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Split Paths (Fall of Emros 2) by Thomas J Devens Paths split, sometimes to merge once more. Sometimes only to stray ever further. Friends and comrades are made, lost, and sometimes, against all odds, found again. None can predict the turns oneās life may take. None can predict the losses to come. One can only hope. A killer seeks his path to freedom. A path away from the blood that has haunted his life. A young warrior, journeys to a new world in search of glory, only to find himself forgotten. A sellsword searches for an easy job. The mercenaries of the Stone and Shield have suffered great losses, their numbers decimated, many comrades lost. The bulk of the surviving mercenaries return to their home in Frostmoor on the edge of the Norwaldian Wilderness. Eager to begin a period of rest while they winter in. Others survive, scattered across the world. Whether arriving on the distant western shores, far from the reaches of the Emrosian Empire, or in the capital of the troubled kingdom of Talres. For some of the surviving mercenaries, there will be anything but a time of rest. |
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In the conservative East Texas town of Black Creek, youāre either old money or you work for them. Redmond Cole is the latter. The long hours he spends fixing fancy cars in the local garage are barely enough to support himself, let alone his sixteen-year-old half-sister, Katie. All he wants is a better life for the both of them, one thatās easy and real, but he has a secret. One that could blow up the meager existence heās worked so hard to maintain.Red is gay.He doesnāt want to lie, especially to Katie, but Black Creek isnāt the most hospitable environment for those who are different. His secrets keep them safe. Heās all but resigned to a life in the closet when heās propositioned by the dashing, wealthy Victor Itachi. What follows is a secret and intense sexual relationship that challenges everything Red believes about himself. When an unlikely friendship with the only out gay man in town opens Redās eyes to new possibilities, he must make a choice: submit fully to the relative safety of Victorās control or risk it all for a chance at real love. |
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Wounded Martyr by Courtney Maguire Ice is an asshole, but heās working on it. Heās two years sober, no small feat when you front a heavy metal band facing waning popularity and dismal ticket sales. But the pieces of a life torn apart by alcoholism are finally coming back together. His band, Wounded Martyr, has written a great album with the potential to launch them back into relevancy. And Ricky, probably the biggest, most important piece, has finally forgiven him for the wreck he made of their relationship. Thereās only one problem. Ashton. It was to be expected. As his best friend and bandmate for almost twenty years, itās only natural they should find each other in the loneliness of the road. Ricky knows about their one night together, but he doesnāt know that Ice canāt stop thinking about it, about his long body and whiskey-flavored lips, and the guilt of it has him on the brink of backslide. Now that Wounded Martyr is poised for a long tour, Ice must find a way to resist temptation or risk blowing their last chance and destroying his relationship with the two most important men in his life. |
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The Gottingen Accident by James Mordechai What if three famous scientists with superhero powers do team up to fight a villain that wants to subvert the very fabric of the Universe by using non-Euclidean geometry? What if the Germans won the Great War and the 1917 Bolshevik revolution never took place? Time is not always a straight line and sometimes it can expand and contract. Then, Charles Darwin could change the evolutionary destiny of any living being and be coeval with Marie Curie that in turn could see through walls thanks to her X-Ray vision. A terrible accident, the Gottingen Accident, made them all. It made them like this. Superhumans. Or maybe just monsters. |
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The Y Front Chronicles by Alan Scott The Y Front Chronicles' is set in the year of our Lord 3256, and is the diary of a trained soldier on the run from the authorities The diary details his nine month stay on board a Starship, his thoughts on his past, present and future, his lovers, his hamster, daytime TV, the adult film industry, and his constant search for a pair of comfortable underwear. Read his diary if you dare. |
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Tales of Salvation and Damnation by Alan Scott Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy You may like, if you enjoy the following authors: by Anne Bishop, David Gemmell, and Joe Abercrombie āTales of Salvation and Damnationā is the seventh book in dark fantasy series āThe Storm Seriesā, and is a book of short stories set within the land of Talocants For me, one of the strengths of āThe Storm Seriesā is that it constantly changes and evolves, and the stories within āTales of Salvation and Damnationā continue that fine tradition. As always, Iāve tried to make the stories full accessible for new readers, whilst giving long term readers answers to some of their questions. |
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The Darkness Within by Michael D. Nadeau The Incarnation of death has been slowed, but at a cost. Rhoe and his companions must reach the city of Everknight and find a way to stop the Incarnation for good.Yet Everknight is not a safe city. Intrigue and assassins lie around every corner, and the mastermind behind it is eager for Rhoe to arrive. Revelations and long hidden secrets come to light, but will they help our heroes cause... or tear it all down? (Book 2 in the Lythinall series) |
