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Finding Home. You can download your books fast Finding Home. Downloading Ebooks and Textbooks. The remains, found in a rusted car in the East Lothian woods, not far from Edinburgh, quickly turn into a cold case murder investigation. Rebus remembers the original case — a shady land deal — all too well. After the investigation stalled, the family of the missing man complained that there was a police cover-up. As Clarke and her team investigate the cold case murder, she soon learns a different side of her mentor, a side he would prefer to keep in the past.

A gripping story of corruption and consequences, this new novel demonstrates that Rankin and Rebus are still at the top of their game. A missing private investigator is found, locked in a car hidden deep in the woods.

Read by James Macpherson. A cold case involving a missing private investigator threatens to unearth skeletons from Rebus's In a House of Lies : Ian Rankin : - Book Depository In a House of Lies by Ian Rankin, , available at Book Depository with free delivery worldwide. In a House of Lies National Book Awards Everyone has something to hide A missing private investigator is found, locked in a car hidden deep in the woods.

How does Rebus keep on getting better and better? Ian Rankin is a genius. In a House of Lies - Walmart. Buy In a House of Lies at Walmart. Download eBook. Reviews in epub, pdf and mobi formats. My Androgynous Boyfriend Vol. The daily ins-and-outs of an office lady and her beautiful boyfriend. Usually despatched within 2 days. Add to Basket. Leave Review. Author Info. He remained silent and displayed a stern expression.

Those on the bridge also did the same. The leaders were also confused, and could only say that something unbelievable happened. But Katou was different, he desperately tried to come up with a decision concerning the current situation. Perhaps it was his sense of duty as the head chief of staff, but this is his flexibility and his high ability to adapt. He might be an exception in the rigid-thinking leaders of the Self-Defense Force.

Kaburagi, wearing the same gray life vest and helmet as the other marine force members, at some point came next to the others. Kaburagi was one of the few people who could understand Katou, who had a knack for seemingly alien to others. Katou also has trust in him. Eh, said Kaburagi cheerfully.

At hearing his voice, the bridge settled down all at once. With everyone calm and their attention gathered, Katou cleared his throat once. All this time, our radio waves have been silent. Because we lost our ability to communicate, we took emergency measures to take a route for what we thought was the closest island with an American base, Guam.

To make sure none of his ideas sounded too strange, he took a moment to take a breath and gather his thoughts. Riding it was a girl with an unknown nationality…But this is not so very important. He was not making an allusion to something that was solved.

That was the strongest feeling these people here had. There was nothing blocking the signal, but letting that aside, even private radio signals and the communication satellites all being down is definitely impossible. The impossible is happening. Unnatural signals had vanished. It was as if the world itself had disappeared. One of the leaders interrupted him with such a jeer. However, it was a little quicker, since he wanted to get to the conclusion.

Translator Note: perhaps West? This town is a city for ocean commerce. It was full of liveliness for a castle town. You should hear the bells of the church around evening time.

Everything was dyed crimson as it was the tone color of the light god, who would chase out the evil spirits at the witching hour not midnight. In between the two high and low capes, on the low cape there is a lighthouse which reveals the tall Imperial Castle.

For a long time, the Imperial Castle has repeatedly been under reconstruction. According to the only remaining records, it had been expanded in reconstruction 6 times to reach its current form. People looked at the magnificent, white Imperial Castle. The white marble castle walls had an early Kyoubo architectural style. It had 5 minarets pointing into the sky, and the rich pearl and jade pattern is very impressive in its splendor. At the tip of the cape is a rough course with no servicing.

The inside of the modest office had an affluent, dark green-haired young woman sitting there. Her name is Karuda. She is a noble, as her surname will attest. As it is called the Southern Sea United Kingdom, it holds many different cultures, people, and functions as a federation. Not finding family names important is a result of this consideration. On the side of the out-of-breath Rarona who had suddenly barged in, Karuda calmly asked this question.

It was a rather cold tone for a question. From the bottom it goes: practice officer living, practice officer, officer, unit commanding officer, unit leader…and so on.

