Lyrical. Poignant. Adapted from the acclaimed and beloved novel by Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn is a tale for any age about the wonders of magic, the power of love, and the tragedy of loss. The unicorn, alone in her enchanted wood, discovers that she may be the last of her kind. Reluctant at first, she sets out on a journey to find her fellow unicorns, even if it means facing the terrifying anger of the Red Bull and malignant evil of the king who wields his power. Adapted by Peter B. Gillis and lushly illustrated by Renae De Liz and Ray Dillon.

    Andrew is eighteen years old when he crosses the Atlantic by steamship, exiled from polite society following an ill-conceived diatribe at a dinner party. He enters the forest, spellbound by the beauty of the Canadian wilderness, and suddenly hears the notes of a violin echoing in an airship terminal--an experience that shocks him to his core.Two centuries later a famous writer named Olive Llewellyn is on a book tour. She's traveling all over Earth, but her home is the second moon colony, a place of white stone, spired towers, and artificial beauty. Within the text of Olive's bestselling pandemic novel lies a strange passage: a man plays his violin for change in the echoing corridor of an airship terminal as the trees of a forest rise around him.When Gaspery-Jacques Roberts, a detective in the Night City, is hired to investigate an anomaly in the North American wilderness, he uncovers a series of lives upended: The exiled son of an earl driven to madness, a writer trapped far from home as a pandemic ravages Earth, and a childhood friend from the Night City who, like Gaspery himself, has glimpsed the chance to do something extraordinary that will disrupt the timeline of the universe.A virtuoso performance that is as human and tender as it is intellectually playful, Sea of Tranquility is a novel of time travel and metaphysics that precisely captures the reality of our current moment.

    Learning to deal with its flaws is just a normal part of life. But there comes a point where these imperfections spawn a crushing realization... that something needs to change...

    

    Hephaestus Research Station, currently on Day 448 of its orbit around red dwarf star Wolf 359. He's stuck on a scientific survey mission of indeterminate length, 7.8 light years from Earth. His only company on board the station are stern mission chief Minkowski, insane science officer Hilbert, and Hephaestus Station's sentient, often malfunctioning operating system HERA. He doesn't have much to do for his job other than monitoring static and intercepting the occasional decades-old radio broadcast from Earth, so he spends most of his time creating extensive audio logs about the ordinary, day-to-day happenings within the station. But the Hephaestus is an odd place, and life in extremely isolated, zero gravity conditions has a way of doing funny things to people's minds. Even the simplest of tasks can turn into a gargantuan struggle, and the most ordinary-seeming things have a way of turning into anything but that.

    They will tell you in the village that it is haunted, but you must not be afraid. When the time comes ... you will know what to do.'Mr Blunden's words echoed through Lucy's ears as she explored the house. It was such an old house that it seemed to Lucy as if all the past was gathered up inside it as if in a great box; as though it had a life of its own that continued to exist just beyond the reach of her eyes and ears. Did Mr Blunden, who went out of his way to offer their mother the job as caretaker, mean to help or hurt them? Could she and her brother Jamie really help those troubled ghosts from another age?

    Le Guin in her Hainish series: Rocannon's World, Planet of Exile, City of Illusions, and The Left Hand of Darkness. Print dates are 1976 - 1977. Ace mass paperbacks, cover art by Alex Ebel and uncredited (Rocannon's World), 12mo (6 7/8" x 4.25") Hainish series #1 - #4, followed by The Word for World is Forest, The Dispossessed, and others. The Left Hand of Darkness is now considered a classic, and won the 1969 Nebula Award, the 1970 Hugo Award, and the 1995 James Tiptree, Jr. Award, Retroactive. It was nominated for the 1970 Ditmar Award. Other awards: 1975 Locus Poll Award, All-Time Best Novel (Place: 3), 1987 Locus Poll Award, All-Time Best SF Novel (Place: 2), and the 1998 Locus Poll Award, All-Time Best SF Novel before 1990 (Place: 3).

    Become entranced with the basic struggle of good vs. evil as you travel to a galaxy far, far away.

    Constructed with exquisite skill, it sings at the tread of each human foot. No assassin can cross it unheard. Brought up in a remote mountain village among the Hidden, a reclusive and spiritual people, Takeo has learned only the ways of peace. Why, then, does he possess the deadly skills that make him so valuable to the sinister Tribe? These supernatural powers will lead him to his violent destiny within the walls of Inuyama - and to an impossible love for a girl who can never be his... Set amid the savage blood feuds of medieval Japan, 'Tales of the Otori' is an epic saga of revenge and treachery, honour and loyalty, magic and unconquerable love. This pack contains 5 paperbacks: Across the Nightingale Floor; Brilliance Of The Moon; Grass for his Pillow; Harsh Cry of the Heron; Heaven's Net Is Wide.

