Books with author Mary James

Space adventure. It is a hundred years since the War with the Robots and the universe is a much safer place thanks to the Empire's 'Anti-Robot' directive outlawing anything with more artificial intelligence than that required to operate a dustpan. So it comes as something of a surprise to junior planetary engineer Karl Dougan when he discovers two fully-functioning, supposedly long-extinct robots on a remote planet. His plan of quietly ignoring this worrying event doesn't quite pan out as he expects, setting in motion an adventure involving space pirates, a pretty and determined journalist, a rogue battle computer, and seven very driven, acutely intelligent, robots...What Amazon readers are saying about THE COLOUR OF ROBOTS:"Loved this book. Science fiction at its best.""... a great first novel...""...carefully written with excellent observational humour.""...kept me awake until 04:00, couldn't put it down""... combines well-plotted adventure with an archetypal story, spiked with laugh out loud asides."James Marson combines his love of humour, science fiction and adventure in this debut novel suitable for readers of most ages and fans of sci-fi and general fiction alike. As one reviewer kindly puts it..."Do yourself a massive favour and buy this book..."

A true triumph of voice and storytelling, The Book of Night Women rings with both profound authenticity and a distinctly contemporary energy. It is the story of Lilith, born into slavery on a Jamaican sugar plantation at the end of the eighteenth century. Even at her birth, the slave women around her recognize a dark power that they- and she-will come to both revere and fear. The Night Women, as they call themselves, have long been plotting a slave revolt, and as Lilith comes of age they see her as the key to their plans. But when she begins to understand her own feelings, desires, and identity, Lilith starts to push at the edges of what is imaginable for the life of a slave woman, and risks becoming the conspiracy's weak link. But the real revelation of the book-the secret to the stirring imagery and insistent prose-is Marlon James himself, a young writer at once breath­takingly daring and wholly in command of his craft.

"The closer he got, the brighter that red became. It was a rose—a rose that had no earthly business growing there, right in the middle of all that dust."Just as Jeremiah Goodbye is set to meet his fate in the electric chair, he is given a second chance at life. With the flip of a coin, he decides to return to his home town of Nowhere, Oklahoma, to settle the score with his twin brother Josiah. But upon his escape, he enters a world he doesn’t recognize—one that has been overtaken by the Dust Bowl. And the gift he once relied on to guide him is as unrecognizable as the path back to Nowhere.On his journey home, he accidentally rescues a young boy, and the pair arrive at their destination where they are greeted by darkened skies and fearful townspeople who have finally begun to let the past few years of hardship bury them under the weight of all that dust. Unlikely heroes, Jeremiah and his new companion, Peter Cotton, try to protect the residents of Nowhere from themselves, but Jeremiah must face his nightmares and free himself from the guilt of his past and the secrets that destroyed his family.Filled with mystery and magic, this exquisite novel from award-winning author James Markert is a story of finding hope in the midst of darkness and discovering the beauty of unexpected kindness.

"The closer he got, the brighter that red became. It was a rose—a rose that had no earthly business growing there, right in the middle of all that dust."Just as Jeremiah Goodbye is set to meet his fate in the electric chair, he is given a second chance at life. With the flip of a coin, he decides to return to his home town of Nowhere, Oklahoma, to settle the score with his twin brother Josiah. But upon his escape, he enters a world he doesn’t recognize—one that has been overtaken by the Dust Bowl. And the gift he once relied on to guide him is as unrecognizable as the path back to Nowhere.On his journey home, he accidentally rescues a young boy, and the pair arrive at their destination where they are greeted by darkened skies and fearful townspeople who have finally begun to let the past few years of hardship bury them under the weight of all that dust. Unlikely heroes, Jeremiah and his new companion, Peter Cotton, try to protect the residents of Nowhere from themselves, but Jeremiah must face his nightmares and free himself from the guilt of his past and the secrets that destroyed his family.Filled with mystery and magic, this exquisite novel from award-winning author James Markert is a story of finding hope in the midst of darkness and discovering the beauty of unexpected kindness.

*WINNER OF THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2015*JAMAICA, 1976 Seven gunmen storm Bob Marley’s house, machine guns blazing. The reggae superstar survives, but the gunmen are never caught. From the acclaimed author of The Book of Night Women comes a dazzling display of masterful storytelling exploring this near-mythic event. Spanning three decades and crossing continents, A Brief History of Seven Killings chronicles the lives of a host of unforgettable characters – slum kids, one-night stands, drug lords, girlfriends, gunmen, journalists, and even the CIA. Gripping and inventive, ambitious and mesmerising, A Brief History of Seven Killings is one of the most remarkable and extraordinary novels of the twenty-first century.

Norma and her parents are going to her great-uncle Frank’s funeral, and Norma is more excited than sad. She is looking forward to playing with her favorite cousin, Ray, but when she arrives at the church, she is confronted with rituals and ideas that have never occurred to her before. While not all questions can be answered, when the day is over Norma is certain of one thing ― Uncle Frank would have enjoyed his funeral.This sensitive and life-affirming story will lead young readers to ask their own questions about life, death and how we remember those who have gone before us.

In the aftermath of the Battles of Khambula and Gingindlovu, a lull fell over the war-torn Zulu Kingdom. Though British forces under Lord Chelmsford emerged victorious during both encounters, earlier defeats, casualties, and supply shortages required them to withdraw back into Natal. Now with waves of long-awaited reinforcements arriving, Chelmsford prepares to launch a second invasion of Zululand.Death and destruction have taken their toll on the Zulu people. Thousands of families mourn for their loved ones, while refugees flee from the devastation of the border regions. Despite the defeats and fearful losses, King Cetshwayo, who never wanted war in the first place, takes heart in knowing that, strategically, his enemies were compelled to retreat from his lands. He hopes this will allow him to come to terms with the British before Chelmsford can renew the war in earnest.Unbeknownst to the king, Lord Chelmsford has received word from London that he is to be replaced by General Sir Garnet Wolseley. His lordship is determined to expedite the invasion and utterly crush Cetshwayo’s forces at any cost, denying Wolseley the chance to usurp him before he can expunge the humiliation that has lingered since the dark days following the defeat at Isandlwana.