Get tricked. Get trapped. Get trained. Get free? The legend begins!Ryan, Erin, Kris, and Jason are heroes defined by the villain, unwitting assistants in a cataclysm brought about by an old man who calls himself... Devidis. The four modern, international teens awaken deep within a jungle canyon, a prison in the post-apocalyptic empire established by the tyrannical Devidis. Surrounded by danger, the four Elementals quickly embrace their new-found super-powered control of the elements--wind, fire, water and stone--under the guidance of Sensei, an imprisoned freedom fighter who believes that Devidis' near omnipotence is a clear sign that the world is a persistent illusion in the mind of its evil emperor. And so the Elementals are forced to come of age in an increasingly hostile land. Though supernaturally capable, they are faced with a frightening possibility: are their hopes, goals, powers, friends, enemies, surroundings and selves... all an illusion? It's "Final Fantasy meets X-Men" as worlds are torn asunder! Views: 774
It's just one of those days for Gilbert: awful younger brother and his friends, vague warnings from grans, running late for classes and general nasties at the local club. It's enough to make Gilbert want to wash his hands off everything and everyone.It's just one of those days for Gilbert: awful younger brother and his friends, vague warnings from grans, running late for classes and general nasties at the local club. It's enough to make Gilbert want to wash his hands off everything and everyone. But Gilbert's ever been the responsible one, especially when there's slime about. Views: 774
The Strike at Shayol Ghul was a short piece written by Robert Jordan in 1996 to explain the events surrounding the imprisonment of the Dark One and the circumstances surrounding it. Views: 773
The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away.
This year, best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to discover where all the lost children go: the fabled School for Good & Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. As the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, Sophie has dreamed of being kidnapped into an enchanted world her whole life. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, she knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil.
But when the two girls are swept into the Endless Woods, they find their fortunes reversed—Sophie’s dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School For Good, thrust amongst handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are…? Views: 773
A second short story. A dark winter evening. A few stops on the Portsmouth Line, sitting in the corner of the carriage and observing a mixed bunch of fellow passengers.A second short story. A dark winter evening. A few stops on the Portsmouth Line, sitting in the corner of the carriage and observing a mixed bunch of fellow passengers.A stand-alone follow on from On the Terrace, they can be read in any order. If you like this one, you'll probably enjoy On the Terrace even more! Views: 773
Unforgiveable betrayals, devious motives, and forbidden love collide in the first installment of internationally bestselling author Sally Green's epic new fantasy series, perfect for Game of Thrones fans. In a land tinged with magic and a bustling trade in an illicit supernatural substance, destiny will intertwine the fates of five players: A visionary princess determined to forge her own path. An idealistic solider whose heart is at odds with his duty. A streetwise hunter tracking the most dangerous prey. A charming thief with a powerful hidden identity. A loyal servant on a quest to avenge his kingdom. All are driven by ambition, honor, and desperation on the cusp of war. But who will be left standing when the smoke clears? Views: 772
This is the final battle.
The Alliance is losing the war, and their most critical weapon, seventeen-year-old witch Nathan Byrn, is losing his mind. Nathan’s tally of kills is rising, and yet he’s no closer to ending the tyrannical rule of the Council of White Witches in England. Nor is Nathan any closer to his personal goal: getting revenge on Annalise, the girl he once loved before she committed an unthinkable crime. An amulet protected by the extremely powerful witch Ledger could be the tool Nathan needs to save himself and the Alliance, but this amulet is not so easily acquired. And lately Nathan has started to suffer from visions: a vision of a golden moment when he dies, and of an endless line of Hunters, impossible to overcome. Gabriel, his closest companion, urges Nathan to run away with him, to start a peaceful life together. But even Gabriel’s love may not be enough to save Nathan from this war, or from the person he has become.
Set in modern-day Europe, the final book in the Half Bad trilogy is more than a story about witches. It’s a heart-achingly visceral look at survival and exploitation, the nature of good and evil, and the risks we take for love. Views: 772
A novel of loss, identity, and, in the strangest of places, hope.
Max Trader is a luthier, a maker of guitars. Johnny Devlin is chronically unemployed. Max is solitary, quiet, responsible. Johnny is a lady-killer, a drunk, a charming loser.
When they inexplicably wake up in each other's bodies, Johnny gleefully moves into Max's comfortable and stable existence, leaving Max to pick up the pieces of a life he had no part in breaking.
