Romanele Aurei Christi, ample construc?ii epice, abordeaz?, cu un curaj ?i maturitate rar?, modelul ?i aria expresiv? ?i ideatic? a romanului de reflexivitate ?i problematic? grav?, uman?, de la M. Proust ?i Th. Mann, sub tutela impresionant?, infinit? ?i enorm expresiv? a lui F.M. Dostoievski. Acela?i, Dostoievski, de data asta al?turat lui Friedrich Nietzsche, face obiectul unor ample studii eseistice, pe care Aura Christi le-a conceput ?i publicat ?n ultimii ani, abord?nd teme de o rar? ?ndr?zneal? ideatic?, problematica esen?ial? a individului ?n abisalitatea sa, a Fiin?ei, arta complicat?, prezent?nd ?nc? nu pu?ine mistere ?i paradoxuri psihologice ale tipologiei romane?ti moderne, de la cu adev?rat revolu?ionara ? la recherche du temps perdu la Idiotul ?i Crim? ?i pedeaps?.?n publistica ei curent?, sus?inut?, Aura Christi sprijin?, polemic adeseori, cultul valorilor clasice ?i moderne europene ?i refuz? improviza?iile ?i impostura literar? care, ?n actualitatea post-comunist?, tresare ?n c?mpul literar rom?nesc ?n varii forme, de la contestarea, de plano, a marilor modele moderne lirice ale continentului ?i cultivarea unui mizerabilism ?i a brutalit??ii expresiei ce se cufund? ?i abund? nu rareori ?n tonuri suburbane, sclipind triumf?tor ?n accente arogante ce vor s? instaleze un fel de triumf al tinere?ii ?protestatar-revolu?ionare“ culturale ?i preiau, f?r? sim? critic, ?ntr-o afi?at? incultur? poetic?, cu o anume voluptate, simboluri ?i expresii france, voit pornografice, din recuzita avangardist? ?i futurist? a literaturii ?nceputului de secol XX. (Nicolae Breban)O mistic? de halou dostoievskian domin? obsedant destinele eroilor din romanul Aurei Christi, Cercul s?lbatic. (…) E, ?n felul s?u, un roman al cuplurilor ce se fac ?i se desfac, se men?in c?t ?i cum se men?in ?n virtutea unor automatisme ?n care iubirea este c?utat?, mimat?, tr?dat?, ea r?m?n?nd mereu o iluzie sau o speran?? virtual?, ?ntre via?? ?i moarte. Se vorbe?te mult despre moarte ?n acest roman. Existen?a ?ns??i e parcurs? sub semnul acesteia. (Constantin Cuble?an)Poate aici este imensul merit al Cercului… M-a supus unui exerci?iu deloc facil de a formula motive pentru care merit? s? tr?ie?ti. ?i nu ?n fa?a unui om care ur??te via?a, n?uc, sau e dezgustat de ceea ce i se pare a fi via?a. Ci ?n fa?a acestei fete-femei, Diana, care caut? profund sensul, care iube?te florile, apa, arta. At?t de plin? de via?? e creatura aceasta (…), ?nc?t preaplinul acesta o consum? ?i o arunc? ?n moarte. Diana arat? c? nu e simplu s? tr?ie?ti la altitudinea aceea uria?? a foamei de via??, a puterii uria?e de a tr?i. Setea ei de via?? ?i frumuse?e ?i lini?te o expune, o face fragil?… Naufragiul ei e produs de apele grele ?i ur?te ale unei lumi neatente, nep?s?toare p?n? la agresiune fizic?… O lume de fiare, ?n care nimeni nu ofer? protec?ie puilor. O lume hulpav?, ?n care fluturii ?i puii de c?prioare sunt r?pu?i, ?nghi?i?i, ca ?i c?nd… Poate pentru asta s-au n?scut… Poate Dumnezeu ?i cheam? la el… Sau poate nu! Poate o imens? responsabilitate ar trebui luat? pe umerii mei ?i nu numai ai mei! Poate c? oamenii frumo?i, ca Diana, au o for?? neb?nuit? ?n fragilitatea lor. Poate c? nimic nu se poate face pentru adolescen?ii care aleg moartea… Poate nimic nu se poate face ?mpotriva mor?ii… (Irina Ciobotaru) http://aurachristi.ro/

