Download or read book By Sweat and Sword written by K. K. Nair and published by Manohar Publishers. This book was released on 2013 with total page 323 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Going well beyond the usual narratives on Kerala history, this study discusses the unique history of a statedescribed incolonial documents as being perpetually at war but, remarkably, whose people have been historically happy. Ever since its discovery, Kerala s political climate was characterized by a variety of Chinese, Arab, European, and local powers fighting each other for economic and military ascendancy. And yet, despite centuries of foreign contact and conflict, it continued to thrive and retain its independence. The influences Kerala absorbed were of its own choosing. This book hypothesizes that this remarkable achievement was a direct consequence of Kerala s unique military, diplomatic, social, and economic culture. A society by no means perfect, but fairly close, causing British administrators to record that society in Kerala had arrived close to fulfilling the utilitarian dictum of "the largest possible happiness of the largest numbers."
Download or read book The Book of Swords written by George R. R. Martin and published by Bantam. This book was released on 2017-10-10 with total page 584 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New epic fantasy in the grand tradition—including a never-before-published Song of Ice and Fire story by George R. R. Martin! Fantasy fiction has produced some of the most unforgettable heroes ever conjured onto the page: Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian, Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné, Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Classic characters like these made sword and sorcery a storytelling sensation, a cornerstone of fantasy fiction—and an inspiration for a new generation of writers, spinning their own outsize tales of magic and swashbuckling adventure. Now, in The Book of Swords, acclaimed editor and bestselling author Gardner Dozois presents an all-new anthology of original epic tales by a stellar cast of award-winning modern masters—many of them set in their authors’ best-loved worlds. Join today’s finest tellers of fantastic tales, including George R. R. Martin, K. J. Parker, Robin Hobb, Scott Lynch, Ken Liu, C. J. Cherryh, Daniel Abraham, Lavie Tidhar, Ellen Kushner, and more on action-packed journeys into the outer realms of dark enchantment and intrepid derring-do, featuring a stunning assortment of fearless swordsmen and warrior women who face down danger and death at every turn with courage, cunning, and cold steel. FEATURING SIXTEEN ALL-NEW STORIES: “The Best Man Wins” by K. J. Parker “Her Father’s Sword” by Robin Hobb “The Hidden Girl” by Ken Liu “The Sword of Destiny” by Matthew Hughes “‘I Am a Handsome Man,’ Said Apollo Crow” by Kate Elliott “The Triumph of Virtue” by Walter Jon Williams “The Mocking Tower” by Daniel Abraham “Hrunting” by C. J. Cherryh “A Long, Cold Trail” by Garth Nix “When I Was a Highwayman” by Ellen Kushner “The Smoke of Gold Is Glory” by Scott Lynch “The Colgrid Conundrum” by Rich Larson “The King’s Evil” by Elizabeth Bear “Waterfalling” by Lavie Tidhar “The Sword Tyraste” by Cecelia Holland “The Sons of the Dragon” by George R. R. Martin And an introduction by Gardner Dozois “When fine writer and expert editor [Gardner] Dozois beckons, authors deliver—and this surely will be one of the year’s essential anthologies.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Download or read book Shadow of the Sword written by Jeremiah Workman and published by Presidio Press. This book was released on 2009-09-15 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Awarded the Navy Cross for gallantry under fire, Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Workman is one of the Marine Corps’ best-known contemporary combat veterans. In this searing and inspiring memoir, he tells an unforgettable story of his service overseas–and of the emotional wars that continue to rage long after our fighting men come home. Raised in a tiny blue-collar town in Ohio, Jeremiah Workman was a handsome and athletic high achiever. Having excelled on the sporting field, he believed that the Marine Corps would be the perfect way to harness his physical and professional drives. In the Iraqi city of Fallujah in December 2004, Workman faced the challenge that would change his life. He and his platoon were searching for hidden caches of weapons and mopping up die-hard insurgent cells when they came upon a building in which a team of fanatical insurgents had their fellow Marines trapped. Leading repeated assaults on that building, Workman killed more than twenty of the enemy in a ferocious firefight that left three of his own men dead. But Workman’s most difficult fight lay ahead of him–in the battlefield of his mind. Burying his guilt about the deaths of his men, he returned stateside, where he was decorated for valor and then found himself assigned to the Marine base at Parris Island as a “Kill Hat”: a drill instructor with the least seniority and the most brutal responsibilities. He was instructed, only half in jest, to push his untested recruits to the brink of suicide. Haunted by the thought that he had failed his men overseas, Workman cracked, suffering a psychological breakdown in front of the men he was charged with leading and preparing for war. In Shadow of the Sword, a memoir that brilliantly captures both wartime courage and its lifelong consequences, Workman candidly reveals the ordeal of post-traumatic stress disorder: the therapy and drug treatments that deadened his mind even as they eased his pain, the overwhelming stress that pushed his marriage to the brink, and the confrontations with anger and self-blame that he had internalized for years. Having fought through the worst of his trials–and now the father of a young son–Workman has found not perfection or a panacea but a way to accommodate his traumas and to move forward toward hope, love, and reconciliation.
