Fantasy

This sixth novel in Diana Gabaldon's bestselling Outlander saga is a masterpiece of historical fiction from one of the most popular authors of our time. A Breath of Snow and Ashes continues the extraordinary story of 18th-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser and his 20th-century wife, Claire.

The year is 1772, and on the eve of the American Revolution, the long fuse of rebellion has already been lit. Men lie dead in the streets of Boston, and in the backwoods of North Carolina, isolated cabins burn in the forest.

With chaos brewing, the governor calls upon Jamie Fraser to unite the backcountry and safeguard the colony for King and Crown. But from his wife Jamie knows that three years hence the shot heard round the world will be fired, and the result will be independence--with those loyal to the King either dead or in exile. And there is also the matter of a tiny clipping from The Wilmington Gazette, dated 1776, which reports Jamie's death, along with his kin. For once, he hopes, his time-traveling family may be wrong about the future.

THE BOOK BEHIND THE FOURTH SEASON OF THE ACCLAIMED HBO SERIES GAME OF THRONES

Few books have captivated the imagination and won the devotion and praise of readers and critics everywhere as has George R. R. Martin's monumental epic cycle of high fantasy that began with A Game of Thrones. Now, in A Feast for Crows, Martin delivers the long-awaited fourth book of his landmark series, as a kingdom torn asunder finds itself at last on the brink of peace . . . only to be launched on an even more terrifying course of destruction.

A Feast for Crows

It seems too good to be true. After centuries of bitter strife and fatal treachery, the seven powers dividing the land have decimated one another into an uneasy truce. Or so it appears. . . . With the death of the monstrous King Joffrey, Cersei is ruling as regent in King's Landing. Robb Stark's demise has broken the back of the Northern rebels, and his siblings are scattered throughout the kingdom like seeds on barren soil. Few legitimate claims to the once desperately sought Iron Throne still exist--or they are held in hands too weak or too distant to wield them effectively. The war, which raged out of control for so long, has burned itself out.

But as in the aftermath of any climactic struggle, it is not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters start to gather, picking over the bones of the dead and fighting for the spoils of the soon-to-be dead. Now in the Seven Kingdoms, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed, while surprising faces--some familiar, others only just appearing--are seen emerging from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges ahead.

It is a time when the wise and the ambitious, the deceitful and the strong will acquire the skills, the power, and the magic to survive the stark and terrible times that lie before them. It is a time for nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages to come together and stake their fortunes . . . and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests--but only a few are the survivors.

THE BOOK BEHIND THE THIRD SEASON OF GAME OF THRONES, AN ORIGINAL SERIES NOW ON HBO.

Here is the third volume in George R. R. Martin's magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin's stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

A STORM OF SWORDS

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King's Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. . . .

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords. . . .

This collection of stories, set in Saberhagen's popular Lost Swords universe, features works by Walter Jon Williams, Robert E. Vardeman, and a story by Saberhagen himself--one of the best writers in the business (Stephen R. Donaldson).

The final entry of Snyder's long-out-of-print Oran Trilogy is now available in this beautiful new paperback edition.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Mac is back and badder than ever! J. R. Ward
MacKayla Lane and Jericho Barrons return inthe blockbuster Fever series from Karen Marie Moning.
It s easy to walk away from lies. Power is another thing.
MacKayla Lane would do anything to save the home she loves. A gifted sidhe-seer, she s already fought and defeated the deadly Sinsar Dubh an ancient book of terrible evil yet its hold on her has never been stronger.
When the wall that protected humans from the seductive, insatiable Fae was destroyed on Halloween, long-imprisoned immortals ravaged the planet. Now Dublin is a war zone with factions battling for control. As the city heats up and the ice left by the Hoar Frost King melts, tempers flare, passions run red-hot, and dangerous lines get crossed. Seelie and Unseelie vie for power against nine ancient immortals who have governed Dublin for millennia; a rival band of sidhe-seers invades the city, determined to claim it for their own; Mac s former protege and best friend, Dani Mega O Malley, is now her fierce enemy; and even more urgent, Highland druid Christian MacKeltar has been captured by the Crimson Hag and is being driven deeper into Unseelie madness with each passing day. The only one Mac can depend on is the powerful, dangerous immortal Jericho Barrons, but even their fiery bond is tested by betrayal.
It s a world where staying alive is a constant struggle, the line between good and evil is blurred, and every alliance comes at a price. In an epic battle against dark forces, Mac must decide who she can trust, and what her survival is ultimately worth.
Look for all of Karen Marie Moning s sensational Fever novels:
DARKFEVER - BLOODFEVER - FAEFEVER - DREAMFEVER - SHADOWFEVER - ICED - BURNED - FEVERBORN - FEVERSONG
Praise for Burned
Karen Marie Moning is back, delivering the kind of spellbinding, addictive, twisted tale we love to devour. Magic and madness, intrigue and illusion, passion and power, sexual tension and more sexual tension. . . . Burned is a book that shouldn't be missed. Thrilling, suspenseful, sexy it has all the right stuff to delight the most ardent of Fever fans. USA Today
Dark, delicious suspense! Karen Marie Moning is my author of choice and Fever is my series of choice for action-packed suspense with a spine-tingling paranormal twist. #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner
A masterwork by an incomparable writer. Burned is brilliant, sexy, and dangerous. I adore Moning! No one does it better. #1 New York Times bestselling author Sylvia Day
Prepare for a heart-stopping trip into the epic Fever world, filled with gasp-out-loud surprises and sweltering sensuality. #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole
Burned gets the highest rating from me. I wanted to run through town shouting Mac is back! Mac is back! Grab some snacks, something to drink, and settle down for a cover-to-cover read that will likely keep you up all night. New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard

One of the most anticipated books in romance . . . Burned is told through several viewpoints, but the dominating view is Mac s, and it s wonderful to have her back, as well as get to spend time with the two Alphas in her life. Heroes and Heartbreakers
Deeply complex, heady and action-packed. RT Book Reviews"

THE BOOK BEHIND THE SECOND SEASON OF GAME OF THRONES, AN ORIGINAL SERIES NOW ON HBO.

In this eagerly awaited sequel to A Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin has created a work of unsurpassed vision, power, and imagination. A Clash of Kings transports us to a world of revelry and revenge, wizardry and warfare unlike any you have ever experienced.

A CLASH OF KINGS

A comet the color of blood and flame cuts across the sky. And from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns. Six factions struggle for control of a divided land and the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, preparing to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war. It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.

On the Midwinter Day that is his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers a special gift -- that he is the last of the Old Ones, immortals dedicated to keeping the world from domination by the forces of evil, the Dark. At once, he is plunged into a quest for the six magical Signs that will one day aid the Old Ones in the final battle between the Dark and the Light. And for the twelve days of Christmas, while the Dark is rising, life for Will is full of wonder, terror, and delight.

A FELLOWSHIP OF THREE

To stand against the F'dor-- an ancient, vile being intent on destroying the world-- a fellowship has been forged: Rhapsody, a Singer of great talent and beauty; Achmed, an assassin with unearthly talents; and Grunthor, a giant of jolly disposition and lethal skill with weapons.

Driven by prophetic visions, the three know that time is running short, know that they must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all. But after their final, brutal confrontation with the F'dor, their world crosses the threshold of disaster and faces utter oblivion. The action reaches a fevered pitch, achieving a crescendo of tragedy, love, and triumph of human spirit over world-shattering cataclysm.

With death at hand and the world crumbling at their feet, these three will finally discover their true ...

DESTINY

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs comes the first "thrilling"* novel in the Hurog duology.

Most everyone thinks Ward of Hurog is a simple-minded fool--and that's just fine by him. But few people know that his foolishness is (very convincingly) feigned. And that it's the only thing that's saved him from death.

When his abusive father dies, Ward becomes the new lord of Hurog...until a nobleman declares that he is too dim-witted to rule. Ward knows he cannot play the fool any longer. To regain his kingdom, he must prove himself worthy--and quickly.

Riding into a war that's heating up on the border, Ward is sure he's on the fast track to glory. But soon his mission takes a deadly serious turn. For he has seen a pile of magical dragon bones hidden deep beneath Hurog Keep. The bones can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and Ward is certain his enemies will stop at nothing to possess them...

"After all we've been through, haven't you learned? You've just got to do it afraid." As the Upperworld begins to fall apart, Onyx leaves his post as a guide and joins Luna on Earth. She needs protection from a mysterious assassin bent on bringing her ultimate demise. Together, Onyx and Luna learn to navigate the human world while dodging the sinister stalker who is bent on tracking her every move. Above them in the Upperworld that Onyx left behind, the Most High Being is rapidly dying - and nothing can save him. If his death goes unchecked, the entire Upperworld, and all of humanity, will be at risk of extinction. As a last-ditch effort, Jade and Evander begin to organize the Disturbers - Upperworld dwellers who have the same goal in mind: taking Zephyr down before they are all banished to the Underworld with him. Will they succeed, or be dragged down to their doom?

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The history of the Targaryens comes to life in this masterly work, the inspiration for HBO's upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon

"The thrill of Fire & Blood is the thrill of all Martin's fantasy work: familiar myths debunked, the whole trope table flipped."--Entertainment Weekly

Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen--the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria--took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire & Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart.

What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why was it so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What were Maegor the Cruel's worst crimes? What was it like in Westeros when dragons ruled the skies? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed.

With all the scope and grandeur of Gibbon's The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Fire & Blood is the the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens, giving readers a whole new appreciation for the dynamic, often bloody, and always fascinating history of Westeros.

