Effie, Wolf, Raven, and Max are faced with their most challenging adventure yet in the third installment of the magical Worldquake series, which Kirkus Reviews calls “tailor-made for Harry Potter’s fans.” Effie Truelove and her school friends Lexy, Wolf, Maximilian, and Raven must put their magical skills to the test. The Diberi, a corrupt organization intent on destroying the world, has returned and has something sinister planned at Midwinter. But during a visit to the Otherworld, Effie is mistaken and imprisoned for being a galloglass—a dangerous, selfish islander. Meanwhile, Lexy is threatened by the vile professor Jupiter Peacock and Wolf embarks on a perilous journey to find his missing sister. And back at school, Neptune the cat is bored. He’s used to lording over the other stray cats, but they’ve all mysteriously vanished. Where could they be—and how will he find them? Can Effie and her friends reunite before their universe ceases to exist?

This volume contains the proceedings of a recent Edinburgh conference at which scholars discussed the intersection of Scottish and Irish politics and culture in the later Middle Ages. It was a world epitomized by the neglected figure of the galloglass and several of the papers explore the role of these West Highland dynasties and their rapid proliferation throughout Ireland from the late thirteenth century onwards, but the volume also examines the high politics of Scottish royal involvement in Ireland, and the common culture of Gaeldom, particularly as manifested in the corpus of surviving bardic verse. Contributors include: Steve Boardman, David Caldwell, Alison Cathcart, Seán Duffy, David Edwards, Wilson McLeod, Kenneth Nicholls, Alasdair Ross, Katharine Simms, and Alex Woolf.

With Fadó, long forgotten about episodes from Irish history are presented in easy to follow short chapters. Who was Crom Cruach and what are Holy Wells? Who were the priest catchers and why were corpses stolen? How did a Cork woman become a feared pirate of the Caribbean and why is William Melville not loved by all in his native county? For such a small island, Ireland has history and archaeology in abundance and much of this is often only known to people in the locality. The author has travelled the island extensively and researched long forgotten characters and events, some of whom are stranger than fiction. Irish men and women of all hues and generations are examined here as the reader is guided through a land of heroes and villains, saints and scholars, pestilence and prosperity. Fadó is a book that can be read with ease and the author’s passion for his subject is infectious. It is a must read for anyone interested in Irish history.

This collection of twelve essays presents historical approaches to the lives of the variety of Scots who fought overseas from the 13th to the 20th century. Topics include: Scots in medieval Ireland; the Scots fighting as part of the 'Auld Alliance' with France in the 15th and 16th centuries; Scots active in warfare in early modern Russia; a Scottish NCO who was in Marlborough's wars and recorded his adventures in an autobiography; a shrewd colonial governor in early 18th-century America; Scottish military experiences in India; soldiers in Romantic fiction, especially Scott's Quentin Durward; the camp and barrack-room life of Scottish regiments in the 19th century; Scots in the Spanish Civil War; and Scottish soldiers as part of the final decades of the British Empire. While set against a military background, these studies also aim to investigate the social contexts in which Scottish soldiers functioned in many lands during a period of seven centuries. This volume is the second in a new series, the Mackie Monographs, based on the Mackie Symposia held in the University of Aberdeen, which have as their theme the historical study of Scotland's overseas links.

Exiles is an epic Irish historical fiction Exiles series. It is set against the backdrop of the Elizabethan wars in Ireland in the 1590s. A world of Irish clans, their politics and the fight for supremacy, where spies and intrigue prosper, where the embers burn for a rebellion against the English crown. If you love fast-paced action and adventure orientated historical fiction, then you will love these books. Buy Exiles box set 1-3 to discover this exciting new series today. This digital box set contains the first, second and third books in the Exiles series. Bad blood ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "Bad Blood is a fantastic historical fiction novel that does not shy away from the dark complications of the world," - Reedsy Discovery Uprising: two kingdoms, one wedding and the hangman’s noose ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “a real page-turner that leaves readers wanting more,” “The conflict between the Crown and natives is brilliantly and elaborately written, the characters are rock-solid and relatable, and the plot is twisty as it can get,” – The Book Commentary ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “This is the second book in the series and like the first one it has a lot of historical events. I enjoy reading stories like this, it is fast paced and adventurous and it holds your attention to the end. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction,” – Reader review Traitor Maguire ★★★★ “A must read addition to the Exiles series that leaves you wanting more,” "has to be the most exciting of the books so far." - Reedsy Discovery

