Captain Ivan Vorpatril is happy with his relatively uneventful bachelor’s life as a staff officer to a Barrayaran admiral. Cousin to imperial troubleshooter Miles Vorkosigan, Ivan is not far down the hereditary list for the emperorship. Thankfully, new heirs have directed that headache elsewhere, leaving Ivan to enjoy his life on Komarr, far from the byzantine court politics of his home system. But when an old friend in Barrayaran intelligence asks Ivan to protect an attractive young woman who may be on the hit list of a criminal syndicate, his chivalrous nature takes over. It seems danger and adventure have once more found Captain Vorpatril. Tej Arqua and her half-sister and servant Rish are fleeing the violent overthrow of their clan on free-for-all planet Jackson’s Whole. Now it seems Tej may possess a secret of which even shemay not be aware—a secret that could corrupt the heart of a highly regarded Barrayaran family and provide the final advantage for the thugs who seek to overthrow Tej’s homeworld. But none of Tej’s formidable adversaries have counted on Ivan Vorpatril. For behind Ivan’s façade of wry and self-effacing humor lies a true and cunning protector who will never leave a distressed lady in the lurch—making the ultimate sacrifice to keep her from harm: the treasured and hard-won freedom from his own fate as a scion of Barrayar.

In this masterpiece about freedom, feminism, and destiny, Printz Honor author A.S. King tells the epic story of a girl coping with devastating loss at long last--a girl who has no idea that the future needs her, and that the present needs her even more. Graduating from high school is a time of limitless possibilities--but not for Glory, who has no plan for what's next. Her mother committed suicide when Glory was only four years old, and she's never stopped wondering if she will eventually go the same way...until a transformative night when she begins to experience an astonishing new power to see a person's infinite past and future. From ancient ancestors to many generations forward, Glory is bombarded with visions--and what she sees ahead of her is terrifying: A tyrannical new leader raises an army. Women's rights disappear. A violent second civil war breaks out. And young girls vanish daily, sold off or interned in camps. Glory makes it her mission to record everything she sees, hoping her notes will somehow make a difference. She may not see a future for herself, but she'll do anything to make sure this one doesn't come to pass.

It is 2040, and in the Solomon Islands a programme to breed GM dolphins with near-human brains is underway. Their strange mental powers enable them to cross over into a parallel universe, where they encounter both benign and malign forces. During the ensuing conflict, a romantic attachment develops between the leader of the dolphin community and one of the humans caught up in the battle.The year is 2040, and in the Solomon Islands a programme to breed genetically-modified dolphins with near-human brains is underway. Dawn, a girl from England on a visit to the Solomons, suffers strange hallucinations when she encounters the dolphins, in which she is transported by means of a spirit journey into a parallel universe. It transpires that she too has been genetically modified, not by humans but by benign aliens from this parallel universe, so that her brain, as it reaches maturity, becomes like theirs. An unintended consequence of the dolphins’ neural modifications is that they are telepathic and are able to journey into this parallel universe. The intention of the aliens is that Dawn should play a key role in the development of dolphin culture. However, other malign aliens from the parallel universe have made contact with a sinister religious cult bent on world domination. The battle that ensues between Dawn’s dolphins and these malign forces takes place in both this and the parallel universe. Set against this backdrop is the romantic attachment that grows between the leader of the dolphin community and one of the humans caught up in the conflict.

United States Diplomat Danielle Lowen was there when one of her fellow diplomats committed an unthinkable act, which had consequences for the entire planet. Now shes trying to figure out how it happened before it can happen again. Putting the puzzle pieces together could solve the mystery or it could threaten her own life.

Marco is faced with a difficult decision when his mother threatens to seize control over Visser One.

Kemamonit infiltrates the shadowy government organization that is hunting her.A shepherd made of stone had a son. Today the boy is old enough to set off to seek his fortune in the big city.But the big city is abuzz: the tin princess and the silver queen have gone missing, and the golden king is desperately worried. He offers a bodacious bonanza to the one who rescues the royal ladies. So the stone shepherd's son begins his quest.Only neither of the royal ladies is exactly helpless, thank you, and both of them have their own lives to live. Which is not to say they've got it totally under control, either. A shepherd's son with the world's smallest violin, a rare windflower seed and a piece of ever-burning charcoal might come in handy in averting a war between two imperial grumps.And just such a war needs averting ...

A novella about a future dystopia - set in London's East End and Battersea Power Station; in a future world divided into a super-human race called The Pro-gens and the rest of us, The Re-gens. Abe, a Re-gen, uncovers a diabolical plan made by the powerful Pro-gens which threatens the future of humanity. Will he make it out alive to be with the love of his life, Ophelia, in Devon?Welcome to the future of humanity. In 2033, the world is divided into a genetically-enhanced elite group of humans called Pro-gens and the other 99% - the Re-gens. Meet Abe, a Re-gen, who is working his last week cleaning Battersea Power Station before he plans to escape his life of economic slavery and social exclusion in London to be with the love of this life, Ophelia, in Devon - and live a life of subsistence and relative freedom. Whilst at work, Abe uncovers a diabolical plan which threatens the very existence of humanity. Caught in the ensuing war between a gang of anti-establishment Re-gens (led by J, a young kingpin of one of East London's forgotten housing estates) and his employers (led by Dawood, the powerful head of the elite Pro-gen population) will Abe make it out alive and escape his life of economic enslavement to be with Ophelia?

