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Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!
Pottermore has now launched the Wizarding World Book Club. Visit Pottermore to sign up and join weekly Twitter discussions at WW Book Club.
Tolkien considered THE SILMARILLION his most important work, and, though it was published last and posthumously, this great collection of tales and legends clearly sets the stage for all his other writing. The story of the creation of the world and of the the First Age, this is the ancient drama to which the characters in THE LORD OF THE RINGS look back and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The three Silmarils were jewels created by Feanor, most gifted of the Elves. Within them was imprisoned the Light of the Two Trees of Valinor before the Trees themselves were destroyed by Morgoth, the first Dark Lord. Thereafter, the unsullied Light of Valinor lived on only in the Silmarils, but they were seized by Morgoth and set in his crown, which was guarded in the impenetrable fortress of Angband in the north of Middle-earth.
THE SILMARILLION is the history of the rebellion of Feanor and his kindred against the gods, their exile from Valinor and return to Middle-earth, and their war, hopeless despite all their heroism, against the great Enemy. This second edition features a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien describing his intentions for the book, which serves as a brilliant exposition of his conception of the earlier Ages of Middle-earth.
Harry Potter's summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby, and rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car! Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors - and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone... Dobby's sinister predictions seem to be coming true.
It is now being developed as one of the most ambitious television miniseries of all time. Executive Producer Sam Raimi (director of the three Spider-Man movies), in collaboration with Disney/ABC, is creating a 22-episode adaptation of the book to be filmed in New Zealand.
Richard and Kahlan's story unfolds over ten more novels, collectively known as the Sword of Truth series, concluding with Confessor in 2007. Placing Goodkind in the elite club of #1 New York Times bestselling authors, the series has sold more than twenty million copies to date worldwide.
In Wizard's First Rule, Goodkind introduced the world to an ordinary forest guide, Richard Cypher, and the mysterious, powerful woman he comes to love, Kahlan Amnell. Learning his true identity, Richard accepts his destiny as the one man who can stop the bloodthirsty tyrant Darken Rahl. Hunted relentlessly, betrayed and alone, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword and invoke something more noble within himself as the final confrontation with Darken Rahl looms.
The importance of Wizard's First Rule is sourced in Goodkind taking on the toughest of all literary challenges: to tell an electrifying story of action, violence, and adventure that also makes people think, and that would influence the choices and actions of its readers.
The Triwizard Tournament is to be held at Hogwarts. Only wizards who are over seventeen are allowed to enter - but that doesn't stop Harry dreaming that he will win the competition. Then at Hallowe'en, when the Goblet of Fire makes its selection, Harry is amazed to find his name is one of those that the magical cup picks out. He will face death-defying tasks, dragons and Dark wizards, but with the help of his best friends, Ron and Hermione, he might just make it through - alive!
When the Knight Bus crashes through the darkness and screeches to a halt in front of him, it's the start of another far from ordinary year at Hogwarts for Harry Potter. Sirius Black, escaped mass-murderer and follower of Lord Voldemort, is on the run - and they say he is coming after Harry. In his first ever Divination class, Professor Trelawney sees an omen of death in Harry's tea leaves... But perhaps most terrifying of all are the Dementors patrolling the school grounds, with their soul-sucking kiss...
As he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid's motorbike and takes to the skies, leaving Privet Drive for the last time, Harry Potter knows that Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters are not far behind. The protective charm that has kept Harry safe until now is broken, but he cannot keep hiding. The Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything Harry loves and to stop him Harry will have to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes. The final battle must begin - Harry must stand and face his enemy...
When Dumbledore arrives at Privet Drive one summer night to collect Harry Potter, his wand hand is blackened and shrivelled, but he does not reveal why. Secrets and suspicion are spreading through the wizarding world, and Hogwarts itself is not safe. Harry is convinced that Malfoy bears the Dark Mark: there is a Death Eater amongst them. Harry will need powerful magic and true friends as he explores Voldemort's darkest secrets, and Dumbledore prepares him to face his destiny...
Dark times have come to Hogwarts. After the Dementors' attack on his cousin Dudley, Harry Potter knows that Voldemort will stop at nothing to find him. There are many who deny the Dark Lord's return, but Harry is not alone: a secret order gathers at Grimmauld Place to fight against the Dark forces. Harry must allow Professor Snape to teach him how to protect himself from Voldemort's savage assaults on his mind. But they are growing stronger by the day and Harry is running out of time...
"The dead don't talk. I don't know why." But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Sometimes the silent souls who seek out Odd want justice. Occasionally their otherworldly tips help him prevent a crime. But this time it's different.
A stranger comes to Pico Mundo, accompanied by a horde of hyena-like shades who herald an imminent catastrophe. Aided by his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, and an unlikely community of allies that includes the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Odd will race against time to thwart the gathering evil. His account of these shattering hours, in which past and present, fate and destiny, converge, is a testament by which to live—an unforgettable fable for our time destined to rank among Dean Koontz's most enduring works.
Rachel Morgan has come a long way from her early days as an inexperienced bounty hunter. She's faced vampires and werewolves, banshees, witches, and soul-eating demons. She's crossed worlds, channeled gods, and accepted her place as a day-walking demon. She's lost friends and lovers and family, and an old enemy has unexpectedly become something much more.
But power demands responsibility, and world-changers must always pay a price. Rachel has known that this day would come—and now it is here.
To save Ivy's soul and the rest of the living vampires, to keep the demonic ever after and our own world from destruction, Rachel Morgan will risk everything. . . .
Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.
By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker.
Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson
The Cosmere
The Stormlight Archive
The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer (Novella)
Oathbringer (forthcoming)
The Mistborn trilogy
Mistborn: The Final Empire
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages
Mistborn: The Wax and Wayne series
Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
Bands of Mourning
Arcanum Unbounded
Other Cosmere novels
The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
The Scrivener's Bones
The Knights of Crystallia
The Shattered Lens
The Dark Talent
The Rithmatist series
The Rithmatist
Other books by Brandon Sanderson
The Reckoners
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
--The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons)
The #1 Bestselling series!
THE WEIGHT OF HONOR is book #3 in Morgan Rice's bestselling epic fantasy series KINGS AND SORCERERS (which begins with RISE OF THE DRAGONS, a free download)!
In THE WEIGHT OF HONOR, Kyra finally meets her cryptic uncle, and is shocked to discover he is not the man she expected. She embarks on a period of training which will test her stamina and her frustration, as she soon encounters the limits of her power. Unable to summon her dragon, unable to search deep within, and feeling an urgency to help in her father's wars, Kyra doubts if she will ever become the warrior she thought she was. And when she meets a mysterious boy, more powerful than her, deep in the forest, she wonders what her future really has in store for her.
Duncan must descend the peaks of Kos with his new army and, vastly outnumbered, launch a risky invasion on the capital. If he wins, waiting behind its ancient walls, he knows, will be the old king and his nest of nobles and aristocrats, all with their own agendas, all of them as quick to betray as they are to embrace. Unifying Escalon may, indeed, be harder than freeing it.
Alec, in Ur, must tap his unique skills in the forge to aid the resistance if they have any chance of defending against the looming Pandesian invasion. He is awestruck when he encounters Dierdre, the strongest girl he has ever meet. The time she has a chance to make a stand against Pandesia, and as she bravely faces off, she who wonders if her father and his men will have her back this time.
Alec, in Ur, must tap his unique skills in the forge to aid the resistance if they have any chance of defending against the looming Pandesian invasion. He is awestruck when he encounters Dierdre, the strongest girl he has ever met. This time she has a chance to make a stand against Pandesia, and as she bravely faces off, she wonders if her father and his men will have her back this time.
Vesuvius leads his Troll nation across a vulnerable Escalon, devastating the land, while Theos, enraged at what becomes of his son, is on a rampage himself, and will not stop until all of Escalon is aflame.
With its strong atmosphere and complex characters, THE WEIGHT OF HONOR is a sweeping saga of knights and warriors, of kings and lords, of honor and valor, of magic, destiny, monsters and dragons. It is a story of love and broken hearts, of deception, ambition and betrayal. It is fantasy at its finest, inviting us into a world that will live with us forever, one that will appeal to all ages and genders.
Book #4 in KINGS AND SORCERERS will be published soon.
