Cassidy Ann Mage made a promise. If the masked impostor leader, Dmitri von Calvin, ever returned to complete his secret death campaign against the people of I-Star, she would stand in his way using the magic sword at her side. President Calvin is counting on this as he knows more about the nature of the black sword than she does. As Cassidy comes out of hiding, she realizes more and more that the sword is influencing her actions and guiding her decisions. President Dmitri von Calvin is now more prepared than ever as he has teamed up with a secret society of dark sorcerers and placed them in the highest positions in the government in the guise of counterterrorism. Further, Dmitri has surrounded himself with dragons from Cassidys past, every bit as powerful as she is. Cassidy and her friends are the only hope for a world plunging into war but Cassidy must escape the control of the sword before it is too late. A fast-paced trial by fire, A Wicked Storm is the fantasy novel youve been waiting for.
The great futuristic society of I-Star has long foretold the coming of a female with a gem embedded in her forehead. Known as the Dark Messiah, this woman possesses magical powers that will bring about the destruction of life as they know it. When a young Cassidy awakens inside an enchanted cave, she has no memory of how she came to be in this strange place. She starts to build a life for herself in the modern, utopian world of I-Star. The odd red crystal in the middle of her forehead disturbs her, as no one else in the community of Jennison has such a marking. Cassidy soon catches the attention of a mysterious sorcerer, Dmitri von Calvin, who recognizes her as the Dark Messiah and wishes to harness her power for destructive ends. Cassidy learns of the sorcerer's evil agenda and the prophecy of the Dark Messiah. Rather than fulfill her role as a life destroyer, Cassidy makes a decision to stand and fight against the destruction of her beloved world. An epic fantasy full of larger-than-life characters, Legend of the Dark Messiah speaks to the incredible power of one individual to change the world.
""Cycling the Moon"" is a full color illustrated satirical/funny science fiction book that has cross-over appeal to young adults and adults. It combines the humor of Douglas Adams with the allegorical facets of a C.S. Lewis book. The short novel makes fun of bureaucracy and our materialistic culture through a bunch of aliens. Within his small Southern town, a misfit, creative youth, Marty, whose father always wanted him to be more technical and whose mother always liked his creativity, finds a watch with a character in it that was thrown down to Earth by the Minister of Poetic Justice. The Minister of Poetic Justice, an executioner-like alien from a distant moon with an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth-style leathery helmet, has shrunk down a time traveler, Tempus Fugit, and has put him in the watch as punishment for his trying to turn his entire moon into a time travel device. After Marty finds this watch, various adventures and misadventures ensue.
That white Americans continue to insist upon a white Christ in the face of all historical evidence to the contrary and despite the hundreds of shrines to Black Madonnas all over the world, is the crowning demonstration of their white supremacist conviction that all things good and valuable must be white. On the other hand, until black Christians are ready to challenge this lie, they have not freed themselves from their spiritual bondage to the white man nor established in their own minds their right to first-class citizenship in Christ's kingdom on earth.
We have a lot to be positive about in South Africa. With all our problems, it’s easy to feel bleak. But hold those thoughts, because Legends might be just the tonic you need to drive off the gloom. This book tells the stories of a dozen remarkable people – some well known, others largely forgotten – who changed Mzansi for the better. Most South Africans are proud of Nelson Mandela – and rightly so. His life was truly astounding, but he’s by no means the only person who should inspire us. There’s King Moshoeshoe, whose humanity and diplomatic strategies put him head and shoulders above his contemporaries, both European and African. And John Fairbairn, who brought non-racial democracy to the Cape in 1854. Olive Schreiner was a bestselling international author who fought racism, corruption and chauvinism. And Gandhi spent twenty years here inventing a system of protest that would bring an Empire to its knees. Legends also celebrates Eugène Marais’s startling contributions to literature and natural history (despite a lifelong morphine addiction); Sol Plaatje’s wit, intelligence and tenacity in the face of racial zealots; Cissie Gool’s lifetime fighting for justice and exposing bigots; and Sailor Malan’s battles against fascists in the skies of Europe and on the streets of South Africa. Legends also celebrates Eugène Marais’s startling contributions to literature and natural history (despite a lifelong morphine addiction); Sol Plaatje’s wit, intelligence and tenacity in the face of racial zealots; Cissie Gool’s lifetime fighting for justice and exposing bigots; and Sailor Malan’s battles against fascists in the skies of Europe and on the streets of South Africa. And then there’s Miriam Makeba, who began her life in prison and ended it as an international singing sensation; Steve Biko, who shifted the minds of an entire generation; and Thuli Madonsela (the book’s only living legend), who gracefully felled the most powerful man in the land. Engagingly written and meticulously researched, Legends reminds South Africans that we have a helluva lot to be proud of.
