Masterless, but not without duty. Homeless, but not without family. Stripped of their positions and privilege, but not without honor. Spied upon and betrayed, but not without a secret. Before they die as Samurai, they must fight as Ronin.

Revenge. Murder. Honor. These are the ingredients of one of the greatest samurai legends of all time: The Forty-Seven Ronin--the legend of samurai who take revenge on a court official who leaves them leaderless. With a gripping narrative, HistoryCaps takes you back in time for a look at perhaps the greatest samurai tales in the history of Japan. HistoryCaps is an imprint of BookCaps Study Guides. With each book, a brief period of history is recapped. We publish a wide array of topics (from baseball and music to science and philosophy), so check our growing catalogue regularly to see our newest books.

When Lord Kira brought about the death of Lord Asano, he made Asano's loyal samurai into ronin – masterless warriors. These men secretly plotted their revenge and one snowy winter's night, launched an ambitious raid against their enemy's mansion in Edo. What ensued was the fiercest sword battle to have been seen in Japan for over a century. The gates were stormed, Lord Kira was captured and executed, and his washed head placed on Lord Asano's tomb. This title details the background, planning, and execution of this incredible raid, looking at the equipment used by the ronin, the tactics they employed in storming the building, and the dramatic events that followed, as the surviving ronin committed mass suicide – a final act of loyalty and defiance that sealed their legend.

David Mack is the New York Times best-selling author and artist of the Kabuki graphic novels, the writer and artist of Daredevil from Marvel Comics, and the author and artist of his children's book The Shy Creatures from MacMillan. Mack most recently created the art & concept for the credit sequence on the #1 hit motion-picture, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Reflections presents a selection of David Mack's art, including sketches, finished paintings, sculptures, and other various forms, giving the reader a gorgeous look at his creative process.

The storyteller relates nine more stories taken from folklore and mythology from around the world

Agent Tolik Kalinchenko convinces Elena, a Russian mafia leader's daughter, to seduce an old flame that may be connected to a secret combat system called "Bespredel." In a race against the clock, Tolik must destroy Bespredel's Red Warriors in time to save Elena, who has been discovered as an informant. But when war has no limits, where can love hide?

A comparative analysis of one of the most devastating social problems of the contemporary world. Focuses not only on acts of terrorism by terrorists, but with their portrayal and manipulation by others, particularly the media, for social and political purposes.