It began with a roar that split the morning, shattering the world with thunder and despair. The town of Edgewood had been savaged by a creature of rage and fear. A dragon had fallen upon the town. Dragons were monsters. Dragons were creatures of evil and fear. None remained who believed that dragons had once been guardians and protectors. The creatures must be destroyed.Tahrl Morgan ap Morin was forsaken. He had spoken in defense of dragons. He had sought to remind the world that dragons had once been good, but the truth defied him. With the ravaging of Edgewood, none would listen, and none would believe. Tahrl would yet seek to understand why the dragons raged, and he would try to stop the dragons from being destroyed.A roar had shattered the morning, and yet Tahrl would doubt the truth of his eyes. Tahrl would seek, and he would search for the truth beyond lies.
It began with a scream in the storm, shattering the world like thunder, yielding creatures born of nightmare and the firewind. Abominations appeared, thriving on despair, pain and fear. monsters that had not existed since a time so long ago that history had drifted into legend.Tahrl Morgan ap Morin was the leader of the Troglodyte Defense. He had been born of the Kianan and raised by the Montmorin. Protector of the Kianan, Montmorin and Dryn, he was the one who now found himself facing the nightmare storm. The one who must stop monsters that had not walked the earth since time out of mind.A scream had fractured the world like a splinter of choas thrust into the mind. The song had been broken, and the world had to be made new once more.
The company was old. The company was weak, having lost its way. Fear holding it down. Cowardice forcing it back. Once strong. Once great. Having stood too long against the dark and ancient creatures that had existed since before time itself had formed. Leaving them. Ignoring them. Allowing evil to fester and grow in the world. Andrew remembered what had once been. Knew what stalked them. Would face the ancient and nameless monsters that no longer feared the company. Would find the secret and hidden groups of men who conspired against the company and sought the end of days. Andrew wanted the company to be great again. Would go to any lengths to make the dark fear the members of the company once more. Would pay any price. Sacrifice his mind. Give up his life. To make the company whole once more.
The inspirational memoir from the star of OUR WELSH CHAPEL DREAM and THE GREAT POTTERY THROWDOWN Readers LOVE Boy In A China Shop: 'What a brilliant book. Keith is so charming and funny and my goodness what a hard worker. I loved it. Get it and read it - enjoy.' ?????'This book was enlightening and entertaining, full of laughs and heart. And of course with Keith, there's always going to be tears.' ????? 'Really inspiring and relatable. A great read.' ?????'During downtime on the pottery throwdown Keith made my hair curl with some of his tales - he's a great raconteur and recounts his story in this book as he does in real life - with joy, charm & mischief.' - Sara CoxBallet dancer. Front man in an almost famous band. Judge on The Great Pottery Throw Down. How did all that happen?'By accident mostly. But I always say we make our own luck. What if an art teacher hadn't given me a lump of clay? What if my band had properly taken off? What if I hadn't taken a photograph of a bowl to the buyer at Heals in London? What if she'd hated it? Or hadn't seen it... Every chapter of my book is based around an object (usually a pot) that's been significant in my life. It's just a trigger to let me go off in a lot of different directions and tell a few stories. A lot of stories. Dyslexia. The art teacher who changed my life. My Mother. My Father. A life-changing job interview with a man who lay under his car throughout. *That* video. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, a quick search of 'Keith Brymer Jones Adele' should do it.)'The end product? A warming, clever memoir of Keith's pottery life with some very loud music, some pretty good dancing, and a lot of throwing, fettling and firing. Oh ... and a good dose of anxiety.
This book describes how a key signal/image processing algorithm – that of the fast Hartley transform (FHT) or, via a simple conversion routine between their outputs, of the real-data version of the ubiquitous fast Fourier transform (FFT) – might best be formulated to facilitate computationally-efficient solutions. The author discusses this for both 1-D (such as required, for example, for the spectrum analysis of audio signals) and m-D (such as required, for example, for the compression of noisy 2-D images or the watermarking of 3-D video signals) cases, but requiring few computing resources (i.e. low arithmetic/memory/power requirements, etc.). This is particularly relevant for those application areas, such as mobile communications, where the available silicon resources (as well as the battery-life) are expected to be limited. The aim of this monograph, where silicon-based computing technology and a resource-constrained environment is assumed and the data is real-valued in nature, hasthus been to seek solutions that best match the actual problem needing to be solved.
