New Releases by Catherine Fisher

From the swirling mists and icy depths beyond the edge of the world came the snow-walker Gudrun, to rule the Jarl''s people with fear and sorcery. But a small band of outlaws are prepared to risk their lives to defeat Gudrun and restore the land to its rightful leader. This trilogy follows them in their quest, from the first terrifying journey to meet the mysterious snow-walker''s son, to the final battle in the lands beyond the rainbow bridge. The Snow-walker''s Son follows Jessa and Thorkil who, are sent to Thrasirshall in the empty wastelands to live with the mysterious Kari, Gudrun''s son. Led to believe Kari is some kind of monster they are shocked to discover he is a snow-walker, just like Gudrun, except with the desire to do good rather than evil. Together they journey back to the Jarshold to defeat Gudrun. In The Empty Hand Gudrun seeks revenge on those who banished her and sends a terrifying, faceless creature to the Jarlshold, and in The Soul Thieves, Kari and his companions must travel to the land of the snow-walkers to claim back the precious souls Gudrun has stolen. Here, Kari and Gudrun, mother and son and ultimate opponents, must fight their final battle.

"The ghost in Sarahs bedroom is begging for help. He just needs her to open a box.... can she save a soul, or is it a dreadful trap? Chilling supernatural thriller.

Un long voyage commence pour Mirany. Seule à pouvoir communiquer avec le dieu caché, elle doit accompagner Alexos, le nouvel Archonte, dans le désert, afin de l''aider à trouver le Puits des Chants. C''est leur unique chance de mettre fin à la terrible sécheresse qui tue lentement le peuple. Solidaires mais effrayés, l''Archonte et Mirany avancent, le doute au cœur : personne n''est jamais revenu d''une telle expédition...

Katie has had her fair share of heartache. The men that come into her life just end up making it more complicated and she is starting to lose her faith in the opposite sex altogether. The only exception is her Grandpa, Edward, whom she has lived with since the age of six after her parents died. He is the constant that makes Katie feel safe and happy and she enjoys the comfortable life they have built together in their large, country house - Sweet Haven. After yet another man turns out to be only after Katie''s wealth, she takes herself away to a seaside retreat - intent on relaxing and healing the wounds. However, Katie''s world is about to change forever as she meets Rob, the handsome singer from her hotel, and he sets out to convince her that not all men are the same; especially not this one.

Portés pour morts, Mirany et Alexos sont confrontés à un défi de taille : sauver les Deux-Terres qui vivent sous un règne de terreur et de folie instauré par le Général Argelin. A l''aide de Seth, du Chacal et d''Oblek, tous trois rescapés du désert, la jeune prêtresse et le dieu-sur-terre doivent désormais accomplir une expédition impossible. Ils vont tenter de franchir les Arches de l''Au-Delà et, surtout, revenir dans le monde des vivants...

The witch Gudrun casts a sleeping spell on the people of Jarlshold.

The dress was old, with a tear in the hem. It seemed to be a mix of colours, like a watery rainbow. ''That''s a Weather Dress,'' Sol said. "It will last you six days, but you mustn''t wear it for seven. The seventh day is dangerous...Remember,'' he said. ''Wear it only six times. Not once more! And keep it safe. I have an enemy who would like to steal it...'' When Molly buys a dress for a pound from Sol''s market stall, she cannot begin to imagine the sequence of events which will unfold, from an idyllic fun-filled day on the beach to an encounter with the queen of darkness herself. This sophisticated picture book is the first collaboration between award-winning author Catherine Fisher, and her sister, illustrator Maggy Davies. The beautiful illustrations create an appealing storybook with a sense of intrigue. The story can be appreciated on several levels and hence it can be enjoyed by a wide age group. Here''s an extremely well written story, a treat to read aloud.

Le pays tout entier souffre de la sécheresse ; hommes et cultures sont à bout de souffle. Seul L''Archonte, le dieu de la terre, ramènera la pluie en offrant sa vie. Hélas, son sacrifice ne change rien, sauf pour Mirany : avant de mourir le vieillard confie à la timide jeune fille la lourde tâche de trouver le nouvel Archonte, son véritable successeur... Effrayée par le poids de sa mission , Mirany se retrouve malgré elle mêlée à un diabolique complot...

Together with Alexos, Seth, Oblek, and a fallen silver star, Mirany is forced to continue the battle against the evil general Argelin.

Vlak voor de Archon, de god-op-aarde, sterft, vertrouwt hij Mirany, een van de negen jonge priesteressen, toe dat de Spreker samen met anderen verraad pleegt. Mirany gaat op een gevaarlijke speurtocht naar de 10-jarige jongen die Archon moet worden. Vanaf ca. 12 jaar.

