While visiting their grandfather in Manitoba, Canada, three American children experience an event based on Icelandic mythology in which a man comes back from the dead to seek revenge.
This book explores the central role of the zombie in contemporary popular culture as they appear in video games. Moving beyond traditional explanations of their enduring appeal – that they embody an aesthetic that combines horror with a mindless target; that lower age ratings for zombie games widen the market; or that Artificial Intelligence routines for zombies are easier to develop – the book provides a multidisciplinary and comprehensive look at this cultural phenomenon. Drawing on detailed case studies from across the genre, contributors from a variety of backgrounds offer insights into how the study of zombies in the context of video games informs an analysis of their impact on contemporary popular culture. Issues such as gender, politics, intellectual property law, queer theory, narrative storytelling and worldbuilding, videogame techniques and technology, and man’s relation to monsters are closely examined in their relation to zombie video games. Breaking new ground in the study of video games and popular culture, this volume will be of interest to researchers in a broad range of areas including media, popular culture, video games, and media psychology.
Since the publication of John Polidori's The Vampyre (1819), the vampire has been a mainstay of Western culture, appearing consistently in literature, art, music (notably opera), film, television, graphic novels and popular culture in general. Even before its entrance into the realm of arts and letters in the early nineteenth century, the vampire was a feared creature of Eastern European folklore and legend, rising from the grave at night to consume its living loved ones and neighbors, often converting them at the same time into fellow vampires. A major question exists within vampire scholarship: to what extent is this creature a product of European cultural forms, or is the vampire indeed a universal, perhaps even archetypal figure? In this collection of sixteen original essays, the contributors shed light on this question. One essay traces the origins of the legend to the early medieval Norse draugr, an "undead" creature who reflects the underpinnings of Dracula, the latter first appearing as a vampire in Anglo-Irish Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula. In addition to these investigations of the Western mythic, literary and historic traditions, other essays in this volume move outside Europe to explore vampire figures in Native American and Mesoamerican myth and ritual, as well as the existence of similar vampiric traditions in Japanese, Russian and Latin American art, theatre, literature, film, and other cultural productions. The female vampire looms large, beginning with the Sumerian goddess Lilith, including the nineteenth-century Carmilla, and moving to vampiresses in twentieth-century film, literature, and television series. Scientific explanations for vampires and werewolves constitute another section of the book, including eighteenth-century accounts of unearthing, decapitation and cremation of suspected vampires in Eastern Europe. The vampire's beauty, attainment of immortality and eternal youth are all suggested as reasons for its continued success in contemporary popular culture.
From the earliest days of oral history to the present, the vampire myth persists among mankind's deeply-rooted fears. This encyclopedia, with entries ranging from "Abchanchu" to "Zmeus," includes nearly 600 different species of historical and mythological vampires, fully described and detailed.
This fairy godmother's got claws. When someone kidnaps the last surviving descendant of the Grandmaster of the Knights Templar, it's bad news. When the baby is the key to the tenuous alliance between a large werewolf pack and the knights, it's even worse news. They're at each other's throats before they've even begun to look for baby Constance. But whoever kidnapped Constance didn't count on one thing: she's also the goddaughter of John Charming. Modern-day descendant of a long line of famous dragon slayers, witch finders, and wrong righters. John may not have any experience being a parent, but someone is about to find out that he can be one mean mother. . . In Shining Armor
A thousand years have passed since the Sunspear, an ancient weapon forged by the Gods, was lost to the sight of men in the last great battle of the Raven Wars. Now, the Dark God again reaches out from the Land of Eternal shadow to touch the world with his evil. The Goddess Danu gives Ciaran, a young Celtae warrior powerful in the Psi, the vast psionic power of the subconscious mind, the quest of finding the Sunspear. If he fails, the Dark God's Long Night will fall over the world forever. The quest leads him ever deeper into the Forbidden Lands, perilous realm of the Shadow, where he is pursued by the Dark God's evil Ring Lords, who also search for the Sunspear. The Ring Lords, however, are not Ciarán's only worry. The Dark God sends one of his First Born, a Shaádhul mind-slayer, into the world to capture him and bring him to the Stone of Tears where he will either accept the Dark God as his Master or be cast into the Well of Souls. As he strives to elude the Shadow Lord's hunters, Ciarán must confront his forbidden love of Danu's tiny priestess, RILLSONG. He is further assailed with guilt over his infatuation with the beautiful Shadow Druidess, ISÉNGÁEL who captures his beloved foster sister KIARA and gives her to the Ring Lords. In the Valley of the Gods, he rescues Iséngáel and her half-Elven Ahati warriors from the deadly, Halfsouled Draugr. Joining forces, they fight their way through hordes of the near-immortal beings to reach the lost city of Gorias where Ciarán claims the Sunspear. Using the ancient weapon's god-like power, he destroys the Ring Lords' army that pursued him to Gorias, killing thousands of warriors, and laughing as their dying screams fill his ears. Only then does he realize that the greatest evil he has to overcome is not the Dark God, but the darkness that dwells within him. He must both learn to use the enormous power of the Sunspear wisely and keep his Darksoul at bay. If it gains control, he will become a creature of shadow, a Soultaken.
