Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: The Way of Cross and Dragon. Source: Wikipedia. Free updates online. Not illustrated. Excerpt: "The Way of Cross and Dragon" is a science fiction short story by George R. R. Martin. It involves a far-future priest of the One True Interstellar Catholic Church of Earth and the Thousand Worlds (with similarities to the Roman Catholic hierarchy) investigating a sect that reveres Judas Iscariot. The story deals with the nature and limitations of religious faith. The story originally appeared in the June 1979 issue of Omni. Damien Har Veris, a priest skilled in resolving heretical disputes efficiently, is sent as Knight Inquisitor, despite spiritual exhaustion, by his alien archbishop to deal with a particular cult that has made a saint of Judas Iscariot. The sect follows a religious text, The Way of Cross and Dragon, that describes the life of Iscariot, and revises his place in Christianity. The text describes how, born of a prostitute, Iscariot mastered the dark arts to become a tamer of dragons and the ruler of a great empire. After torturing Christ, Iscariot relinquished his empire to become the penitent Legs of Christ, the first and best-beloved of the Twelve Apostles. Returning from proselytising to find Christ crucified, an enraged Iscariot then destroyed the perpetrating empire and strangled St. Peter for renouncing Christ, only to discover, too late, Christ's Resurrection. Rejecting Judas' violence, Christ restored St. Peter to life and gave him the keys of the kingdom. St. Peter then suppressed the truth about Judas, villifying his name and exploits. Seeking redemption for his wrath, Iscariot became the thousand-year-old Wandering Ju, before finally rejoining Christ in the Kingdom of God. Perusing the materials of the sect, Har Veris finds hims...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=230181

    A mission to retrieve an injured Navy SEAL from the treacherous mountains of Afghanistan is all in a day's work -- until he learns the missing SEAL is his former lover. This time it's personal.Publisher's Note: This short story was previously published in the Because of the Brave anthology.

    THE ACCIDENTAL HERO (A Digital Short)A ruthless hitman confronts his destiny in a startling tale of redemption.

    

    A hard-boiled tale of gritty dystopian noir. "The Sun Never Rises in the Big City" received an honorable mention in Best Horror of the Year, Volume Three."The Sun Never Rises in the Big City" is a short story of 5100 words.Jeremy C. Shipp is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of books such as CURSED, SHEEP AND WOLVES, VACATION, and FUNGUS OF THE HEART. ----------------------Praise for Jeremy C. Shipp:"This is intriguing, challenging, literate, provocative....I recommend it to those who find reality boring; it may make them see it in new ways."—Piers Anthony, the Xanth Series"Jeremy Shipp is a very good drug. I hope this book gets banned in high schools soon!"—John Skipp "This is an unforgettable work—a must read you’ll savor long after the final page."—Lisa Mannetti, Bram Stoker Award winner"A diverse, unpredictable, and intelligent read. Two thumbs up!”—Midwest Book Review

    But as the Black Death reaches its hand into his uncle’s workshop, young Tonino is faced with making a choice to survive. From the author of THE GONDOLA MAKER and MADE IN VENICE comes a short tale of pestilence, Venetian artisanship, and the will to live.

    Feeling at a loss now that Mike has moved on, Mary nevertheless works diligently to uncover the story behind a ghost—or two— who are terrified to talk to the police, even an ex-cop like Mary. Luckily, Bradley is right beside her when the story she seeks somehow leads back to a scattering of bones.

    A young socialite from Boston, she is shocked and dismayed when her father announces he has sold her into a marriage to settle his financial debts. Worse yet, the man she is to marry lives in the wilds of Nebraska. Despite her misgivings, Molly takes the train to Nebraska and is met by her fiancé. But within a day, he shows his true colors, and Molly is forced to flee in the middle of the night during a snowstorm. U.S. Marshal Jake McDonald has a problem. He’s home from Kansas for his father’s funeral and has to decide what to do about his mother and sister. Dare he leave them alone to try and run the farm themselves or should he stay and give up being a lawman? His situation grows even more complicated when he finds an unconscious woman in the snow and takes her home to recuperate. When it turns out she has amnesia, he is left to solve the mystery behind her appearance at his farm. Christmas is coming and Jake and Molly are quickly falling in love. Molly, feigning the amnesia, can’t tell him the truth about herself, though, and doesn’t know what to do. Will their Christmas dreams come true or turn into a nightmare?

    He can hardly remember his days of wanderlust, and he’s grateful to have left behind the violence of a raw frontier. In a celebratory mood, Steve invites his mother to a meet her new grandchild in a chic resort in Monterey, California. With the delivery of a handwritten note, his world suddenly reverts to the savagery of his bygone days. There will be no peace.

    This debut international thriller tangles a sordid web of love and intrigue.

