Search results for ""ORION""

A haunted house tour-de-force from the creator of THE MAGNUS ARCHIVES podcast.GOING UP?A dinner party is held in the penthouse of a multimillion-pound development. All the guests are strangers - even to their host, the billionaire owner of the building. None of them know why they were selected to receive his invitation. Whether privileged or deprived, they share only one thing in common - they've all experienced a shocking disturbance within the building's walls. By the end of the night, their host is dead, and none of the guests will say what happened. His death has remained one of the biggest unsolved mysteries - until now. But are you ready for their stories? * * * * * * * * * *'A modern horror classic' Starburst Magazine'Astonishing' SFX'Nerve-jangling' Guardian'A wonderfully creepy climax, hitting that perfect spot of uncanny horror' Grimdark Magazine'Steals your sleep, not only because it's such a page turner but it is very very creepy' NetGalley reviewer 'Chilling and so creepy' NetGalley reviewer 'This book literally has it all: simply faultless' NetGalley reviewer

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'Afonso Cuarón's GRAVITY . . . Ridley Scott's THE MARTIAN . . . Few novels measure up to these gripping cinematic visions, but Simon Morden's GALLOWGLASS knocks them out of the park' The Times The Times Best New Science Fiction!JACK VAN DER VEERDEN IS ON THE RUN.From his billionaire parents' chilling plans, from his brutal bodyguard, from a planet on the brink of climate chaos.Seeking freedom out in space, he gets a job on a mining ship chasing down an asteroid. Crewed by mercenaries and misfits, they all want a cut of the biggest payday in history.A single mistake could cost Jack his life - and that's before they reach their destination. The bounty from the asteroid could change lives and save nations - and corrupt any one of them. Because in space, it's all or nothing: riches beyond measure, or dying alone in the dark. Praise for ONE WAY: 'A blend of classic mystery, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK and Andy Weir's THE MARTIAN, ONE WAY is a science fiction thriller like no other' Waterstones'A claustrophobic, high-tension, survival-against-the-odds thriller' Guardian

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Caitlin Decter is young, pretty, feisty, a mathematics genius-and blind. Still, she can surf the net with the best of them, following its complex paths clearly in her mind. But Caitlin's brain long ago co-opted her primary visual cortex to help her navigate online. So when she receives an implant to restore her sight, instead of seeing reality, the landscape of the World Wide Web explodes into her consciousness, spreading out all around her in a riot of colors and shapes.While exploring this amazing realm, she discovers something-some other-lurking in the background. And it's getting more and more intelligent with each passing day. The first of a spellbinding future history trilogy that charts what will happen when the world's first, and superior, artificial-intelligence is born in the web.

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New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her breathtaking Psy-Changeling Trinity series with a mating that shouldn't exist . . .Alpha wolf Selenka Durev's devotion to her pack is equaled only by her anger at anyone who would harm those under her care. That currently includes the empaths who've flowed into her city for a symposium that is a security nightmare, a powder keg just waiting for a match. Ethan Night is an Arrow who isn't an Arrow. Numb and disengaged from the world, he's loyal only to himself. Assigned as part of the security force at a world-first symposium, he carries a dark agenda tied to the power-hungry and murderous Consortium. Then violence erupts and Ethan finds himself crashing into the heart and soul of an alpha wolf. Mating at first sight is a myth, a fairytale. Yet Selenka's wolf is resolute: Ethan Night, broken Arrow and a man capable of obsessive devotion, is the mate it has chosen. Even if the mating bond is full of static and not quite as it should be. Because Selenka's new mate has a terrible secret, his mind surging with a power that is a creature of madness and death . . .

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A girl's quest to find her father leads her to an extended family of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World of England when it intrudes on the modern world. From the bestselling master of fantasy, Garth Nix.In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn't get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.Susan's search for her father begins with her mother's possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan's. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.Praise for Garth NixGarth Nix sets the standard for Fantasy (Leigh Bardugo)A swashbuckling adventure . . . and the most original magic I've seen in years (Joe Abercrombie)Garth Nix is one of the best world-builders in fantasy. (BRANDON SANDERSON)Angles are called, and swords are swished and there are jealousies and romances galore in this riotous romp. (DAILY MAIL on ANGEL MAGE)An exciting adventure full of intrigue and action while portraying women in power in a refreshingly casual way. (KIRKUS REVIEW on ANGEL MAGE)

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THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING SEQUEL TO NINTH HOUSETHE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER FOR BEST FANTASY OF 2023__________________Wealth. Power. Murder. Magic. Alex Stern is back and the Ivy League is going straight to hell.Galaxy 'Alex' Stern is determined to break Darlington out of hell - even if it endangers her future at Lethe and at Yale.But Alex is playing with forces far beyond her control, and when faculty members begin to die off, she knows these aren't just accidents.Something deadly is at work in New Haven, and if Alex is going to survive, she'll have to reckon with the monsters of her past and a darkness built into the university's very walls. Thick with history and packed with Bardugo's signature twists, Hell Bent brings to life an intricate world full of magic, violence, and all too real monsters.PRAISE FOR NINTH HOUSE:'Impossible to put down' STEPHEN KING'One of the best fantasy novels I've read in years' LEV GROSSMAN'Ninth House rocked my world' JOE HILL'I wouldn't blame you for taking the day off to finish it' KELLY LINK'Mesmerising' CHARLAINE HARRIS'Compulsively readable' KIRKUS'Atmospheric' BOOKLIST'The fantasy novel of the year' THE I__________________Leigh Bardugo's book 'Ninth House' was a No. 7 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 14-10-2019.Leigh Bardugo's book 'Hell Bent' was a No. 2 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 09-01-2023.