This book describes how a key signal/image processing algorithm – that of the fast Hartley transform (FHT) or, via a simple conversion routine between their outputs, of the real-data version of the ubiquitous fast Fourier transform (FFT) – might best be formulated to facilitate computationally-efficient solutions. The author discusses this for both 1-D (such as required, for example, for the spectrum analysis of audio signals) and m-D (such as required, for example, for the compression of noisy 2-D images or the watermarking of 3-D video signals) cases, but requiring few computing resources (i.e. low arithmetic/memory/power requirements, etc.). This is particularly relevant for those application areas, such as mobile communications, where the available silicon resources (as well as the battery-life) are expected to be limited. The aim of this monograph, where silicon-based computing technology and a resource-constrained environment is assumed and the data is real-valued in nature, hasthus been to seek solutions that best match the actual problem needing to be solved.
'Pottery is more than mud and fire-it's memory, culture, and humanity held in the hands.' Pottery, often perceived as a humble and utilitarian craft, has played a monumental role in shaping and reflecting the political and cultural dynamics of civilizations across millennia. From the earliest clay vessels used for storing grains in ancient Mesopotamia to the intricately painted porcelain of Ming Dynasty China, pottery has embodied the spirit of its times, influenced trade, and even served as a tool for political propaganda. From the utilitarian clay vessels of ancient farmers to the avant-garde ceramics of modern artists, pottery has been both a mirror and a mould of human civilization. It has transcended its materiality to become a medium of storytelling, a symbol of power, and a bearer of cultural identity. As we look to the future, the story of pottery reminds us that even the most unassuming objects can wield immense influence, shaping the political and cultural landscapes of their times. The potter's wheel, it seems, has not just shaped clay but also the course of history itself.
Like Ripples on Water is, first of all, a book about Russian Baptists and their preaching. While this religious group has attracted significant amount of interest from the academic community, the majority of the existing research projects concentrate on the history of the movement, rather than its contemporary ecclesial realities. Preaching? At present, this is the only work that offers an in-depth study of the practice, central to the life of Russian Baptist communities. As it is shown in the book, one has to take into consideration numerous historical, theological, and cultural peculiarities to appreciate and apprehend the way preaching is seen and practiced in Russia. The inability to understand the practice of proclamation and its formative, as well as destructive potential bears long lasting and far reaching consequences for churches, preachers, and educational institutions, which aim at preparing pastors, missionaries, and church planters for Baptist churches in Russia and other countries that have shared history of Baptist presence. ""What is the place of preaching today, in a modern, multi-media context? Tima Cheprasov's sympathetic yet objectively critical study in the challenges of preaching, rooted in the narrative of cultural and ecclesial changes within a Russian context, provides preachers and leaders across the world church with a valuable platform to reflect on the place of preaching today, whatever context we are embedded within. I happily commend this book to those who would reflect on such things."" --Jim Purves, Baptist Union of Scotland ""Cheprasov is to be congratulated for this highly original, thoughtful, and stimulating account of the history, art, and practice of preaching in the Russian post-Soviet context of baptistic worship. Based on personal experience, solid academic reflections, and expert knowledge of patterns of worship in traditional Baptist churches, the book contains illuminating insights into the ministry of proclamation as a powerful practice with both constructive and destructive potential to affect baptistic faith communities in culturally Orthodox contexts."" --Parush R. Parushev, International Baptist Theological Study Centre, Amsterdam ""Cheprasov opens a window into a distinctive, sacramental form of preaching as it is found in Russian Baptist churches, and by doing so also traces the story and the context of Russian Baptists. Especially significantly, he offers a theological assessment of preaching as a 'powerful practice' that needs to be safeguarded by communal reading and interpretation of the Bible. Like Ripples on Water is likely to be of interest to historians, theologians, and preachers alike."" --Lina Toth, Scottish Baptist College, University of the West of Scotland Timofey Cheprasov has received his theological training at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague, Czech Republic. Currently he serves as a pastor of Bury Baptist Church in Bury, Greater Manchester.
