Michael Celeres is an oathblade — a mighty swordsman blessed with supernatural powers through his oath to the emperor of Viridia. Elizabeth Halcyon is a powerful sorceress, she's the emperor's only child... and she's been secretly in love with Michael since the end of the Unity War which created the Viridian Empire seven years ago. But with war again looming on the horizon, the only hope of salvation is a political marriage. Elizabeth is asked to sacrifice her love in the name of her people, and Michael is charged with escorting her through war zones and wastelands to give her away to a man she's never met...

Swords and Shields. Faith and Magic. Grab your weapons and prepare, for the enemy is on the move. High fantasy and mighty conflicts go hand-in-hand. In great wars, armies rise to fight evil hordes and heroes struggle to push beyond their imperfections to save the day. These stories include more than just epic landscapes and charactersãthey also feature epic battles. Imagine a doctor struggling to identify the spy who has infiltrated his companys ranks and poisoned his colleagues or a boy suspected of murder by a king yet protected by a princess as he helps her father against his own people. Imagine a butcher discovering that hes called to lead an uprising, or a First Born knowing that she must betray her own in order to save humanity. The possibilities are endless, but at the heart they have this in common: soldiers¾ordinary and otherwise_struggling against extraordinary odds to survive the day. They must withstand dark magic, dodge enemy blades, and defy the odds to survive SHATTERED SHIELDS. Contributors: Larry Correia Sarah A. Hoyt Gray Rinehart David Farland Glen Cook Seanan McGuire John Helfers Annie Bellet Joseph Zieja Wendy N. Wagner David Farland Cat Rambo Robin Wayne Bailey Nancy Fulda John R. Fultz Dave Gross James L. Sutter Elizabeth Moon At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Shattered Shields: "An inventive and thought-provoking set of tales that capture the bravery and terrors of battle. Carries the banner of military fantasy proudly."--John Marco, author of The Bronze Knight Series About The Raygun Chronicles edited by Bryan Thomas Schmidt: "Fans of sf should enjoy this stylistically varied homage to a genre as old as the fiction . . . "--Library Journal About Beyond the Sun edited by Bryan Thomas Schmidt: "Beyond the Sun mixes courage, redemption, and stark terror in tales of distant worlds. Buckle in."--Jack McDevitt, author of Firebird

The book takes a new look at the archaeological and literary evidence and focuses on the fragmenting Diocese, provincial and civitas structures of post-Roman Britain. It places events in the context of increased Germanic immigration alongside evidence for significant continuation of population and land use. Using evidence from fifth century Gaul it demonstrates dynamic changes to cultural identities both within and across various groups. Covering the migration period it describes the foundation stories of Hengest and Horsa in Kent, Cerdic and Cynric, first kings of the West Saxons and Ælle founder of the kingdom of the South Saxons. Ælle is the first king Bede describes as holding imperium and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle calls Bretwalda. Covering the figures of Ceawlin, Æthelberht and Rædwald it ends with the death of Penda, the last great pagan king. As life under Roman authority faded into history we see the emergence of a ‘warband’ culture and the emergence of petty kingdoms. The mead hall replaced crumbling villas and towns as the center of social life. These halls rang with the poems of bards and the stories of great warriors and battles. Arthur and Urien of Rheged. The famous Mons Badonicus and the doomed charge of the Gododdin at Catraeth. A chapter on weapons, armor, warfare and accounts of contemporary battles will help paint a picture of dark age warfare. From the arrival of Saxon mercenaries in the fifth century to the death of Penda, the last pagan king, at Winwaed in 655.

Mandy enters A Circle of Three with her friends April and Sandy in a Newport, Rhode Island summer of seventeenth birthdays, summer jobs, an Enchanted Hurricane, and a Dream Invader, who's after a secret that the girls don't even know they're guarding. Struggling to catch up in her Magikal training with her friends, Mandy's newfound chaotic skills are both helpful and dangerous as the three teens and April's precocious younger sister, Brenna, try to have a normal summer amidst the coming Hurricane's 'Winds of Misfortune', the appearance of Aisling, the mischievous Invader of their summer Dreams, and an unwelcome return of Courtney who helps and hinders their every step. Each girl deals with a recent past as Sandys mom, Karen, struggles with her own past, a past that only Three can Free.

The ninth century Historia Brittonum is the first source that mentions Arthur and lists twelve battles, including the famous Badon Hill. Much ink has been spilt debating the identity and location of Arthur. This book will demonstrate that some of the battles can indeed be located with some confidence. Rather than fit a specific theory as to his identity the battles are placed in the fragmenting provincial, political and military context of the late fifth and early sixth century Britain. At a time of rapid changes in cultural identity and a significant increase in Germanic material culture and migration. These battles might be expected to be found along borders and in zones of potential conflict. Yet this is not what is discovered. In addition the simplistic idea of Romano-Britons holding back invading Anglo-Saxons is found wanting. Instead we discover a far more nuanced political and cultural situation. One with increasing evidence of continuation of land use and the indigenous population. The most Romanised and urbanised regions of the south and east are the very areas that experienced the arrival of Germanic settlement. The conclusion gives the reader a new insight into what sort of man Arthur was and the nature of the battles he fought.

The story of Wales from the end of the Roman period to the conquest by Edward I in 1283 is unknown to most, but recent historiography has opened up the source material and allowed for a modern, critical reappraisal. The development of the country is traced within the context of the rest of post-Roman western Europe in a study that is a valuable resource for anyone with an interest in military history and the history of Wales in relation to its neighbours in Britain and on the continent.

As I write this book. I have so much to write about, I just never had the time to break the dam and let the river overfl ow . . . Fearful that the initial rush may over whelm me, so much has happen over the last 12years . . . So many open wound screaming for the bandaid of expression bleeding for so many years . . . . I'm afraid . . . Afraid to revisit each wound yet knowing I must in order to soothe each one. But they really really hurts so bad, I rather just ignore them and smile . . . nobody will notice the blood, pain n tears seeping from my pores, I am a pretender,an actress. But in order to share my gift to the world for the fi rst time, I must revisit my pass and write. Because no matter how much I bury these wounds are really real. just a thought I always wonder where I would be today if I didn't guide myself in the right direction. 1. Maybe on somebody street corner being somebody's hoe? 2.maybe if I had to live on the streets would I be somebody's bum? 3.maybe if I had to depend on somebody on all accounts? 4.would I have the meaning to go steal for a living? Meaning that going to the store stealing clothes or what ever it takes. out of all the four things! I think I would choose none of thee above I think what ever comes your way when you live the life experience that me and most others you learn to survive the rainy storm that comes your way, I sit back and think sometimes if not all the time why me?why did I have to be born because without life there is no sorrow. Meaning that if I wasn't created you would feel no pain,or have to live your life of losing your queen,your soul your heart.,it just seems that the pain never goes away. I don't care if you have open heart surgery that pain just tempoary it heels but not when you lose someone that you looked up to for love, guidence, corrections. pain, pain, pain