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Gideon Smith and the Mask of the Ripper (Gideon Smith #3)
by David BarnettGideon Smith and the Mask of the Ripper is the latest in David Barnett's riproaring steampunk adventures about a Britain that never was...but should have been.In an alternate nineteenth century where a technologically advanced Britain holds sway over most of the known world and the American Revolution never happened, young Gideon Smith is firmly established as the Hero of the Empire. Back in London, Gideon and his colleagues: journalist Aloysius Bent, airship pilot Rowena Fanshawe, and Maria, the mechanical girl to whom Gideon has lost his heart, are dragged into a case that is confounding the Metropolitan Police. For the city is on the edge of mass rioting due to the continuing reign of terror by the serial killer known only as Jack the Ripper, who is rampaging though London's less salubrious quarters.While chasing the madman, a villain from their past strips Gideon Smith of his memory and is cast adrift in the seedy underbelly of London, where life is tough and death lurks in every shadowy alley.With mob rule threatening to engulf London, the Empire has never needed its hero more...but where is Gideon Smith?At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl (Gideon Smith #1)
by David BarnettNineteenth century London is the center of a vast British Empire. Airships ply the skies and Queen Victoria presides over three-quarters of the known world—including the East Coast of America, following the failed revolution of 1775. London might as well be a world away from Sandsend, a tiny village on the Yorkshire coast. Gideon Smith dreams of the adventure promised him by the lurid tales of Captain Lucian Trigger, the Hero of the Empire, told in Gideon's favorite "penny dreadful." When Gideon's father is lost at sea in highly mysterious circumstances Gideon is convinced that supernatural forces are at work. Deciding only Captain Lucian Trigger himself can aid him, Gideon sets off for London. On the way he rescues the mysterious mechanical girl Maria from a tumbledown house of shadows and iniquities. Together they make for London, where Gideon finally meets Captain Trigger. But Trigger is little more than an aging fraud, providing cover for the covert activities of his lover, Dr. John Reed, a privateer and sometime agent of the British Crown. Looking for heroes but finding only frauds and crooks, it falls to Gideon to step up to the plate and attempt to save the day...but can a humble fisherman really become the true Hero of the Empire? David Barnett's Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl is a fantastical steampunk fable set against an alternate historical backdrop: the ultimate Victoriana/steampunk mash-up! At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Gideon The Ninth (The Locked Tomb #1)
by Tamsyn MuirThe Emperor needs necromancers. <p><p> The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. <p> Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense. <p> Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as arcane revenants. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy. <p> Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service. <p> Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.
Gideon la novena
by Tamsyn MuirLa inclasificable novela que ha ganado el Premio Locus 2020 al debut del año y ha sido finalista de los premios Hugo, Nebula y World Fantasy a la mejor novela. El Emperador necesita nigromantes. La nigromante de la Novena necesita una espadachina. Gideon tiene una espada, unas revistas guarras y ninguna paciencia para tonterías con los muertos vivientes. Después de haber sido criada por profesoras antipáticas y osificadas, sirvientes vetustos y una infinidad de esqueletos, Gideon está lista para abandonar una vida de servidumbre y un más allá como cadáver reanimado. Mete su espada y sus revistas guarras en la maleta y se prepara para su audaz escapada. Pero su némesis de la infancia no piensa dejar que se libere así como así. Harrowhark Nonagesimus, reverenda hija de la Novena Casa y extraordinaria bruja de los huesos, ha sido convocada. El Emperador ha invitado a los herederos de cada una de sus leales casas a una prueba mortal que someterá a examen su inteligencia y sus habilidades. Si Harrowhark Nonagesimus tiene éxito, se convertirá en una sirviente inmortal y todopoderosa de la Resurrección, pero ningún nigromante ha sido capaz de conseguirlo sin la ayuda de su caballero. Sin la espada de Gideon, Harrow fracasará y la Novena Casa terminará por desaparecer. Y hay cosas que es mejor dejar muertas. Reseñas:«No habrás leído nada parecido.»Forbes «¡Nigromantes lesbianas exploran un palacio gótico encantado en el espacio!»Charles Stross
Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb Series #1)
by Tamsyn MuirGideon the Ninth is the first book in the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Locked Tomb Series, and one of the Best Books of 2019 according to NPR, the New York Public Library, Amazon, BookPage, Shelf Awareness, BookRiot, and Bustle!WINNER of the 2020 Locus Award and Crawford AwardFinalist for the 2020 Hugo, Nebula, Dragon, and World Fantasy Awards“Unlike anything I’ve ever read. ” —V.E. Schwab“Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!” —Charles Stross“Deft, tense and atmospheric, compellingly immersive and wildly original.” —The New York TimesThe Emperor needs necromancers.The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense.Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as arcane revenants. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.Of course, some things are better left dead.THE LOCKED TOMB SERIESBOOK 1: Gideon the NinthBOOK 2: Harrow the NinthBOOK 3: Nona the NinthBOOK 4: Alecto the NinthAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Gideon: A Novel
by Alex GordonDeborah Harkness meets Preston & Child in this edge-of-your-seat debut thriller—a superb blend of mystery, fantasy, horror, and the supernaturalWhen Lauren's father dies, she makes a shocking discovery. The man she knew as John Reardon was once a completely different person, with a different name. Now she's determined to find out who he really was, even though her only clues are an old photograph and the name of a town: Gideon.But someone—or something—doesn't want her to discover the truth. A strange man is stalking her, appearing everywhere she turns, and those who try to help her end up dead. Neither a shadowy enemy nor her own fear will prevent her from solving the mystery of her father—and unlocking the secrets of her own life. Making her way to Gideon, Lauren finds herself more confused than ever. Nothing in this small midwestern town is what it seems, including time itself. Residents start going missing, and Lauren is threatened by almost everyone she encounters. Two hundred years ago, a witch was burned at the stake, but in Gideon the past feels all too chillingly present. . . .
