Stan Pike is an ordinary teenager, who stumbles into an adventure to seek a magical Emerald, which has the power to repair the recent damage to his town, caused by the terrifying dragon, Gordon the Gruesome. He and his best friend, Marvin, must race against the evil wizard Gustavo and his goblin army, in order to save their town.99.9% of boys born in Oadford are destined to fish, farm or build. Stan Pike falls into the other 0.1%. Not all boys are born equal. Stan Pike is the son of a fisherman, who lives with his father and elder brother in the remote fishing village of Oadford, set beneath the ominous looking Mount Smouldotion, home to the terrifying dragon, Gordon the Gruesome. Gordon created mayhem for the townsfolk for decades, but has not been seen for nearly a hundred years. All this changes however, when Stan, his elder brother Edgar and his best friend Marvin enter Gordon's lair, and an unfortunate blunder from the kind hearted but dim witted Marvin awakens the dragon, resulting in the devastating destruction of Oadford..The only way to save Stan's town is to find the mystical Emerald of Foundation, a magical emerald with the ability to construct anything. Stan joins a quest of brave town folk in the hunt to find the Emerald, but they are not alone in seeking the prize. Gustavo, the evil wizard, leads a fierce goblin army to the Emerald's resting place, as he seeks it to ensure world domination.The resulting race for the Emerald results in betrayal, sacrifice, heart break, booby traps, mass battles and heart pounding encounters, and is not to be missed!

Fans of epic adventure will love the life-or-death stakes in the third Gods and Warriors book The eruption of the volcano has shrouded the sun in ash, and the harsh winter is never-ending. With no trace of his lost sister to be found, Hylas takes ship for Keftiu, to find Pirra and free her from captivity. But the Crows are also coming to Keftiu, led by the power-hungry Telamon. And Telamon knows what Hylas doesn’t: that in the chaos of the volcanic eruption, Pirra took the Crows’ prophesized dagger. Aided by Havoc, the lion cub, and Echo, a falcon of the Goddess, Hylas and Pirra will face the Crows once again, in a terrifying epic battle to save the land—or destroy it. Readers of Rick Riordan, T.A. Barron, and John Flanagan will love this exciting Bronze Age series.

A Conyn the Barbarian story.Conan’s boredom with the bureaucracy of queenship doesn’t last long. There are others plotting to suborn her Black Dragons, and slay the queen, with the sorceress Thoth-Amin lurking.A Gender Switch Adventure.As the great king of the golden kingdom that sits atop the highest mountain in Bal-Mont, Gadreel thought that he was invincible. Until an unexpected enemy sent his defenses crumbling down, and took over his kingdom. Now, he was stripped of his honor, kicked to the curb, and was banished to the Earth, never set to return until the passing of the fiftieth blood moon. For the last five decades, he spent his life planning the Herculean mission to reclaim the kingdom that was taken away from him. But in order for his plans to prosper, he has to take Laura with him to Bal-Mont, and use her against the powers that be. But she could only traverse to his world if he will take her innocence and ruin her. It seems easy to do, but a real daunting task, for he was a gigantic monster, and she was still a friggin' virgin. But he must do it, by hook or by crook, or he could bid goodbye to the grand scheme he has plotted for fifty years to avenge his great loss, and claim back what was rightfully his. Living in a world where she doesn't fit in, Laura struggled to live a normal life. Unwanted by her own mother and bullied by her peers, she longs for love and acceptance. Until one day, at twilight, she finds herself lost in the heart of the dark forest. There, she meets a mystical creature who takes her in for a rough ride. It's a big leap into the darkness, but something she will never regret. Or maybe she will.

Claire has reached the Lakes and is strongly in need of a Starbucks. Her boss has told her to up the adrenalin, so Claire finds herself climbing trees and dangling over waterfalls all in search of 'Blog Fodder'. The mysterious Josh is tagging along too: is he looking for company or a place to hide?'Two-Hundred Steps Home Vol 2' contains February's instalments from the daily blog by WriterMummyClaire's life revolves around Starbucks, stilettos and her career as an Advertising Account Director for AJC. That is until her boss Carl decides to send her on a mission to visit every one of the 200 YHA hostel in England and Wales as part of a marketing campaign. More used to five-star spa resorts than 'flea-infested hostels' Claire only takes the assignment to save face. It becomes clear to her the 'mission' is a ruse to make her resign. Volume Two follows Claire to the Lake District where she finds herself dangling from ropes and swinging through trees in search of exciting stories for her blog.The handsome and mysterious Josh tags along too, helping Claire face her fears. Is he looking for company, though, or a place to hide?

