Lilith needs Our Hero's help to hunt down and recapture the Bound Nine, nine souls that were deemed too dangerous to pass on. Along the way, an old friend joins the fray.Bob is a Process Server, a functionary. Worse, he's a "Smith," lowest on society's rung in 2253. Well, almost: the poor bastards on Earth have it worse than anyone, addicted to the immersive MultiNet and doomed to pointless lives working for the Big Six Corps. Now Bob's been given a job, to deliver a summons to a bureaucrat halfway across the Galaxy - but death, deception and adventure await...The Process Server is a dystopian sci-fi adventure that deals with themes of belief, loyalty and social conflict as Process Server Bob Smith crosses three galaxies to solve a murder mystery. From epic space battles to the cyberpunk world that exists on Old Earth, it's the adventure of three lifetimes.

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville. While growing up, Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual at every funeral: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words, "Sleep well, and stay where I put you." Now Maylene is gone and Bek must return to the hometown—and the man—she abandoned a decade ago, only to discover that Maylene's death was not natural . . . and there was good reason for her odd traditions. In Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected—and beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. From this dark place the deceased will return if their graves are not properly minded. And only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk.

Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world—to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He's got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. If he can't have Marissa, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers... Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back. But even her love may not be enough to save him...

In the thirty years since S. T. Joshi prepared revised editions of H. P. Lovecraft's stories for Arkham House, Joshi has continued to do research on the textual accuracy of Lovecraft's stories, and this comprehensive new edition is the result. For the first time, students and scholars of Lovecraft can see at a glance all the textual variants in all relevant appearances of a story-manuscript, first publication in magazines, and first book publications. The result is an illuminating record of the textual history of the tales, along with how Lovecraft significantly revised his stories after initial publication. The result is the definitive text of Lovecraft's fiction-an edition that supersedes all those that preceded it and should endure as the standard text of Lovecraft's stories for many years. In this first volume, Lovecraft's earliest stories are printed in chronological order by date of writing. Included are such early triumphs as -Dagon- and -The Outsider, - along with the many tales Lovecraft wrote under the inspiration of Lord Dunsany. The celebrated -Herbert West-Reanimator- and -The Rats in the Walls- show Lovecraft experimenting with longer narratives-a tendency that will culminate in the novelettes and novellas of his final decade of writing.

Years have passed on Riverworld. Entire nations have risen, and savage wars have been fought--all since the dead of Earth found themselves resurrected in their magnificent new homeworld. Yet the truth about the Ethicals, the powerful engineers of this mysterious "afterlife," remains unknown. But a curious cross-section of humanity is determined to change that situation . . . at any cost. Intrepid explorer Sir Richard Francis Burton leads the most remarkable voyage of discovery he has ever undertaken. Hot on his heels are Samuel Clemens, King John of England, and Cyrano de Bergerac. Spurred by the promise of ultimate answers, they chart a course across the vast polar sea--and toward the awesome tower that looms above it. But getting there will be more than half the battle. For death on Riverworld has become chillingly final . . .

Before you follow the path into your family’s history, beware of the secrets you may find… The new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author. Ruth has returned to Edinburgh after many years of exile, left rootless by the end of her marriage, career and now the death of her father, from whom she had long been estranged. She is faced with the daunting task of clearing his house, believing he had removed all traces of her mother. Yet hidden away in a barely used top-floor room, she finds he had secretly kept a cupboard full of her possessions. Sifting through the ancient papers, Ruth discovers the diary and letters written by her ancestor from the eighteenth century, Thomas Erskine. As the youngest son of a noble family now living in genteel poverty, Thomas always knew he would have to make his own way in the world. Unable to follow his brothers to university, instead he joins first the navy and then the army, rising through the ranks, travelling the world. When he is finally able to study law, his extraordinary experiences and abilities propel him to the very top and he becomes Lord Chancellor. Yet he has made a powerful enemy on his voyages, who will hound him and his family to the death – and beyond. Ruth becomes ever more aware of Thomas as she is gripped by his story, and slowly senses that not only is his presence with her, but so is his enemy’s. Ruth will have to draw upon new friends and old in what becomes a battle for her very survival – and discover an inner power beyond anything she has imagined.

After the devastating battle at the Tower of Charm, Croaker leads the greatly diminished Black Company south, in search of the lost Annals. The Annals will be returned to Khatovar, eight thousand miles away, a city that may exists only in legend...the origin of the first Free Companies. Every step of the way the Company is hounded by shadowy figured and carrion-eating crows. As they march every southward, through bug infested jungle, rivers dense with bloodthirsty pirates, and cities, dead and living, haunted by the passage of the Company north, their numbers grow until they are thousands strong. But always they are watched--by the Shadowmasters--a deadly new enemy: twisted creature that deal in darkness and death: powerful, shadowy creatures bent on smothering the world in their foul embrace. This is the first round in a deadly game, a game that the Black Company cannot hope to win.

For Garrett, P.I., loyalty and love come a close second to survival... Garrett's attempt at domestic bliss with the fiery Tinnie Tate is sidetracked when he waylays a pair of home intruders and learns they've been paid by an unknown source to kidnap Tinnie. But as Garrett rushes to find out who is trying to push his buttons, his best friend is attacked. Now, Garrett has to track down both malefactors. Unless they're really one and the same-in which case Garrett might be next...

