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The Art of Being Governed: Everyday Politics in Late Imperial China
by Michael SzonyiAn innovative look at how families in Ming dynasty China negotiated military and political obligations to the stateHow did ordinary people in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) deal with the demands of the state? In The Art of Being Governed, Michael Szonyi explores the myriad ways that families fulfilled their obligations to provide a soldier to the army. The complex strategies they developed to manage their responsibilities suggest a new interpretation of an important period in China’s history as well as a broader theory of politics.Using previously untapped sources, including lineage genealogies and internal family documents, Szonyi examines how soldiers and their families living on China’s southeast coast minimized the costs and maximized the benefits of meeting government demands for manpower. Families that had to provide a soldier for the army set up elaborate rules to ensure their obligation was fulfilled, and to provide incentives for the soldier not to desert his post. People in the system found ways to gain advantages for themselves and their families. For example, naval officers used the military’s protection to engage in the very piracy and smuggling they were supposed to suppress. Szonyi demonstrates through firsthand accounts how subjects of the Ming state operated in a space between defiance and compliance, and how paying attention to this middle ground can help us better understand not only Ming China but also other periods and places.Combining traditional scholarship with innovative fieldwork in the villages where descendants of Ming subjects still live, The Art of Being Governed illustrates the ways that arrangements between communities and the state hundreds of years ago have consequences and relevance for how we look at diverse cultures and societies, even today.
The Art of War: An Illustrated Edition (The Illustrated Library of Chinese Classics)
by Sunzi C. C. Tsai Brian Bruya Lawrence FreedmanA delightfully illustrated version of Sunzi’s classic The Art of War by bestselling cartoonist C. C. TsaiC. C. Tsai is one of Asia's most popular cartoonists, and his editions of the Chinese classics have sold more than 40 million copies in over twenty languages. This volume presents Tsai's delightful graphic adaptation of Sunzi's Art of War, the most profound book on warfare and strategy ever written--a work that continues to be read as a handbook for success not just by military commanders but also by leaders in politics, business, and many other fields.Conceived by a Chinese warrior-philosopher some 2,500 years ago, The Art of War speaks to those aspiring to rise through the ranks and help build successful countries. How can that goal best be achieved, and what is the role of warfare, if any, in the process? What are the powers and limits of the general in command? How can you win without going to war? Sunzi's answers to these and other questions are brought to life as never before by Tsai's brilliant cartoons, which show Sunzi fighting on dangerous ground, launching a surprise attack, spying on his enemies, and much more.A marvelously rich introduction to a timeless classic, this book also features a foreword by Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on military strategy, which illuminates how The Art of War has influenced Western strategic thought. In addition, Sunzi's original Chinese text is artfully presented in narrow sidebars on each page, enriching the books for readers and students of Chinese without distracting from the self-contained English-language cartoons. The text is skillfully translated by Brian Bruya, who also provides an introduction.
The Ascent of John Company: From Traders to Rulers (1756-1787)
by G.S. CheemaThe Ascent of John Company is the story of the founding of the British empire in India. The process of founding empires is rarely, if ever, edifying. It is invariably a sordid story of brutality and violence, tempered to some extent by blatant lies, corruption, skullduggery and intrigue. Robert Clive and Warren Hastings, the two names that come most readily to mind when one thinks of the founders, were no heroes in their times. Still less were Vansittart, Verelst, or Coote ‘Bahadur’. We have a governor who was overthrown and imprisoned by his own Councillors, and a general who had to be bribed to take the field! Many of them were accused of atrocious crimes, of murder and extortion. Bribe taking, peculation and corruption were the least of their ‘high misdemeanours’ and the most egregious were ruined by the judicial processes to which they were subjected on their return. The word nabob, which was applied to them by their own countrymen was anything but complimentary. The romanticization of the empire came much later; it was a phenomenon of the later Victorian period, but in spite of the fact that the empire has long since faded away, nostalgia for the Raj still lingers among some circles. For such people this volume will be a useful corrective; the past always seems better than the contentious present. Even for others, who may not see the past through rose tinted glasses, this book will help to place things in perspective. To paraphrase Dickens, ‘this is the best of times, and the worst of times’ – and it has always been so.