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The Darkness Returns by Michael D. Nadeau When an ancient evil is loosed upon the land of Lythinall, a young warrior is swept up into a perilous journey across his homeland to stop it. Drawn into a dangerous prophecy, he travels with the legendary bard Karis and the Princess of Evernight to realms he never knew existed. They will be tested as hidden forces watch with bated breath, knowing this could be the end... |
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After generations of warfare against the ominous Swarm, the United Planetary Alliance settles on a desperate gambitāsend a squad of Marines to steal one of the Swarmās bio-organic battleships. However, it turns out the ship isnāt merely alive but fully sentient... and it has a mission of its own. As the ship leaps across the galaxy, dimensions, and eventually reality itself, the crew has a new goalāstay alive! Join Skullgate Media on an epic space-opera filled with sexy murder-queens, ring-planets, and freaking space-sharks, all fueled by psychedelic Vesuvian coffee and sixth-dimensional funk! Tales From The Year Between is Skullgateās anthology series that brings together writers from around the globe to invent an original world from scratch. After two weeks of intense world-building, each author sets out to expand their new, fabulous universe through short-stories, flash fiction poems, songs or whatever else their boundless imaginations unleash. Each volume is new, exciting, and utterly unique. (Contains stories by: Laila Amado, Emily Ansell, Gabrielle Awe, B.K. Bass, Steven Bayer, Jayme Bean, Darius Bearguard, Jonathan Beck, Elvira Canaveral, Zackery Cuevas, Aaron Hockett, E. R. Hoffer, A. R. K. Horton, Debbie Iancu-Haddad, Daniel James, Allison N. Moore, Jeremy Nelson, S. L. Parker, Sarah Remy/Alex Hall, A. A. Rubin, CD Storiz, Kelly Washington, C. Vandyke, and Phebe Yawson.) |
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Loathsome Voyages by Chris Durston CD Storiz A blood-soaked writing desk. A town where going missing is ominously routine. A portal to another dimension within a mirror. Inside these pages are tales of gods and monsters, of madness and obsession, of passion and unknowable terrors. Loathsome Voyages presents tales ranging from the delectably dark to the shockingly surreal. Some possess an uncanny horror, others a frightful beauty. All are journeys into strange worlds from which you may never return. Inspired by the work of weird fiction masters old and new--from Lovecraft to MiƩville, from Hodgson to VanderMeer--this treacherous, eldritch volume brings together fourteen of today's best authors of speculative fiction. Join Skullgate Media as we embark on our most Loathsome Voyages.Contains stories by B.K. Bass, Chris Durston, Gary A. Fagan, Zack Friday, Anthony Harris, Christopher Harris, Mackenzie Litledale, Michael D. Nadeau, Michelle River, J.L. Royce, Mark J. Shultis, CD Storiz, and C. Vandyke. Edited by CD Storiz and Chris Durston. For more information about Skullgate Media go to www.skullgatemedia.com or follow us on Twitter as @skullgatemedia |
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Owl Eyes Motel by Barbara Avon The year is 1985, and there's a storm brewing. It's the kind that forces even the derelicts to retreat to their gutters. Each room is its own unique story; each chapter, a room. Check in at Owl Eyes and stay a spell, won't you? There's always room for the dead. "Come in! Come in! Welcome to the Owl Eyes Motel. My name is Milton and I am the owner of this fine establishment, situated on Route Number 666. That's six-hundred and sixty-six. Owl Eyes offers impeccable service. There is no lack of creature comforts at this here motel. At Owl Eyes, we pride ourselves on our attention to detail. Management kindly reminds you that we are not responsible for lost luggage...or souls." *Some scenes depict dark and sensitive themes. |
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Blood Pact by Courtney Maguire In Hiroās world, youkai are a supernatural story used to scare children into obedience, and to keep men out of back alleys and brothels. Until Sakurai Hideyoshi walks through his door with a fantastical tale of a samurai who had killed a thousand men and drank the blood of his enemies, a man that lived in darkness but sought beauty to keep it at bay. A story both terrifying and romanticā¦and completely ridiculous. Unless it is true. Convinced something softer lurks behind Hideyoshiās hard mask, Hiro follows him home. And discovers the story is real. Only instead of the blood of his enemies, it is innocent blood taken. Hideyoshi tells him never to return. Yet after Hiroās mother is mortally wounded, Hiro runs back to the one being he knows with the power to save her. When Hideyoshi canāt, Hiro begs him for the next best thing: the power to avenge her. As Hiro becomes youkai, he faces a new threat, something darker, older, and far more dangerous. With Hideyoshi at his side, Hiro must decide what heās willing to sacrifice--and what heās willing to do--to protect this new life before he loses everything for a second time. |
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Bloodlaced by Courtney Maguire Kanjin hardly view their servants as human. Even less so when they are different. Asagi is different. Both a man and a woman. In the wake of his failure to protect a boy he saw as a son from their abusive master, Asagi is sold into the house of a young nobleman, Mahiro, who is the opposite of everything Asagi has ever knownāgentle, kind, and generous. Mahiro bonds with Asagi and their friendship blooms into a deep and profound love. But when Asagi is poisoned out of jealousy, Mahiro reveals himself to be youkai, a demon who feeds on blood, and he has no choice but to turn Asagi to save their life. Asagi awakes reborn, strong, and eternally youthful. But the price for Asagiās new life is high. The blood of the innocent. Just as Asagiās trust in Mahiro falters, the boy he failed to protect, now a man, reappears.ā New master, same threat. With both a literal and proverbial monster at the door, Asagi must decide what it means to be human to protect what they love most. Content Warnings: physical abuse, sexual abuse (off-page), self-harm, blood, graphic violence |
