Lafcadio Hearn was one of the most extraordinary figures in America literature, a journalist and novelist who became, later in life, a major literary icon in his adopted nation of japan. Some Chinese Ghosts (1887), a stylized retelling of ancient legends, was one of his earliest books, a foreshadowing of his later fascination with Asian themes. This collection of six stories reveals his deep fascination with the "weird beauty" of Chinese folk-tales. Because he himself knew little of the Chinese language, Hearn relied on European Sinologists to help him create his own versions and understand the historical and linguistic allusions. "To such great explorers," he acknowledged in a preface, "the realm of Cathayan story belongs by right of discovery and conquest; yet the humbler traveller who follows wonderingly after them into the vast and mysterious pleasure-grounds of Chinese fancy may surely be permitted to cull a few of the marvellous flowers there growing." Views: 55
As the twenty-fifth century draws to a close, Prime Cornelian, a ruthless usurper of Martian rule, will do anything to control all of human civilization, and the fate of all humankind is in the hands of the exiled King of Earth, Dalin Shar. About the AuthorAl Sarrantonio, the author of twenty-eight books, is a winner of the Bram Stoker Award and has been a finalist for the World Fantasy Award and the British Fantasy Award. He is the editor of numerous books, including the highly acclaimed anthology 999: New Stories of Horror and Suspense. His short stories have appeared in magazines such as Heavy Metal, Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Realms of Fantasy, Analog, Fantastic and Amazing, as well as in anthologies such as The Year’s Best Horror Stories, Visions of Fantasy: Tales from the Masters, Great Ghost Stories, and The Best of Shadows. His best stories have been collected in Toybox. Views: 55
Star Crusades Uprising: The First Trilogy contains the complete text of the novels SIEGE OF TITAN, TEARS OF KERBEROS and FIRES OF PROMETHEUS. This epic science fiction series chronicles humanity’s first interstellar confederation, torn apart by religious strife and extremism. SIEGE OF TITAN In the first book of the Star Crusades Uprising series, the bloody struggle is told through the eyes of an illegal pit fighter named Spartan, who is forced to choose between incarceration or military service. Choosing the Confederate Marine Corps over servitude he begins his thirty long weeks of training. Together with his group of marines, they are honed into a force ready to be thrown into the meat grinder on the newest and greatest planet in the Confederacy, Proxima Prime. His term of service will soon become one of violence and carnage, as the entire sector is ripped apart by a brutal and virulent religious movement and its shocking plans. TEARS OF KERBEROS The religious insurgency continues to spread through the weakened colonies of the Confederacy. Spartan, now a sergeant in the Marine Corps and his armoured platoon is rushed to the defence of New Carlos on the planet of Prime. The massive city is besieged by the terrifying biomech shock troopers, its fall is imminent. As the battles rage across the continent enemy agents continue to foment revolt throughout the remaining colonies in their struggle to bring the empire crashing down. FIRES OF PROMETHEUS The sector is entering a short period of calm. There is peace in Proxima Centauri but for how long? The religious insurgency has already exploded throughout the system and one by one the colonies have seceded from the Confederacy, lured to the offerings of the Church of Echidna. Spartan and General Rivers have vanished and are presumed to have been executed at the hands of their Zealot captors for the murder of the President of Kerberos. This expanding saga includes the Star Crusades Uprising and new Star Crusades Nexus series that follows the story of the Centauri Alliance seventeen years after the end of the Uprising. Novels currently available in the series include: STAR CRUSADES UPRISING Siege of Titan (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 1) Tears of Kerberos (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 2) Fires of Prometheus (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 3) Battle for Proxima (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 4) Fall of Terra Nova (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 5) Slaves of Hyperion (Star Crusades Uprising, Book 6) All 6 books are available in Star Crusades Uprising: The First Trilogy and Star Crusades Uprising: The Second Trilogy compilations. STAR CRUSADES NEXUS Legions of Orion (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 1)Review"Make no mistake, this is 100% true, good-quality military science fiction that takes the story from beginning to end. One of the most gripping tales of this genre I've read. A page turner from beginning to end." - David Bradshaw Views: 55
