Crimson Sand, Crimson Blood

Crimson Sand, Crimson Blood
Author: Craig Gallant
Publisher: Winged Hussar Publishing
Total Pages: 386
Release: 2019-11-04
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1950423190

The Broken Kingdoms have all but forgotten the existence of magic after a century of warfare and intrigue. Into this chaos an ancient evil – the stuff of legendary nightmares – emerges from the mists of time. The kingdoms as they now stand, shorn of their past glories, cannot stand against this onslaught. The time of legends may be past, but when wizards and heroes are nowhere to be found, perhaps two wounded, flawed people can make the difference.

Notes of a Desolate Man

Notes of a Desolate Man
Author: T’ien-wen Chu
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 184
Release: 1999-05-06
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 9780231500081

Winner of the coveted China Times Novel Prize, this postmodern, first-person tale of a contemporary Taiwanese gay man reflecting on his life, loves, and intellectual influences is among the most important recent novels in Taiwan. The narrator, Xiao Shao, recollects a series of friends and lovers, as he watches his childhood friend, Ah Yao, succumb to complications from AIDS. The brute fact of Ah Yao's death focuses Shao's simultaneously erudite and erotic reflections magnetically on the core theme of mortality. By turns humorous and despondent, the narrator struggles to come to terms with Ah Yao's risky lifestyle, radical political activism, and eventual death; the fragility of romantic love; the awesome power of eros; the solace of writing; the cold ennui of a younger generation enthralled only by video games; and life on the edge of mainstream Taiwanese society. His feverish journey through forests of metaphor and allusion—from Fellini and Lévi-Strauss to classical Chinese poetry—serves as a litany protecting him from the ravages of time and finitude. Impressive in scope and detail, Notes of a Desolate Man employs the motif of its characters' marginalized sexuality to highlight Taiwan's vivid and fragile existence on the periphery of mainland China. Howard Goldblatt and Sylvia Li-chun Lin's masterful translation brings Chu T'ien-wen's lyrical and inventive pastiche of political, poetic, and sexual desire to the English-speaking world.

The Seven Stones

The Seven Stones
Author: A. Mussbacher
Publisher: FriesenPress
Total Pages: 367
Release: 2024-06-07
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1039161448

In the aftermath of a brutal war spanning two decades, the Empire of Lamora finds itself on the brink of surrender. With a fragile ceasefire in place, the Lamoran empress ventures into enemy territory, guided by the renowned military hero, General Leona Almadzi. Yet, a sense of trepidation gnaws at the general, as she suspects that this act of diplomacy may be a carefully laid trap. While General Almadzi remains focused on safeguarding the empress, an opportunity presents itself to Leas Steele, the cunning mastermind behind the notorious Thieves' Guild. Seizing the chance to exploit the political turmoil, Leas aims to satisfy her own ambitions. Little do they know that their paths are about to intersect in the most unexpected way. An audacious assassination attempt shatters the ceremony, throwing both the general and the thief into a whirlwind of chaos. Bound together by circumstance, they become entangled in a web of deceit, murder, and betrayal. As Leas manipulates the situation to prevent General Almadzi from slipping away, the general uncovers a sinister plot that not only threatens her nation but also poses a grave danger to the world at large. Desperate for answers and driven by a shared desire for justice, General Almadzi reluctantly turns to Leas, recognizing that the thief may hold the key to unveiling the truth. Engaged in a perilous game of cat and mouse, the general must set aside her pride and outwit Leas to navigate a landscape fraught with danger. Yet, lurking behind their every move are forces far more formidable than either of them could have anticipated. As they grapple for control, they soon realize that the puppeteers pulling the strings are far too powerful to be subdued. Step into a world where honor clashes with cunning, and loyalties are tested against the backdrop of an ancient conflict. In this thrilling tale of mystery and suspense, General Leona Almadzi and Leas Steele will discover that the fate of nations and the destiny of their own lives hang in the balance. Will they uncover the truth in time, or will they succumb to the machinations of a hidden enemy? The answers lie within these pages, waiting for you to delve deeper into a realm where nothing is as it seems.

The Games Master

The Games Master
Author: David Brosbell
Publisher: iUniverse
Total Pages: 545
Release: 2015-03-21
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1491751851

Stunned and grateful to have survived a ferocious battle against an impossible foe, the Games Master, four comrades and warriors contemplate what future awaits them. War is brewing in the lands, but it is not glorious. These are tense times for all who live in the path of conflict. The Silver Allegiance, the dominant ruling kingdom, has expanded as far north and west as it can. And a new, powerful consortium known as the Dark Realm has grown as far east and south as it can. Caught between these two powerhouse kingdoms is a small strip of towns and villages, where terrified citizens await what comes next. As each side prepares for battle, the people caught in the middle do all they can to survive. Kruno and his men have no interest in being a part of the impending conflict, but how can they stay out of it? Their adventures will take them to hostile lands, where they meet exceptional creatures. Can they survive their encounters with the sand sorceresses, gargoyles, cryptons, and the most feared beasts of all - dragons? Can they avoid the inevitable horrors of war?

Violent Sands

Violent Sands
Author: Sean Young
Publisher: Variance LLC
Total Pages: 396
Release: 2006-11
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0978655133

A Jewish zealot who watched Roman soldiers kill his father and pillage his homeland is charged with a mission that could destroy or free Israel.