Ever since the floods came and washed the world away, survivors have been desperate to win a place on X-Isle, the island where life is rumoured to be easier than on what's left of the mainland. Only young boys are in with a chance, the smaller and lighter the better. Baz and Ray are two of the lucky few to be chosen, but they soon discover that X-Isle is a far cry from paradise. Ruled by Preacher John, a dangerous religious fanatic, it's a violent, unpredictable place where terrible things can happen at any moment. The boys hatch an extraordinary plan in order to protect themselves - the construction of a mighty weapon of defence. But can they complete this weapon in time, and are they really prepared to use it in order to secure their freedom? Powerful and compelling, X-ISLE is a fast-moving thriller that will keep you guessing right to the very end.
DENORIEL: WARRIOR OF KORONOS; RIDER IN THE WILD HUNT . . . NURSEMAID Denoriel Siencyn Macreth Silverhair was a warrior in Koronos' band, a fierce rider in the Wild Hunt, but when he was summoned he came obediently to the valley of the FarSeers. A glow of power lifted about the crystal lens. "Here is the nexus of our future," said the FarSeer in the dress of ancient Greece, and a mist seemed to pass over the surface of the lens. A moment later, the surface cleared, and within it, Denoriel saw the image of a human infant, red-haired and scowling, swaddled in fine, embroidered linen and lace . . . and glowing with power. The babe was being held by a figure that Denoriel recognized¾the mortal king of England, Henry, eighth of that name. The lens misted again, and scene after scene played out briefly before him¾briefly, but enough to show him a future very bright for the mortals of England, a flowering of art, music, and letters, of great deeds, of exploration and bravery. Oh, there were problems¾¾twice, if Denoriel read the signs aright Spain sent a great fleet against England, only to be repulsed at minimal cost. But the troubles were weathered, the difficulties overcome, and the result was nearly an age of gold. "And this," said the lady of the ancient ways, "Is what will come to pass if that child does not reign." Fires . . . Black-robed priests, grim-faced and implacable, condemned scores, hundreds, to the Question, torturing their bodies until they would confess to anything, then burning what was left in front of silent onlookers. Others, whose intellects burned as brightly as the flames, did not need to be tortured; they confessed their sins of difference defiantly . . . and were also burned. In place of a flowering of art and science, came a blight. Darkness fell over the land, pressed there by the heavy, iron hand of Spain and the Inquisition. "You are the key to all of this." The FarSeer's emerald eyes held his. "The red-haired child of Great Harry of England must live, and thrive, and grow up to rule. You must go to it in the mortal world, and become its protector." "But I am a warrior, not a nursemaid¾" he said, feebly. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
This “ambitious, supernatural coming-of-age story” (The LA Times) is a sweeping tale of ghosts in the modern world, and one woman's struggle to create her own destiny. There are ghosts on the Black Isle. Ghosts that no one can see. No one...except Cassandra. Uprooted from Shanghai with her father and twin brother, young Cassandra finds the Black Isle's bustling, immigrant-filled seaport, swampy jungle, and grand rubber plantations a sharp contrast to the city of her childhood. And she soon makes another discovery: the Black Isle is swarming with ghosts. Haunted and lonely, Cassandra at first tries to ignore her ability to see the restless apparitions that drift down the street and crouch in cold corners at school. Yet despite her struggles with these spirits, Cassandra comes to love her troubled new home. And soon, she attracts the notice of a dangerously charismatic man. Even as she becomes a fearless young woman, the Isle's dark forces won't let her go. War is looming, and Cassandra wonders if her unique gift might be her beloved island's only chance for salvation . . . Taking readers from the 1920s, through the Japanese occupation during WWII, to the Isle's radical transformation into a gleaming cosmopolitan city, The Black Isle is a sweeping epic--a deeply imagined, fiercely original tale from a vibrant new voice in fiction.
