Best of
Historical-Fantasy

2011

The Parasol Protectorate: Soulless, Blameless, and Changeless


Gail Carriger - 2011
    First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.Book 2: CHANGELESSAlexia Tarabotti, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears - leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can.She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.Book 3: BLAMELESSQuitting her husband's house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season.Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all off, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London's vampires are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead.While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars. Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires -- and they're armed with pesto.

Opal Cowan Trilogy #1-3


Maria V. Snyder - 2011
    Snyder has been writing since 1995 and has published numerous articles in magazines and newspapers. She lives with her family in Pennsylvania.TITLES IN THIS SETSpy GlassStorm GlassSea Glass

Twixt Firelight and Water


Juliet Marillier - 2011
    Now a druid, an ill-tempered raven and an adventurous young woman are drawn together as the time approaches for the evil magic to be undone. Fans of the Sevenwaters series will love this new episode, which fleshes out the history of druid Ciaran and his constant companion Fiacha.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom


A.C. Crispin - 2011
    He sometimes thinks back to his boyhood pirating days, but he doesn't miss Teague's scrutiny or the constant threat of the noose. Besides, he doesn't have much choice-he broke the Code when he freed a friend who had been accused of rogue piracy, and he can no longer show his face in Shipwreck Cove. When Jack's ship is attacked by pirates and his captain dies in the altercation, he suddenly finds himself in command. The wily sailor's skillful negotiations with the pirate captain-who turns out to be a woman from his past-result in a favorable outcome that puts Jack in line for an official promotion. After making port in Africa, Jack is summoned by Cutler Beckett, who makes him captain of a ship called the Wicked Wench. Beckett gives Jack an assignment. He has heard a legend about a magical island named Zerzura whose labyrinthine bowels are said to contain a glorious treasure. Beckett suspects that one of his house slaves, a girl named Ayisha, is from Zerzura. He asks Jack to take her along on his voyage and seduce her into divulging the island's whereabouts. In payment for his services, Beckett promises Jack a share of the treasure. But this task isn't as easy as Jack initially believes. Before she agrees to reveal the location of her home, Ayisha insists that Jack take her to the New World to rescue her brother, who has been sold into slavery in the Bahamas. Their voyage is long and arduous, and as they weather a vicious storm and a surprise attack from an old pirate foe, Jack grows to respect and admire Ayisha's bravery. He knows that Beckett intends to enslave her people after robbing them of their treasure, and Jack's moral compass revolts at the idea. It might be possible to deliver Ayisha safely to Zerzura, obtain some of the treasure, and convince Beckett that he never found it . . . but the greedy E. I. T. C. official has eyes everywhere, and if he learns that Jack has foiled his plans, he could take away the thing that Captain Sparrow loves most: his ship-and his freedom.

The Devil's Diadem


Sara Douglass - 2011
    The earl is a powerful Lord of the Marches, the dark Welsh borderlands.Then a plague that has swept Europe overtakes England and as life descends into chaos and civil disorder, Maeb is about to discover that the horrors she survived at Pengraic Castle were but a prelude to the terrifying maelstrom which now envelops her and all of her countryfolk.Hell has come to desecrate England, and the only thing that can possibly foil its plans are the wits of one lonely, isolated and terrified woman.

The Pendragon's Quest


Sarah Woodbury - 2011
    Meanwhile, the fickle god Mabon, loose again in the human world, searches for the Thirteen Treasures of Britain. With each one he collects, his power grows. With the other gods forbidden to interfere in the human world, it is up to Cade, Rhiann, and their companions to stop Mabon and the Saxons.And time is running out.

Changa's Safari


Milton J. Davis - 2011
    He survives slavery and the fighting pits of Mogadishu, eventually becoming a merchant adventurer whose extraordinary skills and determination makes his a legend. From the Swahili merchant cities of Mombasa and Sofala to the magnificent Middle Kingdom, Changa and his crew experience adventures beyond the imagination. Despite his reputation, Changa will not rest until he has fulfilled his promise to his people. The anchors are lifted and the sails are dropped. Let the safari begin

The Immersion Book of Steampunk


Gareth D. JonesJames Targett - 2011
    You are cordially invited on a trip to reclaim those lost and forgotten steam driven futures. Join the Immersion Book of Steampunk for an expedition through a new age of glorious industry. Encounter suffragette air-pirates, the art deco terror of imperial skies, unwrap the bullet-proof magic of a cynical prince, or discover the dark ensorcelled secrets of evolutionary public engineering. Newton and Nostradamus shape these worlds together, and that insistent ticking of a double-escapement could signal the portal to a new life in Her Majesty's Off World Colonies or the countdown of an anarchist's time-travelling bomb.

