The Return Of The Dragon

Despite China's effort to maintain peace with its neighbors, its military and economic growth poses an undeniable threat. Regional states must account for a more powerful potential adversary in China, and China has become more ambitious in its efforts to control its surroundings. Historical baggage has only aggravated the situation as China believes it is reclaiming its rightful place after a time of weakness and mistreatment, and other Asia-Pacific countries remember all too well their encounter with Chinese conflict and domination. Through a careful consideration of historical factors and raw data, Denny Roy examines the benefits and consequences of a more politically, economically, and militarily potent China. Since China's intended sphere of influence encroaches on the autonomy of regional states, its attempts to increase its own security have weakened the security of its neighbors. Nevertheless, there is little incentive for Beijing to change a status quo that is mostly good for China, and the PRC thrives through its participation in the global economy and multilateral institutions. Even so, Beijing remains extremely sensitive to challenges to the Chinese Communist Party's legitimacy and believes it is entitled to exercise influence on its periphery. On these issues, nationalism trumps any reluctance to upset the international system. Diplomatic disputes regarding the islands in the South China Sea, as well as controversial relations with North Korea, continue to undermine Chinese promises of positive behavior. Roy's study reveals the dynamics defining this volatile region, in which governments pursue China as an economic partner yet fear Beijing's power to set the rules of engagement.

In the long-awaited follow-up to The Dragon of Lonely Island, three adventurous children find further intrigue on a tiny Maine island where a talkative three-headed dragon lives out its days. With their parents off to London on a special trip, Hannah, Zachary, and Sarah Emily are thrilled to be going back to Aunt Mehitabel’s house on Lonely Island. Though their favorite aunt can’t join them, they know their tummies will soon be filled with Mrs. Jones’s mouthwatering cookies and their minds full of Fafnyr, the fabulous creature they befriended last summer. The glittering three-headed dragon remains safely hidden in a cave high above the ocean, waiting for the children’s return. But is Fafnyr’s hiding place safe? As the children nervously discover, a white yacht is now anchored off the private island, and a crew led by billionaire J. P. King has been scouring onshore, supposedly watching birds. The children have promised to keep Fafnyr’s existence a secret, but it’s hard to know if the smooth-talking Mr. King is friend or foe. Only Fafnyr’s own stories can lead the Dragon Friends to the heart of the mystery, as they teach the children to think more clearly, to make the right decisions - and to discover what’s worth fighting for.

Brave knights, fire-breathing dragons, and underwear – in this comical paperback picture book, one young knight takes on a mighty dragon to save the kingdom. With playful illustrations from the #1 New York Times bestselling artist of The Bad Seed! Cole's wish comes true when he becomes an Assistant Knight to Sir Percival, his favorite Knight of King Arthur's Round Table. Cole learns how to ride a horse, swing a sword, cheer for Sir Percival when he goes to battle, and bandage his boo-boos when the battle is over. Cole loves practicing every skill a Knight-in-Training must master and he is determined to be granted knighthood. Sir Percival is a great knight in every way, except for one thing: He is terrified that an Underwear Dragon will come and destroy the kingdom. But when the unthinkable happens, Cole is the only knight left standing (and just an assistant knight at that!) Cole must use all of his newly acquired skills to battle the fearsome dragon and avoid a catastrophe. Luckily, an unfortunate underwear mishap changes everything and Cole triumphs in this hilarious and triumphant tale! Kids of all ages will recognize themselves in our pint-sized hero. Don't miss the fun and silly sequel, Return of the Underwear Dragon!

The magical world teeters on the brink of collapse. The Dragon King, Celebrant, has united the dragons into a vengeful army, and only a final artifact stands in the way of them unleashing their fury against humankind. With established allegiances shifting under the strain, Seth and Kendra find themselves in desperate need of new allies. Seth must face his most dangerous quest--the fulfillment of his pledge to the Singing Sisters. With only Calvin the Tiny Hero at his side, Seth needs to collect the pieces of the Ethergem, including the stones from the crowns of the Dragon King, the Giant Queen, and the Demon King. Halfway across the world, Kendra finds herself torn between her duty to Dragonwatch and her desire to rescue Bracken. Can she challenge Ronodin's control of the fairy realm without leaving the five legendary dragon slayers to be hunted by Celebrant and his sons? Left behind at Titan Valley, Knox and Tess must survive the aftermath of the Giant Queen's fall. Will the secret crown in Knox's possession prove too much for him to handle? In this fifth and final volume of Dragonwatch, our heroes make their last stand at the hidden Kingdom of Selona. For the defenders of light to stand a chance, the legendary dragon slayers must arise, lost secrets must be uncovered, and ancient powers must awaken. Get ready for the gripping, revelatory, and unforeseen conclusion to the epic ten-volume New York Times best-selling Fablehaven and Dragonwatch series.