Procesul hipnotic este unul complex ?i variat ca tr?iri, care de-a lungul timpului ?i-a dovedit eficien?a ?n psihoterapie. Volumul de fa?? porne?te de la ideea c? hipnoza reprezint? o metod? adjuvant? cu caracter dinamic ?n contextul terapeutic. Caracteristicile legate de identificarea unui anume nivel de sugestibilitate, al?turi de manifest?rile tr?ite ?n stare de trans? vor avea ecou diferit, ?n func?ie de fiecare client, c?t ?i de situa?ia pe care acesta o aduce ?n cadrul terapeutic.Volumul "Hipnoza ?n psihoterapie" contribuie la literatura de specialitate cu rezultate ale unora dintre ultimele cercet?ri ?n domeniu, prezint? modele inedite de scenarii de induc?ie hipnotic? ?i de ad?ncire a transei, precum ?i studii de caz elocvente pentru o serie de tulbur?ri ?i de conjuncturi ?nt?lnite ?n cabinet. Este structurat ?ntr-o parte teoretic? ?i o parte practic?, av?nd numeroase exemple ce atest? aplicabilitatea hipnozei ?n multiple afec?iuni. Ca noutate, lucrarea de fa?? abordeaz? hipnoza ?n situa?ii precum na?terea, infertilitatea, dependen?ele, stima de sine sc?zut?, afec?iuni oncologice, tulbur?ri de stres postraumatic ?i nu numai. Volumul se adreseaz? ?n primul r?nd speciali?tilor ?i apoi publicului larg, cu inten?ia de a-l familiariza cu acest instrument de lucru activ ?n psihoterapie, care a fost ?i r?m?ne hipnoza.

Progresele“ moderne care ne-au invadat stilul de via i obiceiurile alimentare i au preul lor: sntatea noastr. De la pesticidele din sol la refrigerarea i pasteurizarea alimentelor la abuzul de antibiotice i obsesia pentru produsele de curenie, dorina noastr de a fi mereu curai i n siguran ne expune, n realitate, riscului dezvoltrii diverselor afeciuni cronice.Faptul c ne-am concentrat tot mai mult pe eliminarea microbilor a avut un efect devastator asupra organismului uman i, n special, a sistemului digestiv. Lipsa nutrienilor, alimentaia bogat n cantiti toxice de alimente procesate i pline de substane chimice, stresul i utilizarea n exces a produselor antimicrobiene au creat fisuri microscopice n pereii intestinali, care au cauzat o inflamaie generalizat i au sczut imunitatea, simptome asociate cu o boal denumit sindromul intestinului permeabil“.nMnnc murdar”,Dr. Josh Axeexplic efectele generalizate i cauzele ascunse ale acestui sindrom, o boal considerat a fi punctul de plecare pentru numeroase afeciuni, printre care: alergii, astm, sensibiliti alimentare, diabet, tulburri digestive, artrit, disfuncii tiroidiene i chiar boli greu de tratat, precum oboseala cronic i autismul.Dr. Axearat c soluia pentru aceste probleme de sntate este foarte simpl: nu trebuie dect s folosim mai mult pmnt“. El ofer sugestii concrete care s ne ajute s ne murdrim“ puin: s renunm la spunurile antibacteriene, s folosim uleiuri eseniale pentru produsele de ngrijire personal, s reducem consumul de antibiotice, s consumm miere natural, s petrecem mai mult timp n aer liber, s mncm produse de sezon, s reducem stresul i s includem mai multe alimente bogate n probiotice n hrana noastr zilnic.Mnnc murdarabordeaz principala cauz a tuturor bolilor bazndu-se pe dovezi concrete. Sntatea intestinului este prima condiie n procesul de vindecare. Folosind tiina microexpunerilor,dr. Axene ofer un ghid simplu privind cei cinci pai necesari pentru repararea intestinelor afectate i nvingerea unei game largi de boli, de la cele autoimune pn la inflamaia cronic.“ - Dr. Mark Hyman, autorul crii The Blood Sugar Solutionnelegerea noastr privind ceea ce ne pericliteaz sntatea sufer o revoluie, iarMnnc murdardescrie ntr-o manier magnific aceast schimbare de paradigm. ndrumriledoctorului Axe, centrate pe refacerea bacteriilor intestinale sntoase, sunt n concordan cu cele mai respectate i mai naintate cercetri medicale. Citind aceast carte, vei deschide ua spre o sntate durabil.“ - Dr. David Perlmutter, autorul crii Grain Brain, bestseller New York Times

