Technology doesn't flow smoothly; it's the big surprises that matter, and Yale computer expert David Gelernter sees one such giant leap right on the horizon. Today's small scale software programs are about to be joined by vast public software works that will revolutionize computing and transform society as a whole. One such vast program is the "Mirror World." Imagine looking at your computer screen and seeing reality--an image of your city, for instance, complete with moving traffic patterns, or a picture that sketches the state of an entire far-flung corporation at this second. These representations are called Mirror Worlds, and according to Gelernter they will soon be available to everyone. Mirror Worlds are high-tech voodoo dolls: by interacting with the images, you interact with reality. Indeed, Mirror Worlds will revolutionize the use of computers, transforming them from (mere) handy tools to crystal balls which will allow us to see the world more vividly and see into it more deeply. Reality will be replaced gradually, piece-by-piece, by a software imitation; we will live inside the imitation; and the surprising thing is--this will be a great humanistic advance. We gain control over our world, plus a huge new measure of insight and vision. In this fascinating book--part speculation, part explanation--Gelernter takes us on a tour of the computer technology of the near future. Mirror Worlds, he contends, will allow us to explore the world in unprecedented depth and detail without ever changing out of our pajamas. A hospital administrator might wander through an entire medical complex via a desktop computer. Any citizen might explore the performance of the local schools, chat electronically with teachers and other Mirror World visitors, plant software agents to report back on interesting topics; decide to run for the local school board, hire a campaign manager, and conduct the better part of the campaign itself--all by interacting with the Mirror World. Gelernter doesn't just speculate about how this amazing new software will be used--he shows us how it will be made, explaining carefully and in detail how to build a Mirror World using technology already available. We learn about "disembodied machines," "trellises," "ensembles," and other computer components which sound obscure, but which Gelernter explains using familiar metaphors and terms. (He tells us that a Mirror World is a microcosm just like a Japanese garden or a Gothic cathedral, and that a computer program is translated by the computer in the same way a symphony is translated by a violinist into music.) Mirror Worlds offers a lucid and humanistic account of the coming software revolution, told by a computer scientist at the cutting edge of his field.

In the mid-1990s, astronomers made history when they began to find planets orbiting stars in the Milky Way. More than eight hundred planets have been found since then, yet none of them is anything like Earth and none could support life. Now, armed with more powerful technology, planet hunters are racing to find a true twin of Earth. Science writer Michael Lemonick has unique access to these exoplaneteers, as they call themselves, and Mirror Earth unveils their passionate quest. Unlike competitors in other races, Geoff Marcy, Bill Borucki, David Charbonneau, Sara Seager, and others actually consult and cooperate with one another. But only one will be the first to find Earth's twin. Mirror Earth tells the story of their competition.

The kingdom of the Isles is in the throes of a magical upheaval that causes the ocean to recede, a situation that reveals the Isles to be a high ground on a broader continent with past and future ties.

A glorious epic fantasy in the grand tradition of CS Lewis and Philip Pullman, and a major publishing event, The Mirror Chronicles will take you into another world, and on the adventure of your lifetime...

It all starts, as these things sometimes do, with a dead man. He was a neighbour, not someone Abby knew well, but still, finding a body when you only came over to borrow a tin of tomatoes, that comes as a bit of a shock. At least, it should. And now she can't shake the feeling that if she hadn't gone into Simon's flat, if she'd had her normal Wednesday night instead, then none of what happened next would have happened. And she would never have met Melody Black . . . Wild and witty, searing and true, THE MIRROR WORLD OF MELODY BLACK is about the fine line that separates normal from not - and how life can spin, very swiftly, out of control.

Following Journey Into the Flame—“a spiritual adventure of the first order” (New York Times bestselling author Felix Palma)—comes the second part in a post-apocalyptic trilogy about a set of ancient books that hold the key to humanity’s survival. In 2030, after the Great Disruption brought humanity to the brink of a second dark age, the Chronicles of Satraya were discovered, restoring hope in the world. But the secret powers in their pages remained largely unknown. There were some, however, who understood them. The Reges Hominum, the Kings of Men, a clandestine group influencing history from the shadows, sought to use their hidden gifts to regain world control. But their plans were foiled by an unlikely group: Alain Perrot, an eccentric old man and former member of the Council of Satraya; Special Agent Valerie Perrot, his daughter; and Logan Ford, a young painter who discovered he was the son of one of the Chronicles’ original finders, long since murdered in an effort to protect them. Soon, seemingly unrelated global events pull Logan and his allies into another contest with those enemies determined to bring a rising world back down. The earth’s still-recovering energy supply is put at risk. Illnesses spread. Earthquakes without epicenters shatter the land. And the only things holding the world together are the Chronicles, connected to a series of scattered, hidden mirrors around the globe. With T.R. Williams’s trademark excitement, mystery, magic, and deep wisdom, the second book in the Rising World trilogy ensures that you will never look at your reflection the same way again.

