Traditional or cultural fiction and true stories, tales and retellings

Book SynopsisLively, stark and formidable, the imagery of Norse mythology storms through this classic collection. The fierce glory of Odin, Frigga, Heimdall and their fellow gods of Asgard shines here, with all the great adventures, from Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life, to the legends of Loki. And from the fabled Bifrost to the forging of Thor’s hammer, each Viking legend is riven with a vitality that speaks to us still. Here you’ll find out how Odin lost his eye, how Tyr lost his hand and read the terrible punishment meted out to Loki. Included too is the Sigurd Saga with its sleeping warrior maidens, treasures and glorious, heroic battles. This wonderful collection finishes with The Death of Balder, the Revenge of the Gods and, fittingly, Ragnarok.The latest title in Flame Tree's beautiful, comprehensive series of Gothic Fantasy titles, concentrates on the ancient, epic origins of modern fantasy.

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Book SynopsisIn the West we tend to think of witches in terms of the witch trials, when fear, ignorance and religious fervour brought the poor to heel, and fostered suspicion of those who dared to be different, or knowledgeable, or independent of mind. Witches and wizards are often associated with pre-Christian societies, Celtic in particular, (and therefore popular in tales of fantasy), but the nature of their wisdom can be found in so many fascinating cultures across the world. Ancient societies, particularly where natural religions with many gods abound, often highlight the power of an elder, or a seer, a healer or a wise friend. Tales of wizards and witches reach across traditions as folk try to explain natural phenomena and engage with the world around them. Those who understood the properties of healing in plants, or could make a prediction of weather events to rescue crops, became worshipped as elders, as keepers of knowledge. In tribal African societies, Polynesian cultures and East Asian traditions there are tales of those with great knowledge who are often described as witches or wizards. The Baba Yaga of Eastern Europe, Bokwewa, the humpback magician of the Chippewa, Merlin and Morgana la Faye of Arthurian Legend and the fox witches of Japan are but a few of the many examples. Some work for good, others with ill-intent, but all become the focus of folkloric legend, collected here in this new book of myths and tales.

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Book Synopsis This beautiful, deluxe slipcased edition of Tolkien’s famous illustrated letters from Father Christmas to his children includes for the first time every available letter, picture and envelope that he sent them, reproduced in glorious colour. The perfect Christmas gift for Tolkien lovers of all ages. Trade Review‘Will appeal to any kids whose appreciation of new worlds hasn’t been blighted by Action Man and enlightened schoolteachers.’TERRY PRATCHETT, Bath and West Evening Chronicle ‘Tolkien at his relaxed and ingenious best.’The Times

