Suddenly catapulted to a position of status, Gwen is chosen to assassinate Ezekiah, the prophet of the Resistance. But when she’s captured, Gwen is shown the dark side of the dragons and their utopian society and the unsuspected kindness of the man she was meant to kill. She desires to remain faithful to the Serpent Kings, but her doubts are growing, and her time with Ezekiah has awakened feelings within her she never thought to have. Once peaceful Animals are growing fierce, and zombie-like Death Walkers are attacking entire towns as prophecies long held as mere myth come to fulfillment. In Gwen’s absence, a great miracle makes this wraith dancer a costly liability to the dragons, and she cannot be allowed to live any longer. WRAITH DANCER: In Gwen’s absence, a great miracle makes this wraith dancer a costly liability to the dragons, and she cannot be allowed to live any longer. But now they have to get her back from her captors. But the Serpent Kings aren't the only ones seeking this Wraith Dancer. When the Serpent Kings are driven back to Mount Doom, Gwen is captured by Varen and his rebels. To ensure her safe release, Ezekiah agrees to lead a demolition team into the mountain to bring it down upon the dragons. But the Serpent Kings are not easily slain. In their ensuing fury they destroy the city of Babale and enslave their faithful worshippers, creating a fearless army of death walkers to cleanse the kingdom once and for all. Meahwhile, Ezekiah is sent to a city across the sea, called Haven, where he must enter the ancient Temple of Elithias and accept the fate that awaits him there. However, the dragons mean to stop him, bringing all of their resources to bear. If he fails, all of humanity will become deathly slaves to the dragons. But one lone Wraith Dancer stands in the gap willing to risk everything to see him succeed. SHADOW WALKER: Five hundred years have now passed since Ezekiah assumed control of Haven and the kingdom beyond the sea as the regent of Elithias. Most believe that the Serpent Kings were all destroyed in the battle with Ezekiah long ago. However, one young women with vengeance in her heart has been following a mysterious voice that speaks to her in dreams. This entity desires a vessel that can be used to free it from its prison and unleash its power upon the kingdom. Time is short and the coming of Elithias may finally be at hand, but will anyone survive to witness it? Praise for Fallen (Descendants Saga) Amazon Customers: "Admittedly, I am not a big reader but I wanted to start. I picked this book up and could not put it down! The story sucked me in and at the end of the book I was left wanting to know what happens next. I can't wait for the second book in the series to come out!" "From the start, James Somers made it hard to put the book down, with twists and turns to leave you spinning. It was a great read and I look forward to the next installment." Praise for "The Realm Shift Trilogy" "The Realm Shift's intrigue is second only to its action!" -- Wayne Thomas Batson, author, The Berinfell Prophecies and The Door Within Trilogy. "The Realm Shift doesn't just draw you in, it sucks you in! The story is full of mystery, adventure, danger and inspiration. I highly recommend it!" -- Brian Tubbs, Pastor, Sligo Baptist Church. "The Realm Shift is written in a grand mythic type of storytelling reminiscent of Tolkien's Lord of the Ring Trilogy.

    S. Lewis's wife, the American-born poet Joy Davidman. In her introduction to this new edition, Madeleine L'Engle writes: "I am grateful to Lewis for having the courage to yell, to doubt, to kick at God in angry violence. This is a part of a healthy grief which is not often encouraged. It is helpful indeed that C. S. Lewis, who has been such a successful apologist for Christianity, should have the courage to admit doubt about what he has so superbly proclaimed. It gives us permission to admit our own doubts, our own angers and anguishes, and to know that they are part of the soul's growth."Written in longhand in notebooks that Lewis found in his home, A Grief Observed probes the "mad midnight moments" of Lewis's mourning and loss, moments in which he questioned what he had previously believed about life and death, marriage, and even God. Indecision and self-pity assailed Lewis. "We are under the harrow and can't escape," he writes. "I know that the thing I want is exactly the thing I can never get. The old life, the jokes, the drinks, the arguments, the lovemaking, the tiny, heartbreaking commonplace." Writing A Grief Observed as "a defense against total collapse, a safety valve," he came to recognize that "bereavement is a universal and integral part of our experience of love."Lewis writes his statement of faith with precision, humor, and grace. Yet neither is Lewis reluctant to confess his continuing doubts and his awareness of his own human frailty. This is precisely the quality which suggests that A Grief Observed may become "among the great devotional books of our age."

