Myths & Legends Books

Book SynopsisStoryteller is storïwr in Welsh. The old word is cyfarwydd. And this book is a sneaky peek into a storyteller's repertoire.Meet the rowdy mermaids and drowned lands of Cardigan Bay, an ancient tree with a door into the otherworld, and the wise old toad who lives in Borth bog and knows everything. Discover a clever girl who transforms into a swan, the herd of fairy cattle who live beneath Llyn Barfog and an elephant who may or may not have died in Tregaron.Trade ReviewFeature/extract in West Wales Chronicle

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Book SynopsisYou know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen…but do you recall the most petrifying Christmas figures of all? Not all children fear just a lump of coal in their stockings. Discover the terrifying Yuletide fables that have horrified kids for generations.He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness’ sake. This lighthearted song is a bit more ominous in the context of other Christmas traditions. From beasts that threaten to cook children into stew to sinister crones who snatch little ones from their beds, you won’t find any dancing sugar plums here. Outside of the heartwarming Christmas tales we all know and love, there are an abundance of frightening stories to chill all who hear them to the bone. Discover folklore from all corners of the world, including: Krampus (Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and northern Italy), a demonic half-goat monster who drags chains and whips bad children with birch sticks, or stuffs them in his sack to take away The Kallikantzari (Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Turkey), goblins who come out during Advent to cause mischief Père Fouettard (France, Belgium, Switzerland), Saint Nicholas’ eternal cannibal manservant who deals with naughty children Hans Trapp (Alsace-Lorraine, France), who roams the countryside disguised as a scarecrow and goes door to door on Christmas looking for children to feast upon Gryla (Iceland), the giant ogre who emerges from her cave on Christmas to hunt children and cook them into stew Mari Lwyd (Wales), a creature with a horse’s skull and a long cloak that is followed by a group of chanting people Frau Perchta (Austria and Bavaria), who slits the bellies of bad children and stuffs them with straw These tales are sure to leave you wishing for the Grinch. Whether you are a fan of history and folklore, you love learning about different cultures, or you just want to give a holiday gift that will bring the joy of Christmas to that lucky someone (just kidding), The Scary Book of Christmas Lore is for you. ’Tis the season! Is it beginning look a lot like Christmas, yet?

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Book SynopsisYou've read the myth of the Golden Fleece. Now find out how it really was for Jason and the Argonauts in this gripping reimagining of the famous Ancient Greek tale, and first book in the breathtaking Blades of Bronze series. Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller, Neil Gaiman and Natalie Haynes. He has come to take what is yours... Iolkos, Greece, 1230 BC. King Pelias has grown paranoid, tormented by his murderous past and a prophecy of the man who will one day destroy him. When a stranger arrives to compete in the Games of Poseidon, Pelias is horrified, for this young man should never have grown to manhood. He is Jason, Pelias' nephew, who survived his uncle's assassins as a child. Now Jason wants his revenge – and the kingdom. But Pelias is cunning as well as powerful. He gives Jason an impossible challenge: to claim the throne, he must first steal the fabled Golden Fleece of Colchis. Jason assembles a band of Greece's finest warriors. They are the Argonauts, named for their trusty ship. But even with these mighty allies, Jason will have to overcome the brutal challenges hurled his way. His mission and many lives depend on his wits – and his sword. PRAISE FOR THE BLADES OF BRONZE SERIES AND MARK KNOWLES 'A bold and thrilling voyage that plunges you deep into the world of ancient myth' Daisy Dunn 'Mark Knowles has taken the legend of Jason and the Golden Fleece, and stripped it down to its bare bones... A deeply researched historical epic, so brilliantly brought to life I could taste the salt air on my tongue... Epic battles, well-rounded characters sailing through a brilliantly described world' Adam Lofthouse 'What a spectacular triumph! Knowles has taken a reassuringly familiar legend and elevated it into a new, realistic and engrossing story' Sam Taw 'Knowles has combined historical realities with sure-footed imagination... brilliant' Dr Paul Millett '[Knowles] has teamed his love of learning classics and childhood love of sword-and-sandals epics to accomplish something remarkable' Boarding Schools' AssociationTrade ReviewA deeply researched historical epic, so brilliantly brought to life I could taste the salt air on my tongue... Epic battles, well rounded characters sailing through a brilliantly described world -- Adam Lofthouse, author of The Centurion's Son[Knowles] has teamed his love of learning classics and childhood love of sword-and-sandals epics to accomplish something remarkable * Boarding Schools' Association *What a spectacular triumph! Knowles has taken a reassuringly familiar legend and elevated it into a new, realistic and engrossing story. This glorious hero quest is packed with intrigue, adventure, mystery, and beautifully written skirmishes, raising the stakes higher and higher as the crew venture into darker and more treacherous lands. The characters are well drawn and compelling, each with their own flaws and motives woven into the plot. The tribal politics, subversion and battle scenes leave you hungry for more of this dazzling epic, so I hope it won't be too long until a sequel is released! -- Sam TawKnowles has combined historical realities with sure-footed imagination... Brilliant -- Dr Paul Millett, Cambridge University, on The Consul's Daughter

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Book SynopsisThe new historical novel from Philippa Gregory, the Number One bestselling author of Tidelands and Dark Tides. In a divided country, power and loyalty conquer all… It is 1685 and England is on the brink of a renewed civil war against the Stuart kings with many families bitterly divided. Alinor, now a successful businesswoman, has been coaxed by the manipulative Livia to save Queen Mary from the coming siege. The rewards are life-changing: the family could return to their beloved Tidelands, and Alinor could rule where she was once lower than a servant. Inspired by news of a rebellion against the Stuart kings, Ned Ferryman returns from America with his Pokanoket servant to join the uprising against roman catholic King James. As Ned swears loyalty to the charismatic Duke of Monmouth, he discovers a new and unexpected love Meanwhile, Queen Mary summons her friend Livia to a terrified court. Her survival, and that

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Book SynopsisCollins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Levelled for guided and independent reading, each book includes ideas to support reading. Teaching and assessment support and eBooks are also available.A modern retelling of Cinderella on roller-skates!Ella is forbidden from going to the roller disco with her stepsisters. Will she follow the rules or follow her dreams?Copper/Band 12 books provide more complex plots and longer chapters that develop reading stamina.Pages 30 and 31 allow children to re-visit the content of the book, supporting comprehension skills, vocabulary development and recall.Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities.

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Book Synopsis‘No one is better . . . eden sees Crace at the top of his game’ - TelegraphTrouble has come to the garden. Its inhabitants live an eternal and unblemished life, tending to the bountiful fields, orchards and lakes, and serving their angelic masters. But now one of the gardeners has escaped, breaching the walls and making her way into the world beyond; a land of poverty, sickness and death - as well as liberty. The angels know there are those who would go to the ends of the earth to find her. Perhaps another fall is coming . . .‘Vivid and poetic . . . Crace writes with great flair and inimitable imagination’ - Financial Times‘Since announcing his retirement in 2013, Jim Crace has had more comebacks than Kanye West,something for which we should all be thankful’ - SpectatorTrade ReviewNo one is better at lending imaginative life to archetypes like this; he remains one of the most pleasurable stylists alive . . . [eden] sees him at the top of his game * Telegraph *One of our most original and inventive novelists * Observer *A fabulist, an open heart, an imagination in full flight . . . Crace is, quite simply, one of the great writers of our time -- Colum McCann, author of ApeirogonCrace's world-building is rigorous - he blends his talents as a fabulist with his love of writing about a natural world * Financial Times *Exquisite . . . Much of the book's pleasure lies in the sheer vigour with which he conveys the physicality of its ethereal elements * Daily Mail *Powerful . . . the world-buidling in eden is impressive . . . Acclaimed for his stylish writing, Crace does not disappoint in his new book. The rhythmic, limpid prose, the easy cadence, seem particularly well suited to depictions of paradise * Irish Times *Since announcing his retirement in 2013, Jim Crace has had more comebacks than Kanye West, something for which we should all be thankful * Spectator *Crace exults in the art of storytelling * Guardian *Jim Crace writes with great flair and inimitable imagination * Financial Times *

