Cult author Neal Stephenson's unstoppable sci-fi classic The future is small. The future is nano . . . And who could be smaller or more insignificant than poor Little Nell - an orphan girl alone and adrift in a world of Confucian Law, Neo-Victorian values and warring nano-technology? Well, not quite alone. Because Nell has a friend, of sorts. A guide, a teacher, an armed and unarmed combat instructor, a book and a computer: the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer is all these and much much more. It is illicit, magical, dangerous. And it isn't Nell's. It was stolen. And now some very powerful people want to get their hands on this highly desirable object. Nell is about to discover that the world can feel very small indeed . . . Neal Stephenson is the author of the three-volume historical epic 'The Baroque Cycle' (Quicksilver, The Confusion and The System of the World) as well as the novels Cryptonomicon, The Diamond Age (winner of a Hugo Award), Snow Crash, Zodiac, Anathem and Reamde. He lives in Seattle, Washington.
The Sun is about to go Nova. Earth and Moon have ceased their axial rotation and present one face continuously to the sun. The bright side of Earth is covered with carnivorous forest. This is the Age of vegetables. Gren and his lady - not to mention the tummybelly men - journey to the even more terrifying Dark side. One of Aldiss' most famous and long-enduring novels, fast moving, packed with brilliant imagery.
Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl, read by Kate Winslet Well, that did it. I saw red. And before I was able to stop myself, I did something I never meant to do. I PUT THE MAGIC FINGER ON THEM ALL!
Penguin presents the audiobook edition of The BFG by Roald Dahl, read by David Walliams. The BFG is a nice and jumbly giant. In fact, he is the only big friendly giant in Giant Country. All the other giants are big bonecrunching brutes, and now the BFG and his friend Sophie must stop them guzzling up little human beans - with some help from Her Majester, the Queen. David Walliams is a multi-award winning British comedian, actor and writer, best known for the comedy series Little Britain; but his acting work includes plays, dramas and films. He is also the author of five hugely successful childrens books, including two illustrated by Quentin Blake - Roald Dahls favourite illustrator.
Phizzwhizzing new cover look and branding for the World's NUMBER ONE Storyteller!This is the wonderful and warm-hearted Roald Dahl classic, Esio Trot.Mr Hoppy really loves his neighbour Mrs Silver, and Mrs Silver really loves her tortoise, Alfie. One day Mrs Silver asks Mr Hoppy how to make Alfie grow, and suddenly Mr Hoppy knows the way to win her heart. With the help of a magical spell and some cabbage leaves, can Mr Hoppy be happy at last? "e;A true genius . . . Roald Dahl is my hero"e; David WalliamsListen to ESIO TROT and other Roald Dahl audiobooks read by some very famous voices, including Kate Winslet, David Walliams and Steven Fry - plus there are added squelchy soundeffects from Pinewood Studios! Look out for new Roald Dahl apps in the App store and Google Play- including the disgusting TWIT OR MISS! inspired by the revolting Twits.
A thought experiment in future-shock survivalism' Robert MacFarlane'Gripping ... of all science fiction's apocalypses, this is one of the most haunting' Financial TimesWITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ROBERT MACFARLANEA post-apocalyptic vision of the world pushed to the brink by famine, John Christopher's science fiction masterpiece The Death of Grass includes an introduction by Robert MacFarlane in Penguin Modern Classics.At first the virus wiping out grass and crops is of little concern to John Custance. It has decimated Asia, causing mass starvation and riots, but Europe is safe and a counter-virus is expected any day. Except, it turns out, the governments have been lying to their people. When the deadly disease hits Britain, society starts to descend into barbarism. As John and his family try to make it across country to the safety of his brother's farm in a hidden valley, their humanity is tested to its very limits. A chilling psychological thriller and one of the greatest post-apocalyptic novels ever written, The Death of Grass shows people struggling to hold on to their identities as the familiar world disintegrates - and the terrible price they must pay for surviving.John Christopher (1922-2012) was the pen name of Samuel Youd, a prolific writer of science fiction. His novels were popular during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably The Death Of Grass (1956), The World in Winter (1962), and Wrinkle in the Skin (1965), all works depicting ordinary people struggling in the midst of apocalyptic catastrophes. In 1966 he started writing science-fiction for adolescents; The Tripods trilogy, the Prince in Waiting trilogy (also known as the Sword of the Spirits trilogy) and The Lotus Caves are still widely read today.Ifyou enjoyed The Death of Grass, you might like John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids, also available in Penguin Modern Classics.
