"Pain of the father, power of the mother.Born in light, full of dark."-HecktoreHecktore leaves his home in pursuit of a dream. Along the way his true path is revealed. Can he survive the coming of the dark?Centuries ago, the human race was nearly crushed in its struggle to defeat the evil forces of Aboleth. Led by a powerful order known as the Valier, humankind prevailed, but at a terrible price. In their desperate attempt to achieve victory at any cost, the Valier fell and became a curse on civilization known as The Dread Lords.Time has passed. The world has moved on. The Lake Valleys of Sheridan has known peace for centuries. Only, for Niam Maldies, life has been anything but tranquil. He has been hounded by a gang of ruthless bullies all of his life; and to make matters worse, a year ago, his brother and sister died in a mysterious accident that left him reeling in pain.When Niam hears a mysterious Voice that leads him into a series of dangerous situations, he and his two best friends are set on a collision course with an evil sorcerer. As the three friends struggle to uncover the culprit behind a string of ghastly and supernatural murders, they discover a greater plot that may spell doom for their homeland. Now they must rely on the strength of their friendship if they are to survive, for they were born in fulfillment of a dire prophecy: The Dread Lords must rise once again if mankind is to survive its most ancient and implacable enemy.

The first Dead Jack™ short story!The dead dick is hired to rescue a pixie from a nasty ogre. Jack has a simple plan to get her back, but will it work?Also included is the first chapter of "Dead Jack and the Pandemonium Device," the first novel in the zombie detective series.Book of magic is the second part of a sword and sorcery series that has all the tropes of high fantasy and fast-paced adventure. The stories are rounded, have independent endings and can be read as standalone shorts. Read together, they make for a longer adventure.This story introduces Dun, an apprentice wizard with unique talents. He returns in part four, The Isles of Krake and the upcoming fifth story Dog’s Blade.1. Sword of the Sands2. Book of Magic3. Sword in the City4. The Isles of Krake5. Dog’s Blade - Expected end of March 2017. Also expected around that time is Swords and Magic; bundle of the first five stories.

Alfred Kropp lost—then found—the legendary sword Excalibur. Then he defeated King Paimon, arguably the nastiest of demons ever to roam the earth. What could possibly be in store for him now? Plenty. Not only is a dangerous new enemy tracking Alfred’s every move, even the people who have sworn to protect him no longer seem trustworthy. Who, or what, is "Sofia," and is there a connection between Sofia and the mysterious Thirteen Skull? The reluctant hero who has always narrowly avoided death may not be getting out of this adventure alive. Just right for fans of Alex Rider and Stephen King, this third installment in Rick Yancey’s acclaimed series is a compulsive page turner readers won’t soon forget.

Press 1 for technical support. Press 2 for broken hearts. Press 3 if your life has totally crashed. . . . Six friends work nights at a call center in India, providing technical support for a major U.S. appliance corporation. Skilled in patience–and accent management–they help American consumers keep their lives running. Yet behind the headsets, everybody’s heart is on the line. Shyam (Sam to his callers) has lost his self-confidence after being dumped by the girl who just so happens to be sitting next to him. Priyanka’s domineering mother has arranged for her daughter’s upscale marriage to an Indian man in Seattle. Esha longs to be a model but discovers it’s a horizontal romp to the runway. Lost, dissatisfied Vroom has high ideals, but compromises them by talking on the phone to idiots each night. Traditional Radhika has just found out that her husband is sleeping with his secretary. And Military Uncle (nobody knows his real name) sits alone working the online chat. They all try to make it through their shifts–and maintain their sanity–under the eagle eye of a boss whose ego rivals his incompetence. But tonight is no ordinary night. Tonight is Thanksgiving in America: Appliances are going haywire, and the phones are ringing off their hooks. Then one call, from one very special caller, changes everything. Chetan Bhagat’s delicious romantic comedy takes us inside the world of the international call center, where cultural cross-wires come together with perfect pathos, hilarity, and spice. From the Trade Paperback edition.

