Equilibrium: Episode 4


Book Description

A mage and newly-made queen is killed, devastating both sides of the war. Unable to persuade her former companions to give up their quest to reclaim her allegiance, Angora has been forced to turn against them and fight for her freedom. However, the fight has proven to be a costly one and Angora has fallen to her death in a deep ravine. In the wake of her demise, both empires are momentarily subdued, mourning the loss of a friend and queen. However, driven by the belief that Angora may have survived, the Ronnesians launch an attack on the Ayon capital of Delseroy in an attempt to free her from the Ayons' clutches. But their attack does not go according to plan, setting in motion a series of events that could spell their doom.




Equilibrium: Episode 3


Book Description

The Ronnesians are forced to answer for their deception, which comes at a deadly price. Lord General Archis Varren, intent on avenging the murder of his predecessor, has traced the assassination contract to the Ronnesian Mayor Challan, one of Queen Sorcha's most valued supporters. Meanwhile, Vrór viciously attacks the Ronnesian capital of Te'Roek, luring Angora back from her self-appointed mission in the north. The two Leikas finally come face to face and their ensuing battle takes them far from the city. But is this fight one Angora can possibly win? In the aftermath of the attack, Varren hatches his plan to cripple Queen Sorcha's power at its very source and the equilibrium begins to tip.




Multiagent System Technologies


Book Description

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 6th German Conference on Multiagent Systems Technologies, MATES 2008, held in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in September 2008 - co-located with the 31st German Conference on Artificial Intelligence, KI 2008. The 16 revised full papers presented together with 2 invited talks were carefully reviewed and selected from 35 submissions. The papers present and discuss the latest advances of research and development in the area of autonomous agents and multiagent systems ranging from theoretical and methodological issues to applications in various fields.




Live Long and Evolve


Book Description

An engaging journey into the biological principles underpinning a beloved science-fiction franchise In Star Trek, crew members travel to unusual planets, meet diverse beings, and encounter unique civilizations. Throughout these remarkable space adventures, does Star Trek reflect biology and evolution as we know it? What can the science in the science fiction of Star Trek teach us? In Live Long and Evolve, biologist and die-hard Trekkie Mohamed Noor takes readers on a fun, fact-filled scientific journey. Noor offers Trekkies, science-fiction fans, and anyone curious about how life works a cosmic gateway into introductory biology, including the definitions and origins of life, DNA, reproduction, and evolutionary processes, such as natural selection and genetic drift. For instance, he shows how the rapid change in a population of nanite robots follows basic principles of natural selection that apply to species on Earth. He explains how certain creatures depicted in the series are bisexual, not asexual, and what evolutionary advantage that difference provides. And he considers factors that affect successful interspecies mating and delves into what keeps species distinct. Noor discusses the importance of research and how Star Trek has influenced scientists to engage in cutting-edge work. Giving readers irresistible and entertaining insights, Live Long and Evolve looks at some of the powerful science behind one of the most popular and longest-running science-fiction series.




ECAI 2023


Book Description

Artificial intelligence, or AI, now affects the day-to-day life of almost everyone on the planet, and continues to be a perennial hot topic in the news. This book presents the proceedings of ECAI 2023, the 26th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence, and of PAIS 2023, the 12th Conference on Prestigious Applications of Intelligent Systems, held from 30 September to 4 October 2023 and on 3 October 2023 respectively in Kraków, Poland. Since 1974, ECAI has been the premier venue for presenting AI research in Europe, and this annual conference has become the place for researchers and practitioners of AI to discuss the latest trends and challenges in all subfields of AI, and to demonstrate innovative applications and uses of advanced AI technology. ECAI 2023 received 1896 submissions – a record number – of which 1691 were retained for review, ultimately resulting in an acceptance rate of 23%. The 390 papers included here, cover topics including machine learning, natural language processing, multi agent systems, and vision and knowledge representation and reasoning. PAIS 2023 received 17 submissions, of which 10 were accepted after a rigorous review process. Those 10 papers cover topics ranging from fostering better working environments, behavior modeling and citizen science to large language models and neuro-symbolic applications, and are also included here. Presenting a comprehensive overview of current research and developments in AI, the book will be of interest to all those working in the field.




The Expansion of Economics


Book Description

Economics, like most other social sciences, is not a pure discipline. Indeed, it has been enhanced by the fact that there is so much overlap between it and the related fields of business, industrial relations, political science, social psychology, and sociology. This book is the first attempt to explain how work in economics has influenced and benefited from a merging of economic analysis with the research practices of these related fields of study. With contributions from leading economists from around the world, it demonstrates how economics is leading the way toward a more unified social science.







Dark Child (The Awakening): Episode 4


Book Description

Perfect for fans of The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, this intriguing urban fantasy follows the story of Kat Chanter, who discovers that the world she knows is controlled by ancient creatures who feed on blood. And she might just be one of them ... Despite all the people surrounding them she still couldn't help feeling Alek was . . . dangerous. There was so much pent-up savagery in him. She let out a shaky breath as his dark blue eyes caught hers and held. Then his hands slid around her wrists, alive with energy, and she forgot to be afraid. It wasn't just a touch, but a caress that left melting warmth in its wake. She'd heard the words before, but not spoken like this. His voice was liquid honey, lingering where others like Miklós had hurried, and imbuing each word with textured layers of additional meaning, as what had been stock phrases took on erotic promise. "Whatever you desire, you need only ask," he added softly at the end, as he lifted her wrist and brushed it with his lips. When her breath caught, he gave a slow smile, displaying sharp white teeth. Kat's unalil protectors are on high alert in their mountain stronghold. The remote location has delayed the Directorate finding Kat, but now an attack seems imminent. Kat's finding her 24/7 guard frustrating, especially since Alek, most predatory of the unalil, seems determined to take his role as protector to the next level . . . This is a novella length episode of Dark Child (The Awakening)*, first in the Dark Child series. All five episodes are also available bundled as Dark Child (The Awakening): Omnibus Edition. Look out for the next in this series, Dark Child (Covens Rising) available July 2014. *Dark Child (The Awakening) was originally published in 2013 as Dark Child Episodes 1-5 and Dark Child Omnibus Edition. Recommended Dark Child reading order is: Dark Child (The Awakening) Episode 1 Dark Child (The Awakening) Episode 2 Dark Child (The Awakening) Episode 3 Dark Child (The Awakening) Episode 4 Dark Child (The Awakening) Episode 5 followed by Dark Child (Covens Rising) Episode 1 Dark Child (Covens Rising) Episode 2 Dark Child (Covens Rising) Episode 3 Dark Child (Covens Rising) Episode 4 Dark Child (Covens Rising) Episode 5 OR Dark Child (The Awakening) Omnibus Edition followed by Dark Child (Covens Rising) Omnibus Edition