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Reviews

Reviews

by Barry Strauss - History, Nonfiction

Thanks to William Shakespeare, the death of Julius Caesar is the most famous assassination in history. But what actually happened on March 15, 44 BC is even more gripping than Shakespeare’s play. In THE DEATH OF CAESAR, Barry Strauss tells the real story. Shakespeare shows Caesar’s assassination to be an amateur and idealistic affair. The real killing, however, was a carefully planned paramilitary operation, put together by Caesar’s disaffected officers and designed with precision.

by Bernard Cornwell - Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction

It's a time of change for Britain in the early 10th century. There are new raids by the Vikings from Ireland, and turmoil among the Saxons over the leadership of Mercia. A younger generation is taking over. When Æthelred, the ruler of Mercia, dies, he leaves no legitimate heir. The West Saxons want their king, but Uhtred has long supported Æthelflaed, sister to King Edward of Wessex and widow of Æethelred. Widely loved and respected, Æthelflaed has all the makings of a leader --- but can Saxon warriors ever accept a woman as their ruler? The stage is set for rivals to fight for the empty throne.

by Aaron Gwyn - Adventure, Fiction, Western

Corporal Elijah Russell is assigned to an elite Special Forces unit preparing to stage a secret mission in eastern Afghanistan. His task is to train the Green Berets --- fiercely loyal to their enigmatic commander, Captain Wynne --- to ride the horses they will use to execute this mission through treacherous mountain terrain. But as the team presses farther into enemy territory, the nature of their operation only becomes more mysterious and Wynne’s charismatic power takes on a darker cast.

by Steven Pressfield - History, Nonfiction

Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews with veterans of the war --- fighter and helicopter pilots, tank commanders and Recon soldiers, paratroopers, as well as women soldiers, wives and others --- Steven Pressfield tells the story of the Six Day War as you’ve never experienced it before: in the voices of the young men and women who battled not only for their lives but for the survival of a Jewish state, and for the dreams of their ancestors.

by Eric Jager - History, Nonfiction, True Crime

In 1407, Louis of Orleans was murdered by a band of masked men. The crime stunned and paralyzed France since Louis had often ruled in place of his brother King Charles, who had gone mad. In charge of the investigation was the Provost of Paris, Guillaume de Tignonville, the city's chief law enforcement officer --- and one of history's first detectives. As de Tignonville began to investigate, he realized that his hunt for the truth was much more dangerous than he ever could have imagined.

by Bernard Cornwell - Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction

At the onset of the 10th century, England is in turmoil. Alfred the Great is dead, and Edward his son reigns as king. Wessex survives, but peace cannot hold: the Danes in the north, led by Viking Cnut Longsword, stand ready to invade and will never rest until the emerald crown is theirs. Uhtred, once Alfred’s great warrior but now out of favor with the new king, must lead a band of outcasts north to recapture his old family home.

by Bill Bryson - History, Nonfiction

In ONE SUMMER, Bill Bryson transports readers on a journey back to one amazing season in American life. A number of major events transpired in that epochal summer of 1927, and Bryson captures its outsized personalities, exciting events and occasional just plain weirdness. In that year, America stepped out onto the world stage as the main event.

by Dan Schultz - Nonfiction, True Crime

In 1998 in Cortez, Colorado, three desperados in a stolen truck opened fire on the town cop, shooting him 20 times. Then they blasted their way past dozens of police cars and disappeared into 10,000 square miles of the harshest wilderness terrain on the North American continent. Self-trained survivalists, the outlaws eluded the most sophisticated law enforcement technology on the planet. DEAD RUN is the first in-depth account of this sensational case.

by John Shors - Fiction, Historical Fiction

When his land is taken by force, Prince Jayavar of the Khmer people narrowly escapes death at the hands of the conquering Cham king, Indravarman. Exiled from their homeland, he and his mystical wife Ajadevi set up a secret camp in the jungle with the intention of amassing an army bold enough to reclaim their kingdom and free their people. Meanwhile, Indravarman pits even his most trusted men against each other and quashes any hint of rebellion.

by Bernard Cornwell - Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction

In September of 1356, the English army is about to invade France, and France is ready for them. Thomas of Hookton has special orders to uncover the lost sword of St. Peter, a weapon that is said to grant victory to whatever side wields it. It won't be an easy task because the French are searching too. When Thomas and his men are trapped near Poitiers, he, his men, and his enemies converge in a maelstrom of violence, action and heroism.