Orozco's stories portray, in impressionistic, and dreamy language, a childhood spent in a small town on the Argentine pampas.

"She's been banished from her home without a word of explanation. Assassins are hot on her tail, and she's fleeing without a plan. On the whole, her future looks grim. Then again, it's nearly impossible to catch a dark elf. And even tougher to kill one."--Inside front cover.

"Talisman is a book about a book: It's the book that's never there when you wake up, no matter how hard you try to take it with you. The book you steal when you're too young to understand it's not the only copy in the world. Talisman is about hunger and magic, and the power of stories made solid."--Back cover.

A strange assortment of humans and otherworldly beings joins a young soldier of God on his perilous quest through an alternate, technology-free reality ruled by an all-powerful Evil In an alternate world where the Dark Ages never ended, “the Evil” that arises every five hundred years has prevented all manner of technological advancement, even well into the twentieth century. The son of a powerful English noble, young Duncan Standish has always longed to be a soldier of the Lord, and now he’s been offered a rare opportunity to fulfill his dream. Entrusted with the delivery of an ancient manuscript—purported to be irrefutable evidence of the existence of Jesus Christ—to a noted Oxenford scholar, Duncan must journey many perilous miles in the company of a motley group of fellow travelers, including a goblin, a ghost, and other magical and non-magical companions. But the road they traverse together is fraught with terrible trials that would test even the most devout, for the Evil is strong in this place of dark wonders. Multiple Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award–winner and SFWA Grand Master Clifford D. Simak moves easily from science fiction to quest fantasy in this enthralling tale of magic, peril, and discovery on an Earth that never was. Rich in color, thrills, and wild invention, and populated by a highly original and unforgettable cast of characters, Fellowship of the Talisman showcases the author’s peerless storytelling skills, demonstrating once again that the great Simak had few equals in the realm of twentieth-century speculative fiction.

Chantel, Adam, Holly and Owen must help Equus, the great white horse, find his mate and foal and regain his magical talisman. But as the horse rises, so does the dragon. The age-old battle between good and evil threatens the bond between Chantel and Adam and endangers the quest. This is fantasy as its best, a story that raises hairs on the back of the neck and sends satisfying chills up and down the spine, a story that, while clearly drawn from the rich world of make believe, feels truer than true.

When it is discovered that his family has long been charged with hiding and protecting Erethindel, the fabulous Crimson Talisman, from the forces of darkness, one young man discovers that it has fallen to him to keep it safe, as the powers of the talisman are awakened within him. Original.

