Books with author WILLIAM SIMPSON

Close to death, a loner who lives a life of slavery to geomantic forces tries to forget the horror he glimpsed and the god-like beings that threaten the very existence of the world.A young woman cursed by a witch seeks shelter in a castle as winter closes in- only to find herself propelled into a nightmare.A healer who has reached the limit of her abilities and endurance when she struggles with a mysterious, incurable disease, seeks help from her mentor but is swept up in events beyond her control.In each of these people and many others, ancient forces stir in response to the existential threat facing the world of Aona. A suffocating darkness to stand against the destroying light; a raging torrent of power bestowed through a thousand years of blood.Oblivion's Forge is the first book in the Aona series, which tells of a monumental struggle between two great powers, an unparalleled existential war."What if all of this- our powers, our world- is that last light hanging in the void?"

This book traces the historical relationship between American political institutions and the developing society out of which they have evolved. It begins with a survey of the Thirteen Colonies, founded between 1607 and 1732, and concludes with an assessment of the American political system following the resignation of President Nixon in 1974.Topics covered include the impact of the American Revolution, 1776-1783; the framing of the Constitution; the emergence of political parties; the expanding role of the Supreme Court; the advent of Jacksonian democracy; the crises of Civil War and Reconstruction; the effects of territorial expansion and industrial growth on the political system, and the expanding role of government culminating in Roosevelt's New Deal; the responsibilities shared between Congress and the Presidency for the conduct of foreign policy and the constitutional consequences of America's rise to world power. The book has been written with two needs particularly in mind. For those studying American government it provides the historic background needed to understand why the political system has evolved as it has done. For those studying American history it provides a coherent treatment of constitutional developments, related to the contexts in which they occurred. The book should also be helpful to the general reader who wishes to understand the United States and the working of its system of government.

Fractured and Other Fairy Tales is a unique collection of sixteen fairy tales—some “fractured” classics, and some original stories—that offer new ways to understand familiar characters.William Thompson presents a series of often funny and sometimes dark tales that twist and shape traditional tales into something fresh and new.Whether it's Goldilocks meeting the three pigs, Red Riding Hood learning new ways to outwit the wolf, or Gretel starting up her own franchise, these stories are told in unexpected and captivating ways.There are not-so-familiar characters as well, such as the sly Mr. Fox with an appetite for geese, the seven ravens who need their enterprising young sister to save them from their father's curse, and a brave and clever girl who leaves home to see the world—and ends up saving a kingdom.Inspired by such writers as Thomas Wharton, Robert Paul Weston, and Jane Yolen, this collection reimagines many beloved fairy tales and provides new yarns that carry on a rich storytelling tradition.