Blood Feud


S.J.A. Turney - 2021
    Christianity has swept unstoppably across Scandinavia, leaving few enclaves of the old ways clinging on to their fading world as King Olof of Sweden works to convert his people.A young warrior, Halfdan, has witnessed the ‘mercy’ of the Christian lords, watched his people attacked, his village burned and the Odin stone toppled as heretical. Watched his father cut down by an ambitious Christian jarl and his zealous priest. Among the ashes of his world he vowed an oath of vengeance before all the gods.That oath will bring together an unlikely band of allies and carry them to the very edge of the world, fighting giants, dragons and wraiths, in pursuit of his father’s killer: Yngvar. The jarl is powerful, and the weaving of Fate difficult, but the blood price must be paid.

Vengeance Road


Erin Bowman - 2015
    What she finds are untrustworthy strangers, endless dust and heat, and a surprising band of allies, among them a young Apache girl and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, a startling truth becomes clear: some men will stop at nothing to get their hands on gold, and Kate’s quest for revenge may prove fatal.

The Good Thief


Hannah Tinti - 2008
    How it was lost is a mystery that Ren has been trying to solve for his entire life, as well as who his parents are, and why he was abandoned as an infant at Saint Anthony’s Orphanage for boys. He longs for a family to call his own and is terrified of the day he will be sent alone into the world. But then a young man named Benjamin Nab appears, claiming to be Ren’s long-lost brother, and his convincing tale of how Ren lost his hand and his parents persuades the monks at the orphanage to release the boy and to give Ren some hope. But is Benjamin really who he says he is? Journeying through a New England of whaling towns and meadowed farmlands, Ren is introduced to a vibrant world of hardscrabble adventure filled with outrageous scam artists, grave robbers, and petty thieves. If he stays, Ren becomes one of them. If he goes, he’s lost once again. As Ren begins to find clues to his hidden parentage he comes to suspect that Benjamin not only holds the key to his future, but to his past as well.

The Beautiful Ones


Silvia Moreno-Garcia - 2017
    But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina—and himself—that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins. The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.

Eyes of the Blind


D.A. Godwin - 2018
    When his first journey into the outside world meets with disaster, the boy is suddenly thrust into a role for which he is ill-prepared: guiding a blind priest on a quest to fulfill his holy destiny.Yet nothing is as simple as it first appears. Confronted with a mystery that leaves them little hope of success, they are forced into an uneasy alliance with secretive wizards and dubious friends. Their path is soon beset by beasts and deadly betrayals, and leads them to places they were never meant to go.As the consequences of Tormjere’s decisions mount, he finds himself pitted against friend and foe alike, even as their very survival hangs in the balance.

To Crown a Caesar (The Praetorian Series Book 2)


Edward Crichton - 2012
    For a Caesar is indeed dead, neither the first, nor the last, but it is one who has been slain well ahead his time. Pick up a history book, and it will tell you that the crazed Gaius Julius Caesar, better known as Caligula to the world, was assassinated in January of 41 A.D. But displaced time traveler Jacob Hunter would disagree with this historical fact, because he has witnessed this death years earlier and stands accused of murdering the Caesar himself. With the threat of crucifixion looming, Hunter and his friends, who had just recently sacrificed so much to defend Rome, chose exile over death, and fled the Eternal City.Four years later, Hunter remains on the run in the hinterlands of Rome’s numerous provinces, wanted as an outlaw by the Empress Agrippina – Caligula’s sister. Throughout these long years, he and his two closest companions have been hunted by many, but remain undeterred by their challenges. Because what those who pursue them do not know is that Jacob Hunter is from the future, where his chosen calling was that of a simple, yet deadly, Navy SEAL. Equipped with advanced weaponry and the most cutting edge Special Forces training, he and his friends are not afraid of the primitive denizens of the past and will stop at nothing to return home.But what aids them most in their quest is the gift of foresight.Knowledge is power, as some would say, and it is with that power that Hunter devises a plan to fix all that has been broken due to their presence in the past. Caligula, as flawed an emperor as he was, should have ruled as such for years, followed by Claudius, a far more competent emperor. But now both are dead and Agrippina, the mother of Nero and a far more ruthless leader, rules in their stead. In Hunter’s mind, this breach of historical events could prove catastrophic to the timeline’s development, perhaps changing the future completely, and with it, his home.Unable to act, years have passed waiting for the best moment to strike, but the time has finally arrived. To restore the timeline, Hunter must remove Agrippina and keep her aggressive and murderous policies from continuing. But three people, no matter how skilled and powerful they are, cannot possibly match the overwhelming might of the powerful Roman war machine. To be successful, they’ll need to be unscrupulous, and do something many may consider vile and irredeemable, because while the Empress Agrippina is certainly shrewd and ruthless, she is still a mother, and like any mother, would be devastated should anything happen to her infant son Nero…

