This book chronicles the story of the single most daring Special Forces operation since World War Two - Operation Barras; the attempted rescue by the SAS of the British Forces who were being held captive by guerrilla gang the West Side Boys in the Sierra Leone jungle. The West Side Boys were a strange-looking bunch, wearing pink shades, shower caps, fluorescent wigs and voodoo charms they believed made them invulnerable to bullets - an impression re-enforced by ganja, heroine, crack cocaine and gallons of sweet palm wine. In 1999 a twelve man patrol of Royal Irish Rangers, who were training government troops in Sierra Leone, were captured and held hostage by the West Side Boys. They were held prisoner in a fortified jungle hideaway, with severed heads decorating the palisades, defended by some 400 heavily armed soldiers. Operation Barras, the rescue mission, was a combined force of 100 Paras, twelve members of the Special Boat Squadron, helicopters from the Navy and RAF and, spearheading the operation, 40-strong D squadron of the SAS. Against amazing odds the hostages were rescued - over 150 of the enemy were killed. Operation Certain Death is a thrilling true story of all out war. No hostages taken. Blood-letting on a vast scale inflicted on a very blood-thirsty enemy. A gripping piece of true military history, perfect for fans of action adventure stories and anyone interested in the top secret division of the British Army.

In the second volume of this magnificently illustrated cultural history, the tie-in to the PBS and BBC series The Story of the Jews, Simon Schama details the story of the Jewish people from 1492 through the end of nineteenth century. A sweeping work of narrative history, volume two of this epic incorporates the stories of many who seldom figure in Jewish histories: not just the rabbis and the philosophers but a poetess in the ghetto of Venice; a boxer in Georgian England; a Bible showman in Amsterdam; a teacher of the deaf in eighteenth-century Germany. The story of the Jewish diaspora unfolds in Kerala and Mantua, the starlit hills of Galilee, the rivers of Colombia, the kitchens of Istanbul, the taverns of Ukraine and the mining camps of California. It sails in caravels, rides the stagecoaches and the railways; trudges the dawn streets of London, hobbles along with the remnant of Napoleon's ruined army. Through Schama's passionate and intelligent telling, a story emerges of the Jewish people that feels as if it is the story of everyone, of humanity packed with detail. Schama's history is a global tapestry woven from the threads of individual lives: Lost Tribes and Messianic Hope: Follow the incredible journeys of figures like David Ha-Reuveni, the self-proclaimed prince from a lost Israelite kingdom, as messianic fervor sweeps through Renaissance Europe. Escape from the Inquisition: Witness the daring escape of the powerful Mendes family, led by the legendary Doña Gracia Nasi, as they navigate a treacherous path from Portugal to the safety of the Ottoman Empire. A Wider Cultural History: Discover the stories of those often left out of Jewish history-from a poetess in the Venetian ghetto and a boxer in Georgian England to a Bible showman in Amsterdam. A Truly Global Story: Journey from the rivers of Colombia and the kitchens of Istanbul to the mining camps of California, tracing the vibrant, surprising, and resilient threads of the Jewish people across the world.

A deep dive into a contentious and dramatic period in Canadian history-the rise of a militant separatist group whose effects still reverberate today. It started in 1963, when a dozen mailboxes in a wealthy Montreal neighborhood were blown to bits by handmade bombs. By the following year, a guerrilla army camp was set up deep in the woods, with would-be soldiers training for armed revolt. Then, in 1966, two high-school students dropped off bombs at factories, causing fatalities. What was behind these concerted, often bungled acts of terrorism, and how did they last for nearly eight years? In Are You Willing to Die for the Cause?, Quebec-born cartoonist Chris Oliveros sets out to dispel common misconceptions about the birth and early years of a movement that, while now defunct, still holds a tight grip on the hearts and minds of Quebec citizenry and Canadian politics. There are no initials more volatile in Quebec history than FLQ-the Front de libération du Québec (or, in English, the Quebec Liberation Front). The original goal of this socialist movement was to fight for workers' rights of the French majority who found their rights trampled on by English bosses. The goal became ridding the province of its English oppression by means of violent revolution. Using dozens of obscure and long-forgotten sources, Oliveros skillfully weaves a comics oral history where the activists, employers, politicians, and secretaries piece together the sequence of events. At times humorous, other times dramatic, and always informative, Are You Willing to Die for the Cause? shines a light on just how little it takes to organize dissent and who people trust to overthrow the government.

