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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Adventure / thriller > Historical adventure
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Ghost Fire
(Paperback)
Wilbur Smith, Tom Harper
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R220
R176
Discovery Miles 1 760
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In this brand new Courtney Series novel by bestselling author,
Wilbur Smith, comes an epic story of tragedy, loss, betrayal and
courage that brings the reader deep into the seething heart of the
French and Indian War. 1754. Inseparable since birth and growing up
in India, Theo and Connie Courtney are torn apart by the tragic
death of their parents. Theo, wracked with guilt, seeks salvation
in combat and conflict, joining the British in the war against the
French and Indian army. Connie, believing herself abandoned by her
brother, and abused and brutalised by a series of corrupt
guardians, makes her way to France, where she is welcomed into high
society. Here, she once again finds herself at the mercy of vicious
men, whose appetite for war and glory lead her to the frontlines of
the French battlefield in North America. As the siblings find their
destinies converging once more, they realise that the vengeance and
redemption they both desperately seek could cost them their lives .
. .
'Balkan Glory is an epic chapter in the splendid Kydd canon,
weaving knotty political gambits with stirring naval actions,
expressively re-creating the often harsh reality Jack Tars
witnessed within their wooden walls during the Napoleonic Wars' -
Quarterdeck 1811. The Adriatic, the 'French Lake', is now the most
valuable territory Napoleon Bonaparte possesses. Captain Sir Thomas
Kydd finds his glorious return to England cut short when the
Admiralty summons him to lead a squadron of frigates into these
waters to cause havoc and distress to the enemy. Kydd is dubbed
'The Sea Devil' by Bonaparte who personally appoints one of his
favourites, Dubourdieu, along with a fleet that greatly outweighs
the British, to rid him of this menace. At the same time, Nicholas
Renzi is sent to Austria on a secret mission to sound out the
devious arch-statesman, Count Metternich. His meeting reveals a
deadly plan by Bonaparte that threatens the whole balance of power
in Europe. The only thing that can stop it is a decisive move at
sea and for this he must somehow cross the Alps to the Adriatic to
contact Kydd directly. A climactic sea battle where the stakes
could not be higher is inevitable. Kydd faces Dubourdieu with
impossible odds stacked against him. Can he shatter Bonaparte's
dreams of breaking out of Europe and marching to the gates of India
and Asia?
My husband inspired me to write this a book when he bought a
vehicle via the internet, and then travelled to Manchester to
collect it. The vehicle was an American GMC Safari. After gaining
possession he removed two of the back seats and discovered a
deliberate slit in the carpet which had been previously hidden.
Knowing it had last been in Latvia for a year, he wondered whether
anything had been hidden there and I thought 'what if' ....... We
have travelled extensively across Europe and I had been
particularly entranced by the ruined Byzantine city of Mistras set
on a hillside near Sparta in Greece. I decided to incorporate this
setting in a book, as it seemed to be the ideal place for stolen
artefacts to be hidden. The book starts with an event at the end of
WW2 when a German soldier stationed in Greece decides to defect and
steals a few artefacts from a hoard plundered by his Senior
Officer. On his way to the coast he hides the artefacts within some
old ruins he has taken shelter in on his journey. Once back home
the soldier decides it would be prudent to make a new start in
France. Eventually he marries a French girl, has a family and later
his wife becomes very sick. He never manages to return to Greece.
When his friend decides to sell his GMC Safari American Day van the
ex-soldier buys it. About this time, he makes a trip to Strasbourg
and come face-to-face with his ex- Senior Officer who recognises
him and he has to beat a hasty retreat hoping the vehicle has not
been spotted. On another trip he suspects he is being followed. As
he has the map with him, he decides to post it to his
grand-daughter but because he has no stamps, he needs to buy
pre-paid postage envelops from a service area. In the service area
car park, where he bought the envelopes, he decides to hide the map
and envelope under the carpet in a special hiding place. Two
Latvian stowaways witness him leave the van unlocked and decide to
steal the van. To the present time (2012), my main character, Perry
Smithieson, buys a vehicle via the internet, and after collecting
it from Manchester discovers an old envelope hidden under the car's
carpets. Inside the envelope is a sketchy map of a site in Greece.
The envelope is addressed to a French lady. Perry decides that he
will attempt to deliver the letter. In doing so, he discovers that
the lady is a young school-teacher. As they get on well, they
decide together it would be fun to try and find whatever her
Grandfather had indicated was hidden. It is not long before they
discover that they could be exposing themselves to danger .... The
artefact that they locate is a diamond - the Akbar Shah diamond.
