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The General
The General
C. S. Forester,Max Hastings
¥66.22
A superb yet neglected novel, ‘The General’ is the most vivid, moving – and devastating – word-portrait of a World War One British commander ever written, here re-introduced by Max Hastings. Best known for his Hornblower novels, C.S. Forester’s 1936 masterpiece follows Herbert Curzon, who fumbled a fortuitous early step on the path to glory in the Boer War. 1914 finds him an honourable, decent, brave and wholly unimaginative colonel. Survival through the early slaughters in which so many fellow-officers perished then brings him rapid promotion. By 1916, he commands 100,000 British soldiers, whom he leads through the horrors of the Somme and Passchendaele. Wonderfully human, this is the story of a man of his time who is anything but wicked, yet presides over appalling sacrifice and tragedy. In his awkwardness and his marriage to a Duke’s unlovely, unhappy daughter, Curzon embodies Forester’s full powers as a story-teller. Rendered with exquisite compassion are Curzon’s patriotism, diligence, sense of duty and refusal to yield to difficulties. But also powerfully damned is the same spirit which caused a hundred real-life British generals to serve as high priests at the bloodiest human sacrifice in the nation’s history. A masterful and insightful study about the character of 1914-18’s military commanders, ‘The General’ confirms Forester’s rightful place as one of the finest novelists of his generation.
Blood Relatives
Blood Relatives
Stevan Alcock
¥66.22
An incredible debut novel: a coming of age tale set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire Ripper murders, ‘full of daring, authenticity and wit’ (Rachel Cusk). LONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI FIRST BOOK PRIZE ‘The milkman found her. On Prince Philip Playing Fields. He crossed the dew-soaked grass toward what he took to be a bundle of clothes, but then he came across a discarded shoe, and then t’ mutilated body. her name wor Wilma McCann.’ Leeds, late 1975 and a body has been found on Prince Philip Playing Fields. Ricky, teenage delivery van boy for Corona pop, will be late for The Matterhorn Man. In the years that follow until his capture, the Yorkshire Ripper and Rick’s own life draw ever closer with unforeseen consequences. Set in a time in England's history of upheaval and change – both personal and social – this is a story told in an unforgettable voice.
Renegade’s Magic (The Soldier Son Trilogy, Book 3)
Renegade’s Magic (The Soldier Son Trilogy, Book 3)
Robin Hobb
¥66.22
The final book in the Soldier Son from the author of the Tawny Man and Farseer trilogies, following on from the bestselling Shaman’s Crossing and Forest Mage. The people of Gettys remember the death of their cemetery soldier vividly. They remember believing him guilty of unspeakable crimes, condemning him, and then watching as other men of his unit beat him until he no longer drew breath. But Nevare Burvelle didn't die that day, though everyone believes they saw it happen. He was cornered by a power far more intractable than an angry mob. When he was a boy, the magic of the Specks – the dapple-skinned tribes of the frontier forests – claimed Nevare as a saviour; severing his soul in two, naming his stolen half Soldier's Boy and shaping him into a weapon to halt the Gernian expansion into their lands and save their beloved ancestor trees. Until now Nevare has defied the magic, unable to accept his traitorous fate. But the magic has won: it has extinguished his once golden future, devastated his family and has now turned his own people against him. Faced with endangering the only loved-ones he has left, Nevare has no choice but to surrender to its will and enter the forest. But surrendering to his Speck destiny is only the beginning of his trials. Before he submits completely, Nevare makes one desperate last attempt to deter the Gernians from the Barrier Mountains without causing them harm. But the magic accepts no compromise. Exhausted, Nevare can no longer suppress his traitorous Speck self, Soldiers Boy. Losing control, he becomes a prisoner in his own body; able only to watch helplessly as his other half takes Soldier's Boy is determined to stop the Gernian expansion at all cost, and unlike Nevare, he has no love, nor sympathy for his spirit-twin's world.