"If you thought that there was no reason left for living after the end of the Sorcerer's Ring series, you were wrong. Morgan Rice has come up with what promises to be another brilliant series, immersing us in a fantasy of trolls and dragons, of valor, honor, courage, magic and faith in your destiny. Morgan has managed again to produce a strong set of characters that make us cheer for them on every page.…Recommended for the permanent library of all readers that love a well-written fantasy."
--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Rise of the Dragons)
"[The novel] succeeds—right from the start…. A superior fantasy…It begins, as it should, with one protagonist's struggles and moves neatly into a wider circle of knights, dragons, magic and monsters, and destiny.…All the trappings of high fantasy are here, from soldiers and battles to confrontations with self….A recommended winner for any who enjoy epic fantasy writing fueled by powerful, believable young adult protagonists."
--Midwest Book Review, D. Donovan, eBook Reviewer (regarding Rise of the Dragons)
"A plot-driven novel that's easy to read in a weekend…A good start to a promising series."
--San Francisco Book Review (regarding Rise of the Dragons)
"If you love fantasy, action, intrigue, magic and all that goes with it then you need to read these books. There are characters you will love, ones you will hate and there will be a new revelation on each page."
– The Book Geek
The Emaneska Series follows the Written mage Farden as he fights to protect war-torn Emaneska from ancient demons set on revenge. Monsters, betrayal, and his own personal flaws stand in Farden's way, but the lost gods have a plan for him.
"Galley's imagination is a truly beautiful thing. The plot here is rich and intricate, and the characters are a delight... I believe Mr Galley may well be one to watch."
– Fantasy Bytes
Packed with magic, dragons, action and brutal battles across a frozen wasteland, The Emaneska Series is an epic fantasy quadrilogy not to be missed. With over 800 ★★★★★ reviews across Amazon and Google Play, The Emaneska Series is a hard-hitting dose of sword and sorcery that is perfect for fans of George R. R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie and Robin Hobb. Just think Lord of the Rings meets Sin City, and you'll be on the right track.
"There are certain twists that will surprise the reader by genuinely coming out of the left field."
– Fantasy Book Critic
The Emaneska Series Bundle contains:
- The Written
- Pale Kings
- Dead Stars - Part One
- Dead Stars - Part Two
Fitz has survived his first hazardous mission as king's assassin, but is left little more than a cripple. Battered and bitter, he vows to abandon his oath to King Shrewd, remaining in the distant mountains. But love and events of terrible urgency draw him back to the court at Buckkeep, and into the deadly intrigues of the royal family.
Renewing their vicious attacks on the coast, the Red-Ship Raiders leave burned-out villages and demented victims in their wake. The kingdom is also under assault from within, as treachery threatens the throne of the ailing king. In this time of great danger, the fate of the kingdom may rest in Fitz's hands—and his role in its salvation may require the ultimate sacrifice.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Robin Hobb's Assassin's Quest.
Praise for Robin Hobb and Royal Assassin
"[Robin] Hobb continues to revitalize a genre that often seems all too generic, making it new in ways that range from the subtle to the shocking."—Locus
"[Royal Assassin] reaches astonishing new heights. . . . The Farseer saga is destined for greatness—a must-read for every devotee of epic fantasy."—Sense of Wonder
Her name is Auri, and she is full of mysteries.
The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a brief, bittersweet glimpse of Auri's life, a small adventure all her own. At once joyous and haunting, this story offers a chance to see the world through Auri's eyes. And it gives the reader a chance to learn things that only Auri knows....
In this book, Patrick Rothfuss brings us into the world of one of The Kingkiller Chronicle's most enigmatic characters. Full of secrets and mysteries, The Slow Regard of Silent Things is the story of a broken girl trying to live in a broken world.
The paperback edition of The Children of Húrin includes eight color paintings by Alan Lee and a black-and-white map.
—Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding A Quest of Heroes)
THE GIFT OF BATTLE (Book #17) is the finale of the Bestselling series THE SORCERER'S RING, which begins with A QUEST OF HEROES (book #1)—a free download on Google Play!
In THE GIFT OF BATTLE, Thor meets his greatest and final challenge, as he quests deeper into the Land of Blood to attempt to rescue Guwayne. Encountering foes more powerful than he ever imagined, Thor soon realizes he is up against an army of darkness, one for which his powers are no match. When he learns a sacred object may give him the powers he needs—an object which has been kept secret for ages—he must embark on a final quest to retrieve it before it is too late, with the fate of the Ring hanging in the balance.
Gwendolyn keeps her vow to the King of the Ridge, entering the tower and confronting the cult leader to learn what secret he is hiding. The revelation sends her to Argon, and ultimately to Argon's master—where she learns the greatest secret of all, one which may alter the destiny of her people. When the Ridge is discovered by the Empire, the invasion begins and, under attack by the greatest army known to man, it falls on Gwendolyn to defend, and to lead her people on one final, mass exodus.
Thor's Legion brothers, on their own, face unimaginable risks, as Angel is dying from her leprosy. Darius fights for his life beside his father in the Empire capital, until a surprise twist prods him, with nothing left to lose, to finally tap his own powers. Erec and Alistair reach Volusia, battling their way upriver, and they continue on their quest for Gwendolyn and the exiles, as they face unexpected battles. And Godfrey realizes that he must ultimately make a decision to be the man he wants to be.
Volusia, surrounded by all the power of the Knights of the Seven, must put herself to the test as goddess and discover if she alone has the power to crush men and rule the Empire. While Argon, faced with his end of days, realizes the time has come to sacrifice himself.
As good and evil hang in the balance, one final, epic battle—the greatest battle of all—will determine the outcome of the Ring for all time.
With its sophisticated world-building and characterization, THE GIFT OF BATTLE is an epic tale of friends and lovers, of rivals and suitors, of knights and dragons, of intrigues and political machinations, of coming of age, of broken hearts, of deception, ambition and betrayal. It is a tale of honor and courage, of fate and destiny, of sorcery. It is a fantasy that brings us into a world we will never forget, and which will appeal to all ages and genders. THE GIFT OF BATTLE is the longest of all the books in the series, at 93,000 words!
"Action-packed …. Rice's writing is solid and the premise intriguing."
—Publishers Weekly (regarding A Quest of Heroes)
From the author of Legion and the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive comes an action-filled novella about privilege, culture clash, and expectations.
God-Emperor Kairominas is lord of all he surveys. He has defeated all foes, has united the entire world beneath his rule, and has mastered the arcane arts. He spends his time sparring with his nemesis, who keeps trying to invade Kai's world.
Except for today. Today, Kai has to go on a date.
Forces have conspired to require him to meet with his equal—a woman from another world who has achieved just as much as he has. What happens when the most important man in the world is forced to have dinner with the most important woman in the world?
Kaden, the heir to the Unhewn Throne, has spent eight years sequestered in a remote mountain monastery, learning the enigmatic discipline of monks devoted to the Blank God. Their rituals hold the key to an ancient power he must master before it's too late.
An ocean away, Valyn endures the brutal training of the Kettral, elite soldiers who fly into battle on gigantic black hawks. But before he can set out to save Kaden, Valyn must survive one horrific final test.
At the heart of the empire, Minister Adare, elevated to her station by one of the emperor's final acts, is determined to prove herself to her people. But Adare also believes she knows who murdered her father, and she will stop at nothing—and risk everything—to see that justice is meted out.
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne
The Emperor's Blades
The Providence of Fire
The Last Mortal Bond
Other books in the world of the Unhewn Throne
Skullsworn (forthcoming)
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
With just a touch, Makani Hisoka-O'Brien can see the deepest secrets that others conceal—and it frightens her. There's danger in the terrible knowledge that floods her mind and haunts her conscience.
With just a touch, Rainer Sparks can learn the biggest problems that others bear—and it thrills him. There's profit to be made making problems go away, by any means . . . including murder.
In a place as big as Southern California, these two might have never met and discovered one another's chilling abilities. But good and evil have a way of colliding . . . with shattering consequences.
