Vast power commands a vicious price Having unleashed the darkness inside her, Gatekeeper Jora Lanseri has chased the enemy from Serocia's shores. Now at the height of her power, she faces a new challenge—to rescue the abducted king and retrieve the stolen godheart before the war ship carrying them reaches harbor. The rogue scribe Ibsa has escaped Jora's wrath aboard the fleeing ship and seeks to earn the prestigious title of Prime Maga. But she has what Jora wants. The only way to protect herself is to convince the god—by whatever means necessary—to slay the Gatekeeper. To her great fortune, among the ship's cargo is the god's crystal heart. Can Jora rescue the king and save the god from unspeakable torment before the darkness inside consumes the last vestiges of her humanity?

Bestselling author Alan Dean Foster has written an exciting Humanx Commonwealth adventure that delves deeper into the fragile early years when humans made first contact in this unforgettable world . . . NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY SCIENCE FICTION CHRONICLE In the second half of the twenty-fourth century, diplomatic relations proceed cautiously between thranx and humans. But the insectlike beings are nearly forgotten with the sudden discovery of an ideal planet to colonize—Argus V—and the startling appearance of a new race of space-faring aliens. People are dazzled by the beautiful, glamorous pitar. Then tragedy strikes. The entire human population on Argus V is brutally slaughtered. Not a single clue remains to identify the unseen executioners. But from a tiny inner moon of Argus V comes a faint signal. On that insignificant chunk of rubble lies the key to the crime—setting in motion a cataclysmic chain of events with deadly consequences for thranx, pitar, and human alike. For their worlds will be changed forever by a colossal battle that is their future and their destiny . . .

It is a grim time for the Empire of Sabis. The barbarian hordes are invading, yet no one in the capital city wants to believe the growing danger. No one, that is, except the philosopher-scientist, Sulun, and his followers. Advertising in Locus and Science Fiction Chronicle.

The Damned Thing is a story focuses on how the human race takes their views of nature for granted, and how there may be things in the natural world that the human eye cannot see or the human ear cannot hear. An Occurrence at Owl takes place during the war of the 1860's between the American states of the North and the states of the South. A group of soldiers is hanging a Southern farm owner for trying to stop Northern military movements across the Owl Creek Bridge. In the last moments of his life, the Southern prisoner dreams he has escaped; and everything that happens in the story is really only the work of the prisoner's brain just before he dies. One of Bierce's most famous works is his much-quoted book, The Devil's Dictionary, originally a newspaper serialization which was first published in book form in 1906 as The Cynic's Word Book. It offers an interesting reinterpretation of the English language in which cant and political double-talk are neatly lampooned. Chickamauga was first published in 1889. It's about an innocent child who stumbles into unspeakable horror during the battle. Ambrose Bierce (1842 – 1914?) was an American satirist, critic, poet, editor and journalist. Bierce became a prolific author of short stories often humorous and sometimes bitter or macabre. He spoke out against oppression and supported civil and religious freedoms. He also wrote numerous Civil War stories from first-hand experience. Many of his works are ranked among other esteemed American authors' like Edgar Allen Poe, Stephen Crane, and Mark Twain.

Morgin is trapped in the Kingdom of Dreams, the realm of the Unnamed King. He knows he must somehow get back to the Mortal Plane to save France and Rhianne, and he's frustrated that he doesn't know the way. He decides to find the Unnamed King, for surely His Majesty could show him the way, and maybe even tell him his true name. Rhianne is held captive in Durin by Valso, and while he treats her well, he's trying to seduce her, to make her a slave to his whims with powerful compulsion spells. When she sleeps she finds herself in the Kingdom of Dreams, seeing Morgin through Rhiannead's eyes, and they're strongly attracted to one another. Valso can sense that the sword is no longer on the Mortal Plane, so he concludes it must be in the Kingdom of Dreams. He calls upon ancient enemies from a far distant past, and sends them to the Kingdom of Dreams to assault the realm of the Unnamed King. In her dreams Rhianne warns Morgin, and they both must help defend Sabian, the castle, and seat of power, of the Unnamed King. Back on the Mortal Plane the Lesser Clans are on the verge of all-out war, which will only weaken them, and leave them fodder for attack by Valso and the Greater Clans. Is Olivia really that foolish? Will Morgin find his true name, for without it he cannot defeat the Dark God, and all the Mortal Plane will suffer for eternity?

