The Silence And The Scorpion

On April 11, 2002, nearly a million Venezuelans marched on the presidential palace to demand the resignation of President Hugo Chvez, Led by Pedro Carmona and Carlos Ortega, the opposition represented a cross-section of society furious with Chvez's economic policies, specifically his mishandling of the Venezuelan oil industry. But as the day progressed, the march turned violent, sparking a military revolt that led to the temporary ousting of Chvez. Over the ensuing, turbulent 72 hours, Venezuelans would confront the deep divisions within their society and ultimately decide the best course for their country - and its oil - in the new century. An exemplary piece of narrative journalism, The Silence and the Scorpion provides rich insight into the complexities of modern Venezuela.

Hotel reviewer, Callum Steele travels to Mai Sai in the north of Thailand where he becomes unwillingly tangled in a centuries old demonic feud. As his world is turned upside down by a series of bizarre and inexplicable events, Callum finds support from his flirtatious colleague, his friend the entomologist, and a mischievous and smart mouth demon named Ron. Will Callum lose his mind or embrace his awakening? Is this the end of Callum Steele or just the beginning? And what the hell is that stuff coming out of the mouth of the giant scorpion?

From #1 bestselling authors Preston & Child comes a thrilling novel following archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson as they work together to solve a twisted crime that reaches far beyond any of their worst fears. Following the acclaimed debut of Old Bones, this second "happily anticipated" new thriller in Preston & Child's series features Nora Kelly, archaeologist at the Santa Fe Archeological Institute, and rookie FBI Agent Corrie Swanson, as they team up to solve a mystery that quickly escalates into nightmare (Booklist). A mummified corpse, over half a century old, is found in the cellar of an abandoned building in a remote New Mexico ghost town. Corrie is assigned what seems to her a throwaway case: to ID the body and determine cause of death. She brings archaeologist Nora Kelly to excavate the body and lend her expertise to the investigation, and together they uncover something unexpected and shocking: the deceased apparently died in agony, in a fetal position, skin coming off in sheets, with a rictus of horror frozen on his face. Hidden on the corpse lies a 16th century Spanish gold cross of immense value. When they at last identify the body -- and the bizarre cause of death -- Corrie and Nora open a door into a terrifying, secret world of ancient treasure and modern obsession: a world centered on arguably the most defining, frightening, and transformative moment in American history.

Be ruthless. Be rich. Live like gods. Joella’s band of thieves lives deep in the jungle. Riding on giant scorpion dragons, they search the beautiful landscape for villages and caravans to rob. But dangerous mists thread through the jungle’s undergrowth. One touch transforms victims into mindless, murderous shells of their former selves. When the mists interrupt a routine raid, Joella becomes separated from her people. She’s alone except for a stolen book of legends and Marc, a pacifist dedicated to preserving the ways of the old goddess. Searching for their tribes, Joella and Marc brave mist-infected beasts, deceitful clans, and the sweltering days and freezing nights of their beloved jungle. An uneasy alliance grows between them as they read from the book and uncover in its pages the truth of why the jungle has been fraught with evil. They must trust each other to right the wrongs of the past and save themselves, or risk the very landscape they hold so dear. The Scorpion’s Lullaby is a fast-paced, lyrical fantasy filled with creatures and characters who will take your breath away. Get your copy of The Scorpion’s Lullaby today to discover the legends propelling the unforgettable tale in this luminous, unique world. additional keywords: young adult fantasy, high fantasy, jungle, storytelling, legend, monsters, goddess, strong female heroine, teenage warrior, thief, raider, fantastic creatures, myth

Since 2006, Venezuela has had the highest homicide rate in South America and one of the highest levels of gun violence in the world. Former president Hugo Chávez, who died in 2013, downplayed the extent of violent crime and instead emphasized rehabilitation. His successor, President Nicolás Maduro, took the opposite approach, declaring an all-out war on crime (mano dura). What accounts for this drastic shift toward more punitive measures? In Deadline, anthropologist Robert Samet answers this question by focusing on the relationship between populism, the press, and what he calls “the will to security.” Drawing on nearly a decade of ethnographic research alongside journalists on the Caracas crime beat, he shows how the media shaped the politics of security from the ground up. Paradoxically, Venezuela’s punitive turn was not the product of dictatorship, but rather an outgrowth of practices and institutions normally associated with democracy. Samet reckons with this apparent contradiction by exploring the circulation of extralegal denuncias (accusations) by crime journalists, editors, sources, and audiences. Denuncias are a form of public shaming or exposé that channels popular anger against the powers that be. By showing how denuncias mobilize dissent, Deadline weaves a much larger tale about the relationship between the press, popular outrage, and the politics of security in the twenty-first century.

Its nature gone wild and a race against time facing local townspeople from an arachnid threat! Les Mason, reporter for the Long Point News, is close to finishing an explosive expose on the Long Point Nuclear Plant. But before he can slot the final piece of the jigsaw into place, he dies an agonizing death as the result of some sort of strange sting. The local doctors are baffled — and suddenly there are similar cases that follow... Chris Lane, Les's girlfriend, and organizer of the Long Point Protestors that oppose the operation of the nuclear plant, discovers Mason’s notes, and decides to find out for herself what the plant could possibly be hiding...

WATCH OUT OR YOU'LL GET STUNG After saving a mountain man named Arthur Books from deadly gunmen, Clint accompanies him to a town called Scorpion's Tail for a drink and a good night's sleep. Only trouble is, Scorpion's Tail is a lawless nest of sin. There's no rest for the weary—especially since Arthur has the key to some lost silver and gold mines. Looks like the Gunsmith might strike it rich, if he doesn't get struck down by Scorpion's Tail first.

It is 1943 and the world is at war. Archaeologist Lily Sampson has been sent to Trans-Jordan by the OSS, along with Gideon Weil, the famous director of the American School of Archeology in Jerusalem. As part of their survey, they roam the beautiful, silent desert where the indelible presence of Lawrence of Arabia still lingers, and where the ancient Nabateans once ruled an empire from their capital in Petra. But soon Lily and Gideon are stranded in the Wadi Rum, and their Bedouin guide is murdered. Could Gideon be guilty of the crime? Then the pair learns that two oil pipelines run from Iraq through the desert to ports on the Mediterranean: one through Trans-Jordan supplying the Allies, the other through Syria supplying the Nazis. Syrians and Vichy French are raiding across the border, threatening to destroy the Trans-Jordan pipeline. Lily and Gideon’s real mission is to help safeguard the pipeline and to prevent oil from reaching the Nazis. At the same time, Lily uncovers a Nazi plot to kidnap and kill the eight-year-old King Faisal of Iraq. Can Lily and Gideon clear Gideon’s name, protect the Trans-Jordan pipeline, sabotage the Syrian line, and rescue Faisal to prevent the Nazi takeover of Iraq?