Macmillan Publishers USA

An artist's approach to introducing the alphabet Mouse airbrushes the A, buttons the B, carves the C . Mouse is hard at work constructing each letter of the alphabet. He dyes the D, erases the E, and folds the F. Mouse works his way right through to Z, constructing an alphabet that surpasses even the wildest artistic imagination.

This novel based on the hit Sci Fi Channel series — itself inspired by the original 1970s «Battlestar Galactica» created by Glen A. Larson — tells the story of the first episode from the teleplay written by Ronald D. Moore and Christopher Eric James.

Sophisticated, witty, and ingeniously convincing, Clarke's magisterial novel — the story of the rise of two very different magicians — weaves magic into a flawlessly detailed vision of 19th-century England.

The architecture of leisure tends to be one of the best exponents of the creative capacity of the designer. The functional and aesthetic limitations are almost always less strict than in other areas, and this is why the most famous spaces of clubs lounge bars and discotheques have become fundamental examples for studying the different tendencies of language, materials and design that arise from the interior design of this century. This work presents twenty interior spaces designed by renowned architects and designers, in which diversity and ingenuity are the most outstanding features for spaces that are an invitation to fun, imagination and relax.

This sumptuous volume is a fascinating look at how architecture and nature can be seamlessly combined to create some of the most visually stunning, yet functional homes in the world. By way of a stunning presentation of more than 220 full-colour photographs, «Coastal Homes» shows how natural surroundings can inspire, and give shape to architectural designs — climbing flowers and hedges become fences and walls, palm trees turn into columns, and rivers and oceans form ponds and lakes. This is a must have volume for anyone who wants to combine the best of architecture with the best of nature.

This spectacular volume is a photographic exploration of the work of some of the most distinguished Mexican architects, and how they have managed to integrate contemporary design with the best of traditional architecture. «Houses» features 150 opulent full-colour photographs that express the ideals and aesthetics that have inspired these stunning works. The featured projects also focus on how the buildings have been intelligently designed to fit the needs of their occupants, as well as being harmonious to their natural surroundings.

This lavishly illustrated volume takes a detailed look at some of the best loved trends in contemporary interior design, and shows how these styles can, and are being, continuously improved. «Interiors» offers a unique insight into interior design — from the different approaches that can be used to combine functionality with aesthetics, to how to make the best use of space to create designs full of warmth and comfort. Featuring more than 150 full-colour photographs, this spectacular volume is full of tempting, original designs and conceptual inspiration.

Mountains, valleys, weather conditions and open spaces become the foundations and support to fresh ways of artistic expression that do not adhere to the conventional walled boundaries of museums or art galleries.

With the ever increasing standards and expectations of their customers, the need for hotels to upgrade their concept of what makes a comfortable stay has never been more important. «Design Hotels» features numerous innovative designs that are destined to redefine the concept of what a hotel should be — from both a design and customer comfort perspective. This unique and innovative volume also provides comprehensive documentation of the design works by including floor plans, the architect's own notes and sketches, and stunning full-colour photographs.

This elegant volume showcases cutting-edge commercial design — offices, shops and restaurants that have successfully created a balance between an efficient, functional workspace and top-of-the-range design. «Spaces 8» shows how contemporary architects are creating environments that are embracing new technologies while integrating the best of traditional techniques — from exteriors that create a sense of intimacy with nature, through commercial developments that make their clients feel pampered and welcome, to offices designed around green spaces. This is a must for anyone interested in the best of contemporary commercial architecture and design.

Gone are the days when uniformity of design was a desired end; what people want now is to make a mark on their physical surroundings, to not only occupy a space, but to imbue it with their personalities. This is a dynamic and eclectic collection of home interiors, with a spectrum of styles ranging from minimalist environments to intimate spaces, and spacious, light-filled homes — all coming together to create a volume that covers all the bases.