*A USA TODAY BESTSELLER!* *An Amazon Editor's Pick!* *A Goodreads New Book to Read in December!* *A Parade Best Book to Read in November and December!* *A Book Riot Exciting New Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book of December 2025!* *A Fangirlish Best Fantasy Book of December!* *A Maximum Fun Most Anticipated Book for November/December!* *A SheReads Most Anticipated Science Fiction and Fantasy Book of Fall 2025!* *A Paste Most Anticipated Romantasy Book of Fall 2025!* For fans of The Poppy War, She Who Became the Sun and The Will of the Many, a breathtaking fantasy novel about the daughter of an overthrown emperor from an exciting new voice Khamilla Zahr-zad’s life has been built on a foundation of violence and vengeance. Every home she’s known has been destroyed by war. As the daughter of an emperor’s clan, she spent her childhood training to maintain his throne. But when her clansmen are assassinated by another rival empire, plans change. With her heavenly magic of nur, Khamilla is a weapon even enemies would wield—especially those in the magical, scholarly city of Za’skar. Hiding her identity, Khamilla joins the enemy’s army school full of jinn, magic and martial arts, risking it all to topple her adversaries, avenge her clan and reclaim their throne. To survive, she studies under cutthroat mystic monks and battles in a series of contests to outmaneuver her fellow soldiers. She must win at all costs, even if it means embracing the darkness lurking inside her. But the more she excels, the more she is faced with history that contradicts her father’s teachings. With a war brewing among the kingdoms and a new twisted magic overtaking the land, Khamilla is torn between two impossible choices: vengeance or salvation.

The instant #1 New York Times Bestselling Series No one survived the last battle unscathed. Flint is angry at the world, Jaxon is turning into something I don't recognize, and Hudson has put up a wall I'm not sure I'll ever break through. Now war is coming, and we're not ready. We're going to need an army to have any hope of winning. But first, there are questions about my ancestors that need answers. Answers that might just reveal who the real monster is among us. And that's saying something in a world filled with bloodthirsty vampires, immortal gargoyles, and an ancient battle between two gods. There's no guarantee that anyone will be left standing when the dust settles, but if we want to save this world, I have no choice. I'll have to embrace every part of me...even the parts I fear the most. Don't miss a single book in the series that spawned a phenomenon! The Crave series is best enjoyed in order: Crave Crush Covet Court Charm Cherish

A hilarious, warmhearted, and swoonworthy romance about two people who are definitely not dating…no matter how often they end up in bed together, from the New York Times bestselling authors of The Unhoneymooners and Love and Other Words. Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to take—and frankly, most men aren’t up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don’t send them running, her lack of filter means she’ll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She’s a good soul in search of honest fun. Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met—when she gracelessly threw up on his shoes—to when she sent him an unintelligible email while in a post-surgical haze, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air. Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there’s nothing between them...right?

Travel back in time with the iconic Scottish historical romance, the first book in the multi-million copy bestselling Outlander series, now a major TV series! 'Addictively page-turning' Rebecca Yarros, bestselling author of Fourth Wing 'Scotland's answer to Game of Thrones' Herald 'A sweeping tale of love, honor, sacrifice and rebellion ' Cassandra Clare, bestselling author of The Mortal Instruments ___________ What if your future lay in the past? 1946, and Claire Randall goes to the Scottish Highlands with her husband Frank. It's a second honeymoon, a chance to re-establish their loving marriage. But one afternoon, Claire walks through a circle of standing stones and vanishes into 1743, where the first person she meets is a British army officer - her husband's six-times great-grandfather. Unfortunately, Black Jack Randall is not the man his descendant is, and while trying to escape him, Claire falls into the hands of a gang of Scottish outlaws, and finds herself a Sassenach - an outlander - in danger from both Jacobites and Redcoats. Marooned amid danger, passion and violence, her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men, in two irreconcilable lives... With more than 20,000 5-star ratings on Amazon and 25 million copies sold worldwide, OUTLANDER is among the most popular book series of all time. Begin your journey into the Highland past here... ___________ Readers love Outlander: 'This series is epic, and you won't regret it! 5-star reader review 'My favourite book of all time ' 5-star reader review 'This series changed my life' 5-star reader review 'If you like historical fiction , time travel , and/or romance , PICK THIS UP ' 5-star reader review Praise for the Outlander series: Outlander truly is a phenomenon ' Sam Heughan 'An unforgettable, unparalleled love story that will leave you craving more' Olivie Blake, bestselling author of The Atlas Six and Masters of Death 'Epic, magical and deeply romantic' Ali Hazelwood, bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis 'A stone-cold classic ' Katherine Arden, bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale and The Warm Hands of Ghosts 'Gabaldon's attention to historical detail and human emotion is unparalleled , making this series an utter delight ' Rebecca Ross, bestselling author of Divine Rivals 'A treasure to be enjoyed and shared' Ian Rankin, bestselling author of the Rebus series