This carefully crafted ebook: "The Best Of Ambrose Bierce: The Damned Thing + An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge + The Devil's Dictionary + Chickamauga (4 Classics in 1 Book)" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. This ebook is a complete collection of 4 Classics stories. The Damned Thing is a story focuses on how the human race takes their views of nature for granted, and how there may be things in the natural world that the human eye cannot see or the human ear cannot hear. An Occurrence at Owl takes place during the war of the 1860's between the American states of the North and the states of the South. A group of soldiers is hanging a Southern farm owner for trying to stop Northern military movements across the Owl Creek Bridge. In the last moments of his life, the Southern prisoner dreams he has escaped; and everything that happens in the story is really only the work of the prisoner's brain just before he dies. One of Bierce's most famous works is his much-quoted book, The Devil's Dictionary, originally a newspaper serialization which was first published in book form in 1906 as The Cynic's Word Book. It offers an interesting reinterpretation of the English language in which cant and political double-talk are neatly lampooned. Chickamauga was first published in 1889. It's about an innocent child who stumbles into unspeakable horror during the battle. Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (1842 – 1914?) was an American satirist, critic, poet, editor and journalist. Bierce became a prolific author of short stories often humorous and sometimes bitter or macabre. He spoke out against oppression and supported civil and religious freedoms. He also wrote numerous Civil War stories from first-hand experience. Many of his works are ranked among other esteemed American authors’ like Edgar Allen Poe, Stephen Crane, and Mark Twain.

Complete 4-eBook Boxed Set Praise for The Gods Within: "...a magical world of witches, wizards and war in this high-energy first installment of an epic-fantasy series...A fine fantasy novel that will provide readers with a good weekend escape from reality" — Kirkus Reviews Child of the Sword: Kindle Book Review Editor's Pick Child of the Sword: "This book grabbed from the start. I finished it and had to pick up the 2nd one right away."—A. C. Rat is no ordinary Thief A small feral child, he steals what he can to feed the gnawing hunger in his gut, though nothing can satisfy the hunger in his soul. But he has a special talent that the wizards and witches of the clans covet, so Clan Elhiyne abducts him and gives him the name Morgin. Can he escape the scheming of the clan's calculating and manipulative leader, the matriarchal old witch Olivia? And as he grows into manhood, can he survive the inter-clan rivalries, and the hatred that smolders between Olivia and her arch-enemy Valso, leader of Clan Decouix? A can't-put-it-down read. Pick it up today!

