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Amanda's Eyes
Kathy Disanto - 2012
It's even worse if you can't remember what hit you.The bad and the ugly are crime reporter Amanda "A.J." Gregson's business. But learning she had a ringside seat for an explosion that vaporized two federal agents, incinerated an entire block of warehouses, and peppered her eyes with so much shrapnel they had to be surgically removed? Well, that gives the darker side of life a whole new meaning.Haunted by will-o-the-wisp nightmares, A.J. waits for her transplant and struggles to remember the events leading up to the fateful night of September 4, 2075. She isn't the only one who wants that information. Special Agent Jack "Iceman" Eagan is as determined to get the facts as she is to remember them. When memory floods back in brutal detail the night before surgery, fed and reporter form an uneasy alliance against the architects of her personal disaster, a lethal band of killers-for-hire known as Ferrymen.
The Ferrymen. My not-so-magnificent obsession for more than a year. Only a cataclysm could have made me forget. I guess you could call them hitmen. You could also call Einstein a math whiz. Think ruthless. Think unstoppable. Think killers so proficient 'caught the ferry' was fast replacing 'bought the farm' in common usage, and you have the Ferrymen in a nutshell.
A.J. is raring for a rematch with Hell's Boatmen, eager to come out swinging as soon as the bandages come off. But fate has a surprise in store for both her and Eagan. Before long, her new baby blues reveal a power that turns her world upside down--the power to see hidden dimensions of the human heart.When the Sight unmasks the mastermind behind the Ferrymen, A.J. realizes she's onto a story no one will believe--least of all the ultra-cynical Iceman--and it propels her toward a second head-collision with evil. Will she survive the final encounter?A paranormal fantasy that will appeal to those who don't normally read them, the near-future thriller Amanda's Eyes blends suspense, drama, and humor in an exploration of the capacities for good and evil in each of us, the cost of doing the right thing, and the push-me-pull-you relationship between the Fourth Estate and the Long Arm of the Law.
Shades of Fae
C.K. DawnS.J. Davis - 2018
We only know three things about the Fae: They don't lie, they cheat. What they aren't given, they take. And if they can't rule...they conquer. Now the fate of humanity lies in a battle between good and evil where lines are not easily drawn. Time travel to 19th century France, brave the gritty streets of New York City, or enter the realm of the Fae itself in this darkly enchanting collection from today's hottest USA Today, award-winning, and international bestselling paranormal and fantasy authors. Shades of Fae is your ticket to a mystical realm where Sinister Sidhe and Dark Elves manipulate mortals, vengeful fae warriors battle nefarious vampire lords, and an apocalypse rife with werewolves, dragons, nymphs, banshees, shifters, and supernatural hunters brings unparalleled danger. In 2018... The Fae are Coming... Find out who survives and who dies when you order Shades of Fae TODAY! Including stories from: USA Today bestselling author CK Dawn USA Today bestselling author Shawnee Small USA Today bestselling authors Cheri Schmidt & Tristan Hunt Elle Boon Award-winning author Tameri Etherton Award-winning author Cyndi Faria USA Today bestselling author Rue Volley USA Today bestselling author SJ Davis USA Today bestselling author Amy L. Gale USA Today bestselling author Katalina Leon USA Today bestselling author J.A. Armitage USA Today bestselling authors Megan J. Parker & Nathan Squiers Lynda Kaye Frazier Kim Carmichael Colleen Halverson Danielle Rose Lynda Havilan Dyan Chick Award-winning author Cate Rowan Award-winning author JB Michaels R.S. Broadhead Jen L. Grey and Heather Renee
What I Didn't See, and Other Stories
Karen Joy Fowler - 2002
In the award-winning title story, the narrator recounts the events of an expedition to the Belgian Congo in 1928 to collects gorillas for the Louisville Museum of Natural History. A mother invents a fairy-tale world for her son in 'Halfway People'. Twin sisters backpacking through Europe receive a mysterious invitation. A rebellious teenager is sent to a brutal reform school hidden away in paradise. A young woman inherits the family submarine. In 'The Dark', a researcher tracking plague outbreaks finds himself in the Viet Cong tunnels of Vietnam. A mystery writer visits an archaeological dig in Egypt and sets a curse in motion. In two stories, 'Booth's Ghost' and 'Standing Room Only', Fowler explores the circumstances of Lincoln's assassination from the perspectives of John Wilkes Booth's family and friends.Fowler, perhaps best known for her novels, is a master of the short story form: the secret history, the account of first contact, the murderous, ordinary tensions of family life. She draws on fairy tales, historical narratives, and war reportage, measuring the human capacities for hope and despair, brutality and kindness in the fantastic tradition of writers such as Shirley Jackson, T.H. White, Karen Russell, and Ursula K. Le Guin.
Defiant Guardians
Jacob Peppers - 2018
It is also home to Aaron Envelar, a disillusioned sellsword known as the Silent Blade, who cares nothing for the criminal overlords or their schemes, who only wants to survive and make a little coin in the process. But when a group of unwitting thugs steal his mother’s necklace, the only link he has to his murdered parents, Aaron decides that sometimes gold isn’t enough—sometimes, blood is the only payment worth taking. And whatever else will come, this time, he will not be silent. After all, when you take everything from a man, what else does he have to lose? The Killings at Rockman's Ford - by D.W. Hawkins A dangerous fugitive. A deadly secret. An unwelcome champion. For generations, the seasons have turned with indifference to the sleepy hamlet of Rockman’s Ford. Residents and visitors alike would say it’s a delightful place where terrible things don’t happen—not murder, and never sorcery. Those things happen to other people in other places. When a man is found murdered by hostile magic, the peaceful illusion is rocked by the emergence of dark secrets. For D’Jenn Pike, a Warlock of the Conclave, hostile magic is an everyday occurrence. When he’s asked to help find the killer, his soul is tested by the chase. With bodies mounting, D’Jenn is all that stands between Rockman’s Ford and vengeful magic, but his courage could get him hanged alongside the murderer. The guilty must pay, but the gods have no interest in justice. The Renegade Apprentice - by Andy Peloquin A fight to the death. The prize: freedom. Evren hates the endless torments and cruelties of his life as an apprentice priest. When he finds the opportunity to flee, he seizes it in both fists. But the streets of Vothmot hold their own share of dangers. He must battle street thugs, rival gangs, even his own trusted comrades to truly be free. Dragon Born - by Aaron Hodges For five long years, Enala has lived in exile. And for five years she has trained, mastering the arts of war and survival. Yet she remains trapped, forbidden to leave the boundaries of the forest. Smothered by her parents, she longs for adventure, for the chance to escape the stagnation of her life. Desperate, Enala turns to the only creatures that might help. The Gold Dragons… Cambion - by Stevie Collier A pastor for a mother. A demon for a father. The devil wanted a son, and, using his evil trickery, was able to obtain one while simultaneously spitting in God's face. Follow the path of a teen once loved by everyone who is now hated. What makes him so different isn't just the horns that sprout from his head, but the powers the devil has bestowed upon him. Will he use them to slaughter the followers of God? Those who so easily turned their backs on him? Will he accept his heir to the dark throne? Or, will he use his powers to fight his serpent of a father and all his minions?
Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded
Ann VanderMeerEvelyn Kriete - 2010
This artfully assembled anthology of original fiction, nonfiction, and art can serve as an introduction to the Steampunk culture or provide dedicated fans with more fuel. Stories of outlandishly imaginative technologies, clockwork contraptions, eccentric heroines, and mad scientists are complemented by canon-defining nonfiction and an array of original illustrations. This collection showcases the most sensational Steampunk talents of the last decade, including Daniel Abraham, John Coulthart, William Gibson, and Margo Lanagan, and demonstrates exactly why the future of the past is so excitingly new.ContentsIntroduction: “What Is Steampunk?” by Jeff and Ann VanderMeer“The Cast Iron Kid” by Andrew Knighton“The Steam Dancer (1896)” by Caitlín R. Kiernan“The Anachronist’s Cookbook” by Catherynne M. Valente“Tanglefoot” by Cherie Priest“O One” by Chris Roberson“Balfour and Meriwether in the Adventure of the Emperor’s Vengeance” by Daniel Abraham“The Bold Explorer in the Place Beyond” by David Erik Nelson“The Strange Case of Mr. Salad Monday” by Geoffery D. Falksen“At the Intersection of Technology and Romance” by Jake von Slatt“The Future of Steampunk: A Roundtable Interview” by Jeff and Ann VanderMeer“Dr. Lash Remembers” by Jeffrey Ford“Lost Pages From The Encyclopdia of Victoriana” by Jess Nevins“As Recorded on Brass Cylinders: Adagio for Two Dancers” by Lisa Mantchev“A Serpent in the Gears” by Margaret Ronald“Machine Maid” by Margo Lanagan“Which Is Mightier, the Pen or the Parasol?” by Gail Carriger“The Unbecoming of Virgil Smythe” by Ramsey Shehadeh“Wild Copper” by Samantha Henderson“The Mechanical Aviary of Emperor Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar” by Shweta Narayan“The Unblinking Eye” by Stephen Baxter“Lovelace & Babbage” by Sydney Padua“The Persecution Machine” by Tanith Lee“Flying Fish (Prometheus)” by Vilhelm Bergsøe“The Gernsback Continuum” by William Gibson
Magic and Mayhem
Jasmine WaltEmma L. Adams - 2016
Yours for an insanely low price. Get ready to be swept off into lands filled with magic, mystery, action, adventure and even romance with these 21 full-length fantasy novels! With over one-million words packed with witches, dragons, pirates, shape shifters, mercenaries, gods and more, these stories will introduce you to some of the most memorable characters and exotic worlds that exist in fantasy today. No cliffhangers here -- each book is either a standalone or first in series and all have satisfying endings. 22 of the hottest fantasy authors have banded together to bring you this incredible boxed set, but it’s only available for a limited time! At this incredibly low price, you’re paying a penny per sixty minutes of spellbinding fiction — a bargain that can’t be beat. Grab this collection today before it’s gone for good!
Death Cursed
Sara C. Roethle - 2015
A touch from her, even accidental, can kill, and she’s haunted by the victims she never meant to hurt. Alone, isolated, and remorseful, she thinks life can’t get any worse--until she’s kidnapped in the middle of the night and thrown into a secret world more twisted than her darkest nightmares.The Vaettir claim to be the children of the gods, created by the fates themselves, and tell her she’s one of them--and that they can help her control her abilities. But not everything is as it seems, not all gods are good, and the dark powers surrounding Madeline are no exception. She finds herself in the middle of an ancient search for a dangerous and all-powerful charm, one that has the power to kill all humans and bestow its bearer dominion over all. Amid the secrets and danger is Alaric, a deadly cat shifter, who’s as mysterious as he is alluring.When the Vaettir’s plans come to light and Madeline is betrayed, she embarks on a quest to find the charm herself, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Her dark gifts may just be the key to everything, but will she be able to accept them in time, or will the Vaettir destroy mankind, and inherit the earth?Find out in Death Cursed, the first book in a series sure to please fans of Bella Forrest’s Shade of Vampire and Ilona Andrew’s Kate Daniels series.Discover the underworld of the Vaettir, gods and monsters, secrets and lies, and a temptation equal parts irresistible and deadly...
The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volume Thirteen
Jonathan Strahan - 2019
J. Jemisin, Indrapramit Das, Scott Lynch, Alastair Reynolds, Charlie Jane Anders and Samuel R. Delany.
Become
Ali Cross - 2011
Then Father sends me to Earth with orders to push a girl toward Hell. It’s the last thing I want to do—but you do what the devil tells you. At least, until I meet them: A girl who hides her darkness just like I hide my light. And the boy with the lion eyes who sees right through my secrets. There is no peace on Earth—at least not for me. To save one, I have to sacrifice the other.