Administra?ia Na?ional? pentru Aeronautic? ?i Spa?iu (NASA) a fost ?nfiin?at? pe 29 iulie 1958. ?nc? din primele zile, aceasta s-a aflat ?n avangarda eforturilor de explorare a spa?iului cosmic, iar rezultatele acestora s-au v?zut ?n misiunile selenare Apollo, ?n sta?ia spa?ial? Skylab, precum ?i ?n naveta spa?ial?, a?a cum o ?tim noi ast?zi. De-a lungul timpului, de NASA au fost legate multe opera?iuni de mu?amalizare ?i ascundere a adev?rului la cele mai ?nalte niveluri. Iat? c?teva dintre faimoasele ?secrete“ p?strate de NASA:Ipoteza c? aseleniz?rile Apollo din perioada 1969-1972 au fost, de fapt, simulate, ca parte a efortului de a demonstra superioritatea militar? ?i tehnologic? fa?? de fosta Uniune Sovietic?.Controversatul ?Chip uman de pe Marte“ – despre care mul?i cred c? ar fi o structur? sculptat?, creat? ?n trecutul ?ndep?rtat de mar?ienii indigeni, care ?ntre timp au disp?rut.Numele informatorilor secre?i din cadrul NASA care au ?ncercat s? deconspire cele mai stra?nic p?zite secrete ale organiza?iei cu privire la interac?iunile dintre guvernul american ?i extratere?tri.Cuprins:Mul?umiriIntroducereImplicarea extratere?trilorDe la Mercury la GeminiPr?bu?irea de la KecksburgApollo. Zboruri imaginare?Conexiunea cu Zona 51O epidemie de origine extraterestr?Europa anilor 1970Fra?ii din spa?iuMac Tonnies fa?? ?n fa?? cu mar?ieniiOZN-uri pr?bu?ite ?n BoliviaSabotarea navetelor spa?ialeR?pirile extraterestre ?i NASAMon?trii NASADeschiderea dosarelor X ale NASARoswell ?i astronautulFotografii cenzurateAtacul computerelor NASA Concluzie: Trecut, prezent ?i viitor NoteBibliografie

A 16. század végén Kandahár tartomány távoli szegletében téli hóvihar tombol. Egy nomád sátorban egy kislány látja meg a napvilágot ezen a zord napon. A Marunissza nevet kapja, melynek jelentése "N?k ragyogó napja". A kislány a mogul császári udvarban nevelkedik, és amikor nyolcévesen el?sz?r megpillantja Dzsahángír császárt, elhatározza, hogy egy nap a felesége lesz. ?lma t?bb mint húsz év múlva válik valóra, amikor egy boldogtalan házasság után végre ?r?k h?séget esküdhet annak a férfinak, akit mindig is szeretett, és huszadik feleségként bek?lt?zhet a pazar császári hárembe. Hála a férfinak, aki megszállottan szerette, az immár Núr Dzsahán nevet visel? fiatal császárné képes volt lerázni magáról a hagyomány béklyóit, és ugyan a fátyol m?gül, de a 17. századi India befolyásos uralkodójává válni. Marunissza pénzt veretett, idegen országokkal kereskedett, pártolta a m?vészeteket, számos császári kert és síremlék, k?ztük a Tádzs Mahal építését engedélyezte, s ezek máig hirdetik hatalmát.

In between her fairy-tale wedding and her premature death, there lived the most beloved royal presence of our century, surely as multifaceted as any celebrity of our time. The radical twists and turns in her brief life drew the fascination of millions. Yet the most photographed woman in the world was also the least quoted--her actual words were seldom heard, and never gathered, until now. This unique book is the result of a scrupulous worldwide search for every one of Diana's significant quotes. Upon reading this collection, one will find that behind her shy veneer dwelled a woman of extraordinary resourcefulness, stamina, and, perhaps above all, vulnerability. In fact, her open frankness about the events and people around her is both disarming and startling. The reader will discover the sharp clarity, endless warmth, and ready wit that she brought to her legendary life in this intimate self-portrait. This is the closest we will ever get to an autobiography from the People's Princess.