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Book SynopsisChina Miéville lives and works in London. He is three-time winner of the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award (Perdido Street Station, Iron Council and The City & The City) and has also won the British Fantasy Award twice (Perdido Street Station and The Scar). The City & The City, an existential thriller, was published to dazzling critical acclaim and drew comparison with the works of Kafka and Orwell (The Times) and Philip K. Dick (Guardian).Trade ReviewTackles his theme with a dark assurance . . . with its original blend of twisted urban fairytale and modern gothic horror, King Rat marks out China Miéville as an author to be watched. * The Times *Brings together elements of fantasy, fairytale and the detective story . . . I greatly enjoyed Miéville's weird and engaging myth-making. * Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis''Her Imagination was one of the most dazzling this century'' MARINA WALKER, INDEPENDENT ''The way to Carter''s visionary and lurid world'' THE TIMES''The darting, lyrical pen of Angela Carter, mistress of the erotic picaresque'' KIRKUS REVIEWS''I know nothing. I am a tabula rasa, a blank sheet of paper, an unhatched egg. I have not yet become a woman, although I possess a woman''s shape. Not a woman, no: both more and less than a real woman. Now I am a being as mythic and monstrous as Mother herself . . . ''New York has become the City of Dreadful Night where dissolute Leilah performs a dance of chaos for Evelyn. But this young Englishman''s fate lies in the arid desert, where a many-breasted fertility goddess will wield her scalpel to transform him into the new Eve. The Passion of New Eve is an extraordinary journey into the apocalyptic vision of the author Lorna Sage called ''The boldestTrade ReviewHer Imagination was one of the most dazzling this century -- Marina Walker * Independent *If you can imagine Baudelaire, Blake and Kafka getting together to describe America, you are well on the way to Carter's visionary and lurid world * The Times *Her writing is pyrotechnic * Observer *If we must have futuristic fantasies of feminism's nth degrees, let them come from the darting, lyrical pen of Angela Carter, mistress of the erotic picaresque * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisA modern spin on a folk tale where the improbable can happen the twists are lovely; dark and deep' The TimesGolding folds together a folklore-inspired plot with the modern twists and tension of a police procedural novel to create a bitingly unnerving story' Adele Parks, PlatinumPowerful imagery and captivating characters, this a grabbing book' Magic Radio Book ClubThe most original book you'll read this year' Crime Monthly * * *When a small child is found wandering alone, the local shopkeepers call the authorities immediately. Twenty minutes later, the girl's mother turns up, panicked and distraught. It doesn''t take long to clear things up, and mother and daughter are soon reunited and sent on their way.Miles away, the body of a man is discovered, floating in a bathtub, but the most surprising discovery of all is that he isn''t dead. Despite his injuries, he is very much alive.Two seemingly unrelated events. But as DS Harper begins to investigate, disturbing connections between the tTrade Review PRAISE FOR THE REPLACEMENT ‘A modern spin on a folk tale where the improbable can happen … deftly spun … the twists are lovely; dark and deep’The Times ‘Golding folds together a folklore-inspired plot with the modern twists and tension of a police procedural novel to create a bitingly unnerving story’ Adele Parks, Platinum ‘Sewing together the many threads of the case, there is the added folklore that seeps into an atmospheric, mysterious and horror-struck storyline. Powerful imagery and captivating characters, this a grabbing book’ Magic Radio Book Club ‘The most original book you’ll read this year … equal parts detective novel, psychological thriller and family drama. Full of twists, turns and atmosphere, make sure you don’t accidentally stay up all night devouring it’ Crime Monthly ‘A psychological thriller with a difference’ Heat ‘Creepy and atmospheric, the author weaves a magical thread of folklore into this outstanding thriller’ My Weekly ‘Chillingly brilliant’ Bella PRAISE FOR MELANIE GOLDING ‘Chilling story, beautiful prose. Little Darlings is stunning’ Clare Mackintosh, number one Sunday Times bestseller ‘Rich and satisfying, this is part who-done-it, part fairy tale, part psychological thriller. It delivers on all fronts and will continue to rattle you, long after you have put it down’ Felicity Everett, author of The People at Number 9 ‘Deep. Dark. Utterly addictive. I read this extraordinary book in one, breathless gulp…Be warned – you can't unread this story. It will haunt you' Teresa Driscoll, author of I Am Watching You ‘A story that is in turn enthralling, creepy and downright sinister, Melanie Golding turns fairy tales on their heads…A brilliant, heart-pounding read’ Lisa Hall, author of Between You and Me

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Book SynopsisTwo women.A wild Island.A truth buried deep in the past. ‘Like a surreal cabinet of curiosities – haunting, eerie, evocative’ Bridget Collins, Sunday Times bestselling author of The BindingTrade Review‘Like a surreal cabinet of curiosities – haunting, eerie, evocative.’ Bridget Collins, author of The Binding ‘Polly Crosby whips up a lush, mythical world . . . realised beautifully in vivid writing. A book worm’s treat!’ Eve Chase, author of The Glass House ‘This moving tale is set in a mesmerising world. Like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, the story emerges slowly, allowing you to immerse yourself in its wonders.’ Heat ‘A luminous and beautiful novel that gently lures the reader into a captivating story with a mystery at its heart.’ Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne ‘Rich and evocative storytelling is at the heart of this beautifully atmospheric book.’ My Weekly ‘A beautifully written tale of butterflies, secrets and silk’ Sonia Velton, author of Blackberry and Wild Rose ‘Immersive, atmospheric and so very imaginative.’ Kate Sawyer, author of The Stranding ‘Polly Crosby is a skilled storyteller, drawing the reader in . . . Will keep you enthralled’ Elizabeth Lee, author of Cunning Women ‘Dreamy image after image, The Unravelling is like a series of beautiful paintings’ Sara Sheridan, author of The Fair Botanists ‘Fluid and poetic … the story is of butterflies and silkworms, of flying free and being pinned, of characters and landscapes concealing layer upon layer of tightly wound secrets which eventually unspool in a series of dramatic metamorphosis.’Norfolk Magazine ‘Utterly transporting. Polly Crosby plunges us into a hauntingly beautiful landscape with complex and compelling characters.’ Annabel Abbs, author of The Language of Food ‘Imaginative and intriguing, this is packed with tender moments.’ Woman’s Weekly ‘Mysterious and suspenseful, The Unravelling is a story of visceral beauty and the transformations life undergoes to survive.’ A. J. Gnuse, author of The Girl in the Walls