Acclaim for Dean Koontz
"Dean Koontz is a prose stylist whose lyricism heightens malevolence and tension. [He creates] characters of unusual richness and depth . . . with a level of perception and sensitivity that is not merely convincing; it's astonishing."—The Seattle Times
"Demanding much of itself, Koontz's style bleaches out clichés while showing a genius for details. He leaves his competitors buried in the dust."—Kirkus Reviews
"A rarity among bestselling writers, Koontz continues to pursue new ways of telling stories, never content with repeating himself."—Chicago Sun-Times
"Tumbling, hallucinogenic prose. 'Serious' writers . . . might do well to examine his technique."—The New York Times Book Review
"[Koontz] has always had near-Dickensian powers of description, and an ability to yank us from one page to the next that few novelists can match."—Los Angeles Times
"Koontz is a superb plotter and wordsmith. He chronicles the hopes and fears of our time in broad strokes and fine detail, using popular fiction to explore the human condition."—USA Today
"Characters and the search for meaning, exquisitely crafted, are the soul of [Koontz's] work. . . . One of the master storytellers of this or any age."—The Tampa Tribune
"A literary juggler."—The Times (London)
The pistol appeared in his hand the way a dove appears in the hand of a good magician, as if it materialized out of thin air. "You think I won't do it right here in the open. But you'd be surprised. . . . You'll drop before you get the breath to scream."
The truck driver is decked out like a rhinestone cowboy, only instead of a guitar he's slinging a gun—and Odd Thomas is on the wrong end of the barrel. Though he narrowly dodges a bullet, Odd can't outrun the shocking vision burned into his mind . . . or the destiny that will drive him into a harrowing showdown with absolute evil.
How do you make sure a crime that hasn't happened yet, never does? That's the critical question facing Odd Thomas, the young man with a unique ability to commune with restless spirits and help them find justice and peace. But this time, it's the living who desperately need Odd on their side. Three helpless innocents will be brutally executed unless Odd can intervene in time. Who the potential victims are and where they can be found remain a mystery. The only thing Odd knows for sure is who the killer will be: the homicidal stranger who tried to shoot him dead in a small-town parking lot.
With the ghost of Alfred Hitchcock riding shotgun and a network of unlikely allies providing help along the way, Odd embarks on an interstate game of cat and mouse with his sinister quarry. He will soon learn that his adversary possesses abilities that may surpass his own and operates in service to infinitely more formidable foes, with murder a mere prelude to much deeper designs. Traveling across a landscape haunted by portents of impending catastrophe, Odd will do what he must and go where his path leads him, drawing ever closer to the dark heart of his long journey—and, perhaps, to the bright light beyond.
Praise for Deeply Odd and Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series
"Not since Watchers has Dean Koontz created such an endearing and enduring character as Odd Thomas. . . . One of our contemporary masters."—San Antonio Express-News
"[A] popular series . . . Koontz asks real questions about the nature of good and evil."—The New York Times Book Review
"Odd evokes the homespun wisdom of Forrest Gump amid the mind-spinning adventures of a Jack Bauer. . . . The ultimate Everyman . . . an avatar of hope and honor and courage for all of us—the linchpin of a rollicking good tale."—BookPage
"There's never anything predictable about an Odd Thomas adventure. Another satisfying entry in this wildly popular series. It's Koontz, and it's Odd. Class dismissed."—Booklist
But while riches and renown are incentive enough for most, Bell Cranel, would-be hero extraordinaire, has bigger plans.
He wants to pick up girls.
Is it wrong to face the perils of Dungeon alone, in a single-member guild blessed by a failed goddess? Maybe. Is it wrong to dream of playing hero to hapless maidens in Dungeon? Maybe not. After one misguided adventure, Bell quickly discovers that anything can happen in the labyrinth--even chance encounters with beautiful women. The only problem? He's the one who winds up the damsel in distress!
Why had twelve-year-old Jack Sawyer's mother frantically moved the two of them from Rodeo Drive to a New York City apartment to the Alhambra, a fading ocean resort and shuttered amusement park in New Hampshire? Who or what is she running from? She is dying . . . and even young Jack knows she can't outrun death. But only he can save her—for he has been chosen to search for a prize across an epic landscape of dangers and lies, a realm of innocents and monsters, where everything Jack loves is on the line.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Emperor's Soul showcases a fascinating magic system as the clock ticks down for a condemned criminal.
When Shai is caught replacing the Moon Scepter with her nearly flawless forgery, she must bargain for her life. An assassin has left the Emperor Ashravan without consciousness, a circumstance concealed only by the death of his wife. If the emperor does not emerge after his hundred-day mourning period, the rule of the Heritage Faction will be forfeit and the empire will fall into chaos.
Shai is given an impossible task: to create—to Forge—a new soul for the emperor in less than one hundred days. But her soul-Forgery is considered an abomination by her captors. She is confined to a tiny, dirty chamber, guarded by a man who hates her, spied upon by politicians, and trapped behind a door sealed in her own blood. Shai's only possible ally is the emperor's most loyal councillor, Gaotona, who struggles to understand her true talent. Time is running out for Shai. Forging, while deducing the motivations of her captors, she needs a perfect plan to escape…
"Sanderson proves to be an exceptionally talented writer in the pages of this book. Complex as some of the background is, he never gets bogged down filling in details for the reader. Instead we learn everything we need seamlessly as the story unfolds. His prose is lyrical without ever getting in its own way … His characters are fascinating and fully realized. … The Emperor's Soul is one of those rare high fantasies that feels fresh and is filled with a sense of wonder." —Charles de Lint, Fantasy & Science Fiction
A note from the publisher: Brandon will send a free copy of this ebook to anyone who purchased the Tachyon Publications trade paperback. See the title page in the ebook preview for details.
For fifteen years FitzChivalry Farseer has lived in self-imposed exile, assumed to be dead by almost all who once cared about him. But now, into his isolated life, visitors begin to arrive: Fitz's mentor from his assassin days; a hedge-witch who foresees the return of a long-lost love; and the Fool, the former White Prophet, who beckons Fitz to fulfill his destiny.
Then comes the summons he cannot ignore. Prince Dutiful, the young heir to the Farseer throne, has vanished. Fitz, possessed of magical skills both royal and profane, is the only one who can retrieve him in time for his betrothal ceremony, thus sparing the Six Duchies profound political embarrassment . . . or worse. But even Fitz does not suspect the web of treachery that awaits him—or how his loyalties will be tested to the breaking point.
Praise for Robin Hobb and Fool's Errand
"[Robin] Hobb has created a world brimming with detail and complexity [and] once again proves herself a full master of the epic fantasy."—Tulsa World
"Splendid . . . Despite some truly wrenching twists, there is a welcome sense of new beginnings."—Locus
The conspiracy to destroy the ruling family of the Annurian Empire is far from over.
Having learned the identity of her father's assassin, Adare flees the Dawn Palace in search of allies to challenge the coup against her family. Few trust her, but when she is believed to be touched by Intarra, patron goddess of the empire, the people rally to help her retake the capital city. As armies prepare to clash, the threat of invasion from barbarian hordes compels the rival forces to unite against their common enemy.
Unknown to Adare, her brother Valyn, a renegade member of the empire's most elite fighting force, has allied with the invading nomads. The terrible choices each of them has made may make war between them inevitable.
Between Valyn and Adare is their brother Kaden, rightful heir to the Unhewn Throne, who has infiltrated the Annurian capital with the help of two strange companions. The knowledge they possess of the secret history that shapes these events could save Annur or destroy it.
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne
The Emperor's Blades
The Providence of Fire
The Last Mortal Bond
Other books in the world of the Unhewn Throne
Skullsworn (forthcoming)
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Sixth of the Dusk, set in a never-before-seen world, showcases a society on the brink of technological change. On the deadly island of Patji, where birds grant people magical talents and predators can sense the thoughts of their prey, a solitary trapper discovers that the island is not the only thing out to kill him. When he begins to see his own corpse at every turn, does this spell danger for his entire culture?
A note from the publisher: For a detailed behind-the-scenes look at the creation of this novella, including brainstorming and workshopping session transcripts, the first draft, line-by-line edits, and an essay by Brandon, please see Shadows Beneath: The Writing Excuses Anthology.
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Dean Koontz's The City.
Only a handful of fictional characters are recognized by first name alone. Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas is one such literary hero, who has come alive in readers' imaginations as he explores the greatest mysteries of this world and the next with his inimitable wit, heart, and quiet gallantry. Now Koontz follows Odd as he is drawn onward, to a destiny he cannot imagine. Haunted by dreams of an all-encompassing red tide, Odd is pulled inexorably to the sea, to a small California coastal town where nothing is as it seems.
