The SSU Series Complete Box Set

The SSU Series Complete Box Set
Author: Vanessa Kier
Publisher: Vanessa Kier
Total Pages: 1600
Release: 2016-06-27
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1941685080

Immerse yourself in the adventure with six action-packed stories of conspiracy, betrayal, and revenge... Welcome to the world of The Surgical Strike Unit (SSU), a privately run special operations group. It was founded by Ryker, a Vietnam veteran, to handle the national security jobs that the government couldn't—or wouldn't—do. A government program attempted to turn men into superhuman soldiers and spies. Those who survived were barely human. Now key players want to revive the program. Join the operators of the SSU and the women they love on thrilling adventures as they work to stop a deadly, and unstable, army of superhuman soldiers from being unleashed on the world. The titles included in this volume include: VENGEANCE Niko Andros became a criminal to protect his family. He served his years in prison and now he’s earning redemption one mission at a time with a secret military strike force. He thought his family was safe, but when an old enemy resurfaces, his aunt is caught in the crossfire and he’ll do anything to save her. Double-crosses lurk around every corner. Niko’s boss has him playing babysitter for the whole team, including a brash, young female agent who’s only after vengeance and liable to get them all killed. New agent Jenna Paterson is too close to the mark and her traumatic past threatens to ruin everything, including the growing attraction between them. Niko knows all the training in the world won’t stop Jenna’s demons from getting the better of her, but he refuses to lose the woman he’s grown to love. But if she doesn’t stop her quest for vengeance and learn to trust Niko’s experience, Jenna’s life won’t be the only thing that’s lost. Niko’s heart is also in danger. UNDERCOVER (A PREQUEL NOVELLA not available for sale individually) In his quest for vengeance, he’s turned himself into a criminal... Undercover agent Niko Andros can’t let go of his anger over the hit that paralyzed his father. When the crime lord responsible, Jaime Alvarez, offers Niko a place in his organization, Niko accepts and dives into the criminal underworld. Niko plays the dutiful soldier, giving Alvarez the appearance of having turned away from his law-abiding family. Each sin Niko is forced to commit brings him closer to taking down his enemy and closer to the darkness he fears he’ll never escape. This short bonus novella is approximately 15,000 words. It takes place before Vengeance and gives the backstory between Niko and Alvarez. Unlike Vengeance, this novella is suspense only, with no romance. BETRAYAL An innocent woman is caught in the crosshairs of an international manhunt. Her only hope of escaping the jungle alive is the most wanted man on the planet. Accused of a murder he didn’t commit, Kai Paterson has been on the run for years, looking for the proof he needs to clear his name. In the process he’s become worse than some of the criminals he’s hunted. He’ll never outrun his nightmares or his guilt, but if he can save archeologist Susana Dias, maybe he can balance the scales and wash some of the blood from his hands. The government wants her for the same reason he needs her—she holds the key to his salvation and their downfall. The unlikely pair teams up and they race through the jungle staying only steps ahead of the mercenaries closing in on them. When the stakes rise even higher, Kai is forced to make a choice. Innocent lives or the life of the woman he loves. RETRIBUTION A shadowy government organization is about to unleash a secret weapon against an innocent population. Only one man can stop the destruction, but first he has to remember her… Rafe Andros had everything he wanted until a mission went horribly wrong. Now, he’s not just a prisoner, he’s the subject of a brutal experiment that’s slowly eroding everything that makes him human. He can’t remember much. The mental brainwashing makes him attack anyone he knew or loved in the past. Anyone except her… His only hope for salvation is Dr. Gabby Montague, a scientist tricked into working on a formula to turn soldiers into mindless killing machines. Rafe fights to break free of the mind control. Fights to find his way back to Gabby. Fights to survive the most dangerous mission of his life. If he doesn’t succeed, an army of superhuman soldiers will be unleashed. Thousands of innocents will die, and he’ll lose Gabby forever. PAYBACK A change of conscience leads a cold-hearted spy to risk his life for the woman he never thought he would want… Ruthless and arrogant, CIA agent Mark Tonelli has always been driven by two things. The need to avenge his father’s death, and the desire to protect his country at any cost. But when he joins the black ops group Kerberos, Mark discovers that there are some lines even he won’t cross. Kerberos is changing honorable men into mindless killing machines. Mark’s long-dead conscience roars back to life and he puts his vengeance on hold to save the woman he’s falling for, and her brother, before it’s too late. Faith Andrews has tracked her brother to the Kerberos group. The tenacious reporter never gives up. She proves to the I-only-work-alone CIA agent that he can’t do this without her. As Mark and Faith get closer to the proof they need to take down Kerberos, they also draw closer to each other. Mark finally learns the truth about who betrayed his father, but getting revenge means abandoning his goal of taking Kerberos down. Abandoning his promise to rescue Faith’s brother. And abandoning the woman he loves to the ruthless hunters who will kill to keep their secrets. AFTERMATH His job is keeping national secrets. Her job is to ferret them out. Ryker, head of the private security group that ended Kerberos, discovers that not all of the men responsible were brought to justice. Someone is trying to resurrect the program. They will do anything to keep their involvement a secret, including kill the reporter who wants answers Ryker’s not allowed to give. Investigative reporter Siobahn Murphy is chasing the hottest story of her life. Officials in the highest levels of government supported a secret program that kidnapped men and turned them into superhuman soldiers. Now those officials are attempting to cover their tracks and bury Siobahn with their secrets, but she won’t go down without a fight. As they race toward the truth together, Ryker finds himself falling for the sexy, headstrong reporter. When Siobahn is attacked, he has to make the choice to protect the woman he loves or protect his nation’s secrets. If you like gritty, edge-of-your-seat action, government conspiracies, and characters forced to confront the darkness within themselves, then you'll love Vanessa Kier's action-packed SSU romantic thriller series. Get The SSU Series Complete Box Set today to experience the adventure!

