High-concept thrillers with a supernatural edge from world-famous director, whose films include Pan’s Labyrinth and Hellboy. THE STRAIN: A plane lands at JFK and mysteriously ‘goes dark’, stopping in the middle of the runway for no apparent reason, all lights off, all doors sealed. The pilots cannot be raised. When the hatch above the wing finally clicks open, it soon becomes clear that everyone on board is dead – although there is no sign of any trauma or struggle. Ephraim Goodweather and his team from the Center for Disease Control must work quickly to establish the cause of this strange occurrence before panic spreads. THE FALL: Humans have been displaced at the top of the food chain, and now understand – to their outright horror – what it is to be not the consumer, but the consumed. Ephraim Goodweather, director of the New York office of the Centers for Disease control, is one of the few humans who understands what is really happening. Vampires have arrived in New York City, and their condition is contagious. If they cannot be contained, the entire world is at risk of infection… THE NIGHT ETERNAL: After the blasts, it was all over. Nuclear Winter has settled upon the earth. Except for one hour of sunlight a day, the whole world is plunged into darkness. It is a near-perfect environment for vampires. They have won. It is their time. Almost every single man, woman and child has been enslaved in vast camps across the globe. Like animals, they are farmed, harvested for the sick pleasure of the Master Race. Almost, but not all. Somewhere out there, hiding for their lives, is a desperate network of free humans, continue the seemingly hopeless resistance. Everyday people, with no other options – among them Dr Ephraim Goodweather, his son Zack, the veteran exterminator Vassily, and former gangbanger Gus. To be free, they need a miracle, they need divine intervention. But Salvation can be a twisted game – one in which they may be played like pawns in a battle of Good and Evil. And at what cost…?

A new e-book compilation of Alfred Bester's brilliant short fiction,

Eking out an existence as a scavenger in post-apocalyptic Russia, Ryska never thought she would be more than a blind, discarded military experiment. Then she ends up in the middle of a kidnapping gone wrong and must use her all her skills to save herself, and the young boy who brings back painful memories of her past.This is a science fiction short story.Eking out an existence as a scavenger in post-apocalyptic Russia, Ryska never thought she would be more than a blind, discarded military experiment. Then she ends up in the middle of a kidnapping gone wrong and must use her all her skills to save herself, and the young boy who brings back painful memories of her past.This is a science fiction short story that originally appeared in the anthology Mirror Shards: Volume One.

On Solaris, a planet eons old, souls from the crust of a meteor give inhuman powers to their symbiotic pairs. Good battles evil to survive.Solaris. A planet like any other, rife with wars, science and love. But at the peak of its civilization, a great meteor fell, bringing long-dead souls to Solaris, souls that had been sustained by the life-force of one lone man, Ineal.At the moment of impact, these souls scattered across Solaris, giving inhuman abilities to mortals while scarring their bodies and corrupting their lives.Samuel was one such man, a man of faith who thought to use his powers to worship his God: he watched his followers, and his planet, die. Seas turned to lava and the skies darkened. And as Samuel’s heart grew weary and angry, he used his powers to manipulate the world to serve him alone.Samuel became god of a planet whose only life was the symbiotic life so like his own.Centuries later, he discovered others, threats that had not been on this planet before. A winged woman; a cyborg; a future-seer and a child. A great vengeance burned a comradery between them.They were souls that could overthrow him. Souls that he would need to destroy.An excerpt:Darkness consumed Ineal as the voices tore at his thoughts. The sole survivor of the planet Eon, he wanted to shut off his brain, to destroy his consciousness and be nothing. But the voices would not let him.The planets’ souls, he thought, encased in this meteor hurtling through space. The souls of dead planets destroyed us. I am the last. They take me for their own.He did not know when the essences of dead planets first came to Eon. Men and women bonded with them, inviting the haunting gaseous essences to their bodies and allowing the essences to become necessary symbiotes of the flesh. The symbiosis with the dead planetary souls gave his people powers and abilities beyond their dreams. But the price, the price of the flesh was great, and an ultimate death of sacrifice and pain was given in return. Ineal was the last, and the only being of Eon who had not accepted them into his flesh.But you took me, he thought as they spoke with their unintelligible voices, whispering in a constant echo through his mind. When my planet died you came to me. You took my body to keep yourselves alive. They kept him alive too, feeding him their energy as they fed off his living essence.Millennia of time passed as the meteor orbited the solar system.Ineal could take no more. Rock pressed against him, suffocating his thoughts.He closed his mind, pulling blackness from the void beyond and urging it to destroy him and the planetary souls, so that whatever planet they would go to next might be spared.His mind’s darkness came. He forgot speech. He forgot sight. He forgot love. But the essences would not release his life force and the greatness it became in their harnessing embrace. They would not allow him to forget primal sense.Then, in that rawness of life, where he was barely being at all, he sensed a planet. They had intended this new planet as their destination from the start.The essences’ telekinetic connection pulled away from him, severing the symbiosis and sending searing heat through his form.There was a moment of silence for Ineal, of freedom. Then came the violent crack of stone, as meteor met planet. A great boom consumed him. Ineal’s consciousness was lost… almost. But his essence lingered somehow in the planet’s form. The planetary essences fled their transport, consuming life and searching for prey.