They might not know what the future holds, but they know they hold it in their hands. Mirany, the newly appointed attendant to the Speaker, is untested, in fear for her life, and keeper of the god''s secrets. Seth, an ambitious scribe toiling in the shadow of the pyramid, has discovered the secret labyrinths and underground passages to the tombs. Hermia, the Speaker, interprets the words of the god and twists his wishes to suit her treachery. General Argelin, the cunning leader in league with the Speaker, intends to dictate the choosing of the new ruler Alexos, the quiet boy, is fated to rule the land -- unless his enemies succeed in their plot. Oblek, the foolish musician, may be the only person who can keep Alexos alive. The Jackal, the black-market tomb raider, will strike like a scorpion if anyone interferes with his scheme to rob the sacred catacombs

Breathtaking sequel to The Oracle, the Archon must face a journey of treachery and adventure across the pitiless desert in a bid to save his people ... The Archon vows to lead a pilgrimage to the Well of Songs to seek peace with the Rain Queen and save the land from the terrible drought. The Well is hidden in the mountains across the desert. But he is not the only one with his sight set on the mountains: Argelin, the tyrannical and power-hungry General, follows behind, an ever-present threat, with his heart set on the riches to be found. With only Oblek, Seth and two tomb-thieves known as the Jackal and the Fox for company, the Archon''s journey is treacherous and dangerous. They must face the Great Desolation and the monstrous animals outlined on the desert floor, animals with mythical powers, and they must survive without Mirany, bearer-of-the-god and true friend of the Archon, who has had to remain behind to face a threat much closer to home ...

Three classic fantasy novels that lead to wonderful and eerie worlds. This volume contains- THE CONJUROR''S GAME, THE CANDLE MAN and FINTAN''S TOWER.THE CONJUROR''S GAME, should never have been started. Now Luke must replace the Tree on the central square before the Knights and Ravens rampage in their eternal battle through in the snowbound villages of Halcombe Great Wood. Can a man''s soul be trapped in a candle? Cursed from infancy Meurig treasures the candle as his dearest possession. But what happens if it is stolen by his enemy, a water goddess of immense power?THE CANDLE MAN is a tale soaked in mist and marshland. Jennie and Jamie find a magical book that offers to lead them to Fintan''s Tower. But who are the three strangers that pursue them? How can they know whom to trust, when the glass tower contains unimaginable terrors, and the only time they have left is a wink of the sun''s eye?

African American women are dying younger—and at a higher rate—than their white counterparts. Collins shows us how stress plays a role in many of the most common fatal diseases, including heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and diabetes. Studies worldwide have revealed the relationship of stress to disease, citing evidence that African American women may be wired for stress. Written from an afrocentric point of view, Collins''s volume investigates sources of stress in the home and workplace. She reviews historical events that planted roots of stress for African American women, including slavery, racism, and the economic and social pressures currently facing African American men. Collins also understands the subtle, everyday stressors that are not typically heralded in history or medical books: standing for minutes at a department store counter, or waiting for help, only to be bypassed by a clerk aiming to wait on a white person who has just arrived. This book offers methods of stress reduction from a popular walking program to biofeedback, meditation, massage, yoga, and breathing exercises. Also highlighted are foods that contribute to stress and herbs that may help eliminate it.

Timid Mirany is chosen to be a priestess to serve the High Priestess, who interprets the wishes of the god as conveyed through the Oracle. However, Mirany is unprepared for the dangers of her exalted position.

Having tapped into the Crow, Galen is charged with a force beyond anything he, or his apprentice Raffi, has ever known. So when he receives a message from the makers urging him to find the Interrex - a child of the Emperor - Galen knows that the keepers are tantalisingly close to revolution.

Cousins Jessa and Thorkil must endure a journey through ice and snow and come face to face with the snow-walker, who creates terror in the hearts of all. Suggested level: intermediate, junior secondary.

In this striking collection Catherine Fisher mixes vivid and particular poems about the Welsh landscape such as ''The Four Seasons'' and ''Field-walking'', with historical monologues such as ''Incident at Conwy'' and scenes from myth like ''Merlin on Ynys Enlli''. With an archeologist''s care, she sifts her imagery from the past and examines it in minute, careful detail. The title sequence, based on the journals of James Hartshill, a traveller on the voyages of Captain James Cook in the south Pacific in the eighteenth century, is a triumph of her technique. The famous explorer''s stubborn and heroic character and his adventures in the perilous frozen wastes of the Antarctic and among the natives ''sudden and dangerous as children'' of the lush Pacific islands are marvellously portrayed. "She writes imaginatively, bringing dead things to life, boldly placing them in the present world" Planet "I am conscious here of the quality of passion implicit in her work, and the exciting prospect of the future for a writer who clearly has so much more to say" New Welsh Review Catherine Fisher is the author of three volumes of poetry for Seren: Immrama, The Unexplored Ocean and Altered States. She is also a novelist for children; her books include The Conjurer''s Game which was shortlisted for the Smarties prize in 1992 and has been serialised on Radio 5. She works as a teacher in Newport, Gwent.

The theft of a bell from the newly discovered tomb of Meredith Rhys, scholar and possibly sorcerer awakens a kelpie, the powerful, beautiful, deadly and malicious legendary creature bound against its own will to serve the possessor of the bell for good or evil.