Veil of Darkness


Greg Park - 2007
    Only a young man whose heritage marks him as specially Gifted can wield the Blood Orb of Elsa and heal the Earthsoul. Set in a richly detailed and varied world, this blend of coming-of-age story and epic saga belongs in most fantasy collections.

The Seas


Samantha Hunt - 2004
    An occasional chambermaid, granddaughter to a typesetter, and daughter to a dead man, awkward and brave, wayward and willful, she is in love (unrequited) with an Iraq War veteran thirteen years her senior. She is convinced that she is a mermaid. What she does to ease the pain of growing up lands her in prison. What she does to get out is the stuff of legend. In the words of writer Michelle Tea, The Seas is "creepy and poetic, subversive and strangely funny, [and] a phenomenal piece of literature."

The Seven: The Lost Tale of Dellerin


Robert J. Power - 2019
    From bestselling author, Robert J Power, comes the first book in a new blockbuster dark fantasy world where evil reigns, demons roam, and enchantments cost your very soul. In the war-ravaged city of Dellerin, a strange book has survived The Dark One’s gaze. Veiled, warded and awaiting a warrior worthy enough to discover its mysteries, the pages of The Seven are about to open. They said The Seven were the greatest mercenary outfit in all of Dellerin. Respected, loved and feared. It was said that only they could accomplish the impossible, that the gods themselves blessed them. It was also said that only they would be the ones to stand in the darkness's way, but when The Seven disappeared, no warriors halted The Dark One’s emergence and his ruination of the world. Can one book hold more power than ever imagined? Can The Seven fulfil their prophesy? Dark, unpredictable and action-packed, The Seven is a dark fantasy, ideal for fans of Mark Lawrence, George RR Martin and Joe Abercrombie.

Land of the Dead


Robert Swartwood - 2011
    Conrad is a Hunter. He's one of the best. But when he hesitates one night in killing a living child, he soon finds himself in a desperate fight to save his son — and the entire world.Previously released as THE DISHONORED DEAD, Robert Swartwood's groundbreaking novel has been re-released with a new title. Praise for LAND OF THE DEAD:"One of the smartest, most exciting zombie novels in many years. I absolutely loved it." —Brian Keene, bestselling author of The Rising and Ghoul"Land of the Dead is one of the most original and gripping zombie novels I have ever read, offering a glimpse into the life of a zombie in a world turned backwards, where zombies live and humans are feared. Highly recommended!" —Jeremy Robinson, bestselling author of XOM-B and Island 731"Land of the Dead is simply brilliant, and its telling a superb achievement. Robert Swartwood has given us a wonderful twist, not only on the zombie novel, but on the dystopian tale as well. It's like Brave New World meets Logan's Run, but with a bite all its own. Strongly recommended!" —Joe McKinney, author of Dead City and Flesh Eaters"Robert Swartwood gives the word 'zombie' a new meaning." —Swedish Zombie"One of the most unique zombie novels I've ever read ... a must-read." —wezombie.com "A definite page turner with lots of action, tension and suspense." —buyzombie.com

