John D Grainger charts the careers of the thirteen vessels that have served the Royal Navy under the name HMS Shark. Despite the ferocious name, they have all been relatively small vessels including one brigantine, five sloops, one Sixth Rate, a gunvessel, four destroyers and a submarine. Collectively they therefore give a good representation of the various roles of these types, which receive far less attention than larger, more glamorous ships. Furthermore, as the first entered service in 1699 and the last was sunk in 1944 (having the dubious distinction of being the only Allied vessel lost on D-Day), they illustrate the changes and continuities in the Royal Navy and war at sea across almost 250 years. In each case the author considers the origin of the ship, the purpose for which it was designed and employed, its captains and where possible its crew, as well as the activities of the ship itself and its final fate; in addition background information of a general nature is included as a necessary context for those actions.

Humans spend more time in or on the water than ever before. We love the beach. But for many people, getting in the water provokes a moment’s hesitation. Shark attacks are big news events and although the risk of shark attack on humans is incredibly low, the fact remains that human lives are lost to sharks every year. Shark Attacks explores the tension between risk to humans and the need to conserve sharks and protect the important ecological roles they play in our marine environments. Marine biologist Blake Chapman presents scientific information about shark biology, movement patterns and feeding behaviour. She discusses the role of fear in the way we think about sharks and the influence of the media on public perceptions. Moving first-hand accounts describe the deep and polarising psychological impacts of shark attacks from a range of perspectives. This book is an education in thinking through these emotive events and will help readers to navigate the controversial issues around mitigating shark attacks while conserving the sharks themselves.

Hannik's dreams have been devastatingly put on hold. All she ever wanted was to survive the hard training and be accepted into the elite Order of Webdancers, the guardians of Primae IV who risk their lives patrolling the remote wilderness. That exciting career isn’t going to happen for Hannik. Not unless she can escape a sinister plot to start a civil war. Meeting the mysterious, wealthy, and charismatic Vander was the start of it… She did get one lucky break. Getting shot. And then being rescued by the gorgeous Severin and his contacts in the secret service. Maybe this is the chance she needs. Maybe now she can use her already impressive skills in navigation, summoning and combat to foil the plot and prove her innocence. As well as rescuing her sister and her precious wildcat kittens. And then… she discovers she is about to join the shark-team and ride into a deadly battle. Hm. Sharksinger is the prequel to Stormweaver, the science-fantasy adventure romance epic from Jay Aspen. Perfect for fans of Avatar, Dune, and the Broken Earth series!