A young Achaean prince (from northern ancient Greece) is captured in a raid. His younger brother Orfeo, and a group of warriors are sent on a mission to look for him. Telemon, a legendary warrior, and Zurga, an elderly wanderer, are soon joined by Clarice, a girl who is a master of disguise. To their dismay they find that the kidnapped prince has been made a galley slave and that the maritime power of Thera plans to conquer the entire Mediterranean. Can they avert disaster? Dr Murray Eiland Jr is a retired psychiatrist and a scholar of Oriental Carpets. Although he has traveled extensively...

Bart Northcote vigorously defies stereotypes. He is a Los Angeles private detective who also writes books that are loosely disguised as fiction. He has a keen sense of making money from every job, and has a voracious appetite for art. Here he is involved in tracking down the whereabouts of a fabulous antiquity, called the Ishtar Cup, which has been smuggled out of Iraq after the Gulf War. The problem is that his client, who refuses to giver her real name, wants Bart to follow one of her co-conspirators to make sure they know that they are being watched. Bart suspects he is being played, but...

A rising threat from the biggest city in the world The Emperor of Babylon has captured Zurga - a brilliant inventor - and is demanding to know how to control volcanic eruptions. He also desires iron weapons, a closely guarded Hittite secret. The emperor plans conquer all the lands surrounding the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. He has a vast spy network and is preparing a huge army. Orfeo and Clarice, both trained as wanderers, must use all of their skills to save their friend and teacher. They must also stop the Emperor who believes himself to be a deity. Can they stop a madman that could...

The Getae inhabited the region on either side of the Lower Danube River, in what is today northern Bulgaria and southern Romania. They were in contact with ancient Greeks from an early date. Herodotus - writing in the 5th century BC - extols their martial spirit: ..".when it lightens and thunders, they aim their arrows at the sky, uttering threats against the god; and they do not believe that there is any god but their own." They ruthlessly incorporate conquered people into their society through enslavement, and are prepared to kill those who are not useful to their plans. They have no need...

A Powerless Prisoner: A Captive God No one is sure when the New World deity Quetzalcoatl was first worshipped. The god-man can be portrayed as a feathered serpent - and also associated with a bright green bird of the same name - but he was worshipped in a variety of ways by various cultures. Some versions of the myth state that he was a man with light hair, beard, blue eyes, and light skin. After helping humankind, he was said to have returned to his home, promising to return. It is not surprising that he has been identified as a Viking by some historians (and as an extraterrestrial by more...

An Aging Star's Race to Save His Family Matt Martin is a Hollywood star from another era. He is still well known for his Westerns. His best roles - as well as his personal happiness - are apparently behind him. He contemplates spending his golden years alone. Although he plays a fearless hero, he now faces the most challenging role of this life with uncertainty. Here he employs Los Angeles private detective Bart Northcote to locate his estranged daughter. Things turn around for Matt after he invites his daughter and the mother of his child to his idyllic estate. He kicks his alcohol habit,...

Bart is on the trail of an international woman of mystery who has taken the heart, and all the money, of a high profile movie star. She has a reputation for shaking down vulnerable and wealthy bachelors. She seems to have the ability to be in more than one place at one time. Who are her co-conspirators, what is their goal, and most importantly, can Bart get his client's money back? Bart finds that his skills are no match for his new opponents. His rapidly expanding office now includes a long-suffering secretary with experience in the movie business, a tough as nails PI, an adult movie star...

Fighting from the Shadows After the conquest of Babylon the victors installed the daughter of the former king as ruler of that city state. Zinaida is now beginning to feel stirrings of divinity, and seeks vengeance upon the coalition who put her on the throne. One by one surrounding kings are removed. This time there will be no grand coalition to challenge the might of Babylon. The battle will be in the shadows. Zinaida has sent spies to locate Zurga, and she is greatly concerned that he cannot be found. After an attempt on his life, Orfeo and Clarice decide to go directly to Mesopotamia in...

What Happens After You Catch A Dragon's Tail? Mr. Winchester Lee represents a group in the Far East that is concerned that the New York Stock Exchange is being manipulated. He states that he has every confidence that Bart Northcote and his associates are up to the task. He seems to know every secret the office has tried to hide. He must also know that such a small firm is not equipped to handle such a gargantuan task. Mr. Lee is adamant that Bart must find his own way as not to give any indication that the conspiracy has been discovered. At the same time, Bart understands that Mr. Lee's...

After his time as a double agent, Cyrus is bored with his easy life in Kuragalu (in modern Iraq). He returns to Babylon to find his old friend Balik, who has fallen on hard times. They decide to head to Elam (in Southwest Iran) and take up their old profession of merchant/spies. They find more adventure than they bargained for during their trip. Both of them are sold into slavery. Cyrus frees himself, and with Balik is soon in command of a band of ex-slaves. After proving their worth in a battle against bandits, they are hired to transport the sister of a powerful General to her home further...