Penniless, friendless, homeless, Max begins a journey that will take him beyond the streets of the city to an otherworld of dreams and spirits, where he must confront both the unscrupulous Johnny Devlin and his own deepest fears. Views: 772
Melvin, in a marriage he can't get out of, finds a vampire under his stairs and works out a deal that he hopes will unburden him from his obnoxious wife. What happens proves to be less than he'd hoped for.The Flip Side was born in the back isles of a retail store during a slow night at work. From there the series grew into a grand scale adventure that would take over a year to flesh out and create. This issue marks the close of the series and I want to thank all the people who gave their time to read the story. I hope that the ending to this adventure is found to be satisfactory!Summary:"It has all come down to this! Starla Knight and the other survivors of the Alliance shuttle crash must face off against Kujaens and corrupt Protectors as they fight for their chance at rescue, however, the news of an approaching comet means that living long enough to be rescued may not be possible. The final issue of The Flip Side series is a mad rush of action and a thrilling conclusion!!!" Views: 772
When half–wolf shifter Frankie Newman receives an e-mail from a family member she didn’t know existed, a secret is revealed: as a child, Frankie witnessed her father killing her mother…and then himself. Frankie was torn from her pack by her mother’s human relatives, and the trauma was erased from her memory. Realizing that she’s been lied to her entire life, she’s never felt more alone. Until she catches the scent of an old friend—warmly familiar and intoxicating.
Trick Hardy, enforcer of the Phoenix Pack, can sense the rush of mutual attraction when he sees Frankie again. He knows immediately that she’s his true mate. But he also knows that, given her fragile state, he needs to tread with care—no matter how fierce his surging desires.
As aroused as Frankie is by Trick’s darkly dominant air and simmering desire, her priority right now is her past—not her future, no matter how tempting. But as more secrets emerge and Frankie’s life is threatened, Trick must do everything he can to keep her close and safe. After all, it’s their destiny. Views: 771
"Pure magic. The mystery turns on the convoluted history of an old master toy maker will makes his toys with such skill that they have lives of their own. It would be advisable to sit down while reading what the toys finally do."
--Playboy
At the fashionable salon of Ric Lazare you can have your fortune told by an amazing machine of unerring accuracy. But the Paris police think Lazare is a con man and send Inspector Picard to investigate. Inspector Picard prefers lemon tarts and prostitutes to high society; and he is unprepared for the string of murders that pulls him across the continent until he is tangled in the killer's last seductive knot. A landmark in the history of detective fiction, mystery is taken to the level of enchantment in this lyrical thriller set in the glitter of nineteenth century Paris.
"Alternately dark and glittering...a first rate vaudeville turn, a comedic mask lightly stretched over enigmatic questions...a witty sendup of the detective story, an intriguing meditation on illusion and the conjurer's art, an antic fantasy done with a richness of invention that doffs a hat to Dickens... Inspector Picard's quest takes him across a vividly imagined Europe, a continent of the mind, peopled with wonderfully baroque characters. The illusion, in all its myriad forms abounds. Everywhere there are magical happenings...and everywhere, there is the magic wrought by Kotzwinkle himself."
--Chicago Tribune Views: 771
In a future where people must live underground to survive, some must pay the ultimate sacrifice in order the human race to continue to exist. The banished are sent above ground so the rest of the community can thrive. Resources become the biggest hardship the colonist face and eventually it will all run out. How will humanity survive when life above ground is next to impossible?In this very short story by Rish Outfield, Wyatt is given a magical ballpoint pen, but its power is limited. Cover art by Jonathan Wilson. Views: 771
When teenager Matthew reluctantly agrees to go on a short holiday to Vienna with his parents, he thinks it will be just 'another experience'. But soon after he visits a museum, he realises that his life will never be the same again.Bloody Rain is a short story set on a sailing ship in the 1880s. The Queen Charlotte was anchored fore and aft off the Calcutta wharves in the Hoogly River, waiting for cargo. She was a fine, three masted iron bark; trim, low and fast on a reach - in all respects, the perfection of the shipbuilder's art. If she had a single great flaw, it was on her quarterdeck in the man that the owners had chosen as captain.Captain John McPherson maintains absolute control over his ship and those who sail upon her. The only one that he cannot control is himself, slipping into murder and madness in the face of the relentless monsoon. Views: 771
Dane must make the ultimate decision: Kill to retain his immortal dragon form, losing the woman he loves in the process... or face a powerful foe as a weakened mortal.Dane needs to feed. Desperately. His guide sends him a new victim, a woman named Athens who wants death’s deliverance. There’s just one problem: as a dragon, Dane would die too if he consumes the life force of one with no will to live. In an effort to make her suitable, Dane forges a bond he never wanted. Now he must face an ancient enemy in his weakened state, and make the ultimate decision: Kill to retain his immortal dragon form, losing the woman he loves in the process... or face a powerful foe as a weakened mortal. Views: 771
A descendant of Ceres, goddess of the harvest, was dumped a year ago by her fiance. Bad idea, be careful around a goddess! Now he wants to reconcile but nothing is simple where goddesses are concerned. Or is it?This short story was the inspiration for the novel Earth Legend. In it, a descendant of Ceres, goddess of the harvest, was dumped by her fiance. Not a good idea if your fiancee is a goddess! Now, a year later, he wants to reconcile but nothing is simple where goddesses are concerned. Or is it? Views: 770