    Then he transmigrated into a simple and superficial novel about the entertainment circle.The protagonist of the novel was handsome, smart, and reborn. The female protagonist of the novel was beautiful, inspirational, and had a golden finger. Some male and female roles were also beautiful and had a deep background. If he casually transmigrated into one of them then he could close his eyes and enjoy himself. However, he didn’t transmigrate into any of them and instead became the hidden husband of the biggest villain in the novel, the male protagonist’s uncle.He was called a husband but it was more similar to a babysitter. This was because the biggest villain in the novel was a terminally ill patient with a terrible personality and a sick brain (really sick). They got married for the sake of happiness.Xie Yang: It doesn’t matter if you are the male lead, the female lead or the villain, whoever dares to stop me from living a comfortable life will die.

    Every friendship has a meeting. Every job has a first day. This is Bren's.

    The cycle tells the story of a boy (Vic) and his telepathic dog (Blood), who work together as a team to survive in the post-apocalyptic world after a nuclear war.

    Ryker dreams of becoming a hero, but dreams are hard to achieve when you’ve caused several million credits worth of property damage. Being expelled from the Mars Police Academy isn’t helping his case. Crushed, Alex encounters a girl named Gabrielle Angelise in a meeting that will change his life forever.Gabrielle is an alien! She’s also on the run. Alex wonders if this is the chance that he’s been waiting for, the chance to finally become a hero. Opportunities like this don’t come often, or ever, and so Alex steps up to protect Gabrielle and make his dream a reality. He will become a hero—if the strain from living with an alien bombshell doesn’t kill him first!

    The only daughter of either a genius, or a madman. Montgomery Laughton: a melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers. The hybrids: the fruits of the Doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities. All of them living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction. For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

    This town, fiercely protective, brutal and unforgiving in its adherence to tradition, faces a singular affliction: some mothers vanish, disappearing into the clouds. It is the exquisite pain and intrinsic beauty of their lives; it sets them apart from people elsewhere and gives them meaning.Vera, a young girl when her own mother went, is on the cusp of adulthood herself. As her peers begin to marry and become mothers, they speculate about who might be the first to go, each wondering about her own fate. Reveling in their gossip, they witness each other in motherhood, waiting for signs: this one devotes herself to her child too much, this one not enough—that must surely draw the affliction’s gaze. When motherhood comes for Vera, she is faced with the question: will she be able to stay and mother her beloved child, or will she disappear?Provocative and hypnotic, Alexis Schaitkin’s Elsewhere is at once a spellbinding revelation and a rumination on the mysterious task of motherhood and all the ways in which a woman can lose herself to it; the self-monitoring and judgment, the doubts and unknowns, and the legacy she leaves behind.

    Ten years ago, the town's harvest failed utterly, and the people---believing the gods had abandoned them--left their farms and moved on.Now, on a Friday before a long weekend, Regina ends her workday at an office in Makati, and walks home with a new colleague, Diana. Following a strange and disturbing conversation between them, Diana does not show up at work on Monday, nor Tuesday, nor Wednesday.On Thursday, Regina finds a folded piece of paper In her bag. In Diana's handwriting are two names and a strange map that will send Regina back to her hometown. Here, in her quest to find Diana, she encounters rumors of genetic experiments, stumbles upon a strange facility that no one seems to know about, finds herself in places that don't exist, and discovers that people are not who they seem to be. And the biggest question in the bizarre chain of events is not what, or how, but why?Wounded Little Gods is a tale that brings mythology to a sci-fi thriller that's filled with a sense of place--a place where gods are in many ways human and point to the ways in which humans can be inhumane. As Regina struggles to unwind the knots surrounding the mystery of this facility and the people connected to it. She discovers that she is more intertwined in the strange events in her hometown than she ever knew.

    All three books in the prequel trilogy are included in this eBook collection. Follow along as young Anakin Skywalker descends into the dark side!

    It's a story of motherhood, sacrifice, and hope; of queer identity and learning to accept who you are; of gilded lies and the danger of believing the narratives others create for you.Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book's content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack; romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can help them remember destinations, and children, when they misbehave, are forced to eat dry, musty pages from dictionaries. Devon is part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon—like all other book eater women—is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairytales and cautionary stories.But real life doesn't always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger—not for books, but for human minds.

    But this version of 1950's America is characterized by a significant event: The Mass Dragoning of 1955, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary wives and mothers sprouted wings, scales and talons, left a trail of fiery destruction in their path, and took to the skies. Seemingly for good. Was it their choice? What will become of those left behind? Why did Alex's beloved Aunt Marla transform but her mother did not? Alex doesn't know. It's taboo to speak of, even more so than her crush on Sonja, her schoolmate.Forced into silence, Alex nevertheless must face the consequences of dragons: a mother more protective than ever; a father growing increasingly distant; the upsetting insistence that her aunt never even existed; and a new "sister" obsessed with dragons far beyond propriety. Through loss, rage, and self-discovery, this story follows Alex's journey as she deals with the events leading up to and beyond the Mass Dragoning, and her connection with the phenomenon itself.

