Malik Owen was the sole survivor of a brutal and sudden attack on his home town. An attack which completely destroyed everything he knew and left him alone in the world. Rescued by a friend of his parents, he was taken to the city of Founders Rock and trained as a member of the elite Crimson Guardians, a special unit of men and women who embark on only the most dangerous missions for the king. Now while tormented by vicious nightmares, Malik must face a new mission far to the north east of his country Arlieana. His assignment: To investigate the disappearance of several communities and the possible reactivation of a long forgotten 'Dark Gateway'. A device which if repaired could signal the return of an ancient evil to the planet Vishante. Partnered with an inexperienced Elemental Mage Aris Calgar, Malik embarks on a journey of self discovery which will bring him face to face with an evil from his forgotten past and perhaps finally bring some peace to his soul.

Beloved pastor Jack Hayford shows believers how to assert their authority in spiritual battle and provides biblical keys for defeating the bondage of darkness.

"Often denounced as nihilistic and even degenerate, film noir seems an unlikely antidote to the despair of contemporary popular culture. But at the heart of these dark films is a spiritual quest that is profoundly hopeful. In a fascinating re-evaluation of "American noir," Thomas Hibbs argues that these powerful tales of sin and redemption embody religious themes that are essential for cultural renewal." "Starting with early noir classics such as Double Indemnity and The Maltese Falcon, Hibbs reveals their surprising connection with contemporary quest films such as The Passion, The Sixth Sense, and Spider-Man. Despite its roots in the heyday of Hollywood Marxism, noir even displays a distinctly conservative bent - redemption is personal, not political, and scientific rationalism fails to deliver on its sunny promises." "Arts of Darkness explores not only the shadowy works of the 1940s and 1950s but also recent films in which the dark themes of noir converge with the quest for redemption. Hibbs dubs these diverse but related works "American noir," a term that encompasses Chinatown and Taxi Driver, The Matrix and The Terminator, American Beauty and Thelma and Louise. Hibbs insists that these tragic and gritty films stand among the most powerful religious narratives of our time."--BOOK JACKET.

Rejected by their own kind for bearing the mark of the Shadow Monarch, the Iron Elves chose instead to serve with the human armies of the Calahrian Empire, hoping through their dedication and discipline to wipe out the stain of their birth. Their reputation is legendary -- until their commander, Konowa Swiftdragon, takes it upon himself -- for the best of reasons -- to assassinate the Viceroy. Court-martialled and exiled to the forest he despises, his beloved regiment disgraced, dishonoured and disbanded, Konowa finds himself suddenly recalled and ordered to re-form the Iron Elves for one last reconnaissance mission. But the new Iron Elves are not at all the same as they were before, and the mission is a suicidal one, with more at stake than Konowa could possibly have imagined. For the Shadow Monarch and her allies have harnessed destructive forces with the power to tear worlds apart -- and those who bear her mark have a destiny greater than they know. So begins an heroic journey in the company of a motley band of misfits, rebels and outcasts, with a central character whose engaging, brilliantly realised blend of cynicism, dry humour, duty and anguish make him unlike any other in fantasy fiction.

Nothing comes easy for Darian. Her heightened powers make her indispensable to the Shaede Nation, but dangerous missions have driven her lover, Tyler, to his breaking point. Darian must salvage their bond, but a new assignment to protect Anya—a fellow Shaede and the first of their kind to become pregnant in centuries—stands in the way. It doesn’t help that the two Shaedes are longtime rivals and share nothing besides mutual hatred. But when it becomes clear that someone—or something—is bent on destroying the expectant mother and her unborn child, Darian must put her feelings aside and track down Anya’s would-be assassin. As she probes into Anya’s past, Darian digs up long-buried secrets—and a startling connection between Tyler and the mission that could destroy everything between them.…

In January 2003, Ken Jones, an adventurer and former British Special Forces soldier, was caught in a devastating avalanche as he climbed deep in the frozen wilderness of Romania's Carpathian Mountains. Swept over the edge of a 75-foot cliff, he plummeted to the rocks below. Against all odds, he survived the fall--regaining consciousness shrouded in darkness and sub-zero temperatures, separated from his supplies, and in excruciating pain from a broken leg and shattered pelvis. With frostbite and internal bleeding beginning to take their toll, Jones summoned his deepest will to live and began three agonizing days dragging himself over frozen terrain to safety--only to discover that his true ordeal was yet to begin. The doctors who initially treated him were astonished that any person could sustain such massive trauma and exposure and still be alive. Then, after an initial round of extensive surgeries and recoveries that equaled if not exceeded the pain of the injuries themselves, Jones was told he would almost certainly never walk again. Over the next two years he endured constant physical therapy and additional surgery, with latent effects from the fall still threatening his life. At one point, he slipped into unconsciousness under anesthesia just as he heard a doctor telling his mother he was going to die. But with a soldier's heart he made his way to recovery, regained full mobility, and has made his story known in this remarkable book. In the bestselling tradition of Into Thin Air and Touching the Void, Darkness Descending is a classic tale of triumph over adversity and what it means to never give up. Jones's remarkable feat has already been featured on Animal Planet's hit series I Shouldn't Be Alive, and stands tall as an unforgettable testament to the strength of the human spirit.