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People often take for granted the small things in life, like being able to shower and get dressed without having to convince their mind and body to get out of bed. For many, that isnāt a daily struggle. When the alarm clock rings, they turn it off, roll out of bed, and start their day. For those diagnosed and labelled with conditions such as dyslexia, however, that struggle is crippling. Branded, lazy, stupid, cheats, the world convinces millions of people every day that they are unworthy of love and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Labelled with a learning difficulty that makes him feel inferior, 50-year-old Alan starts to reflect on his life and the world around him. Whilst working a typical 9-5 office job, he explores the facets of the world that many overlook, including an inside look at motherhood, prescription drug abuse, and roles in the workplace. From how dress code is enforced more on women than men, the unfulfillment that comes with abusing sex, alcohol, and food, to the importance and acceptance of sexuality, every bullet of truth comes to a startling realization: the world does not view everyone equally. As Alan digs deeper into his memories, regrets of the past blend with momentary victories to cast light on topics that many choose to avoid or overlook. Addiction to social media. The overwhelming noise coming from TV, songs, and news. The robotic movements of people he passes by on the street, and how taboo it is to look at nature or each other. What society classes as success. Based partly on the real-world struggles of dyslexia and the problems associated with it, The Rain Dancer takes an in-depth look at the pain and emotions caused by everyday interactions. Depression, societal expectations, and the niceties of human interactions, Alan Scott paints a vivid picture of the morals and ethics that govern life. |
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Stories for a Storm Filled Night by Alan Scott Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy You may like, if you enjoy the following authors: by Anne Bishop, David Gemmell, and Joe Abercrombie āStories for a Storm Filled Nightā, is the first book of short stories sent within the dark fantasy trilogy the āStorm Seriesā. Itās a standalone book, hence will be perfect for new readers to the saga. It will transport them to the land of Talocants, where they will discover, werewolves, heroes, and villains. For readers who have already read books 1 and 2 of the trilogy, it will answer a few questions they might have ā What actually happened during the Chestnut murders? How did the Brethren of the Night Start? There are a total of eight short stories, all of which add additional background to characters and events within the trilogy. |
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A Dark and Hungry Storm by Alan Scott Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy You may like, if you enjoy the following authors: by Anne Bishop, David Gemmell, and Joe Abercrombie If you have enjoyed the previous two books then, the final novel in the series will provide the ending you are looking for. Jack Rothgal desperately attempts to fulfil his destiny and become the Ultimate Spirit Warrior and regain the Twin Kingdoms for his little sister. Deep within her Palace in the city of Deep Lake Queen Rebecca Rothgal works tirelessly to protect the Twin Kingdoms against all threats; including her big brother. |
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scions of a storm by Alan Scott Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy Themes(s): relationships, forbidden love, loss, power, prejudice and ultimately, the monster which lurks inside us all. Target audience: The open-minded reader who enjoys a more mature and gritty storylines in their fantasy books Scions of the Stormā is the second instalment in the āStorm Seriesā trilogy and covers the next sixteen years of this epic tale. It continues the tales of Kathleen and Jane, and their now separate journeys. Kathleen has survived her trials and is now Queen of the Twin Kingdoms. She is happily married to Karl Rothgal and has two children by him ā Jack, the eldest, and Rebecca, their younger daughter. For the first time in the series, hints are revealed about the two deadly, but hidden, forces that are using the Twin Kingdoms as a pawn in their eons old game of domination. War is coming to the Twin Kingdoms, but can Kathleen and Jane work out who to trust and who the actual enemy are before it is too late? |
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Of Blood and Deceit by Rachel A. Collett Magic runs in the Drakara bloodline. To seventeen-year-old Ilianna itās a curse. Born a bastard and raised by an abusive uncle, she struggles to conceal her late-bloomed gifts, but itās hard to hide when your uncle is king. The kingdom of Eira recovers from over a decade of warring an overseas enemy. Ilianna trains from youth to fight in her uncleās militia, to keep her people from the grip of the Wraith Queen, even if sheās feared by everyone except the one that controls her. When it seems that peace is assured, her uncle offers her up to be married to their neighboring realm. However, Ilianna has no intention of accepting and flees the kingās rule only to wind up captured by the very enemy she was promised to. Prince Castiel, a powerful leader and cunning strategist, recognizes a disguised Ilianna the moment he sees her. When his strange prison guest does nothing but patiently wait for three long months, he forces her to make her move. Ilianna must tame her fears and control a rogue power before her uncle kills her for disobedience or worse, reclaims her and her magic. |
