text:
"One of the best series in the history of fantasy."—Los Angeles Times
Winter is coming. Such is the stern motto of House Stark, the northernmost of the fiefdoms that owe allegiance to King Robert Baratheon in far-off King's Landing. There Eddard Stark of Winterfell rules in Robert's name. There his family dwells in peace and comfort: his proud wife, Catelyn; his sons Robb, Brandon, and Rickon; his daughters Sansa and Arya; and his bastard son, Jon Snow. Far to the north, behind the towering Wall, lie savage Wildings and worse—unnatural things relegated to myth during the centuries-long summer, but proving all too real and all too deadly in the turning of the season.
Yet a more immediate threat lurks to the south, where Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, has died under mysterious circumstances. Now Robert is riding north to Winterfell, bringing his queen, the lovely but cold Cersei, his son, the cruel, vainglorious Prince Joffrey, and the queen's brothers Jaime and Tyrion of the powerful and wealthy House Lannister—the first a swordsman without equal, the second a dwarf whose stunted stature belies a brilliant mind. All are heading for Winterfell and a fateful encounter that will change the course of kingdoms.
Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea, Prince Viserys, heir of the fallen House Targaryen, which once ruled all of Westeros, schemes to reclaim the throne with an army of barbarian Dothraki—whose loyalty he will purchase in the only coin left to him: his beautiful yet innocent sister, Daenerys.
"Long live George Martin . . . a literary dervish, enthralled by complicated characters and vivid language, and bursting with the wild vision of the very best tale tellers."—The New York Times
Winter is coming. Such is the stern motto of House Stark, the northernmost of the fiefdoms that owe allegiance to King Robert Baratheon in far-off King's Landing. There Eddard Stark of Winterfell rules in Robert's name. There his family dwells in peace and comfort: his proud wife, Catelyn; his sons Robb, Brandon, and Rickon; his daughters Sansa and Arya; and his bastard son, Jon Snow. Far to the north, behind the towering Wall, lie savage Wildings and worse—unnatural things relegated to myth during the centuries-long summer, but proving all too real and all too deadly in the turning of the season.
Yet a more immediate threat lurks to the south, where Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, has died under mysterious circumstances. Now Robert is riding north to Winterfell, bringing his queen, the lovely but cold Cersei, his son, the cruel, vainglorious Prince Joffrey, and the queen's brothers Jaime and Tyrion of the powerful and wealthy House Lannister—the first a swordsman without equal, the second a dwarf whose stunted stature belies a brilliant mind. All are heading for Winterfell and a fateful encounter that will change the course of kingdoms.
Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea, Prince Viserys, heir of the fallen House Targaryen, which once ruled all of Westeros, schemes to reclaim the throne with an army of barbarian Dothraki—whose loyalty he will purchase in the only coin left to him: his beautiful yet innocent sister, Daenerys.
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.
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. . . .
From the Paperback edition.
In this thrilling 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 we have ever experienced.
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.
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. 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.
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.
"I just love the world of Patrick Rothfuss." —Lin-Manuel Miranda • "He's bloody good, this Rothfuss guy." —George R. R. Martin • "Rothfuss has real talent." —Terry Brooks
"There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man."
My name is Kvothe. You may have heard of me.
So begins a tale told from his own point of view—a story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The Wise Man's Fear, Day Two of The Kingkiller Chronicle, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time.
Praise for The Kingkiller Chronicle:
"The best epic fantasy I read last year.... He's bloody good, this Rothfuss guy."
—George R. R. Martin, New York Times-bestselling author of A Song of Ice and Fire
"Rothfuss has real talent, and his tale of Kvothe is deep and intricate and wondrous."
—Terry Brooks, New York Times-bestselling author of Shannara
"It is a rare and great pleasure to find a fantasist writing...with true music in the words."
—Ursula K. Le Guin, award-winning author of Earthsea
"The characters are real and the magic is true."
—Robin Hobb, New York Times-bestselling author of Assassin's Apprentice
"Masterful.... There is a beauty to Pat's writing that defies description."
—Brandon Sanderson, New York Times-bestselling author of Mistborn
George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series has become, in many ways, the gold standard for modern epic fantasy. Martin—dubbed the "American Tolkien" by Time magazine—has created a world that is as rich and vital as any piece of historical fiction, set in an age of knights and chivalry and filled with a plethora of fascinating, multidimensional characters that you love, hate to love, or love to hate as they struggle for control of a divided kingdom.
This bundle includes the following novels:
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.
Geralt is a witcher.
Yet he is no ordinary killer-for-hire.
His sole purpose: to destroy the monsters that plague the world.
But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good. . . and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.
Witcher collectionsThe Last WishSword of Destiny
Witcher novelsBlood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire The Tower of SwallowsLady of the LakeSeason of Storms
The Malady and Other Stories: An Andrzej Sapkowski Sampler (e-only)
Translated from original Polish by Danusia Stok
For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art--and he is the city's most accomplished artist.
For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly--and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.
But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins' world of dangerous politics and strange magics--and cultivate a flair for death.
Devour this blockbuster tale of assassination and magic by Brent Weeks, which has delighted readers all over the world--with over one million copies in print!
Night Angel
The Way of Shadows
Shadow's Edge
Beyond the Shadows
Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy (omnibus)
Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella (e-only)
The Way of Shadows: The Graphic Novel
For more from Brent Weeks, check out:
The Black Prism
The Blinding Knife
The Broken Eye
The Blood Mirror
The Burning White
Kylar Stern has rejected the assassin's life. The Godking's successful coup has left Kylar's master, Durzo, and his best friend, Logan, dead. He is starting over: new city, new friends, and new profession.
But when he learns that Logan might actually be alive and in hiding, Kylar is faced with an agonizing choice: will he give up the way of shadows forever and live in peace with his new family, or will he risk everything by taking on the ultimate hit?
Devour this blockbuster tale of assassination and magic by Brent Weeks, which has delighted readers all over the world--with over one million copies in print!
Night Angel
The Way of Shadows
Shadow's Edge
Beyond the Shadows
Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy (omnibus)
Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella (e-only)
The Way of Shadows: The Graphic Novel
For more from Brent Weeks, check out:
The Black Prism
The Blinding Knife
The Broken Eye
The Blood Mirror
The Burning White
Logan Gyre is king of Cenaria, a country under siege, with a threadbare army and little hope. He has one chance--a desperate gamble, but one that could destroy his kingdom.
In the north, the new Godking has a plan. If it comes to fruition, no one will have the power to stop him.
Kylar Stern has no choice. To save his friends--and perhaps his enemies--he must accomplish the impossible: assassinate a goddess.
Devour this blockbuster tale of assassination and magic by Brent Weeks which has delighted readers all over the world--with over one million copies in print.
Night Angel
The Way of Shadows
Shadow's Edge
Beyond the Shadows
Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy (omnibus)
Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella (e-only)
The Way of Shadows: The Graphic Novel
For more from Brent Weeks, check out:
The Black Prism
The Blinding Knife
The Broken Eye
The Blood Mirror
The Burning White
As a Red, Darrow grew up working the mines deep beneath the surface of Mars, enduring backbreaking labor while dreaming of the better future he was building for his descendants. But the Society he faithfully served was built on lies. Darrow's kind have been betrayed and denied by their elitist masters, the Golds—and their only path to liberation is revolution. And so Darrow sacrifices himself in the name of the greater good for which Eo, his true love and inspiration, laid down her own life. He becomes a Gold, infiltrating their privileged realm so that he can destroy it from within.
A lamb among wolves in a cruel world, Darrow finds friendship, respect, and even love—but also the wrath of powerful rivals. To wage and win the war that will change humankind's destiny, Darrow must confront the treachery arrayed against him, overcome his all-too-human desire for retribution—and strive not for violent revolt but a hopeful rebirth. Though the road ahead is fraught with danger and deceit, Darrow must choose to follow Eo's principles of love and justice to free his people.
He must live for more.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Pierce Brown's Morning Star.