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Listed by the Guardian as one of the top 100 science fiction books of the 21st century.On the barren surface of an asteroid, located deep in the galaxy beneath the unbearable light of the Kefahuchi Tract, lie three objects: an abandoned spacecraft, a pair of bone dice covered with strange symbols, and a human skeleton. What they are and what they mean are the mysteries explored and unwrapped in LIGHT, M. John Harrison's triumphant novel.

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"Excellent! Dark and light and brilliant." - Miles CameronSomewhere in England, in a small town called Strange Ground by the Skea, Ebbie Wren is the last librarian and he's about to lose his job. Estranged from his parents, unable to make connections with anyone except the old homeless lady who lives near the library, Ebbie isn't quite sure what he's supposed to do next. His only escape from reality is his deep interest in local folklore, but reality is far stranger than Ebbie can dream.On the other side of the sky and the sea, the Queen of House Wood Bee has been murdered. Her sister has made the first move in a long game, one which will lead her to greatness, yet risk destruction for the entire Realm. She needs the two magical stones Foresight and Hindsight for her power to be complete, but no one knows where they are. Although the sword recently stolen by Bek Rana, small time thief and not very good at it, might hold a clue to their location . . . and to stopping the chaos. But all Bek wants is to sell the sword and buy herself a better life. She's not interested in being a hero, and neither is Ebbie. But someone is forcing their hand and playing for the heart of the Realm. Ebbie and Bek are destined to unite. They must find a way to stop the destruction of House Wood Bee, save the Realm, and just maybe save themselves in the process. All victories come at a price. The Oldungods are rising. And they are watching...

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On the broken world of Urdezha, Wendal Finn died on the hostile plains of the wasteland, one more casualty in the endless war between the city-dwellers and the clansfolk. But now Wendal has returned to his home city of Old Castle, possessed by something he brought back from the wasteland, something old and best left forgotten. The spirits are calling it Sycamore, an ancient entity out to avenge all victims of murder. And in a city like Old Castle, no one is innocent. With his mind trapped inside a dead body, Wendal can do nothing but watch as Sycamore turns him into a serial killer. Until the magicians take an interest in him. Preserving Wendal's body and trapping Sycamore inside it, the magicians now have the perfect assassin at their disposal. Whenever they need an enemy removed, they can set the killer loose on Old Castle. Between these moments of horror, Wendal struggles to piece together the remnants of his former life. He wants to know why his wife died while he was fighting in the war, but no one will tell him, no one wants him to know. Left to his own devices, Wendal picks at the scabs that cover the dark secrets of the magicians and reveals a threat to every city on Urdezha. The clans are massing. A supernatural storm is raging across the wasteland. It has already destroyed one city, and now it is heading for Old Castle. And the only one who might prevent oblivion is the murderous entity who the spirits are calling Sycamore.

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Irresistible desire and thrilling suspense combine in this electrifying new Argeneau novel from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands.For close to three thousand years the imposing, impossibly handsome Santo Notte has fought in armies across the world and battled his own, more personal enemies. Of all the places he might expect to encounter his life mate, a quiet corner of upstate New York doesn't seem likely. But as soon as he makes contact with history professor Petronella Stone, while hunting down a suspected rogue immortal, he knows that she will be the greatest adventure of his eternal life.He expects her to be surprised, confused, even overwhelmed. What he doesn't expect is that Pet has a secret history of her own. But as Pet struggles to protect her nephew from a danger lurking too close to home, Santo realises there's another threat to her safety -- him. And claiming their passionate future will be impossible until he leaves his past behind, forever . . .

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From Elizabeth Bear comes a near-future tale about a woman who was engineered for combat in a world that's running out of time.Jenny Casey is a former Canadian special forces warrior living on the hellish streets of Hartford, Connecticut, in the year 2062. Her artificially reconstructed body is failing her, but a government scientist from her old life thinks she is perfect for his high-stakes project.Suddenly Jenny is a pawn in a battle being waged on the Internet, the streets, and in the complex wirings of her man-made nervous system. And she needs to gain control of the game before a brave new future spins completely out of control.

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In a city like Ankh-Morpork, where Assassins assassinate, thieves thieve and seamstresses, um . . . don't, Law and Order can be a complicated business.Thankfully His Grace, His Excellency, The Duke of Ankh, Commander Sir Samuel Vimes (Blackboard Monitor) and the Ankh-Morpork City Watch are here to keep the peace. The finest body of men, women, dwarfs, trolls, werewolves, golems, igors, gnomes, feegles, vampires (and whatever Nobby Nobbs is) on the face of the Discworld!The Ankh-Morpork City Watch Journal provides jotting space for your notes, reports, observations and investigations, so kick back, relax and take down your particulars. To help you keep on the straight and narrow, you'll be aided and abetted by some choice quotes from Terry Pratchett's seminal City Watch novels.

