From award-winning author Kim Richardson comes this first installment of a non-stop thrill-ride and gripping new fantasy series. Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Harry Potter. Grab it for FREE now! Fourteen-year-old Zoey is a street-savvy orphan, careful to live life under the radar, because of a powerful secret. But her life changes forever when she’s recruited by a mysterious society called The Agency, a group of people that control the balance between monsters and humans. As Zoey begins her training at the academy, she makes two new friends—hilarious and clever Simon, and handsome, mysterious Tristan. Along the way, she discovers a treacherous plan that points to a demon invasion, and possibly the end of the world. Zoey is determined to uncover the truth—but the closer she gets, the more she risks her life. The first book in this enthralling new series by award-winning author Kim Richardson leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.

A quick-playing, rules-light skirmish wargame of Horror hunting set in a bleak sci-fi world on the brink of impending doom. Hunger, Hatred, Domination, Oblivion, and Ruin. The world is dying, poised on the brink of falling to one of these great dooms. Factions pursue their own interests, as likely to be the heralds of the world's destruction as they are its saviours. Horrors – monstrous abominations that defy logic, science, and nature – roam the land. Bands of hunters follow bold leaders, seeking out and destroying Horrors, gaining fame as word of their deeds spreads amongst the desperate survivors. Rival bands compete for prestige, clash over ideology, and pose as much of a threat to each other as the Horrors they hunt. The Doomed is a quick-playing, rules-light skirmish wargame in which small warbands of hunters compete to hunt unique Horrors in a bleak sci-fi world. Scenarios are defined by the Horror being hunted and by the Conflict in which the hunt takes place. Each Horror has its own strengths, weaknesses, and tactics, often breaking the rules in unique ways, and must be approached carefully – stealth, cunning, and brute force will all have a role to play. Each Conflict, meanwhile, provides a distinct set-up for the scenario and a secondary objective that pits the warbands against each other as well as against the Horror. Campaigns build towards a climax, with hunters gaining prestige and renown, offering access to new, unique options for their warband. In the background, the five dooms also grow in power, threatening to deliver their own climax to the campaign if the hunters are not successful enough.

In Three Mystics Walk into a Tavern, Jalal ad-Din Rumi, Moses de León, and Meister Eckhart—three of the greatest mystics of all time—meet in Venice for an imaginary night-long conversation that will inspire everyday individuals of the twenty-first century to find their own spirituality and realize that everyone can be a mystic. Although the mystics came from different backgrounds and religious traditions (Islam, Judaism, and Christianity), their spiritual paths led them to similar understandings of a union with the Divine. The three mystics have a timeless and timely message for people who walk the earth eight centuries after they did, no matter an individual’s religious background or even if they have none. It is a message of connecting with the “divine spark” deep within us and within the universe.

One of the worl'ds leading scholars of Jewish thought examines the long tradition of Jewish messianism and mystical experience.

One of more poorly understood aspects of the history of the Ottoman Empire has been the flourishing of Sufi mysticism under its auspices. This study tracks the evolution of the Halveti order from its modest origins in medieval Azerbaijan to the emergence of its influential Sa'baniyye branch, whose range extended throughout the Empire at the height of its expansion. By carefully reconstructing the lives of formerly obscure figures in the history of the order, a complex picture emerges of the connections of Halveti groups with the Ottoman state and society. Even more importantly, since the Sa'baniyye branch of the order grew out of the towns and villages of the northern Anatolian mountains rather than the major urban centres, this work has the added benefit of bringing a unique perspective to how Ottoman subjects lived, worked, and worshiped outside the major urban centres of the Empire. Along the way, it sheds light on less-visible actors in society, such as women and artisans, and challenges widely-held generalizations about the activities and strategies of Ottoman mystics.

Collects Mystic Arcana: Magik, Black Knight, Scarlet Witch, Sister Grimm; And The Official Tarot Of The Marvel Universe. A MAGIC EVENT that spans across the ages, featuring the craftiest characters and most spellbinding stories in the Marvel Universe! In the vein of the wild and woolly genre revitalization Annihilation, Marvel's looking into its crystal ball to bring you mystical mages, scandalous sorcerers and fantastic flights of high-flying fantasy in MYSTIC ARCANA. Each of the primary stories revolves around the introduction of one of a select group of mystical implements, quite literally the four pillars of the universe and the involvement of a character from Marvel's rich, magical past - including Magik, the Black Knight, Sister Grimm and the Scarlet Witch. Plus: Witness the efforts of Dr. Strange adversary, sorcerer Ian McNee, to collect arcane implements in a series of shorter companion tales that make up the spine of MYSTIC ARCANA.

Seeking relief from Chicago's hectic pace, William Baltz purchased a small lake house in the serene countryside of southwest Michigan. His neighbor-an artist in the process of beautifying the sanctuary of a large Catholic parish-related to him that five nearby spiritual centers proved critical to his complete recovery from a serious illness. Intrigued, William set out to learn about these places for himself. Nestled in a tranquil area of wild-flower fields, lakes and woods not far from his cottage, he discovered that these retreat centers-which form what many call a spiritual nexus-quietly attract people from around the country and all walks of life who seek self-discovery, rest and healing. In order of their founding they are: St. Gregory's Abbey, a Benedictine monastery; Apple Farm Community, established by Helen Luke and three other women inspired by the teachings of psychologist Carl Jung; the Hermitage, founded by a man whose life-long dream was to build a place in the country where people could rest, pray and enjoy nature in silence; GilChrist, a contemplative retreat that welcomes all faiths and beliefs; and the EarthSong Peace Chamber, inspired by Native-American mystic Jospeh Rael. How did these beautiful, peaceful and comfortable retreats-all within a two-mile radius of each other-come to be on the outskirts of a small Midwestern town? Who runs and stays at them, and why? What began as an investigation by a writer on the trail of another story turned into a personal journey of enlightenment. Join William Allen Baltz as he explores the Spiritual Nexus of Three Rivers, Michigan, and meet the warm, friendly and fascinating people who make it a truly special place. Watch his story on the PBS television program Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.