Download or read book A Fortress of Grey Ice written by J. V. Jones and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2004-08-01 with total page 672 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Wonderful . . . J. V. Jones is a striking writer." So says Robert Jordan, the author of The Wheel of Time epic fantasy series. And Jones lives up to that praise in the highly charged epic adventure of Ash March and Raif Sevrance, two outcasts whose fate are entwined by ancient prophecies and need, in the cold, dark world that threatens to be torn asunder by a war to end all wars. Isolated by their birthrights, they are but two who fight the dreaded Endlords, and their strength and courage will be needed if the world is to be saved from darkness." Raif, wrongly accused and cut off from his clan by the treachery of their new headsman, has a talent for killing that is part of his curse and his burden. But he bears another burden of greater weight. Ash is a sacred warrior to the Sull, an ancient race whose numbers have declined. Raised as a foundling, never knowing her true history, she must learn to accept the terrible gifts of her heritage. But as Ash learns more of her greater fate, Raif's task looms dark and desperate, for he must journey through the nightmare realm of the Want, a place where even the Sull now fear to tread. For deep within the Want is the Fortress of Grey Ice, and there he must heal the breach in the Blindwall that already threatens the world. Should he fail, not even Ash's powers can save them. . . . At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Download or read book The Sword of Heaven written by Mikkel Aaland and published by Travelers' Tales. This book was released on 2010-07-31 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Any attempt at peace must be attended by a knowledge of self,” discovers writer and photographer Mikkel Aaland, who grew up with a bomb shelter for a bedroom, in terror of nuclear war. At the height of the Cold War, Aaland finds himself drawn into a mysterious Shinto priest’s plan to save the world. Traveling from Norway to the Philippines, Iceland to South Africa, he places pieces of a sacred Shinto sword in key power spots around the world. Along the way, he comes face to face with his deepest childhood fears of war and destruction, encounters the compelling and mysterious Shinto religion, struggles with the uncertainties of love, and learns to face life with an open heart. The Sword of Heaven tells the extraordinary true story of a journey in which all boundaries are pushed—geographical, cultural, and personal—and in which the healing of the world and the healing of one man appear to be inextricably linked.
Download or read book Blade of Secrets written by Tricia Levenseller and published by Feiwel & Friends. This book was released on 2021-05-04 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Blade of Secrets, a romantic YA fantasy adventure from the author of Daughter of the Pirate King, a teenage blacksmith with social anxiety is forced to go on the run to protect the world from the most powerful magical sword she's ever made. Eighteen-year-old Ziva prefers metal to people. She spends her days tucked away in her forge, safe from society and the anxiety it causes her, using her magical gift to craft unique weapons imbued with power. Then Ziva receives a commission from a powerful warlord, and the result is a sword capable of stealing its victims' secrets. A sword that can cut far deeper than the length of its blade. A sword with the strength to topple kingdoms. When Ziva learns of the warlord’s intentions to use the weapon to enslave all the world under her rule, she takes her sister and flees. Joined by a distractingly handsome mercenary and a young scholar with extensive knowledge of the world’s known magics, Ziva and her sister set out on a quest to keep the sword safe until they can find a worthy wielder or a way to destroy it entirely. Praise for the Bladesmith Duology: "An addictive page-turner. Loaded with action, betrayal, slow-burn romance—honestly, that is the best first kiss scene ever... Be prepared to laugh, cry, and gasp." — Mary E. Pearson, the New York Times-bestselling author of The Remnant Chronicles "Levenseller elevates her already intriguing fantasy world through her depiction of Ziva, whose anxiety will ring true for anyone who’s ever had a panic attack. Grab this and devour it." — Booklist, starred review "Blade of Secrets is an impactful, eye-opening journey of social anxiety that is flawlessly blended with Levenseller's signature flair for adventure and romance." —Bookstagram sensation Bridget Howard, @darkfaerietales_
Download or read book Mightier Than the Sword the Edge of the Word 2 written by Drew Callander and published by Penguin Workshop. This book was released on 2019 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Write, draw, and puzzle your way through [an] adventure story that is unique to every reader"--Publisher marketing.