    There was no medicine for it, and there was only death waiting for her.Before she died, many people came to see her, but she was most impressed by Bai Chuan.Bai Chuan was her neighbor, an autistic child with scholar’s syndrome. At that time, his face full of scars was desperate: “I – I studied all your medical records, but I have no way to save you.”Mu Xiaoya was stunned: “You are a doctor?”Bai Chuan: “I am not… …”

    James Ozryck has a monster in his head. All of his life the entity that he calls Catskinner has made him a fugitive, afraid to get too close to anyone, afraid to stay in one place for too long. Catskinner kills, without compassion and without warning, and is very good at it. Now James has learned that Catskinner is not the only monster in the world, a world that has suddenly become a far stranger and more dangerous place than he imagined. In order to survive he will have to become something more than a monster, he will have to learn what it means to be human.

    

    All the boxes feature the same inscription, “The measure of your life lies within,” and vary in only two ways: the name of the recipient and the length of the single string inside. Instantly, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy, first to ascertain their origin and meaning, and then to confront the truth of the strings.Told through multiple perspectives, The Measure introduces an unforgettable cast of characters whose lives weave and interlock with one another upon the arrival of the strings: a doctor who cannot save himself, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, and a politician whose string becomes a powder keg in an increasingly turbulent world.As society divides itself, the truth has the power to unravel their long-held beliefs and relationships all while forging new alliances and philosophies about our time on this earth and our place in the community. Both heartbreaking and profoundly uplifting, The Measure is a sweeping, ambitious meditation on life, family, and society that challenges us to consider the best way to live life to the fullest.

    Underpaid. And trying to survive the end of the world while trapped inside an office complex. Who knew temp work could be this dangerous?Jacob Elliot doesn’t want a temporary job in the mailroom at Delphi Enterprises, but after two post-college years of unpaid internships and living in his parents’ basement, he needs the work. Then, on his first day, the unthinkable happens: toxic gas descends on a meeting in Delphi’s outdoor amphitheater, killing all the regular employees and leaving Jacob stranded inside the vast office complex.Wandering through Delphi headquarters, Jacob finds other survivors: Lauren, the disillusioned classics major who’s now writing online personality quizzes; Swati, the fitness instructor trying to escape a toxic relationship; and Dominic, the business school student who will do almost anything to get ahead. Stranded in the wreckage of the company that employed them, the temps band together to create a miniature world that’s part spring break, part office culture—until a shocking discovery disrupts the survivors’ self-made paradise and drives them to uncover the truth about the mysterious corporation that employed them and the apocalypse that brought their world to an end. A surprising, profound tribute to the absurdities and paranoia of modern life, The Temps is an epic exploration of survival and human connection in the digital age.

    So when she's accepted into a prestigious program at Godbole University that trains students to slip between parallel worlds, she's excited for the chance to prove herself. But her semester gets off to a rocky start as she faces professors who won't accommodate her disability, and a pretentious upperclassman fascinated by Delaney's unusual talents.Colton Price died when he was nine years old. Quite impossibly, he woke several weeks later at the feet of a green-eyed little girl. Now, twelve years later, Delaney Meyers-Petrov has stumbled back into his orbit, but Colton's been ordered to keep far away from the new girl... and the voices she hears calling to her from the shadows.Delaney wants to keep her distance from Colton -- she seems to be the only person on campus who finds him more arrogant than charming -- yet after a Godbole student turns up dead, she and Colton are forced to form a tenuous alliance, plummeting down a rabbit-hole of deeply buried university secrets. But Delaney and Colton discover the cost of opening the doors between worlds when they find themselves up against something old and nameless, an enemy they need to destroy before it tears them -- and their forbidden partnership -- apart.

    Her best friend, Violet, returns from camp with a new best friend; her parents refuse to grant her more independence; and her homeroom teacher, Ms. Kline, is full of secrets. When Ms. Kline unveils a collection of old Gothamite magazines and tells her students to build their writing skills by crafting short stories inspired by the iconic covers, J.R. discovers a peculiar power: The stories she writes come true. Soon J.R. is getting a cell phone, scoring game-winning goals, and triggering school cancellations. But it's not long before she realizes that each new story creates as many conflicts as it does solutions. And when J.R. tries to write about her fallout with Violet, all of her problems converge. With a pinch of magic, mystery, art history, and language arts woven into a journey of growth and self-confidence, this promising debut is a heartfelt and satisfying tribute to the power of words.