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Into The Dark by Robert Hookey Watchmen meets The Good Place in this (relatively) original, (kind of) groundbreaking, and reasonably-priced novel of good, evil, and everything in-between, overloaded with enough pop culture references to make your grandmother's head explode. In an all-too-familiar world controlled by ancient beings known as The Dark, heroes of every origin must assemble (yeah, I said it, sue me) to pull humanity back from the edge of annihilation ā if they donāt kill each other first. They may not be the Avengers, the Suicide Squad, hell, they may not even be the Great Lakes Avengersā¦ but theyāve been brought together by a hero in a Green Hornet mask and leather jacket to match named Nemesis to face every form of evil imaginable. From seemingly-invincible masked killers who stalk teen camp counselors to clones of Nazi super soldiers to monsters of the human variety, Nemesis and his team of unlikely heroes will traverse the globe to dismantle The Darkās vast power structure once and for all. If you took The Umbrella Academy, The Boys and The Cabin In The Woods and gave them a hearty stir youād get Into The Dark: Book One of the Infinite Crossover Crisis, a clever, electrifying, genre-busting adventure that pits the most unconventional superheroes in the Multiverse against the embodiment of mankind's capacity for evil itself. |
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Tales of Solomon Pace by Alan Scott Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy Themes: Power, Relationships, Love, Loss, and Parenthood Target audience: Open minded people who enjoy a more mature and grittier storyline in their fantasy books Tales of Solomon Paceā can be read as part of the Storm Series or as a standalone book of interlinked short stories. With āTales of Solomon Paceā I knew straight away that I wanted to delve deeper into the background of the man and to give the reader glimpses of Solomonās past. To that end, Iāve produce a range of stories which will show different aspects of Solomon Pace, and give the reader additional insight to this very complicated, dangerous and intriguing character. |
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In the Shadow of Ruin by Tony Debajo King Jide Adelani has ruled the lands of the Yoruba in West Africa for many peaceful years, but now his kingdom is in turmoil and the cold grasp of death's embrace is closing in around everything he holds dear. Jide spent years garnering the respect and loyalty of the tribes in the hopes of uniting them into one cohesive empire when his half-brother, Prince Olise, returns from banishment to claim the throne as his own. The offspring of a union between the late King Adeosi and the evil enchantress Ekaete, the bitter Olise has devoted the last decade to one purpose; to seize the throne and rule the kingdom. If he fails, he risks his name being erased from the history of the tribes. With the support of his mother, a powerful witch whose name is whispered in fear across the lands of the tribes, the outcast Olise now seems unstoppable in achieving his goal. Facing overwhelming military might and dark forces that he cannot comprehend, Jide must either choose to ignore the warnings of the gods, and seek help from those who also practice dark arts; or risk losing his kingdom. |
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Dust & Lightning by Rebecca Crunden In the near future, humans have gone beyond simple space travel. By the year 4054, multiple solar systems are inhabited, and taking a spaceship is as commonplace as taking an aeroplane. Unfortunately, not everything about the future is so advanced. The central planets, led by Earth, have risen high at the expense of cheap labour on distant worlds. Dissent is widespread and arrests are common. Sometimes prisoners are released; sometimes they disappear without a trace, sent to labour camps in other solar systems. When Ames Emerys receives a letter telling him that his brother Callum has died en route to the remote planet of Kilnin, he takes the first ship he can off Earth, desperate for answers. But the secrets Ames uncovers prove far more dangerous than he could have imagined. And trouble isnāt far behind. |
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A Game of Wings and Marks by Rebecca Crunden When Octavia Coal goes to the mountains to clear her head, she doesnāt expect to find an angel in trouble. He tells her his name is Tamiel and heās one of the Irin ā the army of angels tasked with keeping demons from overwhelming humanity. But Tamiel broke a sacred law ā he fell in love with a human ā and now heās being hunted by the same angels he once served. With nowhere else to go, Octavia and Tamiel ā along with Jack, the human in question, and her brother Caleb ā appeal directly to Zev, the Demon of Games. A trickster of unparalleled power, Zev gives nothing for free, and the gift he offers Octavia to keep Tamiel alive comes with a confusing catch: He makes her the Healer of Raphael, archangel and Commander of the Irin. Suddenly a target for both angels and demons, Octavia quickly learns that the only way to survive is to play the game better than they do. The only problem is, she doesnāt know whose game sheās playing ā¦ |
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This novella is arranged as a series of seasons with one short story vignette from each of the four main point of views. These stories are set approximately three years before Between Starfalls begins. Taunos attempts to get into the library of Far Dahutad. Takiyah balances her love of learning with the judgements of her community. Kaemada struggles mind to mind. Raāael faces challenges on her path to becoming a priestess. If youāre looking to dip your toe in the Children of the Nexus universe and get to know the characters briefly, this is the book for you! |