Tainted


Morgan L. Busse - 2016
    But she carries a secret: she can twist the natural laws of science. She has no idea where this ability came from, only that every time she loses control and unleashes this power, it kills a part of her soul. If she doesn't find a cure soon, her soul will die and she will become something else entirely.After a devastating personal loss, Stephen Grey leaves the World City Police Force to become a bounty hunter. He believes in justice and will stop at nothing to ensure criminals are caught and locked up. However, when Kat Bloodmayne shows up in his office seeking his help, his world is turned upside down.Together they search World City and beyond for a doctor who can cure Kat. But what they discover on the way goes beyond science and into the dark sphere of magic.

The Philosopher's Flight


Tom Miller - 2018
    Eighteen-year-old Robert Weekes is a practitioner of empirical philosophy—an arcane, female-dominated branch of science used to summon the wind, shape clouds of smoke, heal the injured, and even fly. Though he dreams of fighting in the Great War as the first male in the elite US Sigilry Corps Rescue and Evacuation Service—a team of flying medics—Robert is resigned to mixing batches of philosophical chemicals and keeping the books for the family business in rural Montana, where his mother, a former soldier and vigilante, aids the locals.When a deadly accident puts his philosophical abilities to the test, Robert rises to the occasion and wins a scholarship to study at Radcliffe College, an all-women’s school. At Radcliffe, Robert hones his skills and strives to win the respect of his classmates, a host of formidable, unruly women. Robert falls hard for Danielle Hardin, a disillusioned young war hero turned political radical. However, Danielle’s activism and Robert’s recklessness attract the attention of the same fanatical anti-philosophical group that Robert’s mother fought years before. With their lives in mounting danger, Robert and Danielle band together with a team of unlikely heroes to fight for Robert’s place among the next generation of empirical philosophers—and for philosophy’s very survival against the men who would destroy it.In the tradition of Lev Grossman and Deborah Harkness, Tom Miller writes with unrivaled imagination, ambition, and humor. The Philosopher’s Flight is both a fantastical reimagining of American history and a beautifully composed coming-of-age tale for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.

Seeds of Hope


Debbie TremelDebbie Tremel - 2018
    Hope can lie dormant in the tiniest of seeds. . .In the blink of an eye, Daniel’s world spirals out of control. He watches helplessly as the bodies of his father and friends are buried in stone. Those he loved would never know the breath of life again. In this overwhelming loss, he despairs. Was this the end of hope? The rest of his family and the others in their small alliance had already fled the destruction of society, headed for the northern wilderness. Can he possibly reach them on his own?Salvation can be found in the most unlikely place . . .If he does, will the wilderness be the sanctuary of which they dream? Are their skills good enough to survive in the wilds on their own? Will it be possible to survive the evils that emanate from the decaying world they left behind? And if they do, is it truly possible for something beautiful to grow from the damaged seeds of society?The heart is the doorway to any dream...Their journey is one filled with beauty and peril. Their dream; to create a better world, one in which future generations will live with peace, love and kindness. of society?

A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom


John Boyne - 2020
    They play out across human history. And time is the river which will flow through them.It starts with a family, a family which will mutate. For now, it is a father, mother and two sons. One with his father’s violence in his blood. One who lives his mother’s artistry. One leaves. One stays. They will be joined by others whose deeds will change their fate. It is a beginning.Their stories will intertwine and evolve over the course of two thousand years – they will meet again and again at different times and in different places. From distant Palestine at the dawn of the first millennium to a life amongst the stars in the third. While the world will change around them, their destinies will remain the same. It must play out as foretold. It is written.A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom is the extraordinary new novel from acclaimed writer John Boyne. Ambitious, far-reaching and mythic, it introduces a group of characters whose lives we will come to know and will follow through time and space until they reach their natural conclusion.

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August


Claire North - 2014
    Harry August is on his deathbed. Again. No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes. Until now. As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. "I nearly missed you, Doctor August," she says. "I need to send a message." This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow.