Book picks similar to
Jackalope Wives by T. Kingfisher


short-stories
fantasy
short-story
audio

Queens of Fennbirn


Kendare Blake - 2018
    From birth until their claiming ceremonies, this is the story of the three sisters’ lives…before they were at stake.The Oracle QueenEveryone knows the legend of Elsabet, the Oracle Queen. The one who went mad. The one who orchestrated a senseless, horrific slaying of three entire houses. But what really happened? Discover the true story behind the queen who could foresee the future…just not her own downfall.

Realmslayer


David Guymer - 2018
    Spat out of the Realm of Chaos after an eternity of battle, Gotrek Gurnisson finds himself in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Mortal Realms. With no axe, no oaths and no Felix, he sets out to find his place in this new universe…LISTEN TO IT BECAUSEGotrek's back, he's voiced by Brian Blessed, and this epic boxed set contains four full length audio dramas making up one exhilirating adventure that takes Gotrek across the realms and introduces him to new companions and enemies. It's truly unmissable."Realmslayer is the most exciting project I have worked on in years, and playing Gotrek fired my imagination with wonder. He possesses enormous courage and imagination, and is totally fearless – more powerful than any hero in literature and history.What a challenge! It was like playing ten King Lears at once! He will live forever."– Brian Blessed, the voice of Gotrek Gurnisson in RealmslayerTHE STORYGotrek Gurnisson was the greatest monster slayer of the age, who met his doom at the End Times. The heroic duardin stepped forth into the Realm of Chaos to fight the daemons gnawing at the world's ending and satisfy his death oath, leaving behind his companion Felix Jaeger. Now Gotrek has returned, having outlived the old gods and the Old World. Spat from the ruinous depths with his redemption unfulfilled, he emerges into the Mortal Realms, a strange new world where gods walk the earth and dark forces are ascendant. Nothing is as he remembers. His oaths are dust, and the lands are torn asunder by Chaos. Yet when Gotrek learns of human champions being elevated to immortality for Sigmar’s fight against this darkness, the so-called 'Stormcast Eternals', he knows why fate has brought him into this new age. To find Felix. For only then can he find the peace in death he seeks. But is there more to Gotrek's apotheosis than even he can fathom? Has he truly been chosen by Grimnir and for what purpose?This audio drama boxed set contains a four-part story read by a stellar cast, recounting the much anticipated return of Gotrek Gurnisson.Running time 4 hours and 15 minutes. Starring Brian Blessed as Gotrek Gurnisson. Performed by John Banks, Steve Conlin, Vanessa Donovan, Matthew Hunt, Jonathan Keeble, Toby Longworth, Connie M'Gadzah, Penelope Rawlins, David Seddon, Joe Shire & Andrew Wincott

'50sVille


Paul Ibbetson - 2014
    In this strange place, only a select few people ever leave the city limits and even then, they leave reluctantly. This is what fifteen and a half year old Benjamin Granault faces as, through a string of amazing events, he finds himself living in a town where he can never talk about modern technology or current events, a place where being an outsider can cost a person his life and being part of the community may very well cost more. Follow the adventures of Benjamin Granault in ‘50sVille, the strangest town Indiana has ever been unaware of.

The Lady of Crows


Anthony Ryan - 2017
    Charged with protecting the renowned drunkard and cardsharp Sentes Mustor, Derla finds herself drawn into a high stakes game with the notorious criminal overlord known as One Eye.

The War of the Wall


Toni Cade Bambara - 1980
    The narrator describes the frustration that the people of the community have with the artist, who is not only painting over one of their favorite places to play, relax in the shade, and hold on to the memories of a lost friend, but the artist is unwilling to accept the hospitality from anyone who tries to offer her food, or find out what she is up to. When the narrator and Lou go out into the country to meet up with their grandmother, they learn about graffiti from dad and grandmother who are watching the news, and they decide that they are going to deface the painting when they return back to Taliaferro Street. When they return, however, they find that the mural was a beautiful picture that not only reminded the community of all of the things that they loved about the wall, but celebrated the vibrant cultural richness of their community.

Me and Carlos


Tom Perrotta - 2020
    But Digger is pretty happy with life in the middle of Warfield High’s pecking order. Then he strikes up a friendship with Carlos, a new student from Honduras, who faces his own set of difficulties beyond the dramas of adolescent life. Everyone loves Carlos: he’s a welcome addition to the team and to Digger’s tight friend group. Digger and Carlos are inseparable—until Digger, who’s focused on his own future, thinks maybe Carlos is getting too popular.