    This secret valley stays in a perpetual state of Spring and hosts the thousands of Fae who live there. The Heart Tree's magic sustains the boundaries that protect them all and their lush forest, but the hoar witch has poisoned its roots. Queen Corydalis needs a certain shard to cast a beckoning so that the emerald eyed champion of lore might come and save them all, for he is the only one who can end the hoar witch, and if they hope to save the Heart Tree that deed has to be done. Join Thorn, Bristle, and Barb, the Pixie Queens fiercest, smartest and most loyal elves as they take a thrilling journey out of their protected world into true Overland, where danger hides around every corner and everything they ever loved is at stake. A note from the author about the timeline of this story: This tale starts at about the same time The Legend of Vanx Malic Book Two - Dragon Isle, does. It can be read at any time during the series, but will serve readers best if they read it before they read book four, That Frigid Fargin Witch, which is due for release Jan. 9th 2014. This story is not part of the main Vanx Malic tale, but the character Foxwise Posy-Thorn is destined to become relevant, if he can survive this ordeal. Thank you and enjoy, M. R. Mathias

    He is warned by night whispers to flee from his tiny mountain village of Dun Mare. The stolen egg of a dragon will pay his way, if he manages to live long enough to sell it. However there are forces against him far beyond his understanding. All he believes he knows about his life and home is false, but the egg of the black dragon is the key. Many believe black dragons do not exist or have gone extinct. Gareth finds himself alone in a strange world of tempest seas, flying dragons, and powerful foes vying for the mental powers he may possess, and for control of the egg. Telepathic teachers a secret sisterhood, and the king's armies willing to kill for a black dragon are only the beginning of Gareth's story. The second book of the series is expected to be published by October of 2015.

    Books 1, 2 & 3. Dive into a dragon filled adventure! When scruffy Seb and noble Thea are paired as dragon riders, they never imagined they'd be the Kingdom's last hope... Book One: Dragon Trials High-born Agathea Flamma intends to bring honor to her family by following in her brothers’ footsteps and taking her rightful place as a Dragon Rider. With her only other option being marriage, Thea will not accept failure. She’s not thrilled at her awkward, scruffy partner, Seb, but their dragon has chosen, and now the unlikely duo must learn to work as a team. Seventeen-year-old Sebastian has long been ashamed of his drunken father and poor upbringing, but then he’s chosen to train as a Dragon Rider at the prestigious academy. Thrust into a world where he doesn’t fit in, Seb finds a connection with his dragon that is even more powerful than he imagined. Soon, he’s doing all he can to succeed and not embarrass his new partner, Thea. When Seb hears rumors that an old danger is reemerging, he and Thea begin to investigate. Armed only with their determination and the dragon they both ride, Thea and Seb may be the only defense against the Darkening that threatens to sweep the land. Together, they will have to learn to work together to save their kingdom…or die trying. Book Two: Dragon Legends Ever since scruffy Sebastian Smith and Lady Thea Flamma were paired as Dragon Riders, their lives have been forever changed. The unlikely duo forged an unbreakable bond, but now with dark stirrings in the south their bond will be put to the ultimate test. Seb discovers Lord Vincent has returned and he wants to unleash an ancient evil that will destroy the lives of everyone in the kingdom – The Darkening. In order to defend the realm against unspeakable foes, Seb, Thea, and their shared dragon, Kalax, set out on an arduous journey to find the sacred Dragon Stones – before their dark power ends up in the wrong hands. But to conquer an old enemy, Thea must find a way to overcome her own inner demons, and Seb has to muster the courage to become the brave leader his kingdom needs . . . Book Three: Dragon Bonds The Darkening has risen... Agathea Flamma and Sebastian Smith now face an overwhelming enemy. The rapid spread of the Darkening, a threat arising from the mists of legend, looms over the entire land. With both their families torn apart by the conflict and betrayal lurking around every corner, one mistake could doom the kingdom. They'll have to decide where to put their faith: blood ties or newfound friends? After the destruction of the Dragon Academy, it’s up to Thea and Seb to gather their loyal comrades—and forge uneasy new alliances—to quell the ancient menace and face the evil Lord Vincent. With civil war raging, the Dragon Riders must race against time to find the legendary Dragon Stone, the only tool they have to fight against the endless darkness that threatens to swallow them all.

    She is obsessed with finding a cure for the bad boyfriend plague. Worse yet, she’s in denial about her weird abilities and terrified of her mysterious stalker who causes the earth to quake violently with the snap of his finger.With her two best friends, Aria enters her first semester of college armed with a “no more men” pact in an effort to demagnetize the sleaze balls. Unfortunately, the agreement proves difficult when she meets Liam, a charming foreign exchange student, on the first day of school. Aria quickly discovers that Liam is not only Mr. Perfect, but he also somehow ignites her supernatural side. Upon the invitation of her dream guy, Aria travels to Ireland through the study abroad program, dragging her friends along with her. But her world of euphoric bliss quickly comes crashing down as she uncovers the truth about her past, revealing who she really is and what she was born to do.