Blair's journey continues with part 2. Blair Griffin has left her old life as everything crashes down around her. She's leaving the safety of her coven for the first time as bounty hunters chase her down. When she meets a mysterious stranger, she hopes he can hide her from all the immortals chasing her. When love blossoms, she hopes to start a new life. But when you're a witch with amazing powers and your father just happens to be Vlad Montour, the Prince of Darkness, life isn't easy. Especially when he puts a hit out on you and wants you dead. Is a new life really possible?
4 authors will each take a different daughter born from the Prince of Darkness, Vlad Montour. (Also known as Vlad the Impaler, an evil villain from history)
Blair – Chrissy Peebles
Jezebel – Kristen Middleton
Victoria – W.J. May
Lotus – C.J. Pinard
This is Blair's story, part 2, by Chrissy Peebles.
A War Game--an all-out proxy war between gods, and the winner takes all. But what is it that Apollo wants? Hestia's beloved Bell Cranell, of course! With a week to go until the Game, things are bleak enough, but then Lilly is kidnapped by the Soma Familia. The outlook isn't good , but Bell has made many friends through his adventures, and they won't stand idly by. The familia myth continues!
You are not prepared.
Illidan Stormrage is one of the most powerful beings ever to walk the lands of Azeroth. He is also one of the least understood. Behind his legend, beneath his enigmatic mission, lies a brilliant mind whose machinations are comprehended by few—and trusted by even fewer. Illidan's righteous reign of justice and vengeance has begun.
Long ago, the night elf sorcerer Illidan infiltrated the demonic Burning Legion to ward off its invasion of Azeroth. Instead of hailing him as a hero, his own kind branded him the Betrayer, questioning his intentions after he appeared to aid the demon lords. For ten thousand years, he languished in prison—vilified, isolated, but never forgetting his purpose.
Now the Legion has returned, and there is only one champion who can truly stand against it. Released from his bonds, Illidan prepares for the final confrontation in the alien realm of Outland, gathering an army of grotesque fel orcs, serpentine naga, cunning blood elves, and twisted demon hunters to his side. He alone knows what deeply hidden motives guide his hand; he alone understands the price that must be paid to defeat the enemies of creation. Yet as before, he is assailed by those who see his schemes as a cynical quest for power, including the night elf Maiev Shadowsong, his former jailor. Warden Shadowsong and her Watchers have pursued the Betrayer to Outland to exact retribution for his crimes, and she will not rest until Illidan is in her custody . . . or in his grave.
Praise for Illidan
"William King kicks off a great story with Illidan."—BlizzPro
"For many people, new and old players alike, this book will be an eye-opening journey."—All Things Azeroth
"I enjoyed World of Warcraft: Illidan a great deal."—BlizzPlanet
"Damn fun . . . There's virtually never a dull moment in Illidan."—Cinelinx
From the Hardcover edition.
Years have passed since humanity's destruction emerged from the Breach.
Friendless and alone he walks across a desolate, war-torn landscape.
As each day passes the world tumbles further into depravity, bent and twisted by the new order, corrupted by the Usurper, the enemy, and his infernal horde.
His purpose is to reach the Shining City, last bastion of the human race, and deliver the only weapon that may make a difference in the ongoing war.
What little hope remains is dying. Abandoned by its leader, The Seven, and its heroes, The Seraph Knights, the last defences of a once great civilisation are crumbling into dust.
But the Shining City is far away and the world is a very dangerous place.
When someone calls out to Bell with these words, he discovers that the voice belongs to a girl who introduces herself as Lilly. Somewhat goaded into teaming up with her despite the many doubts running through his head, Bell has a successful turn in the dungeon with his new companion.
Though their alliance is short-lived, the negative rumors swirling about the guild to which Lilly belongs, the Soma Familia, are anything but. Later Bell is confronted by the tales of a mysterious sacred wine said to steal the hearts of all who drink it, and--?!
When the familiar and seemingly safe turns lethal, therein danger lies. Amid a forest where the shades of the dead linger all around, every homesteader knows to follow the Simple Rules: "Don't kindle flame, don't shed the blood of another, don't run at night. These things draw shades." Silence Montane has broken all three rules on more than one occasion. And to protect her family from a murderous gang with high bounties on their heads, Silence will break every rule again, at the risk of becoming a shade herself.
Once presided over by a Roaring '20s Hollywood mogul, the magnificent West Coast estate known as Roseland now harbors a reclusive billionaire financier and his faithful servants—and their guests: Odd Thomas, the young fry cook who sees the dead and tries to help them, and Annamaria, his inscrutably charming traveling companion. Fresh from a harrowing clash with lethal adversaries, they welcome their host's hospitality. But Odd's extraordinary eye for the uncanny detects disturbing secrets that could make Roseland more hell than haven.
Soon enough the house serves up a taste of its terrors, as Odd begins to unravel the darkest mystery of his curious career. What consequences await those who confront evil at its most profound? Odd only knows.
"Odd Thomas is the greatest character Dean Koontz has ever created. He's funny, humble, immensely likable, courageous, and just a joy to read about."—Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"[Odd Thomas is] one of the most remarkable and appealing characters in current fiction."—The Virginian-Pilot
"Supernatural thrills with a side of laughs."—The Denver Post
Long believed extinct, a superb specimen of draco nobilis ("noble dragon" for those who don't understand italics) has appeared in Discworld's greatest city. Not only does this unwelcome visitor have a nasty habit of charbroiling everything in its path, in rather short order it is crowned King (it is a noble dragon, after all...). How did it get there? How is the Unique and Supreme Lodge of the Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night involved? Can the Ankh-Morpork City Watch restore order – and the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork to power?
Magic, mayhem, and a marauding dragon...who could ask for anything more?
Pottermore Presents is a collection of J.K. Rowling's writing from the Pottermore archives: short reads originally featured on pottermore.com with some exclusive new additions. These eBooks, with writing curated by Pottermore, will take you beyond the Harry Potter stories as J.K. Rowling reveals her inspiration, intricate details of characters' lives and surprises from the wizarding world.
These stories of heroism, hardship and dangerous hobbies profile two of the Harry Potter stories' most courageous and iconic characters: Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin. J.K. Rowling also gives us a peek behind the closed curtains of Sybill Trelawney's life, and you'll encounter the reckless, magical-beast-loving Silvanus Kettleburn along the way.
After being attacked by a serial killer, saved by Loki — so-called God of Mischief, Lies and Chaos— dragged to Alfheim, losing every cent in her bank account, and caring for her grandmother, Amy Lewis has lost her scholarship to veterinary school. But it's alright. She has a plan. If she manages to keep her day job as a receptionist, and her night job as a vet tech, she may be able to get her scholarship reinstated and save enough money for the dreaded 'miscellaneous fees.'
Too bad her day boss is unbearable...
Agent Steve Rogers has political aspirations, but when a suitcase nuke turns out to be something much worse and so-called Norse gods start showing up in his life, he has a priority shift.
Meanwhile, Loki's priorities and plans haven't changed at all. He wants Asgard to burn. Of course, earthly pleasures can be so distracting.
These three disparate characters have little in common, but they'll have to join forces to save earth from trolls, wyrms, frost giant invasions, and an old evil growing beneath Chicago's streets.
In this second volume of "I Bring the Fire," chaos comes to our world and decides to stay.
I Bring the Fire: Part I Wolves (FREE ebook)
Monsters: I Bring the Fire Part II
Chaos: I Bring the Fire Part III
In the Balance: An I Bring the Fire Novella
Fates: I Bring the Fire Part IV
The Slip: A Short Story
Warriors: I Bring the Fire Part V
Ragnarok: I Bring the Fire Part VI
The Fire Bringers: A Short Story
Series keywords: fantasy, norse mythology, mythology, loki, hero loki, loki's children, trickster, urban fantasy, contemporary fantasy, fantasy series, speculative fiction, paranormal, myths, myth retelling, fairy tales, folktales, folklore, humor, female protagonist, science fantasy, action, adventure, deities, gods, magic, elves, romance, epic, free first in series
The book concentrates on the lands of Middle-earth and comprises Gandalf's lively account of how he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End, the story of the emergence of the sea-god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand, and an exact description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan and the journey of the Black Riders during the hunt for the Ring.