Reengineering has captured the imagination of managers and shareholders alike, sending corporations on journeys of radical business redesign that have already begun to transfigure global industry. Yet aside from earning them improvements in their business performance, the shift into more-process-centered organizations is causing fundamental changes in the corporate world, changes that business leaders are only now beginning to understand. What will the revolutions final legacy beBeyond Reengineering addresses this question, exploring reengineering's effects on such areas as: Jobs: What does process-centering do to the nature of jobsWhat does a process-centered workplace feel likeManagers: What is the new role of the manager in a process-centered companyEducation: What skills are vital in the process-centered working world, and how can young or inexperienced workers prepareSociety: What are the implications of process-centering for employment and the economy as a wholeInvestment: What are the characteristics of a successful 21st-century corporationAn informed look at one of the most profound changes to ever sweep the corporate world, Beyond Reengineering is the business manual for the 21st century.

As America is finding out, soy is the most complete and versatile protein in existence. It has no cholesterol or saturated fat but plenty of vitamins and fiber and offers amazing health benefits for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Based on the simple idea that food is your best medicine, The Soy Zone shows you how to maintain peak mental alertness, increase your energy, and reduce the likelihood of chronic disease -- all while losing excess body fat. Dr. Barry Sears brings all the life-enhancing benefits of the Zone to a mouthwatering collection of delicious soy-based Zone meals, featuring:Soy Zone-perfect breakfasts, lunches, appetizers, dinners, and snacksAppetizing new recipes from top chefs, such as Red Bean Chill, Hong Kong Burger, and Soy Zone-friendly Vegetarian Pad ThaiThe ultimate healthful food plan, with quick and easy fat-burning alternatives to dangerous high-carb dietsAn exercise and longevity plan for men and womenHelpful recommendations for Soy Zoning your kitchenA scientifically proven plan for achieving perfect hormonal balance while losing weight

In this invaluable book, Mike McGetrick, one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teaching Professionals in America and 1999 National PGA Teacher of the Year, shows how to make the best shot possible and shave strokes off your game. Sharing the same methods he uses when coaching some of the best players in the world, McGetrick outlines 12 basic shots you can incorporate into your game without overhauling your technique."Shotmaking is much more than simply curving the ball or hitting it low and high," explains Mike McGetrick, personal instructor to top golf professionals such as Juli Inkster, Brandt Jobe, and Meg Mallon. "It's understanding how the lie, the wind, the contour of the target and the hazards of the course will affect your decision making process." To reach full scoring potential on a course, you have to be a scrambler at heart, a master who can read a course's shifting challenges-from weather and terrain to pin positions-and adapt accordingly.Following the clear advice in The Scrambler's Dozen, you will learn to be a great scrambler-to trust your decisions and your ability to execute shots to get the greatest rewards from the game. Like the pros, you too can learn when and how to chip or pitch or putt from off the green, and know how to practice so you're rarely in unfamiliar situations on the golf course. The Scramblers Dozen is the secret for squeezing every ounce out of your game and reaching your full scoring potential.

In “Educational Disobedience,” educationist, Dr. Annise Mabry, offers a compelling, unique and refreshing insight into how she helps her children overcome the limitations of what she terms “a broken education system,” in the State of Georgia. Her decision to homeschool them were borne largely due to the fact that they were not receiving the best of education, and more because protection from the unending problem of bullying in public schools was lacking. She soon realized that only a crucial intervention could save her family from falling apart, and it was a decision that proved timely because not only did she achieve her objectives, but she also ended up saving her community! She has helped many parents to transform their children from struggling students to homeschool high school graduates!This isn't the guide for how to homescool--it's the story of survival because of homeschool.

The authors of Christmas Miracles deliver true stories that show just how enduring a mother's remarkable love can be.

Last holiday season, Christmas Miracles touched the hearts of thousands with its inspiring true stories of real people and their miraculous encounters. With The Magic of Christmas Miracles we have a second collection of amazing true stories of people whose lives were forever changed by small, yet wondrous, Yuletide events. Among them are:The Red Cap: Santa leaves behind a calling card to convince a doubting child.Epiphany: A walk in the woods with an angel gives a lonely woman new hope.Lost at Sea: Two racing yachtsmen put aside rivalry in a dramatic Christmas Day rescue in the Indian Ocean.Fly Away Home: A private plane carrying an unconscious pilot lands safely in an empty field.. . . and many more to brighten the spirit. The Magic of Christmas Miracles will uplift readers' hearts for this and many future holiday seasons.

One of the most popular and beloved introductions to the concept of faith ever written, Mere Christianity has sold millions of copies worldwide. The book brings together C. S. Lewis legendary radio broadcasts during the war years, in which he set out simply to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times. Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity many denominations, Mere Christianity provides an unequalled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to absorb a powerful, rational case for the Christian faith.