Download or read book Songs Of Blood And Sword written by Fatima Bhutto and published by Penguin Books India. This book was released on 2010 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: About the Book : In September 1996 a fourteen-year-old Fatima Bhutto hid in a windowless dressing room shielding her baby brother while shots rang out in the streets outside the family home in Karachi. This was the evening that her father, Murtaza, was murdered along with six of his associates. In December 2007 Benazir Bhutto, Fatima's aunt, and the woman she had publicly accused of ordering her father's murder, was assassinated in Rawalpindi. It was the latest in a long line of tragedies for one of the world's best known political dynasties. Songs of Blood and Sword tells the story of the Bhuttos, a family of rich feudal landlords who became powerbrokers in the newly created state of Pakistan; the epic tale of four generations of a family and the political violence that would destroy them. It is the history of a family and nation riven by murder, corruption, conspiracy and division, written by one who has lived it, in the heart of the storm. The history of this extraordinary family mirrors the tumultuous events of Pakistan itself, and the quest to find the truth behind her father's murder has led Fatima to the heart of her country's volatile political establishment. Finally Songs of Blood and Sword is about a daughter's love for her father and her search to uncover, and to understand, the truth of his life and death. About the Author : - Fatima Bhutto was born in Afghanistan in 1982. She studied at Columbia University and the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. She currently writes columns for The Daily Beast, New Statesman and other publications. She lives in Karachi, Pakistan.
Download or read book The Hammer and the Blade written by Paul S. Kemp and published by Del Rey. This book was released on 2015-09-01 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For readers of Brent Weeks, Joe Abercrombie, Peter V. Brett, and Scott Lynch comes the first book in a fantastic, hilarious new sword-and-sorcery series that puts a clever new twist on the golden age of epic fantasy. Robbing tombs for fun and profit might not be a stable career, but Egil and Nix aren’t in it for the long-term prospects. Egil is the hammer-wielding warrior-priest of a discredited god. Nix is a roguish thief with just enough knowledge of magic to conjure up trouble. Together, they seek riches and renown, yet often find themselves enlisted in lost causes—generally against their will. So why should their big score be any different? The trouble starts when Nix and Egil kill the demonic guardian of a long-lost crypt, nullifying an ancient pact made by the ancestors of an obscenely powerful wizard. Now the wizard will stop at nothing to keep that power from slipping away, even if it means freeing a rapacious beast from its centuries-old prison. And who better than Egil and Nix—the ones responsible for his current predicament—to perform this thankless task? Praise for The Hammer and the Blade and Paul S. Kemp “A gripping tale [with] the feeling of a classic Dungeons & Dragons campaign.”—Publishers Weekly “Most heroes work up to killing demons. Egil and Nix start there and pick up the pace.”—Elaine Cunningham, author of the Thorn Trilogy “Kemp delivers sword and sorcery at its rollicking best, after the fashion of Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.”—Library Journal
Download or read book Lay Down My Sword and Shield written by James Lee Burke and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-04-27 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vintage James Lee Burke: The first novel introducing the memorable Texas sheriff Hackberry Holland, coming of age against the backdrop of the civil rights era in a sultry border town. In hot and sultry Texas, Hack, an attorney and Korean War POW, is being pushed by his wife, his brother, and his so-called friends in the oil business to run for political office. But Hack would prefer to drink, look after his beloved horses, and represent the occasional long-shot pro bono case at his law firm. When Hack attempts to overturn a conviction for an old army buddy, he finds himself embroiled in the seamy underbelly of the Texas patronage system—and in the earliest beginnings of the United Farm Workers movement, led by a beautiful woman who speaks to his heart in a way no one else has. As Hack begins to bring justice to the underserved, he finds both a new love and a new purpose. With his skillful blend of engaging plotlines, compelling characters, and graceful prose, James Lee Burke demonstrates the shimmering clarity of vision that has made him beloved by suspense fans all over the globe.
Download or read book The Sword of Darrow written by Hal Malchow and published by BenBella Books. This book was released on 2011-05-31 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a magical realm filled with creatures of every possible shape and size, war is brought upon the peaceful kingdom of Sonnencrest by evil goblin King Malmut. Princess Babette, the only surviving member of the royal family, manages to escape and seeks refuge with Asterux, a powerful wizard who agrees to teach Babette magic, and who disguises her as an ugly gypsy girl to protect her from King Malmut's thugs. Ten years later, Babette must use the magic she has learned to help aid the kingdom's only hope at defeating the goblins' horrible reign: Darrow, a lame boy who can barely pick up a sword but has a great gift for inspiring others. With Babette's unseen help, Darrow begins a journey to free his country once and for all and bring peace back to Sonnencrest. Written by a father and his then eight- year-old son who struggled with a learning disability at the time, "The Sword of Darrow" is an enjoyable adventure that shows how even the unlikeliest of heroes can rise up against injustice.