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When Eliza Owens gets a phone call in the middle of the night from a girl sheās never met, she doesnāt know what to think. The girl introduces herself as Paige, and says she used to date Erik Stern, Elizaās fiancĆ©. Whatās more, she has something important to discuss. The only problem? Paige has been dead for years. Believing it to be a sick prank, Eliza tries to force it from her mind until Sam, Elizaās older sister, tells her she met Paige only a few weeks before. And, according to Sam, Paige has nothing nice to say about Erik. The fight which follows shatters the lives of everyone involved, and Erik disappears without a trace. Five years later, Erik returns to town after his fatherās death. Old wounds quickly resurface, and with them several burning questions. None the least of which is: Who spoke to Eliza and Sam if it wasnāt Paige? And why? |
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A Time of Prophecy by Rebecca Crunden In the years since Kitty, Nate and Thom escaped the Kingdom, the Plague has ravaged the population and the rebels have seized two of the northern countries. In an attempt to bring order to the chaos, the leader of the rebels, Nateās old friend James, has agreed to hold trials for those responsible for intentionally leaking the Plague. Unfortunately, the rumour in the Kingdom is that Kitty is responsible. To make matters worse, Blaise tells Kitty that the Council, who still count her father as one of their own, are once again experimenting on Radiants. Itās a horrifying realisation that hits too close to home, and for the first time in her life, Kitty thirsts for vengeance. Itās a thirst thatās matched by the one person who has always been her mirror ā her Complement, Thom. On the other side of the Wall in the Outlands, desperate to bring Kitty home and finish the Council once and for all, Thom begins plotting, using the skills heās long honed to outsmart those with more power. But outsmarting his enemies might turn Thom into the very thing heās always feared becoming, and war soon seems the only possible solution to stopping the Council and the Hangman. But with more than a few looking to the ancient prophecy of peace, Thom searches desperately for a way to circumvent more bloodshed. Yet the weight of the years have taken their toll, and as Thomās physical and mental health deteriorate, Nate struggles with the fallout of past crimes, both the ones he did commit, and the ones he didnāt ā¦ |
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A Dance of Lies by Rebecca Crunden A year into the Outlands and life has only become more dangerous and complex for Kitty and her friends. Not only are the Outcasts hunting them, but Charles and Ciara are adamant about returning to the Kingdom to help, forcing everyone to take a side. To make matters worse, the leader of the Outcasts, Quen, has an unrelenting fascination with Thom and Nate that soon reaches horrific heights. As tensions mount and the group begins to splinter, Riddle comes to Kitty with an unexpected request. A secret. One that makes them inseparable. Kitty soon finds herself spending more and more time away from Nate and Thom, learning to fight and increasingly drawn into the ways of the Radiants. But Kitty and Riddle's new bond doesn't come without complications, and a decision made by the two of them threatens more than Kitty's relationship with Nate ... |
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A Promise of Return by Rebecca Crunden When Thom Anteros is arrested after breaking into the Building of Historical Records, he demands to be taken before the King. A laughable demand for anyone else, Thom's request is granted and the King spares his life. Yet what's to become of him is left in the hands of the one person Thom truly fears ā Mickey Taenia, the King's Hangman. Infuriated by Thom's refusal to reveal the whereabouts of Nate and Catherine, the Hangman sends Thom to one of the worst places in the Kingdom ā the slave markets of Muntenia. It is there that Thom is bought for the Red Arena: a barbaric, gladiator-type competition where the children of convicts and other unlucky souls are forced to fight to the death. Twenty wins is release. One loss is death. With the help of Charles Thoreau, a fellow captive, Thom begins not only to survive, but to thrive. A master of words becomes a master of death, and Thom's prowess in the arena frightens even him. But death isn't the only thing haunting Thom. As the days go by, he dreams of his brother, and the promise he cannot forget. I will return. |
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A History of Madness by Rebecca Crunden The four remaining fugitives are now spread across the Kingdom. And with the fate of the others unknown to him, Nate Anteros prays for a fast execution. Yet execution does not come. After a meeting with the King which leaves Nate questioning his sanity, heās sent to a workcamp in Argon Basin for five years of hard labour. Itās there that Nate learns what became of his friends upon their arrest. And as his strength returns to him, and heās plagued by dreams which are much too real to be ignored, Nate decides five years is far too long to wait ā¦ |
