Races operating within their own planetary systems are to be left alone until they begin to develop the ability to travel at FTL (faster than light speeds). When the ability to travel at FTL becomes apparent, one of the members of the Federation is nominated to help ease the newcomer through the Galactic citizenship process. Unfortunately, not all the galaxies systems belong to the Federation, and some of those systems are much less than friendly. The last several decades have seen the development of war like societies that systematically loot developing planets. They take the water, and other precious resources, including slaves, leaving the remaining native inhabitants a barren planet. Without resources the population simply dies a slow death. The Egolari are here because we, meaning the people of Earth, happen to possess a skill set and an aptitude that is critical to the needs of the Federation. The major problem within the Federation is that virtually all the members have, for centuries been living in peace. They have developed a society that is not well suited to counter the growing violence presented by the nonaligned races. In short, they have no way to protect themselves, let alone protect the fledgling races just arriving on the galactic scene. Enter Earth. Of all the emerging races to become future galactic members, one has a superior potential to face the violence threatened by the nonaligned races. You guessed it, Humanity. The Federation realized that to continue to function as an organized galactic society, they would have to develop a military arm that could provide the Federation and emerging systems the protection of a fleet of space vessels and marines. Humanity was the race most capable of leading the development of that military organization because we had not progressed so far that our war like tendencies had begun to erode. Although we were not yet ready for galactic membership, we were a necessity that could fill the need, thus we were getting a crash course in how to travel the galaxy, protecting ourselves and the Federation with the full expectation that we would go where no human has gone before, and kick some alien ass.

    Dozens of warmongering ogres. Hundreds of dynamite-wielding gnomes. And one normal guy in the middle of it all. Bad mornings. We've all had 'em. But what if you woke up in a post-apocalyptic land filled with wizards, dragons, and ogres? Not only that, but you woke up as a prisoner of a clan of mages who don’t even speak your language? What if these guys expected you to know magic, but left you to figure out for yourself how to cast it? These are the problems Isaac must solve. And what's he going to do when death knocks on his door? He's going to blast a fireball through the letterbox and send death running. But first...he just needs to learn how to even cast a fireball. Follow his journey through a land filled with creatures that want to kill him, and watch as he refuses to let them. Accompany him into a land of mystery and danger, where life is tough and learning spells and skills takes work. A land where Isaac is determined to stop being the prey and become the predator. This is his journey to make allies and friends in this new world. A journey through battles against slaver ogres and wingless dragons and gnome dictators. Through experimentation and adaptation, where he learns that killing one enemy helps him against the next. It’s also his journey to find a warm, comfy bed. This is the tale of a someone who used to be a normal guy. It's Isaac’s tale of adapting to a world where everything is worth killing. Over 500 pages of fast-moving fantasy, set in a brutal apocalyptic world. This is a mesmerizing story about one guy's quest for power and survival, with light litrpg/game-like elements and a focus on him learning how to use magic. 'Amazing - I love it because of how original it is. This is a hidden gem. The story is good and I'm enjoying the style.' - Early Reviewer 'A breath of fresh air. Isaac is not some over-powered or genius guy. He is just a dude trying to survive in the cruel world he was thrown in, and he is trying to make head and tail of what is going on.' - Early reviewer 'Enjoyable - I especially like the rationality of the main character and how he approaches problems. Unique, definitely worth reading.' - Early reviewer.

    His first mission: save a gazillion lives. When young Kevin has a chance encounter with a dying alien, he discovers not only that humans aren't alone in the universe, but that this encounter propels him into the middle of an intergalactic war. Now at the frontlines of a massive, far far away war, he’s sent to the last remaining ship of the losing side. The crew of the ship? All dead. His mission is simple: he must save the good guys from certain doom. From College reject to War Master, Kevin learns he must adapt quickly or billions will die. This Box set edition contains the following books: -Across the Galactic Pond -Fire At Will -Make it So! -Red Alert (new and exclusive to this box set) -Battlestations!

    And it's not the eating kind unfortunately! After twelve years of working on Earth as a good witch, helping others and stamping out bullying, Lily's concentration on her job is starting to wane because she is becoming increasingly distracted by something (or someone to be precise). And that someone just happens to go by the name of Josh. But Lily doesn't see any problem with her actions, until the head warlock of the Crystalline and Ash Coven of Wolphyre finds out exactly what’s going on, and that Lily is breaking one of the sacred rules of the coven. Immediately she is pulled from her cosy life on Earth and sent straight back to witch school to relearn her witchcraft before being sent to a completely new life, never to see any of her friends or family............or Josh again. With endless possibilities of places that she could be sent to, including working for an evil giant or being a nanny to two naughty brats, the question on everybody’s lips is, where will Lily be posted to? And will she really never get to see the boy of her dreams again?

    

    Settle in and enjoy your stay at O'Mara's, where stories abound, romance lurks and laughter sounds.  A jilted bride, a girl with a secret to hide, and an unforgettable Mammy and daughter trip! Read the first three stories in The Guesthouse in the Green series today. O'Mara's A jilted bride to be, a woman with a secret past and a pesky red fox If Aisling O’Mara hadn’t winged her way home to the Emerald Isle to take over the running of the family guesthouse, she’d never have met Marcus, and her heart wouldn’t have been broken. She’s been trying to put her life back together since he left, but now he’s back and says he’s sorry. Can she trust him again? Moira Lisa Smile A girl with a Mona Lisa smile, a woman who wants to confront her demons and that pesky red fox Moira O’Mara’s developed an annoyingly enigmatic Mona Lisa smile of late when talking about her new man. She’s not ready to share him with her family, not just because they treat her like a baby. Look at the way they go on at her about her drinking? It’s not a problem, she likes a party, who doesn’t? No, he’s her secret, and for now, it has to stay that way, but keeping secrets can be tricky and knowing when you’ve gone too far can be even tougher. What Goes on Tour Join Moira and Mammy on their hilarious journey of self-discovery Moira and Maureen O’Mara aren’t on your usual mother, daughter trip. You won’t spot them browsing the shops on Grafton Street, followed by a spot of lunch in Dublin’s iconic Bewleys. Oh no, Moira and her mammy have just arrived in Vietnam.