Unfinished Tales also contains the only surviving story about the long ages of Númenor before its downfall, and all that is known about the Five Wizards sent to Middle-earth as emissaries of the Valar, about the Seeing Stones known as the Palantiri, and about the legend of Amroth.
It was caught in a hovering, jagged chunk of ice, the runes that ran the length of its blade glowing a cool blue. Below it was a dais of some sort, standing on a large gently raised mound that was covered in a dusting of snow. A soft light, coming from somewhere high above where the cavern was open to daylight, shone down on the runeblade. The icy prison hid some details of the sword's shape and form, exaggerated others. It was revealed and concealed at the same time, and all the more tempting, like a new lover imperfectly glimpsed through a gauzy curtain. Arthas knew the blade -- it was the selfsame sword he had seen in his dream when he first arrived. The sword that had not killed Invincible, but that had brought him back healed and healthy. He'd thought it a good omen then, but now he knew it was a true sign. This was what he had come to find. This sword would change everything. Arthas stared raptly at it, his hands almost physically aching to grasp it, his fingers to wrap themselves around the hilt, his arms to feel the weapon swinging smoothly in the blow that would end Mal'Ganis, end the torment he had visited upon the people of Lordaeron, end this lust for revenge. Drawn, he stepped forward.
The uncanny elemental spirit drew its icy sword. "Turn away, before it is too late," it intoned.
* * *
His evil is legend. Lord of the undead Scourge, wielder of the runeblade Frostmourne, and enemy of the free peoples of Azeroth. The Lich King is an entity of incalculable power and unparalleled malice -- his icy soul utterly consumed by his plans to destroy all life on the World of Warcraft.
But it was not always so. Long before his soul was fused with that of the orc shaman Ner'zhul, the Lich King was Arthas Menethil, crown prince of Lordaeron and faithful paladin of the Silver Hand.
When a plague of undeath threatened all that he loved, Arthas was driven to pursue an ill-fated quest for a runeblade powerful enough to save his homeland. Yet the object of his search would exact a heavy price from its new master, beginning a horrifying descent into damnation. Arthas's path would lead him through the arctic northern wastes toward the Frozen Throne, where he would face, at long last, the darkest of destinies.
—Charlaine Harris
There's nothing more darkly satisfying than time spent in the Hollows—New York Times bestseller Kim Harrison's alternate urban fantasy Cincinnati where vampires, pixies, and werewolves roam free. Harrison takes us back in A Perfect Blood, as former bounty hunter witch-turned-reluctant daywalking demon Rachel Morgan investigates a series of ritual murders, only to discover to her horror that whomever—or whatever—is responsible is actually seeking her blood. Rachel's sexy, supernatural adventures have consistently landed atop bestseller lists from coast-to-coast, and A Perfect Blood is no exception—another supremely satisfying excursion to a deliciously eerie fantasy realm that's certain to delight Kim Harrison's voracious army of fans…not to mention Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, and Stephanie Meyers aficionados, and any reader who craves a walk on the wild, dark side.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman comes a remarkable quest into the dark and miraculous—in pursuit of love and the utterly impossible.
But that was before DEATH started pondering the existential. Of course, the last thing anyone needs is a squeamish Grim Reaper and soon his Discworld bosses have sent him off with best wishes and a well-earned gold watch. Now DEATH is having the time of his life, finding greener pastures where he can put his scythe to a whole new use.
But like every cutback in an important public service, DEATH's demise soon leads to chaos and unrest -- literally, for those whose time was supposed to be up, like Windle Poons. The oldest geezer in the entire faculty of Unseen University -- home of magic, wizardry, and big dinners -- Windle was looking forward to a wonderful afterlife, not this boring been-there-done-that routine. To get the fresh start he deserves, Windle and the rest of Ankh-Morpork's undead and underemployed set off to find DEATH and save the world for the living (and everybody else, of course).
RIDMARK ARBAN has sought to stop the return of the evil Frostborn. Now the malignant wizard Shadowbearer is ready to summon the Frostborn once more. Unless Ridmark stops him, Shadowbearer shall cover the world in killing ice.
SHADOWBEARER has spent a hundred thousand years preparing for the end of the world, and his victory is at hand.
No mere mortal shall stop him.
Kiora thought she had never heard a lie until she was sixteen. But she was wrong. Her entire existence was based on nothing but. She thought that evil did not exist. Lie. That magic was not real. Lie. And that the land of Meros was all there was. One more lie.
With Aleric telling her that evil is knocking on the door and that she is the only one who can stop them she has a choice to make. Refuse, or start the wildest most painful ride of her life.
She reluctantly dips her toe into her new existence of magic and threads, dragons and shapeshifters, and the person who wants to take control of it all: the evil Dralazar.
However, this journey was never meant to be hers alone. She will be accompanied by a Protector. To her disbelief, and utter irritation they name the hotheaded, stubborn, non-magical, (albeit gorgeous) Prince Emane. They will have to trust each other with their lives, but right now Kiora would settle for a non hostile conversation.
And now it comes down to this, If you had never heard a lie, would you know when you heard one? Is knowing good from evil innate? Kiora finds herself having to decide who lives and who dies on those very questions.
The Solus Series is for fans of epic fantasy, dragons, magic, romance, and adventure.
Prince Dutiful has been rescued from his Piebald kidnappers and the court has resumed its normal rhythms. There FitzChivalry Farseer, gutted by the loss of his wolf bondmate, must take up residence at Buckkeep as a journeyman assassin.
Posing as a bodyguard, Fitz becomes the eyes and ears behind the walls, guiding a kingdom straying closer to civil strife each day. Amid a multitude of problems, Fitz must ensure that no one betrays the Prince's secret—one that could topple the throne: that he, like Fitz, possesses the dread "beast magic." Only Fitz's friendship with the Fool brings him solace. But even that is shattered when devastating revelations from the Fool's past are exposed. Bereft of support and adrift in intrigue, Fitz finds that his biggest challenge may be simply to survive.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Robin Hobb's Fool's Fate.
Praise for Robin Hobb and Golden Fool
"[Robin Hobb] ranks near the top of the high fantasy field. . . . [She] juggles all the balls with aplomb, besides providing spot-on characterizations."—Publishers Weekly
"Solid storytelling with warmth and heart."—The Kansas City Star
On the screened porch of a great New Orleans house, now faded, a mute and fragile woman sits rocking. She belongs to a legendary dynasty of witches—a family that is itself haunted over the ages by a dangerous and seductive being named Lasher. Their story begins in our time, with a rescue at sea. Rowan Mayfair, a brilliant neurosurgeon aware of her abilities but oblivious to her ancient line, finds the drowned body of Michael Curry off the coast of California and brings him to life. In his brief interval of death, he has acquired a sensory power that mystifies and frightens him. Fiercely drawn to each other, Rowan and Michael set out to solve the mystery of her past and his unwelcome gift, and an intricate tale of evil unfolds: an evil unleashed in seventeenth-century Scotland, where the first "witch," Suzanne of the Mayfair, conjures up the spirit that spells her own destruction and torments each of her descendants in turn.
Praise for Anne Rice and The Mayfair Witches
"Behind all the velvet drapes and the gossamer winding sheets, this is an old-fashioned family saga. . . . Rice's descriptive writing is so opulent that it almost begs to be read [by] candlelight."—The Washington Post Book World
"[A] huge and sprawling tale of horror."—The New York Times Book Review
"Lush prose, dense atmosphere, steamy sex, Gothic tension . . . Rice stages her scenes in a wide variety of times and locales, tapping deeply into the richest veins of mythology and history."—San Francisco Chronicle
"Spellbinding . . . mythical . . . Rice is a pure storyteller."—Cosmopolitan
"Rice sees things on a grand scale. . . . There is a wide-screen historical sweep to the tale as it moves from one generation of witches to the other."—The Boston Globe
"An intricate, stunning imagination."—Los Angeles Times Book Review
"It is hard to praise sufficiently the originality of Miss Rice. . . . She has made a masterpiece of the morbid, worthy of Poe's daughter."—The Wall Street Journal
For fifteen years Fitz has lived in self-imposed exile, assumed to be dead by almost all who once cared about him. But now, into his isolated life, visitors begin to arrive: Fitz's mentor from his assassin days; a hedge-witch who foresees the return of a long-lost love; and the Fool, the former White Prophet, who beckons Fitz to fulfill his destiny.