Agent Nine is an intergalactic secret agent on a mission to save his organization. As he tries to complete this mission, he falls in love and loses focus.Where do wishes come from?From long hours and an overworked staff who are on call 24/7 to make sure all your dreams come true. Did you think riches and yachts came from nowhere? Magic doesn't come from trees, you know. There are people behind the scenes making the impossible happen, no matter how ridiculous that impossible is.

"David Gemmell tells a very real adventure, the stuff of true epic fantasy." --R. A. Salvatore, New York Times Bestselling author John Shannow, The Jerusalem Man, lived in a world that had toppled on its axis. Civilization had been replaced by ruthlessness and savagery. Relentless in his quest for peace, Shannow followed a path that led only to bloodshed and sorrow. Abaddon, the Lord of the Pit, sought to plunge mankind into a new Satanic era. His Hellborn army spewed forth from the Plague Lands with an unholy force stemming from human sacrifice. For it was the blood of innocents that fueled the corrupted Sipstrassi Stones of Power--the source of Abaddon's might. But the Hellborn made a fatal mistake--they took the woman who had stolen Shannow's heart. He would move Heaven and Earth to save her or he would die trying. From the Paperback edition.

Welcome to Wayward Pines, the last town. Secret Service agent Ethan Burke arrived in Wayward Pines, Idaho, three weeks ago. In this town, people are told who to marry, where to live, where to work. Their children are taught that David Pilcher, the town’s creator, is god. No one is allowed to leave; even asking questions can get you killed. But Ethan has discovered the astonishing secret of what lies beyond the electrified fence that surrounds Wayward Pines and protects it from the terrifying world beyond. It is a secret that has the entire population completely under the control of a madman and his army of followers, a secret that is about to come storming through the fence to wipe out this last, fragile remnant of humanity.

Following his acclaimed Atlantic and The Men Who United the States, New York Times bestselling author Simon Winchester offers an enthralling biography of the Pacific Ocean and its role in the modern world, exploring our relationship with this imposing force of nature. As the Mediterranean shaped the classical world, and the Atlantic connected Europe to the New World, the Pacific Ocean defines our tomorrow. With China on the rise, so, too, are the American cities of the West coast, including Seattle, San Francisco, and the long cluster of towns down the Silicon Valley. Today, the Pacific is ascendant. Its geological history has long transformed us—tremendous earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis—but its human history, from a Western perspective, is quite young, beginning with Magellan’s sixteenth-century circumnavigation. It is a natural wonder whose most fascinating history is currently being made. In telling the story of the Pacific, Simon Winchester takes us from the Bering Strait to Cape Horn, the Yangtze River to the Panama Canal, and to the many small islands and archipelagos that lie in between. He observes the fall of a dictator in Manila, visits aboriginals in northern Queensland, and is jailed in Tierra del Fuego, the land at the end of the world. His journey encompasses a trip down the Alaska Highway, a stop at the isolated Pitcairn Islands, a trek across South Korea and a glimpse of its mysterious northern neighbor. Winchester’s personal experience is vast and his storytelling second to none. And his historical understanding of the region is formidable, making Pacific a paean to this magnificent sea of beauty, myth, and imagination that is transforming our lives.

In the steam-fuelled world of Victorian London, vampires, werewolves and slasher gangs stalk the night and a man made partly of metal is about to discover just how far he’ll go to protect the woman he loves…After a vicious vampire attack left him struggling to leash the dark urges of the craving virus, John ‘Rip’ Doolan, thinks he’s finally starting to master the darkness within. The only thing that threatens to shatter his hard-won control is Esme, his closest friend and the only woman he’s ever wanted. If the stubborn beauty ever realised precisely what was going through his mind, their friendship would be ruined…For six months Esme has waited for Rip to recover and take her as his thrall, not daring to hope for more. Too afraid to put her heart on the line, she’s devastated when Rip reveals that he never had any intentions of making her his.But when a savage gang of Slashers start causing havoc in Whitechapel, Rip and Esme have no choice. They must face up to the depth of the passion that burns between them and forge a new relationship… or risk losing each other forever.“Deftly blends elements of steampunk and vampire romance with brilliantly successful results…darkly atmospheric and delectably sexy.” –Booklist, starred review for KISS OF STEEL

John Keith Laumer was an American science fiction author. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the United States Air Force and a U.S. diplomat.  --This text refers to the Paperback edition. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Kemamonit must travel deep into the ancient past in order to confront a powerful sorceress.A Breath of Fiction is a unique collection, since each of the 200 stories contained in the volume is made up of exactly 200 words. The stories range in mood from serious to enigmatic to poignant to silly. Some stories closely examine ordinary moments that might easily be overlooked in the course of a day or a lifetime. Other stories open a window to the fantastic and to the impossible. But all of the stories are concerned with what it means to experience life. The beauty of these very short stories, grouped into twelve different thematic categories, is that a reader may choose to read as much or as little as they choose at a time. Since these stories were originally posted online (on the blog also titled A Breath of Fiction), they are meant to be accessible for a brief moment of reading, or for a complete immersion in the variety of stories and experiences presented in these pages.