Search results for ""Author Dungeons"

*Join Harry Potter on the magical journey of a lifetime in this large print edition of the second book in J.K. Rowling’s multi-award-winning series. Harry Potter’s summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby and rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car! Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors – and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone … Dobby’s sinister predictions seem to be coming true. J.K. Rowling’s internationally bestselling Harry Potter books continue to captivate new generations of readers. Harry’s second adventure alongside his friends, Ron and Hermione, invites you to explore even more of the wizarding world; from the waving, walloping branches of the Whomping Willow to the thrills of a rain-streaked Quidditch pitch. This gorgeous large print edition features a spectacular cover by award-winning artist Jonny Duddle, and is perfect for those who have difficulty reading standard size print. Get ready to lose yourself in the biggest children’s books of all time. DUELLING - DUNGEONS - DARK ARTS Seven magical stories, one epic adventure. *Please note: The book cover and spine design you receive may vary slightly from the image shown.

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As games grow more complex and gamers' expectations soar, the discipline of game systems design becomes ever more important. Game systems designers plan a game's rules and balance, its characters' attributes, most of its data, and how its AI, weapons, and objects work and interact. Introduction to Game Systems Design is the first complete beginner's guide to this crucial discipline. Writing for all aspiring game professionals, even those with absolutely no experience, leading game designer and instructor Dax Gazaway presents a step-by-step, hands-on approach to designing game systems with industry-standard tools. Drawing on his experience building AAA-level game systems (including games in the Star Wars and Marvel franchises), Gazaway covers all this, and more: Exploring the essentials of game design and its emerging subdisciplines Asking the essential questions at the heart of all design Getting started with modern game system design tools, including the spreadsheets most professionals now use Creating systems and data from a blank page Populating and quantifying a world of data into a game Tuning and balancing game systems Testing game systems and data Leveraging communication, psychology, and rewards within your games Balancing game probability within systems Whether you're a college freshman entering a game design program, an indie developer using Unreal or Unity, a Dungeon Master, or anyone who wants to really understand modern games, this guide will help you get where you want to go.

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Trapped in the DarkWhen the heroes seek an expert to translate an ancient, eldritch tablet, a sinister cult strikes from out of the shadows, intent on destroying the relic and all who know of its existence. After facing off against these zealots and deciphering the tablet, the heroes learn of another deep-sun locale called Ezorod-and the evil elder entity that has focused its attention there. The heroes quickly discover that the tablet is both a map and a key to Ezorod, allowing them to enter and explore this weird and lightless oubliette. There they will encounter ghastly creatures and uncover sophisticated technology that could advance sun-diving by light-years. But even if the PCs manage to escape the deadly solar dungeon, they'll be forced to wonder about the malevolent being they have unleashed upon the galaxy-even as they receive a mysterious message heralding a future confrontation!This volume of Starfinder Adventure Path continues the Dawn of Flame Adventure Path and includes:• “The Blind City,” a Starfinder adventure for 7th-level characters, by Ron Lundeen.• A peek into several cults of the galaxy, along with a cult hunter character theme, by Lyz Liddell.• A catalog of strange gear from across known space, including bizarre artifacts, by Leo Glass.• An archive of fiery threats-some of which burn both the body and the soul-from cruel dimensional shamblers to the mischievous magmins, by David Gregoire, Violet Hargrave, and Ron Lundeen.• Deck plans and statistics for an efreeti warship and a survey of a world in the Vast that shines its own light into the void, both by Ron Lundeen.

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*Join Harry Potter on the magical journey of a lifetime in the second book in J.K. Rowling’s multi-award-winning series. Harry Potter’s summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby and rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car! Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors – and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone … Dobby’s sinister predictions seem to be coming true. J.K. Rowling’s internationally bestselling Harry Potter books continue to captivate new generations of readers. Harry’s second adventure alongside his friends, Ron and Hermione, invites you to explore even more of the wizarding world; from the waving, walloping branches of the Whomping Willow to the thrills of a rain-streaked Quidditch pitch. This gorgeous paperback edition features a spectacular cover by award-winning artist Jonny Duddle, plus refreshed bonus material, allowing readers to learn about wand woods and get to know the many members of the Weasley family. Perfect for anyone who’s ready to lose themselves in the biggest children’s books of all time. DUELLING - DUNGEONS - DARK ARTS Seven magical stories, one epic adventure. *Please note: The book cover and spine design you receive may vary slightly from the image shown.

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An action-packed fantasy following a crew of mercenaries on an epic quest. Full of mystery, battles and magic, this is perfect for fans of David GemmellChronicles of the Raven: OneELITE, UNSTOPPABLE ... AND HIRED TO DO THE UNTHINKABLEThe Raven are an elite. Formed of six men and an elf, they're swords for hire in the wars that have torn their land apart. For years their only loyalty has been to themselves, and to their code.But that time is coming to an end. The Wytch Lords have escaped and The Raven find themselves fighting for the Dark College of magic, on a mission which soon becomes a race for the secret location of Dawnthief. It's a spell - one created to end the world - and there's a danger that someone is going to use it ...Readers love Dawnthief:'Barclay writes with power, pace and a wonderful sense of humour' David Gemmell'This book was great, it had magic and swords and the old fashioned dungeons and dragons feel to it that I was craving' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'It's tense, a lot, because no one is safe. There's plenty of action and intrigue' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The characters were loveable and I loved the fact that they weren't perfect, as in they made mistakes in how they fought and they got hurt' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This was one hell of a ride! . . . Without a doubt, The Raven are some of the most colourful, engaging characters I've ever had the pleasure of traveling with' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Barclay writes an exciting, action-packed story, with intelligent world-building and a fresh, believable magic system' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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A blood-spattered battle between diabolical sorcerers and the monsters they created. In a city so dismal it's known only as "the Hole," a clan of Sorcerers has been plucking people off the streets to use as guinea pigs for atrocious "experiments" in the black arts. In a dark alley, Nikaido found Caiman, a man with a reptile head and a bad case of amnesia. To undo the spell, they're hunting and killing the Sorcerers in the Hole, hoping that eventually they'll kill the right one. But when En, the head Sorcerer, gets word of a lizard-man slaughtering his people, he sends a crew of "cleaners" into the Hole, igniting a war between two worlds. Deep in the world of sorcerers, Caiman devises a daring plan to sneak into En's mansion under the guise of a meat-pie competition, posing as Tanba's wife (!) in order to infiltrate the darkest recesses of the crime lord’s sprawling estate. Unfortunately, the contract Nikaido was forced to sign with En is affecting her memory, and she may not even remember Caiman when he manages to get to her. Meanwhile, the Professor and his friends engineer their own escape from En's dungeon with the help of a surprising friend from the Professor's past. And finally, the mysterious Risu does a little digging of his own, tracking down the Cross-Eye hideout in a distant town.

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Some say the great mystery of how one can live in two worlds at once died with Thomas Hunter many years ago. Still others that the gateway to that greater reality was and is only the stuff of dreams. They are all wrong. Rachelle Matthews, who grew up in the small town of Eden, Utah, discovered just how wrong when she dreamed and awoke in another world. There she learned that she was the 49th Mystic, the prophesied one, tasked with finding five ancient seals before powerful enemies destroy her. If Rachelle succeeds in her quest, peace will reign. If she fails, the world will forever be locked in darkness. In The 49th Mystic, Rachelle found the first three of those five seals through great peril and mind-altering adventure. But two seals remain hidden and the fate of both worlds hangs in their balance. As Rachelle Matthews sits deep in a dungeon, Vlad Smith is just getting started. Thomas Hunter's world is about to be turned inside out. The mystics say that there is no defense against the Fifth Seal--but finding it will cost Rachelle everything. So begins the final volume of high stakes in one girl's quest to find an ancient path that will save humanity. The clock is ticking; the end rushes forward. Ready? Set? Dream.

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In The Book of Fun, Polygon co-founder Russ Frushtick divulges the hidden backstories and fascinating facts about your favorite video games, theme parks, festivals, sports, and more. With 80+ digestible, entertaining entries, it's not just fodder for your next dinner party -- you might also discover your next great pastime, be it jousting, stunt acting, cheese rolling, or Swedish Bunny Hopping.For fans of pop-history, pop-science, and the many things mankind has invented to waste time, The Book of Fun explores:* Board Games: The world's oldest tabletop games (Senet, Go, Chess) and its most enduringly popular (Monopoly, Dungeons & Dragons, Settlers of Catan)* Toys: The history of your favorite playthings, like Barbie, Beanie Babies, Slinky, Furby, and LEGO* Video Games: The console wars of the '90s, the birth of game streaming, and unexpected Pokémon Go consequences* Theme Parks: Stories behind Coney Island's Cyclone, Disneyland's opening-day woes, and the bizarre parks built in a nuclear power plant and a Soviet bunker* Sports: The most fascinating athletic endeavors across the globe, from gladiatorial battles to Lucha Libre, pumpkin boat racing, and sumo wrestling* Stunts: Harry Houdini, Evel Knievel, Jackie Chan, and the incredible stunt artists you may not know* Festivals: From Carnival celebrations around the world to the stories of Woodstock, Burning Man, and a Spanish baby-jumping festival* Dressing Up: The origins of jesters, Halloween, cosplay, drag queen style, and more.* Roadside Attractions: Wacky spectacles like the 65-foot-tall Lucy the Elephant in New Jersey, the Mystery Hole in West Virginia, and the Cabazon Dinosaurs in California

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Brian Posehn is a successful and instantly recognizable comedian, actor, and writer. He also happens to be a giant nerd. That's partly because he's been obsessed with such things as Dungeons & Dragons, comic books, and heavy metal since he was a child; the other part is because he fills out every bit of his 6'7'' frame. Brian's always felt awkward and like a perpetual outsider, but he found his way through the difficulties of growing up by escaping into the worlds of Star Wars, D&D, comics, and by rocking his face off. He was a nerd long before it was cool (and that didn't help his situation much), but his passions proved time and again to be the safe haven he needed to persevere and thrive in a world in which he was far from comfortable.Brian, now approaching middle age with a wife, child, and thriving career, still feels like an outsider and is as big a nerd as ever. But that's okay, because in his five decades of nerdom he's discovered that the key to happiness is not growing up. You can be a nerd forever and find success that way because, somehow along the way, the nerds won.Forever Nerdy is a celebration of growing up nerdy and different. This isn't Brian's life story, just some bizarre and hilarious stories from his life, along with a captivating look back at nearly fifty years of nerd culture. Being a nerd hasn't always been easy, but somehow this self-hating nerd who suffered from depression was able to land his dream job, get the girl, and learn to fit in. Kind of. See how he did it while managing to remain forever nerdy.

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TOWER LORD is the second novel in the internationally bestselling Raven's Shadow series, which began with epic fantasy blockbuster BLOOD SONG.THE REALM BURNS.Vaelin Al Sorna is tired of war. He's fought countless battles in service to the Realm and Faith. His reward was the loss of his love, the death of his friends and a betrayal by his king. After five years in an Alpiran dungeon, he just wants to go home. Reva intends to welcome Vaelin back with a knife between the ribs. He destroyed her family and ruined her life. Nothing will stop her from exacting bloody vengeance - not even the threat of invasion from the greatest enemy the Realm has ever faced.Yet as the fires of war spread, foes become friends and truths turn to lies. To save the Realm, Reva must embrace a future she does not want - and Vaelin must revisit a past he'd rather leave buried.Praise for Raven's Shadow: 'Engrossing' - Buzzfeed'Powerful' - SFFWorld'Compelling' - SFXBooks by Anthony RyanRaven's ShadowBlood SongTower LordQueen of FireRaven's BladeThe Wolf's CallThe Black SongDraconis MemoriaThe Waking FireThe Legion of FlameThe Empire of AshesThe Covenant of SteelThe PariahThe MartyrThe TraitorWriting as A. J. RyanRed River Seven

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Two years before the events of Stranger Things Season 4, Eddie Munson-Hellfire Club leader, metalhead, and Hawkins outcast-has one shot to make it big. Hawkins, Indiana-for most, it's simply another idyllic, manicured all-American town. But for Eddie Munson it's like living in a perpetual Tomb of Horrors. Luckily, he only has a few more months to survive at Hawkins High. And what is senior year, really, but just killing time between Dungeons & Dragons sessions with the Hellfire Club and gigs with his band?It's at the worst dive bar in town that Eddie meets Paige, someone who has pulled off a freaking miracle. She escaped Hawkins and built a wickedly cool life for herself working for a record producer out in Los Angeles. Not only is she the definition of a badass-with a killer taste in music-she might be the only person that actually appreciates him as the bard he is instead of the devil incarnate. But the best thing? She's offering a chance for him to make something of himself, and all he needs is to get her a demo tape of Corroded Coffin's best songs.Just one problem: Recording costs money. Money Eddie doesn't have. But he's willing to do whatever it takes: even if that means relying on his old man, Al Munson. His dad just stumbled back into his life, with another dubious scheme up his sleeve, and yet Eddie knows this is his only option to make enough dough in enough time. It's a risk, but if it pays off he will finally have a one-way ticket out of Hawkins.Eddie can feel it: 1984 is going to be his year.

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A fast-food chain once tried to compete with McDonald’s quarter-pounder by introducing a third-pound hamburger—only for it to flop when consumers thought a third pound was less than a quarter pound because three is less than four. Separately, a rash of suicides by teenagers who played Dungeons and Dragons caused a panic in parents and the media. They thought D&D was causing teenage suicides—when in fact teenage D&D players died by suicide at a much lower rate than the national average. Errors of this type can be found from antiquity to the present, from the Peloponnesian War to the COVID-19 pandemic. How and why do we keep falling into these traps?James C. Zimring argues that many of the mistakes that the human mind consistently makes boil down to misperceiving fractions. We see slews of statistics that are essentially fractions, such as percentages, probabilities, frequencies, and rates, and we tend to misinterpret them. Sometimes bad actors manipulate us by cherry-picking data or distorting how information is presented; other times, sloppy communicators inadvertently mislead us. In many cases, we fool ourselves and have only our own minds to blame. Zimring also explores the counterintuitive reason that these flaws might benefit us, demonstrating that individual error can be highly advantageous to problem solving by groups. Blending key scientific research in cognitive psychology with accessible real-life examples, Partial Truths helps readers spot the fallacies lurking in everyday information, from politics to the criminal justice system, from religion to science, from business strategies to New Age culture.

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Inspired by the groundbreaking A History of the World in 100 Objects, this book draws on the unique collections of The Strong museum in Rochester, New York, to chronicle the evolution of video games, from Pong to first-person shooters, told through the stories of dozens of objects essential to the field’s creation and development.Drawing on the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s unmatched collection of video game artifacts, this fascinating history offers an expansive look at the development of one of the most popular and influential activities of the modern world: video gaming.Sixty-four unique objects tell the story of the video game from inception to today. Pithy, in-depth essays and photographs examine each object’s significance to video game play—what it has contributed to the history of gaming—as well as the greater culture.A History of Video Games in 64 Objects explains how the video game has transformed over time. Inside, you’ll find a wide range of intriguing topics, including: The first edition of Dungeons & Dragons—the ancestor of computer role-playing games The Oregon Trail and the development of educational gaming The Atari 2600 and the beginning of the console revolution A World of Warcraft server blade and massively multiplayer online games Minecraft—the backlash against the studio system The rise of women in gaming represented by pioneering American video game designers Carol Shaw and Roberta Williams’ game development materials The prototype Skylanders Portal of Power that spawned the Toys-to-Life video game phenomenon and shook up the marketplace And so much more! A visual panorama of unforgettable anecdotes and factoids, A History of Video Games in 64 Objects is a treasure trove for gamers and pop culture fans. Let the gaming begin!

