The pathfinder, Shea, has chosen to make a place for herself among her former captors, leaving behind her people and the life she once knew. However, not all welcome this outsider in their midst. Shea will find that surviving alone in the wilderness is child’s play next to navigating the politics that come with her new position. Especially when it becomes evident that there are those out for her blood. As a new danger looms on the horizon, Shea and her warlord will need all the allies they can find. Because something is stirring in the barren lands from which all beasts are born. Something old and not seen since the last cataclysm. Can Shea protect her people from this new threat or will it be the dangers from within her own inner circle that destroy her?

The second book in Isabelle Steiger's epic fantasy series, which weaves together the lives of the haves and the have-nots—both desperately fighting to reassemble the remains of a fallen empire. The Rightful Queen returns readers to the territories of Lantistyne. Imperator Elgar has brought war to the continent once again, and the rogues of the Dragon’s Head, once forced into his service, are scattered to the winds, wracked by tragedy and struggling to reunite. While a cornered King Kelken grows increasingly desperate, Arianrod Margraine, the brilliant but outmanned marquise of Esthrades, devises a plan to stretch Elgar’s forces thin and turn the tide of battle in their favor. But when the sheltered queen of Issamira is driven from her throne by a long-simmering plot and the use of forbidden magic, Arianrod faces an even more pressing crisis. Adora Avestri is more than the rightful queen of Issamira, more even than the key to defeating Elgar on the field—she has drawn the attention of beings older than Lantistyne itself, who possess hidden knowledge Arianrod has long desired. But if the queen and the marquise hope to survive long enough to learn it, Adora must find the strength to claim her birthright once and for all, and Arianrod must match wits and magic with a foe she has never before encountered: an equal. The Rightful Queen is another example of Isabelle Steiger's powerful writing, full of intricate characters and complex world-building.

Reynar the Woodsman lost everything when the Mists arrived. The plague killed his wife, two-thirds of the population, and trapped Reynar in his dead-end village. Those who didn’t succumb to the illness were marked with cryptic black tattoos called Pitch, thrusting them into a world permanently changed by the addition of levels, skills, and monsters. The easily flustered Glen is a butcher but has no business holding a sword. Back at home, John’s horde of siblings rely on his silent and dexterous talents for survival. Meanwhile the eccentric bushman, Samson, and his bizarre inventions freeze up in the face of danger. But Samson is determined to pursue his outlandish idea: become adventurers and unlock the mysteries of the Pitch. Without Rey, they’ll surely bumble themselves into an early grave. However, nothing is as it seems. Guided by her mysterious quest log, Guinevere—a power gamer from another world—is set on confronting the true source of the Mists, no matter who gets in her way. Time is running out. Will these unlikely heroes impede her, or help save their world? For fans of Dungeons and Dragons and Terry Pratchett, Lunar Insurrection is an experimental GameLit/LitRPG series featuring a twist on the Isekai genre and a dark sense of humour. Each novella-length installment builds on the larger story and world.

It was always Keito's destiny to lead the Polynesian armies against the Celts and the Picts of the Land-of-Mists. And now the time has come. The Warriors are assembled, the boats are ready, and the gods are preparing for the confrontation. Only Seumas, the Celtic warrior taken from his homeland years before, speaks out against the great adventure. But Seumas is an old man now, embittered by the loss of his beloved wife, Dorcha. Not even the love of his son, Craig, can console him. Soon the mighty army is on the move, crossing the sea towards the unknown land, and Seumas and Craig swell its numbers. They encounter storms, magic, monsters and tragedy even before they reach their destination - the cold, rainy land of muted colours that will decide their fate - and that of their gods. LAND-OF-MISTS is the thrilling climax to the wonderfully epic Navigator Kings series.