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A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden A thousand years in the future, the last of humanity live inside the walls of the totalitarian Kingdom of Cutta. The rich live in Anais, the capital city of Cutta, sheltered from the famine and disease which ravage the rest of the Kingdom. Yet riches and power only go so far, and even Anaitians can be executed. It is only by the will of the King that Nate Anteros, son of the Kingās favourite, is spared from the gallows after openly dissenting. But when heās released from prison, Nate disappears. A stark contrast, Catherine Taenia has spent her entire life comfortable and content. The daughter of the Kingās Hangman and in love with Thom, Nateās younger brother, her life has always been easy, ordered and comfortable. That is, where it doesnāt concern Nate. His actions sullied not only his future, but theirs. And unlike Thom, Catherine has never forgiven him. Two years pass without a word, and then one night Nate returns. But things with Nate are never simple, and when one wrong move turns their lives upside down, the only thing left to do is run where the Kingās guards cannot find them ā the Outlands. Those wild, untamed lands which stretch around the great walls of the Kingdom, filled with mutants and rabids. |
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The Last Tiger by Anthony Lavisher Jon Galnia is a husband, a father, a Mafia Don, a man who believes that Fate and Destiny are two sides of the same fickle coin. Rich beyond his wildest dreams, his inherited empire expands beyond America, far beyond the streets of his bloody playground, currently far beyond the reach of the authorities desperate to pin even a traffic violation on him. Fate is about to intervene. Plucked from the sky by those who hate him, or perhaps by those who want what he has, Jonās private jet crashes in central India, sabotaged by fate, though, perhaps, guided by destiny. Unbeknownst to him, Jon is about to play a daring hand in an even bigger power struggle, one that will shock the world and, perhaps more importantly, the self-centred, ruthless Don. A tale of corruption, of adventure and heroism, The Last Tiger is a thrilling tale of one manās quest for survival and his uncertain hand on the pages of history. |
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Of Blood and Briar (Briar Soul #1) by Kaitlyn Rouhier "Every soul has a price." After Calderās village is brutally attacked, he seeks revenge against those responsible. Taken as a prisoner, he waits for an opportune moment to strike, and his bloody vengeance catches the eye of Amari, an assassin from a distant land. Invoking an ancient rite, she claims Calder as her apprentice, sparing his life but tethering him to an uncertain fate. Taken across the sea to the dying lands of Vermund, Calder is thrust into a world plagued by ancient beings and dark magic. It is there he finds himself caught in a conflict between the old ways in the North, and the growing threat building in the South, a struggle that could cost him everything, even his very soul. |
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Keeper of the Fallen by Alyssa Lauseng "The spirits have placed a very important task in your hands." A massacre. An escape. Sonika could have been a warrior and a leader if she hadn't been ripped from her homeland as a child. As the last of the Okami, she will never stop fighting for her right to live. Stalking the shadows is the only world Kulako knows. Heart filled with hatred, death by his blade is inevitable, but who he is beneath that darkness longs for something else. When a twist of fate forces their lives to collide, their choices may be enough to hold back the merciless coils of the Giahatio. But not even the will of the Gods can stop the will of the Emperor. |
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Goodbye to the Sun by Jonathan Nevair "A fresh sci-fi for the modern era that successfully balances serious themes with exciting space opera." -Spells & Spaceships A rebel pilot teams up with a war-torn diplomat in a bid to win her peopleās freedom ā but an impossible choice awaitsā¦ On a lone wind-shaped world, the Motes are on the brink. Razor, a bold and daring pilot, leads a last-ditch gambit against their local oppressors, the Targitians. The plan - abduct visiting Ambassador Keen Draden and use him as a bargaining chip to restore Mote independence on Kol-2. But when the operation unravels, Razor is forced to renegotiate terms with the arrogant diplomat. Racing the planet's raging wind tides, the two struggle to maintain a fragile pact. But Keen's dubious past rises and the Mote's resolve falters. Opportunity and obligation clash in a confrontation over honor, family, and revenge that binds their futures more tragically than they ever thought possible. |
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The Adventures of Hank Fenn by Will Tinkham For Hank, Sam never became Mark Twain. As a riverboat pilot, Sam saved young Hank from the crushing paddlewheels as the boy stowed away on the City of Memphis. Sam returned Hank to Minnesota when news reached downriver that Hank's mother was on trial for killing the father Hank had run away from. Years later, in a barber's chair prior to his mother's funeral, Hank reads a frog story that's awful close to a tall tale Sam once told. The magazine claims it's written by a fellow named Mark Twain. THE ADVENTURES OF HANK FENN (Americana #4) sends Hank searching the Westāand then the Eastāfor Mr. Twain. All along he and Sam exchange letters and make plans that never seem to get them togetherāTwain always on the road or abroad. Hank does find hatred and brutality while railroading and mining throughout this new frontier. He finds Calamity Jane in a Wyoming mining camp and Custer breaking treaties. He finds the Emperor of these United States. Ultimately Hank finds love, boys to raise and gold to unearth on a Black Hills mountaintop. |
