When men start vanishing at sea without a trace, seventeen-year-old Reyna, a Master Explorer, must travel to a country shrouded in secrets to solve the mystery before it is too late.

Eighteen years ago, two princes vanished. Now a riddle hidden on a mysterious map could chart a course towards the truth and the missing royals in this historical fantasy that's perfect for fans of Rachel Hartman and Tamora Pierce. Eighteen years ago two princes of the island kingdom of St. John del Mar were kidnapped and murdered, a deadly plot by the rival kingdom of Mondrago. Everyone knows the story, but for Elias, Mercedes, and Ulises, the aftermath of that tragic day is deeply personal. Elias grew up without his father, who was killed trying to protect the princes. Mercedes is half-Mondragan, leaving her to grow up in the shadow of del Mar’s hate. And Ulises, as the youngest and only remaining prince, inherited the throne meant for his older brothers. Now, the three friends just want to move on with their lives. But when two maps surface—each with the same hidden riddle—troubling questions arise. What really happened to the young princes? And why do the maps look like they were drawn by Elias’s father, whose body was never found? To discover what really happened that fateful day, Elias, Mercedes, and Ulises must follow the clues hidden in the maps, uncovering long-held secrets and unimaginable betrayals along the way. But the truth is dangerous, and not everyone wants it to come out. Isle of Blood and Stone is a sweeping fantasy full of intrigue and schemes, romance and friendship, and fearless explorers searching for the truth.

Though now best remembered as the creator of the character Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs was a prolific writer of science fiction and fantasy tales. This novel is the third entry in Burroughs' Caspak trilogy, following The Land That Time Forgot and The People That Time Forgot. Filled with more tantalizing details about the fantastical world the novels describe, this volume also delves into the science behind the story, positing a feasible evolutionary account for the survival of dinosaurs and other prehistoric flora and fauna on a remote island.

“The Cold War . . . was a fight to the death,” notes Thomas C. Reed, “fought with bayonets, napalm, and high-tech weaponry of every sort—save one. It was not fought with nuclear weapons.” With global powers now engaged in cataclysmic encounters, there is no more important time for this essential, epic account of the past half century, the tense years when the world trembled At the Abyss. Written by an author who rose from military officer to administration insider, this is a vivid, unvarnished view of America’s fight against Communism, from the end of WWII to the closing of the Strategic Air Command, a work as full of human interest as history, rich characters as bloody conflict. Among the unforgettable figures who devised weaponry, dictated policy, or deviously spied and subverted: Whittaker Chambers—the translator whose book, Witness, started the hunt for bigger game: Communists in our government; Lavrenti Beria—the head of the Soviet nuclear weapons program who apparently killed Joseph Stalin; Col. Ed Hall—the leader of America’s advanced missile system, whose own brother was a Soviet spy; Adm. James Stockwell—the prisoner of war and eventual vice presidential candidate who kept his terrible secret from the Vietnamese for eight long years; Nancy Reagan—the “Queen of Hearts,” who was both loving wife and instigator of palace intrigue in her husband’s White House. From Eisenhower’s decision to beat the Russians at their own game, to the “Missile Gap” of the Kennedy Era, to Reagan’s vow to “lean on the Soviets until they go broke”—all the pivotal events of the period are portrayed in new and stunning detail with information only someone on the front lines and in backrooms could know. Yet At the Abyss is more than a riveting and comprehensive recounting. It is a cautionary tale for our time, a revelation of how, “those years . . . came to be known as the Cold War, not World War III.”

Dare to descend into the Underdark in this adventure for the world’s greatest roleplaying game The Underdark is a subterranean wonderland, a vast and twisted labyrinth where fear reigns. It is the home of horrific monsters that have never seen the light of day. It is here that the dark elf Gromph Baenre, Archmage of Menzoberranzan, casts a foul spell meant to ignite a magical energy that suffuses the Underdark and tears open portals to the demonic Abyss. What steps through surprises even him, and from that moment on, the insanity that pervades the Underdark escalates and threatens to shake the Forgotten Realms to its foundations. Stop the madness before it consumes you! A Dungeons & Dragons® adventure for characters of levels 1–15

A century ago, Endymion, youngest of the seven sons of the Sea King, would have killed a human on sight. But upon finding a trespassing human woman swimming inside his beloved ocean kingdom of Nendavia, Endymion struggles to follow through. For the safety of his people, he's unable to let her leave, so decides to bring the human, River, back to Nendavia, upending the balance of his kingdom. Hated by the Nendavians but restricted to the ocean kingdom where she can breath, River is an unwilling, strong-willed guest who constantly tests Endymion--and his brothers'--patience. But something more troublesome than human presence stirs in the heart of Nendavia. When River accidentally learns of a plot to overthrow the royal family, she must convince Endymion of the danger to himself and his throne, while also navigating alien Nendavian politics and her growing attraction to the youngest sea prince. One thing is clear though. Don't call them mermen.