    Roberts Bigfoot Stories are collections of stories from eyewitnesses that had their own encounters with an unknown creature lurking in the woods that is called Bigfoot. These eyewitnesses have contacted the author and wanted to share their story. These reports are from ordinary men and women who have seen Bigfoot in the flesh and have told that their lives have been changed forever. Read the stories about: 1. Camping in an RV Park 2. Cattle Ranch 3. Appalachian Trail 4. Mobile Home 5. Cumberland Plateau After reading these stories, you may want to think twice before going out in the woods! Be sure to read the three book series "Sharing the Mountain with Bigfoot; The First Year, The Second Year, and The Third Year, By Jada L Roberts About the Author: Jada L. Roberts is an avid reader. With a BS in American History and passion for writing, the author relives and now writes about her and her family's past experiences with an unknown creature that haunted them in the woods of the Appalachian Mountains. The author's hobbies are reading, writing, long distant hiking, and enjoying quality time with her first grandchild.

     Ex-Apache helicopter pilot Doug Reeves is happily living out his retirement on board a power yacht in the Monterey marina. When his neighbour’s boat suddenly explodes he begins asking questions. It soon becomes clear that what first seemed like an unfortunate accident was actually part of a much greater conspiracy. Unable to let things lie, Reeves calls in favours from his old friends in the military. But his investigation soon imperils both his life and his blossoming relationship with Donni Brakken. Will Reeves get to the bottom of this crime? Will his relationship with Donni be put at risk? Will he make it out alive? Praise for William H Lovejoy: “Tightly plotted,..well-written…engaging!”---Nelson DeMille, author of The Lion’s Game “Paperback vet Lovejoy makes his hardcover debut a memorable occasion with an ultracool, swiftly paced take of cyberspace chicanery...A grand user-friendly yarn that gives new meaning to the words computer error.” - Kirkus Review "Lovejoy tells another great story of fast-paced aerial action…Phantom Strike rings with authenticity and puts you in the middle of the action--makes you feel as if you should strap on your G-suit to go along on the mission." ---Jimmie H. Butler, Colonel, USAF, Retired, author of The Iskra Incident "Delta Green is an exciting aerial thriller. Buckle your seat belts!"---Joe Weber, author of Defcon One "Alpha Kat is an action-packed, rip-snorting adventure tale from William Lovejoy, this time with high-tech fighters and red-hot fighter pilots. Technothriller fans are going to enjoy this one." - Stephen Coonts, best-selling author William H Lovejoy has publications in English, Spanish, Hebrew and Japanese. He is the author of twenty-five thriller, suspense, and mystery novels, including Delta Blue, Delta Green, Alpha Kat, Phantom Strike and Ultra Deep. A Vietnam veteran, he resides in Colorado and is Vice Chancellor Emeritus from Mohave Community College.

    

    Once you have been there, you will never be the same. Read 3 of the most important historical novels that will take you back to some of AFRICA’S most notable and captivating periods. The super addictive trilogy starts here. Ready for the ride? Book 1: Cry of the Fish Eagle Rupert’s family is happy and at peace. But a vulnerable future is ahead. Chaos is coming. The Rhodesian War is looming… Rupert escapes to Rhodesia from the bloody conflict that is terrorising Europe. His mission is not just duty-driven but a promise to look for an orphaned, young girl. It’s a futile search and with time running out he has no choice but to re-join the theatre of war. When peace returns Rupert travels back to Rhodesia to begin anew, to find the orphaned girl and to start a new life. But nothing can prepare him for what is next as we helplessly watch Rupert wade against a chaotic tide of nationalism. Book 2: Vultures in the Wind Luke was close to death. He had been beaten mercilessly and was unrecognisable. They wanted the names of his ANC accomplices. Matthew Gray and Luke Mbeki were born on the same day, spending a brief childhood on an African beach, blissfully ignorant of the outside world. But their youth is severed. Released into the real world, the two now face their future in a country deep in the throes of violent change. Can the rules and discipline of discrimination pull the men apart? Is there any mercy? And what happens when these two eventually cross paths? Book 3: Just the Memory of Love Will he ever find his love again or will she always just be a memory? The war is finally over and for the young and naïve Will Langton, his future is full of exciting adventure and happy dreams. Captivated by a brief, but innocent love affair on the rocks of Dancing Ledge, the romance is shattered in one single moment and she is lost to him. For Will, it's an unbearable pain that he cannot hope to escape from and the only means to assuage his sorrow is to run away… to Africa. “It was as if I was reading my own life, knowing all the areas. I loved it.” “Deeply moving and entertaining read.” “Peter Rimmer writes a very interesting story with good detail on what happened in Southern Africa prior to independence.” “A gripping story that will stay with you long after the end of the book....” Grab your copy today

    Ten tales of murder, mayhem, madness, and dark magic from a #1 bestselling author. A man finds that fast cars and fast women don't mix. An artist uses very special tools to convey his passion. A rebellious teen will make any sacrifice for rock stardom. A mother finds a new role in a post-apocalyptic world. Gateway Drug. It leads to more dangerous things.Features "Hounds of Love, "Sung Li," and other tales from the pages of Cemetery Dance, The Book of All Flesh, and more, along with the afterword "One Sick Puppy." Bonus contributions from British horror master Tim Lebbon and multi-award-winning Australian dark fantasy writer Shane Jiraiya Cummings.