Born and raised in a stark, coastal village on the shore of the
Ice-Rimmed Sea, Bera is the daughter of a Valla, the Vikings' most
powerful seers. But her mother died when she was young, leaving
Bera alone with her gift, unable to control her feckless twin
spirit or understand her visions of the future. When this inability
leads to the death of her childhood friend at the hands of a rival
clan, Bera vows revenge. And learning that her father has sold her
into marriage with the murderous enemy's chieftain, she is
presented with an opportunity even sooner than she had hoped... As
her powers grow stronger, her visions of looming disaster become
more and more ominous until she is faced with the ultimate choice:
will she exact vengeance? Or can she lead her people to safety
before it's too late?
At the time of his death, Patrick O'Brian had begun to write a
novel to follow on from Blue at the Mizzen, the twentieth book in
the classic series. These are the chapters he had completed of the
final voyage of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin - the greatest
friendship of modern literature The story picks up from the end of
`Blue at the Mizzen' when Jack Aubrey receives the news, in Chile,
of his elevation to flag rank: Rear Admiral of the Blue Squadron,
with orders to sail to the South Africa station. This novel,
unfinished and untitled at the time of O'Brian's death, would have
been a chronicle of that mission, and much else besides. The
chapters left on O'Brian's death are presented here both in printed
version - including his corrections to the typescript - and a
facsimilie of his manuscript, which goes several pages beyond the
end of the typescript and includes marginal notes by O'Brian. And
so this great `roman fleuve' comes to an end with Jack, with his
`sacred blue flag', sailing through fair, sweet days - Stephen with
his dissections and new love, Killick muttering darkly over the
toasted cheese... Of course, we would rather have had the whole
story; instead we have this proof that O'Brian's powers of
observation, his humour and his understanding of his characters
were undiminished to the end.
Is he in heaven?-Is he in hell? That demmed, elusive Pimpernel? Sir
Percy Blakeney lives a double life in the England of 1792: at home
he is an idle fop and a leader of fashion, but in abroad he is the
Scarlet Pimpernel, a master of disguise who saves aristocrats from
the guillotine. When the revolutionary French state seeks to unmask
him, Percy's estranged, independent wife, Marguerite, unwittingly
sets their agent on her husband's track. Percy's escapades, and
Marguerite's daring journey to France to save him from the
guillotine, keep the reader turning the pages of Baroness Orczy's
well-paced romantic adventure. Written in just five weeks in 1903,
Baroness Emma Orczy's bestseller has been the basis of multiple
adaptations. Rooted in the upheaval of Orczy's Hungarian childhood,
and in the anxious nationalism of turn-of-the-century Britain, the
story of the Scarlet Pimpernel provided a blueprint not only for
subsequent historical swashbucklers, but for superheroes from Zorro
to Superman. The edition places the book The Scarlet Pimpernel
within the context of the elite and popular literature of the turn
of the century. Orczy's novel is close in kin to such contemporary
political thrillers as Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent (1907);
tales that channelled contemporary concerns about refugees and
enemies within.
On the far eastern borders of the Soviet Union, in the sunset of
Stalin's reign, soldiers are training for a war that could end all
wars, for in the atomic age man has sown the seeds of his own
destruction. Among them is Pavel Gartsev, a reservist. Orphaned,
scarred by the last great war and unlucky in love, he is an instant
victim for the apparatchiks and ambitious careerists who thrive
within the Red Army's ranks. Assigned to a search party composed of
regulars and reservists, charged with the recapture of an escaped
prisoner from a nearby gulag, Gartsev finds himself one of an
unlikely quintet of cynics, sadists and heroes, embarked on a
challenging manhunt through the Siberian taiga. But the fugitive,
capable, cunning and evidently at home in the depths of these vast
forests, proves no easy prey. As the pursuit goes on, and the
pursuers are struck by a shattering discovery, Gartsev confronts
both the worst within himself and the tantalising prospect of
another, totally different life. Translated from the French by
Geoffrey Strachan
A rogue officer turns privateer in this thrilling historical
adventure.1783: Officer Alan Lewrie becomes His Majesty's secret
agent. Fresh from war in the Americas, Lewrie finds London a pure
pleasure. Then, at Plymouth, he boards the trading ship Telesto to
find out why merchantmen are disappearing in the East Indies.
Between the pungent shores of Calcutta and teaming Canton, Lewrie
discovers a young French captain, backed by an armada of pirates,
on a plundering rampage. While treaties tie the navy's hands, a
King's privateer is free to plunge into the fire and blood of a
dirty war in the South China Sea. The King's Privateer is perfect
for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Patrick O'Brian.