Like Ripples on Water is, first of all, a book about Russian Baptists and their preaching. While this religious group has attracted significant amount of interest from the academic community, the majority of the existing research projects concentrate on the history of the movement, rather than its contemporary ecclesial realities. Preaching? At present, this is the only work that offers an in-depth study of the practice, central to the life of Russian Baptist communities. As it is shown in the book, one has to take into consideration numerous historical, theological, and cultural peculiarities to appreciate and apprehend the way preaching is seen and practiced in Russia. The inability to understand the practice of proclamation and its formative, as well as destructive potential bears long lasting and far reaching consequences for churches, preachers, and educational institutions, which aim at preparing pastors, missionaries, and church planters for Baptist churches in Russia and other countries that have shared history of Baptist presence. ""What is the place of preaching today, in a modern, multi-media context? Tima Cheprasov's sympathetic yet objectively critical study in the challenges of preaching, rooted in the narrative of cultural and ecclesial changes within a Russian context, provides preachers and leaders across the world church with a valuable platform to reflect on the place of preaching today, whatever context we are embedded within. I happily commend this book to those who would reflect on such things."" --Jim Purves, Baptist Union of Scotland ""Cheprasov is to be congratulated for this highly original, thoughtful, and stimulating account of the history, art, and practice of preaching in the Russian post-Soviet context of baptistic worship. Based on personal experience, solid academic reflections, and expert knowledge of patterns of worship in traditional Baptist churches, the book contains illuminating insights into the ministry of proclamation as a powerful practice with both constructive and destructive potential to affect baptistic faith communities in culturally Orthodox contexts."" --Parush R. Parushev, International Baptist Theological Study Centre, Amsterdam ""Cheprasov opens a window into a distinctive, sacramental form of preaching as it is found in Russian Baptist churches, and by doing so also traces the story and the context of Russian Baptists. Especially significantly, he offers a theological assessment of preaching as a 'powerful practice' that needs to be safeguarded by communal reading and interpretation of the Bible. Like Ripples on Water is likely to be of interest to historians, theologians, and preachers alike."" --Lina Toth, Scottish Baptist College, University of the West of Scotland Timofey Cheprasov has received his theological training at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague, Czech Republic. Currently he serves as a pastor of Bury Baptist Church in Bury, Greater Manchester.
Keith Dockray's Road to Oblivion chronicles the life of a reclusive, manic-depressive, retired, gay, medieval historian/author and is a follow-up to the 2008 autobiography, Memoirs of a Yorkshire Bastard. It covers Keith's life from pension age (as was) to the grand old age of 75, or, in Keith's terms, the years of being a '...knackered, old bastard.' Part of being a knackered, old bastard involved outsourcing of what was meant to be another autobiographical work to his next-door neighbour. So, this is literally next-door to an autobiography It's a cheery, little read and the icing on the cake is that it's probably a road map for many of us, once we reach a certain age. As for a clue to Keith's opinions, the following quotes probably tell you a lot. "Now, after four decades of heavy smoking and drinking, I can contemplate a no doubt premature death with equanimity. Progressing to an inevitably lonely, and probably decrepit, old age in an ever more materialistic, technology-obsessed and paranoid society has no appeal whatever. My...fear is of an arrogant and over-powerful but philosophically bankrupt medical profession single-mindedly yet pointlessly dedicated to the preservation of life, of however poor a quality, at all costs. Euthanasia has got to be the better option; I hope, when the time comes, I have the nerve to take it." (2003.) "40+ years of hedonism are now definitely beginning to take their toll but] even if young again, I'd still reject the option of a healthy lifestyle...I've avoided doctors like the plague for most of my adult life, and certainly don't fancy the largely pointless existence now prescribed for elderly wrecks by the NHS..." (2009.) "Now in my 75th year, I'm strongly inclined to trust only doctors who are both humanists/atheists and firm believers in the right of the elderly to choose their own time/manner of death. Presumably, this means the NHS might well prove of no use to me whatever " (2018.) Yes, it's a cheery, little read.
This fantastic range of fiction for Shared, Guided and Independent reading gives you stories your children will love to read over and over again. Gaelic and Scottish teaching support also accompanies this reading series.