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Minecraft meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid in book 5 of the very popular 8-Bit Warrior series of the journal of a young Minecraft villager who dares to dream of becoming a Minecraft warrior! In the fifth in this series of five unofficial Minecraft adventure books, everyone's favorite 12-year-old villager-turned-warrior is back this time to use his warrior training on a new quest. There’s no time to enjoy his newfound stardom.To save Villagetown, Runt embarks on a perilous quest far beyond the safety of the wall. Between bizarre towns, terrifying dungeons, and epic boss battles, Runt must summon the hero within and say “so long” to the noob!* MINECRAFT: Minecraft books sell, whether official or unofficial.* BESTSELLER: The first four print books in this series have sold over 245,000 copies in the United States. The self-published e-books sold 120,000 copies before being picked up for paperback editions in French and English. Print editions published in Germany, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Russia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, China, and Korea.* GENEROUS NUMBER OF ILLUSTRATIONS & FULL COLOR PRODUCTION: makes this series stand out from other Minecraft story books.* EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS: Minecraft is succeeding Lego as the parent- and educator-approved creative toy that teaches problem-solving skills and supports kids' interest in STEM subjects. Like Lego, Minecraft is being incorporated into school curriculum and activities.

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Do you find yourself sat at home wishing you could be in your favourite video game? Or dream of a time when you pretended you were Sailor Moon? Or do you want to embody your Dungeons and Dragons character for real? What's holding you back? Maybe you need to introduced to cosplay! Cosplay is a phenomenon that is taking over the world. If you haven't seen it yet, have you not been looking at social media? Cosplay is a mix of exciting craft skills, heady escapism and passion for pop culture that lets you be whoever you want, whenever you want. Cosplay has made its way into TV shows and documentaries, been included as part of film premieres and video game launches, it's even referenced in the comics, manga and media it comes from! Talk about meta. But what is this super popular hobby? Well, pick up this book, and it's twin A Guide to Movie and TV Cosplay, to get all the answers. Because it's more than just dressing up, promise. With a little bit of help from this handy, dandy guide to cosplay, you can get stuck in. Learn about the history of the hobby (it's been around longer than you'd think!), where it came from and how it got to be the way it is now, get your head around making and designing costumes, find out how about all the amazing skills people are using to make these costumes, and perhaps even try a few yourself. Who knows, you might be rocking out as Astro Boy, Chris Redfield or All Might at the next big comic con! So why not give it a try and play make believe for a day.

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A fast-food chain once tried to compete with McDonald’s quarter-pounder by introducing a third-pound hamburger—only for it to flop when consumers thought a third pound was less than a quarter pound because three is less than four. Separately, a rash of suicides by teenagers who played Dungeons and Dragons caused a panic in parents and the media. They thought D&D was causing teenage suicides—when in fact teenage D&D players died by suicide at a much lower rate than the national average. Errors of this type can be found from antiquity to the present, from the Peloponnesian War to the COVID-19 pandemic. How and why do we keep falling into these traps?James C. Zimring argues that many of the mistakes that the human mind consistently makes boil down to misperceiving fractions. We see slews of statistics that are essentially fractions, such as percentages, probabilities, frequencies, and rates, and we tend to misinterpret them. Sometimes bad actors manipulate us by cherry-picking data or distorting how information is presented; other times, sloppy communicators inadvertently mislead us. In many cases, we fool ourselves and have only our own minds to blame. Zimring also explores the counterintuitive reason that these flaws might benefit us, demonstrating that individual error can be highly advantageous to problem solving by groups. Blending key scientific research in cognitive psychology with accessible real-life examples, Partial Truths helps readers spot the fallacies lurking in everyday information, from politics to the criminal justice system, from religion to science, from business strategies to New Age culture.

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Are you wondering what to do in Edinburgh? Whether you're a first-time visitor or visit Edinburgh regularly, City Walks Edinburgh provides a new look at this historic city with original walks and insightful stories. Discover the best things to do in Edinburgh from the Edinburgh dungeons to Edinburgh Castle. Walk through one of the most interesting cities in the world and watch Edinburgh come to life, from Bruntsfield to Royal Mile, expert guide Margot McMurdo gives you a personal Edinburgh tour, with each walk packed full of intriguing tales and unique features including, Calton Hill, New Town, Edinburgh castles and Arthur's Seat. Learn little known facts and stories in a fun and exciting way, and discover the events that shaped Edinburgh into the vibrant city it is today. Take this handy guide with you as you travel around and explore the off route detours to find out Edinburgh's deeper secrets or link two or more routes to create your own unique day out.Be guided to the most famous areas and lesser known corners of Edinburgh with City Walks, including: -15 short walks in Edinburgh - Dozens of intriguing tales and fascinating history told in each walk - Simple route description and easy-to-follow maps - Key features and viewpoints for each walk - Walk statistics including distance and estimated time - Accompanying colour photographs - Recommended refreshment stops Your own personal walking tour of Edinburgh.

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The end of life has never meant the extinction of hope. People have always yearned for, and often been terrified by, continuance beyond the horizon of mortality. Over many centuries various imaginative and sometimes macabre ideas have been devised to explain what happens to human beings after death. As Philip C. Almond reveals in his new and zestful history of the hereafter, whichever image or metaphor has been employed by visionaries, writers, philosophers, or theologians, it has tended to oscillate between two contrary poles: the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soul. This pendulum movement of ideas and language reflects the contending influence of the Hebrew Bible and of ancient Greek thought and the often tense encounters, skirmishes, and compromises between them.Exploring this polarity, and boldly ranging across time and space, Almond takes his readers on a remarkable journey to worlds of both torment and delight. He travels to the banks of the Styx, where Charon the grizzled boatman ferries a departing spirit across the river only if a coin is first placed for payment on the tongue of its corpse. He transports us to the legendary Isles of the Blessed, walks the hallowed ground of the Elysian Fields, and plumbs the murky depths of Tartarus, primordial dungeon of the Titans. The pitiable souls of the damned are seen to clog the soot-filled caverns of Lucifer’s domain even as the elect ascend to Paradise. Including medieval fears for the fate of those consumed by cannibals, early modern ideas about the Last Day, and modern scientific explorations of the domains of the dead, this first full treatment of the afterlife in Western thought evokes many rich imaginings of Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, and Limbo.

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From the elegant to the entitled, from royalty to the financially ruined, everyone who wanted to be seen - or just to gawk - at the hottest restaurants in New York City came to places Michael Cecchi-Azzolina helped run. Your Table Is Ready drops us back in time in the most vibrant city in the world, taking us places we’d never have been able to get into on our own: Raouls in Soho with its louche club vibe; Buzzy O’Keefe’s casually chic River Café (the only outer-borough establishment to make the grade), from Keith McNally’s Minetta Tavern to Nolita’s Le Coucou, with its French Country Auberge-meets-winery look and the most exquisite stands of eternally fresh flowers. From his early career serving stars like Tennessee Williams and Dustin Hoffman at La Rousse right through to the last pre-pandemic full houses at LeCouCou, Cecchi-Azzolina breaks down how restaurants really run (and don’t), and how the economics work for owners and overworked staff alike. The professionals who gravitate to the business are a special, tougher breed, practiced in dealing with demanding patrons and with each other, in a distinctive ecosystem that’s somewhere between a George Orwell “down and out in….” dungeon and a sleek showman’s smoke-and-mirrors palace. Like Stanley Tucci’s “Big Night”, Your Table Is Ready is a history of the era when maitre d’s rather than chefs were the culinary world’s stars. It’s a rollicking, raunchy, revelatory memoir.

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A wickedly funny, full-color, illustrated sendup of the trendy lifestyle publication GOOP. What is Glop? Glop is a business and a website. But Glop is also a feeling. It's about picking the right expensive organic eye cream that will make you fit seamlessly into the top tiers of high society and sits next to Bono at a 42-course seitan tasting dinner held in a sex dungeon deep beneath the North Pole. Glop is about being conscious to the tiny details of our lives-what to eat, where to buy your cashmere yoga pants, which juice cleanse will remove the most mercury toxins from both your body and your cashmere yoga pants. Glop is about you. In this scathingly humorous parody, Gabrielle Moss skewers the vanity, elitism, and silliness of the lifestyle website everyone loves to hate. Here are favorite recipes, detoxes, activities, cleanses, beauty tips, juice cleanses, vacation destinations, and a selection of hand creams that will open your third eye-plus lots of celebrity namedropping and more. Glop includes everything from the silly to sublime-make-at-home stem cell moisturizing repair masques, weekend colonics, restorative yoga poses (for when Sting is mad at you about that thing you did), and even the freshest bones for your bone broth. Here, too, are G's essential tips on parenthood, relationships, work and finances, entertaining, food (well, maybe not food), spirituality, beauty, fashion, home, gifts, kids, and more. Nothing in Glop is sacred-except for a few Indian cows you can't afford.

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The gripping stories of the most colourful and formidable characters to challenge the might of Rome. Until recently, it was assumed that Rome carried the torch of civilization into the barbarian darkness, bringing law, architecture, and literature to conquered peoples. The alternative view now suggests that many of Rome's enemies - the Celts, Hebrews, and Phoenicians, for example - were developing civilizations in their own right before obliteration at the Roman sword. Indeed, as Philip Matyszak argues, had Rome not crushed rivals so completely, the drop into the Dark Ages might not have occurred; at Rome's collapse, no other powerful civilizations remained to absorb the impact. This engrossing book looks at the growth and eventual demise of Rome from the viewpoint of those vanquished by Rome. They varied from the highly cultivated Greeks and Egyptians to wild and rebellious Britons and Germans, to the Asiatic empires of the Persians and Parthians. Their leaders were driven by ambition, vindictive hatred, fear, political calculation, or naked greed. Some fought to preserve their heritage, some for personal survival, and others from a warrior's love of battle. Defying the might of Rome was a dangerous business, and few of the men and women described here died in their beds. Some, like Vercingetorix and Jugurtha, were captured, exhibited in triumph, and then, while their conquerors sat down to a festive dinner, killed in the dungeons below. Rather than face such an end, some of Rome's greatest adversaries, including Hannibal, Boudicca, and Cleopatra, killed themselves. Here is the reality behind legends such as Spartacus the gladiator, and the stories of Shapur the conqueror and Mithridates the connoisseur of poisons. Some enemies of Rome were noble heroes, others were murdering villains, but each has a unique and fascinating story.

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Stop being a servant of the life you’re living and become a creator of the world you want. Electrifying lessons in power, influence and persuasion to equalise women in an unequal world.Why do so many women feel they're too much yet not enough? How can you feel ‘good and mad’ yet reluctant to speak up in a meeting or difficult conversation? What causes women to freeze at critical moments?Kasia Urbaniak spent 17 years studying to become a Taoist nun. To foot the bill for her studies, she worked as a high-paid (and extremely successful) dominatrix in dungeons around New York City. What she learned in these two wildly different settings has turned into her life’s work. UNBOUND brings Urbaniak’s unique teachings for women on speaking power, persuading others and navigating conflict to a mainstream audience for the first time. Part polemic, part practical, it opens women’s eyes to why they frequently find it so difficult – personally, professionally and socially – to raise their voices, why they freeze in challenging circumstances and what they can do to change this. Too often women find themselves in the role of ‘sub’ when they need to be more ‘dom’ – in short they are paralysed by their Good Girl Syndrome and a deep-seated need to please everyone and anyone except themselves. UNBOUND offers precise, practical instruction in how to stand in your power, find your voice and use it well. Part manual, part manifesto, it will help you cut through layers of self-censoring and self-doubt to go after what you truly want, and live your wildest, best and most satisfying life.

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Lynx is a mercenary with a sense of honour; a dying breed in the Riven Kingdom. Failed by the nation he served and weary of the skirmishes that plague the continent's principalities, he walks the land in search of purpose. He wants for little so bodyguard work keeps his belly full and his mage-gun loaded. It might never bring a man fame or wealth, but he's not forced to rely on others or kill without cause. Little could compel Lynx to join a mercenary company, but he won't turn his back on a kidnapped girl. At least the job seems simple enough; the mercenaries less stupid and vicious than most he's met over the years. So long as there are no surprises or hidden agendas along the way, it should work out fine.*****Praise for Stranger of Tempest'The most satisfying thing I've read in a long time. Exceeded expectations that weren't even that low and scratched all my itches. Felt like i needed a cigarette afterwards - it was that good.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Stranger of Tempest drew me in from the beginning, it has such a brilliant opening! One of the best I've read! It was at that moment that I knew I was going to enjoy this book, it cracked me up and intrigued me.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Stranger of Tempest is a fast paced, fun read with memorable characters that you want to know more about! It's a brilliant blend of humour, action, magic, adventure, and more. I can't wait for the next book! I'm so excited to see where this is all going to go!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'A great rip-roaring take, in the style of Dungeons and Dragons. The characters are real and some are likable while others downright despicable. Loved it.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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The first book to cover Krishna’s entire life, from his childhood pranks to his final powerful acts in the Mahabharata war • Draws from the Bhagavad Purana, the Bhagavad Gita, the Mahabharata, and India’s sacred oral tradition • Shows how the stories of Krishna’s life are expressed with such simplicity and humor that they enable anyone--man, woman, or child--to see the wisdom of his teachings • Provides a valuable meditative tool that allows the lessons of these stories to illuminate from within Krishna, one of the most beloved characters of the Hindu pantheon, has been portrayed in many lights: a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero, an exemplary ruler, and the Supreme Being. In The Complete Life of Krishna, Vanamali, a leading Krishna expert from a long line of prominent Krishna devotees, provides the first book in English or Sanskrit to cover the complete range of the avatar’s life. Drawing from the Bhagavad Purana, the Bhagavad Gita, the Mahabharata, and India’s sacred oral tradition, Vanamali shares stories from Krishna’s birth in a dungeon and early days as a merry trickster in Vrindavana, through his time as divine ruler at Dwaraka, to his final powerful acts as the hero Arjuna’s charioteer and guru in the Kurukshetra war. She explains how Krishna became a mahayogi, the greatest of all yogis, and attained complete mastery over himself and nature. By integrating the hero-child with the mahayogi, the playful lover with the divine ruler, Vanamali shows how the stories of Krishna’s life are expressed with such simplicity and humor that they enable anyone--man, woman, or child--to see the wisdom of his teachings. This complete biography of the man who was also a god provides a valuable meditative tool allowing Krishna’s lessons to illuminate from within.

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1311. Murder and mayhem prowl the highways and coffin paths of Medieval England . . . Hugh Corbett returns in the twentieth gripping mystery in Paul Doherty's ever-popular series. If you love the historical mysteries of C. J. Sansom, E. M. Powell and Bernard Cornwell you will love this.It is four years since the death of King Edward I, but his reign of terror has cast long shadows over the kingdom. At Holyrood Abbey, sheltered in the depths of the Welsh march, the old king's former bodyguards protect his secret relics and watch over a mysterious prisoner who is kept in the abbey's dungeon. But their peaceful existence is shattered when Abbot Henry is poisoned. Summoned to Holyrood, Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the Secret Seal, finds the fortress in chaos. Brothers Anselm and Richard have been brutally slain by nails driven deep into their skulls. No one knows who could be behind the gruesome killings and the news attracts the attention of two unwanted guests: the sinister Marcher Lord Mortimer and King Philip of France's devious envoy De Craon. As more mysterious deaths occur, and a violent snow storm sweeps through the valley, Corbett must act quickly to identify the malevolent demon who has risen from hell to turn the abbey into a house of murder . . .Praise for Paul Doherty's dark and suspenseful novels:'His fascination for history comes off the page' Daily Express'An opulent banquet to satisfy the most murderous appetite' Northern Echo'Deliciously suspenseful, gorgeously written and atmospheric' Historical Novels Review'Paul Doherty has a lively sense of history . . . evocative and lyrical descriptions' New Statesmen

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In the Minecraft Stonesword Saga # 3, unruly pets, untamed mobs, and a powerful, potion-wielding witch cause trouble in this deluxe illustrated hardcover chapter book—the only official Minecraft chapter book series!Based on the most popular video game of all time, the third book in the epic Minecraft Stonesword Saga series takes a group of intrepid Minecraft players deeper into the game than ever before . . .Everyone knows that Jodi, the youngest member of the team, loves animals in the real world and in Minecraft. She is also fiercely loyal to her friend the Evoker King, who has, very unfortunately, been shattered into six different hostile mobs. When the third piece of the Evoker King takes the form of a Minecraft witch and sends Jodi and her friends on a quest to bring back an extremely rare animal mob, Jodi is determined to make sure that the mob stays safe no matter what!Meanwhile, in the real world, she also learns that taking care of other living creatures is a much bigger responsibility than she ever imagined. Find out if Jodi and her friends have what takes to outwit a powerful witch and keep a bunch of unruly pets on the leash in this exciting new Minecraft adventure. Enjoy the entire series, including: • Into the Game! (Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles #1) • Night of the Bats! (Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles #2) • Deep Dive! (Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles #3) • Ghast in the Machine! (Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles #4) • Dungeon Crawl! (Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles #5) • Last Block Standing! (Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles #6) • Crack in the Code! (Minecraft Stonesword Saga #1) • Mobs Rule! (Minecraft Stonesword Saga #2) © 2022 Mojang AB. All Rights Reserved. Minecraft, the Minecraft logo and the Mojang Studios logo are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

