Journey deeper into the magical world of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, through exclusive interviews with director Peter Jackson, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom and principal filmmakers and cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch, who reveals film-making secrets about playing both the evil Necromancer and the dragon, Smaug.Richly illustrated with hundreds of behind-the-scenes photos of the actors, locations, creatures and costumes, this special collector’s edition hardback is an essential guide to the final film in the award-winning trilogy.‘In our adaptation of The Hobbit we have done something that Tolkien didn’t succeed in doing in print and, hopefully, this will come fresh to people who will have never seen the full story playing out in chronological order.’PETER JACKSON

    Included in The Malazan Empire collection are Steven Erikson's books:Gardens of the MoonDeadhouse GatesMemories of IceHouse of ChainsMidnight TidesThe BonehuntersReaper's GaleToll the HoundsDust of DreamsThe Crippled GodAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

    Taking place both in our past and our future, the saga tells the story of a man destined to face the Evil One and save the world—or destroy it in the process.

    The fourth Big Nate comic compilation in the New York Times bestselling series by Lincoln Peirce, in full color!Big Nate is a New York Times bestseller and the star of his own comic strip.Here comes the latest comic compilation from Lincoln Peirce, all about king of detention and cartooning genius Nate Wright!Includes over 300 full-color comic strips, plus bonus Big Nate activities in the back!"Big Nate is funny, big time."—Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy KidAlso includes a sneak peek at the next Big Nate novel, Big Nate Lives It Up!

    Now the first six thrillingly sexy Fever novels are together in one convenient eBook bundle:   DARKFEVER BLOODFEVER FAEFEVER DREAMFEVER SHADOWFEVER ICED Also includes a preview of the next Fever novel, Burned!   When MacKayla Lane’s sister is murdered, she leaves a single clue to her death—a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone. Journeying to Ireland in search of answers, Mac is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed—a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae.   As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, while at the same time, the ruthless V’lane—an immortal Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women—closes in on her. As the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book—because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of both worlds in their hands.   Praise for the Fever series   “Give yourself a treat and read outside the box.”—Charlaine Harris, on Darkfever   “Delectably dark and scary . . . spiced with a subtle yet delightfully sharp sense of humor.”—Chicago Tribune, on Bloodfever   “Erotic shocks await Mac in Dublin’s vast Dark Zone.”—Publishers Weekly, on Faefever   “Undeniably great urban fantasy.”—Vampire Book Club, on Dreamfever   “A turbulent, emotionally devastating and truly unforgettable ride! Enormous kudos!”—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick and Gold Medal), on Shadowfever   “Engaging, hilarious, amazing.”—USA Today, on Iced

    Daniel Tennick lived simply, a young shepherd with few troubles and little to occupy his mind, until the warden appeared. Daniel’s power awakens, and he finds himself hunted by the servants of the cruel and uncaring forest gods. Trapped by his gift, Daniel will uncover the secrets of the deep woods and those who live there, a civilization created from the grave of an older one. What he discovers will light a vengeful flame within him, consuming everything he touches.

    Feist. This bundle includes the complete Chaoswar Saga.The bundle includes: A Kingdom Besieged, A Crown Imperilled, Magician’s End.A KINGDOM BESIEGED: The Darkness is coming…The Kingdom is plagued by rumour and instability. Kingdom spies in Kesh have been disappearing - either murdered, or turned to the enemy side. Information has become scant and unreliable; but one thing appears clear. Dark forces are on the move…A CROWN IMPERILLED: War rages in Midkemia but behind the chaos there is disquieting evidence of dark forces at work.Lord Hal of Crydee and his great friend Ty Hawkins, champion swordsman of the Masters’ Court, are entrusted with the task of smuggling Princess Stephané and her lady-in-waiting, the lovely but mysterious Lady Gabriella, out of Roldem to a place of greater safety. But is there any safe haven to be found?MAGICIAN’S END: The dragons are calling…Civil war is tearing apart the Kingdom of the Isles, for the throne lies empty and rivals are converging. Hal – now Duke of Crydee – must turn his attention to the defence of the ancient realm so that a king can be anointed by the Congress of Lords, rather than by right of might.

    R. Martin’s masterwork—the most inventive and entertaining fantasy saga of our time—warrants one hell of an introduction. At long last, it has arrived with The World of Ice and Fire.This lavishly illustrated volume is a comprehensive history of the Seven Kingdoms, providing vividly constructed accounts of the epic battles, bitter rivalries, and daring rebellions that lead to the events of A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO’s Game of Thrones. In a collaboration that’s been years in the making, Martin has teamed with Elio M. García, Jr., and Linda Antonsson, the founders of the renowned fan site Westeros.org—perhaps the only people who know this world almost as well as its visionary creator.Collected here is all the accumulated knowledge, scholarly speculation, and inherited folk tales of maesters and septons, maegi and singers. It is a chronicle which stretches from the Dawn Age to the Age of Heroes; from the Coming of the First Men to the arrival of Aegon the Conqueror; from Aegon’s establishment of the Iron Throne to Robert’s Rebellion and the fall of the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, which has set into motion the “present-day” struggles of the Starks, Lannisters, Baratheons, and Targaryens. The definitive companion piece to George R. R. Martin’s dazzlingly conceived universe, The World of Ice and Fire is indeed proof that the pen is mightier than a storm of swords.

    The dream is back and Ben Carson is terrified. His pregnant wife, Anne, is locked in a coma and Ben is the only person who can save her but he has no idea how to accomplish this. His dreams contain clues but they make no sense. Ben can't figure what a small white well house and black flying creatures have to do with Anne. Then he meets a mysterious woman named Thelma Grippe. What he learns from Thelma shakes him to the core, but gives him the knowledge to free Anne from the force keeping her in the coma. Once he locates the well house, Ben finds a passage to another dimension, where he searches for Anne. After a long, arduous journey, Ben faces the ultimate evil that holds Anne captive. The Well House is an exciting, unique and thoughtful story of a man's fight against unbelievable odds to save his wife. Part drama, part fantasy and part parable, The Well House is a multi-layered tale that takes you on an amazing journey, from the mountains above Boulder Colorado to the depths of the dark zone.