"Gripping . . . Both author and lead character have cranked up the emotional stakes. . . . With Golden Son, Brown avoids the sophomore slump, charging the novel with the kind of dystopia-toppling action you'd expect in a trilogy ender, not a middle volume. On virtually every level, this is a sequel that hates sequels—a perfect fit for a hero who already defies the tropes. [Grade:] A"—Entertainment Weekly
"Stirring . . . Comparisons to The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones series are inevitable, for this tale has elements of both."—Kirkus Reviews
"Brown writes layered, flawed characters . . . but plot is his most breathtaking strength. . . . Every action seems to flow into the next."—NPR
"It's a far superior sequel, in fact: one of the rare breed of reads that improves upon its predecessor in every conceivable category. . . . In a word, Golden Son is stunning. Never mind how little we've seen of 2015: Among science fiction fans, it should be a shoo-in for book of the year."—Tordotcom
Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read
"[Michael] Crichton's dinosaurs are genuinely frightening."—Chicago Sun-Times
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now humankind's most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures extinct for eons roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them—for a price.
Until something goes wrong. . . .
In Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton taps all his mesmerizing talent and scientific brilliance to create his most electrifying technothriller.
Praise for Jurassic Park
"Wonderful . . . powerful."—The Washington Post Book World
"Frighteningly real . . . compelling . . . It'll keep you riveted."—The Detroit News
"Full of suspense."—The New York Times Book Review
Darrow would have lived in peace, but his enemies brought him war. The Gold overlords demanded his obedience, hanged his wife, and enslaved his people. But Darrow is determined to fight back. Risking everything to transform himself and breach Gold society, Darrow has battled to survive the cutthroat rivalries that breed Society's mightiest warriors, climbed the ranks, and waited patiently to unleash the revolution that will tear the hierarchy apart from within.
Finally, the time has come.
But devotion to honor and hunger for vengeance run deep on both sides. Darrow and his comrades-in-arms face powerful enemies without scruple or mercy. Among them are some Darrow once considered friends. To win, Darrow will need to inspire those shackled in darkness to break their chains, unmake the world their cruel masters have built, and claim a destiny too long denied—and too glorious to surrender.
Praise for Morning Star
"There is no one writing today who does shameless, Michael Bay–style action set pieces the way Brown does. The battle scenes are kinetic, bloody, breathless, crazy. Everything is on fire all the time."—NPR
"Morning Star is this trilogy's Return of the Jedi. . . . The impactful battles that make up most of Morning Star are damn near operatic. . . . It absolutely satisfies."—Tordotcom
"Excellent . . . Brown's vivid, first-person prose puts the reader right at the forefront of impassioned speeches, broken families, and engaging battle scenes . . . as this interstellar civil war comes to a most satisfying conclusion."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A page-turning epic filled with twists and turns . . . The conclusion to Brown's saga is simply stellar."—Booklist (starred review)
"Multilayered and seething with characters who exist in a shadow world between history and myth, much as in Frank Herbert's Dune . . . an ambitious and satisfying conclusion to a monumental saga."—Kirkus Reviews
Gavin Guile is dying.
He'd thought he had five years left--now he has less than one. With fifty thousand refugees, a bastard son, and an ex-fiancée who may have learned his darkest secret, Gavin has problems on every side. All magic in the world is running wild and threatens to destroy the Seven Satrapies. Worst of all, the old gods are being reborn, and their army of color wights is unstoppable. The only salvation may be the brother whose freedom and life Gavin stole sixteen years ago.
Read the second book in Brent Weeks's blockbuster epic fantasy series that had Peter V. Brett saying, "Brent Weeks is so good, it's starting to tick me off!"
The Black Prism
The Blinding Knife
The Broken Eye
The Blood Mirror
For more from Brent Weeks, check out:
Night Angel
The Way of Shadows
Shadow's Edge
Beyond the Shadows
Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy (omnibus)
Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella (e-only)
The Way of Shadows: The Graphic Novel
"Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow."—Scott Sigler
"I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. "That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them."
"I live for you," I say sadly.
Eo kisses my cheek. "Then you must live for more."
Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.
But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.
Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Pierce Brown's Golden Son.
"[A] spectacular adventure . . . one heart-pounding ride . . . Pierce Brown's dizzyingly good debut novel evokes The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and Ender's Game. . . . [Red Rising] has everything it needs to become meteoric."—Entertainment Weekly
"[A] top-notch debut novel . . . Red Rising ascends above a crowded dystopian field."—USA Today
"Red Rising is a sophisticated vision. . . . Brown will find a devoted audience."—Richmond Times-Dispatch
"A story of vengeance, warfare and the quest for power . . . reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones."—Kirkus Reviews
As the old gods awaken and satrapies splinter, the Chromeria races to find the only man who can still end a civil war before it engulfs the known world. But Gavin Guile has been captured by an old enemy and enslaved on a pirate galley. Worse still, Gavin has lost more than his powers as Prism--he can't use magic at all.
Without the protection of his father, Kip Guile will face a master of shadows as his grandfather moves to choose a new Prism and put himself in power. With Teia and Karris, Kip will have to use all his wits to survive a secret war between noble houses, religious factions, rebels, and an ascendant order of hidden assassins called The Broken Eye.
Devour this epic, blockbuster fantasy series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Night Angel trilogy.
The Black Prism
The Blinding Knife
The Broken Eye
The Blood Mirror
The Burning White
For more from Brent Weeks, check out:
Night Angel
The Way of Shadows
Shadow's Edge
Beyond the Shadows
Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy (omnibus)
Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella (e-only)
The Way of Shadows: The Graphic Novel
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.
After a high-stakes card game ends violently, Dessel, a lowly miner, vanishes into the ranks of the Sith army and ships out to join the war against the Republic and its Jedi champions. There, Dessel's brutality, cunning, and exceptional command of the Force swiftly win him renown as a warrior. But in the eyes of his watchful masters, a far greater destiny awaits him . . . if he can prove himself worthy. As an acolyte in the Sith Academy, studying at the feet of its greatest masters, Dessel embraces his new identity: Bane. However, in order to gain full acceptance into this chilling Brotherhood, he must surrender completely to the dark side. Only by defying the most sacred traditions of the Sith can Bane hope to triumph—and forge from the ashes a new era of absolute power.
But thousands of light-years away, the last of the Emperor's warlords, Grand Admiral Thrawn, has taken command of the shattered Imperial fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the New Republic. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to build.
Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!
Don't miss the thrilling sneak peek of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Six, The Winds of Winter
Dubbed "the American Tolkien" by Time magazine, George R. R. Martin has earned international acclaim for his monumental cycle of epic fantasy. Now the #1 New York Times bestselling author delivers the fifth book in his landmark series—as both familiar faces and surprising new forces vie for a foothold in a fragmented empire.
In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance—beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has thousands of enemies, and many have set out to find her. As they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.
Fleeing from Westeros with a price on his head, Tyrion Lannister, too, is making his way to Daenerys. But his newest allies in this quest are not the rag-tag band they seem, and at their heart lies one who could undo Daenerys's claim to Westeros forever.
Meanwhile, to the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone—a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, will face his greatest challenge. For he has powerful foes not only within the Watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice.
From all corners, bitter conflicts reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all.
Praise for A Dance with Dragons
"Filled with vividly rendered set pieces, unexpected turnings, assorted cliffhangers and moments of appalling cruelty, A Dance with Dragons is epic fantasy as it should be written: passionate, compelling, convincingly detailed and thoroughly imagined."—The Washington Post
"Long live George Martin . . . a literary dervish, enthralled by complicated characters and vivid language, and bursting with the wild vision of the very best tale tellers."—The New York Times
"One of the best series in the history of fantasy."—Los Angeles Times
From the Paperback edition.
We are not alone.
On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered by a monstrous supersoldier. On Earth, a high-level politician struggles to prevent interplanetary war from reigniting. And on Venus, an alien protomolecule has overrun the planet, wreaking massive, mysterious changes and threatening to spread out into the solar system.
In the vast wilderness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been keeping the peace for the Outer Planets Alliance. When they agree to help a scientist search war-torn Ganymede for a missing child, the future of humanity rests on whether a single ship can prevent an alien invasion that may have already begun . . .
Caliban's War is a breakneck science fiction adventure following the critically acclaimed Leviathan Wakes.
The Expanse Leviathan WakesCaliban's WarAbaddon's GateCibola BurnNemesis GamesBabylon's AshesPersepolis RisingTiamat's Wrath
The Expanse Short Fiction The Butcher of Anderson StationGods of RiskThe ChurnThe Vital AbyssStrange Dogs
For over a century, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves have lived together in relative peace. But times have changed, the uneasy peace is over, and now the races are fighting once again. The only good elf, it seems, is a dead elf.
Geralt of Rivia, the cunning assassin known as The Witcher, has been waiting for the birth of a prophesied child. This child has the power to change the world - for good, or for evil.