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A #1 New York Times bestseller from the creator of a viral TikTok series about the sunshine assistant to the evil villain and their unexpected romance. ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, level-headed assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things in General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn's most infamous Villain results in a job offer-naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don't find evil so attractive, Evie.But just when she's getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat...and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain-and his entire nefarious empire-out.Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work... and ensure he makes them pay.After all, a good job is hard to find....Readers have fallen head over heels for Assistant to the Villain: 'The slow burn romance was done so well - all the tension and build up with the characters' relationship had me grinning like crazy''I absolutely raced through this novel . . . I loved this book so much, it was laugh out loud funny, the characters were amazing and the tension was high!''The perfect one-sitting binge read for any fantasy or rom-com lover''Perfect blend of fantasy, romance and laugh out loud writing!'Number 1 New York Times bestseller, September 2023

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It's dangerous to go alone! Take this (book). For more than 30 years, The Legend of Zelda—which immerses players in a courageous struggle against the shadowy forces of evil in a world of high fantasy—has spanned more than 30 different installments, selling over 75 million copies. Today, it is one of the most beloved video game franchises around the globe. Video game sales as a whole have continued to grow, now raking in twice as much money per year as the entire film industry, and countless psychologists have turned their attention to the effects gaming has on us: our confidence, our identity, and our personal growth. The Psychology of Zelda applies the latest psychological findings, plus insights from classic psychology theory, to Link, Zelda, Hyrule, and the players who choose to wield the Master Sword. In The Psychology of Zelda, psychologists who love the games ask: • How do Link's battles in Ocarina of Time against Dark Link, his monstrous doppelganger, mirror the difficulty of confronting our personal demons and the tendency to be our own worst enemies? • What lessons about pursuing life's greater meaning can we take away from Link's quests through Hyrule and beyond the stereotypical video game scenario of rescuing a Princess (Zelda)? • What do we experience as players when we hear that familiar royal lullaby on the ocarina, Saria's spirited melody in the Lost Woods, or the iconic main theme on the title screen? • How do the obstacles throughout Majora's Mask represent the Five Stages of Grief? • What can Link's journey to overcome the loss of the fairy Navi teach us about understanding our own grief and depression? • Why are we psychologically drawn to the game each and every time a new version becomes available even when they all have a similar storyline? Think you've completed the quest? The Psychology of Zelda gives you new, thrilling dungeons to explore and even more puzzles to solve.

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More scathing than a thumbs down, more inflamed than burning film in an overheated projectora "such are the reviews that Roger Ebert has penned about bad movies. Collected here are more than 200 of his most biting, sarcastic, and funny critiques, selected from those unlucky movies that garnered a rating of a mere two stars or fewer. Roger Ebert's "I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie" and "Your Movie Sucks," which gathered some of his most scathing reviews, were best-sellers. This new collection continues the tradition, reviewing not only movies that were at the bottom of the barrel, but also movies that he found underneath the barrel. "A Horrible Experience of Unbearable Length" collects more than 200 of his reviews since 2006 in which he gave movies two stars or fewer. Known for his fair-minded and well-written film reviews, Roger is at his razor-sharp humorous best when skewering bad movies. Consider this opener for the one-star "Your Highness" ""Your Highness" is a juvenile excrescence that feels like the work of 11-year-old boys in love with dungeons, dragons, warrior women, pot, boobs, and four-letter words. That this is the work of David Gordon Green beggars the imagination. One of its heroes wears the penis of a minotaur on a string around his neck. I hate it when that happens." And finally, the inspiration for the title of this book, the one-star "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" is a horrible experience of unbearable length, briefly punctuated by three or four amusing moments. One of these involves a doglike robot humping the leg of the heroine. If you want to save yourself the ticket price go, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination." Movie buffs and humor lovers alike will relish this treasury of movies so bad that you may just want to see them for a good laugh

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The story of white masculinity in geek culture through a history of hobby gaming Geek culture has never been more mainstream than it is now, with the ever-increasing popularity of events like Comic Con, transmedia franchising of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, market dominance of video and computer games, and the resurgence of board games such as Settlers of Catan and role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Yet even while the comic book and hobby shops where the above are consumed today are seeing an influx of BIPOC gamers, they remain overwhelmingly white, male, and heterosexual. The Privilege of Play contends that in order to understand geek identity’s exclusionary tendencies, we need to know the history of the overwhelmingly white communities of tabletop gaming hobbyists that preceded it. It begins by looking at how the privileged networks of model railroad hobbyists in the early twentieth century laid a cultural foundation for the scenes that would grow up around war games, role-playing games, and board games in the decades ahead. These early networks of hobbyists were able to thrive because of how their leisure interests and professional ambitions overlapped. Yet despite the personal and professional strides made by individuals in these networks, the networks themselves remained cloistered and homogeneous—the secret playgrounds of white men. Aaron Trammell catalogs how gaming clubs composed of lonely white men living in segregated suburbia in the sixties, seventies and eighties developed strong networks through hobbyist publications and eventually broke into the mainstream. He shows us how early hobbyists considered themselves outsiders, and how the denial of white male privilege they established continues to define the socio-technical space of geek culture today. By considering the historical role of hobbyists in the development of computer technology, game design, and popular media, The Privilege of Play charts a path toward understanding the deeply rooted structural obstacles that have stymied a more inclusive community. The Privilege of Play concludes by considering how digital technology has created the conditions for a new and more diverse generation of geeks to take center stage.

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The story of white masculinity in geek culture through a history of hobby gaming Geek culture has never been more mainstream than it is now, with the ever-increasing popularity of events like Comic Con, transmedia franchising of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, market dominance of video and computer games, and the resurgence of board games such as Settlers of Catan and role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Yet even while the comic book and hobby shops where the above are consumed today are seeing an influx of BIPOC gamers, they remain overwhelmingly white, male, and heterosexual. The Privilege of Play contends that in order to understand geek identity’s exclusionary tendencies, we need to know the history of the overwhelmingly white communities of tabletop gaming hobbyists that preceded it. It begins by looking at how the privileged networks of model railroad hobbyists in the early twentieth century laid a cultural foundation for the scenes that would grow up around war games, role-playing games, and board games in the decades ahead. These early networks of hobbyists were able to thrive because of how their leisure interests and professional ambitions overlapped. Yet despite the personal and professional strides made by individuals in these networks, the networks themselves remained cloistered and homogeneous—the secret playgrounds of white men. Aaron Trammell catalogs how gaming clubs composed of lonely white men living in segregated suburbia in the sixties, seventies and eighties developed strong networks through hobbyist publications and eventually broke into the mainstream. He shows us how early hobbyists considered themselves outsiders, and how the denial of white male privilege they established continues to define the socio-technical space of geek culture today. By considering the historical role of hobbyists in the development of computer technology, game design, and popular media, The Privilege of Play charts a path toward understanding the deeply rooted structural obstacles that have stymied a more inclusive community. The Privilege of Play concludes by considering how digital technology has created the conditions for a new and more diverse generation of geeks to take center stage.

