This set contains Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind, and Ender in Exile.At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.

    Congratulations! You have graduated high school. Your financial obligation is 67,879 credits. Please visit our loan officer as you exit."Tanner Malone never bought into military myths of honor and glory. He never wanted to wear a uniform or medals. Yet when family upheaval brings his otherwise stellar performance in school to a disastrous end, Tanner's plans for university lie in ruins. Facing homelessness and a mountain of debt, Tanner enlists in his home planet's tiny navy.It’s a hell of a time to sign up. Vicious pirates stalk the space lanes, claiming to fight an oppressive economic system even as they shed innocent blood. Civil war looms beyond the borders of Tanner’s home star system of Archangel. Corporate security fleets are nowhere to be found when trouble arises.In response, Archangel begins ambitious military expansion. Basic training becomes six months of daily bare knuckle brawls, demanding cross-training and constant stress. Brutal as it is, Tanner will need the preparation. The pirates grow more audacious with every attack. As if that’s not enough, Tanner is assigned to a small ship whose disgruntled crew has no patience for cerebral new recruits, and they’re on the front lines of all of Archangel’s woes.Tanner soon learns there is only one way to deal with his bullying comrades, their ruthless foes and the unforgiving void of space, and that’s to get up close and personal.

    While flying through the cosmos he visits distant planets and meets crazy aliens. His adventures are out of this world! ALIEN ESCAPEGeroimo Stiltonix's spaceship is in danger of exploding! The only solution is to replace the engine's batteries by tracking down a rare element. When a group of mysterious aliens claim they can help, Geronimo is relieved. But are the aliens as friendly as they seem?

    During this time he has broken into a Space Station with a Swiss army knife, disposed of a live snake while piloting a plane, and been temporarily blinded while clinging to the exterior of an orbiting spacecraft. The secret to Col. Hadfield's success-and survival-is an unconventional philosophy he learned at NASA: prepare for the worst-and enjoy every moment of it. In An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, Col. Hadfield takes readers deep into his years of training and space exploration to show how to make the impossible possible. Through eye-opening, entertaining stories filled with the adrenaline of launch, the mesmerizing wonder of spacewalks, and the measured, calm responses mandated by crises, he explains how conventional wisdom can get in the way of achievement-and happiness. His own extraordinary education in space has taught him some counterintuitive lessons: don't visualize success, do care what others think, and always sweat the small stuff. You might never be able to build a robot, pilot a spacecraft, make a music video or perform basic surgery in zero gravity like Col. Hadfield. But his vivid and refreshing insights will teach you how to think like an astronaut, and will change, completely, the way you view life on Earth-especially your own.

    Danny and Dinosaur are back, and this time they are going to space!But when Danny realises he's forgotten Dino's lunch box, the very hungry dinosaur eats everything in sight, including their only way home: the rocket!How will Dino get them back home?There's poop, planets and pandemonium in this supersonic space adventure!

    He's got a degree in just about every discipline under the sun!Speaking of the sun, he happens to be specialist on that too, and Professor Astro Cat's Frontiers of Space will tell you everything that there could be to know about our star, our planet, our solar system, our galaxy, and our universe. The professor's made sure of that; he's a fastidious little feline!Professor Astro Cat's Frontiers of Space also explores topics such as gravity, extraterrestrial life, time, and many other fascinating subjects that will take you and your children on a journey to the very frontiers of space!Dr. Dominic Walliman received a PhD in quantum device physics from Birmingham University in 2010 where he spent several years teaching physics to undergraduates and previously obtained a physics BSc and an MSc in computer science. He has also spread the joys of physics to the wider world, taking part in a series of talks in schools and demonstrations at festivals as well as tutoring A-level physics students.Ben Newman is an award-winning illustrator (Royal Television Society Award for Best Branding and Opening Credits Sequence). Previous clients include Penguin, the BBC, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the New York Times, amongst many others. He is a long-standing contributor to Nobrow and is the author of two books, The Bento Bestiary and Ouroboros, under the same imprint.

    . . ONE BOY ALONE CAN SAVE THE GALAXY!Lucky thinks he's an ordinary Human boy. But one night, he dreams that the stars are singing - and wakes to find an uncontrollable power rising inside him.Now he's on the run, racing through space, searching for answers. In a galaxy at war, where Humans and Aliens are deadly enemies, the only people who can help him are an Alien starship crew - and an Alien warrior girl, with neon needles in her hair.Together, they must find a way to save the galaxy. For Lucky is not the only one in danger. His destiny and the fate of the universe are connected in the most explosive way . . .

    The deal was simple; enlist to fight in space and he would be pardoned for all his crimes.In the 23rd Century, assault troops go to war wearing AI-assisted, nuclear-powered armor, but it is still men and blood that win battles. From one brutal campaign to the next, Erik and his comrades fight an increasingly desperate war over the resource rich colony worlds that have become vital to the economies of Earth's exhausted and despotic Superpowers.As Erik rises through the ranks he finally finds a home, first with the marines who fight at his side and later among the colonists - men and women who have dared to leave everything behind to build a new society on the frontier, one where the freedoms and rights lost long ago on Earth are preserved.Amidst the blood and death and sacrifice, Erik begins to wonder. Is he fighting the right war? Who is the real enemy? --------------------------The Cost of Victory (Crimson Worlds II)The Third Frontier War is raging, and all across human-occupied space worlds are burning. Massive battlefleets struggle for dominance and kilometer-long war ships exchange thermonuclear barrages. Battered in the early years of the war, the Western Alliance is resurgent. The brilliant Admiral Augustus Garret leads the Alliance fleet from victory to victory, taking the war to the very heart of the enemy empires. And on the ground, Colonel Erik Cain, hero of the Marine Corps, leads his crack troops again into combat, seeking the final battle. In the background, the secretive intelligence agencies of the despotic Superpowers plot and scheme, using their own soldiers as pawns in the great game for control of space. But the final battle will be fought in the reddish sands of a backwater world, and the prize will be the staggering secret that has lain hidden in a remote cave for untold centuries. All the Powers struggle for the ultimate victory, but at what cost? ---------------------------A Little Rebellion (Crimson Worlds III)Crimson Worlds Book III The Third Frontier War is over, and the Western Alliance is triumphant. All across human-occupied space, colony worlds celebrate the coming of peace.But peace is an elusive dream, and more trouble is brewing. The war was expensive, and the economies of the Superpowers, always fragile, are on the verge of total collapse.The Directorate, the shadowy intelligence organization that has become the true power behind the Alliance government, plans to strip the colonies bare to pay the costs of war. Already, they are tightening their control over the freewheeling colonial governments. And the Marine Corps faces total destruction at the hands of the worst traitor in its history.But the colonists are a different breed than the passive mob on Earth, and they have no intention of meekly surrendering their hard won freedoms. On worlds all across the frontier, plans are hatched and weapons hoarded. And in taverns and meeting halls the words of an ancient text are uttered in hushed tones. A little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing. --------------------------------The Crimson Worlds Series:Crimson Worlds I: Marines Crimson Worlds II: The Cost of Victory Crimson Worlds III: A Little Rebellion Crimson Worlds IV: The First Imperium Crimson Worlds V: The Line Must Hold Crimson Worlds VI: To Hell's HeartTombstone: A Crimson Worlds Prequel&l

    It is the history of Congress' First Contact with the sentient species known as the Geuji, and the unspeakable tragedy that befell their entire species in the early history of Congress. It's a SHORT story, approx 8,000 words, and is touted by many to be one of King's best short works. A must-read for fans of the ZERO series!

    But when a high-profile diplomat goes missing, Abumwe and her team are last minute replacements on a mission critical to the Colonial Unions future. As the team works to pull off their task, CDF Lieutenant Harry Wilson discovers theres more to the story of the missing diplomats than anyone expected...a secret that could spell war for humanity.

    Authored by David A. Aguilar of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the National Geographic Space Encyclopedia is ideal for the family bookshelf, providing both accessible information for school reports and compelling reading on the mysteries beyond our world.

