Having discovered the truth about the town of Wormwood before surviving the dangerous wilderness of the Quag, heroine Vega Jane, who's endured more than anyone before her, is confronted by devastating forces unlike any she's ever encountered.

David Baldacci is back with The Keeper, the follow up to his instant #1 global bestseller and award-winning YA fantasy debut The Finisher. Vega Jane was always told no one could leave the town of Wormwood. She was told there was nothing outside but the Quag, a wilderness filled with danger and death. And she believed it - until the night she stumbled across a secret that proved that everything she knew was a lie. Now Vega and her best friend Delph must find a way to make it across this terrifying land of bloodthirsty creatures and sinister magic. But the Quag is worse than Vega Jane's darkest imagining. It's a living, breathing prison designed to keep enemies out and the villagers of Wormwood in. The Quag will throw everything at Vega. It will try to break her. It will try to kill her. And survival might come at a price not even Vega is willing to pay. Master storyteller David Baldacci unleashes a hurricane of action and adrenalin that takes readers to breaking point in this second instalment in the Vega Jane series.

THIS. MEANS. WAR. The explosive conclusion to David Baldacci's instant #1 worldwide bestselling and award-winning fantasy series. From the beginning, the fight was coming. Vega Jane fought her way out of the village where she was born, crossed a wilderness filled with vicious creatures, and raised a ragtag army behind her. But each triumph earned through grit and pain only brought her closer to him.Necro. A sorcerer whose unspeakable evil is matched only by his magical power.Vega and Necro are on a collision course. The clash between his awesome power and her iron will is going to shake the stars down. Their fight will seal their fates . . . and determine the future of their world. The battle rages in The Stars Below, the furious conclusion to legendary storyteller David Baldacci's #1 global bestselling Vega Jane series.

An argument that operational urban planning can be improved by the application of the tools of urban economics to the design of regulations and infrastructure. Urban planning is a craft learned through practice. Planners make rapid decisions that have an immediate impact on the ground—the width of streets, the minimum size of land parcels, the heights of buildings. The language they use to describe their objectives is qualitative—“sustainable,” “livable,” “resilient”—often with no link to measurable outcomes. Urban economics, on the other hand, is a quantitative science, based on theories, models, and empirical evidence largely developed in academic settings. In this book, the eminent urban planner Alain Bertaud argues that applying the theories of urban economics to the practice of urban planning would greatly improve both the productivity of cities and the welfare of urban citizens. Bertaud explains that markets provide the indispensable mechanism for cities’ development. He cites the experience of cities without markets for land or labor in pre-reform China and Russia; this “urban planners’ dream” created inefficiencies and waste. Drawing on five decades of urban planning experience in forty cities around the world, Bertaud links cities’ productivity to the size of their labor markets; argues that the design of infrastructure and markets can complement each other; examines the spatial distribution of land prices and densities; stresses the importance of mobility and affordability; and critiques the land use regulations in a number of cities that aim at redesigning existing cities instead of just trying to alleviate clear negative externalities. Bertaud concludes by describing the new role that joint teams of urban planners and economists could play to improve the way cities are managed.

Full of thrills, mystery and danger, Vega Jane and the Maze of Monsters (previously published as The Keeper) is the second title in the fast-paced fantasy adventure series for children of 10+ by bestselling master storyteller David Baldacci. Illustrated throughout by Tomislav Tomic. Everything Vega Jane has ever known is a lie. But if she and her best friend Delph are to find the truth about who they are and where they came from, they must first survive the Quag, a wild, enchanted place filled with monsters and dark sorcery. It will stretch their courage to the limit. The Quag will throw everything at Vega. It will try to break her. It will try to kill her. And survival might come at a price not even Vega is willing to pay. Vega Jane and the Maze of Monsters (previously published as The Keeper) is the second installment in master storyteller David Baldacci's bestselling Vega Jane series for children, now in a revised and re-illustrated edition. Vega and Delph continue the story that began with Vega Jane and the Secrets of Sorcery.

See the full beauty of our night sky revealed as never before in over 200 photographs from around the world. Bringing together the images of over 40 photographers across 25 countries, be astounded by the lights of the night sky in some of the darkest places on earth; discover the beauty of galaxies, planets, and stars; view great celestial events; and see some of the world’s most important landmarks against the backdrop of an incredible nightscape. Babak Tafreshi, founder of the international organization The World at Night, has curated the images in this collection—many of them previously unseen—to reveal the true splendor of the sky at night. A specialist guide to night-sky photography will help you capture your own gorgeous images of the heavens. Commentary on the science, astronomy, and photography accompany stunning images organized by theme: Symbols of all nations and religions embraced by one sky of endless beauties UNESCO World Heritage Sites at night The Universe revealed through constellations, sky motions, atmospheric phenomenon, Aurora, and other wonders Images highlighting the beauty of dark skies away from light-polluted urban areas Celestial events, from great comets to spectacular eclipses Astro-tourism destinations, like ancient astronomical monuments and modern observatories

After witnessing a shocking murder, four conspiracy theorists team up with a Secret Service agent to uncover the government corruption that threatens to cause an international terrorism crisis in this New York Times bestselling thriller. Welcome to THE CAMEL CLUB. Existing at the fringes of Washington, D.C., the Club consists of four eccentric members. Led by a mysterious man known as "Oliver Stone," they study conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government to discover the "truth" behind the country's actions. Their efforts bear little fruit--until the group witnesses a shocking murder...and becomes embroiled in an astounding, far-reaching conspiracy. Now the Club must join forces with a Secret Service agent to confront one of the most chilling spectacles ever to take place on American soil-an event that may trigger the ultimate war between two different worlds. And all that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes.