A surprising and sweeping history that reveals the fur trade to be the driving force behind conquest, colonization, and revolution in early America Combining the epic saga of Hampton Sides's Blood and Thunder with the natural history of Mark Kurlansky's Cod, popular historian Alan Axelrod reveals the astonishingly vital role a small animal—the beaver—played in the creation of our nation. The author masterfully relays a story often neglected by conventional histories: how lust for fur trade riches moved monarchs and men to launch expeditions of discovery, finance massive corporate enterprises, and wage war. Deftly weaving cultural and military narratives, the author chronicles how Spanish, Dutch, French, English, and Native American tribes created and betrayed alliances based on trapping and trade disputes, producing a surprisingly complex series of loyalties that endured throughout the Revolution and beyond.

Introduction : empires and indigenous peoples, global transformation and the limits of international society -- From wet diplomacy to scorched earth : the Taiwan expedition, the Guardline and the Wushe rebellion -- The long durée and the short circuit : gender, language and territory in the making of indigenous Taiwan -- Tangled up in red : textiles, trading posts and ethnic bifurcation in Taiwan -- The geobodies within a geobody : the visual economy of race-making and indigeneity

The Aventine Empire is crumbling under the attacks of savages armed with strange and dangerous powers. Exiled from the empire, a powerful telepath named Leonardo is captured by the savages, and finds himself in unfamiliar territory. Prepared for their brutality and mindless aggression, Leonardo learns their world differs from what he has been taught, and he is forced to question all of his previously held assumptions. This edition includes the first three works of the seven-volume Savage Empire series, last issued more than 10 years ago.

"... Reveals the astonishingly vital role a small animal-the beaver-played in the creation of our nation"--From publisher description.

This second book in the Savage Empire series introduces two new continuing characters to the saga of the Savage Empire. Zanos the Gladiator and Astra, a master reader, are loyal citizens of the Aventine Empire. Nevertheless, one holds a deadly secret and the other is drawn into a high-level conspiracy that brings them together and propels them into a desperate flight to the Savage Empire. A prophecy of peace and hope might provide a new life for them there-if their pursuing enemies don't kill them first. One of Zanos and Astra's new friends in the Savage Empire is the blind reader Torio, who has unexpectedly gained the rare talent of prophecy. The cryptic messages of his new gift send Zanos, Astra, Torio, and his beloved Melissa on a danger-filled journey north to Zanos's homeland. There, each one finds a personal destiny, and all must pay a price for confronting the lethal Sorcerers of the Frozen Isles.

"Dangerous, sexy, and heart wrenching!" Farrell Black is dirty, dangerous, and holds nothing sacred. Growing up on the mean streets of London, he clawed his way to the top of a criminal empire with nothing but sheer force of will and the determination to need no one. Ever. Then he met Jenna Carver, and all bets were off — until the day she walked out of his life without a backward glance. Leaving him was the hardest thing she’d ever done. As a kid, Jenna knew how people looked at her. Like she was stupid. Worthless. Poor. So she spent her life working to become someone else. Then she met Farrell Black, and their all-consuming passion blew a hole in everything she thought she knew about herself. Until she was forced to make a terrible choice. Now Jenna is back in London for her father's funeral, desperate to avoid the one man who can banish her hard-earned reason in favor of red-hot ecstasy. But when her father’s death is tied to an abuse of power at the highest levels, she has no choice but to ask Farrell for help. As they work together to find answers to a puzzle that could have dangerous implications, desire threatens to undo them both — and forces Jenna to choose between keeping the secret of a lifetime and having the one man who can command her body and soul. _____________________________ ★★★★★ "Dark and edgy...I am sold." ★★★★★ "Holy hotness!" ★★★★★ "Best MOB STORY EVER." ★★★★★ "The heart of a lion. The body of a god. The tenacity of a bull. Farrell is the BOSS of the London mob." ★★★★★ "Are you ready for your next book boyfriend because here he is!" ★★★★★ "I swooned HARD."

"Hot and intense to the very last word!!!" Farrell Black is dirty, dangerous, and holds nothing sacred. Growing up on the mean streets of London, he clawed his way to the top of a criminal empire with nothing but sheer force of will and the determination to need no one. Ever. Then he met Jenna Carver, and all bets were off — until the day she walked out of his life without a backward glance. Leaving him was the hardest thing she’d ever done. As a kid, Jenna knew how people looked at her. Like she was stupid. Worthless. Poor. So she spent her life working to become someone else. Then she met Farrell Black and their all-consuming passion blew a hole in everything she thought she knew about herself. Until she was forced to make a terrible choice. Now Jenna is back in London for her father's funeral, desperate to avoid the one man who can banish her hard-earned reason in favor of red-hot ecstasy. But when her father’s death is tied to an abuse of power at the highest levels, she has no choice but to ask Farrell for help. As they work together to find answers to a puzzle that could have dangerous implications, desire threatens to undo them both and forces Jenna to choose between keeping the secret of a lifetime and having the one man who can command her body and soul. Then Farrell and Jenna find themselves on the run, fugitives from the law as they work to unravel a threat that could have catastrophic consequences for mankind. From London to Italy to Paris, Farrell and Jenna have no choice but to fight more than one hidden adversary - and hope they live long enough to get a second chance at love. _______________________________ ★★★★★ "This is indeed a gripping series. This boxed set is a must have." ★★★★★ "Loved this set of books, it was impossible to put down." ★★★★★ "Sleep was willingly sacrificed haha!" ★★★★★ "The story was captivating from the start, suspense the whole way through. Def a must read." ★★★★★ "Super hot and intense to the very last word!!!" ★★★★★ "Romantic, dirty, and suspense all in one… I am hooked!" ★★★★★ "Was pulled into the story right from the get go and couldn't put it down till I was done!" ★★★★★ "5 stars are not enough…"