On a continent of breathtaking beauty and bitter suffering, two vastly different cultures clashed, mingled, and recoiled. Here, amidst mist-shrouded mountains and gold-studded plateaus, ancient tribesmen lived close to the earth, as white men dug fortunes out from beneath them and laid plans for a new civilization. Out of Southern Africa the enigmatic Cecil Rhodes built an empire in the late 1800s and attracted the brightest and bravest of a generation — including a remarkable far-flung family named Ballantyne. But for the natives, another day was dawning: a day of retribution... From a courageous woman doctor to a fierce, one-eyed slave trader turned soldier, the whites of Africa were buffeted by two horrific waves of war. And just when a bloody peace seemed possible, the seeds of future turmoil were sown…

Over a year has passed since the defeat of the Great Foulness, and the ravaged earth has begun to heal. Lost for generations, the signet rings of the Four Great Houses — Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan — have been restored to their rightful heirs. And Ashen NordornQueen, mistress of the Land of Ever Snow, looks forward to a life of peace and happiness with her beloved husband and their newborn son — only to learn that an ancient evil still threatens all that she holds dear. The Mother Ice Dragon, the fearsome progenitor of her deadly breed, has awakened from slumber to menace the world anew. Legend holds that only the Dragon Blade, forged from the scales of her vanquished mate, can slay the deadly female dragon, but the Dragon Blade has been lost for ages. As Ashen embarks on a perilous quest to find the mystic sword, she leaves her castle and homeland in the care of her closest friends, including Rannore, Lady of the Rowan, who soon faces danger of a different sort.... Dragon Blade continues the saga begun in To the King a Daughter and continued in Knight or Knave and A Crown Disowned.

Mycroft Holmes’s encoded message to his brother, Sherlock, is unsubtle enough even for Dr. Watson to decipher: a matter concerning the safety of Queen Victoria herself calls them to Edinburgh’s Holyrood House to investigate the confounding and gruesome deaths of two young men — horrific incidents that took place with her highness in residence. The victims were crushed in a manner surpassing human power. And while recent attempts on her majesty’s life raise a number of possibilities, these intrigues also seem strangely connected to an act of evil that took place centuries earlier… For indeed, the slaying of David Rizzio, music master and friend to Mary Queen of Scots, was an extraordinarily brutal and treacherous act — even for a time when brutality and treachery were the order of the day. Now, the ghosts of Holyrood House are being reawakened by someone with a diabolical agenda of greed, madness, and terror as Holmes and Watson set out to trap a killer who is eager to rewrite history in blood...

This volume examines the integration of economics and moral philosophy, arguing that valuation and analysis in health economics and health programs should be based on recent innovative research.

Frank Herbert's Dune is widely known as the science fiction equivalent of The Lord of the Rings. Now The Road to Dune is a companion work comparable to The Silmarillion, shedding light on and following the remarkable development of the bestselling science fiction novel of all time. In this fascinating volume, the world's millions of Dune fans can read — at long last — the unpublished chapters and scenes from Dune and Dune Messiah. The Road to Dune also includes some of the original correspondence between Frank Herbert and famed editor John W. Campbell, Jr., along with other correspondence during Herbert's years-long struggle to get his innovative work published, and the article «They Stopped the Moving Sands», Herbert's original inspiration for Dune. The Road to Dune also features newly discovered papers and manuscripts of Frank Herbert, and Spice Planet, an original novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, based on a detailed outline left by Frank Herbert. The Road to Dune is a treasure trove of essays, articles, and fiction that every reader of Dune will want to add to their shelf.

At an international conference in Prague, Lt. Col. Jon Smith, an Army research doctor specializing in infectious diseases and secretly an agent attached to Covert-One, is contacted by a Russian colleague, Dr. Valentine Petrenko. Petrenko is concerned about a small cluster of mysterious deaths in Moscow and about the Russian government’s refusal to release publicly any information or data on the outbreak. When the two meet, they are attacked by a group of mysterious men and Petrenko is killed, his notes and medical samples are lost, and Smith barely escapes with his life. At the same time, a series of government officials around the world are coming down with a mysterious, fast-acting virus with a 100% fatality rate. These deaths are somehow related to the increasing militarism from the new Russian government, headed by the autocratic and ambitious President Victor Dudarev. With few clues and precious little time, Smith and Covert-One must unravel this mysterious plot and find the mysterious figure who stands at the center of it all…

