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"The Playground" was part of the first hardcover edition of Ray Bradbury's legendary work Fahrenheit 451, published in 1953.
In the story, Charles Underhill is a widower who will do anything to protect his young son Jim from the horrors of the playground a playground which he and the boy pass by daily and the tumult of which, the activity, brings back to Charles the anguish of his own childhood. The playground, like childhood itself, is a nightmare of torment and vulnerability; Charles fears his sensitive son will be destroyed there just as he almost was so many years ago.
Underhill's sister Carol, who has moved in to help raise the young boy after his mother passed away, feels differently. The playground, she believes, is preparation for life, Jim will survive the experience, she feels, and he will be the better for it and more equipped to deal with the rigor and obligation of adult existence.
Underhill is caught between his own fear and his sister's invocation of reason and feels paralyzed. A mysterious boy calls out to him from the playground, and seems to know all too well why Underhill is there and what the source of his agony really is. A mysterious Manager also lurks to whom the strange boy directs Underhill. An agreement can be made perhaps this is what the boy tells Underhill. Perhaps Jim can be spared the playground, but of course, a substitute must be found. Views: 936
Anna is a runaway girl disguised as a boy. After she nearly thwarts a kidnapping, she is offered a job in the royal stables. Surrounded by the intrigues of the court, she has the time of her life. But this is Anna's only chance at adventure. She finds the hero admirable but boring, and the villain is both dead wrong and a lot of fun. Who should she follow?Billy and Susan loved to hear their father read stories to them every night at bedtime. Susan told her brother Billy that the stories were for little kids. Susan said, "Billy I love dad, but I wish he would read scary stories to us instead of stories like Peter Pan and Alice and Wonderland. They were ok when we were younger, but we are so much older now." "I feel the same way. I like it when mother and father go out to dinner at night so we can watch scary movies together, "replied Billy."Next time we spend the night with grandma, maybe we can sneak out of bed and see if she has any old creepy books in her attic. If she does we can give them to our father to read to us instead of those boring stories he's been reading over and over for the past several years!" exclaimed Susan. "Tonight we'll ask him if he'll let us spend the night at grandma's house this weekend. I'm sure he'll say yes," said Billy.Night finally arrived. Billy and Susan asked their father if they could spend the night with their grandma tomorrow. Their father said, "I don't see why that would be a problem because your mother and I were planning a weekend trip." Billy and Susan would find their scary book they had been hoping for, but this book should have been left in the attic where it belongs untouched in the trunk where they found it. Views: 936
Professor Edward Kitchener, a double Nobel laureate researching quantum cosmology for the powerful Event Horizon conglomerate has been savagely murdered. But was he the victim of industrial espionage, personal revenge, or a crime of passion by one of his handpicked team of live-wire students? Event Horizon needs to know and fast, so Greg Mandel, PSI-boosted veteran of the infamous Mindstar Battalion, must embark on an urgent investigation that ultimately leads him to an astounding confrontation with a past, which, according to the dead man's theories, might never have happened. Views: 936
Osgifu finds out that her sister, Elwyna, may soon be hanged for murder. She faces a hard decision of whether to leave matters to fate or oppose the Normans. Set in the Dark Ages of Engla-lond, the "Last Tales of Mercia" are ten short stories featuring real historical figures and characters from the "Sons of Mercia" series. Though strongly connected to the series, they can be read independently.A young pastor explores the best path for his future ministry. His worldview is shattered by conversations with the Apostles John and Paul, as well as Christian leaders, from businessmen to pastors, from America to China. Restoring the “strategery” of the corporate Church to God’s original plan in Scripture is never easy, but it’s encouraging to hear from those who have faced similar questions in their own times. The biggest, hardest to swallow, and most helpful truth he found was where the business world and the Church in China found agreement: the difference between pastors and clergy. Views: 936
A space adventure with a strong female character in the tradition of Sassinak and Generation Warriors--by the bestselling author of Mutineers' Moon. The "invincible", planet-wrecking pirates made a big mistake when they raided ex-commando leader Alicia DeVries' quiet home world and murdered her family. The Imperial forces seem helpless against the marauders so Alicia decides to turn pirate herself--by stealing an Imperial ship to carry out her vendetta. Views: 936