Valley of the Damned Epic Martial Arts/Allegorical Life Poem Close ranks and join in Battle Royal far beyond all human sensibilities with Valley of the Damned as the tenacious tome engages the worldwide Forces of Evil for all of humanities sake! Valley is an action-adventure martial-arts story and is designed as an interactive karate kata, a mirror, a Zen meditative rock garden, a mandala, a guide to the classical Underworld, a strategic soul-map and life-labrinth in which to see yourself and the "musing's upon" humanity of the great and awesome "Celestial Powers That Be." Pilgrim, if you're going to ride with those three killer-phantoms, best saddle up and strap in, because they are looking for you! Poem Info: For millennia, Epic poems have been some of the world's most powerful sources of inspiration, capturing the high essence of gods, heroes, romances, glories, tragedies and monsters. From Homer's Odyssey to The Aeneid, Arthur and Beowulf, and from Gilgamesh to The Mahbhrata and The Divine Comedy, these larger than life tales transcend time, revealing to humanity our innermost secrets, dreamsand nightmares. Conveying a deep sense of the mystical, Epics carry with them a sweeping sense of life in the fullest measure, as men and women of renown stand tall against the backdrop of history and destiny, our presentand futurebeing firmly rooted in the past . . . Valhalla! Norse gods, spirits o'war, shades, swordketeering pallorous ghost traces, soulpires, jowling grunting pigmen and slavering wolveweres, spectres, wraiths, banshees and other mind-lacerating night-haunting creatures of untold dread all come together in this Epic action-packed, martial arts adventure never before heard of tale on earthThe Valley of the Damned! In this, the "Forgotten tale that no one knows, except those who enter therein," all are invited to venture into the exotic, serrating, unseen Netherworld of the dead, where fragmented remnants of driven spirits contend with each other for power and control over kingdoms, unspeakable legions of fallen shades, and the most prized possession of allthe immortal human soul! Ride now with three killer-phantoms on their quest to pursue the vainglorious sneering karate movie superstar Mark Theman for his soulthe despised arrogant human whom all spirits desire to capture for their own sinister purposes! Trail the perpetual teenage Valkyrie Kari, mass-battle artist, known for her mesmerizing psychotically poetic-sword s'kills and who will confront "any and all never odd or even" risks to win. Shadowing her is the jackal-like Angel-Heart, amoral sword-slingin'duelist who always dogs her, never missing an opportunity to exploit and track with Dark Storm, merciless bounty huntress who will stop at nothing in order to seize the power that Theman possesseshis soulish living human aura! Based upon the works of cinematic masters such as Japanese director Akira Kurosawa (The Seven Samurai, 1954) and Italian director Sergio Leone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, 1966), Valley is constructed as a movie. Words, sentences and stanzas function as camera shots for full lucid visual impact, pulling readers in and out of their own self-made focal mindset realizations of delight or horror that can only but belong to their own innermost soul-searching intertwined personal Netherscapes! From the mortal aspect, what is covered in the Epic is a survey of the modern American martial arts scene. A study of souls in action, readers may recognize that Valley is a social commentary, allowing insight into the deadly, bizarre, icy undercurrents and riptides of the unseen "Martial Art Deadlands"the Field of Marsthat many trod today, as must the bloody countless who are yet to come. Rich in visual and audio description and replete with scores of villainous and heroic spirits, Valley is an outrageous tale of valor and woe, bravery and cowardiceof damnation and redemptionplayed out on an immense spiritual killing field where spectral phantoms are tried and tested in the fires of their (and our) own passions. In Valley readers will: Enter the grotesque Market of the Soul where long-lost warriors screetch and claw in vain to recapture their former glory! Sit with the great Warlords of all climes, times and dimensions and listen to Motion-Effectrix Artifex St. Kari of the Blade, Val-kid extraswordinaire spin inspirangular tales of gallantry as Evil lurks about waiting to devour the unwaryand then follow her into glaringly-beyond hellishly lunacidal pitched battle Join with Mark Theman, the ruthless, scheming martial arts film star as he desperately attempts to retrieve his long-lost soul before it is hurled headlong into the deepest Abyss of Hell! Ensnare doomed pitiful souls with the implacable bounty hunting phasma-revenant Dark Storm in her bid for supreme power over millions and the coveted throne of Asgard! Follow the hell-hound packin' cold mercenary Angel-Heart as he, like a goodly razor-sharp Ginsu kitchen knife scrupulously cutting away as seen on eleven o'clock at night TV, slices and dices the damned on his way up to become the top blade in the grisly Mortuus! Valley is laced with myth/hist notes from the world over. (S)wordplay and inter-twistorted tales chorridor and pierce the Epic. Elusive mind-resonances, shadowy mental focal lengths, pale thought-illusions, intangible swhirling emotion-pools, insubstantial spring-loaded will-traps, graspless snaring barbed-wired realizations, sharp-cornered soul-fading mirages and spiritually bleak sucking quicksands nigh unto dimensions invisi'bled labrinth readers down into the inner sanctums of her lores; devilering them up to the uncanny, disturbing veiled Nether and the grim, macabre obliquitious secrets she brings to dark! Valley culminates in a superlative modern legend that will stir the imaginations of those hearts who desire a bold, soul-searching undertaking into the rhapsodic core of their own Heavenly stratums or the dankest helks of their own stark raving mad personal Hells! Good Luck Hunting!

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Nevernight Chronicle, Jay Kristoff, comes the much-anticipated sequel to the #1 international bestselling sensation EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE. From holy cup comes holy light; The faithful hands sets world aright. And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight, Mere man shall end this endless night. Gabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail from death, but his chance to end the endless night is lost. Drawn into an uneasy alliance with the mysterious vampire Liathe, Gabriel must now deliver the Grail to ancients of the Blood Esani, and learn the truth of how Daysdeath might be finally undone. But the Last Silversaint faces peril, within and without. Pursued by terrors of the Blood Voss, drawn into warfare between the Blood Dyvok and duskdancers of the frozen Highlands, and ravaged by his own rising bloodlust, Gabriel may not survive to see the Grail learn her truth. And that truth may be too awful for any to imagine.