young Russell was never told the whereabouts of his parents. Driven by a desire for knowledge of his own history, he attempted to force the world to yield to his yearnings: for truth, clarity and resolve. As he grew older, and increasingly sophisticated as a philosopher and mathematician, Russell strove to create an objective language with which to describe the world - one free of the biases and slippages of the written word. At the same time, he began courting his first wife, teasing her with riddles and leaning on her during the darker days, when his quest was bogged down by paradoxes, frustrations and the ghosts of his family's secrets. Ultimately, he found considerable success - but his career was stalled when he was outmatched by an intellectual rival: his young, strident, brilliantly original student, Ludwig Wittgenstein. An insightful and complexly layered narrative, Logicomix reveals both Russell's inner struggle and the quest for the foundations of logic. Narration by an older, wiser Russell, as well as asides from the author himself, make sense of the story's heady and powerful ideas. At its heart, Logicomix is a story about the conflict between pure reason and the persistent flaws of reality, a narrative populated by great and august thinkers, young lovers, ghosts and insanity.

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The first English translation of a strange and unusual Persian epic, this action-packed tale of an evil, monstrous king explores questions of nature and nurture and brings the global middle ages to life. The great Persian epic known as the Kushnameh follows the entangled lives of Kush the Tusked––a monstrous antihero with tusks and ears like an elephant, descended from the evil emperor Zahhak––and Abtin, the exiled grandson of the last true Persian emperor. Abandoned at birth in the forests of China and raised by Abtin, Kush grows into a powerful and devious warrior. Kush and his foes scheme and wage war across a global stage reaching from Spain and Africa to China and Korea. Between epic battles and magnificent feasts are disturbing, sometimes realistic portrayals of abuse and oppression and philosophical speculation about nature and nurture and the origins of civilization. A fantastical adventure story stretching across the known world and a literary classic of unparalleled richness, this important work of medieval Persian literature is a valuable source for understanding the history of racism and constructions of race and the flows of lore and legend from the Central Asian Silk Road and the Sahara to the sea routes of the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. The Kushnameh is a treasure trove of Islamic and pre-Islamic Persian cultural history and a striking contemporary document of the “global middle ages,” now available to English-speaking readers for the first time.

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The world's oldest work of literature, the Epic of Gilgamesh recounts the adventures of the semimythical Sumerian king of Uruk and his ultimately futile quest for immortality after the death of his friend and companion, Enkidu, a wildman sent by the gods. Gilgamesh was deified by the Sumerians around 2500 BCE, and his tale as we know it today was codified in cuneiform tablets around 1750 BCE and continued to influence ancient cultures—whether in specific incidents like a world-consuming flood or in its quest structure—into Roman times. The epic was, however, largely forgotten, until the cuneiform tablets were rediscovered in 1872 in the British Museum's collection of recently unearthed Mesopotamian artifacts. In the decades that followed its translation into modern languages, the Epic of Gilgamesh has become a point of reference throughout Western culture. In Gilgamesh among Us, Theodore Ziolkowski explores the surprising legacy of the poem and its hero, as well as the epic's continuing influence in modern letters and arts. This influence extends from Carl Gustav Jung and Rainer Maria Rilke's early embrace of the epic's significance—"Gilgamesh is tremendous!" Rilke wrote to his publisher's wife after reading it—to its appropriation since World War II in contexts as disparate as operas and paintings, the poetry of Charles Olson and Louis Zukofsky, novels by John Gardner and Philip Roth, and episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Xena: Warrior Princess. Ziolkowski sees fascination with Gilgamesh as a reflection of eternal spiritual values—love, friendship, courage, and the fear and acceptance of death. Noted writers, musicians, and artists from Sweden to Spain, from the United States to Australia, have adapted the story in ways that meet the social and artistic trends of the times. The spirit of this capacious hero has absorbed the losses felt in the immediate postwar period and been infused with the excitement and optimism of movements for gay rights, feminism, and environmental consciousness. Gilgamesh is at once a seismograph of shifts in Western history and culture and a testament to the verities and values of the ancient epic.

