Systems Science

It's been over a year since the System came to Earth, bringing blood and monsters in equal measure. Having left Whitehorse, John and his team travel down to British Columbia, running into new dangers from aliens and humans alike. Faced with new challenges and new enemies, John and his friends seek to free human settlements from Galactic control in North America.

Governments have always struggled to tax in ways that are effective and tolerably fair. Sometimes they fail grotesquely, as when, in 1898, the British ignited a rebellion in Sierra Leone by imposing a tax on huts - and, in repressing it, ended up burning the very huts they intended to tax. Sometimes they succeed astonishingly, as when, in 18th-century Britain, a cut in the tax on tea massively increased revenue. Two leading authorities on taxation provide a fascinating and informative tour through these and many other episodes in tax history, both preposterous and dramatic....

At a time when politics in Britain is experiencing unprecedented turmoil, this Very Short Introduction audiobook examines the past, present, and possible future of British politics. Tony Wright puts current events into a longer and larger perspective, ranging from political ideas to political institutions and offering an overview of the British political tradition.

American politics seems to grow more contentious and complicated by the day, and whether American democracy works well is hotly debated. Amidst all this roiling partisan argument and confusing claims and counterclaims, there has never been a greater need for an impartial primer on the basics of the American political system.

⚔️ Voidscale Origins: A LitRPG Prelude of Collapse and Survival ⚔️ When Dr. Elias Chen activated the Quantum Boundary, he didn’t just shatter scientific barriers—he broke the world. Now, thrust into a collapsing reality where survival means adapting to game-like rules, Chen must battle monsters, rival survivors, and the ticking clock of annihilation. In this high-stakes LitRPG adventure, you’ll encounter: ✅ Complex characters facing impossible odds ✅ Intense survival challenges and leveling systems ✅ A rich world blending sci-fi, RPG mechanics, and post-apocalyptic ...

The issues of poverty, inequality, racial injustice, and climate change have never been more pressing or paralyzing. Current approaches to social change, which rely on linear thinking and traditional power dynamics to "solve" social problems, are not helping. In fact, they may only be entrenching the status quo. This book draws on stories of committed social changemakers to uncover a set of principles and practices for social change that dramatically depart from the industrial approach. Simple yet profound, these stories distill timely lessons for leaders, scholars, and policymakers.

Jeb Trapper tried to kill himself. The gun jammed. Two months later, the vet is now participating in underground trials of ecstasy to treat his PTSD. Everything seems to be going great until Jeb is teleported into a tutorial, along with everyone else on Earth. Now, he has to choose the level of difficulty. There's just one problem: He's high as a kite, and nothing seems impossible.

Transform Your Health with the Power of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Simple Recipes and a 30-Day Plan for Lasting Results! —Including Full-Color Images to Inspire Your Cooking! Are you tired of living with the discomfort and health challenges caused by chronic inflammation? What if you could ease your pain, boost your energy, and improve your overall well-being—all by making simple changes to your diet? With "Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Beginners," you’ll learn how to fight inflammation naturally while enjoying delicious, easy-to-prepare meals. Why This Book is Perfect for You: Easy-to-...

Derek has saved villages and maybe even cities from overflowing dungeons. He later helped with the capture of one of the most despicable noblemen in the entire kingdom. After that, he, at the request of Prince Edgar, helped prevent upcoming danger by clearing a raid dungeon and keeping it from overflowing into the kingdom. Then, he and Silvi joined a war effort that began while he was clearing the dungeon.

For decades, James MacGregor Burns has been one of the great masters of the study of power and leadership in America. Now he turns his eye to an institution of government that he believes has become more powerful---and more partisan---than the Founding Fathers ever intended: the Supreme Court. Much as we would like to believe that the Court remains aloof from ideological politics, Packing the Court reveals how often justices behave like politicians in robes.

Almost every society has professional judges, but from ancient Athens to modern Asia, cultures have wanted ordinary people involved in legal decisions. The use of juries comes with challenges; societies must determine how to select jurors, what cases jurors should decide and by what rules, and how to inform jurors about the law and evidence. This Very Short Introduction shows how and why societies around the world have used juries, charting the spread of the twelve-person jury from England to the British colonies in America, Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, and the Caribbean.

Imagine being the only human left on an Earth occupied by monsters, aliens, and worse. Sounds terrible? Well...it's not so bad when you are an introverted battle junkie like me. Honestly, I was almost starting to appreciate being left behind while everyone else was given the chance to prepare for the mess Earth had gotten itself into. On a side note, it turns out I'm pretty good at hunting monsters. Though dragons and such are a bit out of my league. Just a bit. I survived dozen-something kobolds that wanted me dead, and now it's time to pay back their leader.

Fool's Play is the first book in a new series in the System Apocalypse universe. Written by David R. Packer in Tao Wong's bestselling post-apocalyptic LitRPG universe, System Apocalypse: Kismet follows a different path through a post-apocalyptic world, one of hope, redemption, and second chances.

Nick Vandal faces his greatest challenge yet in the Risen Tower, a place of trials and floors designed to test the survivors' limits. As Nick and his new companions battle through casino mazes—and relentless hordes—they uncover the truth behind the Admin's grand design. Hidden enemies within the survivors' ranks plot to sabotage their progress, and success is far from guaranteed. Nick must use every resource, including his knowledge of the future, to navigate the challenges and forge alliances necessary to reach the top.

You wake up and feel a tickle in your throat. Your head hurts. You’re mildly annoyed as you get the kids ready for school and dress for work yourself. Meanwhile, an epic war is being fought, just below your skin. Millions are fighting and dying for you to be able to complain as you head out the door. So what, exactly, is your immune system? In Immune, Philipp Dettmer, the brains behind the most popular science channel on YouTube, takes listeners on a journey through the fortress of the human body and its defenses.

It has been over two years since the System arrived on Earth, leaving survivors fighting to rebuild and save humanity. Thanks to the help of a creature thought to be a legend, Jason and his friends have a path to discovering the truth behind what has happened. The System has been stacked against them, but these quests give them a chance to level the playing field against those off-worlders trying to exploit Earth and its people. Although the team has never wanted to be in charge, they are now Earth’s best hope of remaining in control of their own destiny.

AlphaGo and the Philosophy of Mind is a thought-provoking exploration of the principles of machine learning and its application in the strategy game of Go. This book takes readers through the history of Go and its importance in the world of AI, looking at the philosophical implications of advancing technology and the implications of AlphaGo’s victory over the world’s Go champion. This book is an essential read for anyone interested in the philosophical implications of AI and machine learning.

The heroes Terry Fairway once idolized have turned against him, hunting him down at every turn. His grandfather, the ruthless S-ranked necromancer who rules the city, watches from his throne as the people starve and suffer. Vampires stalk the streets unchecked, feeding on the innocent without fear of reprisal. Terry always believed his family were the good guys, but Wichita isn't a city of heroes or villains—it's a city of power. And if power is all that matters, then power is what Terry will seize.

It’s not easy being a System Traveler. Well, the traveling part is hard, at least. But once Derek got his feet under him, he hit the ground running, saving an entire area from a massive dungeon overflow in the process. He even found some companions to help ease the massive hole inside him formed from spending decades alone in the void.

The Leviathan is dead. Humanity has won the global mission but the price has been too high. Japan is in ruins, Honshu lies partially underwater, and the capital has been destroyed. The country has been left without leadership and tens of millions have perished, while monsters continue to hunt down the survivors. Ivan Susanin heads to the submerged Toyo as part of an expedition to find the missing raven, help evacuate the civilians and slay as many monsters as possible. And that's only on the surface.