Mix an adolescent shepherd boy with a girl who wants to meet existentialists, a Marquis itching for an adventure, and a bland psychic. Add in a flippant Norse god. Put them in a land made up of the after-lives of various different cultures. Add in some random Midgard Serpent, Genghis Khan, Scheherazade,Guan Yu (a medieval Chinese war hero),and a cussing mocking bird. Stir gently.Reality Fix: Lucifer's Crown is a comic fantasy novella about a group of four young adventurers who accompany Thor to the Afterlife, to rescue the Universe from Lucifer's horde of demons and the coming of the Apocalypse. Views: 398
Nearly two years ago a leading London daily newspaper said: "The Government have assured us that all danger from present and future air piracies is now over, and that the recent events which so startled and horrified both this country and the United States of America can never recur. For our own part we accept that assurance, and we do not think that the Commissioner of Air Police for the British Government will be caught napping again. Views: 398
Jakarta, 1965. Waiting for explosions, the city smells of frangipani, kretek cigarettes, and fear. It is THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY. the charismatic god-king Sukarno has brought Indonesia to the edge of chaos - to an abortive revolution that will leave half a million dead. For the Western correspondents here, this gathering apocalypse is their story and their drug, while the sufferings of the Indonesian people are scarcely real: a shadow play. Working at the eye of the storm are television correspondent Guy Hamilton and his eccentric dwarf cameraman Billy Kwan. In Kwan's secret fantasy life, both Sukarno and Hamilton are heroes. But his heroes betray him, and Billy is driven to desperate action. As the Indonesian shadow play erupts into terrible reality, a complex personal tragedy of love, obsession and betrayal comes to its climax. 'A profound and beautiful book' - Les Murray, the Sydney Morning Herald 'A richly and fully realised work of fiction, well conceived and... Views: 398
For Mab Prowd, blood magic is as natural as breathing. She spends her days on a secluded Kansas farm with other blood witches, practicing spells for healing and trying to avoid boring lessons like algebra and history.
Wild and confident, Mab uses magic to understand her entire world. But when one of Mab's spells mistakenly taps into a powerful, long-dormant curse, she finds her magic spinning out of control - and crashing right into Will Sanger, a boy from town.
Will has always relied on the logical, tangible things in his life, like his dogs, his soccer team, and even his complicated family. So he tries to dismiss all he sees and feels around Mab. Still, the strangeness and beauty of her magic draw him in.
As Will and Mab grow closer, the unbound curse grows stronger. Hiding in the shadows of the forest, it seeks to manipulate Will and gain Mab's power - even if that means destroying everything they love. Views: 398
A tale of good and evil, where neither is what it seems!
Aiden Fleischer, a bookish priest, finds himself transported to an alien world. With him is Miss Clarissa Stark, a crippled hunchback of exceptional ability, wronged by an aristocrat and cast out from society.
On the planet Ptallaya, under two bright yellow suns, they encounter the Yatsill, a race of enthusiastic mimics who shape their society after impressions picked up from Clarissa's mind. Creating a faux London, the alien creatures enroll Clarissa in their Council of Magicians and Aiden in the City Guard. But why does the peaceful city require guards? After a day that, in earthly terms, has lasted for months, the answer comes, for on this planet without night, a red sun also rises, and brings with it a destructive evil.
The Blood Gods! Hideous creatures, they cause Aiden to confront his own internal darkness while trying to protect his friend and his new home.
With a sharp eye for period detail and a rich imagination, Mark Hodder establishes a weirdly twisted version of Victorian London on a convincingly realized alien world, and employs them to tackle a profound psychological and moral question. A Red Sun Also Rises breaks new ground by combining the sword & planet genre with Victorian steampunk while adding an edgy psychological twist. Views: 398
Ghosts With Six-Shooters in Dead Man Hand, a Murder Mystery from T. L. Simmons—Red Dollar, New Mexico—Alice, Twila, Granny, Jack, Trucker, and Miss Molly are smack dab in the middle of another murder investigation, this time in a haunted hotel in Red Dollar, New Mexico. The villain is armed with Black Magic, and there's no escape for anyone during the ice storm.Alice keeps telling herself this is Twila's gig, and she's only here to back up her aunt and mentor as they discipline some rowdy ghosts. But she, Granny, and the pets are on their own when Twila's plane gets delayed. It's not the ghosts she's worried about, though. It's when she discovers the newly-dead woman in the hotel and realizes someone has stolen the poor woman's hands.Twila rides in to do her share about the same time as Jack, Alice's ex. The villains are forced to step up their pace, though, with a homicide detective on the premises and a handless ghost who might expose their... Views: 398
It is a collection of short Facebook notes from my account, actually sketches of modern urban life. There are almost no people, and no plot at all. I hope you'll enjoy feelings I've tried to express.The book contains 37 short-stories:A B-Mans Nightmare How the English Language got its strange Tune The New Earl of Balmore How Are You, Today? A Matter of Concentration Nightly Departure The Emperor’s New Rules Called to the Boss Nevaljashka My World-Famous Modesty Promotion Is there a Doctor on Board? Tale of the Tie Explosive Departure A Strange Reward Dysthanasia Rudolph Rednose Justice in Lawainia Jack the Ripper’s last notes Hannah’s Sudden Death An Uninvited Visitor The Research Victim Modern Christmas Good Old Days The Wall Behind Visit from Cassandra Axis of the Devil Liberating the Free A Long Way Home The Last Container Sporty events Alert for Copnick Resurrection The Beauty and Me, the Beast The Obituary Projecting 9/11 Schou’s Evolution Theory Views: 398