An ancient, dormant evil returns to haunt the spectrum. Threatening everything. And as chaos stirs, Ion, a young man with a scarred past must put away his inner woes and give himself to a greater cause ... and confront the demons of his past along the way.CRANSOF, STAR CLUSTER 24:A top secret techno facility falls prey to a sudden terrorist attack. But the attackers are no ordinary ones.The spectrum’s worst fear has been realised: this is the return of its most ancient, deadly threat … a threat that has lain suppressed for millennia. The return of the ones they call as mystics.FARNOR, THE OUTER SPECTRUM:Elderly master Mantra feels a sudden disturbance within him. One that signals towards a grave threat ahead for their entire realm… SACROGON, STAR CLUSTER 32:For two years now, Ion has lived a reclusive existence, keeping to himself … carrying the scars of a greatly dark past. But now, as chaos begins to stir in the spectrum, Ion’s life twists overnight, and he is thrust into a perilous new world. A world where good and evil clash with catastrophic proportions … while the fate of the entire realm hangs in the balance.As his life changes overnight in the face of this grave new threat, Ion must muster the courage to put away his inner woes and give himself over to a greater cause … and confront the demons of his past along the way.

Vlad’s travel aspirations should have been a dream come true. Yet the reality of his scholars’ teachings concerning the ancients is quite sobering. A.L.O.M. is in need of dire repair and lack of technology, industrial science and language barrier prove hefty challenges for Vlad. Will he gain cooperation from the ancients to save him from this travesty or will the final destination remain Stranded?Vlad’s travel aspirations should have been a dream come true. Yet the reality of his scholars’ teachings concerning the ancients is quite sobering. A.L.O.M. is in need of dire repair and lack of technology, industrial science and language barrier prove hefty challenges for Vlad. Will he gain cooperation from the ancients to save him from this travesty or will the final destination remain Stranded?If you haven't picked up A.L.O.M. Episode one, do so. It's FREE!