Download or read book The Conquering Sword of Conan written by Robert E. Howard and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2005-11-29 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume completes the set of Howard's Conan stories with some of his finest work, including "Beyond the Black River" and "Red Nails" alongside rare early drafts and synopses.
Download or read book Queen of Swords written by Sara Donati and published by Bantam. This book was released on 2006-10-31 with total page 578 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is the late summer of 1814, and Hannah Bonner and her half brother Luke have spent more than a year searching the islands of the Caribbean for Luke’s wife and the man who abducted her. But Jennet’s rescue, so long in coming, is not the resolution they’d hoped for. In the spring she had given birth to Luke’s son, and in the summer Jennet had found herself compelled to surrender the infant to a stranger in the hope of keeping him safe. To claim the child, Hannah, Luke, and Jennet must journey first to Pensacola. There they learn a great deal about the family that has the baby. The Poiterins are a very rich, very powerful Creole family, totally without scruple. The matriarch of the family has left Pensacola for New Orleans and taken the child she now claims as her great-grandson with her. New Orleans is a city on the brink of war, a city where prejudice thrives and where Hannah, half Mohawk, must tread softly. Careful plans are made as the Bonners set out to find and reclaim young Nathaniel Bonner. Plans that go terribly awry, isolating them from each other in a dangerous city at the worst of times. Sure that all is lost, and sick unto death, Hannah finds herself in the care of a family and a friend from her past, Dr. Paul de Guise Savard dit Saint-d’Uzet. It is Dr. Savard and his wife who save Hannah’s life, but Dr. Savard’s half brother who offers her real hope. Jean-Benoit Savard, the great-grandson of French settlers, slaves, and Choctaw and Seminole Indians, is the one man who knows the city well enough to engineer the miracle that will reunite the Bonners and send them home to Lake in the Clouds. With Ben Savard’s guidance, allies are drawn from every segment of New Orleans’s population and from Andrew Jackson’s army, now pouring into the city in preparation for what will be the last major battle of the War of 1812.
Download or read book Power of the Sword written by Wilbur Smith and published by Bonnier Publishing Fiction Ltd.. This book was released on 2018-01-01 with total page 738 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: BOOK 5 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH 'Smith will take you on an exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget' - Sun 'With Wilbur Smith the action is never further than the turn of a page' - Independent 'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily Mirror A POWERFUL FAMILY. A DEVASTATING WAR. Centaine de Thiry Courtney has not only survived the many challenges of her life but has thrived. A successful businesswoman with two sons: Shasa Courtney, the Courtney heir, and Manfred de la Rey, Shasa's half-brother, her secret child raised solely by his father. But as the Great Depression takes hold, Centaine must make difficult decisions to ensure the security of her family - decisions that will affect Manfred and his father, Lothar de la Rey, a man Centaine once loved. But the world is changing, and conflicts greater than any the world has seen before are looming. Centaine and her children must face the upcoming war - and not all of them will be on the same side . . . A Courtney Series adventure - Book 2 in The Burning Shore sequence The Power of the Sword is the shocking second novel in The Burning Shore sequence of the Courtney family saga by Wilbur Smith, one of the best and most beloved authors of the century. Book 6 in the Courtney family series, Rage, is available now.
Download or read book Plough Sword and Book written by Ernest Gellner and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1989 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Elucidates and argues for the author's concept of human history from the past to the present.
Download or read book The Grim Company written by Luke Scull and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2014-03-04 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Gods are dead. The Magelord Salazar and his magically enhanced troops, the Augmentors, crush any dissent they find in the minds of the populace. On the other side of the Broken Sea, the White Lady plots the liberation of Dorminia, with her spymistresses, the Pale Women. Demons and abominations plague the Highlands. The world is desperately in need of heroes. But what it gets instead are a ragtag band of old warriors, a crippled Halfmage, two orphans and an oddly capable manservant: the Grim Company.
Download or read book Reincarnated as a Sword Light Novel Vol 2 written by Yuu Tanaka and published by Seven Seas Entertainment. This book was released on 2019-06-27 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: '" People remain skeptical of Fran''s abilities despite her achievements with Teacher, and so, accused of playing favorites, the Guild Master assigns the duo a difficult mission to prove their worth. Fran and Teacher don''t much care what anyone thinks of them, but once they venture into the snare-filled Spider's Lair, even they realize they may have bitten off more than they can chew... "'
