Anderson. Working from Frank Herbert's own notes, the acclaimed authors reveal the chapter of the Dune saga most eagerly anticipated by readers: the Butlerian Jihad.Throughout the Dune novels, Frank Herbert frequently referred to the war in which humans wrested their freedom from "thinking machines." In Dune: The Butlerian Jihad, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson bring to life the story of that war, a tale previously seen only in tantalizing hints and clues. Finally, we see how Serena Butler's passionate grief ignites the struggle that will liberate humans from their machine masters; here is the amazing tale of the Zensunni Wanderers, who escape bondage to flee to the desert world where they will declare themselves the Free Men of Dune. And here is the backward, nearly forgotten planet of Arrakis, where traders have discovered the remarkable properties of the spice melange. . . . Dune: The Machine Crusade More than two decades have passed since the events chronicled in Dune: The Butlerian Jihad. The crusade against thinking robots has ground on for years, but the forces led by Serena Butler and Irbis Ginjo have made only slight gains; the human worlds grow weary of war, of the bloody, inconclusive swing from victory to defeat.The fearsome cymeks, led by Agamemnon, hatch new plots to regain their lost power from Omnius--as their numbers dwindle and time begins to run out. The fighters of Ginaz, led by Jool Noret, forge themselves into an elite warrior class, a weapon against the machine-dominated worlds. Aurelius Venport and Norma Cenva are on the verge of the most important discovery in human history-a way to "fold" space and travel instantaneously to any place in the galaxy.And on the faraway, nearly worthless planet of Arrakis, Selim Wormrider and his band of outlaws take the first steps to making themselves the feared fighters who will change the course of history: the Fremen.Here is the unrivaled imaginative power that has put Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson on bestseller lists everywhere and earned them the high regard of readers around the globe. The fantastic saga of Dune continues in Dune: The Machine Crusade. Dune: The Battle of Corrin It has been fifty-six hard years since the events of Dune: The Machine Crusade. Following the death of Serena Butler, the bloodiest decades of the Jihad take place. Synchronized Worlds and Unallied Planets are liberated one by one, and at long last, after years of victory, the human worlds begin to hope that the end of the centuries-long conflict with the thinking machines is finally in sight.Unfortunately, Omnius has one last, deadly card to play. In a last-ditch effort to destroy humankind, virulent plagues are let loose throughout the galaxy, decimating the populations of whole planets . . . and once again, the tide of the titanic struggle shifts against the warriors of the human race. At last, the war that has lasted many lifetimes will be decided in the apocalyptic Battle of Corrin.In the greatest battle in science fiction history, human and machine face off one last time. . . . And on the desert planet of Arrakis, the legendary Fremen of Dune become the feared fighting force to be discovered by Paul Muad'Dib in Frank Herbert's classic, Dune.

    But beneath the freckles and red hair--not to mention dirt--are a pair of wide green eyes that awaken previously unknown feelings. And before she knows it, she finds herself buying the strange small boy named Flinx.Just another mouth to feed, say Mother Mastiff's second thoughts, but she stops resenting her inexplicable purchase when she witnesses Flinx's psychic influence on the customers of her rattletrap gift-shop. She even lets him keep Pip, the brightly hued--and deadly--Alaspinian mini-drag Flinx finds...and with whom he bonds as if they were of one mind. For as time goes by, Mother Mastiff comes to love the boy as her own, nurturing him, teaching him everything she knows--and hoping he'll survive into adulthood.That may prove more dicey than she'd care to admit. By the age of sixteen, Flinx is as lithe, quick and quiet as any jungle cat--traits that make him a superb thief and con-artist. But far more deadly than his affinity for the Commonwealth underworld is his unknown history, a past destined to rear its head in terrifying ways, sending him on a wild journey in search of his true self.In For Love of Mother-Not, the renegade group of scientists responsible for Flinx's psychic gifts scheme to get him back--by holding hostage the only person he ever truly care for: Mother Mastiff. In The Tar-Aiym Krang, Flinx must find an ancient otherworldly device that could hold the key to his true nature--or become the deadliest weapon in the Commonwealth. And in Orphan Star, Flinx comes closer than ever to learning about his biological parents--and a family tie to power that can either strengthen or destroy them.

    Complete with a preface, introduction, and story notes by Card himself, here are early stories from eighteen incredibly talented authors who have since shattered the face of science fiction.

    Presents two classic tales of terror, in which the protagonists put their souls in peril by their criminal activities and hope their evil deeds do not catch up to them.