In other words, Rarona, who is in the 2nd rank from the bottom, is in a rank for the inexperienced. These contained the knights who protects the queen personally. They are the smallest of the 3 military divisions, but their priorities are higher than the other divisions. The unit that used the Argentavis was made for specializing in reconnaissance and as runners, so they get treated as a second-rate fighting force compared to the knight group.

In spite of this, the unit that uses the Argentavis has an unparalleled high status. The reason the girls are looked down upon is not just that their unit is non-combative. Because officer units exists is also, by itself, another reason. This is not a discussion only for this nation, no matter where it is, a difference in standards appear, and this was the custom of the higher ups in the ranks.

In a feudal society, status was absolute. She sleeps in bed with one knee standing ready. Karuda removed the monocle on her right eye. Rarona had heard of a rumor that she injured her eye during practice, to the point of bleeding. No matter how much you know it is an overcoat for the summer days, Rarona just kept feeling it was a mourning dress. Maybe the rumors that she had lost her lover were true. Karuda had a glint in her eyes that showed of a noble amethyst.

Rarona took the momentum, lifted her face, and quickly talked on and on about what happened that afternoon. About the big affair concerning whatever appeared in the Mermaid Sea. About how their nationality was unknown and they looked like castles with how huge they were, and how they were 5 iron boats.

Karuda, who never let down her calm noble expression, upon hearing this report, started to faintly sweat. Karuda now uttered the name of the most problematic country. She understood well that the occupation of Purominia was of no concern of hers. Rarona thought such an absurd thing. As this happened, Karuda took a big breath. A grave expression that showed deeply. Somehow, the state of affairs was odd.

Rarona felt this as well. What Karuda revealed was a national secret unknown to the public. Rarona felt a shock as though a demon had grasped hold of his heart. She gulped, and it made the sound of a dry throat taking a big gulp. Her superior continued. They have given us an offer to surrender that we cannot accept.

Tomorrow, we prepare for war. I am also a soldier for Mariisua! Ten years ago, the mountain ridge near the border was found to hold resources, so the neighboring country started a fight over it, making a border dispute. That time, a lot of villages got involved and got burned down. That was also why Rarona lost her family and home. Karuda, who could sense this, hanged her head a little.

Karuda thought she was a little jealous of the genuineness of the red haired girl in front of her. But, she shook off these idle thoughts and ordered Rarona. You are my underling, so you will come with me. I might have to tell your story to toe the mark, who knows. Karuda said this, and looked at the window. The sun at dusk was sinking below the other side of the horizon. There were frightening things on the other side of that horizon.

Not a mistake. Inside the transport vessel, the Ground Self-Defense Force members tread upon their living quarters and Kuze felt the gaze of his subordinates. But, the gathered gaze quickly dispersed. Kuze continued unwaveringly, stepping up to the three-tiered bunk bed. Through his sanpaku eyes TL note: eyes in which the white space above or below the iris is visible; is believed to indicated either bad diet or an attraction to violence and misfortune , hiding in the covers on the top bunk of the three-tiered bunk bed, private Ichinose glared out.

This betting gave rise to this type of bet. But even if you say goodies, it was a completely understood line- up. It had the stack of confectioneries, and of course the squid and beef jerky with some alcoholic beverages mixed in within them.

There was not a sense of unity in everyone about it. So there was no real reason to make a bet. The usually good-natured Kuze was looking furious. This betting was a violation of conduct. And the joke of the bet was a higher-up: himself. Those senpai also asked the same to the senior non-commission officers. They said in desperation,.

Kuze exploded in frustration over his own testimony being treated as thoughtless words. The subordinates who came from a rural area were able to say such things in a care-free manner.

It would have been good if this had stopped, but Ichinose caught onto the mood and continued. Ichinose butted his head with a gong. He hit the right side of his head, so it was painful. It shook, and the right hand he used to grab it shook in pain. Ahead of his swung head was a female figure of the Self-Defense Force who is laughing at the reasons behind all the laughter.

Captain Itai Kaori. That is, the company commander. To see this person laugh usually means that something frightening will happen. Oh, by the way, if you say they were sold out and return empty-handed, the instructors will find out that you escaped. And, whenever she gave out those orders, there would be that smile.

