Before Merlin was a wizard, he was a wild man, a prophet, a poet, a shaman—and perhaps something stranger still.Few figures in Western mythology have proved as enduring or as mysterious as Merlin. From the haunted forests of early Celtic tradition to the court of King Arthur, from medieval prophecy and Renaissance magic to Victorian poetry and modern fantasy, the great enchanter has continually changed his shape—while somehow remaining unmistakably himself....

Key FeaturesBook DescriptionThis book is a great introduction for Java developers, software architects, or DevOps looking to enable scalable and agile data within their applications. Providing in-memory object storage, cluster-wide state and messaging, or even scalable task execution, Hazelcast helps solve a number of issues that have troubled technologists for years.What you will learnLearn and store numerous data types in different d...

'I didn't know Matthew could read or write' - Matt's dadFrom the Sheds is Matthew Johns' fascinating, frequently hilarious look behind the scenes of Rugby League. the creator of the self-confessed Aussie legend Reg Reagan - as well as a tough competitor who notched up almost 200 first grade NRL games and eight matches for the Kangaroos, winning a premiership with Newcastle Knights along the way - who better than Matthew to give an insider's view of the superstars, larrikins and ente...

The Secret of the Skate Pond is a magical Christmas story that begins with a family’s skating forays to an abandoned former skate pond, hidden in the woods near their home. The skate pond has a secret though, for those who are invited to the pond for its unique purpose and can see beyond the frozen surface of the pond.This heartwarming story will resonate with all who love the magic of the Christmas season and will be reread yearly by the light of the Christmas tree with a cup of wa...

One night, in the dead of night, an unnamed surgeon cuts open his chest and gives his heart to an unnamed woman. What follows is a journey, metaphorical, symbollic, & linguistic in nature, to find what it means to truly love. With references to history, biology, philosophy, religion, myth, culture, psychology, sexuality, music, & the author's personal experiences, what follows is a journey from the heart, to breath, to the mind, and back.

The rocks you see everyday can be grouped into different types, like igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic. Some rocks are actually minerals, and you can even find fossils in some types of rocks.

Discover the world of sound in this charming nonfiction tale. Young science fans will learn how sound is created through vibrations that vary in pitch and volume and much more! Alongside bright illustrations, award-winning author Natalie M. Rosinsky delivers fun, fact-filled text for an engaging read-aloud or beginning read-alone. Includes hands-on experiments!

Introduce young scientists to the basics of the water cycle! Through full-color photos and simple, easy-to-follow text, this nonfiction book introduces emergent readers to the importance of water, explaining evaporation and condensation, dew and frost, and the three states of water. Alongside charming illustrations, award-winning author Natalie M. Rosinsky delivers fun, fact-filled text for an engaging read-aloud or beginning read-alone. Includes hands-on experiments!

A troubled teen. A school with secrets. A risky plan.Fourteen-year-old Sam Snyder thinks he is going on a short vacation to visit his godfather. Instead, his adoptive mother drops him off at a Baptist reform school in the backwoods of Missouri. Surrounded by razor-wire fences, violent at-risk youth, and oppressive staff, he quickly realizes that he's not in California anymore.Between fistfights, fire-and-brimstone sermons, and falling in love with a girl th...

Why are zombies consuming the popular imagination? This book--part social analysis, part theological critique, and part devotional--considers how the zombie can be a way to critically situate our culture, awash with consumer products. Matthew Tan considers how zombies are the endpoint of social theory's exploration of consumer culture and its postsecular turn towards an earthly immortality, enacted on the flesh of consumers. The book also shows how zombies aid our appreciation of Christ's ...

Film is popularly described as a mirror of culture. It plays a pivotal role in facilitating intercultural dialogue in our global village. World cinema helps us understand and appreciate each others cultural identity, and promotes harmony across different cultures in our pluralistic society. It introduces us to the life of the other in an entertaining yet engaging fashion, creating cultural bridges that foster a sense of unity in the midst of our diversity.This book argues that cult...

Does social justice promote Christian unity? With reference to paragraph 12 of Unitatis Redintegratio--Vatican II's declaration on ecumenism--this book argues that an emphasis on justice and unity without proper consideration of social context actually risks obscuring a clear public declaration of Christ, by having Christians uncritically accept the presumptions that underpin the sociopolitical status quo. This constitutes a failure in Christian interpretation, the crux of which is a failu...