The fates of Harry Possum and a hundred others hang in the balance, it’s come down to Flossy’s next decision. Every scenario has been considered, every contingency planned out to the nth degree, but she knows no battle plan survives the first shot and can’t escape the queasy feeling she’s overlooked something obvious, something that could make all the difference. What will the pirates do next?The fates of Harry Possum and the hundred soldier-sailors making up Port Isabel’s fledgling navy hang in the balance, it’s down to Flossy’s next decision. Every scenario has been considered, every contingency planned out to the nth degree, but she knows no battle plan survives the first shot and can’t escape the queasy feeling she’s overlooked something obvious, something that could make all the difference. Months of captivity taught her just how nasty and tricky pirates can be, and that was before they had the perfect reason for revenge. What will they do next?By the end of the next ice age, all that remains of the once great, world-spanning human civilisation are myths and ancient, inexplicable artefacts lying at the feet of melting glaciers. Thanks to the red-hot Heat Tree reefs that keep the ice at bay, the lands above the Gulf of Mexico are some of the few places still warm enough to support life. On the western shores of the Gulf is Port Isabel, a town conceived and built by owls who mysteriously vanished hundreds of years before without even bothering to say goodbye. The animals that live there are industrious, peaceful and vegetarian; except for those that aren't, which is where all the trouble starts.

This book is my account of my investigation into The Secret Society of the Great Pumpkin, a frightening annual Corps of Cadets Halloween tradition at Texas A&M University. Active Duty US Marine sergeant instructors assigned to Texas A&M play a cat and mouse game with cadets to stop The Great Pumpkin. If they can ever stop The Great Pumpkin just once, the tradition dies.Disclaimer: My story is laced with gobs of profanity. My heavy use of swear words is very likely to be offensive to meemaws, church ladies, and a bunch of men too.While it’s true that US Marines commonly spoke with profanities 20 years ago, I have a sense they use profanity less so today.The Secret Society of the Great Pumpkin is a real and secret society of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University. You will never find one former cadet or student or faculty who will admit they’ve ever heard of it or they know anything about it. To talk about it is to bring forth the curse of The Great Pumpkin and find yourself haunted and ostracized by Aggies for the rest of your life. No Aggie would want that.This book is my account of my investigation into The Secret Society of the Great Pumpkin, a frightening annual Corps of Cadets Halloween tradition at Texas A&M University.

Two kids break out of a juvenile detention center and become fugitives in order to clear their convicted parents' names in this heartstopping series from kid-read master Gordon Korman. Aidan and Meg Falconer are their parents' only hope. The Falconers are facing life in prison -- unless Aidan and Meg can follow a trail of clues to prove their innocence. The problem? Right now they're trapped in a juvenile detention center. Until they escape one night -- and find themselves on the run, both from the authorities and from a sinister attacker t who has his own reason to stop them. The Falconers must use their wits to make it across the country ... with plenty of tests along the way. Gordon Korman takes readers into FUGITIVE territory -- with thrilling results.

Out of print for fifteen years, Lawrence Block's third book in his hilarious Tanner series is back. . . And this time the intrepid spy is up to his neck in a dozen leggy beauties and a life-and-death smuggling assignment out of the cold corners of Russia.

An alien spy discovers a plot to convert the sages of the galaxy to the cult of the Living Darkness. Thwarting the plot becomes a desperate fight for survival.Swords and guns, magic and technology, human and inhuman collide in a terrible Galactic War. The peace that follows proves an unsettling calm. The alien Ambiguous Clarity is an agent of his people's Ministry of Vigilance. He recruits the war heroine Vain Glory for a mission to thwart a sinister plot. Ironically, Ambiguous Clarity is answering an invitation to his own doom.

