Cill was different, that much he knew but of his past he had no memory. While he remained on the farm, herding Bopes, with his friend Balton and his daughter Senya he knew he was safe but the time was rapidly coming when he knew he would have to leave, to head to the city where, perhaps, the answers to the riddle of his life lay. Even if he chose to hide, the time of safety was drawing to a close. Grayheme the rebel had disappeared and the brotherhood scoured the land for any sign of his passage, all the while squeezing the population for heavier and heavier taxes. With a time of census drawing close and the priests threatening to invade his secluded life, Cill new that he would have to face his past, discover the secret of his life and, almost certainly, confront the Cult of the Hyper-Worm.

His relationship in tatters and heading for self-destruction, William Corder feels as if he has no purpose in life. Little does he know that across the galaxy alien beings are taking a strong interest in his destiny. Believing the human to hold the key to an incredible secret they hire Gideon Blank to track Corder down and discover what he knows, aided by clues in an ancient book that mysteriously predicts exactly what Corder will do. The Earth is in the grip of a global depression, employment is rare. It is only through the support of his benefactors in the Avery-Hart Institute and his few friends that Corder clings on to his job as his world collapses around him. When the opportunity comes to travel to Egypt Corder sees it as a means for him to begin the slow process of rebuilding his life emotionally. The trip, like his boss is not, however, all it seems and yet everyone seems set on Corder making the journey. Out in the desert something waits which will hurl Corder into an adventure beyond his wildest imagination, far away from the world he knows, as he becomes embroiled in The Legend of the Hyper-Worm.

Today a new trend is clearly discernable, that of ‘hyper-real religions’. These are innovative religions and spiritualities that mix elements of religious traditions with popular culture. If we imagine a spectrum of intensity of the merging of popular culture with religion, we might find, at one end, groups practicing Jediism appropriated from the Star Wars movies, Matrixism from the Matrix trilogy, and neo-pagan rites based on stories from The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series. At the other end of the spectrum, members of mainstream religions, such as Christianity can be influenced or inspired by, for example, The Da Vinci Code. Through various case studies, this book studies the on- and off-line religious/spiritual consumption of these narratives through a social scientific approach.

Which sort of seducer could you be? Siren? Rake? Cold Coquette? Star? Comedian? Charismatic? Or Saint? This book will show you which. Charm, persuasion, the ability to create illusions: these are some of the many dazzling gifts of the Seducer, the compelling figure who is able to manipulate, mislead and give pleasure all at once. When raised to the level of art, seduction, an indirect and subtle form of power, has toppled empires, won elections and enslaved great minds. In this beautiful, sensually designed book, Greene unearths the two sides of seduction: the characters and the process. Discover who you, or your pursuer, most resembles. Learn, too, the pitfalls of the anti-Seducer. Immerse yourself in the twenty-four manoeuvres and strategies of the seductive process, the ritual by which a seducer gains mastery over their target. Understand how to 'Choose the Right Victim', 'Appear to Be an Object of Desire' and 'Confuse Desire and Reality'. In addition, Greene provides instruction on how to identify victims by type. Each fascinating character and each cunning tactic demonstrates a fundamental truth about who we are, and the targets we've become - or hope to win over. The Art of Seduction is an indispensable primer on the essence of one of history's greatest weapons and the ultimate power trip. From the internationally bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power, Mastery, and The 33 Strategies Of War.

Includes proceedings of the association, papers read at the annual sessions, and lists of current medical literature.