Ushering in a new era of confessional music that spoke openly about experiences of trauma, depression, and self-loathing, Nine Inch Nails' seminal album, The Downward Spiral, changed popular music forever—bringing transgressive themes of heresy, S&M, and body horror to the masses and taking music technology to its limits. Released in 1994, the album resonated across a generation, combining elements of metal, industrial, synth-pop, and ambient electronica, and going on to sell over four million copies. Now, Into the Never explores the creation and cultural impact of The Downward Spiral, one of the most influential and artistically significant albums of the twentieth century. Inspired by David Bowie's Low and Pink Floyd's The Wall, the album recounts one man's disintegration as he descends into nihilism and nothingness. Blurring the lines between autobiography and concept album, creation and decay, it is also the story of Trent Reznor (who is Nine Inch Nails) as he pushed himself to the edge of the abyss, trapped in a cycle of addiction and self-destruction. The Downward Spiral also presents a reflection of America and a wider culture of violence, connecting the Columbine High School shooting, the infamous Manson family murders, and the aftermath of Vietnam and the Gulf War. Featuring new interviews with collaborators and artists inspired by the album, Into the Never sets The Downward Spiral in the context of music of the era and brings the story up to date, from Reznor's recovery to his reinvention as an Oscar-winning soundtrack artist.

HIS TREASURE AND HIS OBSESSION...Despite her longing for the sea, Macy has clung to the safety of land for half her life, devoting herself to her daily routine - until she agrees to go sailing with a childhood friend. Her fears come to fruition when a sudden storm capsizes their boat, rekindling her old terror. She awakens to a rescuer who is anything but human - and he refuses to let her go. Treated like a curiosity and a possession, she's desperate to go home. Yet Macy is undeniably drawn to this strange creature. Can she give up her old life, her family and friends, to embrace this adventure?and Jax?HER SAVIOR AND HER CAPTOR...Jax the Wanderer is a hunter, an explorer, and an oddity among his kind. While other kraken are content near their dens, Jax is driven by a deep need to journey far and wide, discovering the unknown corners of the sea. Macy challenges everything he's known; she is the most alluring creature he's ever seen on his travels. He must possess her, though he knows it can only end in disaster. How much is he willing to forsake for the female he desires?

Song of Gaea is a soothing, rhythmically rocking, lyrical picture book. Song of Gaea is a mystical paean to the Spirit in Nature with an uplifting message: a loving call for humanity to live in balance with the Earth. Song of Gaea presents cosmology and evolutionary ecology in a mythic framework and offers a sustainable vision of the future. Song of Gaea comprises 26 stanzas of four lines each. These would be printed on the right (odd) pages, with accompanying full-page color illustrations on the facing left (even) pages. The format would be 81/2" x 11" horizontal. At the back of the book would be a bit of technical information and time-line diagrams for parents to address scientific questions and concerns. The purpose of storytelling is to offer a sensibility of feeling-based knowledge in order that over the course of child development, the senses of morality and justice may take root in the rich soil of youth. This story will reach those seekers. Those who reach for the new relevance of Mother Earth are found in many walks of life. Parents of Pagan orientation and heritage, the fast growing "New Age" spiritual movement, as well as parents of many different faiths and parents in the Waldorf movement will buy this book because it is not a typical "save the Earth" polemic tirade, but a lyrical story of belonging. Song of Gaea is geared towards children in just the age ranges of my sons: three to eight. Rich and wholesome illustrations capture my young son's attention, along with the rising and falling lilt of poetry, while my elder son delights as well in the details of both the pictures and the scientific information. Song of Gaea makes for a perfect bedtime story, in no small part for the soothing strength of the message: that we are held in the great being of this planet, a part of all nature around us, with an inherent purpose and a destiny to unfold. There is a grand Mystery to the universe, and we have our place within it.