On board his military vessel, General Dreadener is surprised by the unannounced return of a lifelong foe, prompting an emergency.This is a lovely book about two "premises managers" as it is now politically correct to call them, and how they love singing in the school that they work in.It has some lovely hand drawn illustrations in it, and it was written with love.I really enjoy writing, my daughter helps me sometimes, it blows away the cobwebs on rainy and wet sunday afternoons.I have just discovered mixing desks on my Ipad so I have been having fun trying to be the next David Guetta!Also, I have been making blackberry and apple crumble, and it is nearly time to make mince pies and christmas cake. Does anyone have any good recipes out there?

Brand Jefferson, like many, knew High School was a scary place: Teachers, Homework, Jocks, Cheerleaders, Peer Pressure,many of the horrors of these establishments. Brand never figured during his second week at Harrison High he would have to survive ZOMBIES.In the royal household of Niahn'si Pohl, the lord's eldest son, Kan, has lived a life of privilege. He has had the best education, been groomed in the courtly arts, and set upon the path of leadership. Chosen by God and fate, he will one day rise to assume his father's throne in loyal support to their great emperor.But in a land where divine providence comes with equally giant stature and dominion over the great, shaggy giants that toil on the Komasaru plains, Kan senses that something is wrong. When one of the massive beasts, a tahn-chen, breaks into the family compound, Kan is forced to face some disturbing implications that cast a dark shadow over the foundation of his entire world.Cover art by Louis Frank.

Driving home from a business trip, the author of this short story becomes stranded in a blizzard. He realizes that he's in this predicament due to his own bad decisions. But he also realizes that by making some good decisions, he can take what might have been a life-threatening ordeal, and turn it into a minor inconvenience.Set during the immediate aftermath of the Sandy Hook shootings, the father of a murdered girl retreats into his writing to escape the tragedy. As his story progresses, he realizes he may have a chance to create a better world for his daughter inside the pages of his fantasy novel.As a parent of a child the same age as those gunned down in Newtown, I wrote this as a way to explore my understanding of senseless violence and how our minds can cope with tragedy through art.

They were known simply as the Nine - grim and ancient rulers who thirty thousand years ago had discovered the key to eternal life and ever since had secretly held the world in thrall. Once, Doc Caliban had been their servant and had shared their secrets. Now, appalled by their tyranny, he has turned against them, daring to challenge their centuries-old supremacy. Together with two henchmen whose superhuman skills match his own, Caliban sets out on the trail of the deadliest of the Nine: the mad goblin Iwaldi, the very incarnation of evil...

This Box Set includes the first complete book of each of Brian S. Pratt's most popular Fantasy Worlds:The Unsuspecting Mage of The Morcyth SagaShepherd's Quest of The Broken Key TrilogyJaikus and Reneeke Join the Guild of The Adventurer's Guild After each you will also find the first three chapters of the respective series' book two.Enjoy!This Box Set includes the first complete book of each of Brian S. Pratt's most popular Fantasy Worlds:The Unsuspecting Mage of The Morcyth Saga“Want to be a mage? Then do we have the job for you…”Sounds great for a veteran role-player. When on-the-job training entails battling demons, learning magic through trial and error, and living in a world without toilet paper, things could get rough. But to be dropped in the middle of a forest and having to do it on your own with no instruction…welcome to James’ world.It all gets started when his grandfather suggests to James, a young man on the verge of graduating high school, that he check out the following advertisement for a job.“Magic! Real Magic! Ever wanted to learn? We require someone with intelligence and a disciplined mind. Those well versed in fantasy novels and role playing games a plus. May need to travel.”Sounded like the perfect job for a veteran role-player and avid fantasy reader. James had no idea he’d be whisked to another world, completely cut off from friends and family. Arriving in a meadow in the middle of a forest, he’s greeted by a creature not entirely human. He was then told three things:Magic works here…Don’t try to go home…Get to the village of Trendle…Then the creature vanished.Which way was Trendle? Where was he? What might inhabit the forest that will seek his ruination? These were but a few of the questions needing to be unraveled. Alone with only his wits and knowledge gleaned from hundreds of books and dungeon campaigns, he started out just trying to survive. He soon learned that one mistake, one lapse in judgment could mean his death. Not long after arriving, he made the acquaintance of Miko, a street-wise kid who quickly became his friend and companion. Little did he know that the strength within this child from the streets of Bearn, a strength that would be tested again and again as they waded through battle after battle, delved in hidden passages deep beneath the earth, and faced off against an the might of an Empire, would be invaluable in the trials ahead.The Unsuspecting Mage is the first book of The Morcyth Saga, a seven book epic fantasy adventure. It follows James as he seeks first to master the art of magic then to uncover the reason why he had been brought to this strange new world where armies are on the move and gods meddle in the affairs of men. *****Shepherd's Quest of The Broken Key TrilogyLonging for adventure is one thing, but when it becomes reality...Four comrades set out to recover the segments of a key which they believe will unlock the King's Hoard, rumored to hold great wealth. Written in the style of an RPG game, with spells, scrolls, potions, Guilds, and dungeon exploration fraught with traps and other dangers. *****Jaikus and Reneeke Join the Guild of The Adventurer's GuildJaikus and Reneeke are ordinary lads whose dream in life is to become a member of The Adventurer's Guild. But to become a member, they must be able to lay claim to an Adventure worthy of the Guild.They quickly realize that doing such may be harder than anticipated. Tagging along with a seasoned Group of Adventurers as "Springers" they set out only to later learn that Springers-Spring the trap