Best of Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time, #4-7)


Robert Jordan - 1999
    Follow the adventures and trials of Rand as he learns about his destiny to become the Dragon Reborn, the prophesized leader who will save the world, but at a heavy cost that drives him to reject his given fate. Dark forces surround the characters with an inevitable confrontation between good and evil that captivates every audience. Sparkled with continuous action, adventure, and fantasy, this box set is a sure winner for epic fantasy fans guaranteed! Over 15 Hours of listening time! The Shadow Rising The Dark One is inflicting evil on to the hero, Rand, who must enter the Aiel Waste and the forbidden city of RhuideanÛwhere he may perish. Perrin must confront the Whitecloaks who are sworn to assassinate him while Elayne and Nynaeve must battle the Black Ajah. Listen to find out what develops. The Fires of Heaven Rand is at the forbidden city of Rhuidean where he must keep his current mission a secret. Simultaneously, the Forsaken Rahvin is plotting a victory over Rand. Morgase becomes captivated with the handsome Lord Gaebril, and in the White Tower, Amyrlin, Flaida do Avriny a ÎRoihan, is concocting new plans. There is no doubt why The Fires of Heaven became a New York Times bestseller! Lord of Chaos Rand struggles as he attempts to unite the nations for the Last Battle while The White Tower, under the Amyrlin Elaida, decides that he must be controlled. In addition, a search for the fabled terÌangreal is conducted by Nynaeve alÌMeara and Elayne to restore the incongruous weather conditions. Book six of this series is sure to satisfy. A Crown of Swords Listen as Rand faces the dead Forsaken Sammael in Shadae Logoth! The struggle with the worldÌs brutal and endless heat wave rages on, and Engeu calls together all women who are able to channel including Sea Folk Windfinders and Wise Ones. DonÌt miss this seventh book of non-stop epic adventure!

The Homecoming and Other Stories: A BBC Audio Exclusive


Maeve Binchy - 2001
    In Homecoming, the Brennans run Quentin's restaurant in Dublin for the owner, who lives abroad. But what will happen when he suddenly pays a visit? Telling Stories sees Irene's fiancÈ turning up the night before the wedding with a face as white as the dress that is to be worn the next day. Then trouble starts... In Needy, Heather is painfully aware that Valentine's Day declarations of love should be viewed with suspicion, even if the sender is the one she loves. And in The Interview, Bessie is deaf and needs a place in a special school. But will she pass the interview?

Terror in the Shadows: Volume 3


Ron Ripley - 2019
    A dark ritual turns a woman obsessed with supernatural powers against the people who love her most. A possessed TV proves that old B-Movie monsters can still terrify an unsuspecting audience…Scare Street’s roster of authors brings you eleven new tales of supernatural horror, in one blood-chilling volume. This macabre collection of short stories is guaranteed to get your pulse racing, and send shivers down your spine.Each deliciously dark tale will haunt your dreams, and keep you reading long past the witching hour. But wait…What was that noise? Did something move in the shadows?Just keep telling yourself… it’s only a story.

The Nine Curves River


R.F. Kuang - 2020
    Jonathan Strahan) , which you can listen to [official url]. I love his narration; it’s heart-breaking. I grew up watching Reading Rainbow, so it was pretty awesome to grow up to write words that LeVar Burton read out loud!Reading time: 56:27

The Girl of Fire and Thorns Stories


Rae Carson - 2014
    Discover how their sibling rivalry looks from Alodia’s viewpoint, and find out why Alodia agrees to marry her sister off to King Alejandro of Joya de Vega. The Shattered Mountain revolves around Elisa’s best friend and handmaiden, Mara. Before she meets Elisa at the rebel camp in The Girl of Fire and Thorns, she suffers her own tragedy. Her village is destroyed and she must lead the few young survivors to safety. The King’s Guard centers on Hector, Commander of the Royal Guard and Elisa’s true love. Set years before The Girl of Fire and Thorns, it shows us fifteen-year-old Hector as a new recruit. He must prove himself—and he discovers a secret he must keep forever.

Feathers and Fire Series: Books 4 - 6 (Feathers and Fire Series Boxsets Book 2)


