Sometimes the mannequins get behind my eyesI feel them tugging the strings of my nervesplaying with my mechanismsThey make themselves at home in the lumber room of my skullJames Knight's latest collection of poems and prose poems takes the reader to the other side of the mirror, where the Bird King reigns and mannequins are more real than people.Sometimes the mannequins get behind my eyesI feel them tugging the strings of my nervesplaying with my mechanismsThey make themselves at home in the lumber room of my skullImagine a chessboard made of an infinite number of squares, in which the pieces are locked in eternal stalemate. The mannequin is white to the Bird King’s black. Where he is broken, mad, risible, she is perfect, glacial, sinister. She is the mask Lady Macbeth presents to her haunted husband. The Bird King is, in part, me, by which I mean that his nest is somewhere in me, between memory and imagination. Although he is a tyrant, he is also vulnerable and silly. Aren’t we all vulnerable and silly? The mannequin, on the other hand, is totally alien to me. She seems emotionless and inscrutable. I find her mesmerising and nightmarish. What is she thinking? Like Lady Macbeth, she reveals nothing to me. She tells her secrets only to the night.The Bird King and the mannequin do have one thing in common, however, which is that it is impossible to attach to either of them a stable mental image. If we see either of them in their entirety, in the glare of the sun or a spotlight or headlights, what we see is provisional, a brief phase in their constant mutation. Despite this, the essential identity of each of them is fixed. They are both trapped by who they are. Views: 327
Commissioned by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, these tales of dangerous women by the most stellar names in fiction are available for the first time in a three-volume paperback. George R.R. Martin is the bestselling author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration for HBO's hit series Game of Thrones. This third volume features an original short story by Joe Abercrombie. 'Some Desperado' centres on Shy South, the protagonist of Abercrombie's novel Red Country. Having robbed a bank, Shy is carrying 2,000 silver pieces, and she's on the run when her horse catches an arrow. Marooned in a dusty ghost town, she faces up to a trio of murderous, flea-bitten criminals... This volume of stories about hard-living bad girls, killers and superheroes also includes contributions from worldwide bestselling authors Jim Butcher, Melinda Snodgrass and Pat Cadigan. DANGEROUS WOMEN 3Gardner Dozois's introduction from the hardcoverJoe Abercrombie, "Some Desperado"Diana Rowland, "City... Views: 327
“THE SORCERER’S RING has all the ingredients for an instant success: plots, counterplots, mystery, valiant knights, and blossoming relationships replete with broken hearts, deception and betrayal. It will keep you entertained for hours, and will satisfy all ages. Recommended for the permanent library of all fantasy readers.” --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos This bundle includes books #10, #11 and #12 (A SEA OF SHIELDS, A REIGN OF STEEL and A LAND OF FIRE) in Morgan Rice’s #1 Bestselling fantasy series THE SORCERER’S RING. These three bestselling novels are all here in one convenient file and offer a great step deeper into the world of the SORCERER’S RING series. Over 200,000 words of reading, all for an incredible price! It is a great deal and makes the perfect gift! THE SORCERER’S RING series tells the epic tale of the coming of age of Thorgrin, a special 14 year old boy, the least loved of his father, as he strives to become a warrior in the magical Kingdom of the Ring, as he learns he has powers and a destiny he does not understand. An outsider, he must fight for acceptance as he strives to join the King’s elite Legion, and as he falls in love with the king’s 16 year old daughter. Most of all, he must learn who he really is, why his destiny is so important, and why the fate of the Ring depends on him. In Books #10, #11 and #12, the saga deepens. In A SEA OF SHIELDS (Book #10), Gwendolyn gives birth to a child, amidst powerful omens. With a son born to them, Gwendolyn and Thorgrin’s lives are changed forever, as is the destiny of the Ring; Reece, despite himself, falls in love with his cousin, a love affair which will threaten the entire Ring; and Romulus, in the Empire, discovers a new form of magic which may just destroy the Shield for good. In A REIGN OF STEEL (Book #11), Gwendolyn must protect her people as she finds King’s Court under siege; Romulus invades with his host of dragons; Erec and Alistair journey to the Southern Isles; and Thor embarks on the quest of his life in the Land of the Druids, trekking across a fearsome and magical land to try to reach his mother. In A LAND OF FIRE (Book #12), Gwendolyn is determined to find her baby, lost at sea, and to save her people and lead her nation-in-exile to a new home. She travels across foreign and exotic seas, encountering unthinkable dangers, rebellion and starvation, as they sail for dream of a safe harbor. Thorgrin finally meets his mother in the Land of the Druids, and their meeting will change his life forever, as there follows an epic battle of dragons and of men. With its sophisticated world-building and characterization, THE SORCERER’S RING is an epic tale of friends and lovers, of rivals and suitors, of knights and dragons, of intrigues and political machinations, of coming of age, of broken hearts, of deception, ambition and betrayal. It is a tale of honor and courage, of fate and destiny, of sorcery. It is a fantasy that brings us into a world we will never forget, and which will appeal to all ages and genders. Views: 327
This riveting second installment in Stephenson and company’s epic tale focuses on the aftermath of the world-shattering Mongolian invasion of 1241 and the difficult paths undertaken by its most resilient survivors.
The Shield Brethren, an order of warrior monks, search for a way to overthrow the horde, even as the invaders take its members hostage. Forced to fight in the Mongols’ Circus of Swords, Haakon must prove his mettle or lose his life in the ring. His bravery may impress the enemy, but freedom remains a distant dream.
Father Rodrigo receives a prophecy from God and believes it’s his mission to deliver the message to Rome. Though a peaceful man, he resigns himself to take up arms in the name of his Lord. Joining his fight to save Christendom are the hunter Ferenc, orphan Ocyrhoe, healer Raphael, and alchemist Yasper, each searching for his place in history.
Deftly blending fact and fantasy, The Mongoliad: Book Two captures the indomitable will to survive against immense odds. Views: 327
"A thrilling adventure full of magic and wonder." —Ransom Riggs, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar ChildrenArlo Finch in the Kingdom of Shadows is a captivating fantasy-adventure story by master screenwriter John August.After a harrowing summer camp, Arlo Finch is back in Pine Mountain, Colorado, preparing to face a new school, new threats, and two new Rangers in Blue Patrol. Arlo is about to undertake his most dangerous journey yet: all the way to China to try to bring his father home.But when the mysterious Eldritch reveal their true agenda, Arlo must make an impossible choice: save his friends and family, or save the Long Woods. Both worlds will never be the same. Views: 327
