The vision came long ago, commanding the Sultan's ancestor to lead his peoples to the place that would be called the Sacred City. There, deep within a rocky cavern, burns an immense, roaring column of fire: the Sacred Flame, the source of the Sultan's power. But the flame harbours a terrible secret - and so does the Sultan. Prince Jemany is plunged into a seething hotbed of political machinations and rebellion as he begins the next stage of his quest to seek the long-lost crystals of the Orokon. Already the anti-god Toth-Vexrah is working his evil upon the susceptible and easily swayed. Only Jem stands in his way - but Jem is trapped in the bizarre, horrifying dreamworld of the enchanter Almoran. Meanwhile, his lost love Cata becomes embroiled with the Shimmering Princess, the idol of millions, whose fate holds the key to the Sultan's empire - and to the whereabouts of the pulsing red crystal of the fire-god Theron. Originally released under the pseudonym Tom Arden

THE ROYAL DIARIES is pleased to introduce historical novelist, Sheri Holman, who makes her debut on the list with a captivating story of fourteen-year-old Princess Sondok from seventh-century Korea. During the seventh-century, the land which is now Korea was fraught with political and religious intrigue. The country was split into Three Kingdoms, each fighting for supremacy: Silla, Koguryo, and Paekche. Besides the warring kingdoms, there are three religions in conflict: Shamanism, the ancient female-dominated faith wherein Shamanist priestesses wield great power at court, foretelling the future, performing important national rituals, and healing sickness; Buddhism, the contemplative State religion; and Confucianism, a recent import from powerful China.

Page-turning mystery, grandly seductive romance and full historical immersion into Moroccan court history, this exquisitely depicted and intensely absorbing novel follows in the bestselling tradition of The Tenth Gift and The Salt Road. 1677, Morocco. Behind the magnificent walls and towering arches of the Palace of Meknes, captive chieftain's son and now a lowly scribe, Nus Nus is framed for murder. As he attempts to evade punishment for the bloody crime, Nus Nus finds himself trapped in a vicious plot, caught between the three most powerful figures in the court: the cruel and arbitrary sultan, Moulay Ismail, one of the most tyrannical rulers in history; his monstrous wife Zidana, famed for her use of poison and black magic; and the conniving Grand Vizier. Meanwhile, a young Englishwoman named Alys Swann has been taken prisoner by Barbary corsairs and brought to the court. She faces a simple choice: renounce her faith and join the Sultan's harem; or die. As they battle for survival, Alys and Nus Nus find themselves thrust into an unlikely alliance--an alliance that will become a deep and moving relationship in which these two outsiders will find sustenance and courage in the most perilous of circumstances. From the danger and majesty of Meknes to the stinking streets of London and the decadent court of Charles II, The Sultan's Wife brings to life some of the most remarkable characters of history through a captivating tale of intrigue, loyalty and desire.

Three distinct and very different ethnic groups, Malays, Chinese, and Indians, combined to form the populous of Malaysia. The nation evolved from a feudal colonial society into a singular, modern-day peaceful country. Malaysia's contributions to world affairs are significant, but as a country, it's often overlooked as a player on the world stage. During the past one hundred twenty years, Malaysia has made huge strides into the twenty-first century. The country's global evolvement from a shambled and discombobulated, piecemeal feudal system into a modern, unified powerhouse is a remarkable feat. Incredibly, despite undue external political pressures from the West and religious pressures from the Middle East, Malaysia has somehow mastered the technique of blending the best of the East and the West to form its own singular independent identity. The characters in the short stories of Malaya House reflect the temperament and social commentary of the times as well as the gradual evolvement and eventual maturity of a developing nation. They also illustrate how the citizens of Malaysia have decided that they can get along, put past hatred and racism aside, and show the world that people from all persuasions can live in relative peace and tolerance with Islam as their central core.