One look at her was enough to stop his heart. . . If it was still beating. Angus MacKay has been undead for almost five hundred years, and it's not often something, or someone, surprises him. Until Emma Wallace. The sight of this luscious agent from the CIA's elite Stake-Out team was enough to stop Angus in his tracks. But then he discovers that she's a vampire slayer, intent on killing the "monsters" who killed her parents. And it's Angus' job to stop her. The only good vampire is a dead vampire. It's been Emma's motto since she committed her life to the destruction of these things. Now Angus MacKay wants to convince her differently. Sure, he's a sexy Highland warrior who seems to have stepped off the cover of a romance novel, complete with brogue, kilt, and sword, but he's also one of them. And it's her job to kill him. The war is on, but will it end in the destruction of one or both of them. . . or in total surrender to a passion for the ages? Views: 936
An enchanting story from Maggie Stiefvater featuring Opal, Ronan, and Adam from her bestselling Raven Cycle, taking place after the events of The Raven King. Views: 935
Kylar Stern odrzucił życie zabójcy. Po krwawym przewrocie, zorganizowanym przez Króla-Boga, mistrz i najbliższy przyjaciel Kylara zginęli. Przyjacielem był Logan Gyre – następca cenaryjskiego tronu. Jednakże niewielu arystokratów przeżyło, żeby opłakiwać jego śmierć. Kylar zaczyna więc od nowa: w nowym mieście, z nowymi towarzyszami, w nowym zawodzie.
Kiedy jednak dowiaduje się, że Logan może żyć – uwięziony, w ukryciu – staje przed najcięższym wyborem: może na zawsze porzucić drogę cienia i odnaleźć spokój w nowej rodzinie. Może też wykorzystać swój niszczycielski talent i lata ćwiczeń, żeby ratować przyjaciela i kraj… jednak wtedy straci to, co dla niego najcenniejsze. Views: 935
Wrongfully imprisoned on Devil's Island, Captain Spar dreams of killing the one man who contrived his capture on that island hell. When he daringly escapes from the penal colony, Spar lands on the island of Martinique, hot on the trail of his nemesis.
But Spar quickly finds himself ensnared by the deadly schemes of a brutal and cold-blooded native known only as Chacktar while attempting to discover the identity of his betrayer. He is forced to sail the yacht Venture through a vicious storm toward the rocky shores of Hurricane Hill, an island whose surrounding waters are the most treacherous in the Caribbean.
It is an assignment Captain Spar cannot refuse, one where he must try to save not only himself but an entire boatload of innocents that includes one very alluring young woman.
© 2011 Galaxy Audio Views: 935
There’s only one rule: Never lock the door. Gianna believes manual labor to be penance for the mistake that changed her life. Nothing can be worse than serving probation under the supervision of a bitter, elderly woman, known as the Caretaker, running a bed and breakfast in the middle of the Arizona desert. Then the strangers begin arriving. They appear at sundown and vanish come morning.Novella.There’s only one rule: Never lock the doorGianna believes manual labor to be penance for the mistake that changed her life. Nothing can be worse than serving probation under the supervision of a bitter, elderly woman, known as the Caretaker, running a bed and breakfast in the middle of the Arizona desert.Then the strangers begin arriving. They appear every night at sundown at the end of the driveway and vanish early in the morning, armed men and women who don’t quite look or act normal and never travel in vehicles, despite the property being twenty miles from town. Where they come from baffles Gianna, as does the single rule the Caretaker gives her. The front door must remain unlocked and the house accessible to the dangerous visitors no matter how unusual or frightening they are. When one of them arrives wounded, Gianna helps save him and unknowingly makes a powerful friend, one from a very faraway place. In fact, from another world entirely, the world that starts at the end of the driveway. Before she can learn more, Gianna is left alone with the strangers and must choose whether she’ll take over the Caretaker’s role as hostess or return to New York and risk jail time for violating her probation. Frustrated with her life, Gianna defies the Caretaker and locks the front door instead. Her world will never be the same. Views: 935
More than a quarter of a century after "The Sword of Shannara" carved out its place in the pantheon of great epic fantasy, the magic of Terry Brooks's "New York Times"bestselling saga burns as brightly as ever. Three complete series have chronicled the ever-unfolding history of Shannara. But more stories are still to be told-and new adventures have yet to be undertaken. BookOne of High Druid of Shannara invites both the faithful longtime reader and the curious newcomer to take the first step on the next extraordinary quest.