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Book Synopsis'Sexy, surprising, and full of secrets' Stephanie Garber, #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Caraval seriesA heart is a dangerous thing to steal.AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTELLER Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this sexy, action-packed fantasy about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes.Brie would do anything before making a deal with the Fae; death is better than their vicious schemes. But when her sister is taken by the sadistic king of the Unseelie court, there is nothing Brie wouldn't do to get her back-including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the rival Seelie court.Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie's only choice is to pose as a potential bride for the Seelie Prince, Ronan-a prince who's not quite as wicked as she once thought. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. But as Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she finds herself struggling to resist his seductive charm.Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty . . . and with her heart.'Beautifully broken and epic . . . A must read for fans of Sarah J Maas and Jennifer L Armentrout' Carrie Ann Ryan, New York Times bestselling Author of the Elements of Five Series'A sexy new take on fae fantasy . . . prepare to fall for your newest book boyfriend' Lisa Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Magician'An enchanting story of magic, adventure, and the lengths we will go to for the ones we love' Catherine Cowles, author of the Wrecked seriesTrade ReviewSexy, surprising, and full of secrets. These Hollow Vows is a lot like the world of Faerie - seductive, enthralling, and dangerous. With two very different love interests, lots of heated moments, and a spectacular ending, this is the fantasy romance I have been craving * Stephanie Garber, #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Caraval Series *Engaging writing and worldbuilding . . . Compelling * School Library Journal Starred Review *A beautifully broken and epic fantasy that completely blew me way. Complete with twisted fae, love triangles that make my heart pound, and exceptional world building, These Hollow Vows is a must read for fans of Sarah J Maas and Jennifer L Armentrout. I highly recommend and am in dire need for the next book! * Carrie Ann Ryan, NYT Bestselling Author of the Elements of Five Series *Tight plotting, efficient worldbuilding, and escalating stakes * Publishers Weekly *The final pages heavily hint at a sequel, which will undoubtedly find favour with avid faery/romance readers! * Armadillo Magazine *Will keep you up at night ... After THAT ending we can't wait to see what further chaos Lexi has planned and in the meantime we'll be rereading These Hollow Vows until the pages fall out * The Tempest *A sexy new take on fae fantasy, These Hollow Vows swept me away from the very first page and left me breathless and impatient for the next instalment . . . Prepare to fall for your newest book boyfriend * Lisa Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Magician *An enchanting story of magic, adventure, and the lengths we will go to for the ones we love. Lexi Ryan takes readers on a rollercoaster ride we won't forget and leaves us begging for more of this story and world * Catherine Cowles, author of the Wrecked series *

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Book Synopsis'Weird and wild and wonderfully unsettling... Dive in for just a moment and you'll emerge gasping and haunted' Celeste Ng, bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere It's been sixteen years since Gretel last saw her mother, half a lifetime to forget her childhood on the canals. But a phone call will soon reunite them, and bring those wild years flooding back: the secret language that Gretel and her mother invented; the strange boy, Marcus, living on the boat that final winter; the creature said to be underwater, swimming ever closer. In the end there will be nothing for Gretel to do but to wade deeper into their past, where family secrets and aged prophesies will all come tragically alive again. 'As readable as it is dazzling, full of unsettling twists and dark revelations' Observer**SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2018**Trade ReviewDaisy Johnson is a new goddamn swaggering monster of fiction * Lauren Groff *Saturated in mythology and fairy tales, Everything Under is weird and wild and wonderfully unsettling. Daisy Johnson writes in a torrent of language as unrelenting and turbulent and dark as the river at the book’s heart; dive in for just a moment and you’ll emerge gasping and haunted -- Celeste NgThe kind of book that worms its way into your brain, leaving echoes of its story and world long after it is back on the shelf… beautifully creepy and affecting -- Rebecca Nicholson * Observer *A stunning debut novel. Blending a deep understanding of character and storytelling examination… the result reminds me of Iris Murdoch… Johnson’s affinity for the natural world is extraordinary -- Jeff VanderMeer * Guardian *Everything Under grabbed me from the first page and wouldn’t let me go. To read Daisy Johnson is to have that rare feeling of meeting an author you’ll read for the rest of your life. * Evie Wyld *Everything Under is a force of nature ... Like Iris Murdoch's 1954 novel Under the Net, Johnson's Man Booker Prize finalist is concerned with language, secrets and the damage wrought by what's left unsaid. -- Tobias Grey * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisDiscover this beautiful winter gem of a novella that makes the perfect stocking filler this Christmas.'I may have been gone a long time, but I'm no stranger...' Manfred walks alone through a snowy valley, surrounded by his memories, on a pilgrimage of sorts to his childhood home. He's been estranged from his brother Sebastian for decades, ever since their bitter feud over the love of a woman and the inheritance of the family farm.Twelve Nights transports us to the wintry depths of Europe's Black Forest, through the stillness of the snow-covered hills, the dense woods, the cold and mist, in those dark, wild days between Christmas and Epiphany. These nights are a time of tradition and superstition, of tales told around the local innkeeper's table of marauding spirits, as tangible as the ghosts of Manfred's past. But the twelfth night, Epiphany, promises new beginnings, and a hope of reconciliation at last.Twelve Nights is a hymn to the winter landscape and the power of storytelling, a beautiful novella of the natural world and our place in it.

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Book SynopsisFollow Molly's journey in this gorgeous picture book that is sure to delight adults and children alike!

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Book SynopsisThe year turns, harvest approaches, and the longer night skies fill with stars. And sometimes, just sometimes, maybe once in a thousand lifetimes, the star you see when you look up is a Wishing Star, one that can hear a wish and make a dream come true. But once its work is done, who is it that completes the cycle and returns it to the heavens?