    A shocking, race-against-the-clock, standalone thriller from the Queen of New Zealand Crime.‘Astonishingly good … compelling, horrifying, intriguing and entertaining. One of the best thrillers I’ve read this year’ Liz Nugent'New Zealand's modern Queen of Crime' Val McDermid'Fans of The Dry will love Vanda Symon' Red Magazine –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Worn down by a job he hates, and a stressful family life, middle-aged, middle-class Bradley picks up a teenage escort and commits an unspeakable crime. Now she’s tied up in his warehouse, and he doesn’t know what to do.Max is homeless, eating from rubbish bins, sleeping rough and barely existing – known for cadging a cigarette from anyone passing, and occasionally even the footpath. Nobody really sees Max, but he has one friend, and she’s gone missing.In order to find her, Max is going to have to call on some people from his past, and reopen wounds that have remained unhealed for a very long time, and the clock is ticking…Hard-hitting, fast-paced and immensely thought-provoking, Faceless – the startling new standalone thriller from New Zealand’s ‘Queen of Crime’ – will leave you breathless.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––‘Powerful and brilliant writing that transported me to the other side of the world … a wonderful storyteller’ Helen FitzGerald‘Edgy, thrilling and terrifyingly realistic’ Lisa Hall‘All the thrills of a brilliantly plotted crime novel with some interesting moral questions woven between the words. Fast, furious and intense' Helen Fields‘A portrait of the underbelly of society, this is a deeply involving novel and a damn good thriller’ Paul Burke, NB Magazine'Completely gripping … a poignant study of how our society shapes unlikely saints and monsters' Eve Smith‘Vanda Symon knows how to tell a good story’ The Times ‘Intense, dark and twisted, this is a fast and pulse-raising read that absolutely gripped me’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews‘I read the last couple of chapters with bated breath, heart in my throat, eyes brimming. I was completely and utterly invested’ From Belgium with BooklovePraise for the Sam Shephard series‘New Zealand's answer to Siobhan Clarke’ The Times 'Fast-moving New Zealand procedural ... the Edinburgh of the south has never been more deadly' Ian Rankin'A sassy heroine, fabulous sense of place, and rip-roaring stories with a twist. Perfect curl-up-on-the-sofa reading' Kate Mosse'If you like taut, pacey thrillers with a wonderful sense of place, this is the book for you' Liam McIlvanney'Vanda Symon's work resembles Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series she knows how to tell a good story and the NZ setting adds spice' The Times 'Atmospheric, emotional and gripping' Foreword Reviews 'A plot that grabs the reader's attention with a heart-stopping opening and doesn't let go' Sunday Times 'It is Symon's copper Sam, self-deprecating and very human, who represents the writer's real achievement' Guardian 'Reads like the polished effort of a genre veteran. More, please' Booklist

    The Manhattan School for Magic is the newest kindling school in New York, but Maeve O’Donnell knows she doesn't deserve her place there. Though her sister, Izzy, is one of the school's founders and a hero to those who can now kindle, Maeve can't control her magic and she lives in fear of anyone—especially Izzy—finding out.When Maeve’s worst fears come true and her magic goes rogue, it damages not only the new school but Izzy’s reputation as well. While trying to repair what she’s broken, Maeve discovers a mysterious garden in the tenement neighborhood of the Tarnish, a hidden place where her magic actually works. As her magic and confidence grow, she befriends the others for whom the garden is a haven: a litter of talking kittens (house dragons, of course) who need Maeve’s help to find their missing mother. But someone else is searching for the kittens, too, someone who doesn’t care how many magical sites they have to destroy to stop magic’s expansion. And Maeve’s unstable magic might be the only way to save her sister’s school from being snuffed out next.The Tarnished Garden is a sparkling middle-grade novel from Alyssa Colman.

    Providing stability in exchange for absolute authority, the Project controls every aspect of citizens' lives through each of its five units: Protect Enforce Advance Control Eliminate Raised in the Project since infancy, eighteen-year-old Zira has been trained as an assassin under the stern guidance of unit E-2's Chairman Ryku. After she makes a careless mistake on an assignment, the chairman partners her with Jared, the best operative in her unit. Their partnership transforms into friendship as they work together and learn to rely on each other. But when misinformation causes a solo mission to backfire, Zira's deepest loyalties and strongest relationships are tested in a place where even a hint of doubt can be perceived as treason. The life she knows is falling apart, and nothing will ever look the same again.

    Any and every question can be thrown Amy's way and an answer will be up by the end of the day. All the questions are public but the person asking is always anonymous...as well as Amy. No one truly knows who Amy is. Many believe she's just another student, maybe it's someone they know, maybe it's someone in an entirely different state.Since #AskAmy began a year ago, its become a bank of answers but also a bank of people's darkest thoughts, desires and secrets. But anonymity truly has no secrecy online and when #AskAmy is hacked and everyone's questions suddenly have their names behind them, conflicts arise rapidly.Though that's not the only problem. #AskAmy begins to get strange questions. Questions that are specific to the one answering them. Because 'Amy' has some dangerous secrets and someone's ready to let them all out.#1 in Mystery/Thriller and a previously featured story.

    Martin's A Game of Thrones and Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings, The Fatemarked Epic promises immaculate world building, an ancient prophecy, a mysterious source of magic, a diverse cast of characters, war, political intrigue, and romance.Four Fatemarked short stories capturing the origins of some of the most secretive and loved characters in the epic fantasy series, bringing the world of David Estes' creation to life in a whole new way. A deadly eastern tradition revealed, the tale of the War of Roses, a brewing rebellion in Phanes, and the truth behind a fatemarked knight's shadowy past. Includes the origin stories of Gareth Ironclad, Verner Gäric (grandson of Heinrich Gäric, who first discovered the Four Kingdoms), the leader of the Black Tears, Sonika Vaid, and Sir Dietrich, the swordmarked.

