When Esk, a young ogre-nymph-human, began his pilgrimage to the Good Magician Humfrey to rid himself of a seductive demoness, little did he know it would become a mission of mercy. A running river paradise and its harmless inhabitants were perishing in the wrathful wake of a greedy demon horde. Now it is up to Esk and his companions--a beautiful winged centaur named Chex and a brave burrower Called Volney--to search Xanth's treacherous reaches, gathering together a mind-boggling company of creatures to defend the precious Vale of the Vole.

Isolated for centuries, the exotic Dragon Empire is finally ready to join the United Federation of Planets. But first the emperor's eldest son must marry the only daughter of his oldest enemy, bringing to an end decades of civil war. Without the wedding, there can be no peace -- and no treaty with the Federation. As honored guests of the Dragon Empire, Captain Picard and the crew of the "Starship Enterprise" TM must ensure that the royal wedding occurs on schedule, despite the Empire's complicated and difficult codes of honor. And Dr. Beverly Crusher finds her loyalties torn when she wins the confidence of the unusually reluctant bride-to-be. More than just a treaty is at stake, for a vicious race of alien conquerors will stop at nothing, from assassination to invasion, to keep the Empire out of the Federation. Picard must use all his skills to save the Empire, and preserve the Dragon's Honor.

Nina turns to science to try and avoid a future that she believes is predetermined.Nina lost her family when she was younger, and to avoid a fate similar to her mother, Nina jumped into the possibilities of nanobot technologies to avoid her preconceived fate. A short story written I did in college in the first person perspective.

In late 1979, the writer and naturalist Peter Matthiessen and the wildlife photographer Hugo van Lawick joined a safari into the Selous Game Reserve in southern Tanzania, one of the largest yet least-known strongholds of wild animals left on earth. Sand Rivers is their beautiful account of a remarkable trip into this quintessential East African wilderness.

The family of Tyler Burrows is kidnapped and he has to travel to the other side of the galaxy to find them and where danger is ever present. He also finds an old enemy who is reaching out from beyond the grave to try to get the revenge that some think is his right.At an Archaeological dig on the planet Helionia, Trajo Fortuna, an archaeologist reveals to the population that she has found proof that there had been a civilization similar to the current one but 50,000 years in its past; it was called the Heliot nation. This civilisation was destroyed while attempting to invade a peaceful alien race after the Heliot space fleet mysteriously disappeared within a space storm.A ship sent by Ares Fortuna through a recently discovered wormhole in space in search of a new source for the minerals needed by Helionia to supply their ever growing requirements learns that survivors of this ancient fleet of pirates lost their final battle on Orion against its leading citizen, Tyler Burrows, just eleven years previously!A plot is hatched to lure him to Helionia by kidnapping his family so that Ares Fortuna can put him on trial for mass murder and then execute him.Tyler Burrows has to battle for his family’s life by travelling through a recently discovered portal, that was discovered by Trajo Fortuna, to search for his family. The portal transports Tyler Burrows to a distant moon, and so far no one who has ever travelled through the portal has ever returned. He must also rescue Marot Pallas; who was kidnapped and taken through the portal to prevent him from winning the upcoming election and becoming president of Helionia. Tyler Burrows must help him to win the election for the presidency or intergalactic war just might break out.

Ropo is a Nigerian living in North Yorkshire; he has just been covered in toxic waste and become a super hero. Unfortunately for him he is a lizard and it has all come as rather a shock!Ropo is a Nigerian living in North Yorkshire; he has just been covered in toxic waste and become a super hero. Unfortunately for him he is a lizard and it has all come as rather a shock!In this comic short story hear about the birth of a new super hero, even though he is not quite sure exactly what that entails.The story was written to help promote National Short Story Week in a secondary school in England.

Sent off course by a faulty compass and running low on fuel a pilot sets his plane down in the African jungle. Pursued by strange beasts he stumbles on a prehistoric city where he is captured by its cruel inhabitants and sentenced to work in their mines. The only bright spot in his life becomes the slave girl who teaches him their strange tongue.Lost in a savage Jungle...Sent off course by a faulty compass German pilot Lieutenant Erik von Mendelsöhn sets his plane down in the treetops of an African jungle after running out of petrol.Having survived the terrific crash he is now forced with enduring the terrors of a primitive world with no idea where lay the lines of the friendly forces he was attempting to reach.Soon, however, Erik discovers there to be forces at work infinitely more dangerous than the jungle wildlife with which he has contended since abandoning his wrecked Fokker, when he discovers a mysterious prehistoric city, buried in a valley governed by the time-warp of a distant star – a star whose grim, gray inhabitants would make of him a thrall!A short story inspired by pulp authors Edgar Rice Burroughs, H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard.