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Book SynopsisSeven modern fairytales from Pulitzer Prize finalist Kelly Link, featuring illustrations by award-winning artist Shaun Tan. Leaving behind the enchanted castles, deep, dark woods and gingerbread cottages of fairytales for airport waiting rooms, alien planets and a cannabis farm run by a team of hospitable cats, White Cat, Black Dog offers a fresh take on the stories that you thought you knew. Here you’ll find stoner students, failing actors and stranded professors questing for love, revenge or even just a sense of purpose. Poised on the edges between magic, modernity and mundanity, this collection will remind you once again of why Kelly Link is incomparable in the realm of short fiction. Don’t stray from the path! Not without Kelly Link as your guide. 'Uncanny brilliance' Sunday Times 'An expert illusionist' New Yorker 'Link is a genius' LA Times 'Thrilling... glittering' Spectator 'A short story sorceress' Washington Post 'Joyful... awe-inspiring' Jessamine Chan 'Contains all the good stuff' Bustle 'Magically transporting' Salon 'Wonderfully told' BuzzFeed 'Liable to linger in your mind' Today 'Enchanting' Publishers Weekly 'Wondrous' Stephen Graham Jones 'This book is sublime' Emma Straub 'Enchanting... unsettling' Kiersten White 'Glorious and bewitching' Clare Beams Tales you live inside' Victor Lavalle 'Luminous... surreal' Kate MascarenhasTrade ReviewA billionaire is a king, a housesitting gig is a portal, and fans of 'Station Eleven,' speculative fiction or simply anyone who needs a brief escape from the hard, cold world will find the prose here magically transporting. Under Link's hand, the stories promise to be wild, wicked and utterly unforgettable. -- Alison Stine * Salon *Kelly Link is the master of the modern fairytale. This collection of short stories is deceptively easy to read – you'll be turning the pages of strange events quickly, but the stories and their strange events are liable to linger in your mind. * Today *Link’s most direct engagement with the fairytales and folk legends that have always inspired her work... as intense, absorbing and weird as the best dreams * The Guardian *Like Angela Carter, Link understands the psychological (and narratological) powers of her raw material, and makes thrilling shapes while also dissecting modern society . . . White Cat, Black Dog marks a glittering new height in the literature of the weird * The Spectator *'MacArthur Genius Grant fellow Kelly Link’s latest collection reworks seven fairy tales... in fantastic modern contexts. Hansel and Gretel must escape a very different sort of hunger on a planet of vampires; a house-sitting gig is the setting for a portal fantasy; and the white cat of the title turns out to run a weed dispensary. There are layovers in airports (familiar) and wealthy fathers sending sons on absurd quests – also familiar, but in a much more bone-deep way in the retellings of such symbolic stories' * LitHub *The maestro fantasist of short fiction brings us more mystical stories – of animals, human and not, and the unattainable desires that make up all our lives. Each story reworks a folk tale, sourced from the Brothers Grimm, Scottish ballads, and beyond, then sprints off in surprising new directions. The collection contains all the good stuff: doppelgängers right and left, puppies that might be foxes, foxes that might be embroidery, and divine swimming sessions in a dinky hotel pool.' * Bustle *Link refashions classic fairy tales, myths, and adventure sagas for contemporary settings in her wondrous collection.... [she] delivers the kind of off-the-cuff oddness her readers expect, and her reworkings take the clockwork of familiar stories and give them bloody, beating hearts... This is enchanting. * Publishers Weekly *Reading Kelly Link makes my heart burst with gladness. Perfect for longtime fans as well as new readers, these seven mischievous, nimble, joyful, wise, awe-inspiring, soul-enriching, positively Linkian fairy tales will make you feel like you’re discovering the power of stories for the very first time and will expand your capacity for enchantment in our jaded world. White Cat, Black Dog is a book I will read, reread, and treasure all my life. -- Jessamine ChanLink has produced a body of work that is formally original and emotionally rich... in her hands, the Grimms’ enchanted animals are still enchanted animals, but straight princes and princesses are fabulous gay men and lesbian professionals, the ominous woods are airports with endless delays or post-apocalyptic landscapes... This is fiction that pulls you swiftly into its world and then holds you completely, lingering like an especially intense dream * Kirkus *Reading Kelly Link is stepping onto a slide that spirals you down into the heart of the kaleidoscope, splashes you into a technicolor fairy tale, and either makes you smile wide enough that you cry, or the other way around. Her storytelling is wondrous and fanciful, full of longing and terror. -- Stephen Graham JonesKelly Link’s stories are spooky and funny, grounded and floating, and, as always, completely her own. There is no mistaking a story by Kelly Link. This book is sublime. -- Emma StraubLink is one of America’s most respected – and original – short story writers... Her latest book contains her updated takes on seven fairy tales, featuring a cast of characters who are all searching for something elusive. * The OC Register *If I could find a way to use every superlative in a never-ending Borges-ian Carter-esque sentence, I would. Kelly Link’s stories are generous with their intellect, wit, humanity, and the hope and dread of what was, of what might be, of what is. White Cat, Black Dog is a marvel -- Paul TremblayKelly Link’s stories wriggle under your skin and take up a permanent home there, and somehow you’re grateful to be infested. An enchanting collection from one of the most astonishingly funny, unsettling, insightful, and brilliant writers of our time -- Kiersten WhiteWith White Cat, Black Dog, Kelly Link puts her sui generis magic to work on the older magic of fairy tales, forging something revelatory. These stories delight and terrify and seem to ask us, Yes, this is the way the world works — haven’t you been paying attention? I am now. What a glorious and bewitching gift this book is. -- Clare BeamsIf Kelly Link writes a book, I am reading that book. White Cat, Black Dog is a glorious book, full of grand journeys across times, lives and realities. These are big stories, tales you dive into, live inside, and come out the other end changed. Kelly Link is the Alice Munro of the fantastic. And we readers are so lucky to have more of her writing in our lives. -- Victor LaValleA luminous and unsettling collection of fables, with flashes of surreal humour -- Kate MascarenhasThe Brothers Grimm meet Black Mirror meets Alice in Wonderland in White Cat, Black Dog. Kelly Link, a MacArthur Grant recipient and Pulitzer Prize finalist, is an expert in the art of darker, sci-fi-infused magical realism and shows off her skills in her new short story collection. In seven remixed fairy tales, Link delivers wit and dreamlike intrigue. One story follows a cat who runs a weed dispensary and enchants the three sons of an aging billionaire. In another, a reimagined version of “Hansel and Gretel,” a brother and sister wait for their parents to return to an alien planet where vampires and handmaidens run amok. And even “Snow-White and Rose-Red” gets an update in which a grad student housesits a cabin — and is visited by beguiling guests. * TIME *Link displays her usual uncanny brilliance...in these generous reimaginations that reflect our own world, darkly * The Sunday Times *Link is a genius, and not just according to the MacArthur Foundation. A small-press publisher, bookstore owner and producer of a zine, she consistently publishes stories that upend expectations. In her new collection, the author both reinvents and reclaims fairy tales, and the results are pure modern folklore — eccentric, taut and tapped into the collective subconscious. Dive in to meet Hansel and Gretel on a planet of vampires, as well as a cat who runs a weed dispensary. * LA Times *There's a distinct pleasure in discovering what kind of monster is waiting to be encountered next * SFX *Right up there with the very best stories she has ever written * Book Munch *'Link has already proven herself the fairy godmother of fairy-tale retellings in her previous four short story collections, expertly updating and humanizing them into enchanting, perfectly contained vignettes. Her latest collection so seamlessly entwines the real with the surreal that the stories threaten to slip into reality, resonating long after reading... Thought-provoking and wonderfully told' * BuzzFeed *'In the stories of Kelly Link, strange things happen in otherwise ordinary settings. Her stories do not abide by the rules of conflict and resolution — they make sense in the way that dreams make sense.' * New York Times *Link is a genius, and not just according to the MacArthur Foundation. A small-press publisher, bookstore owner and producer of a zine, she consistently publishes stories that upend expectations. In her new collection, the author both reinvents and reclaims fairy tales, and the results are pure modern folklore — eccentric, taut and tapped into the collective subconscious. Dive in to meet Hansel and Gretel on a planet of vampires, as well as a cat who runs a weed dispensary. * LA Times *'Kelly Link is a writer whose work is easy to revere and difficult to explain. She began her career by publishing stories in sci-fi and fantasy magazines in the mid-nineteen-nineties, just when the boundary between genre fiction and the literary mainstream was beginning to erode, and, in the years since, her work has served to speed that erosion along….Through it all, the essential qualities of her work have remained unchanged. To those familiar with her writing, ‘ Linkian' is as distinct an adjective as 'Lynchian,' signifying a stylistic blend of ingenuousness and sophistication, bright flashes of humor alongside dark currents of unease, and a deep engagement with genre tropes that comes off as both sincere and subversive . . . To read Link is to place oneself in the hands of an expert illusionist, entering a world where nothing is ever quite what it seems.' -- Kristen Roupenian, The New Yorker'Kelly Link is something of a short story sorceress. The 2018 MacArthur fellow refuses rules, subverts conventions, and in so doing, delivers unpredictable adventure. “White Cat, Black Dog,” her fifth collection, is a set of seven slipstream short stories that edge, in length, toward novelettes. Where her earlier collections were anchored by a zany, wondrous youthfulness (as well as vampires, faeries, and other fantastical genre staples), this one seems to convey: Never fear, aging has entertaining horrors all its own.' * Washington Post *Classic fable retold with a modern twist, breathing new life into old favourites with Kelly’s signature imagination and wit * Damian Barr's Literary Salon *Gives Black Mirror, Alice in Wonderland and the Brothers Grimm a run for their money * ES Magazine *Overflowing with beauty and stinging ferocity...White Cat, Black Dog contains the most wonderful storytelling, of the deepest dark kind * LoveReading, Star Book *Shows just how much life there is left in fairy tale retellings if the writer is bold and inventive enough. The stories delight, frighten and disrupt in equal measure, and serve as an ample reminder of Link’s remarkable talents * The Fantasy Hive *A selection of fairytales for the modern world... Link's signature weird and uncanny style results in a delightful collection * The Sunday Times *Link has carved out a unique niche, somewhere where the strands of fantasy, weird fiction, and the speculative combine and become inextricably entangled. These are stories in which the fairy tale and the mundane world we live in overlap and mix together, rendering both of them freshly uncanny * Tor.com *Drawing inspiration from fairy tales… Link contemporises them and shapes them in the unexpected forms that only she knows how * Esquire Singapore *By turns unsettling and delightful, White Cat, Black Dog captures the essential poetry at the heart of fables * Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post Best SFF of 2023 *Eerie, confounding retellings of Scottish ballads, Grimm fairy tales, and cottagecore horror full of stumbles into the otherworldly, the uncanny swirling around the mundane... a leap in Link’s creative muscles and an excellent taste of her forthcoming, eagerly-awaited debut novel The Book of Love * Den of Geek, Books of the Year 2023 *

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Book SynopsisTime and the Gods is a collection of fantasy short stories written by the Irish author Lord Dunsany, first published in 1906. The book consists of fifteen short stories, each of which takes place in a different mythical world and explores various themes related to time, destiny, and the supernatural. The stories are set in imaginary lands, where gods and other supernatural beings interact with mortals. The book is divided into four parts, each focusing on a different aspect of time and its relation to the gods. In the first part, The Gods of Pegana, the gods create the universe and the world of Pegana. In the second part, Time and the Gods, the stories explore the nature of time and how it affects the lives of mortals and gods alike. Finally, in the fourth part, A Legend of the Dawn, the stories explore the origins of the universe and the gods. Dunsany's writing is known for its poetic language and vivid imagery. His stories often involve larger-than-life characters and epic battles between good and evil. Time and the Gods is considered one of his most influential works and helped to establish the genre of modern fantasy literature. The book has been praised for its originality, imaginative world-building, and the timeless themes it explores.

