The Glorian Council has been decimated. The Willkeeper is missing. And the Dark army has grown virtually unconquerable. In the final volume of Lyn I. Kelly's Dark Lands series, a confluence of tragedies has unsteadied the Dark Lands, tilting it mercilessly in the Dark Man's favor. As he begins his march to destroy Glorian and claim the living world for his own, a desperate plan is unleashed to try and still the Dark Man's reign. Webb Thompson and a select few Glorians ride out for the haunting Passage of Oradour, intent in bringing this plan to fruition, while Kane, Raven, Caleb, and the remaining Glorians engage in a harrowing battle with the Dark Man's forces. Time, the most enigmatic of all elements in the Dark Lands, is waning, and the ultimate battle for the living world is in play. Through the most traumatic of moments, one will rise, one will fall, and the Dark Lands will never again be the same.

DISCOVER THE SECRET PLACES THAT TIME FORGOT ''Dr. Bob Curran has given us a comprehensive encyclopedia of fantastic places straddling the nebulous borderlands between fact and fantasy.'' --Frank Joseph, author of Opening the Ark of the Covenant..... ''learned and erudite, yet written in an accessible and exceptionally read-able style, this book is invaluable for those interested in the mysteries of vanished civilizations.'' --Brian Haughton, author of Hidden History..... There are places that turn up in literature or in film--mystical and legendary places whose names may be familiar, but about which we know little. We nod knowingly at the reference, but are often left wondering about places such as Atlantis, the lost land overwhelmed by the sea, or El Dorado, the fabulous city that vanished somewhere in the South American jungles. Other names are more evocative--the Garden of Eden, the mystic Isle of Avalon, and Davy Jones's Locker. But did such places actually exist and, if so, where were they, and what really happened? What are the traditions and legends associated with them? In this fascinating book, historian Dr. Bob Curran sets or to find the answers by journeying to the far-flung corners of the world and to the outer reaches of human imagination. Inside you will: Climb the high mountains in search of the mythical Shangri-La. Navigate the deep swamps and jungles in a quest for the Seven Cities of Gold. Travel to the depths of the dark oceans to look for sunken lands such as Lemuria and Lyonesse. Experience unspeakable danger in a realm rarely visited by men--the subterranean lair of Judaculla. Uncover the secrets of Heliopolis, Yggradsil, Hy-Brasil, the Kingdom of Prester John, and the Hollow Hills. Filled with lavish illustrations by acclaimed artist Ian Daniels, Lost Lands, Forgotten Realms takes you on a wonderful and sometimes terrifying journey combining mythological and legendary tales with historical fact. Psychologist and historian Dr. Bob Curran has traveled the world in the study of mythology and folklore, which he has also extensively written and lectured about. He is the author of Vampires, encyclopedia of the Undead, Celtic Lore and Legend, and Walking With the Green Man. He lives in Northern Ireland with his wife and family. Ian Daniels has illustrated book covers for Marion Zimmer Bradley, Orson Scott Card, and Poul Anderson. His illustration projects include Vampires, Encyclopedia of the Undead, Dragonlore, and Gargoyles.

In this acclaimed novel from Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly, two sisters from the Philippines, abandoned by their father and living in impoverished circumstances in Louisiana, fight to make their lives better. School Library Journal called The Land of Forgotten Girls “A charming and affecting novel about sisterhood, the magic of imagination, and perseverance.” For readers of Pam Muñoz Ryan, Rita Williams-Garcia, and anyone searching for the true meaning of family. Winner of a Parents’ Choice Gold Award. Soledad has always been able to escape into the stories she creates. Just like her mother always could. And Soledad has needed that escape more than ever in the five years since her mother and sister died, and her father moved Sol and her youngest sister from the Philippines to Louisiana. After her father leaves, all Sol and Ming have is their evil stepmother, Vea. Sol has protected Ming all this time, but then Ming begins to believe that Auntie Jove—their mythical, world-traveling aunt—is really going to come rescue them. Can Sol protect Ming from this impossible hope? Acclaimed and award-winning author Erin Entrada Kelly writes masterfully about the challenges of finding hope in impossible circumstances, in this novel that will appeal to fans of Cynthia Kadohata and Thanhha Lai. Booklist said, “Kelly’s sophomore novel is both hopeful and heartfelt, but strong emotions are only part of the successful equation here. Told in Sol’s true voice, the direct dialogue brings the diverse characters to vivid life.”

