The World of Tiers Volume Two: Behind the Walls of Terra, the Lavalite World, Red Orc's Rage, and More Than Fire

      Philip José Farmer
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From a multiple Hugo Award winner: Four more novels in a brilliantly imaginative series. In the second half of the World of Tiers series, Kickaha embarks on a journey to the eternally shifting landscape of the Lavalite World of Lord Urthona—and the ultimate clash with his arch nemesis. On Earth, Kickaha and the Lord Anana pursue a rogue Beller called Thabuuz. They thought they had wiped out the last of the biolab-generated artificial intelligences created by the Lords, but it seems one has escaped through a portal to Southern California. Thabuuz must be found before he can spawn more Bellers and revive their war against the Lords. But even though he came from Earth fifty years ago, Kickaha no longer recognizes his former home, now ruled by a hostile Lord known as the Red Orc. Leaving an unwelcoming Earth, Kickaha is trapped on the strange planet he thinks of as Lavalite World, and the only way out is a single gate, located inside Urthona’s palace. But the stronghold moves as readily as the dangerous terrain, making survival an unlikely prospect. After facing harrowing challenges and finally returning home to the World of Tiers, Kickaha is led into one last trap. He’ll have to confront the fearsome enemy who has been hunting him all along—and the fate of the pocket universes lies in the balance. This omnibus contains the author’s preferred text of the novels Behind the Walls of Terra and Lavalite World, reprinted from the limited edition volumes published by Phantasia Press.

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    Just Me

      L. A. Fiore
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Lark O'Bannion learned early that life isn't really like a fairy tale. Parents don't always love their children unconditionally. Damsels are usually left to deal with their distress alone and Prince Charming rarely, if ever, comes riding to the rescue. Happily-ever-afters are a lovely concept, but in reality are few and far between. When Sebastian Ross rolls into her life on his Harley, with his dark beauty and inked skin, Lark is willing to admit that maybe she doesn't know as much as she thinks she does. Sebastian wants nothing more than to get out from under the control of his parents and their desire to force him into a mold. Changing schools in his senior year isn't an act of rebellion, but his attempt to take control of his life by following his own path. One look into Lark's emerald-green eyes and control is taken out of Bastian's hands. He will discover that the only path he wants to follow is the one that leads to her. Mature YA for Adult situations and language.

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    Bleak Seasons

      Glen Cook
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"Let me tell you who I am, on the chance that these scribblings do survive....I am Murgen, Standard bearer of the Black Company, though I bear the shame of having lost that standard in battle. I am keeping these Annals because Croaker is dead. One-Eye won't, and hardly anyone else can read or write. I will be your guide for however long it takes the Shadowlanders to force our present predicament to its inevitable end..." So writes Murgen, seasoned veteran of the Black Company. The Company has taken the fortress of Stormgard from the evil Shadowlanders, lords of darkness from the far reaches of the earth. Now the waiting begins. Exhausted from the siege, beset by sorcery, and vastly outnumbered, the Company have risked their souls as well as their lives to hold their prize. But this is the end of an age, and great forces are at work. The ancient race known as the Nyueng Bao swear that ancient gods are stirring. the Company's commander has gone mad and flirts with the forces of darkness. Only Murgen, touched by a spell that has set his soul adrift in time, begins at last to comprehend the dark design that has made pawns of men and god alike.

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    March to the Sea

      David Weber
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A Bad Neighborhood "Always Faithful." That was the IMC motto, and the Marines of Bravo Company, Bronze Battalion, of the Empress' Own Regiment, lived by it...even if they did occasionally wonder why they bothered. After all, Prince Roger MacClintock, Tertiary Heir to the Throne of Man, was a real piece of work. A spoiled rotten, arrogant, whiny, terminally handsome, thoroughly useless young pain in the butt. But that was before the Royal Brat and his body guards were marooned on Marduk by an assassination attempt. Before they found themselves facing 120° heat in jungles where it rained five or six hours a day...during the dry season. Before they had to march half way around the entire planet, through damnbeasts, Capetoads, killerpillars, and atul-grak. Before they encountered treacherous local potentates, barbarian migrations, and an ocean full of sea serpents that could swallow a topsail schooner whole. Under the right circumstances, even the most spoiled brat can grow up fast, and it turns out that under his petulant, spoiled exterior, Prince Roger is a true MacClintock, a scion of the warrior dynasty which created the Empire of Man a thousand years before. The Marines assigned to guard him have discovered a new belief in him — and in their motto — and they're determined that they will get him off of Marduk aIive. Of course, the planet has other ideas...