In this inspirational autobiography, Captain "Sully" Sullenberger, the airline pilot whose emergency landing on the Hudson River earned the world's admiration, tells his life story and talks about the essential qualities that he believes have been so vital to his success. In January 2009, the world witnessed one of the most remarkable emergency landings in history when Captain Sullenberger brought a crippled US Airways flight onto the Hudson River, saving the lives of all of the passengers and crew aboard. The successful outcome was the result of effective teamwork, Sully's dedication to airline safety, his belief that a pilot's judgment must go hand-in-hand with and can never be replaced by technology, and forty years of careful practice and training. From his earliest memories of learning to fly as a teenager in a crop duster's single-engine plane in the skies above rural Texas to his years in the United States Air Force at the controls of a powerful F-4 Phantom, Sully describes the experiences that have helped make him a better leader, particularly the importance of taking responsibility for everyone in his care. And he talks about what he believes is at the heart of America's "can do" spirit: the very human drive to prepare for the unexpected and to meet it with optimism and courage. His wife, Lorrie, has been a pillar of support through all the highs and lows that life has offered, from the challenges of commercial flying to the birth of their two daughters, from financial struggles to the event of January 15, 2009. Though the world may remember Sully as the hero of Flight 1549, the legacy he desires even more is that of a loving husband and father. Highest Duty is the intimate story of a man who has grown up to embrace what we think of as quintessential American values leadership, responsibility, commitment to hard work, and service to others. And it is a narrative that reminds us that cultivating seemingly ordinary virtues can prepare us to perform extraordinary acts.

In the instant number one New York Times bestseller Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man , Steve Harvey gave millions of women around the globe insight into what men really think about love, intimacy, and commitment. In his new book he zeros in on what motivates men and provides tips on how women can use that knowledge to get more of what they need out of their relationships, whether it's more help around the house, more of the right kind of attention in the bedroom, more money in the joint bank account, or more truth when it comes to the hard questions, such as: Are you committed to building a future togetherDoes my success intimidate youHave you cheated on meIn Straight Talk, No Chaser: How to Find, Keep, and Understand a Man , Steve Harvey shares information on: How to Get the Truth Out of Your Man Tired of answers that are deceptiveHarvey lays out a three-tier, CIA-style of questioning that will leave your man no choice but to cut to the chase and deliver the truth. Dating Tips, Decade by Decade Whether you're in your twenties and just starting to date seriously, in your thirties and feeling the tick of the biological clock, or in your forties and beyond, Steve provides insight into what a man, in each decade of his life, is looking for in a mate. How to Minimize Nagging and Maximize Harmony at Home He said he'd cut the lawn on Saturday, and you may have been within reason to think that that meant Saturday before ten in the evening, but exploding at him is only going to ruin the mood for everyone, which means no romance. Steve shows you how to talk to your man in a way that moves him to action and keeps the peace. And there's much more, including Steve's candid answers to questions you've always wanted to ask men. Drawing on a lifetime of experience and the feedback women have shared with him in reaction to Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man , Harvey offers wisdom on a wealth of topics relevant to both sexes today. He also gets more personal, sharing anecdotes from his own family history. Always direct, often funny, and incredibly perceptive, media personality, comedian, philanthropist, and (finally) happily married husband, Steve Harvey proves once again that he is the king of relationships.

The internationally acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Carlos Ruiz Zafon takes us into a dark, gothic Barcelona and creates a rich, labyrinthine tale of love, literature, passion, and revenge in which the heroes of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game must contend with a nemesis that threatens to destroy them. Barcelona, 1957. It is Christmas, and Daniel Sempere and his wife, Bea, have much to celebrate. They have a beautiful new baby son named Julian, and their close friend Fermin Romero de Torres is about to be wed. But their joy is eclipsed when a mysterious stranger visits the Sempere bookshop and threatens to divulge a terrible secret that has been buried for two decades in the city's dark past. His appearance plunges Fermin and Daniel into a dangerous adventure that will take them back to the 1940s and the early days of Franco's dictatorship. The terrifying events of that time launch them on a search for the truth that will put into peril everything they love and ultimately transform their lives. Full of intrigue and emotion, The Prisoner of Heaven is a majestic novel in which the threads of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game converge under the spell of literature and bring us toward the enigma hidden at the heart of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a collection of lost treasures known only to its few initiates, and the very core of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's enchanting fictional world.

