Books in The Complete Classics series

Hank Morgan, a mechanic at a gun factory, is knocked unconscious and awakens in England in the year 528. He is captured and taken to Camelot, where he is put on exhibit before the knights of King Arthur’s Round Table. He is condemned to death, but remembering having read of an eclipse on the day of his execution, he amazes the court by predicting the eclipse. Later he concocts some crude gunpowder and uses it to blow up Merlin’s tower. It is decided that he is a sorcerer like Merlin, and he is made minister to the ineffectual king. In an effort to bring democratic principles and mechanical knowledge to the kingdom, he strings telephone wire, starts schools, trains mechanics, and teaches journalism. He also falls in love and marries. But when Hank tries to better the lot of the peasants, he meets opposition from many quarters, including the knights, the church, Merlin, and the sorceress Morgan le Fay. He and Arthur, in disguise, travel among the miserable common folk, are taken captive and sold as slaves, and only at the last second are rescued by 500 knights on bicycles. Hank and his family briefly retire to the seaside. When they return they find the kingdom engulfed in civil war, Arthur killed, and Hank’s innovations abandoned. Hank is wounded, and Merlin, pretending to nurse him, casts a spell that puts him to sleep until the 19th century.

The heroic and honorable Zorro, an ace with a gun and a demon with a sword, fights for the poor and oppressed a far cry from the effete young aristocrat Don Diego, who spends his days reading poetry and dreaming of the beautiful Lolita Pulido. When Lolita s family faces ruin and accusations of treason, Zorro must step in to save her family and her honor. But who is this masked caballero?With action aplenty, The Mark of Zorro, also known as The Curse of Capistrano, is an exciting tale of adventure and romance that has charmed generations of readers and film-goers alike.

Gods, heroes, legends and creatures – amazing constellations light up the night sky, and each has a special story. Dr Jacqueline Mitton’s lyrical text blends ancient myths with modern astronomical facts in this spectacular introduction to the wonder of our night sky. Christina Balit’s stunning, graphic images are the perfect accompaniment to these dramatic tales.

Dombey and Son is vintage Dickens and explores the classic themes of betrayal, cruelty and deceit. The novel follows the fortunes of Dombey, a businessman par excellence, who craves a son to inherit his enterprises. His family, and especially his daughter, the sweet and good-natured Florence, bear the brunt of his frustrations. Dombey's dysfunctional relationships are painted against a backdrop of social unrest in industrialised London, which is populated by a host of fascinating and memorable secondary characters. This novel is brought spectacularly to life by veteran reader David Timson.