Betrayal. Suffering. Helplessness. The warm continent does little to shelter from the cold feeling down from the Council Tower. Those that left in the night and arrived in the morning may not shake off the cold from the journey. They shall need to take comfort in uncertainty and fellowship of their fellow man. Soon plans come to fruition and conflicts stand center stage. Those that take part and those that watch bind together in onslaught of the truth. A light's embrace shall contain a shadowed warning but none will take heed. A war, a war of souls, souls yearning for power and greatness and of triumph and victory. Events during the course of this story lay groundwork for the conclusions of the next. Strung together by the flesh and blood of the characters drawn to the burning comfort of the fire. The conclusion stands as an illusions to the sands of time and soon words echo in ancient tongue. They shall give praise where none should. May our heroes stand strong in death.

For the mercenary group employed by the city of Jenaut, Demons seem to remain as the only great threat they would ever see. Five years and the burden of life begin to set and stress bonds. Yet, a lone power sits upon the horizon and grows ever increasingly hostile towards them. A tense anger carried on the air in whispers and remains on the tips of tongues. A constricting and fearful power, it seems the mercenaries stand powerless before it. Aid comes from places unexpected and emerges from shadows of nightmares only to disappear when they turn. Shortly, they begin to understand that Sylsteruin, their world, contains more frightening entities than they ever could dream. One such entity, watching with a growing hunger, begins to question the very foundations the Gods set forth as the world tips closer to war between Summoners, heralds of Gods. Will they find themselves lost in the maws of creatures mad? Will they change the words as Fate reads them? She cannot know, no one can know.

A circle broken and laid at your feet, accident, perhaps? A part suspects the circle broken intentionally to represent a broken trust. No sooner than the word normal escapes lips, a new threat takes its place. An evil fog covers the world, slowly taking shape and grasping for small amounts of power it can find. New bonds mend and new hostilities break with no end in sight. A broken path appears on the edge of our heroes minds but they will not travel down unfamiliar territory. Broken. The word keeps repeating, broken. A broken shield tarnished by lies and tempered in secret remains in the hands of the future crown. A power long believed lost returns to take what it claimed by right thru the warmth of gold. Words stop writing and the pages grow fewer with each turn.

The books in this A Level poetry series contain a glossary and notes on each page. The approach encourages students to develop their own responses to the poems, and an A Level Chief Examiner offers exam tips. This text contains poems and letters by Keats in chronological order.

One of the most beloved and popular RPGs of all time, Final Fantasy X was beloved not only for the gameplay which introduced new leveling and battle system, but also for its technological achievements: it was the first of the immensely popular series to feature 3D arenas and voice acting. As with the acclaimed Third Editions titles that delve into the depth of The Legend of Final Fantasy, this book goes deep into the game scenarios, themes, game development, music and gameplay mechanics. Nothing is left out and every detail of the game is analyzed and explained with unerring precision, including the controversial sequel game, Final Fantasy X-2.

Three champions of Chaos face hellish trials to become one of Archaon's chosen Knights of Ruin. Of the many champions of Chaos, none are as great or as feared as mighty Archaon. He is the Everchosen, Exalted Grand Marshal of the Apocalypse and Ender of Worlds, and it is a worthy warrior indeed who can fight by his side. Such Knights of Ruin are known as the Varanguard. Only by answering the call of Archaon can a warrior of Chaos ascend to their ranks, and acceptance is never guaranteed, for their mettle must first be proven. In this dark tale, three fell champions of the Chaos Gods all heed the call of the Everchosen. Each desires the ultimate prize: to become part of the Varanguard. But where one is chosen, others will fail, for Archaon’s will is cruel and his trials exacting...

This is an amazing collection of some of the best short fiction ever written in the SF genre, by an author acclaimed as 'the mastersinger of space opera' THE TIMES. With an introduction by noted SF critic Johnathan Strahan, this collection of twenty short stories, novellettes and novellas includes MINLA'S FLOWERS, SIGNAL TO NOISE, TROIKA, and seven previous uncollected stories, including TRAUMA POD, THE WATER THIEF and IN BABELSBERG. Alastair Reynolds has won the Sidewise Award and been nominated for The Hugo Awards for his short fiction. One of the most thought-provoking and accomplished short-fiction writers of our time, this collection is a delight for all SF readers

A Source Book for Mediæval History is a scholarly piece by Oliver J. Thatcher. It covers all major historical events and leaders from the Germania of Tacitus in the 1st century to the decrees of the Hanseatic League in the 13th century.

A Kirkus Best of Science Fiction and Fantasy pick for 2019! A Library Journal Best Book of 2019! An NPR Favorite Book of 2019! "Everything epic fantasy should be: rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying. I loved it."—Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians When destiny calls, there's no fighting back. Kihrin grew up in the slums of Quur, a thief and a minstrel's son raised on tales of long-lost princes and magnificent quests. When he is claimed against his will as the missing son of a treasonous prince, Kihrin finds himself at the mercy of his new family's ruthless power plays and political ambitions. Practically a prisoner, Kihrin discovers that being a long-lost prince is nothing like what the storybooks promised. The storybooks have lied about a lot of other things, too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, and how the hero always wins. Then again, maybe he isn't the hero after all. For Kihrin is not destined to save the world. He's destined to destroy it. Jenn Lyons begins the Chorus of Dragons series with The Ruin of Kings, an epic fantasy novel about a man who discovers his fate is tied to the future of an empire. "It's impossible not to be impressed with the ambition of it all . . . a larger-than-life adventure story about thieves, wizards, assassins and kings to dwell in for a good long while."—The New York Times A Chorus of Dragons 1: The Ruin of Kings 2: The Name of All Things 3: The Memory of Souls