Markus Kohl's aching body struggles to attend to his duties as the kingdom's lowly tinker. Though his neighbors rely upon the tinker to keep the mechanisms of their livelihoods in working order, few in the kingdom appreciate Markus's effort. Regardless, Markus satisfies his king's newest request with a creation that will remind all of those in the kingdom of the debts owed to the humble tinker.Markus Kohl's old bones groan as the tinker wakes to the first morning of the second sun. The second sun's humidity and heat give Markus little relief. His neighbors show him little patience as their poorly maintained machines shudder for the tinker's attention, and the villagers calling on the Markus's services refuse to allow the tinker's helpful Fay to enter their homes. Markus's work schedule strains to meet King Tiber's request for a device that will cool his court as the second sun crowds the sky. Though his body aches and though his neighbors show no respect for his duties, Markus meets the king's order with the help of his silver-haired Fay. What the tinker presents to the court challenges the realm to take responsibility for itself, or suffer terrible plague should ruin be allowed to gnaw at Markus's final, stunning achievement. Views: 488
Braving the lethal elements and buzzkills, four crawl out from the shelter of their hovel to push an invention towards the legendary tower the fatcats built before the world fell into ruin. They hope their machine will discover where the fatcats sleep, so that, finally, those who were left behind to languish in the wastes can take revenge by filling the fatcats' dreams with nightmares.Old man Sparker has built a powerful drill in the hovel, driven by a hissing engine of steam. Hoping the drill will help those who must call the wastes home find where the fatcats have retreated, Sparker’s daughter Sweet Tea leads a group that pushes her father's machine towards the tall tower rumored to be the fatcats’ home. There’s the giant Crotch, whose legs give the group so much strength. There’s Shiv, whose skills with the wicked razor may prove useful upon encountering any enemy. And there is Bug, the most resilient man to call the hovel home, a man who refuses to be squashed beneath any adversary’s heel. Together, they grunt and push Sparker’s contraption through the wastes, motivated by the desire to wrench the hated fatcats out from their pleasant dreams. Views: 482
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. Views: 466
God save me from making prophecies, because I am not qualified. Can I predict that Ebola virus not only finds its way to Europe and America, but also learns how to defeat the WHO protective suits protocols? Hey, who cares about Ebola? I fail to foresee that our Commander-in-Chief is going to introduce those new coffee-cup military salutes!Back in 2009, the beta-readers of Houston, 2030: The Year Zero asked me: Mike, are you sure this 'Meltdown' thingy of yours is going to happen? This year, two beta-readers asked independently: Mike, how do you know it will be called 'the Meltdown'? I have to admit, I have no idea how 'this thingy' is going to be called. Perhaps, 'the Meltdown'. Perhaps, 'GFC-3'. Or 'the Great Depression-2'. Or 'Peak Everything'. Further on, I have no idea if the 'Holy crap! This thingy is here!' event is going to happen exactly in 2016. In Eastern and Southern Europe, the energy crisis is presently on-going (my 'Houston, 2030: The Year Zero' has been a little bit of a prophecy, after all!) If we are very lucky, the energy system collapse in the United States will be delayed till the mid-twenties. Or it may come in 2015. How about tomorrow, after lunch?Perhaps, you are telling yourself the author is paranoid. Perhaps, I am. In such case, dear reader, pick a nice fantasy novel, with elves and goblins (yes, I like those too!) Your sword will be sharp and quick, your arrows will fly true and strong! And the Meltdown – Oh, holy crap! – will come totally unexpected. Views: 465
After numerous complaints from my readers (most audibly and notably, my Aunt Janet), I have been strongly urged to write a follow-up to G:THE STORY OF A MADMAN. Gregor's fans demanded more. In the first work, I have been accused of "leaving my readers hanging"; which of course was very much my intention. For those of you not familiar with G: THE STORY OF A MADMAN , I've pulled a snippet of the promo ad. "If there were such a thing as karma, Gregor would say he had it—bad karma. His mental illness has been present practically since birth. During early childhood, Gregor already knows he's different. As he grows to be an adult, those differences become violently apparent. He is a monster born, not made, and his extremely disturbed mental state is a thing of nightmares. Told in a series of chilling vignettes, G: The Story of a Madman is a character study of one man's descent into pure evil. It begins with "Baby G," a tale of Gregor's upbringing. A few... Views: 465
A tycoon, an heiress and a reporter hunt the most exotic creatures found in the cosmos. But a stranger from the stars has arrived first on the safari, and that alien will stop at nothing to collect every human's face as a trophy.The obliterators execute the Law of Extermination, cleansing alien planets of native life and reshaping extra-terrestrial landscapes to prepare the new worlds found in the stars for human settlement. Yet a creature of shadow and fear prevents the obliterators from completing their duty on the planet of Tybalt, a world that promises humankind a New Eden, if only the obliterators can exterminate that glowing jungle in which the monster hides. Teddy Jackson accepts the obliterators’ challenge to claim that monster as a trophy. But an intelligence unlike any Mr. Jackson has ever tracked threatens to turn the table on that great hunter who has mounted so many alien heads upon his walls. Views: 458