As the threat of war hangs over the land and the child is hunted for her extraordinary powers, it will become Geralt's responsibility to protect them all - and the Witcher never accepts defeat.
Blood of Elves is the first full-length Witcher novel, and the perfect follow up if you've read The Last Wish collection.
Witcher novelsBlood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire The Tower of SwallowsLady of the LakeSeason of Storms
Witcher collectionsThe Last WishSword of Destiny
The Malady and Other Stories: An Andrzej Sapkowski Sampler (e-only)
Translated from original Polish by Danusia Stok
A master of inventive fiction, Neil Gaiman delves into the murky depths where reality and imagination meet. Now in American Gods, he works his literary magic to extraordinary results.
Shadow dreamed of nothing but leaving prison and starting a new life. But the day before his release, his wife and best friend are killed in an accident. On the plane home to the funeral, he meets Mr. Wednesday—a beguiling stranger who seems to know everything about him. A trickster and rogue, Mr. Wednesday offers Shadow a job as his bodyguard. With nowhere left to go, Shadow accepts, and soon learns that his role in Mr. Wednesday's schemes will be far more dangerous and dark than he could have ever imagined. For beneath the placid surface of everyday life a war is being fought —and the prize is the very soul of America.
These never-before-collected adventures recount an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living consciousness. Before Tyrion Lannister and Podrick Payne, there was Dunk and Egg. A young, naïve but ultimately courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals—in stature if not experience. Tagging along is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg—whose true name is hidden from all he and Dunk encounter. Though more improbable heroes may not be found in all of Westeros, great destinies lay ahead for these two . . . as do powerful foes, royal intrigue, and outrageous exploits.
Featuring more than 160 all-new illustrations by Gary Gianni, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a must-have collection that proves chivalry isn't dead—yet.
Praise for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
"Readers who already love Martin and his ability to bring visceral human drama out of any story will be thrilled to find this trilogy brought together and injected with extra life."—Booklist
"The real reason to check out this collection is that it's simply great storytelling. Martin crafts a living, breathing world in a way few authors can. . . . [Gianni's illustrations] really bring the events of the novellas to life in beautiful fashion."—Tech Times
"Stirring . . . As Tolkien has his Silmarillion, so [George R. R.] Martin has this trilogy of foundational tales. They succeed on their own, but in addition, they succeed in making fans want more."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Pure fantasy adventure, with two of the most likable protagonists George R. R. Martin has ever penned."—Bustle
"A must-read for Martin's legion of fans . . . a rousing prelude to [his] bestselling Song of Ice and Fire saga . . . rich in human drama and the colorful worldbuilding that distinguishes other books in the series."—Publishers Weekly
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...
*Look out for Season of Storms in May 2018*
Geralt is a witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.
This is a collection of short stories, following the adventures of the hit collection THE LAST WISH. Join Geralt as he battles monsters, demons and prejudices alike...
Witcher collectionsThe Last WishSword of Destiny
Witcher novelsBlood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire The Tower of SwallowsLady of the Lake
The Malady and Other Stories: An Andrzej Sapkowski Sampler (e-only)
Translated from original Polish by David French
Gaelan Starfire is a careful, quiet, simpler farmer. He's also an immortal, peerless in the arts of war. Over the centuries, he's worn many faces to hide his gift, but he is a man ill-fit for obscurity.
When Gaelan must take a job hunting down the world's finest assassins for the beautiful courtesan and crime lord Gwinvere Kirena what he finds may destroy everything he's ever believed in.
Includes the short story "I, Night Angel"
Night AngelThe Way of ShadowsShadow's EdgeBeyond the Shadows
Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy (omnibus)Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel NovellaThe Way of Shadows: The Graphic Novel
LightbringerThe Black PrismThe Blinding KnifeThe Broken EyeThe Blood Mirror
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...
When does an empire fall?
The Seven Satrapies have collapsed into four-and those are falling before the White King's armies.
Gavin Guile, ex-emperor, ex-Prism, ex-galley slave, formerly the one man who might have averted war, is now lost, broken, and trapped in a prison crafted by his own hands to hold a great magical genius. But Gavin has no magic at all. Worse, in this prison, Gavin may not be alone.
Kip Guile will make a last, desperate attempt to stop the White King's growing horde. Karris White attempts to knit together an empire falling apart, helped only by her murderous and possibly treasonous father-in-law Andross Guile.
Meanwhile, Teia's new talents will find a darker use-and the cost might be too much to bear.
Together, they will fight to prevent a tainted empire from becoming something even worse.
Devour this epic fantasy series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Night Angel trilogy.
LightbringerThe Black PrismThe Blinding KnifeThe Broken EyeThe Blood Mirror
For more from Brent Weeks, check out:
Night AngelThe Way of ShadowsShadow's EdgeBeyond the Shadows
Night Angel: The Complete Trilogy (omnibus)Perfect Shadow: A Night Angel Novella (e-only)The Way of Shadows: The Graphic Novel
The Sword of Shannara
Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races.
The Elfstones of Shannara
The magical Ellcrys tree is dying, loosening the spell that bars the Demons from enacting vengeance upon the land. Now Wil Ohmsford must guard the Elven girl Amberle on a perilous quest as she carries one of the Ellcrys' seeds to a mysterious place where it can be quickened into a powerful new force. But dark on their trail comes the Reaper, most fearsome of all Demons, aiming to crush their mission at any cost.
The Wishsong of Shannara
An ancient Evil is stirring to new life, sending its ghastly Mord Wraiths to destroy Mankind. To win through the vile growth that protects this dark force, the Druid Allanon needs Brin Ohmsford—for she alone holds the magic power of the wishsong. Reluctantly Brin joins the Druid on his dangerous journey. But a prophecy foretells doom, as Evil nurses its plans to trap the unsuspecting Brin into a fate far more horrible than death.
Thus begins Terry Brooks's thrilling Shannara epic, an unforgettable tale of adventure, magic, and myth.
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Terry Brooks's The Measure of the Magic.
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...
For hundreds of years the demons have terrorized the night, slowly culling the human herd that shelters behind magical wards—symbols of power whose origins are lost in myth and whose protection is terrifyingly fragile. It was not always this way. Once, men and women battled the corelings on equal terms, but those days are gone. Night by night the demons grow stronger, while human numbers dwindle under their relentless assault. Now, with hope for the future fading, three young survivors of vicious demon attacks will dare the impossible, stepping beyond the crumbling safety of the wards to risk everything in a desperate quest to regain the secrets of the past. Together, they will stand against the night.
Look for Peter V. Brett's complete Demon Cycle:
Vaelin Al Sorna was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order—a caste devoted to battle. Vaelin will be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate and dangerous life of a warrior of the Faith. He has no family now save the Order.
Vaelin's father was Battle Lord to King Janus, ruler of the Unified Realm—and Vaelin's rage at being deprived of his birthright knows no bounds. Even his cherished memories of his mother are soon challenged by what he learns within the Order.
But one truth overpowers all the rest: Vaelin Al Sorna is destined for a future he has yet to comprehend. A future that will alter not only the Realm, but the world.
With The Warded Man and The Desert Spear, Peter V. Brett surged to the front rank of contemporary fantasy, standing alongside giants in the field such as George R. R. Martin, Robert Jordan, and Terry Brooks. The Daylight War, the eagerly anticipated third volume in Brett's internationally bestselling Demon Cycle, continues the epic tale of humanity's last stand against an army of demons that rise each night to prey on mankind.
On the night of the new moon, the demons rise in force, seeking the deaths of two men, both of whom have the potential to become the fabled Deliverer, the man prophesied to reunite the scattered remnants of humanity in a final push to destroy the demon corelings once and for all.
Arlen Bales was once an ordinary man, but now he has become something more—the Warded Man, tattooed with eldritch wards so powerful they make him a match for any demon. Arlen denies he is the Deliverer at every turn, but the more he tries to be one with the common folk, the more fervently they believe. Many would follow him, but Arlen's path threatens to lead to a dark place he alone can travel to, and from which there may be no returning.
The only one with hope of keeping Arlen in the world of men, or joining him in his descent into the world of demons, is Renna Tanner, a fierce young woman in danger of losing herself to the power of demon magic.
Ahmann Jardir has forged the warlike desert tribes of Krasia into a demon-killing army and proclaimed himself Shar'Dama Ka, the Deliverer. He carries ancient weapons—a spear and a crown—that give credence to his claim, and already vast swaths of the green lands bow to his control.