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Take charge! Where the dungeon ends, another adventure begins! Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Campaign takes you on a guided tour through the parts of the game that happen between monster attacks and quests for ancient artifacts. As some of the most powerful and prestigious heroes around, do your player characters want to build up a kingdom of their own, or lead an army against a neighboring nation? Perhaps they want to start a business, craft magic items, or embark on a quest that will come to define them. Whether you're looking for help generating a young character or seeking ways to challenge adventurers who've grown bored of fighting monsters one-on-one, this book has everything you need! Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Campaign is a must-have companion volume to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. This imaginative tabletop game builds on more than 10 years of system development and an open playtest featuring more than 50,000 gamers to create a cutting-edge RPG experience that brings the all-time best-selling set of fantasy rules into a new era. Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Campaign includes: • A detailed guide to generating character backstories, including a new system for random character generation and traits and drawbacks to meld your background with your statistics. • Story feats that increase in power as you achieve key goals, making quests and crusades more than just flavor! • A complete downtime rules system to flesh out those parts of a PC's life that take place between adventures, such as running a business, gaining power and influence in a community, or starting a magical academy. • New rules for retraining and switching classes; honor, reputation, and fame; young characters; investment; magic item creation; and other key adventuring topics. • Rules for building up a kingdom, including construction and technological advancements, governing your people, and more. • Mass combat rules to help you lead clashing armies and conduct epic battles in a fun and efficient manner—without losing sight of the PCs themselves. • ... and much, much more!

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Design and develop sophisticated 2D games that are as much fun to make as they are to play. From particle effects and pathfinding to social integration and monetization, this complete tour of Apple's powerful suite of game technologies covers it all. Familiar with Swift but new to game development? No problem. Start with the basics and then layer in the complexity as you work your way through three exciting - and fully playable - games. In the end, you'll know everything you need to go off and create your own video game masterpiece for any Apple platform. Discover the power of Apple Game Frameworks, Xcode, and Swift by building three exciting games: Gloop Drop - a new twist on a classic arcade game, Val's Revenge - a roguelike dungeon crawler, and Hog - a social player vs. player mobile dice game. With Apple Game Frameworks, you can create high-performance, power-efficient games that work across all Apple platforms, including iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. In this book, you'll discover how to... Design and develop rich 2D gaming experiences using Apple's built-in game frameworks. Harness the power of SpriteKit using Xcode and Swift to create engaging player experiences. Use the visual Scene Editor to build complete scenes. Unleash the power of the Particle Editor to create amazing effects. Use GameplayKit to add advanced features to your games like pathfinding, artificial intelligence, and complex rule systems. Build larger, more complex worlds with tile maps and Xcode's visual Tile Map editor. Bring people together using GameKit and Game Center, Apple's social gaming network. Increase revenue with third-party banner ads and rewarded ads using Google AdMob (TM). Monetize your games with StoreKit and in-app purchases. So, grab your gear and get your game on - it's time to level up your skills. What You Need: macOS Mojave 10.14.6 or newer Xcode 11.3 or newer Basic knowledge of Swift 5.1.4 or newer

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Four stories set in the Eleventh Doctor era narrated by Jacob Dudman, giving voice to the much-loved Eleventh Doctor as played on TV by Matt Smith. 1.The Calendar Man by AK Benedict. Answering a cry for help, the Doctor and Amy arrive on a misty colony world – but nobody thinks anything is wrong. Nobody, except for one young woman, hiding in shadows and scribbling in her notebook. Soon, Amy is on the trail of missing colonists, while the Doctor strides into the fog in search of a fairy-tale. But time is running out, and the Calendar Man is flicking through the pages of their lives. 2.The Top of the Tree by Simon Guerrier. On one of their annual jaunts, young Kazran Sardick and the Doctor find themselves in trouble when the TARDIS is tangled in the branches of a very strange, very large tree. They emerge into a habitat where myriad species fight for survival: an ecosystem of deadly flora and fauna, along with a tribe of primitive humans.This is a mystery which can only be solved by climbing. But what will they find at the top of the tree? 3. The Light Keepers by Roy Gill. Dorium Maldovar has a problem. The self-styled `Beacon People’ are bad for business, and now they’re in his shuttle park, digging for mysterious minerals. When the Doctor crashes into his life once again, Dorium enlists him to find out what these scavengers are really up to inside their lighthouse. But a lighthouse signals danger – and this beacon was placed to warn of something more ancient and powerful than anyone knows. Something that is returning. 4.False Coronets by Alice Cavender. On the trail of a temporal anomaly, the Doctor and Clara arrive in a London dungeon, where an unlikely prisoner awaits her execution. This is a 19th Century England where the King has been dethroned, and Republicans bearing false coronets hold sway. While the Doctor seeks out the source of alien interference in the timelines, Clara recruits some local help – and gets invited to a party.History has gone awry, and Jane Austen must help rewrite it. CAST: Jake Dudman (Narrator / The Doctor), Eleanor Crooks (Olivia), Danny Horn (Kazran Sardick), Simon Fisher-Becker (Dorium Maldovar), Nathalie Buscombe (Jane Austen). Other parts played by Jacob Dudman. .

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Europe has spiraled into chaos. A conspiracy years in the making combined with general unrest lead to upheaval and revolution. In the midst of the murderous disorder, mercenary Michael Valentine is in Europe with a small team of his Exodus personnel trying to track down the evil and highly dangerous Katarina Montalban. She has initiated a mysterious plot to do away with those who stand between her and ultimate power. The team is on their own, with few friends, few resources—and racing against the clock. Both Valentine and Lorenzo will have to risk some dangerous alliances if they're to succeed. Meanwhile, Valentine’s friend, one-time enemy, and sometime partner Hector Lorenzo finds himself in a dungeon owned by Asian drug lord Sala Jihan. He must make a deal that may lead him to cross paths with Valentine again. If two of the most effective killers in existence hunt, even the pandemonium in Europe may be just the first act in an orgy of destruction. About Larry Correia: “[A] no-holds-barred all-out page turner that is part science fiction, part horror, and an absolute blast to read.”—Bookreporter.com “If you love monsters and action, you’ll love this book. If you love guns, you’ll love this book. If you love fantasy, and especially horror fantasy, you’ll love this book.”—Knotclan.com “A gun person who likes science fiction—or, heck, anyone who likes science fiction—will enjoy [these books]. . . The plotting is excellent, and Correia makes you care about the characters…I read both books without putting them down except for work . . . so whaddaya waitin’ for? Go and buy some . . . for yourself and for stocking stuffers.”—Massad Ayoob “This lighthearted, testosterone-soaked sequel to 2009's Monster Hunter International will delight fans of action horror with elaborate weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, disgusting monsters, and an endless stream of blood and body parts.”—Publishers Weekly on Monster Hunter Vendetta About Mike Kupari's exciting SF adventure novel, Her Brother's Keeper: "After cowriting Dead Six and Swords of Exodus with Larry ­Correia, Kupari makes his solo debut with this space opera that is bound to attract fans of Mike ­Shepherd’s Kris Longknife series or Elizabeth Moon’s Vatta’s War books. An excellent choice for both teen and adult sf readers."—Library Journal "[P]age-turning action . . . may be Kupari's best book yet."—Galveston County Daily News About Larry Correia's Son of the Black Sword: "This book has everything I like in fantasy: intense action scenes, evil in horrifying array, good struggling against the darkness, and most of all people—gorgeously flawed human beings faced with horrible moral choices that force them to question and change and grow."—Jim Butcher, creator of the New York Times best-selling Dresden Files "Best-selling fantasy author Correia casts a compelling spell with this India-influenced series opener. . . . Correia skillfully sets in motion this story of plots within plots, revealing complex, sympathetic characters and black-hearted villains with equal detail and insight. Full of action, intrigue, and wry humor, this exciting series launch promises many more thrills to come."—Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Fans who like Correia’s fast-moving style will be pleased with the plethora of action scenes, and epic fantasy readers interested in delving into a new universe should be equally satisfied. A solid choice for admirers of Brent Weeks and Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series."—Library Journal "Correia is, above all, a storyteller, and he weaves a unique and entertaining tale.Without question, his action sequences pop on the page, his magic system has a nice wrinkle, and he has the foundations laid out for some excellent character growth as the series continues. . . . [A] definite hit."—Bookreporter "The lore here is fascinating and well told. I enjoyed learning the history of the world and the legend of Ramrowan. The politics are just complicated enough to feel real without being too difficult to follow. Where the book truly shines, however, is in the characters. All are well drawn and distinctively voiced."—SFCrowsnest