Poe's Children: The New Horror
Peter StraubM. Rickert - 2008
Showcasing this cutting-edge talent, Poe’s Children now brings the best of the genre’s stories to a wider audience. Featuring tales from such writers as Neil Gaiman and Jonathan Carroll, Poe’s Children is Peter Straub’s tribute to the imaginative power of storytelling. Each previously published story has been selected by Straub to represent what he thinks is the most interesting development in our literature during the last two decades.Selections range from the early Stephen King psychological thriller “The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet,” in which an editor confronts an author’s belief that his typewriter is inhabited by supernatural creatures, to “The Man on the Ceiling,” Melanie and Steve Rasnic Tem’s award-winning surreal tale of night terrors, woven with daylight fears that haunt a family. Other selections include National Book Award finalist Dan Chaon’s “The Bees”; Peter Straub’s “Little Red’s Tango,” the legend of a music aficionado whose past is as mysterious as the ghostly visitors to his Manhattan apartment; Elizabeth Hand’s visionary and shocking “Cleopatra Brimstone”; Thomas Ligotti’s brilliant, mind-stretching “Notes on the Writing of Horror: A Story”; and “Body,” Brian Evenson’s disturbing twist on correctional facilities.Crossing boundaries and packed with imaginative chills, Poe’s Children bears all the telltale signs of fearless, addictive fiction.
Three Wishes
Lisa Manifold - 2017
After a long night of eating too much ice cream and lamenting her less than wise choices, Tibby Holloway wakes up to find a freelancing djinn sitting on her bed. He makes her the offer of a lifetime: three wishes – three chances to go back and change her life. She can choose a different career, find the man she loved and lost - in short, she can go back and do everything right this time. But there's a catch. Once she's gone back three times, once she’s created three new—and hopefully better—realities, the djinn will decide where she ends up. Maybe it would be better not to even know … but that’s a chance Tibby will have to take if she wants to have her THREE WISHES.
Academy of Magic
Angelique S. AndersonTracy Korn - 2019
Choose wisely because the magical education you pick could set the course of your whole life….or sometimes ever after. Join Mages, shifters, princes, princesses, witches and spies in this fantastical collection of magical academy books by USA Today and Amazon best selling authors. Scroll up to start your magical education now. Class is now in session.
7 Against the Dark
Annie Bellet - 2016
All from USA Today bestselling and international bestselling authors who are consistently on the bestseller charts. ____________ BLOODFIRE by Helen Harper Mackenzie Smith has always known she was different. Growing up as the only human in a pack of rural shapeshifters will do that to you, but then couple it with some mean fighting skills and a fiery temper and you end up with a woman that few will dare to cross. _____________ DARKANGEL by Christine Pope Finding the man of your dreams can be a real nightmare.... As the future prima, or head witch of her clan, Angela McAllister is expected to bond with her consort during her twenty-first year, thus ensuring that she will come into her full powers at the appointed time. The clock is ticking down, and her consort has yet to make an appearance. Instead, her dreams are haunted by a man she’s never seen, the one she believes must be her intended match. _____________ FEYLAND: The Dark Realm by Anthea Sharp What if a high-tech computer game was a gateway to the dangerous Realm of Faerie? Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and fifteen-year-old Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries. _____________ HAUNTED ON BOURBON STREET by Deanna Chase Jade loves her new apartment—until a ghost joins her in the shower.
When empath Jade Calhoun moves into an apartment above a strip bar on Bourbon Street, she expects life to get interesting. What she doesn't count on is making friends with an exotic dancer, attracting a powerful spirit, and developing feelings for Kane, her sexy landlord.