A Snag in the Tapestry


Amethyst Marie - 2011
    Helicon and move to Mt. Parnassus under the governorship of the god Apollo. When Thalia and Apollo raise a cursed nymph from the dead, Thalia starts to wonder if the Muses have greater powers than anyone realized. The Fates, threatened by this possibility, put her to a test. But Thalia cares less about the Fates’ games than the behind-the-scenes drama of the Olympian royal court. Why did Apollo kill the Cyclops, Zeus’ minion? Why did Zeus give Apollo such a light sentence? And with the Cyclops dead, who will resupply Zeus’ lightning bolts when they run out? Will Hera then make her move for Zeus’ throne, or will she be too busy torturing his latest paramour? And what will happen to the Muses when said paramour is one of them?

Redwood and Wildfire


Andrea Hairston - 2011
    Hunkering together in dark theatres, diverse audiences marvel at flickering images. Redwood, an African American woman, and Aidan, a Seminole Irish man, journey from Georgia to Chicago, from haunted swampland to a "city of the future." They are gifted performers and hoodoo conjurors, struggling to call up the wondrous world they imagine, not just on stage and screen, but on city streets, in front parlors, in wounded hearts. The power of hoodoo is the power of the community that believes in its capacities to heal.Living in a system stacked against them, Redwood and Aidan's power and talent are torment and joy. Their search for a place to be who they want to be is an exhilarating, painful, magical adventure.

The Haunting of Charity Delafield


Ian Beck - 2011
    With only her kindly nurse, Rose, and her cat Mr Tompkins for company, she knows very little of the outside world - or of her own family's shadowy past. What she does know is that she is NEVER to go outside unsupervised. And she is NEVER to over-excite herself, because of the mysterious 'condition' that she has been told she suffers from.But Charity has a secret. All her life, she has had the same strange dream - a dream of a dark corridor, hidden somewhere in the house. Then, one day, Charity stumbles across the corridor. It leads to a door . . . and suddenly she realises things are not quite what they seem.

Eternal Knight


Matt Heppe - 2011
    And now, cannibal raiders have struck the forest refuge of Long Meadow. A huntress, Hadde of Landomere, bears the impossible burden of protecting and providing for her people. With no hope remaining for the survival of Long Meadow, Hadde sets off to seek aid from the distant kingdom of Salador.Unlike Hadde's egalitarian homeland, Salador is a highly stratified, male-dominated world of politics, war, and deceit, teeming with its own problems. When King Boradin comes to believe Hadde is part of a prophecy that will end the Wasting, he refuses her request for aid and bars her from returning home. Hadde’s only ally is the king’s brother and political rival, Morin. When scheming turns to violence, Hadde and Morin flee the king in a desperate quest to end the Wasting before it is too late.

The Lost King


Devorah Fox - 2011
    He battles his way back to his throne, and every dragon in between, a journey marked by intrigue, the struggle for survival, romance, yearning, and self-discovery.

The Frankincense Trail


Jody Kihara - 2011
    But wealth comes at a cost: the precious resin was transported along the Frankincense Road, a dangerous route through rocky mountains and barren desert. Alia is a princess in a dwindling kingdom that lies on the Frankincense Road. Having grown up hearing tales of the famous Queen of Sheba, she dreams of finding a way to restore her kingdom's former might. When a caravan journeying to the mysterious incense lands stops to take on travellers, she sees her chance. She soon realises, however, that her trust in the caravan leaders has been misguided. They are not mere incense merchants, but traitors and mercenaries. Alia's journey soon turns from dangerous to life-threatening. The Frankincense Trail is a story that transports the reader to a time and place reminiscent of the Arabian Nights tales.