The Ascent of John Company: From Traders to Rulers (1756-1787)
by G.S. CheemaThe Ascent of John Company is the story of the founding of the British empire in India. The process of founding empires is rarely, if ever, edifying. It is invariably a sordid story of brutality and violence, tempered to some extent by blatant lies, corruption, skullduggery and intrigue. Robert Clive and Warren Hastings, the two names that come most readily to mind when one thinks of the founders, were no heroes in their times. Still less were Vansittart, Verelst, or Coote ‘Bahadur’. We have a governor who was overthrown and imprisoned by his own Councillors, and a general who had to be bribed to take the field! Many of them were accused of atrocious crimes, of murder and extortion. Bribe taking, peculation and corruption were the least of their ‘high misdemeanours’ and the most egregious were ruined by the judicial processes to which they were subjected on their return. The word nabob, which was applied to them by their own countrymen was anything but complimentary. The romanticization of the empire came much later; it was a phenomenon of the later Victorian period, but in spite of the fact that the empire has long since faded away, nostalgia for the Raj still lingers among some circles. For such people this volume will be a useful corrective; the past always seems better than the contentious present. Even for others, who may not see the past through rose tinted glasses, this book will help to place things in perspective. To paraphrase Dickens, ‘this is the best of times, and the worst of times’ – and it has always been so.
ASVAB AFQT For Dummies: With Online Practice Tests
by Angie Papple Johnston Rod PowersScore higher on the ASVAB AFQT Having a stable and well-paying career in the military can change your life for the better—and this book makes it easier than ever to pass the ASVAB AFQT so you can serve your country and set your future up for success. Inside, you’ll find all the guidance and instruction you need to practice your way through the Math Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Word Knowledge, and Arithmetic Reasoning sections of the exam so nothing comes as a surprise on test day. Plus, you get a one-year subscription to the online companion, where you can take additional full-length practice tests and focus your study where you need it the most. Updated guidelines and tools to analyze test scores and understand how to master these critical sections of the exam Advice and tips for becoming more confident with vocabulary, word knowledge, and reading comprehension skills A review of math basics, including algebra and geometry instruction Four full-length practice exams with complete explanations and answers to track your progress Your future in the military awaits! Get there faster and more confidently with ASVAB AFQT For Dummies!
ASVAB AFQT For Dummies: With Online Practice Tests
by Rod Powers Angie Papple JohnstonScore higher on the ASVAB AFQT Having a stable and well-paying career in the military can change your life for the better—and this book makes it easier than ever to pass the ASVAB AFQT so you can serve your country and set your future up for success. Inside, you’ll find all the guidance and instruction you need to practice your way through the Math Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Word Knowledge, and Arithmetic Reasoning sections of the exam so nothing comes as a surprise on test day. Plus, you get a one-year subscription to the online companion, where you can take additional full-length practice tests and focus your study where you need it the most. Updated guidelines and tools to analyze test scores and understand how to master these critical sections of the exam Advice and tips for becoming more confident with vocabulary, word knowledge, and reading comprehension skills A review of math basics, including algebra and geometry instruction Four full-length practice exams with complete explanations and answers to track your progress Your future in the military awaits! Get there faster and more confidently with ASVAB AFQT For Dummies!
Atomic Assurance: The Alliance Politics of Nuclear Proliferation (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs)
by Alexander LanoszkaDo alliances curb efforts by states to develop nuclear weapons? Atomic Assurance looks at what makes alliances sufficiently credible to prevent nuclear proliferation; how alliances can break down and so encourage nuclear proliferation; and whether security guarantors like the United States can use alliance ties to end the nuclear efforts of their allies.Alexander Lanoszka finds that military alliances are less useful in preventing allies from acquiring nuclear weapons than conventional wisdom suggests. Through intensive case studies of West Germany, Japan, and South Korea, as well as a series of smaller cases on Great Britain, France, Norway, Australia, and Taiwan, Atomic Assurance shows that it is easier to prevent an ally from initiating a nuclear program than to stop an ally that has already started one; in-theater conventional forces are crucial in making American nuclear guarantees credible; the American coercion of allies who started, or were tempted to start, a nuclear weapons program has played less of a role in forestalling nuclear proliferation than analysts have assumed; and the economic or technological reliance of a security-dependent ally on the United States works better to reverse or to halt that ally's nuclear bid than anything else.Crossing diplomatic history, international relations, foreign policy, grand strategy, and nuclear strategy, Lanoszka's book reworks our understanding of the power and importance of alliances in stopping nuclear proliferation.
