In July 1745, Charles Edward Stuart landed in Scotland and raised his royal colours to stake his claim to the British throne. The Jacobite rebellion to oust the German King George of England began and many highland clans pledged their support for the struggle. The driving force for the novel is the transformation of James MacGillivray, the son of the clan chieftain, from a naive young Scottish highlander living the easy-going life of a cattle herder to the harsh reality of the battle-hardened warrior. With the help of Robbie, his older brother, he has to put aside his genial manner and force himself to serve his clan. The horror of warfare, the noise, smells, and inhumanity as men brutality slay one another eventually becomes second nature to his survival. The rebellion, nothing more than a folly, concludes in the humiliating defeat of the Jacobites in April 1746 on Culloden Moor, north of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. James, defeated in battle, lives as an exile in his own country, before being captured and sent to the prison hulks in England. He is then forced to enlist in the British Army as they attempt to subdue Ireland, he spies for the Irish Brotherhood, fights in the American Colonies as the British oust the French, and finally returns to Scotland where he can seek retribution against his wrongdoers. His journey into manhood is harrowing as he deals with imprisonment, betrayal, and personal loss. Throughout the ordeal, James placed his trust in an heirloom, a silver plaid brooch, a lucky talisman that has served him and his clan well in the past.

Mentoring is the primary vehicle for spiritual insight and holistic growth today, and Talisman is written from the perspective of a mentee reflecting on the teachings of his/her mentor. It ends with the mentee becoming the mentor. This is why the second edition of this book is shorter, with the second section significantly revised. Originally, the second section took the reader back in time, to follow some of the dialogue Echo remembered. Most readers, however, were intrigued by Echo and wanted to go forward in time. They intuited correctly that the voice of “Echo” was a composite of real people. What happened to Echo? So the first section of this book remains an assessment of the spiritual quest for God in the postmodern world. It explores the significance of incarnation, but in the context of the power and depth of being rather than any dogmatic point of view: experience and mystery over knowledge and certainty. The goal is not to answer questions of existence, but to sustain the courage to be and provide reason to hope. The second section of the book introduces a methodology to reflect on one’s position vis-à-vis the “eternal” in any particular “now.” Echo not only continues to grow personally, but helps other spiritual travelers understand their own quest for God: Life-on-the-Edge, Life-in-Between, and Life-at-Peace. Meditation on the principles expressed through the “talisman” helps the spiritual traveler see where they have been, and discern where they are going. A talisman can be any form (object, song, data, etc.) that is grasped by Unconditional Being to become a portal linking finite yearning to infinite meaning. Here the talisman is a six-pointed star which has mystical significance for many religions. But whatever your talisman is, it will help you experience the nearness of God, in your unique cultural context, and find hope.

Examine the infinite variety of charms and fetishes found in every civilization, from the distant past to the present. Learn the entire history of these tools, their geography, how they are part of each man and woman's search for connection with spiritual forces, and how to make and use them. Loaded with hundreds of illustrations, this is the ultimate reference guide.

A strange assortment of humans and otherworldly beings joins a young soldier of God on his perilous quest through an alternate, technology-free reality ruled by an all-powerful Evil In an alternate world where the Dark Ages never ended, “the Evil” that arises every five hundred years has prevented all manner of technological advancement, even well into the twentieth century. The son of a powerful English noble, young Duncan Standish has always longed to be a soldier of the Lord, and now he’s been offered a rare opportunity to fulfill his dream. Entrusted with the delivery of an ancient manuscript—purported to be irrefutable evidence of the existence of Jesus Christ—to a noted Oxenford scholar, Duncan must journey many perilous miles in the company of a motley group of fellow travelers, including a goblin, a ghost, and other magical and non-magical companions. But the road they traverse together is fraught with terrible trials that would test even the most devout, for the Evil is strong in this place of dark wonders. Multiple Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award–winner and SFWA Grand Master Clifford D. Simak moves easily from science fiction to quest fantasy in this enthralling tale of magic, peril, and discovery on an Earth that never was. Rich in color, thrills, and wild invention, and populated by a highly original and unforgettable cast of characters, Fellowship of the Talisman showcases the author’s peerless storytelling skills, demonstrating once again that the great Simak had few equals in the realm of twentieth-century speculative fiction.

This book is about the eternal quest of a soul for love; a love that can provide fulfillment. It is a journey into the self; a journey to find meaning and re-establish communion with God. Love Only is a story of an angel who gives up her privileged position near God to find ‘true’ and ‘exclusive’ love. Through her journey, she chronicles love in its various colours—of longing, of pain, of understanding, of hope, of deliverance. The author, Kavita Gupta, weaves this soul-searching journey beautifully, incorporating the Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Sufi philosophies. Through her extraordinary storytelling prowess, Gupta fuses prose and poetry masterfully to make the reader wonder about the true nature of love. Can carnal desires and limiting cravings define individual love? How does individual love relate to divine love? Why is human love so pressing, and can it be everlasting? The book inspires the reader to search for eternal love within each one of us, instead of seeking it outside. KAVITA GUPTA, IAS, has four master’s degrees and a PhD. She has navigated her spiritual journey through streams of all major religious thoughts under the guidance of many spiritual masters. She is also a meditation teacher, yoga instructor, tarot card reader and trained in past life regression therapy and other healing modalities. “A story that weaves through otherworldly wilderness” AMISH TRIPATHI, bestselling author “...for the incorrigibly romantic” PRAHLAD KAKKAR, ad film director"

Amnesia plagues Owailion, the Awakened One. After meeting the gargantuan dragon, Mohan, he becomes his apprentice. As the realm-guarding dragons prepare to enter hibernation for a thousand years, Owailion is tasked to protect the land from invaders. Gifted with powerful magic, he will be alone; the only human sealed off from the rest of the world. Aided by a mysterious woman from his dreams, Owailion soon learns that his powers have their limits. He can conjure anything, speak with minds across vast distances and move instantly anywhere he desires - but can he control his own fate?

A poor young girl escaping an abusive father finds herself thrust into a quest to stop two warring countries from destroying each other. In the midst of a twisted plot mined with lies and deceit, even those who Shian loves must betray her. Before Shian can be free of a destiny that she never wanted, the daughter of Rahadel must face the threat of an evil more powerful than the great High Lords of mighty Citadel… herself. Created to infuse itself into her very soul and corrupt to the core of darkness itself, Shian must decide if she will accept or deny the gift and the curse of the Talisman Box!