Even before the enormous success of A Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin had secured his reputation as one of the most exciting storytellers of our time. The second of two thrilling collections, Dreamsongs: Volume II continues the story of his amazing journey from a young writer to a #1 New York Times bestselling force of nature. Whether writing about werewolves, wizards, or outer space, George R. R. Martin is renowned for his versatility and expansive talent, as demonstrated in this dazzling collection. Dreamsongs: Volume II contains acclaimed stories such as the World Fantasy Award winner “The Skin Trade,” as well as the first novella in the Ice and Fire universe, The Hedge Knight—plus two early screenplays. Featuring extensive author commentary, Dreamsongs: Volume II is an invaluable chronicle of a writer at the height of his creativity—and an unforgettable reading experience for fans old and new. “Science fiction, fantasy and horror fans alike will be blown away by the diversity and quality of stories. . . . This extraordinary collection is one to cherish.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)   “Dreamsongs is the ideal way to discover . . . a master of science fiction, fantasy and horror. . . . Martin is a writer like no other.”—The Guardian (U.K.)   PRAISE FOR GEORGE R. R. MARTIN “Of those who work in the grand epic-fantasy tradition, Martin is by far the best. In fact . . . this is as good a time as any to proclaim him the American Tolkien.”—Time “Long live George Martin . . . a literary dervish, enthralled by complicated characters and vivid language, and bursting with the wild vision of the very best tale tellers.”—The New York Times   “I always expect the best from George R. R. Martin, and he always delivers.”—Robert Jordan

For years the Department of Military Sciences has fought to stop terrorists from using radical bioweapons—designer plagues, weaponized pathogens, genetically modified viruses, and even the zombie plague that first brought Ledger into the DMS. These terrible weapons have been locked away in the world’s most secure facility. Until now. Joe Ledger and Echo Team are scrambled when a highly elite team of killers breaks the unbreakable security and steals the world’s most dangerous weapons. Within days there are outbreaks of mass slaughter and murderous insanity across the American heartland. Can Joe Ledger stop a brilliant and devious master criminal from turning the Land of the Free into a land of the dead?  Code Zero, a Joe Ledger novel from Jonathan Maberry, is the exciting direct sequel to Patient Zero

Bestselling, award-winning, author Kim Stanley Robinson continues his groundbreaking trilogy of eco-thrillers–and propels us deeper into the awesome whirlwind of climatic change. Set in our nation’s capital, here is a chillingly realistic tale of people caught in the collision of science, technology, and the consequences of global warming–which could trigger another phenomenon: abrupt climate change, resulting in temperatures... When the storm got bad, scientist Frank Vanderwal was at work, formalizing his return to the National Science Foundation for another year. He’d left the building just in time to help sandbag at Arlington Cemetery. Now that the torrent was over, large chunks of San Diego had eroded into the sea, and D.C. was underwater. Shallow lakes occupied the most famous parts of the city. Reagan Airport was awash and the Potomac had spilled beyond its banks. Rescue boats dotted the saturated cityscape. Everything Frank and his colleagues in the halls of science and politics feared had culminated in this massive disaster. And now the world looked to them to fix it. Whatever Frank can do, now that he is homeless, he’ll have to do from his car. He’s not averse to sleeping outdoors. Years of research have made him hyperaware of his status as just another primate. That plus his encounter with a Tibetan Buddhist has left him resolved to live a more authentic life. Hopefully, this will prepare him for whatever is to come.... For even as D.C. bails out from the flood, a more extreme climate change looms. With the melting of the polar ice caps shutting down the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, another Ice Age could be imminent. The last time it happened, eleven thousand years ago, it took just three years to start. Once again Kim Stanley Robinson uses his remarkable vision, trademark wry wit, and extraordinary insight into the complexity between man and nature to take us to the brink of disaster–and slightly beyond. From the Hardcover edition.

Book One saw Jade and Phoenix cast into their avatar's bodies and into Level One of the fantasy game world of 80AD. Now, instead of going home, they find themselves in Level Two - a hostile, frozen wilderness. They have no idea where they are or how fulfil their next quest - to steal the legendary Hammer of Thor...and everyone knows stealing things from Gods is hazardous to your health...Book 2 of the 80AD series sees Jade, Phoenix and their companions flung into the frozen wastes of northern Europe. Here they must somehow reach Asgard, home of the Norse Gods, in order to steal the Hammer of Thor. They are far from civilisation, snowbound, hunted, lost and on a deadline. If they don't reach Asgard in time, bad things will happen: Ragnarok - the end of the world. Unending winter, followed by hellfire and an almighty battle between the gods and giants.If this world is destroyed, Phoenix and Jade die with it and their bodies, back in their own world, die as well. Standing in their way are trolls, wolves, their old enemy Feng Zhudai and a new one - Loki, god of mischief and chaos.To save this world and themselves, they must get to Asgard in time. Of course, it would help if they knew where it was. Then, somehow, when they do find it, they have to steal Thor's Hammer - and everyone knows that stealing things from Gods is a bad idea.Cover Art by Jason Seaburgh of Avatar Art