Twenty years have passed since Grianne Ohmsforddenounced her former life as the dreaded Ilse Witch-saved by the love of her brother, the magic of the Sword of Shannara, and the destruction of her evil mentor, the Morgawr. Now, fulfilling the destiny predictedfor her, she has established the Third Druid Council, and dedicated herself to its goals of peace, harmony among the races, and defense of the Four Lands. But the political intrigue, secret treachery, and sinister deedsthat have haunted Druid history for generations continue to thrive. And despite her devotion to the greater good as Ard Rhys-the High Druid of Paranor, Grianne still has bitter enemies.
Amongthe highest ranks of the Council she leads lurk those who cannot forget her reign of terror as the Ilse Witch, who covet her seat of power, and who will stop at nothing to see her deposed . . . or destroyed. EvenGrianne's few allies-chief among them her trusted servant Tagwen--know of the plots against her. But they could never anticipate the sudden, ominous disappearance of the Ard Rhys, in the deadof night and without a trace. Now, barely a step ahead of the dark forces bent on stopping him, Tagwen joins Grianne's brave young nephew, Pen Ohmsford, and the wise, powerful elf Ahren Elessedil on a desperateand dangerous mission of search and rescue-to deliver the High Druid of Shannara from an unspeakable fate.
Expect no end of wonders, no shortage of adventure, exhilaration, suspense, andenchantment, as Terry Brooks demonstrates, once again, that there is no end to his magic of invention and mastery of storytelling. Views: 935
New victims. New betrayals. New secrets.
When Cassie Hobbes joined the FBI’s Naturals program, she had one goal: uncover the truth about her mother’s murder. But now, everything Cassie thought she knew about what happened that night has been called into question. Her mother is alive, and the people holding her captive are more powerful—and dangerous—than anything the Naturals have faced so far. As Cassie and the team work to uncover the secrets of a group that has been killing in secret for generations, they find themselves racing a ticking clock.
The bodies begin piling up, the deaths hit closer and closer to home, and it soon becomes apparent that this time, the Naturals aren’t just hunting serial killers.
They’re being hunted themselves. Views: 935
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. The evil Shadowen have seized control of the Four Lands, and Walker Bok, one of the scions of Shannara, must retrieve the Elfstone from the Stone King. Views: 935
It is the time of the gathering and all nations must pay tribute -
WHY MUST THEY? Kurt wondered, as the decrepit destroyer JAGER wallowed through uncharted waters on its way to Gibraltar, the Gathering of the fleet, and the Final Meeting with the Enemy.
It was sad to think how far man had fallen from the days when such vessels as the JAGER had been built. Now the last men struggled on in isolated communities, maintaining machines they could no longer build, ruled over by the distant Political Office in the person of the much despised and universally feared Political Officers. These black phantoms ruled mankind, telling one how to think, how to act, and when to obey the call to the Gathering.
And now the call had come for Kurt to sail off to Gibraltar to the Gathering - the ritual massing of the fleet for the War, the Gathering from which no one had ever returned... Views: 935
"A trilogy of remarkable scope and sophistication."--*Los Angeles Times*
Twice before Thomas Covenant had been summoned to the strange otherworld where magic worked. Twice before he had been forced to join with the Lords of Revelstone in their war against Lord Foul, the ancient enemy of the Land.
Now he was back--to a Land ravaged by the armies of Lord Foul. The Lords were besieged and helpless. No place was safe, and Foul's victory seemed certain. Only Covenant could avert it. Desperately and without hope, he set out to confront the might of the Enemy. Along with him traveled a Giant, a Bloodguard, and the madwoman he had wronged. And in Foul's Creche, Lord Foul grew in power with each new defeat for the Land. . . . Views: 935