Chris Lawler was born into a military orientated house hold and his Officer Father forces him to join the Army that leads to the SAS. He goes on to Join the French Foreign Legion. To later find himself in Vietnam and later Angola. Eventually joining the Royal Marines and serving in Northern IrelandChris Lawler was born into a military orientated house hold, on the colourful Island of Singapore. where his Officer Father was serving at the time. Which led to a very strict up bring by his Father. Although later Chris was go a little further in recalling that his Father believing he was running the house hold like a military regime. As Chris was certain he thought he was ordering recruits around, when he was ordered to do things. He was forced to join the Army, which turned out to be the start of a complete military way of life. As he went on to join other units, that took him around the world. After a short courtship he was married and started a family. Sadly, there are times when the family spent a lot of time apart, and a major tragedy changed his complete way of life that eventually lead to crime. However, he was later to joined the French Foreign Legion, and travelled to Africa. While later he travelled to Vietnam, Angola. Eventually ending up in the Royal Marines and Northern Ireland.

A tale of high fantasy, with guns, swords, magic, and anything that makes the heart beat faster. Follow the lives of individuals that live and breathe the romances of the past and excitements of the future, all of who live in the shadow of the Goddess, Axiatés, destined to create a second sun for the earth.“What happened to mi casa su casa?”“Drew, mi casa es su casa, but not to go and make it look like a tornado hit the place.”“You want me to leave?”He stops scratching about and glares at Peter-John.“No one is forcing you to stay. You’re free to leave if you wish.”He looks at him.Drew can’t read him.“Fine! I’ll pack my stuff and go.”“I wish you wouldn’t.”He shakes his head.Despondence the only face he could manage.“I don’t get you, Pete?”He walks closer to the kitchen, where Peter-John is sitting.“Everyone else has told me to take a hike. I only give you problems and still you… wish… I wouldn't.”“What’s not to get, Drew?”Serious expression on Peter-John’s face.“Why are you doing this?”He starts pacing.“You’re my friend.”

Two rival photographers searching for mutual harmony while tempting the raw powers of nature and action will engage in a game of photographic mayhem on the ice fields of Greenland to resolve a bet that one can produce a better calendar than the other. Will Jake the action junkie win? Or will Kate's eye for tranquility claim her victory? Can their mutual respect even survive such harsh conditions?In 1992, photographers Jake and Kate are sent to Greenland to shoot a calendar highlighting the ice country in its fiercest majesty. Both believe their styles are better than the other’s, so much in fact that they split the assignment into two separate calendars, “Icy Wonders” and “Greenland’s Fury,” and make a bet that one can outsell the other by the end of the year in an all-out commercial war. Their rivalry is heated in spite of the frigid cold they walk, eat, and sleep in, but at the end of the day, only one can win. Is it the spirited Jake, who will bait a herd of muskoxen into a fight just to make his calendar month amazing, or the zen-like Kate, who has an eye for the risky tranquility of sleeping wolves, that will win the calendar battle of the year?Their adventure takes them through several harrowing turns as each photo shoot puts them closer to that line between victory or defeat. But nothing prepares them for the moment when their respective styles come back to bite them and they are forced to reconcile their differences. Will their understanding of each other bring them closer together, or will their stubborn ideas enhance their rivalry? And what long-term effects will their exciting yet frightening adventure leave with them once the calendars are released and the bet is settled? Can they handle the fame that follows them into the twenty-first century?In “Lightstorm,” these opposing forces of nature will find out just how wild their ambitions can get and how drastically one week in Greenland can change their lives forever.

"Having lived long enough with the charming fairy tale created by my biographer, I feel the time has come for the truth to be known. I propose to tell all; of the origins of The Nine, the elixir that gives us nearly eternal youth and superhuman strength, the struggles between us that set the world atremble." The follow-up to Jose Farmer's shocking and controversial A Feast Unknown. A brand-new edition of the classic novel.