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Book Synopsis ''A work of extraordinary depth; people are going to be unpicking the secrets of Tremaine for years to come'' Richard Swan, Sunday Times bestselling authorAll legends are born of truths. And just as much lies. These are mine. Judge me for what you will. But you will hear my story first.I buried the village of Ampur under a mountain of ice and snow. Then I killed their god. I''ve stolen old magics and been cursed for it. I started a war with those that walked before mankind and lost the princess I loved, and wanted to save. I''ve called lightning and bound fire. I am legend. And I am a monster.My name is Ari.And this is the story of how I let loose the first evil.Thus begins the tale of a storyteller and a singer on the run and hoping to find obscurity in a tavern bar. But the sins of their past aren''t forgotten, and neither are their enemies. Their old lives are catching up swiftly and it could cost themTrade ReviewR.R. Virdi's The First Binding is engrossing and beautiful, joyous and painful -- always entertaining, sometimes profound. This book makes me remember why I love epic fantasy * Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling author *Crafted with patience, passion and, most importantly, tremendous love. Read R.R. Virdi * Jim Butcher, New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files *R.R. Virdi spins a very personal epic fantasy about the consequences of our actions and the nature of heroism. Rich world-building, plenty of action, and devious twists abound. Very highly recommended * Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author *An epic like no other - grand, sweeping, dramatic, a love letter to fantasy burning with the dust and heat and mythos of South Asia. It reads like magic and tastes like saffron * Yudhanjaya Wijeratne, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, Washington Post bestselling author of The Salvage Crew *If you loved The Name of the Wind and The Lies of Locke Lamora, this is your next reading addiction * Dyrk Ashton, author of the Paternus Trilogy *The First Binding is epic fantasy at its finest -- an homage to storytelling and legend, richly told and endlessly engaging. Complex and luxuriant, this is an emotional, multifaceted gem of a book that examines the twists and turns a story takes on its journey from the truth * Andrea Stewart, critically acclaimed author of The Bone Shard Emperor *If you're a fan of The Kingkiller Chronicle, like me . . . well, The First Binding is for you . . . It is a novel about coming-of-age, found family, kindness, empathy, storytelling, magic, truth, and lies . . . [it's] the first volume in a new magnificent and ambitious high fantasy series to obsess over * Novel Notions *Lavish in detail, a saga colourfully flavoured with the mythos of India, R.R. Virdi's The First Binding is a fantasy debut recommended for the exceptional promise that The Name of the Wind enthusiasts have been pining to discover and read * Janny Wurts, author of The Wars of Light and Shadow *A work of extraordinary depth; readers will be unpicking the secrets of Tremaine for years to come * Richard Swan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Justice of Kings *An ode to storytelling, complete with a rich mythology, turbulent adventures, and a flawed hero you'll root for * Kirkus *The First Binding is, at its core, a coming-of-age/underdog story with the found family and pet companion trope (and LOTS more)! . . . a new favourite of mine * Library of a Viking *The First Binding is a masterpiece of epic fantasy storytelling * Michael Mammay, author of The Planetside series *The pattern woven by the recurring elements is beguiling. You'll want to sit down with this Storyteller again * SFX *I have read many good books this year, but The First Binding climbed incredibly quickly to the top and currently has wiped out every other amazing book I have read * Moon Kestrel *An unforgettable, magical tale . . . A beautifully told story from start to finish, this is the kind of book that will stay with you long after you finish reading * The Bibliophile Chronicles *One of my top reads this year. It celebrates storytelling, is written in lyrical prose, and contains elements that are immersed in South Asian mythos and culture * Fantasy Book Critic *I recommend The First Binding to every epic fantasy fan . . . in a decade it'll be remembered as one of the cornerstones of this genre * Books in Blankets *An immense achievement, and deserves a place on any epic fantasy reader's shelf beside the other greats of the genre. It's a mesmerizing love letter to stories, to the South Asian culture and history that inspired it, and to the fantasy genre as a whole * winteriscoming.net *This is a SPECTACULAR book, deep and rich and intense. It takes my breath away * Faith Hunter, New York Times bestselling author *There is little else out there to rival The First Binding. It is an entire mythos and world, epic fantasy and autobiography, a comprehensive retelling of one man's life * The Wall Street Journal *A work of staggering ambition born out of a fathoms-deep love for epic fantasy, The First Binding marks the arrival of an author and protagonist who are both trickster heroes on a multi-layered legendary journey * Samit Basu, author of The City Inside *Lyrical and enchanting. A new star has risen in the firmament of epic fantasy * D.J. Butler, Dragon Award-winning author of Witchy Eye *Filled with astute nods to South Asian lore, The First Binding is a classic in every way: layered, nuanced, and luxurious. A story that forces you to examine reality and truth, and the power of legends themselves * Kritika H. Rao, author of The Surviving Sky *A mysterious odyssey through the ancient legends and culture of South Asia that weaves an enchanting tale of theatre, thievery and richly fleshed binding-magic. The story within story unravels like a Matryoshka doll and each discovery pulses with music and wonder and sometimes, even deceit. The Old Gods will be pleased with this marathon of lyrical prose. Perfect for history-mythology geeks * Gourav Mohanty, author of Sons of Darkness *Imagine a magical story that's like a harmonious song with many enchanting layers, bringing to life cultures and myths rarely explored before. It's as if the music of the tale resonates deeply within, creating a beautiful and legendary experience. Tales of Tremaine weaves a melody of heroism, love, and tragedy, echoing the captivating performances of music, storytelling, and theater. If you have a heart for exquisitely composed fantasy, this is a must-read symphony of words * Dominick Sanchez, Grammy Award Winner *A world as deep as it is broad. Virdi's love for fantasy and history both shines through on every page * Christopher Ruocchio, internationally award-winning author of The Sun Eater *

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Book SynopsisAn inter-connected romantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. MaasAxil Moon broke my heart when I was fifteen and I've dreamed of getting revenge ever since. So when he becomes the king of all Wolven and summons me to compete for his hand in marriage in the deadly Queen Trials, I gladly accept. I want nothing more than to defeat the competition and leave him cold and alone when I slam the bedroom door in his face every night. Axil Moon will regret the day he thought he could discard me and get away with it.But the Axil I expect isn't the one waiting for me. This grown Axil is different from the teenage boy I loved. This Axil begs me to believe it was never his choice to leave me, and my heart is torn.Now I have to try and stay alive in order to see what could be between us, but all the while there is an enemy in our midst and war on our border that could overturn the world as I know it, and all I can do is fight to keep that world alive.The Forbidden Wolf King is book FOUR of FOUR in the Kings of Avalier series. It''s a full-length standalone fantasy romance about the Wolf King Axil Moon.

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Book Synopsis Book 3 in the Kings of Avalier series: a full-length fantasy romance that also stands alone…

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Book SynopsisThis elegant slipcased edition presents for collectors the first ever publication of J.R.R. Tolkien's final writings on Middle-earth, covering a wide range of subjects. Stamped in gold foil, and printed on heavyweight acid-free paper, it includes a ribbon marker and is housed in a custom-built matching slipcase.It is well known that J.R.R. Tolkien published The Hobbit in 1937 and The Lord of the Rings in 19545. What may be less known is that he continued to write about Middle-earth in the decades that followed, right up until the years before his death in 1973.For him, Middle-earth was part of an entire world to be explored, and the writings in The Nature of Middle-earth reveal the journeys that he took as he sought to better understand his unique creation. From sweeping themes as complex and profound as the metaphysics of Elvish immortality and reincarnation, and the Powers of the Valar, to the more earth-bound subjects of the lands and beasts of Númenor, the geography of the Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor, and even who had beards!This new collection, which has been edited by Carl F Hostetter, one of the world's leading Tolkien experts, is a veritable treasure-trove offering readers a chance to peer over Professor Tolkien's shoulder at the very moment of discovery: and on every page, Middle-earth is once again brought to extraordinary life.Trade Review ‘A continuation of the many previous volumes assembled by Tolkien’s son, Christopher Tolkien, that allow readers to see the author “thinking… on paper”. For devotees, this will be a treasure.’ Publishers Weekly ‘How, given little over half a century, did one man become the creative equivalent of a people?’ Guardian

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Book SynopsisFascinating for Latin learners and for Tolkien fans of all ages, The Hobbit has been translated into Latin for the first time since its publication 75 years ago.Trade Review‘One of the best loved characters in English fiction… a marvellous fantasy adventure’Daily Mail ‘Finely written saga of dwarves and elves, fearsome goblins and trolls… an exciting epic of travel, magical adventure, working up to a devastating climax’The Observer ‘A flawless masterpiece’The Times

