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Subterfuge, betrayal, conspiracy, intrigue, greed, revenge and a thirst for power motivate rich and poor individuals, whether that’s Lord Tanellor, Baron Laan, Gildmaster Olelsang, Lord-General Launette, ex-slave-girl Jan-re Osa, Captain Aurelan Crossis, Sergeant Bayuan Aco or miner Rujon.
Muddying the fight are not only bizarre creatures – the vicious garstigg, the ravenous lugarzos or the deadly flensigg – but also the mystics from the Sardan sect, Brother Clen, Sisters Hara, Illasa and Nostor Vata.
At stake is the Black Sword, the powerful symbol that entitles the holder to take the throne of Lornwater.
By Gordon Faulkner
MANAGING STRESS WITH QIGONG
The ancient Chinese health system of Qigong combines physical postures with breathing techniques to promote harmony between the body and the mind. It is quickly gaining popularity in the West as a natural yet powerful way of combating stress and its related effects.
This step-by-step guide to managing stress using Qigong begins by looking at our response to stress from both an Eastern and a Western perspective. It then presents a program of specially-designed stress relief exercises, followed by a series of gentler stress prevention exercises, many of which can be carried out either seated or standing.
The author provides easy-to-follow instructions for each of the steps, and the postures and movements are explained with the aid of photographs.
Designed specifically to fit in around a busy lifestyle, the Qigong program set out in this book will help to reduce stress, decrease anxiety, and restore energy.
This practical book will help anyone who is prone to stress, regardless of their level of ability or experience of Qigong. It will also be a useful resource for Taijiquan and Qigong instructors, alternative therapists, and other professionals working with clients who are affected by stress.
Small selection of reviews
A truly knowledgeable book that's both easy to read and easy to understand. Excellent. I'd be interested to know the name of any western teacher that has an equal or greater knowledge of the subject, I don't think there is one!!
A technically excellent and very well written book. The exercises are easy to follow and learn from the clear text and photographs
Paranormal books by Nik Morton published by Manatee
GIFTS FROM A DEAD RACE
… and other stories
Collected short stories – Volume 1
Science fiction, ghost, horror, and fantasy
Brave firemen still do their job though suffering radiation poisoning after a nuclear war; but to what purpose? Maybe a simple little thing can save the world from an alien plague… The first murder in space – can it be justified? Are dogs and trees and children as innocuous as they seem? If you’re going to burgle a house, make sure you know who lives there – or else. The credit crunch can only get worse – worth an arm and a leg? Criminals should be nice to little old ladies, or else. A birth on the moon? Sounds marvellous, or then again, maybe not. He lost his memory – then found he was buried alive, reliving his life! What if you had to celebrate Christmas two days early? Would the children notice? He had the last laugh when the Doctor misused his incredible discovery. He found that out the hard way that drink and driving don’t mix. The plague waited thirty-six years to show itself, and then went global.
‘Nik Morton’s ‘A Gigantic Leap’ re-imagines a piece of Soviet history and wonders what might happen if the American paranoia about space-born germs had been justified. It’s a gently told story, narrated by an old man who has seen too much in his hard life. Then in the last few paragraphs, the stress and alarm build up nicely. All of the international panic and national security issues occur in the background, though, so as not to spoil the calm flow of the story. It’s nicely done.’
‘Spend it Now, Pay Later’ is an unsettling and timely story of a single mother caught in an economic depression who jumps at an opportunity to get herself out of debt and build a future for her daughter ... Morton has over thirty years’ publishing experience behind him and this latest story - a taut, nightmarish allegory from first word to last - is proof of his highly honed craftsmanship.’
MISSION: PRAGUE
Tana Standish, Psychic Spy
in Czechoslovakia, 1975
It’s 1975 and Czechoslovakia’s people are still kicking against the Soviet invasion.
Tana Standish, a British psychic spy, is called in to repair the underground network.
But there’s a traitor at work.
And there’s an establishment in Kazakhstan, where Yakunin, one of their gifted psychics, has detected her presence in Czechoslovakia. As he gets to know her, his loyalties become strained: does he hunt her or save her?
When Tana’s captured in a secret Soviet complex, London sends in Keith Tyson in a desperate attempt to get her out - or to silence her - before she breaks under interrogation.
‘Interestingly, Morton sells it as a true story passed to him by an agent and published as fiction, a literary ploy often used by master thriller writer Jack Higgins. Let’s just say that it works better than Higgins.’
