Alex Marshall

"It was all going so nicely, right up until the massacre." Twenty years ago, feared general Cobalt Zosia led her five villainous captains and mercenary army into battle, wrestling monsters and toppling an empire. When there were no more titles to win and no more worlds to conquer, she retired and gave up her legend to history. Now the peace she carved for herself has been shattered by the unprovoked slaughter of her village. Seeking bloody vengeance, Zosia heads for battle once more, but to find justice she must confront grudge-bearing enemies, once-loyal allies, and an unknown army that marches under a familiar banner. FIVE VILLAINS. ONE LEGENDARY GENERAL. A FINAL QUEST FOR VENGEANCE.

A Crown for Cold Silver

After five hundred years, the Sunken Kingdom has returned, and brought with it a monstrous secret that threatens to destroy every country on the Star. As an inhuman army gathers on its shores, poised to invade the Immaculate Isles, the members of the Cobalt Company face an ugly choice: abandon their dreams of glory and vengeance to combat a menace from another realm, or pursue their ambitions and hope the Star is still there when the smoke clears. Five villains. One legendary general. A battle for survival.

A Blade of Black Steel

The final book in the Crimson Empire trilogy, a game-changing fantasy epic featuring an unforgettable warrior. Former warrior queen and now pariah, Cold Zosia wakes in the ashes of a burning city. Her vengeance has brought her to this - her heroic reputation in tatters, her allies scattered far and wide, and her world on the cusp of ruin. General Ji-Hyeon has vanished into the legendary First Dark, leaving her lover Sullen alone to carry out the grim commands of a dead goddess. The barbarian Maroto is held captive by a demonic army hell-bent on the extermination of the Crimson Empire, and only his protégé Purna believes he can be saved. Zosia must rally her comrades and old enemies one last time, for what will prove the greatest battle of her many legends...if anyone lives to tell it. FIVE HEROES. NO HOPE. A WAR AGAINST DEVILS. The Crimson Empire Trilogy: A Crown for Cold SilverA Blade of Black SteelA War in Crimson Embers By the same author, writing as Jesse Bullington: The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart The Enterprise of Death The Folly of the World

A War in Crimson Embers

Adrian Tchaikovsky

Shawn Speakman

Matthew Ward

Brian Staveley

Mark Alder

R. Scott Bakker

Bradley P. Beaulieu

Janny Wurts

Michael R. Fletcher

Kaaron Warren

Mazarkis Williams

Deborah A. Wolf

Peter Orullian

Marc Turner

Jeff Salyards

Teresa Frohock

Courtney Schafer

E. V. Morrigan

Step into the shoes of your favourite fantasy antagonists.Featuring stories by:R. Scott BakkerAdrian TchaikovskyMichael R. FletcherShawn SpeakmanTeresa FrohockKaaron WarrenCourtney SchaferMarc TurnerJeff SalyardsMazarkis WilliamsDeborah A. WolfBrian StaveleyAlex MarshallBradley P. BeaulieuMatthew WardMark AlderJanny Wurts

An Anthology of Antagonists

Evil is a Matter of Perspective

The Secret Lives of Cities

Beneath the Metropolis

There are a couple of hundred songs that are sung by millions across the world each day, that school children know by heart and sports fans belt out perfectly even after eight beers. And they arenâe(tm)t pop songs âe" they are national anthems. These are songs which inspire the fiercest of feelings: for some they are a declaration of nationalistic pride; for others a rallying cry for revolution; and for others still they serve as a shameful reminder of past wrongs. And yet, despite the fact that for many of us they form a fundamental part of our national consciousness, the fascinating stories underlying the creation and adoption of each national anthem have rarely, if ever, been told. In Republic or Death, Alex Marshall brings the incredible stories of the worldâe(tm)s national anthems to life. Taking in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Americas North and South, he embarks on an adventure that includes cycling the route along which French revolutionaries marched as they first sang La Marseillaise; entering a competition for the best singer of the Star-Spangled Banner; and attempting to bribe his way to an audience with the king of Nepal in order to uncover the story behind the only national anthem written on a Casio keyboard. In the course of his enthralling and often hilarious travels, Alex encounters everyone from senior politicians and anthem composers to the sports fans and activists from whom these songs evoke such a wide range of emotions. Along the way, he uncovers the fascinating cultural and musical history of the worldâe(tm)s anthems, and also asks us to consider what they mean for us today.

Travels in Search of National Anthems

Republic Or Death!

The author explores "the decentralized spread of California's Silicon Valley, the crowded streets of New York City's Jackson Heights neighborhood, the controlled growth of Portland, Oregon, and the stage-set facades of Disney's planned community, Celebration, Florida," and argues that the real forces of shaping cities--transportation systems, industry and business, and political decision making--have been ignored.--Cover.