    Now Bram and Evie must work together to not only stop the dragon hunters from hurting anyone else, but to also control Bram's dragon. Without his leadership, the clan will be doomed. 18,600 words / 18+, Explicit language and sexual content / Cliffhanger

    PAID IN BLOOD.The deadly Halahala, the all-devouring poison churned from the depths of the White Lake by the devas and asuras, was swallowed by Shiva to save the universe from extinction.But was the Halahala truly destroyed?A small portion still remains – a weapon powerful enough to guarantee victory to whoever possesses it. And both asuras and devas, locked in battle for supremacy, will stop at nothing to claim it.As the forces of Devaloka and Patala, led by Indra and Shukracharya, plot to possess the Halahala, Shiva turns to mankind to guard it from their murderous clutches. It is now up to Samrat Vikramaditya and his Council of Nine to quell the supernatural hordes – and prevent the universe from tumbling into chaos!A sweeping tale of honour and courage in the face of infinite danger, greed and deceit, The Guardians of the Halahala is a fantastical journey into a time of myth and legend.

    RECOMMENDED FOR 18+ READERS ONLY**** For the first time ever in one collection…the entire Anna Brookes saga. Revised July 2014 Follow Anna as she evolves from a fifteen-year-old with a special talent to the world’s deadliest assassin, 15. The brand-new finale to the series, HiT to Live, is included in this specially-priced boxed set. HiT 149 Anna Brookes is not your typical teenager. Her walls are not adorned with posters of boy bands or movie stars. Instead posters from Glock, Ruger, and Smith & Wesson grace her bedroom. Anna’s mother abandoned her at birth, and her father, St. Cloud Police Chief Henry Brookes, taught her how to shoot and coached her to excellence. On Anna’s fifteenth birthday, unwelcome guests join the celebration, and Anna’s world is never the same. You’ll meet the world’s top assassin, 15, and follow her as she discovers the one hit she’s not sure she can complete – Ben Pearson, the current St. Cloud Police Chief and a man with whom Anna has explosive sexual chemistry. Enter a world of intrigue, power, and treachery as Anna takes on old and new enemies, while falling in love with the one man with whom she can’t have a relationship. Anna Brookes in Training Find out what happened to transform the fifteen-year-old Anna Brookes, the Girl with the Golden Aim, into the deadly assassin 15. After her father is killed and her home destroyed, orphan Anna Brookes finds herself homeless in Gulf Breeze, Florida. After she saves Lukas from a deadly attack, he takes her in and begins to train her in the assassin’s craft. Learn how Lukas’s unconventional training hones Anna’s innate skills until she is as deadly as her mentor. HiT for Freedom Anna has decided to break off her steamy affair with Ben Pearson and leave St. Cloud, when she suspects a new threat to him. Katsu Vang is rich, powerful, and very interested in Anna. He’s also evil to his core. Join Anna as she plays a dangerous game, getting closer to Katsu to discover his real purpose, while trying to keep Ben safe. Secrets are exposed and the future Anna hoped for is snatched from her grasp. Forcefully addicted to heroin and sold as a sex slave, Anna is sent far away. Will Ben be able to save her? HiT to Live In the conclusion to the Anna Brookes saga, Ben and his sister Emily rescue Anna from a brothel in Sydney, Australia. For Anna and Ben, it’s time to settle scores…and a time for the truth between them. From Sydney to the Philippines and back to the States, they take care of business. But a helpful stranger enters Anna’s life, revealing more secrets…and a plan that Anna wants no part of. Can Anna and Ben shed their old lives and start a new one together, or will Anna’s new-found family ruin their chances at a happily-ever-after?

    She dreams of being Human. She dreams of escaping to the world outside her cage.Then, the Dragon Zardon kidnaps her into a new life. Pip rides Dragonback across the Island-World to her new school - a school inside a volcano. A school where Humans learn to be Dragon Riders. But this is only a foretaste of her magical destiny, for the Dragon Assassins are coming. They have floated an Island across the Rift and their aim is nothing less than the massacre of all Dragons.>>Her courage will be tested to its limits, for Pip is the Pygmy Dragon, and this is her taleSeries NoteThe Pygmy Dragon is the first book in a companion series to Aranya and Shadow Dragon, the bestselling Shapeshifter Dragon series. Featuring stunning aerial battles and romance, Aranya is a fresh, gripping coming of age tale set in the same world 150 years on, when the Sylakian Empire rules the Island-World from the Rift to the frozen Islands of the north, and Dragons are fast becoming a fireside legend. But one Dragon lives - let evil beware.

    I had it all—good looks, a fast car and a hot girlfriend. Nothing in life was more important. That was, until I met Ellison James...Since the moment I first saw her she was a raging bull; tackling me in the mud and throwing out insults as fast as her tongue could form the sound. She was snarky She was rude And she pissed me off like no other woman could.I lived beside her for a summer and in the three months that I walked by her side...She opened my eyesShe changed my lifeAnd she made me a better man.

    To say it didn’t go quite as he envisioned is an understatement. Never in a million years would he have imagined that his best friend, Daniel, is the new man in Kate’s life. Once their explosive evening concludes and everyone goes their separate ways, Mike takes the time to calm down and plan his next move. If there’s one thing that calms him it’s Kate, even if it’s just memories of her. Mike has four hours before he sees her again and gets to plead his case. Instead of sleeping, he spends his evening remembering every detail of their relationship from the beginning. Experience Mike and Kate’s love story from the start, all from Mike’s point of view. Find out why he left Kate in pieces and learn just how far he’ll go to make her fall in love with him all over again.

