Showing results by narrator "Grant Cartwright" in All Categories

Adrian faces threats he is aware of; weak but numerous enemies that no one else would even think about challenging. He is not at all concerned because of a simple fact of life: if you know what's coming, the risk can be mitigated or avoided in its entirety. With his companions, new and old, along with the energy windfall from the hoppers, Adrian has the purchasing power and the fighting strength to make like light work of monsters that would otherwise be problematic.

Authoritarianism is one of the buzzwords of our age. But what is it exactly? This Very Short Introduction provides a comprehensive overview of the world of authoritarian regimes, including military, single-party, and personalist regimes. It considers how understandings of authoritarianism have evolved over time, as well as the curious fact that many authoritarian regimes today hold elections. Drawing on examples from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, James Loxton examines the life cycle of authoritarian regimes.

Embrace the power of conscious communication and become part of a new generation of emotionally aware, respectful men. Your journey towards enhanced relationships and a more fulfilling life begins here. In this guide, author Jem Fuller draws on twenty years of coaching and leadership, providing strategies to enhance communication skills. Explore the depths of personal discovery through honest stories, discovering how small steps in awareness can lead to significant changes in relationships and results.

As Western culture has secularized, the church has increasingly become marginalized and is seen as providing support and optional resources, rather than indispensable to the Christian life. In this volume, theologian Scott Cowdell argues for a recovery of the church as the proper context for Christian faith, life, and mission. In Why Church? Cowdell considers how we have arrived at this moment, examining how perceptions of the church have changed in response to increasing individualism and institutional failings.

Over fifteen decades, Silenos has become an experienced magician of House Shaiagrazni, revered for his intellect and power. But when he dares summon a fearsome Entity, things quickly go awry, and he's transported from his sleek tungsten chamber into a cold, barren stone room in an unfamiliar world. There, he's surrounded by a crowd of ignorant savages who call him "Savior" . . .

After his last boyfriend turned out to be a cheat, Liam Connelly has no interest in dating again, but his parents are determined to see him paired off. When they come to visit, he hires Ambrose to act as his boyfriend. If Ambrose can be a bad boyfriend, he can be a tolerable one too, right? But Ambrose plays the part too well and scores an invitation to spend the Easter weekend with the Connolly family at their winery, and Liam finds himself developing real affection for his fake boyfriend.

Benji: Crafting swoon-worthy happily ever afters is literally my day job. Being a quirky introvert with an overactive imagination, underwhelming social skills, and a few pounds overweight, I'm no leading man. My best friend, though? He's total cover model, call the plumber because I just flooded my basement material. He's also outgoing, charismatic, free-spirited, and basically the best guy ever. I may know romance, but I'm no dummy when it comes to reality. I'm nothing special. And the truth is, a guy like Darren would never fall for someone like me.

In From Ideas to Impact, Michael Sheldrick delivers an inspiring and insightful discussion on how to implement social impact by driving policy change.

Aika is playing a dangerous game. Torn between the loyalties she thought she had and revelations she wishes she didn't, she will burn the city down to get the answers she needs. To get the vengeance she craves. But when the boy from her past starts asking questions that could get them both killed, she is forced to choose between the people she needs to die and those she wants to save.

This tumultuous global story begins with democracy's radical core idea: We can collaborate, as equals, to determine our own lives and futures. John Keane traces how this concept emerged and evolved, from the earliest "assembly democracies" to European-style electoral democracy to our present system of "monitory democracy." Today, governments answer not only to voters on Election Day, but to intense public scrutiny (monitoring) every day. Keane calls this media- and communication-driven system "the most complex and vibrant form of democracy yet"-but it is not invulnerable.

Leo Fisher is the outward picture of respectability, just like his parents raised him to be. But when he inherits a crumbling terrace house from his great-uncle, he also inherits a tenant who turns his world upside down. Tristan is brazen, gorgeous, experienced and utterly fabulous. He's everything Leo is not—so why is Leo drawn to him? Leo has always made the right choices—the sensible choices—yet here he is, hooking up with his tenant, who's a rent boy.

To supplement his income while he's completing his degree, Harry Townsend hires himself out as a terrible date—he'll horrify parents and family members in all sorts of ways. But when it comes to actual relationships—and sex—Harry doesn't get the appeal. He doesn't get the same tingly feelings everyone else seems to when they meet someone. And he’s fine with that.

If you've always suspected the universe was out to get you . . . you were right! Yes, the universe we live in is cosmically beautiful and mysterious and all that crap. But it's also a bit of an asshole. After all, remember that you are just a group of atoms structured in a specific way for barely long enough to try to understand this thing we call existence. The fact is, when you zoom out to look at the universe and how it functions, you'll see that it's usually not in our favor, and many of the laws of physics are actively working against our survival.

With the recent generative AI boom, organizations are investing more resources into adapting artificial intelligence into their workloads, making the demand for AI skills higher than ever. With Microsoft Azure leading the pack with services for developing and deploying AI solutions, professionals looking to break into this field would be wise to start their journey by getting certified as an Azure AI Engineer. But Azure's AI-102 exam isn't a piece of cake.

It’s the near future and the world has descended into chaos. On the surface, everything looks the same yet the unthinkable has happened...the dead have risen. Everyone is haunted by a dead relative, friend, spouse, or stranger, and these spirits are unshakable, silent and watching. No one is safe. Governments the world over fail to deal with the epidemic, they begin to lose control of their economies and their resources. Their people. Crime is rife, and murders commonplace.

Sebastian, a young farmhand living in the Australian mallee, is being watched covertly by Val, a fugitive hiding in the forests on the banks of the River Murray. Val has an official document that confirms his death 14 years ago. There is no official document that confirms his particular skill: assassin.

Chris Norman's dreams of being a commercial pilot are shattered when he crashes his plane in central Australia. His life hangs in the balance—a balance that is swayed by the intervention of an Aboriginal bushman bent on his own murderous mission. The bushman leaves Chris with a mysterious and incongruous legacy, a Celtic cross made of stone. Partly blinded and in deep grief at no longer being able to fly, Chris finds his way to the Hebridean islands off the west coast of Scotland, where he seeks to unravel the secrets of the Celtic stone.

Felicity discovers the "Atlantis stone" while scuba diving on the southeast coast of Australia in a treacherous area known as "the ship's graveyard". Her diving is part of her research into the fabled "mahogany ship", a wreck sighted on the beach by early White Australians. She meets Benjamin as a result of her love of diving. He is an indigenous Australian, but past traumas have caused him to disown his aboriginal heritage.

Vincent Stanley, Patagonia's director of philosophy, with Yvon Chouinard, founder and former owner of Patagonia, draws on fifty years' experience to challenge all business owners and leaders to rethink their businesses in a time of cultural and climate chaos. The authors describe the current impact of manufacturing, commerce, and traditional capitalism on the planet's natural systems and human communities, and how that impact is forcing business to change its ways.

A young girl comes to live in the slums of New Delhi. It is a place of danger where street gangs rule. Through the initiative of a blind beggar, she is taken to work in the home of a rich businessman and his dysfunctional son. There, she observes a world of education and privilege - a world that is out of her reach. But danger still stalks her. A kidnap attempt forces her to flee to her childhood home in the tropical backwaters of Kerala - a land of wooden boats, fishing, and elephants. But she cannot hide forever.