Sarah lives in Axe Falls-a town of mysterious disappearances, terrifying visions and unusual events. Sarah is used to being the odd one out. She lives on a boat, makes up tall tales, loves ghosts and will do almost anything to prove they exist. But when her search leads to the dilapidated hulk of a sunken ship, a terrifying monster lies in wait, and Sarah begins to wonder . . . Whats really skulking in the deep, dark water? And will anyone survive long enough to find out?
The Kraken Slayer takes place in a time and place similar to early 19th century America. The main characters live on the New Continent, which is divided into four political Clans. Although they are supposed to be united as one nation, the Clans harbor so must mistrust and hatred for one another that they act as nations unto themselves. Skipper, the main protagonist, lives in a tavern called The Silver Dolphin, which is located in Harbor Town. Harbor Town is the port district for the city of Nefron, which is the capital for the Clan Nefron. Nefron is the largest and most powerful of the four Clans and is ruled by its military. Despite keeping a tight grip on its lands, Nefron is experiencing difficulty with controlling piracy on the high seas. The piracy epidemic is so severe that sea commerce has come to a standstill. Nowhere is the economic impact felt harder than in Harbor Town, where sea trade, fishing, and whaling are vital industries. Although Skipper is a teenage runaway making a living as a fighter for money, he has very little interest or knowledge of the events around him until he meets up with Elsan Tanneman, an idealistic sea captain and master shipwright. Tanneman believes he has the answer to Harbor Town’s woes: a new kind of ship, not simply made of wood, but armored with iron plating to withstand all but the most severe barrages of cannon fire. Tanneman has contracted with the Navy to build a fleet of these armored ships, but he is secretly building another ship which is larger and even more heavily armored. He tells Skipper of this ship one night after watching Skipper win one of his fights. He also tells Skipper why he built it: he wants to hunt for krakens, which most people believe are myths. He wants to slay one and bring its body back as proof of its existence. He claims his late brother once saw one of these great beasts, just before it destroyed the ship he was on and killed every other soul on board, leaving him as the sole survivor. Tanneman wants Skipper to join him on his kraken hunt because he senses in the young man the ability to conquer any obstacle that confronts him; but Skipper finds Tanneman to be too eccentric and declines the offer. That night, however, would not be the last time that the two meet. Eventually Skipper’s and Tanneman’s lives become intertwined by the social, economic, and political forces surrounding them. As Harbor Town decays further, even erupting in a race riot between Whites (white-skinned humans) and Drogs (massive grey-skinned natives of the New Continent) Skipper joins forces with Tanneman and helps him complete his giant ship with the aid of others. Tanneman has many recently-released convicts working for him as cheap labor. Some are friendly, and some are not so friendly. There’s Jervis and Bob, who become good friends with Skipper, and then there’s Chet and Deech, a pair whom Skipper never liked from the first time he met them. There’s also Luther, a Drog who mostly keeps to himself, but Skipper remembers him from the night of the riot. Tanneman has a few trustworthy old salts who have been working for him for years, like his gruff first mate Roscoe, the boatswain Berry, and the brothers Vorstaf and Brostor, two gentlemen from the faraway city of Shaanheim. The brothers haven’t been back to Shaanheim in thirty years because of the rampant piracy that has prevented them from crossing the Great Ocean; but they hope that this new ship of Tanneman’s will be the impregnable fortress that finally gets them home. Tanneman has working for him Dr. Morten Fry, an ousted marine biologist from the academic Clan Welberg. Fry also believes krakens exist and has developed a number of theories about their behavior and their physiology. Exiled from Clan Welberg for preaching pseudoscience, he and Tanneman naturally came together in the joint endeavor to dispel all myths and superstitions surrounding krakens. Finally, Skipper meets Sara Tanneman, E
Dale lives in Axe Falls - a town of mysterious disappearances, terrifying visions and unusual events. A family trip turns spooky when Dale finds an old, handwritten book, starting with the words: Do not stoop reading; My life depends on it. Soon, strange things begin to happen. When a ghost appears in the lake and a cursed giant stalks him through the woods, Dale starts to wonder ... What's really hiding in the dusty pages? And will anyone survive long enough to find out?
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A high-stakes hide-and-seek competition turns deadly in this “marvelously creepy thrill ride of a book that keeps twisting until the very end” (Karen M. McManus, author of One of Us Is Lying) “The suspenseful plot combines elements of Thomas Tryon’s classic Harvest Home, Netflix’s Squid Game, and the social commentary of Jordan Peele’s film oeuvre and mixes these with a revelatory pacing reminiscent of Spielberg’s Jaws.”—Booklist The challenge: Spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don’t get caught. The prize: enough money to change everything. Even though everyone is desperate to win—to seize a dream future or escape a haunting past—Mack is sure she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she’s an expert at that. It’s the reason she’s alive and her family isn’t. But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes that this competition is even more sinister than she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive. Fourteen competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide but nowhere to run. Come out, come out, wherever you are.