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With their weird combination of animal limbs, or distorted visions of human perception, beasts and creatures can be found in all myths and legends of the world, often used to demonstrate moral or fabulistic stories, and explain extreme natural phenomena. An ideal companion to Gods & Monsters Myths & Tales, this new collection includes more of the most famous and recognizable beasts, with some insight too into the rare and the little known: the Simurgh – the gigantic mythical bird of Persian mythology and literature – mingles with the monstrous Great Head of Iroquois folklore; the Kraken of originally Scandinvavian legend can be found alongside North America's Bigfoot, or Sasquatch if you prefer. Of course, from the Greek and Celtic mythologies come the Phoenix, Scylla and Charybdis, the Unicorn, Satyrs and Fauns, Centaurs and Minotaurs, the Basilisk and the Griffin. And let's not forget the goblins of the Norse, the ogreish monsters of Japanese mythology, the Oni, and the nymphs, fairies and sprites that appear in many different mythological traditions. This truly is a wonderful collection of tales. 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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Myths and legendary tales from around the world are packed with gigantic rivalries; gods, monsters and giants compete for supremacy over the land, the creatures within and the universe beyond. Zeus clashes with the all-powerful Typhon, Odin is destined to face the great wolf Fenrir during Ragnarok. And yet monsters such as the Minotaur, and giants of all kinds, dragons even, are monsters only to those too fearful to understand them, while others such as the Sirens, or the weird sisters, are malevolent without remorse. Such mythical gods and their foes, make great adventures for the modern reader tracing the roots of The Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and The Witcher, where good and evil are morphed into real avatars and creatures of vivid imagination. In these pages you'll find the gods of the heavens and mountains, and the spirits and demons of the deep sea, the dark woods and the burning sands. From the gods of Babylon and Ancient Egypt to the Norse Aesir, from the pantheon of mighty Greek deities to the gods of the earth and the sky in Pacific legends, most of the great traditions are featured here, with monsters galore: Anansi the trickster spider, the chaos serpent Apep, the Wendigo (or Windegoo spirits), the Greek Sphinx, the drought demon dragon Vritra and the Chimera to name a few. 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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'A grand epic' Chloe GongOnly she can face the Storm . . . Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. Since the Queen sentenced her mother to death by a deadly Storm that curses everyone it touches, Vesper and her father have been on the run. So when the queen's soldiers - led by paranoid Prince Dalca - catch up to them, Vesper will do whatever it takes to keep her father from sharing her mother's cruel fate. Even arm herself with her father's book of dangerous experimental magic. Even infiltrate the prince's elite squad of soldier-sorcerers. Even cheat her way into his cold heart. But when Vesper learns that there's more to the story of her mother's death, and that her home is in dire peril, she has little choice: trust the devious prince with her family's secrets, or follow her mother's footsteps into the Storm . . .'Enchanting and wildly clever' Ayana Gray'Wild and thrilling' Adalyn Grace

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THE WORLD'S FAVOURITE AUTHORONE BILLION COPIES SOLDWhat if falling in love means learning who to trust?Bettina Daniels has it all. Pampered, adored and adorable, she has youth, beauty and the most glamorous of lifestyles. Everything her father's love, fame and money can buy.Then, without warning, her father is gone. Bettina is left with a mountain of debts and no one to pick up the pieces. Lost and lonely in a difficult new life, Bettina must learn to take her own chances. But can she resist the promises of strangers . . . however tempting they might be?An epic and romantic tale from one of the best-loved writers of all time. Perfect for fans of Penny Vincenzi, Lucinda Riley and Maeve Binchy.PRAISE FOR DANIELLE STEEL:'Emotional and gripping . . . I was left in no doubt as to the reasons behind Steel's multi-million sales around the world' DAILY MAIL'Danielle Steel is undeniably an expert' NEW YORK TIMES