It began with two men. They came from very different worlds—entirely different universes, in fact—one using sorcery and the other using mental powers and steam-age technology. They met in a virgin forest on a duplicate planet Earth. Neither side knows who shot first, but each blames the other, and it doesn't really matter, now, because war has begun. War between the universes is the last thing responsible leaders on either side want. But the fury of their respective populations, xenophobic fear of the unknown, and cries for "justice" (or vengeance), are all driving both sides towards the brink. And unscrupulous, power-hungry men—and Arcana and Sharona alike—have agendas of their own. The fuse has been lit, and a war stretching across the universes, fought between dragons, spells, and crossbows and repeating rifles, machine guns, and artillery is erupting in white-hot rage and fury. Where it will end—and how—no one knows.

The mountain cats followed the sun trail to a new territory, convinced that in a land with more prey, their lives would be free from strife. But while no cat has gone hungry, tensions are rising. The once firmly united group has split in two—and a young cat named Thunder is caught in the middle of a deeply-rooted struggle for power, territory, and control.

One day, Dave wakes up on the alien planet Glix and hopes it won't change him. One week later, the only person he can relate to is a celestial Chicken.Dave awakens on the curious planet of Glix and feels he must escape by finding the Fez - an object he believes may return him to his home - or else society's high demands will require him to live a life of conformity as an outcast.An inquisitive but paranoid man, Dave teams up with a mentally unwell 14-year-old, two intelligent (though foolish) telepathic twins and a Chicken prophet to the Duck god Quack.

The king has been captured and sentenced to death, but Prince Omer isn’t ready to rule the Jaredites yet, let alone win a civil war. So he plans a rescue mission using the only way to reach the prison in time – riding across the sky on the backs of leathery-winged cureloms.The king has been captured and sentenced to death, but Prince Omer isn’t ready to rule the Jaredites yet, let alone win a civil war. So he plans a rescue mission using the only way to reach the prison in time – riding across the sky on the backs of leathery-winged cureloms.This 1,000 word flash fiction is a fantasy retelling of Ether 7:18.

Three hundred years have passed since half of Earth froze, and the human race has settled other planets under the supervision and control of a military contractor that harnessed the powers of the higher mind. But when the daughter of a warrior clan who made her fortune in the contractor’s service discovers a dark secret beneath their dominion, she must learn to fight like the old gods.Three hundred years have passed since half of Earth froze, and the human race has settled other planets under the supervision and control of a military contractor that harnessed the powers of the higher mind. But when the daughter of a warrior clan who made her fortune in the contractor’s service discovers a dark secret beneath their dominion, she must learn to fight like the old gods.This story is woven into the Norse myth of Odin, the one-eyed, all-seeing god of war, magic and wisdom. He is a complex figure, associated with poetry and inspiration, madness and battle fury. He is also a shapeshifter and considered fickle, not to be trusted.No one knows whose side he’s on.

'Tales of the Horns' is a series full of magic, adventure and intrigue. Mary Horn and her estranged family must face hordes of monstrous enemies and the remnants of old gods in a fight that will seal the fate of the world.Could an ordinary family survive against the heroes, creatures and monsters of legend in a war that threatens the very fabric of reality? Luckily, the Horns are far from ordinary. But, despite their strange heritage, wonderful magic and fearful powers, the odds are stacked against them. Remus and his legion Sons march for Rome, gathering all who would rebel against the new gods; their goal the eradication of Life.Mary Horn’s dreams of leaving Pennysworth County and its magical borders come true one day when she is stolen away from home to work beneath the streets of Olde London in a dungeon filled with hideous monsters. Mary must win her freedom from her new master and remove the curse before she too devolves into a beast. Mary must learn to fight and fight well in an environment that doesn’t tolerate weakness. Can her family save her in time, or will they be swept up in the consuming war? The Tales of The Horns is an exciting and bold new series which blends magic, myth and legend in a contemporary setting.