Zombies first shuffled across movie screens in 1932 in the low-budget Hollywood film White Zombie and were reimagined as undead flesh-eaters in George A. Romero’s The Night of the Living Dead almost four decades later. Today, zombies are omnipresent in global popular culture, from video games and top-rated cable shows in the United States to comic books and other visual art forms to low-budget films from Cuba and the Philippines. The zombie’s ability to embody a variety of cultural anxieties—ecological disaster, social and economic collapse, political extremism—has ensured its continued relevance and legibility, and has precipitated an unprecedented deluge of international scholarship. Zombie studies manifested across academic disciplines in the humanities but also beyond, spreading into sociology, economics, computer science, mathematics, and even epidemiology. Zombie Theory collects the best interdisciplinary zombie scholarship from around the world. Essays portray the zombie not as a singular cultural figure or myth but show how the undead represent larger issues: the belief in an afterlife, fears of contagion and technology, the effect of capitalism and commodification, racial exclusion and oppression, dehumanization. As presented here, zombies are not simple metaphors; rather, they emerge as a critical mode for theoretical work. With its diverse disciplinary and methodological approaches, Zombie Theory thinks through what the walking undead reveal about our relationships to the world and to each other. Contributors: Fred Botting, Kingston U; Samuel Byrnand, U of Canberra; Gerry Canavan, Marquette U; Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, George Washington U; Jean Comaroff, Harvard U; John Comaroff, Harvard U; Edward P. Comentale, Indiana U; Anna Mae Duane, U of Connecticut; Karen Embry, Portland Community College; Barry Keith Grant, Brock U; Edward Green, Roosevelt U; Lars Bang Larsen; Travis Linnemann, Eastern Kentucky U; Elizabeth McAlister, Wesleyan U; Shaka McGlotten, Purchase College-SUNY; David McNally, York U; Tayla Nyong’o, Yale U; Simon Orpana, U of Alberta; Steven Shaviro, Wayne State U; Ola Sigurdson, U of Gothenburg; Jon Stratton, U of South Australia; Eugene Thacker, The New School; Sherryl Vint, U of California Riverside; Priscilla Wald, Duke U; Tyler Wall, Eastern Kentucky U; Jen Webb, U of Canberra; Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock, Central Michigan U.
Dark, Dangerous, Magical Men Who Live to Annihilate Evil. Magic didn’t just find Luke Caulfield. It chased him down, bludgeoned him, and has been dogging him ever since. Some lessons are harder than others, but Luke embraces danger, upping the ante to give it one better. An enforcer for the Coven, a large, established group of witches, his latest assignment is playing bodyguard to the daughter of Coven leaders. Abigail Ruskin is chaperoning a spoiled twelve-year-old from New York to her parents’ home in Utah Territory when Luke gets on their stagecoach in Colorado. A powerful witch herself, Abigail senses Luke’s magic, but has no idea what he’s doing on her stagecoach. Stuck between the petulant child and Luke’s raw sexual energy, Abigail can’t wait for the trip to end. Luke is so attracted to Abigail, she’s almost all he can think about, but he’s leery too. The child is just plain evil. Is Abigail in league with her? It might explain the odd attack that took out their driver. In over his head, he summons enforcer backup. Will they help him save the woman he’s falling in love with, or demand her immediate execution? PRAISE FOR THE COVEN ENFORCERS SERIES: “Ann really has proven her talent with this novel, I have enjoyed everything of hers that I've read, with this book she shows how diverse an author she is.” Romance Readers Retreat “I was engaged in Blood and Magic from the beginning. There is action, magic, and romance. The plot is strong and unique and the story is fast paced. The characters have depth” Goodreads review “I loved the world that this was set in and the charachters..... Wow, you can't help but fall in love with them.” Goodreads review “OMG What an awesome story. It had me sitting at the edge of my seat. And soooooo much mystery with wonderful action.” Goodreads review Fans of the following books and series are known to enjoy this historical paranormal romance series: a kingdom of exiles a shade of vampire academy of magic dragon's gift accidentally in love attack by magic dragon's gift awakening dragon born in fire burning tower call of the dragon choose love covert fae crime of magic dragon's gift crimes against magic dark stranger the dream darkness bound dragons of the darkblood secret society druid enforcer ghostwater goddesss choice golden