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    To Know Her by Name

      Lori Wick
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Who is this woman? McKay Harrington wondered. After chasing and killing an outlaw in the Boulder foothills, Harrington finds himself critically wounded and dependent upon a mysterious woman named Callie. When Harrington returns to his job at the Treasury Department, an unexpected encounter reveals a dangerous masquerade... Can McKay Harrington penetrate the wall of secrecy surrounding Callie's true identity to share the saving love of Jesus Christ? And what about the love growing in his heart for this woman of mystery? An unusual story of love, intrigue, and faith...from the author of the bestselling Where the Wild Rose Blooms and Whispers of Moonlight

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    The Arrow

      Monica McCarty
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As King Robert the Bruce of Scotland plots to retake his English occupied castles, he needs the stealth and skill of his elite soldiers, the Highland Guard. Fearless and indomitable, no men are more loyal to their king, or cherished by the women they love. The talents of legendary marksman Gregor "Arrow" MacGregor are crucial now, as Bruce moves to reclaim his Scottish holdings. Gregor is considered the most handsome man in Scotland, and his fame as an archer is rivaled only by his reputation with the lasses as a heartbreaker. But when his infamous face is exposed during a covert mission, Gregor is forced to lay low. He returns home only to find a new battle waiting: a daring game of seduction involving his now very grown up and very desirable ward, Cate of Lochmaben.A born fighter, Cate was clinging to life when Gregor rescued her after a vicious English raid on her village left her mother dead. But five years later, the once scrappy orphan Gregor took under his protection has become a woman. Brave, strong, and skilled in warfare, Cate is determined to lay claim to the warrior who refuses to be trapped. The heat in his eyes tells her she has his attention... and his desire. But will Gregor allow his heart to surrender before danger finds them, and the truth of Cate's identity is revealed?

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    Cursed

      H. M. Ward
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Ivy's on her way to kick ass and save Collin from the horrors of the Underworld. Along the way she discovers that the truth won't set her free. Deep-seated deception leads Ivy closer to her destiny. But, being queen of the demons is not the destiny she wants. Ivy will have to overcome lust, power, and love if she wants to survive.

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    Dragon Spear

      Jessica Day George
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For Creel, all is right with the world. The dragon king, Shardas, and his queen, Velika, have made a comfy home on the Far Isles, and humans and dragons seem to be at peace. It's the perfect time for Creel to plan her wedding to Prince Luka. Well, it was perfect -- until Velika gets kidnapped, and Creel and Luka set off to save her. And if their most dangerous adventure yet wasn't enough to throw off the wedding, a bridal-gown fiasco just might do the trick. Creel wouldn't trade her friendship with the dragons for the world, but doesn't every girl deserve her happily ever after?

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    Helping Hands

      Laurie Halse Anderson
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Jules and Josh are so excited when their parents hire ponies to attract customers to their sidewalk sale. But the Vet Volunteers notice that the ponies don't seem to be very healthy, and after an examination, they learn that the handler, Gus, has been mistreating them. Can the Vet Volunteers help the ponies get well and find a better life for them?

