In 1437, after years of regency, the pious and gentle Henry VI, the Lamb, comes of age and accedes to the English throne. His poor health and frailty of mind render him a weakling king - Henry depends on his closest men, Spymaster Derry Brewer and William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, to run his kingdom. Yet there are those, such as the Plantagenet Richard, Duke of York, who believe England must be led by a strong king if she is to survive. With England's territories in France under threat, and rumours of revolt at home, fears grow that Henry and his advisers will see the country slide into ruin. With a secret deal struck for Henry to marry a young French noblewoman, Margaret of Anjou, those fears become all too real. As storm clouds gather over England, King Henry and his supporters find themselves besieged abroad and at home. Who, or what can save the kingdom before it is too late?

The Me 262 was the first of its kind, the first jet-powered aircraft. Although conceived before the war, with the initial plans being drawn in April 1939, the Stormbird was beset with technological (particularly the revolutionary engines) and political difficulties, resulting in it not entering combat until August 1944, with claims of nineteen downed Allied aircraft. The performance of the Me 262 so far exceeded that of Allied aircraft that on 1 Sepember 1944, USAAF General Carl Spaatz remarked that if greater numbers of German jets appeared, they could inflict losses heavy enough to force cancellation of the Allied daylight bombing offensive. The story of how the Stormbird came to be is fascinating history, and it comes to life in the hands of noted historian Colin Heaton. Told largely in the words of the German aces who flew it, The Me 262 Stormbird provides the complete history of this remarkable airplane from the drawing boards to combat in the skies over the Third Reich. Features two forewords, one by Jorg Czypionka, Me 262 night fighter pilot, and another by historian and author Barrett Tillman.

Battle Beasts and fight Evil with Tom and Elenna in the bestselling adventure series for boys and girls aged 7 and up! A wicked curse has been put on Tom's magical Golden Armour, turning its powers to Evil. Now he has fallen under its enchantment and is being controlled by his pirate enemy, Ria. Tom must battle a terrifying lightning bird - but he will need the help of his loyal companion Elenna more than ever ... There are FOUR thrilling adventures to collect in the Blood of the Beast series - don't miss out! Electro the Storm Bird; Fluger the Sightless Slitherer; Morax the Wrecking Menace; Krokol the Father of Fear. If you like Beast Quest, check out Adam Blade's other series: Team Hero, Sea Quest and Beast Quest: New Blood!

"This gripping novel is as good at describing the magnificent seascapes and the unforgiving elements as it is at examining the inner lives of the besieged crew, toiling ceaselessly against implacable nature" -Financial Times BOOKS OF THE YEAR "Gripping and Exciting" The Sunday Times BOOKS OF THE YEAR In February 1959, several Icelandic trawlers were caught in a storm off Newfoundland's Grand Banks. What happened there is the inspiration for this novel. Not since The Perfect Storm has there been a book which captures the sheer drama and terror of a crisis at sea. Karason is an exceptional storyteller, an Icelandic Erskine Caldwell or William Faulkner. The side trawler Mafurinn is hit by a major storm just as they prepare to turn for home. Thirty-two men aboard, and a hold full of redfish. The sea is cold enough to kill a man in minutes, and the trawler quickly ices up in the biting frost and violent tempest. The heavy icing weighs down the already fully laden craft, which is pummelled by one breaker after another - and here, out on the open sea, there is no exit route. Distress signals from other ships in the same circumstance and be heard from the fishing grounds around them. It is a battle of life and death. Translated from the Icelandic by Quentin Bates

Continuing in the popular series, EagleFiles, Stormbird Colors is EF#5. The construction, camouflage and markings of the Me 262, the German Luftwaffe's late war jet, is examined with the aid of over 40 WWII period photos, some in color from a period film. Also included are scale drawings, excerpts from an original Me 262 engineering handbook and a full color photos of "Black X”, the last remaining complete Me 262 bomber housed in Australia.

Bomber pilots who become fighter pilots are rare, but Hermann Buchner was one. The author, a Luftwaffe NCO pilot and Knight's Cross holder gives a riveting account of his training with the pre-war Austrian air force, instructing with the Luftwaffe then the terrifying ground attack operations on the Eastern Front trying to stop the Russian juggernaut. Despite being shot down twice, Buchner himself targeted Il 2s, Yak 9s and Boston bombers who fell victims to his eagle eye. Later tasked with opposing the Allied daylight bombing raids into the heart of Germany, Buchner laboured to protect his homeland. Serving alongside many well-known aces and sometimes taking off from his home airfield while under Soviet shellfire, he paints a picture of a man surviving against incredible odds, who became one of the elite with JG7 and learnt that the important thing with the Me 262 was to land near a convenient foxhole. Illustrated with many photographs, mostly from the author's personal collection together with colour profiles of his aircraft and opponents, Stormbird presents a remarkable insight into the life of a Luftwaffe pilot in WWII.