Collection of Ancient Chinese Cultural Relics, Volume 10

Collection of Ancient Chinese Cultural Relics, Volume 10
Author:
Publisher: ATF Press
Total Pages: 331
Release: 2020-02-03
Genre: Art
ISBN: 1925371654

The second volume dealing with ancient Chines cultural relics in the Qing Dynasty, 1644 to 1911. There are 375 relics. A continuation of Volume 9, dealing with the Qing Dynasty and describes paintings, calligraphy, embroidery and brocade, gold and silver ware and metal enamel ware and clocks. Paintings in this period can be divided into the early, middle and late stages. Early stage: Four Wangs painting school: Wang Shimin, Wang Jian, Wang Hui and Wang Yuanqi. Midle stage: representative artists include: Jiao Bingzhenb, Leng Mei, Tang Dai during Kangxi's reign,and Ding Guanpeng, Jin Tingbiao, Xu Yang, Zhang Zongcang, Jian Tingxi and Zou Yigui in Qianlong's reign. Late stage paintings of literati gradually declined. When the newly developed business cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou, opened as trading ports, changes were made in themes and styles. New schools formed: 'Secoast School' in Shanghai and 'Ling,an School' in Guangzhou. The former group artists included: Xu Gu, Zhao Zhiqian, Wu Changshuo, while the other school included: Su Liupeng, Su Ren Sahn, Ju Chao and Ju Lian. This book, the tenth in a ten-volume collection, brings to the English-speaking world a series of books from China which has been complied by an Expert Committee of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics. There are 375 descriptions.

The Strategy of Warfare – Boxed Set

The Strategy of Warfare – Boxed Set
Author: Carl von Clausewitz
Publisher: Good Press
Total Pages: 1996
Release: 2023-12-24
Genre: History
ISBN:

The 'Strategy of Warfare Boxed Set' stands as a seminal collection that traverses the spectrum of military strategic thought through varied epochs and cultures. This anthology encapsulates a rigorous exploration of warfare strategies, with contributions that span ancient wisdom, medieval treatises, and modern doctrines. The literary styles vary from philosophical musings and practical guides to historical accounts and personal narratives, reflecting the diverse tactical and strategic considerations of warfare. Notably, the inclusion of works by such figures as Sun Tzu and Carl von Clausewitz alongside contemporary strategic doctrines from the US Marine Corps offers readers a panoramic view of military strategy's evolution over millennia. This collection brings together a formidable roster of contributors, each a luminary in their own right. From the foundational principles laid out by Confucius and Kautilya to the revolutionary guerrilla warfare tactics advocated by Ernesto Che Guevara, the anthology spans significant historical, cultural, and literary movements. These authors, generals, and philosophers collectively contribute to a nuanced understanding of military strategy, bridging the gap between ancient strategies and their application or reinterpretation in modern warfare contexts. The 'Strategy of Warfare Boxed Set' is an indispensable resource for scholars, strategists, and students of military history. It offers a unique opportunity to engage with the strategic insights of some of historys most influential military thinkers. Each work within the collection not only stands on its own merit but also contributes to a larger conversation about the nature of power, conflict, and resolution. Readers are encouraged to explore the depths of this collection to gain a comprehensive understanding of warfare strategy, from its philosophical underpinnings to its practical implementations across different periods and cultures.