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Hill of Beans
(Paperback)
William W Johnstone, J. A Johnstone
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R186
R157
Discovery Miles 1 570
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For readers of Jeffrey Archer and Clive Cussler, Blood in the Dust
is a fast-paced adventure story and the winner of a Wilbur Smith
Adventure Writing Prize. 'Essential reading for all adventure
fans.' Wilbur Smith 1853, Victoria, Australia. Five bushrangers led
by the murderous outlaw Warrigal Anderson raid a small homestead.
When they ride away, nineteen-year-old Toby O'Rourke's life is
changed forever. His parents lay dead at his feet and his brother,
Patrick, is badly wounded. But Toby O'Rourke is made of steel
forged in the hardship of colonial life. Forced into adulthood, he
and Patrick will seek to restore the family fortunes and outwit not
only the rich businessman who conspired to rob them of their birth
right, but the vicious men who murdered their parents . . .
A country in conflict. A family torn apart.
Isabella, Shasa Courtney's beloved daughter, enjoys all the freedoms London in the sixties can offer. So when a beautiful, charming man appears and sweeps her off her feet, why would she resist? But her lover is no simple admirer - he is Ramon de Santiago y Machado, a KGB operative known as Golden Fox, and his mission is to recruit her as an agent, and uncover her father's secret business dealings.
With this knowledge, Ramon and his comrades plan to end white rule in Africa, whatever the cost. Isabella must make a choice about who she will betray - her father and her country, or her son and the man she loves . . .
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The Return
(Hardcover)
Harry Sidebottom
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R405
R340
Discovery Miles 3 400
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The sensational breakout historical thriller from Sunday Times
bestseller and Ancient Rome expert Harry Sidebottom.
______________________ He came home a hero. But death isn't
finished with him yet . . . 145BC - CALABRIA, ANCIENT ROME. After
years of spilling blood for Rome, Gaius Furius Paullus has returned
home to spend his remaining days working quietly on the family
farm. But it seems death has stalked Paullus from the battlefield.
Just days after his arrival, bodies start appearing - murdered and
mutilated. And as the deaths stack up, and panic spreads, the war
hero becomes the prime suspect. After all, Paullus has killed
countless enemies on the battlefield - could he have brought his
habit home with him? With the psychological effects of combat
clouding every thought, Paullus must use all his soldier's
instincts to hunt the real killer. Because if they are not brought
to justice soon, he may become the next victim. THE RETURN is the
breathless, epic new thriller from one of the world's best
historical novelists - for fans of Simon Scarrow, Conn Iggulden,
Ben Kane and Bernard Cornwell. ____________________________ Praise
for Harry Sidebottom's historical thrillers: 'A storming triumph' -
DAILY TELEGRAPH 'An extraordinarily vivid take on the ancient
world' - EVENING STANDARD 'Absorbing, rich in detail and brilliant'
- THE TIMES 'Relentless, brutal, brilliant' - BEN KANE
With his compelling Centurions trilogy complete, Anthony Riches
returns to his bestselling Empire sequence of novels with his
storytelling skills polished to perfection. Set in the second
century AD, The Scorpion's Strike continues the story of Marcus
Aquila's fight for justice for a family ripped asunder by imperial
assassins. Still seeking revenge, Marcus finds himself thrown back
into the heart of the chaos that is shaking the Roman Empire to its
roots. Fresh from their close escape from imperial betrayal in the
German forest, Marcus and the Tungrians are ordered to Gaul, where
an outlaw called Maturnus is wreaking havoc. Havoc that may be more
than mere banditry, as deserters and freed slaves flock to his
cause: rebellion is in the air for the first time in a generation.
And if escape from Rome's memories is a relief for the young
centurion, he soon discovers that danger has followed him west to
Gaul. The expedition is led by Praetorians whom he has every cause
to hate. And to fear, if they should discover who he really is. 'A
masterclass in military historical fiction' Sunday Express on
Retribution
'A gripping chronicle of pitched battle, treachery and cruelty'
ROBERT FABBRI. Tuscany, 1358: Thomas Blackstone has built a
formidable reputation in exile, fighting as a mercenary amid the
ceaseless internecine warring of Italy's City States. But success
has bred many enemies, and when a dying man delivers a message
recalling him to England, it seems almost certain to be a trap. Yet
Blackstone cannot disobey - the summons is at the Queen's demand.
On his journey, Blackstone will brave the terrors of the High Alps
in winter, face the Black Prince in tournament, confront the bloody
anarchy of a popular revolt and submit to trial by combat. And
every step of the way, he will be shadowed by a notorious assassin
with orders to despatch him to Hell.
LET THE DEAD BURY THE DEAD.
