Valerian Jorku is second born heir to a massive throne overseeing the largest country in many lands, a country that is ever growing, thanks to his power hungry brother Vicktor, the emperor. But Vicktor is a cruel master and Valerian grows increasingly restless as he experiences his brother's brutal nature and its effect on others. Melena, a newly acquired slave girl he is conditioning to his pleasure, whispers nightly of his responsibilities to the people and how those responsibilities should outweigh his honorable intentions toward a brother who is clearly insane. Should he listen to this woman, sister to a rebel thorn in his side, or should he continue to honor his father's last wishes and be Vicktor's silent general, doing whatever he asks, no matter how wrong? When Vicktor threatens her life and begins to turn Valerian's women against him, Melena seizes the opportunity to push Valerian further in the right direction. But Valerian is not a man to be mastered. He is the one in control and ultimately it is he who holds all of their fates and futures in his hands.

They call their abilities Talents, and that’s what they call themselves as well. Talents are people born with supernatural powers, feared by the population at large. Possession of an “unregistered ability” has become illegal, and those who are discovered are forcibly removed to government-run research facilities. For Talents, keeping their secret is the most important thing in their lives. For some, that need for secrecy begins to define who they are. That’s how it is for Joss, a high school girl who does everything in her power to go unnoticed. She's incredibly bright, but strives to maintain grades that are good yet not too good. She doesn't participate in school activities, keeps quiet in class, eats by herself. Despite her longtime crush on Dylan, she wouldn't even think about trying to talk to him. Joss doesn't make friends of any kind, because friends can draw attention, friends can make you slip up, friends can make things complicated. When new girl, Kat, steps in to rescue Joss from an uncomfortable situation with Marco, the class jerk, she doesn’t realize what she’s getting into, and it blows up in her face. Joss finds herself torn between a desire to do the right thing, to find some way to help a girl who was kind to her; and her need to mind her own business and fade into. For the first time, Joss begins to question the way she operates, and starts to long for connections with other people--especially a connection with Dylan, who's finally starting to talk to her. But what's up with Dylan's sudden interest? As Marco’s best friend, can he be trusted at all? It's bad enough when a girl's got to worry about friends, boys, over-protective dads, and shoes that pinch, but when you throw in blackmail, government agents with guns, and really annoying little sisters...that's just about too much to handle, even for a girl with an ass-kicking superpower.

For the first time ever, a tantalizing preview of Robert Jordan's next international bestseller -- with a message to the reader not found in the hardcover -- is now available as an e-book.

An honorable prince. A Jaded assassin. Can they work together to catch a pirate?An honorable prince. A Jaded assassin. Can they work together to catch a pirate?Gerard lost his birthright in his small island kingdom when he married the court minstrel. He fled to the only place that offered protection from his father and his vengeful local deity--the service of the High Priestess.Unfortunately, his superior officer, Silveo, takes an instant disliking to Gerard. Silveo has a reputation for cruelty, cunning, and a biting wit. He's a minority species, and rumors claim that he was once an assassin, who clawed his way to power from a childhood of poverty and abuse.In spite of their differences, the Priestess insists that Gerard and Silveo cooperate to destroy the charismatic pirate, Gwain, and his mysterious organization, the Guild of the Cowry Catchers. Gwain has been killing off the Temple Police for years, and he seems likely to make a swift end of Gerard...if Silveo doesn't do it first.Warning: This story includes sexual scenes and situations.

Vena Edwards life was already too hectic when she met her Dad for the first time after twenty long years! Then, cherry on the cake, she was informed by him that her marriage has been fixed to his friend's son, Sean! But Sean has someone else in his heart, Ariel! his first and last lady love. Vena suddenly finds herself in a twisted love story and is scared by the anger raging in the eyes of Amun.Vena Edwards life was already too hectic when she met her Dad for the first time after twenty long years! Then, cherry on the cake, she was informed by him that her marriage has been fixed to his friend's son, Sean! But Sean has someone else in his heart, Ariel! his first and last lady love. Vena suddenly finds herself in a twisted love story and is scared by the anger raging in the eyes of Amun..Sean's once-upon-a time best friend!More twisted is the fact that she is charmed, scared and attracted by him mere presence.Four lives hang in dilemma as Sean's engagement takes place but, the question is, with whom?

David, the newest Animorph, is not what he appears. His need to control the other Animorphs and Ax is all he thinks about. And the things he does are starting to break up the group.

We know Amery’s side of the story, now hear Lochie’s. When Lochie Mercury awoke and found his girlfriend had disappeared in the middle of the night, his world imploded. A short story to celebrate the Project Integrate series.Please note: This is a special release short story, not a full length novel.We know Amery’s side of the story, now hear Lochie’s.When Lochie Mercury awoke and found his girlfriend had disappeared in the middle of the night, his world imploded.Heartbroken, angry, and confused, Lochie needs to find her and get some answers. Find out what Lochie was up to during some of the most pivotal moments in the Project Integrate series.Broken takes place at the end of “Divide” and the beginning of “Conquer”. It should be read after Conquer to avoid spoilers.Also in the Project Integrate Series:Ignite (Short Prequel)UniteDivideConquerSoarRiseBroken

A sampler of short stories taking place before and connected to SCALE-BRIGHT in chronological order. Chinese mythology retold from the time of humanity's creation to contemporary Hong Kong.A sampler of short stories taking place before and connected to SCALE-BRIGHT in chronological order. Chinese mythology retold from the time of humanity's creation to contemporary Hong Kong. "The Crows Her Dragon's Gate" (first published in BENEATH CEASELESS SKIES, 2013. Ed. Scott H. Andrews). The story of Xihe, the mother of suns, when she was young and the world was new: how she met her husband, lost herself, and found it again. "Woman of the Sun, Woman of the Moon" (first published in GIGANOTOSAURUS, 2012. Ed. Ann Leckie). Houyi rose in heaven, bow and arrow in hand: the hunt was her joy, the slaying of demons her delight. But most delightful was a serving girl called Chang'e. "Chang'e Dashes from the Moon" (first published in EXPANDED HORIZONS, 2012. Ed. Dash). Chang'e has been a prisoner on the moon while the world turns and cities rise. For centuries Houyi has looked for a way to free her wife, and now she has found it in a distant grand-niece: a young mortal woman named Julienne.

