Robin Hardy

Driven to distraction keeping control of twin twelve-year-old daughters, Surchatain Ares welcomes the services of a jester at the palace of Westford. Upon finding himself a celebrity and a confidant of the Surchatain, the jester attempts to discredit his main rival for Ares' attention: the Surchataine Nicole. In countering the jester's attack, Nicole turns to the superior gamesmanship of the beautiful, heartless Chataine Ren e, who plays her part with such skill that the jester becomes a pawn in a power struggle between two provinces. However, the game is altered by the unexpected entrance of another player-Ren e's younger brother Henry. Exiled for his faithfulness, struggling with the apparent capriciousness of God, Henry makes the move that determines the game's outcome. Games of God and Men is the sixth book of the Latter Annals of Lystra, which begin with Nicole of Prie Mer. Book Seven in the series is In Extremis.

Having abdicated the throne of Lystra in favor of his adopted son, Henry, Ares travels to the monastery/ leprosarium he had established, the Sanctum. Ares has heard disturbing reports that the Master of the Sanctum has converted it to his own private domain. Not to be left behind, Nicole follows. With the cooperation of Nicole and the Second Oswald, Ares acts as poltergeist to the Master's rule at the Sanctum. But when Henry's sister Ren e misplaces some property, she goes to the Sanctum to recover it-and there discovers who is fomenting rebellion against the young Surchatain. The Laughing Side of the World is the ninth and final book of the Latter Annals of Lystra, which begin with Nicole of Prie Mer.

"I am assigning a guardian to ward you. His name is Roman. . . ." Thus begins Surchatain Karel's explanation to his daughter, ten-year-old Chataine Deirdre, as to why her life is about to change dramatically. Karel's small country, Lystra, possesses the only navigable river on the southern coast of the Continent. The provinces that surround Lystra want its river trade, and will do anything to gain it-even kill the heir to the throne. So, hand selecting the most capable and trustworthy soldier he can find, Karel places her life in his keeping. Willful and spoiled, Deirdre sees this guardian only as another servant. She teases and abuses him as he places his life on the line for her day after day, year after year. Deirdre does not know at what point she begins to love him. But Roman knows from the very beginning that to love her will mean his death. The Annals of Lystra begin with Chataine's Guardian, continue in Stone of Help, and conclude in Liberation of Lystra. The story continues 100 years later in The Latter Annals of Lystra, which begin with Nicole of Prie Mer.

Someone has broken open the long-sealed secret passage in the palace of Westford. While Surchatain Ares is investigating the breach, an intruder uses this same passage to kidnap his young wife Nicole from her bed. And Ares discovers the kidnapper to be someone they had long assumed to be dead. Recovering Nicole is only half the battle, for Ares must find out who paid a dead man to kidnap the Surchataine of Lystra, and what he intended to do with her. The palace becomes a battleground of wits as the Lystrans uncover more secrets in its ancient chambers-and a close friend turns treacherous. Dead Man's Token is the fifth book in The Latter Annals of Lystra, which begins with Nicole of Prie Mer. Book Six is Games of God and Men.

He had a lot to offer, but his terms were high. What would you do if you received the offer of a lifetime-marriage to a billionaire-with one catch: you had to make up your mind without ever seeing him? When lowly bank teller Adair Weiss receives such an offer from reclusive philanthropist Fletcher Streiker, she is dumbfounded and disbelieving: Why me? What does he know about me? What does he want? Rejecting his offer would end her dream of dancing. But accepting it would change her life in ways she never guessed. . . . Streiker's Bride, the first book of The Streiker Saga, is followed by Streiker: The Killdeer and Streiker's Morning Sun. Fletcher Streiker makes his next appearance in His Strange Ways, the sequel to Padre. Cover image courtesy of En'val Entertainment, LLC, now producing a movie based on this book. Keep current of movie developments via www.facebook.com/streikermovie.

Under Ares' command, Lystra has successfully defended her capital from invasion by a Qarqarian usurper who wants the legitimate heir, whom Ares is sheltering, dead. But this defense has come at the heartbreaking cost of many casualties among Ares' youngest soldiers. In apparent gratitude, the ruler of neighboring Calle Valley invites Ares to inspect the ships confiscated from the enemy, now harbored at Prie Mer. So Ares accepts, bringing his young wife Nicole, a native of Prie Mer. Once there, they discover that their host intends to keep them prisoners, for if he can do away with Ares, then that will end the line of Roman. But Ares and Nicole are harboring their own secret hope, based on a promise thousands of years old. The Latter Annals of Lystra begins with Nicole of Prie Mer and continues in Ares of Westford and Prisoners of Hope. The next book in the series is Road of Vanishing.

The murder of Surchatain Cedric has ended his brutal reign over Lystra. But according to the Law of Roman, Cedric's son, seven-year-old Henry, must either rule or die when he comes of age. To save his life, Commander Ares swears to uphold Henry's ascension. But while the throne is vacant, pretenders come pouring into Westford to press preposterous claims of rulership. In the midst of this turmoil, the young Chataine of Qarqar arrives, seeking safety from pursuit. In choosing to shelter her, Ares invites attacks from enemies known and unknown. When the crisis comes to a head, and leadership is thrust upon Ares, long-hidden pages of Roman's Law come to light that seal Henry's fate and make Ares' course inevitable. Ares of Westford is the sequel to Nicole of Prie Mer in the Latter Annals of Lystra. Prisoners of Hope is the third book of the series.