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Book Synopsis'Gripping . . . You won't put it down' Sunday TelegraphA shocking collection of dark stories, ranging from chilling contemporary fairytales to disturbing supernatural fiction.Alone in a remote house in Iceland a woman is unnerved by her isolation; another can only find respite from the clinging ghost that follows her by submerging herself in an overgrown pool. Couples wrestle with a lack of connection to their children; a schoolgirl becomes obsessed with the female anatomical models in a museum; and a cheery account of child's day out is undercut by chilling footnotes.These dark tales explore women's fears with electrifying honesty and invention and speak to one another about female bodies, domestic claustrophobia, desire and violence. 'A brilliant collection of stories . . . All will burrow their way into your brain and not let go' Stylist'Shimmers with menace . . . Fans of Angela Carter and Shirley Jackson take note' i NewspaperKIRSTY LOGAN WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF BRITAIN'S TEN MOST OUTSTANDING LGBTQ WRITERS by Val McDermid for the International Literature Showcase in 2019Trade ReviewDeeply, deeply unsettling and brilliant collection of short stories. Some feature horror, nearly all feature dread and, in the manner of Shirley Jackson, all will burrow their way into your brain and not let go. * Stylist *Finely crafted feminist short stories, each one gripping and unnerving in equal measure… you won’t put it down * Sunday Telegraph *Literary and menacing. Powerfully unsettling. A fascinating collection. * Metro *Logan observes modern anxieties and commonplace troubles and twists them into surreal new shapes...marvellously unnerving...her sharp wit is unmistakable. * New Statesman *Her poetic, supernatural prose has lace edges of sticky, violent terror...Logan masters the format indubitably, channelling the spirit of Angela Carter... these tales seem to perfectly suit the unsettling times in which we live. Luckily for us, in writing these terrifying tales Logan, like Margaret Atwood or George Orwell, turns the big light on. * Herald *

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Book SynopsisCrow Dark Dawn interweaves the stories of Morrow, Ghresselle, Fenya and Binnory: vulnerable, complex and cunning, surviving in a liminal city of wind-swept wharfs and winding alleyways, stagnant canals and cold dank cellars - drawing on folklore and myth to create a distinctive dream-like atmosphere. Morrow: abandoned by Lummenmilk, his mother. He is brought up by Grob, the wizened old ratcatcher, who teaches Morrow his trade. Ghresselle: an old woman losing touch with reality, who wanders the city in search of her dead husband and a brother she never had, but who she believes is drowned. Fenya and Arrak: two street urchins, filching fruit and pickings from the market and the docks. Binnory: a young woman who arrives from the country, but quickly becomes entangled with the pickpockets and tricksters she meets on the streets. Longing and loneliness, hunger and disease live cheek by jowl with dancing and revelry, fiddle-playing and puppetry - and the haunting memory of a far-off village, lingering on in the mythic tale of a flower which bursts into flames, but never burns. DAVID GREYGOOSE dw dot windowsproject AT btinternet dot com

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Book SynopsisFor fans of The Night Circus, comes a sweeping and captivating debut novel about a young librarian who discovers that his family labours under a terrible curse.Simon Watson lives alone on the Long Island Sound. On a day in late June, Simon receives a mysterious book connected to his family. The book tells the story of two doomed lovers, two hundred years ago. He is fascinated, yet as he reads Simon becomes increasingly unnerved. Why do so many women in his family drown on 24th July? And could his beloved sister risk the same terrible fate?As 24th July draws ever closer, Simon must unlock the mysteries of the book, and decode his family history, before it's too late.Trade ReviewIn this dazzling debut, the immensely talented Erika Swyler sweeps seamlessly through generations and centuries, moving deftly back and forth and weaving the strands into an exquisite tapestry. I was immediately swept up in this quirky, raucous, and bewitching family saga. I absolutely loved this book * Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants *A luscious experience - dark, sweet and wild * Katherine Dunn, author of Geek Love *Compulsive reading * Elle *

