Andrew "Ender" Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. The result of genetic experimentation, Ender may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human life. The only way to find out is to throw Ender into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast.
But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway almost as long. Ender's two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. While Peter was too uncontrollably violent, Valentine very nearly lacks the capability for violence altogether. Neither was found suitable for the military's purpose. But they are driven by their jealousy of Ender, and by their inbred drive for power. Peter seeks to control the political process, to become a ruler. Valentine's abilities turn more toward the subtle control of the beliefs of commoner and elite alike, through powerfully convincing essays. Hiding their youth and identities behind the anonymity of the computer networks, these two begin working together to shape the destiny of Earth-an Earth that has no future at all if their brother Ender fails.
Source: hatrack.com Views: 9 613
A love story, an adventure, and an epic of the frontier, Larry McMurtry’s Pulitzer Prize— winning classic, Lonesome Dove, the third book in the Lonesome Dove tetralogy, is the grandest novel ever written about the last defiant wilderness of America.
Journey to the dusty little Texas town of Lonesome Dove and meet an unforgettable assortment of heroes and outlaws, whores and ladies, Indians and settlers. Richly authentic, beautifully written, always dramatic, Lonesome Dove is a book to make us laugh, weep, dream, and remember.
Series in order of publication:
Lonesome Dove (1985)
Streets of Laredo (1993)
Dead Man's Walk (1995)
Comanche Moon (1997)
Series in order of internal chronology:
Dead Man's Walk – set in the early 1840s
Comanche Moon – set in the 1850–60s
Lonesome Dove – set in mid-to-late 1870s
Streets of Laredo – set in the early 1890s Views: 9 379
An acclaimed bestseller and international sensation, Patrick Suskind’s classic novel provokes a terrifying examination of what happens when one man’s indulgence in his greatest passion—his sense of smell—leads to murder.
In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift—an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille’s genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the “ultimate perfume”—the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brilliance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity.
Translated from the German by John E. Woods. Views: 8 622
#1 New York Times Bestselling author - Surrender to fiction's greatest creature of the night - Book II of the Vampire ChroniclesThe vampire hero of Anne Rice’s enthralling novel is a creature of the darkest and richest imagination. Once an aristocrat in the heady days of pre-revolutionary France, now a rock star in the demonic, shimmering 1980s, he rushes through the centuries in search of others like him, seeking answers to the mystery of his eternal, terrifying exsitence. His is a mesmerizing story—passionate, complex, and thrilling.Praise for The Vampire Lestat “Frightening, sensual . . . Anne Rice will live on through the ages of literature. . . . To read her is to become giddy as if spinning through the mind of time, to become lightheaded as if our blood is slowly being drained away.”—San Francisco Chronicle “Fiercely ambitious, nothing less than a complete unnatural history of vampires.”—The Village Voice “Brilliant . . . its undead characters are utterly alive.”—The New York Times Book Review “Luxuriantly created and richly told.”—The Cleveland Plain Dealer Views: 7 982
In this multi-award-winning, bestselling novel, Margaret Atwood has created a stunning Orwellian vision of the near future. This is the story of Offred, one of the unfortunate “Handmaids” under the new social order who have only one purpose: to breed. In Gilead, where women are prohibited from holding jobs, reading, and forming friendships, Offred’s persistent memories of life in the “time before” and her will to survive are acts of rebellion. Provocative, startling, prophetic, and with Margaret Atwood’s devastating irony, wit, and acute perceptive powers in full force, *The Handmaid’s Tale* is at once a mordant satire and a dire warning. Views: 7 449
An epic novel of the violence and depravity that attended America's westward expansion, **Blood Meridian** brilliantly subverts the conventions of the Western novel and the mythology of the "wild west." Based on historical events that took place on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s, it traces the fortunes of the Kid, a fourteen-year-old Tennesseean who stumbles into the nightmarish world where Indians are being murdered and the market for their scalps is thriving. Views: 6 902
'It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.'
Fifty-one years have passed since Fermina rebuffed Florentino and married Juvenal Urbino instead. Swearing his love to her, he lives for the day when he can court her again. When Fermina's husband is killed, Florentino seizes his chance to declare his enduring love. But can young love find new life in the twilight of their lives?
Love in the Time of Cholera is re-issued on Gabriel García Márquez 's birthday to celebrate the publication of his books as ebooks for the first time. Views: 6 836
The Polar Express is a treasured holiday tradition. This lavish gift set includes a CD audio recording read by Liam Neeson, a keepsake "All Aboard" ornament, and a note from author Chris Van Allsburg.
Awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1986, The Polar Express has sold more than 7 million copies, become a classic holiday movie, and been translated into stage productions that take place across the United States during the holiday season. Views: 6 564
After a frightening encounter with a knife-wielding stranger, Morgan James was bewildered when her "attacker" turned out to be the very wealthy Nicholas Gregoras. But could Morgan\'s suspicions about the mysterious Greek tycoon withstand the all-consuming desire ignited by his kiss? Views: 6 472
A #1 New York Times Bestselling AuthorAttorney Caine MacGregor had a reputation for being a demon in the courtroom - and in the bedroom. He yearned to break down Diana Blade\'s icy wall of control and release the passionate woman within. When he offered Diana a partnership - in both business and pleasure - could he entice her to risk everything for the love of a MacGregor? Views: 5 722
The cards were stacked, though neither of them knew it. Serena MacGregor\'s father left nothing to chance when he sent Justin Blade -- part Comanche and all gambler -- on a Caribbean cruise. His daughter was evading her responsibility to produce grandchildren by working as a blackjack dealer on the CELEBRATION. Odds were they\'d meet.Serena\'s father had his hopes riding on what would happen when they did. Win, lose or draw, they were meant for each other, proving indisputably in this case that lucky in cards did not mean unlucky in love. Views: 5 600
A MacGregor classic from "America\'s favorite writer" ("The New Yorker"). AVAILABLE DIGITALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME Cartoonist Grant Campbell has shunned the outside world, preferring to live and work alone--until a storm brings artist Genevieve Grandeau to the door of his lighthouse. Gruff and guarded, he offers her shelter for one night, never expecting how the glamorous beauty will affect the rest of his days... Includes an exclusive preview of Nora Roberts\'s new book "The Witness." Views: 5 567
Former First Daughter, and current potter/shop owner Shelby Campbell is wary of U.S. Senator Alan MacGregor\'s attention. She knows all too well what life in the public eye is like, and the life of a politician. But Alan is persistent. He\'s determined to win her over and show her that their future is worth all the potential drawbacks. Views: 5 171
Raised from birth in the orphanage at St. Cloud's, Maine, Homer Wells has become the protege of Dr. Wilbur Larch, its physician and director. There Dr. Larch cares for the troubled mothers who seek his help, either by delivering and taking in their unwanted babies or by performing illegal abortions. Meticulously trained by Dr. Larch, Homer assists in the former, but draws the line at the latter. Then a young man brings his beautiful fiancee to Dr. Larch for an abortion, and everything about the couple beckons Homer to the wide world outside the orphanage ... Views: 4 466
As Amanda Jamison, Ariel Kirkwood suffered stoically through the daily traumas of a popular soap opera. She was adored by her loyal fans, as well as the real people in her life. Booth De Witt had written his greatest script: from the pain of a bitter marriage came a bitingly brilliant story. Ariel knew she wanted to play the scheming wife -- a complete change from her sweet daytime heroine. But Ariel the actress awakened the ghosts of Booth\'s past with her eerily perfect portrayal of his ex-wife . . . and Ariel the woman broke through his hardened cynicism, tempting him to love again. Views: 4 078