By the way, the new sweets had to get a taxi to collect these goods from a different area limit. In that place, it felt like you were walking with the tension of running on the thin ice of a frozen lake. And below that frozen ice was a deepness like that of the Mariana Trench, and that piranhas and sharks swam there. Remember all of us after this. They left the hallway, and effortlessly she handed him a file.

He hurriedly took it, and scanned over it as they walked. All he understood was that there was some sort of list of supplies the platoon was supposed to carry for a mission. But, something was clearly strange with the contents. Because there was a whole lot of live ammunition in the list of supplies. Kuze asked the unthinkable.

Of course. The woman who could say that looked behind and glanced at Kuze. He stood still, looking at the file, dumbfounded. The man who had gotten used to the organization built for this purpose, he just listened to the unrealistic sound of those words.

Part 8 The morning sun was coming up. In terms of a combat aircraft, it was sort of beautiful. A man in a pure white uniform boarded the plane. The one giving the dispatching troops their orders was the Head Chief of Staff Katou. He came to the send-off. Kaburagi did too. Since the bird incident, thereafter all actions have to be closely inspected, and it was decided that the reconnaissance members should gather for departure. Ultimately, the one to make the call is Commander Kaburagi.

He made the big decision to give the one he believed in as his right arm the permission to go with this plan. While Katou laughed, the wind caused by the helicopter made his regulation cap start flying off his head as the string on his jaw loosened. Indeed, the name of the commander of the land forces was Second Lieutenant Kuze. To protect him and his helicopter, this one platoon prepared 32 elites, and that was truly reassuring.

Originally, the plan was for just these 32 to be doing the reconnaissance, he wondered if he might get in the way, who knows? He gave a thumbs-up. Kaburagi gave a strained laugh.

A normal commander would probably trust that everything would be fine with this guy. Actually, when they met it was like that. The meaning in this is that he has strong character.

Was he an eccentric or a genius, perhaps both? Kaburagi was still incredulous. The girl with wings who appeared inside the ward room with a black something. And, then, a giant bird that person was riding. Somewhere in his heart he felt doubt. On this point, Katou was different. In a rare sight, Katou gave a salute with an extremely serious look, and closed the side door. Kaburagi left the aircraft hangar, and the helicopter flew off into the sky.

In other words, they were like siblings. Katou gazed at the form of his flying accompaniment from the land forces. Two pilots and 11 other soldiers boarding a plane at once being feasible, Kuze separated his team of 32 into 3 different groups to board 3 different aircrafts.

In a plane, you had 11 people sitting face-to-face. The force members were packed into a cabin rubbing soldiers before. But, the Black Hawks were strong enough to carry the people and supplies at a distance of 1, kilometers.

They had a cartridge belt on their waists to put their bayonet and reserve bullets and carry full magazines. It was a full armament. They carried a type 89 5. Kuze checked the wireless radio while also speaking with the 3 separate groups in their helicopters. Kuze had said the most important things he could as the leader to his subordinates, and made a bitter smile. The Self-Defense Force was the type of organization that would make a big problem out of an empty shell or a single supply item during practice.

Kuze found the radio to be in fine shape as he sat deep in the cockpit by himself. Who else would he think but Ichinose, who was sitting across him? He was a top-class marksman among his squad. So, now he had his M personal sniper rifle in his hands. By the way, speaking of snipers, he hated the dark image associated with assassination concerning it.

Kuze and Ichinose figured that the best way to defend the platoon leader was to be near him with many connections. The Self-Defense Force uses the word suppose a lot. I will sincerely use my own decisions myself without using a gun. All the underlings were uneasy. Thinking about it, outside of practice, this was their first time carrying live ammunition.

Kuze felt a large amount of sweat pour on his back. The Japanese people often avert their eyes from the essence of things, but he was looking firmly at it. In the nation of Japan, the Self-Defense Force is more than an armed unit, they could use weapons.

And, if the worst-case scenario would happen, and the weapon would need to be used and he meets the shame of shooting first, he will lose to himself he thought. If the enemy was a country and they fought without permission, he would become an unforgivable squad leader. He looked at the window.

He scoffed at the way everyone was squirming as he climbed the skies, moving closer and closer to the morning sun. Since then, this has happened two more times. Her legs shook under the tension. The gazes of the Imperial Guards near the entrance is frightening.