    But when he investigates the crash, what he finds will yank him out of his self-imposed exile and thrust him into a world he could have never imagined.He suddenly finds himself trapped on a damaged alien spacecraft and plunged into a universe of interstellar crime lords and government conspiracies, along the way meeting strange new friends… and enemies. As he struggles to find his way back home he is inexorably drawn deeper into a world where one misstep could mean his death. Or worse. He desperately wants to get back to Earth, but it may be the end for him. … or is it just the beginning?

    She was accepted and became the first American woman astronaut to fly in space! Among her other accomplishments, she played tennis like a professional, was an astrophysicist who helped develop a robotic arm for space shuttles, and later, through Sally Ride Science, worked to make science cool and accessible for girls. Sally Ride, who died on July 23, 2012, will continue to inspire young children.

    On hearing a distant signal they follow it to Earth. On Earth young Steven Gordon, a child protegee, is nearly killed in a horrific crash. After being told he will remain in a vegetative state for the rest of his life, his family witness true courage as Steven battles his way back from the brink. Years later he takes up a job with a lifelong friend as a night security guard, but gone is the genius that was the boy. The stage is now set for a miracle and an adventure of a lifetime. Join Steven as he reaches for the sky.

    Reader discretion is advised. The cyborgs started out as human, people with lives, love and family. Then their country changed them. Made them in to something different and wiped their past. But they can't take away how they feel. In C791, Joe starts a revolution and brings his people together to find answers. What he finds instead is love. Poor F814 thought herself a robot, defective and unique among her kind, until a cyborg teaches her how to live again. When a geeky cyborg meets B785, a robotic princess, circuit boards sizzle.

    Incidental to that are such questions as "What is Jake Gyllenhaal/Chis Cooper/Laura Dern, etc. really like?" and "What's it like to have a movie made about your life?" and "Why are the book and movie different?" and "Why are both book and movie still so popular after all these years?" The answers to those questions and a lot more are in Homer Hickam's new Kindle Single "From Rocket Boys to October Sky." If you think you know the story of the book and the movie, you don't! Hickam says "Writing Rocket Boys wasn't easy. In fact, I got a million dollars of psychotherapy I didn't even know I needed!" The making of October Sky wasn't easy, either. "From Rocket Boys to October Sky" gives lots of behind-the-scenes stories both on-set and off. Before the first frame of film was exposed, Hickam was involved with the writing of the screenplay and his comment when he saw the first draft -"I'm going to have to go up to West Virginia and apologize to everyone in the state!"-gives an idea of how that went. Be with Homer Hickam as he struggles with the complexities of how a major Hollywood motion picture is made, and how he disagreed with aspects of the film even while he admired the dedication and professionalism of the men and women making it. Readers will also be alongside the director, producers, actors, and crew as they create one of the most beloved movies ever. The book has lots of photos taken on the various sets, too!

    Second chances don’t come along every day, so when an old friend offered him one, he grabbed on with both hands. The next thing Dan knew, he was on the moon, piloting humanity's first starship while fighting his way through one peril after another. Little did Dan know that simple offer was anything but, and would lead him to the stars far beyond our own. The risks are great. But if life knocked you down, what would you gamble to have one more shot at your dreams? Excerpt: "Dan - ad astra!"

 Dan heard the order. Ad astra. To the stars. It was a toast the two of them had shared back in college, when they first stepped onto the roads which would lead them into space. It had been John's idea to use the toast as a code word now. 
Dan didn't even take a deep breath before executing the order. He'd practiced this with Majel enough times in the simulator - not the part about having a gunman in the bridge, but if that order was ever given, it would be a true crisis.
 He checked the screen again. Visual range in only fifteen seconds. No time for anything else. He rapidly initiated the program, said a quick prayer, and pressed the Enter button on his keyboard.
 Immediately, the ship began to shudder. This book is a heavily revised second edition of the original volume. The story length has been increased by about 60%, adding enormously more background to the characters and deepening of the personality of the world and crew. If you've already read the first edition, you won't need to read this version to catch up - but fans of the series are sure to enjoy this expanded and improved "Author's Preferred Edition"!

    Beautiful photographs or illustrations accompany each entry. Open the book to any page to discover some new wonder or mystery about the Universe around us.

    Astronomy 101 cuts out the boring details and lengthy explanations, and instead, gives you a lesson in astronomy that keeps you engaged as you discover what's hidden beyond our starry sky. From the Big Bang and nebulae to the Milky Way and Sir Isaac Newton, this celestial primer is packed with hundreds of entertaining astronomy facts, charts, and photographs you won't be able to get anywhere else. So whether you’re looking to unravel the mystery behind black holes, or just want to learn more about your favorite planets, Astronomy 101 has all the answers—even the ones you didn’t know you were looking for.

    Offering easy-to-read and comprehensive synopses of every chapter of bestselling books, each Brainy Book Review highlights the key ideas behind critically acclaimed titles, helping readers swiftly get the most out of a book.Today, with hundreds of millions of different books in the market, time-efficiency is more important than ever for those who want to get the most out of their reading; Brainy Book Reviews give you an opinion and review of some of the most popular books on the market. These reviews are not intended to replace these titles, they are recommended to be used in addition.Scroll up to the top and "Click to PEEK Inside" to start reviewing this classic!--People looking for enders game, enders game free, orson scott card, enders game short story, enders game movie, enders game kindle, enders game series kindle will find this book useful.

    The team, introduced in Book 4 of the A Galaxy Unknown series, and with small roles in subsequent books, is now featured in their own story as this AGU: SCI series kicks off. This story is a mix of low-tech and high-tech as shootouts in saloons and city streets vie with spaceship chases and space battles to dominate the pages of this book. Space Command Intelligence operates to the full width and breadth of Galactic Alliance space— and sometimes beyond. Intelligence gathering is a dangerous profession, and most agents operate alone, or with a single partner, but there are exceptions. Trader Vyx, originally a lone field agent, was saddled with two information gatherers when he left the Gollasko Colony, but mutual bonds of respect soon grew between the three men. When two female operatives were rescued from Tsgardi slavers by Vyx, Byers, and Nelligen, SCI temporarily assigned the women to Vyx's team. Now, years later, the team is still together, and operating as one of the most effective groups in SCI.With the defeat of the Uthlaro Dominion, their former territory has fallen into anarchy. Space Command doesn't have adequate resources to bring the region under control while facing other enemies on multiple fronts in Regions One and Two, so SCI agents have been sent in to do what they can.Trader Vyx and his team are on the planet Bleadalto, two hundred light-years from Uthlarigasset. Their mission is to assess the situation there and learn everything they can about the slavery problem, but the once out-of-control-violence situation on Gollasko seems like a tea social compared to everyday life on Bleadalto. Within hours of arriving on the planet, Vyx is forced into a gunfight with a Brotherhood thug. The large crime organization is not pleased.

    Orbital characteristics of key planets, regimental order of the Royal Navy, backstory on the history and drama of the Star Kingdom's birth and early days; you'll find it all here, thoughtfully arranged by the Bureau 9 Weber research group, and overseen by David Weber himself.

    He leads massive fleets in great battles, but once he was a new captain leading his tiny attack ship on it first mission.The young Garret was driven by ambition and the quest for glory. But war in space is brutal, and the consequences of command decisions can haunt even the strongest commanders. Garret will win his glory, but will he be prepared to pay its cost?Bitter Glory is not a full length novel - it is a prequel novella set in the Crimson Worlds universe.

    People of all ages frequently ask, “How did you find that so quickly?” Well, this book will explain just that! The planets in our solar system, the International Space Station, sunspots, birds, nebula, airplanes, and comets are just some of the items that his book will help you find!If you have been having difficulties enjoying your small telescope, this book is for you. There is something interesting about pretty much everything in outer space and it is exciting how many pop-culture references are derived from things in the night sky! Viewing the stars referenced in Star Trek, or talking about a character in Harry Potter named after a constellation, is just another way to make stargazing that much more fun! I am very excited to share my knowledge of astronomy and I am sure you will enjoy this book for years to come. By working through the 50 items in this book you will achieve a well-rounded understanding of amateur astronomy.

    

    After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. Begin Cassie's journey with 14 free sample chapters from The 5th Wave.