But Jardir did not come to power on his own. His rise was engineered by his First Wife, Inevera, a cunning and powerful priestess whose formidable demon bone magic gives her the ability to glimpse the future. Inevera's motives and past are shrouded in mystery, and even Jardir does not entirely trust her.
Once Arlen and Jardir were as close as brothers. Now they are the bitterest of rivals. As humanity's enemies rise, the only two men capable of defeating them are divided against each other by the most deadly demons of all—those lurking in the human heart.
Look for Peter V. Brett's complete Demon Cycle:
Praise for The Daylight War
"[Peter V. Brett] confirms his place among epic fantasy's pantheon of greats amid the likes of George R. R. Martin, Steven Erikson, and Robert Jordan."—Fantasy Book Critic
"Brett's prose and flow remain virtually flawless, providing for a smooth read during which you don't feel guilty for skipping two meals so you can lie on the couch and keep reading."—Fixed on Fantasy
"The best book yet in The Demon Cycle. If you are looking for a great series, look no further."—Roqoo Depot
"After the phenomenal success of both The Warded Man and The Desert Spear, I was tentative about The Daylight War; surely it couldn't get much better? Well, I was wrong. . . . This will be a strong contender for one of the best books of the year, even this early on."—Jet Black Ink
"Brett has his hooks in me and I want more of The Demon Cycle."—Best Fantasy Books
Will Robie escaped his small Gulf Coast hometown of Cantrell, Mississippi after high school, severing all personal ties, and never looked back. Not until the unimaginable occurs. His father, Dan Robie, has been arrested and charged with murder.
Father and son haven't spoken or seen each other since the day Robie left town. In that time, Dan Robie--a local attorney and pillar of the community--has been elected town judge. Despite this, most of Cantrell is aligned against Dan. His guilt is assumed.
To make matters worse, Dan has refused to do anything to defend himself. When Robie tries to help, his father responds only with anger and defiance. Could Dan really be guilty?
With the equally formidable Jessica Reel at his side, Robie ignores his father's wishes and begins his own desperate investigation into the case. But Robie is now a stranger to his hometown, an outsider, a man who has forsaken his past and his family. His attempts to save his father are met with distrust and skepticism...and violence.
Unlike the missions Robie undertook in the service of his country, where his target was clearly defined, digging into his father's case only reveals more questions. Robie is drawn into the hidden underside of Cantrell, where he must face the unexpected and possibly deadly consequences of the long-ago choices made by father and son. And this time, there may be no escape for either of them.
*Look out for Season of Storms in May 2018*
Geralt is a witcher: guardian of the innocent; protector of those in need; a defender, in dark times, against some of the most frightening creatures of myth and legend. His task, now, is to protect Ciri. A child of prophecy, she will have the power to change the world for good or for ill -- but only if she lives to use it.
A coup threatens the Wizard's Guild.War breaks out across the lands.A serious injury leaves Geralt fighting for his life...... and Ciri, in whose hands the world's fate rests, has vanished...
The Witcher returns in this sequel to Blood of Elves.
Witcher novelsBlood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire The Tower of SwallowsLady of the Lake
Witcher collectionsThe Last WishSword of Destiny
The Malady and Other Stories: An Andrzej Sapkowski Sampler (e-only)
Translated from original Polish by David French
Since time immemorial, the Spires have sheltered humanity. Within their halls, the ruling aristocratic houses develop scientific marvels, foster trade alliances, and maintain fleets of airships to keep the peace.
Captain Grimm commands the merchant ship Predator. Loyal to Spire Albion, he has taken their side in the cold war with Spire Aurora, disrupting the enemy's shipping lines by attacking their cargo vessels. But when the Predator is damaged in combat, Grimm joins a team of Albion agents on a vital mission in exchange for fully restoring his ship.
And as Grimm undertakes this task, he learns that the conflict between the Spires is merely a premonition of things to come. Humanity's ancient enemy, silent for more than ten thousand years, has begun to stir once more. And death will follow in its wake...
When her mate's ex-wife storms back into their lives, Mercy knows something isn't right. Christy has the furthest thing from good intentions—she wants Adam back, and she's willing to do whatever it takes to get him, including turning the pack against Mercy.
Mercy isn't about to step down without a fight, but there's a more dangerous threat circling. As the bodies start piling up, she must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.
Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.
Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?
Convicted murderer Melvin Mars is counting down the last hours before his execution--for the violent killing of his parents twenty years earlier--when he's granted an unexpected reprieve. Another man has confessed to the crime.
Amos Decker, newly hired on an FBI special task force, takes an interest in Mars's case after discovering the striking similarities to his own life: Both men were talented football players with promising careers cut short by tragedy. Both men's families were brutally murdered. And in both cases, another suspect came forward, years after the killing, to confess to the crime. A suspect who may or may not have been telling the truth.
The confession has the potential to make Melvin Mars--guilty or not--a free man. Who wants Mars out of prison? And why now?
But when a member of Decker's team disappears, it becomes clear that something much larger--and more sinister--than just one convicted criminal's life hangs in the balance. Decker will need all of his extraordinary brainpower to stop an innocent man from being executed.
Amos Decker's life changed forever--twice.
The first time was on the gridiron. A big, towering athlete, he was the only person from his hometown of Burlington ever to play in the NFL. But his career ended before it had a chance to begin. On his very first play, a violent helmet-to-helmet collision knocked him off the field forever, and left him with an improbable side effect--he can forget nothing.
The second time was at home nearly two decades later. Now a police detective, Decker returned from a stakeout one evening and entered a nightmare--his wife, young daughter, and brother-in-law had been murdered.
His family destroyed, their killer's identity as mysterious as the motive behind the crime, and unable to forget a single detail from that horrible night, Decker finds his world collapsing around him. He leaves the police force, loses his home, and winds up on the street, taking piecemeal jobs as a private investigator when he can.
But over a year later, a man turns himself in to the police and confesses to the murders. At the same time a horrific event nearly brings Burlington to its knees, and Decker is called back in to help with this investigation. Decker also seizes his chance to learn what really happened to his family that night. To uncover the stunning truth, he must use his remarkable gifts and confront the burdens that go along with them. He must endure the memories he would much rather forget. And he may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Memory Man will stay with you long after the turn of the final page.
Ex-Navy SEAL John Clark has been named the head of Rainbow, an international task force dedicated to combating terrorism. In a trial by fire, Clark is confronted with a violent chain of seemingly separate international incidents. But there is no way to predict the real threat: a group of terrorists like none the world has ever encountered, a band of men and women so extreme that their success could literally mean the end of life on earth as we know it.
If the past is prologue, then George R. R. Martin's masterwork—the most inventive and entertaining fantasy saga of our time—warrants one hell of an introduction. At long last, it has arrived with The World of Ice & Fire.
This lavishly illustrated volume is a comprehensive history of the Seven Kingdoms, providing vividly constructed accounts of the epic battles, bitter rivalries, and daring rebellions that lead to the events of A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO's Game of Thrones. In a collaboration that's been years in the making, Martin has teamed with Elio M. García, Jr., and Linda Antonsson, the founders of the renowned fan site Westeros.org—perhaps the only people who know this world almost as well as its visionary creator.
Collected here is all the accumulated knowledge, scholarly speculation, and inherited folk tales of maesters and septons, maegi and singers, including
• artwork and maps, with more than 170 original pieces
• full family trees for Houses Stark, Lannister, and Targaryen
• in-depth explorations of the history and culture of Westeros
• 100% all-new material, more than half of which Martin wrote specifically for this book
The definitive companion piece to George R. R. Martin's dazzlingly conceived universe, The World of Ice & Fire is indeed proof that the pen is mightier than a storm of swords.
An ancient secret brotherhood. A devastating new weapon of destruction.
When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol—seared into the chest of a murdered physicist—he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati...the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy—the Catholic Church.
Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.
Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair...a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.
An explosive international thriller, Angels & Demons careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war.
Yet most dangerous of all is a new Dark Jedi, risen from the ashes of a shrouded past, consumed by bitterness, and scheming to corrupt Luke Skywalker to the dark side.
Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!
Mercy's life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Alpha werewolf Adam Hauptman has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy's life. But on the edges of humanity, what passes for a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more...
After a traffic accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can't reach Adam—or anyone else in the pack. They've all been abducted. Mercy fears Adam's disappearance may be related to the political battle the werewolves have been fighting to gain acceptance from the public—and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outmatched and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely.