Augustus Does His Bit A True-to-Life Farce: A True-to-life Farce (The World At War)
by George ShawAugustus Does His Bit, A True to Life Farce (1916) is a comic one-act play by George Bernard Shaw about a dim-witted aristocrat who is outwitted by a female spy during World War I. (Google)
Aunt Clara
by Noel StreatfeildSixty-two-year-old Clara leads a virtuous life. She spends all her time helping others and she always puts her friends and family first. It’s a shame that nobody, including her four siblings and their myriad of children, ever stops to say thank you and appreciate all she does.. . . until wealthy Uncle Simon comes into her life. Like Clara, Simon never married, never had children and he lived alone – the two understood each other like no one else in the family could. So when Uncle Simon dies, and leaves very specific wishes to Clara in his will, the path of her life changes in ways she could never imagined.Thrown into the world of circuses, greyhound-racing and dubious house-property, Aunt Clara encounters bizarre incidents and an unlikely love story in this enchanting novel from Carnegie Medal winning author, Noel Streatfeild.
Auntie's War: The BBC during the Second World War
by Edward StourtonBBC RADIO 4 'BOOK OF THE WEEK' The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British institution unlike any other, and its story during the Second World War is also our story. This was Britain’s first total war, engaging the whole nation, and the wireless played a crucial role in it. For the first time, news of the conflict reached every living room – sometimes almost as it happened; and at key moments – Chamberlain’s announcement of war, the Blitz, the D-Day landings – the BBC was there, defining how these events would pass into our collective memory. Auntie’s War is a love letter to radio. While these were the years when 'Auntie' – the BBC's enduring nickname - earnt her reputation for bossiness, they were also a period of truly remarkable voices: Churchill’s fighting speeches, de Gaulle’s broadcasts from exile, J. B. Priestley, Ed Murrow, George Orwell, Richard Dimbleby and Vera Lynn. Radio offered an incomparable tool for propaganda; it was how coded messages, both political and personal, were sent across Europe, and it was a means of sending less than truthful information to the enemy. At the same time, eyewitness testimonies gave a voice to everyone, securing the BBC’s reputation as reliable purveyor of the truth.Edward Stourton is a sharp-eyed, wry and affectionate companion on the BBC’s wartime journey, investigating archives, diaries, letters and memoirs to examine what the BBC was and what it stood for. Full of astonishing, little-known incidents, battles with Whitehall warriors and Churchill himself, and with a cast of brilliant characters, Auntie’s War is much more than a portrait of a beloved institution at a critical time. It is also a unique portrayal of the British in wartime and an incomparable insight into why we have the broadcast culture we do today.
The Australian Army Uniform and the Government Clothing Factory: Innovation in the Twentieth Century
by Anneke Van MosseveldThis book reveals the business history of the Australian Government Clothing Factory as it introduced innovative changes in the production and design of the Australian Army uniform during the twentieth century. While adopting a Schumpeterian interpretation of the concept of innovation, Anneke van Mosseveld traces the driving forces behind innovation and delivers a comprehensive explanation of the resulting changes in the combat uniform. Using an array of archival sources, this book displays details of extensive collaborations between the factory, the Army and scientists in the development of camouflage patterns and military textiles. It uncovers a system of intellectual property management to protect the designs of the uniform, and delivers new insights into the wider economic influences and industry linkages of the Government owned factory.
Australian Contributions to Strategic and Military Geography (Advances in Military Geosciences)
by Stuart Pearson Jane L. Holloway Richard ThackwayDrawing from military geography’s spatial roots, its embrace of dynamic systems, and integration of human and biophysical environments, this book helps in understanding the value of analyzing patterns, processes and systems, and cross-scale and multi-disciplinary ways of acting in a complex world, while making the case for a resurgence of strategic and military geography in Australia. Here, leading experts demonstrate that geography retains its relevance in clarifying the scale and dynamics of defense activities in assessments of the international, regional, national, and site impacts of changes in physical, cyber and human geographies. The cases presented show Australia contributing to a growing strategic and military geography.