Bloomsbury presents 21 Days to Baghdad by Heather Marie Stur, read by Amy Finegan. An authoritative military history of the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division in Operation Iraqi Freedom, describing the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the siege and fall of Baghdad, and the nation-building mission that followed. In 21 Days to Baghdad, historian Dr. Heather Stur describes the commitment of the division to Kuwait, the invasion of Iraq and the three weeks of violent desert conflicts on the way to Baghdad before the siege and battle for the city itself, and the "thunder runs" that saw its fall to U.S. forces. She then details the complex security mission that required the soldiers and their commanders to convince Iraqi citizens that the U.S. was there to help them, while at the same time they continued fighting Saddam Hussein's elite Republican Guard, paramilitary forces, and terrorists. This new history is based on exclusive, extensive interviews with General Buford "Buff" Blount, the U.S. Army two-star general who led the 3rd Infantry Division. His years of experience in the Middle East led him to question the recall of his division from Iraq at the end of 2003 and its replacement by a less experienced unit. President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld did not believe that peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance were worthwhile uses of a conventional combat force like the 3rd Infantry Division. The division had destroyed Hussein's government. Mission accomplished, or so Bush and Rumsfeld thought. 21 Days to Baghdad illustrates the long reach of the U.S. military, the limitations of nation building in the wake of war, and the tensions between policymakers in Washington, DC, and troops on the ground over the purpose and conduct of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

A keepsake collection of Lord John Grey's shorter adventures and a spectacular addition to any Gabaldon fan's library, Lord John and the Hand of the Devils brings these three unique novellas together for the first time. ____________ Lord John and the Hellfire Club marks the first appearance of Lord John outside the Outlander novels (and chronologically precedes the novel Lord John and the Private Matter). A young diplomat is killed in the street as he begs Lord John for help. Witnessing the murder, Grey vows to avenge the young man, as the trail leads to the notorious Hellfire Club and the dark caves beneath Medmenham Abbey In Lord John and the Succubus, Grey's assignment as liaison to a Hanoverian regiment in Germany finds him caught between two threats: the advancing French and Austrian army, and the menace of a mysterious 'night-hag,' who spreads fear and death among the troops. Acknowledging that he is unlikely to fall victim to a succubus, Lord John is obliged to contend with the marauding night-hag before the enemy arrives. This tale with a touch of the supernatural bridges the action between Gabaldon's two full-length Lord John tales. Finally, in Lord John and the Haunted Soldier, Lord John is called to the Arsenal at Woolwich to answer a Royal Commission of Enquiry's questions regarding a cannon that exploded during the battle of Krefeld (a central action in Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade). Accusations ensue, and Lord John finds himself knee-deep in a morass of gunpowder, treason, and plot -- haunted by a dead lieutenant, and followed by a man with no face. ____________ Readers love Lord John and the Hand of Devils . . . ***** 'John Grey is my spirit animal. I am such a fan of this series!' ***** 'My eyes couldn't read fast enough!!' ***** ' I enjoyed all three, once again became lost in the time period within seconds of starting to read....I don't know how Diana G. does it!' ***** 'I really, really liked this trilogy of novellas that were included in this book.' ***** 'The insight is fascinating, interesting and favourable.'

Back after 10+ Years, Dood!: Two action-packed RPG classics are making their first explosive entrances since their decade-plus debuts! Experience Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound (now with new content, dood!) and ZHP: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman on modern platforms for the first time in over 10 years, now with English and Japanese audio! Zetta...But Betta!: In Makai Kingdom: Reclaimed and Rebound, Lord Zetta, master of tactical warfare, aims to invade and reclaim the Netherworld—as a book! Utilize clever strategies and powerful magic, along with deadly weapons ranging from broadswords to rocket launchers to take control of your enemies’ land. Also, summon your army through the new INVITE system, tear up the battlefield with new characters, and dive into Petta Mode for a whole new story. Build-a-Ranger: In ZHP: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman, your character is custom-made to kick as—many enemies to the curb as you want! Use the deep customization system to outfit your ranger from head to toe, establish your own base, and fight your way through an array of randomly-generated maps to forge your own heroic story.