    The world is rent by strife. The gods have turned away from us. In times past, heroes of sword and sorcery have always risen to turn back the tide of darkness… But what will become of us all, now that swords are obsolete, sorcery is industrialized, and heroism itself is considered a relic of the past?The times are changing…Incorporating elements of a Western, a Victorian romance, hints of steampunk and inspiration from the early novels of H. Rider Haggard and Arthur Conan Doyle, all set in a world of classic sword and sorcery, The Gods are Bastards is a genre-blending fantasy epic.Set in a familiar high-fantasy universe of wizards, dragons and elves, the action takes place roughly fifteen hundred years after the medieval stasis in which most high fantasy is set, during an era much like Earth’s Industrial Revolution. Mass production of enchanted goods has revolutionized all aspects of life, energy weapons have made blades and armor all but obsolete, and the world is connected and illuminated by magical analogues of trains, telegraphs and electric lights. With progress has come social and political upheaval: the scattered feudal kingdoms of yore have been consolidated into a now-precarious Empire, the clerics of various gods have organized themselves into a mighty Universal Church, and the first stirrings of modern education and an Enlightenment ethos have taken root in a young University. On the other hand, dragons are nearly extinct, elves have been herded onto reservations, and the days when a person could make a living as a wandering adventurer are long since over.It’s a new world, and the people of the Empire must learn to live in it, or fall to ancient threats they have tried to forget…https://tiraas.wordpress.com/about/

    A perfect jumping-off point for new readers that’s sure to delight dedicated fans, the entire Dark Legacy Shannara adventure is now available in one thrilling eBook bundle:WARDS OF FAERIEBLOODFIRE QUESTWITCH WRAITHAlso includes the Paladins of Shannara short stories: “Allanon’s Quest,” “The Weapons Master’s Choice,” and “The Black Irix”!When the world was young, the power of magic ruled—and the Elfstones warded the race of Elves and their lands, keeping evil at bay. But when an Elven girl fell hopelessly in love with a Darkling boy of the Void, he carried away more than her heart.   Thousands of years later, tumultuous times are upon the world now known as the Four Lands. Users of magic are in conflict with proponents of science. Elves have distanced their society from the other races. The dwindling Druid order and its teachings are threatened with extinction. A sinister politician has used treachery and murder to rise as prime minister of the mighty Federation. Meanwhile, poring through a long-forgotten diary, the young Druid Aphenglow Elessedil has stumbled upon the secret account of an Elven girl’s heartbreak and the shocking truth about the vanished Elfstones. But never has a little knowledge been so very dangerous—as Aphenglow quickly learns when she’s set upon by assassins.Yet there can be no turning back from the road to which fate has steered her. Whoever captures the Elfstones and their untold powers will surely hold the advantage in the devastating clash to come. But when the Druids mount an expedition to locate the missing stones, they quickly discover there may be even more at stake than they ever expected.

    My name is Grazi Kelly. There are things I know are true and things that I never would have guessed. First, demons and witches exist and they are evil. Second, the world is up for grabs and the witches are getting their minions ready. Third, I'm a werewolf and it's my job to stop them."High school sophomore Grazi Kelly leads an ordinary life in the suburbs of New Jersey helping her grandmother with chores and attending Catholic school. Things are pretty good except for her bullying cousin and the rest of the obnoxious cheer team. Then things take a frightening turn when the night of the full moon arrives and the bodies start piling up. Grazi learns that she is different in ways she never expected. She finds herself torn between Sebastian, the school soccer star and Ronan, a foreign exchange student who shares her secret. She must uncover the identity behind the mysterious attacker, but is she ready for the entire truth?

    But on the day of her funeral, he discovers a book Kate left for him, Things I Want You to Know. Her instructions for raising Emma and Liam without her give him comfort, but her other plans for him seem much more daunting...Five dates with five different women. Nick isn't sure his heart is in it...but as he tries to follow Kate's careful instructions, he slowly realises that it's not romance Kate wanted him to find, but something far more important. Will Nick find the courage to take a second chance?

    There she meets Aliyan, a British Muslim who is the center of everybody's attention. Both are broken souls, bearers of terrible burdens but when they meet, their fates are forever intertwined.It was first published in Shuaa Digest: July 2014-March 2015.

    From Book 1: Collects issues #1-4 of the biggest hit comic of the year!Welcome to Ponyville, home of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and all your other favorite Ponies! Something's not right in the town though, as some of the inhabitants are acting very, very strange! It's up to the Mane Six to find the source of the weirdness before it's too late!

    

    However, her world turns upside down when an enchanting, desirable boy Torrid appears in her life" - Xandra, TV News Anchor at TV Zemst 5 out of 5 Stars - "I haven't seen any Paranormal Dystopians before, so this book felt so refreshing and unique. I devoured this book entirely too quickly, and the sequel is not out when it should be :( (apologies for the whining, this book was really that good)" - Amy, The Bookmark 5 out of 5 Stars - "I know I say this alot but WOW. Desire was so much more than the dystopian YA romance...A must read that all YA fans will love." - Laura, YA Indie Princess 5 out of 5 Stars - "When I picked up desire I was expecting the usual dystopian fare but what I got instead was an intriquing world that immediately fascinated me!" - Kristi, Book Faery 5 out of 5 Stars - "Desire introduces you to a strange new world where your whole life is planned out for you at age 18. Even if you want one thing for yourself whatever is planned out is what you must do...or else." - Melissa, The Bookshelf A Dystopian world where everyone's future is planned out for them at age 18...whether it is what a person desires or not. Kama is about to turn 18 and she thinks her Life s Plan will turn out like her boyfriend's and friend's as they desired. But when she glimpse a young man who can communicate with her with his thoughts and knows her name...a young man with burning blue eyes and raven hair, who is dressed like no other in her world, she is left to question her Life's Plan and her destiny. Knowing the truth can destroy everyone... Recommended for age 16 and up.

    And in every generation, there are those who seek to destroy the chosen one.When Birdie's song draws the attention of a dangerous Khelari soldier, she is kidnapped and thrust into a world of ancient secrets and betrayals. Rescued by her old friend, traveling peddler Amos McElhenny, Birdie flees the clutches of her enemies in pursuit of the truth behind the Song’s power.Ky is a street–wise thief and a member of the Underground—a group of orphans banded together to survive . . . and to fight the Khelari. Haunted by a tragic raid, Ky joins Birdie and Amos in hopes of a new life beyond the reach of the soldiers. But the enemy is closing in, and when Amos’ shadowed past threatens to undo them all, Birdie is forced to face the destiny that awaits her as the Songkeeper of Leira. Book one of the Songkeeper Chronicles.