Then comes the summons he cannot ignore. Prince Dutiful, the young heir to the Farseer throne, has vanished. Fitz, possessed of magical skills both royal and profane, is the only one who can retrieve him in time for his betrothal ceremony, thus sparing the Six Duchies profound political embarrassment . . . or worse. But even Fitz does not suspect the web of treachery that awaits him—or how his loyalties will be tested to the breaking point.
Praise for Robin Hobb and the Tawny Man Trilogy
"Fantasy as it ought to be written . . . Robin Hobb's books are diamonds in a sea of zircons."—George R. R. Martin
"[Robin] Hobb has created a world brimming with detail and complexity [and] once again proves herself a full master of the epic fantasy."—Tulsa World, on Fool's Errand
"Splendid . . . Despite some truly wrenching twists, there is a welcome sense of new beginnings."—Locus, on Fool's Errand
"[Robin Hobb] ranks near the top of the high fantasy field. . . . [She] juggles all the balls with aplomb, besides providing spot-on characterizations."—Publishers Weekly, on Golden Fool
"Solid storytelling with warmth and heart."—The Kansas City Star, on Golden Fool
"[Robin] Hobb's rich, vibrant and unique world [is] filled with sentient ships, magical beasts, and fascinating characters. . . . Highly recommended."—Library Journal, on Fool's Fate
"Rich, enchanting fantasy from one of today's best practitioners . . . reminiscent of Ursula Le Guin's The Other Wind [and] Anne McCaffrey's Pern series."—BookPage, on Fool's Fate
Go'el's mien, which had been deeply peaceful, now looked troubled. "I have heard, of course."
"And . . . you do nothing?"
"I have another path," he said. "You have seen the results of that path. A threat that—"
"Go'el, I hear this, but now that task is over. Garrosh is stirring up trouble between the Alliance and the Horde—trouble that didn't exist until he started it. I can understand if you don't wish to undermine him publicly, but—perhaps you and I can work together. Form a summit of sorts. Ask Baine to join us; I know he has no love for what Garrosh is striving for. I could speak with Varian. As of late, he seems to be more reachable. Everyone respects you, even in the Alliance, Go'el. You have earned that respect because of your actions. Garrosh has earned nothing but mistrust and hatred because of his."
She indicated her cloak, which had blown about with the wind he had sent to bear her to shore. "You can control the winds as a shaman. But the winds of war are blowing, and if we do not stop Garrosh now, many innocents will pay the price for our hesitation."
The ashes of the Cataclysm have settled across Azeroth's disparate kingdoms. As the broken world recovers from the disaster, the renowned sorceress Lady Jaina Proudmoore continues her long struggle to mend relations between the Horde and the Alliance. Yet of late, escalating tensions have pushed the two factions closer to open war, threatening to destroy what little stability remains in the . . .
Dark news arrives in Jaina's beloved city, Theramore. One of the blue dragonflight's most powerful artifacts—the Focusing Iris—has been stolen. To unravel the item's mysterious whereabouts, Jaina works with the former blue Dragon Aspect Kalecgos. The two brilliant heroes forge an unlikely bond during their investigation, but another disastrous turn of events looms on the horizon. . . .
Garrosh Hellscream is mustering the Horde's armies for an all-out invasion of Theramore. Despite mounting dissent within his faction, the brazen warchief aims to usher in a new era of Horde domination. His thirst for conquest leads him to take brutal measures against anyone who dares question his leadership.
Alliance forces converge on Theramore to repel the Horde onslaught, but the brave defenders are unprepared for the true scope of Garrosh's cunning and deceptive strategy. His attack will irrevocably transform Jaina, engulfing the ardent peacekeeper in the chaotic and all-consuming . . . TIDES OF WAR
After decades of grim combat against the humans and then the traitorous Covenant Prophets, the Sangheili warrior Rtas 'Vadum—the Half-Jaw—has earned a long rest. But not all of the Prophets perished in their holy city, High Charity, and now one of their fearsome Prelates has sworn his vengeance. This powerful threat has set a cataclysmic plan in motion—a plan to lure the Half-Jaw into a trap that will herald the utter destruction of the entire Sangheili race…
Bohdi Patel, latest incarnation of Chaos, wants nothing to do with Loki's psychotic oath.
Stranded on the icy world of Jotunheim with Amy Lewis, his friend Steve Rogers, and an unlikely band of civilians, magical beings, and elite military, Bohdi just wants to keep himself and his friends alive … but when you're Chaos incarnate, even the simplest goals are complicated.
If Jotunheim doesn't kill them, Odin will, and if Odin doesn't, the secrets they harbor might.
In the final installment of I Bring the Fire, Bohdi, Amy, Steve, and their companions learn that Chaos cannot be contained, some secrets cannot be kept, and some vows cannot be broken.
The I Bring the Fire Series:
I Bring the Fire Part I: Wolves (Free eBook!)
Monsters: I Bring the Fire Part II
Chaos: I Bring the Fire Part III
In the Balance: I Bring the Fire Part 3.5
Fates: I Bring the Fire Part IV
The Slip: a Short Story (mostly) from Sleipnir's Point of Smell
Warriors: I Bring the Fire Part V
Ragnarok: I Bring the Fire Part VI
The Fire Bringers: a Short Story
Soul Marked: I Bring the Fire Part VII
Magic After Midnight: I Bring the Fire Part VIII


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I enjoyed the movie for the most part and will overlook almost everything except the blatant attempt to have Shia Leboeuf replace Harrison Ford as the heir apparent. Let it die. If you can get another out of Ford, I'm supportive.
Im retiring, Lucas said. Im moving away from the business, from the company, from all this kind of stuff.He was careful to leave himself an out clause for a fifth Indiana Jones film. But otherwise, Red Tails will be the last blockbuster Lucas makes. Once this is finished, hes done everything hes ever wanted to do, says Rick McCallum, who has been producing Lucass films for more than 20 years. He will have completed his task as a man and a filmmaker.
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NTDs: The London Declaration, one year on
This time last year, a group of politicians, charities and pharmaceutical companies came to London to sign a pledge. They committed to either bring under control or eliminate ten diseases by 2020; ten diseases that currently cause enormous suffering and hardship across the developing world. The diseases in question are among the collection of infections gathered under the umbrella term of 'neglected tropical diseases' (NTDs), so it would seem imperative not to neglect the progress that has been made in tackling them in the past 12 months.
The group of organisations that came together last January, and the World Health Organization (WHO), whose roadmap of disease elimination targets they are committed to achieving, have each reported on their progress this month. Uniting to combat NTDs celebrate the provision of 1.12 billion treatments from the pharmaceutical industry to countries with endemic NTDs in 2012 – they report that every request for drugs needed to conduct mass drug administration programmes was met. This included 29 new countries receiving drugs free of charge to treat soil-transmitted helminth infections, raising the number of treatments from 46 million in 2011 to 238 million in 2012 (an increase of over 400 per cent).
It seems pretty clear that the supply of drugs will not be the rate-determining step when it comes to tackling those NTDs for which we have treatments. But at the same time that the supply of free or very low cost treatments enables mass drug administration programmes to expand, they must also be continually assessed with respect to the effect they are having on the ground. In her foreword to the WHO report, Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO, says: "As more programmes approach their milestones and targets, new tools and protocols are needed to assess the intensity of transmission, support decision-making about when mass drug administration can be stopped, and then to verify interruption of transmission."
Of course, what ultimately matters is how much closer we are to controlling the transmission of NTDs. Good news from the first year after the London Declaration is that Oman has become the first country to go from endemic trachoma to elimination. Hopefully more countries will follow and we will reach the WHO target of global elimination of trachoma by 2020.
More than drugs
No one is claiming that mass drug administration is the cure-all for NTDs. Eradicating dracunculiasis (guinea worm disease) doesn't need more drugs, for example, but for people to not have to drink infected water. Only four countries still have endemic dracunculiasis – Ethiopia, Mali, Chad and South Sudan – and the goal for eradication is 2015. That seems possible although, as with polio, another disease close to eradication, getting over the finishing line seems to become harder the closer you get to it.
