Having fallen along with his precious Constantinople, the brave soldier Rangabes awakens in the darkness of death--in Tartarus no less. From the yawning maw of the underworld, he is thrust into the center of an epic struggle between the myths of old and the coming of a new order. He is forced to travel through the various pantheons of old myth and face their many perils. He contends with gods and monsters alike, battles legendary heroes, and his will is tested again and again. Befriending an ancient poet and a three-headed hound, he journeys towards Hyperborea in hopes of becoming worthy of carrying his ancient blood onto new shores. An American Aeneid, "Cerberus Slept" is the first step of a three-legged journey into eternity. Virtue is tested, time and meaning are questioned, and power, fate and purpose all are challenged through impossible conflict and deep dialogue. This is an epic for those royal few ready to leave the herd and ascend into the fires of a new tomorrow. Awaken and ascend!

Loyal soldiers in the service of Falcon, the Wolf Pack stands against Gairon the Harbinger. The Winter War is long over, but the threat of the Darklords still lurks in every shadow. A new enemy has joined the ranks of Gairon’s minions, wrapped inside a centuries old mystery. Though questions beg answers, the young men and women of the Wolf Pack bury their doubts and fears with their dead. They struggle while Shadows Wait to Play.

If the gods realize Lexi is the daughter of Hades and Persephone, she’ll become their next sacrifice. Lexi’s only path to safety is to free her father from the prison the other gods have trapped him in. To do so, she must enlist the help of a loyal and gorgeous hellhound, and an obnoxious but sexy hero. No one warned her about the trials that await. The maze that threatens to consume her. The rampaging champion who can kill her with a single blow. And the vengeful ex who would slaughter them all without a second thought. And she definitely wasn’t warned about the loves fate has in store for her. When she discovers Cerberus’ and Actaeon’s lies, she may lose both her heart and her life, regardless of what fate wants. Author’s Note: Truth’s Harem is a #WhyChoose series, with an older heroine who finds her happily ever after with three partners over the length of the series.

Tor Essentials presents new editions of science fiction and fantasy titles of proven merit and lasting value, each volume introduced by an appropriate literary figure. Far from Earth, two sister planets, Saint Anne and Saint Croix, circle each other in an eternal dance. It is said a race of shapeshifters once lived here, only to perish when men came. But one man believes they can still be found, somewhere in back of the beyond. In The Fifth Head of Cerberus, Gene Wolfe skillfully interweaves three bizarre tales to create a mesmerizing pattern: the harrowing account of the son of a mad genius who discovers his hideous heritage; a young man's mythic dreamquest for his darker half; and the bizarre chronicle of a scientist's nightmarish imprisonment. Like an intricate, braided knot, the pattern at last unfolds to reveal astonishing truths about this strange and savage alien landscape. With a new introduction by O. Henry Award winning author Brian Evenson At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Philip Burnham's poems have a slow-building intensity to them, a quiet meditative force that gathers from the first few lines and takes the reader into the heart of his experiences of nature, love, history, and place. Shore Lines is a rich trove of the well-observed and the deeply felt. Adam Haslett, Author of You are Not a Stranger Here National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize Finalist

`A mischievously entertaining crime novel' SIMON BRETT The tenth instalment in The Falconer Files, Andrea Frazer's insanely gripping village detective series with a delightful slice of humour. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Lillian Jackson Braun and Midsomer Murders. READER'S CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF ANDREA'S QUIRKY CRIME NOVELS! ***** 'Love this author and will definitely be reading more of her books' Author Review ***** 'Andrea Frazer's imagination is wonderful... her mysteries are populated by great, quirky characters and good humour' Author Review ***** 'Andrea Frazer never fails to supply a good read with a suspenseful plot' Author Review ***** 'I love all of Andrea Frazer books. Funny but a good mystery too' Author Review ___________ There is mischief afoot in the village of Fallow Fold. Persons unknown have been on a spree of vandalism, scratching cars, smashing colourful pots of flowers in full bloom, breaking greenhouse windows and defiling a front door with a racist word, written in spray paint. The police are called, and given the unavailability of more junior personnel DI Harry Falconer and DS Davey Carmichael arrive to investigate, but there are no obvious suspects. Then a resident is attacked as he keeps a nocturnal vigil, hoping to catch whoever is responsible for the vandalism. Soon, there is a surfeit of uncharacteristic behaviour from those who live there, and Falconer begins to suspect that there is more to come. When the man who runs the local bridge circle disappears, there is a palpable whiff of evil in the air which leads to a murderous attack on one of the police officers. This is a time when DI Falconer is forced to search his soul to discover what, and who, is really important in his life, and what really matters in it.

I only meant to steal a few moments to myself that night as the roar of the guests and the crash of the orchestra had worn my nerves thin. Just a few minutes alone in the hallway to reset myself and focus had been all I wanted. I hadn't meant to see something I shouldn't have. They hadn't known I was there as they brawled and I had watched from the shadows in terror, too petrified to cry out, let alone move. They almost left on their merry way but somehow one of them had sensed me and from that moment I became his prey. He said my soul was the ambrosia he had been hunting for and he would savor it someday when he decided to kill me. He burned his demonic mark into my arm to claim my soul and cackled at my pain. Promising me more if I screamed but I refused to give in to death. If anyone sees the mark they'll know I've been claimed by a demon and I'll be executed by the military and my mangled body used as an example of what it means to become inhuman. And I can't remove the unholy mark either as no one had been able to do so since the dawn of time. But I am my father's daughter and I refuse to go quietly. I made a contract with another monster in hopes he'll keep my soul intact and prevent my early demise but in doing so I've sealed my fate. If the mark is found out I'll be executed. If I do nothing than someday that monster will come back and devour me, body and soul. But if anyone were to find out that I contracted another fey as my ally than I'll be beheaded for treason to the empire. But I refuse to go quietly. Even if it breaks my soul bit by bit, in the end, it's still mine and not in the jaws of the monsters who lurk in the night. But in fighting for my life the secrets of my blood are revealed and the true radiance of my soul is blinding everyone around me. Even me.

Weird Tales magazine is known for launching a number of sub-genres of fiction—cosmic horror, swords & sorcery, dark fantasy, and others. It has also greatly added to existing genres like science fiction, horror, and—a personal favorite of editor Jonathan Maberry—weird mystery stories. Or, as they became known—occult detective tales. Here are all-original tales about people who peer into the shadows in order to solve a mystery. Sometimes successfully ... and sometimes the darkness wins. The stories range from nail-biting horror to very dark comedy, and there’s a generous mix of short stories, flash fiction (shorter works of about 1500 words), and poems. The lineup is killer, as you’ll discover, and the interpretations of what constitutes “occult fiction” is unique to each writer. “The Eyrie” by Jonathan Maberry“Dead Jack and the Mystery of Room 216” by James Aquilone“Beneath the Scarred Pulpit” by Kenneth W. Cain“Denizen of Deep Holler” by Jennifer Brody“The Ephemera of Dreams” by Carina Bissett“Forming Threads” by Jody Lynn Nye“The Painted Unseen” by Taylor Grant“Bull Runs” by Kevin J. Anderson“Shimmer” by Keith Strunk“Hold My Beer” by Jeff Strand“La Silla Del Diablo” by Sofía Lapuente & Jarrod Shusterman“The Three-Headed Problem” by Rachel Aukes“Inception” by Brian Lumley“Laurel Caverns” by Lisa Diane Kastner“The Taxidermist” by Lyndsey Croal“Within You, In Time” by Brian Keene and Steven L. Shrewsbury“Sins Will Find You Out” by Cavan Scott“Night’s Disease” by Colleen Anderson