age greyriver shifters hotbloods hour of darkness house of darken iron and magic jinn's dominion junkyard druid Kate Daniels’ Magic Series master of magic dragon's gift natural mage natural witch obsidian son raised in fire rogues of magic shadow keeper shadow kissed space knight 4 twisted fate unchained undercover magic dragon's gift war god's mantle wheel of time wild hunger Keywords related to this historical paranormal romance series: Steampunk, Steampunk series, Paranormal romance, Historical romance, 19th century, Fantasy Books, Epic paranormal romance series, Mythical Creatures, Demons, Vampires, Animals & Nature, Popular Series, Paranormal Fantasy Books, Top Rated Books, Tricks, Fantasy Omnibus, Spells & Charms, Romance Books, Fantasy Romance Books, Essential Reads, Epic Fantasy, Omnibus Bundle, Paranormal Romance Series, Adventure Books, Mythology and Folklore, Celtic gods, Top Rated Fantasy Collection With Witches and Mages, Fantasy Bundle, Heroine, Supernatural and Occult, Witches, Sword And Sorcery, Fantasy Stories, Fantasy, Witch Omnibus, Best Rated Omnibus, Omnibus Collection, Paranormal Romance Books, Magical Adventures.
Coven Enforcers! Dark, dangerous, magical men who live to annihilate evil. These books are also available for individual sale. Blood and Magic: Magic didn’t just find Luke Caulfield. It chased him down, bludgeoned him, and has been dogging him ever since. Some lessons are harder than others, but Luke embraces danger, upping the ante to give it one better. An enforcer for the Coven, a large, established group of witches, his latest assignment is playing bodyguard to the daughter of Coven leaders. Abigail Ruskin is chaperoning a spoiled twelve-year-old from New York to her parents’ home in Utah Territory when Luke gets on their stagecoach in Colorado. A powerful witch herself, Abigail senses Luke’s magic, but has no idea what he’s doing on her stagecoach. Stuck between the petulant child and Luke’s raw sexual energy, Abigail can’t wait for the trip to end. Unpleasant truths surface about the child. While Abigail’s struggling with those, wraiths, wolves, and dark mages launch an attack. Luke’s so attracted to Abigail, she’s almost all he can think about, but he’s leery too. The child is just plain evil. Is Abigail in league with her? It might explain the odd attack that took out their driver and one of their horses. In over his head, he summons enforcer backup. Will they help him save the woman he’s falling in love with, or demand her immediate execution? Blood and Sorcery: Joshua committed his life to fighting Black Magick. Not sure who he hates worse, dark sorcerers or the clerics who tortured and mutilated his family, he lives on the road with his horse and his magic, working as a Coven enforcer. Breana Giraud is the only woman he’s ever loved, and until very recently she was married to someone else. Breana’s husband, Don, sold his soul to the devil, embracing dark practices. Along the way, he corrupted their daughter. While Breana could’ve turned him in to Coven justice without a second thought, she couldn’t bring herself to implicate her child. Still reeling from her daughter’s death at the hands of evil, and grateful her husband met the vicious end he deserved, she feels broken, damaged. The last thing on her mind is falling in love. Joshua tries to hold back, give Breana room to mourn her losses, but if he has his way, she’ll become his wife. With Don dead, and the path to his heart’s true love finally clear, he’ll do anything he can to make her his. Even if it means fighting his way past the dark mages’ leader, who wants her for his own. Blood and Illusion: Not all witches join the Coven. Fiercely independent, Isla heads up her own small band in the San Francisco area. She’s never needed help before, but dark sorcerers drive her and her group into hiding, trapping them. Sam’s worked for the Coven as one of their enforcers forever. He’s been there so long, the Coven is the only mistress he knows. It’s a lonely life on the road thwarting wickedness and Black Magick with his guns, his magic, and his horse, but it’s been enough to satisfy him. Until now. A group of witches is in deep trouble. They’re not part of the Coven, but Sam is sworn to protect all witches and he rides to their assistance with several of his brothers. Nothing prepares him for the outspoken spitfire who ends up riding double with him. She’s forthright, opinionated, and downright hostile, but he’s drawn to her self-sufficiency—and her undeniable beauty. Soon, Isla is all he can think about. Dark forces are on the move. Protecting the woman he’s falling in love with is at the very top of Sam’s list. If they manage to survive, he’ll tame her. Claim her. Make her his.
