Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 - 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's most memorable fictional characters and is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period. During his life, his works enjoyed unprecedented fame, and by the twentieth century his literary genius was broadly acknowledged by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to be widely popular. Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens was forced to leave school to work in a factory when his father was thrown into debtors' prison. Although he had little formal education, his early impoverishment drove him to succeed. Over his career he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas and hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms. Dickens sprang to fame with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers. Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity, famous for his humour, satire, and keen observation of character and society. His novels, most published in monthly or weekly installments, pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction, which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication. The installment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audience's reaction, and he often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback. For example, when his wife's chiropodist expressed distress at the way Miss Mowcher in David Copperfield seemed to reflect her disabilities, Dickens went on to improve the character with positive features. Fagin in Oliver Twist apparently mirrors the famous fence Ikey Solomon; His caricature of Leigh Hunt in the figure of Mr Skimpole in Bleak House was likewise toned down on advice from some of his friends, as they read episodes. In the same novel, both Lawrence Boythorne and Mooney the beadle are drawn from real life-Boythorne from Walter Savage Landor and Mooney from 'Looney', a beadle at Salisbury Square. His plots were carefully constructed, and Dickens often wove in elements from topical events into his narratives. Masses of the illiterate poor chipped in ha'pennies to have each new monthly episode read to them, opening up and inspiring a new class of readers.

    And the last and most amazing volume in the legendary Belgariad series: the story of the queen of truth, love, rage and destiny, Polgara the Sorceress.Here is the full epic story of Belgarath, the great sorcerer learned in the Will and the Word on whom the fate of the world depends. Only Belgarath can tell of those near-forgotten times when Gods still walked the land: he is the Ancient One, the Old Wolf, his God Aldur's first and most-favoured disciple. Using powers learned over the centuries Belgarath himself records the story of conflict between two mortally opposed Destinies that split the world asunder.In the story of Polgara, a beautiful woman whose constancy and inner power have been the foundation of all the luck and love that have saved the world, the full truth of The Belgariad is revealed.Hugely entertaining works of great daring, wit, grandeur and excitement which confirm the role of Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress as the mightiest fantasy creations of the century.

    

    Clough FOR I AM A JEALOUS PEOPLE! by Lester del Rey LUVVER, by Mack Reynolds FROG LEVEL, by Bud Webster CAPTAINS CONSPIRING AT THEIR MUTINIES, by Jay Lake SHIFTING SEAS, by Stanley G. Weinbaum THROUGH TIME AND SPACE WITH FERDINAND FEGHOOT: 8, by Grendel Briarton ROCK GARDEN, by Kevin O'Donnell, Jr. THE GENOA PASSAGE, by George Zebrowski EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, by Ray Faraday Nelson I AM TOMORROW, by Lester del Rey WHEN THEY COME FROM SPACE, by Mark Clifton THE SEALED SKY, by Cynthia Ward METEOR STRIKE! by Donald E. Westlake WAITING FOR THE COIN TO DROP, by Dean Wesley Smith BEYOND THE DARKNESS, by S. J. Byrne THE SMALLEST GOD, by Lester del Rey THE SCIENCE FICTION ALPHABET, by Allen Glasser CANAL, by Carl Jacobi THE LOCH MOOSE MONSTER, by Janet Kagan MY FAIR PLANET, by Evelyn E. Smith BEFORE EDEN, by Arthur C. Clarke SEQUENCE, by Carl Jacobi PREFERRED RISK, by Frederik Pohl and Lester del Rey INTEVIEW: FREDERIK POHL, conducted by Darrell SchweitzerIf you enjoy this book, search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see the more than 100 other entries in the series, covering science fiction, modern authors, mysteries, westerns, classics, adventure stories, and much, much more!

    The weather had been extreme that month: days of drenching rain, sudden showers of hail, temperatures passing record highs. Local children whispered that an angel had fallen to earth in a thunderstorm. There were roving groups who swore they had found signs. Footprints in the grass, black feathers, a campfire in the woods behind the high school where there were sparks of shimmering ash. One neighborhood boy vowed that he had seen a man in a black cloak rise above the earth and walk on air, and although no one believed his account, mothers began to keep their children home. They locked the doors, called in the dogs, kept the lights on after dusk..."Alice Hoffman is the New York Times bestselling author of Practical Magic, The Dovekeepers, and The Marriage of Opposites. Hoffman’s work has been published in more than twenty translations and more than one hundred foreign editions. Her novels have received mention as notable books of the year by The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, Library Journal, and People Magazine. She has also worked as a screenwriter and is the author of the original screenplay “Independence Day,” a film starring Kathleen Quinlan and Diane Wiest. Her teen novel Aquamarine was made into a film starring Emma Roberts. Her short fiction and non-fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe Magazine, Kenyon Review, The Los Angeles Times, Architectural Digest, Harvard Review, Ploughshares and other magazines.Flyleaf Journal Issue #15December 2014Illustrated by Timothy TangHand Lettering by Heidi Unkefer

    Mattotti's sweeping ink illustrations capture the terror and longing found in the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Gaiman crafts an original text filled with his signature wit and pathos that is sure to become a favorite of readers everywhere, young and old.

    This Halcyon Classics ebook edition contains eleven works by Canadian writer Lucy Maud Montgomery, including 'Anne of Green Gables,' and seven of its sequels.' Includes an active table of contents for easy navigation.Anne Shirley Novels:Anne of Green GablesAnne of AvonleaAnne of the IslandAnne's House of DreamsRainbow ValleyRilla of InglesideChronicles of AvonleaFurther Chronicles of AvonleaOther Works:The Golden RoadKilmeny of the OrchardThe Story GirlThis unexpurgated edition contains the complete text, with minor errors and omissions corrected.

    Tick, was living a regular life until he learned about the 13 Realities. After the near catastrophe in the Fourth Reality, things have changed even more. Tick’s being homeschooled in the fields of science, trying to master the mysterious Chi’karda. Just as he begins to make progress, Mistress Jane reappears, hideously scarred and much more powerful. She has tapped into the universe's darkest secret to create the Blade of Shattered Hope, and in her quest to attain a Utopian Reality for the future of mankind, she's ready to risk billions of lives including those of Tick's parents and sisters to set her plan in motion. Tick and his friends are faced with their most dangerous task yet. And they must not fail; for if they do, the entire universe could cease to exist.Join Tick in the final two books of the acclaimed The 13th Reality series.

    

    According to Wikipedia: "Jack London (12 January, 1876 – 22 November, 1916) was an American author who wrote The Call of the Wild and other books. A pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction, he was one of the first Americans to make a lucrative career exclusively from writing."

    Along the way, she visits a poor stable boy named Diamond and takes him with her on her journeys. "At the Back of the North Wind" explores the place of death in our lives, social injustice, and our deep need for love and forgiveness. C. S. Lewis, author of the classic Chronicles of Narnia series, said of MacDonald, "What he does best is fantasy--fantasy that hovers between the allegorical and the mythopoeic. And this, in my opinion, he does better than any man. MacDonald is the greatest genius of this kind whom I know."

    Perfect for baby showers and other special occasions.This gift set includes Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny, illustrated by Clement Hurd. Margaret Wise Brown's beloved bedtime classics have lulled generations of children to sleep with their soothing sounds. Now these classic stories are packaged together into one gift set.These board books feature sturdy pages, just right for babies and toddlers. Together in the decorative box, this makes a thoughtful gift.

    Introduction by Robert Silverberg. Afterwords by Norman Spinrad, Vonda N McIntyre, Robert Sheckley, Philip Jose Farmer, Thomas M Disch, and Edward Bryant.