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Book SynopsisThe bond between men and the gods is weakening.A dead man walks between the worlds and foresees Odin’s doom.The only survivor of a slaughter unleashes a monster from fiery Muspelheim.Long hidden among mortals, a giantess sighs and takes up her magics once again.A chief’s son must overcome war and treason to become the leader his people need.And the final battle is coming...Trade Review“It has all a fantasy fan could want: gods, magic, large-scale battles, duels and magical creatures… Holdt will be a name to look out for in the genre for years to come.” -- FanFiAddict * FanFiAddict *“Holdt wows in her Norse mythology–inspired debut… an electrifying adventure.” -- Publishers Weekly, starred review * Publishers Weekly *“A promising start for a series that will gratify lovers of epic tales.” -- Aurealis * Aurealis *"A classic fantasy grounded in real-world history and myth." -- SFX * SFX *

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Book Synopsis The debut series from the double Hugo Award-winning N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season'Lush and evocative' Naomi Novik, author of UprootedIn the city of Shadow, beneath the World Tree, alleyways shimmer with magic and godlings live hidden among mortalkind. Oree Shoth, a blind artist, takes in a homeless man who glows like a living sun to her strange sight.However, this act of kindness is to engulf Oree in a nightmarish conspiracy. Someone, somehow, is murdering godlings, leaving their desecrated bodies all over the city. Oree's peculiar guest is at the heart of it, his presence putting her in mortal danger - but is it him the killers want, or Oree? And is the earthly power of the Arameri king their ultimate goal, or have they set their sights on the Lord of Night himself?The Inheritance Trilogy begins with The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, continues in The Broken Kingdoms and concludes in The Kingdom of Gods.Trade ReviewThe very best kind of sequel: as lush and evocative and true as the first, with all the same sense of mystery, giving us the world and characters we already love, and yet with a new story and a wonderfully new perspective on the whole dazzling world and pantheon the author has built * Naomi Novik *A fresh new series . . . with a unique edge and a different voice . . . flowing, almost poetic prose . . . Jemisin is on the path to becoming a big name in fantasy fiction * SciFiNow *This is a book that readers won't be able to put down . . . A magnificent novel and one of the best books this reviewer has read this year * ROMANTIC TIMES *Intense, epic, and involving * i09.com *

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Book SynopsisMalevolent and dark, the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm are not for the faint-hearted. The stories were originally published in 1812 and form a vivid and fascinating body of work that is rich in folkloric significance. Replete with sinister characters and grotesque imagery, this collection is the perfect addition to our series of deluxe Gothic Fantasy giftbooks, and features some of the lesser-known tales alongside favourites like Snow White, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, and Hansel and Gretel.

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Book SynopsisTHE SECOND NOVEL IN THE REVOLUTIONARY DARK STAR TRILOGY''Even more gripping and inventive than its predecessor . . . like Tolkien on ayahuasca'' Observer*Perfect for fans of Pratchett, George R. R. Martin and Octavia Butler*In this mighty follow-up to his number one bestseller Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Booker-winner Marlon James once again draws on a rich tradition of African mythology, fantasy and history to tell the story of Sogolon the Moon Witch.Part adventure story, part tale of an indomitable woman, Moon Witch, Spider King chronicles the antagonist-turned-antihero''s journey from an ostracised no-name girl, hated by her brothers and made to live in a termite hill, to a woman with fully developed powers engaged in a long-standing feud with the Aesi, chancellor to the king.Offering Sogolon''s version of the events of Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Moon Witch, Spider King is an unforgettable Trade ReviewAn epic fable drenched in African mythology. This is work that both meets the immersive worldbuilding standard in books by Tolkien and Martin and brings to the genre a voice unlike anything seen before . . . It sets readers up for what will undoubtedly be a superb finale * The Boston Globe *Booker winner James's African-inspired imaginary kingdoms mark the series out from the usual run of epic fantasies, but his uniquely supple, powerful style is even more distinctive * The Guardian *Black Leopard, Red Wolf and Moon Witch, Spider King are wildly inventive, genre-defining works of fiction on the level of The Lord Of The Rings and the Broken Earth trilogy that deserve to be studied, dissected, and argued over * AV Club *An exhilarating tour de force . . . [James] establishes a new vision for the trilogy as a whole and confirms Dark Star as a true epic -- John BurnsideMoving, vivid, and thought-provoking . . . brilliant * Buzzfeed *James cements his status as a wildly inventive and lyrical storyteller * Financial Times *James masterfully flips the first instalment on its head . . . [A] titanic story of empire, adventure and power * Esquire *Told with James' inimitable linguistic verve . . . Riotous, ultraviolent, dazzlingly inventive * Literary Hub *A fantasy world as well-realized as anything Tolkien made, with language as powerful as Angela Carter's * Neil Gaiman *James once again shattered my expectations . . . Moon Witch, Spider King is a breathtaking book, one that functions as well as a standalone as it does a sequel . . . This is a novel that begs to be read in one sitting * NPR *Even more gripping and inventive than its predecessor . . . like Tolkien on ayahuasca * Observer *This novel's prose style, inspired by the grammar of African languages, has an intoxicating swagger and energy * Slate *James is one of the finest writers at work today, and Moon Witch, Spider King is a complex, enthralling novel. It is also utterly uncompromising, a book which the reader must meet on its own terms * Toronto Star *A fantastical epic that draws on African mythology * The New York Times *An imaginative story that advances the trilogy in a satisfying way, deepening and expanding an already epic world * Time *

