Books with author Starr Martin

This fascinating book tells the story of the soviet space dogs, illustrated with legendary photographer Martin Parr's vintage space-dog memorabilia. In the 1950s the space race between the USA and the USSR was well and truly on, and was for both a matter of pride and propaganda. But before man ventured into the cosmos, his four-legged friends would pave the way for space exploration. The first canine cosmonaut was Laika, meaning 'barker'. The little stray could never have anticipated that she would one day float 200 miles above the Moscow streets. She would be canonized as a proletarian hero, appearing on stamps, postcards and souvenirs. Her successors were Belka and Strelka, the first dogs to successfully return safely to Earth, and with them, the cult of the space dog was born.In a regime that eschewed celebrating individual achievement, the space dogs became Soviet superstars, with a vast array of merchandise, books and films in their honor.A must for read for fans of Soviet Space Dogs by Olesya Turkina and Designed in the USSR: 1950-1989 by Moscow Design Museum..

THE BRONZE SMITHBy Starr MartinShoni is the teenage son of a smith, a privileged person in the warrior society of the Five Tribes. For Stonehenge is not yet a ruin but an awesome temple complex, under the control of the priests of the Sun and their Guards; the secrets of bronze and the weapons made from it belong only to the powerful Guild of Smiths.But the murder of his parents sends Shoni fleeing into the wild - a homeless outcast. He is saved by a chance encounter with the people of the Deer. They are a hunting tribe who shun metal. Blythe, the vivid, impulsive son of their leader, adopts Shoni as a brother. He finds shelter and friendship at their hearth, and is accepted as a man of the tribe when he undergoes initiation along with the other youths.But he must also make the pilgrimage to the Circles of the Sun, by way of Lanavon, the centre of the priests of the Sun; this plunges him back into danger, into a web of intrigue and murder, and his enemy is revealed as a man of great power. He has to face false accusation, battle and trial by combat. He also has to face the awesome High Priest of the Sun himself, if he is to get justice for his parents and win back his place in the world of the Five Tribes as an apprentice smith. How he achieves this, and at what cost, with the help of Blythe and the other new young men of the Deer, makes a thrilling tale of treachery, loyalty, death and an unexpected romance.Published by The Electronic Book Companywww.theelectronicebookcompany.com

Although aimed at young teens, readers of all ages are urged to check out this entertaining adventure with its informative bits of historical fiction. +++ "So if you've got a real bastard to work on," Aaron put in, seeing what their mentor was getting at, "this file is the one to use." "Bingo," affirmed Charlie with a wink. +++ The adventure begins when brothers Aaron and Kyle Gardner find a steel file while hiking in the Carolina Blue Hills. Who had brought it to this wilderness and why? The mystery takes a back seat when the two stumble upon a girl who is staying at a nearby camp with her parents. For Aaron, it was love at first sight. +++ Interspersed with interesting characters and humorous moments, the tale takes the reader back in time to the Georgia gold rush and the Cherokee Trail of Tears; early 1800's events with present day ramifications for the brothers and their new friend. What begins as a hunt for long hidden gold turns into a race to save a man's life. Will the brothers find him in time?

Some people live in magical kingdoms. Bavaria is one such place, full of lakes, big castles, stunning warm summers and traditional snow covered winters. Prince Otto is a lovable and daring young man who seems to have it all, but suddenly he finds that his happy life is under threat. This is a story about the battle between a villain and the young Prince Otto who discovers that the world is sometimes not friendly or fair. Soon Otto is shown how politics really works and through the power of his creative mind he finds his voice, the ability to win friends, invent amazing technology and change his country. Ultimately he finds the courage to inspire the world to do things better.

Although aimed at young teens, readers of all ages are urged to check out this entertaining adventure with its informative bits of historical fiction. "So if you've got a real bastard to work on," Aaron put in, seeing what their mentor was getting at, "this file is the one to use." "Bingo," affirmed Charlie with a wink. The adventure begins when brothers Aaron and Kyle Gardner find a steel file while hiking in the Carolina Blue Hills. Who had brought it to this wilderness and why? The mystery takes a back seat when the two stumble upon a girl who is staying at a nearby camp with her parents. For Aaron, it was love at first sight. +++ Interspersed with interesting characters and humorous moments, the tale takes the reader back in time to the Georgia gold rush and the Cherokee Trail of Tears; early 1800's events with present day ramifications for the brothers and their new friend. What begins as a hunt for long hidden gold turns into a race to save a man's life. Will the brothers find him in time?