"Come at once. Ares is dying." So reads the frantic message from Surchataine Nicole that brings Ares' adopted son Henry out of exile after two years. When Henry arrives at Westford, he discovers vultures gathering over the province, eyeing Ares' twin 14-year-old daughters, Sophie and Bonnie. Accustomed to patrolling the wild western border of Lystra to keep out slavers, Henry must now readjust to courtly intrigues-a task made all the more difficult by the meaningless but conspicuous leper's brand on his hand. Matters come to a head when Surchatain Magnus of Scylla comes for an unexpected visit. He brings not only the spoiled, immature son he plans to marry off to Sophie, but a surprise guest who has designs on a most unwilling Henry. In Extremis is the seventh book of the Latter Annals of Lystra, which begin with Nicole of Prie Mer. Book Eight is All Mirrors and All Suns.

Thirteen-year-old Chatain Henry has disappeared. Fearing that he regrets abdicating the throne to his guardian, Surchatain Ares, Commander Thom wants to place a bounty on his head. But when Thom captures a slave trader who claims to have sold Henry, Ares takes it upon himself to go look for him. And the road he must travel is rumored to end at a portal that takes travelers to unknown realms. Because his young wife Nicole is the only one who can see the portal, she must go with him. While Nicole and Ares are gone, the Chataine Ren e finds ample opportunity to wreak mischief with their five-year-old twin daughters, as well as with her husband, the Counselor Carmine, who is desperately trying to stay sober. For Carmine knows something about the portal that no one else has guessed. Road of Vanishing is the fourth book of the Latter Annals of Lystra, which begin with Nicole of Prie Mer. Book Five in the series is Dead Man's Token.

One hundred years after the Great Surchatain Roman of Lystra . . . At the spring fair, the beautiful Chataine Ren e meets 17-year-old Nicole, daughter of a humble tailor, and insists that she come for a visit to the palace at Westford. Raised in a peasant village on the coast, Nicole is unprepared for the sophistication and treachery of palace life-but her father has decreed that she must acquire a rich or noble husband. Nicole's prospects include Counselor Carmine, handsome but disinterested; Commander Ares, who carries the pain of his past; and possibly even Surchatain Cedric himself. But these are dark times for Lystra, and Nicole discovers that in the presence of evil, even good men may veil the truth. Nicole of Prie Mer is the first book of the nine Latter Annals of Lystra. Book Two is Ares of Westford.

This special 4th edition features a new ending Welcome to Beaconville. It's a suspicious, unfriendly little town suspended in a dreary, bone-chilling winter. But when reclusive Dallas billionaire Fletcher Streiker receives a rambling plea for help from one of the residents, he decides to make a personal visit, bringing his wife, Adair, and their young son, Daniel. The citizens react with predictable hostility when Fletcher shows a little too much interest-and insight-into their doings. Inexplicable things begin to happen, as when pieces from Adair's past appear around town. However, when Fletcher pushes the townspeople a little too far, she and Daniel are left on their own. And the only way they can leave-the only way anyone can leave-is on Fletcher's train, the Morning Sun. The Streiker Saga begins with Streiker's Bride, continues in Streiker: The Killdeer, and concludes with Streiker's Morning Sun. Fletcher Streiker makes his next appearance in His Strange Ways, the sequel to Padre.

A black comedy of religious sexuality and pagan murder, which inhabits the same territory as The Wicker Man. If I am a Rabbi, Jehova is my God. If I am a Mullah, Allah the merciful is He. If a Christian, Jesus is my Lord. Millions of people worldwide worship the sun. Here in Tressock I believe the old religion of the Celts fits our needs at this time. Isn't that all you can ask of a religion? Gospel singer Beth and her cowboy boyfriend Steve, two virgins promised to each other through 'the Silver Ring Thing', set off from Texas to enlighten the Scottish heathens in the ways of Christ. When, after initial hostility, they are welcomed with joy and elation to the village of Tressock, they assume their hosts simply want to hear more about Jesus. How innocent and wrong they are.

First published in 1978, five years after the release of the classic horror film from which it is adapted, The Wicker Manis a gripping horror classic. It is the tale of Highlands policeman, Police Sergeant Neil Howie, on the trail of a missing girl being lured to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle. As May Day approaches, strange, shamanistic and erotic events erupt around him. Initially he is convinced that the girl has been abducted for human sacrifice - only to find that he may be the revellers' quarry..."

A passionate call for liberation from the myths surrounding HIV-now in paperback! Thousands of gay men have died from AIDS, representing not only a loss of life but also a commensurate loss to gay men’s hearts and minds. With fiery passion, The Crisis of Desire depicts the struggle to rescue sexuality in the face of this devastating epidemic. Combining social commentary with personal narrative, Robin Hardy calls on gay men to reclaim their erotic expressiveness and accept the "mortal risk of loving."