Nonfiction. This is a document about an underground movement we're slowly bridging together through scattered clans of free thinkers, rebels and artists: groups of angry young people fed up living paycheck to paycheck in the wageslave braindeath passive observer (sub)urban trap that is our daily backdrop. An underground movement that has its poetic roots in the old traditions of traveling gypsies and pirates but is alive and well and lurking outside your door and maybe stirring somewhere in your hearts right at this very minute.
All Tessa LaRoche wants is to be the most ordinary person on Barrow Island. After a stint in a mental asylum, she's had quite enough of being anything else, thank you very much. But when a commission at her new reporting job forces her into the path of a not-quite-human murder suspect, Tessa finds that the unordinary is not through with her yet. Spirited away by a devilishly charming Nicolai to the Mirror Lands-- a parallel reality manipulated by the immortal Deathless-- Tessa loses one of the most precious tethers to her sanity. In order to reclaim it, she must risk entering The Chaos Circus: a citywide fair where mortals trade years for prizes in vicious attractions from which the Deathless draw their power. But there's a catch: if Tessa can't defeat the Deathless at their own freakish carnival games, she will lose her mind...and Nicolai will lose his life. Forced to rely on one another despite the secrets that come between them, Tessa and Nicolai embark on a dangerous adventure through the deceptively beautiful life of the Circus, where little is as it seems--even the games, their pasts, and the strange whirlwind of memories that Tessa can no longer recall.
The stories we tell in our attempt to make sense of the world—our myths and religion, literature and philosophy, science and art—are the comforting vehicles we use to transmit ideas of order. But beneath the quest for order lies the uneasy dread of fundamental disorder. True chaos is hard to imagine and even harder to represent. In this book, Martin Meisel considers the long effort to conjure, depict, and rationalize extreme disorder, with all the passion, excitement, and compromises the act provokes. Meisel builds a rough history from major social, psychological, and cosmological turning points in the imagining of chaos. He uses examples from literature, philosophy, painting, graphic art, science, linguistics, music, and film, particularly exploring the remarkable shift in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries from conceiving of chaos as disruptive to celebrating its liberating and energizing potential. Discussions of Sophocles, Plato, Lucretius, Calderon, Milton, Haydn, Blake, Faraday, Chekhov, Faulkner, Wells, and Beckett, among others, are matched with incisive readings of art by Brueghel, Rubens, Goya, Turner, Dix, Dada, and the futurists. Meisel addresses the revolution in mapping energy and entropy and the manifold effect of thermodynamics. He then uses this chaotic frame to elaborate on purpose, mortality, meaning, and mind.
A heist by the Serenity crew goes badly wrong in a captivating original Firefly tie-in novel from the award-winning series by Titan Books. City of sin Neapolis: a desert city on planet Bethel where all manner of entertainment can be found: high-stakes gambling, luxurious hotels, exclusive clubs and any form of diversion imaginable may be had for a price. It’s the eve of the annual carnival: three days of decadent revelry, and Serenity arrives to take a security job, guarding a costly shipment. An unattainable ransom Tragedy strikes: the shipment is stolen, and the wealthy owner kidnaps Zoë and Book, holding them to ransom for the lost shipment’s value. If Mal can’t find the enormous sum of five hundred platinum by the next evening, both of them will be killed. A race against time As the carnival begins the crew must attempt the impossible, calling on contacts, calling in favours, and revealing hidden talents to save their crewmates’ lives. Meanwhile, the hostages have their own plans…
April Summers' wedding day was anything but happy. A cheating ex-fiancé has her going on their honeymoon alone. Ready to give up on love, the trip winds up being a turning point in her life. Depressed and unhappy, she meets inn owner's ruggedly handsome nephew and sparks begin to fly. Joshua Long was hurt by his first fiancé a long time ago and has given up on ever finding the right woman for him. At least until he meets April Summers. Suddenly all he can think of is her and he finds himself smiling when he does. Can their second chance at love work? Or will her vengeful ex-fiancé put an end to their budding romance.
Meet the Cutiecorns, adorable puppies with magical horns who get into all kinds of enchanting adventures. Puppypaw Island is barking with excitement for the first annual Cutiecorn Carnival and Talent Show! All different kinds of Cutiecorn animals are traveling to Puppypaw Island to celebrate. Everyone is excited to make new friends, but Twinkle can see that not all animals are alike and there might be some trouble coming. Can she use her seeing magic to calm the chaos?