Alice in Wonderland Christmas story - FOR FREE.First, she discovered Wonderland…Then she slipped through that fascinating Looking Glass…Now, she’s on Top of the World.The continuing adventures of a girl named Alice.It was many years later when Alice had her next adventure, and whilst she was quite surprised to be having one at all, after the passing of so many years, she was even more surprised to see that she was a child again, no older than when she had first entered Wonderland and slipped through that fascinating Looking Glass. “How curious,” she said, trying to recall the child she had once been. Suddenly appearing in front of Alice, the White Rabbit said, “You took your time getting here!”“I beg your pardon?” she replied. “I said you took your time getting here. You should have been here fourteen years ago,” the Rabbit huffed indignantly as he hopped away from her.“But,” Alice spluttered, as she tried to catch up with him, “I have no idea how I arrived, let alone why I am so late!”“We accept no ifs or buts, here; you should know that by now,” the Rabbit scolded, as he opened a door that had suddenly appeared in front of them. Stepping through, he said, “Hurry up, please don’t dawdle.”CONTD

Patrick O'Brian's first novel about the sea, The Golden Ocean, took inspiration from Commodore George Anson's fateful circumnavigation of the globe in 1740. In The Unknown Shore, O'Brian returns to this rich source and mines it brilliantly for another, quite different tale of exploration and adventure. The Wager was parted from Anson's squadron in the fierce storms off Cape Horn and struggled alone up the coast of Chile until she was driven against the rocks and sank. The survivors were soon involved in trouble of every kind. A surplus of rum, a disappearing stock of food, and a hard, detested captain soon drove them into drunkenness, mutiny, and bloodshed. After many months of privation, a handful of men made their way northward under the guidance of a band of Indians, at last finding safety in Valparaiso. This saga of survival is the background to the adventures of two young men aboard the Wager: midshipman Jack Byron and his friend Tobias Barrow, an alarmingly naive surgeon's mate. Patrick O'Brian's many devoted readers will take particular interest in this story, as Jack and Toby form a kind of blueprint for Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, the famed heroes of the great Aubrey/Maturin series to come.

Summer, 1944. As Allied soldiers prepare to land in France, Marc and his friends must destroy a battalion of German tanks that could halt the invasion in its tracks. The tide of war has turned against the Nazis, but desperation has made them more brutal than ever. Henderson's Boys' final mission will be their most dangerous. With food and weapons in short supply, survival is the biggest challenge of all.

In 1812, Francisco Manoel da Silva, escaping a life of poverty in Brazil, sailed to the African kingdom of Dahomey, determined to make his fortune in the slave trade. Armed with nothing but an iron will, he became a man of substance in Ouidah and the founder of a remarkable dynasty. His one remaining ambition is to return to Brazil in triumph, but his friendship with the mad, mercurial king of Dahomey is fraught with danger and threatens his dream.

Landed in Italy with the idea of spending the summer admiring the many masterpieces of Italian art, Larry Burton bumps into a girl on the run. She’s clearly in trouble, but she’s also awfully attractive. Against his best judgment, Larry decides to help her. He’s drawn into strange and potentially dangerous situations…but shouldn’t a vacation be also a bit of an adventure?Life in Italy can be full of surprises---so can be travelling through it. One can even find romance, as Larry Burton discovers. Fond of Italian art, aspiring photographer Larry Burton hitchhikes through Switzerland, crosses the Alps on bumpy roads and lands on the shores of Lago Maggiore, well decided to spend the summer visiting the many Italian museums. But, as he’s leisurely munching on a salami sandwich, Larry is approached by pretty green-eye Regina Howard. Almost unknowingly he gets involved in helping her escape her pursuers, without being able to figure out who these people are. Regina knows all the tricks of a street-smart person---but things aren’t what they appear to be.