Chapter 10 Hassan waited, trying to calm his racing heart, until the last faint sound of her footsteps had died away. He did not know whether to be glad or sorry at her reaction, whether to be proud or ashamed by his forbearance. When all seemed quiet, he made his way to the door and …
A Life on Our Planet
by David Attenborough A Review There can be few people around the world who have not heard of David Attenborough. He has been involved in nature broadcasting for around seventy of his ninety-four* years. During this time, he has probably seen more of the planet than anyone else alive today. This book, A Life on …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(ch9)
Chapter 9 Constantinople The Sea of Marmara was like a sheet of blue glass as the Venetian Trader skimmed over the water towards the harbour like a graceful swan. Hassan felt a surge of excitement as the city of Constantine loomed up before him, its walls high and seemingly unbreachable. It had been four years …
The Stolen Sisters
by Louise Jensen ‘That was when she saw a glint of silver. A sharp point pressed against her neck. Instantly the bottom fell out of her world, her body slackened. She had to stay alive for her sisters.’The Stolen Sisters (2020) is the sixth of Louise Jensen’s psychological thrillers. It follows the same structure that …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(ch8)
Chapter 8 There were four men in the room. Doquz recognised Sabbah’s voice. Though the man to whom he was speaking had his back towards her, she guessed he was the castle’s senior officer. A helmet with a captain’s plume lay on the table beside a jug of liquor. On his left sat a younger …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(ch7)
Chapter 7 Doquz crept along in the darkness, her companions a few paces behind. Hampered by the bags of coins fastened to their sword belts, their progress was slow. The atmosphere was stifling and the air seemed more unwholesome than before. They had almost reached the junction where the funnel led upwards to the garden …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(ch6)
The Mongol army was made up in units of ten: arban: a troop of ten men jagun: a squadron of ten arbans minghan: a regiment of ten jaguns tumen: a division of ten minghans Chapter 6 Tabriz It was a grey sultry afternoon, more like the sleepy days of summer than the pleasurably warm ones …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(ch5)
Chapter 5 Rayy, Persia And what shoulder, and what art could twist the sinews of thy heart? (William Blake) With a flourish of his pen, Rashid ad-Din Fadl Allah Hamadani wrote his name at the end of a completed folio of his History. The sound of voices in the room below reached him through the …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(ch4)
Chapter 4 And what shoulder, and what art could twist the sinews of thy heart? (William Blake) VENICE, ITALY The clash of swords disturbed the tranquillity of the valley. On an open stretch of ground amid sprouting vines, and overlooking a lazy bend in the River Po, two men were exercising vigorously. One was tall, …
The Tiger and the Cauldron(ch3)
Chapter 3 Gaikatu opened his eyes feeling dazed and nauseous. The dawn light was creeping through the single window of the homestead. He was cold and his hands and feet were numb. He tried to remember how the night had ended, but all was a jumble of dreamlike images. The sound of breathing coming from …
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