    Who could believe that such a horrible thing could exist? After all, it’s been two hundred years since Thread supposedly fell on Pern. No one alive remembers that first onslaught. There’s no sign of it anywhere in the world. Only the dragons, originally created to be a weapon against Thread, are still around to remind people that once before their population was decimated, their hopes and dreams and livelihoods almost destroyed forever. For two centuries the dragonriders have been practicing and training, passing down from generation to generation the Threadfighting techniques learned on the fly by their besieged ancestors. And most of the Lord Holders are prepared to protect their people, to provide sanctuary, to assemble groundcrews to search out and destroy any Thread that might be missed by the dragons soaring overhead. All but one. Even now the ominous signs are appearing: the violent winter storms and volcanic eruptions that are said to herald the approach of the Red Star and its lethal spawn. Impossibly, one stubborn Lord Holder, Chalkin of Bitra, refuses to believe—and that disbelief could spell disaster for all of Pern. So while the dragonriders desperately train to face an enemy they’ve never fought before, they and the other Lord Holders must find a way to deal with Chalkin and protect Bitra.The Masterharper of Pern: In a time when no Thread has fallen for centuries—when, indeed, many are beginning to dare to hope that Thread will never fall again—a boy is born to Harper Hall. His name is Robinton, and he is destined to be one of the most famous and beloved leaders Pern has ever known. It is a perilous time for harpers. They sing of Thread, yet more and more people are beginning to doubt the return of that deadly scourge. They teach reading, writing, history, but Fax—who hates the harpers in general—is determined to keep his growing area of influence free of the learning that might sow unrest. And they extol the dragonriders, whom many view increasingly as a drain on the resources of the Holds. Now harpers are being turned away from the holds; and, worse yet, they are being derided, attacked, even beaten. It is the climate of unrest that Robinton will come into his own. For despite the tragedies that beset his own life, he continues to believe in music and in the dragons, and is determined to save his beloved Pern from itself…so that the dragonriders can be ready to fly against the dreaded Thread when it at last returns!The Skies of Pern: Now that Pern can look forward to a future without the threat of Threadfall, the people are free to leave their protective stone holds and spread across more of the planet, as well as improve their lives with the newly discovered ancient technology. Not everyone is happy, though. Some resist the change, and consider anything new to be an “abomination”. And the dragonriders are uncertain: without Thread, what will their purpose be in Pernese society? Then a new danger—again from the skies—looms. Once again, the people must pull together… And turn to the only ones who can solve the crisis: the dragonriders of Pern!

    Anderson's The Saga of Shadows: The Dark Between the StarsThis is a slightly edited extract from the first quarter of The Dark Between the Stars, corresponding to chapters 1-2, 6-7, 11-12, 17-19, 22-23, 27-28, 37.

    

    Live out your fantasies for $1,000 a day at Westworld -- the ultimate resort!Murder, violence, wild sexual abandon, any human desire is fulfilled by totally computerized, humanoid robots programmed for your pleasure alone...Until a small computer casualty spreads like wildfire and one man stands alone against the berserk machines bent on total slaughter!Written in script format, with pictures from the movie.

    Free online fiction, short story.Originally posted on Warner Brothers' "The Matrix" website.I suppose that I could claim that I had always suspected that the world was a cheap and shoddy sham, a bad cover for something deeper and weirder and infinitely more strange, and that, in some way, I already knew the truth.

    Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.The Eye of the World — When The Two Rivers is attacked by Trollocs—a savage tribe of half-men, half-beasts— five villagers flee that night into a world they barely imagined, with new dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.The Great Hunt — Long thought only legend, the Horn of Valere is found, a mystical item able to raise the dead heroes of the ages. But then, everything changes when it gets stolen.The Dragon Reborn — Winter has stopped the war—almost—yet men are dying, calling out for the Dragon. But where is he? In the Heart of the Stone lies the next great test of the Dragon reborn.The Shadow Rising — The seals of Shayol Ghul are weak now, and the Dark One reaches out. The Shadow is rising to cover humankind. Against the Shadow rising stands the Dragon Reborn.The Wheel of Time®New Spring: The Novel#1 The Eye of the World#2 The Great Hunt#3 The Dragon Reborn#4 The Shadow Rising#5 The Fires of Heaven#6 Lord of Chaos#7 A Crown of Swords#8 The Path of Daggers#9 Winter's Heart#10 Crossroads of Twilight#11 Knife of DreamsBy Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson#12 The Gathering Storm#13 Towers of Midnight#14 A Memory of Light By Robert Jordan and Teresa Patterson The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time By Robert Jordan, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons The Wheel of Time Companion By Robert Jordan and Amy Romanczuk Patterns of the Wheel: Coloring Art Based on Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