*The Nocturnal Library
*Look out for Season of Storms in May 2018*
The Wizards Guild has been shattered by a coup and, in the uproar, Geralt was seriously injured. The Witcher is supposed to be a guardian of the innocent, a protector of those in need, a defender against powerful and dangerous monsters that prey on men in dark times.
But now that dark times have fallen upon the world, Geralt is helpless until he has recovered from his injuries.
While war rages across all of the lands, the future of magic is under threat and those sorcerers who survive are determined to protect it. It's an impossible situation in which to find one girl - Ciri, the heiress to the throne of Cintra, has vanished - until a rumor places her in the Niflgaard court, preparing to marry the Emperor.
Injured or not, Geralt has a rescue mission on his hands.
The Witcher returns in this action-packed sequel to The Time of Contempt.
Witcher novelsBlood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire The Tower of SwallowsLady of the Lake
Witcher collectionsThe Last WishSword of Destiny
The Malady and Other Stories: An Andrzej Sapkowski Sampler (e-only)
Translated from original Polish by David French
The Republic has one last hope—sending a small force into the very stronghold that houses Thrawn's terrible cloning machines. There a final danger awaits, as the Dark Jedi C'baoth directs the battle against the Rebels and builds his strength to finish what he already started: the destruction of Luke Skywalker.
Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!
His code name is Mr. Clark. His work for the CIA is brilliant, cold-blooded and efficient...But who is he really?
In a harrowing tour de force, Tom Clancy shows how an ordinary man named John Kelly crossed the lines of justice and morality to become the CIA legend, Mr. Clark.
It is an unforgettable journey into the heart of darkness. Without mercy. Without guilt. Without remorse.
More than thirty years ago, Star Wars burst onto the big screen and became a cultural phenomenon. Now the next adventures in this blockbuster saga are poised to captivate old and new fans alike—beginning with the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And alongside the cinematic debut comes the thrilling novel adaptation by New York Times bestselling science fiction master Alan Dean Foster.
Set years after Return of the Jedi, this stunning new action-packed adventure rockets us back into the world of Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Luke Skywalker, while introducing a host of exciting new characters. Darth Vader may have been redeemed and the Emperor vanquished, but peace can be fleeting, and evil does not easily relent. Yet the simple belief in good can still empower ordinary individuals to rise and meet the greatest challenges.
So return to that galaxy far, far away, and prepare yourself for what happens when the Force awakens. . . .
Praise for Star Wars: The Force Awakens
"Like all the best novelizations, Alan Dean Foster's adaptation of Star Wars: The Force Awakens enriches the movie experience. The novel goes beyond simply giving us insight into the characters' thoughts, with plenty of additional scenes painting a broader picture of the galaxy."—New York Daily News
"Fast-moving, atmospheric and raises goose-bumps at just the right moments. [Foster] not only evokes entire onscreen worlds . . . he also gives us glimpses of an even more vast, unseen universe."—The Washington Post
"Was my experience of the film enriched by the book? Yes. No question. Is the novelization worth reading? Yes. . . . Foster has written a book that captures the spirit of the film, while presenting additional information that helps answer some of the questions that linger."—Coffee with Kenobi
The #1 New York Times bestseller that launched the phenomenal career of Tom Clancy—a gripping military thriller that introduced the world to his unforgettable hero, Jack Ryan—nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read.
Somewhere under the freezing Atlantic, a Soviet sub commander has just made a fateful decision. The Red October is heading west. The Americans want her. The Russians want her back. The chase for the highly advanced nuclear submarine is on—and there's only one man who can find her...
Brilliant CIA analyst Jack Ryan has little interest in fieldwork, but when covert photographs of Red October land on his desk, Ryan soon finds himself in the middle of a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek played by two world powers—a game that could end in all-out war.
But could he be the only one who never died?
"Did you ever hear the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise? It's a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise that he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life. He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying."
—Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
Darth Plagueis: one of the most brilliant Sith Lords who ever lived. Possessing power is all he desires. Losing it is the only thing he fears. As an apprentice, he embraces the ruthless ways of the Sith. And when the time is right, he destroys his Master—but vows never to suffer the same fate. For like no other disciple of the dark side, Darth Plagueis learns to command the ultimate power . . . over life and death.
Darth Sidious: Plagueis's chosen apprentice. Under the guidance of his Master, he secretly studies the ways of the Sith, while publicly rising to power in the galactic government, first as Senator, then as Chancellor, and eventually as Emperor.
Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious, Master and acolyte, target the galaxy for domination—and the Jedi Order for annihilation. But can they defy the merciless Sith tradition? Or will the desire of one to rule supreme, and the dream of the other to live forever, sow the seeds of their destruction?
Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!
It begins with a hit gone wrong. Robie is dispatched to eliminate a target unusually close to home in Washington, D.C. But something about this mission doesn't seem right to Robie, and he does the unthinkable. He refuses to pull the trigger. Now, Robie becomes a target himself and is on the run.
Fleeing the scene, Robie crosses paths with a wayward teenage girl, a fourteen-year-old runaway from a foster home. But she isn't an ordinary runaway--her parents were murdered, and her own life is in danger. Against all of his professional habits, Robie rescues her and finds he can't walk away. He needs to help her. Even worse, the more Robie learns about the girl, the more he's convinced she is at the center of a vast cover-up, one that may explain her parents' deaths and stretch to unimaginable levels of power.
Now, Robie may have to step out of the shadows in order to save this girl's life...and perhaps his own.
When author Michael J. Sullivan self-published the first books of his Riyria Revelations series online, they rapidly became ebook bestsellers. Now, Orbit is pleased to present the complete series for the first time in bookstores everywhere.
Heir of Novron is the final volume of The Riyria Revelations and includes Wintertide and ---available for the first time--- the final volume, Percepliquis.
Theft of Swords (The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha)
Rise of Empire (Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm)
Heir of Novron (Wintertide & Percepliquis)
One of the most cunning and ruthless warriors in the history of the Galactic Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn is also one of the most captivating characters in the Star Wars universe, from his introduction in bestselling author Timothy Zahn's classic Heir to the Empire through his continuing adventures in Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, and beyond. But Thrawn's origins and the story of his rise in the Imperial ranks have remained mysterious. Now, in Star Wars: Thrawn, Timothy Zahn chronicles the fateful events that launched the blue-skinned, red-eyed master of military strategy and lethal warfare into the highest realms of power—and infamy.
Praise for Thrawn
"The origin story of one of the greatest Star Wars villains . . . a book that fans have wanted for decades."—The Verge
"A satisfying tale of political intrigue . . . Thrawn's observations and tactical thinking are utterly captivating."—New York Daily News
"Quite the page-turner."—Flickering Myth


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MALMÖ, Sweden (Sinclair Broadcast Group) - The refugee crisis in the years leading up to 2015 had many countries in Europe struggling to keep up with the number of people looking for a safe place to live.
For Sweden, that rise in immigration has led some to see a shift in that country's cultural identity.
The call to Friday prayer is led by an Imam at the front of the mosque in Malmö; men worship downstairs, the women do so upstairs.
Roland Vishkurti says the structure is historic, "we are the largest mosque here in Malmö and the first mosque here in Scandinavia, it's a part of Sweden's history and the Swedish Society."
His is one of the largest mosques in the country, and it's been growing as many refugees seeking asylum in record numbers have come from Muslim nations.
"They have come here to this country not on their own free will, they have been forced to come here. They have left everything behind. there are children who have come here without parents and parents who have come without their children so it's not easy for them."
More than a quarter million refugees sought refuge in Sweden, seeking asylum between 2014 - 2015.
The country modified its border policy as a result.
Some argue the suburbs of Sweden's major cities like Malmö and Stockholm have seen changes.
"It's a culture clash," Vice Chairman Julia Kronlid of the Swedish Democrats explains.
"There are people that don't..want to contribute to the Swedish country and don't want to be a part of our culture and respect the culture and respect the laws, and that is a big problem."
While Kronlid says not everyone seeking refuge is disrespecting laws, she feels some who have come to her country aren't trying to assimilate.
Sinclair Broadcast Group reached out to other political parties, who were unable to provide anyone to speak further on their position regarding the topic of immigration.
In Stockholm, some of the problems of violence are isolated to suburbs a few miles away from downtown, in areas like Rinkeby.
