He only studied planetology to satisfy his parents, two of humanity's most brilliant scientists. But when they open a wormhole to an alien planet—one emitting a signal that can only be a sign of intelligent life—he soon becomes caught up in the mission to explore it. His sole mission partner, Terra, doesn't care nearly as much about the science as he does, though. The child of a bitter divorce, she sees the mission as a chance to escape from the expectations of others. Before they can work out their differences, a mysterious alien ship begins to hunt them down. Alone, twenty light-years from the nearest human being, they must learn to open up and trust each other—but how can they do that when they can't even agree why they're there? As Michael struggles to keep the mission from falling apart, he is forced to reexamine his deepest, most unquestioned beliefs about the universe—and about what it means to be human. GENESIS EARTH is a 70,000 word (200-250 page) Young Adult Science Fiction novel.

     Rejecting his role as an outcast, Brock risks his life and obtains a false rune, marking him a member of the Empire's ruling class. Under a veil of deception and backed by natural talent, he then schemes his way into a school where the Empire's future leaders are trained. Can he maintain this charade? Within an academy of magic, science, and combat, he discovers secrets kept from society, among which is a forbidden magic he is able to wield. While he is determined to tame his frightening new abilities, one misstep could destroy him.

    Do not buy this "Sidekick" if you are looking for a full copy of this great book. "The Stormlight Archive" series from Brandon Sanderson began in 2010 with "The Way of Kings," a New York Times best seller. This sidekick to the next in the series, "Words of Radiance," helps you answer many of the questions left by the first in the series. The motives are deep in "Words of Radiance," and this sidekick is the ideal tool to walk you through the world of Roshar, as you delve into the mind and soul of each character. Years ago, during the celebration to honor the treaty between Parshendi and men, the Assassin in White murdered the Alethi king, at the behest of Parshendi. Now, the Assassin is back and looking for blood, especially the blood of he who is the backbone of the Alethi throne: Highprince Dalinar. No longer seen as a meaningless military pawn, Kaladin commands the king's bodyguards, a first for a lowly "darkeye." Now, he must not only protect Dalinar and the king from typical dangers, he must also find a way to keep the Assassin at bay. Take advantage of this sidekick as you travel to Shattered Plains to watch the Parshendi, led by Eshonai, rely on the same supernatural forces they once feared. Learn about the many ways the characters relate to the themes prejudice and religion in "Words of Radiance."

    Cloistered with the other Vessels of her faith, she believes—as all Ovinists do—that a saint imprisoned Elath the Great Demon centuries ago, saving humanity from earthly temptation.When Gelya stumbles into a deadly cover-up by the Ovinists’ military, she reluctantly teams up with Tavik, an enemy soldier, to survive. Tavik believes that Elath is actually a mother goddess who must be set free, but while he succeeds in opening Her prison, he inadvertently turns Gelya into Elath’s unwilling human vessel.Now the church that raised Gelya considers her a threat. In a race against the clock, she and Tavik must find a way to exorcise Elath’s presence from her body. But will this release stop the countdown to the end of the world, or will it be the cause of the earth’s destruction? And as Tavik and Gelya grow closer, another question lingers between them: What will become of Gelya?A dark, epic fantasy about a girl who must reevaluate everything she believes after she is betrayed and hunted by the religion that raised her—from Megan Bannen, author of The Bird and the Blade. Perfect for fans of The Winner’s Curse and The Girl of Fire and Thorns.

    Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.   Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.   It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.   But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.   There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.From the Hardcover edition.

    In idyllic New Picknell nearly nothing happens, and when their day to day routine is interrupted by a skirmish between an invading patrol of the dead from The Amaranth Empire and a defending force from Varrland, their world begins to come undone.With international war looming on the horizon New Picknell becomes the center of quite unwanted attention, and the twins have their world shattered. With nothing left to lose, they set out on a mission of vengeance that will take them to places they'd never dreamed of visiting, discovering mystical powers in The Way that will change their lives forever, and revealing dark knowledges best left undiscovered.Written by the author of the internet phenomenon Adrian's Undead Diary, The Wrath of the Orphans is the first book in a sprawling dark fantasy epic trilogy that is sure to thrill, charm, and disturb.

    'Oath Breaker' sees Torak becoming the hunter as he swears to avenge the killing of one of his closest friends. And in 'Ghost Hunter', Torak must defy demons and tokoroths, and make the most heart-rending choice of all.

    The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I? Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?