    

    For welfare rats like Andrew Grayson, there are only two ways out of the crime-ridden and filthy welfare tenements, where you're restricted to two thousand calories of badly flavored soy every day:You can hope to win the lottery and draw a ticket on a colony ship settling off-world, or you can join the service.With the colony lottery a pipe dream, Andrew chooses to enlist in the armed forces for a shot at real food, a retirement bonus, and maybe a ticket off Earth. But as he starts a career of supposed privilege, he soon learns that the good food and decent health care come at a steep price…and that the settled galaxy holds far greater dangers than military bureaucrats or the gangs that rule the slums.

    This autobiography tells the story of how he came not only to achieve that goal, but to become the most-launched astronaut in history, as well as a NASA veteran whose career spanned the entire US Space Shuttle program. From his childhood in rural Indiana, through education at Purdue University, and a career in the US Air Force, Ross charted a path to NASA after overcoming many setbacks—from failing to qualify for Air Force pilot training because of “bad” eyesight, to an initial failure to be selected into the astronaut program. The majority of the book is an insider’s account of the US Space Shuttle program, including the unforgettable experience of launch, the delights of weightless living, and the challenges of constructing the International Space Station. Ross is a uniquely qualified narrator.During seven spaceflights, he spent 1,393 hours in space, including 58 hours and 18 minutes on nine space walks. Life on the ground is also described, including the devastating experiences of the Challenger and Columbia disasters.For readers who have followed the space program from Mercury through the International Space Station and wonder what comes next, this book provides fascination; for young people interested in space exploration and reaching for their dreams, whatever they might be, this book provides inspiration. Full of stories of spaceflight that few humans have ever experienced, told with humor and honesty, Spacewalker presents a unique perspective on the hard work, determination, and faith necessary to travel beyond this world. Key Points:·       An insider’s account of the US Space Shuttle program, from before its first launch through the final landing, and the building of the International           Space Station.·       A firsthand account of life in space from the first human to fly seven missions.      ·       An inspirational story of a personal journey from rural Indiana to outer space, powered by a deep Christian faith.

    Astrobiologists seek to understand the origin and evolution of life on Earth in order to illuminate and guide the search for life on other planets. In this Very Short Introduction, David C. Catling introduces the subject through our understanding of the factors that allowed life to arise and persist on our own planet, and for the signs we are looking for in the search for extraterrestrial life.About the Series: Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.#370

     Maura Riley learns this the hard way after a fateful first contact with an alien being that literally fell from the stars. She finds herself thrust into a world of shadowy government operatives, vengeful alien factions, and mutated human beings that suddenly have the ability to act on their darkest, most deprave desires. War is coming to Earth. War in the form of an invading alien horde known as the Anisari, that is bent on dominating or destroying our planet. They are seeking their lost property, the very being that fell to Earth and caused the massive genetic changes occurring on our world. After first contact, human beings are evolving into something that can either save our world, or hasten its destruction. Maura and her friends have to decide if they want to be Earth's defenders or give into the savagery and lust that their newfound mutation allows them to explore. Book one in the dark and gritty science fiction series Earth's First is not to be missed. All three books in the Earth's First saga are available for purchase, or read for free in Kindle Unlimited!

    Located somewhere between art and science, the book brings together for the first time a series of panoramic images recently sent back by the U.S. observation satellite MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter). Since its arrival in orbit in 2006, MRO and its HiRISE telescope have been mapping Mars' surface in a series of exceptionally detailed images that reveal all the beauty of this legendary planet. Conceived as a visual atlas, the book takes the reader on a fantastic voyage--plummeting into the breathtaking depths of the Velles Marineris canyons; floating over the black dunes of Noachis Terra; and soaring to the highest peak in our solar system, the Olympus Mons volcano. The search for traces of water also uncovers vast stretches of carbonic ice at the planet's poles. Seamlessly compiled by French publisher, designer and editor Xavier Barral, these extraordinary images are accompanied by an introduction by research scientist Alfred S. McEwen, principle investigator on the HiRISE telescope; an essay by astrophysicist Francis Rocard, who explains the story of Mars' origins and its evolution; and a timeline by geophysicist Nicolas Mangold, who unveils the geological secrets of this fascinating planet.

    

    Tired of scraping by on small-time runs for petty criminals, they take on a big job to get back into the top tier of mob-level work. But high pay comes with high risk, and if the freezing climate of Planet Ciceron doesn't kill them, the hostile native population might. Assuming they don't all kill each other first! Success could put them back on track, but are they in the driver's seat or just pawns in a much bigger double-cross?Special features include guest artist pinups, character turnarounds, behind-the-scenes look at the art process, and 12-page concept design sketchbook.

    Accompanied by dramatic visuals, Your Ticket to the Universe is a hybrid coffee-table book and field guide.Beginning with our home planet, Your Ticket to the Universe embarks on an entertaining and accessible trip to the most interesting stops known in the cosmos. Learn about objects nearby within our Solar System (our backyard in space, so to speak) as well as wonders that are found throughout the Milky Way galaxy and beyond (the most distant and exotic lands to explore). Accompanied by brilliant photographs that bring the reading experience to vivid, immediate life, Your Ticket to the Universe is designed to make space exploration accessible to everyone. Your Ticket to the Universe outlines the essentials anyone needs to know, while piquing the reader's curiosity to learn more.

    A starry night is one of nature's most magical wonders, yet in our artificially lit world, three-quarters of Americans' eyes never switch to night vision, and most no longer experience true darkness. In The End of Night, Paul Bogard restores awareness of the spectacularly primal, wildly dark night sky and how it has influenced the human experience across everything from science to art.From Las Vegas's Luxor Beam (the brightest single spot on this planet) to nights so starlit the sky looks like snow, Bogard blends personal narrative, natural history, science, and history to shed light on the importance of darkness--what we've lost, what we still have, and what we might regain--and the simple ways we can reduce the brightness of our nights tonight.

    The X-15 Rocket Plane tells the enthralling yet little-known story of the hypersonic X-15, the winged rocket ship that met this challenge and opened the way into human-controlled spaceflight.Drawing on interviews with those who were there, Michelle Evans captures the drama and excitement of, yes, rocket science: how to handle the heat generated at speeds up to Mach 7, how to make a rocket propulsion system that could throttle, and how to safely reenter the atmosphere from space and make a precision landing.This book puts a human face on the feats of science and engineering that went into the X-15 program, many of them critical to the development of the Space Shuttle. And, finally, it introduces us to the largely unsung pilots of the X-15. By the time of the Apollo 11 moon landing, thirty-one American astronauts had flown into space—eight of them astronaut-pilots of the X-15. The X-15 Rocket Plane restores these pioneers, and the others who made it happen, to their rightful place in the history of spaceflight.Browse more spaceflight books at upinspace.org.

    Opponents Velcro on the lightsabers included (one blue, one red); open the book to one of seven durable "game board" pages depicting classic Star Wars battles; stick their thumbs through the holes; and use the Force (of thumb and imagination) to wrestle to victory!