Medieval Ireland: An Encyclopedia brings together in one authoritative resource the multiple facets of life in Ireland before and after the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1169, from the sixth to sixteenth century. Multidisciplinary in coverage, this A–Z reference work provides information on historical events, economics, politics, the arts, religion, intellectual history, and many other aspects of the period. With over 345 essays ranging from 250 to 2,500 words, Medieval Ireland paints a lively and colorful portrait of the time. For a full list of entries, contributors, and more, visit the Routledge Encyclopedias of the Middle Ages website.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "Bad Blood is a fantastic historical fiction novel that does not shy away from the dark complications of the world," - Reedsy Discovery ★ ★ ★ ★ ⋆ (4.5 stars) “Bad Blood is a riveting page turner with well-developed characters and vivid descriptions, transporting the reader back to a more violent, unsettled time in history,” – The Historical Fiction Company A gripping, fast-paced historical fiction adventure set in rebellious Ireland in the 1590s. Eunan Maguire lives in a small village in Fermanagh. He is mistreated by his parents and then taken to Enniskillen as a hostage to ensure his father’s loyalty. He returns after being trained as a Galloglass warrior to confront his parents and to ensure his father pledges to the prospective new Maguire. But before he can do that the English raid his village, his parents are killed, he flees to save himself, and he blames himself for their death. When he flees he meets Seamus MacSheehy, the head of a wandering band of Galloglass warriors. Seamus listens to his story and encourages him to take his father’s title of the head of the village. Eunan goes to the election of the new leader of the Maguire clan to claim his father’s voting rights. With Seamus’s guidance, he sets out to ingratiate himself with the new Maguire. But all is not well for Eunan is wracked with guilt because of the death of his parents and Seamus is not all he appears. Fermanagh is torn apart by faction fighting and the English invade. He is called to fight for the new Maguire. Will Eunan find out why his parents hated him so much and was it connected to the mysterious circumstances around their death? Will Eunan discover who Seamus MacSheehy really is and why he has taken such an interest in him? Or will the clan fall and perish under the English onslaught? Bad Blood is the first book in the epic Irish historical fiction Exiles series. It is set against the backdrop of the Elizabethan wars in Ireland in the 1590s. A world of Irish clans, their politics and the fight for supremacy, where spies and intrigue prosper, where the embers burn for a rebellion against the English crown. If you love fast-paced action and adventure orientated historical fiction, then you will love this book. Buy Bad Blood to discover this exciting new series today.

Mercenaries have been active in battle from the beginning of military history and, as private armies and military support firms, they are a major component of warfare today. Security, military advice, training, logistics support, policing, technological expertise, intelligence, transportation—all are outsourced to a greater or lesser degree in the U.S. military. However, privatization is not a uniquely American phenomenon. Countries as diverse as Saudi Arabia and Australia rely on privatization in one form or another. Historically, heads of state, politicians, and other administrators have justified use of mercenaries on the basis of their effectiveness, and cost-savings. These reasons and others continue to serve as rationales for use of private military companies in military strategy. Mercenaries: A Guide to Private Armies and Private Military Companies provides a comprehensive survey and guide to mercenary forces, entrepreneurs, and corporations active on the international military scene today, including a concise history of mercenaries and private armies on land, sea, and in the air. Narrative chapters are amply supplemented by sidebars including biographies of major figures, key statistics, historical and current documents, contracts, and legislation on private armies and outsourced military services. Each chapter includes a bibliography of books, journal articles, and web sites, and a general bibliography concludes the entire work.

★★★★ “There’s a real feel for the period and understanding of the lives of these early Irish rebels, and the politicking between men jostling for power and position is complex, fascinating and makes for great fictional drama.” - Reedsy Discovery A gripping action packed historical thriller set in the rebellion in Ireland in the 1590s. In the wild lands of Ireland, the embers of the Irish rebellion still burn bright. Eunan Maguire seemingly has all he ever dreamed of, a command in the rebel army, a prestigious marriage to cement a Maguire alliance and control of his family lands. But all is not well for such lofty heights bring much responsibility and many enemies. Eunan discovers a significant downside to his marriage for he needs to live up to the expectations of his new father-in-law. War returns and he also must prove himself worthy of the position he has been given for to contemplate defeat would be the end of the clan. Stifling the greed and ambition of the Sheriff of Sligo, he has made him his mortal enemy. In the meantime, a friendship wanes for Seamus MacSheehy but the return of the war throws them back together again. Both will have their loyalties tested to the limit. Will Eunan prove himself or be overwhelmed by his multitude of enemies? Will the Sheriff of Sligo get his revenge on Eunan? Will Seamus be able to put aside the past for him to succeed? Who will survive the ultimate test of loyalty? Breach of the peace is the third book in the epic Irish historical fiction Exiles series. It is set against the backdrop of the Elizabethan wars in Ireland in the 1590s. A world of Irish clans, their politics and the fight for supremacy, where spies and intrigue prosper, where the embers burn for a rebellion against the English crown. If you love fast-paced action and adventure orientated historical fiction, then you will love this book. Buy Breach of the peace to discover this exciting new series today.

This book brings together the major writings of David Sellar (1941–2019) on the genealogies (pedigrees) claimed by some of the major clans of medieval Highland and Island Scotland, especially the descendants of their twelfth-century king Somerled. The claimed pedigrees in the medieval Gaelic 1467 manuscript and the Irish genealogies are critically analysed in relation to each other, and their historical authenticity tested against other evidence, including the Gaelic or Norse quality of their recorded names. Contemporary literary material is considered alongside later recorded traditions descending from the seanchaidh, whose work was to hand down to posterity the valorous actions, conquests, battles, skirmishes, marriages and relations of the chiefly ancestors by relating and singing them at births, baptisms, marriages, inaugurations, feasts and funerals. The family pedigrees offer crucial insights into the nature of medieval society, supporting and sometimes explaining a family's socio-political position. As an exercise in propaganda, a pedigree was susceptible to fabrication and not to be trusted uncritically. David Sellar's meticulous analysis reveals the social and political realities of medieval Celtic Scotland, making use of heraldic evidence as well as his legal expertise, in a fluent and reader-friendly style.