Create Your Own Fantastic Realms! An arduous journey leads you to a hilltop. Before you stretches a land of castles filled with noble knights, elven warriors and fearsome goblins and gargoyles. At your feet lies a book... Within its pages you will discover the secrets to sketching, drawing and coloring wondrous worlds - realms filled with creatures friendly and foul, beautiful princesses and stealthy magic-users, ancient ruins and dragons' lairs. Begin your journey by following the steps within, which will guide you from simple sketches to fully colored works of art. Take heart, brave traveler, for you'll be aided in your quest by: • Texture and coloring keys that show you exactly how to create dozens of different effects • A brainstorming game that, with a roll of the dice, allows you to mix and match character, creature and scene characteristics But beware, friend: Along the way, you will be powerless to resist the temptation to explore the strange and twisted detours of your own utterly original imaginings. Wield your pencil bravely - so begins your adventure... 30+ step-by-step demonstrations make it easy to create your own fantastic worlds! • The Characters: Human or elf, fighter or princess ... learn to outfit your characters with specialized clothing, weaponry and magical items, and tell their tales with dynamic gesture and motion. • The Creatures: Evoke dragons, demons, griffins and other edgy beasts of your own twisted imaginings, with special attention to key details that make them look regal or demented. • The Settings: Construct convincing environments that set the tone and atmosphere of your story, be it a mysterious tower, ancient ruins or a peaceful village.

A collection of tales from the Middle Ages that reveal voyages to Heaven and Hell, the realm of the Faery, mystical lands, and encounters with mythic beasts • Shares travelers’ accounts of voyages into the afterlife, alarming creatures of unparalleled strangeness, encounters with doppelgangers and angels, chivalric romantic misadventures, and legends of heroes • Explains how travelers’ tales from the Middle Ages drew on geographies, encyclopedias, travel accounts, bestiaries, and herbals for material to capture the imagination of their audiences • Includes rare illustrations from incunabula and medieval manuscripts Heading off to discover unknown lands was always a risky undertaking during the Middle Ages due to the countless dangers lying in wait for the traveler--if we can believe what the written accounts tell us. In the medieval age of intercontinental exploration, tales of sea monsters, strange hybrid beasts, trickster faeries, accidental trips to the afterlife, and peoples as fantastic and dangerous as the lands they inhabited abounded. In this curated collection of medieval travelers’ tales, editors Claude and Corinne Lecouteux explain how the Middle Ages were a melting pot of narrative traditions from the four corners of the then-known world. Tales from this period often drew on geographies, encyclopedias, travel accounts, bestiaries, and herbals for material to capture the imagination of their audiences, who were fascinated by the wonders being discovered by explorers of the time. Accompanied by rare illustrations from incunabula and medieval manuscripts, the stories in this collection include voyages into the afterlife, with guided tours of Hell and glimpses of Heaven, as well as journeys into other fantastic realms, such as the pagan land of the Faery. It also includes accounts from travelers such as Alexander the Great of alarming creatures of unparalleled strangeness, encounters with doppelgangers and angels, legends of heroes, and tales of chivalric romantic misadventures, with protagonists swept to exotic new places by fate or by quest. In each story, the marvelous is omnipresent, and each portrays the reactions of the protagonist when faced with the unknown. Offering an introduction to the medieval imaginings of a wondrous universe, these tales reflect the dreams and beliefs of the Middle Ages’ era of discovery and allow readers to survey mythic geography, meet people from the far ends of the earth, and experience the supernatural.

Danger closes on every side, And the world awaits a legendary hero... Just when Alannys thought she had earned a little peace at the Great Palace, Lord Malrec and his Dark Alliance stormed Dorramon's coronation and declared war on the new king. She's known for a while that Dorramon has some bad news for her, but she's unprepared for just how bad. But it's the midnight attempt on her life that spurs her to action--Ravanmark is imploding around her, and she can't just sit and watch it happen. She knows she caused it, after all. And what of the prophesied savior, the legendary Redeemer? Time is growing short, and the songs of the Redeemer have yet to be found. Alannys will have to take her fight for Ravanmark's future across the country on her own, while Lord Malrec continues his work on the magical device that will enable him to safely hold her prisoner, and use her as a weapon to destroy the king she loves. Join Alannys and her friends again as they continue their epic fight for the kingdom of Ravanmark--because sometimes 'happily ever after' has to wait. Fantasy series, Epic fantasy, fairy tale, doorstopper, strong female lead, magic, music

Undreamed-Of Wonders From The Farthest Reaches Of Imagination In this second volume of the previous year's finest short fantastic fiction, acclaimed editor and anthologist David G. Hartwell showcases new works by stellar literary artists -- acknowledged masters of the genre and exceptionally talented newcomers alike. Astonishing worlds come alive in these pages -- realms of strange creatures and remarkable sorceries, as well as twisted shadow versions of our inhabited earthly plain. A bold and breathtaking compendium of tales -- including a new Earthsea story from the incomparable Ursula K. Le Guin -- Years's Best Fantasy 2 is the state-of-the-art of a unique and winning genre, offering unforgettable excursions into new realities wondrous, bizarre, enchanting...and terrifying.

