As yet another Quinquennial approaches, the whole of Cassana holds its breath in anticipation of the start of a new era. Another Empress must be chosen, and the fate of the next five years, or perhaps the future, lies in the prophecy of the Everdiamond. The strength of Cassana is wanning, with enchantment and magic banned throughout the land, the ancient and powerful order of the Viridescents banished to the outer islands, and their enemies growing in number and their faith in the Everdiamond diminishing. Only one could possibly unite them once and for all. The Empress. It is time to follow the journey of eight individuals, one prophesied to be the Empress, one determined to become a Crystalline warrior, one banished to the outer-lands as a Viridescent, one seeking wisdom, one prepared to do what it takes to bring the magic back to Cassana, one who plots to take the throne, one the leader of the order of the Viridescents and one who wishes only to see her brother once again. This is their story. Battles must be fought, and Draegons awoken, magic rekindled. Wise be your council; fair be your judgement.

The Imperial Sublime examines the rise of the Russian empire as a literary theme simultaneous with the evolution of Russian poetry between the 1730s and 1840—the century during which poets defined the main questions facing Russian literature and society. Harsha Ram shows how imperial ideology became implicated in an unexpectedly wide range of issues, from formal problems of genre, style, and lyric voice to the vexed relationship between the poet and the ruling monarch.

'We Japanese', is a collection of answers to questions that the author as a hotel manager in Japan has answered for hotel guests over the years. He was the manager for over 28 years at the Fujiya Hotel at Miyanoshita. These are naturally questions concerning those things which are different in Japan from the countries from which the visitors come. First published in 2006. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.