    Disowned and kicked out by her wealthy family at the age of eighteen, she has now, at the age of twenty-six, built a multimillion-dollar fortune from nothing by using her natural business aptitude and instinct. Preferring to concentrate on her work for years, she shied away from intimate relationships-until she met Clayton Blake. The attraction is instant as he awakens her inner sex goddess and sense of sexual adventure, but at the same time, he makes her face a horror from her past. Can she overcome her innermost fears to explore and enjoy the sexual pleasures he promises to take her on? Clayton Blake-good-looking, thirty years young, free, single, and billionaire. He thought he had it all, a loving, supportive family, an abundance of easily available women, and an extremely successful business. That was until Skye Darcy walked into his life, and everything in his world shifted. His burning lust and passion for her awakens and ignites emotions and pleasure like he's never experienced before; however, it also brings out a horror from her past he is determined to lay to rest. Will his love be strong enough to help Skye conquer her nightmare memories and fears? Awakened by You follows Skye and Clayton's journey of self-discovery, their developing relationship and sexual exploits. Come along for the ride, and experience it with them.

    A. Salvatore expands his sweeping fantasy epic to include a new generation of heroes and villains. Picking up where the first three books leave off, this convenient eBook bundle contains the follow-up novel and sequel trilogy that round out the beloved series:  MORTALISASCENDANCETRANSCENDENCEIMMORTALIS  The long struggle is over at last. The demon is no more, its dark sorceries shattered by the gemstone magic wielded by the woman known as Pony. But victory did not come easily. Many lives were lost, including Pony’s lover, the elf-trained ranger Elbryan Wyndon, and their son. And despite the demon’s demise, the kingdom still seethes in a cauldron of plots and machinations. When a deadly sickness suddenly appears among the people of Corona, Pony must undertake a pilgrimage that will test her powers—and her faith—as never before.   But unknown to Pony, her child never died. Instead, he is secretly raised to be a weapon. Stolen away by the queen of the elves, the headstrong Aydrian shows great promise in the arts of combat, and he is as powerful with the gemstone magic as Pony. Hungry for power, Aydrian soon joins forces with his own mother’s mortal enemy, setting himself on a collision course with destiny.  Praise for the DemonWars Saga   “An enthralling epic adventure story, it introduces memorable characters and an intricate scheme of magic the readers won’t soon forget.”—Terry Brooks, on The Demon Awakens  “R. A. Salvatore at his best—and even better.”—New York Times bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole, on Mortalis  “As R. A. Salvatore continues to build his detailed and complex history, his readership is sure to build as well.”—New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson, on Ascendance  “Outstanding . . . [Transcendance has] a first-rate female high-fantasy protagonist.”—Booklist   “Fans will dance with joy.”—Kirkus Reviews, on Immortalis

    I’m an abstract concept that has no body, no smell, no boundaries, no shape and no color. I am the Omnilogos.”So it is forged, a Science Fiction saga that gave birth to a legend, a tale about the life of a man with one project that will change mankind’s future forever. Ten stories about his life, his sorrow, and his quest to gather the resources and the people needed to claim our place among the stars.This is Wei’s story.This is the world of the Omnilogos. ---------New Extended Edition! With extra material including an additional chapter plus an exclusive sneak preview of the upcoming sequel Pelargonium, book two of the Omnilogos Series!

    She is his self-proclaimed No. 1 fan in the world since grade school. He is her prince charming, knight in shining armor and soul mate rolled into one. In her dreams, at least. Now Dare is not exactly the epitome of chivalry, and definitely not the right role model for young, idealistic women like Celine. He is a jaded-to-the bone product of dog-eat-dog Hollywood, a consummate practitioner of casual sex. He has no use for women who write poems and songs in his honor, especially the ones who are dying to make an honest man out of him. Some tried but failed miserably. He is hard to the core and no woman can change or tame him. But Celine believes otherwise. She has met Dare once, when she was still a little girl and he was just a teenager and they shared one unforgettable moment together, a moment so special that Celine is absolutely convinced that she and Dare are meant for each other. She is the right woman for him and all those starlets and supermodels are just temporary diversions until her second coming into his life. Proof? He is now thrice married and thrice divorced. Dare is waiting for her. She is his one true destiny. You think she’s crazy? Think again. Never underestimate the power of naïve delusions. It makes people do the things they don’t normally do. Even the impossible. And in these moments of impossibility, magic happens.

    Against a backdrop of high Edwardian luxury, Natalie Edwardes is poised on the brink of adulthood and, in an age when a woman's destiny is decided by marriage, her beauty, wit and wealth would seem to guarantee her a glittering future. But, isolated by her father's position as a self-made man, Natalie has never felt at ease in a society bound by a maze of conventions. Heart, for her, will always rule head, and so it seems that an encounter with a dashing yet gentle artist-soldier contains all the seeds of her life's happiness. The dance of Natalie's life whirls her from the glittering ballrooms of London and the grand houses of Scotland and Devon, to the Scottish Highlands. But the strictures of polite society are far-reaching and Natalie's happiness is abruptly snatched away. She is forced to compromise her romantic ideals and it is only when the tragedy of the Titanic touches her life, years later, that she discovers what love really means and the heartrending choices it poses. Choices that even the cataclysmic events of 1914-1919 seem unlikely to challenge.

    After Barnaby Gilbert got laid off with a nice severance, his boss suggested he take up a new hobby to fill up his free time. On his regular commuter train, Barnaby got an idea what that hobby would be. He decided to satisfy a curiosity he’d long had. An avid birder, he began tracking some regular passengers — people he’d always wondered about — to see where they went and what they did. In following a Chinese man, a schoolgirl, and a sexy woman, he used the same techniques he had to add hawks and herons to his life list. But in this quirky, tongue-in-cheek thriller, he found out pretty fast that humans were a much more dangerous species.