The Avars: A Steppe Empire in Central Europe, 567–822
by Walter PohlThe Avars arrived in Europe from the Central Asian steppes in the mid-sixth century CE and dominated much of Central and Eastern Europe for almost 250 years. Fierce warriors and canny power brokers, the Avars were more influential and durable than Attila's Huns, yet have remained hidden in history. Walter Pohl's epic narrative, translated into English for the first time, restores them to their rightful place in the story of early medieval Europe.The Avars offers a comprehensive overview of their history, tracing the Avars from the construction of their steppe empire in the center of Europe; their wars and alliances with the Byzantines, Slavs, Lombards, and others; their apex as the first so-called barbarian power to besiege Constantinople (in 626); to their fall under the Frankish armies of Charlemagne and subsequent disappearance as a distinct cultural group. Pohl uncovers the secrets of their society, synthesizing the rich archaeological record recovered from more than 60,000 graves of the period, as well as accounts of the Avars by Byzantine and other chroniclers.In recovering the story of the fascinating encounter between Eurasian nomads who established an empire in the heart of Europe and the post-Roman Christian cultures of Europe, this book provides a new perspective on the origins of medieval Europe itself.
B-25 Mitchell Units of the CBI (Combat Aircraft #126)
by Jim Laurier Mark Postlethwaite Edward M. YoungFlying from and between bases in China and India, the B-25s bombed every type of Japanese target during World War 2 in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theatre, ultimately dropping more ordinance than their larger four-engined B-24 Liberator brethren.Mitchell bombers took on the task of disrupting the flow of Japanese supplies to the frontlines at medium ranges, bombing Japanese supply centres, railway depots and bridges. It was in this last capacity that the B-25 established a unique role as a 'bridge-buster'. This provided significant support for the British Fourteenth Army as they advanced into Burma.Fully illustrated with detailed cutaway artwork, this book tells the important, yet forgotten story of B-25 operations in the CBI Theatre and the important role that this aircraft played on the road to victory.
Bachem Ba 349 Natter (X-Planes #8)
by Robert Forsyth Adam ToobyThe Bachem Ba 349 Natter was a secretive, vertical take-off, single-seat rocket interceptor intended to offer high-speed defence of key targets. This radical aircraft offered Luftwaffe an inexpensive means with which to intercept and attack Allied heavy bombers using a vertically-launched, semi-expendable machine built of wood and armed with a nose-mounted 'honeycomb' battery of spin-stabilised air-to-air rockets as well as cannon armament. Launched vertically at 36,000ft per minute, the pilot was expected to fly within range of the enemy bombers, fire his rockets at them, ram another bomber, eject and parachute to the ground.Illustrated with contemporary photographs and stunning commissioned artwork, this study examines this inventive yet ultimately unsuccessful attempt by the Luftwaffe to defend against the tide of Allied aircraft that was bombing German cities into the ground.
Ball Lightning
by Cixin Liu'Cixin Liu is the author of your next favourite sci-fi novel' WIRED On his fourteenth birthday, right before his eyes, Chen's parents are incinerated by a blast of ball lightning. Striving to make sense of this bizarre tragedy, he dedicates his life to a single goal: to unlock the secrets of this enigmatic natural phenomenon. His pursuit of ball lightning will take him far from home, across mountain peaks chasing storms and deep into highly classified subterranean laboratories as he slowly unveils a new frontier in particle physics.Chen's obsession gives purpose to his lonely life, but it can't insulate him from the real world's interest in his discoveries. He will be pitted against scientists, soldiers and governments with motives of their own: a physicist who has no place for moral judgement in his pursuit of knowledge; a beautiful army major obsessed with new ways to wage war; a desperate nation facing certain military defeat.Conjuring awe-inspiring new worlds of cosmology and philosophy from meticulous scientific speculation, Ball Lightning has all the scope and imagination that so enthralled readers of Cixin Liu's award-winning Three-Body trilogy.Praise for Cixin Liu: 'Your next favourite sci-fi novel' Wired'Immense' Barack Obama'Unique' George R.R. Martin'SF in the grand style' Guardian'Mind-altering and immersive' Daily Mail'A milestone in Chinese science-fiction' New York Times'China's answer to Arthur C. Clarke' New YorkerWinner of the Hugo and Galaxy Awards for Best Novel
Barren (Novella): A Demon Cycle Novella
by Peter V. BrettA new Demon Cycle novella from internationally bestselling author Peter V. Brett
The Bastard Legion: Book 2 (The Bastard Legion)
by Gavin G. Smith'High octane SF adventure with Smith's trademark twist' Jamie Sawyer, author of The Lazarus War'An exceptional talent' Peter F HamiltonIn FRIENDLY FIRE, the Bastard Legion are hired to pull off a daring power-armoured heist of propriety tech. A crime-ridden colony world holds the secret to a potential alien contact, and various groups of mercenaries have been hired to discover it. None of the rest of them have little bombs implanted in their heads, though, so the Bastards have an advantage when it comes to motivation. And Miska, their commander and kidnapper both, is still on the hunt for the people who killed her father. People who might still be among her convicts.Getting the tech will be hard. Getting off the planet, deadly.'a brutal kaleidoscope of imagination' Hannu Rajaniemi, author of The Quantum Thief
Battle of Britain 1940: The Luftwaffe’s ‘Eagle Attack’ (Air Campaign #1)
by Graham Turner Doug DildyIn August 1940, the Luftwaffe began an operation to destroy or neutralize RAF Fighter Command, and enable Hitler to invade Britain that autumn. It was a new type of air warfare: the first ever offensive counter-air campaign against an integrated air defence system. Powerful, combat-proven and previously all-conquering, the German air force had the means to win the Battle of Britain. Yet it did not.This book is an original, rigorous campaign study of the Luftwaffe's Operation Adlerangriff, researched in Germany's World War II archives and using the most accurate data available. Doug Dildy explains the capabilities of both sides, sets the campaign in context, and argues persuasively that it was the Luftwaffe's own mistakes and failures that led to its defeat, and kept alive the Allies' chance to ultimately defeat Nazi Germany.
