A collection of short stories spanning the best of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Included within are tales such as Price of Survival where a monarch is forced to bargain with the darkness in order to save his people, Last Contact wherein the lead ship of a colonization effort discovers the planet they selected is already inhabited, and Vengeance, Inc. whose management specializes in helping the recently departed obtain revenge on those who killed them.
From the Ashes, Spring Will Rise On the run from the brutal Sage and his army of Legions and Cormorants, seventeen-year-old Cera Marlowe knows the only place strong enough to protect her is the Alliance Council Estate. Cera's introduction to the Estate is far from welcoming. As a Blight, her dueling powers of light and darkness make her a half-breed threat to the Alliance's sacred powers. Cera's ability to decipher hidden messages in classical artwork buys her shelter temporarily, but the clock is ticking as she's faced with a daunting choice that could cost her everything.
Drew is caught in a world of light - just inches away from the dark What if...there was a world beyond our vision, a world just fingertips beyond our reach? What if...our world wasn’t beyond their influence? Tragedy and heartache seem to be waiting for Drew Carter at every turn, but college offers Drew a chance to start over—until an accident during a physics experiment leaves him blind and his genius friend, Benjamin Berg, missing. As his sight miraculously returns, Drew discovers that the accident has heightened his neuron activity, giving him skills and sight beyond the normal man. When he begins to observe fierce invaders that no one else can see, he questions his own sanity, and so do others. But is he insane or do the invaders truly exist? With help from Sydney Carlyle, a mysterious and elusive girl who offers encouragement through her faith, Drew searches for his missing friend, Ben, who seems to hold the key to unlocking this mystery. As the dark invaders close in, will he find the truth in time?
WITH A BRAND NEW LOOK! ON FEBRUARY 22, 1980, KHORSHED AND RUMI BHAVNAGRI’S WORLD WAS SHATTERED. ONE MONTH LATER, A NEW ONE OPENED. Khorshed and Rumi Bhavnagri lost their sons, Vispi and Ratoo, in a tragic car crash. With both their sons gone, the couple felt they would not survive for long. They had lost all faith in God until a miraculous message from the Spirit World gave them hope and sent them on an incredible journey.
Vex Aaron is just like everyone else his age—although everyone else his age doesn’t necessarily live normal lives. Instead of living on Earth, they live in what’s called a realm, thanks to an organization called TAIC. In Vex’s eyes, TAIC controls every single second of every single day, and only the rich or the people who actually work for the organization can minimally enjoy life. Vex and thousands of other people want to put an end to that. He thinks TAIC is hiding secrets—secrets about the past that have never been revealed. While on a tour of the grand hall of TAIC, weird things happen that Vex can’t explain without people thinking he’s gone crazy. This only confirms his feeling towards TAIC, and he is set on figuring out what’s going on. He, along with his only friend, Lydia, must set out to find what dark secrets TAIC has been hiding, and he soon discovers that the entire fate of the realm could rest on his shoulders.
Lexi never expected Cole to return, but when she learns he must leave again, she agrees to go with him. Back in the Gloaming, she discovers Cole will stop at nothing to become king despite opposition from the dark fae who don’t want him to rule. Cole never wanted the role of king—now he has no choice. It’s either survive the trials and claim his father’s throne… or perish. Unfortunately, his strengths as a half fae and half lycan have not prepared him for the dangers of the outer realms. Lexi’s fear for Cole’s safety is rivaled only by the consequences of her choices. If he makes it through the trials and takes control of the Gloaming, can their love survive her deadly secret? Return to the Shadow Realms. A world where vampires feast, lycans love deeply, dark fae seduce, witches cast their spells, dragons rule the skies... and treachery lurks around every corner. ***Due to sexual content, violence, and language, this book is recommended for readers 18+ years of age.*** Keywords: Werewolf romance for adults mate new adult lycan novel shapeshifter dark fae king mythology warlock witches contemporary fantasy psychic power dragon mythical creatures steamy twists tale strong heroine male lead angst folklore paranormal action adventure thriller supernatural apocalyptic supernatural love story vampire shifter romantic.
The acclaimed master fantasist is back with more adventure, danger, magic, and intrigue in this second thrilling installment in The Darkwar Saga The Conclave of Shadows has foiled the Nighthawks’ attempt to plunge the Empire of Great Kesh into civil war and now has undertaken to stamp out the Guild of Assassins, root and branch. But as the brotherhood of murder is being obliterated, Pug and his allies are confronted with an even more dire question: where is Leso Varen? They discover that the mad sorcerer has taken refuge on the world of Kelewan, among the most powerful men and women of that empire, the Magicians of the Assembly. Pug also learns that the massive hordes of the Dasati—the most vicious group of assassins he has ever known—is poised to make a joint invasion of both Kelewan and Midkemia. To save the future of both empires, Pug and the Conclave of Shadows must journey into another realm of reality, into the darkest realm they have ever encountered: the Dasati home world!
With Phlan in peril once more, Ren must rely on unlikely allies to find his missing friends and free the city from the grip of evil The entire city of Phlan has vanished, ripped from the surface of Toril by dire creatures and magical forces. While the minions of the evil god Bane bicker over the spoils, the brave citizens of Phlan mount a stubborn defense. A ranger-thief named Ren seeks his missing friends, Shal Bal and Tarl Desanea, spellcasters nonpareil. But to do so, Ren must band together with a mysterious sorceress and her intrepid shapershifter cat, as well as a couple of droll druids and a fearful knight who is absolutely, positively dead. Based on the computer game of the same name, this classic Forgotten Realms novel revisits the heroes of Phlan ten years after the city was saved in the best-selling novel and computer game Pool of Radiance.
The hotly anticipated second book in Ryan Cahill's break out debut series, The Bound and The Broken. Heroes will rise. Nations will fall. Behind the towering walls of Belduar, Calen Bryer and his companions stand in defense of the city and its new king. In over a thousand years, Belduar has never fallen. It has stood as a bastion of hope. But the Lorian empire are at its walls once more, and the Dragonguard are coming. In the North, with Faenir by her side, Calen's sister Ella arrives at the port of Antiquar. She holds no fear of the unknown. She will see this through, no matter what - or who - gets in her way. Meanwhile, at the embassy of the Circle of Magii in Al'Nasla, Rist Havel hones his newfound powers in preparation for the trials. Unbeknownst to Rist, he is being watched, measured, and judged. He was not taken into the Circle by chance. There is greatness in him. But great men can do terrible things. As Lorian forces land on southern shores and Aeson Virandr's letters of rebellion find their way to the right hands, only the Knights of Achyron see the true danger. The danger that stirs in the darkness. The coming shadow will not stop. It will consume all in its path. It wants for nothing but blood and fire.
The stunning conclusion to the “masterful” Ruby Throne trilogy from the national bestselling author of Reign of Shadows and Shadow War (Extrapolation). After nine centuries—and ten lifetimes—the Emperor Kostimon is dead, and darkness sweeps the land. The emperor’s young widow, Elandra, has fled the shadows of war with her champion, the warrior Caelan—the man she has grown to love. But is the emperor truly dead? Or can the power of the shadow god bring him back? Elandra must make a fateful decision—to fulfill her destiny on the throne, or to follow her heart. And the warrior Caelan must stand and fight—for his life, for his love, and for the entire kingdom. “Chester is a world class fantasist.” —The Best Reviews