In the shadowy recesses of an attic, where the sun’s rays play hide and seek with the dust of ages, resides a rat of remarkable repute. His name is Budda Brie—a moniker that echoes with the charisma of a fabled hero. “A Good Rat” by Dandy Ahuruonye is a whimsical and enchanting tale that transports readers into a world where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the mundane is infused with magic and wonder. Introduction Dandy Ahuruonye’s “A Good Rat” is a delightful narrative that blends fantasy with a touch of reality, creating a story that is both captivating and thought-provoking. The protagonist, Budda Brie, is no ordinary rodent. He is a Groccolli robot, a marvel of whiskered engineering, whose existence defies the mundane laws of rat-dom. With fur as grey as twilight shadows and eyes that sparkle like digital constellations, Budda Brie is a character that leaps off the page and into the reader’s imagination. Review The story unfolds in an ancient attic, a setting that Ahuruonye describes with such vivid detail that one can almost feel the dust motes pirouetting in the slanting sunbeams. This attic is not just a backdrop but a character in itself, filled with forgotten treasures and secrets waiting to be uncovered. It is here that Budda Brie embarks on his adventures, accompanied by his confidant, Giggles McWhisker—a mouse with a penchant for puns and a tail that twitches like a Morse code machine. One of the most memorable aspects of “A Good Rat” is Ahuruonye’s masterful use of language. His prose is rich and lyrical, painting pictures with words that linger in the mind long after the book is closed. For instance, when describing Budda Brie’s love for cheese, Ahuruonye writes: “Budda Brie didn’t nibble; he savoured. Each morsel was a symphony of flavour, a sonnet composed by dairy deities.” Such lines not only add depth to the character but also immerse the reader in the sensory experiences of the story. The relationship between Budda Brie and Giggles McWhisker is another highlight of the book. Their conversations crackle with wit and whimsy, providing both humour and insight. They discuss everything from the weather (“mostly cloudy with a chance of cheese showers”) to philosophy (“whether the moon was made of Gouda or Swiss”), and their banter is a joy to read. Through their interactions, Ahuruonye explores themes of friendship, empathy, and self-awareness, making the story not just entertaining but also meaningful. The plot of “A Good Rat” is filled with delightful escapades and conflicts. One particularly amusing episode is the Cheese Heist Hullabaloo, where the cheddar wedge accuses the brie wheel of favouritism. “You’re always the toast of the party,” grumbles the cheddar, to which the brie retorts, “Well, you’re too sharp for your good.” Such exchanges are peppered throughout the book, adding a layer of humour that will appeal to readers of all ages. But “A Good Rat” is not just about light-hearted fun. It also delves into deeper themes, such as the importance of forgiveness and understanding. In one poignant scene, the old cuckoo clock apologises to the broken teacup, and the moth forgives the spider for stealing its silk. These moments of reconciliation and empathy are beautifully woven into the narrative, making the story resonate on an emotional level. In conclusion, “A Good Rat” by Dandy Ahuruonye is a charming and enchanting tale that will captivate readers with its rich prose, memorable characters, and thought-provoking themes. It is a book that celebrates the magic in the mundane and reminds us of the importance of friendship, empathy, and self-awareness. Whether you are a child or an adult, this story will leave you with a smile on your face and a warmth in your heart. As Budda Brie himself might say, "Emotions are akin to the array of cheeses. Some are sharp, slicing through indifference; others are mellow, soothing the palate of the soul."
It's B'dg's day off, but heroes (and villains) never take a break. When a Red Lantern cat attacks the super-squirrel's favorite carnival, the pint-sized super hero and his power ring show up to save the day.
From the best-selling author of the Jumbies series comes an Afro-Caribbean-inspired story about three cousins who discover they are mokos--protector spirits--during carnival season in Brooklyn Weirdness and wonders abound in this colorful celebration of Afro-Caribbean culture by the author of the beloved Jumbies series. Twelve-year-old Misty and her mother have just moved from Trinidad to Brooklyn, New York, in time for the annual carnival celebrations over Labor Day weekend. Misty has plenty to deal with getting used to living with her cousins Aiden and Brooke in her new surroundings. On top of that, her mom is too busy trying to find a job and her aunts and uncles are too preoccupied with carnival preparations to pay any attention to her. Then really strange things begin to happen. A ball of feathers in the basement turns into a creature that squeaks and rolls around. When Misty and her cousins eat pieces of mango anchar, flames shoot out of their mouths. Most disturbing of all, Misty begins to see visions of the future--scary visions that soon come true. Misty discovers that she and her cousins come from a long line of mokos, people who have special powers meant to help them protect their community. Misty can see impending danger, Aiden can heal, and Brooke has crazy physical strength. The trio is just learning about their skills when Misty senses something watching her. And then each of the carnival events is disrupted by a different disaster. Some kind of evil force is clearly trying to stop the festivities. But why? And will moko magic be enough to save the day?