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From Emma Newman, the award-nominated author of Between Two Thorns, comes a novel of how one secret withheld to protect humanity's future might be its undoing...Renata Ghali believed in Lee Suh-Mi's vision of a world far beyond Earth, calling to humanity. A planet promising to reveal the truth about our place in the cosmos, untainted by overpopulation, pollution, and war. Ren believed in that vision enough to give up everything to follow Suh-Mi into the unknown.More than twenty-two years have passed since Ren and the rest of the faithful braved the starry abyss and established a colony at the base of an enigmatic alien structure where Suh-Mi has since resided, alone. All that time, Ren has worked hard as the colony's 3-D printer engineer, creating the tools necessary for human survival in an alien environment, and harboring a devastating secret.Ren continues to perpetuate the lie forming the foundation of the colony for the good of her fellow colonists, despite the personal cost. Then a stranger appears, far too young to have been part of the first planetfall, a man who bears a remarkable resemblance to Suh-Mi.The truth Ren has concealed since planetfall can no longer be hidden. And its revelation might tear the colony apart...

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The dazzling sequel to the New York Times bestselling THE BELLES from the author of TINY PRETTY THINGS (coming to Netflix soon)The Belles control beauty.All our lives, my sisters and I have served the people of Orleans.For years, they've held their abilities against us. Not anymore.Now the queen hunts us for what we know about the rightful heir.They murdered our princess and fled the city. The princess is still alive, and we'll help her take back the throne.They'll return and give us what we deserve: beauty, everlasting. We will demand our freedom. No matter what the cost.Praise for THE BELLES:'Heart-pounding' Samantha Shannon, New York Times bestselling author'Diverse' Tomi Adeyemi, #1 New York Times bestselling author'Whipsmart' Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author'Groundbreaking' Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times bestselling author'Unsettling' Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author'Immersive' Renée Ahdieh, #1 New York Times bestselling author'Badass' Adam Silvera, New York Times bestselling author'Intoxicating' Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author'Frightening' Marie Rutkoski, New York Times bestselling author

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Return to the world of Valeron in another astounding adventure. Deeper and more complex than THE LEGION OF SHADOW, the options available to your hero are exciting, carefully planned and beautifully written. The Heart of Fire is awakening, and only you can save the world ...You are a prophet, both gifted and cursed by your strange powers. Imprisoned in the infamous dungeon of the inquisition, you are tormented by visions of a nightmarish future. No-one has ever escaped. Doomed to live out your days in chains and darkness, a twist of fate provides you with a chance for freedom - to take on a new identity and start a new life. But no matter where you go, where you hide, you can never escape the haunting images of your own prophecy ... Is it possible to outwit destiny and change the future? You decide in this epic fantasy adventure - the highly-anticipated follow-up to the bestselling gamebook The Legion of Shadow. Every decision you make will have an impact on the story - and, ultimately, your fate.

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Previously published as THE PREFECT. A rollercoaster ride through the dark and turbulent universe of REVELATION SPACE: an interstellar thriller where nothing - and no one - is what they seem ...Tom Dreyfus is a Prefect, a policeman of sorts, and one of the best. His force is Panoply, and his beat is the multi-faceted utopian society of the Glitter Band, that vast swirl of space habitats orbiting the planet Yellowstone. These days, his job is his life.A murderous attack against a Glitter Band habitat is nasty, but it looks to be an open-and-shut case - until Dreyfus starts looking under some stones that some very powerful people would really rather stayed unturned. What he uncovers is far more serious than mere gruesome murder: a covert takeover bid by a shadowy figure, Aurora (who may once have been human but certainly isn't now), who believes the people of the Glitter Band should no longer be in charge of their own destiny.Dreyfus discovers that to save something precious, you may have to destroy part of it.'An adroit and fast-paced blend of space opera and police procedural, original and exciting' George R. R. Martin