    

    That’s what can be expected in this collection. That, and a whole lot more! Included in this collection: Stranger At The Door A Very Machete Christmas Nails In A Coffin No Pulse Cobwebs The Casual Killer 25th Of Dismember Killer Christmas Plenty Of Pain All F**Ked Up Ice Cold Case Das Death Part One Das Death Part Two Gun To The Head Beacon Of Light This box set contains the work of one author and one author only. That author’s name is Luis Samways, and he’s had number one hits in the Kindle top 100 charts. He’s released over 10 books last year and has another ten planned for this year. Known for his violent thrillers and unforgivable villains, he writes stories that shock and make people ponder: “What’s the difference between good and bad?” *** Readers familiar with Luis Samways’ other box sets won’t be disappointed in this one, but please bear in mind that if you’ve read 12 rounds, you would have read 12 of the 15 books in this collection!*

    He's a charismatic police officer married to a gorgeous school teacher named Lauren and life is filled with love, fame, and tight-knit friends. But after their children disappear, a perfect marriage slowly begins to crumble.Desperate for answers, Josh travels down a dangerous path fraught with betrayal and lies. A calculated killer discovers his dark secrets and he'll stop at nothing for revenge. Left with no other choice, Josh must reveal his troubled past, which shatters the lives of those closest to him.Once Josh discovers the shocking truth about his missing children, nothing will ever be the same.

    The work was back-breakingly hard, but the Tate & Lyle factory was more than just a workplace - it was a community, a calling, a place of love and support and an uproarious, tribal part of East London. This is Ethel’s story, one of four stories from The Sugar Girls.‘On an autumn day in 1944, Ethel Alleyne walked the short distance from her house to Tate & Lyle’s refinery on the shining curve of the Thames. Looking up at the giant gates, Ethel felt like she had been preparing for this moment all her life. She smoothed down her frizzy hair, scraped a bit of dirt off the corner of her shoe and strode through.She was quite unprepared for the sight that met her eyes …’In the years leading up to and after the Second World War thousands of women left school at fourteen to work in the bustling factories of London’s East End. Despite long hours, hard and often hazardous work, factory life afforded exciting opportunities for independence, friendship and romance. Of all the factories that lined the docks, it was at Tate and Lyle’s where you could earn the most generous wages and enjoy the best social life, and it was here where The Sugar Girls worked.This is an evocative, moving story of hunger, hardship and happiness, providing a moving insight into a lost way of life, as well as a timeless testament to the experience of being young and female.

    Amelia plans to stay only as long as it takes for her friend to marry. She has no interest in a life in Montana. That is, until she meets handsome lawman, Wilder Armstrong. And then everything changes. Wilder is on the trail of a criminal and travels to Montana Falls to see that justice is done. He doesn't bank on meeting the one woman who will persuade him that Montana just might be a place to settle down forever. Nor can Wilder let the best friend of the woman he has fallen for marry the very man he is investigating. Can two people united by destiny find true happiness? Can an instant attraction become an eternal love? Each story in the series is a full length complete standalone novel with a happy ending and no cliffhangers.

    It also inspired us to come out with a delightful article, the ‘Indian Masketeers’, exploring Indian culture through its various masks. We also have ‘Dotty and the Albino Dragon’, the First Prize winning story in the Tinkle Original Story Competition. Moving on, we have three popular characters this issue, Shikari Shambu, Kalia the Crow and the Defective Detectives. Shambu goes on a rollicking ‘Jumbo Adventure in Assam’ while the Defective Detectives have a spine-chilling experience in ‘The Horror’. As for Kalia, can you imagine him, Chamataka and Doob Doob playing together? If you can’t, you should check out ‘Let’s Play a Game’. Next, enjoy a fun story by a reader, ‘Show Business’ in our Fan Fiction segment along with ‘Pranav’s Dadi and the Karate Kid’, where Dadi tries her hand at karate! And to wrap it up we have two diverse stories about two brave men who refused to give up. So check out ‘A Mighty Will’ and ‘No Crazy Ideas’. Enjoy!

    Kill the crew. That was the dying order of the captain of the starship Elixr. The ship followed the order. Then it lost its mind. Two decades later, the last chance to save billions of souls rests with the dead starship's only occupants: a pair of boys raised by a deranged robot. When Elixr crashes on a barren world, they join forces with an impoverished girl living on the edge of society to search for answers. Who are they? Why have they survived? And what could Elixr possibly do to save a world on the precipice of collapse? The more they learn, the greater the stakes become. Soon they are running for their lives from secret societies, deadly creatures, and powerful warlords. As enemies multiply, it seems the secrets of the lost starship may never be discovered. But Elixr is hiding more than secrets. Much more. THE LOST STARSHIP box set includes: Elixr Redeemr Destroyr Fans of fun, action-packed sci-fi will have a blast with The Lost Starship series!

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    He discovers a quiet village deep in the countryside and settles there. He makes new friends and finds a new love, but there are undercurrents; events that threaten his newfound peace. Then a murder occurs and he finds himself drawn into the investigation, unsure of who among his new friends he can trust. How will he overcome this without losing all he has gained?