Elorion has just finished a VR gaming session to find a monster waiting for him. With nineteen other students who have also been kidnapped, he is now subject to the whims of a thousand-year-old succubus and must survive deep under the earth in the lost realm of the Underworld. Gifted with the ability to use magic and advance in power, he is given an ultimatum. Level up or die...

    Here are sad-hearted priests, old friends, young lovers, rockers and rebels, husbands and runaway wives, punks and poets. They all are clinging desperately to some kind of faith in a mutable and dangerous world.

    

    The characters on the 'Ship of Fools' - a ship that's going nowhere very fast - bicker and struggle for attention: telling tales that bounce off one another to form a compendium of interrelated stories.

    Fourteen years later, a girl named Jolly has come to believe that she is the only survivor of that legendary generation. Accustomed to life amid pirates, she has honed her talents with practice, and must put them to use after a shipwreck forces her to flee without her shipmates.

    Their father, a Ted Hughes scholar and scruffy romantic, imagines a future of well-meaning visitors and emptiness.In this moment of despair they are visited by Crow - antagonist, trickster, healer, babysitter. This self-described sentimental bird is attracted to the grieving family and threatens to stay until they no longer need him. As weeks turn to months and physical pain of loss gives way to memories, this little unit of three begin to heal.In this extraordinary debut - part novella, part polyphonic fable, part essay on grief, Max Porter's compassion and bravura style combine to dazzling effect. Full of unexpected humour and profound emotional truth, Grief is the Thing with Feathers marks the arrival of a thrilling new talent.

    Includes stunning illustrations by Christoph Niemann. "A novelist who writes in a universal language." --The New York TimesIn The Archer we meet Tetsuya, a man once famous for his prodigious gift with a bow and arrow but who has since retired from public life, and the boy who comes searching for him. The boy has many questions, and in answering them Tetsuya illustrates the way of the bow and the tenets of a meaningful life. Paulo Coelho's story suggests that living without a connection between action and soul cannot fulfill, that a life constricted by fear of rejection or failure is not a life worth living. Instead one must take risks, build courage, and embrace the unexpected journey fate has to offer.With the wisdom, generosity, simplicity, and grace that have made him an international best seller, Paulo Coelho provides the framework for a rewarding life: hard work, passion, purpose, thoughtfulness, the willingness to fail, and the urge to make a difference.

    An escape from reality, a place of plentiful loot and dark powers, drawing would-be heroes from across the world. After his brother's accident, Chris is holding the family together. When he runs into money troubles, he finds an answer in an unlikely place. It's a land of adventure, fighting, spells, and skills. Most importantly, somewhere fortunes can be made. Chris is going to the new island of Artemis, but it won't be simple. The developers have created Artemis with the toughest of adventurers in mind, and nobody knows what happens there at night.... He chooses a less-popular class: scout. If he's to survive, he'll need to learn new powers, battle monsters, forge alliances, and most of all, discover how to master the game. Chris will need his wits and his courage if he's to beat the game and become the Scout of Artemis.

    If you've ever longed to dare epic deeds of your own, then these stories are for you!It's a LIMITED EDITION bundle that won't be around long. Each book can stand alone, although many are part of a larger world also waiting to be explored.This epic read of about 2000 pages with over 200 5-star reviews for the individual books includes:* REQUIEM’S SONG (Dawn of Dragons: Book 1) - Daniel Arenson* SLEEPERS (The Swarm Trilogy: Book 1) - Megg Jensen* MISTRESS OF MASKS (Catalysts of Chaos: Book 1) - C. Greenwood* HERITAGE (The Gairden Chronicles: Book 1) – David L. Craddock* UNGUILDED (Mage Guild: Book 1) – Jane Glatt* THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD (The Half-Orcs: Book 1) - David Dalglish* THE COST OF BETRAYAL (The Half-Orcs: Book 2) - David Dalglish

    A sample of offerings from international fantasy superstar Andrzej Sapkowski, and the perfect introduction to his work.Best known for his series of stories and novels about Geralt, the Witcher, Sapkowski is one of the most successful fantasy authors in the world.Contains: 2 complete Witcher short stories taken from THE LAST WISH, the first chapter of BLOOD OF ELVES, the first Witcher novel, an exclusive sneak peak at BAPTISM OF FIRE, the third full-length book in the series, and a non-Witcher short story "The Malady."

    Nominated for the prestigious Finlandia prize, this is a book of changes that speaks of metamorphoses that test all of nature from a flea to a star, from stone and grass to a human.

    She was right about one of them. This story first appeared in the anthology CHANGING THE WORLD in 2009.

    A very special anthology that's a must for all fans of the Shadowhunter novels! Featuring characters from Cassandra Clare's international best-selling novels from the Shadowhunters world including The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices, this anthology showcases beautifully illustrated portraits from Cassandra Jean - creator of The Shadowhunter Tarot - alongside never-before-known details from Cassandra Clare about all your favourite characters.

    Five other tales describe folk in Britain's lowest professional class between the late-1950s and 60s.

    Brownstone books 7 – 12 (Including Fight Fire With Fire, Hail To The King, Alison Brownstone, One Bad Decision, Fatal Mistake, Karma Is A Bitch.) Fight Fire With Fire The Drow are back. Unfortunately, the Drow are looking to get hold of Alison.An order to locate the princess means they need to find and deal with Brownstone.They will have to go through him first. Hail To The King Men Will Be Men Tyler has figured out an additional way to make money off Brownstone.But Brownstone has to agree, first.Brownstone gets a request from his hacker support after doing a job for the Professor.It seems she might have upset someone close to home.Will Tyler piss off Brownstone and end the bar’s neutrality, or has the Professor found someone with enough magic to take Brownstone out and asked for a favor? Alison Brownstone Alison is back to share summer with James. The problem is that James' lawyer says that they are going to fight his effort to adopt her.James has to pull in his natural proclivity to punch something until it gives in with the government.Unfortunately for the government, James' friends have his back.The Drow Queen makes an unexpected appearance, fighting James in the courtroom. One Bad Decision Shay goes to a museum and consults with the AET. Then, she doesn't come home on time. Brownstone goes on a rampage when he learns what happens.Using his contacts, Brownstone gets Tyler involved when he learns that Lt. Hall is in trouble.The criminals are powerful, and clever.It seems the hit on the Los Angeles Museum was planned far in advance.Well, planned or not, if you come into Brownstone's area and kidnap his woman, you have a problem. Fatal Mistake The government is trying to take down the Council... But they get their asses handed to them.One of the senators wanted to play hardball from the beginning but got outvoted.Now, the head of the task force is killed.Will they wise up and swallow their pride to get the best?Lt. Hall is working more closely with Shay, and admits that the kidnapping and fights and losing a man has made it hard to sleep. Karma Is A Bitch The Council Is Dead. Long Live the New Council. How do you have a Council of one?Brownstone is working to get back into a rhythm, but the last remaining Council member is seeking Brownstone.Shay has jobs to do, but can she leave Brownstone alone without him dying?Can Lt.