The stories collected in What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours are linked by more than the exquisitely winding prose of their creator: Helen Oyeyemi's ensemble cast of characters slip from the pages of their own stories only to surface in another.The reader is invited into a world of lost libraries and locked gardens, of marshlands where the drowned dead live and a city where all the clocks have stopped; students hone their skills at puppet school, the Homely Wench Society commits a guerrilla book-swap, and lovers exchange books and roses on St Jordi's Day. It is a collection of towering imagination, marked by baroque beauty and a deep sensuousness.
The first in the Witchlands series, Truthwitch by Susan Dennard is a brilliantly imagined coming-of-age story perfect for fans of Robin Hobb, Victoria Aveyard and Trudi Canavan. In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home. Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself. In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.
The multi-award-winning China Mieville has been called 'the equal of David Mitchell or Zadie Smith' (Scotland on Sunday), a writer whose 'inventiveness and precision is awesome' (Independent), and who writes with 'an imagination of immense power' (Guardian).In these twenty-eight short stories, glistening icebergs float above urban horizons; a burning stag runs wild through the city; the ruins of industry emerge unsteadily from the sea; and the abandoned generations in a decayed space-elevator look not up at the stars but down at the Earth. Ranging from portraits of childhood to chilling ghost stories, from dystopian visions to poignant evocations of uncanny love, with beautiful prose and melancholy wit, Three Moments of an Explosion is a breath-taking collection that poses searching questions of what it is to be human in an unquiet world. It is a humane and unsentimental investigation of our society, our world, and ourselves.
There is no honour among thieves . . . Ildrecca is a dangerous city, if you don't know what you're doing. It takes a canny hand and a wary eye to run these streets and survive. Fortunately, Drothe has both. He has been a member of the Kin for years, rubbing elbows with thieves and murderers from the dirtiest of alleys to the finest of neighbourhoods. Working for a crime lord, he finds and takes care of trouble inside his boss's organization - whilse smuggling relics on the side. But when his boss orders Drothe to track down whoever is leaning on his organization's people, he stumbles upon a much bigger mystery. There's a book, a relic any number of deadly people seem to be looking for - a book that just might bring down emperors and shatter the criminal underworld. A book now conveniently in Drothe's hands . . .
'Welcome to the future.'The early decades of the twenty-first century. All the wars have been won. There are no rogue states. The secret services of the world keep the planet electronically monitored, safe from all threat. There is no one left for United States and the Eurozone to fight. Except each other.A mysterious time traveller offers a better future - he has a time machine, and with it, humanity could reach the next stage of evolution, they could share its secrets and become the new Lords of Time......either that, or someone could keep the technology for themselves and use it to fight the ultimate war.A Classic Doctor Who Adventure featuring the Eighth Doctor as played by Paul McGann.
'I love her.' The Doctor said. 'Of course you do, she's your daughter.'Earth in the nineteen-eighties is a battleground. Rival alien factions have travelled from the far future to pursue their vendetta. With UFOs filling the skies, a giant robot stalking the Derbyshire hills, and alien hunters searching for the mysterious Last One, the Doctor is the only man who can protect the innocents caught in the crossfire.But old scores are being settled, the fate of a Galactic Empire is at stake and, against his will, the Doctor is drawn into a decade-long war that will strike at those he holds most dear. The Doctor has lost his memory, his friends, his past and his TARDIS. All he has now is the love of his daughter. But will even that be taken from him?A Classic Doctor Who Adventure featuring the Eighth Doctor as played by Paul McGann.