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A high-energy, laugh-out-loud, fully illustrated adventure story by much-loved actor Stephen Mangan and talented artist Anita Mangan. "Laugh-out-loud stuff" Ray D’Arcy It's the most important day of the year for King Fabian as he is hosting all the neighbouring rulers. Everything simply must go perfectly. King Fabian wakes up, stretches, and... farts. His wife's fury is so huge that he panics and blames the butler, who is carted off to the dungeons. Leaving behind a big problem: Fabian isn't really the brains behind the crown: it is the butler... how will dithery Fabian manage to pull off this high-pressure event alone? His small and smelly fart looks like it will kick off a crisis... Frank - a kitchen boy with a big imagination - is drafted in as an emergency butler. As the banquet descends into a food fight and processions catapult out of control, Frank finds himself in an all-out farty farce. Can he save the day? Wildly funny and endlessly surprising, this is delightfully imaginative, surreal storytelling with a message that small events can trigger big change, and children can be heroes! Packed with pictures by Stephen Mangan's sister Anita Mangan. Escape the Rooms is one of the most loved and bestselling children's debuts of 2021. Stephen and Anita Mangan are comic dynamite. Praise for Stephen and Anita's books: Escape the Rooms: "A brilliant, clever, kind of genius book" Graham Norton, Virgin Radio 'Richly imagined and deeply heartfelt' Hadley Freeman, Guardian 'Manages to feel both classic and modern at the same time' Good Housekeeping 'A beautiful and exciting adventure that ignites the imagination' Edith Bowman The Fart That Changed the World "A sure-fire way for kids to entertain themselves. What’s more, it’s also excellent for reading aloud" LoveReading4Kids "A high-energy, brilliantly imaginative and laugh-out-loud tale that is guaranteed to blow away young readers" Lancashire Evening Post The Unlikely Rise of Harry Sponge “After the runaway success of joint debut novel, Escape the Rooms, and the hilarious The Fart That Changed the World, the dynamic duo return with an all-action, marvellously manic and laugh-out-loud tale with a message that any child can be a hero” Lancashire Evening Post "hilarious ... A right royal romp" First News ABOUT THE MANGANS Stephen Mangan is an author, script-writer and actor with huge range across TV, radio, film and theatre. From classic comedy such as Green Wing, Episodes and I'm Alan Partridge and acclaimed drama such as The Split, Stephen also presents Portrait and Landscape Artist of the Year and regularly appears on stage, most recently as a highly praised Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Stephen also voiced the title role in Postman Pat: The Movie. He has been a member of the judging panels for the Costa Book of the Year prize and The Laugh-Out-Loud Awards (The Lollies). His children's books are the bestselling Escape the Rooms and The Fart that Changed the World. Stephen on writing for children (interview on ITV's Lorraine): “Every page has to grip them, make them laugh, be interesting because they can drop it. There are screens everywhere that they can pick up. That’s part of the reason why I started writing books because I had such fun as a kid reading books. I always had my head in a book. I wanted to write books that were unputdownable for children, that were full of adventure and crazy big characters and made them laugh.” Anita Mangan is a celebrated graphic designer and illustrator who has designed over 60 books including for Leon Restaurants, Gizzi Erskine and Fearne Cotton. She illustrated the best-selling Be a Unicorn series. Her first children's book was the bestselling Escape the Rooms.

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Test your wits in this creepy collection of horror-themed mini-mysteries, a follow-up to Sleuth & Solve! How does one boy discover the lair of Frankenstein's monster? What is the identity of the werewolf who torments an isolated village? And how do two sisters escape the vengeful Loch Ness Monster? Welcome to the world of Sleuth & Solve: Spooky, where creepy clues are hidden in every detail and clever twists put your wits to the test. These mind-bending mini-mysteries inspired by classic creepy characters feature familiar fiends as well as terrifying new tales of ghosts, witches, and more! Solving this suite of spooky puzzles takes keen observation, strong logic, and lots of creative thinking. Play solo or with friends, collecting points as you crack each compelling case, decode the solution using a clever cryptograph, and reveal whose sleuthing skills reign supreme! SCARY STORIES ARE IRRESISTIBLE: From monster-themed birthday parties to Dungeons & Dragons, Stranger Things, and Monsters, Inc., it's clear that readers of all ages have a perennial predilection for all things monstrous and scary. These tales are perfect for reading alone or together, under the covers or in the dark, around the crackling of a campfire . . . as long as you can crack the case before it's too late. BOO! EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD MYSTERY: From Encyclopedia Brown to Sherlock Holmes to Clue, mysteries transfix, engage, and entertain! Following the previous two books in the Sleuth & Solve series, this latest smart, age-appropriate take on mysteries for kids will quickly become a family favorite. A-GAME-IN-A-BOOK: This engaging narrative formula incorporates both a game (players earn points for discerning each answer) and an opportunity to decrypt and decode the clever solutions to each puzzle, adding opportunities for interactivity and upping the stakes of the reading experience. REINFORCES LOGICAL REASONING SKILLS: These clever mysteries are solved by way of deduction, inference, and logical reasoning, all of which are critical thinking skills crucial to young readers' intellectual development both in and outside of the classroom. IDEAL FOR RELUCTANT READERS: With a comic-esque style, unique narrative approach, quirky scenarios, and a compelling mystery/"scary stories" theme, this book packs loads of reluctant reader appeal. Perfect for: • Fans of scary and spooky stories • Fans of brainteasers and puzzles • Mystery aficionados • Gift-givers • Parents • Educators

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Unleash your imagination, creating worlds and stories beyond measure with the new Pathfinder GM Core for Pathfinder Second Edition! This comprehensive 336-page hardcover rulebook gives Game Masters everything they need to craft thrilling tales of adventure, from a single-night’s dungeon delve to complex epics spanning years. Within these pages you’ll find clear guidelines for creating new hazards and monsters, tools to design challenging, balanced encounters, and rules for rewarding characters for the dastardly challenges you array before them! Pathfinder GM Core also contains a dragon’s hoard of magic items and treasure to entice and reward your players, from simple healing potions to magic weapons and armor and legendary artifacts, including dozens of brand-new items! Pathfinder GM Core is the second core rulebook for the fully remastered Pathfinder Second Edition RPG! These rules are compatible with previous Pathfinder Second Edition rulebooks, incorporating comprehensive errata and rules updates and some of the best additions from later books into new, easier-to-access volumes with new presentations inspired by years of player feedback. Along with the Player Core, Monster Core, and Player Core 2, these books provide a new foundation for the future of tabletop gaming! Pathfinder GM Core includes: • The rules needed to run a game of Pathfinder, including guidelines for creating challenging encounters, determining success, and giving out rewards. • Advice aimed at making you an incredible Game Master, along with tools to ensure you and everyone else at your table has a safe and enjoyable experience. • Guidelines to help you create your own content, from campaigns and adventures to hazards and monsters. • Rules subsystems to help you handle a wide array of game situations, including rules for chases, duels, research, infiltration, and more! • A guide to the world of Lost Omens, with a look at several important regions, an examination of the peoples and cultures of the world, and a glimpse into what lies beyond the veil of the universe! • Fully integrated errata from the first 4 years of Pathfinder Second Edition, including improvements to staves and talismans and all-new apex magic items! • Published under the new Open RPG Creative (ORC) license, giving players and Game Masters even more freedom for making their own creations based on Pathfinder Second Edition.

