In “Vortex,” by Gregory Benford, astronauts find a once thriving microbial lifeform that carpets the caves of Mars dying off. A code monkey tracks down the vain creator of a pernicious software virus that people jack cerebrally in “RedKing,” by Craig DeLancey. In “Number Nine Moon,” by Alex Irvine, illicit scavengers on Mars are on a rescue mission to save themselves after one of their team members dies. A young girl’s thirst for vengeance becomes a struggle for survival when she is swallowed by a gigantic sea creature on an alien planet in “Of the Beast in the Belly,” by C.W. Johnson. In “The Seventh Gamer,” by Gwyneth Jones, a writer immerses herself into a MMORPG community to search for characters being played by real aliens from other worlds. A woman armed with a rifle stalks a herd of cloned wooly mammoths in British Columbia in “Chasing Ivory,” by Ted Kosmatka. In “Fieldwork,” by Shariann Lewitt, a volcanologist struggles with her research on Europa where both her mother and grandmother suffered dire consequences. A daughter pays homage to her mother with mega-engineering projects to deal with climate change over eons in “Seven Birthdays,” by Ken Liu. In “The Visitor from Taured,” by Ian R. MacLeod, a cosmologist in the near future is obsessed with proving his theory of multiverses. The citizens of a small town on a “Jackaroo” planet object to a corporation placing a radio telescope near local alien artifacts in “Something Happened Here, But We’re Not Quite Sure What It Was,” by Paul McAuley. And finally, in “Sixteen Questions for Kamala Chatterjee,” by Alastair Reynolds, a graduate student defends her dissertation on a solar anomaly that threatens humanity.

    No respite. No forgiveness.There is only WAR!In the nightmare future of the 41st Millennium, Mankind teeters upon the brink of destruction. The galaxy-spanning Imperium of Man is beset on all sides by ravening aliens and threatened from within by Warp-spawned entities and heretical plots. Only the strength of the immortal Emperor of Terra stands between humanity and its annihilation, and in his name, countless warriors and agents do battle against the encroaching darkness. Foremost amongst them stand the Space Marines, the ultimate protectors of Mankind.Across airless moons, within the depths of dark, twisted hive worlds and even in the immaterial realm of Warp space, battles rage that will shape the future of the galaxy forever. It is a universe that you can enter today, if you dare. But remember that this is a dark and terrible era, and there is no peace amongst the stars...The Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook is your essential guide to playing atmospheric battles in the 41st Millennium. It helps you field majestic armies of Citadel miniatures across the war-ravaged battlefields of the far-future, in the ultimate contest of strategy and skill. With 452 full-colour pages, this hardback Rulebook is packed with rich background and contains all the rules for fighting pulse-pounding tabletop battles. The Rulebook includes exciting features such as dynamic close-combat, flyers, psychic devastation and interactive scenery. As well as jaw-dropping artwork, contained within is a history of the 41st Millennium and a richly detailed guide to the races and weapons of the far-future. It also features a comprehensive hobby section to set you on the path to choosing, collecting and building your own Warhammer 40,000 army of Citadel miniatures.

    Each class comes with a set of new powers, class features, paragon paths, epic destinies, and more that beginning players can use to build the characters they want to play and experienced players can plunder for existing 4th Edition characters. In addition to new builds, this book presents expanded information and racial traits for some of the game’s most popular races, including dragonborn, drow, half-elves, half-orcs, and tieflings.

    This definitive exposé reveals the shrouded world of ultra-high rollers and the Faustian pacts they forge with their hosts, the casino representatives whose job it is to part them from their fortunes. Private jets, penthouses, personal chefs, show-up money, rebates on losses, and the most beautiful women on Earth—nothing is too excessive. Whale Hunt in the Desert is the only book ever to examine the lifestyles and motivations of this rarest of breeds, as well as the highly guarded inner workings of the most money-oriented culture known to man.

    “Get the right gear, practice the right way, and get into the right headspace and you too can Get Good.”—TimePacked with illustrations, photographs, anecdotes, and insider tips, this complete compendium includes everything Tyler "Ninja" Blevins wishes he knew before he got serious about gaming. Here's how to:• Build a gaming PC• Practice with purpose• Develop strategy• Improve your game sense• Pull together the right team• Stream with skill• Form a community online• And much moreVideo games come and go, but Ninja's lessons are timeless. Pay attention to them and you'll find that you're never really starting over when the next big game launches. Who knows—you may even beat him one day. As he says, that's up to you. Praise for Ninja: Get Good“If you’re a casual gamer looking to refine your gaming skills or equipment, or someone considering getting into esports, then livestreamer and gaming guru Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins’ book could be the perfect guide.”—Los Angeles Times“It’s perfect for young kids just getting into gaming after watching streamers, like Ninja, and their parents who may not know much about gaming and streaming . . . It’s an all-in-one checklist of everything you need to start up on a streaming life. This book breaks down complex and sometimes obscure concepts in gaming that many non-gamer parents may not know about or the kids know about instinctually but can't put into words.”—GameCrate

    It supplanted the original Technical Readout: 3050 (even keeping the same product number), dropping the Unseen designs and replacing them with newer (at the time) high technology weapons and equipment, which were available (at this title's printing) via some of the rulebooks. Thirty-one combat assets were included in this revised edition, most being Level 2 versions of the 'Mechs and combat vehicles introduced in Technical Readout: 2750.In-character, it purports to be a 3058 revision of the original 3052 document.Each 'Mech includes detailed technical illustrations, background information, and game rules.