Being a Nephilim isn't everything it's cracked up to be...Between the pissed-off creatures who want demon-hunter and Nephilim Lily Marks dead and the fallen angel who just...wants her, Lily is about ready to trade in forever for a comfy job in a cubicle farm.Mortal enemies, the fact that Lily and Julian are civil to one another is enough to have her thrown out of the Sanctuary. Even Lily can build a laundry list of why getting close to Julian is career suicide, but she can't shake her not-so angelic stalker, or ignore how he brings her dangerously close to ecstasy.As if Lily doesn't have enough problems, the hits just keep coming. Blindsided when a traitor is discovered working from within the Sanctuary, Lily is shocked to find he's determined to get her kicked out. Her relationship with Julian provides the perfect fuel for suspicion, and she quickly finds herself being hunted by, well, everyone. Her only hope is to discover the real traitor before she loses everything - and she'll need Julian's help. That is, if Julian is really there to help her...or destroy her.
Three strangers, each isolated by his or her own problems: Adaora, the marine biologist. Anthony, the rapper famous throughout Africa. Agu, the troubled soldier. Wandering Bar Beach in Lagos, Nigeria's legendary mega-city, they're more alone than they've ever been before.But when something like a meteorite plunges into the ocean and a tidal wave overcomes them, these three people will find themselves bound together in ways they could never imagine. Together with Ayodele, a visitor from beyond the stars, they must race through Lagos and against time itself in order to save the city, the world... and themselves. 'There was no time to flee. No time to turn. No time to shriek. And there was no pain. It was like being thrown into the stars.'
New York City, 2141: Jana Patel throws herself off a skyscraper, but never hits the ground.Cornwall, 1640: gentle young Dora Predennick, newly come to Sweetclover Hall to work, discovers a badly-burnt woman at the bottom of a flight of stairs. When she reaches out to comfort the dying woman, she's flung through time.On a rainy night in present-day Cornwall: seventeen-year-old Kaz Cecka sneaks into the long-abandoned Sweetclover Hall, in search of a dry place to sleep. Instead he finds a frightened housemaid who believes Charles I is king and an angry girl who claims to come from the future. Thrust into the centre of a war that spans millennia, Dora, Kaz and Jana must learn to harness powers they barely understand to escape not only villainous Lord Sweetclover but the forces of a fanatical army . . . all the while staying one step ahead of a mysterious woman known only as Quil.*~*Readers love TimeBomb!*~*'A fast-paced, time-hopping thriller' SciFiNow'Tremendous fun... a riveting series opener... I finished the book in one sitting. If you enjoy fast-paced, action-driven time travel stories, this book is for you' A Fantastical Librarian'A rip roaring roller coaster ride of a read that keeps you on your toes and is a WHOLE lot of fun' Liz Loves Books'I was sucked into this book from the beginning and found it extremely hard to put down' Escapades of a Bookworm'Impeccably unique and mesmerising, Andrews takes an astoundingly interesting take on time travel' Once Upon a Moonlight Review'Executed perfectly, with likeable, intelligent and witty characters thrust into the mix of things' The Book Bag'Well-written, funny, sad and exciting... a rocket of a timeslip adventure, designed to appeal to adults young and old and it most certainly succeeds' For Winter's Nights
Bobby Dollar thinks he's seen it all - after all, he's been to Hell and back again. Literally.But he has another think coming. Sleeping Late on Judgement Day will find Bobby back in his adopted hometown of San Judas, California, trying to stay out of trouble... and failing. His love life is still a mess, there are one too many people who have it out for him, and drowning his sorrows in a nice glass of whisky won't keep the demons at bay forever. Bobby's going to have to pull himself together and make a few tough decisions before time runs out. The problem is, time could run out at any moment. In the final Bobby Dollar novel in Tad Williams' groundbreaking epic fantasy trilogy, fallen angel Bobby Dollar will finally be force to confront the one problem he can't talk his way out of: his own.
