A “brilliant and terrifically fun”* debut novel brings an enchanting new voice to fantasy. Onna can write the parameters of a spell faster than any of the young men in her village school. But despite her incredible abilities, she’s denied a place at the nation’s premier arcane academy. Undaunted, she sails to the bustling city-state of Hexos, hoping to find a place at a university where they don’t think there’s anything untoward about providing a woman with a magical education. But as soon as Onna arrives, she’s drawn into the mysterious murder of four trolls. Tsira is a troll who never quite fit into her clan, despite being the leader’s daughter. She decides to strike out on her own and look for work in a human city, but on her way she stumbles upon the body of a half-dead human soldier in the snow. As she slowly nurses him back to health, an unlikely bond forms between them, one that is tested when an unknown mage makes an attempt on Tsira’s life. Soon, unbeknownst to each other, Onna and Tsira both begin devoting their considerable talents to finding out who is targeting trolls, before their homeland is torn apart… *Kat Howard, Alex Award-winning author of An Unkindness of Magicians

A Tor.com Reviewers' Choice Best Book of the Year Sparks fly in this enchanting fantasy novel from the author of Unnatural Magic when a down-and-out fire witch and a young gentlewoman join forces against a deadly conspiracy. Dellaria Wells, petty con artist, occasional thief, and partly educated fire witch, is behind on her rent in the city of Leiscourt—again. Then she sees the “wanted” sign, seeking Female Persons, of Martial or Magical ability, to guard a Lady of some Importance, prior to the celebration of her Marriage. Delly fast-talks her way into the job and joins a team of highly peculiar women tasked with protecting their wealthy charge from unknown assassins. Delly quickly sets her sights on one of her companions, the confident and well-bred Winn Cynallum. The job looks like nothing but romance and easy money until things take a deadly (and undead) turn. With the help of a bird-loving necromancer, a shapeshifting schoolgirl, and an ill-tempered reanimated mouse named Buttons, Delly and Winn are determined to get the best of an adversary who wields a twisted magic and has friends in the highest of places.

A “brilliant and terrifically fun”* debut novel brings an enchanting new voice to fantasy. Onna can write the parameters of a spell faster than any of the young men in her village school. But despite her incredible abilities, she’s denied a place at the nation’s premier arcane academy. Undaunted, she sails to the bustling city-state of Hexos, hoping to find a place at a university where they don’t think there’s anything untoward about providing a woman with a magical education. But as soon as Onna arrives, she’s drawn into the mysterious murder of four trolls. Tsira is a troll who never quite fit into her clan, despite being the leader’s daughter. She decides to strike out on her own and look for work in a human city, but on her way she stumbles upon the body of a half-dead human soldier in the snow. As she slowly nurses him back to health, an unlikely bond forms between them, one that is tested when an unknown mage makes an attempt on Tsira’s life. Soon, unbeknownst to each other, Onna and Tsira both begin devoting their considerable talents to finding out who is targeting trolls, before their homeland is torn apart… *Kat Howard, Alex Award-winning author of An Unkindness of Magicians

Chosen and introduced by Neil Gaiman, this thoroughly beguiling collection of short stories is inhabited by an amazing menagerie of creatures from myth, legend and dark imagination The griffin, the sunbird, manticores, unicorns – all manner of glorious creatures never captured in zoos, museums or photographs are packed vividly into this collection of stories. Neil Gaiman has included some of his own childhood favourites alongside stories classic and modern to spark the imagination of readers young and old. All contributors have given their work free to benefit Dave Eggers' literacy charity, 826DC. Includes stories by: Peter S. Beagle, Anthony Boucher, Avram Davidson, Samuel R. Delany, Neil Gaiman, Maria Dahvana Headley, Nalo Hopkinson, Diana Wynne Jones, Megan Kurashige, E. Nesbit, Larry Niven, Nnedi Okorafor, Saki, Frank R. Stockton, Gahan Wilson, E. Lily Yu.

A Tor.com Reviewers' Choice Best Book of the Year Sparks fly in this enchanting fantasy novel from the author of Unnatural Magic when a down-and-out fire witch and a young gentlewoman join forces against a deadly conspiracy. Dellaria Wells, petty con artist, occasional thief, and partly educated fire witch, is behind on her rent in the city of Leiscourt—again. Then she sees the “wanted” sign, seeking Female Persons, of Martial or Magical ability, to guard a Lady of some Importance, prior to the celebration of her Marriage. Delly fast-talks her way into the job and joins a team of highly peculiar women tasked with protecting their wealthy charge from unknown assassins. Delly quickly sets her sights on one of her companions, the confident and well-bred Winn Cynallum. The job looks like nothing but romance and easy money until things take a deadly (and undead) turn. With the help of a bird-loving necromancer, a shapeshifting schoolgirl, and an ill-tempered reanimated mouse named Buttons, Delly and Winn are determined to get the best of an adversary who wields a twisted magic and has friends in the highest of places.