Suburbs, Sprawl, and the Roads Not Taken

How Cities Work

The “free market” has been a hot topic of debate for decades. Proponents tout it as a cure-all for just about everything that ails modern society, while opponents blame it for the very same ills. But the heated rhetoric obscures one very important, indeed fundamental, fact—markets don’t just run themselves; we create them. Starting from this surprisingly simple, yet often ignored or misunderstood fact, Alex Marshall takes us on a fascinating tour of the fundamentals that shape markets and, through them, our daily economic lives. He debunks the myth of the “free market,” showing how markets could not exist without governments to create the structures through which we assert ownership of property, real and intellectual, and conduct business of all kinds. Marshall also takes a wide-ranging look at many other structures that make markets possible, including physical infrastructure ranging from roads and railroads to water systems and power lines; mental and cultural structures such as common languages and bodies of knowledge; and the international structures that allow goods, services, cash, bytes, and bits to flow freely around the globe. Sure to stimulate a lively public conversation about the design of markets, this broadly accessible overview of how a market economy is constructed will help us create markets that are fairer, more prosperous, more creative, and more beautiful.

The Surprising Design of Market Economies

David Emblidge

The pulse of great cities may be most palpable above ground, but it is below the busy streets where we can observe their rich archaeological history and the infrastructure that keeps them running. In Beneath the Metropolis journalist Alex Marshall investigates how geological features, archaeological remnants of past civilizations, and layered networks transporting water, electricity, and people, have shaped these cities through centuries of political turbulence and advancements in engineering — and how they are determining the course of the cities' future. From the first-century catacombs of Rome, the New York subway system, and the swamps and ancient quays beneath London, to San Francisco's fault lines, the depleted aquifer below Mexico City, and Mao Tse-tung's extensive network of secret tunnels under Beijing, these subterranean environments offer a unique cross-section of a city's history and future. Stunningly illustrated with colorful photographs, drawings, and maps, Beneath the Metropolis reveals the hidden worlds beneath our feet, and charts the cities' development through centuries of forgotten history, political change, and technological innovation.

Evil Is a Matter of Perspective

"There are a couple of hundred songs that are sung by millions across the world each day, that school children know by heart and sports fans belt out perfectly even after eight beers. And they aren't pop songs u they are national anthems. These are songs which inspire the fiercest of feelings: for some they are a declaration of nationalistic pride; for others a rallying cry for revolution; and for others still they serve as a shameful reminder of past wrongs. And yet, despite the fact that for many of us they form a fundamental part of our national consciousness, the fascinating stories underlying the creation and adoption of each national anthem have rarely, if ever, been told. In Republic or Death, Alex Marshall brings the incredible stories of the world's national anthems to life. Taking in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Americas North and South, he embarks on an adventure that includes cycling the route along which French revolutionaries marched as they first sang La Marseillaise; entering a competition for the best singer of the Star-Spangled Banner; and attempting to bribe his way to an audience with the king of Nepal in order to uncover the story behind the only national anthem written on a Casio keyboard. In the course of his enthralling and often hilarious travels, Alex encounters everyone from senior politicians and anthem composers to the sports fans and activists from whom these songs evoke such a wide range of emotions. Along the way, he uncovers the fascinating cultural and musical history of the world's anthems, and also asks us to consider what they mean for us today."

Ravenscraig is a post WWII fictionalized memoir told from the perspective of Alasdair Marshall who is raising his son Ewan, by himself, after his wife's death. When Alasdair's father Alex is struck with Alzheimer's, Jean, Alex's wife admits him to a full-time care facility called Ravenscraig which has a dark history as a lunatic asylum. The hospital becomes an ever present reminder to Alasdair of his father's deterioration. Jean is overwhelmed by the stress of Alzheimer's and the guilt of removing her husband from his home. Psychologically embattled, she begins to see the spirits of departed relatives. Finally, unable to cope and suffering from emphysema and osteoporosis, she moves to England to live with her daughter Margaret. Alasdair is compelled to examine his relationships with his father, mother and sisters by reliving childhood memories, good and bad. He remembers his family having to live in a cramped, three bedroom apartment with his grandparents, three uncles and an aunt. Clashing personalities and violent tempers are a constant threat to the calm of everyday life. However, Alasdair recalls happy times when the home was filled with laughter, humor and music. Although Ewan is upset that his grandpa doesn't remember him, he finds solace through the healing power of music. When he plays his bagpipes and his grandpa plays his accordion, they are reunited. Although Alzheimer's takes a terrible toll, ultimately it fails to destroy a family determined to reconcile the past with the present and overcome a troubled past....

A Scottish family’s struggle with Alzheimer’s—and the past

Ravenscraig

Tim Bird

Examines why the West has failed to achieve its objectives in Afghanistan, discussing the country's drug trade, political corruption, troubled relations with Pakistan, and harsh terrain, and the lessons about nation building that can be learned from the experience.