    MacDonald was a major Christian writer of the late nineteenth, early twentieth centuries. He influenced nearly everyone who was a major twentieth century writer (including Lewis Carroll, WH Auden, J.R.R. Tolkien, Walter de la Mare, and CS Lewis. Not only was he a pioneer in the fantasy fiction genre, laying the path for people like Tolkien to write Lord of the Rings, but also a major Christian thinker, which influenced Lewis profoundly. Lewis, in fact, wrote that MacDonald was his 'master', and said 'I know hardly any other writer who seems to be closer, or more continually close, to the Spirit of Christ Himself.' These words will challenge and uplift you, and illuminate the faith which underpins all of CS Lewis's popular and enduring writing.

    She dreams of a charming prince, but when her first suitor arrives, he's not what she'd hoped. Prince Aethelbald of mysterious Farthestshore has travelled a great distance to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be on the hunt and blazing a path of terror. Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his cautions with dire consequences. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in his sights. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.

    Lewis's widely-known and universally loved children's stories.

    Yeats took a particular interest in the tales' mythic and magical roots. The Celtic Twilight ventures into the eerie and puckish world of fairies, ghosts, and spirits. "This handful of dreams," as the author referred to it, first appeared in 1893, and its title refers to the pre-dawn hours, when the Druids performed their rituals. It consists of stories recounted to the poet by his friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. Yeats' faithful transcription of their narratives includes his own visionary experiences, appended to the storytellers' words as a form of commentary.

    Lewis, always “Jack” to family and friends, never shied from intellectual debate, and through his written works encouraged others to wrestle with the difficult questions of faith. A master of visual illustration and allegory, Lewis wrote with the intuitive understanding that his readers wrestled with the same questions about the Christian story, about pain, suffering, and notions of Heaven and Hell, as he himself had wrestled. He also understood that others found reason and imagination to be incompatible aspects of an understanding of God and the universe.

    Tolkien's On Fairy-stories is his most-studied and most-quoted essay, an exemplary personal statement of his own views on the role of imagination in literature, and an intellectual tour de force vital for understanding Tolkien's achievement in writing The Lord of the Rings .Contained within is an introduction to Tolkien's original 1939 lecture and the history of the writing of On Fairy-stories, with previously unseen material. Here, at last, Flieger and Anderson reveal the extraordinary genesis of this seminal work and discuss how the conclusions that Tolkien reached during the composition of the essay would shape his writing for the rest of his life.

    Steven James uses his master storytelling ability to re-create the life-changing journey of "The Pilgrim's Progress" for readers ages 14 to 19.

    Many critics complained of the book because it merely criticised current philosophies without offering any alternative philosophy. This book is an attempt to answer the challenge. It is the purpose of the writer to attempt an explanation, not of whether the Christian Faith can be believed, but of how he personally has come to believe it. The book is therefore arranged upon the positive principle of a riddle and its answer. It deals first with all the writer's own solitary and sincere speculations and then with the startling style in which they were all suddenly satisfied by the Christian Theology. The writer regards it as amounting to a convincing creed. But if it is not that it is at least a repeated and surprising coincidence.

    You might think she'd be happy to see him again. Not exactly. She's a bit underdressed (as in skinny-dipping) and he's not supposed to exist. After her father's affair, all Ryann wants is to escape the family implosion fallout and find a little peace. She also wouldn't mind a first date that didn't suck, but she's determined not to end up like her mom: vulnerable, betrayed, destroyed. Ryann's recently moved back to her childhood home in rural Mississippi, the same place where ten years earlier she became lost in the woods overnight and nearly died. She's still irresistibly drawn to those woods. There she encounters the boy who kept her from freezing to death that long ago winter night and was nowhere to be seen when rescuers arrived. He's still mysterious, but now all grown-up and gorgeous, too. And the more she's with him, the greater the threat he poses to Ryann's strict policy-- never want someone more than he wants you. Seventeen-year-old Lad knows the law of his people all too well: Don't get careless and Don't get caught. It's allowed his race to live undetected in this world for thousands of years, mentioned only in flawed and fading folklore…Lad's never been able to forget about Ryann since that night ten years ago. When he sees her again, his fascination re-ignites and becomes a growing desire that tempts him to break all the rules. He's not even supposed to talk to a human, much less fall in love with one.And the timing is atrocious. The Assemblage is coming, the rift between the Light and Dark is widening, and mysterious celebrity fan pods are becoming more and more widespread and influential. Lad may have to trade his own chance at happiness to keep the humans, especially Ryann, blissfully unaware and safe.