BOBBY DOLLAR ISN'T YOUR AVERAGE ANGEL.Sure, he takes the occasional trip to Heaven, but his job as an advocate - arguing the fate of the recently deceased - keeps him pretty busy on Earth, and he's more than happy to spend the rest of his time propping up the bar with his fellow immortals.Until the day a soul goes missing, presumed stolen by 'the other side'.A new chapter in the war between heaven and hell is about to open. And Bobby is right in the middle of it, with only a desirable but deadly demon to aid him.
Ayla and Jondalar have reached home: the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, the old stone age settlement in the region known today as south-west France. Ayla has much to learn from the Zelandonii as well as much to teach them. Jondalar's family are initially wary of the beautiful young woman he has brought back, with her strange accent and her tame wolf and horses. She is delighted when she meets Zelandoni, the spiritual leader of her people, a fellow healer with whom she can share her medicinal skills. After the rigours and dangers that have characterised her extraordinary life, Ayla yearns for peace and tranquillity; to be Jondalar's mate and to have children. But her unique spiritual gifts cannot be ignored, and even as she gives birth to their eagerly-awaited child, she is coming to accept that she has a greater role to play in the destiny of the Zelandonii.
The second novel in Jay Kristoff's epic The Lotus War Trilogy, Kinslayer sees an empire fall to its knees and a fledgling rebellion struggle to survive.A shattered empire . . . The threat of civil war looms over the Shima Imperium. The Lotus Guild conspires to renew the nation's broken dynasty and crush the growing rebellion by endorsing a new Shogun who desires nothing more than to see Yukiko dead.A dark legacy . . . Yukiko and the mighty thunder tiger Buruu have been cast in the role of heroes. But Yukiko herself is blinded by rage over her father's death, and her ability to hear the thoughts of beasts. A gathering storm . . . Kage assassins lurk within the Shogun's palace, plotting to end the new dynasty before it begins. A new enemy gathers its strength. And across raging oceans, Yukiko and Buruu will face foes no katana or talon can defeat. The ghosts of a blood-stained past.
The Providence of Fire by Brian Staveley is the second novel in the epic fantasy series, Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, which began with The Emperor's Blades.War is coming, secrets multiply and betrayal waits in the wings . . .The Empire's ruling family must be vigilant, as the conspiracy against them deepens. Having discovered her father's assassin, Adare flees the Dawn Palace in search of allies. But few trust her, until she seems marked by the people's goddess in an ordeal of flame.As Adare struggles to unite Annur, unrest breeds rival armies - then barbarian hordes threaten to invade. And unknown to Adare, her brother Valyn has fallen in with forces mustering at the empire's borders. The terrible choices facing each of them could make war between them inevitable.Fighting his own battles is their brother Kaden, rightful heir to the throne, who has infiltrated the Annurian capital with two strange companions. While imperial forces prepare to defend a far distant front, Kaden's actions could save the empire, or destroy it.'Following in the footsteps of George R.R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie and the like . . . Brutal, intriguing and continuing to head toward exciting events and places unknown' Kirkus Reviews
Death is near, armies are gathered and the future rests on a knife-edgeThe Annurian Empire is losing a war on two fronts - and it's unclear who's in command. Adare is stationed in the thick of battle, calling herself Emperor. However, she can't hold back the nomadic Urghul forces forever. She needs her brilliant general, Ran il Tornja, but will he betray her again?Adare's brother Kaden is the true heir, yet he'll accept a republic to save his divided people. And he faces something more terrible than war. He's unmasked Ran il Tornja as a remnant of an ancient race, one that attempted to destroy mankind. The general now plans to finish what they started. Kaden has also discovered that capricious gods walk the earth in human guise - and their agendas may seal the fates of all.'Deeply satisfying' Kirkus Reviews'A truly epic tale' Fantasy FactionThe Last Mortal Bond is the epic conclusion to the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne trilogy by Brian Staveley.
