In illuminating detail, Winchester, bestselling author of The Professor & the Madman ("Elegant & scrupulous"—NY Times Book Review) & Krakatoa ("A mesmerizing page-turner"—Time) tells the story of Joseph Needham, the Cambridge scientist who unlocked the most closely held secrets of China, long the world's most technologically advanced country. No cloistered don, this tall, married Englishman was a freethinking intellectual. A nudist, he was devoted to quirky folk dancing. In 1937, while working as a biochemist at Cambridge, he fell in love with a visiting Chinese student, with whom he began a lifelong affair. His mistress persuaded him to travel to her home country, where he embarked on a series of expeditions to the frontiers of the ancient empire. He searched for evidence to bolster a conviction that the Chinese were responsible for hundreds of humankind's most familiar innovations—including printing, the compass, explosives, suspension bridges, even toilet paper—often centuries before others. His journeys took him across war-torn China, consolidating his admiration for the Chinese. After the war, he determined to announce what he'd discovered & began writing Science & Civilisation in China, describing the country's long history of invention & technology. By the time he died, he'd produced, almost single-handedly, 17 volumes, making him the greatest one-man encyclopedist ever. Epic & intimate, The Man Who Loved China tells the sweeping story of China thru Needham's life. Here's a tale of what makes men, nations & humankind great—related by one of the world's best storytellers. Prologue The barbarian & the celestial Bringing fuel in snowy weather The discovering of China The rewards of restlessness The making of his masterpiece Persona non grata: the certain fall from grace The passage to the gate

When young Code falls down a hole while following a mysterious robotic insect, he lands in a world that defies all imagination. Everything in Mekhos is made from metal and circuitry, including the citizens-who happen to be robots. To find his way home, Code must first cross Mekhos's bizarre and dangerous landscape to reach the Beam Stalk. There, an artifact known as the Robonomicon is being guarded by an evil ruler who has plans to destroy Mekhos. Can Code free the Robonomicon, save the robots of Mekhos from impending doom, and still get himself back to Earth in time to catch the school bus? With its dazzling array of robots and futuristic gadgetry, this rollicking story will hold special appeal for boys and budding sci-fi lovers everywhere.

"By His Bootstraps" is a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein that plays with some of the inherent paradoxes that would be caused by time travel. It was originally published in the October 1941 issue of Astounding Science Fiction (US) under the pen name Anson MacDonald.

Raised in a little fishing town, Cairo Goodridge instead opts for a bigger brighter future in the concrete jungle, New York City. Success surrounds him, but all good things have to come to an end. After the cruel hand of mother nature brings destruction and desolation to his new home. He is forced to survive in the new untamed twisted city, were being human just doesn't cut it any more!In ancient Britannia, the warrior who brought down the king stag was named the defender of the land.Eartha’s brother Balen has been in love with Princess Galiene since they were children. Upon the death of the High King, the tribesmen of the realm vie for the throne, and with it, the hand of the fair princess.Balen is desperate to win his lady, but a rival tribesman is equally determined to keep them apart.With her brother, her dearest friend, and the country she loves all hanging in the balance, Eartha must do the unthinkable to ensure her brother’s victory in the stag hunt. Sometimes true love needs a helping hand...or some blood to be spilled.

Hundreds of thousands of student loan debtors have fled a decaying American dystopia. Unfortunately for these loan defaulters, overseas debt collectors have started to hunt them down and make them pay - sometimes with their lives. The most dangerous of the debt collectors thinks he's on to a big payday, but first he needs to avoid a violent faction dedicated to bringing about his downfall.As America approaches the middle of the 21st century, the total student loan debt outstanding has passed the $7 trillion mark. Hundreds of thousands of student loan debtors have fled a decaying American dystopia, searching for opportunity overseas. Mick Larson is one of these, having long ago ran out on his boring job while bravely leaving behind his massive student loan debt. He now lives comfortably in a Caribbean beach town with the money that he has been conning out of terrorist financiers while posing online as a radicalized American convert.Unfortunately for the student loan debt runaways, debt collectors have started to hunt them down. Now Mick finds himself targeted for collection, a process that can end in death. The feared student loan debt collector known only as 'The Executioner' has pinned down Mick's location, with the goal of confiscating his sizable cash reserves. The Executioner strongly believes that those who have fled the United States while leaving unpaid debts behind are responsible for the sad decline of America. His career of chasing down loan defaulters is part profit, part idealistic, and usually successful. And hoping to use Mick as bait to capture and bury alive The Executioner is Alison, a violent anarchist with a short temper and a long list of kills - mostly other anarchists. Alison has more than one set of loyalties. But today she is putting all that aside in her quest to kill The Executioner. All three want something from each other, and it won't likely be resolved peacefully.

Climate change has scorched the Earth, and an old man struggles for life as guardian of the last oasis in the Great Lakes basin."Keeper of the Oasis" was first published in Fractured; Tales of the Canadian Post-Apocalypse, Exile Editions, September 2014.A stream of consciousness account of one person's SOPA/PIPA protest.

This is a short story I wrote for an anthology. The Orphans takes place five years ago. This story is set in the future five years and is when the zombie apocalypse is full on and hopes are low!IMMORTAL CLONES ENSLAVE HUMANITY!When scientists invent machines that extend life indefinitely, world leaders begin working together to control world populations and ensure their own power.One worker drone named Thirty-Seven must fight the system to keep himself from becoming a scapegoat in the world's most corrupt society. He fights against a the whims of a desert prison dictator named Satan and gets mixed up with Satan's wife, Suicide.Through harrowing tribulations and gripping battles, Thirty-Seven evolves from a naive servant to fearless leader of a massive pack of fierce disciples. He joins a secret society and learns the truth about how immortality was invented. Coming to terms with the realities of surviving on his own, Thirty-Seven grows and evolves into a wise and powerful revolutionary.This post -apocalyptic dystopian thriller will keep you guessing. Lots of surprises and twists.