In the story written by Jennifer Crusie, mayhem ensues under the mistletoe as a determined shopper grabs the very last hot toy action figure off the shelf, only to find herself plunged into the middle of a real-life spy game — in the arms of a sexy secret agent...In the story by Lori Foster, two dedicated co-workers with a lot of secrets (and fantasies!) between them must plan a Christmas party side by side — and discover a love worth celebrating — in this steamy office romance. In the story by Carly Phillips, a «mistletoe moment» begins when a no-nonsense lawyer intent on seducing her boss meets his twin instead — after giving him a scintillating kiss that leaves him begging for more...

Wilbur Smith’s adventure tales are big, bold and unforgettable. In SHOUT AT THE DEVIL, the New York Times bestselling master storyteller takes us to a brutal paradise engulfed in the fires of civilization’s war...

THE VOICE SEEPS LIKE BLOOD... Two years ago, Derek Tyler confessed to a sickening quartet of murders. Now the convicted perpetrator remains locked away, as do the gruesome, inimitable details of his crimes, which is precisely why this can’t possibly be happening all over again—but it is. SOOTHING, CAJOLING, PRAISING, COMMANDING... One by one, mutilated corpses are turning up, each marked by the unmistakable calling card of the same warped killer. Still shattered in the wake of her own unbearable trauma, Detective Chief Inspector Carol Jordan is called in to make sense of the implausible scenario, with criminal psychologist Tony Hill on hand to complicate matters at every turn. AS IMPOSSIBLE TO SILENCE AS IT IS TO DEFY. As a seasoned profiler, Tony is convinced that the new murders aren’t the work of a copycat killer. Together, he and Carol prowl the mist-shrouded alleyways of tawdry Temple Fields, tracking a cunning serial killer who seems to be safely locked away yet somehow simultaneously on the loose, preparing to strike again...

On Parrish Island, off the coast of Virginia, lies a psychiatric facility. Far from prying eyes, it is a government-run hospital for former intelligence employees in possession of highly classified information. Former Consular Operations agent Hal Ambler is one of these patients whose mind is filled with secrets of state—and is considered such a security risk that he is kept heavily medicated and closely watched. But there’s one critical difference between Ambler and the other patients—Ambler isn’t crazy. Now he must find a way to escape the facility, find out who put him there, and uncover the truth of who he was…and why someone is willing to risk everything to see him dead.

A «Washington Post Book World» Rave for 2005 In the aftermath of 9/11, Yaroslav Trofimov spent three years crisscrossing the Islamic world to create this unprecedented report. Mingling with ordinary Muslims, prominent clerics, and heads of state alike, he paints a ground-level picture of Islamic life as it is being changed by the Western war on terror. A sensitive, provocative portrait of a critical period in Muslim history, «Faith at War» introduces surprising ties between the Islamic world and our own.

A breathtaking journey of twists and turns from New York to London, from Bucharest and on to Tokyo ends up in a sleepy English village where the mystery surrounding Van Gogh's last painting will finally be resolved.

Windsor Academy ranks as one of the best New England prep schools money can buy. From its Gothic arches to its ethnic diversity, it looks picture perfect... as long as nobody notices that the headmaster’s wife has a student lover and drugs are as available as candy. And when freshman Mark DeAvecca looks out a faux medieval window and sees a body across the campus, he wonders if he’s hallucinating — especially when no corpse is found. Since everyone thinks that Mark is a druggie, they all ignore him — until he returns to his dorm room to discover his roommate dead, hanged by the neck from the ceiling. Desperate, Mark calls his mother’s friend Gregor Demarkian, former FBI agent and the one person Mark knows will listen. Demarkian is world-weary and ready to retire from his investigative career, yet he can’t turn down a plea from a scared kid. And it doesn’t take long before Gregor knows something is very wrong at Windsor Academy... something like manipulation, dirty tricks, and murder.