In this tantalizing thriller from a #1 New York Times bestselling author, a woman uncovers lifelong secrets as she searches for the truth behind her father's involvement in a heist gone wrong. Twenty years ago in the dead of night, four seemingly random individuals pulled the ultimate heist and almost walked away with half a million dollars. But by daybreak, their plan had been shot to hell. One of them was in the hospital. One was in jail. One was dead. And one got away with it. Arden Maxwell, the daughter of the man who disappeared all those years ago—presumably with the money, after murdering his accomplice—has never reconciled with her father's abandonment of her and her sister. After countless personal setbacks she decides to return to her family home near mysterious Caddo Lake, and finally get answers to the many questions that torment her. Little does she know, two of her father's co-conspirators—a war hero and a corrupt district attorney—are watching her every move. Ledge Burnet, a rebellious teen at the time of the heist, evaded his jail sentence by enlisting in the army. Now he's back in town to care for his ailing father—and to keep his eye on the county's corrupt district attorney, whom he suspects was the real murderer. Although the two are bound to silence because of the crime they committed together, each has spent years waiting and hoping that the other will make a fatal misstep. But the arrival of their elusive accomplice's daughter, Arden, who may know more about the missing money than she's telling, sets them both on red alert. She ignites Ledge's determination to expose the D.A.'s treachery . . . and sparks a desire he wishes to deny.

A gripping historical adventure from the international #1 bestselling author of the OUTLANDER series. ______________ The year is 1757. On a bright June day, Lord John Grey emerges from his club, his mind in turmoil. A nobleman and a high-ranking officer in His Majesty's Army, Grey has just witnessed something shocking. But his efforts to avoid a scandal that might destroy his family are interrupted by something still more urgent: the Crown appoints him to investigate the brutal murder of a comrade-in-arms, who might well have been a traitor. Obliged to pursue two inquiries at once, Major Grey finds himself ensnared in a web of treachery and betrayal that touches every level of society - and threatens all he holds dear. From the bawdy-houses of London's night world to the drawing rooms of the nobility, from the blood of a murdered corpse to the thundering seas of the East India Company, Lord John follows the elusive trail of the woman in green who may hold the key to everything - or to nothing at all. The early days of the Seven Years War come brilliantly to life in this historical adventure mystery by the acclaimed author whose unique and compelling storytelling has engrossed millions of readers worldwide. ______________ Readers can't get enough of Lord John And The Private Matter . . . ***** ' This was a fun, suspenseful, historically interesting read.' ***** ' Good read for Outlander fans.' ***** ' If you love Gabaldon's writing and murder mystery novels, then this is the book for you.' ***** ' I was skeptical to start this series but once I started I couldn't put it down. I now have a book hangover.' ***** ' Great! Funny and gripping, totally entertaining.'

One of the world's greatest fantasy novels, Monkey King: Journey to the West is the inspiration for the new blockbuster game Black Myth: Wukong. Published in a sparkling modern translation and available in the Penguin Clothbound Classics series, this is the perfect introduction to the seminal Chinese classic. A shape-shifting trickster on a kung-fu quest for eternal life, Monkey King is one of the most memorable superheroes in world literature. High-spirited and omni-talented, he can transform himself into whatever he chooses and turn each of his body's 84,000 hairs into an army of clones. But his penchant for mischief repeatedly gets him into trouble, and when he raids Heaven's Orchard of Immortal Peaches, the Buddha pins him beneath a mountain. Five hundred years later, Monkey King is finally given a chance to redeem himself: he must protect the pious monk Tripitaka on his journey in search of precious Buddhist sutras that will bring enlightenment to the Chinese empire. Joined by two other fallen immortals - Pigsy, a rice-loving flying pig, and Sandy, a depressive river-sand monster - Monkey King does battle with Red Boy, Princess Jade-Face, the Monstress Dowager, and all manner of dragons, ogres, wizards and femmes fatales; navigates the perils of Fire-Cloud Cave, the River of Flowing Sand and the Water-Crystal Palace; and is serially captured, lacquered, sautéed, steamed and liquefied - but always hatches an ingenious plan to get himself and his fellow pilgrims out of their latest jam. Comparable to The Canterbury Tales or Don Quixote, Monkey King is at once a gripping adventure, a comic satire and a spring of spiritual insight. With this new translation by the award-winning Julia Lovell, the irrepressible rogue hero of one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature has the potential to vault, with his signature cloud-somersault, into the hearts of a whole new generation of readers.