For thirty years, a secret agency called the Southern Reach has monitored expeditions into Area X — a remote and lush terrain mysteriously sequestered from civilization. After the twelfth expedition, the Southern Reach is in disarray, and John Rodriguez (aka “Control”) is the team’s newly appointed head. From a series of interrogations, a cache of hidden notes, and more than two hundred hours of profoundly troubling video footage, the secrets of Area X begin to reveal themselves — and what they expose pushes Control to confront disturbing truths about both himself and the agency he’s promised to serve.

Mankind falls under a sentence of death in this fable of a world without faith from a #1 New York Times–bestselling author. First there were the changes in weather. Lack of rain was turning the plains of Iowa, Kansas, and Idaho into arid blocks of parched earth. In the North, it was already January, and no sign of snow. All over the world, the seas were shrinking, and creeks and rivers looked like dried scars. But for Pete, the terrified son of a midwestern farming family, the first great omen came one unseasonably warm winter night when the moon simply vanished from a cloudless sky, and the clocks stopped. Soon, Pete’s family farm becomes a prison as a strange sulfurous fog rolls across the land. In its wake, poisonous and mindful weeds grow wild, choking to death anything—and anyone—within reach. The only sign of life on the streets is a relentless army of scorpions with a sting that kills. But when the government finally moves in, it’s not to protect; it’s for a reason far more deadly and absolute than anyone can imagine. Now, Earth’s survivors face something even more frightful than nature: the evil of men. Author Taylor Caldwell’s “beautifully written” dystopian novel is an unforgettable story of courage, passion, and the will to believe (The Washington Post). This ebook features an illustrated biography of Taylor Caldwell including rare images from the author’s estate.

Blues flames licked the air surrounding the boy's motionless body. His eyes opened. The blue flames burst forth with newfound vigor. He was alive. This is his story.Little Boy Blue,Come light your flame,Children won’t play,The parents to blame.Blues flames licked the air surrounding the motionless boy. His eyes opened. The blue flames burst forth with newfound vigor. He was alive. This is his story.

The world is about to change. But who will dictate the future? The Shanallar, a woman cursed with immortality, plagued by guilt and driven by revenge? Or the Hand of Power, determined to bring back the golden age of magic? And of more immediate concern to the Shanallar's young quest companions, will any of them live to see it? Book 1 of 2.The Cult of Dzur i'Oth wants its magical tome back. They can’t rule the world without it.The only person who knows how to destroy the twisted tome is Meena, a testy heroine who accidentally inherited immortality from the tome’s pages centuries ago. Long turned to cynicism by the petty whims of mortals, she’s secretive and brusque, dragging her young companions into mortal danger without a second thought. Yet the magical reach of the cult leader, the Hand of Power, is long. Even from the far side of the world, he causes chaos and death in order to retrieve the key to the tome’s magical prison.A glorified librarian, a substitute prince and a secret-wielding swordsman must resolve their interpersonal conflicts in order to aid Meena in her quest. But when the Shanallar makes an unexpected sacrifice halfway to their goal, can they carry on without her? Or is the world doomed to enslavement at the hands of a magic-wielding madman?

"Lost in Glory" is a parody of heroic fantasy literature. A Hero sets out on a journey to destroy the Evil Empire. What's so evil about it? It doesn't matter.But if there's a Hero, there must also be villains. An assassin, who stabs people. Because they were alive and he had a knife. A sorceress, who puts things on fire. Because they weren't on fire before...Being a Hero is not a job. Being a Hero is a way of life. Quest is the only thing that matters. Failure? No such thing. Reason? Purely optional. Wisdom? A little wouldn't hurt...Arthaxiom the Paladin is a Hero. His quest is to destroy the Evil Empire, so that's what he's going to do. What's so evil about it? It doesn't matter. A Hero does not argue with his quests. Nor does he argue with fate. A randomly encountered dwarf? Perfect choice for a sidekick. A village girl in distress? Must be a princess.But if there's a Hero, there must also be villains. An assassin, who stabs people. Because they were alive and he had a knife. A sorceress, who puts things on fire. Because they weren't on fire before. And there would be the Emperor himself, if he hadn't ended up dead in a moat full of lions. A bunch of quarrelsome High Lords is to choose his replacement. It will surely go well.

Set in a working-class Brooklyn neighborhood in 1947, this poignant tale revolves around two of the most endearing characters in recent fiction: an 11-year-old Irish Catholic boy named Michael Devlin and Rabbi Judah Hirsch, a refugee from Prague.

In “Home Lost”, Volume I of the the eight volume fantasy “Clarion of Destiny”, Leena receives the Garlan branch. From first contact her life is changed. After a solitary journey she returns home to find her village in ruins. Confused and alone, Leena sets out to search for her family and to discover the reason the Garlan branch selected her."Clarion of Destiny" is the eight volume fantasy tale of Leena, a young hedge witch in training selected by destiny to combat the greatest challenge her world has known. In an epic journey that leads through foreign lands and mysterious realms where demons, monsters and magic rule, this inexperienced young girl is forced to overcome a protected childhood to face challenges that would crush far more experienced adventurers. With each step, each passing day, she draws closer to a malevolent force so formidable it has defeated the mightiest armies and the strongest magic in her world. How can one lone girl hope to overcome an evil that has never known defeat?In Volume 1, Home Lost, Leena, a sixteen-year-old, half-trained hedge witch, is mysteriously selected to receive the Garlan branch, a magical item that has twice saved her world in the distant past. After a solitary journey through a frozen winter forest to seek this honor, she returns to her village. Nervous with excitement and anticipation, she rushes home to find the secure and treasured town of her youth deserted and in ruins. Confused and alone, Leena has little choice but to set out on a search for her missing friends and family. Can Leena discover why the Garlan branch selected her, in time to save the people she loves?