The popular tellings of the Mahabharata are about Duryodhana'sdeviousness, obstinacy and greed for power that would bring about thebattle of Kurukshetra between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, and hisown downfall. But was there more to him? Was he all black, or was it a matter ofshades of grey? What was he? True heir or pretender to the throne?Arch villain or brave prince defending his rajadharma?Ace strategist or wicked schemer? History, they say, is written by the victors. So we have never heard theside that Duryodhana presents. The epic's enigmatic villain finally hashis say -- on people, their motives and their machinations. For the firsttime we read a different meaning into episodes we may be familiar with --be it the attempted killing of Bhima, the burning of the wax house, thefamous game of dice or even Draupadi's vastraharan -- and get insightsinto the story we may not have come across before. Here is the crownprince of Hastinapura as we have never known him, adding yet anotherdimension to the labyrinth that is the Mahabharata.

     Moss Forest Orchid: What happens when a feisty adventuress, a lord looking to make his own way in the world, and a handsome sea captain set out to find Kalae’s rarest and most valuable flower? Trouble—and lots of it. Greybrow Serpent: The captain of the Greybrow Serpent is the last man Lucia’s willing to trust. But he’s the only one who can save her. Wildwood Larkwing: “Till death do us part” might come sooner than Lucia imagined. Lily of the Desert: Avery swore he would return, but one question haunts Lucia's every waking moment: Can anyone truly trust the word of a pirate?

    Some will not accept it. Some will fight back... Alyx Egalion. Wealthy, popular, the daughter of Rionn’s most powerful lord. Yet soon after her sixteenth birthday, her world is shattered when she is sent away to DarkSkull Hall to learn her magic. Surviving DarkSkull is no easy task, and unable to access her magic, Alyx has nothing but her growing friendship with a handful of DarkSkull’s other misfits and her own wits to rely on for protection. The longer she spends at DarkSkull, the more she discovers about the terrible secrets that hide her true past—secrets that challenge everything she’s ever believed in. Outside DarkSkull Hall, the Taliath—ancient guardians of the mage order—have vanished inexplicably. Powerful mages are disappearing one by one. A fragile peace that stood for decades is threatening to crumble. An old enemy is on the hunt… As this sweeping YA fantasy saga draws to a close, Alyx and her friends must find a way to defeat the most dangerous mage alive before he destroys everything they hold dear. How far will she go to save those she loves?

    The series, based on author George R. R. Martin's best-selling A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels, chronicles the violent dynastic struggles among noble families for control of the Iron Throne of Westeros. The series will debut on April 17, 2011.

    The Hands of Time: When a young American woman vanishes without a trace from a quaint fishing village on the coast of England only one person knows the truth, but he remains silent, safe in the knowledge that she will never be found. Meanwhile, Valerie Crane finds herself transported to the year 1605. Terrified and confused, she turns for help to the Whitfield brothers, who take her in and offer her a home. Both Alexander and Finlay Whitfield fall in love with the mysterious woman who shows up on their doorstep, creating a love triangle that threatens to consume them all. Valerie must make her choice, deciding between the brother who will lead her down the path of destruction and one who will give her the love she couldn’t find in her own time. A Leap of Faith: Alone and bereft, Valerie’s sister, Louisa, makes the fateful decision to follow her sister into the seventeenth century. But, the best laid plans often go awry, and she finds herself on the wrong continent, and in the wrong year. Louisa must cross the Atlantic to get to Virginia, hoping that Valerie is still there in 1620, and face the uncertainty of her situation as she makes the dangerous journey to the New World. Will the two sisters reunite, or will they pass like ships in the night, never knowing how close they came to finding each other? A World Apart: Reunited with her sister at last, Louisa settles in colonial Virginia, but an unexpected visitor throws life into turmoil once again by offering Valerie and Louisa an opportunity to return to the future. Before the sisters have a chance to make a decision, the unthinkable happens; ripping the family apart, and scattering them over continents and time itself. No one is spared as child is torn from parents, sister is parted from sister, and a devastating famine threatens the colony. The Whitfields and Sheridans must fight for survival and face challenges they never imagined as they are cast a world apart. A Game of Shadows: It’s 1624, and the Whitfields finally arrive in England, eager to spend time with Louisa and Kit, but their visit is not the happy reunion they’d hoped for. In the meantime in 1777, Abbie and Finn go behind enemy lines to spy for the Revolution, putting themselves in grave danger. The slightest mistake can mean the difference between life and death, and tear them apart forever. Even Finn’s knowledge of what’s to come is not enough to keep them safe from their own carelessness. Unexpected revelations, long-buried secrets, and unforeseen reunions threaten to destroy everything the Whitfields and Sheridans hold dear, throwing their lives into turmoil once again. Shattered Moments: Murder, blackmail, long buried secrets, and a tender new romance take center stage in Shattered Moments, the final installment of The Hands of Time Series as the Whitfields and Sheridans face their toughest challenges yet.