    He sits on the Council, he supports his father's kingship, and he keeps an eye on the Imperial Conglomerate when they come too close to Pirate space.One day the Conglomerate infiltrates the Clans and poisons the King. Arthur must search for a cure to keep his father alive and the Clans from civil war.An escape route, a sharp knife, a target, the shadows at his command -- that's all Merlin has ever needed. He fulfills his assignments, he uses the Sterling to sustain his once-royal House in their exile, and wages a private war against the Imperial Conglomerate.When he learns of an elaborate plot to assassinate him, Merlin does the opposite of what's expected. He flees onto a Pirate ship.There's a saying among the Pirates: that one's fate is written in the stars. Destiny will always set to rights what has been made wrong.Arthur and Merlin know that they were meant for the other from the moment they meet. They can feel it from across the galaxies separating them. Nothing can stop them from being together or from fulfilling an ancient prophecy.Merthur Fanfic

    A total eclipse of the Sun will be visible from within a narrow corridor that traverses the United States. The path of the Moon's umbral shadow will begin in the northern Pacific and cross the USA from west to east from Oregon to South Carolina. The Moon's penumbral shadow will produce a partial eclipse visible from most of North America. In fact, the 2017 full eclipse is such an important sky event that sky watchers in Europe are already planning trips to view it. 2017 Guide to the Night Sky provides all of the information needed to view this exciting eclipse and track its path. The time zones and transit of the eclipse will be noted inside the book's jacket for quick and easy reference.The night sky makes for exciting viewing any time of the year, and 2017 Guide to the Night Sky is the ideal guide to help amateur astronomers find their way for the entire 12 months. With monthly charts and other diagrams set for a latitude of 40 degrees North, it shows how the visible stars change from month to month and includes the many sky events that occur throughout the year. It is highly practical for beginning sky gazers because the objects and events may be observed with the naked eye, or nothing more complicated than a pair of binoculars.The month-by-month guides include sky activity charts and moon calendars; meteors (with dates of showers, including hourly rate of radiants); the Planets; ecliptic charts; diagrams of interesting events; plus sky and constellation maps throughout.An appendix includes a full glossary; the Greek Alphabet; the constellation genitives, abbreviations and English names; a table of common asterisms; further information; recommended astronomy journals, societies, institutions and organizations; software, and internet sources.Especially useful for beginning sky watchers, this guide will be fully updated to 2017. Its small and light format makes it the ideal portable reference for backyard astronomers.

    She found a mystery... Elspeth Kolesar only meant to search the computer banks of her brother Anton's starship for new songs to relieve her boredom. What she finds instead are video recordings of a race called the Aelur, who, despite their feline faces, sing and laugh and speak just like her. Reaching out in friendship to Nightsinger, a young man of the Aelur, Elspeth learns from him that Anton has kidnapped his clan of Fire Valley, taking them to a strange planet to study them. Worse, he means to do the same to their allied clan of Free Sky if he is not stopped. Though she is Anton's ward, as much within his power as the Aelur, Elspeth vows to help, finding allies of her own in the clever queen of Free Sky, Duskdance, and her outworld husband, Suncrest. But when the time comes, Elspeth will have to face her brother alone. Will the clash between Elspeth's two worlds destroy her, and strand all those she hopes to save? Or can she learn to balance herself between the future and the past, and fly free among the stars without forgetting the lessons she learned from a little bird called Killdeer?

    Extremely elusive and difficult to pin down, neutrinos are not unlike the brilliant and eccentric scientists who doggedly pursue them.In Neutrino Hunters, the renowned astrophysicist and award-winning writer Ray Jayawardhana takes us on a thrilling journey into the shadowy world of neutrinos and the colorful lives of those who seek them. Demystifying particle science along the way, Jayawardhana tells a detective story with cosmic implications—interweaving tales of the sharp-witted theorist Wolfgang Pauli; the troubled genius Ettore Majorana; the harbinger of the atomic age Enrico Fermi; the notorious Cold War defector Bruno Pontecorvo; and the dynamic dream team of Marie and Pierre Curie. Then there are the scientists of today who have caught the neutrino bug, and whose experimental investigations stretch from a working nickel mine in Ontario to a long tunnel through a mountain in central Italy, from a nuclear waste site in New Mexico to a bay on the South China Sea, and from Olympic-size pools deep underground to a gigantic cube of Antarctic ice—called, naturally, IceCube.As Jayawardhana recounts a captivating saga of scientific discovery and celebrates a glorious human quest, he reveals why the next decade of neutrino hunting will redefine how we think about physics, cosmology, and our lives on Earth.

    Views from above can also provide telling information about the health of our planet. To help us understand the more than 150 breathtaking satellite photographs in Earth from Space, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, an aerial photographer and devoted environmental activist, discusses the impact of deforestation, urban sprawl, intensive farming, ocean pollution, and more. Using high-resolution imagery, we can monitor the evolution of vegetation around the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site, snow loss on Mount Kilimanjaro, and the health of migratory bird populations. Earth from Space’s compelling selection of satellite images raises important questions about our future, while also showcasing the planet’s beauty—leaving no doubt that it is something crucial to protect.

    Seventeen-year-old space captain Tabitha "Dix" Dixon has the only vial of Eternigen in existence. A RELENTLESS ENEMY Eira Ninge always gets what she wants. She wants the Eternigen, and she'll do anything-and kill anyone-to get it. A DEADLY CURSE Since Dix stole the vial, everyone she loves seems fated to die. When young resistance messenger Jordan Berrett steals her heart, she has to decide if it's worth risking his life to let him get close. When Dix is involved, even falling in love can turn deadly. A CHANCE FOR FREEDOM If Dix can get her hands on more Eternigen, she and her crew can escape the solar system, leaving her dark past behind. But getting the Eternigen won't be easy, and the bodies keep piling up. In the end, the cost of freedom may be too high.

    Find out more about incredible Sith powers and ruthless plots to take over the galaxy with this all-new DK Adventures: Star Wars: Sith Wars! Good books build great readers. Created in consultation with literacy experts, DK Adventures: Star Wars will appeal to proficient readers who have a love of reading for both information and pleasure. With rich, descriptive vocabulary, and interactive elements including diaries, recipes, poetry, character profiles, diagrams, and articles to support the stories, DK Adventures: Star Wars focus on engaging, action-packed topics that will develop comprehension skills and continue to build a child's love of reading. Supports the Common Core State Standards.

    'The Cosmic Gallery' contemplates the entire cosmos as a grand celestial art exhibit: an array of stunning images, ranging from easily seen phenomena to the most distant and intricate galaxies, providing the reader with an exciting and beautiful new perspective on the cosmos.

    Finds out who the Guardians are and why they're worthy of guarding the galaxy! Featuring Rocket Raccoon, Drax, Gamora, and Groot!

    Like his family before him, he's finally headed to Indigo 8, a top secret training center where future Starbounders learn the skills to protect the galaxy. But being a Starbounder is no walk on the moon. No sooner has Zachary mastered the warp glove basics than a mission into space goes wrong and puts him and his new friends right in the line of fire. And when a plot to destroy Indigo 8 comes to light, Zachary will have to get back to Earth on his own and fast—before there's no Earth left to go back to.

    But he also claims to be from another world. She does what any sane woman would do in her situation. She runs. Tagging along are her two best friends and a feisty tabby cat. No one could anticipate the second stranger showing up, one with a completely different agenda. Kimi and her friends are abducted by the second man, a vampire, then tortured and abandoned on a hostile alien world. Given only the clothes on their back, they must now try to find a way back home again. One man will do everything in his power to see Kimi and her friends are brought safely back home, even sacrifice his own life. The second man wants Kimi and her mate to suffer, alive, but forever out of reach of each other. Kimi and her friends must work together against astronomical odds for any hope of surviving this nightmare.

    On April 13, 1970, NASA’s Apollo 13 suffered a near-catastrophic explosion in space. The planned lunar landing that day was promptly called off, and a new challenge prioritized: get the spacecraft safely back to Earth. Written by David Baker, an original member of NASA’s Apollo 13 Houston Mission Control team, Apollo 13 Owners’ Workshop Manual offers unprecedented, meticulous coverage of the Apollo 13 mission. Beginning with an overview of the era’s equipment and technology, Baker focuses primarily on the planning, goals, and execution of the mission itself, including an hour-by-hour timeline of the crew’s near-disaster in space. Additionally, his thorough analysis of the post-flight investigation and lurking design problems with the spacecraft offer the rare viewpoint of a true Apollo 13 insider. Not only does Baker present and analyze the mission itself, but he also celebrates NASA’s legacy in the wake of the event with the redesign of sections of the Apollo spacecraft and the changes to the way later missions were organized, beginning with Apollo 14. In typical fully illustrated Haynes Manual detail, Apollo 13 Owners’ Workshop Manual presents the fascinating circumstances behind a team who recovered their spacecraft just hours before hurtling back into the earth’s atmosphere. But more than that, the book is a brand-new insight into the remarkable story of how clever, improvised engineering, remarkable teamwork, and sheer will to succeed averted a major catastrophe in space.