The Battle of Carham: A Thousand Years On
by Neil McGuigan and Alex WoolfVery little is known about the battle of Carham, fought between the Scots and Northumbrians in 1018. The leaders were probably Máel Coluim II, king of Scotland, and Uhtred of Bamburgh, earl or ealdorman in Northumbria. The outcome of the battle was a victory for the Scots, seen by some as a pivotal event in the expansion of the Scottish kingdom, the demise of Northumbria and the Scottish conquest of ‘Lothian’. The battle also removed a potentially significant source of resistance to the recent conqueror of England, Cnut.This collection of essays by a range of subject specialists explores the battle in its context, bringing new understanding of this important and controversial historical event. Topics covered include: Anglo-Scottish relations, the political character and ecclesiastical organisation of the Northumbrian territory ruled by Uhtred, material from the Chronicles and other historical records that brings the era to light, and the archaeological and sculptural landscape of the tenth- and eleventh-century Tweed basin, where the battle took place.
The Battle of Maldon: War and Peace in Tenth-Century England
by Mark AthertonDepicting one of the defining conflicts of tenth-century England, The Battle of Maldon immortalises the bloody fight that took place along the banks of the tidal river Blackwater in 991, poignantly expressing the lore and language of a determined nation faced with the advance of a ruthless and relentless enemy. But, as Mark Atherton reveals, The Battle of Maldon is more than a heroic tale designed to inspire courage and unity in a time of crisis: rather, it celebrates ideals of loyalty and friendship and commemorates an event which changed the face of English culture. Using Atherton's own vivid and illuminating translations from Old English, The Battle of Maldon: War and Peace in Tenth-Century England evokes the chaotic ebb and flow of the battle while also placing 'Maldon' in the context of its age. Seeking to reconstruct the way of life, the spirituality and the worldview of the original audience, Atherton examines how and why the poem encouraged its readers to relive the visceral experience of battle for themselves. With this exciting study, Atherton provides an authoritative treatment of this iconic text, its history and its legacy. As such, this important book will be a vital resource for all readers of Old English literature and early medieval history.
Battle of the Atlantic: (WW2 #3) (The Ladybird Expert Series)
by Keith Burns James HollandPart of the ALL-NEW Ladybird Expert series.Find out about WWII's longest battle. This is an accessible, insightful and authoritative account of the naval campaign that kept supply lines open and enabled Britain to continue to fight. Historian, author and broadcaster James Holland draws on the latest research and interviews with participants to bring colour, detail and a fresh perspective to the story of how the siege of Europe was broken.Inside, you'll discover exactly what happened in the Battle of the Atlantic. Ships, submarines and aircraft fought a bitter war that saw the deaths of over 100,000 servicemen and civilians. What's inside?- The tragic demise of SS Athenia- The power of U-boats- Advantages of Britain's naval experience- German naval Enigma codes- The rapid development of advancing weaponry- And much more . . . Written by the leading lights and most outstanding communicators in their fields, the Ladybird Expert books provide clear, accessible and authoritative introductions to subjects drawn from science, history and culture.For an adult readership, the Ladybird Expert series is produced in the same iconic small hardback format pioneered by the original Ladybirds. Each beautifully illustrated book features the first new illustrations produced in the original Ladybird style for nearly forty years.