Born too gifted, losing his home life too young, the flavor gone from living. Gradually drowning in himself and his thoughts, a silent madness and deconstruction of life and the thoughts of his own mind inevitably continues, progressing to its natural conclusion. His only company one whose obsession with him threatens to devolve her life into the same train of thought nothingness. An existential love story drags painfully towards the inevitable as life and language break into increasingly meaningless nameless pieces.

Forgotten Grasslands of the South is a literary and scientific case study of some of the biologically richest and most endangered ecosystems in North America. Eminent ecologist Reed Noss tells the story of how southern grasslands arose and persisted over time and addresses questions that are fundamental for conserving these vital yet poorly understood ecosystems. The author examines: the natural history of southern grasslands their origin and history (geologic, vegetation, and human) biological hotspots and endangered ecosystems physical determinants of grassland distribution, including ecology, soils, landform, and hydrology fire, herbivores, and ecological interactions. The final chapter presents a general conservation strategy for southern grasslands, including prioritization, protection, restoration, and management. Also included are examples of ongoing restoration projects, along with a prognosis for the future. In addition to offering fascinating new information about these little-studied ecosystems, Noss demonstrates how natural history is central to the practice of conservation. Natural history has been on a declining trajectory for decades, as theory and experimentation have dominated the field of ecology. Ecologists are coming to realize that these divergent approaches are in fact complementary, and that pursuing them together can bring greater knowledge and understanding of how the natural world works and how we can best conserve it. Forgotten Grasslands of the South explores the overarching importance of ecological processes in maintaining healthy ecosystems, and is the first book of its kind to apply natural history, in a modern, comprehensive sense, to the conservation of biodiversity across a broad region. It sets a new standard for scientific literature and is essential reading not only for those who study and work to conserve the grasslands of the South but also for everyone who is fascinated by the natural world.

Introducing a fabulous sci-fi adventure that will take your reading experience to a whole other level. Author Albert Taylor puts together a super complex adventure where you as the reader decide on how the story develops. Sounds too good to be true; well it’s here and packed with 71 different ways to make or break your story. It’s your story so you decide. The author Albert Taylor has been inspired by sci-fi, even before he could even walk, so this is the masterpiece he has been yearning to create; for a very, very long time. Ever since he was a child he has dreamed of creating his own style of science fiction, and finally it has become a possibility. Much more than just a simple book, the author has packed it with another dream; the dream of converting a simple book into something the reader could take and modify to his or her own desire! If you never liked the end of your favorite story, well here you actually have the option of changing that. You can end the story as tragically or heroically as you want to. You can run or hide, or just confront the multitudes of challenges that will try and end your story.Basically, if you are accustomed to the author leading you by the hand throughout the story to the very end, you will find that it’s not going to happen here. Consider that style to be kindergarten, for readers who depend on someone else telling them that there is no other way to go. Here you will have to come up with your own plan of survival, or face the consequences for reckless decisions. In this story the concept of parallel worlds is looked at in a more drastic, real life type of way. You’re pretty much faced with the big question of, what would I do if I discovered a parallel world. A million things probably come to mind, along with the big question of how to get back home. That’s the story in the nutshell, and you can go many ways, and even end up in some places where you would like to hang out a bit more. You can go that route, but you may find that it’s not at all that easy since your very presence has moved entire worlds! Your presence may have altered a bit more than you may have imagined, but leave that to book II, which is in reality your goal. If you survive and reach book II, then you have successfully reconstructed something compatible to the original story. You may want to get there another way though, which is not at all bad, and you may even be shocked to find out that there was a much better way to get to the end.