The bestselling author of The Straw Men makes his American hardcover debut with a searing, atmospheric tale that ratchets up the suspense, page by page, until its shocking end For Jack Whalen, it all starts with a visit from a childhood friend, now a lawyer, who asks for his help on an odd case. The family members of a scientist have been brutally murdered, and the scientist—who may have had something to hide—is nowhere to be found. But Jack has more pressing matters on his mind. His wife has told him that she's on a routine business trip to Seattle, yet she hasn't checked into her hotel. Calls to her cell phone go unanswered, and when Jack travels to Seattle to investigate, she's vanished. And in Oregon a little girl goes missing. She's found miles away, but it soon becomes clear that she's not an innocent victim, and is far from defenseless.Unusual events, all leading to the same place. As a former patrol cop who left the force under difficult circumstances, Jack is determined to find some answers. Yet the more he digs, the more the intrigue grows. Searching into the dark secrets of a past that still haunts him, Jack discovers that the truth has roots deeper and more evil than he ever feared.

Now that she’s retrieved the Staff of Lore, Captain Alisa Marchenko can finally dedicate herself and her ship to finding her kidnapped daughter. Her scant clues lead her to Cleon Moon. Unfortunately, since the fall of the empire, mafia clans have taken over the domed cities on the harsh moon, and exploring there isn’t easy. Even with the cyborg Leonidas at her side, Alisa struggles to survive vengeful mafia clans, rogue Starseers, and genetically engineered predators. To further complicate matters, she must worry about the ancient relic hidden on her ship, a beacon to anyone in the system who craves its power. If Alisa can’t navigate the moon’s chaos, she may lose her only chance to catch up with her daughter.

My Friend Bobby is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Alan Edward Nourse is in the English language, and may not include graphics or images from the original edition. If you enjoy the works of Alan Edward Nourse then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection.

Mulch Diggums, a dwarf on the run from the Lower Elements Police, is trying to get his hands on the priceless Fei Fei tiara. But stealing it seems too easy. That's because it is too easy. Artemis Fowl, the legendary twelve-year-old criminal mastermind, has set him up. He needs Mulch's help... This is an Eoin Colfer's fantastic new Artemis adventure especially for World Book Day.

Sgt. Gallagher is forced to except a new combat medic into third squad. Together with his new medic (Medical Android MD-106527-234) their small rescue team must undertake a daring mission. They must find an old friend who has gone missing in action behind enemy lines, before the enemy finds him first.Cammie Evans was a girl with a plan from the moment God called her to be a foreign missionary. After several years spent all over the world, though, she finds herself with a new assignment that leaves her questioning all that she once thought to be true about life, love, and calling.David Connor was always the weird kid in the youth group, never destined to live up to his father's expectations. After several years of working to find his own significance in Christ and his calling as a foreign missionary, he finds himself asking hard questions about who he is and what God wants from him.As their lives change and the past becomes part of the present, can Cammie and David help one another find their own happily ever after?

Post-Apocalyptic short about a man named Rhine Toledo who lives in a harsh and neglected world. He survives by leading a group of bandits, stealing from whoever enters the canyon country they live in.Post-Apocalyptic short about a man named Rhine Toledo who lives in a harsh and neglected world. He survives by leading a group of bandits, stealing from whoever enters the canyon country they live in. When his men are attacked, Rhine is forced to travel across a grueling desert that some say never ends. He heads towards strange lights in the distance, lights that hundreds of people travel to see, but nobody knows what they are. Rhine will face the ultimate test of survival and, if he makes it across alive, he will learn of a place nobody knew existed. Part 1 of the 3 part short series in the world of Scorched.

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.

Jazz is pressed into working side by side with Boss Geeter’s Sasquatch henchman. Ever cautious of her unwanted companion, she searches for clues to the unexplained attacks on Mirth’s monster community. When they’re attacked by a cadre of clowns who’ve brought along some magic users this time, at least one of her teammates will pay a heavy price. The ninth episode of a serialized adventure story.Jazz: Monster Collector, the serialized adventures of Mirth’s only deferred species bond collector. Stories just the right size for your commute, lunch break, or anytime you want a fast, exciting read. Want more? Follow episode by episode as Jazz seeks to uncover the secret force behind the inter-dimensional takeover of the planet she loved, a little place called Earth. Episode 9- Crime Scenes: Jazz has been pressed into working side by side with Mickey, Boss Geeter’s Sasquatch henchman, who she expects is out for revenge since she did shoot one of his great big feet off. Ever wary of her unwanted companion, she searches for clues to the unexplained attacks on the monster community. No sooner do they arrive at her office then they are attacked by a cadre of clowns who’ve decided to bring a few magic uses along with them this time. If Jazz and her teammates survive the battle, at least one of them is going to pay a heavy price. Tune out the static and Tune into Jazz Jazz, Monster Collector, Season One: Earth’s Lament:Jazz is a deferred species bond collector, which is a polite way of saying, Monster Hunter. She hunts them and whenever she can she destroys them. Her hatred for the Orcs, goblins, trolls, and fairies that live side by side with humans on the magically conjoined planets called Mirth runs deep. But only Jazz knows why, how deep, and what she’s willing to do to express it. But Jazz’s greatest enemy is the invisible power behind the hostile takeover that destroyed the Earth that she remembers. And that’s one enemy Jazz probably won’t live to face.A fast paced futuristic serial with a hint of noir and a lot of trouble.