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Book SynopsisA Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick‘Alix E. Harrow is an exceptional, undeniable talent’ - Olivie Blake, author of The Atlas SixStep into Starling House – if you dare . . . Alix E. Harrow reimagines Beauty and the Beast in this gorgeously modern Gothic fantasy, perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab and Naomi Novik.Nobody in Eden remembers when Starling House was built. But the town agrees it’s best to let this ill-omened mansion – and its last lonely heir – go to hell. Stories of the house’s bad luck, like good china, have been passed down the generations.Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses, or brooding men. But when an opportunity to work there arises, the money might get her brother out of Eden. Starling House is uncanny and full of secrets – just like Arthur, its heir. It also feels strangely, dangerously, like something she’s never had: a home. Yet Opal isn’t the only one interested in the horrors and the wonders that lie buried beneath it.Sinister forces converge on Eden – and Opal realizes that if she wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it. Even if it involves digging up her family’s ugly past to achieve a better future. She’ll have to go down, deep down beneath Starling House, to claw her way back to the light . . .This is a romantic and spellbinding Gothic fairytale from Hugo, Nebula and Locus Award-shortlisted Alix E. Harrow.'Starling House is Alix E. Harrow’s greatest work yet' - Ava Reid, author of Juniper and ThornTrade ReviewThis book has everything you could possibly want this fall . . . a cursed town, a haunted house, a vivid and eerie setting—plus, characters willing to risk everything -- Reese Witherspoon, Reese’s Book Club October 2023 PickAlix E. Harrow is an exceptional, undeniable talent, and Starling House, with its gentle reassurances of the homes we make and the love we deserve, is more than satisfying. It’s pure loveliness in book form -- Olivie Blake, author of The Atlas SixGorgeous, poignant, and honest—an unforgettable read -- Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard DaughterThe gaudy, dark seam between horror and romance. Starling House is Alix E. Harrow’s greatest work yet – if you can survive its slow belly-crawl into hell -- Ava Reid, author of Juniper and ThornThis is gothic fairy tale at its best and truest: dark and romantic, angry and hopeful . . . I loved it -- H.G. Parry, author of The Magician's DaughterThis book is as knife-edged and sharp as its protagonist, a rich and strange exploration of home and need and want . . . A smart, spectacular contemporary Gothic -- Kat Howard, author of An Unkindness of MagiciansThis is one you’re going to love -- Glamour MagazineTender and triumphant . . . Starling House will no doubt take its place alongside fiction’s most memorable haunted houses -- Publishers Weekly, Starred ReviewHarrow’s mash-up of twisted fairy tales and Southern gothic fiction is a haunting story of longing, lies, and generational curses -- Library Journal, Starred ReviewAlix E. Harrow is a fantasy author who just does not miss. This magical, heartfelt haunted house tale is no different -- Paste MagazineDevastating, eerie and upbeat -- SFXA spooky story about how hidden truths always come back to haunt you -- Kirkus, Starred Review

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Book SynopsisJ.R.R. Tolkien’s writings on the Second Age of Middle-earth, collected for the first time in one deluxe slipcased edition.Trade Review‘Physically beautiful and sometimes overwhelming in its power, this book is a grand compendium of all Tolkien said about the period when the foundations of The Lord of the Rings are laid’John Garth, THE GUARDIAN ‘It brings a Biblical grandeur to Tolkien’s fictional history’WINTER IS COMING ‘A trove of source material about one of Middle-earth’s most intriguing and central back stories. The book is beautifully illustrated by Alan Lee and nimbly edited by Brian Sibley’WASHINGTON POST ‘For those wishing to expand their understanding of Middle-earth and the incredible legend crafted by Tolkien, this is an essential piece to complete that puzzle’BOOK REPORTER ‘How, given little over half a century of work, did one man become the creative equivalent of a people?’THE GUARDIAN ‘Demanding to be compared with English mythologies… at times rises to the greatness of true myth’FINANCIAL TIMES ‘A creation of singular beauty… magnificent in its best moments’WASHINGTON POST ‘With this most recent volume, The Fall of Númenor, Sibley has beautifully and brilliantly done for Tolkien’s Second Age what Christopher Tolkien did for the First Age’NATIONAL REVIEW

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Book SynopsisA new collection of epic tales collected in the gorgeous gold-foiled and embossed hardback Flame Tree series. With their inventive mythology, the Egyptians explained the effects of famine, harvest, floods and death by creating a pantheon of gods that still holds our fascination today. The legends of Ancient Egypt are tied intimately to the presence and natural rhythms of the Nile so this new book, through a presentation of classic egyptological works, with a new foreword, brings the stories of the river culture to life, from the birth of creation by Ra, the sun god, to the murder of Osiris, and the revenge of Horus. We gain glimpses of the underworld and the afterlife, as the pharaohs of Egypt claimed ancestry from the Gods both worshipped and fashioned by the people of Egypt, at a time when humankind had begun to shape the world around it. The Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories, the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.

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Book SynopsisOvid's Metamorphoses gains its ideal twenty-first-century herald in Stanley Lombardo's bracing translation of a wellspring of Western art and literature that is too often treated, even by poets, as a mere vehicle for the scores of myths it recasts and transmits rather than as a unified work of art with epic-scale ambitions of its own. Such misconceptions are unlikely to survive a reading of Lombardo's rendering, which vividly mirrors the brutality, sadness, comedy, irony, tenderness, and eeriness of Ovid's vast world as well as the poem’s effortless pacing. Under Lombardo's spell, neither Argus nor anyone else need fear nodding off.The translation is accompanied by an exhilarating Introduction by W. R. Johnson that unweaves and reweaves many of the poem’s most important themes while showing how the poet achieves some of his most brilliant effects.An analytical table of contents, a catalog of transformations, and a glossary are also included.Trade ReviewStanley Lombardo successfully matches Ovid's human drama, imaginative brio, and irresistible momentum; and Ralph Johnson’s superb Introduction to Ovid's 'narratological paradise' is a bonus to this new and vigorous translation that should not be missed. Together, Introduction and text bring out the delightful unpredictability of Ovid's 'history of the world' down to his times.--Elaine Fantham, Giger Professor of Latin, Emerita, Princeton UniversityLombardo's translation is the most readable I’ve seen. . . . Its language is modern, accessible, and unpretentious. . . . I can imagine reading all the way through this version with students. I also admire the catalog of transformations . . . and, as usual, an Introduction by Ralph Johnson is worth the price of the book.--Margaret Musgrove, University of Central OklahomaA superb teaching text. The translation is readable, witty, and very accessible to today’s students. The glossary is useful, and Johnson’s essay is a great introduction to Ovid.--John Makowski, Loyola University, Chicago

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Book SynopsisTwo men who hate each other. One impossible mission. A legend in the making. Hadrian, a warrior with nothing to fight for, is paired with Royce, a thieving assassin with nothing to lose. Together they must steal a treasure that no one can reach. The Crown Tower is the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built and home to the realm''s most prized possessions. But it isn''t gold or jewels that their employer is after, and if he can only keep them from killing each other, they might just get him his prize.''This epic fantasy showcases the arrival of a master storyteller'' Library Journal on Theft of SwordsThe Riyria RevelationsTHEFT OF SWORDSRISE OF EMPIREHEIR OF NOVRONThe Riyria ChroniclesTHE CROWN TOWER THE ROSE AND THE THORN

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Book SynopsisComparable to Tolkien at his best' WASHINGTON POSTInstantly recognised as a modern fantasy classic, Stephen Donaldson's uniquely imaginative and complex THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT, THE UNBELIEVER became a bestselling literary phenomenon that transformed the genre.Lying unconscious after an accident, writer Thomas Covenant awakes in the Land a strange, beautiful world locked in constant conflict between good and evil.But Covenant, too, has been transformed: weak, angry, and alone in our world, he now holds powers beyond imagining and is greeted as a saviour. Can this man truly become the hero the Land requires?Trade ReviewJOHN W. CAMPBELL AND BRITISH FANTASY AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR ‘The Thomas Covenant saga is a remarkable acheivement which will certainly find a place on the small list of all true classics’WASHINGTON POST ‘Something entirely out of the ordinary … you’ll want to go straight through Lord Foul’s Bane, The Illearth War and The Power that Preserves at one sitting’THE TIMES ‘An irresistible epic … imagination, heroism, excitement, made all the more real by Donaldson’s deft handling of the rich history of the Land’CHICAGO DAILY NEWS

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Book SynopsisAnd then a mysterious figure called Bird Man guides Ava into a perilous part of the swamp called the Underworld, promising he can save both her sister and the park...Swamplandia! was longlisted for the 2011 Orange Prize and shortlisted for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize and 2013 IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.Trade ReviewMs Russell has produces a rich and humid world of spirits and dreams, buzzing mosquitoes and prehistoric reptiles, baby-green cocoplums and marsh rabbits, and musty old tomes about heroes and spells. With Ava she has created a goofy and self-conscious girl who is young enough to hope that all darkness has an answering lightness. Inevitably she must learn otherwise. Swamplandia! is ultimately about the aching beauties of youth - the way life begins with such dumb sweetness, while the lessons that give it meaning lurk around each bend like terrifying gators in a mossy fragrant swamp * The Economist *The tale of the two flyaway sisters proves lyrically powerful as it maps the enchanted but dangerous worlds that young minds can conjure to deal with grief -- Stephen Amidon * Sunday Times *It's a wonderfully extravagant, eccentric story by a brilliant young writer with an amazing imagination -- Kate Saunders * The Times *I was looking forward to Swamplandia! and I wasn't disappointed. I found this novel beautifully written and very witty, yet often extremely sad too * TheBookBag.com *The Miami-born writer renders the travails and delights of a...dreamlike world that leaves you intoxicated and slightly dishevelled * Monocle *