At the main square, while visiting in early January, Inside Your World saw a memorial for one man who was gunned down in the plaza. In a separate incident, a young man was shot and killed on a Monday evening while eating at a pizza parlor.
"I don't recognize my city anymore," Faroer - a woman living in the area - said.
When she moved to Rinkeby 20 years ago, she said it was a peaceful, safe place; she argues it hasn't stayed that way.
Katerina Janouch, a journalist who has been documenting the increase in crime against women, agrees things have changed.
"I don't know how much worse it can get, now we stand here and everything looks calm but that's the contradiction of it because on the surface it looks so calm, but it's not," she said.
Statistics provided by the Swedish government show a 70 percent increase in sexual offenses between 2014 and 2015.
"You must know who you let into your country, you can't compromise the security of your people."
Vishkurti, while hopeful Swedes don't turn their anger towards people of the Muslim faith, believes the influx of people did lead to a resource problem, that he hopes the government will address.
"They need control. There is a bit of a problem, but it is a political problem...they don't have the resources to take in 50,000 people at once as it was 2 years ago."

subset: commoncrawl


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Summer Latin Cruises
September 12, 2015
7:00 pm
7:00 pm
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Summer Latin Cruises Salsa Nights With the Best Selection of Latin and Salsa Top 40!
Experience The Latin Culture in a three hour cruise-ship and simply dance the night away with the best selection of music (Salsa Latin-Top 40') in the city of Vancouver with 3 Floors with three Djs. Let us guide you through the quiet waters of False Creek by glitter of Science World, or into the affervescent Inner Harbour, also don't forget the beautiful West Van Shore line.
This year will include a Buffet Dinner with the value of you Ticket.
Starting from


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Debby Nelson needed a new button or icon design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 17 designs submitted by 4 freelance designers.
We need your creative genius. Looking for someone to design our software app's initial set of icons. We hope to engage the winning designer with follow on work! Plus we will give the winner a free banner ad!
Good luck & thanks for your submission!
- No boxes surrounding icon; prefer transparent icons on white background, not enclosed.
- Not black & white
- Not too busy -- images will be scaled smaller for use in various areas.
- must be original copyrightable art.


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Austin01 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 40 designs submitted by 11 freelance designers.
Landvest is a company that specialises in buying land in any part of the UK with or without planning approval and then obtaining the relevant planning approvals for onward sale to home builders and housing associations.
The management team have an average of over 25 years in the property industry. Managing major housebuilding companies, working as land directors and running their own land and development businesses.
We have an impressive track record of results both in the UK and abroad.
We are expert at determining the best use for land and navigating through the complex process of obtaining planning consent.
Our audience consists of representatives from medium and large home building organisations, housing associations and wealthy private investors who wish to invest in our projects.
We are looking for a logo that conveys an established, but modern brand. It must imply professionalism, credibility, success, trustworthiness.
At this stage, we are flexible on what case is used for the logo, whether it is all upper case, all lower casr or a mix. Landvest should be one word though.
We will consider an icon along with the text if it enhances the logo.
We're happy for some graphic elements of 'land' and 'investment' to be used, but make sure its not too contrived or cheesy!
The files we will require are:
Print file format - .ai (CMYK)
Web file format - .jpg and layered .psd (RGB)
We will require the winner to supply a number of different sized images so that we have appropriate sizes for different uses we may have for the logo.
The website for Landvest is http://www.landvestplc.com
We are flexible with colour, but ideally would like to see black, grey, blue, green or white (or any combination of) in the logo.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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GENEVA – Two people hired by Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen have been quietly working to implement Lauzen's envisioned county community outreach program, even as Lauzen continues to heap praise on a man who could be the subject of Lauzen's next appointment at county Animal Control.
Cheryl Maraffio of Aurora and Nicholas Scanlan of Sugar Grove were hired on a contract basis last month to serve as coordinators of the Kane County Connected program, according to county records.
County records indicate the county received 32 applications for the position.
The Kane County Connected program is designed to center on social media, such as Facebook, to "connect Kane County's different constituencies," Lauzen has said.
He said Maraffio and Scanlan were selected because both demonstrated "competence and enthusiasm."
He declined to discuss their qualifications further.
Maraffio and Scanlan did not reply to a message left at the Kane County Connected office Wednesday afternoon.
Published information indicate that Maraffio has served on the board of the Fox Valley United Way and as campaign coordinator for Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner. She also served as CEO of the Barrio Foundation and various roles centered on violence prevention at the city of Aurora.
No such information was available for Scanlan.
Lauzen said he did not know either of them before interviewing them.
The two were hired under a six-month temporary contract.
However, Lauzen has asked the County Board to fund the positions next year using money from the Grand Victoria Casino.
Lauzen also is expected to hire a new animal control administrator later this year. Lauzen said he remains "grateful" for the performance to date of Rob Sauceda as billing manager.
Lauzen said he does not know whether the county has received applications from anyone for the administrator position yet.
Sauceda's hire was controversial, as board members questioning Sauceda's political ties to Lauzen, balked at Lauzen's initial attempt to install Sauceda as animal control administrator.
Lauzen then opted to name Sauceda billing manager.
Lauzen on Wednesday again pointed to Sauceda's apparent success in increasing revenue to Animal Control, noting that the department has brought in $200,000 more year-to-date than in 2012.
Board member Mark Davoust, R-St. Charles, has been vocal in opposition to Sauceda's employment, saying he believed the hiring violated Lauzen's campaign pledge to "drain the swamp of cronyism."
Davoust conceded that Sauceda has done well as billing manager, but continued to question whether Sauceda should serve as animal control administrator.
"I've never been an opponent of success at animal control," Davoust said. "All I ask is that this position be posted and be fairly offered to all interested people."
Lauzen, however, lashed out at Davoust, saying Davoust "should be sensitive to his living in a glass house" when criticizing Sauceda's hire.
"He voted for all the failures that came before and now opposes our success," Lauzen said. "It's unnecessary."


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Man decorates basement with $10 worth of Sharpie
September 18, 2008 by David Stephenson
Filed under Arts & Entertainment, David Stephenson, Multimedia, Visual arts
When Charlie Kratzer started on the basement art project in his south Lexington home, he was surrounded by walls painted a classic cream. Ten dollars of Magic Marker and Sharpie later, the place was black and cream and drawn all over. FULL STORY1,783,618 views


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Windows Treatments & Curtains Covina
Window Treatments LA is a window fashion design company services Covina area that provides design and installation services for blinds, shades, drapes, shutters and much much more.
Apart from a rich collection of Custom Window Treatments made in over 2000 designer fabrics. Window Curtains, Drapes, Window Valances, Window Shades, Sheer Curtains. Free Fabric Swatches. We follow ethical business practices and principles in our dealing with our clients, which enables us in offering complete satisfaction to our customers in Covina.
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WTF: 17 Year Old Girl Arrested For Cursing At A 911 Operator To Help Dying Father In Detroit! "Are You Going To Swear Again? You Stupid Ass" (Cop Still Had Is Job)
7 News reports "17 yr old Adrainne Ledesma calls 9-1-1 after her father had a stroke. She swore before the operator picked up the phone then the operator started to lecture her on swearing and hung up on here, She called back and the operator then called Adrainne a "stupid ass" and a buffoon. Eventually Adrainne had to walk to the police station to get help, instead she was arrested on charges that do not exist "abusing 9-1-1" "
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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As she marveled at the site of a shrinking Alaska glacier, the newly installed leader of the Environmental Protection Agency said Monday that the president told her that fighting climate change should be her primary focus.
"The president's main priority for me was to recognize when I was coming in here that this is going to be a significant challenge and one in which the administration was going to begin to tackle," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.
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While the Portage Glacier has been in a long retreat, the National Climate Assessment links the accelerated melting of glaciers and Arctic sea ice to global warming caused by human activity. Worldwide, most glaciers are losing mass and some are disappearing altogether.
McCarthy is visiting Alaska in one of her first trips since the Senate confirmed her as EPA chief last month.
"Here it's a beautiful sight," she said after taking a boat tour to the face of the glacier near Anchorage. "But in other areas, the melting of ice pack is a significant issue, primarily for drinking water."
Limiting the greenhouse gas emissions from America's power plants is the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's climate change plan, which he laid out this summer. He instructed the EPA to figure out the specifics.
McCarthy said Monday that the agency is working on how to lower carbon emissions and make the nation's infrastructure better able to deal with global warming.