An International Bestseller Over 3 Million Copies Sold! With translations in more than thirty languages, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man is the definitive relationship guide for women. Steve Harvey can't count the number of impressive women he met over the years the many incredible women who can run a business, have three kids, maintain a household in tiptop shape, and chair a church group all at the same time. So, when it comes to relationships, why can't these same women figure out what makes men commitAccording to Steve, it because they're asking other women for advice when they should be going directly to the source. In this expanded edition, Steve includes an added section of all new advice, with tips on dealing with your partner exes, spicing up your relationship, ensuring you're ready for that walk down the aisle, and much more. Sometimes funny, often unflinchingly direct, but always truthful, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man is a book you must read if you want to understand how men think when it comes to relationships, intimacy, and love.

This collection gathers together every short story featuring one of Agatha Christie most famous creations: Miss Marple. Described by her friend Dolly Bantry as “the typical old maid of fiction,” Miss Marple has lived almost her entire life in the sleepy hamlet of St. Mary Mead. Yet, by observing village life she has gained an unparalleled insight into human nature and used it to devastating effect. As her friend Sir Henry Clithering, the ex- Commissioner of Scotland Yard, has been heard to say: “She just the finest detective God ever made” and many Agatha Christie fans would agree.

“A big, blowzy romp through the rainbow eccentricities of three generations of crazy bayou debutantes.” —Atlanta Journal-Constitution “A very entertaining and, ultimately, deeply moving novel about the complex bonds between mother and daughter.” —Washington Post “Mary McCarthy, Anne Rivers Siddons, and a host of others have portrayed the power and value of female friendships, but no one has done it with more grace, charm, talent, and power than Rebecca Wells.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch The incomparable #1 New York Times bestseller—a book that reigned at the top of the list for an remarkable sixty-eight weeks—Rebecca Wells’s Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood is a classic of Southern women’s fiction to be read and reread over and over again. A poignant, funny, outrageous, and wise novel about a lifetime friendship between four Southern women, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood brilliantly explores the bonds of female friendship, the often-rocky relationship between mothers and daughters, and the healing power of humor and love, in a story as fresh and uplifting as when it was first published a decade and a half ago. If you haven’t yet met the Ya-Yas, what are you waiting for?

At the age of eight Brian Lackey is found bleeding under the crawl space of his house, having endured something so traumatic that he cannot remember an entire five hour period of time. During the following years he slowly recalls details from that night, but these fragments are not enough to explain what happened to him, and he begins to believe that he may have been the victim of an alien encounter. Neil McCormick is fully aware of the events from that summer of 1981. Wise beyond his years, curious about his developing sexuality, Neil found what he perceived to be love and guidance from his baseball coach. Now, ten years later, he is a teenage hustler, a terrorist of sorts, unaware of the dangerous path his life is taking. His recklessness is governed by idealized memories of his coach, memories that unexpectedly change when Brian comes to Neil for help and, ultimately, the truth.

From internationally bestselling author Bernard Cornwell comes the eagerly anticipated sequel in his acclaimed Grail Quest series, in which a young archer sets out to avenge his family's honor on the battlefields of the Hundred Years' War and winds up on a quest for the Holy Grail.1347: a year of war and unrest. England's army is fighting in France, and its absence encourages the Scots to invade the old enemy. Thomas of Hookton, sent back to England to follow an ancient trail that suggests his family once owned the Holy Grail, instead becomes embroiled in the savage fight when the Scots come to Durham. Out of the horror he finds a new companion for the quest but also discovers a new and sinister enemy in a Dominican Inquisitor.All Europe wants the grail. Many may doubt it even exists, but no one would willingly allow an enemy to find Christendom's most precious relic, and Thomas finds himself in a murderous race with the Inquisitor and with Guy de Vexille, the mysterious black rider who murdered Thomas's father (in The Archer's Tale).Thomas appears to have an advantage in the race. His father bequeathed him a mysterious notebook that confirms the grail's existence and offers clues to where the relic might be hidden. But his rivals, inspired by a fanatical religious fervor, have their own advantage—the torture chamber of the Inquisition. Thomas, seeking help to decipher the book's cryptic pages, is delivered instead to his worst enemies.He finds refuge in Brittany, with Jeanette, the Countess of Armorica, but fate will not let him rest. He is thrust into one of the bloodiest and most desperate fights of the Hundred Years' War, the Battle of la Roche-Derrien, and amid the flames, arrows, and butchery of that night, he faces his enemies again.