Rarona put her head down, looking at the embroidered carpet in silence as her superior Karuda gave the report. They could hear the male voice of what was probably an aide to Her Majesty.

It was in a mocking voice. This one was with the sneer of a female superior. Rarona was sullen. It seemed the reason she was brought here was to see her story get laughed at. The voice of a short male high superior came out. Rarona was clinching her fist tightly. The ones raised in the mountains had good eyes. Then, though it was a quiet voice, she could hear it was full of resolution.

She thought she screwed up by raising her head, but luckily reprimand did not come. She was dignified. However, to these prideful words, the place froze. She angered and showed bare a few chancellors by opening her mouth. This was the voice of a crafty young woman. Everyone in the room was surprised. That is, the voice came from none other than the person sitting on the throne. She had her legs crossed as she hid her small face with a marvelous folding fan that she held herself as she looked down on everyone.

She was wearing a transparent, white Southern-kingdom style dress which showed her brown skin. Her blonde hair lay on her back in 2 different bundles. Those red pupils, rare in the kingdom, were the proof of her royalty. Despite her seemingly no older than 15, no, 13, she can make an adult cower in fear at her solemnity. Her name was Hamieea. She is the queen who rules this nation. TL Note: Hamieea talks with an old-timey, distinct, and dignified speech that is difficult to replicate.

Rarona was flustered. And, she got up from the throne and walked. Hamieea squinted her eyes let out a small chuckle. Rather than with scorn, she heard it with admiration. There were some in the place who thought that this was sarcasm. But, some thought this was praise. The correct group is the latter one.

In the army, giving detailed information is of utmost importance. Without that, later decisions will be seemingly insane. Informing that you do not understand what you do not understand is honestly, by no means, a bad thing. Hamieea showed a faint smile. It was like the smile of a plotting child, but reversely, it had the planning of an adult. The queen pointed to the emasculated Karuda with her fan. And, if they are not an enemy, bring them in front of me.

There is no reason or meaning to leave him alone with me. If the thousand-year empire Purominia is destroyed, our nation shall surely follow suit. These unknown beings can serve us well.

It is important to verify that they are not enemies. She gallantly turned around and moved to return to her throne. And, in a low voice no one could hear, she continued in a mumble. She gazed at the terrace, from which you have an unbroken view of the Seiroad bay. Most likely, the town will be burned down and the people made into slaves. This is a completely unacceptable thing. To offer this trading city which is the source of most revenue for the nation to the Inheritance Empire…the Imperial Capital Agalta is where Hamieea and the family of the nobles live, and is where all military and supplies are.

In the past, similar requests when accepted led to the empire raising taxes and nearly starting something of a revolt, taking many lives. Already, the only path left is to fight. However, to us it seems clear that there is no way to win against such a giant empire. We need to make plans with the surrounding nations to fight the empire. But, the empire only declared war with the unfortunate Mariisua.

There was little reason for the empire to start war with too many countries cooperating together. She was burdened with the whole of her nation.

As if it would relieve her of this burden just a little bit, she looked at the sky at the other end of the terrace. She perked up her ears. Without thinking, she started to walk to that side of the terrace.

The aides were surprised, and in a panic chased after her. At that time, slowly, a hum-like noise became audible. It was a noise that struck the atmosphere.

It became gradually louder and louder. The cause of the noise was getting closer and closer. From the sky at the other end of the ocean, four flying things were coming that everyone there could see.

If they would have been Argentavis, then the crowd would have seen a similar sight many times a day. Many guesses were said on the terrace, but no one there knew the answer. Karuda was taken aback. That flying object was coming this way. Having the sense of responsibility of a knight, Karuda declared.

But, with a deliberating face as she watched the unknown forms, Hamieea told the important nobles around her. A flustered maid went to get a small artisan-crafted high-grade telescope as she left the terrace normally used for gazing out at the town and the ocean.

Hamieea watched it. She deliberately observed the object flying through the sky. And she murmured concerning the thing that surprised her from the bottom of her heart. I want to know about those objects. Go and fulfill my command. That is when——. The pilot screamed in joy. Kuze excitedly looked outside the window and he could clearly see and confirm the outline of the land. The land that he saw for the first time made him, without thinking, bend forward in interest….