"The climate is changing and we need to adapt to that change and make sure communities are prepared," she said.
A trip to Iowa two weeks ago highlighted the issues, she said.
"There was no question in discussions with both farmers and ranchers the climate change impacts we're seeing right now are severe," she said. "We're having drought and floods in the same state at the same time."
McCarthy's path to the EPA's top job was rocky. Senate Republicans held up her nomination for more than four months before she was confirmed July 18. They used Obama's choice of McCarthy to highlight complaints about the agency's environmental regulations and the president's agenda. McCarthy was previously head of the EPA's air pollution office.
Alaska's senators were divided over her confirmation. Democratic Sen. Mark Begich voted for McCarthy, while Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski opposed her, although she did not support a filibuster attempt. Murkowski, the top-ranking Republican on the Senate energy committee, did not return a message Monday about the new EPA leader.
"Sen. Murkowski agrees that climate change should be addressed, but remains concerned about the administration circumventing Congress to impose costly and unpopular regulations," her spokesman, Robert Dillon, said in an email.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has characterized Obama's climate change plan as a war on jobs, particularly targeting the coal industry,
McCarthy said Monday she wants to hear from officials in Alaska and the other states on out how to combat climate change in a way that gives them flexibility.
"How do we make a response to this climate challenge work in a way that's healthy to the economy as well as addressing what is perhaps the greatest threat we have to the environment," she said.
McCarthy next plans to visit the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, where the EPA is considering blocking the gigantic Pebble Mine project. The open pit mine is proposed for an area that produces half the world's wild red salmon. McCarthy said she wants to hear from mine developers and local residents who would be affected.
"Right now we're in a fact-finding mode to make sure we get the science correct and we understand the impacts in that area," she said. "Then we will work on what that means for decisions."


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CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Senior John Fox and junior Megan Bradford
each placed 10th individually to lead the Tennessee Tech men's and
women's golf teams, as the Golden Eagles combined to finish sixth
in the Stono Cup Challenge hosted by the College of Charleston.
Bradford saved her best round for last, shooting a 74 Tuesday to wrap up the 54-hole tournament with a 233 total. That placed her in a tie for 10th place, after opening play Monday with rounds of 78 and 81.
The Golden Eagle women improved by 18 strokes over their second round score, shooting a 314 on Tuesday to match their first round total. That gave first-year coach Brandy Stout's team a 960 total for fifth place, just two shots behind fourth place Gardner-Webb.
Host College of Charleston won the women's team title with a 914, giving them a 15-shot win over runnerup James Madison at 929. Woford was third at 931, followed by Gardner-Webb, Tech, Houston Baptist (967), USC Upstate (999) and The Citadel (1,053).
Sophomore Carley Rhyne sliced seven strokes off her second round score to shoot a final round 79 and finish in 21st place at 244. Junior Diana Carson had the biggest improvement on the final day, cutting her score from 89 in the second round to 79 in the final round for a 246 to finish 24th.
Senior Madison Denman finished in 26th place, shooting an 82 Tuesday to close at 247. Senior Ashley Spangler rounded out the Tech lineup, finishing with an 88 and a 253 total for 34th place.
In the men's standings, Stephen F. Austin won in a playoff to claim the team crown after matching USC Upstate at 884 through 54 holes. James Madison (886) was third, followed by College of Charlesston (888), Belmont (895), Gardner-Webb (908), Wofford (908) and Tech (918).
Fox led the Golden Eagles with a 71-72-78 for a 221 total, placing him 10th. Junior Wesley Korth also earned a top 20 finish, closing the tournament with an 80 for a 225 total to finish 18th overall. Senior Greyson Painter (233) was 29th, followed by sophomore Tyler Cassetty (240) in 37th place and senior Preston Marshal (246) in 40th.
In the battle for the Stono Cup, which combines the men's and women's team scores for each school, the host school College of Charleston came out on top with an 1,802 total. James Madison (1,815) was second, Wofford (1,839) third, Gardner-Webb (1,878) fouth and Tennessee Tech (1,878) placed fifth. USC Upstate (1,883) was sixth in the standings.
The next action for the Tech men's team is the UT Martin Skykawk Classic, Oct. 13-14, at Paris Landing State Park. For the Tech women, their next tournament is the Austin Peay Invitational, Oct. 20-21, in Clarksville.
Stono Cup Standings:
1) College of Charleston - 1802
2) James Madison - 1815
3) Wofford - 1839
4) Gardner Webb - 1866
5) Tennessee Tech - 1878
6) USC Upstate - 1883


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The 2006 Greenwich Concours d'Elegance is the kind of event where the parking lot could be confused with the show itself: I puttered in as a guy driving a Maybach 57 was coolly gliding out. You see that kind of stuff in Greenwich. You also see tiny dogs being chauffeured in man-purses, but we're
here to talk about cars.
Click through for more...<\/p>
Local dealerships ringed the concours area and made white tents their showrooms. At twelve, three, six and nine o clock around the concours sat a white-on-white Bugatti Veyron, a black Mercedes McLaren SLR, the next-generation Audi S8 with its ex-Lamborghini V10 (and no VIN), and a Spyker
C8 like a jewel in black and aluminum. Plus, a guy tried to sell me a Gulfstream. This was just the sideshow.
The height of American style at the show was Malcolm Pray Jr.'s 1934 Auburn Boattail Speedster. Its twelve-cylinder powerplant, (notice the various "12" accents), was made for aircraft duty by Lycoming, but the bodywork is all Auburn, Indiana. Pray found this particular car in a Los Angeles junkyard 25 years ago and restored it to million-dollar status.
Some other highlights:
· 1961 Fiat Jolly 500: Half a liter of displacement, a cloth top and wicker seats. I think the only respectable way to drive this is on your own property with a drink in your hand.
· 1957 Dual Ghia: Body by Carrozzeria Ghia Studios, D-500 Hemi engine, only 117 were made with an estimated 32 surviving. Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. both owned one. Rita Hayworth's bloomers may still be shoved in the glovebox.
· 1955 Abarth 207A spec racer, with body by Carozzeria Boano: One of ten made. Note the black Scorpion on the tail. (Background: 83 Ferrari 512 BBi, '73 365 GTB/4 Daytona, '68 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 Coupe)
· 1996 Porsche 993 Turbo with bodywork by Strosek. Note the dual air intakes on the leading edges of the rear wing.
· 1974 BMW 2002 Turbo: I'm not sure why the "2002 Turbo" on the front splitter is written as a mirror-image, possibly so cars in front know to get out of the way. (Background '63 Mercedes-Benz 300SL).
· 1957 BMW 507: The 2005 M5's V10 was given exactly 507hp in order to pay homage this car. (Background: '89 635 CSi).
· 1952 Chrysler Ghia One-Off SWB (Short Wheel Base): Possibly the only one of its kind in the world. I wasn't able to get any further information, but it's gorgeous in person.
· 1967 Lamborghini 400GT: Without a single flat plane anywhere on its body. Compare and contrast with the current crop. (Background: '65 Ferrari 275 GTB)
· 1957 Maserati 450 S Costin-Zagato, one of ten ever made. 4.5L V-8, 4 Weber carbs, 400hp: made by Maserati to piss off Ferarri and Jaguar in the sports car World Championship at events like the Mille Miglia and Le Mans. This car may or may not have once been driven by Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio, depending on the person with whom you're speaking.
· 1953 Allard J2: Made as a rolling chasis with the buyer adding his own motor. In most cases that motor was a 5.4 liter Cadillac V-8. This car still races in vintage classes at Lime Rock Park, Laguna Seca and Watkins Glen with its owner, Richard Myers, at the helm. Nacy Myers (pictured) told me they restored it in 1996 after buying it worse-for-wear from an owner in Florida.
[By James Gribbon]
Brandy Snifters on the Green: Pebble Beach in Retrospect [internal]


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The stock market's drop in April, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed in March at its first new high since the Great Panic of 2008, has prompted a lot of conflicting predictions from analysts.
Some say it marks the end of an impressive bull market, while others say it's just the beginning of a much larger rally. These predictions may or may not turn out to be correct — and they leave the investor confused.
However, as with the downturn four years ago, there are smart financial moves everyone can make to potentially take advantage when and if the market rebounds.
Rebalance — Rebalancing is the process of correcting an asset allocation that has become over-weighted or under-weighted due to a
market fluctuation. In layman's terms, it is the process of bringing all your investments back into a predefined mix of equities and fixed
income assets.
