Military Power

In February 1945, American Marines plunged into the surf at Iwo Jima - and into history. Through a hail of machine-gun and mortar fire that left the beaches strewn with comrades, they battled to the island's highest peak and raised a flag. Now the son of one of the flag raisers has written a powerful account of six very different men who came together in a moment that will live forever.

Matthew Hagan is one of the last holdouts from a society lost. Embedded deep inside Alexandria, he is an operative and vigilante-for-hire. Wherever he goes, a path of destruction follows, making him one of the most wanted men by the despotic government of the small nation-state. As Hagan loses hope that he’ll be able to carry out his original objective, he obtains a list of names. Names of the people involved with the attack on his village, two years ago.

In 1971, Rod Barton applied for a junior scientist role in the Australian Department of Defence. Little did he know what it entailed: As the Cold War intensified, Barton was inducted into the murky world of espionage. This is an extraordinary behind-the-scenes account of a world marked by risk, secrecy and individual acts of courage. The Life of a Spy will introduce you to a man of principle in a time of chaos, and take you to the frontlines of politics and war.

Al Kelln's 27 miracles will inspire the listener. The son of German-speaking immigrants left the aftermath of the Depression in Oklahoma to become a Naval officer and nuclear propulsion engineer. His years at the US Naval Academy (class of 1952) prepared him for destroyer and diesel submarine deployments to the Korean War. Surviving several close calls, the author trained in Admiral Rickover's Nuclear Power School.

Lexi Miller restarted her life five years ago and has been living a regimented routine ever since. With a great job and a best friend who tries everything to get her to break-out of her boring life, it’s not until her birthday present arrives at her door, opened by a stranger, that things finally start to get interesting.

Before George Lucas's Death Star, before Star Trek's Doomsday Machine, came the Berserkers, intelligent, space-faring killing machines whose sole purpose is to destroy all life. The Berserkers have developed a new trick: Berserker units that can pass for human-created androids. They're gambling on the advantage this gives them and massing for an all-out attack on human-held space.

Lab-built monsters, genetically created from dinosaur and reptile bases, are terrorizing people all over the world. Used in attacks by everyone from terrorists to governments, they are the latest weapon to be unleashed on the global public. Max Alexeyev is part of a secret military group formed to strike at the heart of the monster problem: the labs that are churning them out. Melanie Viña is an active duty US Marine sniper out for revenge. They meet in Africa and join forces to locate and destroy the largest of the labs.

Once a year, the Blue Angels perform for Fleet Week in my hometown of San Francisco. As a key influencer, I’ve been chosen to fly with a Blue Angel. My heart leaps out of my chest when I meet Sawyer “Huck” Roberts, and it isn’t from the G-Force. This Blue Devil has a girl in every city. Once he finds out I’m a virgin, he refuses to be my one-flight stand. Even so, I’m determined to change his mind.

Aria - I teach mermaid fitness at a ritzy hotel next to the Naval Amphibious Base. I know better than to let one of those famous frogmen chase my tail. But in a moment of weakness, I submit to Erik, a tattooed badass Navy SEAL. Then I get the opportunity to train to be the first female Navy SEAL. When I show up on the first day of training, I’m horrified to realize that Erik is my BUD/S instructor. He’s the only person who stands in the way of me achieving my dream.

Alexander the Great is considered one of the most successful commanders of all time and was known to be undefeated in battle. He is mentioned in the Bible as well as the Qur’an, and is on the shortest of short lists whenever the world’s best military leaders are catalogued. When asked to name other great military leaders, Caesar reportedly said Alexander was the only great one.

Askia became heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh because of her devotion to her people. But her realm is facing a threat she cannot defeat by sheer will alone. The mad emperor of the Roven Empire has unleashed a horde of invading soldiers to enslave her lands. For months, her warriors have waged a valiant, stealth battle, yet they cannot stop the enemy’s advancement. Running out of time, she sets sail for sun-drenched Vishir, the neighboring land to the south, to seek help from its ruler, Emperor Armaan.