A distant future. A recovering world.Remnants of a shattered moon traverse the skies, memorials to an ancient and nearly-forgotten conflict. In an isolated northern land, society is overseen by the reclusive, all-female, Guild of Dawnsingers, which holds a monopoly on advanced learning. Life seems peaceful and well-ordered. But are the Dawnsingers as benevolent as they seem? What secrets are they hiding?And what really lies beyond the mountains in the East?Orphan Je...

Manchester and Salford boast an extraordinary historical legacy. In particular, nowhere has a better claim to be regarded as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. The area played a pioneering role in transport history, with the Bridgewater Canal and one terminus of the world’s first fully fledged passenger railway. It saw the collaboration of Marx and Engels, the birth of what became the Suffragette movement and the groundwork for the computer revolution. More recently Manchester sa...

From the famous castle to St George’s Quay, Jon Sparks takes us on a tour of Lancaster, explaining the history behind the well-known landmarks of this historic town. Lancaster has lost a few treasures over the centuries since its foundations as a Roman settlement, yet it has retained much of its cultural charm, with sympathetic restoration of the quay and new architectural projects. Today, some areas are totally recognisable, but many beloved features have remained unchallenged and unchang...

The historic county of Lancashire has a great diversity of beautiful landscapes. Award-winning local photographer Jon Sparks has captured the county’s essence in this collection of stunning images. Bordered on the west by vast seascapes and long sandy beaches and to the east by the imposing Pennine range, the county offers green valleys and heather-clad moors, lonely fells and meandering rivers. From the unspoiled beauty of the Forest of Bowland to the dramatic limestone pavements around S...

The Principle of Detachment, Book Seven of The Shattered MoonPoised between science fiction and historical fiction, with a distinct flavour of fantasy, the Shattered Moon series is a coming-of-age story set in a post-apocalyptic world which may feel strangely familiar. Reviewers say things like:"An expertly captained voyage of the imagination.""Fascinating story brilliantly told.""This book is absolutely captivatin...

The town of Lancaster has long been a centre for culture, education and commerce. The Romans had a permanent settlement on the same hill as Lancaster Castle sits today. The name of the town is derived from the River Lune and caster, the Old English word for fort. In later years Lancaster developed unique ties to the British monarchy. The House of Lancaster became a branch of the royal family after being embroiled in the Wars of the Roses with the House of York. Although Lancaster has lost ...

"One day, when you're a bit older, we will go on a journey together."Now the time has come for Jerya to fulfil her promise to her former pupil Embrel... but why is Railu, her oldest friend, so concerned about the prospect? Why is Railu even more distressed at her stepdaughter Sumyra's eagerness to join the venture?The answer awaits in the Sung Lands, and for both Embrel and Sumyra it will profoundly shake their sense of who they are.Jerya herself is...

For the first time in the history of the Known Lands, the house of Apstone presents a novel written by a slave.Numikès is a slave in the 'liberal' house of Arkenshaw; Lady Telfrid a niece of Numi's owner. But when Telfrid picks Numikès to carry secret messages, it precipitates a chain of events beyond anything they could have imagined. Forced to navigate the expectations of others, they discover new truths about the world and about themselves, and venture to places they'd ...

Lands and lives in questionWhen a young fugitive, Mavrys, comes to Skilthorn seeking sanctuary, it's a complication the newly-ennobled Countess Jerya could well do without. She's already challenging assumptions and managing radical changes to the great estate, and now Skilthorn is about to play host to an unprecedented meeting between leaders from the Sung Lands and the Five Principalities.Jerya's oldest friend, Railu, also glimpses the prospect of a new be...

Ten years on from Three Kinds of North and The Sundering Wall, Jerya's life feels settled and comfortable, until a new acquaintance brings new possibilities and new dilemmas. Perhaps Hedric can become more than a friend, but only if Jerya is prepared to align herself with the owner-class.If this is isn't enough to contend with, news of a planned expedition across the mountains prompts a fateful decision. Jerya's return to the Sung Lands is meant to give warning, b...

A new journey of discovery begins.Having finally broken with the Guild of Dawnsingers, Jerya and Railu are joined by Rodal as they strike out into the mountains. None of them have any idea what lies beyond the borders of the map, or if there are feasible passes through the high peaks.Tensions mount under the strain of the hazardous journey, and thoughts return to their former lives and friends left behind, but Jerya's determination drives them on. Each will...

Spark provides an unhurried, thought-provoking experience about what drives individuals, teams and organizations to thrive, and how readers can use that knowledge to ignite and direct their own careers.Spark is an unconventional business book. It has been built on the idea that coming from a perspective of 'getting' something is a severely self-limiting position. Instead, a career should be seen as an opportunity to give - to your funders, your te...