The Bridge Magicians

It is deep autumn and William, Mary and Alice Constant have returned to Golden House for the half-term holidays. At once they are thrown into the most crucial and desperate adventure of all. Matthew Morden is on the point of discovering for himself the art of time travel and his evil influence is permeating the whole valley. Now the future of the valley depends on the children reaching the Magician in his own time. The time has come for a final confrontation; the last great battle is about to be fought.

Over the last ten years, a group of players from Poland has emerged on the world bridge stage, winning world championships, and even invading the United States and winning National titles there too. Yet, apart from the fact that they are incredible card players and play incomprehensible bidding systems, we know little about them. In this book we learn more about these new stars, men and women who have taken the bridge world by storm yet who, up to now, remain enigmas.

Matthew Morden is on the point of discovering the secret of time travel - a final battle must be fought if his evil influence is to be defeated. Suggested level: intermediate.

THE MAGICIANS HOUSE William Mary and Alice spend their school holidays with their Uncle Jack and his girlfrien, Phoebe at the magical Golden House, where they encounter a magician from another time who gives them magical powers and sets them a very important task. . . BOOK 4: THE BRIDGE IN THE CLOUDS The survival of Golden Valley is now hanging in the balance and the children know they must do something. With the help of the magicians golden pendulum they finally manage to travel back to the magicians time. But, when they arrive, they discover the magician is old and ill, and his powers are waning. Trying their best to save Golden Valley and help the magician, they inadvertently help evil Morden's spirit enter Golden House in their time. Will this mean the end of Golden Valley and the end of their magic.

Magic is treacherous, it lied to them all?When the spheres of life had collided, and the gods turned their gazes aside. When the world stained with death had been sundered, and the bridge twined across the great chasm. When the fires of hope have subsided, and courage is fading away, does our character finally enter upon the story's dark, frightening stage.Are you ready to face your darkest fears and cross the Bridge to Magic? In a world where magic and its guardians have been banished to the deadlands, the Blight now threatens the survival of mankind. Terren, the last remaining city, stands alone against its relentless advance. Ever closer draws the choice all men must make: face the deadly Blight or cross the Bridge to Magic.Elika, an orphan on Terren's streets, hates and fears the Bridge to Magic. Like everyone else, she clings to the hope that purging every lingering echo of magic from the world can stop the Blight. Then she discovers that magic is hiding within her, and through her it seeks to enact the will of its own. Everything Elika knew about her past shatters, as long-buried secrets about her true birth emerge. Accused of being a mage, many doubt her loyalties. Elika must soon decide: Either destroy the magic inside her or cross the bridge to her own uncertain end. But what awaits them in the Deadlands where the magic roams wild?The Bridge to Magic is a story of a life between two deaths and an impossible choice to make. It is a story of finding hope and survival in a world where neither seems possible.

Bridge Today Digest recently celebrated its first anniversary (and 100th issue) as an Internet-based 'bridgezine'. It is renowned for its practical advice, its wonderful bridge stories, and the wry humour and personal touch of its editors. For this collection, they have selected the very best pieces from their first year, and come up with a compendium that every bridge player can read, enjoy, and learn from. It includes short pieces from world-renowned writers, questions and comments from readers (and the editors' responses to them ), and a wealth of fascinating hands, anecdotes and advice from the editors.

So you tend to be dealt very bad hands. I know exactly you feel! But, facing the facts of life and recognising that it is not your fault, you are going to have to accommodate this failing and improve your defence. It is a hard part of the game; even in international competitions, the standard of defensive play is, to put it kindly, modest. Yes, you will get plenty of reports of brilliances involving spectacular switches, deceptions, unblocks and discards of honours. But for every one of those, there are countless others in which the display would disgrace any beginners' class. I am going to assume that you are a regular club or tournament player who knows the basics of defence but who comes unstuck when it comes to situations where you have to work the hand out in detail. This book will help you to improve dramatically in this area. -- Danny Roth.