    Rediscover Lara Croft's greatest moments with fascinating coverage of the smash hit Tomb Raider movies, fiction, comics, and collectibles, and be enthralled by the legacy of Tomb Raider across the decades.Packed with exclusive art, photographs, and interviews covering all facets of the Tomb Raider franchise, 20 Years of Tomb Raider is the essential guide to this game's action-packed history and a must-have for every Tomb Raider fan.

    

    But the simple life he hopes for is changed forever when he inadvertently casts a spell so powerful it draws the attention of the Grand Maestro of Aakadon and the dark Maestro Tarin Conn. The two powerful foes sense a change in the balance of power and both of them intend for it to be in their favor. Daniel wants nothing to do with either faction but must learn to master his newly discovered potential before the forces sent looking for him destroy his family and friends and every person living in the remote village of Bashierwood. But to master his potential he must learn from an Accomplished. To save the village he must accept help from Talenteds sent by Efferin Tames, or surrender to Tarin Conn. To seize control of his life he must set his priorities and arrange his chores accordingly.

    Learn how the team created the Mass Effect universe from Cinematics to Characters, Art, Audio, and more• BONUS Digital Guide Access - With interactive multiplayer maps and video strategy• See Mass Effect 3 like never before - Discover environments and parts of the game you won't see anywhere else. Panoramic views will leave you amazed With this guide you will: • Fight YOUR Way - Multiple approaches to every key battle• Dominate in Multiplayer - Comprehensive maps prepare you for battle and help you survive• Choose the Best Gear - Every weapon and piece of armor revealed, including mods and upgrades• Take Earth Back - Class breakdowns and build recommendations give you the advantage you need against the reapers• Avoid Spoilers - Special callouts strategically placed and text turned upside down at critical story moments ensure your experience won't be spoiled

    In the service of the Empire, he has killed more people than anyone in the history of Humanity, to save a hundred times as many. He died centuries ago, but they re-activate his recorded personality whenever a new threat appears. When the crisis is over, they expect he will meekly return to oblivion. He has other ideas. The chronicle of Bland reveals secrets of the history of the star-spanning Third Imperium and spans 400 years from early Imperium (about year 300) through the mid-post Civil War period (about year 700) touching known and unknown events you may have encountered in your own reading of the Imperium: everyday events, political intrigue, deadly dangers, Arbellatra, Capital, Encyclopediopolis, the Karand's Palace, and a Tigress-class Dreadnought. If you know the Traveller science-fiction role-playing game, then some of this is already familiar; if not, no matter; this story introduces the vast human-dominated interstellar empire of the far future in ways only the designer and chronicler of this particular universe can.

     - They do not need to be read in order! - These books are perfect for almost all Minecraft fans, starting from children ages 8 and up! The following books are included in this Minecraft Boxed Set: Trapped in Minecraft: Spud’s Thrilling Adventure in the Overworld Trapped in Minecraft starts with Spud, a perfectly normal kid, who gets home and plays his Minecraft game. Like most nights, he plays for as long as he can. But this time, he soon finds himself trapped inside the Minecraft game, fighting for his survival. Will Spud escape or become another victim to Minecraft? Stories from the Skylands This story starts with our main characters, Rozzie & Greyson, tricking their parents into letting them hunt for secret treasure on Shell Mountain. Once they reach the mountain, however, they are transported to a strange, dangerous world – the Skylands! Filled with floating islands, weird creatures and dangerous obstacles, the Skylands make Rozzie and Greyson wish they were back at home under the covers! Escape from Minecraft: Buck Descends into the Caves Buck was having another normal night, playing Minecraft in hopes that his mom would stop bothering him. The longer he plays, however, the more he realizes he is being transported into the game! Soon he is in the caves, battling angry creepers and scary zombies. Will Buck be able to lead his group through the spooky Minecraft caves and get back to the real world? Herobrine Invades the Overworld The Overworld has been swarmed and civilization destroyed by massive hordes of attacking Creepers. Someone is behind it – and some say it’s Herobrine. Our three heroes, Tone Dead, Fumbles, and Moose, form a deadly team and fight their way through horde after horde. Finally, they encounter the legendary Herobrine. But Herobrine wasn’t exactly who they thought… Click “Add to Cart” To Get This 4-in-1 Boxed Set Deal & Save BIG!

    But to the great misfortune of the land, an army comes to seize the castle and depose the duke--and take away the hope that justice would return. Orfeo, a wandering player, is plunged deep into a web of intrigue within the walls of Zaragoz where he struggles against the dark powers that threaten the Warhammer world.

    The frontier city of Yanmass seems like a perfect place to lie low, until a job solving a noble’s murder reveals an invading centaur army ready to burn the place to the ground. Of course, Shy could stop that from happening, but doing so would reveal her presence to the former friends who now want her dead. Add in a holier-than-thou patron with the literal blood of angels in her veins, and Shy quickly remembers why she swore off doing good deeds in the first place...From critically acclaimed fantasy author Sam Sykes comes a darkly comic tale of intrigue, assassination, and the perils of friendship, all set in the award-winning world of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

    When Agnes finds Tilly's Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she stumbles into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was Tilly's refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, acclaimed young playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.