"Rebecca Rupp's magical tale . . . radiates a glow as golden as the dragon's scales." – Boston Globe Hannah, Zachary, and Sarah Emily are spending the summer at their great-aunt Mehitabel's house on faraway Lonely Island. There, in a cave hidden high above the ocean, they discover a fabulous creature: a glittering three-headed golden dragon with a kind heart, an unpredictable temper, and a memory that spans 20,000 years. Transported by the magic of the dragon's stories, the children meet Mei-lan, a young girl in ancient China; nineteenth-century cabin boy Jamie Pritchett; and, in more recent times, Hitty and her brother, Will, who survive a frightening plane crash on a desert island. In this fluidly written novel, Rebecca Rupp explores what three children from the present learn from the past - and from an unlikely but wise and generous friend.

You swing a staff until you're ready to swing a sword. Then you go on all kinds of adventures - fighting monsters, casting spells and saving damsels in distress. At least that's how it's supposed to work, but I didn't believe a word of it. BOOK ONE OF THE EPIC FANTASY SERIES RETURN OF THE DRAGONS Locked in his room in the castle, young Anders yearns for adventure. Until the day he opens a magic portal and a girl bursts into his locked room with a chemical warlock hot on her trail. And adventure finds him -- an adventure full of danger, full of blood, fire, demons and evil. To face it, he'll need the sword given him by his blademaster, need the ancient words his grandfather gave him on his deathbed. Need the song that runs in his own blood, in his veins. A sword will be reforged, magic words discovered, battles fought, friends made and lost, secrets revealed. And blood will be spilled. But will blade, word and blood be enough? Finished with Sword Bearer? Check out book two of Return of the Dragons: WIND RIDER, now available.

The dragons that have been kept in sanctuaries want their freedom—and their revenge—and the world’s only hope is the reformation of the ancient order of Dragonwatch in this New York Times bestselling first novel of a new sequel series to Fablehaven from author Brandon Mull. In the hidden dragon sanctuary of Wyrmroost, Celebrant the Just, King of the Dragons, plots his revenge. He has long seen the sanctuaries as prisons, and he wants nothing more than to overthrow his captors and return the world to the Age of Dragons, when he and his kind ruled and reigned without borders. The time has come to break free and reclaim his power. No one person is capable of stopping Celebrant and his dragon horde. It will take the ancient order of Dragonwatch to gather again if there is any chance of saving the world from destruction. In ancient times, Dragonwatch was a group of wizards, enchantresses, dragon slayers, and others who originally confined the majority of dragons into sanctuaries. But nearly all of the original Dragonwatch members are gone, and so the wizard Agad reaches out to Grandpa Sorenson for help. As Kendra and Seth confront this new danger, they must draw upon all their skills, talents, and knowledge as only they have the ability to function together as a powerful dragon tamer. Together they must battle against forces with superior supernatural powers and breathtaking magical abilities. How will the epic dragon showdown end? Will dragons overthrow humans and change the world as we know it?

Over 3 years ago, the old Earth began to die. Technology started to break down. Electricity failed. Machines stopped working. Planes, trains and cars became useless hunks of metal. And then the dragons came. On the Night of Burning, the world's great cities were reduced to slag and rubble by dragon fire. Civilization, as we knew it. ceased to be. But before the end came, there were the Changlings. A few humans, children and adults alike, began to mutate into...something else. Ears became pointed, fingers fused or elongated. Their old languages were lost to them and they began to babble in unknown tongues. Perhaps one in a hundred thousand Changed. Simon O'Toole was one of them. Back then, he was a large middle-aged man. Now he's a skinny, awkward teenager, Simon has lost everything; his family, his friends, the world that he knew. But he has gained something as well. Through hints in dreams, he has learned magical runes that can summon elementals. He can cast fireballs and lightning. In short, Simon has become a wizard. Slowly, carefully, he is learning to use this new power. It will take years to master his magic. Years that Simon may not have. The dragons are still on the hunt. They search for survivors of the human race, and when they have been exterminated, the dragons will turn on the last remnants of humanity: the Changlings themselves.