Praise for Fire & Blood

"A masterpiece of popular historical fiction." --The Sunday Times

"The saga is a rich and dark one, full of both the title's promised elements. . . . It's hard not to thrill to the descriptions of dragons engaging in airborne combat, or the dilemma of whether defeated rulers should 'bend the knee, ' 'take the black' and join the Night's Watch, or simply meet an inventive and horrible end."--The Guardian

Protect your present or suffer from your past.

It's Scott's birthday, and Mike LeBonte has big plans for his boyfriend.

First, he has to deal with losing his magic. However, he's well-known to the police as a consultant, and someone has summoned a demon in the North Burial Ground in Providence. Not just any demon, but Lucifer himself.

As Mike fights to try and regain his magic to help the police, a man from his past comes into town and tries to make inroads on his boyfriend.

That, Mike cannot abide.

Reach fell, and when hope seemed lost, humanity stood face-to-face with the possible extinction of all life in the galaxy and lived to tell the tale.

But that was just one epic battle, and the war rages on . . .

The Covenant shows no mercy as they continue to assault every human world they can find, but in their way lies humanity's great champion, Spartan-117, the Master Chief. Together with his AI companion Cortana and the last remaining Spartans, the fight continues on two fronts.

One takes a crew of Spartans to the charred surface of Reach, the only planet they've ever known as home. But beneath the surface, Dr. Halsey has discovered an ancient secret...one that could alter the course of the war.

Meanwhile, Master Chief and Cortana head towards a gathering of Covenant warships because the UNSC's worst nightmare has come true: the Covenant has discovered the location of Earth and is forming a massive fleet to destroy it...and all who oppose the will of the Prophets.

The name's John Taylor. I'm a PI, though what I really do is find things that are lost. I work the Nightside, the city within the city of London, where the sun never rises and where the human and inhuman go to get their kicks, provided they're willing to pay the price in whatever currency the seller demands.

In the wake of the war that almost brought the Nightside to total ruin, there's a power vacuum begging to be filled--and some think I should take charge. I don't agree. Neither does the immortal known as the Griffin. Wealthy beyond reason, he has his own ideas about who should be running things. Still, when his granddaughter--and designated heir--is kidnapped, he calls on me to find her.

But someone--or some Thing--is blocking my special gift. So this time, I'm going to have to do my job the hard way. And quickly, or the Griffin will have to choose a new heir...

A baby is born and placed in his dead mother's arms. When the funeral shroud is cast over her, his father names his son Pall. It will become a name that strikes a shiver into the hearts of those who hear it in combat. A lone survivor on a battlefield many years later, Pall dazedly recovers from the wounds of war. Despite the dead cast about him, everything he sees is unfamiliar to him. Wandering away from this scene of carnage, he encounters John Savage, a giant of a man who puts Pall within the sites of Savage's seven-foot nocked longbow. Ensuing from this deadly encounter is an elusive journey for truth. Yet it is haunted not just by a ravening demon out to destroy Pall and John, but by the vision of a startling beautiful young woman protecting Pall from afar.

New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop returns to the world of her Black Jewels Trilogy with a prequel that follows a man who is determined to rebel against the course set before him...

Jared is a Red-Jeweled Warlord bound as a pleasure slave by the Ring of Obedience. After suffering nine years of torment as a slave, he murdered his owner and escaped--only to be caught and sold into slavery once again.

Purchased by a notorious queen, Jared fears he will share the mysterious fate of her other slaves--never to be seen again--and so prepares himself for death. But the Gray Lady may not be what she seems and Jared soon faces a difficult decision: his freedom, or his honor...

The truth that inspired the myth... Power has always had a way of attracting attention. Those who want it constantly seeking out those who have it, never caring who or what it costs in the process. When Gerald first heard of the ancient magick to the North and saw with his own eyes the feats it could achieve, how could he not sacrifice whatever was necessary to obtain it? With an army at his back and the words of a mysterious stranger at his ear, the elves are on the verge of complete annihilation. Their best chance at survival may rest on the shoulders of an elf named Kringle, and Kris, an abandoned boy who fate left in her care.

Homeless children in New York have created a bizarre mythology about a demon called Bloody Mary who preys on young children. Somehow, Bloody Mary has come to life and now stalks the city's streets. Anyone who sees her is doomed to die - and 17-year-old Magnus has seen her.

Comic fantasy has burgeoned into a favorite sub-category with the enormous popularity of such authors as Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Tom Holt, and Neil Gaiman -- all of whom are included in this 200,000-word collection of classic reprints and new gems. Veteran fantasy anthologist Mike Ashley has compiled stories from such masters of the fanciful imagination as Rabelais and Swift, Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear, P. G. Wodehouse and James Thurber, L. Sprague de Camp and Harry Harrison, and many, many more.

The most accessible tale yet from the creator of the bestselling Thomas Covenant series; a rich, fully rounded epic of love and lust, power and court politics in a mythical land.