The epic is an ancient and universal form of artistic expression. Storytellers around the globe have long told of heroes who are touched by greatness and gain lasting fame.In this Very Short Introduction, Anthony Welch places the Western epic canon alongside traditional heroic poetry from Asia, Africa, and the Near East. Tracing shared themes and practices that unite the world's epic literature, Welch examines the roles that epic poets serve in society and how epic storyte...

With never-before-revealed information, the first-ever insider’s account of how the FBI took down the Mafia’s Five Families once and for all using RICO law, from their investigation’s bold and brilliant inception to its epic, history-making endgame—revealed by the then-untested agent who controlled the investigation that ultimately led to the convictions of the top ranks of Cosa Nostra . . .For over 50 years, the families Genovese, Gambino, Lucchese, Bonanno, and C...

In a galaxy dominated by the AI-driven warships and robotic armies of the wealthy planet Carthage, freedom is a distant dream for the conquered colonies.As rebellion brews across the empire, from the golden streets of Carthage to the post-apocalyptic ruins of Earth, the machines set their sights on the ocean world Galapagos. But they face unexpected resistance from a fiercely independent population led by a battle-hardened submarine commander who refuses to surrend...

For the town of Randall, Arizona, the terror starts quietly, oddly—a senile woman in her eighties becomes pregnant. Then the town's beloved minister mysteriously disappears, leaving his church and home hideously defiled by blasphemous obscenities scrawled in blood. Farmers going out to their fields in the morning find their herds of goats slaughtered. Then, as the terror intensifies, the farmers themselves are massacred. The town begins to smell of death, and the trust which has bound neig...

Bram Stoker award-winner Bentley Little cordially invites you to The Resort.Welcome to The Reata, an exclusive spa isolated in the Arizona desert. Please ignore the strange employees and that unspeakable thing in the pool. And when guests start disappearing, pretend it isn't happening. Enjoy your stay, and relax. Oh...and lock yourself in after dark.Opulent doesn't begin to describe the Arizona getaway where Lowell Thurman, his wife Rachel, and their three young so...

A helpful guide to ensuring things get where they're going, from raw material to final productSupply Chain Management For Dummies is the easy way to learn the essentials you need to get started in the field or improve your current practice. You'll discover how supply chain systems are designed and implemented in organizations large and small. You'll also learn about industry standard supply chain software and how to manage digital transformation in logisti...

Ruthless machines expand their empire; the fate of humanity rests in the hands of unlikely heroes scattered across the galaxy.On Galapagos, Minister–General Reginald Ellison faces the daunting task of uniting nations divided by generations of animosity and suspicion. With technology and weapons inferior to the enemy's, protecting their world means sacrificing blood and bone against the relentless onslaught of steel and fire.On Earth, Colt and Mohini race agai...

In this comprehensive textbook devoted to the craft of writing horror fiction, award-winning author Tim Waggoner draws on thirty years' experience as a writer and teacher. Writing in the Dark offers advice, guidance, and insights on how to compose horror stories and novels that are original, frightening, entertaining, and well-written.Waggoner covers a wide range of topics, among them why horror matters, building viable monsters, generating ideas and plotlines, how to styl...

When Knights attack the town of Skystead, seventeen-year-old Pela is the only one to escape. Her mother and the other villagers are taken, accused of worshiping the False Gods. They will pay the ultimate price – unless Pela can rescue them.Pela has never left the safety of her town, let alone touched a sword. What chance does she have against the ruthless Knights of Alana? She’s not a hero. But she knows one.Her uncle Devon was a mighty warrior once, in tim...

The definitive biography of the mercurial Soviet leader who succeeded and denounced Stalin. Nikita Khrushchev was one of the most complex and important political figures of the twentieth century. Ruler of the Soviet Union during the first decade after Stalin's death, Khrushchev left a contradictory stamp on his country and on the world. His life and career mirror the Soviet experience: revolution, civil war, famine, collectivization, industrialization, terror, world war, cold war, Stalinis...

From REMINGTON KANE, the author of THE TAKEN! & TANNER SERIESMONSTERS - A Detective Pierce Novel - Book 1Homicide detective Ricardo Pierce suspects that many of the city's missing persons are actually victims of a serial killer. When Pierce goes on a quest to find the killer, he discovers not one, but two monsters stalking the night. Pierce is the right man to stop them. However, the detective has his own demons that he st...

How well do you know your neighbors? Maybe you should get to know them better! Growing up, we are taught that monsters are easy to identify, but the truth is very different. Too often, the serial murderer does not stand out. Otherwise, he, or she, would get caught.To their coworkers, neighbors, and others who knew them, they led unremarkable lives. They had careers as military pilots, police officers, landscapers, small business owners, farmers, realtors, reporters...