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Master the Unity Game Engine to Design and Develop Games for Web, Mobile, Windows, macOS, and More! If you want to design and develop games, there’s no substitute for strong hands-on experience with modern techniques and tools—and that is exactly what this book provides. The first edition was frequently the top-selling game design book on Amazon, with more than 70% of the reviews being 5 stars. In a testament to the iterative process of design, this new edition includes hundreds of improvements throughout the text, all designed to make the book easier to understand and even more useful. This book was written with Unity 2017; the book.prototools.net website will cover changes for later versions of the software. Award-winning game designer and professor Jeremy Gibson Bond has spent more than a decade teaching game design and building great games. In that time, his most successful students have been those who combine knowledge of three critical disciplines: game design theory, rapid iterative prototyping, and practical programming. In this book, Bond distills the most important aspects of all three disciplines into one place. Part I: Game Design and Paper Prototyping • The Layered Tetrad framework: a synthesis of 50 years of game design theory • Proven practices for brainstorming and refining game designs through the iterative process of design • Methods and tools to manage game projects and small teams • Processes to make playtesting and feedback easier Part II: Digital Prototyping with Unity and C# • Chapters that guide you through learning C# the right way • Instruction that takes you from no prior programming knowledge through object-oriented programming • Deep exploration of Unity, today’s most popular game engine on both macOS and Windows • Methods for understanding and debugging code issues you encounter Part III: Game Prototype Examples and Tutorials • In-depth tutorials for seven different game prototypes, including a simple action game, a space shooter, a solitaire card game, a word game, and a top-down adventure • Instructions to compile these games for PC, web, or any of the dozens of other release platforms supported by Unity • Improved structure and layout that makes the steps of each tutorial easier to follow • A completely new Dungeon Delver prototype not present in the first edition

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Collect all six illustrated novels of the best-selling Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior series in this ultimate box set.Minecraft meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid in this unofficial Minecraft adventure for middle-grade readers. With over 1 million copies sold, Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior has captivated countless fans around the world. With the Diamond Box Set, readers can enjoy all six installments in this tale of friendship, bravery, and blocks: Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior: Runt, our 12-year-old hero, is about to choose his future vocation at the Minecraftia school: farmer, crafter, or miner. But what this noob really wants is to be a warrior like his hero, Steve. So when he learns that the five best students in school that year will get the chance to start warrior training, it’s ON! Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior: From Seeds to Swords: As Runt and his friends continue their training, they face their biggest challenges yet. Runt’s got a brand new nemesis who will stop at nothing to claim the top spot in the warrior competition at school. Can Runt and his friends take down the biggest, baddest boss mob yet? Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior: Crafting Alliances: After the recent mob attacks, the entire village decides to prepare. Fortifying the defenses, tracking down a spy, searching for new alliances . . .But Herobrine isn’t having any of it. Can Runt increase his efforts to be one of the five best students in school and finally become the warrior of his dreams? Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior: Path of the Diamond: Runt is in serious trouble. The young warrior must face the most violent attack that the village has ever known and confront one of his classmates! On top of that, there are only a couple of days left to study for his redstone exam, and he’s totally unprepared! Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior: Quest Mode: There’s no time to enjoy his newfound stardom. To save Villagetown, Runt embarks on a perilous quest far beyond the safety of the wall. Between bizarre towns, terrifying dungeons, and epic boss battles, Runt must summon the hero within and say “so long” to the noob! Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior: Forging Destiny: After all his training, Runt is ready to save the world! The situation is truly dire: the Eyeless One seems to be gathering his troops to go on the attack. For Runt and his friends, it’s time to strike back and prove that these villagers truly have become warriors. The series follows the villager Runt as he progresses from utter noob to full-fledged hero: defending his friends from monsters, turning rivals into allies, and mastering the skills required to survive beyond the village walls. And when Runt embarks on a quest to save Minecraftia itself, he begins to unlock his own hidden powers . . . and uncover the astonishing secrets of his world.

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Let the adventure begin with this straightforward guide to GURPS!This is it—the key that unlocks the riches of GURPS (Generic Universal Role Playing System) and gives you a wealth of information on how to create your character and fine-tune your play. Produced in partnership with Steve Jackson Games, the game's creator, GURPS For Dummies is the ideal companion to GURPS Basic Set, 4th Edition that explains the rules. It gives you insight into the choices you’ll make in everything from creating a fun, dynamic character using the allotted number of points, to playing in an adventure, to becoming a GM. Whether you want to be an Amazon princess or a stalwart warrior, an old-fashioned swashbuckler or a modern investigator, a tough cop or a cat burglar, a sorcerer casting spells or a cosmic ranger, fighting lawlessness in the asteroids, this guide will help you: Determine your character’s basic attributes: IQ, DX (dexterity), ST (strength) and HT (health) Figure out your character’s secondary characteristics Choose advantages (including powers and perks) and disadvantages (including quirks and disadvantages with a self-control roll modifier) Optimize your points by using talents Select your skills based on functional area or the campaign setting Enhance your character with spells, magic items, magic staves, and powerstones Strategically purchase equipment for different characters, tech levels, and campaign types Create and manage a character sheet, write a character background, keep a character log, and more—all with samples Choose good combat techniques and play with your character If you want to become a GM, this guide gets you going with advice on creating the adventure, managing the character creation process, managing combat, and interpreting the rules. There’s even a handy Cheat Sheet tear-out GM screen in the front of the book. There are tips throughout, plus advice on how to: Create your very own GURPS universe for your campaign, whether it’s dungeon-crawl, high-adventure, combat-focused, puzzle-focused, or masquerade-type Provide a basic write-up of the world for your players, including technology level, supernatural and supernormal abilities and powers, races, setting, character templates, cultural and social information, and limitations Create an electronic combat grid, a battle log, a tactical map, and more—with samples Do mapping, planning, and plotting Create memorable NPC (nonplayer characters), both good guys and bad guys GURPS For Dummies helps you create more detailed, exciting, and interesting characters and take your game to the next level. That’s important whether you’re saving a princess or saving the planet…searching for hidden treasure or for secrets to eliminate disease… fighting crime or combating armies of evil robots…casting spells in medieval castles or destroying terrorist cells in modern day milieus. With GURPS, the only limitation is your imagination.

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A new full cast adventure for the Eighth Doctor! Following the events of the first two series of Doctor Who - Doom Coalition, the Eighth Doctor (Paul McCann) continues to battle the plans of the insane Eleven, a Time Lord with all his past regenerations living in his head. 3.1 Absent Friends by John Dorney. Earth. The late 20th century. Across the world, the mobile phone is gaining popularity as more and more people decide to join the digital age. But for the residents of a sleepy English town sitting in the shade of a new transmission mast, that ubiquity has a troubling cost. When the TARDIS veers off-course, the Doctor and his companions find themselves in the middle of a mystery. Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you. And sometimes the future does as well. 3.2 The Eighth Piece by Matt Fitton. 15th Century Prague: in the castle dungeons, a prisoner raves about the end of the world. Outside, Liv Chenka seeks out the workshop of a strange Clockmaker to see what he is creating. England, 1538: Lord Thomas Cromwell finds his duties interrupted by otherworldly forces - clockwork soldiers, an unusual nun, and a mysterious scholar calling himself 'the Doctor'.Perhaps the truth can be extracted in the torture chamber of London's Bloody Tower? Rome, 2016: Helen Sinclair has an appointment with an enigmatic Professor, whose greatest work is almost complete. Only the Eighth Piece is missing...3.3 The Doomsday Chronometer by Matt Fitton. While River Song takes Helen on an archaeological expedition like no other, the Doctor finds himself enlisted by an alien Queen to save her people. Trapped and alone, Liv stares death in the face as she meets the enemy who's been dogging the TARDIS travellers' footsteps throughout Earth's history. The Doomsday Chronometer has been protected for five centuries: secret cults and societies jealously guarding its mystery. But what is their real purpose? The Doctor is about to discover the truth...3.4. The Crucible of Souls by John Dorney. The date has been set. The trap has been sprung. A life has been taken and a maniac is on the loose. With the TARDIS crew separated and in terrible trouble, will today be the day the bad guys win? Doctor Who - Doom Coalition is a follow-up to Big Finish's Dark Eyes series - the first of which received the Best Online Drama at the 2014 BBC Drama Awards.British TV and Hollywood star Paul McGann returns to his hugely popular portrayal of the Doctor (as seen on BBC TV in 2013's Night of the Doctor). Hattie Morahan has now appeared opposite two British fictional greats - the Doctor here, and Sherlock Holmes in 2015's film Mr Holmes with Sir Ian McKellen. Nicola Walker was one of the longest serving actresses in BBC's Spooks series, and remains one of the most regarded of current British actresses. CAST: Paul McGann (The Doctor), Nicola Walker (Liv Chenka), Hattie Morahan (Helen Sinclair), Alex Kingston (River Song), Jeremy Clyde (George), Ian Puleston-Davies (Angus Selwyn), Richard Hope (Phillip Cook/Kal), Anna Acton (Kate Drury), John Shrapnel (Thomas Cromwell), Kasia Koleczek (Apolena), Glen McCready (Solvers/Abbot), Emma D'Inverno (Rosalia), Tim McMullan (Octavian), Janie Dee (Risolva), Robert Bathurst (Padrac), John Heffernan (The Imposter) and Nicholas Woodeson (The Clocksmith).

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