The internationally acclaimed author of The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man, and Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury is a magician at the height of his powers, displaying his sorcerer's skill with twenty-one remarkable stories that run the gamut from total reality to light fantastic, from high noon to long after midnight. A true master tells all, revealing the strange secret of growing young and mad; opening a Witch Door that links two intolerant centuries; joining an ancient couple in their wild assassination games; celebrating life and dreams in the unique voice that has favored him across six decades and has enchanted millions of readers the world over.

The fate of Artimé is at stake - and an unlikely alliance could redeem it - in book three in the New York Times bestselling Unwanteds series. The magical world of Artimé is gone. The Unwanteds have no food, no water, and no hope. And everyone is looking to Alex Stowe for answers. Overwhelmed and feeling totally helpless, Alex knows it's up to him to find a way to restore Artimé, rescue his captive friends, and free Megan from her voice-stealing necklace of thorns - three impossible tasks. But could help lie with the silent, orange-eyed newcomers? Meanwhile, Alex's twin brother Aaron continues to build his army in the stark land of Quill, preparing for the ultimate showdown with the Unwanteds. But a shocking twist reveals that Alex and Aaron share a common enemy more dangerous than either could have imagined...

She doesn't want love, she wants a rebound... He needs so much more from her. He needs everything. Angelina: I am so damn done with being the chubby doormat for my soon-to-be ex-fiancé. I changed myself for every man in my life. Except Gray - my bodyguard. Too bad he's totally not interested in getting his kink on with me. No, he's made it perfectly clear he's only here to protect me. We'll just see about that. Protect me from this, buddy. I'm going out on the town to find myself a good old-fashioned ménage. Gray: For the love of all that is holy, I want Angel in my bed, tied up, blindfolded, begging me. I want her to be completely mine. I can't do that. Not yet. She isn't ready for what I want from her. I'll break her. Because I'm completely f*cking broken. It might kill me to watch her be with any other man. But, I won't be her rebound. Get Rebound for yourself and start the Curvy Seduction Saga now~ Rebound is the first book in The Curvy Seduction Saga. Gray and Angelina's story continues in Rebellion and finishes in Reignite.

In the distant past, the Kingdom of Harcia was torn apart by royal brothers who could not accept a lesser inheritance. Now, the consequences of their actions are coming to light. Balfre, son of Aimery, Duke of Harcia, is his father's heir. But he has dreams of a crown, not a coronet. He dreams himself the king of a Harcia re-united, but his brother Grefin, their father's favorite, stands in his way. Harald, debauched Duke of neighboring Clemen, is feared and despised by his nobles. He thinks he can trust his bastard-born cousin Ederic ... but Ederic fears for the duchy and will do what he must to save it. And caught between dangers is Harald's infant son, Liam. Stolen by his nurse, vanished into the lawless Marches, he is the spark that will grow to set the world on fire.

A six-pack of Science and Speculative fiction stories. Meet aliens from other worlds and other dimensions. Some are friendly, and some... Well, just imagine how many dark alleys there might be in outer space.Ever wonder why that one game you hoped to watch on ESPN didn't show up *when* and exactly *as* promised? There could be a host of reasons. One in particular stands out in "Channel Zero," just one of the six attention-grabbing tales in this collection by award winning tale spinner, Josh Langston.Tired of the same-old, same-old bug-eyed monsters? Take a gander at "Symbiote," one possible answer to the eternal question of what goes bump (Slither? Slurp?) in the night. (With apologies to Marvel Comics. It's a whole new ballgame, folks!)Or maybe you're looking for something a little more Earth-centric. Perhaps something with an heroic theme. Try "Hardguys" which gives an entirely new meaning to what it means to be brought back from the dead...."Dancing Among the Stars" is a collection with a little something for everyone: at the very least, six never-before-published short stories from a master writer you're going to love.