    But like most Indian middle class families, his parents are impatient to see him settled in a government job. Despite all obstacles, making no complaints, he continues to follow the hard path, holding up the promise he had made to himself, trying to fulfil his father's wishes, and failing over and over. Almost everyone - his parents, friends, and the love of his life - leaves his side in the middle of his journey. To worsen things, he is diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, the seriousness of which nobody could decipher before it was too late. Will a dreamer be sacrificed for social standing? Will a heart be crushed to uphold a hollow image? Left alone and misunderstood by everyone he knew, this is Vishesh's intense story of repeatedly falling down and trying to get up on his own, to prove that everyone who dares to follow their heart is not a commoner; he is The One From The Stars.

    He is a driven and irritable young man, consumed by a desire to ensure his own future and free himself of the influence of his family, whom he resents for favoring his brothers over him. Consequently, he has no time for pointless distractions or paying attention to other people's problems. As it happens, time is something he is about to get plenty of. On the eve of the Cyoria's annual summer festival, he is killed and brought back to the beginning of the month, just before he was about to take a train to Cyoria. Suddenly trapped in a time loop with no clear end or exit, Zorian will have to look both within and without to unravel the mystery before him. And he does have to unravel it, for the time loop hadn't been made for his sake and dangers lurk everywhere... Repetition is the mother of learning, but Zorian will have to first make sure he survives to try again - in a world of magic, even a time traveler isn't safe from those who wish him ill. This is a web serial that can be read at Fictionpress or Royalroad. Any other copy is unauthorized by the author at this time.

     The dark god's cult aims to sweep up not just the village but the entire country. An unlikely force must stand against the onslaught. Brygida, who comes from a long line of water witches serving their goddess, now challenged with a gift of dark power. Kaspian, a second-born son who thought he'd spend his life painting instead of tending the rulership... until the murder of someone very dear to him. And the Madwood, a slumbering forest full of apparitions, whose strength or madness could change the world forever... Can Brygida and Kaspian stem the dark tide of the cult together? Or will they, their people, their lands, and everything drown in the mortal inevitability of blood, demons, and a waking wood with an insatiable hunger...? Fans of Juliet Marillier and Naomi Novik will love this beautifully dark mythic tale set in pre-medieval Eastern Europe with magic, mystery, and romance, blending folklore with history, all beneath the looming threat of brutal witch hunts and a cataclysmic demonic onslaught… Grab your copy of Witch of the Lake and begin this mythic dark fantasy today!

    An attack by the terrorist group Invisible Hand has brutally eliminated the Indian Prime Minister and the union cabinet. As a national emergency is declared, chaos, destruction and terror reign supreme. From the ashes of this falling world, rises an unconventional hero – a vigilante known only as Kalki. Backed by a secret society called The Rudras, Kalki, along with Nushen, the Chinese superhuman spy, must do the impossible to save his country, and the world.But who is Kalki? A flesh-and-blood crusader with a mysterious past? Or the Messiah the world has been waiting for? The future of human survival depends on a single man. Will he become the living God prophesied as the last avatar of Lord Vishnu, or will he fade away as an outlaw?