    Summer was supposed to mean sun, family, and fun……not undead warriors, mythical creatures, and trees that glow.But that’s exactly what 16-year-old Merelin gets.Merelin’s family has always been a little odd, but ever since her father disappeared four years ago, life has been pretty boring.Then her world gets yanked out from under her.Literally.As if waking up in the desert of an alien world wasn’t bad enough, the only person who sees her arrive is a fascinating — and infuriating — boy who calls himself Yatol……and tells her she carries the key that could save or destroy his world.Can she trust his promise to help her survive, or should she walk away from his world—and the danger that threatens it—forever?And if she fights……what price will she have to pay?You’ll love this fast-paced YA fantasy, because nothing is ever what it seems.Alternate cover edition for ASIN B004ZUIZ62

    He wants freedom. When their worlds crumble, even survival may not be an option.The world is driven by wizards, gods, and an imperial space marine 20,000 years into our future. Fame-hungry female mercenary Ticca is willing to skirt the edges of her warrior's code if it brings her the fame she desires. Her hopes of making a name for herself by spying on assassins are dashed when she's forced to kill the assassin she was hired to watch.Lebuin is a rich journeyman mage who's just discovered his new rank involves actual journeying. He hires Ticca to help him advance to master and return to a life of comfort as quickly as possible. He's willing to spend all he has to make it happen, but the mage and his mercenary get much more than they bargained for.Trapped in the crossfire of a vast power game, Ticca and Lebuin must survive a battle between rulers, guilds, and gods. In a land of magic and technology, they'll need to give everything to keep the world and themselves in one piece.Thread Slivers is the first book in an epic fantasy/speculative sci-fi trilogy set in a distant future. If you like heroic, humorous, and exotic characters in a world that mixes elements of paranormal and hard sci-fi, then you'll love this beautiful, original, and thought-provoking adventure.

    Now, all seventeen-year-olds are to participate in this Bachelor-style pageant to find their perfect match, marry, and have children. But that's not Ariana's only concern. Thanks to the government-sanctioned memory erase, Ariana has no recollection of Zane, the mystery boy who haunts her dreams. Things are further complicated when the pageant commences and her feelings for fellow Cadet Cal Remus intensify. Together, they start to realize not everything about their new home is not as it seems. Entangled in a dangerous web of deceit, Ariana sets out to identify the truth. Conflicted over warnings that Cal isn't trustworthy and alarmed at the government's increasing interest in her, she doesn't know where to turn. But her search for the truth comes at a high personal price. When her world implodes, discovering the past shapes her future with devastating consequences.

    Yet, there are those possessed of the will to seek illumination. Kikkan, a former slave on the run, and Quillion, a mercenary and self-taught scholar. Together they seek out a small band of rebels living in hiding who offer the promise of a better world. Their leader is a mysterious figure known only as The Reader of Acheron.

    Sending one young woman through may be the key to survival for the kingdom of Fourline. Strapped for cash, college student Natalie Barns agrees to take a job at a costume shop. Sure, Estos—her classmate who works in the shop—is a little odd, but Nat needs the money for her tuition.Then she stumbles through the mysterious door behind the shop—and her entire universe transforms.Discovering there’s far more to Estos than she ever imagined, Nat gets swept up in an adventure to save his homeland, an incredible world filled with decaying magic, deadly creatures, and a noble resistance of exiled warriors battling dark forces. As she struggles with her role in an epic conflict and wrestles with her growing affection for a young rebel, Soris, Nat quickly learns that nothing may go as planned…and her biggest challenge may be surviving long enough to make it home.

    These fragments are the Shells: fragile wastelands of desert and rock, protected from the cold of space by a water shield. In the struggle for survival, its people have depended on ancient technology, controlled by the omnipresent Network, to sustain the entire population. But the Network is breaking down, water is sparse, and a complete societal collapse is imminent. As the stakes become clear, the inhabitants of the Shells begin to turn on each other, and appear headed for all-out civil war. Now the paths of several strangers will converge at the opportune moment. From a woman who seeks to protect her family as it's ripped apart to a prison warden hiding from his past, this unlikely group has little in common--but together, they may hold the key to saving humanity from its worst enemy: itself.

    These short episodes have been merged into upcoming novel release Defective.Selene Hayes is a genetic experiment gone wrong. Damaged.Broken.Defective. World hunger has been vanquished, but drug-resistant diseases kill millions. The corporation that gave Selene superimmunity called her Protected...until they discovered the truth. Now they hunt her and those like her, and Selene's been hiding off-grid for eight years to avoid capture.But she can't hide forever. Rumors of a new threat--and a mysterious quarantine--have reached her sanctuary. And if Selene has to fight, she'll fight until she dies. The Corporate Coalition will never take her alive.