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    Short Fuses (Four short stories)

      Stephen Leather
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Four short stories from bestselling author Stephen Leather, plus opening chapters of six of his bestselling thrillers.Four short stories from bestselling author Stephen Leather, plus opening chapters of six of his bestselling thrillers.The short stories are: Breaking In (where a burglar gets more than he bargained for when he breaks into a London house), Strangers On A Train (where a mugging on a train doesn't go to plan), Inspector Zhang and the Hotel Guest (where the Singaporean detective solves a mystery) and Cat's Eyes (the backstory of a Bangkok go-go dancer).There are also tasters of six of his bestselling novels, including The Chinaman, The Vets and The Birthday Girl.Stephen Leather is one of the UK's most successful thriller writers. He was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. Before that, he was employed as a biochemist for ICI, shovelled limestone in a quarry, worked as a baker, a petrol pump attendant, a barman, and worked for the Inland Revenue. He began writing full time in 1992. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. Two of his books, The Stretch and The Bombmaker, were made into movies.

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    Ridge

      Stephanie Payne Hurt
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The oldest son of the Cauthen brood and the hardest of all the siblings. After two tours in Iraq, he returns to the 5 Oaks Ranch to take his place in the business. But he struggles with nightmares and the memories of everything he’s seen in the last seven years. Always the toughest of the siblings, he’s turned hard edged and even harder to get close to. When the new veterinarian comes in and startThe oldest son of the Cauthen brood and the hardest of all the siblings. After two tours in Iraq, he returns to the 5 Oaks Ranch to take his place in the business. But he struggles with nightmares and the memories of everything he’s seen in the last seven years. Always the toughest of the siblings, he’s turned hard edged and even harder to get close to. When the new veterinarian comes in and starts to chisel her way through his stone façade Ridge tries to ignore the electricity that sparks between them. Find out what happens to the Oldest of the Cauthen siblings from the 5 Oaks Ranch.

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    Goodnight Mister Tom

      Michelle Magorian
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Young Willie Beech is evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of the Second World War. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley - but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London . . .Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Award.

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    Easy Virtue

      Mia Asher
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Love is selfish... My name is Blaire. I'm the bad girl. The other woman. The one who never gets the guy in the end. I'm the gold digger. The bitch. The one no one roots for. The one you love to hate. I hate myself too... Everyone has a story. Are you ready for mine?

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    Truly Madly Guilty

      Liane Moriarty
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IF ONLY THEY’D SAID NO …Clementine is haunted by regret. It was just a barbeque. They didn’t even know their hosts that well, they were friends of friends. They could so easily have said no.But she and her husband Sam said yes, and now they can never change what they did and didn’t do that Sunday afternoon.Six responsible adults. Three cute kids. One playful dog. It’s an ordinary weekend in the suburbs. What could possibly go wrong?Marriage, sex, parenthood and friendship: Liane Moriarty takes these elements of our lives and shows us how guilt can expose the fault lines in any relationship, and it is not until we appreciate the fragility of life that we can truly value what we have.

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    This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage

      Ann Patchett
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Blending literature and memoir, Ann Patchett, author of State of  Wonder, Run, and Bel Canto, examines her deepest commitments—to writing, family, friends, dogs, books, and her husband—creating a resonant portrait of a life in This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage takes us into the very real world of Ann Patchett’s life. Stretching from her childhood to the present day, from a disastrous early marriage to a later happy one, it covers a multitude of topics, including relationships with family and friends, and charts the hard work and joy of writing, and the unexpected thrill of opening a bookstore. As she shares stories of the people, places, ideals, and art to which she has remained indelibly committed, Ann Patchett brings into focus the large experiences and small moments that have shaped her as a daughter, wife, and writer.

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    Less Than Zero

      Bret Easton Ellis
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Set in Los Angeles in the early 1980's, this coolly mesmerizing novel is a raw, powerful portrait of a lost generation who have experienced sex, drugs, and disaffection at too early an age, in a world shaped by casual nihilism, passivity, and too much money a place devoid of feeling or hope. Clay comes home for Christmas vacation from his Eastern college and re-enters a landscape of limitless privilege and absolute moral entropy, where everyone drives Porches, dines at Spago, and snorts mountains of cocaine. He tries to renew feelings for his girlfriend, Blair, and for his best friend from high school, Julian, who is careering into hustling and heroin. Clay's holiday turns into a dizzying spiral of desperation that takes him through the relentless parties in glitzy mansions, seedy bars, and underground rock clubs and also into the seamy world of L.A. after dark.

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