    Included is a description of the business model devised by a group of seven fictional investors committed to creating an economic engine that will cause the cost of space transportation to spiral rapidly downward as the market for launch services expands. In this context, the marketing, regulatory, and technical problems facing any serious attempt to reduce the cost of space transportation are explored. Although a work of fiction, the book follows in the vein of non-fictional accounts of the development of successful technological products and businesses, such as The Soul of a New Machine, and American Steel.

    This manual covers the development, design and engineering of three generations of Mars rover: Sojourner, which landed in 1997, was the size of a microwave; Spirit and Opportunity, both the size of a shopping cart, followed in 2004; and Curiosity is the size of a car, with a design life of two years. Learn how these machines work as well as what they have found and hope to discover - and look forward to the possibility that humans may yet set foot on the Red Planet.

    Space Exploration is a compelling guide to developments at the very forefront of science - a must-read for anyone wishing to understand, and engage with, modern space.

    It is the responsibility of the Xenocriminology and Alien Relations department of the Military Crimes Investigation Division to keep a firm leash on the hundreds of thousands of xenos residing on-planet. Assassinations, revolutions, civil wars, and attempted planetary genocides are all in a day's work for Chief Warrant Officer Graven Tower, MCID-XAR. In addition to a missile-armed aerovar, his trusty Sphinx CPB-18, and MCID's extremely liberal policies concerning collateral damage and civilian casualties, Chief Tower is assisted by his extreme xenophobia as well as a military-grade augmented machine intelligence that believes it has found God. So when the disintegrated remnants of the heir apparent of an alien royal house are discovered on the streets of Trans Paradis, the question is not so much whether the killers will eventually be found, but if it is the criminals or the crime investigators who will contribute more to the final body count. QUANTUM MORTIS is the new action-packed Mil-SF mystery series from Vox Day, author of the epic fantasy series The Arts of Dark and Light. Written with Steve Rzasa, author of The Word Reclaimed, QUANTUM MORTIS A Man Disrupted is the first novel in the series featuring Graven Tower, MCID. Print Length: 326 pages

    Each picture has been optimized to look amazing on the Kindle, iPad, PC, or any other tablet style device. In addition to the stunning, full size pictures, the content has been organized into small blocks of content that makes it much easier to read. As such, this book is a great learning tool for children of all ages. Currently set at a low promotional price, "Planets! A Kids Book About Planets and Our Solar System" is exclusively available on Amazon and can be instantly downloaded and read by children that have already learned to read by themselves and by parents looking for a great introduction to the planets in our solar system that they can read to younger kids!

    From launch to landing, this Limited First Edition of 1981 copies worldwide is a spectacular piece of photographic history you will want to revisit time and time again. This stunning piece of work commemorates 30 years of manned space flight aboard an American treasure, a world phenomenon and arguably, the most technologically advanced vehicle ever made - The NASA space shuttle. This book pays tribute to the 5 space worthy orbiters built by NASA: Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour, and exhibits them in some of the most amazing images you will ever see. From the dangerous launch sequence to some of the most vivid mission photographs, such as space walks, extraordinary astronaut maintenance work, docking with the International Space Station and more. The photographs are presented beautifully and displayed in a fashion which lets the images do the talking. Within the book, you will find details on every single space shuttle mission flown, including launch dates, crew members for each mission, plus a fantastic gallery of all 135 mission patches.

    Amidst all the wondrous luxuries of the modern world—smartphones, fast intercontinental travel, Internet movies, fully stocked refrigerators—lies an unnerving fact that may be even more disturbing than all the environmental and social costs of our lifestyles. The fragmentations of our modern lives, our disconnections from nature and from the consequences of our actions, make it difficult to follow our own values and ethics, so we can no longer be truly ethical beings. When we buy a computer or a hamburger, our impacts ripple across the globe, and, dissociated from them, we can’t quite respond. Our personal and professional choices result in damages ranging from radioactive landscapes to disappearing rainforests, but we can’t quite see how. Environmental scholar Kenneth Worthy traces the broken pathways between consumers and clean-room worker illnesses, superfund sites in Silicon Valley, and massively contaminated landscapes in rural Asian villages. His groundbreaking, psychologically based explanation confirms that our disconnections make us more destructive and that we must bear witness to nature and our consequences. Invisible Nature shows the way forward: how we can create more involvement in our own food production, more education about how goods are produced and waste is disposed, more direct and deliberative democracy, and greater contact with the nature that sustains us.

    It is the morning after the night before, and a number of problems face the staff of the Steve Moore Moonbase. The first lunar wedding was not a success. A visiting Bishop has a ridiculous obsession about how some "Americans" supposedly landed on the moon on 1969 CE. A phenomenal amount of energy is being used to broadcast an insult at the entire populations of Asia, Europe and Africa. And everyone on the moon is going to die. It is not, on the face of it, the best day for handling an unprecedented evolution in metaphysics. But lunar hangovers are no different to their earth equivalents: no matter how bad things seem, you can always get through them. And everyone is welcome at the first church on the moon.

    Superb artwork shows what is happening out of sight beneath Earth's surface in volcanoes, caves, and mines. Specially photographed galleries show off the beauty of rocks and minerals, and a simple key enables readers to identify any rock.

    . . But with great ambition comes greater sacrifice.”____________________________It’s the year 2438. Ten years ago, an ill-fated encounter on a mining world triggered a devastating war between the United Nations Planetary Defense and an alien organization known as the Drocain Royal Empire.With no sign of a conclusion in sight, and with mankind’s very existence at stake, the men and women of the UNPD have been forced into desperation.When Corporal Alana Carmen stumbles upon an encrypted communications device, she learns that there is more to the conflict than a simple war-for-worlds, and to uncover the truth, she must make allies of those she once considered enemies.And now, the fate of the entire galaxy may rest on the shoulders of a single alien warrior . . .After being publicly shamed at his own Coming of Age ceremony, Kenon Valinquint enrolls in the Drocain Royal Empire in the hope of one day redeeming himself.Unbeknownst to the young Drahkori warrior, this decision has set in motion a staggering chain of events that could very well change the direction of the war, and the known history of the universe, forever.

    After a one-month launch delay, Apollo 13 lands in the Fra Mauro Highlands of the moon-and then the trouble starts. The first in a series of what-if stories from the golden age of space exploration, Zero Phase was written based on meticulous research, and with assistance from two Apollo astronauts: Dr. Edgar Mitchell, the only remaining person to have visited the Fra Mauro Highlands-and Captain Jim Lovell, the man who was supposed to go. Dramatic, detailed, and finely written, this novella is a must-read for space aficionados and literary enthusiasts alike.

    The journal of Shalia Monroe begins in the wake of the end of the Earth-Kalquorian war, in which she details her life following the devastation of Armageddon."To Whom It May Concern: My name is Shalia Elizabeth Monroe, and this is my confession as to my part in bringing about Armageddon."When the Kalquorians entered Earth space during the war, they unwittingly triggered bombs hidden beneath the major cities. Now Earth’s former enemies rush to save the survivors left on a dying planet.Told from the viewpoint of survivor Shalia Monroe, this journal traces the first few weeks following Armageddon as she struggles to keep herself and her dementia-stricken mother alive. Battling the guilt of her part in Earth’s demise is only the first of many issues Shalia must deal with. She also faces man-eating alien Tragooms, disease, and violent gangs of surviving Earthers determined to kill each other in order to claim supremacy.word count: 61,034