Emperor: The Blood of Gods (Special Edition) (Emperor Series, Book 5)
Emperor: The Blood of Gods (Special Edition) (Emperor Series, Book 5)
Conn Iggulden
¥66.22
The epic new novel in Conn Iggulden’s bestselling EMPEROR series: this special edition eBook features an exclusive short story by the author. Julius Caesar has been assassinated. A nation is in mourning. Revenge will be bloody. Rome’s great hero Julius Caesar has been brutally murdered by his most trusted allies. While these self-appointed Liberatores seek refuge in the senate, they have underestimated one man: Caesar’s adopted son Octavian, a man whose name will echo through history as Augustus Caesar. Uniting with his great rival Mark Antony, Octavian will stop at nothing to seek retribution from the traitors and avenge his father’s death. His greatest hatred is reserved for Brutus, Caesar’s childhood friend and greatest ally, now leader of the conspirators. As the people take to the streets of Rome, the Liberatores must face their fate. Some flee the city; others will not escape mob justice. Not a single one will die a natural death. And the reckoning will come for Brutus on the sweeping battlefield at Philippi.
Missing, Presumed (DS Manon, Book 1)
Missing, Presumed (DS Manon, Book 1)
Susie Steiner
¥66.22
A RICHARD AND JUDY BESTSELLER 72 HOURS TO FIND HER… ‘Hits the sweet spot between literary and crime fiction – Gripping’ ERIN KELLY ‘For those who love their crime fiction rich in psychology, beautifully written and laced with dark humour. Dive in’ LUCIE WHITEHOUSE A MISSING GIRL Edith Hind is gone, leaving just her coat, a smear of blood and a half-open door. A DESPERATE FAMILY Each of her friends and relatives has a version of the truth. But none quite adds up. A DETECTIVE AT BREAKING POINT The press grows hungrier by the day. Can DS Manon Bradshaw fend them off, before a missing persons case becomes a murder investigation?
The Cavendon Women (Cavendon Chronicles, Book 2)
The Cavendon Women (Cavendon Chronicles, Book 2)
Barbara Taylor Bradford
¥66.22
A stately home. The roaring twenties. And four spirited girls who must forge a new future for themselves - and for the estate. On a summer weekend in 1926 the Ingham family gathers at Cavendon Hall, the great house in Yorkshire that has been their family home for centuries, summoned by the Earl. With them are the Swanns who have served the house for generations – and know all their secrets. The estate is under threat: the aftermath of the Great War has left Cavendon facing ruin. Its heir is pushing for divorce so he can follow his heart. And the Earl has a surprise of his own. Four young women from both sides of the house will be the ones to shape its future – Daphne, fighting to modernise her ancestral home; Cecily Swann, forging a path as a fashion designer in London; Deidre, the career girl, and Dulcie, the outspoken debutante. They will change the estate’s future for good or ill as the roaring twenties burn towards the Great Depression. Nothing will ever be the same again…
The Malice
The Malice
Peter Newman
¥66.22
Following Peter Newman’s brilliant debut, THE VAGRANT. This is the much-anticipated sequel, THE MALICE. In the south, the Breach stirs. Gamma’s sword, the Malice, wakes, calling to be taken to battle once more. But the Vagrant has found a home now, made a life and so he turns his back, ignoring its call. The sword cries out, frustrated, until another answers. Her name is Vesper.
