This oversized elf is on a mission to save Christmas. The unthinkable has happened. Krampus has escaped his prison and is out for revenge. It’s up to Leif Blitzen, member of the Yule Squad, to locate the dangerous prisoner before anyone is harmed. His mission takes him from the North Pole to a small town with an interesting shop and an even more intriguing owner. Bella might be almost forty but that hasn’t diminished her love of the holidays. Filled with unique gifts and antiques from all over the world, her Christmas store keeps her spirit bright all year round. However, it doesn’t make her a sucker for the man with pointed ears who claims he’s Santa’s elf. Once Leif shows proof he truly does work for the man in red, Bella is ready and willing to do anything to help him against the coming evil, including offering herself as bait for a trap. What they don’t count on is Krampus coming early and taking her hostage. Now, Leif will do anything to rescue Bella—risk his own life, forsake Santa—because there’s only one thing this elf wants for Christmas. Love. genre: paranormal romantic comedy, supernatural holiday romance, twisted fantasy romance, reindeer shapeshifter

Although few in number, elves produce the most skillful and deadly warriors of all the races. Renowned for their archery and agility, they are mostly associated with hit-and-run tactics; however, they should not be underestimated in open battle. From an initial examination of the fighting methods of the individual elf warrior, this lavishly illustrated volume goes on to reveal how they do battle in small companies and in vast armies. It covers all of their troop types, from their famed bowmen and swordmasters to their lightning-fast cavalry, making special note of regional variations and highly specialized fighters such as war mages and rendering a colorful panoramic view of the elfin way of war.

Former ELF spokesperson, Leslie James Pickering, traces the first five years of ELF activity through communiques, underground newspapers, interviews and news media releases. The first book to be published on the ELF, Earth Liberation Front 1997-2002 is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the radical environmental movement in the United States and the birth of a clandestine, underground organization acting in defense of the planet.

It is well known that J.R.R. Tolkien published The Hobbit in 1937 and The Lord of the Rings in 1954-5. What may be less known is that he continued to write about Middle-earth in the decades that followed, right up until the years before his death in 1973. For him, Middle-earth was part of an entire world to be explored, and the writings in The Nature of Middle-earth reveal the journeys that he took as he sought to better understand his unique creation. He discusses sweeping themes as profound as Elvish immortality and reincarnation, and the Powers of the Valar, to the more earth-bound subjects of the lands and beasts of Númenor and the geography of the Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor.

The surprising and illuminating look at how Tolkien's love of science and natural history shaped the creation of his Middle Earth, from its flora and fauna to its landscapes. The world J.R.R. Tolkien created is one of the most beloved in all of literature, and continues to capture hearts and imaginations around the world. From Oxford to ComiCon, the Middle Earth is analyzed and interpreted through a multitude of perspectives. But one essential facet of Tolkien and his Middle Earth has been overlooked: science. This great writer, creator of worlds and unforgettable character, and inventor of language was also a scientific autodidact, with an innate interest and grasp of botany, paleontologist and geologist, with additional passions for archeology and chemistry. Tolkien was an acute observer of flora and fauna and mined the minds of his scientific friends about ocean currents and volcanoes. It is these layers science that give his imaginary universe—and the creatures and characters that inhabit it—such concreteness. Within this gorgeously illustrated edition, a range of scientists—from astrophysicists to physicians, botanists to volcanologists—explore Tolkien’s novels, poems, and letters to reveal their fascinating scientific roots. A rewarding combination of literary exploration and scientific discovery, The Science of Middle Earth reveals the hidden meaning of the Ring’s corruption, why Hobbits have big feet, the origins of the Dwarves, the animals which inspired the dragons, and even whether or not an Ent is possible. Enhanced by superb original drawings, this transportive work will delight both Tolkien fans and science lovers and inspire us to view both Middle Earth—and our own world—with fresh eyes.

This oversized elf is on a mission to save Christmas. The unthinkable has happened. Krampus has escaped his prison and is out for revenge. It's up to Leif Blitzen, member of the Yule Squad, to locate the dangerous prisoner before anyone is harmed. His mission takes him from the North Pole to a small town with an interesting shop and an even more intriguing owner. Bella might be almost forty but that hasn't diminished her love of the holidays. Filled with unique gifts and antiques from all over the world, her Christmas store keeps her spirit bright all year round. However, it doesn't make her a sucker for the man with pointed ears who claims he's Santa's elf. Once Leif shows proof he truly does work for the man in red, Bella is ready and willing to do anything to help him against the coming evil, including offering herself as bait for a trap. What they don't count on is Krampus coming early and taking her hostage. Now, Leif will do anything to rescue Bella-risk his own life, forsake Santa-because there's only one thing this elf wants for Christmas. Love.

The Earth Liberation Front (ELF) has been active in the United States officially since 1997, causing more than $45 million in damages to various entities. As the organization continues to grow and expand its range of targets, ELF has taken an extreme position against individuals, corporations, and governments that, in the organization's view, places monetary gain ahead of the natural environment. Rejecting state sanctioned means of legal protest, ELF uses economic sabotage to inflict financial suffering on those deemed objectionable. In February 2002, the FBI listed the ELF as the largest and most active US-based terrorist group. Although no one has died in any of these operations, ELF's campaign against loggers, SUV dealerships, and others it considers threats to the planet have galvanized and polarized the environmental movement. Former ELF spokesperson Rosebraugh charts the history and ideology of ELF and explores their tactics, successes, and limitations. He shows how ELFers offer an uncompromising vision of an earth under assault from the forces of greed and corporate violence, and how they employ direct action against those they deem a threat to the planet. Rosebraugh also examines the issues of whether violence is or is not justifiable, and the short- and long-term political benefits and drawbacks of using violence. Finally, he offers a trenchant vision of the future of the environmental movement, radical politics, and US democracy under the so-called Patriot Act. Whatever your view of direct action or violence, Burning Rage of a Dying Planet is essential reading for those trying to understand the mindset and motivations of contemporary radical environmentalists.