'Just plain awesome . . . Innovative magic, quick-paced plot, interesting world. I had a blast' Brandon Sanderson on Promise of Blood Field Marshal Tamas has finally returned to Adopest, only to find the capital in the hands of a foreign power. With his son Taniel presumed dead, Tamas must gather his beleaguered forces and formulate a plan to defeat the Kez - no easy task when you're outnumbered and can't tell friend from foe. The army is divided . . . With their enemy bearing down on them, the Adran command is in disarray. Someone, it seems, is selling secrets to the Kez. Inspector Adamat is determined to flush out the traitor, but as the conspiracy unravels, he will learn a horrifying truth. And all hope rests with one man . . . Taniel Two-Shot, the powder mage who shot a god in the eye, is on the run. He possesses the sole means of defeating the Kez, but to do so he must evade treachery at every turn. If he fails, Adro will fall. Praise for the series: 'Gunpowder and magic. An explosive combination' Peter Brett 'Brings a welcome breath of gunpowder-tinged air to epic fantasy' Anthony Ryan 'Tense action, memorable characters, rising stakes . . . Brian McClellan is the real thing' Brent Weeks The Powder Mage trilogy: Promise of Blood The Crimson Campaign The Autumn Republic The Gods of Blood and Powder series: Sins of Empire Wrath of Empire

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award With a Introduction by Adam Gopnik Fifty years after the March on the Pentagon, Norman Mailer’s seminal tour de force remains as urgent and incisive as ever. Winner of America’s two highest literary awards, The Armies of the Night uniquely and unforgettably captures the Sixties’ tidal wave of love and rage at its crest and a towering genius at his peak. The time is October 21, 1967. The place is Washington, D.C. Depending on the paper you read, 20,000 to 200,000 protestors are marching to end the war in Vietnam, while helicopters hover overhead and federal marshals and soldiers with fixed bayonets await them on the Pentagon steps. Among the marchers is a writer named Norman Mailer. From his own singular participation in the day’s events and his even more extraordinary perceptions comes a classic work that shatters the mold of traditional reportage. Intellectuals and hippies, clergymen and cops, poets and army MPs crowd the pages of a book in which facts are fused with techniques of fiction to create the nerve-end reality of experiential truth. “[Mailer’s] genuine wit and bellicose charm, and his fervent and intense sense of legitimately caring, render The Armies of the Night an artful document, worthy to be judged as literature.”—Time “Only a born novelist could have written a piece of history so intelligent, mischievous, penetrating and alive.”—Alfred Kazin, The New York Times Book Review

Joe Girard was an example of a young man with perseverance and determination. Joe began his working career as a shoeshine boy. He moved on to be a newsboy for the Detroit Free Press at nine years old, then a dishwasher, a delivery boy, stove assembler, and home building contractor. He was thrown out of high school, fired from more than forty jobs, and lasted only ninety-seven days in the U.S. Army. Some said that Joe was doomed for failure. He proved them wrong. When Joe started his job as a salesman with a Chevrolet agency in Eastpointe, Michigan, he finally found his niche. Before leaving Chevrolet, Joe sold enough cars to put him in the Guinness Book of World Records as 'the world's greatest salesman' for twelve consecutive years. Here, he shares his winning techniques in this step-by-step book, including how to: o Read a customer like a book and keep that customer for life o Convince people reluctant to buy by selling them the right way o Develop priceless information from a two-minute phone call o Make word-of-mouth your most successful tool Informative, entertaining, and inspiring, HOW TO SELL ANYTHING TO ANYBODY is a timeless classic and an indispensable tool for anyone new to the sales market.