"Although drugs are critical tools, they are not enough to achieve all the 2020 NTD targets."
Uniting to combat NTDs (2013)
At the other end of the NTDs spectrum are diseases like dengue, for which there is still no effective control strategy available, be it a drug or a policy. Research is vital to understanding better how the dengue virus spreads and how it causes disease so that we can develop tools to tackle it – some new tools are making good progress but we will likely need a number of viable options.
Then there are the diseases where the available tools are better than nothing but could really do with improving. This forms part of the combined effort to combat NTDs, though, with Uniting to combat NTDs reporting news of a public-private partnership to develop praziquantel, the drug used to treat schistosomiasis, to be more suitable for children. And two NTD diagnostic tests were approved by the regulators in 2012, one for human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), the other for lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis). Accurate, efficient and cost-effective tests are crucial to tracking and controlling these diseases.
Looking ahead
It is great that the first year after the London Declaration has delivered so much – though there are a few patches of yellow (delayed progress) among the mostly green (target achieved) scorecard published by Uniting to combat NTDs. The real tests will come in 2015 and 2020, however, as the WHO's deadlines for elimination and eradication arrive. Will we have seen the end of dracunculiasis and yaws in eight years' time? Global elimination of trachoma, leprosy, human African trypanosomiasis and lymphatic filariasis? Elimination of five more NTDs across South-east Asia, Africa and the Americas?
Achieving these goals is not as simple as providing existing drug treatments to anyone who needs them. It requires rigorous monitoring, creative innovation to generate additional tools for treatment, vaccination and vector control, and ongoing research to further increase our understanding of these diseases and the interactions between them and us so that we can find and exploit more weaknesses in their defences.
NTDs will not have disappeared by 2020, but we can hope that they will be much less of a burden on us and that we will have demonstrated our ability to remove more of these threats to our health.
- Uniting to combat NTDs (2013) From Promises to Progress: The First Annual Report on the London Declaration on NTDs
- WHO (2013) Sustaining the drive to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases: Second WHO report on neglected tropical diseases


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alex1080 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 93 designs submitted by 38 freelance designers.
create fashion
i am a student who is trying to create his first website for fashion.
my webpage will be a community page for all people who like to discuss fashion and designs.
i am aiming to attract young and old people around the world who are passionate about fashion, like to discuss fashion and have a vision for the future of fashion.
i am looking for a logo for my webpage/company
the logo should be easy readable, easy to remember, clean, cool and fun, but also reflect a bit integrity.
no background pictures
Abbreviations of create fashion like cf can also be used, but the full name should be visible somewhere to know what the abbrevation stands for.
these are some ideas, which i think my website should reflect, but in the end everything that is cool, you find cool is cool. :-)
The files i will require are:
Print file format - .ai (CMYK)
Web file format - .jpg and layered .psd (RGB)
if anything isnt clear please contact me!
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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SOURCE: Jennerex
November 27, 2012 16:01 ET
Company to Present at Windhover's Therapeutic Area Partnerships Conference November 29
Company to Present at Windhover's Therapeutic Area Partnerships Conference November 29
SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 27, 2012) - Jennerex, Inc., a private, clinical-stage biotherapeutics company focused on the development and commercialization of first-in-class targeted oncolytic immunotherapies for solid tumors, has been named by Campbell Alliance and Windhover as one of the "Top 10 Oncology Projects to Watch" in 2012. Anne Moon, Ph.D., vice president, product development, will be presenting an overview of Jennerex's novel oncolytic immunotherapy JX-929 at the Windhover Therapeutic Area Partnerships Conference in Boston, MA on November 29, 2012.
"We are proud that JX-929 has been recognized as a 'Top Project to Watch,'" said Laurent Fischer, M.D., president and CEO of Jennerex. "JX-929, which is currently being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical trials involving multiple solid tumor types, has a unique mechanism of action that is designed to rapidly de-bulk tumors while providing a durable immune response that may extend survival with limited side effects and, therefore, minimal disruption in patients' quality of life."
"Selected companies have been screened using a strict set of judging criteria for the Top 10 award and represent what our committees considered the most attractive opportunities in terms of their potential as future products," said David Cassak, vice president, content, Windhover Conferences, a division of Elsevier Business Intelligence. "Winners have met rigorous criteria, including: unmet medical need, market potential, diversity of indications, strong science, multi-level partnering opportunities (biotech and pharma), potential for new opportunities beyond initial indications and corporate stability."
Previously nominated Windhover Top 10 projects have included many development programs that have gone on to establish major partnerships with recognized pharmaceutical companies.
About Jennerex
Jennerex, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company focused on the development and commercialization of first-in-class, breakthrough targeted oncolytic immunotherapy products for cancer. The Company's lead product, Pexa-Vec (JX-594), is currently in an international, randomized Phase 2b clinical trial (TRAVERSE) in patients with advanced primary liver cancer who have failed sorafenib therapy. In addition, Pexa-Vec is being tested in the same patient population in combination with sorafenib. Pexa-Vec is also in a Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with treatment-refractory colorectal cancer. Published studies designed to establish optimal dose levels and the safety profile of Pexa-Vec have shown its ability to selectively target and cause destruction of a variety of common solid tumor types and trigger a potent immune response. Pexa-Vec and other product candidates under development are designed to attack cancer tumors through three diverse mechanisms of action: the lysis of cancer cells through targeted viral replication, the ablation of the blood supply to tumors through vascular targeting and destruction and the stimulation of the body's immune response against the cancer. Jennerex is headquartered in San Francisco and has related research and development operations in Ottawa, Canada and Busan, South Korea. For more information about Jennerex, please visit www.jennerex.com.
About Windhover Conferences
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- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 3 Tbsp. hot water
- 3 bananas mashed
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup mini-chocolate chips
- 1 12 oz. jar maraschino cherries sliced in halves
- Cream sugar, butter and eggs.
- Mix baking soda and water and add to egg mixture.
- Stir in bananas, flour, and salt.
- Mix well.
- Fold in chocolate chips and cherries.
- Pour into a well greased and floured loaf pan
- Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, or it passes the 'toothpick test'
- Makes 1 loaf.
Terri's Notes
- CFR staff and Sharathon volunteers LOVE this bread!
- This is a wonderfully moist and flavorful treat, great with coffee.
- Freezes very well. Make several ahead, to have on hand for the holidays.
- Make smaller loaves, wrap them up in pretty plastic wrap and add a bow for great gifts!
- I love to use quick bread recipes to make little muffins. They're quicker and they're always so moist, and easy to eat, and eat, and....
- Don't like cherries? You can replace the cherries with ½ cup of nuts. It won't be cherry bread then, but it's still definitely CHEERY!
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Another Lance Art Bike, by Damien Hirst, has been spotted by fashion and media sites. We hope to see these bikes at Mellow Johnnys when we return to SXSW next year for another Mobile Social.
The Art Bikes are part of STAGES, "a global art exhibition to raise funds and awareness for the fight against cancer." Lance is racing on the Shepard Fairey Bike at le Tour.
Photo: Getty Images


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(CNN) — DMX may realize by now that South Carolina police know who he is and that he does not have a driver's license.
The rapper — real name Earl Simmons — spent three hours in jail Monday night before posting bond on charges of driving with a suspended license, having no car tag or insurance, according to the Spartanburg County Detention Center website.
A police officer who was familiar with Simmons and his several recent arrests stopped him for questioning as he drove up to the front of the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport Monday evening, airport spokeswoman Rosylin Weston told CNN affiliate WSPA. The officer arrested him when he could not produce a valid license, she said.
It was his third run-in with the law in his home state in recent months, which included a citation for marijuana possession in Greer, South Carolina, in August. He was arrested then when an officer recognized Simmons and knew there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest for failure to appear in court for a previous charge, according to the arrest report.
Simmons allegedly "became very aggressive with his words and was making multiple idle threats" when the officer questioned him about "a bag of green plant material I knew to be marijuana" near where he was sitting in a pick up truck, the report said.
He was also arrested in Greenville, South Carolina, on July 26 on charges of driving under the influence, driving without a license and driving without a seat belt, police said. A state trooper stopped his 1978 Plymouth station wagon after he was allegedly "traveling erratically," the South Carolina Highway Patrol said. DMX was given a field sobriety test and failed, the agency said.