Giordano Bruno Thriller Series Books 1-3: Heresy, Prophecy, Sacrilege
Giordano Bruno Thriller Series Books 1-3: Heresy, Prophecy, Sacrilege
S. J. Parris
¥66.22
A vivid and gripping historical thriller set in Elizabethan England introducing Giordano Bruno - philosopher, spy and hero of the stunning new novel SACRILEGE - for all fans of C.J.Sansom and The Name of the Rose. In Elizabeth’s England, true faith can mean bloody murder… Oxford, 1583. A place of learning. And murderous schemes. The country is rife with plots to assassinate Queen Elizabeth and return the realm to the Catholic faith. Giordano Bruno is recruited by the queen’s spymaster and sent undercover to expose a treacherous conspiracy in Oxford – but his own secret mission must remain hidden at all costs. A spy under orders. A coveted throne under threat. When a series of hideous murders ruptures close-knit college life, Bruno is compelled to investigate. And what he finds makes it brutally clear that the Tudor throne itself is at stake… Heretic, maverick, charmer: Giordano Bruno is always on his guard. Never more so than when working for Queen Elizabeth and her spymaster – for this man of letters is now an agent of intrigue and danger.
Wave Me Goodbye
Wave Me Goodbye
Ruby Jackson
¥66.22
A compelling story of tragedy and triumph in WWII -the second in a series of books featuring four young women whose lives will be forever changed by the war. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Annie Groves. When war is declared, four plucky girls from Dartford – Grace, Sally, Rose and Daisy – are keen to do their bit on the Home Front. For orphan Grace, it’s a chance to start afresh. She’s always has a soft spot for Sam Petrie, brother of Daisy and Rose, but realising that he is in love with their friend Sally, she puts her own feelings aside, and signs up for life as a Land Girl. Mucking out and early morning milking come as a big shock and life is harder than she expected. But Grace is nothing if not determined and though their lives will never be the same again, the four girls know they will always have each other – no matter what the war throws at them…
All at Sea
All at Sea
Decca Aitkenhead
¥66.22
‘The thing to remember about this story is that every word is true. If I never told it to a soul, and this book did not exist, it would not cease to be true. I don’t mind at all if you forget this. The important thing is that I don’t.’ On a hot still morning on a beautiful beach in Jamaica, Decca Aitkenhead’s life changed for ever. Her four-year-old boy was paddling peacefully at the water’s edge when a wave pulled him out to sea. Her partner, Tony, swam out and saved their son’s life – then drowned before her eyes. When Decca and Tony first met a decade earlier, they became the most improbable couple in London. She was an award-winning Guardian journalist, famous for interviewing leading politicians. He was a dreadlocked criminal with a history of drug-dealing and violence. No one thought the romance would last, but it did. Until the tide swept Tony away, plunging Decca into the dark chasm of random tragedy. Exploring race and redemption, privilege and prejudice, ALL AT SEA is a remarkable story of love and loss, of how one couple changed each other’s lives and of what a sudden death can do to the people who survive.
That Gallagher Girl
That Gallagher Girl
Kate Thompson
¥66.22
Times are hard in the village of Lissamore on Ireland's West Coast. So it's lucky that free-spirited Cat Gallagher knows a thing or two about breaking and entering. Times are hard in the village of Lissamore on Ireland's West Coast. So it's lucky that free-spirited Cat Gallagher knows a thing or two about breaking and entering. When her beloved houseboat burns down she finds herself eyeing up the abandoned Villa which seems to suit her purposes admirably. But when a mystery buyer turns up, Cat is in a quandary. She needs money, a roof over her head and for the first time in her life Cat needs a helping hand… Rio Kinsella is also in a predicament. She is in possession of a secret that has the potential to transform not only her own life, but the lives of those dearest to her. Before long, Rio finds herself lost in a labyrinth of lies, deceit and good intentions gone wrong. Can the two women find a way through their problems? That Gallagher Girl takes us back to the wonderful world of Lissamore with another heart-warming tale filled with a wonderful cast of characters. Full of tears and laughter it is the perfect read for fans of Cathy Kelly and Maeve Binchy.
