Gateway is the first novel in the series of novels that chronicle Acara. Gateway is the story of the refugees of Acara that flee to Baltimore through a crystal lined gateway to hide the savior of their people. The refugees are able to blend into the population of Baltimore since they look African-American. Once on Earth, the refugees use their knowledge of Earth to create a life for themselves among its people. They open Gateway Baptist Church on the site of their arrival and raise the savior of their race as their own. After 16 years of living on Earth and disguising themselves as Baptists, their presence on Earth is discovered by the tyrannical High Queen of their home world. In addition, they are called home by the living spirit of their home world the Avatar. With the help of a group of unlikely folk from Baltimore, Gateway tells the tale of how these refugees use their arcane skills to battle against dark forces to find their way home.

Gateway and the Last Priest of the Avatar is the second book in the Gateway series. This book takes off at the end of book one, after our heroes face the high queen of Acaras assassin cube. The assassin cube was an amalgam of souls forced by dark magic, together with the purpose of capturing Royalher lost sonand Simon Monroe. In addition, it was supposed to kill Lethia and Reverend Monroe, his kidnappers. As a result of the fire at the church and Tishas quick thinking, our heroes defeated the mechanisms of the high queen. Yet as a result of battle, for the first time, our heroes were separated in splintered groups. Reverend Royal Monroe, Hue Lee, Lethia, Maximus, and Wisdom Simms were left to figure out a way off of the Lost Islands, which were at the end of Acara. Simon Monroe, Reverend Monroe, Mr. Ben Lee, Officer Purcell Simms, and new comrades were in a race of time against another creation of the dark queen, the Marauder, which sought to stop them from finding their only way to Acara. Lastly, Tisha, alone, is left to the Wonders of Acara City. The Wonders sought to transform her into the essence of something she was not before. From Balimore to Acara City to the Lost Islands, all roads led everyone to the enigmatic red desert, a direct confrontation with the High Queen, and finally, the birth of the last priest of the Avatar.

Monarchies around the world play a significant role in tourism development and the tourist experience. Debates about the level of finance required to support monarchies often refer to the positive tourist attraction provided by royal pageantry, palaces, temples and churches, architecture, museum collections, and historical legacies. Up to now, the literature on tourism and monarchy has been primarily devoted to the history and experiences of Western Europe, particularly the United Kingdom. There has been little attention devoted to the relationship between monarchy and tourism development in Southeast Asia, and this is the first collection of essays to address this neglected field of study. The need to shift the focus from European to Asian royalty is important not only to begin to fill gaps in the literature on monarchy and tourism outside Europe, but also to avoid the increasing criticism of tourism studies that its major perspectives, orientations and paradigms have been based on an overly Eurocentric preoccupation. Case studies are taken from Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.

""Tyrian Purple"" unravels the fascinating story of one of history's most prized dyes, exploring its historical significance, complex production process, and economic impact. This comprehensive work delves into how a rare pigment extracted from sea snails shaped Mediterranean economies and social hierarchies for over a millennium. The book traces the journey of Tyrian purple from its discovery by the Phoenicians around 1570 BCE to its decline following the fall of Constantinople in 1453 CE. Readers will be intrigued to learn that Tyrian purple was once more valuable than gold, and its production was monopolized by the Roman Empire. The book combines archaeological findings, ancient texts, and modern scientific analyses to provide a multifaceted view of this luxury commodity. It explores the chemistry behind the dye's colorfast properties and examines the Murex species of sea snails from which it was extracted, seamlessly integrating concepts from marine biology and dye chemistry. Structured chronologically, ""Tyrian Purple"" presents a scholarly yet accessible narrative that weaves together historical facts, scientific analysis, and cultural studies. This interdisciplinary approach offers valuable insights into ancient trade networks, technological innovation, and the socioeconomic structures that shaped early civilizations, making it an engaging read for both academics and general audiences interested in the intersection of science and history.

This tragi-comedy is one of the plays we know Shakespeare worked with a collaborator on -- John Fletcher -- and is based on Chaucer's Knight's Tale. This revised edition includes a new introductory essay bringing the edition up-to-date in terms of both the play's performance and critical history, and in particular with current thinking about the nature of Shakespeare's collaboration with other playwrights. As scholars have begun to discover more about this aspect of his career, interest in the play has grown. This revised edition is ideal for undergraduate study, offering on-page annotations to the play text as well as a lengthy, illustrated introduction.