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Book Synopsis''A tale of fear and survival, hope and yearning and defiance, in timelessly elegant prose. It will enchant you, break your heart, and chill you to the very marrow.' Samantha Shannon on The Wolf and the WoodsmanFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf and the Woodsman comes a gothic retelling of The Juniper Tree, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her abusive wizard father. Perfect for fans of Angela Carter, Catherynne M. Valente and Shirley Jackson_________________________________A gruesome curse. A city in upheaval. A monster with unquenchable appetites.Marlinchen and her sisters are the last true witches in a city shifting from magic to industry. Viewed as little more than tourist traps, they spend their days treating clients with archaic remedies and nostalgic charm, while attempting to placate their tyrannical, xenophobic wizard father, who keeps his daughters locked away in their crumbling home.But at night, they sneak out to revel in the city's thrills, particularly the recently established ballet theatre, where Marlinchen meets a dancer who quickly captures her heart. But as their late-night trysts grow more fervent and frequent, so does the threat of her father's rage. And while their city flourishes, a monster lurks in its midst, borne of intolerance and resentment and suffused with old-world power.Sunday Times bestseller, June 2022 (w/c 27th June 2022)Trade ReviewA tale of fear and survival, hope and yearning and defiance, in timelessly elegant prose. It will enchant you, break your heart, and chill you to the very marrow. * Samantha Shannon, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree *Utterly astonishing . . . Juniper & Thorn is the dark fairytale brought to perfection: terrible, and true, and full of teeth. * Shelley Parker-Chan, Sunday Times bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun *A gothic masterpiece. Reid weaves threads of unsettling horror and abuse with astonishing empathy. * Kat Dunn, author of Dangerous Remedy *Reid expertly weaves a dark and delightful tale that packs a sting. Love, betrayal, and a heroine for our time. I absolutely loved this novel. * T. L. Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead *Thrumming with feminist power, and riveting in its worldbuilding, Juniper & Thorn is an unforgettable tale. * Ausma Zehanat Khan, author of The Bladebone *

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Book SynopsisWhen the darkness rises again, the light will return wherever people stand their ground. Two years after the events of The Standing Ground, the tiny outpost of Y Tir in North Wales becomes a refuge for those who want to live without implants—permanent links to government surveillance that are threatening to dominate people’s lives again. But can Alys, Luke and Emrys thwart the growing threats of the new tech-giants whose offers of enhanced memories and virtual lives mask the erosion of privacy and even humanity? As new enemies threaten Y Tir’s existence, and old enemies emerge to sew seeds of destruction, Alys’ and Luke’s lives are put under increasing pressure. But there are also allies, not least Alys’ and Luke’s daughter, Iris, who appears to have fallen out of the mists of Greek legend and into Celtic myth. Can Iris, more strange and powerful even than Myrddin Emrys, also known as Merlin, save the day for Y Tir? Skilfully combining near-future technologies of surveillance and immersive media with Arthurian legend and Greek mythology, this story of suspense is full of convincing and extraordinary characters. A breath-taking conclusion to The Standing Ground trilogy. But does this story ever end?