    Howard (famous for Conan the Barbarian), and Clarence E. Mulford (creator of Hopalong Cassidy), and many more!HIS KIND OF HELLION, by Johnston McCulleyTEXAS JOHN ALDEN, by Robert E. HowardTHE OUTCASTS OF POKER FLAT, by Bret HarteTHIEVES OF BLACK ROCK DESERT, by Bill AnsonTHE RATTLER ROUNDUP, by Lee BondLEFT FER THE BUZZARDS, by Allan R. BosworthHORSESHOES AREN’T ALWAYS LUCKY, by Sam BrantGUN-WHIPPED! by Carmony GoveA 22-GUN RANGER WALKS, by Raymond S. SpearsRANGER STYLE, by J. Allan DunnPLUMB AMUSING, by Jackson ColeNO REPORT, by S. Omar BarkerEL TIRO DI GRACIA, by Colin CameronTHE PHILOSOPHY OF GRAY EACLE, by Wolcott LeClear BeardSIXGUNS TO BOWIE, by Robert J. HoganDESERT JUDGMENT, by E. Hoffmann PriceTHE TRAIL TRAP, by T.W. FordGUN-QUEEN OF THE SPANISH GRANT, by Joseph ChadwickHOPALONG’S HOP, by Clarence E. MulfordDEMONS OF DISASTER, by Johnston McCulleyWAR ON BEAR CREEK, by Robert E. HowardBRAND OF THE RED WARRIOR, by Ike BooneFETCH ME BRANNON’S EARS, by Seven AndertonTHE LUCK OF ROARING CAMP, by Bret HarteINVITATION BY BULLET, by Ernest HaycoxAnd don't forget to check out all the other volumes in the "Megapack" series! Search on "Megapack" in the ebook store to see the complete list...covering adventure stories, military, fantasy, ghost stories, and more!

     After being betrayed by the very kingdom he saved, Jacob Stone forsook his title of Hero. Now he lives the simple life of a barkeep. Yet even that life is irrevocably erased when a young woman named Enyo appears before him. She claims to be the daughter of the former Dark Lord and has come seeking his aid. He’d normally never consider lending her a hand, but when she tells him that she knows of a way for him to return home, he’s left with little recourse. His journey will take him across the kingdom of Terrasole, toward the place where it all began. If he succeeds, he’ll return to the home he’d been stolen from. If he fails… well, he won’t live long enough to regret failing. Scroll up and click to READ this isekai adventure now!

     Elena's pack now consider her to have reached the age of maturity and when this happens she is to participate in the mysterious mating ceremony which is to confirm her status as an adult of the pack. Elena is nervous about what is to be her first ever sexual experience but when she discovers that she will be mating with a handsome muscle-bound wolf called Jackson Masters, all her worries turn to excitement and she can not wait for the ceremony to being. However, Elena is unaware that life after the mating ceremony will never be the same again in more ways than one.. If you are looking for a paranormal romance with the right amount of sensual scenes, romance and action then this is the perfect read for you! Scroll up and start reading right away! WARNING: CONTAINS SCENES OF A SEXUAL NATURE 18+

    The collection has been revised and has several expanded scenes, but is largely the same. I must note that this book is dark fantasy, with an emphasis on dark. Ancient Ruins: Sistina awakened after millennia of dormancy, her memories in tatters and born anew. Residing in the ruins of an ancient city, she finds herself drawn into a war between two elven nations and the slaver kingdom of Kelvanis when she rescues a princess from slavery. With her domain containing hints of forgotten knowledge, Sistina becomes a dungeon, stronghold, and source of hope all at once. And perhaps, just perhaps, she could finally find love in her new life. Spells of Old: Having successfully driven off an assault and freed captives of Kelvanis, Sistina begins fortifying to defend those she cares about from further attacks. Yet with all her power within her halls, she cannot grant those under her protection true freedom. To truly bring hope to her love, Sistina must delve into who she once was, and bring forth every scrap of magic she has to become a shining beacon of hope. Sadly, Kelvanis' plans are only mildly impeded by her efforts up until now, and they will stop at nothing to bring their ends about. The only question is, whose side is time on? Halls of Power: Having rocked the world via high magic that was believed lost, the dungeon Sistina has shown her power at last, as she has done everything in her power to protect those that she loves. Crowned queen of the new city of Beacon, Phynis Constella is searching for allies as full-scale war erupts between her homeland of Sifaren and the fell nation of Kelvanis. Each side must use everything in their power to defeat the other, but with the threat of the goddess Tyria looming, there can be only one victor. Long-waiting plans at last are rising to a head, and even Sistina is uncertain of whether or not she can survive them. But for her beloved Queen, she is willing to risk anything.

    

    A violent uprising has been instigated all across Tibet as Beijing moves to establish control while the Dalai Lama’s health deteriorates further and questions on the future of the Tibetan leadership are raised. As Beijing pursues the rebels and their benefactors within India, both nations are plunged into a spiraling descent to war. Now each side must navigate their widely different paths to victory as vast armies on both sides wage all-out war in their bid to become the dominant power in Asia… Book Edition: II