Now in one volume, the entire epic series set in an ancient island sanctuary of gods and magic—from “the finest fantasy writer of this or any decade” (Marion Zimmer Bradley). Anne McCaffrey has praised Nancy Springer as “someone special in the fantasy field.” Andre Norton agrees that “Ms. Springer’s work is outstanding.” Now the multiple award-winning author’s classic five-part epic fantasy is presented in a single volume. In the grand tradition of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Book of Isle saga draws on Arthurian and Celtic legend to create a wholly original, imaginary world brimming with adventure, romance, evil, mythic quests, and vividly described locales. The White Hart: Long ago, mortals, immortals, and magical beasts lived together in a land encircled by vast oceans. Here, Ellid, a lady as fair as sunlight, falls in love with her rescuer, Bevan, the son of a High King and the goddess of the moon. Together with Cuin, Ellid’s original intended and now friend to both, the three battle an ancient evil to rebuild a peaceful kingdom. The Silver Sun: The Forest is said to be the abode of warlocks, goblins, and, of course, thieves. But it is deep in these woods that Hal and Alan become blood brothers and form an alliance with Ket the Red, the fiery-haired leader of a band of outlaws, to overthrow a tyrannical king. In their quest to establish a peaceful realm, they will fulfill a prophecy found in the Book of Suns. The Sable Moon: Lured across the seas by a powerful warlock, young Prince Trevyn of Isle is captured and enslaved. But he must escape and return, for the unprotected Isle and his beloved Meg are now at the mercy of the evil Wael. The Black Beast: After his father murdered his true love, Prince Tirell, along with the aid of his younger brother, Frain the healer, seeks an army to defeat the unrepentant monarch. But a sinister presence is spreading its malevolence throughout the land—and the kingdom can never again be truly whole until the brothers confront the terrible scourge of the Black Beast. The Golden Swan: When Prince Dair was a child and still in wolf form, he saw his future. It was prophesied that the changeling son of King Trevyn of Isle would travel far from his home, carrying his magic to the mainland. Now, his mystical union with a wanderer called Frain, who has the power to feel everything Dair feels but also suffers under the curse of a dark enchantment, will determine the fate of a troubled land.
*A Junior Library Guild Selection* From critically acclaimed author Ali Standish (The Ethan I Was Before), the story of one girl’s journey to a magical seaside town, where she uncovers her family’s long hidden secrets and ultimately finds truth and redemption. Fans of Sharon Creech and Rebecca Stead will be captivated by this story filled with warm humor, mystery, whimsy, and characters you can’t let go. A modern classic in the making! For years, Miranda has stared at postcards of August Isle, Florida. The town where her mother spent her summers as a girl. The town that Miranda has always ached to visit. She just never wanted it to happen this way. When she arrives on the Isle, alone and uncertain, to stay the summer with an old friend of her mother’s, Miranda discovers a place even more perfect than she imagined. And she finds a new friend in Sammy, “Aunt” Clare’s daughter. But there is more to August Isle than its bright streets and sandy beaches, and soon Miranda is tangled in a web of mysteries. A haunted lighthouse. An old seafarer with something to hide. A name reaching out from her mother’s shadowy past. As she closes in on answers, Miranda must reckon with the biggest question of all: Is she brave enough to face the truth she might uncover? “A beautifully written story. An emotional journey of family, friendship, loss, and healing.” —Kirkus
Lonely is a state of mind, solitude is a way of life. Confusing the two was never an issue for Theodore Finn, at least not until he found himself immersed in a world where nightmares were real. Nether Isle is built upon a foundation of secrecy. The unimaginable truths living amongst the locals are kept hushed and often ignored. But when Theodore moves there from Alaska, the secrecy ends up being his worst enemy. His naivete leaves him prey to the dangers lurking around his new home and when the truth is finally revealed, he is already tangled in a web of trouble. Too late to prevent it and too deep to escape, Theodore is forced to find the strength to fight it. Thrown into this strange new reality, he taps into the locals for help. Home to mystery and magic, the rough and jaded inhabitants of Nether Isle band together to save their home. Used to operating alone, Theodore must learn to trust strangers and adapt to the supernatural world unraveling around him. Set in a run-down fishing village off the coast of Maine, Nether Isle shows the battle between good and evil, on both a large and personal scale. It reveals the fine line separating the two opposing forces and how light can often stem from a dark place. This paranormal fantasy captures the spooky feel of isolation when facing a force as great as nature. Nautical in setting, gothic in feel, this story is one for our buried imaginations.
Eleanora Stone has spent her entire life moving from place to place with her aunt Ada, never putting down roots. Never making friends. When, on the cusp of her eighteenth birthday, she is brought to a remote island off the coast of Maine to live, everything changes-for this is a homecoming of sorts. Here she will connect not only with her family history but also the destiny of her blood. Here she will be expected to grow into powers beyond all imagining and unseat an ancient evil poised to destroy mankind....
Readers who love speculative fiction and crave action-packed stories similar to Veronica Roth’s Divergent series will find The Isle absolutely unputdownable. Jordana Frankel’s thrilling and imaginative novel The Isle takes up where The Ward left off, with drought season coming to a futuristic flooded New York City and its inhabitants suffering from a deadly disease called the Blight. With the help of a scientist and a racing buddy, drag racer Ren has found a cure for the disease, and her sister, Aven, is on the mend. But Aven’s unexpected recovery has caught the eye of the evil Governor Voss. And when it comes to light that the cure, miraculous healing water, is the only freshwater source in the area, Governor Voss isn’t the only one after the sisters and their invaluable knowledge. Can they save themselves and their city?