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A hard-SF cli-fi saga set against the background of the birth of the solar system. Filled to the brim with big ideas and breathtaking worldbuildingIn the year 2570, a sleeper will wake . . .In the mid-21st century, the Kernel, a strange object on a five-hundred-year-orbit, is detected coming from high above the plane of the solar system. Could it be an alien artefact? In the middle of climate-change crises, there is no mood for space-exploration stunts - but Reid Malenfant, elderly, once a shuttle pilot and frustrated would-be asteroid miner, decides to go take a look anyway. Nothing more is heard of him. But his ex-wife, Emma Stoney, sets up a trust fund to search for him the next time the Kernel returns . . .By 2570 Earth is transformed. A mere billion people are supported by advanced technology on a world that is almost indistinguishable from the natural, with recovered forests, oceans, ice caps. It is not an age for expansion; there are only small science bases beyond the Earth. But this is a world you would want to live in: a Star Trek without the stars.After 500 years the Kernel returns, and a descendant of Stoney, who Malenfant will call Emma II, mounts a mission to see what became of Malenfant. She finds him still alive, cryo-preserved . . . His culture-shock encounter with a conservative future is entertaining . . . But the Kernel itself turns out to be attached to a kind of wormhole, through which Malenfant and Emma II, exploring further, plummet back in time, across five billion years . . .Readers are blown away by World Engines: Destroyer:'The book quickly becomes epic in a massive, yet thoroughly believable way, precisely because the story is grounded in all of these well-realised characters' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'It is a really good Cli-Fi but not only ecological . . . It touches on very many different topics that are very much in our future' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'It's a great sci-fi novel, well written and gripping. I loved the amazing world building, the fleshed out cast of characters and the plot' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This is a complex book with a lot going on . . . Suffice to say this was a fantastic read with a great story, good characters & a world that I would very much like to come back to' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'The large scale is always where Baxter is so exciting and passionate and it pays off in spades in the final act. Worth your time to read and enjoy' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'If you love your science fiction hard, look no further than Stephen Baxter to find your fix. He was literally a rocket scientist. His work is always grounded in science' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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ALL HAIL THE GIRL KING.Your greatest enemy is closer than you think. Princess Lu is destined to become the first female emperor. Her sister Min is resigned to a life in her shadow. When their father declares their male cousin heir instead, his betrayal changes everything.Determined to reclaim her birthright, Lu goes on the run. Her path crosses with Nokhai, the last surviving wolf shapeshifter. Forced into an uneasy alliance, they're going to need an army to take back the throne. Back in court, Min discovers her hidden power. It's a forbidden, deadly magic that could allow Min to claim the throne for herself.But there can only be one emperor, and the sisters' greatest enemy could turn out to be each other . . . 'I expect this to be one of the most talked-about books of 2019' Samantha Shannon, #1 bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

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Princess Lu knows that the throne of the Empire of the First Flame rightfully belongs to her. After all, she is the late Emperor's firstborn and has trained for the role all her life. And she can't forget made a promise to shapeshifter Nok, the boy she came to love, to win justice for his now powerless people. But even with an army at her side, Lu will need to face down a major obstacle: the current sitting Empress, her once beloved younger sister, Min.Princess Min used to live in Lu's shadow. But now she can control a powerful, ancient magic, and she's determined to use it to forge her own path and a strong future for the Empire, even if that means making enemies in court. But Min's magic isn't entirely under her control, and she must learn how to tame it before it consumes her . . . and the entire realm.Lu and Min are set for a confrontation that can't be stopped. But the Empire faces threats greater than their rivalry, and even if they choose to stand together, it could cost them both the throne-or their lives.

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An earthly nourris sits and singsAnd aye she sings, "Ba lilly wean,Little ken I my bairn's father,Far less the land that he staps in. (Child Ballad, no. 113)So begins a stunning tale of love, loss and revenge, against a powerful backdrop of adventure on the high seas, and drama on the land. The Blue Salt Road balances passion and loss, love and violence and draws on nature and folklore to weave a stunning modern mythology around a nameless, wild young man.Passion drew him to a new world, and trickery has kept him there - without his memories, separated from his own people. But as he finds his way in this dangerous new way of life, so he learns that his notions of home, and your people, might not be as fixed as he believed.Beautifully illustrated by Bonnie Helen Hawkins, this is a stunning and original modern fairytale.

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I am as brown as brown can be,And my eyes as black as sloe;I am as brisk as brisk can be,And wild as forest doe. (The Child Ballads, 295)So begins a beautiful tale of love, loss and revenge. Following the seasons, A Pocketful of Crows balances youth and age, wisdom and passion and draws on nature and folklore to weave a stunning modern mythology around a nameless wild girl.Only love could draw her into the world of named, tamed things. And it seems only revenge will be powerful enough to let her escape.Beautifully illustrated by Bonnie Helen Hawkins, this is a stunning and original modern fairytale.

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In a spellbinding new Argeneau novel from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands, a dangerous rescue is just the beginning of red-hot adventure... Ever since Domitian Argenis recognized Sarita as his life mate, he's been waiting for the perfect moment to claim her. Those fantasies did not include him being chained to a table in a secret lab, or both of them being held hostage by a mad scientist. Somehow, they have to escape... Sarita has seen some crazy things as a cop, but nothing to rival Domitian. A vampire? Seriously? But his healing ability, incredible powers, and their mind-blowing physical connection-none of it should be possible, yet her body knows differently. Now, not only do they have to save each other, but other innocent lives are at stake. Failure is not an option, for Sarita intends for Domitian to show her exactly what an eternity of pleasure feels like...

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David Gemmell was the UK's number one fantasy and historical novelist until his death in 2006. A regular Sunday Times bestseller, and international sensation, his legacy lives on through his novels, his influence on the genre, and through the David Gemmell Legend awards.White Knight/Black Swan was David Gemmell's crime thriller debut, first published under a pseudonym in 1993 and long out of print, and highly sought-after by readers. Re-editing and republished under his own name, it's a must read for fans of his heroic and powerful style.An action-filled story set in working class London in the 1980's, Jardine is a bouncer and gang enforcer with a heart of gold. To protect a friend, he goes up against an Irishman demanding protection money - only to realise too late that they work for the same employer. One act of kindness will lead to murder, betrayal, blackmail and some long-hidden secrets . . .