    

    The doctor’s replacement has a mystery to solve: discovering how the Institute lost track of one of its many bodies. For hundreds of years the Interprovincial Medical Institute has grown by taking root in young minds and shaping them into doctors, replacing every human practitioner of medicine. The Institute is here to help humanity, to cure and to cut, to cradle and protect the species from the apocalyptic horrors their ancestors unleashed. In the frozen north, the Institute’s body will discover a competitor for its rung at the top of the evolutionary ladder. A parasite is spreading through the baron’s castle, already a dark pit of secrets, lies, violence, and fear. The two will make war on the battlefield of the body. Whichever wins, humanity will lose again.'

    Martin's magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. Together, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her thrall. Young Robb still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. And as opposing forces manoeuver for the final showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost limits of civilization, accompanied by a horde of mythical Others—a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...

    

    The outbreak creates a new class of people who are both feared and ostracized, and most of whom optimize their extra hours to earn more money. Jamie Vega, a New York journalist at C+P Media, is one of the Sleepless. When his irascible boss dies in an apparent suicidal overdose, Jamie doesn’t buy this too-convenient explanation—especially given its suspicious timing in the middle of a corporate takeover—and begins to investigate. Things go awry quickly when Jamie discovers that he was the last person who saw Simon alive. Retracing his steps, he realizes he doesn’t remember that night. Not only do the police suspect him, Jamie can’t account for the lost time, and the memory loss may have something to do with the fact that he did not come by hyperinsomnia naturally: through a risky and illegal process, Jamie had biohacked himself to become Sleepless. As Jamie delves deeper into Simon’s final days, he is forced to confront past traumas, and the consequences of his decision to biohack himself. Along the way he uncovers a terrifying truth about what it means to be Sleepless that will imperil him—and all of humanity.

    New and exotic dangers threaten public safety nearly every day. People are scared and dying, but no one knows who's responsible.All Duke and Lilly can do is confront each threat as they occur. Luckily, they have friends: Brindar, the dwarven Nuisance Man, Father Magnus, Sarge, and even Raven join in the fight.But no matter how many battles they win, more dangers keep arriving.Is this the end of Capital City?You'll love this fast-paced, fantasy adventure, because who doesn't like a good mystery with a healthy dose of peril, and a few laughs, added in.Book Two of the Duke Grandfather Saga!Get it now!

    

    But like all creatures of myth and legend, they won’t be ignored forever.Now thirteen, Sarah is attacked by a wolf with poisonous black fur and strange, human-looking eyes. With the help of a few unexpected friends, she manages to survive the attack but soon discovers the creatures have returned. They want Sarah to find a powerful gemstone and bring it to them in Lyrica, their magical homeworld.Her new friends urge caution, however. There may be more monsters like the black wolf. And the creatures themselves are frightening. Can Sarah trust them? Stuck between reality and imagination, her mother’s wishes and her own desires, Sarah faces an impossible choice – break her promise or do nothing to save a world in peril.

    What is this secret technology that everyone, including the Collector, wants so badly? Could it be the beginning of Earth's newest fresh smelling fabric? – Presented by Hanes FreshIQ.

    I really liked this little moment between Kellen and Reichis, but in the end it would’ve slowed the story down at a moment when things needed to speed up. Hope you enjoy it!This is one of several short stories that you can read for free after signing up for the author's newsletter: https://decastell.com/secrets/

    When an individual reaches adulthood, they are able to switch neural activity to the jewel and achieve immortality. This story follows an individual who approaches this event in their lives.

    He thought he had no other choice but to seek out an alpha stronger than himself to get him through it, but suddenly an underclassman appeared saying he liked him? Wait, wait, wait, having such weak pheromones yet daring to hit on this Ge? This Wang isn’t that foolish, right?

    With a strange and lifelike teddy bear as his only companion, Jamie suffers alone from his father's neglect and the harsh ridicule of two cruel classmates. Senator Paul Douglas works all day and night in a desperate attempt to forget the loss of his beloved wife. At his lowest point, Paul becomes the victim of a political tug-of-war. Two powerful rivals each want something from him. Each promises retribution if he does not fulfill their wishes. Burdened by a decision that could alter the nation's power structure, Paul finds himself weaker and more fragile than his young son. Enter the Colonel. Theodore Roosevelt returns to Washington with all the fervor, bombast, and humor that marked his previous life. No other character from history possesses the experience, knowledge, and practical sense to help the Douglas men solve their problems and repair their broken relationship. Wielding his big stick for all to see, America's great Bull Moose prepares Paul and Jamie for a final showdown against their respective bullies. If he can just stay out of trouble, Theodore Roosevelt might be the family's best hope...

    The kidnapper, who calls herself "The Orchid" has an army of followers, both human and otherwise, and information that suggests a traitor within Agony's organization. James has Catskinner.

