Recommended Reads

 

Click here to write a book review        Click here to recommend a book for us to purchase

(Want to see a bigger view of the covers, simply click on the picture)

largeimage

Silk Road

Colin Falconer

'
This title tells the story of a Knight Templar. It takes us on a journey to the edge of the world. It introduces us an alliance that could change history. It's 1260 AD: A Christian Knight sets out on an epic quest from Palestine to Xanadu, to form a crucial allegiance against the Saracens at the court of Kubilai Khan. This is: an historical blockbuster; a blazing adventure; and, a passionate love story. 1260 AD: Josseran Sarrazini is a man divided in his soul. A Christian Knight Templar haunted by a shameful past, he hopes to find redemption in a dangerous crusade: a journey from Palestine to Xanadu, to form a crucial allegiance against the Saracens at the legendary court of Kubilai Khan - the seat of the Mongol Empire. Instead he finds the solace he seeks in a warrior-princess from a heathen tribe. Beautiful and ferocious, Khutelun is a Tartar, a nomadic rider of the Mongolian steppe. Although their union is utterly impossible, she will find in Josseran what she cannot find in one of her own. Parched by desert winds, pursued by Saracen hordes, and now tormented by a passion he cannot control, Josseran must abandon Khutelun if he is to complete his journey and save his soul. Worse, he must travel with William, a Dominican friar of fearsome zeal who longs for martyrdom, but whose life Josseran is sworn to protect. And worse yet, he will arrive in Xanadu just as the greatest empire in human history plunges into civil war. Winding through the plains of Palestine and over the high mountains of the Hindu Kush, from the empty wastes of the Taklimakan desert to the golden palaces of China, Silk Road weaves a spellbinding story of sin, desire, conflict and human frailty onto the vast tapestry of the medieval orient. This title is suitable for men and women: readers of Ken Follett, James Clavell, and Kate Mosse


 

largeimage

 

Folly beach

Dorothea Benton Frank

Folly Beach is one of South Carolina’s most picturesque spots. With its sandy beaches, laidback Southern charm, and beautiful sunsets, it’s romantic, delightful, and just about perfect. And for our intrepid heroine, it is also a place where all the ghosts of her past roam freely. Called back to the rambling house where she grew up, Folly Beach, with all its zany inhabitants, becomes the backdrop for an exciting new chapter in a life that has already been touched by much pain. If only she’ll let it..

 

largeimage

The Picture Book

Jo Baker
 

Set against the rolling backdrop of a century of British history from WWI to the 'War on Terror', this is a family portrait captured in snapshots. First there is William, the factory lad who loses his life in Gallipoli, then his son Billy, a champion cyclist who survives the D-Day Landings on a military bicycle, followed by his crippled son Will who becomes an Oxford academic in the 1960s, and finally his daughter Billie, an artist in contemporary London.  Just as the names - William, Billy, Will, Billie - echo down through the family, so too the legacy of choices made, chances lost, and secrets kept. Rich in drama and sensuous in detail, The Blue Album is a beautifully crafted story about fathers and sons, about fate and repetition, and about the possibility of breaking free.
 

largeimage

Animal People

Charlotte Wood

"He could not find one single more word to say. I just want to be free. He could not say those words. They had already withered in his mind, turned to dust. He did not even know, he marvelled now, what the hell those words had meant." Charlotte Wood takes a character from her bestselling book The Children and turns her unflinching gaze on him and his world in Animal People. Set in Sydney over a single day, Animal People traces a watershed day in the life of Stephen, aimless, unhappy, unfulfilled - and without a clue as to how to make his life better. His dead-end job, his demanding family, his oppressive feelings for Fiona and the pitiless city itself...the great weight of it all threatens to come crashing down on him. The day will bring untold surprises and disasters, but will also show him - perhaps too late - that only love can set him free. Sharply observed, hilarious, tender and heartbreaking, Animal People is a portrait of urban life, a meditation on the conflicted nature of human-animal relationships, and a masterpiece of storytelling.

 

largeimage

The Legends of Shannara #02: Measure of the Magic

Terry Brooks

Five centuries ago, a catastrophic demon war left the world in ruins. Since then, the survivors - humans, elves and other mutants - have found sanctuary in a mountain valley protected by magic. But now these protective wards have failed, and a ruthless troll army is on the brink of invasion. Sider Ament was the survivors' only hope for salvation. He was bearer of the last remaining black staff - a powerful talisman passed down through the centuries by the Knights of the Word - and the key to keeping the magic of the world in balance. But now Sider is dead. To stave off annihilation, the staff's magic must be preserved. Panterra Qu, a young Tracker gifted with the staff at Sider's death, struggles to control its power. And great sacrifices must be made - for all will pay a price if the war between the Word and the Void tips towards darkness.

Non Fiction
 

largeimage

Famous Faces

Takkoda

The name Takkoda is derived from the Sioux word meaning 'Friend to all'. The company was started by two couples with a love of animals; who see pets as being big personalities, not as 'chocolate box' images. Takkoda is all about funny images of our favourite friends. They photograph real pets in their homes and capture their natural expressions in their natural state! Later they develop their characters by dressing them up digitally to bring out their iconic personalities.

.

largeimage

Positively Parkinson's: Symptoms and Diagnosis Research and Treatment Advice and Support

Ann Andrews

More than 10,000 New Zealanders have Parkinson's, but many thousands more are dealing with Parkinson's every day - relatives and friends, carers and health professionals.

* Clearly explains all aspects of the condition, the available treatments and the most recent medical research.
* Practical and personal approach.
* Great, easy to follow advice on diet, exercise and self-care.
* Discusses changing relationships, employment and finance.
* Helpful to the family and friends of anyone with Parkinson's.
* Endorsed by Parkinson's New Zealand, New Zealand Neurological Foundation and Sir John Walker.

 

Earthquake! Christchurch 22 Feb 2011 (Book and DVD)

The Press

* Prelude to a disaster - What Christchurch was doing on February 22. How the debate of the September 4/Boxing Day quakes was continuing, how those events had shaped lives.
* The Event - First hand accounts, the effect on buildings/people. How different areas of the city were affected - Lyttelton/Sumner/Redcliffs. CTV/Forsythe Barr/Pyne Gould Buildings.
* An overview of the first hours after the main tremor, extending it into the first night. The official response. The international response.
* The science of the earthquake - where centred, duration, energy released etc. Lots of graphs, maps and data.
* Survivors stories - the mounting death toll, stories of tragedy and heroism, loss of heritage buildings, Grand Chancellor Hotel, international and local response (hospitals, search teams etc)
* The aftermath, the search and rescue/recovery, the civil defence team, the emerging toll, the stories (The Bagpipe Kid, babies born, Farmy army), eastern suburbs claims of being forgotten, the student army, I thought you were dead column, looters in court
* Through to the Day Of Remembrance "Grief is the price we pay for love" (Prince William)
* The rebuilding of Christchurch Powerfully and movingly written by a number of Press staffers and illustrated with striking images from the Press team.

DVD includes footage taken 10 minutes after the quake, many personal stories plus the incredible footage that screened at the Day of Remembrance.

This page last updated 10/10/11