Welcome to Lore of the Underlings. In these first episodes of the Lore, curious strangers cross the daunting wilderness of Syland to find a folk long hidden away. Though the folk resist, the strangers draw them into a devilish mess nonetheless. The leaders of the folk and their forces, the Guard, must face the sudden fear that they have grown weak in their long isolation. [Second revision]Welcome to Lore of the Underlings, a trail of tales to the end of things, and maybe a bit beyond...In these first episodes of the Lore, curious strangers cross the daunting wilderness of Syland to find a folk long hidden away. Though the folk resist, the strangers draw them into a devilish mess nonetheless. The leaders of the folk and their forces, the Guard, must face the sudden fear that they have grown weak in their long isolation.Lore of the Underlings is an epic poetry series from John Klobucher's lands of Lore. It's a bittersweet saga of gold and shadow told in classic style -- with old-world words but new-world wit. Fun for fans of puns and lyrical tongues![Second revision]

For as long as Reka Cushing can remember, she has watched friends and neighbors be stolen, their bodies used as hosts for the Halorans; an alien race posing as gods. For just as long, Reka has lived in fear of drawing the eye of a Haloran. The threat of losing Niko, the boy she loves causes her to act, to draw attention to herself. In doing so, she has drawn more interest than she intendedFor as long as Seventeen-year-old Reka Cushing can remember, she has watched her friends and her neighbors be stolen, their bodies used as hosts for the Halorans; an alien race that has come to earth posing as gods. For just as long, Reka has lived in fear of drawing the eye of a Haloran, keeping her head down hoping not to be caught in their sites. The threat of losing Niko, the man she loves causes her to act, to draw attention to herself. In doing so, she has drawn more interest than she intended.This is a short story prequel to Children of the Gods, the first title in the Chosen series.

From epic fantasy to paranormal romance, take sneak peeks into breathtaking new worlds and fall in love with amazing characters, all by best-selling author Julius St. Clair. This sampler contains excerpts from his novels and the best of his short stories.From epic fantasy to paranormal romance, take sneak peeks into breathtaking new worlds and fall in love with amazing characters, all by best-selling author Julius St. Clair. This sampler contains excerpts from his novels and the best of his short stories. Learn what it’s like to become a supernatural warrior in The Last of the Sages, or see the world through the eyes of an android in Upgrade. Walk with Aidan on his coming of age journey through romance and magic in Obsidian Sky, or fly through Heaven in End of Angels. Laugh with the Siren, Alexandra, as her love life gets complicated in My Immortal Playlist, or try to take over the world as Vincent in The Deadly Ones. No matter your method of escape, you can try them all in this abbreviated edition of Julius St. Clair’s works!

Across the Largo is a fantasy story for girls, boys, mothers, fathers, and everyone else. In it we find two friends, Esmeralda and Robert, stumbling upon a world of unique wonders and musical enchantments, a world governed by forces that, for reasons yet unrevealed, have a particular interest in the fate of these two children.It has been said that the universe rides on the back of a turtle. But Esmeralda and Robert didn’t know anything about that. They knew nothing about Great Turtles or hidden worlds or evil emperors or black palaces or shining cities full of towers of light. They knew about the horrors of seventh grade and that’s about it. That is, until they met an odd substitute teacher and listened to a very special music… Across the Largo is a fantasy story for girls, boys, mothers, fathers, and everyone else. It is a story of sweeping drama and high adventure set within two different Worlds and the membrane that links them. This first book in the Largo Trilogy opens up an entirely original fantastic environment and plants the seed for wonders and intrigues to come.

As far back as Keane could remember he had always loved Steyan. But she was a princess and he of the Kings Guard and forbidden to marry. Knowing that only via dismemberment could he resign the Captain's post, still he could not walk away for he would challenge even the blinding sun itself if that's what it took to win her.When Vinni was five, her mother was institutionalized for madness. Vinni’s family, the women of the Red House, have built their wealth and standing by using alchemy to make homunculi: Artificial creatures that act as companions and helpmates. Vinni's mother made the best.Since her mother was sent away, Vinni has longed to make homunculi as brilliant as her mother's. Though none of her Aunts will undertake to teach Vinni anything serious of the craft until she's had her first blood, Vinni is learning in secret, hampered by the strict rules of her Grandmother, who leads the Red House.Vinni's quest to make a homunculus early puts her on a collision course with Grandmother's plans for the Red House, which are in turn putting the Red House on a collision course with the rest of Sangrila, the most powerful city state on the Red Coast.When Vinni discovers that her Grandmother’s plotting is responsible for her mother's insanity, she flees to the streets of the city. On the streets, hunted by the other forces of Sangrila, Vinni collects a group of her sorceress cousins and street urchins to become the opposition to her Grandmother's monstrous plans. Can they save the only home Vinni has ever known?