War of the Exiles is the third novel in the epic new ‘Mercenaries’ series that chronicles the violent struggles of humanity in a brutal and ever-changing galaxy. The Alliance watches in horror as the world of Karnak burns, along with the entire Tenth Quadrant. Fleets of ships engage in battle throughout the region, while numerous ground battles rage below. On one side are the hard-pressed Byotai settlers, outgunned and sheltering inside their fortified compounds. On the other are the Anicinàbe hordes, led by the brutal warlord Nakoma. It falls on Spartan, Khan, and Gun to halt the terror. Spartan secures the resources he needs to wage a private war on behalf of the Byotai, but he cannot use Alliance troops without sparking all out war. The only recourse is to employ mercenaries, as well as a contingent of Byotai Exiles who seek to return to Karnak. A world they still call home. The Anicinàbe unleash a final, apocalyptic effort to bring Karnak under their control. Aircraft bombard the city, while they move ground troops and siege equipment into position for the assault. For the first time, Spartan and the Exiles face the reality of defeat. A defeat that will condemn them to an early death, and the end of their civilization. War of the Exiles is a futuristic military sci-fi adventure that continues to expand the struggles of humanity in a violent and ever changing galaxy. It is a classic work of realistic military science fiction set against the aftermath of the apocalyptic Biomech War, a conflict that has left entire planets destroyed, and millions of citizens dead.Review"I actually ran out books to read and my husband had bought this book so I decided to start it. I told my self if in the first chapter I did not like it I would stop and get one of my own books. Well the first night I read 5 chapters and did not want to stop so needles to say I loves the book. The Author does a great job keeping your attention and making you not want to put the book down." - Maggie "War of the Exiles is science fiction at its best. It is a story of massive space battles with juggernaut sized space ships and warriors. The book follows Spartan, Khan, and Gun as they defend Melantias and take back Karnak. The characters are well developed, full of depth, and covered in scars from their warring past." - Hayden Griffith"As a huge fan of the Mercenaries series I picked this one up as soon as it launched on Kindle. Didn't have time to start reading during the day, so I decided to start reading just before going to bed. The problem is, before I knew it, I only had 3 hours left until I had to wake up to go to work, oops! The book really is that engaging. and you won't notice how fast time passes by while reading it. This is a worthy sequel to Lords of War and Ghost Soldiers, and continues the adventures of Spartan, Khan and Gun." - FriendlyReader From the Inside FlapExcerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.This is insanity. These are not warriors. They are beasts from the abyss.Ogimà Tarnachi was the first to turn and began to work his way back, clambering over the bodies of the dead and wounded. One reached up for help, and he pushed past, ignoring the pleas for help, or perhaps even mercy."Fall back!"Ogimà Tarnachi nearly made it until a round from one of the smaller robots hit his leg and burst below the knee. The leg was cut in half, and he fell to the ground, instantly disabled. Other rounds struck his shoulder, and he was thrown back and pinned to the wall. From there he had the perfect view of the battle as the machines ran amok, cutting down his warriors with ease.As the Anicinàbe began to flee, the enemy came nearer, and eventually directly under the bright yellow lights of the landing bay. He spotted the four large creatures as they hacked and stabbed like ancient monsters surrounded by their foes. Two laughed as they fought, their voices amplified through their speakers in their guttural alien tongue.I...must...Ogimà Tarnachi reached for a weapon and found only his secondary pistol, a small affair and unlikely to be of much use. He took aim and fired, one shot after another at the robotic warriors. As he shot, the smaller pair of massive creatures began to hack through the last of the Red Scars; those attempting to shoot back cut down by the large cannons on their shoulders. The weapons moved independently and fired at targets in a continuous slaughter, the hammer like hands of the machines snapping arms and decapitating his warriors like cattle at a slaughterhouse.Stay alive, you must...have thing....His vision began to fade, and as his life drained away, he noticed one of the warriors. It was not a machine. He could see that now. It walked like the men from Earth, but was larger and encased in powered metal armour. The head was sunk low in part of the torso. Tarnachi lifted his weapon and aimed at the machine. One of the other warriors called out a single word, a name he'd heard of, but never expected to come across. The massive warrior spun around and took aim at him.Spartan. Views: 55
"Darren Shan is just an ordinary schoolboy who loves to ride bikes and hang out with his three best friends. Then one day Darren and his friends stumble across an invitation to visit the Cirque Du Freak, a strange and mysterious freak show. Almost as if by destiny, Darren wins a ticket and what follows is his horrifying descent into the dark and bloody world of vampires. This is Darren's story. New movie edition features the first three books--Cirque Du Freak, The Vampire's Assistant, and Tunnels of Blood-- bound up in one volume!" Views: 55