–Danny Collins, author of The Bloodiest Battles
‘…The best scenes are the one-on-one confrontations, claustrophobic closed room battles of expert second-guessing. One particular superb scene is beautifully choreographed and delivered, dragging the reader into the sweat-soaked reality of being stalked by a stronger killer…’ – Murder Mayhem & More
MISSION: TEHRAN
Tana Standish, Psychic Spy
in Iran, 1978
1978. Iran is in ferment and the British Intelligence Service wants Tana Standish’s assessment. It appears that CIA agents are painting too rosy a picture, perhaps because they’re colluding with the state torturers.
Allegiances and loyalties are strained as Tana’s mission becomes deadly and personal. Old friends are snatched, tortured and killed by SAVAK, the Shah’s secret police. She has to use all her skills as a secret agent and psychic to stay one step ahead of the oppressors and traitors.
As the country stumbles towards the Islamic Revolution, the Shah’s grip on power weakens. There’s real concern for the MI6 listening post near the Afghan border. Only Tana Standish is available to investigate; yet it’s possible she could be walking into a trap, as the deadly female Spetsnaz fighter Aksakov has been sent to abduct Tana. Meanwhile, in Kazakhstan, the sympathetic Yakunin, the psychic spy tracking Tana, is being side-lined by a killer psychic, capable of weakening Tana at the critical moment in combat with Aksakov. Can Yakunin save Tana without being discovered?
In the troubled streets of Iran’s ancient cities and amidst the frozen wastes on the Afghan border, Tana makes new friends and new enemies...
‘This is a substantial book, not the sort of thriller you skip through without paying careful attention and it's quite lengthy with several tangled subplots. It carefully balances the psy aspects of the story with more down to earth concerns – like the increasingly apparent discord between MI6 and the CIA, the grimy reality of undercover action in hostile territory. Morton knows how to write a kick-ass action sequence, too, with fight scenes that rival the best of Bourne or Bond.’
MISSION: KHYBER
Tana Standish, Psychic Spy
in Afghanistan, 1979-1980
In the aftermath of Mission: Tehran, psychic spy Tana Standish crossed into Afghanistan, accompanied by agent Alan Swann. Their rendezvous with Mike Clayton was delayed and while they waited for him in Herat, Tana befriends a Soviet forces family, intent on discovering details about the presence of General Pavlovsky. They’re then caught in a devastating civil uprising....
Inexorably, the Soviets are being drawn into the politics of Afghanistan. And Clayton, Swann and Tana are linked with the heroic Massoud, the tyrant President Amin and the mujahedeen. Tana makes new friends and new enemies in her constant fight against injustice.
Professor Bublyk is still trying to locate Tana – and the missing Spetsnaz agent Aksakov.
Distrustful of the psychic Yakunin, he recruits killer Klimov. Together, they imprison Yakunin in order to draw Tana out to rescue him.
Tana is aware that it must be a trap. But she owes her life to Yakunin, even though they have not met…
A tense cat-and-mouse battle of wits stretches the length and breadth of the country – to the far reaches of the Wakhan corridor, the Special Psychiatric Hospital in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and ultimately to the Khyber Pass.
'If you read crime fiction to immerse yourself in a sense of place and time then Mission: Khyber will be perfect for you. Almost every chapter provides a potted history of a region and its people, from an archaeological perspective through to the religious upheavals which fuel unrest to this day. This is a spy story with a history lesson sneaked inside it.' - extract from a 4-star Amazon review by Rowena Hoseason, Hall of Fame top 100 reviewer
CHILL OF THE SHADOW
In her search for truth she found love – with a vampire!
This cross-genre thriller is set in present-day Malta and has echoes from pre-history and also the eighteenth century Knights of Malta.
Malta may be an island of sun and sand, but there’s a dark side to it too. It all started when some fishermen pulled a corpse out of the sea... Or maybe it was five years ago, in the cave of Ghar Dalam?
Spellman, an American black magician, has designs on a handpicked bunch of Maltese politicians, bending their will to his master’s. A few sacrifices, that’s all it takes. And he’s helped by Zondadari, a rather nasty vampire.
Maltese-American investigative journalist Maria Caruana’s in denial. She can’t believe Count Zondadari is a vampire. She won’t admit it. Such creatures don’t exist, surely? She won’t admit she’s in love with him, either...
Detective Sergeant Attard doesn’t like caves or anything remotely supernatural. Now he teams up with Maria to unravel the mysterious disappearance of young pregnant women. They’re also helped by the priest, Father Joseph.
And there are caves, supernatural deaths and a haunting exorcism.
Just what every holiday island needs, really.
Where there is light, there is shadow…
‘… a strong structure and is full of rich writing and action. The plot has page turning twists and the main characters are likeable, especially the female lead. I hadn't read a vampire book in a while and was reminded of how intensely gruesome they can be. While this one has its squeamish moments it's not atypical for the genre, and I can't help liking a well written book! The Malta setting was perfect, making this a great escape read.’