Growing up human in a world of supernatural creatures, Dr. Ever Chace has always felt a need to be special, to stand out. When asked to consult on a case where teens are being brutalized, she relishes the chance to make a difference and help stop a monster. But working alongside a wolf who she's so drawn to could be the beginning of something Ever might never have envisioned.Teens are turning up dead, and it will take a special team to catch a killer.Derek Doyle has been a member of the Paranormal Investigations Team since the monsters revealed themselves to the world. Considering that he thinks a monster is needed to catch a monster, he's definitely in the right place. As a lone wolf not used to letting many people in, neither man nor beast was prepared for the effect consultant Dr. Ever Chace has on them.Growing up human in a world of supernatural creatures, Dr. Ever Chace has always felt a need to be special, to stand out. When asked to consult on a case where teens are being brutalized, she relishes the chance to make a difference and help stop a monster. But working alongside a wolf who she's so drawn to could be the beginning of something Ever might never have envisioned.Fate and Destiny have a funny way of creeping up on you when you least expect it. With a murderer on the loose, Ever and Derek will have to put their attraction to one another aside while the hunt continues.Easier said than done… right?

(Sister Series to Sons of the Dark Mother, Jaguar Witch and Daughters of the Circle) Series Spotlight: Josephine gets the shock of her life when she sees her cousin shift into a jaguar, setting her on a mission to find the truth about her birth mother--only to learn she is part of an old legend--the fable of the Jaguar People.Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth,evolution, distribution, and taxonomy.[1] Modern biology is a vast and eclectic field, composed of many branches and subdisciplines. However, despite the broad scope of biology, there are certain general and unifying concepts within it that govern all study and research, consolidating it into single, coherent fields. In general, biology recognizes the cell as the basic unit of life,genes as the basic unit of heredity, and evolution as the engine that propels the synthesis and creation of new species. It is also understood today that all organisms survive by consuming and transforming energy and by regulating their internal environment to maintain a stable and vital condition.

Haven still blames Ever for the death of her boyfriend Roman, no matter how hard Ever’s tried to convince her it was an accident. Now she’s determined to take Ever down…and destroy Damen and Jude along the way. Her first step is to tear Ever and Damen apart—and she has just the ammunition to do it. Hidden in one of Ever’s past lives is a terrible secret about Damen—a secret that illuminates new facts about her relationship with Jude, but that’s so dark and brutal it might be enough to drive her and Damen apart once and for all. As Ever faces her greatest fears about the guy she wants to spend eternity with, she’s thrust into a deadly clash with Haven that could destroy them all. Now it’ll take everything she’s got—and bring out powers she never knew she had—to face down her most formidable enemy. But in order to win, she must first ask herself: is her own survival worth dooming Haven to an eternity of darkness in the Shadowland? And will learning the truth about Damen’s past hold the key to their future?

Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told. There is. She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead. She should. She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance. She will now. Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story. Retribution has arrived.

The seventeen pieces in Ficciones demonstrate the whirlwind of Borges's genius and mirror the precision and potency of his intellect and inventiveness, his piercing irony, his skepticism, and his obsession with fantasy. Borges sends us on a journey into a compelling, bizarre, and profoundly resonant realm; we enter the fearful sphere of Pascal's abyss, the surreal and literal labyrinth of books, and the iconography of eternal return. To enter the worlds in Ficciones is to enter the mind of Jorge Luis Borges, wherein lies Heaven, Hell, and everything in between. Part One: The Garden of Forking Paths Prologue Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius (1940) The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim (1936, not included in the 1941 edition) Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote (1939) The Circular Ruins (1940) The Lottery in Babylon (1941) An Examination of the Work of Herbert Quain (1941) The Library of Babel (1941) The Garden of Forking Paths (1941) Part Two: Artifices Prologue Funes the Memorious (1942) The Form of the Sword (1942) Theme of the Traitor and the Hero (1944) Death and the Compass (1942) The Secret Miracle (1943) Three Versions of Judas (1944) The End (1953, 2nd edition only) The Sect of the Phoenix (1952, 2nd edition only) The South (1953, 2nd edition only)

