The gods were supposed to preside over Creation with unmatched wisdom and knowledge. Well, that was the idea. But what is Death – a god of terrible majesty and splendour – supposed to do when his daughter asks for a pony? Is he really supposed to just go out and get a mortal one? Like that’s going to work. It’ll keel over and die in a couple of decades. No, his daughter deserves something better, a pony truly worthy of her divine heritage, which means he’s going to have to get a little bit creative. And then there’s Bureaucracy. The Supreme Mother and Supreme Father might have given rise to Creation, but Bureaucracy is the one who has to keep everything running smoothly. But that’s easier said than done when there are hundreds of gods and countless mortals to consider – none of whom understand the importance of filing paperwork in triplicate. Luckily, not even gods can escape the awesome power of divine paperwork. And let’s not forget gods like Mayhem, Mischief, and Rabble. Their names speak for themselves. When the three of them take a holiday in the mortal world at the same time, trouble is right around the corner. Divine Assistance is a collection of fourteen short stories about the gods and their attempts to manage Creation. There are souls to claim, mortals to woo, and even the occasional city to smite. After all, what’s life without a little divine assistance?

    He left the violence behind for a life of science, raising a family far from the bloodshed of the Corporation. With his wife, Sarah, and son, Michael, he studied the alien Tyr for years, hidden among their complex societies. Their mission should have ended with the arrival of a replacement team. Instead, the Clays’ corporate overlords choose a death sentence: an invasion fleet to conquer the Tyr.This first contact will destroy the Tyr, and only Daniel Clay and his family can help fight back against the drug-fueled conscripts and military might of the invaders. The Clays must help the Tyr from the shadows or be killed by the Tyr who fear them...or by the Corporation they’ve betrayed.But the Clays aren’t the only hidden power.If you like Avatar or V, you’ll love The Tyr Trilogy, a series that combines the wonder, excitement, and drama of top-notch sci-fi.

    Included in this ebook bundle are A Gift of Ghosts, A Gift of Thought, The Spirits of Christmas, and A Gift of Time. A Gift of Ghosts: Akira has secrets. But so does the town of Tassamara. A Gift of Thought: Sylvie Blair swore she’d never go back to Tassamara. She was wrong. The Spirits of Christmas: Akira's plans are simple: write wedding invitations, bake Christmas cookies, and eat red meat. (The last surprises her, too.) But when Rose, the ghost who haunts her house, asks for a favor, Akira can't say no. A Gift of Time: Natalya thought she could see everything. Time is proving her wrong.

    The more power he gains, the more he craves.While nations war against one another, the Dark Lord rises. An army of monsters invades, sending the world toward the brink of doom.A team of misfits find themselves the fulcrum point of destiny, their world teetering upon their actions, certain to crumble should they fail. Led by cryptic passages from a dark prophecy, these heroes set off on two separate quests.One expedition leads to the Enchanter's Isle, rumored to hide a mysterious object known as the Band of Amalgamation. The other involves the Arc of Radiance, a sacred object protected by a lost race of elves.What powers might these two enchanted relics unlock?Can they be recovered before it is too late?

    But when Ilan, Terrac, and the Fists in their command enter Skeltai territory through a magic portal, they find themselves in more danger than they bargained for. Their only hope of returning home alive may lie in sacrificing the thing Ilan values most -- her enchanted bow. * * * * *Book 5: Journey of Thieves -- Upon leaving Dimmingwood, Ilan thinks she has finally escaped the influence of her old enemy, the Praetor. But the secrets of her past catch up to her when she and her friends are trailed across the provinces by a mysterious assassin with a haunting connection to her childhood. * * * * *Book 6: Rule of Thieves -- Returning home, Ilan finds nothing is as she left it. After a year of peace, Skeltai raiders are once again threatening the province, even as the Dimmingwood thieves find themselves betrayed by the praetor. From within the castle in Selbius Ilan must guard against an unknown enemy plotting her assassination, while uncovering a mage's secret that could help her protect the province. When old friends turn against her, will a new alliance prove powerful enough to defend against the dark magic of the enemy? Or will the coming battle be Ilan's last? --- Books 1, 2, and 3 sold separately --

     After that he had been rescued by more aliens! But only to be dumped on an alien planet in an alien galaxy and left to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. But there was nothing to figure out. The sights were indescribable. The smells intolerable. The food – even the stuff that was supposedly safe to eat – inedible. And the people unimaginable. There was only one thing he knew. He wanted to go home. And if the aliens wouldn't take him back to Earth, then he would just have to buy a spaceship and damn well fly himself back there!