“Exuberant, astute, and splendidly illustrated history of world art . . . draws fascinating parallels between artistic developments in Western and non-Western art.”—Publishers Weekly In this beautifully written story of art, Julian Bell tells a vivid and compelling history of human artistic achievements, from prehistoric stone carvings to the latest video installations. Bell, himself a painter, uses a variety of objects to reveal how art is a product of our shared experience and how, like a mirror, it can reflect the human condition. With hundreds of illustrations and a uniquely global perspective, Bell juxtaposes examples that challenge and enlighten the reader: dancing bronze figures from southern India, Romanesque sculptures, Baroque ceilings, and jewel-like Persian manuscripts are discussed side by side. With an insider’s knowledge and an unerring touch, Bell weaves these diverse strands into an invaluable introduction to the wider history of world art.

An ambitious tale of magic, war, and parallel worlds that pushes the boundaries of epic fantasy—from a two-time Hugo Award winner On the eve of a recurring catastrophic event known to extinguish nations and reshape continents, a troubled orphan evades death and slavery to uncover her own bloody past . . . while a world goes to war with itself. In the frozen kingdom of Saiduan, invaders from another realm are decimating whole cities, leaving behind nothing but ash and ruin. At the heart of this war lie the pacifistic Dhai people, once enslaved by the Saiduan and now courted by their former masters to provide aid against the encroaching enemy. As the dark star of the cataclysm rises, an illegitimate ruler is tasked with holding together a country fractured by civil war; a precocious young fighter is asked to betray his family to save his skin; and a half-Dhai general must choose between the eradication of her father's people or loyalty to her alien Empress. Through tense alliances and devastating betrayal, the Dhai and their allies attempt to hold against a seemingly unstoppable force as enemy nations prepare for a coming together of worlds as old as the universe itself. In the end, one world will rise—and many will perish. Stretching from desolate tundras to steamy, semi-tropical climes seething with sentient plant life, this is an epic tale of blood mages and mercenaries, emperors and priestly assassins, who must unite to save a world on the brink of ruin. File Under: Fantasy [ Orphaned Child | World at War | Blood Magic | The Fluidity of Gender]

A new LitRPG series set in a virtual world of an online MMORPG game! The story unfolds in the near future where humanity is completely consumed by the opportunity to earn its living logging in to Mirror World: a full immersion MMORPG game developed by Reflex International, Ltd. Here, paid account users enjoy full freedom in their new virtual home, sampling a vast range of colors, smells and even tastes, indulging in their ability to fly or experiencing pain from combat wounds. They're offered an unlimited choice of races and territories, allowing them to go on mysterious quests and missions. In Mirror World, anyone can become a warrior or a wizard, a street vendor or alchemist - provided they can afford it. They can build a castle on a cliff or start a small farm near a calm cozy town - if they're prepared to pay, that is. But if you can't pay, you can always take out a bank loan to purchase one of the game's "daily grind" plans. Which is exactly what Oleg does when he finds out his six-year-old daughter requires urgent heart surgery. He needs money ASAP; his only hope is in signing a sweatshop contract with Reflex International and start toiling in Mirror World's mines in full immersion, fighting hunger and agonizing pain. To add insult to injury, he's a complete newb who's never played a game before and has to learn everything on the go. Would Oleg - now known as Olgerd - manage to raise enough money to save his daughter? Predictably, the contract he signed comes with strings attached. Would he manage to escape hard labor and return victorious to his family? He might - but it would take every ounce of his willpower and ingenuity...

Eleven-year-old Darwen Arkwright's ordinary life changed forever when he was given a magical mirror, a portal to the wonderful world of Silbrica. Darwen defeated the terrible monsters released from the mirror once. Now, an even more terrifying beast has escaped through the mirror. Darwen and his friends, Rik and Alexandra, must journey to Costa Rica to save the world from a giant tentacled creature that leaves destruction in its wake. This time, old allies can't be trusted, and the danger runs deeper than Darwen could have ever imagined. The problem with doors is that they open both ways. There are monsters inside, and some of them are trying to get out ...