The Republic Ship Freedom has been ordered to remove a group of defiant miners from the dead world LX-925. As UN inspector Dr. Remy Duval marvels over the advanced technology at the crew's disposal, he quickly understands the horrific downside to these wonders. Risking everything, Remy schemes to bring a peaceful end to the stand-off before it escalates into genocide.In the early 23rd century, four nations dominate interstellar travel. Their programs have remained a mystery to the people of Earth, including their own people, and the UN wants to know why. Previous inspectors have yielded little insightful information. Dr. Remy Duval is the latest to venture into the unknown.The Republic Ship Freedom has been ordered to remove a group of defiant miners from the dead world LX-925. As Remy marvels over the advanced technology at the crew's disposal, he quickly understands the horrific downside to these wonders. Risking everything, Remy schemes to bring a peaceful end to the stand-off before it escalates into genocide.

The fourth installment of the saga of the Forgotten Ornament finds the little girl facing the consequences of her heroism. She needs every bit of her strength to weather what awaits her in the aftermath of doing the right thing.Jasmine has wanted her very own pet for years. On her seventh birthday, her wish finally comes true! She adopts Cuddles from the local animal shelter. They quickly become best of friends. Follow the adventures of Cuddles and Jasmine!This is an excellent storybook for early readers, reading aloud at home, and as a bedtime story.* 5 fun short stories for kids* Includes "just for fun" activities* Short story chapter book with pictures* Perfect for a bedtime story for kids* Excellent for early and beginner readers* Big and cute illustrations for early and younger readersThis book is great for quick bedtime story or to be read aloud with friends and family!

Social science fiction with a sprinkling of humour. Gay to straight or straight to gay? Would you change your sexual orientation if you could? When the scientists gave a large dose of insulin to the mice in their food, a number of the mice began to engage in same-sex sexual activity.Social science fiction with a sprinkling of humour. Gay to straight or straight to gay? The story was that some scientists in Edinburgh had carried out experiments on mice. When the scientists gave a large dose of insulin to the mice in their food, a number of the mice began to engage in same-sex sexual activity. Would you change your sexual orientation if you could? How does sexuality and sexual orientation actually work? These are the questions facing a group of young people living in the North of England. Along the way, they confront issues of sexual role, family breakdown, social isolation and what's going on in John's fridge - you name it. "I find this story a fascinating read, as Mr Reed manages to give his characters a kind of complexity that feels real in many ways." -Hot Sauce Reviews“Despite its short length, Reed presents the reader with a complex, well-realized characters, and interesting questions to think about. It makes a statement about social activism, sexual identity, the role of the media, and the desperation some people feel to be accepted.” - David L. Felts, SFReader"A quick read that makes you laugh as much as it makes you think. " - A BookLikes reviewer"What an odd, short, minimalist thought piece. I enjoyed it." - A Goodreads Reviewer"I have never read a story quite like this. Often authors don't dive into touchy subjects like this one, but Michael Reed did an excellent job!" - A Goodreads Reviewer"This book brought a lot of questions to mind." - A BookLikes reviewer

Soul Catcher (1972) is a novel by the science fiction writer Frank Herbert. Soul Catcher is about a Native American who kidnaps a young white boy and their journey together. It is a story of vengeance and sacrifice. In the conflicted anti-hero, one may see many truths to the feelings harbored by those who were conquered. Many Native American myths are touched upon; e.g. that the bee does not haphazardly sting its victim, rather it chooses that person. The book is committed to seeing the sacrifice through and the “lamb” must be an innocent to represent the many Native American innocents slaughtered. Therein lies the conflict with our tragic hero, that he may actually have found respect for his young white hostage, yet he knows what it is that he must do for his people.

Secret service agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho, with a clear mission: locate and recover two federal agents who went missing in the bucolic town one month earlier. But within minutes of his arrival, Ethan is involved in a violent accident. He comes to in a hospital, with no ID, no cell phone, and no briefcase. The medical staff seems friendly enough, but something feels…off. As the days pass, Ethan’s investigation into the disappearance of his colleagues turns up more questions than answers. Why can’t he get any phone calls through to his wife and son in the outside world? Why doesn’t anyone believe he is who he says he is? And what is the purpose of the electrified fences surrounding the town? Are they meant to keep the residents in? Or something else out? Each step closer to the truth takes Ethan further from the world he thought he knew, from the man he thought he was, until he must face a horrifying fact—he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive.

"The world feels oddly strained, like a line pulled too taunt and apt to snap, smashing everything in its path." Master Mechanic Mari and Mage Alain have survived every attempt to stop them, but their enemies are determined to kill Mari, the only one who can save her world from a storm of destruction. As armies begin to gather and cities seethe with tension, Mari, Alain, and their friends must prepare to confront the storm in the place it first appeared: the broken kingdom of Tiae. The dangers facing them demand perilous raids, tough battles, and more than a little piracy. Beating the Mechanics Guild and the Mage Guild that have controlled the world of Dematr for centuries will require an unprecedented alliance under Mari's command of rebellious Mechanics, Mages, and common folk who know that together they can change the world, but separately they will all lose.