The archivist Un'Yhe has honored the strangers throughout his long lifetime. The strangers have smiled at every relic of the broods' homeworld Un'Yhe has brought before them. Un'Yhe's care continues to expand the museum built upon the strangers' crashed ark, until one day the strangers unfold the homeworld's bright sky to reveal a sparkling treasure more glorious than even Un'Yhe's museum houses.The strangers have spent eons floating through the chasms separating the stars. After so many millenniums, the strangers reach their loftiest goal and arrive upon an alien world filled with intelligence, life and splendor. But the strangers have evolved since the day so long ago when their ancestors first stepped into the stars. Only, the strangers' eyes remain transfixed upon the stars. The strangers still pine, despite all the alien treasure that surrounds them, for a return to those dark chasms that expand between the night's twinkling starlight. Views: 452
Radio talk-show host Max Jervis plays the part of victim better than anyone, and that talent has made Mr. Jervis a very wealthy man. Mr. Jervis will share in any indignity and imagine any conspiracy that might help grow his broadcast empire. But Mr. Jervis forgets that there is a monster for every victim until a scraping and clawing arrive one night outside his studio door.Mr. Jervis plays the role of victim as fine as any actor. By taking offense at the slightest rebuke and by seeing conspiracies behind every shadow, Max Jervis has built an empire of listeners and sponsors with the countless parts of his victim-hood. Max rages and cries with anyone who hears his voice, and he creates monsters out of the airwaves to grip the passion of any broadcast market. But Max Jervis learns too late that his words summon abomination. The scraping of claws arrives outside his door following a caller's curse, and Max Jervis must face the creature his words have shaped. Views: 441
Owen Masters doesn't like the community of Flat Knob, and the community doesn't like him. No matter his efforts or intention, Flat Knob has despised Owen since he arrived to teach at the county school. A camera Owen purchases at the Turner estate auction, however, has a strange knack for capturing the dark held within the heart. Through that camera's lens, Owen will claim what is rightly deserved.Owen Masters languishes in the community of Flat Knob. He wastes his weeks at the front of a high school English classroom, where he suffers the futility of trying to instruct those who despise him. On weekends, he drifts through the barren county to attend estate sales searching for exotic and strange possessions that might deliver a little satisfaction to his days. A dark, phrenologist skull grips Owen’s attention at Homer Turner’s estate sale. Though his bid is not enough to bring that relic home, Owen soon finds himself tossed into Flat Knob’s oldest feud between a hated entrepreneur and a wicked family named Turner. And through the lens of a strange camera that clicks through the night, Owen Masters learns he must first become a monster to gain Flat Knob's respect. Views: 429
Memories flood Mr. Voss as the man sits amid the winking lights of his treatment. Mr. Voss’ memories have been lost for years, and disease shrouds his mind with mist. Treatment composed of glimmer promises to restore Mr. Voss’ health, and his wife will give everything to help him return. But the children fear what the light might summon, and they hesitate to pay any of the light's cost.Elaine Voss looks upon her husband and prays that Thomas quickly returns to her. Disease has stolen her husband’s memory, so that Thomas fails to recognize the faces of his family. That disease seems especially cruel to Elaine, for her husband’s shoulders remain wide, his legs strong, and his face little wrinkled. Elaine puts her faith into the lights, and she sacrifices to pay whatever cost the sparkle requires to reunite with the man Elaine always believed Thomas to be.Vicki Voss looks upon her father as the lights dance upon him. She learned to carve her own path while the mist filled Thomas’ mind, and she wonders if a returned father would do her more harm than good. Like her mother, Vicki believes the therapy will heal her father, but she remains unsure if she desires a family reunion. Vicki fears Thomas will mock her aims and force her to remain silent and meek.Logan Voss drives through the night to return to his childhood home. Mother again contacts him with news that his father will soon walk out of the light. Yet Logan remains skeptical. He has often hurried home only to find that disease keeps it grip upon Thomas Voss’ mind. But Logan hurries home now with a different purpose; he is determined to convince his mother and sister to let their father drift forever away, believing a quiet death a better option than the monster Logan fears his family summons. Views: 409