    

    Now it floats near the coastline of the Federated States - a leftover piece of a fractured USA.For forty years, residents of the Arcadia have been prohibited from making landfall. It is a world of extreme haves and have nots, gangs and make-shift shelters.Esther is a loyal citizen, working flat-out to have the rare chance to live a normal life as a medic on dry land. Ben is a rebel, planning something big to liberate the Arcadia once and for all.When events throw them both together, their lives, and the lives of everyone on the ship, will change forever . . .

    

    Lower your shields and surrender your ships..." The most dangerous and relentless adversary in the Star Trek universe is back in these classic stories.

    The shy and somewhat clumsy, Prince Ormond from a neighboring kingdom, is a contender. Arabella knows she'll never fall in love with him, much less accept him as a husband. And yet...seemingly, in a split second, she changes her mind.Ryder Grey has known Arabella since childhood and cannot understand the sudden change from the girl he once adored to the woman he sees now. How can she be in love with the meek Prince Ormond? Ryder begins to investigate and discovers that a reclusive witch has Arabella under her spell. When Arabella's childhood friend begins to interfere with her budding romance with Prince Ormond, she takes action and locks Ryder in a little known tower in the forest until she and Ormond can marry.Forgotten in the tower by all but the rats, can Ryder enchant Arabella and break the sinister spell? His chances do not look favorable.

    to study engineering in a world transformed by globalization; his marriage to the ambitious artist with whom he changed the world; and, ultimately, his invention, under self-exile, of the most ambitious creation of his life—Athena herself.The Immortal King Rao, written by a former Wall Street Journal technology reporter, is a resonant debut novel obliterating the boundaries between literary and speculative fiction, the historic and the dystopian, confronting how we arrived at the age of technological capitalism and where our actions might take us next.

    In an infinitely remote future, inhabited solely by women, life flows eternal and serene, seemingly invulnerable to any possible threat. At least until...

    Being the only werewolf she’s ever known, Malaya has managed her condition by keeping tight control on herself and the world around her, with lackluster results. That is, until a strange guy wanders into her shop one day and introduces her to a whole world she never knew existed…

     Eran has been walking the Labyrinth since she was a child, learning its secrets. The endless backwater universes and lost cities offer a never-ending array of adventures, but she's been a successful exotics trader for years, and is confident she can hold her own with whatever the Labyrinth throws at her. The Labyrinth took that as a challenge. Things can always get stranger, and Eran and her companions find themselves facing a gate unlike any other. It might just be enough to make even the most committed carnivore a vegetarian... A weird and wild and sometimes darkly grotesque black comedy in the vein of John Dies at the End, The Hills of Meat, The Forest of Bone will challenge everything you've ever thought about science fiction and storytelling.

    

    She is one of the founding members of the Skyward Group, a privately funded, secret, research facility conducting experiments that ease what tradition has established as the boundaries separating the realm of man from the realm of God. Artemisia has everything she wants - money, fame, knowledge and power - except for a child.Inanna is a powerful and dangerous witch, also wealthy beyond imagination. Her powers are greater and more deadly than any in the long tradition before her. Inanna has everything she wants - money, knowledge and God-like power - except for a child.The Child has nothing. At three months of age, he knows only what he has experienced through the bars of his locked cage. He has nothing. He doesn't have a mommy. He doesn't have a daddy. He doesn't have a name. The scientists who created him do not handle him, because they know The Child is dangerous.In The Darkness, Two women clash in a vicious battle that has been fought since the days of King Solomon - the fight over a child. One woman unleashes the nightmarish arsenal of modern science while the other dispatches the weaponries of witchcraft. And as The Child grows up, his love for one and resentment for the other will change the fate of both these women, forever.

    

    Well, the new normal, where he has to battle monsters in quiet Dublin bookshops and constantly struggle to contain the new powers he has been given by Mercy, the daughter of the Endless King. Titles in this Set includes Knights of the Borrowed Dark, The Forever Court, The Endless King.

    M. Miro's Ordinary Monsters introduces readers to the dark, labyrinthe world of The TalentsEngland, 1882. In Victorian London, two children with mysterious powers are hunted by a figure of darkness —a man made of smoke.Sixteen-year-old Charlie Ovid, despite a lifetime of brutality, doesn't have a scar on him. His body heals itself, whether he wants it to or not. Marlowe, a foundling from a railway freight car, shines with a strange bluish light. He can melt or mend flesh. When two grizzled detectives are recruited to escort them north to safety, they are forced to confront the nature of difference, and belonging, and the shadowy edges of the monstrous.What follows is a journey from the gaslit streets of London, to an eerie estate outside Edinburgh, where other children with gifts—the Talents—have been gathered. Here, the world of the dead and the world of the living threaten to collide. And as secrets within the Institute unfurl, Marlowe, Charlie and the rest of the Talents will discover the truth about their abilities, and the nature of the force that is stalking them: that the worst monsters sometimes come bearing the sweetest gifts.With lush prose, mesmerizing world-building, and a gripping plot, Ordinary Monsters presents a catastophic vision of the Victorian world—and of the gifted, broken children who must save it.

