Babel is an incredible work of imagination and
scholarship.
Rebecca Kuang is an American with Chinese heritage and an academic
linguist who has studied at Oxford and Cambridge. She brings all her background
and education to bear in the remarkable book about an alternative version of
the British Empire set in the 1830s.
It follows four young language scholars in
their training in Oxford as they learn how to create magic out of silver and
near equivalent words in two languages, the slight difference in meaning
generating the power. Kuang describes these definitions in the text and in
footnotes, and it is stunning how much intelligence and effort has gone into
this.
The text has a strong theme of anti-colonialism running through it and
is a sharp riposte to supporters of the Empire, bringing the attitudes of those who
ruled the European powers into clear relief. But more importantly, this is a thrilling fantasy novel that will keep
you turning the pages.
Although dated in style, it is a fascinating and intriguing read, a page-turning mystery with plot twists, multiple points of view, and unreliable narrators. I listened to this old classic with narration by the
late great Ian Holm (Bilbo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings trilogy).
The
characters are the high point, however, just staying on the right side of
caricature and making the reader truly invested in the outcome.
HarperCollins is proud to present its range of best-loved, essential classics.
'The woman who first gives life, light, and form to our shadowy conceptions of beauty, fills a void in our spiritual nature that has remained unknown to us till she appeared.'
One of the earliest works of 'detective' fiction with a narrative woven together from multiple characters, Wilkie Collins partly based his infamous novel on a real-life eighteenth century case of abduction and wrongful imprisonment. In 1859, the story caused a sensation with its readers, hooking their attention with the ghostly first scene where the mysterious 'Woman in White'…
I’ve
been aware of the Elric books for many years, but it has taken me a long time to get around to reading about the
eternal champion. It was worth the wait.
It is fascinating to see how these
stories have had such far-reaching influence, from roleplaying games to video
games to fantasy authors. Elric is a great anti-hero, and though you always
root for him, you often feel like you shouldn’t!
From World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Moorcock comes the first book in his famous Elric of Melniboné series, brought to vivid new life with stunning illustrations.
In one of the most well-known and well-loved fantasy epics of the 20th century, Elric is the brooding, albino emperor of the dying Kingdom of Melnibone. With Melnibone’s years of grandeur and decadence long since passed, Elric’s amoral cousin Yrkoon sets his eyes on the throne. Elric, realizing he is his country’s best hope, must face his nefarious cousin in an epic battle for the right to rule.
Who
was the man who would become Caesar's lieutenant, Brutus' rival, Cleopatra's
lover, and Octavian's enemy?
When
his stepfather is executed for his involvement in the Catilinarian conspiracy,Mark Antonyand his family are
disgraced. His adolescence is marked by scandal and mischief, his love affairs
are fleeting, and yet, his ambition is vast.
Antony's
path to prosperity leads him to an education in Athens, a campaign for a seat
in the Senate, and a position of military command. Undeterred by his baptism of
fire on the battlefields of Judaea and Egypt, he climbs the ranks to become the
right-hand man of Rome's most famous general, Julius
Caesar.