Being an empath has never been easy on Jade's relationships. It's no wonder she keeps her gift a secret. ___________ JUSTICE CALLING by Annie Bellet Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress. Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she’s finally safe. As long as she doesn’t use her magic. _____________ MAGGIE FOR HIRE by Kate Danley When monsters appear in Los Angeles, Maggie MacKay is on the job. No one is better at hauling the creepy crawlies back where they belong. No one, that is, except her dad, who disappeared in the middle of an assignment. Now an elf named Killian has shown up with a gig. Seems Maggie’s uncle teamed up with the forces of darkness to turn Earth into a vampire convenience store, serving bottomless refills on humans. The only hope for survival lies in tracking down two magical objects and a secret that vanished with Maggie’s dad. _____________ THE REST FALLS AWAY by Colleen Gleason Beneath the glitter of dazzling nineteenth century London Society lurks a bloodthirsty evil…Vampires have always lived among them, quietly attacking unsuspecting debutantes and dandified lords as well as hackney drivers and Bond Street milliners. If not for the vampire slayers of the Gardella family, these immortal creatures would have long ago taken control of the world.
Dark Matter & Dragons
Tom Bielawski - 2014
Lee, D.P. Prior, Nicholas Taylor, and Alison Reger Cook. Dig in to cutting edge science fiction thrillers complete with wormholes, time travel, global mysteries, and cybernetic assassins. Those who love the style of JRR Tolkien, will enjoy epic high fantasy stories inspired by the Lord of The Rings, and the lord who made them... Take up your wands and lock the Wardrobe, for dragons and fanciful adventures inspired by Narnia and Potter await! Looking for fantasy with powerful female heroes, or villains? Beware of both in this great tome... Whether you enjoy the grit of George RR Martin's Game of Thrones, or the whimsy of CS Lewis, you will find your fancy in The Dragon Writers Collection! Tom Bielawski A Tide of Shadows, Volume One of The Chronicles of Llars The Centaurus Legacy, A Heck Thomas Thriller Brian Rathbone Wayward Spirits, a prelude to A Dawning of Power (A novella Prelude to the Dawning of Power) Call of the Herald, Book One of A Dawning of Power Inherited Danger, Book Two of A Dawning of Power Morgen Rich Entrapments, Staves of Warrant Book One Seeking, Staves of Warrant Book Two Scott Baughman Rule of Thumb, Balance of Power Book One L.R.W. Lee Blast of the Dragon's Fury (Andy Smithson Book 1) D.P. Prior Book One of The Nameless Dwarf: A Dwarf With No Name Alison Reger Cook Secrets of the Moonstone Heir Book 1 Nicholas Taylor Legon Awakening, Book 1 in the Legon Series We hope you enjoy this collection!
The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Novellas 2015
Paula GuranPatrick Rothfuss - 2015
Novellas, longer than short stories but shorter than novels, are a rich and rewarding literary form that can fully explore tomorrow’s technology, the far reaches of the future, thought-provoking imaginings, fantastic worlds, and entertaining concepts with the impact of a short story and the detailed breadth of a novel. Gathering a wide variety of excellent SF and fantasy, this anthology of “short novels” showcases the talents of both established masters and new writers.Contents (alphabetical order by author last name):“In Her Eyes” by Seth Chambers (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Jan/Feb 2014)The Churn: An Expanse Novella by James S. A. Corey (Orbit)“Where the Trains Turn” by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen (translated by Liisa Rantalaiho) (Tor.com, 15 November 2014)Yesterday’s Kin by Nancy Kress (Tachyon Publications)“Claudius Rex” by John P. Murphy (Alembical 3: A Distillation of Three Novellas, eds. Schoen & Dorrance)“The Things We Do For Love” by K. J. Parker (Subterranean Press Magazine, Summer 2014)“The Mothers of Voorhisville” by Mary Rickert, (Tor.com, 30 Apr 2014)“The Lightning Tree” by Patrick Rothfuss (Rogues, eds. Martin & Dozois)Dream Houses by Genevieve Valentine (Dream Houses WSFA/ Wyrm Publishing)