Kuze mumbled without really talking to anybody. One could clearly see the procedure as the helicopters lowered their altitude. No, from its size it seems like a major city. It had stone foundations and dark reddish-brown roofs on top of white walls. There are also wooden houses. The screen showed a scenery that looked like the Mediterranean Sea, they thought. There were no high-rise buildings, but in the middle of the city there was something that looked like a plaza.

A little before the plaza, a belfry preparing the way for a large building towered over the surroundings. From the sky, you could tell the terrain is formed like a crescent moon. The helicopter flew above the tip of the cape where the lighthouse looking building was. The view captured by the camera is probably being shown to the crew on the vessels. Kuze thought that they would probably be in an uproar over it. To the cityscape unveiling in front of his eyes, Kuze and company, the Self-Defense Force, was at a loss for words.

Kuze mumbled about the giant conspicuous structure. The marine helicopter decided that the highest facility would have a strong possibility of being important, so it headed in that direction. They are neither taking nor receiving enemy or ally distinct radio waves. Commanding aircraft, shall we evade them? Kuze went to cling to the side door and confirm the state of things. And, his eyes grew wide.

He saw a countless number of giant birds started flying out from the castle. Apparently one section of the castle was like a runway of sorts. From there, giant birds started flying after catching wind of an upward current and at once gained altitude.

Humans were riding on the backs of the giant birds. They gathered in a magnificent formation and the helicopters dropped a little below, but the giant birds did a sharp turn and gained on them.

Because they were living things, they could do such feats. Do it discreetly so as to not provoke the enemy. That is all. Kuze gulped. Certainly, these are the people of this nation. Suddenly, they noticed a squad of helicopters and made it into a scramble.

In Japan, if an unknown, flying objects suddenly appeared, the same thing would happen as the Aviation Self-Defense Force would set out. Thinking like this, we were the rude ones.

The commanding decision from the white marine Sea Hawk is not wrong. Calm down! We have not spotted any weapons on these people! Hearing the voice of the commander kept the subordinates from trembling. That time, what was important to the soldiers was something easy for Kuze: they needed some kind of instruction.

Soldiers without any instructions will start making movements on their own. Kuze thought this as he gazed at the increasing number of giant birds with people riding them. Ichinose, surprised, made an expression of deep, mixed emotions and whispered to Kuze. Now that you speak of it, looking from the sky, the boats in the bay were all sailing ships with oarsmen and carrier ships. On the streets were only carriages and carts for the giant birds and such, and there was nothing you could call a vehicle like an automobile that they could see.

Everyone was satisfied in thinking that we wandered into a different world. One black giant bird moved in front of the helicopter squad, as if it knew its path and had moved to block it. Riding on its back was a fairly tall woman. She wore what looked to be a black coat and held a long lance. Through intervals in her dark-green hair, he could catch glimpses of her beautiful face. The beautiful woman was not impeded. Her lips moved. Is what he felt like she said.

However, upon seeing her actions, the possibility of her saying that seemed strong, he felt. Lieutenant Colonel Katou, I have a report. Kuze presently gave the report to the squad commander.

My opinion is in agreement with yours, eh? Even after he cut the communication, Kuze still firmly pressed the talk button. Was he just your usual oaf, or was he a heroic man of courage? It was either one of these or the other. Under their eyes, they could see the humongous castle. Part 11 The guards who gathered in the courtyard were first surprised by the strange objects and then recoiled due to the strong wind caused by them.

Unknown beings are coming. That was all the information they were given. The fierce winds immediately settled. The guards exchanged glances. Her Majesty the Queen had said to bring them to her, so there was no reason to send them away. A perplexing silence came upon them. At the start of the Viking Age, there were two closely related varieties of Old Norse. Figure 5. Icelandic and Norwegian share an especially close kinship, since Iceland was settled largely by Norwegian speakers.

Still the four languages remained similar and mutually intelligible until about A. These languages were strongly influenced by Low German dialects, and English. They dropped numerous aspects of Old Norse grammar and changed many sounds.

Modern Icelandic, however, remained faithful to the older language and underwent remarkably few alterations. Today speakers of modern mainland Scandinavian languages can easily understand one other, but they cannot understand Icelandic without training.