Rancher Ty Farraday's hunt for stray cattle takes a turn for the
worse when he discovers a shallow grave and the body of wealthy
Alton Winstead, the owner of the Double-Cross Ranch. Ty's first
frantic thoughts are of Winstead's widow, Sue-Ellen, who picked
Alton over him. Unfortunately, she chose poorly.
Alton masterminded a crime and left his helpers to swing for it.
Hungry for revenge, the murderous headcases have overrun the
Double-Cross and are holding Sue-Ellen prisoner. They believe she's
harboring some very important information. Ty boldly rescues her
from the ranch--only to find their troubles are only beginning....
More Than Six Million Ralph Compton Books in Print
Irish immigrant brothers Michael and Thomas O'Driscoll have
returned from the brutal front lines of the Civil War. Unable to
adapt to life as farm labourers, they re-enlist in the army and are
thrown into ferocious combat with Red Cloud's coalition of Indian
tribes in the heart of Montana's Powder River Valley. Thomas finds
love amidst the daily carnage-which leads to a moment of violence
that will change the brothers' lives forever. Meanwhile, following
a double murder in a brothel, Lieutenant Martin Molloy sets off to
track down the killers. As he journeys to a remote outpost, he
meets Irish nationalist rebels and anti-immigrant nativists who
prove to be opposed to his investigations. Wolves of Eden blends
intimate historical detail and emotional acuity in a haunting
narrative that explores themes of morality, the resilience of the
human spirit and the injustice implicit in warfare.
The third volume of the crusades trilogy from bestselling Swedish
author Jan Guillou. Arn de Gotha has become one of the most feared
warriors of the Knights Templar fighting to liberate Palestine with
the Crusaders. At the great battle for Jerusalem, a mammoth and
bloody struggle where the Christians were finally defeated, Arn is
saved from certain death by Saladin, his longtime enemy and trusted
friend. Ravaged by wounds and sickness, Arn is at last granted his
wish: to return at last to his homeland, it plagued by endless
wars. Arn is determined to find her - the woman for whom he was
exiled. He must discover if their love could endure so long a
separation, and if it can sustain his new quest: the create a new
people, a new society, both Christian and Muslim, both craftsmen
and warriors, with Arn at its helm, fighting for peace in a savage
land. A fitting conclusion to a great trilogy, a bestseller all
over Europe, and now the basis for a major film.
His exploits echo with the bustle of crowded ports and the crash of
naval warfare...It is 1780 and seventeen-year-old Alan Lewrie is a
brash young libertine with a head full of dreams. When he is found
in bed with the wrong woman, he is forced to leave his profligacy
behind for a new life at sea. Though sickness and hard labour await
him aboard the tall-masted Ariadne, Lewrie finds himself gradually
adapting to the world of a midshipman. But as he heads for the
war-torn Americas into a hail of cannonballs, will he ever catch
wind of the plot brewing against him back at home? The first Alan
Lewrie novel, this action-packed naval adventure is perfect for
fans of Patrick O'Brian, Julian Stockwin and C.S. Forester Praise
for The King's Coat'You could get addicted to this series. Easily.'
New York Times Book Review 'The best naval series since C. S.
Forester . . . Recommended.' Library Journal 'Fast-moving. . . A
hugely likeable hero, a huge cast of sharply drawn supporting
characters: there's nothing missing. Wonderful stuff.' Kirkus
Reviews
It is the summer of 1812 and Richard Sharpe, newly recovered from the wound he received in the fighting at Salamanca, is given an easy duty; to guard a Commissary Officer posted to an obscure Spanish fort where there are some captured French muskets to repair.
But unknown to the British, the French are planning a lightning raid across the River Tormes, and they reckon the obscure Spanish fort, which guards an ancient bridge across the river, will be lightly guarded.
Sharpe is in for a fight.
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Pray for Death
(Paperback)
William W Johnstone, J. A Johnstone
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R181
R153
Discovery Miles 1 530
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Siege
(Paperback)
Geraint Jones
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R213
Discovery Miles 2 130
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'Brutal, audacious, and fast-paced' - Anthony Riches, author of
bestselling Empire series 'Every page is drenched with the
soldier's experience' - Giles Kristian Former soldier Geraint Jones
delivers a visceral historical fiction epic that captures the
essence of the men fighting for the blood-stained legions on the
fringes of the Roman Empire. In the wake of a brutal massacre, the
battle-hardened legionary Felix is taken as a slave to a traitorous
Roman's German army: a force hellbent on tearing apart the Empire.
As legion after legion falls, it's up to Felix and his shackled
comrades to escape captivity and starvation, and to lead the
defence of a lone fort against an insurgent force that has
destroyed all in its path. because if their last stand fails then
Rome itself could be next...
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