The Emperor's Blades is the first novel in Brain Staveley's epic Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne series.The circle is closing. The stakes are high. And old truths will live again . . .The Emperor has been murdered, leaving the Annurian Empire in turmoil. Now his progeny must prepare to unmask a conspiracy. His son Valyn, training for the empire's deadliest fighting force, hears the news an ocean away. And after several 'accidents' and a dying soldier's warning, he realizes his life is also in danger. Yet before Valyn can act, he must survive the mercenaries' brutal final initiation. The Emperor's daughter, Minister Adare, hunts her father's murderer in the capital. Court politics can be fatal, but she needs justice. Lastly Kaden, heir to the empire, studies in a remote monastery. Here, the Blank God's disciples teach their harsh ways, which Kaden must master to unlock ancient powers. But when an imperial delegation arrives, has he learnt enough to keep him alive, as long-hidden powers make their move?
Great North Road is a standalone science fiction adventure from Peter F. Hamilton, the author of The Night's Dawn trilogy.When attending a Newcastle murder scene, Detective Sidney Hurst finds a dead North family clone. Yet none have been reported missing. And in 2122, twenty years ago, a North clone billionaire was horrifically murdered in the same manner on the tropical planet of St Libra. So, if the murderer is still at large, was Angela Tramelo wrongly convicted? She never wavered under interrogation, claiming she alone survived an alien attack. Investigating this potential alien threat now becomes the Human Defence Agency's top priority. St Libran bio-fuel is the lifeblood of Earth's economy and must be secured. A vast expedition is mounted via the Newcastle gateway, and experts are dispatched to the planet - with Angela Tramelo, grudgingly released from prison. But the expedition is cut off deep within St Libra's rainforests, and the murders begin. Angela insists it's the alien, but her new colleagues aren't sure. Did she see an alien, or does she have other reasons for being on St Libra?Praise for Peter F Hamilton:'The most powerful imagination in science fiction' Ken Follett'Novels that combine fantastic speculation with incredible detailed imagining of the lives we will lead' Guardian'This is thrilling stuff; compulsively readable and abundantly full of ideas' The Times'Reaches another level of excellence . . . Brilliant' Locus
Drothe has killed a legend, burned down part of the imperial capital, and unexpectedly elevated himself into the underworld's elite. And as the city's newest 'Gray Prince', Drothe's learning just how good he used to have it.With no time to build support, Drothe is already being called out by other Gray Princes. And when one dies, all signs point to Drothe. Members of the thieves' guilds begin choosing sides, mostly against him, for what promises to be another gang war. Then Drothe is approached by someone who can solve all his problems and also offer him redemption. But the cost may be just too high. Out of options, Drothe's finds himself travelling to the empire's bitterest enemy. He has a price on his head, but one last plan in mind.Praise for Book one: Among Thieves: 'An unalloyed pleasure: a fast moving, funny, twisting tale' Brent Weeks 'A beguiling lively urban fantasy' SFX 'It simply doesn't stop...If you like Brent Weeks or Scott Lynch's work then this is one for you' Fantasy-Faction.com 'A story that entertains from beginning to end' FantasyBookCritic blog
The first book in the epic saga of humankind's war of transcendenceThere is a milestone in the evolution of every sentient race, a Tech Singularity Event, when the species achieves transcendence through its technological advances. Now the creatures known as humans are near this momentous turning point. But an armed threat is approaching from deepest space, determined to prevent humankind from crossing over that boundary-by total annihilation if necessary. To the Sh'daar, the driving technologies of transcendent change are anathema and must be obliterated from the universe-along with those who would employ them. As their great warships destroy everything in their path en route to the Sol system, the human Confederation government falls into dangerous disarray. There is but one hope, and it rests with a rogue Navy Admiral, commander of the kilometer-long star carrier America, as he leads his courageous fighters deep into enemy space towards humankind's greatest conflict-and quite possibly its last.
The third and last novel of Feist's successful collaborative series. From the endlessly inventive mind of one of fantasy's all time greats comes a spellbinding new adventure of high magic, treachery and bloody war. This time in conjunction with master of alternative history, Steve Stirling, Feist returns to tell the full tale of one of his fans' favourite most colourful Riftwar characters, pickpocket, mountebank and confidence trickster Jimmy the Hand.