Old Icelandic grammar underwent relatively few changes on its way to Modern Icelandic. The most noticeable diversion from the medieval language to the modern is a series of sound shifts, spelling modifications, and the adoption of new words and meanings.

Most alterations from Old to Modern Icelandic are small and systematic, and an Icelander today can read the sagas much as English speakers can read Shakespeare. Many words in Old Norse resemble English words in pronunciation and meaning. This early language split into dialects, with words retaining similarities.

During the Viking Age, Scandinavian trade, conquest, and settlement in Western, Central, and Eastern Europe resulted in the adoption of Norse words into local languages. Some borrowed words are still present in the modern speech of different regions. Two contrasting examples of Old Norse influence on modern languages are found on either side of the English Channel.

One is from the Danelaw, the area in northeastern England that saw widespread Scandinavian settlement, and the other from Normandy in northern France.

Scandinavian Settlement in England. Viking raids master of the house. Serious Norse Danelaw, the local speech settlement began in , when the Great Army, consisting today retains many borrowings. Cameron, Scandinavian Settlement. Many parish names in the areas of Scandinavian settlement are of Norse origin. English words of Old Norse origin often have an interesting history. Thriding was adopted into medieval Latin as tridingum. The relative ease with which large numbers of Old Norse words were taken into English contrasts to what occurred in other languages.

We have a good deal of information on Figure 7. Norse Settlement in Normandy. The Viking Viking incursions. While politically dominant, the Viking contingents in Normandy were never large. The Scandinavian settlers retained relations with the Old Norse world until the beginning of the eleventh century, but they had, by a half century after , lost most of their own language.

These dialects, however, never had a great influence on Modern French. Normandy remained distant from the center of French power and culture, and Modern French favored the dialects from the more inland regions. Today the traces of Old Norse in Modern French are principally concerned with the sea, a Norman specialty. The Viking Age began in the late s, and by the s Norse seafarers had discovered Iceland far out in the North Atlantic.

Sailing Distances from Iceland. The west of Iceland. At the end of sagas tell us that some seafarers sailed as far off course as the tenth century, Icelanders North America.

Early Iceland, with its writings about the Viking Age settlement, is a laboratory for exploring Old Norse language, history, and social forces of the Viking Age, as well as the development of narrative. In most places, Norse colonists took land by force from indigenous populations. Iceland was different. It was uninhabited except for a few Celtic monks, who, seeking solitude, had earlier sailed there in small skin boats.

The majority of Viking Age immigrants to Iceland were free farmers. The settlers came with their families, laborers, craftsmen, slaves, livestock, house equipment, and farm implements. They were a predominantly Norse culture group with numbers of Celts, often women as determined by DNA studies.

Some of these leaders are said in the medieval Icelandic sources to have left Viking Age Norway because they had troubles with the centralization of royal power there. The task facing the immigrants to this new land was to prosper on a empty island with only a limited habitable area.

In this decision, as in many decisions made at Icelandic assemblies, compromise played a large role, and for a time after the conversion, pagans were allowed to continue practicing the old religion in the privacy of their property.

During more than three centuries of independence, Iceland was never invaded nor to our knowledge mounted an attack against another country. In many ways, Viking Age Iceland was a decentralized, stratified society. London and New York: Penguin Books. See also, Feud in the Icelandic Saga. Berkeley: University of California, Press. The Viking Age. It began in the late s A. As part of their late Iron Age warrior culture, Vikings sailed from Scandinavia in all compass directions.

Scandinavian shipwrights had advantages over most of their contemporaries. The navigational skills of the Northmen were prodigious. Their voyages generated wealth for the Viking world from places as distant from Scandinavia as Ireland, the Byzantine Empire, and the Caliphate of Baghdad. Depending on the opportunities offered by different places, Northmen traded, raided, explored, and colonized. The distinction between Viking raiders and merchants was often unclear.

Some sailors were mostly raiders, and others were mostly merchants, but all were armed. Depending on the defenses they met on the shores, Norse seamen might engage in raiding or commerce.

Wherever Scandinavians went, they brought with them their legends, myths, and language. In some of these regions, as in parts of England, Viking customs and language had a lasting effect. The term Viking is not a modern invention.