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Çeda is the youngest pit fighter in the history of the great desert city of Sharakhai. In this brilliant new story, a prequel to Twelve Kings, she has already made her name in the arena as the fearsome, undefeated White Wolf. None but her closest friends and allies know her true identity.But this all changes when she crosses the path of Rümayesh, one of the sadistic creatures known as ehrekh which were forged long ago by the god of chaos. They are usually desert dwellers, but this one lurks in the dark corners of Sharakhai, toying with and preying on humans. As Rümayesh works to unmask the White Wolf and claim Çeda for her own, Çeda's struggle becomes a battle for her friends, her life, and her very soul.

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All her life, Spensa has dreamed of becoming a pilot. Of proving she's a hero like her father. She made it to the sky, but the truths she learned about her father were crushing. The rumours of his cowardice are true - he deserted his flight during battle against the Krell. Worse, though, he turned against his team and attacked them. Spensa is sure there's more to the story. And she's sure that whatever happened to her father in his starship could happen to her. When she made it outside the protective shell of her planet, she heard the stars - and it was terrifying. What she learned turned her world upside down. Everything Spensa's been taught is a lie. But Spensa also learned a few things about herself - and she'll travel to the end of the galaxy to save humankind if she needs to. Praise for Brandon Sanderson's #1 New York Times Bestselling Reckoners series: 'Another win for Sanderson . . . he's simply a brilliant writer' Patrick Rothfuss 'Action-packed' Entertainment Weekly 'Compelling . . . Sanderson uses plot twists that he teases enough for readers to pick up on to distract from the more dramatic reveals he has in store' AV Club

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Two scientists develop a foodstuff that causes unparalleled growth in animals and humans. The results of their experimentation lead to chaos and unforseen consequences throughout the land.THE FOOD OF THE GODS deals with many issues which are still present in science today and is a both witty and disturbing tale.

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Spensa's world has been under attack for hundreds of years. An alien race called the Krell leads onslaught after onslaught from the sky in a never-ending campaign to destroy humankind. Humanity's only defense is to take to their ships and fight the enemy in the skies. Pilots have become the heroes of what's left of the human race. Spensa has always dreamed of being one of them; of soaring above Earth and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with her father's - a pilot who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, placing Spensa's chances of attending flight school somewhere between slim and none. No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, but she is still determined to fly. And the Krell just made that a possibility. They've doubled their fleet, making Spensa's world twice as dangerous . . . but their desperation to survive might just take her skyward . . . Praise for Brandon Sanderson's #1 New York Times Bestselling Reckoners series: 'Another win for Sanderson . . . he's simply a brilliant writer' Patrick Rothfuss 'Action-packed' EW.com 'Compelling . . . Sanderson uses plot twists that he teases enough for readers to pick up on to distract from the more dramatic reveals he has in store' AV Club

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One of the most vicious archangels in the world has disappeared. No one knows if Lijuan is dead or has chosen to Sleep the long sleep of an immortal. But with her lands falling into chaos under a rising tide of vampiric bloodlust, a mysterious and ancient order of angels known as the Luminata calls the entire Cadre together to discuss the fate of her territory. Accompanying her archangel lover Raphael to the Luminata compound, Guild Hunter-turned-angel Elena senses that all is not as it seems. Secrets echo from within the stone walls of the compound, and the deeper Elena goes, the uglier the darkness. But neither Raphael nor Elena is ready for the brutal truths hidden within - truths that will change everything Elena thinks she knows about who she is . . . Nothing will ever be the same again.

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The first female president of the United States is summoned to an emergency briefing.Deep in the jungle of Peru, a black, skittering mass devours an American tourist party whole. FBI agent Mike Rich investigates a fatal plane crash in Minneapolis and makes a gruesome discovery. Unusual seismic patterns register in a Indian earthquake lab, confounding the scientists there. The Chinese government "accidentally" drops a nuclear bomb in an isolated region of its own country. And all of these events are connected. As panic begins to sweep the globe, a mysterious package from South America arrives at Melanie Guyer's Washington laboratory. The unusual egg inside begins to crack. Something is spreading...The world is on the brink of an apocalyptic disaster. An virulent ancient species of spiders, long dormant, is now very much awake. But this is only the beginning of our end...