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Brinda Miracle (not her real name) steals out of Redding, Connecticut in the spring of 1911 in charge of an orphan train. Though an accredited nurse and teacher, Brinda is fleeing trumped-up allegations stemming from the crib death of a baby in her care as a nanny. An orphan herself, Brinda arrives at an orphaned orphanage in St. Paul, Minnesota with three children still in her care: Nicholas, twelve, with special needs and special talentsāmost notably those of a pickpocket; Maxine, eight, with seemingly no need for anyone and no discernible talent; and Zane, six, whose amber eyes instill fear in those who fail to look deeper. The Miracles (Americana #7) is a historical crime satire set in a gangster haven that welcomed criminals into St. Paul as long as they didn't commit crimes in St. Paul. The novel follows the four orphans as they are welcomed into a neighborhood featuring Nina Clifford's fashionable whorehouse on one side and the Bucket of Blood Saloon down the block. Brinda and the children grow into their own niches to survive amid Prohibition Era corruption while dabbling in a little bootlegging of their own through the early years of the Great Depression. |
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They came from two worlds. A young Egyptian beauty escaping a brutal marriage engagement. A bored English lord looking for his next conquest. Neither of them expected the other could be exactly what they were looking for. Nour is running for her life. She leaves everything she's ever known in her tiny Egyptian village to sail to England and find the father she's never met. Thomas doesn't believe in love. Relationships are just a means to an end and both parties always know exactly what to expect. ...and then he sees her. Together they are both learning what it means to love someone so much they can't imagine a life without the other, but will a jealous Emir tear their world apart? |
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How did creation come about? An engineered being reveals the mystery to the Trinity! This book is the first one from a three-part series, ALL KAAL NONE. It uncovers a radical take on life. Get a different perspective from a non-human entity! Learn how to exist in your space without disrupting the natural flow. Story of engineered Supreme Being, his consort Menaka, and his distraction Demon on infinite, parallel possibilities & timelines. A divine purpose assigned to the Destroyer gets obstructed every time. All Kaal None follows their adventures on four such possibilities. Book debates about the life and death cycle and the significance of destruction for survival. The meaning of Karma or consequences of action and Dharma or duty of mortal beings is also detailed. Will the Supreme Being perform his divine purpose and plead salvation? Read all three books in this series to answer all the questions around each character and the creation itself. |
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The Arcadian Destiny by S.C. Vincent A PRINCE WITH A STOLEN DESTINYā¦ ā¦A SISTER BORN OF EVIL AND FLAME. Prince Konnor knows the only way to halt the Pezian invaders is to marry the emperorās daughter. However, Konnor has a love of his own and heāll do almost anything to keep that love alive, even if it means risking the entire kingdom. Unbeknownst to him, his twisted and jealous sister wishes for nothing more than a chance to make his future her ownā¦ Framed for murder, Konnor must return to his homeland. He sets out on a dangerous adventure, felling fantastical beasts and overcoming magical feats to save the kingdom from his evil sisterās reign and the God whom she serves. With his magical sword, the Ulfberht, and his band of misfits, Konnor hopes to reclaim the throne he once lost and save Arcadia from treachery. But things are never so easy, especially when his sister is dead set on keeping the throne... |
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Dawnbreak (The Farthest Star Book 1) by Rebecca Mickley You can't choose what you are, except when you can. It's only been a few months since first contact and, although peaceful, humanity will never be the same. The new treaty with the Mendians is seemingly too good to be true; free access to hundreds of star systems and the means to get there. All they ask in return is that humanity make the Mendian's "Path of the Other" free to any who desire it. Although following it means to surrender your humanity, for the UEA leadership, the price is worth it. After all, who would choose that? Joyce and John were both born feeling different, like they were meant to be something else, a feeling they've never been able to share except with each other. Now they can become anything and suddenly there is hope. Joyce can't wait to be one of the first human-animal hybrids called Morphics. John is supportive but worried about the risks and the stigma from society as distrust of the treaty grows. A great divide is growing within humanity between those who see the hope for a new age of mankind and those who fear the beginning of the end for humanity itself. Hope or fear, the lines are drawn, and to the victor goes the fate of humanity itself. |
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Alpha Physics! Book 1: Wagga by Alex Kozlowski In the apocalypse, the first weapon heāll have to upgrade is himself. The end of the world as we know it couldnāt come at a worse time for Adrian. One minute, heās an operations manager whoās overseeing a construction job in the wilderness. The next, an unknown energy force changes the very nature of life itself, from the smallest organism to the top of the food chain. The earthās surviving inhabitants, its environment, and the very laws of physics have all undergone fundamental transformations. Many of those changes arenāt pretty. Plenty of them are deadly. Luckily for Earth, this has happened to other species before, and everyone receives an interface that survivors of similar events have used to navigate through an alien landscape. Adrianās going to need every advantage he can get. Heās stranded in the middle of nowhere, there are days, maybe weeks of travel between him and his family, and in a world full of monsters and mayhem, survival means beating the learning curveā¦ |
