Savage Storms

Acclaimed WWII historian James Holland both narrates and reframes the controversial first months of the Italian Campaign and sets a new standard in the chronicling of war Following victory in Sicily, while the central command planned the spring 1944 invasion of France, Allied troops crossed into southern Italy in September 1943, expecting to drive Axis forces north and liberate Rome by Christmas. Italy quickly surrendered but German divisions fiercely resisted, and the hoped-for quick victory descended into one of the most challenging and protracted battles of the entire war. James Holland’s The Savage Storm, chronicling the dramatic opening months of the Italian Campaign in unflinching and insightful detail, is unlike any campaign history yet written. Holland has always narrated war at ground level, but here goes further by chronicling events almost entirely through the contemporary eyes of those who were there on all sides and at all levels—Allied, Axis, civilians alike. Weaving together a wealth of letters, diaries, and other documents—from the likes of American General Mark Clark, German battalion commander Georg Zellner, New Zealand lance-corporal Roger Smith, legendary war reporter Ernie Pyle, and Italian politician Filippo Caracciolo—Holland traces the battles as they were experienced across plains, over mountains, through shattered villages and cities, in intense heat and, towards the end of December 1943, frigid cold and relentless rain. Such close-up views persuade Holland to recast important aspects of the campaign, reappraising the reputation of Mark Clark himself and other senior commanders of the U.S. Fifth and British Eighth armies. Given the shortage of Allied shipping and materiel allocated to Italy because of the build-up for D-Day, more was expected of Allied troops in Italy than anywhere else, and, as accounts at the time attest, a huge price was paid by everyone for each bloodily contested mile. Putting readers vividly in the moment as events unfolded, with characters made unforgettable by their own words, The Savage Storm is a defining account of the pivotal months leading to Monte Cassino, and a landmark in the writing about war.

Britain's defeat of Napoleon is one the great accomplishments in our history. And yet it was by no means certain that Britain itself would survive the revolutionary fervour of the age, let alone emerge victorious from such a vast conflict. From the late 1790s, the country was stricken by naval mutinies, rebellion in Ireland, and riots born of hunger, poverty and grinding injustice. As the new century opened, with republican graffiti on the walls of the cities, and revolutionary secret societies reportedly widespread, King George III only narrowly escaped assassination. Jacobin forces seemed to threaten a dissolution of the social order. Above all, the threat of French invasion was ever-present. Yet, despite all this, and new threats from royal madness and rampant corruption, Britain did not become a revolutionary republic. Her elites proved remarkably resilient, and drew on the power of an already-global empire to find the strength to defeat Napoleon abroad, and continued popular unrest at home. In this brilliant, sweeping history of the period, David Andress fuses two hitherto separate historical perspectives - the military and the social - to provide a vivid portrait of the age. From the conditions of warfare faced by the British soldier and the great battles in which they fought, to the literary and artistic culture of the time, The Savage Storm is at once a searing narrative of dramatic events and an important reassessment of one of the most significant turning points in our history.

A gritty, cinematic pirate adventure charting a course across the high seas in the merciless, bloody world of Ubisoft’s upcoming epic video game. A merchant vessel is besieged by a vicious crew of pirates, but the fighting is interrupted by a devastating typhoon. When the storm crashes in, it leaves predator and prey stranded on an island somewhere in the Indian Ocean. The merchant ship captain and his crew, lucky enough to have survived the savage storm, scramble to hide what is left of their precious cargo before the surviving pirates overtake them. When it seems the marauders have won the day, a powerful no-nonsense admiral and her crew step in to join the fray. She informs everyone that there is yet a more dangerous threat on the horizon; a murderous mercenary known across the seven seas as “The Wolf Hunter”. Survival may require an unlikely and unsteady accord betwixt pirate crews. With a massive treasure on the table the only question is who will double-cross who first? Written by John Jackson Miller and James Mischler with savage art by Christian Rosado and brilliant colors by Roshan Kurichiyanil. Collects Skull and Bones #1–#3.

Washed ashore by a storm, merchants and pirates form an uneasy alliance to overthrow their captor, a merciless commodore known as the "Wolf Hunter." Leading to a bloody standoff that will decide who will rise above with treasure and glory . . . and who will fall and sink to the depths.

Filled with righteous rage, Dacian and Onja defend their newly liberated home from tabre attack. No longer hobbled by dreams of rys and tabre unity, Dacian crafts enchanted weapons and trains the rys to fight. Onja’s love fills his emptiness, and together they reach toward even greater magical powers. As the rys and tabre clash, Onja’s faithful warrior Amar faces many challenges while raising an army for her. Can he dominate the Overlord of the Kez? Will Amar expose himself to the carnal charms of the Shamaness Loxane to gain a new ally? Can he give up his lust for Princess Demeda and ransom her to the Temulanka Tribe as his duty demands? While he sows war across the tribal kingdoms, Onja also enthralls the savages of the Nufalese frontier and unleashes their brutal hordes upon vulnerable settlements. Desperate to defend his people, Cruce Chenomet and his comrades trade wenching and drinking for grueling battles. His passionate dalliance from the year before unexpectedly becomes a vexing relationship. Bombarded by threats both to his body and heart, Cruce quickly loses hope but keeps his courage as he confronts the savage storm. Enjoy a wild ride across two magical realms in this epic fantasy on Google Play that takes no prisoners. Falbe's skill as a writer of fantasy series shines in this stunning sequel to the first Rys Rising book. She masterfully weaves multiple story lines across civilizations. Fans get caught up in her characters. Readers have compared her fiction to that of A Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin. People who've become addicted to her series count her among their favorite authors, including Peter V. Brett, Brandon Sanderson, Robin Hobb, and Terry Goodkind. Second part of an English language fantasy series available to ebook readers worldwide at Google Play.

Cannons fire and sabers clash in the aftermath of a terrible storm that send ships scattering. Sent by a brutal trading company to hunt pirates, a commodore known as the "Wolf Hunter" is pursuing a fugitive admiral, and is willing to kill anyone who gets in his way. In the path of the Wolf's fury, pirates and merchants alike may need to set aside their differences in order to survive the onslaught . . .

A merchant vessel on the high seas is besieged by a vicious crew of pirates, but the fighting is interrupted by a devastating typhoon. When the storm crashes in, it leaves predator and prey stranded on an island somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Discover the mysteries and danger that will betide them all. A gritty story set in the merciless world of Ubisoft's upcoming pirate game. Set in the world of the upcoming Ubisoft Skull and Bones game.