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Shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2018 One of Financial Times' Best Books of 2017'SEA OF RUST is a 40-megaton cruise missile of a novel - it'll blow you away and lay waste to your heart . . . visceral, relentless, breathtaking' Joe Hill, Sunday Times bestselling author ************An action-packed post-apocalyptic thriller from the screenwriter of Marvel's DOCTOR STRANGEHUMANKIND IS EXTINCT.Wiped out in a global uprising by the very machines made to serve them. Now the world is controlled by OWIs - vast mainframes that have assimilated the minds of millions of robots. But not all robots are willing to cede their individuality, and Brittle is one of the holdouts. After a near-deadly encounter with another AI, Brittle is forced to seek sanctuary in a city under siege by an OWI. Critically damaged, Brittle must evade capture long enough to find the essential rare parts to make repairs - but as a robot's CPU gradually deteriorates, all their old memories resurface. For Brittle, that means one haunting memory in particular . . . ************ 'The novel does not stint on action and violence, but what lingers in the mind are its brutal vision of a world cannibalising itself and the poignant questions it raises about soul and sentience' FINANCIAL TIMES

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Mindblowingly inventive and beautifully written short stories from the most exciting new name in SFHannu Rajaniemi exploded onto the SF scene in 2010 with the publication of his first novel The Quantum Thief. Acclaimed by fellow authors such as Charles Stross, Adam Roberts and Alastair Reynolds and brilliantly reviewed everywhere from Interzone to the Times and the Guardian he swiftly established a reputation as an author who could combine extraordinary cutting edge science with beautiful prose and deliver it all with wit, warmth and a delight in the fun of storytelling.It is exactly these qualities that are showcased in this his first collection of short stories. Drawn from antholgies, magazines and online publications and brought together in book form for the first time in this collection here is a collection of seventeen short stories that range from the lyrical to the bizarre, from the elegaic to the impish. It is a collection that shows one of the great new imaginations in SF having immense fun.

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In addition to being the man who coined the term 'the Big Bang', world-renowned astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle also produced a fine body of science fiction. This omnibus contains three of his SF novels: Ossian's Ride, October the First Is Too Late & Fifth Planet, co-written with his son, Geoffrey Hoyle. Ossian's Ride: The year is 1970. Sealed behind an impenetrable barrier in the south of Ireland, the Industrial Corporation of Eire startles the rest of the world with its efficiency, its brilliance . . . October the First Is Too Late: Unusual solar activity has played havoc with terrestrial time: England is in the '60's, but in France, it is 1917 and WWI is still raging in western Europe . . .Fifth Planet: Another star is due to pass close to the sun, close enough for conventional spacecraft to reach it. Signs of chlorophyll are detected on one of the worlds, suggesting that it supports life. Rival Soviet and US expeditions are launched to visit it. But what will they find on the 'Fifth Planet'?

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The Mistborn trilogy has become a firm favourite with fantasy fans the world over. The imagination that Sanderson brought to the series and his skill at marshalling epic storylines and dramatic action, his ability to create vivid characters made him a natural choice to complete Robert Jordan's epic wheel of time sequence. But with Mistborn, Sanderson has shown his bountiful talents in his own fiction. Now he returns to the series that made his name with a new story, building on the incredible success of THE ALLOY OF LAW. The new Mistborn books move the series into a richly imagined 19th century analogue world with elements of the wild west mixed with magic and science. It's a wonderful concoction from a master storyteller.Sanderson has the knack of giving the epic fantasy reader exactly what they want. This ability has thrown him to the forefront of the genre and this novel will take him to the next level.

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The sword Tyrfing has been broken to prevent it striking at the roots of Yggdrasil, the great tree that binds earth, heaven and hell together ... But now the mighty sword is needed again to save the elves, who are heavily involved in their war against the trolls, and only Skafloc, a human child kidnapped and raised by the elves, can hope to persuade the mighty ice-giant, Bolverk, to make the sword Thor broke whole again. But things are never easy, and along the way Skafloc must also confront his shadow self, Valgard the changeling, who took his place in the world of men.A superb dark fantasy of the highest, and most Norse, order. THE BROKEN SWORD is a fantasy masterpiece.

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The Prince of Ombria is dying, and already his sinister great-aunt is plotting to seize power. The Black Pearl is feared throughout the land, and the city folk know her reign will be a terrible one. Only the prince's son can stop her from seizing the throne but he's just a boy - barely worth the trouble of doing away with.Ombria, it seems, is doomed. And yet, beneath the streets, in a buried world of shadows and ghosts, a mysterious sorceress is weaving new spells, watched over by a girl sculpted entirely from wax ...

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There are seven billion-plus humans crowding the surface of 21st-century Earth. It is an age of intelligent computers, mass-market psychedelic drugs, politics conducted by assassination, scientists who burn incense to appease volcanoes ... all the hysteria of a dangerously overcrowded world, portrayed in a dazzlingly inventive style.Moving, sensory, impressionistic, as jagged as the times it portrays, this book is a real mind stretcher - and yet beautifully orchestrated to give a vivid picture of the whole.

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Father Ramon Ruiz-Sanchez S.J., is a part of a four man scientific commission to the planet Lithia, there to study a harmonious society of aliens living on a planets which is a biologist's paradise. He soon finds himself troubled: how can these perfect beings, living in an apparent Eden, have no conception of sin or God? If such a sinless Eden has been created apart from God, then who is responsible?Winner of the Hugo Award for best novel, 1959.

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On a world supported on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown), a gleeful, explosive, wickedly eccentric expedition sets out. There's an avaricious but inept wizard, a naive tourist whose luggage moves on hundreds of dear little legs, dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and of course THE EDGE of the planet...