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Like most kobolds, Yynnc has learned his lot in life. He'll find peace where he can while being very much aware of how fragile his existence can be in a world filled with creatures and beings more powerful than he. He's happy enough to embrace the life of a Fisherman bringing food in for his warren and live in peace as long as he can. Fate, it would seem, had different plans. A group of raiders invades his home territory and kicks off a series of events that will change his life forever. He is a survivor; it is the driving motivation behind all kobolds. When his life is threatened, Yynnc reaches beyond what he ever thought he was capable of doing. On his world, the information and details of his entire life are at his fingertips. He will need to learn all he can about himself. Then, he will have to learn far more than what his local Shamans taught him about what is possible so he can carve a path for himself in the world. Yet, while the wider world might be interesting and filled with glorious promise and pleasures the likes of which he has never known, there are far, far too many dangers waiting to grind a careless kobold into the dust. But those forces didn't count on the strength behind his convictions. He must survive. It's in his blood. |
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Moonlight Crusade by Scott Kinkade College student Kyle Falconer's trip to New York City gets a bloody extension when his Christian group is brutally murdered by vampires. Now undead himself, Kyle is taken in by a sympathetic woman with the ability to see the future, and she begins training him to defend himself against the madman who slaughtered his friends. With a holy war looming on the horizon, Kyle must gather allies to save the world while also dealing with Vatican vampire hunters and the undead Yakuza. |
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The Little Punk Princess: A Fairy Tale by Sarah Karasek A dystopian punk rock fairy tale. Princess is the heiress to the Presidency of America, but she has a dark secret - a deep love of metal, punk, and ska - all illegal contraband under the new ultra-conservative government. When her secret stash of music is discovered, she is faced with the harsh decision of fleeing her country or giving up her only pleasure forever. Bizarro fiction featuring a personal trainer magi, disco bandits, and Mad Max inspired green energy vehicles. |
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Far Far Beyond Berlin by Craig Meighan Not everything goes to plan at the first attemptā¦ In Da Vinciās downstairs loo hung his first, borderline insulting, versions of the Mona Lisa. Michelangeloās back garden was chock-a-block full of ugly lumps of misshapen marble. Even Einstein committed a great āblunderā in his first go at General Relativity. God is no different, this universe may be his masterpiece, but there were many failed versions before it ā and theyāre still out there. Far Far Beyond Berlin is a fantasy novel, which tells the story of a lonely, disillusioned government workerās adventures after being stranded in a faraway universe ā Joy World: Godās first, disastrous attempt at creation. Godās previous universes, a chain of 6 now-abandoned worlds, are linked by a series of portals. Our jaded hero must travel back through them, past the remaining dangers and bizarre stragglers. Heāll join forces with a jolly, eccentric and visually arresting, crew of sailors on a mysteriously flooded world. Heāll battle killer robots and play parlour games against a clingy supercomputer, with his life hanging in the balance. Heāll become a teleportation connoisseur; he will argue with a virtual goose ā it sure beats photocopying. Meanwhile, high above in the heavens, an increasingly flustered God tries to manage the situation with His best friend Satan; His less famous son, Jeff; and His ludicrously angry angel of death, a creature named Fate. They know that a human loose in the portal network is a calamity that could have apocalyptic consequences in seven different universes. Fate is dispatched to find and kill the poor man before the whole place goes up in a puff of smoke; if he can just control his temperā¦ |
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A Fortnight to Bloom by Dani Morrison When it rains it pours and Stephanie Renaut has had enough, thank you very much. The collapse of her engagement is the last straw and she takes a gamble on the irrational; a two week spiritual retreat on the far flung world of Elysia VII. Verdant, lively, and soothing, the planetās facilities are renowned for their ability to help soul-weary seekers. But, she isnāt the only traveler seeking answers and redemption. Pahaliās Festival approaches, a celebration of the early bloom, and Davinth Xan-Curson returns for his ancestral rites without a mate. Again. Heās devoted his life to unlocking the secrets of Elysiaās flora, but finds the opportunity for a new kind of discovery with an impromptu travelling companion. Paths cross and sparks ignite, but to make way for new life, two strangers must come to know themselves to find each other. |
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A Thief's Debt by Dani Morrison Haunted by her past, Halaema Arocele joins The Nameless for gold and a chance to carve out her own path away from the dominionās ever tightening grasp. A half-Aelven mage, sheās found freedom in the human realm. The rebels pay well and donāt ask questions. But, when a mission goes awry, she is captured by Caeas Gorayayn a disgraced brother of the elite warriors of the Aelven Dominion: The Iron Hand. A blood debt binds her to him and what starts as a quest for retribution evolves into more as the cruel machine of war tears its way across the human realm. Old loyalties are tested, new ones are formed, and a thiefās debt may bring her a greater reward than she ever imagined. |