The entity known as the Faceless nearly destroyed Humanity. Only at the last moment, and at tremendous cost, did we prevail. That victory left a mystery in its wake. What was the source of the enemy’s terrifying and destructive power? The answer may be hidden in a star system called Godsend, from which the Faceless launched its war of extermination. But Godsend was lost to the rest of the galaxy, its links to other systems severed when the Faceless disrupted space and time in its final assault on Humankind and its allies. Now, twenty years later, the way to Godsend has finally opened. Two expeditions will be sent to investigate. One seeks answers to questions, the other to exploit anything the Faceless left behind. But the Faceless left more than secrets in that star system, and both expeditions will be lucky to leave Godsend alive.

Michael Lynch’s second edition of Mao examines the life of this controversial figure. Opening with a detailed chronology, it delves into Mao’s younger years and tracks his gradual rise to power, with a chapter dedicated to the cult status that surrounded him. Through a wealth of primary and secondary sources and a balanced consideration of the conflicting views that surround Mao’s leadership, this book provides a thorough exploration of Mao’s political and private life. Key features of the second edition include a detailed analysis of the Long March, an account of Sino-Japanese relations and an assessment of Mao’s ongoing legacy. This biography will be essential reading for anyone interested in Mao and the politics of twentieth-century China.

Cavour was perhaps the key figure in the process of Italian unification. As prime minister of Piedmont, still reeling from military humiliation by Austria, he turned his backward and insignificant home state into the nucleus of the new Italy by his astute manipulation of the European great powers, becoming the united country's first prime minister in the year of his death, 1861. Harry Hearder's incisive study, setting Cavour and the Risorgimento in the full context of international European power-politics, reveals a ruthless, egocentric and far from balanced man - but a politician of genius.