The Pit of the Serpent


Book Description

This early work by Robert E. Howard was originally published in 1929 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. 'The Pit of the Serpent' is a story in the Sailor Steve Costigan series about a travelling boxer. Robert Ervin Howard was born in Peaster, Texas in 1906. During his youth, his family moved between a variety of Texan boomtowns, and Howard - a bookish and somewhat introverted child - was steeped in the violent myths and legends of the Old South. At fifteen Howard began to read the pulp magazines of the day, and to write more seriously. The December 1922 issue of his high school newspaper featured two of his stories, 'Golden Hope Christmas' and 'West is West'. In 1924 he sold his first piece - a short caveman tale titled 'Spear and Fang' - for $16 to the not-yet-famous Weird Tales magazine. Howard's most famous character, Conan the Cimmerian, was a barbarian-turned-King during the Hyborian Age, a mythical period of some 12,000 years ago. Conan featured in seventeen Weird Tales stories between 1933 and 1936 which is why Howard is now regarded as having spawned the 'sword and sorcery' genre. The Conan stories have since been adapted many times, most famously in the series of films starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.




The Serpent's Garden


Book Description

The Serpent's Garden is a crime/thriller about the macabre and mysterious murders of five female graduate students at UCLA. A charismatic but controversial philosophy professor has been falsely charged and convicted of the ritualistic murders. All the women were found posed and clutching a Bible; the murderer left several clues including coins wedged in the victim's eyes bearing a crucified serpent, an open Bible, a novelty snake, and an eight-inch crucifix buried in the victims' birth canal. Professor Chance Carpenter ends up on death row because of a rush to judgment orchestrated by the diminutive FBI agent Laura Lamb. Her ambitions and nefarious secrets cause her to cross the thin blue line and also become a serial killer. She is captured but manages a miraculous escape from the confines of Quantico's FBI headquarters and heads west on a revenge crime spree of her own. She is now on the lam; her crimes are featured in the tabloids and a new dance craze is named after her. College kids are doing the "Laura Lamb". The true killer of the UCLA coeds, however, has blended in with average "Joe College". The thriller follows a trail of evil, surprise, and suspense.




The Serpent Gates


Book Description

This ebundle of The Serpent Gates includes: The Unspoken Name and The Thousand Eyes. “A fun, fresh take on the traditional fantasy quest, and an adventure I couldn’t put down!”—S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass A stunning epic fantasy series by A. K. Larkwood, The Serpent Gates is about an orc priestess turned wizard’s assassin. Perfect for fans of Jenn Lyons, Joe Abercrombie, and Le Guin. In the first book, The Unspoken Name, Csorwe turns her back on her own sacrifice to the gods and becomes a powerful wizard’s loyal sword. But Csorwe will soon learn—gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due. The series continues with the enthralling sequel, The Thousand Eyes. The Unspoken Name — What if you knew how and when you will die? Csorwe does—she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice. But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power. The Thousand Eyes — Just when they thought they were out... Two years after the events of The Unspoken Name, Csorwe and Shuthmili have made a new life for themselves, hunting for secrets among the ruins of an ancient snake empire. Along for the ride is Tal Charossa, determined to leave the humiliation and heartbreak of his hometown far behind him, even if it means enduring the company of his old rival and her insufferable girlfriend. All three of them would be quite happy never to see Sethennai again. But when a routine expedition goes off the rails and a terrifying imperial relic awakens, they find that a common enemy may be all it takes to bring them back into his orbit. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.




The Serpent's Whisper: Mysteries Of The Reptilian World


Book Description

"The Serpent's Whisper: Mysteries of the Reptilian World" delves into the captivating and enigmatic realm of reptiles, particularly serpents, unveiling their ancient symbolism, behavior, and evolutionary marvels. From the mesmerizing patterns of their scales to their intriguing role in mythology and culture, this book takes readers on a journey through the captivating world of reptiles. Exploring their mystique, intelligence, and survival strategies, it sheds light on the profound and enduring impact these creatures have had on human imagination and the natural world. A captivating blend of science, mythology, and natural history, this book offers a profound exploration of the serpentine world, inviting readers to unlock the secrets whispered by these enigmatic beings.




The Serpent Pool


Book Description

"A thought-provoking examination of serious pastoral issues and a thoroughly entertaining mystery that succeeds on all levels without recourse to bombast or carnage." —Publishers Weekly The Reverend Blake Fisher was ambitious and naïve, a combination that led to his exile to Picketsville, Virginia, where his bishop has named him the new vicar. He's off to a poor start what with a corpse in the sanctuary, his gun stolen, his congregation in open rebellion, and the local law breathing down his neck. Then the Vicar's secretary, Millicent Bass, an incorrigible gossip and snoop, follows Waldo to an early grave. For Sheriff Ike Schwartz, two murders and the unexplained presence of the FBI in his town wreak havoc with keeping the peace. They don't do his romance with the president of Callend College for Women any good either. Ruth Harris is threatened by the murders on the one hand, and on the other by her faculty, who dismiss Ike as just another country cop. If only they knew how overqualified Ike actually is....




The Serpent's Tooth


Book Description

As the seventeenth century dawns, the vast Moghul Empire finally encompasses the entire Indian subcontinent. But despite controlling unimaginable wealth and ruling over a quarter of the world's population, the Moghul dynasty finds itself in increasing peril. Devastated by the death of his beloved wife, the once ruthless Shah Jahan has all but abandoned his throne. Where he should be protecting his power, he has instead devoted himself to constructing the elaborate Taj Mahal, a tribute to his wife's memory. Aging, ill and blinded by grief, the Shah cannot see the enmity building between his own sons—ambitious hatred so strong it could bring down the entire empire. Accurate and compelling, Alex Rutherford's The Serpent's Tooth is filled with strikingly human characters and heart pounding action, bringing India's bloody history to life.




The Serpent's Tale


Book Description

Ordered by Henry II to establish the possible role of Eleanor of Aquitaine in the poisoning death of Henry's mistress, a reluctant Adelia Aguilar joins forces with her infant daughter's father, the Bishop of St. Albans, during an investigation within the labyrinth-walled tower of the victim's home. By the author of Mistress of the Art of Death.







The Malleus Maleficarum Revised


Book Description

The Malleus Maleficarum is probably one of the most notorious books of Catholic Church history. Originally put out when the Inquisition was in full force, this book and the text it contains condemned thousands of innocent people to needless deaths. Most of what today's society and culture thinks of the witches and the occult comes from these pages. Although this text is largely misguided and inaccurate from even a scriptural standpoint, the fact remains that it has molded our views on those who practice occult arts in many ways. Take a look into the past! Get a cold taste of the past within these pages. Now in larger print!




The Hammer of Witches: Malleus Maleficarum


Book Description

The Malleus Maleficarum or "Hammer of Witches" is the best known and the most important treatise on witchcraft. It endorses extermination of witches and for this purpose develops a detailed legal and theological theory. It was a bestseller, second only to the Bible in terms of sales for almost 200 years. It was written by the Catholic clergyman Heinrich Kramer and first published in 1487. The Malleus elevates sorcery to the criminal status of heresy and prescribes inquisitorial practices for secular courts in order to extirpate witches. The recommended procedures include torture to effectively obtain confessions and the death penalty as the only sure remedy against the evils of witchcraft. At that time, it was typical to burn heretics alive at the stake and the Malleus encouraged the same treatment of witches. The book had a strong influence on culture for several centuries. It was later used by royal courts during the Renaissance, and contributed to the increasingly brutal prosecution of witchcraft during the 16th and 17th centuries.