    Comprehensive content and deep detail provide more than just a BeagleBone instruction manual—you’ll also learn the underlying engineering techniques that will allow you to create your own projects. The book begins with a foundational primer on essential skills, and then gradually moves into communication, control, and advanced applications using C/C++, allowing you to learn at your own pace. In addition, the book’s companion website features instructional videos, source code, discussion forums, and more, to ensure that you have everything you need.The BeagleBone’s small size, high performance, low cost, and extreme adaptability have made it a favorite development platform, and the Linux software base allows for complex yet flexible functionality. The BeagleBone has applications in smart buildings, robot control, environmental sensing, to name a few; and, expansion boards and peripherals dramatically increase the possibilities. Exploring BeagleBone provides a reader-friendly  guide to the device, including a crash course in computer engineering. While following step by step, you can: Get up to speed on embedded Linux, electronics, and programming Master interfacing electronic circuits, buses and modules, with practical examples Explore the Internet-connected BeagleBone and the BeagleBone with a display Apply the BeagleBone to sensing applications, including video and sound Explore the BeagleBone’s Programmable Real-Time Controllers Hands-on learning helps ensure that your new skills stay with you, allowing you to design with electronics, modules, or peripherals even beyond the BeagleBone. Insightful guidance and online peer support help you transition from beginner to expert as you master the techniques presented in Exploring BeagleBone, the practical handbook for the popular computing platform.

    "The language throughout has grit and tactility. It has a bite which is without animus, ironic rather than sarcastic. These are poems that must be read many times.

    Monster. Saviour. Butcher. Madman. Recluse. Wolf Narak, the deadly and charismatic god of wolves, has earned all the names men give him, and since the climactic and bloody final battle of the Great War he has shunned the company of mortal men and withdrawn to his forest home. There he is troubled by dreams of blood and fire, tormented by memories of his own deeds. But fate has not quite finished with the victor of Afael. He receives an impossible message, and as he follows the trail a suspicion grows to a certainty within him. War is coming again, and Narak must leave his beloved wolves and once more take up his twin blades. Once again he must become the general of the six kingdoms, the terror of his enemies, a hero, a butcher, the bloodstained god.

     A MIZGALIAN SEEKS JUSTICE… When members of his faith are exiled from the city of Hebbros, Luke vows to resist the forces that tore his family apart. Armed with a divine gift and the aid of friends, he undertakes to right a world of wrongs. Opposed on all sides by evil men determined to silence the Faithful and outlaw their powerful God, Luke’s small band will be tried and tested as they battle for truth, freedom, and the overthrow of rampant evil in their city. AN ARCREAN SEEKS FULFILLMENT… Three years after Elaina’s world was turned upside-down, the former nobleman’s daughter still tastes the sting of bitterness. When an act of betrayal sends her north into slavery, Elaina finds herself face-to-face with the truth she has long resisted and a choice that will change her forever. THEY WILL DISCOVER A MATCHLESS GRACE… Brought together in a desperate attempt to pluck a remnant from destruction, Luke, Elaina, and a host of unforgettable characters will discover the greatness of the power of God, and the startling truth that some things are not what they seem.

    Until recently I was just a normal boy. Well, besides the fact that I grew up wearing a copper bracelet and a malachite collar. When I moved to Johannesburg though, everything changed. I found out that I had a dark side and that I had enemies. Enemies that wanted to destroy me and others like me. I need to find a way to stop them. I need to get control of my dark side. I need help...In a universe filled with war and mystical creatures, Raymond embarks on a journey to discover his true identity and to tame his dark side. During his journey he meets a mermaid, gets tangled up in a love triangle, is taken prisoner, finds his ancestors, and is dragged into the worst war the universe has ever seen. The war of Gog and Magog. Will Raymond discover his destiny? Will he be able to stop the war of Gog and Magog?

    Tikum Kadlum (Black Dog), Book I, tells about the hunting spree of Datu Paiburong, the cutting of the priced buriraw nga kawayan (a yellow-colored variety of bamboo), and the heavy payment demanded by the man-eating monster, Makabagting, from Datu Paiburong for the crashing of his priced burugsak (gold bell). From the mountain of Panay Island, to the cities, this book reaches out to its varied readers in three languages: contemporary Kinaray-a, Filipino (Tagalog), and English.

    Merely brushing up against her or touching her exposed skin is enough to cause painful burns, or worse. And if that wasn't enough, she's just discovered the singular reason for her existence - to act as the king's secret assassin, murdering neighboring princes with nothing more than a simple kiss...

    The path of slaughter, which had reduced over a thousand worlds to ash, had finally come to an end. Nine months later, little Gerald Dyson was born on earth. As the reincarnation of the ArchTyrant, he inherited an astonishing amount of bad kharma, bringing misfortune to him and everything he touches. Poor Gerald has no idea, of course. All he knows is that wherever he touches something, it breaks, wherever he goes, it rains, whenever he sees an animal, it attacks him. When the Galaxy Central Computer malfunctions for the first time in history, and sends Gerald a scholarship to the prestigious Central Exeter law school, and when a handful of alien beauties start to take interest in him, he wonders if his luck might be changing for the better. But, a mafia heiress, a soul-eating demon, a huntress who eats humans, are these really the kinds of girls you want to be obsessed with you? Has Gerald's luck begun to change, or is this just the beginning of the punishment the universe has in store for the reincarnation of the most evil man in history?

    Learn how to build a fort, craft armour and weapons, set mob traps, defeat enemies in combat, as well as how to battle your way out of "the Nether" and "the End."With tips and tricks from experts and celebrities, including Minecraft developer, Jens “Jeb” Bergensten, and creator, Markus “Notch” Persson, readers will learn the skills needed to becoming the ultimate Minecraft warrior in no time!

    You don’t make a career out of stealing other people’s property without making enemies. When a risky job goes from bad to worse, Lexa and her adopted family find themselves on Precipice Corporation’s hit list because they’ve accidentally stolen the wrong thing—plans for a new model of genetically-engineered super humans. Now every bounty hunter, cop on the take, and snitch in the city is after them.Lexa’s world crumbles around her as she fights to keep her family safe even as someone strolls out of her forgotten past. Quinn says he knows who Lexa really is, but can she trust a stranger she met while robbing his boss? More importantly, does she really want to know what Quinn has to tell her?Based on the fairy tale Pinocchio, UNSTRUNG takes you into a near future world where the lines between fake and real are blurred, all that’s pristine isn’t always innocent, and being a criminal isn’t always wrong.

