Tales from the palace of the Fairy King is a book of new fairy tales from a time long ago. In seven interwoven stories princes do battle for honor and for love. Princesses seek their destinies, and farmers' sons discover the world in an age of fairies and imps and real magic.
Once upon a time... Princess Liesel is adamant that the last thing she would ever want is to have to leave her splendid palace and marry a prince. But after she scorns one too many suitors, her father loses his temper with her spoiled ways and declares that she must marry the next man who dares to seek her hand! Unfortunately for her, the next man who proposes-albeit unintentionally-is only a humble, traveling minstrel. Now, cast off and penniless, she finds herself at the mercy of her handsome betrothed who intends for her to become a proper peasant. But after a lifetime of being pampered, ordinary chores and tasks are not as easy as she expected, and she soon realizes she will need her prospective husband's help if she hopes to salvage anything of her future. Will the two strangers be able to find a way to work together and perhaps free themselves from their forced betrothal? Or might they find that "happily ever afters" sometimes happen in unexpected ways ... A retelling of the timeless Grimm fairy tale, "King Thrushbeard." *This book is a clean and proper romance.
“No,” he said. “Let me see you, Princess. You belong to me now.” Yes, I realized that was true. That was the bargain. It certainly felt different than mere words on a paper as I stood there before his penetrating gaze. When Princess Marie Rose was born, a faery witch laid a curse upon her: she would prick her finger on a spindle at the age of sixteen and fall into a long sleep. Her parents destroyed every spindle in the kingdom. Her sixteenth birthday has safely come and gone. But no one will marry the cursed princess…except one. An unusual offer comes from the handsome, reserved faery prince of the Palace of the Sun. There is no privacy in this palace. The life of the royal family is a carefully choreographed theater. Everyone has a role to play. Princess Rose is protected every moment—but the price of this protection is complete surrender. Now she is the corseted and gilded possession of Prince Augustus, subject to his every order and desire. No human has ever taken on this role before and her very appearance is a scandal. There is no such thing as a private moment, no matter what is asked of her, and the faery court is waiting for this lovely human girl to make a mistake. Why did Prince Augustus choose a cursed girl? The witch still follows her every move, and plans to use the princess to destroy the kingdom. But Rose has more power than she knows. First she’ll have to learn when to play the rules...and when to break them. This very steamy and sensual retelling of Sleeping Beauty is inspired by the life of Marie Antoinette. If you haven't read my other fairy tales or even if you have, let me warn you about this trilogy: It will include cliffhangers, menage, some themes of darker romance and power exchange, along with many decadent surprises, beautiful gardens and gowns. No one shall lose their heads in this revolution, but some will lose their hearts.
The stories in this Fairy Book come from all quarters of the world. For example, the adventures of 'Ball-Carrier and the Bad One' are told by Red Indian grandmothers to Red Indian children who never go to school, nor see pen and ink. 'The Bunyip' is known to even more uneducated little ones, running about with no clothes at all in the bush, in Australia. You may see photographs of these merry little black fellows before their troubles begin, in 'Northern Races of Central Australia, ' by Messrs. Spencer and Gillen. They have no lessons except in tracking and catching birds, beasts, fishes, lizards, and snakes, all of which they eat. But when they grow up to be big boys and girls, they are cruelly cut about with stone knives and frightened with sham bogies all for their good' their parents say and I think they would rather go to school, if they had their choice, and take their chance of being birched and bullied
"Legendary storyteller Stephen King goes into the deepest well of his imagination in this spellbinding novel about a seventeen-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher--for that world or ours." --
Rori Bloom demonstrates that Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy (1652–1705) and Henriette-Julie de Murat (1670–1716) changed the stakes of the fairy tale: instead of inviting their readers to marvel at the magic that changes rags to riches, they enjoined them to acknowledge the skill that transforms raw materials into beautifully made works of art.
Back in print after a decade, Brokedown Palace is a stand-alone fantasy in the world of Steven Brust's bestselling Vlad Taltos novels. Once upon a time...far to the East of the Dragaeran Empire, four brothers ruled in Fenario: King Laszlo, a good man—though perhaps a little mad; Prince Andor, a clever man—though perhaps a little shallow; Prince Vilmos, a strong man—though perhaps a little stupid; and Prince Miklos, the youngest brother, perhaps a little—no, a lot-stubborn. Once upon a time there were four brothers—and a goddess, a wizard, an enigmatic talking stallion, a very hungry dragon—and a crumbling, broken-down palace with hungry jhereg circling overhead. And then... At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Alex and Conner Bailey have not been back to the magical Land of Stories since their adventures in The Wishing Spell ended. But one night, they learn the famed Enchantress has kidnapped their mother. Against the will of their grandmother (the one and only Fairy Godmother), the twins must find their own way into the Land of Stories to rescue their mother and save the fairy tale world from the greatest threat it's ever faced.
CHILDHOOD CLASSICS - Ultimate Collection, comprising over 1400 tales, embraces a literary tapestry woven from the fabric of magic, adventure, fairytales, and legends. This anthology showcases the rich diversity and profound depth of literary styles, ranging from the whimsical enchantments of Lewis Carroll to the robust adventures of Mark Twain, underpinned by the universal themes of exploration, moral discovery, and the quest for understanding. Each story stands as a pillar of the genre, with the collection as a whole highlighting significant milestones and transformative narratives that have shaped our cultural heritage and continue to inspire generations of readers and writers alike. The contributing authors and editors, heralds of their time, brought forth a collective treasure trove that transcends the mere act of storytelling. Figures such as Jules Verne and Rudyard Kipling, with their forward-looking visions, Oscar Wilde with his incisive wit, and Harriet Beecher Stowe's poignant narratives, reflect a confluence of historical, cultural, and literary movements spanning from the Victorian era to the early 20th century. This assembly of legendary talents offers readers a unique window into the diverse contexts, values, and dilemmas that these stories navigated, highlighting the enduring relevance of these tales. CHILDHOOD CLASSICS - Ultimate Collection serves as an invaluable repository for those eager to embark on a journey through the landscapes of imagination and legacy. It appeals not only to young readers but also to adults who yearn to revisit the narratives that shaped their earliest reading experiences. This anthology presents a unique opportunity to explore a vast array of literary craftsmanship, themes, and the intricate interplay of cultural histories. Venturing into this collection promises a rewarding exploration of the worlds that have captivated hearts and minds, fostering a deeper appreciation for the art of storytelling and its power to reflect and shape the human condition.
This richly illustrated anthology gathers together classic short stories from masters of supernatural fiction including M. R. James, Sheridan Le Fanu and Arthur Machen, alongside lesser-known voices in the field including Eleanor Scott and Margery Lawrence, and popular writers less bound to the horror genre, such as Thomas Hardy and E. F. Benson. These are damnable tales, selected and beautifully illustrated by Richard Wells. They stalk the moors at night, the deep forests, cornered fields and dusky churchyards, the narrow lanes and old ways of these ancient places, drawing upon the haunted landscapes of folk-horror – a now widely used term first applied to a series of British films from the late 1960s and 1970s: Witchfinder General (1968), Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971), and The Wicker Man (1973). But as this collection shows, writers of uncanny fiction were dabbling in the dark side of folklore long before. These twenty-two stories take the reader beyond the safety and familiarity of the town into the isolated and untamed wilderness. Unholy rites, witches’ curses, sinister village traditions and ancient horrors that lurk within the landscape all combine to remind us that the shiny modern, urban world might not have all the answers...