Melchior's Fire


Book Description

A interstellar salvage team on the run from underworld enforcers are put on the trail of fabled worlds of the Three Kings.




Apothecary Melchior and the Mystery of St Olaf's Church


Book Description

The first in a series of books that have taken Europe by storm and are soon to be filmed, featuring a chemist-turned-sleuth who battles ignorance and superstition—as well as killers—in a beautiful setting and in a gripping and mysterious era of historyThe Apothecary Melchior series plunges the reader into 15th-century Tallinn when Estonia is at the edge of Christian lands and the last foothold before the East: a town of foreign merchants and engineers, dominated by the mighty castle of Toompea and the construction of St Olaf's Church, soon to become the tallest building in the world. Apothecary Melchior is a divisive figure in the town: respected for his arcane knowledge and scientific curiosity but also slightly feared for his mystical witch-doctor aura. When a mysterious murder occurs in the castle, Melchior is called in to help find the killer and reveals a talent for detection. But Tallinn has a serial killer in its midst, and Melchior is tested to the limit in a plot with as many twists and turns as the turreted castle itself. Melchior uncovers a mystery surrounding St Olaf's and a secret society that has been controlling the town for years, uncovering truths about the town that may spell danger.




Melchior's Dream


Book Description




Melchior's Dream and Other Tales


Book Description

Juliana Horatia Ewing's "Melchior's Dream and Other Tales" is a collection of enchanting short stories that embody the essence of Victorian literature. Ewing's writing style is characterized by its whimsical tone and attention to detail, making the tales come to life with vivid imagery and well-developed characters. Each story in the book explores themes such as morality, imagination, and the supernatural, appealing to both children and adults alike. The collection is a testament to Ewing's storytelling prowess and her ability to capture the reader's imagination with her captivating narratives. Juliana Horatia Ewing, a prominent English author of children's literature, drew inspiration from her own experiences as a teacher and a mother. Her deep understanding of childhood innocence and the power of storytelling is evident in the tales she weaves in this collection. Ewing's exceptional storytelling skills and her unique perspective on the world make her a standout figure in Victorian literature. "Melchior's Dream and Other Tales" is a must-read for lovers of classic literature and those seeking a delightful escape into the world of imagination. Ewing's timeless stories hold a universal appeal that continues to enthrall readers of all ages, making this collection a timeless treasure worth exploring.










Sparkers


Book Description

A magical world that will captivate fans of Kate DiCamillo and Diana Wynne Jones. Marah Levi is a promising violinist who excels at school and can read more languages than most librarians. Even so, she has little hope of a bright future: she is a sparker, a member of the oppressed lower class in a society run by magicians. Then a mysterious disease hits the city of Ashara, turning its victims’ eyes dark before ultimately killing them. As Marah watches those whom she loves most fall ill, she finds an unlikely friend in Azariah, a wealthy magician boy. Together they pursue a cure in secret, but more people are dying every day, and time is running out. Then Marah and Azariah make a shocking discovery that turns inside-out everything they thought they knew about magic and about Ashara, their home. Set in an imaginative world rich with language, lore, and music, this gripping adventure plunges the reader into the heart of a magical government where sparks of dissent may be even more deadly than the dark eyes.




The Materiality of Religion in Early Modern English Drama


Book Description

The Materiality of Religion in Early Modern English Drama is the first book to present a detailed examination of early modern theatrical properties informed by the complexity of post-Reformation religious practice. Although English Protestant reformers set out to destroy all vestiges of Catholic idolatry, public theater companies frequently used stage properties to draw attention to the remnants of traditional religion as well as the persistent materiality of post-Reformation worship. The Materiality of Religion in Early Modern English Drama explores the relationship between popular culture and theatrical performance by considering the social history and dramatic function of these properties, addressing their role as objects of devotion, idolatry, and remembrance on the professional stage. Rather than being aligned with identifiably Catholic or Protestant values, the author reveals how religious stage properties functioned as fulcrums around which more subtle debates about the status of Christian worship played out. Given the relative lack of existing documentation on stage properties, The Materiality of Religion in Early Modern English Drama employs a wide range of source materials-including inventories published in the Records of Early English Drama (REED) volumes-to account for the material presence of these objects on the public stage. By combining historical research on popular religion with detailed readings of the scripts themselves, the book fills a gap in our knowledge about the physical qualities of the stage properties used in early modern productions. Tracing the theater's appropriation of highly charged religious properties, The Materiality of Religion in Early Modern English Drama provides a new framework for understanding the canonization of early modern plays, especially those of Shakespeare.




Apothecary Melchior and the Ghost of Rataskaevu Street


Book Description

Tallinn, 1419. What links the Keeper of the Tower, a prostitute and a Flemish painter to a haunted house on Rataskaevu Street? All three claim to have seen a ghost near the house, and each is found dead soon afterwards. Melchior Wakenstede, apothecary and assistant bailiff, is charged with unearthing the truth. With a cultivated sense for justice, Melchior investigates the deaths and attempts to find out whether, as the denizens of medieval Tallinn believe, ghosts can reap their revenge upon the living. When a powerful merchant dies, Melchior perceives a corporeal connection between this and the other deaths. As Melchior becomes embroiled in the conflicts and rivalries between religious orders, merchant guilds and Teutonic Knights, all vying with one another for control of the town, what he discovers is more incredible and more terrible than any ghost.