The Battle of The Nile: A Ladybird Expert Book (The Ladybird Expert Series #35)
by Sam WillisPart of the new Ladybird Expert series Nelson: Battle of the Nile is an accessible and authoritative introduction to the naval battle in that established Nelson's fame. Why was the Battle of the Nile so decisive in the French Revolutionary Wars?Why did the French believe they were unassailable?And why did Nelson and the British win?Written by historian, archaeologist, and broadcaster Sam Willis, Nelson: Battle of the Nile details the British Royal Navy's glorious defeat of the French naval expedition, thwarting Napoleon's plans to invade Egypt jeopardising Britain's trade routes and stake in India. You'll learn how the roots of this significant battle lie in the French Revolution, track Napoleon's rise to prominence and the effect of France's move from revolution to dictatorship on the balance of power in Europe. This book will take you though the dramatic turning points of the battle and Nelson's celebrated tactical leadership.The only way to stop Napoleon seemed to be at sea, and although Britain claimed victory in Aboukir Bay, the war was far from over.Written by the leading lights and most outstanding communicators in their fields, the Ladybird Expert books provide clear, accessible and authoritative introductions to subjects drawn from science, history and culture.For an adult readership, the Ladybird Expert series is produced in the same iconic small hardback format pioneered by the original Ladybirds. Each beautifully illustrated book features the first new illustrations produced in the original Ladybird style for nearly forty years.New Feature Information0
Battle Scars: The Sunday Times bestseller
by Jason FoxTHE EXTRAORDINARY NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER.'The most important book you'll ever read... Battle Scars will save lives.' TOM MARCUS, author of SOLDIER SPYBattle Scars tells the story of Jason Fox's career as an elite operator, from the gunfights, hostage rescues, daring escapes and heroic endeavours that defined his service, to a very different kind of battle that awaited him at home.After more than two decades of active duty, Foxy was diagnosed with complex PTSD, forcing him to leave the military brotherhood and confront the hard reality of what follows. What happens when you become your own enemy? How do you keep on fighting when life itself no longer feels worth fighting for?Unflinchingly honest, Battle Scars is a breathtaking account of Special Forces soldiering: a chronicle of operational bravery, and of superhuman courage on and off the battlefield.---'A vivid, searing account of a life at war.' BEAR GRYLLS'A must read.' ANT MIDDLETON, bestselling author of FIRST MAN IN.--- What readers are saying: 'Outstanding' *****'Inspiring' *****'Courageous' *****'Remarkable' *****'An absolute must-read' *****--- Life Under Fire, Jason Fox's powerful and inspiring new book is OUT NOW
Bear Grylls: Amazing Shoutline To Come
by Bear GryllsTHE HUNT IS ON FOR JAEGER 1945, and the Nazis' grand plans are in disarray. Defeat is imminent, so in a last attempt to protect their legacy, the high command hides their store of uranium deep underground, ready for them to fight another day.2018, and ex-SAS soldier Will Jaeger stumbles upon this horrible truth. But the uranium is missing and, when he learns his wife Ruth has also been kidnapped, he's certain the enemy is on the move once more.That much uranium in the wrong hands could devastate the world. It's up to Jaeger and his team to find it before their worst fears are realised. But the enemy is always one step ahead, pushing Jaeger to the limit of his endurance.The danger is real, and the people who hold Ruth have a score to settle. It's a race against time.And the clock is ticking . . . * * * * * * * *What readers say about Bear Grylls:'bloody brilliant! Absolute page turner, haven't been able to put it down' Goodreads review of Ghost Flight, 5 stars'Bond and Bourne have good company in Jaeger' Amazon review of Burning Angels, 5 stars 'Will resonate with fans of classic spy thrillers' Mail on Sunday'Great action and what an amazing story' Amazon review of Burning Angels, 5 stars 'watch out Dirk Pitt or Jack Reacher, there's a new man on the block' Goodreads review of Ghost Flight, 5 stars'Unputdownable!' Sir Ranulph Fiennes'will keep you reading well into the early hours of the morning' Goodreads review of Burning Angels'Will Jeager is James Bond on steroids' Goodreads review of Burning Angels, 5 stars'Couldn't stop reading this book, every lunch break I was reading away!' Amazon review of Ghost Flight, 5 stars'A gripping thriller set in the darkest of days' Jonathan Ross