    This curse with foul consequences has always kept him alone, but now he finds himself pursued by opposing groups. The Cytech Inventors Guild wants his talent, and powerful Mystics want him outright dead. As Trede attempts to find the reason for his affliction, he discovers closer friends than he could have imagined and a glimpse of greater mysteries. Whichever way he turns, he’s drawn further into an eternal struggle for control of The Well: an ancient altar of legend.

    In the forest refuge of Redwall Abbey, valiant mouse warriors and woodland creatures must fight to protect their home from vicious foxes, rat pirates, and weasel armies. Their struggles are epic. Their stories are timeless. And their courage is the stuff of legend."

    Short story from his collection read by LeVar Burton.

    With the life that Littlebridge society has planned for him, the only taste Osmo will ever get are his visits to the edge of the Fourpenny Woods where his mother hunts. Until the unthinkable happens: his mother accidentally kills a Quidnunk, a fearsome and intelligent creature that lives deep in the forest. None of this should have anything to do with poor Osmo, except that a strange treaty was once formed between the Quidnunx and the people of Littlebridge to ensure that neither group would harm the other. Now that a Quidnunk is dead, as the firstborn child of the hunter who killed her, Osmo must embark on a quest to find the Eightpenny Woods—the mysterious kingdom where all wild forest creatures go when they die—and make amends. Accompanied by a very rude half-badger, half-wombat named Bonk and an antisocial pangolin girl called Never, it will take all of Osmo’s bravery and cleverness to survive the magic of the Eightpenny Woods to save his town…and make it out alive.

    However, everything changes when his father orders him to marry the wrong girl. He knows he has a duty, but why should he give up his dreams? In the end, he's only asked to love, but the price for refusing will indeed be high.

    Join us for 13 new tales of deities that are retired, reborn, waning, or AWOL from their assigned posts as they hilariously navigate life, death, and everything in between.

    Nebula, Locus, and Ignyte finalist R. B. Lemberg (The Four Profound Weaves) has crafted a gorgeous tale of the inevitable transformations of communities and their worlds. The Unbalancing is rooted in the mystical cosmology, neurodiversity, and queerness that infuses Lemberg’s lyrical prose, which has invited glowing comparisons to N. K. Jemisin, Patricia A. McKillip, and Ursula K. LeGuin.Beneath the waters by the islands of Gelle-Geu, a star sleeps restlessly. The celebrated new starkeeper Ranra Kekeri, who is preoccupied by the increasing tremors, confronts the problems left behind by her predecessor.Meanwhile, the poet Erígra Lilún, who merely wants to be left alone, is repeatedly asked by their ancestor Semberi to take over the starkeeping helm. Semberi insists upon telling Lilun mysterious tales of the deliverance of the stars by the goddess Bird.When Ranra and Lilun meet, sparks begin to fly. An unforeseen configuration of their magical deepnames illuminates the trouble under the tides. For Ranra and Lilun, their story is just beginning; for the people of Gelle-Geu, it may well be too late to save their home

    "Boxed In" Al Ewing [Art: Neil Roberts]"An Unforseen Legacy" Juliet E McKenna [Nancy Farmer]"Deep Trouble" Anthony Malone [Dylan Williams]"Suzie Pepper's Teeth" Robin Bell [Thomas Tuke]"The Fence-Sitters" John Hilario [Russell Morgan]"Spare Change" Jon T Cook [Matt Soffee]"Frozen" Gareth D Jones [Mick Trimble]"Juggling Glass Globes at the Hemophiliac's Zoo" Robert Davies [Rick Fairlamb]"The Face" Rory McConville [George Gousis]"Fishers Of Men" Jasper Bark [Paul Rafferty]"Victimized" Richard Thomas [Brian Typhair]"I Dream Of Ants (1)" Lavie Tidhar [Neil Struthers]Now and then 2 Kaolin Imago Fire [Natalia Pierandrei]Depth Charge Matt WallaceInterview with Manon & Al EwingSpotlight Thomas TukeDark Fiction MagazineBook & DVD Reviews IE Lester

    

    He will have to break this contract as soon as he could!

    Dirty Computer introduced a world in which thoughts—as a means of self-conception—could be controlled or erased by a select few. And whether human, A.I., or other, your life and sentience was dictated by those who’d convinced themselves they had the right to decide your fate.That was until Jane 57821 decided to remember and break free.Expanding from that mythos, these stories fully explore what it’s like to live in such a totalitarian existence…and what it takes to get out of it. Building off the traditions of speculative writers such as Octavia Butler, Ted Chiang, Becky Chambers, and Nnedi Okorafor—and filled with the artistic genius and powerful themes that have made Monáe a worldwide icon in the first place—The Memory Librarian serves readers tales grounded in the human trials of identity expression, technology, and love, but also reaching through to the worlds of memory and time within, and the stakes and power that exists there.

    While Joscelin sticks by Phèdre’s side almost unfailingly—aside from taking his vigils during the Longest Night while she’s at the Midwinter Masque—his experience of the events of Kushiel’s Legacy vastly differ from hers. Just as Phèdre is caught in the grip of love and cruelty of the god Kushiel, as a scion of Cassiel, Joscelin is forced to stand at the crossroads and choose, again and again, the path of the Companion.