    Maybe not even sure who the "real you" is anyway. Dress the way you're supposed to, date the right guy, mother must approve...Well all of the above applied to Charlie Montgomery. That is until the "right" guy battled his hormones...and lost. Anger was just the catalyst she needed to make a change. And going off to college will give her the perfect opportunity for reinvention. All she had to do was: avoid her ex-boyfriend like the plague, burn old wardrobe, make new friends. And last but not least; avoid the advances of enthusiastic co- eds. Love has no place on the "new Charlie" list. Love is the last thing on her mind, it's just not the right time. But love knows nothing about perfect timing... Readers fell in love with the filter-free antics of Charlie Barton from the Rebound Series. This funny and heart felt novella is about the Charlie way back when. Follow her while she handles being on her own for the first time.

    . . and war is comingEveryone must serve. Everyone must sacrifice.The god-born: Sigrun Caetia, valkyrie of Tyr, born in Nova Germania, across the seaThe summoner: Trennus Matrugena, son of a petty king, native of CaledoniaThe archmage: Kanmi Eshmunazar, a former wharf-rat of Tyre, CarthageThe godslayer: Adam ben Maor, special forces, of JudeaThe prophetess: Sophia, Pythia of DelphiThe truthsayer: Minori Sasaki, scientist and sorcerer, native of HokkaidoAnd the man who brings them together in Rome's service: Propraetor Antonius Valerius Livorus.Together, they pursue a great mystery: Some believe that the world is about to end. Certainly, prophecy indicates so. Some of the gods are making provisions for that day, including reviving the long-prohibited custom of human sacrifice.How do they stop this, and how deep does the mystery go? Why does a dying man taunt Livorus, asking him if he knows where his gods are? And why does prophecy suggest that Sigrun will be the sole survivor of Ragnarok?This is alternate history that goes beyond merely filing the serial numbers off world events. A wholly-re-imagined world awaits, blending fantasy, science-fiction, history, and other genres at will._______________"More than a mere adventure, the story succeeds in tapping into deeper ideas of religious tolerance and pluralism. Though some may find themselves lost in the vast sea of gods, rituals, violence, and beliefs, readers excited by a tour of this highly imaginative world will thoroughly enjoy the ride." --Kirkus Reviews https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...

    Louise Cowan postulates a culture-generating cosmos as the identifying mark of epic. The essays illustrate the applicability of her theory of genres to major works in the epic tradition. An excellent resource for those studying the social, psychological and historical aspects of epic as a literary art form. Dallas Institute Publications publishes works concerned with the imaginative, mythic, and symbolic sources of culture. 378 pages, indexed.

    He has large aspirations and wants to save his clan. Linley's journey begins with an accident when he discovers a ring. He took a liking to this ring, which had a dragon carved coiling around it. Upon being injured during a battle between two powerful fighters he discovers that his ring is not what he thought it was and possesses powers beyond his imagination.

    Ryan, brings readers, The Schasm trilogy. These books take the reader on a mind-bending adventure through mental drifts, fanatical love, and the effervescent landscape of what lies within the minds eye. This series will make you question the reality of all that is real, which might just make you wonder about the validity of your own existence.*****************************************************************Schasm (Book 1): What happens when two worlds collide? Chloe Valcourt drifts between two worlds: the dark reality of her horrible parents and doctors versus the vivid fantasy of her imagination. A chance encounter with a handsome and vaguely familiar young man in her dream world hints at the possibility of hidden truths—and a life she can’t remember. As her drifts become a greater escape from the cruelty of the real world, Chloe finds herself lost between what is real and what is imagined, questioning her very existence. Can she remain in the lush new imagined landscape to find happiness in a realm of her own invention? Is she doomed to return to the harsh reality of the outside world forever? Or will she become trapped somewhere between the two…unable to return to either? A thriller guaranteed to make your mind spin, Schasm is a young adult novel destined to change how you view the power of your mind.*****************************************************************Fissure Free (Book 2): Author Shari J Ryan reunites the colorful cast of friends and family in Book 2 of the Schasm Series with a powerful tribute to the power of the mind and heart in this romantic, suspenseful, and engaging novel. After nineteen years of suffering with a psychological condition, ethereal Chloe had finally come close to finding her ultimate escape—or, so she thinks on the vibrant streets of Paris. Finally in a relationship with Alex, a man she fell in love with in Schasm, Chloe thinks life is finally coming together. As she battles her own demons, she attempts to repair the damaged man she’s grown to love. But as his clouded past abruptly crashes into their lives and falls heavily upon their budding romance, Chloe must fight to maintain her relationship. Although even when the problems begin to subside, she comes to realize certain things cannot be escaped. Just as Chloe believes she might have sealed the doors of darkness once and for all, new questions, new findings and new inceptions arise. Whether or not Chloe wants to continue forward with the path her life seems to be leading, she quickly learns that any choice she makes will ultimately land her in a place she never knew she was destined to be.*****************************************************************When Fully Fused (Book 3): In the third and final book of the Schasm Series, author Shari Ryan takes you on a final journey of the mind. Chloe and Alex together again maintain their composure and romance as they raise their four-year-old son, Sammy. But fairytales are merely stories they read in the nursery at night, for lurking behind each thought is a world out of control like the chaos of a car crash. As life likes to do, everything Chloe firmly believes in twists in the opposite direction. With three paths to choose from she can only choose Left. Right. Or Start Again. All the questions have answers, and the forces of good and evil wage an epic battle solely within the mind, leaving behind the constraints of reality. From time travel to drifts, When Fully Fused is a thrilling ride from start to finish, literally.

    For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly - and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins' world of dangerous politics and strange magics - and cultivate a flair for death.

    Gone are the times of peace and prosperity they appreciated under deposed king Varic Khalon, who vanished the night Lorcan took power. Most believe him dead. Only one man knows the truth.Stripped of his magic and imprisoned, Varic never thought to see his kingdom again. But a twist of dark fate secures his freedom and he returns to the city he loves. Now calling himself Gavril, he finds himself with no home, no magic, no subjects, and no hope of reclaiming the throne, forced to survive any way he can. Until a chance encounter brings him face to face with the one person who may tip the scales in his favor.Shyla de Aven has a single magical gift. She can sense magic in others. Not a very useful talent in a city where everyone has magical abilities. So when a wounded stranger literally stumbles into her, he presents her with a mystery she feels compelled to solve. He has magic, yet not. Determined to find the answer, Shyla helps the man. Only to discover they are far more connected than she realizes. And if the people of Aquina want their king returned, she will have to discover the key to unlocking his true power, all without losing her heart in the process.