Set in Fort Myers, Florida, this is the action-filled first chapter of the soon-to-be-released novel Fireteam Zed: First to Fight. Fireteam Zed: First to Fight follows the struggle of a U.S. Marine 4-man fireteam that is separated from the main force during a zombie outbreak.Private First Class Douglas 'Java' Belfountain and his fellow U.S. Marines have been separated from the rest of the company during the zombie outbreak. Struggling to stay alive and find their way to safety the four warriors must fight hordes of the infected and roving gangs of the uninfected.This is the action-filled first chapter of the soon-to-be-released novel Fireteam Zed: First to Fight. Views: 399
Fay appears at the corner of Fifth and Water whenever Adam suffers a recurrence of cancer. Her silver hair and spinning halos comfort Adam during his deepest suffering. Together, Adam and Fay visit fantastic worlds twirling in the snows of magical, glass globes. Adam knows he and Fay would be happy, if only Fay could see how her beloved Regent so cruelly toys with her sprite heart.Without Fay, Adam would have to face his sickness and mortality alone. Fay always visits Adam with a magical snowglobe whenever Adam's sickness lowers his spirits. Together, they travel to worlds filled with magic, music and color. Next to Fay, Adam looks upon worlds of which the rest of mankind cannot dream. He cherishes Fay for her comfort, and though he knows that each piece brings them one step closer to the cruel Regent, Adam helps Fay rediscover the shards of her splendorous mirror a king once gifted her. Adam knows that he has little influence over Fay's sentiments, and that in the end, he must trust his favorite sprite to learn for herself the truth of the Regent's intentions. Views: 396
Pure Fantasy Adventure that takes off from the very first page! 7000+ readers have spoken about how this story grabbed them, pulled them in and transported them to a place that isn't just creative, it's pure imagination. You'll be moving at a fast pace along an epic journey that can only be described as incredible. Everything you're looking for in a "can't put it down" weekend read is right here.This is NOT a stand-alone story. Beyond The Hero’s Chamber is the continuation of The Hero’s Chamber. If you didn’t read The Hero’s Chamber, just go online and do a quick search. It’s a wonderful story that thousands of people have enjoyed for years. You’ll find the eBook available in every downloadable format on smashwords.com.If you’ve already read the The Hero’s Chamber, welcome back! You’re in for a real treat. Views: 386
Pure Fantasy Adventure that takes off from the very first page! 7000+ readers have spoken about how this story grabbed them, pulled them in and transported them to a place that isn't just creative, it's pure imagination. You'll be moving at a fast pace along an epic journey that can only be described as incredible. Everything you're looking for in a "can't put it down" weekend read is right here.Pure Fantasy Adventure that takes off from the very first page! 7000+ readers have spoken about how this story grabbed them, pulled them in and transported them to a place that isn't just creative, it's pure imagination. You'll be moving at a fast pace along an epic journey that can only be described as incredible. Everything you're looking for in a "can't put it down" weekend read is right here.This book was written after having an epiphany. I literally woke up from a dream and began writing. This story is appropriate for any reader age 9 and above. You'll find no gratuitous violence, foul language or nightmarish scenes. What you will discover on these pages is an adventure unlike anything I had ever dreamed about before; a fantasy tale worthy of reading aloud and a cast of characters that could only have come from deep within a creative mind.In The Hero's Chamber, two young men take a reluctant journey to find something that hasn't existed in thousands of years. Their guide may not be trustworthy, their fate is almost certain death but without this effort, their world, the original Earth, will die. Our adventurers are led by a young woman who must remain unseen, she is forbidden to speak and yet without her, there can be no success. Join this unforgettable group as they struggle through an epic journey that none of them expected, none of them asked for and none of them may survive. Views: 372
The day's greatest athletes wear the green and gold sneakers crafted by the Shoemaker. Spectators cheer as the most revered sporting records fall to the men and women sporting the Shoemaker's trademark shoes of green and gold. And now, the Shoemaker brings a new sneaker to market, one that promises to turn any wearer into a superstar, no matter one's level of talent or dedication.Sports agent Blake Tuttle represents many of the day's greatest superstars of the diamond, court and field. Blake's skills at the negotiation table earn him the respect of the athletic world, and Blake takes pride in his ability to discover hidden talent. So he finds it difficult to believe the Shoemaker when that tycoon of the sporting world tells Blake that his new sneaker is enough to make any man or woman plucked from the street an overnight legend on any playing field. Blake admires those athletes he represents, and so he bets the Shoemaker that it is the athlete, and not the equipment, spectators admire when they witness the winning of championships and the breaking of records. The Shoemaker and Blake pluck an unknown player from anonymity; and after fitting a new pair of green and gold sneakers upon that aging athlete's feet, take their seats in the arena to gauge the reach of a simple pair of green and gold sneakers Views: 360
