A ruthless cabal of magicians is searching for the secret to the Last Illusion, and they'll stop at nothing to achieve their goals. But the person who knew the most about the mysterious rite is dead, and he shared his secret with one man -- the Shadow! Now, the Shadow faces some of his strangest foes as he engages in a deadly game where he might be the hunter... or the hunted.

"When his mystic powers fail, The Shadow travels the globe on a bloody search for answers. He attempts to reconnect with his spiritual masters in Nepal, but is sidetracked by an opium smuggling operation. Afterwards, he travels to the frontlines of the Spanish Civil War in pursuit of arms dealers and a would-be dictator. Who is the maniacal El Rey, and how will The Shadow dispense justice when he discovers that a former flame serves as his brutal enforcer, the Black Sparrow?"--Page 4 of cover.

NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH Cid pays a visit to the Sacred Land, where he finds himself getting roped into the Goddess's Trial. It's a ritual event that summons warriors from the past to engage with only the most worthy from the present. When Cid squares off against the witch who brought devastation to the world, the door to the Sanctuary creaks open, granting the Shadow Garden valuable insight into the possessed and the Cult of Diablos. That is until Cid, blissfully ignorant of the conspiracies playing out behind the scenes, runs amok!

After the light of day, some people like to unwind in the shadow and let out steam in unsual ways. One man likes to be his woman's slave; one woman dares her boyfriend to watch as she services a group of bankers; another gets a leash on her collar and lets her animal instincts run wild in front her lover's camera... Standout erotica rendered in lush shades' - Adult Video News'

From George Lucas, creator of Star Wars(r) and Indiana Jones, and Chris Claremont, author of the bestselling X-Men adventures, comes the thrilling sequel to Shadow Moon, taking readers deeper into a stunningly original world of magic, myth, and legend. The momentous Ascension of Princess Elora Danan should have brought peace to the Thirteen Realms. Instead, an intense Shadow War rages, spearheaded by the evil Mohdri. He has dispatched his dread Black Rose commando assassins to capture Elora and her sworn protector, Thorn Drumheller. But Mohdri himself is just a facade for a more dangerous entity: the Deceiver. But who--or what--is the Deceiver? And how can Elora, Thorn, and their ragtag band defeat this unspeakable force? The answer lies in a perilous journey to a land undisturbed since the dawn of time. A journey that will end at the unbreachable citadel of the dragon, where a chilling betrayal will change the fate of Elora, Thorn, and the Thirteen Realms forever.

One big fat lie and a few twisted truths Even in his past life, Cid's dream wasn't to become a protagonist or a fi nal boss. He'd rather lie low as a minor character until it's prime time to reveal he's a mastermind...or at least, do the next best thing-pretend to be one! And now that he's been reborn into another world, he's ready to set the perfect conditions to live out his dreams to the fullest. Armed with his overactive imagination, Cid jokingly recruits members to his organization and makes up a whole backstory about an evil cult that they need to take down. Well, as luck would have it, these imaginary adversaries turn out to be the real deal-and everyone knows the truth but him!

From two of the greatest imaginations of our time comes a magnificent novel of adventure and magic...SHADOW MOON: First in the Chronicles of the Shadow War. The genius of Star Wars(r) creator George Lucas and the vision of Chris Claremont, the author of the phenomenally bestselling The Uncanny X-Men adventures, merge in what must be the fantasy event of the year. In Shadow Moon, war and chaos have gripped the land of Tir Asleen. An ancient prophecy reveals one hope: a savior princess who will ascend to the throne when the time is right. But first, a Nelwyn wanderer must face forces of unimaginable malevolence and dangerous, forbidden rites of necromancy that could bring back a powerful warrior from soulless sleep. George Lucas reshaped filmmaking in the '70s and '80s with his Star Wars and Indiana Jones films. When Bantam Books asked Lucas if he had any stories he would like to develop as novels rather than as films, Lucas turned to his 1988 fantasy film, Willow. "When I wrote the story for Willow, I began with the pre-story," Lucas said, "but the full story was yet to be told." Now, Lucas's vision is being fulfilled with the talented help of Chris Claremont. Having previously taken the reins of what was for a decade the bestselling comic in the western hemisphere (The Uncanny X-Men) Claremont assumes the reponsibility of foster parent to Lucas's creation. On sale in hardcover now, and available on BDD Audio Cassette as well, SHADOW MOON is a momentous new adventure for readers looking to spend part of this summer in a fantastic world. SHADOW MOON is one of Bantam Spectra's most exciting publishing events in 1995, the year we celebrate our 10th Anniversary as the premiere publishing imprint of books of speculative fiction.

When incidents around the world hint at the reemergence of an ancient evil known as Nyugo, the Sonzai-a clan of modern-day Japanese warriors equipped with supernatural abilities-are called into action. Their youthful commander Tsumisu knows little of the powers he possesses, but he wields them fiercely. Akari, his katana, is a blade that no human could have forged, and he is a swordsman of unmatched skill. As he searches for clues into Nyugo's return, Tsumisu, his trusted friend Shujin, and the Sonzai warriors soon realize that the spiritual balance of the world may be in danger. When their investigation turns up an ancient artifact, Tsumisu and Shujin quickly find themselves caught in the midst of a struggle between Devonians and Ordovicians-extraterrestrial beings whose eight-hundred-year-old search for the Chosen One has brought them to Earth. As dimensions are crossed and battles are waged, Tsumisu draws the attention of Nataliya Artemis, an Ordovician who holds the key to a magnificent power and the knowledge of a stunning truth about Shujin. In the first volume in the Journey of the Shadow saga, Stone Abdullah weaves a fantastical tale of good versus evil in a modern world of supernatural power.

An extraordinary epic, set a million years in the future, in the time of a dying sun, when our present culture is no longer even a memory. Severian, a torturer's apprentice, is exiled from his guild after falling in love with one of his prisoners. Ordered to the distant city of Thrax, armed with his ancient executioner's sword, Terminus Est, Severian must make his way across the perilous, ruined landscape of this far-future Urth. But is his finding of the mystical gem, the Claw of the Conciliator, merely an accident, or does Fate have a grander plans for Severian the torturer . . . ? This edition contains the first two volumes of this four volume novel, The Shadow of the Torturer and The Claw of the Conciliator.

Cid Kagenou has a dream. Not of being some typical protagonist or the Final Boss—he has his eyes set on becoming a hidden mastermind working in the shadows! Now that he’s been reborn in another world, Cid has been hard at work building the perfect stage to act out his long-desired role. The only issue? His imaginary adversaries and plot devices seem to actually exist in this new realm…and he alone is left in the dark!