Donate Appreciated Securities – Anyone charitable minded may have a perfect opportunity to meet donation goals and double their tax savings using appreciated securities during a market high. Provided you have owned the security for at least a year, you can donate the asset and use the current market value as a deduction on your taxes.
Exercise Stock Options — Stock compensation is an important tool of corporations today in attracting and retaining key employees. Many executives find a significant portion of their compensation being paid in the form of stock options. A market high may be an excellent time to exercise some of your vested stock options if your company stock participated in the market rally.
Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) strategy — Withdraw company stock from your 401(k) and, instead of rolling it into an IRA, transfer it to a taxable brokerage account. There are strict rules to follow so consult a financial adviser who is experienced with this transaction before
Stop Timing the Market – The Great Panic in 2008 and 2009 scared many investors out of stocks entirely. The past four years may have been a missed opportunity as these investors waited on the sidelines for the right time to get back in. You will never know when the stock market is going to go down or when it will recover. The good news is you don't have to know.
Devise a solid financial plan using an asset-allocation strategy that divides your money between a diversified equity portfolio and fixed income.
Rebalance your portfolio periodically to take advantage of stock market volatility. The famous investor Peter Lynch said, "Far more money has been lost by investors preparing for corrections, or trying to anticipate corrections, than has been lost in corrections themselves."


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markessien needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 89 designs submitted by 24 freelance designers.
We're an iPhone app company, young small and impish.
Young and fun users
The title of the company is PuffBirds. I'm looking for a company logo that represents the puffbirds concept. There is an actual bird called the puffbird, please ignore this bird. Rather, use the following brief:
A little coloured bird with puffed up cheeks and large eyes, very cute, kinda like a fat pidgin (but not necessarily). Bright colors, 3D looking. Include the text of the company on the logo with an appropriate font.
Be careful not to be too childish with the logo, but more "fun". The more unique the expression of the bird is, the better, but not too silly. The expression of the bird should be the naughty cute kind of expression. The bird should be kind of sideways, but looking towards the viewer. If there is a way to make it half-3d and half-flat then that's great.
I am not stuck on this particular description, if you have something new and creative even if different, I'd like that also.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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There is nothing on the photo to say where it was taken or what the occasion was, but I think I may have discovered that! After numerous searches in the Gleaner on the name "McDougal" I came across a couple of stories about prize giving functions at Victoria Girls' Secondary School. One in particular may hold the answer to the mystery of the photograph. This is from the Gleaner of December 20, 1912, and begins:
"The breaking-up of the Victoria Girls' School, No. 28 Victoria Avenue, conducted by Miss McDougal, came off sucessfully at St. George's Schoolroom by kind permission of the Rev. J. L. Ramson on Tuesday night last; His Grace the Archbishop presided during a portion of the function and, on retiring, his place was taken by Mr. McFarlane, Principal of the Mico College".
The story goes on to relate that Miss McDougal, after giving a report on the school, announced that she was closing it and taking the position, offered to her by Sister Madeline, of Headmistress of the Deaconess Home School. This new school would become Arcadia School ... more of that later ... but to return to my mother ... further on in the story is the following:
"The programme was then proceeded with and the children acquitted themselves remarkably well. The Ribbon and Tamboureen [sic] Drills, which were admirably executed, were highly appreciated, as was testified to by the prolonged applause of the audience".
Surely this photograph has to be of my mother doing the Ribbon and Tambourine Drill! She would have been about eighteen at the time.
After she left school my mother taught under Miss McDougal at the Arcadia School which was located at 13 West Avenue, Kingston Gardens. In the Gleaner of May 22, 1922, I found a report on the Prize Giving at Arcadia School. The pupils had recently presented an operetta at the Ward Theatre, the proceeds of which were donated to the Wortley Home Orphanage at Constant Spring. In her report on the work of the school Miss McDougal thanked "her assistants, viz: Misses Berry, Noad and Smedmore for the whole-hearted interest and careful training of the pupils to which alone the success of the entertainment was undoubtedly due". In the prize list is the following: Form IVb prize, awarded to Muriel Dias by Miss Smedmore; Form IIIb prize, awarded to Olga Holtz by Miss Smedmore.
My mother got married April 27, 1926, but she seems to have kept a connection to the school even though she did not work after marriage. The Gleaner reports on May 19, 1927 on yet another Arcadia School Prize Giving at which my mother, now referred to as Mrs. Levy, awarded the prize for Cambridge Senior Exam to Geraldine Bodden. By now, however, she was the mother of a young child, my brother Micky, who was born April 2, 1927, and her teaching career was over.


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Millennials and their impact on society is a constant topic of debate. In fact, milliennials are even having trouble figuring out their own views, The Atlantic reported. It seems like every few days there's a new report about what millennials are going to be like in later years, and how they're going to shape the future.
So here's a light hearted, fun look at how millennials might be fitting into the changing world ahead.
1. They aren't reading as much
Well, reading might be a thing of the past. Time magazine reported on May 12 that teens are no longer reading for fun and leisure, which is largely in part because of technology's growth. "And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the — Snapchat!" wrote Charlotte Alter for Time magazine.
2. They're being more critical
College students are showing a new type of smartness. It's not your typical intelligence, but it's being critical in an almost ironic way, wrote Michael S. Roth for The New York Times. This shows that young people may be in a critical scenario. "The skill at unmasking error, or simple intellectual one-upmanship," wrote Roth, "is not totally without value, but we should be wary of creating a class of self-satisfied debunkers — or, to use a currently fashionable word on campus, people who like to 'trouble' ideas."
3. They're not having debates, though
College students aren't debating as much as in earlier years. The Wall Street Journal's Ruth R. Wisse wrote this week that professors aren't encouraging a lot of debate, hindering students from grasping full understanding. "Universities have not only failed to stand up to those who limit debate, they have played a part in encouraging them," Wisse wrote. "The modish commitment to so-called diversity replaces the ideal of guaranteed equal treatment of individuals with guaranteed group preferences in hiring and curricular offerings."
4. Music tastes are changing
Not every song can be a hit. But for millennials, a bunch of baby boomer favorites might not even crack the top 10. Rolling Stone magazine published a list this week of 40 songs millennials haven't heard of, even though baby boomers adored them. "Some albums transcend their eras, finding their way into the cultural canon and continually being rediscovered by subsequent generations of listeners," Rolling Stone reported. "And some don't."
5. Dropping narcissism
Is narcissism something for millennials, or is it more of a generational thing? Alexandra Petri of The Washington Post wrote Thursday that millennials actually aren't going to be overly self-involved like many think. Instead, it may just be a growing pain. "Look, we should be more worried about Generation Z, anyway," Petri wrote, tongue-in-cheek. "So few of them have jobs, content to live off their parents and waste hours of each day at high schools and middle schools and — in some cases — elementary schools. Generation Freeload, that's what I'd call them! We were never like this! The things they're doing to pop music already!"
6. Getting hired
Michael Macking of Business 2 Community, a business information website, said that millennials should be the next hire for companies. Not only do they want to improve, but they're always willing to embrace new challenges and are already engrained in digital media. "Members of Generation Y have never known a time when technology did not play a central role in daily life," Macking wrote. "As a result, they are comfortable with all types of technology, from social media to online collaboration tools to using computers in all aspects of their work."
7. Getting paid
Worried your millennial child won't find a job? Fear not — they're actually richer than you. Linda Nguyen of the Hamilton Spectator reported that young millennials in Canada are actually more well off than their parents were. "This means millennials can buy about two percent more goods and services than their parents could in the mid-1980s," wrote BMO senior economist Sal Guatieri of the Hamilton Spectator. "That doesn't sound like much, but the difference adds up over time."
8. Unfollowing?
Here's a shocker. Despite their tech-savvy nature, millennials don't really trust Twitter or the information that comes through it, CBS News reported. "Our findings indicate young people are somewhat wary of information that comes from Twitter. It's a good sign," Kimberly Fenn, an assistant professor at Michigan State University, said in a press release. "We propose young adults are taking into account the medium of the message when integrating information into memory."
9. Less religious
Earlier this year, the Pew Research Center released a study that found millennials are less religious than older generations. This is true for Hispanic millennials, too, according to a new Pew study. "Hispanic Millennials mirror young American adults overall in their lower rates of religious affiliation and commitment compared with their older counterparts."
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