At Freddie’s
At Freddie’s
Penelope Fitzgerald,Simon Callow
¥66.22
From the Booker Prize-winner of ‘Offshore’ comes this entertaining tale of a chaotic stage school and its singular headmistress. With a new introduction by Simon Callow. It is the 1960s, in London’s West End, and Freddie is the formidable proprietress of the Temple Stage School. Of unknown age and provenance, Freddie is a skirt-swathed enigma – a woman who by sheer force of character and single-minded thrust has turned herself and her school into a national institution. Anyone who is anyone must know Freddie. At Freddie’s is a wickedly droll comedy of the theatre and its terminally eccentric devotees.
We’ll Always Have Paris
We’ll Always Have Paris
Ray Bradbury
¥66.22
From one of the greatest living literary imaginations and the celebrated author of Fahrenheit 451 comes a collection of never-before-published effortlessly beautiful tales. Recently described in The Times as 'the uncrowned poet laureate of science fiction' Ray Bradbury has won numerous awards including a Pulitzer Prize special citation in 2007 and an Emmy. In this new volume of never-before-published stories, follow a space shuttle crew as they voyage sixty million miles from home, discover what happens when a writer 'with the future's eye' believes his friend to be writing stories aboard a Ufo, and listen in on a couple talking themselves backwards through time to the moment when they first held hands. This entertaining and gripping collection is a treasure trove of Bradbury gems - eerie and strange, nostalgic and bittersweet, searching and speculative - to delight readers of all ages.
Honeyville
Honeyville
Daisy Waugh
¥66.22
A hooker. A mistress. A murder. This town was built on sin. The town of Trinidad, Colorado was a tough place to be a woman in 1913. But it was the best place in the West to find one, if you had the cash. Honeyville, they used to call it. A murder throws Inez and Dora together – two women from opposite sides of town, in a town built for men. Against all odds, the well born girl and the high class hooker are drawn together in friendship… But this is a town that is rotten to the core, and beyond the rustling of silk skirts, the dancing and laughter, deadly unrest is building… Welcome to Honeyville – a town living by its own rules, where nothing is quite as it seems A STORY INSPIRED BY A LOST CHAPTER IN AMERICAN HISTORY
The King Without a Kingdom (The Accursed Kings, Book 7)
The King Without a Kingdom (The Accursed Kings, Book 7)
Maurice Druon
¥66.22
‘This was the original GAME OF THRONES’ George R.R. Martin Available for the first time in English, THE KING WITHOUT A KINGDOM is the seventh and final volume of The Accursed Kings series. The reign of the Capetian kings has ended and John II, ‘The Good’, takes the throne. Under the leadership of this vain, cruel, incompetent monarch The Hundred Years War escalates and England and France begin to tear each other apart. Warring factions plunder the land, famine threatens the people and the Black Death spreads far and wide. France is bleeding to death around the new king…
The Invention of Fire
The Invention of Fire
Bruce Holsinger
¥66.22
The richly atmospheric new historical thriller featuring John Gower, poet and trader of secrets. Set in the turbulent 14th Century, this is perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom. London, 1386: young King Richard II faces the double threat of a French invasion and growing unrest amongst his barons – and now there's evil afoot in the City. Sixteen corpses have been discovered in a sewer, their wounds like none ever seen before. One thing is clear: whoever threw the bodies into the sewer knew they would be found – and was powerful enough not to care. Enter John Gower, poet and intellectual whose 'peculiar vocation' is dealing in men's secrets. Against the backdrop of medieval London with its grand palaces and churches, dark alleys and mean backstreets, Gower pursues his dangerous quarry. Seeking insights from his friend Geoffrey Chaucer and using his network of contacts, Gower comes to the shocking belief that the men have been killed by a new and deadly weapon of war. Known as 'the handgonne', it would put untold power into the hands of whoever perfected its design. But who has commissioned this weapon? A man who would stop at nothing to achieve his secret goal.