The guard at the city gates does not attempt to stop the stranger entering Nuthollia, for his job is to keep people inside the city and no person would enter the city voluntarily unless he were an agent of Grimlindus. Nuthollia, the capital of Neuthonia, is no longer a trading metropolis. Its remaining inhabitants are usually hiding indoors, trying to escape Grimlindus's violent soldiersthe tall blond northerners, bandit warriors and Knights of Destruction, as well as goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds and ogres from further east on the steppes. While contact with these soldiers is dangerous and unpredictable, the soldiers do keep the city's economy moving, the trade continuing. So Nuthollia's inhabitants, the original Neuthonics as well as countless released prisoners-of-war, attempt to earn a meagre living in fear and dread. The stranger is rnwulf, the tall barbarian who had been learning sword-skills in the cold hills of the Borderlands. He is dressed in heavy furs. His long, straight, black hair is tied back by a broad cloth that completely conceals his forehead and from which hangs three beaded feathers. His heavy broadsword is strapped to his back, partially buried within his fur coat, while a number of knives are strapped to his chest and belt. A two-headed tomahawk hangs from his belt. He is accompanied by Caleb, the huge wolf that is as large as a small pony and which has a thick mane of grey fur. Man and wolf survey the cold, snow-covered streets, looking beyond the unhappy houses to the dark palace standing on a hill near the centre of the city. They turn away from it and head into one of the darker and less inviting neighbourhoods, where even Grimlindus's soldiers would think twice before entering. The houses are closer together than elsewhere; the streets disappear into narrow alleyways and blind corners. Open doorways and boarded windows show that many of the residences are empty of normal occupation. However, a quick survey inside would reveal hiding squatters, ruffians, thieves and muggers. The man and wolf stop in front of a building that is deep within this neighbourhood. This building is similar to all the others, dismal and grey. It has a heavy steel door with a small window at face height, covered by a shutter. The man thumps on the door and the shutter is pulled back, revealing two dark, slanted eyes. "What do you want?" says the bouncer. "Where are your mistresses?" asks rnwulf, with a heavy, northern accent. "They are busy. Who wants to know?" "I was sent by Cleosius the warlord, to purchase something which was stolen from him. They are expecting me." The shutter is slid shut and rnwulf hears muted discussions behind it. The shutter slides open again. "You are early!" snaps the voice and the shutter slams closed. rnwulf thumps on the door again, his blows echoing inside. The shutter is pulled back again. "Can I wait inside?" he asks. The door opens, revealing a seven-and-a-half foot monstrosity, which bends over inside the small front room; its hairy frame fills up the doorway. Bugbear! thinks rnwulf, staring at the hairy giant-goblin, which would tower over one of its smaller goblin or hobgoblin cousins. "Come inside," it snarls, "but the wolf stays out there." After re-locking the door, the bugbear leads rnwulf along a dimly lit corridor, before arriving at a small room, furnished only with a hard-backed chair. "The mistresses are busy, the bugbear growls, but I will send someone to fetch them when they are, um, finished. Would you like a drink while you are waiting?" rnwulf waves the bugbear away and sits on the chair. In a moment, he becomes completely motionless, his keen eyes surveying every inch of the room. He waits, becoming tenser as he looks at the low ceiling and the walls. After a short time he stands up, goes to the door and tries the handle, finding it locked. H

Second in line for succession to the throne, Prince Dagnarus will have his crown...and his queen -- though his heart's prize is a married elfin beauty. Let his hated half-brother Prince Helmos and the Dominion Lords dare to oppose him. For Dagnarus's most loyal servant has ventured into the terrible darkness, where lies the most potent talisman in the realm. And once it is in the dark prince's hand, no power will deter his Destiny.

The day seventeen year old Laura Calder picks up a golden disk in front of her Portsmouth High School in Rhode Island, she begins a fateful journey and a love for two boys: Andrew Easton, a descendant of King George the First, and Miguel Dos Santos, a mysterious gypsy who has royal ties of his own.

"Provides an archetypal frame for approaching the descent that sooner or later we all experience during dark times." – James Hollis, Ph.D., Jungian analyst and bestselling author Written by an experienced psychotherapist, Forged in Darkness encourages readers to work with archetypes in mythology to stop rejecting the darkness within and instead learn to embrace it. When we search within, we inevitably find the underworld – lost connections, failed enterprises, haunting memories, insecurities and buried secrets. This book unites self-discovery with mythology, returning the underworld to its rightful place – a dreaded realm that harbours profound transformation, richness and expansion. Using archetypes from mythology, psychotherapist Dr Joanna LaPrade teaches readers that experiences of darkness are natural and necessary markers along the path of growth and discovery. We all experience darkness, and this comprehensive and accessible guide will show readers of all ages how to embrace the shadowed parts of themselves. For millennia, cultures around the world have told myths about the underworld. It is a tragedy that the only image we have in the West is that of Hercules, requiring us to be strong and defeat the shadowed parts of our life. Forged in Darkness explores the archetype Hercules represents and turns toward other heroes and gods for models of journeying into darkness. When we question, learn to accept and make sacrifices, Odysseus is present. We acknowledge Dionysus when we reconnect with what is volcanic, unrestrained and feral. We may experience Persephone as we’re abducted from our comforts and connected to a mysterious authority within.