How the West Lost Its Way

Afghanistan

Twenty years ago, feared general Cobalt Zosia led her five villainous captains and mercenary army into battle, wrestling monsters and toppling an empire. When there were no more titles to win and no more worlds to conquer, she retired and gave up her legend to history. Now the peace she carved for herself has been shattered by the unprovoked slaughter of her village. Seeking bloody vengeance, Zosia heads for battle once more, but to find justice she must confront grudge-bearing enemies, once-loyal allies, and an unknown army that marches under a familiar banner.

The Caucasus is a strategically and economically important region in contemporary global affairs. Western interest in the Caucasus has grown rapidly since 1991, fuelled by the admixture of oil politics, great power rivalry, ethnic separatism and terrorism that characterizes the region. However, until now there has been little understanding of how these issues came to assume the importance they have today. This book argues that understanding the Soviet legacy in the region is critical to analysing both the new states of the Transcaucasus and the autonomous territories of the North Caucasus. It examines the impact of Soviet rule on the Caucasus, focusing in particular on the period from 1917 to 1955. Important questions covered include how the Soviet Union created ‘nations’ out of the diverse peoples of the North Caucasus; the true nature of the 1917 revolution; the role and effects of forced migration in the region; how over time the constituent nationalities of the region came to re-define themselves; and how Islamic radicalism came to assume the importance it continues to hold today. A cauldron of war, revolution, and foreign interventions - from the British and Ottoman Turks to the oil-hungry armies of Hitler’s Third Reich - the Caucasus and the policies and actors it produced (not least Stalin, Sergo Ordzhonikidze and Anastas Mikoyan) both shaped the Soviet experiment in the twentieth century and appear set to continue to shape the geopolitics of the twenty-first. Making unprecedented use of memoirs, archives and published sources, this book is an invaluable aid for scholars, political analysts and journalists alike to understanding one of the most important borderlands of the modern world.

The Caucasus Under Soviet Rule

See Iowa like the Hawkeyes do with this insider's guide to some of the most interesting places in the state. From the historic bridges of Madison County to the unusual Field of Dreams, you'll find detailed, informative descriptions on the attractions, events, shopping, restaurants, and lodging that the locals recommend.

Let's Travel Pathways Through Iowa

Deel 1 van Alex Marshalls avontuurlijke fantasy-trilogie. Dit is epische fantasy zoals je die nog nooit hebt gelezen. Een Kroon voor Koud Zilver is deel 1 van Alex Marshalls avontuurlijke fantasy-trilogie, die doet denken aan een Tarantino-film. Dit is epische fantasy zoals je die nog nooit hebt gelezen. ‘Alles liep op rolletjes, tot aan het bloedbad...’ Twintig jaar geleden trok de gevreesde Kobalt Zosia met haar vijf trawanten en een huurlingenleger ten strijde en bracht ze het grootste koninkrijk ter wereld ten val. Toen er geen titels meer waren te winnen en geen werelden meer waren te veroveren, trok ze zich terug en liet ze haar legende verdwijnen in de geschiedenisboeken. Maar nu is het vreedzame bestaan dat ze voor zichzelf heeft opgebouwd ruw verstoord door de afslachting van haar complete dorp. Uit op wraak trekt Zosia weer ten strijde. Maar als ze gerechtigheid wil, zal ze eerst de confrontatie aan moeten gaan met een hoop wrok koesterende vijanden, oude bondgenoten met een twijfelachtige loyaliteit en een vreemd leger dat marcheert onder een wel heel vertrouwde banier. Vijf trawanten Een legendarische generaal En een laatste strijd om gerechtigheid ------------ ‘Een eersteklas fantasy-avontuur... schitterende verhaallijn, grimmige humor en een tandenknarsende intrige.’ Publishers Weekly (met ster) ‘Dit meeslepende avontuur schittert met details die de wereld tot leven brengen: echo’s van verloren culturen, drugsverslaafden die zich door giftige insecten laten prikken, en ongebruikelijke sekserollen.’ Library Journal (met ster) ‘Fans van diepzinnige verhaallijnen, ijzersterke heldinnen en fantasy-verhalen die je geheel in beslag nemen, zullen van dit boek gaan houden.’ RT Book Reviews ‘Rijk aan personages die worden gedreven door passie, plicht en angstaanjagend menselijke gebreken. Een Kroon voor Koud Zilver haalt het klassieke fantasy-genre door het slijk, maar doet dit op een gevatte, wonderlijke en wijze manier.’ NPR Books ‘Deze gespierde wraakroman leest als een Tarantino-film: een vermakelijke mix van avontuur en komedie, afgewisseld met duistere momenten, scherpzinnige dialogen en explosieve scènes.’ Booklist (met ster)

Alex Marshall

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