From the bestselling authors of the critically acclaimed two-volume series The Fifty-Year Mission, comes Slayers & Vampires: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Buffy The Vampire Slayer & Angel. Two decades after its groundbreaking debut, millions of fans worldwide remain enthralled with the incredible exploits of Joss Whedon’s Buffy Summers, the slayer and feminist icon who saved the world...a lot; as well as Angel, the tortured vampire with a soul who fought against the apocalyptic forces of evil. Now, go behind-the-scenes of these legendary series that ushered in the new Golden Age of Television, with the candid recollections of writers, creators, executives, programmers, critics and cast members. Together they unveil the oftentimes shocking true story of how a failed motion picture became an acclaimed cult television series, how that show became a pawn between two networks, and the spin-off series that was as engaging as everything that came before. This is the amazing true story of Buffy and the friends, vampires, slayers, and demons who changed television forever. The authors talked to almost 100 writers, producers, directors, filmmakers, sociologists and stars from Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel in new and vintage interviews from their personal archives, among them: Joss Whedon Guillermo del Toro Felicia Day Anthony Stewart Head Charisma Carpenter James Marsters David Boreanaz Amy Acker J. August Richards Eliza Dushku Christian Kane Julie Benz And More! At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Vampires, passion, teenage angst, cigarettes and alcohol, sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Whether you're a seasoned Slayerette, a Scooby groupie or a novice, this book offers you a guide to the surreal world of Sunnydale.
Twenty years ago, mages fought for their survival against the Surrogate, a hive-minded robot army that consumed everything in its path. Now, a trio of young apprentice mages must cross the ruined forests to deliver a magical cure to a nearby town. But the girls couldn't be more different. Charris, a hotheaded fighter with elemental powers, Trinh, a shy mage who can literally turn invisible, and Ursa, a healer with more power than she lets on. The three girls must learn to trust and rely on each other if they’re going to save the village! Brian Smith, New York Times bestselling author (Stuff of Legend), teams up with MK Reed (Americus) and artist Molly Ostertag (Strong Female Protagonist) on a thrilling new fantasy adventure!
Travel through the wishing well with Clark and Karoline--two kids who discover their beloved Adventure Kingdom is more than just your average theme park. From Epic Originals, this fantastical story collection serves up twists, turns, and never-before-seen Adventure Kingdom artwork, activities, and park memorabilia! When Clark sneaks into Adventure Kingdom, all he wants is a peek at the remains of the once-magical theme park he loved as a kid--plus a cool livestream for his fans. But then he meets Karoline, the granddaughter of the park's creator, and the two of them discover that the magic of that place was never just an illusion. With the help of an enchanted coin and a talking monkey with questionable loyalties, they set off to find what they've both lost and rescue Karoline's mysterious granddad. Through the characters' adventures, readers learn the importance of: - Problem solving - Cooperation - Trusting others - Second chances
A magical fantasy adventure bundle from award-winning author CB Samet ... THREE FULL-LENGTH NOVELS AND ONE NOVELETTE Magic and mayhem collide in this fantasy adventure. Every millennia, an Avant Champion must contain an ancient evil. But Abigail’s quests don’t stop there. Follow her as she battles scheming giants, a deadly plague, and invading soldiers on journeys of love, loss, and self-discovery. Contents: The Avant Champion ~Rising~ The Avant Champion ~Honor~ Malakai (prequel novelette) The Avant Champion ~Ashes~ Praise for The Avant Champion: ~Rising~ 2017 EVVY Award-winner “I loved this a great classic style fantasy, action, adventure, a bit of romance, great characters. A thoroughly enjoyable read …" -- Tara K (NetGalley Reviewer 2019, Five Stars) "With active scenes, sympathetic characters, and hooks throughout the story, you can count on being rooted to one spot until the last word is read." --Judge, 25th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards “ ... a solid fantasy from Samet." --Readers' Favorite Reviewer (2018) ~Honor~ “I like this storyline filled with action-packed scenes and challenges with quite bit of suspense and tender moments as the story begins to unfurl with twist that grips the reader.” --Booksprout Reviewer (five stars) “Definitely a page-turner.... Samet has created quite an abstract, yet easy to visualize because of her illustrative writing, new magical world that also seems so real.... The plot is intriguing and well-organized, with the perfect ending that left me wanting more.” — Goodreads Reviewer ~Ashes~ “I was blown away, as always. Although epic fantasy, I could relate to the main character in a way that I usually can’t. A mother, a hero, a teacher; she is more than anyone person can handle gracefully and yet she rises above everything. Even at the cost of her own happiness. Exciting, intriguing, heartbreaking. The best in the series so far. I only hope there is more yet to come!” —Author H.M. Gooden