Imagine you're an ordinary twelve year-old boy. The next thing you know, you're in the Seventh Mountain, an academy where students are trained as warriors, practical jokes are not just tolerated but encouraged, and the game of choice is a massive, four team version of capture the flag on horseback. Mark is a Magi- called to join others like himself to battle the evil of Benrah.A dream, surreal and frightening, begins the path of Mark Young's future; a path set long before he was even born. Fortunately, it's not a path he's doomed to walk alone. His course leads to true friends, fortune and a place where he learns to wield great power. This place is The Seventh Mountain, the place where Magi train. The Seventh Mountain conceals the direst legend known to man. Mark's fate lies within."The Seventh Mountain by Gene Curtis is pure delight. Curtis wields a tremendous imagination and uses it to transport the reader to another world, where sword wielding Magi fight for good, evil lurks just out of sight and a young hero searches for his destiny. Sure to be compared to Harry Potter, but undeniably more compelling." - Jeremy Robinson

Bryn Thorner is a seventeen year old senior counting the days until graduation. Her steadfast determination to quietly endure the criticism of the all-powerful girl clique is starting to crack. Things change when a handsome and mysterious boy enrolls at Lockwood Prep. Even though he finds ways to help her out of trouble, there is still something about him that Bryn does not trust.Bryn Thorner is a seventeen year old senior counting the days until graduation. Her steadfast determination to quietly endure the criticism of the all-powerful girl clique is starting to crack. Things change when a handsome and mysterious boy enrolls at Lockwood Prep. Even though he finds ways to help her out of trouble, there is still something about him that Bryn does not trust. Dane Stormwood’s assignment is to protect Bryn from the murderous creature that has targeted her family. While he knows it is unwise to become entangled with someone so completely different, he cannot help but feel drawn to the beautiful and intelligent girl that he has vowed to protect. He wonders if she could ever fall in love with him despite all the reasons not to.

Finally able to reach the stars, humanity has entrusted its survival in Oscar Bradfield, an 87 year cynic who wants nothing more than to spend the thousand year journey by himself. What could possibly go wrong?Finally able to reach the stars, humanity has entrusted its survival in Oscar Bradfield, an 87 year cynic who wants nothing more than to spend the thousand year journey by himself. What could possibly go wrong?A Vonnegut style tale of irony set in mankind's future.

If what you see is what you get, Jules is in serious trouble. The suspenseful first of three books from the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy. Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that. What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow. The vision is everywhere—on billboards, television screens, windows—and she’s the only one who sees it. And the more she sees it, the more she sees. The vision is giving her clues, and soon Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she has been in love with for as long as she can remember. In this riveting start to a gripping trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Lisa McMann, Jules has to act—and act fast—to keep her vision from becoming reality.

When Robert Wolff found a strange horn in an empty house, he held the key to a different universe. To blow that horn would open up a door through space-time and permit entry to a cosmos whose dimensions and laws were not those our starry galxy knows. For that other universe was a place of tiers, world upon world piled upon each other like the landings of a sky-piercing mountain. The one to blow that horn would ascend those steps, from creation to creation, until he would come face to face with the being whose brain-child it was. But what if that maker of universes was a madman? Or an imposter? Or a super-criminal hiding from the wrath of his own superiors? THE MAKER OF UNIVERSES is unlike any science-fiction novel you have ever read, it is wonderfully unique.

Note: This edition includes five of the six books that were originally published as The Chain of Charms series in Australia. The missing book is The Cat's Eye Shell (The Chain of Charms #4) Emilia Finch and her cousin Luka are gypsies. For them, that means they live a strongly traditional life, rich with story, music, dance, and magic, governed by the laws of the clan and the ways of the road. To the repressive Puritanical government of 17th century England, however, the gypsies are thieving, fortune-telling vagrants who are most likely allies of the devil. While the Finches have managed to steer clear of trouble, it finds them when they decide to raise dowry money for one of their daughters, by performing in Kingston square one ill-fated market day. A series of terrible events lands the family in jail, charged with murder. Only Emilia and Luka manage to escape, promising to bring back help and free them. The only problem is -- how? Emilia believes in the legend of the charms: it is said that the luck of the Rom has turned sour ever since a long-ago gypsy matriarch broke her chain of charms, giving one charm to each of her five children. Since then, the gypsies have been persecuted and the families have dispersed. If they can gather the charms from the families, Emilia thinks, the strong magic of the Rom will somehow bring her family freedom. Luka, on the other hand, is more practical � he wants to enlist the help of the other clans to help the Finches escape. Emilia and Luka must race through the countryside, navigating a hornets' nest of Rom-hating Puritans, Royalist spies, and traitors, if they are to complete their quest before the magistrate delivers a death sentence