Hades is as handsome as the devil and just as deceptive. A dark-haired, light eyed arms dealer who steals my breath away. When he finds me after months of captivity, he sweeps me off my feet. With his rough Scottish burr, he tells me that I'm his. Hades swears that he never thought he would lay eyes on me again. I haltingly tell him that I'm carrying his child. Hades has claimed me as his queen. Together, we will face terrible challenges. And if we are to survive, we may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The 21st Century Edition of Spielmann’s Classic Work Austrian Grandmaster Rudolf Spielmann’s The Art of Sacrifice in Chess first appeared in the mid-1930s. It was immediately recognized as a classic, a masterpiece that examined the nature of chess sacrifices. In this modernized, 21st century edition, all of Spielmann’s original work has been preserved. The antiquated English Descriptive Notation has been replaced with modern Figurine Algebraic, and German grandmaster Karsten Müller has added his own notes to Spielmann’s original text. But the German grandmaster has gone far beyond simply inserting clarifying commentary. Müller has virtually doubled the size of the original work by adding eleven new chapters, including: The Greek Gift Sacrifice Bxh2/7+; Disaster on g7; The Achilles’ Heel f7; Strike at the Edge; Destroying the King’s Shelter; Sacrifices on f6; Sacrifices on e6; The Magic of Mikhail Tal; Shirov’s Sacrifices; and The Fine Art of Defense. There are exercises at the end of each new chapter to help you hone your skill of sacrificing. “Grandmaster Karsten Müller’s notes to the original text, along with the new material, brilliantly complements Spielmann’s classic work. A welcome addition to any chessplayer’s library...” – Garry Kasparov

Rakel, once feared and exiled for possessing magic, is now hailed a hero. Leading resistance forces against the Chosen--an army of magic users that invaded her homeland--she is granted everything she has longed for: acceptance, a home, and the love of her friends. But the battle for her country has just begun.The Chosen's powerful leader, Tenebris Malus, has come north to aid his army. His troops pillage the villages and cities they cannot hold, and Rakel's brother--the King--refuses to rule. Most troubling of all, Rakel--who has always loved her magic--sees great similarities between herself and the deadly Tenebris.However, not all is lost as the Chosen Colonel Farrin Graydim questions his loyalties to his leader, and the attraction he holds for Rakel.Can Rakel's overcome her doubts and defeat Tenebris? Will Farrin choose to follow his heart or his loyalties?

Tadjo uses her powerful and fertile imagination to rekindle an ancient Akan myth and deliberately sets it ablaze. Woven into the historic frame of the founding of the Baoule people by Queen Abraha Pokou in 18th Century Cote d’Ivoire. Tadjo explores not only the most intimate of relationships – that between mother and child, but also the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. Ultimately, Tadjo invites us to reflect on the bloody ethnic wars that engulfed West Africa at the end of the 20th century.

A new chapter in the War of the Spider Queen saga begins in this spin-off series featuring priestess Halisstra Melarn Goddesses vie for the souls of people. Halisstra Melarn—former companion of Quenthel Baenre and convert to the cause of the goddess Eilistraee—was sent to the deepest depths of the Outer Planes to kill the demon goddess she once worshiped: Lolth, the Queen of the Demonweb Pits, the Spider Queen. Instead, Halisstra was transformed into a hideous creature bent to the vengeful will of her former mistress. Lolth not only survived her Silence but evolved into something greater than she was before—something that no longer needs to share the domain she calls her own. Could it be that the War of the Spider Queen has only now just begun?

"10th Century Wales is a country divided, with the kingdom of the south becoming Saxon and the north violently defending the old ways. The inevitable civil war is brutal and savage in this tale of divided loyalty and revenge, treachery and love. The bishops of Wales struggle to keep the faith while knights and war lords turn events to advantage and the lives of ordinary people are changed forever by the conflict. Queen Sacrifice is a tale of love and sacrifice, soldiers and spies, heroes and assassins, who meet in the war to end all wars. The tale is perfect for fans of George R R Martin. The narrative also follows every move in the queen sacrifice game, known as 'The Game of the Century' between Donald Byrne and 13-year-old Bobby Fischer on October 17th, 1956"--Provided by publisher

Mikhail Tal, the 'magician from Riga,' was the greatest attacking World Champion of them all, and this enchanting autobiography chronicles his extraordinary career with charm and humor. Dazzling games are interspersed throughout with anecdotes and witty self-interviews, and in typically objective fashion he related both the downs and ups of his encounters. An inveterate smoker and drinker, Tal's life on the circuit was punctuated by bouts in the hospital with kidney problems, but nothing could dull his love for chess and his sheer genius on the chessboard. His illustrious tournament record, up to his death in 1992, is included here in full, along with 100 complete games and nearly as many positions. Tal's annotations in this book are a world apart from ordinary games collections. No reader could fail to be swept along by his passion and vitality as he sets the scene for an encounter and then recounts every psychological twist and turn.