When evil descends like fog on a mountain community, no one feels safe.After hearing about a string of murders in a Smoky Mountain town, journalist Harper Jennings realizes a startling truth. She knows who may be responsible--the same person who tried to kill her three years ago. Now Harper must convince the cops to believe her before the killer strikes again.Sheriff Luke Wilder returned to his hometown, determined to keep the promise he made to his dying father. The sleepy tourist area with a tragic past hadn't seen a murder in decades--until now. Keeping the community safe seems impossible as darkness edges closer, threatening to consume everything in its path.As The Watcher grows desperate, Harper and Luke must work together in order to defeat him. But the peril around them escalates, making it clear the killer will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

A stunning fantasy epic featuring three previously released titles in one super sized edition. Includes: Mist Rising ~ The mist is rising nightly and with it brings monsters. It's up to Agathe and her sisters to delve into the mystery of its origin if they are to have any hope for a future. Lying Mirror ~ A betrayal leads to a setback in Agathe's quest. The mist and monsters are getting deadlier by the day, however her quest for answers is fraught with lies. Who can Agathe believe? Deadly Abyss ~With no other choices, Agathe must enter the Abyss to find the truth and save the kingdom. She'll discover more than she expected, including the strength to fight back against those that would see her destroyed.

This comprehensive book examines a range of examples, prepared by a diverse group of academic and industry practitioners, which demonstrate how cloud-based simulation is being extensively used across many disciplines, including cyber-physical systems engineering. This book is a compendium of the state of the art in cloud-based simulation that instructors can use to inform the next generation. It highlights the underlying infrastructure, modeling paradigms, and simulation methodologies that can be brought to bear to develop the next generation of systems for a highly connected society. Such systems, aptly termed cyber-physical systems (CPS), are now widely used in e.g. transportation systems, smart grids, connected vehicles, industrial production systems, healthcare, education, and defense. Modeling and simulation (M&S), along with big data technologies, are at the forefront of complex systems engineering research. The disciplines of cloud-based simulation and CPS engineering are evolving at a rapid pace, but are not optimally supporting each other’s advancement. This book brings together these two communities, which already serve multi-disciplinary applications. It provides an overview of the simulation technologies landscape, and of infrastructure pertaining to the use of cloud-based environments for CPS engineering. It covers the engineering, design, and application of cloud simulation technologies and infrastructures applicable for CPS engineering. The contributions share valuable lessons learned from developing real-time embedded and robotic systems deployed through cloud-based infrastructures for application in CPS engineering and IoT-enabled society. The coverage incorporates cloud-based M&S as a medium for facilitating CPS engineering and governance, and elaborates on available cloud-based M&S technologies and their impacts on specific aspects of CPS engineering.

Two factions on the verge of war. . . A countryside overrun with beasts. . . A love tested against duty. . . Star, a messenger for the Elite Riders of Evenspark, races through the misted countryside delivering correspondence to the bordering Fortress of Ravencliff. The route is haunted by the mysterious beasts that lurk in the moors. Star risks her life for the hope of relocating her parents, for the glory of her illustrious career, and for an unrequited love. On one such mission, Star discovers she carries plans for the assassination of Prince Valen of Ravencliff—the man who has captured her heart. Weigh love against livelihood, she must decide what's more important. . .the safety of her country or her love for the Prince, who is betrothed to Princess Vespa of Evenspark. With the mist is rising, enabling the Elyndra to gather and threaten the borders of both kingdoms, Star must unravel the mystery of their existence and forestall a war. 60,444 Words

A shadow rises to meet the light and, with it, an evil sorcerer. Dusk must choose between what is right and what is easy. In his hour of need, a new face emerges. But is he friend or foe? Only time will tell. Barely escaping with their lives, Dusk and his companions head south, following the mountains as they search for another way through. That is until they're lost within a misty bog that threatens to consume them. Out of the mist appears a figure who saves Dusk before the monster of the bog can consume him. Grateful and indebted, they head south together toward the port town of Emerald Deep. There's a pass through the mountains there that will lead the party to their freedom at last. But Emerald Deep is filled with mysteries, thieves, and temptation. The moment they arrive, the group begins to crumble, and Dusk is left wondering if his companions ever cared about him at all. And that's the moment the shadow attacks.