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Book Synopsis"A man went to knock at the king's door and said, Give me a boat. The king's house had many other doors, but this was the door for petitions. Since the king spent all his time sitting by the door for favours (favours being offered to the king, you understand), whenever he heard someone knocking on the door for petitions, he would pretend not to hear..." Why the petitioner required a boat, where he was bound for, and who volunteered to crew for him and what cargo it was found to be carrying the reader will discover as this short narrative unfolds. And at the end it will be clear that what night appear to be a children's fable is in fact a wry, witty Philosophical Tale that would not have displeased Voltaire or Swift.Trade ReviewSaramago writes possibly the most beautiful but certainly the most precise and differentiated Portuguese prose of our time -- Walter Haubrich * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung *Saramago is a writer, like Faulkner, so confident of his resources and ultimate destination that he can bring any improbability to life -- John UpdikeNo candidate for a Nobel Prize has a better claim to lasting recognition than this novelist -- Edmund WhiteHe was the equal of Philip Roth, Günter Grass, Thomas Pynchon and Don DeLillo. His genius was remarkably versatile - he was at once a great comic and a writer of shocking earnestness and grim poignancy -- Harold BloomSaramago is a writer of formidable talent and extraordinary imagination * La Repubblica *

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Book SynopsisA chilling fantasy retelling of the Snow White fairy tale by bestselling creators Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran. A not-so-evil queen is terrified of her monstrous stepdaughter and determined to repel this creature and save her kingdom from a world where happy endings aren''t so happily ever after. From the Hugo, Bram Stoker, Locus, World Fantasy, Nebula Award-winning and Sunday Times-bestselling writer Neil Gaiman (American Gods) comes this graphic novel adaptation by Colleen Doran (Troll Bridge). ''Like Ray Bradbury before him, [Neil Gaiman] writes lovely little horror stories, fairy tales and fantasies which are as familiar as they are fabulous, stories that are never quite what the reader expects...'' A.V. ClubTrade ReviewThis sumptuous, adults-only comic book adaptation brings the acclaimed writer's short story to vivid life . . . [Doran] creates imagery and visuals that'll linger in your mind's eye long after you close the book . . .Snow, Glass, Apples is a combination of a superb script, with Gaiman at his evocative, inventive best, and masterful artwork from Doran. * Starburst *A must for any fan of American Gods or the work of Neil Gaiman... [sitting] alongside the TV series and the novel as another way to tackle and understand Gaiman's deep, rich narrative * Starburst *

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Book SynopsisThere is something morbidly fascinating about the dark and grotesque. Although it is human nature to tiptoe around the uncomfortable (or avoid it altogether), some artists are inspired by the unsettling to create intriguing works of art that push the boundaries of normality and provoke viewers into exploring their fears and taboos. There are also others who use them as springboards of the imagination to express their innermost feelings and question the often-grim realities of existence.In conjunction with Victionary’s 20th anniversary, the new edition of ‘DARK INSPIRATION’ combines most of the projects from the first two best-selling titles of the same name along with new work into one meaty celebration of the macabre. Featuring chilling depictions of childhood reveries, folklore, mysteries, and death in a variety of styles and interpretations, each project serves unconventionally as a celebration of life in all its gruesome glory. With contributions from: Aitch, Akino Kondoh, Aleksandra Waliszewska, Alessandro Sicioldr Bianchi, Alex Garant, Alice Lin, Amandine Urruty, Audrey Kawasaki, Bene Rohlmann, Dadu Shin, Dan Hillier, Daniel Martin Diaz, Danny Van Ryswyk, David Ho, dromsjel, Eero Lampinen, Eika, Elisa Ancori, Erik Mark Sandberg, Evelyn Bencicova, Fabian Mérelle, Fiona Roberts, Francesco Brunotti, Francois Robert, Fuco Ueda, Gabriel Isak, Giacomo Carmagnola, Guim Tió Zarraluki, Hannes Hummel, Heiko Müller, James Jean, Januz Miralles, Jeff Mcmillan, Jesse Auersalo, Jim Johnson Tsang, Jon Beinart, Jules Julien, Justin Nelson, Kate Macdowell, Katy Horan, Kayan Kwok, Kim Simonsson, Kotaro Chiba, Lala Gallardo, Lola Dupre, Lostfish, Mariana Magdaleno, merve morkoç (Lakormis), Mia Mäkilo, Michael Reedy, Miranda Meeks, Nadja Jovanovic, Nicoletta Ceccoli, Oleg Dou, Olivia Knapp, Paola Rojas H & David Perez, Paul Hollingworth, Raffaello De Vito, Raul Oprea aka Saddo, Richard Colman, Ryan Oliver, Sergio Mora / Agency Rush, Tara McPherson, Till Rabus, Tim Lee, Yido, Yoshitoshi Kanemaki, Yuka Yamaguchi, Yury Ustsinau, and Zhou Fan