A short steampunk novel about the happenings around a factory where parts for airships are made...Welcome to Port Carmila, population 15, 725. Half that count isn’t even human, and that’s not including feral zombies, ghouls and ghosts, mostly because they don’t stand still long enough for counting. It’s a melting pot of the living, the immortal, and the dead … where death means you still have to pay the rent, the merfolk are experts in tax evasion, everybody hates the corny Dead Centre of Australia T-shirts sold at the tourist information centre, and the local police encourage you to carry a weapon at all times, regardless of legality. Sometimes the zombies aren’t your much-loved next-door neighbours…When Steve Nakamura is dared—after a long-standing Port Carmila tradition—to seduce a vampire in return for his birthday present, he thinks it will be easy. Scrub up, find a hot undead girl who won’t care that he’ll start shambling the moment he stops breathing, kiss her, earn enough money for a new car stereo. Simple, if he doesn’t mind losing a little blood in the process. The cute and anxious Abe Browning, however, is surely undead and just as surely not a girl, and, as it turns out, that’s the last thing Steve needs to worry about when it comes to hooking up with vampires…

Is Mathew becoming paranoid; even when more people die he isn’t sure, and what about the beautiful married woman, is she to be the next victim?While handling my laptop and computer every day, I have grown accustomed to sitting in front of it with a cup of strong coffee, as I wait for it to start up, then to load up applications and finally load the internet. The situation did not get any better, as I have to regularly download stuff from internet and already wasted a lot of money paying so called computer professionals who have been giving me false promises. Sometime or the other, even you must have come across something similar.I have made a list of the most easily performing tasks to remove the problem of slowness from my computer. And with this ebook, you can also say goodbye to the slow computer problem once and for all… Not just blunt instructions: I have combined it with proper guidance so that the most computer illiterate person can handle the daily issues with their computer. With a dedicated section for Windows 7 users and a list of the most efficient freeware available in the market, you can also become like me… self-dependant: "Computeristically"!

Dan Sherman goes from a History Teacher to a Space Guardian in one day. He is transformed into one of the most powerful beings in the Multiverse.Dan Sherman had to take early retirement through bereavement. He started to have lucid dreams about a tall man who was beckoning him go to a certain place. He soon realized that this wasn't an everyday event. It was to be the start of a once in a lifetime chance to be a Space Guardian. How will he cope with powerful entities who will try to destroy him at turn?

A flash fiction about saying goodbye. Set in the future where death may not be the end.A young man tries to climb out of a seemingly endless pit deep inside the Earth which represents his depression and loneliness. He can see far above the people who put him down there. He feels rage towards them. As he climbs, a demonic entity tries to encourage his rage and fuel his depression. The entity tries to encourage him either down the path of vengeance, or to simply let go and fall to his doom below. No more feeling. No more pain.A parallel story running alongside this one, set in the real world, focuses on a wannabe actor named Christian Anderson. All alone, without a purpose in life, and used to rejection by others, he seeks his dream because he feels it will be the key to ending the stagnant and lonely state that is his life and help him find happiness and fulfillment. By becoming successful, he will validate himself and be able to rub it in the faces of those who scorned him. His encounter with a particular group that reaches out to him, however, causes him to question the way he's always viewed others' actions towards himself, and the way he remembers some of the hurtful experiences from his past.