Working the Homicide squad, Alexis Bianco believes she’s seen every way a life can be taken. Then she meets the mysterious Lola and finds out she’s wrong. More weapon than woman, Lola pursues a predator with a method of murder like no other. The Tormenta. If you think you’ve never encountered Tormenta, think again. You’re friends with one. Have worked for one. Maybe even fallen in love with one. They walk amongst us—looking like us, talking like us. Coercing our subconscious with their actions. Like the long-legged beauty who seduces the goofy geek only to break his heart, causing him to break his own neck in a noose. Or the rock star whose every song celebrates self-harm, inspiring his devoted fans to press knives to their own throats. The pusher who urges the addict toward one more hit, bringing him a high from which he’ll never come down. The tyrannical boss, crushing an assistant’s spirit until a bridge jump brings her low. We call it a suicide. Tormenta call it a score, their demonic powers allowing them to siphon off the unspent life span of those who harm themselves. To Bianco, being a cop is about right and wrong. Working with Lola is about this world and the next . . . and maybe the one after that. Because everything is about to change. The coming of a mighty Tormenta is prophesied, a dark messiah known as the Mosca. To stop him, Bianco and Lola must fight their way through a cryptic web of secret societies and powerful legends and crack an ancient code that holds the only answer to the Mosca’s defeat. If this miscreant rises before they can unmask him, darkness will reign and mankind will fall in a storm of suicides. Nobody’s safe. Everyone’s a threat. *** TORMENTA: THE FACTS Walking amongst us—looking, sounding, and acting just like us—is a type of demon called Tormenta. And, as demons go, they are particularly . . . fiendish. *** A hand locked hard around her neck and the muzzle of her own Magnum, impossibly pulled from its holster, twitched an inch from her chin. “Do I have your attention, Detective?” Alexis Bianco found herself staring at a swath of cropped blond hair, the only feature of her assailant visible in the darkness. She mustered a nod. “Then listen good.” Lola’s voice was no more than a whisper but it seemed twisted tight, sinking like a needle into her ear. “Humans are born with a predetermined life span, an allotted number of years to live. Some consume their spans and pass away. Some have their spans prematurely snatched from them by murder or mishap. But some surrender their lives by choice. Humans call it suicide. Tormenta call it opportunity. From their method comes their name. They torment their human prey into giving up their lives.” Bianco swallowed, attempted to speak, but no words came. She licked her lips, easing a path, and tried again. “You—you say these Tormenta walk amongst us . . . in plain sight.” “They are everywhere.” “I’ve never seen one.” “Weren’t you listening?”
Jon Raine is now a Nisse and lost in the hinterlands of Sol. Accompanied by his wife Princess Erika Nisse the Princess Royal and guarded by the newly formed Messian Guard they travel to the Valley of Laeringsted the School of the Blademasters. Jon must go there to fulfill the dictates of an ancient Faeian prophecy. On their journey they encounter the mysterious Aiken Drum. Will Jon learn enough from Aiken Drum to get him to the fabled Laeringsted? Will Jon be able to fulfill this part of the prophecy? There cannot be a Black Messiah without him first becoming a Blademaster. Will Jon have the strength to endure the trials? Is it possible that his new found friend Janus Welundson is a Troll, and can he really be a Troll and a Rumpelstilzchen?
