Showing results by narrator "Gareth Gareth" in All Categories

The perfect gift book, featuring the writing of Meryl Streep, Bill Bailey, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Caitlin Moran, Richard Ayoade, Emily Watson and others, to coincide with the upcoming movie Last Christmas, starring Emma Thompson, Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding. When you think back to Christmases past, what (if anything) made it magical? This is a beautiful, funny and soulful collection of personal essays about the meaning of Christmas, written by a unique plethora of voices from the boulevards of Hollywood to the soup kitchens of Covent Garden.

Gareth O'Callaghan is one of Irish radio's most popular and familiar voices. In 2018, after receiving a life-changing diagnosis, he retired from full-time work and gave up the career in radio that he had loved for decades. Here, in this deeply personal memoir, he tells his story of love and hope. From the moments after his doctor uttered the words Multiple System Atrophy to how, drawing on inner reserves and determination, he pulled himself from the darkness to come to terms with a new way of living.

Meet The Pan of Hamgee: coward, unwilling adventurer and, by some miracle, K’Barth’s longest surviving outlaw. He just wants a quiet life so working as a getaway driver is probably a bad career move. Then he falls in love at first sight with a woman he hasn't even met who comes from an alternative reality. That’s when things really begin to get complicated.

A city of rogues. A seedy bar. A thief who stole the wrong prize. When Isabel sought refuge in the Dragon and Rose with a jeweled watch in hand, Digger’s biggest mistake was hiding her. After all, the treasure in her possession looked like an easy score. But the gang of mercenaries on her heels want it for themselves. Soon assassins and lawmen join the pursuit and begin scouring the city in their efforts to capture the thief. Isabel and Digger must race to discover who the watch really belongs to - and why they’re willing to kill anyone in their way to get it back.

During their third year of Wizard School, Leesha Fourthchild casts a spell. Actually, she casts several spells, but this one is particularly haunting. Leesha loses her boyfriend Shmedley Thrumbledack and gains him back. Shmedley plays a trick on the couple who were posing as his Parents. And the Tensome learns more about the movement of the Springboks, who Arlanda Florida the Principal is certain are up to no good. A bully becomes friends with Shmedley. Shmedley can be friends with almost anyone, so this is not that surprising. And Amanda Sunflower Triangulum also gains a friend.

Fifty thousand years ago, a meteorite hit the planet Asto, giving its Aghyrian inhabitants mere days of notice. Three ships escaped the Armageddon. Two went to the neighboring planet. The third, a massive generation ship, refused to take on refugees and then vanished without a trace. It’s coming back. Its initial burst of communication caused the outage of the Exchange, the FTL network for transport and communication, but since then, the ship has been silent.

In a land plagued by war, King Dorvin and Queen Shiara are expecting their first child. They are excited until the good fairies tell of a prophecy – that their daughter is the key to winning the war against the Shadow tribes. To protect her, mages of the kingdom create a tower to keep her and her guardian hidden until her 18th birthday.

Who are you when you dream? Rick isn't sure anymore.... Is he Rick, living in the here and now? Working a boring job, married to Cath. Or is he Dan, living 600 years and half a galaxy away? Exploring an alien planet with Vanessa by his side. Two worlds, one man. While he's awake in one place, he's asleep in the other. Simple enough, until people from Dan's world start turning up in Rick's life. Confusing? But then it gets worse. Dan is accused of a crime he didn't commit. Ricks wife leaves him and both realities are falling apart. Which life is real? Will either go back to how it was?

The Pan of Hamgee doesn't believe in miracles but if he’s going to save K'Barth it looks as if he might need one. He's not quite as alone as he thought. The punters from The Parrot and Screwdriver are right behind him and he has rescued three of his friends from the Grongolian Security Forces, who are now of course, three of the nation's most wanted, which doesn't make life easy. He even has something of a plan for once. It involves making peace with the Resistance, trying to resurrect the Underground movement, and toppling Lord Vernon.

The Pan of Hamgee needs answers, although he’s not even sure he knows the questions. He has a chance to go straight but it’s been so long that he’s almost forgotten how. Despite a death warrant over his head he is released, given a state-sponsored business, and a year’s amnesty for all misdemeanors while he adjusts. On the down side, Ruth has left him for his nemesis, Lord Vernon. The Pan doesn’t have a year, either. In only five days Lord Vernon will gain total power and destroy K'Barth. Unless The Pan can stop him.