    At the urging of Whorl’s religious leader, Patera Silk, the people left the ship for an uncertain future on Blue – a world already inhabited by the inhumi, blood-drinking aliens who take human form.Now The Book of the Short Sun carries the story forward to the years after the great exodus, to let Horn, narrator of the earlier work, tell his own story.Horn and his family have made a decent life for themselves on Blue, though crime, pollution and poverty have become so rampant in the city of New Viron that he is called upon to find Patera Silk. Horn must go to the still-orbiting Whorl and convince his old friend and mentor to return to Blue, for the legendary hero is the only one who can restore order and lead them to prosperity. But Horn isn’t even sure Silk still lives.Setting sail in a small boat, the aging Horn embarks on a long and difficult journey across the planet, trying to get to the Whorl. With the undine Seawrack, his adopted inhumi son, Krait, and his eldest son, Sinew, Horn makes it to the last working lander – only to be highjacked to the jungles of Green, where the inhumi imprison the passengers as slaves. There, he encounters the mysterious alien Neighbors who were once native to Blue, but whom the inhumi have all but exterminated. Horn joins their fight for freedom, is fatally wounded… and finds himself on another world, wearing a different body.As his inability to find Silk weighs heavily on his mind, Horn is further tormented by the fact that his new body bears a striking resemblance to the lost Caldé. In the end, he will have to answer a troubling question: has he truly failed in his sworn task, or has he become the very man he sought?Includes:On Blue's WatersIn Green's JunglesReturn To The Whorl

    Fan. Author. Editor. Creative force. He has been an integral part of the field for longer than most of his readers have been alive. Earlier this year, he kindly agreed to put together a MEGAPACK® of his short stories, so here, then, is a selection of early works by one of the all-time greats. Included are:ALAREEBIRDS OF A FEATHERBLAZE OF GLORYDELIVERY GUARANTEEDTHE DESSICATORTHE HAPPY UNFORTUNATETHE HUNTED HEROESTHE IRON STARTHE ISOLATIONISTSTHE LONELY ONETHE MAN WHO CAME BACKNEUTRAL PLANETOZYMANDIASTHE PAIN PEDDLERSTHE PLEASURE OF THEIR COMPANYPOINT OF FOCUSPOSTMARK GANYMEDEPRIME COMMANDMENTTHE SONGS OF SUMMERSPACEROGUETHERE WAS AN OLD WOMANTHE WOMAN YOU WANTEDVALLEY BEYOND TIMEWE KNOW WHO WE AREIf you enjoy this ebook, don't forget to search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see more of the 300+ volumes in this series, covering adventure, historical fiction, mysteries, westerns, ghost stories, science fiction -- and much, much more![Version 1.4]

    THEY DIE FAST AND HORRIBLY. From the fertile imagination of bestselling author Michael Anderle… Decades ago, an alien ship fired a missile at Earth as they passed by, and we caught it. That was when humanity truly opened Pandora's box. One more trip into danger, or something beyond danger? Holly Smith has been hired as a consultant to go into the ZOO and retrieve information to help a company find a unique chemical. Holly is not a stranger to danger when trying to uncover that next billion-dollar ingredient, but even Holly has to admit something is wrong with the vibe coming from the ZOO. There should not be a lush jungle in the middle of the Sahara. Needing more information, she leaves the American security enclave and heads to the French/Israeli/India military encampment where mercenaries are known to congregate. Plenty of alcohol should get her the answers she needs, right? The more she learns, the more her concern intensifies. Can she learn if there is real danger, or are they lying? When she finds a good drink, she realizes she might have found the person to tell her the truth. But one person’s truth is another person’s tall tale.With her life on the line, and her next paycheck as well, Holly needs to find out if the ZOO is safe.One last problem: the ZOO doesn't want to give up its secrets. ARE YOU READY TO ENTER THE ZOO? ----Join Holly Smith as she learns about the ZOO, how to stay alive, and the opportunities that being a part of the ZOO have brought humanity. The future is looking interesting and humorous, except for the death part. Go up and click on the 'Read Now' button and enter the ZOO. FIRST FOUR TITLES in SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE AND FAMEBOOK 01 - NOBODY'S FOOLBOOK 02 - NOBODY LIVES FOREVERBOOK 03 - NOBODY DRINKS THAT MUCHBOOK 04 - NOBODY REMEMBERS BUT US

    "Robin Hobb" and "Megan Lindholm" are both pseudonyms used by California-born Margaret Ogden, who from 1983 to 1992, published exclusively as Lindholm. This generous, 400-page hardcover original brings together short stories and novellas penned under both authorial bylines. As Hobb herself notes, "their" writing and styles differ in significant ways. (P.S. This collection includes stories previously unpublished in the United States.)