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Çeda, an elite warrior in service to the kings of Sharakhai, is learning their secrets even as they send her on covert missions to further their rule. She has already uncovered the dark history of the asirim, but it's only when she bonds with them, chaining them to her will, that she feels their pain as her own. They hunger for release, they demand it, but their chains were forged by the gods themselves and are proving unbreakable.Çeda could become the champion the enslaved asirim have been waiting for, but the need to tread carefully has never been greater. The kings are hungry for blood, scouring the city in a ruthless quest for revenge, while Çeda's friend Emre and his new allies in the Moonless Host are laying plans to take advantage of the unrest in Sharakhai, and strike a major blow against the kings and their god-given powers.The shifting tides of power are fickle and dangerous, though. The Kings and the Moonless Host have their own agendas, as does the dangerous blood mage Hamzakiir, whose plotting uncovers a devastating secret that could shatter the power of the hated kings. But it may all be undone if Çeda cannot learn to control the growing anger of the asirim that threatens to overwhelm her...

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They called it the Thorn Hill Massacre - the brutal attack on a once-thriving Weir community. Though Jonah Kinlock lived through it, he did not emerge unscathed: like the other survivors Jonah possesses unique magical gifts that set him apart from members of the mainline guilds. At 17, Jonah has become the deadliest assassin in Nightshade, a network that hunts the undead. Emma Claire Greenwood grew up worlds away, raised by a grandfather who taught her music rather than magic. An unschooled wild child, she runs the streets until the night she finds her grandfather dying, gripping a note warning Emma that she might be in danger. The clue he leaves behind leads Emma into Jonah's life - and a shared legacy of secrets and lingering questions. Was Thorn Hill really a peaceful commune? Or was it, as the Wizard Guild claims, a hotbed of underguild terrorists? The Wizards' suspicions grow when members of the mainline guilds start turning up dead. They blame Nightshade, bringing tensions between the groups to a head.Racing against time, Jonah and Emma work to uncover the truth about Thorn Hill, amid increasing concern that whoever planned the Thorn Hill Massacre might strike again.

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If your planet has been destroyed to make way for a new hyperspace bypass, your best friend turns out to be from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse (and not Guilford, as you'd thought), and you find yourself in the company of a two-headed man who also happens to be the president of the galaxy, and a beautiful girl you utterly failed to connect with at a party in a city that no longer exists ... you probably shouldn't be surprised to find yourself having breakfast at Milliways, the Restaurant at the end of the Universe ...

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DEAD EVER AFTER marked the end of the Sookie Stackhouse novels - a series that garnered millions of fans and spawned the hit HBO television show TRUE BLOOD. It also stoked a hunger that will never die... A hunger to know what happened next.With characters arranged alphabetically - from the Ancient Pythoness to Bethany Zanelli - bestselling author Charlaine Harris takes fans into the future of their favourite residents of Bon Temps and environs. You'll learn how Michele and Jason's marriage fared, what happened to Sookie's cousin Hunter, and whether Tara and JB's twins grew up to be solid citizens.This coda provides the answers to your lingering questions - including details of Sookie's own happily-ever-after...The book will feature extensive interior art by acclaimed Sookie artist Lisa Desimini, including a Sookieverse Alphabet, colour endpapers, and several full-page black and white interior illustrations.

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Vimes is back, in all his curmudgeonly glory, in this classic, perceptive and laugh-out-loud Discworld mystery that will keep you turning the pages.'In my opinion, this is the book where Pratchett *really* hits his stride in terms of the city watch books . . . Is this book worth your time? Yes. A thousand times yes' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the WindTHERE'S A WEREWOLF WITH PRE-LUNAR TENSION IN ANKH-MORPORK. AND A DWARF WITH ATTITUDE AND A GOLEM WHO'S BEGUN TO THINK FOR ITSELF.But for Commander Vimes, Head of Ankh-Morpork City Watch, that's only the start...There's treason in the air. A crime has happened.He's not only got to find out whodunit, but howdunit too. He's not even sure what they dun. But soon as he knows what the questions are, he's going to want some answers.Readers love Feet of Clay:'One of the best Pratchett books, and possibly the funniest book ever written . . . Pratchett somehow gives you a healthy dose of philosophical musings that balance out the humour oh so perfectly' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'One of the best writers out there, consistently smart and funny . . . Somehow, Sam Vimes' sour take on his Discworld makes me feel a bit better about our Earth' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'An excellent mix between parody humorous fantasy setting with crime mystery plot' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'This one is another instant favourite . . . Reliably excellent, funny, emotional, insightful etc. Truly a wonderful series' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Pratchett's genius is on full display here in yet another entry in which he somehow manages to write a book that is both "light reading," low-brow comedy, good-natured affirmation of humanity, and high-brow philosophy all at the same time' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'As usual, Terry Pratchett discusses a number of moral-philosophical questions in his story . . . the book was a complete success and definitely worth 5 stars' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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When it comes to adult friendships, we're woefully inept - we barely manage to show up for our own commitments, let alone maintain our relationships. Even before self-isolation we were experiencing a loneliness epidemic: we communicate through texts and emojis, and rear away in horror from an unsolicited phone call, even if it's from our mum. Flaking out on plans is routine, both online and off.The Art of Showing Up offers a roadmap through this morass, to true connection with your friends, family and yourself. Rachel Wilkerson Miller teaches that 'showing up' means connecting with others in a way that make them feel seen and supported. And that begins with showing up for yourself: recognising your needs, understanding your physical and mental health, and practising self-compassion. Only then can you better support other people; witness their joy, pain and true selves; validate their experiences; and help ease their burdens.