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Book SynopsisThe Concluding Part of the Epic Viking Fantasy TrilogyALL SHALL PERISH The great wolf howls for Ragnarok to begin. The half-giant Einer leads an army of the dead to clash with the golden shields of Asgard. The nornir tie and retie their threads, as Loki’s and Odin’s schemes unfold… and unravel. For not even cunning gods and giants see every part of the web.As the survivors of the burned village of Ash-hill converge on the final battle on Ida’s Plain, only two are truly free to choose their paths and prevent the annihilation of the nine worlds: a storyteller who holds all destinies in his hands, and a shieldmaiden with no destiny at all.Trade Review“Lush prose and epic battles only enhance this well-crafted series finale from a rising genre talent.” -- Publishers Weekly, starred review * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisMuch of Scottish mythology was imported by settlers arriving from across the Irish Sea, and so Scottish mythology in large part shares its characters and tales with the mythology of Ireland, from the Ulster Cycle featuring Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, and the great hero Cúchulainn, to the adventures of Fionn mac Cumhaill. But Scotland also possesses its own folklore and tales featuring kings, water spirits, selkies, sea monsters and fairies, not to mention some Arthurian myths native to this land. From the Gaelic heroism of 'Conall Cra Bhuidhe', tales of fairy folk such as 'The Smith and the Fairies' and the classic ghost story of 'The Fiddler and the Bogle of Bogandoran', to traditional fables ('The Fox and the Wolf') and a tale of unrequited love, murder and rescue ('A Legend of Invershin'), this entertaining collection gathers the ancient myths and fairy tales featuring all manner of creatures into a uniquely Caledonian set of stories. FLAME TREE 451: From mystery to crime, supernatural to horror and myth, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.

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Book SynopsisAs the bombs rain down in the Second World War, one young girl is evacuated to the English countryside. Struggling to make sense of her new wartime life, she is given a copy of a book of ancient Norse myths and her inner and outer worlds are transformed.Linguistically stunning and imaginatively abundant, Byatt's mesmerising tale - inspired by the myth of Ragnarok -is a landmark piece of storytelling from one of the world's truly great writers.The Myths series brings together some of the world's finest writers, each of whom has retold a myth in a contemporary and memorable way. Authors in the series include Karen Armstrong, Margaret Atwood, A.S. Byatt, David Grossman, Natsuo Kirino, Alexander McCall Smith, Philip Pullman, Ali Smith and Jeanette Winterson.Trade ReviewLyrical and urgent * * The Times * *Brilliant, highly intelligent, fiercely personal . . . Gorgeous -- Ursula K. Le GuinByatt has made . . . an entire world, compressed but energetically alive in all its details. When we have artists like this, who needs gods? * * Observer * *Byatt's prose is majestic, the lush descriptive passages - jewelled one minute, gory the next - a pleasure to get lost in * * Sunday Telegraph * *Byatt's writing, impassioned and liberated from the strictures of the novel, has never been so beautiful * * Telegraph * *Byatt's prose, compact and lyrical, treats the gods with dignity . . . Ragnarok is a clever, lucid, lovely book * * Guardian * *Surely among the most beautiful and incisive pages Byatt has ever written * * Independent * *Byatt enters with gusto and an almost Ted Hughes-like relish for savagery into this primitive world of sorcery and trickery * * Sunday Times * *Byatt peels back the cover of the book that the girl reads and takes us deep inside it as she delights in reimagining the twilight of the gods and the destruction of the world . . . Like Wagner before her, she dares to dream how the world might end . . . this rewriting of the Ragnarok is a story for our time of overpopulation and anthropomorphic climate change, and of all time * * Financial Times * *Byatt's retelling of Ragnarok is permeated with the loving familiarity of long acquaintance * * Evening Standard * *

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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 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 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 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 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 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 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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