Pinned

Pinned
Author: Maris Black
Publisher: CreateSpace
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2014-01-28
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9781495372421

Two hot college wrestlers take it off the mat... All Jeremy Miller can think about is getting away from his abusive home life, making the wrestling team, and finally getting a real boyfriend. He's sick of being used by high-school football players who are too afraid to admit they like guys. What he doesn't count on is losing his heart to the gorgeous, golden-eyed captain of the wrestling team... Or having to keep their hot, sweaty nights a secret at all costs. With a wrestling scholarship, a shot at a national title, and a guaranteed spot in an elite sports medicine program, Beck has got it made. Yeah, he's gay and wishing he didn't have to hide it, but there will be plenty of time for dating after graduation. Until then, he doesn't need anything to get in the way of his big plans. Not even the adorable freshman wrestler he can't stop pinning to the mattress every chance he gets. Why won't the sexy little bastard stop tempting him?

How to Read the Chinese Novel

How to Read the Chinese Novel
Author: David L. Rolston
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 552
Release: 2014-07-14
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1400860474

Fiction criticism has a long and influential history in pre-modern China, where critics would read and reread certain novels with a concentration and fervor far exceeding that which most Western critics give to individual works. This volume, a source book for the study of traditional Chinese fiction criticism from the late sixteenth to the early twentieth centuries, presents translations of writings taken from the commentary editions of six of the most important novels of pre-modern China. These translations consist mainly of tu-fa, or "how-to-read" essays, which demonstrate sensitivity and depth of analysis both in the treatment of general problems concerning the reading of any work of fiction and in more focused discussions of particular compositional details in individual novels. The translations were produced by pioneers in the study of this form of fiction criticism in the West: Shuen-fu Lin, Andrew H. Plaks, David T. Roy, John C. Y. Wang, and Anthony C. Yu. Four introductory essays by Andrew H. Plaks and the editor address the historical background for this type of criticism, its early development, its formal features, recurrent terminology, and major interpretive strategies. A goal of this volume is to aid in the rediscovery of this traditional Chinese poetics of fiction and help eliminate some of the distortions encountered in the past by the imposition of Western theories of fiction on Chinese novels. Originally published in 1990. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

A Cultural History of Civil Examinations in Late Imperial China

A Cultural History of Civil Examinations in Late Imperial China
Author: Benjamin A. Elman
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 890
Release: 2000-03-22
Genre: History
ISBN: 0520215095

"A very important study of one of the most important institutions in Chinese history, one without which the China we have today would certainly be a vastly different place."—Peter Bol, author of "This Culture of Ours": Intellectual Transitions in T'ang and Sung China

Dictionary of Ming Biography, 1368-1644

Dictionary of Ming Biography, 1368-1644
Author: Association for Asian Studies. Ming Biographical History Project Committee
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 762
Release: 1976
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780231038331

Based largely upon original Ming documents, the Dictionary explores the lives of nearly 650 representative figures, both Chinese and foreign, who influenced the course of almost three hundred years of Chinese history. The articles span all classes, professions, and fields of endeavor, from emperors to artists, soldiers to missionaries, concubines, physicians, and pirates.

The Religious Thought of Chu Hsi

The Religious Thought of Chu Hsi
Author: Julia Ching
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 361
Release: 2000-08-24
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0195357892

Recognized as one of the greatest philosophers in classical China, Chu Hsi (1130-1200) is known in the West primarily through translations of one of his many works, the Chin-ssu Lu. In this book, Julia Ching offers the first book-length examination of Chu Hsi's religious thought, based on extensive reading of both primary and secondary sources. Ching begins by providing an introduction to Chu's twelfth-century intellectual context. She then examines Chu's natural philosophy, looking in particular at the ideas of the Great Ultimate and at spirits and deities and the rituals that honor them. Next, Ching considers Chu's interpretation of human nature and the emotions, highlighting the mystical thrust of the theoretical and practical teachings of spiritual cultivation and meditation. She discusses Chu's philosophical disputes with his contemporariesin particular Lu Chiu-yuanand examines his relationship to Buddhism and Taoism. In the final chapters, Ching looks at critiques of Chu during his lifetime and after and evaluates the relevance of his thinking in terms of contemporary needs and problems. This clearly written and highly accessible study also offers translations of some of Chu's most important philosophical poems, filling a major gap in the fields of both Chinese philosophy and religion.