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A whip-smart, dark comedy for fans of Sally Rooney, Fleabag and My Year of Rest and Relaxation'Janet is my soulmate' LUCY MANGAN'Surprising and irreverent' NEW YORK TIMES***If there was a pill that promised happiness... Would you take it?Meet Janet. Janet is sad. Not about her life, about the world. Have you seen it these days?The thing is, she's not out to make anyone else sad. She's not turning up to weddings shouting that most marriages end in divorce. She just wants to wear her giant coat, get rid of her passive-aggressive boyfriend, and avoid human interaction at the rundown dog shelter where she works.That is, until word spreads about a new pill that promises cynics like her one day off from being sad. When her family stages an intervention, and the prospect of making it through Christmas alone seems like too much, Janet finally decides to give them what they want. What follows is life-changing for all concerned - in ways no one quite expects.Hilarious, provocative and profound, Sad Janet is the antidote to our happiness-obsessed world.***PRAISE FOR SAD JANET:'The dog-whispering, post-Goth cousin to Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag' CLAUDIA DEY'Like a grown up Daria' HELEN MCCLORY'If you're a Halle Butler fan or like despair cut with humour, you'll love this' Leigh Stein, author of SELF CARE'As I was reading this, my partner kept asking why I was laughing. This book is dark and hilarious and will speak to everyone who's ever wondered why they spend time with humans and not just dogs' Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, author of Starling Days and Harmless Like You'A tragicomic riot of a book - charging, foul-mouthed and tender, across the modern condition' Claudia Dey, author of Heartbreaker'Try reading Sad Janet ... It might just make you happy' Marcy Demansky, author of Very Nice'A biting, pitch-perfect novel about one woman's desire to stay true to herself in a world that rewards facile happiness ... a dazzling debut' Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney'The narrative voice of Janet in Britsch's debut novel is a skin-tingling combination of new and necessary' Booklist starred review'Loved this book... it made me lol via the dark humour and dry observations. An artful take on the "happiness economy"' Emma Gannon, author of Olive'I loved SAD JANET'S cynical humour. Superbly original, with spot-on one-liners. Brilliantly bleak, but with a spark of hope' Caroline Hulse, author of The Adults'Hilarious, wise, wicked and tender' CYNTHIA D'APRIX SWEENEY'Loved this book' EMMA GANNON'Sharp, sad, hilarious' CLARE BEAMS

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We hear a lot these days about the menopause, but there may be up to fifteen years of hormonal changes in a woman's body before she reaches the point where her periods stop. These years can be turbulent both emotionally and physically - with panic attacks, insomnia, acne, hot flashes, weight gain and low moods. It's not uncommon for women to feel like they've gone crazy.But you're not insane, you're just perimenopausal. As our hormones fluctuate from our mid-thirties, so do the needs of our bodies. With the right lifestyle and dietary changes, and some medical help if needed, you can turn the perimenopause into a powerful life transition towards a stronger, healthier and happier you. Katarina Wilk's frank, friendly and unbiased guide is the essential companion to finding your perimenopower.

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Two weeks. Two families. What could possibly go wrong...?Claire Swift can't think of anything worse than another holiday with the Wellbeloved family. The last trip together was a complete disaster - yet somehow, despite Claire's best efforts, they're all off to the Cornish coast again this summer.So, this time she's coming prepared. But becoming a domestic goddess to keep up with perfect Honor Wellbeloved isn't easy - especially when Claire is known for being clumsy and burns every meal she makes. And it's not long before her carefully laid plans are going spectacularly wrong.It's only two weeks, what's the worst that can happen?A hilarious and relatable read perfect for fans of Catherine Alliott and Fiona Gibson.

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Book 7 in The Long War series from the master of historical fiction, Christian CameronWhen the dust settled and the blood dried after the Battle of Plataea, Greeks might have thought that their freedom was secured. But before the corpse of the Great King's general was cold, Athens and Sparta began to bicker over dividing up the spoils. After an autumn of victory, it's a long cold winter among the burned cities and destroyed shrines of Greece, and a hungry spring. And when Arimnestos goes to sea to cruise the Persian-held coasts, he finds that Persia is still not beaten... and that old alliances are now fraying.Is the impossible true? Would the Spartans rather see Athens destroyed than Persia defeated? And who will save the cities of Ionia from the Great King's wrath?It's the spring of 478BCE, and the Long War isn't over yet.______________PRAISE FOR CHRISTIAN CAMERON'The master of historical fiction' SUNDAY TIMES'A storyteller at the height of his powers' HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY'Superb' THE TIMES'A sword-slash above the rest' IRISH EXAMINER'One of the finest writers of historical fiction in the world' BEN KANE

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