Heart of the Gods


Valerie Douglas - 2011
    The tale of the star-crossed lovers and their battle to save ancient Egypt from the Djinn helped him choose his career. He believes he’s finally found the Tomb - only to discover its Guardian is all too real. And as lovely as she is lethal. Ky, however, isn't the only one searching. It's a race to reach the Tomb before others unleash what lies within in their effort to claim the legendary Horn of the Djinn and the fabled Heart of the Gods.

The Survivor Tree: Inspired by a True Story


Cheryl Somers Aubin - 2011
    Clearing the debris, they found a badly injured Callery Pear Tree. She was rescued, taken to a nursery outside the city, and put in the care of Richie, a City Parks Worker. No one was sure if she would live. But the following spring, a dove built a nest in her branches and new green buds appeared.Over the years, the tree, although still bearing scars, grew tall and strong. She is planted in a place of honor on the 9/11 Memorial Plaza and now known as "The 9/11 Survivor Tree." This story imaginatively describes the experience, memories, and feelings of the tree throughout her healing and her eventual return home.All profits from the sale of this book go to charity.

Changeling


Karen Dales - 2011
     Abandoned at birth and left to die, alone in the forest, the Angel is found by the local healer. In loving secrecy he is raised unnamed and unknown lest his strange appearance bring down the wrath of the local villagers. He grows up, cared for by Auntie until her fearful predictions come true. Discovered in his secret grove, his life is transformed, evoking demons that demand more than he can give. Unable to save the lives of those he loves he flees to live alone, away from those who would do him harm. It is alone, exiled by humanity that he comes across the one who would change his life forever, to become – The Angel of Death In Praise of Changeling “...an amazing read...full of surprises...kept me on the edge of my seat.” - Sizzling Hot Books (4 out of 5) In Praise of The Chosen Chronicles “A dark and gripping tale by a true mistress of supernatural fiction. Karen Dales brings fresh blood to the vampire genre.” —Michelle Rowen, National Bestselling Author “For readers who adore textured layers in their literary tapestries, rich in colorful emotions, Karen Dales is one writer of vampire fiction they’ll want to read.” — Nancy Kilpatrick, Author and Editor “...is a must-read for any fans of Twillight or other books in the popular Vampire genre.” - Oakville Today. “...one of the best stories by a new and upcoming writer that I have read.... Very few stories are the equal to this tale.” - Siren Book Reviews (5 out of 5) "...a poignant and epic tale... a brilliant example of good overcoming and prevailing against evil and prejudice... an emotional ride of literary genius, both heart-warming and heartbreaking at the same time..." - Bitten By Books (5 out of 5) “I was hooked...a good book to read on a cold and stormy day.”- Night Owl Reviews (4 out of 5)

The Flower of Hell


Noree Cosper - 2011
    As she pursues her latest prey she stumbles across another hunter. To Gabby, Dimitri is an unneeded distraction, but he attracts her like no other man has for centuries. Will this hunter unlock the feelings she’d buried long ago or will he just open her up to more heartache? Can Gabby protect both of them from the demon stalking the Paris streets?

Umineko No Naku Koro Ni Chiru Episode 5: 1 /End Of The Golden Witch


Akitaka - 2011
    

Darkness Visible


Pip Janssen - 2011
    Lord Henry Lewis is a Warden, working to close dangerous Thresholds to prevent the sickness that flows from the darkness outside reality. William Marsh loses his family to the sickness when several undirected Thresholds are opened in his home. Marsh has the born talent to open Thresholds, and Lord Lewis's superiors order him to train the young man. Their relationship is strained, but they slowly come to rely on each other. The number of rogue Thresholds is increasing and times are dangerous. Lewis and Marsh discover that a cult, disillusioned by the scientific advances of the age, is opening the rogue Thresholds to destroy mankind. As London falls into darkness, they must race against time to stop the end of the world.

Footsteps in Time


Sarah Woodbury - 2011
    His death marked the end of Wales as an independent nation and the beginning of over seven hundred years under the English boot. Footsteps in Time is the story of what might have happened had Llywelyn lived. And what happens to the two teenagers who save him. Footsteps in Time is the first book in the After Cilmeri Series.