    The last few decades have witnessed phenomenal growth in the science and technology of aerodynamics and no letup is in sight. For those who possess an interest, the task of education encompassing all the various aspects of the subject is staggering. Specialization is indicated but a background knowledge is an essential of any education.This volume is a result of several semesters of the author's teaching of an introductory course in aerodynamics to apprentices and technicians at the NASA Langley Research Center. The problem faced was to provide more than a layman's treatment of the subject but not the detail as taught in many individual courses on the college level. The result is a highly qualitative, illustrated set of notes which, through the teaching process, was modified to fulfill the objectives better.A thorough revision of these notes with considerable up-to-date material has resulted in the text as presented herein. It is hoped that this volume will stimulate the reader's interest to pursue more specialized education in the many topics of aerodynamics.Bonus chapter (Aerodynamics Overview) included.Hyperlinked index for easy navigation. 251 pages. 171 illustrations and diagrams.Includes the following sections:ForewordI. A Short History of FlightII. Background InformationThe AtmosphereWinds and TurbulenceThe AirplaneIII. FLUID FLOWThe FluidThe FlowIdeal Fluid FlowReal Fluid FlowIV. SUBSONIC FLOW EFFECTSAirfoils and WingsAerodynamic DevicesPropellers and RotorsV. TRANSONIC FLOWVI. SUPERSONIC FLOWThe SSTSonic BoomVII. BEYOND THE SUPERSONICHypersonic FlightLifting BodiesSpace ShuttleVIII. PERFORMANCEMotions of an AirplaneClass 1 MotionClass 2 MotionClass 3 Motion-Hovering FlightIX. STABILITY AND CONTROLStabilityControlAppendix A - AERONAUTICAL NOMENCLATUREAppendix B - DIMENSIONS AND UNITSAppendix C - COORDINATE SYSTEMSBibliographyBonus MaterialAerodynamics: An ExplanationOverviewHistoryDesign issues with increasing speedContinuity assumptionLaws of conservationIncompressible aerodynamicsSubsonic flowTransonic flow

     Is revealing the truth worth the disruption of a society? Fallon lives in a peaceful world that has no concept of war, or murder, or even love. It is a society that prohibits histories and pledges itself to "The Service of Today and the Building of Tomorrow."  Just weeks before he reaches adulthood, Fallon is torn from his sheltered life as a ward of the state. He is drawn into a subversive group that needs his secret talents and he quickly becomes a chronicler of discoveries that threaten to destroy the very fabric of Neworld.  Can Fallon handle the weight of the new responsibilities thrust upon him while he navigates relationships with the feisty redhead Aidan and raven-haired beauty Lenore? This volume includes first two Neworld stories: The Historian's Tale and The Warriors' Tale. You might want to check out the reviews for those books when considering purchasing this book.

    They’ve built a spaceship in their tree house and are going to blast off for a tour of the solar system, but one of the planets holds a special surprise. Vibrant images and flowing verse bring this imaginative story to life. Space lovers and adventurers of all ages are sure to love this cosmic journey.

    Michaels and published by eBook Kids, "Planet Earth! A Kids Book About Planet Earth - Fun Facts & Pictures About Our Oceans, Mountains, Rivers, Deserts, Endangered Species & More" is a nonfiction journey through our Planet Earth. This book is filled with vivid, wonderful photographs that will show up great on Kindles, iPads, tablets and PCs. This children's ebook will make learning for kids a fun experience. Learn all about Earth's Oceans, Mountains, Rivers, Deserts & Endangered Species What's the Earth Made Of? The worlds biggest and best Oceans, Mountains, Rivers & Deserts Fun & Amazing Facts About Earth! Earth's Species How can everyone on Earth make a difference? ˃˃˃ Fun for kids of all ages The marvelous pictures tied to simple blocks of text make learning about Planet Earth inviting and fun for children of all ages. This ebook is the perfect learning and entertainment tool for kids. Join us in exploring our magnificent Planet Earth! Scroll up and grab a copy today.

    Well, they were from Texas before the alien raiders captured them and converted Thor into a werewolf. Leona is just a little too feisty to let a little thing like her husband being turned into a monster get in her way. Seeking the help of an international cast, including the resolute Commander Gupta from India, they battle for survival and make the aliens wish they had left Earth alone. Add in lots of coffee, telepathy, star ships, battles, explosions and many, many more werewolves, and you get one fantastic adventure!

    The phenomenon has sparked intense debate among many and excited the imagination of many others. But until now, there has never been a book-length treatment of this fascinating subject. Finally, we have one. David Marler has provided a comprehensive analysis of "the triangles." He has collected, collated, and analyzed hundreds of reports. In the process, he has created a detailed profile of these objects and written a rich narrative of their history. Marler is well-suited to the task, having at his disposal an enormous collection of newspaper archives, declassified military reports, UFO books and journals, and the transcripts of many first-hand interviews he has conducted. He has also received input from many prominent individuals from within the military, FAA, Aerospace, and UFO research field. He tackles the arguments made by skeptics that dismiss these triangular UFO reports outright. He also address the claims of so-called insiders who claim these objects are a creation of the U.S. military. The results of his years of research are documented in his book, Triangular UFOs: An Estimate of the Situation. It is a book that has long been needed, not only by the UFO research community, but the general public, as it opens up an entirely new discussion that has long been ignored: who is making the triangles?

    Maximus Black is RIM’s star cadet. But he has a problem. One of RIM’s best agents, Anneke Longshadow, knows there’s a mole inthe organisation.And Maximus has a lot to hide

    This book tells the remarkable story of how the celestial objects that make up the solar system arose from common beginnings billions of years ago, and how scientists and philosophers have sought to unravel this mystery down through the centuries, piecing together the clues that enabled them to deduce the solar system's layout, its age, and the most likely way it formed.Drawing on the history of astronomy and the latest findings in astrophysics and the planetary sciences, John Chambers and Jacqueline Mitton offer the most up-to-date and authoritative treatment of the subject available. They examine how the evolving universe set the stage for the appearance of our Sun, and how the nebulous cloud of gas and dust that accompanied the young Sun eventually became the planets, comets, moons, and asteroids that exist today. They explore how each of the planets acquired its unique characteristics, why some are rocky and others gaseous, and why one planet in particular--our Earth--provided an almost perfect haven for the emergence of life.From Dust to Life is a must-read for anyone who desires to know more about how the solar system came to be. This enticing book takes readers to the very frontiers of modern research, engaging with the latest controversies and debates. It reveals how ongoing discoveries of far-distant extrasolar planets and planetary systems are transforming our understanding of our own solar system's astonishing history and its possible fate.

    Using social media and beautiful photography, Col. Hadfield is considered to be one of the coolest astronauts ever. Appropriate for young children, this book encompasses the theme of dreaming big and also showcases some of NASA's best photography. This is the U.S. Edition and contains a bonus section at the end that identifies where the "postcards" were taken.

    But they have been replaced by the reality of something even more exotic. For example, although it is still uncertain whether Mars ever had actual oceans, it now seems that a web of waterways did indeed at one time spread across its surface. The "water" in many places in our Solar System is a poisoned brew mixed with ammonia or methane. Even that found on Jupiter's watery satellite Europa is believed similar to battery acid. Beyond the Galilean satellites may lie even more "alien oceans." Saturn's planet-sized moon Titan seems to be subject to methane or ethane rainfall. This creates methane pools that, in turn, become vast lakes and, perhaps, seasonal oceans. Titan has other seas in a sense, as large shifting areas of sand covering vast plains have been discovered. Mars also has these sand seas, and Venus may as well, along with oceans of frozen lava. Do super-chilled concoctions of ammonia, liquid nitrogen, and water percolate beneath the surfaces of Enceladus and Triton? For now we can only guess at the possibilities. 'Alien Seas' serves up part history, part current research, and part theory as it offers a rich buffet of "seas" on other worlds. It is organized by location and by the material of which various oceans consist, with guest authors penning specific chapters. Each chapter features new original art depicting alien seas, as well as the latest ground-based and spacecraft images. Original diagrams presents details of planetary oceans and related processes.

    This is Leanne's first book in the "Kids Space Series". The book is full of color images of space and various comets. Including Comet ISON that will be at its closest position to our Sun in November 2013 and should be visible with the naked eye from Earth. Note: This Comet and Space book has been designed for children aged approximately 8 years and older, who can read the book for themselves. Alternatively, parents can read the book to their kids (of all ages) and enjoy a fulfilling time of child and parent bonding. Topics covered in this book include: • What is a comet? • When was comet ISON first discovered? • How fast do comets travel? • How big are comets? • Are comets dangerous? Why not take advantage of the limited time low price as this Kindle book launches and grab a copy for your child today. I am sure your child will enjoy the colorful pictures and the interesting information on Space and Comets. This Kindle book is exclusive to the Amazon store. It can be easily downloaded and your child can begin reading and learning within a short time. Please let me know your thoughts on the book by leaving a review after you read it. Thanks so much and enjoy reading and expanding your knowledge of the world around us.

