12 tales of adventure, magic and wonder from a stellar author and illustrator line-up – the perfect gift for all story-lovers

What is the origin of the universe? Are we alone in the Universe? Using clear and plain language, the author explores these two interesting scientific-philosophical themes with a broad range of studies, including astronomy, cosmology, chemistry, biology, geology and planet science.The first part discusses the origins of everything, from the Big Bang to humankind. It follows the long course of evolution — from original matter to the formation of more complex structures, from the furthest galaxies to the nearest stars, from planets to organic molecules, from the first and most elementary forms of life through to the reptiles, the dinosaurs and the advent of man.The second part traces the history of the Earth and evaluates the risks of extinction in the future as predicted by scientists. Is the Earth the only habitable planet in the Universe? This question initiates the discussion on the importance of the Earth's position in the solar system and the significance of our geologically alive planet.The final part is dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial beings with identifiable life forms. It also describes attempts for searching, from the past to the near future.This remarkable book provides the best answers we have to the epic questions about us and our place in the universe.

The crew of Another Road are back, closer than ever to the biggest score in the galaxy. . . if they can stay a step ahead of the Justice Department agents and Company men tracking them. An engineer with a fondness for weapons. A captain with no memory. An obsessive genemodder who loves to tinker. Meet the crew of Another Road. Josune, Roystan, and Nika have escaped the company thugs trying to kill them. They've gotten a new spaceship to replace The Road (after it was blown up underneath them). And their new ship is armed to the teeth with dangerous weapons, courtesy of Josune. All that's left to do before they head out to find the legendary lode of transurides is to restore Roystan's memory. To do that, they need to collect the genemod machine Nika has ordered. But first, they have to shake off the Justice Department agent and the Companies tracking them. It should be easy. They've done it before. What could possibly go wrong?

"Something in me knows of a life I was meant to live but for whatever reason, I have not . . . "Words that ring painfully true for Adam Sheppard, a San Francisco programmer who has spent the vast majority of his 30-something years lost in the dim glow of a computer screen. On the verge of a psychotic break, Adam begins to have a recurring dream of his early childhood and the hauntingly rustic town of Mendocino, California, where he grew up. Convinced he has left something behind there, something vital to his present sanity, Adam walks away from his current life to figure out what that is.One evening, out on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Adam has a chance encounter with a mysterious woman, only to later realize that she may be a long forgotten childhood friend. The coincidence of their reunion only deepens as Adam discovers that the woman has also returned to Mendocino due to a recurring dream, eerily similar to his own.Lost soulmates drawn together through time and space, or perhaps their meeting is only the beginning of a much deeper mystery. As Adam awakens to the possibility that his life could be destined for more than a bleak virtual wasteland, he soon finds himself a crucial pawn in a game that pits forces intent on enslaving the human spirit against those few quixotic souls who still search for meaning, beauty, and magic in the world.

The fun and fantasy continue with bestselling and award-winning author M. T. Anderson.You haven't seen strange until you've seen what Brian and Gregory are up against.... Something incredibly strange is happening. It's not The Game of Sunken Places-Brian and Gregory have been through that before. But still...strange creatures have begun to chase after them. And Gregory's adventurous cousin Prudence has disappeared. When Brian and Gregory go to the Vermont woods to track down Prudence, they find many things are...off. People are not where they're supposed to be. Time has stopped working properly.

Predicting changes and trends for the future, this fascinating exploration debunks the myths surrounding 2012 to provide a logical and spiritual theory. Wild claims and bad astronomy have fuelled a doomsday sensation about that energetic and special year, yet little or none is mentioned about the key planets sending the messages—Pluto, Chiron, Cere, Makemake, Eris, and Sedna, as well as some newly discovered planets. This resource delves deep into these important astrological beings to reveal what will really happen in 2012 and how the gods and goddess of these planets will help humanity navigate financial, social, and physical revolutions. Part history, scientific theory, and spiritual insight, this cutting-edge contention provides an understanding not only of 2012 but also of the transformations that will follow.

Intergalactic civilization emerges from its war-torn ruins for the first time in generations to explore the galaxy, in this stunning new anthology from the bestselling world of Twilight Imperium A terrible war destroyed a vast empire and left its survivors shattered and isolated. Millennia of history, technology, and the ever-expanding imperial grip were lost. From the secretive Naalu and the proud Hacan to the piratical Mentak Coalition, these factions and worlds are recovering and looking past their borders to the galaxy beyond again – but what awaits them in the vastness of space? New territory, allies, and opportunities abound, but the history that once bound them together now stands between them, and a galaxy-wide war is just one spark away from being rekindled… A Ghost of a Chance, by M Darusha Wehm The Fifth Stage, by Alex Acks Shield of the Reef, by Robbie MacNiven First Impressions, by Sarah Cawkwell Contact, by Danie Ware Defiler’s Reef, by Tim Pratt

Kate and her two best friends are on the run from the law and find themselves back in the Kingdom of What Is. But what they find is worse than the problems they left behind. The land they’d risked everything to save years ago is in the hands of Malum, a tyrant who has made the people slaves and blighted every corner of the kingdom with plague and poverty. But there are whispers that Prince Servan still lives, reigniting hope that Kate may be reunited with him. Together, they may find a way to save the world once more. Armed with nothing but their wits and courage, Kate and a band of rebels must race against time to stop Malum before he gathers his fleet and sets the kingdom on an irreversible path of extinction.