The result of the midnight rape of a tavern wench, Apropos is an unlikely hero: rogue, rascal, scoundrel, cheat -- and those are his good points. Lame but cunning, he thinks that chivalry is not dead simply because he isn't finished with it.All too aware of his violent and unseemly beginnings, Apropos travels to the court of the good King Runcible with three goals: to find his father, seek retribution, and line his pockets. Instead he finds himself assigned as squire to the most senile knight in the court, Sir Umbrage of the Flaming Nether Regions. When he also encounters a berserk phoenix, murderous unicorns, mutated harpies, homicidal warrior kings, and a princess who may be a psychotic arsonist, Apropos must use all his wits -- and his flashing blade -- to survive.

Dangerous remnants of an extinct interstellar civilization, the Gateways connect the Alpha Quadrant with the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Hidden away in various corners of the universe, the ancient portals could be the future of space travel, but they may also provide a open doorway for an invasion from beyond! Twenty years ago, in the space near Belle Terre, a caravan of alien vessels disappeared into a gigantic Gateway. Now the descendants of those aliens have returned, armed with incredible new weapons and abilities. Captain Nick Keller of the U.S.S. Challenger, already struggling to maintain peace in the troubled sector, must now cope with a fleet of hostile aliens driven by their own fanatical agenda!

ORDINARY PEOPLE. EXTRAORDINARY HEROES... This all-new fantasy anthology features thirteen original stories about ordinary or inexperienced people learning to become extraordinary heroes. From the shape shifter Esen-alit-Quar who is forced unexpectedly into her first solo mission to the young man sworn to defeat a pack of lycanthropes, these heroes in training are thrown into exciting adventures that demand nothing short of all that is in them.

President Laura Roslin bears a heavy burden. Since becoming the president of the twelve human colonies when the Cylons brutally attacked and destroyed all but a small remnant of humanity's billions, she has been the voice of civil authority, counterbalancing the military leadership of Commander Adama of the Battlestar Galactica. President Roslin has been a source of inspiration to the tens of thousands who survive on Galactica and the other colonial ships. They look to her for honesty, integrity, and courage. For fairness and an evenhanded rule. And most importantly, for the prophecy she has shared with them. Earth, the fabled home of the lost colony, can be found. She has seen this in a vision which has the power of truth. Recently, though, her dreams have been darker, of a galaxy overrun by Cylons. . . . Is she having visions of an inevitable future? Or are these terrible dreams caused by powerful medication she's been taking ? More dangerously, the Midguardians, radicals who believe that the end of humanity is coming soon, have learned of Roslin's dreams and taken them as a sign. Now, the Midguardians prepare to act. President Roslin faces the most important decision of her life, should she tell Commander Adama about the Midguardians, and risk being imprisoned again as a traitor, or dare she keep her secret, and possibly endanger the future of the entire fleet . . . At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Fable™ Heroes, available May 2, 2012, on Xbox Live Arcade, gathers a range of heroes and villains from across the epic videogame saga—and the Fable™ companion eBook series delves even deeper into their greatest triumphs, darkest secrets, and never-before-seen origins. In the second eBook short story, evil will be unmasked—but nothing is ever what it seems when Jack of Blades has the upper hand. Finally, the people of Albion are safe. Jack of Blades, the supernatural terror, has been slayed . . . or at least, that’s what they’ve been told. But the residents of Oddwood know that Jack is alive and well. Leading a small force of mercenaries, Jack has enslaved the townsfolk and is enjoying a life of luxury—until an unassuming young man arrives on the scene, inadvertently thwarting Jack at every step. Living up to his merciless reputation, Jack of Blades decides upon a suitable punishment: throwing the newcomer into a cage with a flesh-eating Balverine. Little does Jack realize that he’s dealing with a wild card—and a shocking twist to the Fable™ saga. © 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Microsoft, Fable, Lionhead, the Lionhead logo, Xbox, and the Xbox logo are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

Experience the vast tapestry of After Earth in a novelization unlike any other: a thousand-year saga featuring original content from the mind of Peter David, the veteran sci-fi author who helped develop the richly imagined universe. This is the complete, never-before-seen chronicle of the extraordinary family that’s been across the universe and back—from humanity’s last days on Earth through the events of the epic film! RAIGE RUNS IN THE FAMILY General Cypher Raige of the United Ranger Corps is only the latest in a long line of heroes. For a thousand years, ever since the globe was engulfed by environmental apocalypse, the Raiges have been instrumental in humanity’s survival. They led the way as the survivors abandoned Earth, settled an uninhabitable planet called Nova Prime, withstood an onslaught from a mysterious alien force, and carved out a new home in the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Now Cypher has returned to his family after an extended tour of duty. For his thirteen-year-old son, Kitai, tagging along with his famous father is the adventure of a lifetime—and a chance to salvage their relationship. But when an asteroid collides with their craft, they make a crash landing that leaves Cypher seriously—perhaps fatally—wounded. Kitai Raige has always wanted to prove that he has what it takes to live up to his illustrious name. Now, all too soon, he gets his chance. With his father’s life on the line, Kitai must venture out into the strange, hostile terrain of a new world that seems eerily familiar: Earth.

Fable™ Heroes, available May 2, 2012, on Xbox Live Arcade, gathers a range of heroes and villains from across the epic videogame saga—and the Fable™ companion eBook series delves even deeper into their greatest triumphs, darkest secrets, and never-before-seen origins. In the third eBook short story, the Blind Seeress Theresa encounters a destiny she can’t abide. Can she change the future without changing everything? In a small village, an innocent girl is tormented by disturbing hallucinations and violent headaches. Like Theresa, the girl is a seer, but one whose powers will lead to madness and death. Theresa has seen the girl’s fate in a shocking vision. Refusing to accept what appears to be certain, Theresa resolves to find the mythical cure for second sight. But she needs help. Unfortunately, in a town where heroes are few and far between, Theresa is left with Elijah Stane, a drunken wretch up for one last great adventure. On a journey rife with peril, Fable’s™ most powerful seer discovers that altering fate is no easy task. And the choices Theresa must make will haunt her . . . perhaps to the grave. © 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Microsoft, Fable, Lionhead, the Lionhead logo, Xbox, and the Xbox logo are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

On a distant planet called Nova Prime, the United Ranger Corps defends the galaxy’s remaining humans from an alien race known as the Skrel and their genetically engineered predators, the Ursa. But when one Ranger discovers the secret to destroying the enemy, she faces a decision no one should have to make. Ghost Stories: Birthright is the third of six ebook short stories that lead up to the events of After Earth, the epic science fiction adventure film directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Jaden Smith and Will Smith. After watching her husband die in a horrible accident, Mallory McGuiness has only one option: keep working. Rangers have duties. Responsibilities. Mallory is justthat – an ordinary Ranger – until she vanquishes one of the nearly invincible Ursaand realises she is much, much more. Unfortunately, the power to save the human race from extinction comes riddled with questions, conflicts, and no guarantees, only impossible choices. Frustrated by her suddenly tame assignments, Mallory considers jumping the chain of command, taking her grievance directly to Commanding General Cypher Raige. But she stifles the impulse long enough to tangle with destiny on a desert mission where nothing’s supposed to go wrong . . . and everything does.