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THE WORLD'S FAVOURITE AUTHORONE BILLION COPIES SOLDFrom shattered dreams to lasting love . . .Every time Samantha went back to the flat, John's words rang through her head :'I can't live with you any more - I've got to get out.' He's been seeing another woman, and now she was promising him the one thing Sam couldn't give: a child. The man she had shared her life with, her love and her laughter, had lied to her.When the agency gave her four months on a ranch she thought they were crazy. Did they think a holiday would change her? She knew she was wild and untamable, a lone free Palomino - until she met the man who could break any horse on the range and entered a world of endless and enduring love . . .An epic and romantic tale from one of the best-loved writers of all time. Perfect for fans of Penny Vincenzi, Lucinda Riley and Maeve BinchyPRAISE FOR DANIELLE STEEL:'Emotional and gripping . . . I was left in no doubt as to the reasons behind Steel's multi-million sales around the world' DAILY MAIL'Danielle Steel is undeniably an expert' NEW YORK TIMES

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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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Ultimate Paddling Adventures takes you on a thrilling tour around the world’s best paddling spots – from the frozen wastes of Alaska to the tropical rivers of South America. Explore the rivers and seas of Europe and visit the stunning waters of the Far East, Australasia and the Pacific. There are exciting adventures that will appeal to everyone from novice to expert. Stunning, full-page photographs put you at the heart of the action, while inspirational descriptions allow you to dream of being there. It’s perfect for planning your next paddling adventure, or alternatively allows you to indulge in some armchair paddling in places to which only the most adventurous will go. From a leisurely SUP in a breathtaking Swedish archipelago, where you can stay in the King of Sweden’s bed (for free!), to an adrenaline-fuelled whitewater kayak down Chile’s Inferno Canyon, this book has it all. This includes gentle lakes and rivers, crashing surf, dramatic coasts and the oceans beyond them. All types of paddle craft are included from canoes and kayaks to SUP boards and packraft. Every continent is covered, so expect to find places you’ve paddled alongside those you never knew existed. Each entry is accompanied by useful information such as the experience required, how to get there and what else to do once you are there. Discover where you will paddle next – in reality or in your imagination.

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***NOW A MAJOR FILM, STARRING JONATHAN MAJORS AND GLEN POWELL***'This is aerial drama at its best. Fast, powerful, and moving.' Erik LarsonDevotion tells the gripping story of the US Navy's most famous aviator duo - Tom Hudner, a white New Englander, and Jesse Brown, a black sharecropper's son from Mississippi. Against all odds, Jesse beat back racism to become the Navy's first black aviator. Against all expectations, Tom passed up Harvard to fly fighter planes for his country. While much of America remained divided by segregation, the two became wingmen in Fighter Squadron 32 and went on to fight side-by-side in the Korean War. Adam Makos follows Tom and Jesse's dramatic journey to the war's climatic battle at the Chosin Reservoir, where they fought to save an entire division of trapped Marines. It was here that one of them was faced with an unthinkable choice - and discovered how far they would go to save a friend.

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‘The way Robert Peal describes Georgian England, you’d be mad not to want to live there yourself’ GUARDIAN Anne Bonny and Mary Read, pirate queens of the Caribbean Tipu Sultan, the Indian ruler who kept the British at bay Olaudah Equiano, the former slave whose story shocked the world Mary Wollstonecraft, the feminist who fought for women’s rights Ladies of Llangollen, the lovers who built paradise in a Welsh valley ‘Mad, bad and dangerous to know’ is how Lord Byron, the poet who drank wine from a monk’s skull and slept with his half-sister, was described by one of his many lovers. But ‘mad, bad and dangerous’ serves as a good description for the entire Georgian period: often neglected, the hundred or so years between the coronation of George I in 1714 and the death of George IV in 1830 were years when the modern world was formed, and changes came thick and fast. Across this century, new foods – pineapples, coffee and pepper – suddenly became available in the shops. Fashion exploded into a riot of colour, frilly shirts and wigs. Gin was drunk like it was water. Demands for women’s rights were heard, and it became possible to question the existence of God without fear of prompt execution. These exciting new developments came, of course, from the expanding British Empire. Britain’s wealth and its sudden access to chocolate, chillies and spices, was entirely bound up with the conquest of overseas territories and the miserable suffering of enslaved workers. This is the backdrop to Robert Peal’s new book, which introduces the Georgian era through the diverse lives of twelve ‘magnificent – if not moral’ people who defined it.