The Illustrated Man
The Illustrated Man
Ray Bradbury
¥66.22
A classic collection of stories – all told on the skin of a man – from the author of Fahrenheit 451. If El Greco had painted miniatures in his prime, no bigger than your hand, infinitely detailed, with his sulphurous colour and exquisite human anatomy, perhaps he might have used this man’s body for his art… Yet the Illustrated Man has tried to burn the illustrations off. He’s tried sandpaper, acid, and a knife. Because, as the sun sets, the pictures glow like charcoals, like scattered gems. They quiver and come to life. Tiny pink hands gesture, tiny mouths flicker as the figures enact their stories – voices rise, small and muted, predicting the future. Here are sixteen tales: sixteen illustrations… the seventeenth is your own future told on the skin of the Illustrated Man.
Beyond Black
Beyond Black
Hilary Mantel
¥66.22
A comically sinister tale of wicked spirits and suburban mediums from the Man Booker Prize-winning author of ‘Wolf Hall’ and ‘Bring Up the Bodies’. Alison Hart, a medium by trade, tours the dormitory towns of London’s orbital ring road with her flint-hearted sidekick, Colette, passing on messages from beloved dead ancestors. But behind her plump, smiling persona hides a desperate woman: she knows the terrors the next life holds but must conceal them from her wide-eyed clients. At the same time she is plagued by spirits from her own past, who infiltrate her body and home, becoming stronger and nastier the more she resists… Shortlisted for the Orange Prize, Hilary Mantel’s supremely suspenseful novel is a masterpiece of dark humour and even darker secrets.
Briefing for a Descent Into Hell
Briefing for a Descent Into Hell
Doris Lessing
¥66.22
A study of a man beyond the verge of a nervous breakdown, this is a brilliant and disturbing novel by Doris Lessing, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Penniless, rambling and incoherent, a man is found wandering at night on London’s Embankment. Taken to hospital and heavily sedated, he tells the doctors of his incredible fantastical voyage, adrift on the ocean, landing on unknown shores, flying on the back of a huge white bird. Identified as Charles Watkins, a Cambridge Classics professor, he is visited by family and friends, each revealing clues to the nature of his breakdown. As the doctors try to cure him, Watkins begins a fierce battle to hold on to his magnificent inner world, as it gradually acquires a greater reality than the everyday… ‘Briefing for a Descent into Hell’ is one of Doris Lessing’s most brilliantly achieved novels, linking her early work, which explored the nature of subjectivity, with her later experiments in science fiction. Its indictment of the tyranny of society is powerful, disturbing and, as always, magnificently rendered.
The Stone Book Quartet
The Stone Book Quartet
Alan Garner
¥66.22
A classic work of rural magic realism from one of Britain’s greatest children’s novelists. Through four interconnected fables of a way of living in rural England that has now disappeared, Alan Garner vividly brings to life a landscape situated on the outskirts of industrial Manchester. Smiths and chandlers, steeplejacks and quarrymen, labourers and artisans all live and work hand in hand with the seasons, the elements, and the land. There is a mutual respect and a knowledge of the magical here that has somehow, somewhere been lost to us. These fables beautifully recapture and restore that lost world in simple, searching prose.
Miss Garnet’s Angel
Miss Garnet’s Angel
Salley Vickers
¥66.22
Salley Vicker’s sensational debut novel, ‘Miss Garnet’s Angel’ is a voyage of discovery; a novel about Venice but also the rich story of the explosive possibilities of change in all of us at any time. Julia Garnet is a teacher. Just retired, she is left a legacy which she uses by leaving her orderly life and going to live – in winter – in an apartment in Venice. Its beauty, its secret corners and treasures, and its people overwhelm a lifetime of reserve and caution. Above all, she’s touched by the all-prevalent spirit of the Angel, Raphael. The ancient tale of Tobias, who travels to Media unaware he is accompanied by the Archangel Raphael, unfolds alongside Julia Garnet’s contemporary journey. The two stories interweave with parents and landladies, restorers and priests, American tourists and ancient travellers abounding. The result is an enormously satisfying journey of the spirit – and Julia Garnet is a character to treasure.