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Three new tales from the world of Ethoes:CONQUER THE CASTLEJahrra and her friends are about to embark upon a very important mission: to steal the flag of their nemesis, Eydeth, in a city-wide game of Conquer the Castle. Will they be able to outwit their other classmates in order to win the grand prize, or will the twins once again make Jahrra the laughing stock of the whole school?THE SPIRIT STONE RINGThe Mystic Archedenaeh has found reason to leave the comfort of her forest home in the province of Oescienne. Before she can move on, however, she must first verify a rumor she has heard, but all she discovers is a treasured ring left behind as a bitter reminder of the truth.FIRE AND ICEThe Tanaan dragon Jaax and his colleagues are called upon to save a small town from the wrath of one of the Crimson King's evil dragons. In the process, Jaax receives a minor injury, a nagging reminder of his failure that soon becomes the symbol of another's triumph. Views: 33
An archetypal American story of self-discovery, set against the turmoil ofpost-Civil War America, Sweet Song tells the story of the mixed race sonof a white landowner and a black house servant. Leon, raised black butan outcast from both cultures, fi nds himself suddenly on his own-andpassing for white.Wrestling with a divided heritage in a world where honesty, even withfriends, might prove fatal, he falls in with dispossessed thieves, millworkers, saloon keepers, musicians, businessmen, thugs, freedom lovingidealists and malevolent racists-a vivid panorama from America's past.This tender, raw, provocative novel speaks from the heart about wherewe've come from and who we are.Praise for Persun's previous work: "When Persun writes of man/nature, he writes of us-not just to us-and shows us images we can't simply blink away."- Robert Fulton, author and essayistThe Witness Tree: "Persun manages to suspend disbelief as he weaves an imaginative tale exploring the complex relationship between art and madness."- Tim W. Brown, Small Press ReviewGiver of Gifts: ..".a beguiling portrait of a dying man who discovers romance in truth and the joys of living in the promise of death."- Adrianne Harun, author of The King of Limbo and Other Stories Views: 33
In his brief career, Charles Beaumont (1929-1967) turned out several score of stories in a variety of moods, styles and genres. Most of the 30 selections collected herefive never before publishedare introduced by one or another of Beaumont's friends and colleagues, including Ray Bradbury (Beaumont's writing teacher, whose influence is easily detected), Richard Matheson (who, like Beaumont, scripted many Twilight Zone episodes), Ray Russell, Harlan Ellison, Robert Bloch and filmmaker Roger Corman. The stories are varied and wonderful; "Miss Gentilbelle," a woman who thinks men are beasts, is raising her son as a girl; "The Vanishing American" features a man who is saved from his meaningless life by an act of whimsy; "Free Dirt" is a cautionary little chiller about uncontrolled greed; and "Black Country" is an evocative, weird tale of life in the jazz world. Editor Anker has contributed an excellent biographical introduction. Views: 33
The Bibliomysteries series includes short tales by Anne Perry, Jeffery Deaver, Ken Bruen, and C. J. Box
An ancient scroll draws a bookseller into a chilling mystery
Monty Danforth finds the tin buried beneath a shipment of leather-bound classics. Inside is a millennia-old vellum manuscript written in an unfamiliar but unmistakably ancient language. Danforth tries to photocopy and photograph it, but he ends up with blank images, as though the ink were made of something impervious to modern technology. As the scroll’s mystery enchants him, this hapless bookseller falls into a cutthroat conspiracy that he may never escape.
Soon a dead-eyed old man and his granddaughter come calling for the scroll. Danforth refuses to sell them the manuscript, but they will not be the last to demand it. Powerful forces crave the secrets locked within this ancient document, and Danforth will survive only if he can master its power. Views: 33
Rika and the Marauders return to the Albany System to save Thebes from the Nietzscheans. Views: 33
The masterful conclusion to the Exiles saga:Angus Wells is one of today's masters of epic fantasy. Now, continuing the thrilling new adventure begun in Exile's Children, he weaves his beguiling powers of magic into an unforgettable tale...Escaping a life of servitude under the evil Autarchy, a warrior, his beautiful wife, and a gifted Dreamer are refugees from the war-ravaged prison colony of Salvation. It was the young Davyd's dreams, magically bound to those of a far-off Seer, that guided their perilous flight to the land of the Matawaye. But even now they might not be safe. For a man whose gifts are eclipsed by Davyd's is looking for the perfect vengeance. Meanwhile, a renegade band of the Matawaye, forced out by their peaceable leaders, is wreaking havoc on Salvation. And there's worse to come. For the real threat has yet to descend on Salvation--and when it does, its bloodlust and magic could well mean the end of them all.From the Paperback edition.From BooklistBook two of Wells' Exiles Saga purports to conclude it and, indeed, provides an adequate resolution to the story. If Wells has actually resisted the temptation to write a trilogy or more, he is a man of antique virtue--one who also has a fair number of literary gifts, including those for pacing, world building, and freshening virtually archetypal fantasy concepts and characters. Wells' hero, while given the warriorlike appellation the Major, has a reluctance to be heroic that gives him depth; nevertheless, his demonic opponents give him a serious fight and, though overcome in the end, put readers in real suspense. The rebellious, demagogic Dreamer is reminiscent of Patrick Buchanan, and Akratil is a persuasive villain as, by both material and magical means, he sows doubts that nearly turn the tide before the final victory. Good, solid, satisfying fantasy fare. Roland GreenReviewAuthor of Lords of The Sky and The GodwarsFrom the Paperback edition. Views: 33