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Book SynopsisThe Vinland Viking Saga: Book 3Anja has just settled into a new life on the silver shores of Vinland with her beloved, Bjorn.But then a local warrior bursts onto the scene seeking revenge, swearing to spill Viking blood.And so Bjorn must risk everything to save the woman he loves before she steps into the darkness and sets their world ablaze.The Oath of Bjorn is an epic historical novel of gripping adventure and love everlasting perfect for fans of Vikings and Outlander.Praise for The Voyage of Freydis:Anyone who loves Vikings and historical fiction definitely should pick up this book' Emily, NetGalley reviewerVery lyrically written, I felt as if I was reading a song' Tiffany, NetGalley reviewerAs a lover of mythology and historical fiction I knew immediately I was going to like this book and I'm pleased to say I not only liked it but I LOVED it!' Libby, NetGalley reviewerTamara Goranson's writing really shines here. I felt the cold, heard the wind, flinched with the blows that takesTrade Review‘Anyone who loves Vikings and historical fiction definitely should pick up this book’ Emily, NetGalley reviewer ‘Very lyrically written, I felt as if I was reading a song’ Tiffany, NetGalley reviewer ‘As a lover of mythology and historical fiction I knew immediately I was going to like this book – and I’m pleased to say I not only liked it but I LOVED it!’ Libby, NetGalley reviewer ‘Tamara Goranson’s writing really shines here. I felt the cold, heard the wind, flinched with the blows – that takes a lot of skill’ Dawn, NetGalley reviewer ‘Took me on a rollercoaster of emotions’ Charlotte, NetGalley reviewer

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Book SynopsisThis truly epic adaptation of Kieron Gillen's Loki series spans the nine realms as the reborn trickster struggles to walk the hero's path and save the universe from an epidemic of fear. The god of lies has been reborn, but will young Loki be Asgard's savior? When Earth is plagued by an epidemic of fear, ancient prophecy says only Thor can stop the monstrous threat of the Serpent, but without help from Loki, Thor is certain to fail. Aided by a handmaiden from Hel and a demon puppy, Loki must risk everything to find redemption-or doom himself for eternity. Either way, a Nightmare lies in wait hoping to rule the world and Loki will have to risk everything on his craziest scheme of all! Meanwhile, new gods threaten to disrupt the status quo, throwing everything out of balance. Loki must act as a responsible ambassador, but will the nine worlds end in Surtur's fire? In this brand-new prose novel inspired by the epic comic series by Kieron Gillen, young Loki must cross the realms to reclaim his own story, outwit ancient enemies, struggle to do the right thing, and avoid falling in love.

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Book SynopsisA KINGDOM AT RISK, A CROWN DIVIDED, A FAMILY DRENCHED IN BLOOD.Tessa Gratton''s debut epic adult fantasy, The Queens of Innis Lear, brings to life a world that hums with ancient magic, and characters as ruthless as the tides.The erratic decisions of a prophecy-obsessed king have drained Innis Lear of its wild magic, leaving behind a trail of barren crops and despondent subjects. Enemy nations circle the once-bountiful isle, sensing its growing vulnerability, hungry to control the ideal port for all trade routes.The king's three daughters battle-hungry Gaela, master manipulator Reagan, and restrained, starblessed Elia know the realm's only chance of resurrection is to crown a new sovereign, proving a strong hand can resurrect magic and defend itself. But their father will not choose an heir until the longest night of the year, when prophecies align and a poison ritual can be enacted.Refusing to leave their future in the hands of blind faith, the daughters of Innis Lear prepare for warTrade Review‘Tessa Gratton creates a beautiful world, one where there’s magic in the trees and water, and prophecies come from the stars … reminiscent of Angela Carter’s reworkings of classic fairytales’SFX ‘Powerful, poetic fantasy that will take hold of your heart’Ed McDonald, author of BLACKWING ‘I adore this – rich, epic, blood-soaked – a glorious and grand sweeping fantasy’Kate Elliott, author of THE POISONED BLADE ‘A gloriously symphonic, thematically rich variation on the story of the daughters of Lear. The danger of seeking certainty makes this a tale for our time; the power of truth and mercy makes it a tale for all times. Prepare to devour every word, for Innis Lear will consume you’Karen Lord, author of REDEMPTION IN INDIGO ‘Messy, beautiful, and dark, darker than Shakespeare could have dreamed’E. K. Johnston, author of STAR WARS: AHSOKA

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Book SynopsisHERE BE DRAGONSA unique collection of stories by the greatest fantasy writers working today.Sparking myths and legends from Asia to Europe, Africa to North America, dragons are the most universal and awe-inspiring of magical creatures.Whether they are fearsome, rampaging monsters or benevolent sages with much to teach humanity, dragons bring creation, destruction, and adventure in stories told all around the globe.In this landmark collection, award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan combines nearly thirty never-before-seen short stories and poems, written by modern masters of science fiction and fantasy, and illustrations by acclaimed artist Rovina Cai.Featuring stories from Scott Lynch, R.F. Kuang, Garth Nix, Ken Liu, Kate Elliott, and many more, THE BOOK OF DRAGONS breathes fresh life and fire into the greatest magical beasts of all.Trade ReviewWINNER OF THE LOCUS AWARD FOR BEST ANTHOLOGY OF THE YEAR ‘A heaping hoard of literary gems that fans of dragon-powered stories will surely treasure’KIRKUS ‘THE BOOK OF DRAGONS seems almost certain to be the most significant fantasy anthology of 2020’LOCUS ‘There is not a single false note among these 29 stories and poems of dragons collected by Strahan … With myriad approaches to its subject, this wide-ranging anthology is a treasure trove of wonder’PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ‘A colourful assortment of dragons reimagined … Something for everyone and a reader will likely come away hungry for more’STRAITS TIMES

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Book SynopsisPART ONE OF THE TROY QUARTETBringing ancient myth to life with passion, humour, and humanity, Lindsay Clarke vividly retells the story of Troy and of the heroes who fought there.When the mortal Paris settles a contest between the gods, he is promised the love of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world.But Helen is already married, to the powerful Menelaus of Sparta, and the kings of many cities have sworn to defend their union. Paris's divine gift threatens to set his world aflame.An engaging retelling of the whole story, neatly blending mythic archaism with modern psychodrama and satire'Mary Beard1 A PRINCE OF TROY2 THE WAR AT TROY3 THE SPOILS OF TROY4 THE RETURN FROM TROYTrade Review‘An engaging retelling of the whole story, neatly blending mythic archaism with modern psychodrama and satire’Mary Beard, GUARDIAN ‘I’m awed by the web you’ve spun. Not only the beautiful complexities of it but the fine texture of the threads’Ted Hughes ‘A triumph of retelling the ancient story…a readable and freshened version that keeps one turning the pages’Alan Sillitoe ‘Wonderfully clear and dramatic’OBSERVER ‘Expertly handled, drawing on the best of this classic tale and shaping it into a riveting page-turner well-suited to our times’DAILY MAIL

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Book Synopsis*A TIMES CRIME CLUB PICK OF THE WEEK*This book had a bit of everything! Suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a few crazy twistsa great whodunnit!' Reader review, ????Everyone in this town has a secret. But who holds the key to the loch?Twenty years ago, three young women disappeared, never to be found. The rumour to this day is that their bodies are still hidden deep within the murky Loch Aven.When Eleanor, Clio and Michaela find themselves rained out of a camping trip in the Scottish countryside, they have no option but to book the mysterious house nestled on the banks of the lake. But little do they know that history has a way of repeating itself.As secrets in the tightknit community begin to surface, and Michaela suddenly disappears, it becomes clear that something sinister is at play. And now it's a race against time to unravel the mystery before the dark waters claim their next victimA claustrophobic, eerie and atmospheric thriller perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Sarah Trade Review Praise for Fran Dorricott: ‘A brilliant page-turner.’CLOSER ‘Charming, old-fashioned and eerily atmospheric.’ DAILY MAIL ‘A spooky rollercoaster of a book. A great set of interesting characters whose dark backstories reveal themselves as the story develops. Lots of twists and turns. I loved it. Highly recommended.’ SIMON McCLEAVE ‘Such a strong sense of place that you will be genuinely confused when you look up and realise you’re reading on a train and not on the bleak, isolated island that the author paints so vividly and beautifully.’ CAROLINE CORCORAN ‘Claustrophobic and eerie – it kept me guessing!’ NELL PATTISON ‘Creepy, tense and so, so atmospheric – The Lighthouse is a wonderfully satisfying story with layers and layers of suspicion and intrigue.’ ANDREA MARA ‘The Lighthouse has a claustrophobic atmosphere, mounting suspense and twists and turns that will keep you hooked. I couldn’t put it down.’ VICKI BRADLEY