The second novel of a major Feist acquisition, returning to his best-loved series. Written with Joel Rosenberg. The second Riftwar collaboration, Murder in LaMut, written by masters of fantasy Raymond E. Feist and Joel Rosenburg. The heavy action was supposedly at Crydee these days which meant that the one place they could be sure the three of them were not going was Crydee. Come spring, the privateer Melanie was due in Ylith, and its captain could be counted on for a swift conveyance away for sure, and likely not to murder them in their sleep.That would be bad for business.But away where?That wasn't Durine's worry. Kethol would surely be able to find the three of them somebody who needed men who knew which part of the sword you used to cut with and which part you used to butter your bread, and Pirojil would be able to negotiate a price at least half again what the employer was ready to pay. All Durine would have to do was kill people. That was fine with him. Durine, Kethol and Pirojil are three mercenaries who have spent twenty years fighting other people's battles: against the Tsurani and the Bugs and the goblins, and now it seems they've run out of Tsurani, Bugs and goblins to kill. The prospect of a few months of garrison duty offers a welcome respite; but then they are given an assignment that seems, on the surface, like cushy work - to protect a lady and her husband and deliver them safely to the city of Lamut.It should have all been so simple... Raymond E. Feist is the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed Riftwar Saga, the Serpentwar Saga and the epic Krondor series. Joel Rosenberg is best-known for The Guardian of the Flame sequence. His other fantasy work includes D'Shai novels and the Keeper of the Hidden Ways series.
The first of a major Feist acquisition, returning to his best-loved series. FREEDOM AT ANY PRICE?Hartraft's Marauders, a crack band of Kingdom raiders, are a special unit designed to infiltrate and fight behind enemy lines. They are currently heading for a frontier garrison, after a disastrous encounter with the Tsurani. Meanwhile, a Tsurani patrol is sent to support an assault on the same garrison. Both sides arrive at the same time and discover the garrison has been overrun by a migrating horde of moredhel (dark elves) and they are forced by circumstances to band together and fight as one to survive. The only problem is, who do they hate the most - their mutual enemy, or each other? As they make their way across the unknown Northlands to freedom, they have to struggle not only with the elements and their enemies, but also their conscience. For what is more important - one's life or one's honour?
Naomi Novik's beloved Temeraire series, a brilliant combination of fantasy and history that reimagines the Napoleonic wars as fought with the aid of intelligent dragons, is a twenty-first-century classic.Shipwrecked and cast ashore in Japan with no memory of Temeraire or his own experiences as an English aviator, Laurence finds himself tangled in deadly political intrigues that threaten not only his own life but England's already precarious position in the Far East. Age-old enmities and suspicions have turned the entire region into a powder keg ready to erupt at the slightest spark - a spark that Laurence and Temeraire may unwittingly provide, leaving Britain faced with new enemies just when they most desperately need allies instead.For to the west, another, wider conflagration looms. Napoleon has turned on his former ally, the emperor Alexander of Russia, and is even now leading the largest army the world has ever seen to add that country to his list of conquests. It is there, outside the gates of Moscow, that a reunited Laurence and Temeraire - along with some unexpected allies and old friends - will face their ultimate challenge . . . and learn whether or not there are stronger ties than memory.
'Jon Hollins is a one-of-a-kind storyteller, a master of epic fun and nonstop action' Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld"e;YOU'RE NOT PROPOSING WE STEAL FROM A DRAGON?"e; It's not easy to live in a world ruled by dragons. The taxes are high and their control is complete. But for one group of bold adventurers, it's time to band together and steal back some of that wealth. No one ever said they were smart. Ocean's Eleven meets The Hobbit - Jon Hollins' debut combines non-stop action, death-defying adventure and a never-before-assembled cast of wisecracking misfits. It is a worthy addition to every fantasy lover's horde.
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