DMX has faced various criminal charges in the past, including probation violation, illegal drug possession and animal cruelty.
Maricopa County, Arizona, authorities said he was arrested five times after August 2007. That included a May 2008 arrest on drug and animal cruelty charges, when Simmons attempted to barricade himself inside his Cave Creek home, sheriff's deputies said.
Simmons also ran into trouble while in prison, being placed on "lockdown status" and forced to eat only bread and water for "jailhouse infractions." In February 2009, he threw a food tray in anger at a corrections officer, according to the sheriff's office.
In 2010 he was sent to prison after violating his probation. Four days later DMX was admitted to the Flamenco Mental Health unit for an undisclosed disorder.
But before the litany of arrests, DMX had a promising music and movie career. One of his biggest hit songs came out in the '90s was the "Party Up (Up in Here)" and he also appeared in such movies as "Romeo Must Die."


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Madrid is the capital and largest city in Spain but often plays second fiddle to the more relaxed and accessible Catalonian counterpart Barcelona.
However, as the business capital and with a wonderful range of buildings, museums and galleries, as well a short drive from some of the most impressive cities in Spain in Toledo, Salamanca and Segovia, it is an endlessly appealing choice for a whole range of subject areas including Art & Design, Fashion, History, Business and Architecture.
A study trip with Further and Higher Travel will provide you with a rich and valuable experience at the best possible prices so contact us today for your tailor-made quote
Call us to find out more about Madrid trips on:
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A sightseeing tour of Madrid, either on foot or by private coach and guided by an experienced tour professional, will offer your group the opportunity to see the city's main attractions and to gain a useful insight into the history and culture of the city. Please contact us for prices.
The Bernabeu Stadium, home of the Real Madrid Football Club, is one of the most emblematic and iconic places in Madrid and celebrates the legendary team. A guided tour can take your group from the VIP box to the changing rooms and from the pitch to the Trophy Exhibition. The Exhibition of the Best Trophies is where groups can see the full splendour of the club's silverware and demonstrates why they are still regarded by many as the greates read more ...
A beautiful and historic city Salamanca is a great visit for any group studying History and a short drive from Madrid. The city is awash with monuments and churches and its university is one of the Oldest in Spain.
Take your group on a visit to the famous Baroque Placa Major, its two Cathedrals and the huge and ornately designed University building. Contact us for coach hire and guide prices.
One of the oldest towns in Spain and former capitals, Toledo is a magnificent sight, situated on a granite hill surrounded on three sides by the deep-sided gorge of the Tagus river. Your group can take a guide tour of the historic and ancient town including its cathedral, huge Alcazar and Moorish and Gothic built walls. Please contact us for coach and guide hire prices.
In the heart of the city and with no need to use transportation, visit the most beautiful and emblematic places of the old and charming Madrid. All rooms have a full bathroom, air-conditioning, safety deposit box, telephone, TV and WiFi connection.
Located in a traditional downtown building, at only 200 meters from the Gran Vía Street, and its shopping and tourist district, at Hostal Nuria you will find kind attention and a quality service, in a very friendly and cheerful atmosphere.
More than 50 private rooms, all with heating, telephone, T.V. and air conditioning.
Mediodía Hotel is a cosy, 2-star hotel located in the centre of Madrid, in the so-called Golden Triangle of Art, next to Atocha's metro, bus and train stations and beside the 3 most important museums in the city: Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofía…
Thanks to its excellent location, the hotel is perfect to visit Madrid, as it is at short distance from the main tourist sites of the capital and benefits from very good c read more ...
Tour Day 1
Daytime flight and transfer to your accommodation. Evening meal at local restaurant and free time to explore.
Tour Day 2
Orientate yourselves around the city with a guided walking tour – great opportunities for sketching.
A read more ...
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A well planned tour that had all the students and staff falling in love with Berlin. Accommodation was in an excellent location and transport cards gave the party full access to the exceptional transport infrastructure system. The educational visits were the best we have received to date and the feedback has been positive from all trip participants. Can't wait to go again!
-- Exeter College, Berlin, April 2018
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Humans massacred their race, wrote them out of history, and pushed them into myth... Now in the midst of a Vampire civil war, an exiled Vampire prince has escaped into the mountains of the new America, building a hidden army for revenge against his family. Years later, in the dead of winter, a group of grad students start their research on the disappearance of wildlife in those very mountains. When they come close to the truth, they begin the fight for their own survival. As the fight escalates, the Vampire prince descends upon the conflict. He is forced to visit his dark past as the fates of the student's are decided.
Follow Crimson Winter on Facebook to stay up to date on all news regarding this independent vampire film. Explore the Press section to see stills, posters and interviews for the film.


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ArtsWatch: Cloud Piracy
In recent news ...
The Pirate Bay Sails Into The "Cloud"
On Oct. 16 notorious infringing site the Pirate Bay changed the nature of its physical existence to better avoid law enforcement authorities. In addition to running as a virtual site with cloud hosting, the Pirate Bay claims to be using thousands of deeply encrypted versions of their data that function together as a system and lock if unused for eight hours. "All attempts to attack the Pirate Bay from now on [are] an attack on everything and nothing," the Pirate Bay wrote via a blog post. "The site ... will still be here, for as long as we want it to [be]. Only in a higher form of being. A reality to us. A ghost to those who wish to harm us." The file-sharing destination has consistently evaded international legal efforts to shut it down. This latest move shows the Pirate Bay is determined to adapt and survive.
Internet Freedom Activists Warn Of Canadian Zombie ACTA
Negotiators in Brussels currently at work on the EU-Canada Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement face a rising clamor of accusations that they are trying to bring language from the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement "back from the dead." Trade agreements are customarily negotiated in secrecy, but leaks of ACTA's criminal copyright provisions caused past activist outcry that pressured European Parliament to vote against the international agreement in July. Although the European Commission has proclaimed that "CETA is not ACTA," CETA negotiations are leaking as well, leading French consumer activists La Quadrature du Net to raise an alarm on Oct. 10. American activists Electronic Frontier Foundation avoided dramatic imagery by describing the agreement as ACTA in disguise. On Oct. 17 Canadian attorney Michael Geist compiled a roundup of the anti-CETA backlash via a blog post, writing, "The Dutch government has said it will not sign CETA if it includes ACTA provisions."
Copyright Alert System with No Strikeouts?
On Oct. 18 the Center for Copyright Information announced that Internet service providers participating in the Copyright Alert System will begin reaching out in the next two months to infringers to teach them the "rules of the road." Contrary to various media reports, CCI claims this is not a six-strikes program because no participating ISPs plan to terminate service — i.e., customers cannot strike out. Whether through education or mitigation, the plan seems to start friendly and build to an inconvenient hassle while remaining fair and customer-oriented. The center said, "CCI has engaged in a long but necessary process to get the CAS right. ... We've been working hard behind the scenes to make sure that the system is thorough and consumer-friendly. We think we've achieved that goal, and we're ready to begin this next phase."
Publishers Awarded $6.6 Million
Final damages were awarded on Oct. 9 against lyric website LiveUniverse and its former owner, Brad Greenspan, by a California U.S. District Court. Ownership of the infringing lyric site had already been transferred to the publisher plaintiffs when Greenspan stopped appearing in court. Damages were calculated at $12,500 per song for 528 songs, totaling $6.6 million. National Music Publishers' Association President and CEO David Israelite said, "Although the music industry continues to feel the impact of their work being illegally provided online, this victory and legal precedent will serve to aid songwriters and music publishers as they continue the fight to protect their creative rights in the digital world." As for the disappearing Greenspan, maybe he went on to "a higher form of being."
The Recording Academy actively represents the music community on such issues as intellectual property rights, music piracy, archiving and preservation, and censorship concerns. In pursuing its commitment to addressing these and other issues, The Recording Academy undertakes a variety of national initiatives. ArtsWatch is a key part of an agenda aimed at raising public awareness of and support for the rights of artists. To become more involved, visit Advocacy Action @ GRAMMY.com and sign up for Advocacy Action E-lerts.
Click on the "ArtsWatch" tag for links to other GRAMMY News stories in this series.