When a freak accident endows a terminally ill man with extraordinary mental powers, he’ll spend his last days either as the only hope against a terrorist—or as the fanatic’s ultimate weapon.Publishers Weekly heralded this first book in Richard Bard's Brainrush thriller series as "terrifically entertaining" and "inventive and compelling." It went on to earn The Wall Street Journal's #1 Action/Adventure slot in their Guide to Self-Published Big Sellers.Before he slid into the MRI machine, Jake Bronson was just an ordinary guy with terminal cancer. But when an earthquake hits during the procedure, Jake staggers from the wreckage a profoundly changed man, now endowed with uncanny mental abilities.An ocean away, Luciano Battista wants a piece of Jake's talent. Posing as a pioneering scientist, the terrorist leader has been conducting cerebral-implant experiments in a sinister quest to create a breed of super jihadist agents...and Jake's altered brain may be the key to his success. But Jake refuses to play the pawn in an unholy war--and when an innocent woman and autistic child are taken hostage to force his cooperation, he embarks on a jihad of his own. Jake and his band of loyal friends are thrust into a deadly chase that leads from the canals of Venice through Monte Carlo and finally to an ancient cavern in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan--where Jake discovers that his newfound talents carry a hidden price that threatens the entire human race.An “international thriller with soul.” Ideal reading for fans of Michael Crichton, Clive Cussler, James Rollins, Brad Thor, Dan Brown, Matthew Reilly, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, and Vince Flynn.Reviews"A terrifically entertaining thriller with three finely executed set pieces strung together with nice characterization. Especially successful is Bronson, an amiable, low-key tough guy able to rescue his princess, survive brutality, and retain a sense of humor." – Publishers Weekly “Coming out of something stronger is usually a good thing, but Jake Bronson quickly realizes some things are just as much blessings as they are curses. "Brainrush" follows Jake Bronson as he comes into new cognitive powers, but finds him targeted by both sides of the war on terror, as he embarks on a worldwide journey to save his daughter, and maybe humanity along the way. "Brainrush" is a fine and hard to put down thriller, recommended.” – Midwest Book Review“A triumphant merger of James Bond and psychic facilities.” – Kirkus"Brainrush explores the bonds of friendship while pushing the boundaries of science, creating a compelling, action-packed thriller with a climax that's a knock-out!" – CJ Lyons, New York Times Best-Selling Author of Kill Zone"If this startling debut doesn't have you turning pages at breakneck speed, then you're not paying attention. Rich characters, crackling dialogue, and a climactic sequence that is stunning, enervating, and innovative all at once. Richard Bard is a voice to be reckoned with." – Rebecca Forster, USA Today Best-Selling Author of Hostile Witness

The eleventh dimension time travel membrane registered by the International Federation of Time Travel as The Empress, is designed to provide merchandise to the entities of the cosmos. The skipper, Ronnie Yutaka, befriends a woman whom eventually becomes his wife and business partner.The travel membrane named “The Empress,” was setup as a huge traveling warehouse, designed to provide merchandise and supplies to the entities of the Universe. The owner and skipper, named Ronnie Yutaka, thought of his vessel as a traveling General store. If Ronnie did not have it aboard The Empress, you probably did not need the fucking thing in the first place. Ronnie had a large clientele from all over the cosmos, and some of the Universes he visited required hours of travel, even using the latest technology in time travel computers. The planet Quantum was where Ronnie had been born and raised, but he no longer lived there, as he now had no permanent residence other than The Empress. Ronnie knew the planet Quantum and its people very well. Ronnie’s younger sister Janet was still living on the planet so Ronnie would often visit her and spend a day or so spoiling her two young daughters rotten. As two Intergalactic Federation Law Enforcement Officers materialized inside The Empress’s secure room, Ronnie realized they might not be there to make purchases as they had stated. They had a file folder with them and they began talking, without any pleasantries or introductions. Finally, the cops got to the point and explained they were planning to arrest Ronnie for raping a woman on his last visit to Earth’s surface. Ronnie explained they had the wrong man, but the cops were not going to listen. True, Ronnie had seduced the woman, but she was the one on top doing the actual seducing part. Apparently, her boyfriend found out and was screaming rape. Ronnie decided he was not going anywhere with these two, and told them they should leave now before they got into trouble. One on the cops drew his pistol and as it cleared his holster, he found himself shooting bullets into the vacuum of open space. Ronnie laughed aloud as the computer slid the floor panels back into place and began the cleansing process to remove the mess in his secure room. As The Empress slowly began moving, Ronnie could see the cop’s vehicle floating in space where they had boarded his vessel. Ronnie pressed the retractor button and the vehicle moved up behind The Empress, and then slowly moved inside the cargo bay door. As the retractor beam sat the vehicle down on the steel floor of the cargo bay, Ronnie decided he would check and see if there was anything usable inside before he jettisoned the hull into deep space. When the cargo bay was fully pressurized, Ronnie walked to the vehicle, looked inside, and then realized that the woman whom he had supposedly raped was inside the vehicle’s rear seating area. As Jill (now twenty-one years old yesterday) and the computer waited for Ronnie and Angela, (Connie changed her name to Angela at her wedding) to teleport back to the Empress from a three-day holiday at a luxurious Spa, Jill heard the computer speak her father’s name. It was just one loudly spoken word, “RONNIE.” Thinking Ronnie and Angela had contacted the computer before they teleported back to The Empress, Jill stepped to the travel console and then suddenly realized that a serious problem existed. Just as Ronnie, (holding Angela’s hand) had pressed the green button on his travel watch, the display flickered and the destination changed from The Empress to Timms’s address on the planet Keemus. When Jill had heard the computer speak Ronnie’s name, the computer had already realized the failure of Ronnie’s travel watch, but the computer was unable to prevent the teleportation from taking place. Ronnie and Angela had been teleported onto the antimatter planet of Keemus.Ronnie Coleinger