    In fact, he's as damaged as they come. A former Marine sniper suffering from PTSD, Evan battles his inner demons throughout his life as a hit man for the top Chicago mafia boss, Rinaldo Moretti.This action-packed trilogy starts with the novella Otherwise Alone. Evan is hiding away in an Arizona cabin with only his faithful dog , Odin, for company when he find Lia Antonio stumbling around, lost in the desert. To say Lia hits it off with this hit man is an understatement, but as hot as their brief encounter may be, Evan knows he's not the kind of guy she wants to pursue.Back in Chicago, it's back to the "normal" life of a killer for organized crime as Evan's story continues in Otherwise Occupied. He does everything he can to occupy himself and keep away thoughts of the beautiful woman he met in Arizona, but nothing seems to work.Evan is ruthless and merciless in all his relationships. Unable to sleep with wartime nightmares in his head, Evan turns to a prostitute to help him sleep at night. As his mental state slowly degrades and his paranoia increases, Evan is unable to control his own actions.No one is safe.In Otherwise Unharmed, Evan makes a deal with federal agents for his release from prison, and he's tossed into the beginnings of an all-out war between mafia families in Chicago. No one can know his true loyalties if he has any chance of keeping those he cares about alive.He knows if he is to have any chance at life with Lia, he has to get out of the business, but who retires from the mafia?In his efforts to make things right, Evan crosses the wrong man and finds himself on the business end of the crosshairs. With his acute perception and intelligence, he tries to stay a step ahead of his former co-workers, but this time, it isn't just his own life on the line - he's got to protect Lia from the man who once called him son.

    The world is rent by strife. The gods have turned away from us. In times past, heroes of sword and sorcery have always risen to turn back the tide of darkness… But what will become of us all, now that swords are obsolete, sorcery is industrialized, and heroism itself is considered a relic of the past?The times are changing…Incorporating elements of a Western, a Victorian romance, hints of steampunk and inspiration from the early novels of H. Rider Haggard and Arthur Conan Doyle, all set in a world of classic sword and sorcery, The Gods are Bastards is a genre-blending fantasy epic.Set in a familiar high-fantasy universe of wizards, dragons and elves, the action takes place roughly fifteen hundred years after the medieval stasis in which most high fantasy is set, during an era much like Earth’s Industrial Revolution. Mass production of enchanted goods has revolutionized all aspects of life, energy weapons have made blades and armor all but obsolete, and the world is connected and illuminated by magical analogues of trains, telegraphs and electric lights. With progress has come social and political upheaval: the scattered feudal kingdoms of yore have been consolidated into a now-precarious Empire, the clerics of various gods have organized themselves into a mighty Universal Church, and the first stirrings of modern education and an Enlightenment ethos have taken root in a young University. On the other hand, dragons are nearly extinct, elves have been herded onto reservations, and the days when a person could make a living as a wandering adventurer are long since over.It’s a new world, and the people of the Empire must learn to live in it, or fall to ancient threats they have tried to forget…

    Then the half-mad and completely bored Shadan Khairn invaded Gen's village to winter there and start a war. He shoved a sword in Gen's hands and tormented his body, shaping a bard into a warrior to be killed for sport. As the days of torture pile up like the snow, Gen searches for death. But the day is at hand when the shattered shards of the world will knit together again and the world’s slain god be reborn. The mighty Ha'Ulrich will be the father, the mysterious Chalaine the mother. In dangerous times, the holy couple doesn't need a bard. They need a warrior. And Gen needs a reason to live.

    A mortal entranced by a Faerie Queen. A quest that could save his realm… or doom it forever.Thomas Rymour is hopelessly infatuated with the Queen of Faerie. On a mission to find a way into the realm and reunite with his love, he makes a pact with an elf lord to steal a legendary magic sword in return for a way inside. But in a land where dragons prowl the skies, he starts to wonder if his quest could prove fatal.When Thomas tricks a powerful duke, his plan backfires and soon he is running for his life. Forced to defend himself in a world of dragons and magic, he races to find his queen before the deadly flames catch up with him. If he fails, he may lose his own land to the Western Kingdom forever.The Fey Man is book one in The Fair Folk epic fantasy series. If you like fierce dragons, flawed heroes, and faerie mythology, then you’ll love James T Kelly’s magical blockbuster.Buy The Fey Man to take an epic magical adventure today!

     In a world where genetically-engineered humans serve as slave labor to “real” humans, ten-year-old Quinn is an anomaly. Designed with superior intelligence and physical attributes, he lives and trains at Maren DeGaul’s lakeside mansion, being readied for some mysterious purpose as dictated by Precipice Corporation. Despite the comfortable surroundings, Quinn is frequently pushed to his limits by his human guardians, often learning lessons in pain and loneliness. That all changes the day they introduce him to a new artificial, one who is both his equal and his soulmate. But when Maren decides the new artificial is flawed and should be decommissioned, it’s up to Quinn to find a way to save his only friend.

    Hatched from an egg but unable to shift into dragon form, Jathen is a Moot among the Tazu. His rightful throne is forbidden him because of his transformative handicap, and neither his culture nor his religion offer acceptance of his perceived flaws.Driven by wounded anger, Jathen strikes out across the vast world beyond Tazu borders, desperate to find a place where he feels accepted and whole. Though he travels with the most trusted of companions, sabotage and conspiracy soon strike his quest. Jathen and his allies must struggle against man and magic alike, at the mercy of forces beyond their ken.As Jathen presses on, his questions of belonging are surrounded by more of identity, loyalty, and betrayal. Where will the path of his destiny lead, and will he follow or fall?