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Book SynopsisAnne of Green Gables meets Diana Wynne Jones in this whimsical fantasy adventure perfect for teen readers.I don't know who you are, or why you need me, but you hurt her again and I will make you payAlice has lived in the forest on the fringes of Alder Vale ever since her parents abandoned her. Alone, exiled, and feared by all. All except Lily.Nature has always been Lily's tonic, and she never feels more alive than when she's amidst the trees. It was Alice who first called them the sisters of shadow, Lily the sunshine to her moonlight, for neither can exist without the other.But something is stirring beyond the mountains. Whispers of spectres stalking the moors, women of unfathomable power luring children into a cult that has haunted local lore for a generation.When Alice disappears, Lily knows she must rescue her or risk losing her forever.Because the rumours were true all alongExile.Monster.Witch.Here's what readers are saying:Hot freaking damn guys. Sisters of Shadow was so good! BeyTrade Review‘Hot freaking damn guys. Sisters of Shadow was so good! Beyond addicting. I honestly couldn't put the book down until I reached the very last page’ Alaina, NetGalley ‘Full of raw, dripping magic… characters that are complex, something that I would expect to come from V E Schwab… I cannot get it out of my head. I need more, MORE, from Livesey’ Dalton, NetGalley ‘I was hooked from the beginning’ Lara, NetGalley ‘This was a gripping read, full of love, friendship, working together to overcome fears and the battle of good vs evil… should definitely be added to your TBR’ Ronni, NetGalley ‘I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world the author created was brilliant and so immersive’ Amy, NetGalley ‘I suspect this book will have a certain Tik-Tok generation appeal… A gentle, whimsical fantasy story of best friends, first love and witches!’ Rebecca, NetGalley ‘The young adults in this book are so fierce and full of action’ Kelly, NetGalley ‘This book didn't disappoint’ Natàlia, NetGalley

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Book SynopsisLily, Alice, Grace, and Jem are back in the third and final spellbinding instalment in the Sisters of Shadow trilogy by Katherine Livesey!She couldn't work out if it was the world that had changed, or herselfWhen lightning shatters the darkness into a blazing jigsaw of panic and pain, Lily and her friends realise they've been transported through the jaws of the wild storm right to the gates of Midnight Manor, home of High Priestess of the Shadow Sect herself, Hecate Winter.But as a swarm of figures in hooded golden cloaks surrounds them it soon becomes clear: the real enemy was never hewn from the shadows but hidden in the light.A notorious legion of exorcists from beyond their borders, the Brotherhood of Light have been secretly abducting them for generations and indoctrinating them into believing there are good witches and bad witches, all subordinate to the whims of their oppressors.Now it's up to them to build a sisterhood strong enough to survive the sunrise.Readers have been captTrade Review‘Hot freaking damn guys. Sisters of Shadow was so good! Beyond addicting. I honestly couldn't put the book down until I reached the very last page’ Alaina, NetGalley ‘Full of raw, dripping magic… characters that are complex, something that I would expect to come from V E Schwab… I cannot get it out of my head. I need more, MORE, from Livesey’ Dalton, NetGalley ‘This was a gripping read, full of love, friendship, working together to overcome fears and the battle of good vs evil… should definitely be added to your TBR’ Ronni, NetGalley ‘I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world the author created was brilliant and so immersive’ Amy, NetGalley ‘I suspect this book will have a certain Tik-Tok generation appeal… A gentle, whimsical fantasy story of best friends, first love and witches!’ Rebecca, NetGalley ‘The young adults in this book are so fierce and full of action’ Kelly, NetGalley ‘This book didn't disappoint’ Natàlia, NetGalley

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Book SynopsisAnimal tales full of folklore and magic, chosen for for children aged 7-11

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Book SynopsisTo the world you are an abomination; a monster with unholy abilities. You're shunned and left to fend for yourself. Your only chance of survival is to tap into that dark potential - would you do it?In an isolated mountain community, sometimes a child is born with two hearts. Such a child - a striga - is considered a dangerous demon, which must be abandoned on the edge of the forest to protect the community. The only choice the child's mother can make is whether to leave her home with her infant, or stay behind and try to forget.Miriat made her choice. She and her nineteen-year-old striga daughter, Salka, now live a life of deprivation and hardship in a remote village, where to follow the impulses of the other heart is forbidden.But Salka is headstrong and young, and when threatened with losing everything, she is forced to explore the depths of her true nature, testing the bonds between mother and child.File Under: Fantasy&Trade Review"Captivating, provocative and poignant – not to be missed.""This is well worth your time!”"a very personal story you won’t be able to stop thinking about long after the tale is told.""enchanting fairy tale with real-world themes.""Houston has gifted us with a folktale that is both mythically resonant and all too human.""This intimate fantasy offers a heartfelt reflection on what it means to be human that is sure to please.""a coming-of-age tale set in a lavishly detailed backdrop drawn from the writer’s native Slavic mythology""A fresh and provocative spin on the Slavic Stiga mythology, The Second Bell is a smart and complex journey into the meaning of family, community, nature and possibility. A gripping read and full of heart.”"Fans of mythical yarns and medieval fantasies will enjoy this easy-to-read fable.""A masterful tale.""A claustrophobic but very human tale of bad decisions rather than (totally) bad people."

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Book SynopsisWELCOME TO THE INCREDIBLE WORLD OF MILDRED!When a stranger arrived at Mildred's door, she had no idea of how her life was about to change. The secretive order she was encouraged to join had many secrets. Mildred was about to find out just how dark those secrets are.Trade Review"Picks Up Where Potter Left Off, All Of The Intrigue, All Of The Darkness Without A Wand In Sight!" - Amazon.com; "Couldn't put it down, a wonderful read. Beautifully written with laugh out loud moments and tension that sends your heart racing - a must read!" - Waterstones.com; "OUT OF THIS WORLD - A great read. I was totally captivated by the fantastic world introduced in this story. I would definitely recommend this book to all Potter lovers out there. If you're looking for suspense, great characters, and want to read at the edge of your seat, then this book is most certainly for you. A real page turner."Table of ContentsChapter One: Every Cat Has A Name 9 Chapter Two: Slippery At The Sway 21 Chapter Three: Fish Paste Sandwiches 31 Chapter Four: Mr. Franks Tardis Emporium 47 Chapter Five: The Nook At The Coach And Horses 57 Chapter Six: Drive Of The Navigator 65 Chapter Seven: Word Of The Order 75 Chapter Eight: The Curator And The Watched Garden 79 Chapter Nine: The Long Haired Man 89 Chapter Ten: The Passing Of Lady Tempest 93 Chapter Eleven: The Palm Of Duat 103 Chapter Twelve: Pale Hands Of Clerics 111 Chapter Thirteen: The Arrival Of Miss Fennaway 119 Chapter Fourteen: The Reeve's First Scroll 127 Chapter Fifteen: Lady Ebonee 135 Chapter Sixteen: Behind The Gate Of Raysmau 147 Chapter Seventeen: The Stone Stairs Of The Below 157 Chapter Eighteen: Indebted To Rats 167 Chapter Nineteen: The Drawing Of The Scatterblade 173 Chapter Twenty: Talking To Cats 185 Chapter Twenty One: Dr Belloch From Castle Hollow 195 Chapter Twenty Two: Clown Nose And The Sheep Diving Contest 205 Chapter Twenty Three: Actioning The Switcharoo 215 Chapter Twenty Four: The Great Statue Of Salma 227 Chapter Twenty Five: The Keys Of Inferious 243 Chapter Twenty Six: The Serpent's Wheel 261 Chapter Twenty Seven: Welcome To The Kat Club 285 Chapter Twenty Eight: The Clear Sky Above Rocke Road 313 Chapter Twenty Nine: Walls Of Volemon 343 Chapter Thirty: Flames At The Light Of Dawn 375 Chapter Thirty One: The Scarred Comet 405

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Book SynopsisFrom the No. 1 bestselling author of WAR LORD comes an epic retelling of the Arthurian legend, which is now a major television series on ITV. The all-star cast will include Iain De Caestecker, Stuart Campbell, Ellie James and Eddie Marsan.In the Dark Ages, a legendary warrior arises to unite a divided land . . .Uther, the High King of Britain, is dead.His only heir is the infant Mordred. Yet each of the country''s lesser kings seek to claim the crown for themselves.While they squabble and spoil for war, a host of Saxon armies gather, preparing for invasion.But no one has counted on the fearsome warlord Arthur.Handed power by Merlin and pursuing a doomed romance with the beautiful Guinevere, Arthur knows he will struggle to unite the country - let alone hold back the Saxon enemy at the gates.Yet destiny awaits him . . .Combining myth, history, and thrilling battlefield action, fans of Game of Thrones, The Last Kingdom, Conn Iggulden and Merlin will be captivated by this gripping epic.___________''Of all the books I have written these are my favourites'' Bernard Cornwell''Spellbinding realism'' The TimesTrade ReviewOf all the books I have written these are my favouritesThat every Cornwell novel is better than the last, devotees have long taken for granted * The Times Literary Supplement *Bernard Cornwell writes with gritty realism * Daily Telegraph *Spellbinding * The Times *