FUSION is the first collection of short works published by Breakwater Harbor Books. Contributing heart-pumping tales of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Crime are seven stories that will thrill and rivet you. Authors from across a wide variety of genres, Dee Harrison, Ivan Amberlake, Claire C. Riley, Scott J. Toney, Mindy Haig, Cara Goldthorpe and C.M.T. Stibbe.Featuring gripping Independent authors from around the world, FUSION is the first collection of short works published by Breakwater Harbor Books. Contributing heart-pumping tales of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Crime are seven stories that will thrill and rivet you. Authors from across a wide variety of genres, Dee Harrison, Ivan Amberlake, Claire C. Riley, Scott J. Toney, Mindy Haig, Cara Goldthorpe and C.M.T. Stibbe. The Sliver of Abilon – A Mirrorsmith Tale – 'and you thought it was safe to look in the mirror?'Diary of the Gone - Without a girlfriend, bullied by the Principal’s son, and haunted by the dead, Callum Blackwell thinks his life can’t get any worse. But he’s wrong.Life Ever After. Nina's Story: Part one. – When the dead begin to rise, it's time to put your differences aside and run!NovaFall – When the Meteor falls, the essences will come, forging flesh and planetary souls as one.Cybilla. – To claim his Muse, one man must find the gate between the mortal and the immortal worlds.Capturing Perfection – An artist's tale of love, loss and beauty in Renaissance MilanUntil The Ninth Hour – Until a man loses his daughter to a serial killer, until he loses his best friend, until he is down on his luck, Darryl Williams must put all thoughts of retaliation out of his mind.An excerpt from Dee Harrison’s The Sliver of Abilon – A Mirrorsmith Tale Junah Venmark, Master Mirrorsmith, exited the wayportal directly into the seaweed stench of Abilon. The foul odour tickled the back of his throat and he gagged on a rise of bile. Mirrorsmith Guild protocol demanded that he preview his destination before he arrived but it could not prepare him for an assault on his other senses. He vomited onto the trackway, just thankful that there was no-one to witness his most pitiful entrance ever. He loathed the smell of mouldy greens – it stirred up too many reminders of his wretched childhood in the back alleys of Varna, largest city on his homeworld of Vargo – but this was kabbige soup intensified tenfold. When his heaving subsided, Junah sank down onto his rump, trying to ignore the early evening dew which was soaking into his leggings. He pulled a kerchief from his belt-purse, to wipe the spittle from his lips, and cursed this ill-favoured world. Sissik, his wail, chittered and scurried around him like a silver-furred cyclone, mewing her distress. Junah winced when she skipped onto his tender stomach, the better to peer into his face with her large, prosimian eyes. He ran a finger down her spine and she slowly relaxed beneath his touch. Junah ill? She sent. No, I’m fine, Little One he reassured her. He grimaced. The smell caught me out, that’s all. Sissik wrinkled her own nose. Nasty, nasty stink, she concurred. Junah delved into his purse a further time and extracted a couple of lozenges from a packet. A few chews later and he could smell nothing. “Next time I’ll take ‘em before I get here,” he promised out loud. “Not that there’ll be a next time!” Junah clambered to his feet and peeled the sodden fabric from his buttocks. Sissik took her accustomed place on his shoulders, hiding beneath his long, dark hair and curled around his neck like a fur collar. Wails were native to all the worlds of the Regium, even the undeveloped ones like Abilon. Some wails, the silver-furred ones like Sissik, were prized for their ability to generate the acoustic frequencies that Mirrorsmiths depended upon. Others, the plumper, browner ones, made good eating. Whenever Sissik irritated him, which was often, Junah threatened to dye her coat russet. Now, however, she was quiescent, understanding that it was time for work.

The ascendancy of mankind is being decided on Jupiter. Does mankind have a chance, or is its fate pre-ordained?watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/gWYCcvlBD80The ascendancy of mankind is being decided on Jupiterwatch the trailer: https://youtu.be/gWYCcvlBD80In the 22nd century, mankind assimilated the Solar System within the orbits of the inner planets, and was gradually moving further out, beyond the asteroid belt, onward towards the outer planets. The recently discovered technology of remote manipulation gave people the capability of altering the orbit of celestial bodies of planetary size, which laid the foundation of a new era for the human race: the terraforming age. The colonization of space beyond the limits of the Solar System became only a matter of time. Soon after the first successful test, changing the orbit of Mercury, a strange object moving from the depths of space towards the centre of the Solar System entered the field of vision of a telescope at an observatory in Chile…