When Professor Miles finishes his lecture on the meaning of time, Iris, his most rebellious student, argues against his definition of time arrow. Their debate takes an unexpected turn, and breaches the secret of their forgotten connection. The two engage in a journey across time and space, revealing the nature of their bond and Iris’s identity.When Professor Arthur Miles finishes his physics lecture on the meaning of time, Iris, his most rebellious student, argues against his definition of time arrow.Miles sticks to his guns, until the heated conversation with Iris takes an unexpected turn, and he realizes their forgotten connection.In a surreal travel across time, space and psychedelic dreams, Arthur accompanies Iris in an expedition to find a book and open a door, behind which is the key to changing the destiny of a long fallen royal dynasty. As Iris seeks hints, she patches pieces of her past, defeating hidden fears and discovering her own identity in the process.Diving in the psyche of the narrating ego, this Sci-Fi thriller explores the boundaries between sanity and madness, the intricacies of family dynamics and the taboos staining human relationships.

When Alexandra Bo Fuller was in Zambia a few years ago visiting her parents, she asked her father about a nearby banana farmer who was known as being a tough bugger. Her father's response was a warning to steer clear of him: Curiosity scibbled the cat, he told her. Nonetheless, Fuller began her strange friendhip with the man she calls K, a white African and veteran of the Rhodesian War. A man of contradictions, K is battle-scarred and work-weathered, a born-again Christian and given to weeping for the failure of his romantic life and the burden of his memories. Driven by K's these memories of the war, they decide to enter the heart of darkness in the most literal way, by travelling from Zambia through Zimbabwe and Mozambique to visit the scenes of the war and to meet other veterans. The result is a remarkably unbiased and unsentimental glimpse of life in Africa.

In the future, psychic abilities such as telepathy, clairvoyance and psychokinesis have begun to appear in a new generation. Jane possesses these abilities, but knows the danger in using them is real. When she encounters a non-human entity by the name of Max, he warns her that she is being pursued by a dangerous man who has ties to a secretive committee.Jane has always suppressed her dormant paranormal abilities: telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis. The only significant thing that she connects them to is a devastating accident that occurred in her childhood.Amidst the stirrings of an approaching danger she cannot articulate, a distantly remembered spectre from her past — a non-human entity by the name of Max — returns with a warning: a dangerous man is pursuing her.Now, the walls she had so carefully erected around her psychic abilities begin to crumble as she is forced to defend herself against this new intruder.

A young prince runs away from his home to avoid the throne, but is soon sucked into his true destiny; saving all of Magentara from the great evil that has surfaced.Long, long ago, a land of great wealth and power flourished, as its citizens were blessed with a unique magical ability. But they soon misused this magic in great wars that ravaged their world. As punishment for such wickedness, monsters were sent to roam the land and the people’s powers sucked away. The return of magic was promised, but it was far off.Now Michael, the reluctant high prince of Jenoth, finds himself forced into a quest to recover that magic and to restore his people’s once great civilization. Assembling an unlikely band to accompany him on his journey, he faces the greatest challenges ever known to himself or his kind!