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Book SynopsisThe calamities that befall the hapless creatures of Aesop's Fables! The fox can't reach his grapes, then gets attacked by biting flies and loses his tail in a trap. And things don't go much better for the hare, who is chased relentlessly by a hound, barely escaping with his lifeonly to be beaten in a race by a lowly tortoise. Misfortune turns to mayhem when a wolf is killed by his sweetheart's father, a sheepdog preys on his own flock, and the mouse and his friend the frog are eaten by a hawk. On the brighter side, a tiny ant saves her new friend the dove from a hunter's arrow, a bat persuades two different weasels not to eat her, and a kid goat uses his wits to escape from the jaws of a hungry wolf... For nearly three thousand years, the fables of Aesop have amused people of all ages as they provide commonsense lessons in the conduct of everyday life. The colorful characters and brief tales, by turns amusing and frightening, deliver a how-to course in applied moral philosophy. Thi

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Book SynopsisEscape to the ocean with the entrancing, unforgettable winner of the Costa Book of the Year - as read on BBC Radio 4.* PRE-ORDER MONIQUE ROFFEY'S NEW NOVEL, PASSIONTIDE, NOW *'Mesmerising' MAGGIE O'FARRELL'A unique talent' BERNARDINE EVARISTO'Wonderful' BRIDGET COLLINS'Brilliant' CLARE CHAMBERSNear the island of Black Conch, a fisherman sings to himself while waiting for a catch. But David attracts a sea-dweller that he never expected - Aycayia, an innocent young woman cursed by jealous wives to live as a mermaid.When American tourists capture Aycayia, David rescues her and vows to win her trust. Slowly, painfully, she transforms into a woman again. Yet as their love grows, they discover that the world around them is changing - and they cannot escape the curse for ever . . .'A bittersweet love story . . . A joy to read' BBC News'A fiercely modern mermaid story' The Times'Wondrous . . . A striking achievement' Sunday Times'Not your standard mermaid' MARGARET ATWOODTrade ReviewA daring, mesmerising novel that continually unseats expectation - I was deliciously unsure, throughout, what would happen next. With her fierce and shapeshifting mermaid, Roffey has created a modern myth about belonging and the bonds humans form with each other and with their land, single-handedly bringing magic realism up to date -- Maggie O’Farrell, No.1 bestselling author of HamnetI absolutely devoured The Mermaid of Black Conch. It's wonderful, immersive, evocative... A masterclass of world-building -- Bridget Collins, No.1 bestselling author of The BindingOnce I had started it, I couldn't stop. It was quite unlike anything I'd ever read. Such brilliant myth-making; such powerful storytelling -- Clare Chambers, author of Small PleasuresAbout wonder, spectacle, as well as greed. The writing is exquisite -- Elizabeth Macneal, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory and Circus of WondersA reading experience as captivating as a tropical storm. Full-throated and mesmerizing -- C. Pam Zhang, Booker-longlisted author of How Much of These Hills is GoldBighearted . . . Sentence by sensuous sentence, Roffey builds a verdant, complicated world that it is a pleasure to live inside . . . A fairy tale. But it is a ghost story too * New York Times *Sensuous, beguiling . . . Roffey's tale convincingly transplants a mythical creature into a modern setting . . . Wondrous * Sunday Times *Wonderfully written, with both soul and intense drama - it glistens almost, like the mermaid! -- Diana Evans, author of Ordinary PeopleStunning . . . A mesmerising read -- Nathan Filer, Costa-winning author of The Shock of the FallExtraordinary, beautifully written . . . We found it completely compelling . . . It feels like a classic in the making -- Costa Judges, 2020

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis'A tangled, gnarled, wonderfully original, strange, beautiful beast of a book' DAISY JOHNSON, author of Everything Under'Beautiful and terrifying' SUNDAY TIMES'Seethingly assured debut fuses magical realism with critical and feminist theory' GUARDIANIn house in a wood, Ada and her father live peacefully, tending to their garden and the wildlife in it. They are not human though. Ada was made by her father from the Ground, a unique patch of earth with birthing and healing properties. Though perhaps he didn’t get her quite right. They spend their days healing the local human folk – named Cures - who visit them, suspiciously, with their ailments. When Ada embarks on a relationship with a local Cure named Samson, and is forced to choose between her old life with her father, and a new one with her human lover. Her decision will uproot the town – and the Ground itself – for ever.A poised and simmering tour-de-force, FOLLOW ME TO GROUND is a sinister vision of desire and freewill, voiced in earthy prose and eviscerating detail by an astoundingly original new writer.'Equal parts beauty and horror, and unlike anything you will read this year’ TEA OBREHT'Fierce, palpable, hynoptic. A dazzling, troubling dream' COLIN BARRETT'A writer to watch' METRO'An astonishing debut heralding the career of an exciting new writer. Strange, lyrical, and arresting, this novel will draw readers into its extraordinary spell.' KIRKUS starred review LONGLISTED FOR THE DESMOND ELLIOT PRIZE 2019Trade ReviewSeethingly assured ... odd and muscular enough to resist easy interpretation. It can be read on many levels – as a fable about female yearning, or about containment and contagion; as an investigation into toxic relationships or a puzzle over the borders between human and non-human – but it is always singularly and entirely itself * GUARDIAN *Enthralling . . . Lyrical, dark and detailed, the story twists like a root, bent in one way by desire, in another by fate. * Daily Mail *Impressive . . . Rainsford is a writer to watch. * Metro *A tangled, gnarled, wonderfully original, strange, beautiful beast of a book * DAISY JOHNSON *Rainsford writes beautifully with a lyrical, earthy prose which is evocative and eviscerating yet mesmerising. She gives Ada a unique voice which fills and haunts the narrative. One of the strangest books I've read in a long time, it is utterly compelling and will linger, uninvited, in your consciousness long after you've turned the last page. * Irish Independent *

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Book SynopsisWhen Aladdin finds a magic lamp with a genie in it, all his problems are over! But a wicked magician wants the lamp, and he wants Aladdin’s girlfriend too . . . will three wishes be enough to get Aladdin out of trouble? Part of the beloved Fairytale Classics series.

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Book SynopsisPassed down through generations, these Fulani tales of love and djinns are collected here in the form of twenty-eight short stories. Transcribed and translated from the notes of Malum Amadu, a Fulani scribe who collected stories, songs, and spells, Amadu's Bundle brings together a long tradition of poetry and prose that have been told and retold over countless generations.

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Book SynopsisThis fascinating collection explores the history, culture, gods, calendar, myths and tales of the Aztec people, the Incas, the Mayans and other Mesoamerican and Central American peoples, from migration legends to the origin myth of the Five Suns. Though the Olmecs (1250–200 BCE) were the first civilization in Mexico, the Aztecs (1325–1521) were Mesoamerica’s last dominant indigenous civilization and often the one that is thought about, without understanding the region's rich diversity. Like the other Mesoamerican cultures, Aztec gods and myths reflected a natural philosophy where ideas concerning life and death were linked symbolically to the earth, sky and sea in a grand cosmic scheme. Their religion was dominated by the tribal war god Huitzilopochtli, the rain/fertility god Tlaloc and the supreme deity Tezcatlipoca, the Lord of the Smoking Mirror. This collection brings together the stories and the history into a fine and collectable new volume in the Flame Tree Epic Tales series. The Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories, the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.

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Book SynopsisA man finds a bald patch on the back of his head that looks curiously like a face, then discovers he's splitting in two. A bored student suggests digging a tunnel into the foundations of the art school. An elderly man is healed by hundreds of tiny people working on repairs inside his own head.Unlikely Stories, Mostly is Alasdair Gray's first collection of short stories. Gloriously illustrated, darkly funny, and steeped in myth and fable, they capture Gray's singular imagination.Trade ReviewUnsettling, otherworldly . . . Not since William Blake has a British artist wed pictorial and literary talent to such powerful effect * * Financial Times * *His work is masterly . . . Temperamental radicalism, militant humanism and a number of recurring sexual, linguistic and aesthetic themes are woven together into a prose full of recondite allusions and brilliant innovations * * London Review of Books * *As you'd expect from a writer as talented as Gray, there are enough idiosyncratic pleasures knocking around to make the book well worth reading * * Independent * *A series of fantastical fables, showing the influence of Kafka, Swift and Johnson's Rasselas . . . Memorable * * Guardian * *A necessary genius -- ALI SMITHOne of the brightest intellectual and creative lights Scotland has known in modern times -- NICOLA STURGEONGray is a true original, a twentieth century William Blake * * Observer * *Too clever for its own good in parts, but otherwise a damned good read -- "Colonel Sebastian Moran * * Simla Times" * *This anthology may be likened to a vast architectural folly imblending the idioms of the Greek, Gothic, Oriental, Baroque, Scottish Baronial and Bauhaus schools. Like one who, absently sauntering the streets of Barcelona, suddenly beholds the breathtaking grandeur of Gaudi's Familia Sagrada, I am compelled to admire a display of power and intricacy whose precise purpose evades me. Is the structure haunted by a truth too exalted and ghostly to dwell in a plainer edifice? Perhaps. I wonder. I doubt -- "Lady Nicola Stewart, Countess of Dunfermline * * The Celtic Needlewoman" * *

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