When conservative millionaire A. C. King hosts his annual house party at his spacious mountain lodge, he has no idea it will be the last family reunion. Yet the mellow autumn air is tension-filled with the presence of A. C.’s beautiful second wife, the constrained animosities of his two older sons, and the tippling of his flower-child daughter-in-law. But it is the unwelcome arrival of youngest son Lucas, with a ravishing black fiancée in tow, that is the true kiss of death. Even Conan Flagg, an old family friend and private investigator, doesn't foresee the sudden tragedy that leaves the party diminished and vulnerable to a cunning killer. As a blizzard seals their isolation, Conan attempts to identify the murderer among them before he or she strikes again....

Eighteen year old King has been in and out of high school and in and out of town ever since his mother's nervous breakdown. When his girlfriend Jana commits suicide he flees again to escape his feelings about her death. The journey takes him to a ski town and a job in a truck-stop cafe run by Maggie, a hard woman who has suffered similar losses of her own. King meets a new girl, Sunny, and begins to carve out a life for himself by becoming one of the best skiers on the mountain. But he can't escape his past and his dangerous skiing brings him into conflict with Denny, the head of the Ski Patrol and Sunny's ex-boyfriend. Once more King turns to flee from his problems--but this time Maggie stands in his way and escape is not so easy.

In 'The King of the Mountains,' an enrapturing novel written by Edmond About, readers embark on a gripping journey through the majestic peaks of the Alps, where they are introduced to a cast of intriguing characters and witness the clash of traditionalism and modernity in a remote village. Set in the mid-19th century, the story revolves around the life of a charismatic and enigmatic mountaineer named Matteo Falcone. Known as the King of the Mountains, Matteo embodies the rugged spirit and independence of the Alpine people, who live in harmony with nature and their ancestral customs. The villagers, in awe of his strength and wisdom, regard him as their leader and protector. Through the eyes of various characters, including a young engineer named Arthur, a headstrong village girl named Angele, and the mysterious Matteo himself, the author skillfully explores themes of identity, love, and the inevitable clash between tradition and progress.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1861.

A birth is taking place, not a birth that will be recorded for a later celebration. It is the birth of a bear; a birth that goes near unnoticed by its mother. Bill is a Marine who married his college sweet heart, and now he is without her. He decides that he needs to go to the mountains - the mountains his father brought him as a boy. This is where he will get his head clear and figure out what he must do with his life. What will Bill discover up in the mountains?

People may choose to ignore their animal heritage by interpreting their behavior as divinely inspired, socially purposeful, or even self-serving, all of which they attribute to being human, but they masticate, fornicate, and procreate, much as chimps and apes do, so they should have little cause to get upset if they learn that they act like other primates when they politically agitate, debate, abdicate, placate, and administrate, too." -- from the book King of the Mountain presents the startling findings of Arnold M. Ludwig's eighteen-year investigation into why people want to rule. The answer may seem obvious -- power, privilege, and perks -- but any adequate answer also needs to explain why so many rulers cling to power even when they are miserable, trust nobody, feel besieged, and face almost certain death. Ludwig's results suggest that leaders of nations tend to act remarkably like monkeys and apes in the way they come to power, govern, and rule. Profiling every ruler of a recognized country in the twentieth century -- over 1,900 people in all­­, Ludwig establishes how rulers came to power, how they lost power, the dangers they faced, and the odds of their being assassinated, committing suicide, or dying a natural death. Then, concentrating on a smaller sub-set of 377 rulers for whom more extensive personal information was available, he compares six different kinds of leaders, examining their characteristics, their childhoods, and their mental stability or instability to identify the main predictors of later political success. Ludwig's penetrating observations, though presented in a lighthearted and entertaining way, offer important insight into why humans have engaged in war throughout recorded history as well as suggesting how they might live together in peace.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1869.

A collection of the first three books in the Mountain King Series, including Eclipse of the Triple Moons, Zita's Revenge, and Rescue of the Stone Warriors. Eclipse of the Triple Moons THEY WERE JUST PLAYING A GAME Four teenagers playing a real-life fantasy game in a Montana mountain cave find a portal to another world. Alpherge, Sherry, Lily, and Erik step through the shimmering portal, and find themselves in a strange world with three moons hanging low in the sky. As they explore this new world, they come across an ancient and powerful magical staff imbued with the ability to control elemental magic. But their adventure takes a turn for the worse when they learn that a ruthless dark sorcerer seeking to harness the power of the triple moon eclipse kidnaps their friend Lily. Vowing to save their friend despite the dangers, the trio sets out to rescue Lily, using the magical staff to overcome the many obstacles and enemies they face along the way. As they journey through enchanted snow-capped mountains, they discover a hidden strength within themselves and the true power of friendship. This fast-paced Young Adult Fantasy Action-Adventure story has many twists and turns and forces the teens to use their wits and abilities to save their friend. But, will they reach their friend before the sacrifice on the day of the triple solar eclipse? Zita’s Revenge The mysterious and treacherous world of Aloheno holds many secrets, but none as powerful and sought-after as the legendary golden crown. When high school students Erik and Al discover the crown's potential to open a portal back to Earth, they must battle against the vengeful Zita and her powerful magic to capture it. With the aid of the wise mentor Gadiel and the courage of their convictions, Erik and Al must confront their inner demons and resist Zita's wrath. Will they succeed in their quest, or will Zita triumph? Rescue of the Stone Warriors In a world of magic and mystery, two teenage wizards set out on a quest to rescue a group of stone warriors who have been captured in stone by a tyrannical wizard king. Armed with magical powers and aided by ancient manuscripts, the wizards embark on a dangerous journey through the Phantasmal Moors, facing onerous foes to find answers which have eluded the mighty. As they draw closer to their goal, humans, wizards and nature stand in their way, determined to keep the stone warriors under the king's ancient spell. With their lives and the fate of the stone warriors at stake, the wizards must use all their cunning and strength to overcome the king's dark magic, and bring the stone warriors back to their rightful place in the world. Filled with epic battles, intense magic, and heart-pumping action, Rescue of the Stone Warriors is a thrilling tale of adventure and bravery in a land where anything is possible.