Millennia ago, planet Helios held a grand technological civilization. But the Cataclysm tore the land apart, and the survivors were forced to flee to the Six Stations, the artificial planetoids that orbited Helios. It did not take long for their society to devolve into a virtual medieval world, with barely enough technology to survive the harshness of life in space.The stations were governed by royalty and the elite nobility. The ruling class lived on the Surface, the merchant class occupied the Middle Decks and the working class languished in the Lower Decks. Each subject had his or her place, destined to live out his life as determined by his birth.Out of this culture arose a line of monarchs called the Reign of Four. Alexis Teirmont was the First. He was a visionary, a warrior and a tyrant who was not immune to egotism, cruelty, and revenge. He would change the very fabric of the System. His reign would be remembered throughout history for both the good – and the bad. Views: 7
Wild Cards V: Down and Dirty is the latest of the George R.R. Martin's original Wild Cards series, now in trade paperbackLet the secret history of the world be told-of the alien virus that struck Earth after World War II, and of the handful of the survivors who found they now possessed superhuman powers. Some were called Aces, endowed with powerful mental and physical prowess. The others were Jokers, tormented by bizarre mind or body disfigurements. Some served humanity. Others caused terror. And now, forty years later, as a gang war between the Shadow Fists and the mafia rages out of control in the streets of Jokertown, Aces and Jokers go underground-to wage their own war against the powers of the netherworld. Here, in the fifth volume of the exciting series, ten of science fiction's most gifted writers take readers on a journey of wonder and excitement in an astounding alternate history.Featuring the talents of John J. Miller, Roger Zelazny,... Views: 7
SUMMARY: 'There were many staff at Kensington Palace, fulfilling many roles; a man who was employed to catch rats, another whose job it was to sweep the chimneys. That there was someone expected to hunt Demons did not shock the new Queen; that it was to be her was something of a surprise.' London, 1838. Queen Victoria is crowned; she receives the orb, the sceptre, and an arsenal of blood-stained weaponry. Because if Britain is about to become the greatest power of the age, there's the small matter of the demons to take care of first...But rather than dreaming of demon hunting, it is Prince Albert who occupies her thoughts. Can she dedicate her life to saving her country when her heart belongs elsewhere? With lashings of glistening entrails, decapitations, and foul demons, this masterly new portrait will give a fresh understanding of a remarkable woman, a legendary monarch, and quite possibly the best Demon Hunter the world has ever seen ...A E Moorat weaves a seamlessly lurid tapestry of royal biography, gothic horror and fist-gnawing comedy as he lifts the veil on what really took place on the dark and cobbled streets of 19th-century England. Views: 7
From Publishers WeeklyIf Anne Rice is the celebrity journalist of vampires, Yarbro is their domestic chronicler. The meticulous 20th entry in her Count Saint-Germain saga (after 2006's Roman Dusk) finds her 4,000-year-old hero in the Swiss countryside of 1817, helping the struggling locals recover from the Napoleonic wars and severe winters. By this period, Saint-Germain is a cultured and compassionate figure, occupied with the spread of knowledge through publishing and the child custody struggles of his lover, Hero Corvosaggio. His greatest threats come from discharged soldiers turned bandits and an abused debutante turned murderer, whose blood-obsessed guardian he lectures on the difference between heredity and destiny. Monsters are made, he knows, not born. Yarbro piles on the historical detail, giving an intimate look at the households of early 19th-century Europe and the commerce and travels of its inhabitants. Letters, with headnotes on their delivery methods and times, litter the text, adding to the period feel. Intimate, too, describes Saint-Germain and Hero, whose relationship is explored in fine-grained emotional as well as physical terms. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review“Saint-Germain is a compelling figure, more appealing than the modern vampires of Anne Rice and Laurell K. Hamilton.”--_Romantic Times BOOKreviews_“Saint-Germain is a cultured and compassionate figure, occupied with the spread of knowledge through publishing and the child custody struggles of his lover, Hero Corvosaggio. [The relationship between] Saint-Germain and Hero is explored in fine-grained emotional as well as physical details.”--_Publishers Weekly_ on Borne in Blood“One of her finest. Sensuous scenes are lush with language. Meticulous attention to historic detail and vivid writing bring an ancient era to life. Unlike most generic vampire novels that can be quaffed in a quick if entertaining gulp, this book should be savored like fine wine.”--_Publishers Weekly_ (starred review) on Roman Dusk Views: 7
After a century apart, Mack and Jason rediscover their love and lust, but will trying to fit into a modern world keep them together or tear them apart? When vampire lovers Mack and Jason are reunited after decades apart, they think of nothing but each other's company. But over time, Mack's old-world views conflict with Jason's liberated life, and it throws them into a spiral of confused despair. When Mack seeks solace in the arms of another and Jason's ex-lover Greg is murdered, their relationship breaks down and Mack flees. While in solitude, Mack is handed the surprise opportunity to rekindle a relationship with his returned, now-vampire father, Allen. They return to Sydney to introduce him to Jason, but Jason has already sought revenge on Mack's lover and committed an atrocity of his own. Fractured so soon after their reunion, the three of them travel back to where it all began, in the country town of Wattlebrook. Views: 7
Gustav and Fernie continue their journey through Dark Country in this new title!In the final installment of Adam-Troy Castro's creepy Gustav Gloom series, the fate of the Dark Country rests on Gustav and Fernie's shoulders. After weeks of traveling on a quest to find their fathers, Fernie and Gustav finally come face-to-face with their nemesis—the evil Lord Obsidian. Filled with heroic action sequences, terrifying chills, and plenty of humor, this final book will keep fans on the edge of their seats. Views: 7
Classic Literature. 20480 words long. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, July 2003 Nebula Award(r) Preliminary Ballot Nominee Views: 7
What happened to Benny Imura and his friends after they reached Sanctuary—and discovered that it was far from the miracle they had thought it would be? Jonathan Maberry shares a glimpse into a formative moment in an exclusive e-short story that also features Joe Ledger (Patient Zero, Extinction Machine) and Iron Mike Sweeney (The Pine Deep Trilogy). Views: 7
Apocrypha Sequence: Insanity explores the human mind as it is pushed to breaking point. What if every man you'd ever met was named Ian? What if the stress of an unrelenting routine intruded while you were stopped at an intersection? Insanity is a darkness that can envelop you before you're even aware of it. Sometimes, it begins with an itch, sometimes, a mysterious invitation. Regardless of the catalyst, it never ends well. The Apocrypha Sequence is a series of dark fantasy collections with interwoven themes and interconnected stories from Shane Jiraiya Cummings, Australia's master of the macabre. Also in the Apocrypha Sequence: Deviance, Divinity, and Inferno Views: 7