A short story about a vivacious young physicist and mathematician named Kristine, who has devoted her life to science. Hallucinations cause her to seek help from a social worker named Paul and she's terrified when she hears a questionable diagnosis of schizophrenia. Her path leads her to a place where perspective is all that's real, and sanity is nothing more than the limit of what we believe.A short story about a vivacious young physicist and mathematician named Kristine, who has devoted her life to science. Her newly found love for meditation and yoga bring hallucinations that frighten her enough to seek the help of a social worker named Paul Ghent. She fears the worst when she is handed a possible diagnosis of schizophrenia, but the diagnosis as with all things in life, is uncertain. Kristine's scientific mind drives her personal need to find a definite answer that ends in what seems to be the impossible. Taking her therapist on her journey into what could only be her delusion, they both find out the truth about her. It's the lesson that perspective is all that's real, and sanity is nothing more than the limit of what we believe. Views: 398
A heavenly war rages among the Fallen that threatens to tear Victorian era England asunder. As the Descendants of these angelic warriors take sides in the escalating conflict, Brody West arrives with his father from America!A heavenly war rages among the Fallen that threatens to tear Victorian era England asunder. As the Descendants of these angelic warriors take sides in the escalating conflict, Brody West arrives with his father from America, only to find that his role in this firestorm is far greater than he ever could have imagined!FALLEN answers the question as to where the creatures of mankind's myths and legends really came from...and their plans to subjugate humanity and dominate the world! Views: 397
Forced from her childhood home by the murder of her father, Sybil ran from her past. Finding a new home and the love of a miss matched group of people, she'd found peace again even with the scars of her past forever haunting her future. At the turn of the 20th century, was it possible after all this time, she could have a family of her own?Forced from her childhood home by the murder of her father and the fear of the man she knew had killed him, Sybil ran from her past. Finding a new home and the love of a miss matched group of people, she'd found peace again even with the scars of her past forever haunting her future. At the turn of the 20th century, her prospects of a family of her own took on new dimensions as she stumbled onto a near frozen discovery. With the love of a small child, Sybil's heart bloomed as fate brought the darkness of a stranger to her door. Was it possible after all this time, she could have a family of her own?*After reading several old western romances by Norah Hess, the story and characters of Texas Rose haunted my dreams. Pushing aside three other stories I'd been working on, Sybil and Cole just wouldn't stay away! I might be a simple country girl, but I'd be lost without my computer and internet, so most of my stories happen in modern times. Texas Rose however is based in the late 1800's (early 1900's) and is my first attempt at older western romance. Unlike my other stories, there was no place for the full, descriptive portrayals of the sexual intimacy in Texas Rose. I hope the readers enjoy Texas Rose as much as I enjoyed writing it.*"Oh my Lord," she whispered still scanning her soft brown eyes over the letter, "Robert, is this for real?" Stepping toward her once again wrapping the softness of his palms over her shoulders, Robert smiled and nodded slowly. "If no parental claims of the child are made by Christmas, the one year standard wait will have been concluded and you can file to adopt Rose yourself," his voice low and soft as the tears began to fall over the length of her lashes. She had grown to love the little girl as her own and now that the possibility of it actually being true settled on her, Sybil trembled with happiness. Looking up at him, the happiness of the warm tears streaked down her cheeks and the sob caught in the back of her throat as he pressed his lips to hers. Slipping his hands down her shoulders and wrapping them around her waist, Robert pulled her body against his as his breath feathered between their lips. With the joy of the news and the sweetness of his breath on her lips, Sybil melted into the warmth of his arms for a moment. She had often longed to be in his arms again, dreamed of them raising Rose as husband and wife. Husband, the word shattered her heart as she realized he was already someone else's husband. Pressing her hands into his chest and pushing him away, Sybil stepped away, holding tight to the letter. "What are you doing," she sobbed as he tried to pull her back to him. Watching the happiness on her face transform into confusion and hurt, Robert lowered his head and stepped back. Pain twisted the soft features of his face. He had always loved her, but he had made his decision two years ago. "Sybil," his voice low as he backed down the steps, stepping into the stirrup of his horse's saddle and swinging his leg over, Robert raised the sadness of his blue eyes to her, "I'm sorry." Views: 397
Winner of the Kurt Vonnegut Fiction Prize, Parkison mixes literary fiction with gritty realities in her second story collection. Views: 397
Beatrice Featherstone is a dream fairy. Dream fairies deliver dreams to humans. But as each year passes for Bea and her friends, they discover that their life on a secluded island floating above us is full of secrets. From their adventure to the Edge of the island as kids, to finishing school when they are older, each experience leaves new questions unanswered.Mitch is an art student that works at a popular art museum, but his friend, Avi, doesn't see the meaning in art. Avi would rather spend his time staring at Mitch from afar, which Mitch doesn't mind, but he also wants more than just idle glances from across empty rooms. He wants more than just help on his Art History homework, although he would like that too. He's bad at art. Views: 397
In the second Puppeteer book, Mike, Alice and their Puppeteer allies fly off into outer space to try and thwart the alien’s plan of bombarding the Earth with asteroids, leaving it a barren, lifeless wasteland.Can Alice and Mike stop them? Will their Puppeteer allies balk at fighting their own kind? What is the terrible secret at the Puppeteer base? Find out in Puppet: Defender!In the second installment of the Puppeteer series, the aliens plan to bombard Earth with asteroids! Mike and Alice hotwire a flying saucer and try and stop the aliens, but the Puppeteers are already far along in their fiendish plan to unleash an apocalypse the like of which has not been seen in 100 million years. Can Alice and Mike stop them? Will their Puppeteer allies balk at fighting their own kind? What is the terrible secret at the Puppeteer base? Find out in Puppet: Defender! Views: 397