Now available in one volume—three thrillers from Frank Peretti! The Oath An ancient sin. A long forgotten oath. A town with a deadly secret. Something evil is at work in Hyde River, an isolated mining town in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Under the cover of darkness, a predator strikes without warning—taking life in the most chilling and savage fashion. The community of Hyde River watches in terror as residents suddenly vanish. Yet, the more locals are pressed for information, the more they close ranks, sworn to secrecy by their forefathers’ hidden sins. Only when Hyde River’s secrets are exposed is the true extent of the danger fully revealed. What the town discovers is something far more deadly than anything they’d imagined. Something that doesn’t just stalk its victims, but has the power to turn hearts black with decay as it slowly fills their souls with darkness. The Visitation The sleepy, eastern Washington wheat town of Antioch has become a gateway for the supernatural—from sightings of angels and a weeping crucifix to a self-proclaimed prophet with an astounding message. The national media and the curious all flock to the little town—a great boon for local business but not for Travis Jordan. The burned-out former pastor has been trying to hide his past in Antioch. Now the whole world is headed to his backyard to find the Messiah, and in the process, every spiritual assumption he has ever held will be challenged. The startling secret behind this visitation ultimately pushes one man into a supernatural confrontation that has eternal consequences. Monster Some monsters are real. Miles away from the hectic city, Reed and Rebecca hike into the beautiful Northwester woods. They are surrounded by gorgeous mountains, waterfalls, and hundreds of acres of unspoiled wilderness. During their first night camping, an unearthly wail pierces the calm of the forest. Then something emerges from the dense woods. Everything that follows is a blur to Reed—except the unforgettable image of a huge creature carrying his wife into the darkness. Enter into deep wilderness where the rules of civilization no longer apply. A world where strange shadows lurk. Where creatures long attributed to overactive imaginations and nightmares are the hunters . . .and people are the hunted.

Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales. The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about. But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought.

Two Ordinary People from Mundania travel to Xanth to defeat a rogue Night Colt in the latest in a beloved series from bestselling author Piers Anthony. The Night Colt has one ambition: to deliver dreams to the deserving. Unfortunately, only Night Mares can take on this task, and the Colt has no hope of leading his own herd if he can’t get any practice. . . . So he’s struck a deal with a Mundane. During the hours when the Night Mares rest—dusk and dawn—the duo plants stories in the air, compelling the people of Xanth to enact them—whether they want to or not. Unwilling to participate in these fantasies, the princesses of Xanth, Dawn and Eve, come up with a plan to fight the menacing pair, but they’ll need the help of two unlikely heroes to succeed. In Mundania, a mysterious painting entrances Ordinary People Tartan and Tara. But why do they each see something different when they look at it? They quickly learn that it’s not a painting after all, but a portal to a magical world. With nothing to lose, they climb through the portal into Xanth and are met with a plea to help stop the Night Colt and his ghost writer. Tartan and Tara don’t hesitate to join the quest to save Xanth from the ultimate pun-tastrophe. Together with their new friends, they’ll begin a journey full of magic and romance—and, of course, puns—that will lead them to a long-lost prince, a beautiful dragoness, the goddess Isis, and a demon named Ted. With rip-roaring humor and nonstop adventure, the newest addition to Piers Anthony’s popular Xanth series is sure to enchant fans of epic fantasy. Ghost Writer in the Sky is the 41st book in the Xanth series, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

War has its cost, and the Servants of the Bright Heart and the Servants of the Dark Heart have been locked in a struggle that has defined life—and death—for millennia. But the end is coming, and only the Lady who has served the Bright Heart for the whole of her immortal life has seen it, in a vision that spans time and demands the highest of prices. Erin is a healer, and against the nature of her birthright she has learned to wield a sword and use it to bring death to the enemies of her people. Scarred by the losses that war always demands, she is the chosen champion of Light and the enemy of darkness. But no magical sword or simple quest awaits Erin. Her journey and her doom lie in the Dark Heart’s stronghold, and in the hands of her people’s greatest enemy.

From New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Frank comes this first book in The World of the Nightwalkers—an exciting and sensual new spin-off series in which the Bodywalkers, an ancient race of the night, battles the evil forces who prey on them. The unexpected happens in an instant. On her way to work, secretary Docia Waverley hurtles into a crashing crossroads, and she quickly begins to suspect that things will never be the same. Then, when a tall, blond, muscular stranger intervenes on her behalf, telling her it is his duty to protect her at all cost, what is just a feeling turns to proof positive. That is, as long as Docia’s savior doesn’t turn out to be a crazed kidnapper. When Ram finds Docia, he has no doubt that she is his queen. But as this golden warrior sweeps in to protect her, he feels something more than body heat every time they touch. He is overwhelmed by a searing connection that goes deep into the twin souls inside him. A desire rises in him that is forbidden—this woman is his queen, the mate of his king, his leader, his best friend. And yet Docia is so vulnerable and attractive that she awakens a hunger in Ram that is undeniable, a carnal craving he cannot yield to . . . not without risking the very survival of the Bodywalkers.