An anthology of seventeen original tales of sword and sorcery penned by masters old and new. Elric . . . the Black Company . . . Majipoor. For years, these have been some of the names that have captured the hearts of generations of readers and embodied the sword and sorcery genre. And now some of the most beloved and bestselling fantasy writers working today deliver stunning all-new sword and sorcery stories in an anthology of small stakes but high action, grim humor mixed with gritty violence, fierce monsters and fabulous treasures, and, of course, swordplay. Don’t miss the adventure of the decade! Featuring: Goats of Glory by Steven Erikson Tides Elba: A Tale of the Black Company by Glen Cook Bloodsport by Gene Wolfe The Singing Spear by James Enge A Wizard in Wiscezan by C.J. Cherryh A Rich Full Week by K.J. Parker A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet by Garth Nix Red Pearls: An Elric Story by Michael Moorcock The Deification of Dal Bamore: A Tale from Echo City by Tim Lebbon Dark Times at the Midnight Market by Robert Silverberg The Undefiled by Greg Keyes Hew the Tintmaster by Michael Shea In the Stacks by Scott Lynch Two Lions, a Witch, and the War-Robe by Tanith Lee The Sea Troll’s Daughter by Caitlín R. Kiernan Thieves of Daring by Bill Willingham The Fool Jobs by Joe Abercrombie “[Strahan and Anders] present seventeen original stories that recall the classic works of Robert E. Howard and Fritz Leiber. . . . Fans of the classics will appreciate the tie-ins to familiar series by Michael Moorcock, Glen Cook, and Robert Silverberg, plus a fully authorized Cugel the Clever cameo by Michael Shea.” —Publishers Weekly

Picture violent, amoral swordsmen and their bloody confrontations with agents of evil in imaginary lands. Think of role-playing games, fantasy, and some of the most popular movies and novels ever created. Think ofThe Lord of the Rings, Conan the Barbarian, Dragonslayer, Dungeons and Dragons. InSwords & Sorcery, authorBryan Baughshows artists exactly how to create bold fantasy realms populated with fantasy characters both heroic (knights in armor, barbarians, wizards, warrior maidens, kings, princesses) and evil (sorcerers, orcs, trolls, black knights). And of course there are fantasy creatures like unicorns, war-dogs, dragons, giants, goblins, ogres, and demons, plus creatures from mythology such as Medusa, Minotaurs, Cyclops, and Pegasus. A good battle needs good weaponry, and here are catapults, battering rams, and castles bursting with battlements and other defenses. From the underlying anatomy of a warrior to the underlying mythology of today's stories,Swords & Sorceryhas everything the artist needs to create a rich fantasy world.

The intense psychological portrait of a hitman—the anti-Jason Bourne—as he stalks his prey from Boston to LA. He wants you to know him, maybe even admire him, but only for his excellence in his craft. Perhaps he was even born for it. "A natural killer," his mentor—a middleman named Vespucci—said he was. He proved it with his first professional hit: a Fifth Circuit Court judge in Boston, executed with a sheet of Saran Wrap in the stairwell of her own courthouse. He's proved his merit often, usually with a Glock semiautomatic, but he's improvised too, with his bare hands, the heel of a shoe, knives, even a sewing machine. He is the consummate assassin, at the top of his form, immune to the psychological strains of his chosen profession. He is what the Russians call a Silver Bear. He calls himself Columbus. It's the name Vespucci gave him, ten years ago, when he discovered a dark, new world of fences, clients, marks, jobs, jack. Not that his real name meant much to him anyway. He never knew his father or his mother, a prostitute who became dangerously involved back in the seventies with an earnest young congressman named Abe Mann, then a rising star in the Democratic Party. The magnetic Abe Mann has since become the Speaker of the House. He is currently running for the Democratic nomination in an exhausting presidential campaign, weaving his way across the country. Columbus is not far behind. But as he pieces together his past and prepares the seamless assassination of his mark, the criminal underworld he has always ruled begins unraveling violently around him.

A shocking assassination creates an unconventional bond between a princess and her guardian in a kingdom filled with political intrigue, danger and unexpected romance. Princess Shasta Soltranis enjoys a pampered life of court dances, elaborate finery, and the occasional secret fencing match with her twin brother, Daric. But in the midst of a birthday celebration, her world shatters when a mysterious assassin takes her brother's life. Shasta, the only remaining heir to the throne, narrowly escapes the assassin's blade thanks to the intervention of a traveling acrobat named Talon. With the threat of another attempt on Shasta's life imminent, her father declares that the young hero will be come the Princess's bodyguard. But what Shasta doesn't know is that her new guardian has a very well-kept secret: he is actually a she. Talon and Shasta soon grow closer than anyone, especially her father, could have predicted. Will the truth of her guardian's secret change their relationship forever?

★★★★★ “Grim, gritty, and good.” 100,000+ copies sold worldwide! A shadow of its former self, once powerful Brynth is now a realm destroyed by plague, famine, and monstrous beings. Every corner harbors danger, and a covert war threatens to engulf the land. Amidst this chaos, Aldous Weaver's quiet life as a monk is shattered when dormant forbidden magic rises within him, leaving destruction in its wake. Condemned to die, Aldous battles to control the ancient power within. Then a chance encounter with fellow prisoners—terrifying fugitive Kendrick the Cold and arrogant monster hunter Theron Ward—offers him a choice: flee for his life or stand with his newfound allies against a peril that endangers not just him but all citizens of Brynth, the very people who would see him hanged. But with dark sorcery and ancient evil devouring the land, can anyone survive? In this tale of unlikely alliances, dark powers, and the pursuit of redemption, the fate of a fractured nation hangs in the balance. For fans of Glen Cook, Steven Erikson, and Joe Abercrombie. "An epic tale"—Library Journal Honorable mention in Library Journal's Indie Ebook Awards and a Shelf Unbound Magazine Notable 100! Read all the books in the dark and gritty Sword and Sorcery Series! Fire and Sword (Volume 1) Catacombs of Time (Volume 2) I Remember My First Time (short story) The Pyres (Volume 3) Ice and Stone (Volume 4) As They Burn (Volume 5) Black Sun Moon (Volume 6—a complete, stand-alone novel) Embers On The Wind (Volume 7) Graves of the Gods (Volume 8)

The start of one of the greatest fantasy stories ever told. Contains the first short stories featuring Robert E. Howard’s legendary Conan, one of the most iconic fantasy characters in history, on a rarified list next to Gandalf and Harry Potter. Also includes stories of of Kull of Atlantis, and an essay on the history of their world. Includes "The Tower of the Elephant," "The God in the Bowl," "Rogues in the House," "The Frost-Giant’s Daughter," and "Queen of the Black Coast." Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.

"Closer, mortal. You are here, finally, to feed the Aching God..." The days of adventure are passed for Auric Manteo. Retired to the countryside and isolated with his scars and riches, he no longer delves into forbidden ruins seeking dark wisdom and treasure. But just as old nightmares begin plaguing his sleep, he receives an urgent summons back to that old life. To save his only daughter, he must return to the place of his greatest trauma: the haunted Barrowlands. Along with a group of inexperienced companions and an old soldier, he must confront the dangers of the ancient and wicked Djao civilization. He has survived fell beasts, insidious traps, and deadly hazards before. But how can he contend with the malice of a bloodthirsty living god? First volume in the planned epic fantasy trilogy Iconoclasts, Aching God is the debut novel by RPG adventure designer Mike Shel. This volume also includes an advanced preview of Iconoclasts - Book II: Sin Eater.

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