     Her family massacred, her home destroyed, she escapes with nothing but her mother’s heirloom and the desire for vengeance. When she’s found by Dormael, a Warlock of the Conclave, she learns that her mother’s keepsake—the very reason her family was killed—holds the power to unleash boundless destruction. Dormael and Shawna must flee for their lives before a vengeful enemy and guard against the deadly secret it seeks to unearth. Some secrets are best left buried, and vengeance must be pulled from the fists of the gods. With danger closing in around them, Shawna and Dormael are left with little choice. Will they escape, or will they drown beneath a tide of blood? From book two, The Knife in the Dark:Sanctuary beckons, but hides a deadly secret within. Dormael and D’Jenn bring a dangerous artifact home to the Conclave, hoping to answer the riddle behind an ancient mystery. But their homecoming only raises more questions as they discover an undercurrent of lies beneath the surface—lies that have been eating at the foundation of the Conclave itself, and subverting all they’ve sworn to uphold. Caught in a web of treachery, they must uncover the truth to free themselves, and keep an ancient weapon from falling into the wrong hands. To survive, Dormael and D’Jenn may have to sacrifice everything. With their home crumbling around them, they’re forced to make a dreadful choice. Will they navigate the waters of intrigue steeping the Conclave in turmoil, or be crushed by the cold heels of their enemies?From book three, The Old Man of the Temple:An archaic power awakens, but the shadows of antiquity conceal a terrible truth. Fugitives from the Conclave, Dormael and his friends flee with the armlet in their possession. Hounded by their former allies, they undertake a dangerous trek to an ancient ruin—a place where the only things older than the stones are the secrets buried beneath them. Pain and darkness wait in the halls of the dead, but something worse may be closing in from behind. With evil stirring, the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Will Dormael and his friends uncover the mystery of the artifact, or be destroyed by those who wish its power for themselves? For Dormael, D’Jenn, and Shawna, failure could mean the destruction of everything they know. The war is just beginning, and the gods will weigh the price in blood.

    It's heading for Earth at twelve thousand miles per hour...and it will land virtually undetected. For Jack McAllister, a young writer who has finally launched a career for himself, it begins tragically: his estranged father, a former NASA engineer, dies suddenly at his home in Merriweather, Indiana, leaving Jack's Alzheimer's-stricken mother a widow. But in the wake of personal heartbreak, he's confronted by an even more astonishing event--the covert landing of an alien machine in the forest just a few miles outside of town. Now Jack must unmask the true purpose of the otherworldly device that has begun a detailed environmental survey of the woods. Aided by the town's young and resilient female deputy sheriff, he soon discovers that the alien scout is only one small part of a much larger operation, and the countdown to a terrifying global catastrophe is about to take place. Drawing deeply from his father’s scientific influence, all while attempting to avoid the snares of a sexy, seductive and scheming local TV reporter, Jack uncovers—and ultimately finds himself an unwilling component of—an alien plan set to terminate life on Earth as we know it.

    Hephaestus Books represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as Hephaestus Books continues to increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge. This particular book contains chapters focused on The Chronicles of Amber, Chronicles of Amber books, and The Chronicles of Amber characters. More info: The Chronicles of Amber is a popular fantasy series by Roger Zelazny. The main series consists of two story arcs, each five novels in length. Additionally, there are a number of Amber short stories and other works.

    Can her Grizzly lover put the past behind them?”Oliver Pax is one of the most prolific composers of all time. He is the award-winning writer of such Broadway hits as The Beast of Brooklyn Heights and its upcoming conclusion Where Beauty Lives. A loner known for his grumpy and secretive nature, the reclusive Grizzly Bear Shifter is in for the shock of his life when a blast from his past washes up on his doorstep after a terrible accident.Teresa Witherspoon has been on the run for the past two years. She’s traveled across the country and back again fearing the day her father and his henchmen find her and her son. Caring for Thomas has kept her going this far, but when an accident leaves her hospitalized she has no choice but to call the one person she swore to stay away from.Will the Grizzly Bear Shifter she’d once loved help her in her time of need?

    Many more innocents are marked for death. And he's closer to the elusive mastermind than the FBI. Tommy must overcome his own criminal past to stop him before the biggest slaughter yet.Do you like tough, charismatic protagonists?Do you like stories about dark secrets?Do you like gritty suspense with shocking twists?Then you'll love Sky's Shadow by Ted Galdi, an Amazon #1 bestselling author who's won Reader Views and Readers' Favorite awards, and been featured by FOX, ABC, and iHeartRadio.Tommy's unique skillset of grit and deception is unlike anything you've seen. Start your thrill ride alongside him today.This crime thriller is perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and David Baldacci.

     When Emily Dorne is kidnapped off the street, she has no idea what kind of dangers await her—or what long forgotten feelings will be stirred up by the man who buys her. Her crush from high school is no longer a starry-eyed boy; he’s a powerful and sexy sheikh, and he’s ready to make Emily his. The last person Sheikh Adnan al Mahsi expected to see during his sting operation was an old flame. Now that he has her in his sights again, he wants to explore the sizzling heat between them. But will Emily let him, or will she run? Note: Story contains steamy scenes of passion and romance between an alpha Sheikh and a passionate young woman.

    The kind of place where women fall to their knees, call men sir, and get lashed with a belt. Gage Stratford. Dark, damaged, cold-blooded and gorgeous, with secrets so deep you could drown. He touched me that night, made me feel things that excited and terrified me in equal measure. When I turned up at my internship the next day, I was shocked to find he was my new boss. My billionaire boss was the one who had made me feel like I couldn’t help but fall to my knees and do whatever he commanded. He says he can’t stay away from me. That he needs to make me his submissive, to take me over his desk, to punish me and make me his. But our horrific pasts have made us who we are, and to get close to him means to crack each other open and expose the very things we’ve worked so hard to bury. And when our secrets come out, not only our love but also our lives will be on the line -- leaving us bound together forever, or destroyed and shattered beyond repair. Being together isn’t an option. But staying apart is impossible….