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THE WORLD'S FAVOURITE AUTHORONE BILLION COPIES SOLDOne woman's odyssey through a century of turmoil . . . St Petersburg: one famous night of violence in the October Revolution ends the lavish life of the Romanov court forever - shattering the dreams of young Countess Zoya Ossupov.Paris: under the shadow of the Great War, émigrés struggle for survival as taxi drivers, seamstresses and ballet dancers. Zoya flees there in poverty - and leaves in glory.America: a glittering world of flappers, fast cars and furs in the Roaring Twenties; a world of comfort and café society that would come crashing down without warning. Zoya, living through it all, faces challenges and triumphs with an indomitable spirit. In Zoya, Danielle Steel has created a true heroine through masterful storytelling.PRAISE FOR DANIELLE STEEL:'Emotional and gripping . . . I was left in no doubt as to the reasons behind Steel's multi-million sales around the world' DAILY MAIL'Danielle Steel is undeniably an expert' NEW YORK TIMES

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One of The Times Books of the Year 2020Shortlisted for The Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards 2021, Debut Food Book_____________'Fascinating and entertaining - a pleasure to read.' Claudia RodenHave you ever stopped to wonder how our most beloved foods came to be the way they are now? As a nation of food-lovers we have been munching on fruit and veg, drinking tea and coffee and adorning our dishes with oils and spices for generations, but how did this happen? What is the history of our favourite foodstuffs?In this series of enlightening and highly entertaining essays, award-winning food writer Mark Riddaway travels back through the centuries to tell the fascinating, surprising and often downright bizarre stories of some of the everyday ingredients found at London's Borough Market.Discover how the strawberries we eat today had their roots in a clandestine trip to South America by a French spy whose surname happened to be Strawberry, why three-quarters of Britain's late-18th-century intake of tea was sold on the black market, and what Sigmund Freud found so fascinating about eel genitalia.From the humble apples and onions that we've grown on these shores for centuries, to more exotic ingredients like cinnamon and bananas that travel from across the world to finesse our food, Borough Market: Edible Histories offers a chance to digest the charming stories behind every last morsel.

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‘The way Robert Peal describes Georgian England, you’d be mad not to want to live there yourself’ GUARDIAN Anne Bonny and Mary Read, pirate queens of the Caribbean Tipu Sultan, the Indian ruler who kept the British at bay Olaudah Equiano, the former slave whose story shocked the world Mary Wollstonecraft, the feminist who fought for women’s rights Ladies of Llangollen, the lovers who built paradise in a Welsh valley ‘Mad, bad and dangerous to know’ is how Lord Byron, the poet who drank wine from a monk’s skull and slept with his half-sister, was described by one of his many lovers. But ‘mad, bad and dangerous’ serves as a good description for the entire Georgian period: often neglected, the hundred or so years between the coronation of George I in 1714 and the death of George IV in 1830 were years when the modern world was formed, and changes came thick and fast. Across this century, new foods – pineapples, coffee and pepper – suddenly became available in the shops. Fashion exploded into a riot of colour, frilly shirts and wigs. Gin was drunk like it was water. Demands for women’s rights were heard, and it became possible to question the existence of God without fear of prompt execution. These exciting new developments came, of course, from the expanding British Empire. Britain’s wealth and its sudden access to chocolate, chillies and spices, was entirely bound up with the conquest of overseas territories and the miserable suffering of enslaved workers. This is the backdrop to Robert Peal’s new book, which introduces the Georgian era through the diverse lives of twelve ‘magnificent – if not moral’ people who defined it.

Read more less