    Each book includes 3D images throughout and glasses to view them with. Young children will love reading the cool facts and learning more about the wonders of our planet in these fun fact books.Features & Benefits:Fun, first readers for children who are learning to readIncludes 3D images throughout the book and cool 3D glassesBright photography and fun facts will keep children entertained and informedExciting design inspired by the technological world

    Yet the religious implications of this search and possible discovery have never been systematically addressed in the scientific or theological arena. SETI is nowentering its most important era of scientific development. New observation techniques are leading to the discovery of extra-solar planets daily, and the Kepler mission has already collected over 1000 planetary candidates. This deluge of data is transforming the scientific and popular view of theexistence of extraterrestrial intelligence. Earth-like planets outside of our solar system can now be identified and searched for signs of life.Now is a crucial time to assess the scientific and theological questions behind this search. This book sets out the scientific arguments undergirding SETI, with particular attention to the uncertainties in arguments and the strength of the data already assembled. It assesses not only the discoveryof planets but other areas such as the Fermi paradox, the origin and evolution of intelligent life, and current SETI strategies. In all of this it reflects on how these questions are shaped by history and pop culture and their relationship with religion, especially Christian theology. It is arguedthat theologians need to take seriously SETI and to examine some central doctrines such as creation, incarnation, revelation, and salvation in the light of the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

    Due to a miscalculation in their environmental data the mission is a complete disaster. While trying to salvage their assignment, they discover that they have brought with them an object that is vital to the survival of their planet. This discovery unwittingly puts them, and the Earth, into the interstellar cross-hairs of their enemies, who will stop at nothing to acquire it.EDITORIAL REVIEWQuirky and imaginative, Aliens In The Gift Shop is the new SF novel from author D.E. Morris and it's a rip roaring read from start to finish. The plot isn't particularly complex, but it is well considered as Morris spins his intergalactic yarn and introduces his readers to a host of wonderfully colourful characters. There is Marcy, the beleaguered store owner, Zort, Quigbat and the villainous Vorx, Morris captures the essence of each in timely prose and upbeat dialogue that is always on the button.All the elements of popular Science Fiction are introduced as his tale rapidly evolves, but he avoids the typical tendency for overly elaborate tech and foremost keeps it fun. It certainly isn't meant to be hard science fiction; nor should it be compared to scientifically stringent fiction. For this reason alone it is likely to have much broader appeal, but Morris's style of writing and linear plot also makes it a great tale for transitioning to wider mediums, particularly the big screen and on this level it is hard not to draw comparisons with Men In Black.A genuine gem of a read, Aliens In The Gift Shop marks an enjoyable debut for author D.E Morris and certainly bodes well for his forthcoming sequel. It is certainly recommended.- BookViral.comAlternate Cover Edition for ISBN: 1492849189

    After all, Orville and Wilbur Wright were Dayton, Ohio, boys who went to Kitty Hawk in 1903 to get things off the ground. When space became the next frontier, John Glenn, who was born in Cambridge, Ohio, on July 18, 1921, became the first American to orbit the earth in his Friendship 7 spacecraft. A Wapakoneta, Ohio, resident, Neil Armstrong, born in 1930, followed in the footsteps of Glenn by being the first human to step onto the moon's surface during the summer of 1969. Don Thomas, a Cleveland native, saw other Ohioans in space and set his sights on becoming an astronaut. After years of hard work and dedication, he became part of the 1995 All-Ohio space shuttle Discovery mission. Orbit of Discovery provides a first-hand account of this mission. Written by Thomas with the assistance of journalist, Mike Bartell, the book is a lively and entertaining must read for individuals who want to experience a ride into space. Orbit of Discovery is augmented with a foreword by astronaut and Senator John Glenn and an introduction by Senator George Voinovich.

    But with this book as a guide the awesome nature of the Cosmos is brought down to Earth. Over the course of twelve chapters Mark Thompson, one of the presenters on BBC One’s Stargazing Live and the resident astronomer on ITV’s The Alan Titchmarsh Show, will take you on a journey through space, tackling the key concepts of astronomy and unlocking the secrets of the sky. From the origins of our Universe to the ever evolving techniques used to explore deep space, A Down to Earth Guide to the Cosmos traces the journey of galactic discovery that has obsessed mankind for thousands of years.Accompanying the narrative, a series of monthly sky guides focus on the astronomical highlights visible at each given time of year, with handy charts to show you exactly what to look for and how to navigate around the sky at night. As fascinating as it is accessible, A Down to Earth Guide to the Cosmos is a must for anyone who gazes up and wishes they knew more about the final frontier...

    Yet, when it comes to exploring and developing the high frontier of space, the harshest frontier ever, the highest value is apparently not the accomplishment of those goals, but of minimizing, if not eliminating, the possibility of injury or death of the humans carrying them out. For decades since the end of Apollo, human spaceflight has been very expensive and relatively rare (about 500 people total, with a death rate of about 4%), largely because of this risk aversion on the part of the federal government and culture. From the Space Shuttle, to the International Space Station, the new commercial crew program to deliver astronauts to it, and the regulatory approach for commercial spaceflight providers, our attitude toward safety has been fundamentally irrational, expensive and even dangerous, while generating minimal accomplishment for maximal cost. This book entertainingly explains why this means that we must regulate passenger safety in the new commercial spaceflight industry with a lighter hand than many might instinctively prefer, that NASA must more carefully evaluate rewards from a planned mission to rationally determine how much should be spent to avoid the loss of participants, and that Congress must stop insisting that safety is the highest priority, for such insistence is an eloquent testament to how unimportant they and the nation consider the opening of this new frontier. About the Author Rand Simberg is a recovering aerospace engineer with over a third of a century of experience in the space industry. Early in his career, he accumulated over a decade of experience in engineering and management at the Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California and Rockwell International in Downey, California. Since leaving Rockwell in 1993, he has been a consultant in space technology and business development as well as a technology entrepreneur. He also advises on regulatory and market issues pertaining to commercial and personal spaceflight. Mr. Simberg holds multiple engineering degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a Masters degree in Technical Management from West Coast University in Los Angeles. He is an adjunct scholar with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and has written many pieces for Popular Mechanics, Fox News, America Online, PJMedia, National Review, Reason magazine, The Weekly Standard, The Washington Times, and TCSDaily, among others. He has also written extensive essays on space policy and technology for the quarterly journal, The New Atlantis.

    The general press and technical publications have yet to adequately publicize the political causes behind the lack of great spaceflight accomplishments that everyone once expected would occur by the Twenty-First Century.Presenting the opinions of astronauts, prominent “rocket scientists” and space policy analysts while also revealing unpublicized studies conducted by NASA, industry and universities, The Plundering of NASA: An Exposé combines into one book many of the facts the major media have either ignored or not discovered. Expert sources explain modern and economically practical solutions that can allow NASA to exceed its former Apollo glory within its current budget. In short, the book relates how honest misconceptions, greed, and an outdated faction within NASA itself cause our nation to get less for its space agency tax dollars than it could and should.

    It haunts her. Her mother died there. Now, a client wants her to go back. She wants Boss to help her uncover the Room’s mysteries. But the truths she discovers might destroy everything Boss holds sacred.The Room of Lost Souls novella also appears in a slightly different form in the novel Diving into the Wreck.

    Now he’s a university student. The hot meals are nice and everything is warmer on his new planet, but life among people is so much more complicated. With only two friends—young Jordan whom Donte tutors and the fiery Selene who shares his table in the coffeehouse—Donte has things somewhat under control, but still he struggles with both unfriendly and friendly people, and he can’t shake the feeling that he’s getting it all wrong.None of that matters after Jordan is stolen by slavers. Donte enlists Selene to help rescue the boy, and when Jordan is taken off-planet Donte and Selene follow. But determination and luck can only get them so far, and the closer the pair come to Jordan, the nearer they get to Donte’s deepest fears, and a past he’d worked to hide from everyone—especially himself.Donte knows all too well the horrors Jordan faces, but when his secrets are dragged into an open courtroom, will Donte find the strength to speak the truth and save the boy?

