A warrior in enemy territory is on secret mission to raise an army in this historical adventure by the author of Wolves of the North. In AD 264, the Roman Empire has been torn in two. The western provinces—Gaul, Spain, and Britain—have been seized by Postumus, the pretender to the throne. To the east, on the plains of northern Italy, the armies of the emperor Gallienus muster, and he is keen to take his rightful place of power. A war between two emperors is coming, and everyone must choose a side. On a mission shrouded in secrecy and suspicion, Ballista is sent by Gallienus back to his original home of Hyperborea, the place of the people of his birth, to raise an army against Postumus. This means that Ballista must journey along the Amber Road to the far north. Along the way Ballista meets a fearsome, masked warlord who brings fire and sword against Ballista and his men. And in Ballista’s home of Hyperborea, not all welcome his return. In the battle between Postumus and Gallienus, only one can survive and be emperor. Renowned for their skilled blending of action and historical accuracy, Sidebottom’s Warrior of Rome novels take the reader from the shouts of the battlefield to the whisperings of the emperor’s inner circle. Rich in detail and punctuated by harrowing action, there’s no better way to transport yourself back to the days of the Roman Empire. Praise for the Warrior of Rome series “Sidebottom’s prose blazes with searing scholarship.” —The Times (UK) “Superior . . . fiction, with depth, authenticity and a sense of place.” —Times Literary Supplement (UK) “A storming Roman epic with explosive action and knuckle-whitening drama.” —The Guardian (UK) “I don’t think I’ve ever experienced antiquity so directly: the brutality, the directness of expression and feeling, the deep bonds formed amid unmitigated violence.” —David Konstan, Professor of Classics, Brown University “The best sort of red-blooded historical fiction.” —Andrew Taylor, author of The American Boy

With intrigue, romance and suspense to rival Gone With the Wind, Amber Road tells an epic story of one woman’s indomitable spirit against the backdrop of World War II. As an empire is swept away, a young woman's world is ripped apart... It’s 1941 and seventeen-year-old Victoria Khoo lives in luxury in colonial Singapore. Her carefree days are spent fantasising about marrying Sebastian Boustead, scion of a great British merchant family, and becoming mistress of his imposing mansion on Amber Road. Not even Sebastian’s arrival from London with his new fiancée, Elizabeth Nightingale, can dampen her dreams... Then the war reaches Asia and ‘Fortress Singapore’ abruptly surrenders to the Japanese. As the inhabitants are deserted by Britain, Victoria is forced to protect both her family and her rival, Elizabeth, from the cruelty of the occupation. Victoria’s old life has vanished in a heartbeat - but nothing will stand in the way of her destiny. Not the war. Not Elizabeth. And certainly not Joe Spencer, the charismatic Australian who both charms and infuriates her at every turn...

Since ancient times the Amber Road has been a trade route for the transfer of amber from coastal areas of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and ports beyond. We invite you to journey along the Amber Road from Russia through Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Slovenia to Italy and sample twenty folk tales and stories to be found enroute. This book contains but a sliver of the rich tapestry that is European folklore. Herein you will find perennial favourites like BABA YAGA AND THE LITTLE GIRL WITH THE KIND HEART, THE FROG PRINCESS and THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN. Also included are less well known tales like THE AMBER WIZARD, THE GOLD AXE, MANNIKIN LONG BEARD, THE NIXY, VITAZKO THE VICTORIOUS, THE GLUNKEZER GIANT, BEAUTY AND THE HORNS and THE MYRTLE and many more. The PIED PIPER of HAMELIN is supported by two poems by Robert Browning. The allegorical nature of this story is also brought to light. More than a few of these tales and stories have been collected and translated by Parker Fillmore who between 1907 and 1922 specialised in collecting and publishing eastern European forlklore. Teamed with Czech born illustrator, Jan Matulka, no less than seventeen volumes of Czech, Slovakian, Moravian and Finnish folklore were produced. So, find a comfy chair, sit back and enjoy the twenty authentic stories in this unique volume.

AD 264: The Roman Empire is torn in two. The western provinces - Gaul, Spain and Britain - have been seized by the pretender Postumus. To the east, on the plains of northern Italy, the armies of the emperor Gallienus muster. War is coming. Everyone must choose a side. On a mission shrouded in secrecy and suspicion, Ballista must journey The Amber Road to the far north to Hyperborea, back to his original home and the people of his birth. Yet not all welcome Ballista`s return. 'The best sort of red-blooded historical fiction' ANDREW TAYLOR

FINALIST FOR THE 2021 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE'S LITERATURE A debut YA novel-in-verse by Amber McBride, Me (Moth) is about a teen girl who is grieving the deaths of her family, and a teen boy who crosses her path. Moth has lost her family in an accident. Though she lives with her aunt, she feels alone and uprooted. Until she meets Sani, a boy who is also searching for his roots. If he knows more about where he comes from, maybe he’ll be able to understand his ongoing depression. And if Moth can help him feel grounded, then perhaps she too will discover the history she carries in her bones. Moth and Sani take a road trip that has them chasing ghosts and searching for ancestors. The way each moves forward is surprising, powerful, and unforgettable. Here is an exquisite and uplifting novel about identity, first love, and the ways that our memories and our roots steer us through the universe.

Belt and Road Initiative: Emerging World Order is an attempt to analyses President Xi Jinping’s concept of connectivity and cooperation. I have tried to examine the future of BRI. There can be no economic and political development without the availability of modern infrastructure. In this context development of digital technology assumes importance. BRI is spread over land and the maritime zone. The two components are inter related. BRI should not be viewed only as a set of trade routes; it is much more than that. The economic corridors will create interdependence and promote cooperation. While BRI is envisaged as a system which could lead to peace and prosperity among states. However, there are some threats which cannot be ignored. Members of BRI will have to devise a strategy to meet future challenges without getting involved in wars.

"A full-color illustrated travel guide to notable craft breweries of the northeast and mid-Atlantic states"--