A gripping historical adventure from the international #1 bestselling author of the OUTLANDER series. ______________ The year is 1757. On a bright June day, Lord John Grey emerges from his club, his mind in turmoil. A nobleman and a high-ranking officer in His Majesty's Army, Grey has just witnessed something shocking. But his efforts to avoid a scandal that might destroy his family are interrupted by something still more urgent: the Crown appoints him to investigate the brutal murder of a comrade-in-arms, who might well have been a traitor. Obliged to pursue two inquiries at once, Major Grey finds himself ensnared in a web of treachery and betrayal that touches every level of society - and threatens all he holds dear. From the bawdy-houses of London's night world to the drawing rooms of the nobility, from the blood of a murdered corpse to the thundering seas of the East India Company, Lord John follows the elusive trail of the woman in green who may hold the key to everything - or to nothing at all. The early days of the Seven Years War come brilliantly to life in this historical adventure mystery by the acclaimed author whose unique and compelling storytelling has engrossed millions of readers worldwide. ______________ Readers can't get enough of Lord John And The Private Matter . . . ***** ' This was a fun, suspenseful, historically interesting read.' ***** ' Good read for Outlander fans.' ***** ' If you love Gabaldon's writing and murder mystery novels, then this is the book for you.' ***** ' I was skeptical to start this series but once I started I couldn't put it down. I now have a book hangover.' ***** ' Great! Funny and gripping, totally entertaining.'

The memoir of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, the Russian woman who was WWII's most accomplished sniper-and a friend of Eleanor Roosevelt. In June 1941, when Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, Lyudmila Pavlichenko left her university studies, ignored the offer of a position as a nurse, and became one of Soviet Russia's two thousand female snipers. Less than a year later, she had 309 recorded kills, including 29 enemy sniper kills. By the time she was withdrawn from active duty due to injury, she was regarded as a key heroic figure for the war effort. To continue serving the war effort, Pavlichenko spoke at rallies in Canada and the United States. She toured the White House with FDR, and the folk singer Woody Guthrie wrote a song, "Miss Pavlichenko," about her exploits. An advocate for women's rights, she befriended Eleanor Roosevelt and toured England to raise money for the Red Army. Never returning to combat, Pavlichenko trained other snipers. After the war, she finished her education at Kiev University and began a career as a historian. Today, she remains a revered hero in Russia, where the 2015 film, Battle for Sevastopol, was made about her life.

The raven, crane, and firebird each chose a tribe of man, granting humans heavenly magic. But power in man's hand caused endless wars for land. With mankind's destruction, the birds perished taking with them their magic. Magic is now rare, war common. The discarded daughter of an emperor, Khamilla Zahr-zad is raised with her mother's nomadic tribe until a violent raid ends that peaceful life. Amid the chaos of death, the heavenly magic of nur awakens within her, granting her the power to wield a cosmic light. Khamilla suddenly goes from outsider to weapon, finally accepted into her father's court. Now worthy, she trains in combat and poisons, pledging loyalty to his throne. But tragedy strikes again and when her clansmen are defeated by a rival empire, Khamilla vows lasting vengeance as she escapes. However Khamilla is not alone - for something shadows her, feeding her darkness. Hiding her identity, Khamilla infiltrates the enemy's army academy. She studies jinn, magic, and martial arts from cutthroat mystic monks in a bid to bring down an empire from within. However, through her studies Khamilla begins to question her father's teachings of war and rule. With war escalating across kingdoms and a twisted magic spreading, Khamilla is torn between two impossible choices: revenge or freedom. With gorgeous prose and a captivating magic system, layered with morally grey characters, Dawn of the Firebird embraces rich Islamic culture and raises provocative questions about individual power, choice, and the cost of war.

The raven, crane, and firebird each chose a tribe of man, granting humans heavenly magic. But power in man's hand caused endless wars for land. With mankind's destruction, the birds perished taking with them their magic. Magic is now rare, war common. The discarded daughter of an emperor, Khamilla Zahr-zad is raised with her mother's nomadic tribe until a violent raid ends that peaceful life. Amid the chaos of death, the heavenly magic of nur awakens within her, granting her the power to wield a cosmic light. Khamilla suddenly goes from outsider to weapon, finally accepted into her father's court. Now worthy, she trains in combat and poisons, pledging loyalty to his throne. But tragedy strikes again and when her clansmen are defeated by a rival empire, Khamilla vows lasting vengeance as she escapes. However Khamilla is not alone - for something shadows her, feeding her darkness. Hiding her identity, Khamilla infiltrates the enemy's army academy. She studies jinn, magic, and martial arts from cutthroat mystic monks in a bid to bring down an empire from within. However, through her studies Khamilla begins to question her father's teachings of war and rule. With war escalating across kingdoms and a twisted magic spreading, Khamilla is torn between two impossible choices: revenge or freedom. With gorgeous prose and a captivating magic system, layered with morally grey characters, Dawn of the Firebird embraces rich Islamic culture and raises provocative questions about individual power, choice, and the cost of war.