The king and queen of The Azure Kingdom are well known throughout the Iridescent Realm. After all, they have four very single children who are desired by many throughout the land. Lucas Azure leads their army as well as their group of elite fighters. He never expects the woman of his literal dreams to appear in his kingdom. Once Luke sees her, there is no one else for him. Addison Azure is the only daughter in their royal family. What she doesn’t need is her mortal enemy showing up like the knight he is and saving the day. One touch and it’s over. Forbidden love thrives between them. Elliott Azure is tasked with a mission to assist the queen in another kingdom. He must protect her at all costs. However, she isn’t just a queen. She’s the woman fate chose for him. Now Elliott has to decide between the woman he loves and serving his kingdom. Ryland Azure is the heir to the throne. He can’t imagine falling for one of the most powerful women in the realm. Yet, that’s exactly what he does. They fight side by side to battle dark magic and while doing so, realize how perfect they are for each other. Enter the Iridescent Realm and fall in love with these strong heroes and powerful heroines in this complete series. Magic, suspense, dragons, and vicious beasts fill these pages along with more romance than you can handle. This set contains explicit content and graphic violence intended for those 18 and over.

The collection of essays titled Environmentalism in the Realm of Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature discusses the environmental and ecocritical themes found in works of science-fiction and fantasy literature. It focuses on an analysis of important literary works in these genres to yield an understanding of how they address the environmental issues we are facing today. Organized into four sections titled “Industrial Dilemmas,” “The Natural World, Community, and the Self,” “Materialism, Capitalism, and Environmentalism,” and “Dystopian Futures,” the essays included also investigate the solutions that these works present to ensure the sustainability of our natural world and, in turn, the sustainability of humanity. This collection will appeal to a broad range of scholars, including those who focus their studies on one of, or all of, the following fields: Ecocriticism, Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, and Environmentalism in Literature. The essays investigate the myriad ways that science fiction and fantasy literature address environmental concerns, with a focus on the detrimental effects – on humanity, on society – of environmental destruction. With topics ranging from the dangers of industrial progress to the connection between environmental degradation and the destruction of the individual, to environmental dangers posed by capitalistic societies to ignored warnings of ecological crises, the essays each tactfully analyze the relationship between the environmental themes in literature and how readers and scholars can learn from the irresponsible treatment of the environment, while also considering solutions to this crisis that are found in science fiction and fantasy literature.

Clean YA Epic Fantasy Romance Dragons, Witches, Fated Mates, Oh My! This box set features a compelling Prequel that offers essential context and background on the characters, setting the stage for an enriching reading experience. While the prequel is a must-read for an enriched understanding, the novellas themselves are not mandatory to grasp the main narrative. Crafted especially for romance enthusiasts, these novellas delve deeply into the intricacies of each couple's fated mate relationship, offering a richer exploration of love and destiny. Beyond romance, the novellas provide a window into the characters' development and an enticing glimpse into their summer adventures while attending the Institute. This collection is perfect for readers who seek to immerse themselves fully in fantasy romance and character-driven stories. Stay in the loop! Join Marie-Hélène's newsletter for writing updates, sales, upcoming events, and special promotions at www.mhlebeault.com

From Ancient Times come the stories of 5 young women who were born ahead of their times, or were they born too late? The Valkyrie: Kyriana; Odin's youngest daughter is charged to bring a warrior to Valhalla, but his mesmerizing green eyes and youth enchant her into falling in love. Soul Mates: Ryanne fights her own family and their lies to be with the man she has loved forever, across time and pain they must survive to love one another. Knight's Dream: Nicci is enchanted with Micheal of Bourges as they meet at the end of a battle. They must survive lies, betrayals and even their own feelings, but her secrets must be kept at all cost or she may lose the love she has found. Enchanted Secrets: A soldier Indentured to eternal slavery. A young captive who fights all the rules to win his heart and save his soul. Will these two survive the onslaught? Thief of my Heart: Nya's life went from Riches to poverty, forced to work as a companion to elderly sisters she travels to London, meeting the "Cat" a famous Jewel thief. But not all is as it seems. Nya is not the peasant she seems and the "Cat" is not a true thief.

Fairies, dragons, wizards, and more await Geronimo on every magical Kingdom of Fantasy adventure! During Geronimo's training on the Balanced Path, he learned that Queen Blossom has had a baby! The Kingdom of Fantasy had a new princess named Winglet!But just after she was born, the princess was kidnapped from her crib in the castle. Geronimo traveled to the castle to help figure out who took Princess Winglet and return her to her loving parents as quickly as possible. Would his training be enough to get him up to the task?

For years after the disappearance of her father, Tori struggled to find herself. One day things turned to the worse when she meets a metamorph and begins a journey to save her family and friends from fantastical creatures.