    Caring for her little brother, Walker, who is "Touched," and losing the rest of her family to the same disease, Rain has long had to fend for herself on the bleak, dangerous streets of Earth City. When she looks to the stars, Rain sees escape and the only possible cure for Walker. And when a darkly handsome and mysterious captain named Johnny offers her passage to the Edge, Rain immediately boards his spaceship. Her only price: her "willingness."The Void cloaks many secrets, and Rain quickly discovers that Johnny's ship serves as host for an underground slave trade for the Touched . . . and a prostitution ring for Johnny's girls. With hair as red as the bracelet that indicates her status on the ship, the feeling of being a marked target is not helpful in Rain's quest to escape. Even worse, Rain is unsure if she will be able to pay the costs of love, family, hope, and self-preservation.With intergalactic twists and turns, Cori McCarthy's debut space thriller exists in an orbit of its own.

    In the coming years, we will make decisions regarding our human spaceflight program that will lead to one of two familiar futures: the open universe of "Star Trek, "where we allow ourselves the opportunity to spread our wings and attempt to flourish as an interplanetary species--or the closed, dystopian, and ultimately self-destructive world of "Soylent Green." If we ever hope to live in the future that is the former scenario, our first stepping stone must be a manned mission to Mars. In this four-part e-special, Dr. Robert Zubrin details the challenges of a manned Earth-to-Mars mission. Challenges which, according to Zubrin, we are technologically more prepared to overcome than the obstacles of the missions to the moon of the sixties and seventies. Dr. Zubrin's relatively simple plan, called Mars Direct, could feasibly have humans on the surface of Mars within a decade. Zubrin also discusses the current predicament of NASA, the promise of privatized space flight from companies like SpaceX, and the larger implication behind the absolute necessity to open the final frontier to humanity--the human race's future as a species that takes the necessary baby steps away from the cradle that is planet Earth or, ultimately, perishes here.

    Mostly because she's disappointed in her job. She studied literature and language but she's working at a spaceport, selling guns and supplies to snooty galactic tourists. A deafening crash comes from her back room. An eight-foot cylinder appears out of nowhere and flattens all the boxes-and out of it steps a young man in a leather jacket, toting some sort of long, sawed-off gun. And he's smoking a cigarette. Which is EXTREMELY illegal. All at once, Kestrel's life spirals out of control. Jack Wolfe, this sharp, scarred, irascible stranger, demands Kestrel's help in finding William Jakiv, a scientist whose methods are as famous as they are morally questionable. And when Kestrel's family enters Jakiv's crosshairs, Kestrel has no choice. It's now an interstellar race. Kestrel and Jack are pitted against hired mercenaries, disease, mechanical soldiers and inner demons, and along the way, Kestrel begins to suspect that Jack Wolfe may be an integral part of a dangerous and galactically-forbidden time-travel project: The Paradox Initiative.

    Perfect for beginners who want to learn more about Astronomy, DK's Get Started: Astronomy takes a "do and learn" approach by starting simple and building new skills, using photographed techniques to help people learn step-by-step.

    Dick's first published story and appeared in Planet Stories magazine. In it, a crew takes an alien aboard their ship but the alien's appearance belies its intelligence and powers.The Defenders: "The Defenders," one of Philip K. Dick's earlier stories, describes a world where a global war between two continents has devastated the surface of the earth. Mankind has been forced to live underground where they continue to fight the war using robot "leadys" who are immune to radiation. Then a startling discovery is made about the robots which changes the entire future of mankind.

    Get to grips with biology as you venture through the Amazon Rainforest. Swat up on astronomy as you navigate through the Solar System. And use your physics know-how to escape a haunted fun fair! Readers must use their problem-solving skills and scientific knowledge to navigate through four thrilling adventures.

    In the far reaches of space, the very existence of humanity is contested; should they be allowed independence? Carefully guided and molded? Extinguished as an evolutionary mistake? Or preserved as a crucial resource - as fuel and food?Follow the journey of young mixed-blooded shock trooper Sol and his symbiotic arthropod companion through trials, treachery, romance, and the occasional spattering of sheer cosmic horror.

    Case studies and an integrative section are included to illustrate the fundamental concepts and to build intuition. Key topics in the field, such as risk management and cost management, are covered in detail.

    There exists another realm called Faery. As the commander of the Sarn Gate in the Heartlands of the Faery realm, Teagan’s life is busy. He must maintain the gate, the only portal to the human realm, coordinate with the other gates throughout Faery, and manage life as a husband and father. Teagan’s busy life is turned upside down when his daughter Rowan falls prey to an unknown attacker. His spirited youngest must grow up in a hurry, and Teagan must scramble to save her. When the warnings begin telling Teagan to protect Rowan, calling her the key to everything, Teagan begins looking for dangers where he once felt the most safe—Faery. With his men on high alert, Teagan begins finding out more and more about his world that doesn’t add up. This, compounded with the vicious attacks on his daughter, his guards, and now Faery, causes him to put forth all his means to fight the unknown foe working against him. Join Teagan, Rowan, and the few they trust in an epic adventure to save their home in the first book of The Faery Chronicles: The Heartlands.

    Complete with over 300 of the best astronomical images ever captured, a comprehensive introduction to the stars and other celestial phenomena, and a series of newly commissioned, state-of-the-art maps showing the stars that are visible from populated latitudes in both hemispheres throughout the year, this magnificent guide has all you need to know to become an expert stargazer.Step outside on a clear night, and the number of stars in the night sky can be overwhelming. Take a pair of binoculars or a small telescope with you, and a celestial vista of star clusters and clouds, knots of gas and dust, nearby planets and distant galaxies is revealed. Since ancient times, stargazers have made sense of the night sky by grouping its stars into constellationsâ??star patterns that often have symbolic or mythological meanings.

    In addition to the very latest developments in every area of this very broad subject, the authors describe in lines of progressive thoughts all aspects related to space technology, enabling the reader to gain a holistic and interdisciplinary overview or, through the use of self-contained chapters, a more detailed understanding of a specific field. Following a brief historical perspective, the applications of space technology are reviewed prior to an overview of the fundamentals of space exploration, including mission architectures, the space environment and astrodynamics. The processes and methodologies behind the design, development, delivery, operation and use of space systems technology are thereafter described on a system by system basis. In addition to reviewing conventional technologies, such as biological life-support systems and entry, required for autonomous Earth orbiting spacecraft, descent and landing systems are reviewed, while also recognising the importance of software as a space technology

    Starting from basic concepts, the narrative builds scientifically, including more in-depth material as boxed additions to the main text. The authors recount fascinating recent discoveries from space missions and observations using ground-based telescopes, of possible life-related artefacts in Martian meteorites, extrasolar planets, and subsurface oceans on Europa, Titan and Enceladus. They also provide a forward look to future missions. This is an exciting, informative read for anyone interested in the search for habitable and inhabited planets, and an excellent primer for students in astrobiology, habitability, planetary science and astronomy.

    And now he's about to have his life impounded...From the author of The Forever Gate

    It was not without a heavy cost. He would give his left foot for the peace and solitude of life on his home planet. Some men were not made for a quiet life. Duty to a friend pulls him into a conflict riddled mining town. The dusty planet too close to its star isn’t worth fighting to save… but lives are. With his brother in tow, Flynn soon realizes the corporation behind the attacks is connected to their family in ways that could spell his demise along with everyone on – or in – the planet.

    Enjoy!People always told Akantha what was expected of her.Hemmed in at every turn and surrounded by suitors who were far from suitable, her Uncle wanted her to take a man as her Protector, her people wanted her ready to lead, and her bodyguard wanted her to stay safe inside the citadel.So when the First Daughter of Argos was presented with the option of playing court politics, or intercepting an ancient, terrifying enemy bent on slaughtering her people, her choice should come as no surprise to those who really knew her.But the burden of duty carries a heavy price and Akantha will soon learn that the cost would be more than she ever expected.