K. J. Parker

Starting with the birth of Hewlett-Packard in the 1930s, Malone illustrates how decades of technological innovation, driven by the need for better hardware, laid the foundation for the meteoric rise of the Valley in the 1970s. Drawing on unvarnished interviews, he punctuates this history with incisive profiles of early luminaries, including William Shockley and Steve Jobs, when they were struggling entrepreneurs.

Civitas Vadanis is in trouble. The Mezentines have declared war; and the Mezentines are very focused on their goals when it comes to killing. Duke Valens, of Civitas Vadanis, has a dilemma. He knows that his city cannot withstand the invading army; yet its walls are his only defence against the Mezentines. Perhaps the only way to save his people is to flee, but that will not be easy either. Ziani Vaatzes, an engineer exiled by the Mezentines for his abominable creations, has already proven that he can defend a city. But Ziani Vaatzes has his own concerns, and the fate of Civitas Vadanis may not be one of them."Intelligent and compassionate?it should be celebrated." ?Interzone on Devices and Desires"One of the most entertaining fantasy debuts in recent years? incredibly vivid, refreshing, fun, thoughtful, absorbing."--SFX

473 pages ; 20 cm

"James Machie was a man with a genius for violence, his criminal empire spreading beyond Glasgow into England and mainland Europe. Fortunately, James Machie is dead, assassinated in the back of a prison ambulance following his trial and subsequent conviction. But now, five years later, he is apparently back from the grave, set on avenging himself on those who brought him down. At the top of his list is his previous associate, Frank MacDougall, who, unbeknownst to Detective Chief Inspector Jim Daley, is living under protection on his lochside patch of land in the small Scottish town of Kinloch. Having been the key to Machie's conviction, Detective Daley also knows that his old friend and colleague D. S. Scott is almost as big a target. And nothing, not even death, has ever stood in James Machie's way'--