“Most people’s lives begin with their births; mine began with my death.” In the final moments of her life, the enigmatic Conlan drags Eleanor from her world and into his. Mydren – a vast, majestic land where myths have substance, magic is terrifyingly real and Eleanor is marked for death. Reborn as an Avatar, the living incarnation of an ancient magic, Eleanor must think fast and act faster if she wishes to survive. This new life comes with a price; Conlan has a vital and dangerous mission to undertake. Eleanor must learn to control her newfound abilities and cope with a host of dangers both mystical and natural, while helping her fellow Avatars to master their own talents, so they can get the connection between them working. Can she make ‘The Five’ a force to be reckoned with? Will their deadly enemies destroy them? Can Eleanor overcome her own fears and find the courage she needs to reach Conlan and release him from his dark secrets?

Begin your journey with the Boxset of the first two Books of the Five. The Books of the Five: Eleanor (Book 1) "Most people's lives begin with their births; mine began with my death." In the final moments of her life, the enigmatic Conlan drags Eleanor from her world and into his. Mydren - a vast, majestic land where myths have substance, magic is terrifyingly real and Eleanor is marked for death. Reborn as an Avatar, the living incarnation of an ancient magic, Eleanor must think fast and act faster if she wishes to survive. This new life comes with a price; Conlan has a vital and dangerous mission to undertake. Eleanor must learn to control her newfound abilities and cope with a host of dangers both mystical and natural, while helping her fellow Avatars to master their own talents, so they can get the connection between them working. Can she make 'The Five' a force to be reckoned with? Will their deadly enemies destroy them? Can Eleanor overcome her own fears and find the courage she needs to reach Conlan and release him from his dark secrets? --- The adventure of the Five continues with "Will" The Books of the Five: Will (Book 2) "Often the scars that grieve us the most are the ones we carry deep inside." Hammered with determination and paid for in blood, the connection that binds Will to Conlan and his fellow Avatars has finally been forged and the Five are beginning to discover the extent of their staggering potential. Now these living embodiments of elemental magic pose a threat that the despotic Lords of Mydren cannot ignore. With all the resources at their disposal, the hunt for the Five has begun in earnest. With Conlan's army growing, the time has come for them to cease fleeing and begin their battle for the heart and soul of Mydren. Yet for Will there is only one goal: to see Conlan crowned king, thus securing the future of those he loves. The task of guiding Conlan and his comrades through the oncoming battles will require every last ounce of Will's guile but he has secrets of his own that threaten everything the united powers of the Five represent. With time running out, does Will have the strength to face the encroaching darkness alone?

You can’t run from the past forever… Lizzie Grace has finally returned to Canberra, the city where she grew up and a place that holds so many bad memories. Not only does she have to testify at her father’s trial, but also deal with her ex’s will and relatives unhappy that she’s inherited a good chunk of his assets. Yet Canberra holds more than just memories of an unwanted marriage. It’s where her sister was murdered, and the man responsible was never caught. Witches are once again being ritualistically sacrificed, and it holds terrible echoes of those past deaths. As the murders draw closer to home, Lizzie finds herself in a race to hunt down the wraith of a man after the ultimate revenge…the soul of the woman who once escaped him.

Rampage: The Rise of an Empire By: Cade Skoblar Rampage is about how rage and violence can be used as a tool by others. They are powerful forces that can transcend both time and even death. A prince is brought back to life as a revenant to enact the will of a lich as ancient as time itself. Many destructive wars have led to wounds on the land that refuse to heal. The fantastical setting serves to examine the power of hatred and the relationships between people of all kinds.

"If you lack the courage to leap into the unknown, you'll never experience the joy of soaring free." The North Tower has fallen and the rebellion against the despotic Lords of Mydren is growing. Conlan wears the Royal Crown and, having proclaimed his ancestral entitlement to the throne as rightful King of Mydren, leads his army to destroy the East Tower. Yet the magical power of the Five is not the unstoppable strength it once seemed. One of their number is dying, their energy has become unbalanced and the elements themselves are stirring, pushing the Avatars into a dangerous gambit. Amelia is happy being a wife and mother, but her life is being torn apart by the man she loves, forcing her into a desperate mission to save him. She must travel the length of Mydren to find those who can aid him and convince them to help. Through internal struggles and external battles, Amelia will be ruthlessly tested. Will these trials forge her resolve into a weapon befitting an Avatar, or will she be crushed in body and soul? Can she find the belief and courage necessary to combat her own fears and protect those she loves? Her family needs her, and love is sacrifice, but is Amelia ready to surrender her entire being to the service of her King?