A hardcover tome that authentically recreates Atreus' journal as seen in God of War, with expanded lore written in collaboration with the God of War writing team! The hit game is brought to life in a tangible and exciting new way as readers are invited to plumb the lore of God of War through the eyes of Kratos' son, Atreus. This hardcover volume chronicles Atreus and Kratos' journey through the fabled Nine Realms, from the Wildwoods of Midgard to the mountains of Jötunheim and beyond. In addition to the record of their mythic journey, this wonderous collection also includes a bestiary that was assembled during those travels, intimate dossiers of the characters that inhabit the masterfully crafted universe, and much more! Dark Horse Books and Santa Monica Studios present God of War: Lore and Legends. This lovingly produced edition is a must own item for any fan of God of War.
"Viking Magic," the second installment in the Forbidden Knowledge series, embarks on a captivating journey into the mystical realms of Old Norse magic. This non-fiction book meticulously examines and interprets stories and poems of Icelandic sagas to bring forward the secrets of the magic wielded by the Norse people. The exploration begins with an immersive look into the magical worldview of the Vikings, unraveling concepts like Hugr – the unity of mind, or the protective force of Hamingja. As the narrative unfolds, readers are guided through captivating stories, displaying the depth of Viking magical traditions. Venturing into the supernatural, the book brings to life the mysteries of revenants and the enigmatic realm of Hel – the land of the dead. Trolls, both legendary and contemporary are studied, exploring their role in Norse mythology and their presence in today's digital landscape. The heart of the book delves into the intricacies of Viking magic, dissecting practices like divination and clairvoyance, the power of words, and the fascinating art of illusion. The encyclopedic content of the Appendices includes topics ranging from deviant burials to the Oseberg Ship, from ancient curses to the Shamanic Drum, presenting a supplement to the various facets of the subject. With over 50 illustrations, this book provides a unique and insightful analysis of Viking magic. The meticulous translation of every detail from original manuscripts, along with hyperlinks to relevant sources, ensures that readers gain an authentic understanding of the magical legacy left behind by the Norse people.
This discounted ebundle includes: Bones of the Dragon, Secret of the Dragon, Rage of the Dragon, Doom of the Dragon “Action-packed, utterly riveting.” —ComicBookBin Filled with heroes and heroines and spanning locales of exotic adventure in a magic-forged world, the Dragonships of Vindras series fully illustrates the mastery of world-building and storytelling that has made Weis and Hickman into the bestselling fantasy co-authors of all time. Welcome to the World of Dragonships! Bones of the Dragon Skylan Ivorson is a sea-raider of the Vindras, an undefeated champion of the Torgun clan, and eventually the Chief of Chiefs of all Vindras clans, an honor he truly feels he deserves as one who has been blessed by Skoval, the god of war. But sometimes a blessing is a curse in disguise. Secret of the Dragon Weis and Hickman's second action-packed book in the series features a world of Viking-like warriors who sail the seas in ships powered by dragons, following their gods on a quest that will determine not only the fate of mortals but the fate of the gods as well. Rage of the Dragon In the ever-twisting saga of Skylan Ivorson and the Vindrasi Clan, this third volume pits our heroes and their lone surviving dragon against a vast army. Enemies become friends and vice versa, as adventure, romance, and war pull readers through another epic tale by the bestselling author duo. Doom of the Dragon Age-old enemies must band together to combat a group of fiendish beings bent on their destruction. With the help of a newly formed Dragon Brigade, heroes from both sides race to uncover long-hidden magical secrets that are the key to defeating their enemies and protecting their world. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.