    Their dramatic adventures span sixteen years and see them engage with Native American Indians, Barbary Coast pirates, Aborigines, Maoris and Pacific Islanders as they travel around the world – from America to Africa, from England to the Canary Islands, to Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and Fiji. In book one, World Odyssey, ambitious American adventurer Nathan Johnson, sheltered English missionary Susannah Drake and irrepressible Cockney Jack Halliday each follow very different paths. Nathan’s journey begins when runs away to sea and finds himself the slave of a Northwest American Indian tribe after his ship founders on the rocky coast; Susannah’s journey begins after she agrees to accompany her clergyman father to Fiji to help him run a mission station there, and they must endure a nightmare voyage they’re lucky to survive; Jack’s journey begins when he’s sentenced to seven years’ hard labor in the British penal colony of New South Wales after stealing hemp from an unscrupulous employer. After traveling thousands of miles and experiencing the best and worst that life can offer, these three disparate individuals eventually end up in the remote archipelago of Fiji, in the South Pacific, where their lives intersect. In book two, Fiji: A Novel, Jack sets himself up to trade Fijian kauri to European traders while Nathan trades muskets to the same natives Susannah and her father are trying to convert to Christianity. Conflict’s inevitable. Susannah despises Nathan, but is also attracted to him. She soon finds she’s torn between her spiritual and sexual selves. When their lives are suddenly endangered by marauding cannibals, all three are forced to rely on each other for their very survival.

    Sea serpents and other gods endanger her travels and sour the omens. Her duties at the Temple of Apenth prove Yssa is cursed instead of blessed. Not yet permitted to give prophecies to temple goers, Yssa spends her days reading dusty scrolls, which does nothing to help her forget Tym, the boy back home. Then, there is Liam, the annoying yet gorgeous ferryman’s son. He proves to be a distraction not even a psychic can predict.Her boring temple life screeches to a halt when premonitions of her parents’ murders consume her. Yssa races to her home an ocean away to stop their deaths. After all, Apenth’s rare Phoenix Prophetesses are gifted with the ability to alter the future. Fate, however, won’t be changed as easily as Yssa assumes. Worse, it has plans for her and the kingdom.Yssa must either accept her destiny or fight Fate.

    

    A pox of space and time is ravaging the lands of magic and machine. As the Windom Academy accepts squires from the Day into its student exchange program, Jono and his team must question what they believe in if they are to have any hope at defeating an enemy they know so little about...

    Rachel unexpectedly crosses Jolán’s path and turns her life upside down as they rekindle their romance. Rachel tries to convince Myla she didn’t cause Jolán’s death but Myla doesn’t believe her and wants to know everything. With Rachel’s help, Myla pieces together her mother’s startling past, all of which leads to the most devastating secret of all—herself.

    Standing in his way is an unlikely adversary, Kamina Elloeth, a young tree elf who is inadvertently entangled in Malenek’s plans. She embarks on a quest with her ghostly brother and a mysterious Ishkava Ranger to find an ancient artifact that may be the only way to stop Malenek’s destructive schemes. Facing her fears, Kamina will travel over oceans and deserts, fight through swamps and jungles, and battle with legendary monsters to unearth the power hidden within the Stone of Spirits.

    

    His arduous, ten-year journey home after the Trojan War, the subject of Homer's The Odyssey, is the most accessible tale to survive from ancient Greece, and its impact is still felt today across many different cultures. Barry Powell's free verse translation preserves the clarity and simplicity of the original while conveying Odysseus' adventures in an energetic, modern idiom. By avoiding the stylistic formality of earlier translations, and the colloquial and sometimes exaggerated effects of recent attempts, his translation deftly captures the most essential truths of this vital text. Due to his thorough familiarity with the world of Homer and Homeric language, Powell's introduction provides rich historical and literary perspectives on the poem. This translation also includes illustrations from classical artwork, detailed maps, explanatory notes, a timeline, and a glossary. Modern and pleasing to the ear while accurately reflecting the meaning of the Greek, this Odyssey steers a middle path between the most well-known translations and adds something truly unique and contemporary to the canon.

    The place: Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Oil has dried up. The economy has collapsed. Residents barter and grow backyard gardens to survive. The suburbs are walled strongholds of wealth and weapons. The Twin Cities teeter on the brink of anarchy. As urban unrest grows, war becomes imminent. If that's not enough, star student and runner Clair Ibsen has problems of her own. At 15, her life is upside down. Her father has lost his job. Now their house is in foreclosure and in the middle of a war zone. Facing homelessness, Clair suffers from the ailment of the age: anxiety. Her cure? To run! Among these dizzying challenges, Clair puts her feet to work as a messenger for a secret coven of urban witches. In return, they agree to use their elegant arts of persuasion help her family. As each mission takes her deeper into the heart of her fractured city, Clair soon finds that such persuasion comes at a cost... In her epic quest to save her home, Clair contends with betrayals by old friends, wannabe urban vampires, a slightly crazed punk rock spiritual advisor, tensions between the Twin Cities' ethnic factions, and the persistent advances of an unbalanced teenage feudal lord who wants to make her his queen. Told in the unrhymed verse of epic poetry--the choice of Shakespeare and Milton--but written in contemporary, everyday language, author-poet E.C. Hansen has crafted this charming, fleet-footed work as an optimistic antidote to the recent flood of dystopian teen novels. Clair's heroic quest for purpose and belonging is the perfect literary epic for our uncertain times.

    The single act capable of bringing both death and life simultaneously. Thannuel Kerr is handsome, young and brash, fumbling through childhood toward his inevitable inheritance: the next Lord of the Western Province. He struggles to accept his arranged marriage and to grow into the man he must become. The journey toward that end, however, is fraught with more peril than he could possibly imagine. In the remote reaches of the Realm, an unknown, silent threat is growing. The Thoulden-sha of Mari-shaden is gathering his disciples, those who have relinquished their bloodlines to the Ancients and embraced Those Not Remembered, a forgotten race that inhabited Våleira long before the Age of the Ancients. As Thannuel learns more about his heritage, he begins to understand why powers that seem greater than anything the world of Våleira has ever seen are targeting him. As a young man, he and his beloved intended, Moira, will face assassination attempts, civil war, and foreign invasions that could tear the Realm—and Våleira itself—apart. Sacrifice. It is what the Thoulden-sha demands. It is what the world desperately needs. To save all he loves, Thannuel will be called upon to lay himself upon the Altar of Influence.