    Frizzle and her class. What happens when the Magic School Bus turns into a weather balloon? Take off with the Magic School Bus and learn all about what happens during a thunderstorm.

    

    

    She’s less than excited to move to her new house, which smells like lemons and deception, and is searching for a sign, any sign, that ghosts are real. Because if ghosts are real, it means she can find a way back to Babung.When Eliot chases the promise of paranormal activity to the presumably haunted Honeyfield Hall, she finds her proof of spirits. But these ghosts are losing their memory, stuck between this world and the next, waiting to cross over. With the help of Hazel, the granddaughter of Honeyfield's owner (and Eliot’s new crush), she attempts to uncover the mystery behind Honeyfield Hall and the ghosts residing within.And as Eliot fits the pieces together, she may just be able to help the spirits remember their pasts, and hold on to her grandmother’s memory.

    Join young Annabelle on this middle-grade adventure as she begins to unlock the secrets of Raven's Gate Manor.

    Held prisoner in the invader's court for years, Cyrus is suddenly given a chance to escape and claim his revenge when a mysterious group of revolutionaries comes looking for a figurehead. They need a hero to strike fear into the hearts of the imperial and to inspire and unite the people. They need someone to take up the skull mask and swords and to become the legendary "Vagrant"—an unparalleled hero and assassin of otherworldly skill. But all is not as it seems. Creating the illusion of a hero is the work of many, and Cyrus will soon discover the true price of his vengeance.

    With index.

    From adorable pokémon-like friends to wild beasts, Dylan Edwards, Andi Santagata, Nero O'Reilly, Higu Rose and Al Neun deliver five monstrous stories! With cover art by Alex Reeder!

    Equipped with the eccentric education of her father, Dr. Clink (a professor of Boredom Studies and the founder of an elite study group on idleness, affect, and crime known as “The Devil’s Workshop”), Jessica uncovers a disquieting connection between her former life as a pageant queen and an offshoot of Project MKUltra known as MONARCH. As Jessica moves closer to the truth, she begins to suspect the involvement of everyone around her, including her own mother, Grethe (a beauty queen turned spokesperson for a Norwegian cryochamber device built to halt the aging process for suburban housewives). With the help of Christine (a black-lipsticked riot grrrl babysitter and confidante), Jessica sets out to take down Project MONARCH and the operatives who programmed her. More importantly, she must discover if her first love, fellow teen queen Veronica Marshall, was genuine or yet another deep state plant. Iconic true crime stories of the ’90s (Lorena Bobbitt, Nicole Brown Simpson, and JonBenét Ramsey) merge with Jessica’s own past, triggering traumatic revelations and the radical potential of feminist vengeance. Drawing on theories of human consciousness, folklore, and a perennial cultural fixation with dead girls, Monarch questions the shadow sides of self-concept: Who are you if you don't know yourself?

    Maybe her life has a purpose, a meaning that will become clear. But she’s just fantasizing, one thing she does well.Her twin Rosamon hangs out at an abandoned church with Callie and a friend. Pretend adventures keep life interesting, until one night. In the dark recesses of the crumbling building, a mysterious occurrence scares them all.When Rosamon magically disappears, Callie must go after her. Yet she hardly knows where to begin. And where she starts will surprise you. The event sends Callie into an unknown realm, filled with vampires, dragons, and Fae. Saving her twin sister is more difficult than she thought…Important Note: link to this prequel is inside Twilight's Spell (Vampire Magic Book 1) - the prequel is a gift to readers (not for sale at any retailer.)

    A shocking, searingly authentic thriller by award-winning ex-CNN news executive Sarah Sultoon.Samira is an up-and-coming TV journalist, working the nightshift at a major news channel and yearning for greater things. So when she’s offered a trip to the Middle East, with Kris, the station’s brilliant but impetuous star photographer, she leaps at the chance In the field together, Sami and Kris feel invincible, shining a light into the darkest of corners … except the newsroom, and the rest of the world, doesn’t seem to care as much as they do. Until Kris takes the photograph. With a single image of young Sudanese mother, injured in a raid on her camp, Sami and the genocide in Darfur are catapulted into the limelight. But everything is not as it seems, and the shots taken by Kris reveal something deeper and much darker … something that puts not only their careers but their lives in mortal danger. Sarah Sultoon brings all her experience as a CNN news executive to bear on this shocking, searingly authentic thriller, which asks immense questions about the world we live in. You'll never look at a news report in the same way again...

    Whether it was when he was cultivating in the Lower Realm, or when he was in the Ten Heavens of the Upper Realm, he has always been undefeated.Yi Qing laughed and said: “That is because you do not know of my Master. If we speak of cultivation, I am not as good as she by a long mile. Thinking about it, at the start, out of the ten Heavenly Emperors of the Upper Realm, my Master beat up nine, and the one left was myself.”“Master? You actually have a Master! Who? How come we never heard of it?”“My Master is…. Eh? Master? Master! And my Master? Has anyone seen my Master?”A person next to them quietly raised her paw. “I am here!”