The Pan of Hamgee is not a natural knight in shining armor. Yet he has escaped from police custody in K’Barth, switched realities and foiled Lord Vernon’s attempt to kidnap Ruth, the Chosen One, from the Festival Hall. Pretty good, he thinks. However, Ruth thinks otherwise. Being pursued by Lord Vernon is bad enough. Now, thanks to The Pan, she’s on the run. They are both alive, of course, but with Lord Vernon on their tail neither of them can be sure how long for.

If one looks too long into the abyss, the abyss looks back. Drangar Ralgon has been avoiding the abyss's gaze for far too long and now he turns to face it. For 100 years the young kingdom of Danastaer has thrived in peace. Now their northern neighbor, mighty Chanastardh, has begun a cunning invasion. Thrust into events far beyond his control, the mercenary Drangar Ralgon flees his solitary life as a shepherd to evade the coming war and take responsibility for his crimes. In Dunthiochagh, Danastaer's oldest city, the holy warrior Kildanor uncovers the enemy's plans for invasion.

In the filth-ridden streets of East End in London, Young Elsie Griggs knows little more than grueling poverty and constant hunger. When Mama becomes ill, Elsie must get a job to support the family. But working as a personal maid in Whiston Manor proves a constant challenge for Elsie. The only good thing about the manor is Mrs. Whiston's grandson, the kind and charming Andrew - who is out of bounds to Elsie. She has no way of knowing a series of tragedies are barreling toward her that will rip her entire world apart, setting her on a new path. But will this new path include Andrew?

Humans have countless dirty tricks up their sleeves. It’s a good thing Spicy the goblin is a fast learner. He’ll need every wile and skill to survive what’s coming. Two pirate crews know about the dragon Fath’s presence in the secluded delta village, and both will go to any length to recover the bomb recipe Alma and Blades stole. Spicy will have to race to be the first to catch the thieves, all while deciding who among the gangs of criminals he can trust. His journey will take him deeper into the heart of the world of humanity.

Olive Wickes knew a better life once. Before their old master died, her family lived in comfortable servants' quarters beside a garden where birdsong echoed through the day. But the new young master turned them out, and now Olive, her parents, and her five-year-old brother Jimmy are struggling to get by. In their cold and desolate tenement, Olive sings to Jimmy about the birds of the garden, trying to cling on to hope.

After the Crown Prince of Ponderia starts behaving strangely, his best friend Pettic discovers that the prince has been replaced by a doppelganger, and the real prince kidnapped. Unable to accept the loss of his friend, Prince Torren, nor the cruel impostor to become the new king, Pettic sets on a quest to rescue his friend. After he sees the fake prince meet a mysterious man, Pettic discovers that the prince has been imprisoned in another plane of existence. With the help of Blundo, the court magician, Pettic finds out that the only way to enter this another world are four keys.

London. 1854. For years, Fern Hall has lived in an orphanage in the East End of London. It’s a brutal life of endless chores and punishments for even the smallest infractions. She’s able to escape it for a time when she’s hired out as a temporary maid to the wealthy Hawk family, but a servant’s lot is little better. Gerard Hawk, the second son of the prosperous merchant, is drawn to Fern from their very first meeting when she comes to work for his parents.

Self-help author Laura Cone explains why women go for the dangerous, bad boys with narcissism and other personality disorders. This is not a dating advice book you want anyone to know you listened to. An expert on narcissism and a former journalist, Laura throws what is "politically correct" out the window to help women get a grip on what they want from "crazy" guys. Will a nice guy want you after you spent the best years of your life chasing crazy? Why Laura advises most women to give up sex and dating for an entire year to reboot their psyche.

The Pan of Hamgee, starving outlaw, bumps into Big Merv: the meanest, scariest gangster in the City, and without thinking what he is doing, steals his wallet. When Big Merv realises what has happened our hero's future looks short. Will he talk his way out of it or will he be "recycled" into a stanchion of the Outer Ring Road extension?

Ivy Harris is twice unwanted by the time she's two years old. Thrown away both by her parents and her grandmother, she has no choice except to live with her aunt, Bertha. As brilliant, kind, and loving as Bertha is, she's also a crook and a thief - and her ways get them both into trouble more often than not. When Bertha dies, Ivy’s whole world ends - until she meets charismatic, compassionate, golden-haired George, the leader of a gang of street children living in an abandoned warehouse. Despite the best efforts of jealous Jane, Ivy falls for George.