Archaeologist Annja Creed, her friend Garin and his old mentor Roux race across Europe in a frantic quest to find an ancient butterfly key thought to activate a powerful automaton.

"Left a peculiar inheritance by her aunt, the honorable Alice B. Michaels, whose unladylike interest in automatons has made her a less than desirable marriage prospect, finds an ally in Gavin, a pilot stranded in London, who comes to her aid when she attracts the unwanted attention of the Third Ward"--Provided by publisher.

This is it! The final showdown between Dr. Manhattan and Superman shakes up the DC Universe to its very core! But can even the Man of Steel walk out from the shadow of Manhattan?

Fear is an inescapable part of how human beings experience reality. The impact of fear becomes particularly evident in a crisis. When a crisis strikes, be it a war, a pandemic, global warming or a financial crisis, leaders are challenged to exercise sound judgement by speaking and acting. This book argues that there are three fears every leader has to know – apocalyptic fear, political fear, and private fear. By appealing to these three fears in an adequate manner, a leader’s appeal to fear may serve a constructive purpose in a crisis.

This book offers a descriptive analysis of the Soviet/Russian wars in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Georgia, as well as an in-depth exploration of the ways in which these wars are framed in the collective consciousness created by global popular culture. Russian and Western modalities of remembrance have been, and remain, engaged in a world war that takes place (not exclusively, but intensively) on the level of popular culture. The action/reaction dynamic, confrontational narratives and othering between the two “camps” never ceased. The Cold War, in many ways and contrary to the views of many others who hoped for the end of history, never really ended.

How’s a secret agent meant to catch a break? If it’s not a demi-god going through puberty, it’s a renegade Nazi clockwork army going senile. Or a death cult in Nepal. Or a battery-chewing wizard’s relationship problems. Arthur Wallace, agent of MI37—Britain’s agency for dealing with the supernatural, the extraterrestrial, and the generally odd—has to pull everything together, and he has to do it before a magical bomb tears reality apart…

Successful spies change history. Failures are never heard from again. From simple data theft or sabotage to protecting state secrets and last-ditch gambles that alter the tides of war, it's the spy—professional or amateur—who gets the job done! Whether it's for King and country or private vendetta, it is often the lone agent, through stealth, skill, and sometimes a little luck, who makes the difference. If only it were that easy. In Last-Ditch you'll find sixteen original stories of men, women, aliens, and even creatures who face seemingly insurmountable odds to achieve their goals. So come join in on a little heart-pounding espionage, as Jason M. Hough, Tanya Huff, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., D. Thomas Minton, Nemma Wollenfang, Hayden Trenholm, Edward Willett, Blake Jessop, Steve Perry, Ember Randall, Derryl Murphy, Chadwick Ginther, Russell Hugh McConnell, Gary Kloster, E.C. Ambrose, and Donald McCarthy put it all on the line to take you behind the scenes and behind enemy lines.