Shayne Silvers - 2019
    Breene and now Shayne Silvers has been added to my favorite Urban Fantasy Authors list." – Michael Anderle, Amazon Top 25 Bestselling Author Who is Callie Penrose? They say she’s been kissed by Heaven—whatever the Hell that means. Because Callie was orphaned on the steps of a church in Kansas City, and doesn’t know her parents. She starts out as a rookie wizard who hunts monsters for the Vatican. Except…ironically, she’s never been a churchy kind of girl, and she quickly learns that monsters can reside anywhere.Even among the most devout.Get ready for Callie to take you on a gripping adventure into a new kind of Sunday School. Be on your best behavior, because she won’t crack a ruler over your knuckles to teach you a lesson—more like whips of fire and brimstone to your face.Hell hath no fury like Callie Penrose. And that’s before she discovers her strange childhood ties to a jerk named Nate Temple in St. Louis… If you like Jim Butcher, Sarah J. Maas, Kevin Hearne, Steve McHugh, Michael Anderle, Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Shannon Mayer, or K.F. Breene, you won't be able to put down the highly addictive Feathers and Fire Series. More than 1m copies downloaded and thousands of five-star reviews. Available in digital, print, and audiobook formats. What Amazon readers are saying: ★★★★★ ‘His foul-mouthed unicorn murders rainbows!’★★★★★ ‘Move over Dresden!’★★★★★ ‘The Temple Verse HAS to be picked up by Netflix soon.’★★★★★ ‘Silvers could write a grocery list on a dirty napkin and make it an international bestseller.’★★★★★ ‘I went from crying my eyes out to laughing uncontrollably, repeatedly.’★★★★★ ‘It’s like the characters walked off the page, joined me at the bar, and bought me a drink.’★★★★★ ‘I am astounded as to how the author keeps the story fresh and exciting.’★★★★★ ‘I usually see plot twists a mile away. Shayne has proven me wrong. Every time.’★★★★★ ‘Best books I’ve read in thirty years.’★★★★★ ‘His intense actions scenes let you see the fangs and claws, hear the gunshots, feel the magic, and smell the fear.’★★★★★ ‘Everything you thought you knew about vampires, shifters, dragons, wizards, fairies and gods is flat wrong.’★★★★★ ‘Publishers who didn’t snap up this series are missing out on a gold mine.’ ★★Dragon Award Finalist 2017-2018—Best Fantasy of the Year. ★★ ★★Silvers has pleasured over one million readers with the Temple Verse. Now it's your turn for a little pleasuring... ★★

The Riyria Sampler


Michael J. Sullivan - 2015
    For those who haven't met Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater (otherwise known as Riyria) this sampler will provide a brief introduction to them and the world of Elan. This sampler contains short stories previously published as well as a new excerpt from the upcoming book.The Thieves: A band of thieves sets upon two lonely riders in the middle of the night. They had a larger party. They had the element of surprise. There was no reason to be concerned, but they didn’t realize who they were dealing with. Origin: This was a scene written, and cut, for Nyphron Rising (the first novel in the Rise of Empire omnibus). Eventually, it became the opening of Theft of Swords when Orbit purchased and republished the series as three, two-book volumes.The Viscount: Eleven years before they were framed for the murder of a king, before even assuming the title of Riyria, Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater were practically strangers. Unlikely associates, this cynical thief decides to teach his idealist swordsman partner that no good deed goes unpunished. Will Royce wind up proving his point or be schooled himself? Origin: This was published in the fall of 2011 under the title The Viscount and the Witch. It was written to provide a gift to my fans after my books were removed from the market to make room for Orbit’s versions. It’s also the seed that later became The Riyria Chronicles, and this short now appears as the second chapter of The Rose and the Thorn.The Jester: Stop me if you’ve heard this one. A thief, a candlemaker, an ex-mercenary, and a pig farmer walk into a trap…and what happens is no joke. When Riyria is hired to retrieve a jester’s treasure, Royce and Hadrian must match wits with a dwarf who proves to be anything but a fool. Difficult choices will need to be made, and in the end those who laugh last do so because they are the only ones to survive. Origin: First released in the Unfettered anthology (edited by Shawn Speakman and published by Grim Oak Press), I did something a bit unusual with this short story. Faced with a word count restriction, I wrote what is essentially the climax for what could have been a full-length novel. I throw the reader into the middle of the action and make only brief allusions to what had come before. It’s an interesting experiment and seems to have worked out well based on the high praise it has received.The Death of Dulgath: When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and the cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start their thieves-for-hire enterprise. Things have gone well enough until this odd assignment to prevent a murder. Now they must venture into a forgotten corner of southern Avryn—a place whose history predates the First Empire. As usual, challenges abound as they try to anticipate the moves of an unknown assassin before it’s too late. But that’s not their only problem. The Countess of Dulgath has a dark secret she’s determined to keep hidden. Then there’s the little matter of Riyria’s new employer…the Nyphron Church. This sample is an excerpt, not a short story. It’s the opening scene to my new novel, which will be coming out before the end of 2015. It hasn’t yet been copy edited (I’m still writing the novel), so please forgive any minor mistakes you may find. I do think it’s in pretty good shape, but I often find my opinion and my editor’s opinion are two different things.

Vaccine Season


Hannu Rajaniemi
    This story appears in the anthology Make Shift: Dispatches from the Post-Pandemic Future, edited by Gideon Lichfield and available for pre-order from The MIT Press.Content advisory: Discussion of pandemics, near-drowning

The Great Bazaar & Brayan's Gold


Peter V. Brett - 2011
    Brett’s quintessential fantasy hero. These exciting origin tales follow Arlen as he learns to navigate a world where the elemental forces of evil conjure themselves from the earth each night.Humanity has barely survived a demonic onslaught by using magical wards that protect their cities and homes. Only a handful of mercenaries and explorers risk traveling after the sun sets. Arlen, seeking adventure and fortune, is barely protected by the warded armor upon which he has inscribed intricate defensive runes. From a journey ferrying a wagonload of dynamite to a mountain stronghold, to a dangerous mission to recover desert treasures, Arlen faces friends and enemies with a strong arm and a cunning wit.