Jevick, the pepper merchant's son, has been raised on stories of Olondria, a distant land where books are as common as they are rare in his home. When his father dies and Jevick takes his place on the yearly selling trip to Olondria, Jevick's life is as close to perfect as he can imagine. But just as he revels in Olondria's Rabelaisian Feast of Birds, he is pulled drastically off course and becomes haunted by the ghost of an illiterate young girl.In desperation, Jevick seeks the aid of Olondrian priests and quickly becomes a pawn in the struggle between the empire's two most powerful cults. Yet even as the country shimmers on the cusp of war, he must face his ghost and learn her story before he has any chance of becoming free by setting her free: an ordeal that challenges his understanding of art and life, home and exile, and the limits of that seductive necromancy, reading.A Stranger in Olondria is a skillful and immersive debut fantasy novel that pulls the reader in deeper and deeper with twists and turns reminiscent of George R. R. Martin and Joe Hill.Sofia Samatar is an American of Somali and Swiss German Mennonite background. She wrote A Stranger in Olondria in Yambio, south Sudan, where she worked as an English teacher. She has worked in Egypt and is pursuing a PhD in African languages and literature at the University of Madison, Wisconsin.** Views: 22
"A quick, engaging read, Dance with Destiny is filled with laughter, love and above all, human nature. Destiny and Cole are perfect together and actually react to certain things like a normal everyday person. In the early stages of their relationship, we see them battling jealousy; and in the latter, hurt and confusion. Authors Louise Crawford and Ramona Butler expertly captured the emotions moving these characters and it made Dance with Destiny even more spectacular. If you enjoy romance mixed in with a bit of comedy, I highly suggest you pick up Dance with Destiny."Reviewer: Sharyn McGinty"Louise Crawford and Ramona Butler have penned a sweet novel... The love scenes in this novel remind me of the early Diana Palmers, in that they don't go into many details. For a short novel that is a pleasant way to pass a rainy afternoon, check out Dance With Destiny." Angela Camp, Romance Reviews TodaySurgeon Cole Jackson and Paiute intern Destiny Moon are meant to be together,... Views: 22
An uncanny child born to brilliant parents, befriended by a prince, mentored by a wise woman, pursued by a powerful man, Secret Riven has no idea what destiny will demand of her or the courage she must have to confront it in the breathtakingly epic, genre-spanning sequel to The Mapmaker’s War. One thousand years after a great conflict known as The Mapmaker’s War, a daughter is born to an ambitious historian and a gifted translator. Secret Riven doesn’t speak until her seventh year but can mysteriously communicate with plants and animals. Unsettled by visions and dreams since childhood, she tries to hide her strangeness, especially from her mercurial father and cold mother. Yet gentle, watchful Secret finds acceptance from Prince Nikolas, her best friend, and Old Woman, who lives in the distant woods. When Secret is twelve, her mother receives an arcane manuscript to translate from an anonymous owner. Zavet suffers from nightmares and withdraws into herself. Secret sickens with a fever and awakens able to speak an ancient language, one her mother knows as well. Suddenly, Zavet dies. The manuscript is missing, but a cipher has been left for Secret to find. Years later, Secret becomes a translator’s apprentice for Fewmany, an influential magnate, who has taken an interest in her for reasons she cannot discern. Before Secret learns why, Old Woman confronts Secret with the truth of her destiny—a choice she must make that is tied to an ancient past. Overflowing with spellbinding storytelling, vivid characters, and set in a fascinating world, The Chronicle of Secret Riven explores the tension between love and hate, trust and betrayal, fate and free will.** Views: 22
Devastated by her husband's death, Earth-based biologist Yoshiko Sunadomari journeys to the paradise world of Fulgar to see her estranged son in the hope of bridging the gulf between them. But Tetsuo is in trouble. His expertise in mu-space technology and family links with the mysterious Pilots have ensured his survival -- so far. Now he's in way over his head -- unwittingly caught up in a conspiracy of illegal tech-trafficking and corruption, and in the sinister machinations of one of Fulgar's ruling elite: the charismatic Luculentus, Rafael Garcia de la Vega. When his home is attacked, Tetsuo flees to the planet's unterraformed wastes, home to society's outcasts and eco-terrorists.So Yoshiko arrives on Fulgar to discover Tetsuo gone ... and wanted for murder. Ill at ease in this strange, stratified new world seething with social and political unrest but desperate to find her son and clear his name, she embarks on a course of action that will bring her face to face... Views: 22
Diana is married to a high-ranking Civil Servant who is a workaholic and he neglects her badly. Diana takes part in an experiment after receiving hospital treatment on her holiday. In due course, she notices that everyone else is getting old but she is still remaining young and beautiful. When she visits the scientist, he tells her that the experiment is one where, if successful, she will live to almost two hundred years of age and remain exactly as she looks at present for all that time. Views: 22
It's been a long time since Boston criminal defence attorney David Cavanaugh had heard Senator Chris Kincaid speak of Marilyn Maloney; hers is a name from their childhood, from the life David left behind in New Jersey. But Marilyn is missing, and Chris pleads with David to come home to help him locate the woman he once loved. Then a battered body is hauled from the Passaic River, and when Chris is charged with Marilyn's murder, David must face the harrowing responsibility of defending one childhood friend accused of killing another. Devastating family secrets plague David as he races toward a trial which looks impossible to win. Worse still, he discovers that proving Chris's innocence is linked to an unthinkable mistake, made many years before... Views: 22
Has this Caffarelli finally met his match? Millionaire playboy Raoul Caffarelli has always lived life in the fast lane. But when an accident confines him to a wheelchair--and to the care of a woman whose beauty taunts him--he's consumed with rage and frustration. Used to difficult patients, physical therapist Lily Archer won't be cowed by Raoul's arrogance or distracted by his Adonis-like physique. Carrying her own scars from the past, Lily has vowed never to relinquish her power to a man again. Both underestimate the power of the shared passion between them. Their physical scars may heal, but some wounds run much deeper.... Views: 22
