Books in Pagan Chronicles series

Catherine Jinks spins a colorful tale loaded with action, down-and-dirty details of medieval life, and a healthy helping of sarcasm sure to appeal to teen readers - especially boys.Down on his luck and kicked in the pants one too many times, sixteen-year-old Pagan Kidrouk arrives on the doorstep of the Templar Knights in medieval Jerusalem, looking for work as a squire. He’s expecting only some protection from the seedier aspects of life on the street and a few square meals. Instead, Pagan finds himself hard at work for Lord Roland de Bram - an exciting life of polishing Lord Roland’s armor, laundering his garments, and even training to fight by his side. But as the Infidel Saladin leads his army to Jerusalem, it becomes more and more difficult for Pagan and Lord Roland to discern what action to take or whom to trust. Neither Saladin’s army nor the Christian Crusaders offer easy answers. Is a bloody battle for control of the Holy City inevitable?

Who was the first king of ancient Egypt - and who was the last? Which Egyptian queens ruled in their own right? What do we really know about the 170 or more pharaohs whose names have come down to us?Chronicle of the Pharaohs is the first book to set down in narrative form, using timelines and other visual aids throughout, all the rulers and dynasties of Egypt in their chronological order. Now no one need be in any doubt as to who came first, Tutankhamun or Ramesses the Great, or which pharaohs built the pyramids, and when: the Chronicle provides the answers.The biographical portraits of each pharaoh build into a comprehensive and immensely readable history of ancient Egypt, brought to life through the exploits and personalities of her rulers. From Narmer, who first united the lands along the Nile, to Cleopatra some 3000 years later, we see the way in which individual pharaohs helped to shape Egyptian civilization, and were themselves shaped by it. The narrative is supplemented by specially drawn cartouches of each pharaoh and translations of their names.Chronicle of the Pharaohs is at once a book to be enjoyed as popular history, an essential work of reference, and a visual introduction to the extraordinary diversity and richness of an ancient civilization. Museum-goers, students, tourists and everyone fascinated by the world of ancient Egypt will want to make the Chronicle their inseparable companion.

Sail the wild Atlantic in a longboat with Eric the Red and his son Leif Eriksson. They risked the stormy seas to reach strange new lands, becoming the first Europeans to set foot in North America. Explore their daily lives in this richly illustrated Codex, complete with gatefolds, Viking lore, and The Saga of Erik and Leif—miniature booklets that tell their tale.

Spanning over 2,000 years, from the great 'First Emperor', buried with his terracotta army in the 3rd century BC, to the last emperor, enthroned in the Forbidden City in 1911, Chronicle of the Chinese Emperors details the fascinating lives and personalities of all 157 Chinese emperors. In addition to timelines detailing the major events of every reign, this book includes each emperor's name in Chinese calligraphic script, and a datafile for each emperor listing key information, such as name at birth and imperial wives and concubines.

"Jinks's alternately hilarious, often poignant novel turns medieval history into fodder for both high comedy and allegory." — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)Down on his luck and kicked in the pants one too many times, Pagan Kidrouk arrives on the doorstep of the Templar Knights in medieval Jerusalem, looking for work as a squire. Expecting only a respite from life on the street and a few square meals, the sarcastic sixteen-year-old finds himself hard at work for Lord Roland de Bram — a not-so-exciting life of polishing Lord Roland's armor, laundering his garments, and even training to fight by his side. But as the Infidel Saladin leads his army to Jerusalem, it becomes more and more difficult for Pagan and Lord Roland to decide what action to take or whom to trust. Is a bloody battle for control of the Holy City inevitable?

The U.S. Naval Institute Chronicles series focuses on the relevance of history by exploring topics like significant battles, personalities, and service components. Tapping into the U.S. Naval Institute's robust archives, these carefully selected volumes help readers understand nuanced subjects by providing unique perspectives and some of the best contributions that have helped shape naval thinking over the many decades since the Institute's founding in 1873.From the American Revolution to the present day, the U.S. Marine Corps has often led the fight against America's enemies. The selections in this anthology offer insights into Marine Operations in Korea in 1871 and again in the 1950s, the Spanish American War, Vietnam, the First Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, and more.

"Jinks again displays an amazing knack for blending utterly convincing period detail, earthy wisecracking, and profound respect for courtly and spiritual ideals."—BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKSHaving renounced the sword, Pagan and Lord Roland arrive at the Abbey of St. Martin to devote their lives to God. But no sooner are they outfitted in their novices' habits than Pagan suspects that something mysterious is going on: someone is stealing alms, and Pagan is determined to find out who. The truth may come at a price, however — one that could force Pagan to reconsider his pious role and his dedication to Roland. Now available in paperback, the third adventure of the four-book Pagan Chronicles is a medieval thriller that leads the reader through a web of mystery and intrigue in the most unlikely of places.

"I LOVE these books. I'm now addicted to Pagan!" — Michael Cart, editor of Rush HourThe year is 1188, and Jerusalem is in the hands of the Infidel. Upstanding Crusaders and their squires — like Lord Roland Roucy de Bram and Pagan Kidrouk — are returning to Europe, hoping to rally more knights to their cause. The sardonic young Pagan expects Lord Roland's family to be the picture of fortitude and good manners, but he's in for a rude awakening. Brutish and unfeeling, the de Bram clan cares nothing for the Crusades, or indeed for anything outside their neighborhood in France. Meanwhile, local unrest is brewing. Church authorities are duking it out with the de Brams over a group of "heretics" living nearby. And now Pagan and Roland, sworn to defend Christianity, are left to decide for themselves who to stand by — and whom to trust.

The third of four books featuring Pagan's adventures, PAGAN'S VOWS is a medieval thriller that leads the reader through a web of mystery and intrigue — in the most unlikely of places.Having renounced the sword, Pagan and Lord Roland arrive at the Abbey of St. Martin to devote their lives to God. But no sooner are they outfitted in their novices' habits than Pagan suspects that something mysterious is going on. While the emotionally wrecked Roland tries to find peace in monastic life, the humility and blind obedience required of all novices do not come easily to the worldly Pagan — especially when he learns that the monastery is riddled with deceit and corruption. Someone is stealing alms, and Pagan is determined to find out who. But the truth may come at a price, one that could force him to reconsider his pious role — and his dedication to Roland.

The first book in the highly amusing, award-winning Pagan Chronicles. Entertaining historical fiction, set in twelfth century Jerusalem -- the time of the crusades. Wham! So here I am, standing in a sea of dirt, with a big mad Templar lobbing rocks at my head. Wham! Like some kind of martyr. Wham! He throws like a catapult. 'All right, Pagan, that's enough.' (I should damn well think so.) 'Do you see what your problem is?' Wait - don't tell me. You are. Pursued by some rather unsavoury (and unwashed) characters from the Jerusalem slums, sixteen-year-old Pagan Kidrouk has a cunning idea to avoid paying his debts - he'll join the order of the Templars. But it's out of the frying pan and into the fire, when he's assigned as squire to Lord Roland. Providing Templar escort to naive pilgrims is one thing, defending Jerusalem against the Infidels, led by Saladin, is definitely not what he signed up for! An action-packed, fast-moving story enlivened by the narrator's wry reflections and warm wit.