Gideon: Number 2 in series (Nightwalkers #2)
by Jacquelyn FrankThey're called the Nightwalkers - proud, ancient beings who live beyond the shadows, existing just beyond the human world. But there are also dangerous humans who hunt them. And for a Demon named Gideon, the battle against these evil forces will soon become all too personal . . .For a thousand years, Gideon's wisdom has always been respected without question, but he knows that even he is vulnerable to the powerful, primitive desires that befall his kind during Hallowed moons - as nine years ago he found himself claiming Magdelegna, the Demon King's sister, in a wild embrace. Horrified by his lack of control, he left her wanting and furious - and then exiled himself. Now with the necromancers threatening his people - and Magdelegna nearly their victim - Gideon must face another truth. He and Magdelegna are destined to be together. But first he needs to regain her trust, which might be the biggest challenge of all.
Gideon: The Nightwalkers (Nightwalkers #2)
by Jacquelyn FrankThey're called the Nightwalkers--proud, ancient beings who live in the shadows, existing just beyond the human world. But there are also dangerous humans who hunt them--necromancers who use the blackest magic to manipulate them. And for a Demon named Gideon, the battle against these evil forces will soon be all too personal. . . As A Healer, He Knows Her Body. But It's Her Heart He Wants. For a thousand years, Gideon has healed his people. And as the oldest surviving male of his race, his wisdom has always been respected without question. But Gideon knows that even he is vulnerable to the powerful, primitive desires that befall his kind during Hallowed moons--and nine years ago that truth was hammered home when he found himself claiming Magdalegna, the Demon King's sister, in a wild embrace. Horrified by his lack of control, he left her wanting and furious--and then exiled himself for the better part of a decade. Now, with necromancers threatening his people--and Magdalegna nearly their victim--Gideon must face another truth. He and the beautiful, stubborn Magdalegna are destined to be together, to share a love as deep and old as time itself. But first he needs to regain her trust. Then he'll have to save her life. . . Every night holds secrets. "Jacquelyn Frank's NIGHTWALKER series depicts an engrossing alternate world, drawn in prose that is lush and lyrical." --Linda Howard
Gidion's Blood: Gidion Keep, Vampire Hunter - Book Two (Gidion Keep, Vampire Hunter #2)
by Bill BlumeThe hunter has become the hunted. After Gidion Keep wipes out the local vampire coven in his hometown of Richmond, the nomadic vampires along the East Coast retaliate by hiring one of their own, a cunning assassin who specializes in finding and killing vampire hunters. Her arrival endangers Gidion and everyone he loves. But an even greater threat than the assassin has come to Richmond, a secret Gidion&’s family has hidden from him until now. Gidion&’s family knows the price of success for a vampire hunter—his Dad hunted until the night his Mom was killed. What this foe plans will expose three generations of secrets within the Keep family and force Gidion to question everything he&’s come to believe about the creatures he hunts. Even if he can survive long enough to defeat the vampires targeting him and his family, Gidion&’s life will never be the same. &“A terrific addition to the genre. I enjoyed it immensely . . . &” —Kyle Mills, New York Times–bestselling author of The Ares Decision
Gidion's Hunt: Gidion Keep, Vampire Hunter - Book One (Gidion Keep, Vampire Hunter #1)
by Bill BlumeFor Gidion Keep, hunting vampires is easy—it’s high school that might kill him. Hunting vampires is a Keep family tradition. Dad quit the business over a decade ago when Mom was killed, so Grandpa has been teaching Gidion—in secret—to take up the hunt. As Gidion closes in on the local coven, however, he discovers their evil plans to kill off a student and a teacher. To complicate matters, the vampires know they’re being hunted and they’re determined to kill Gidion and everyone he’s protecting, no matter what it takes. For Gidion, the odds are immense and his first test as a vampire hunter may be his last, but he will have help: one of his best friends might be the key to finding the vampires’ lair and finishing them once and for all . . . if he can be trusted. Gidion’s Hunt delivers a fast-paced thriller with a young hero whose deadliest weapon isn’t a wooden stake but his wits and a lot of luck.
Gift
by Andrea J. BuchananDaisy has an electrifying secret that could save her life—or kill herHigh school sophomore Daisy Jones is just trying to get by unnoticed. It doesn&’t help that she&’s the new girl at school, lives in a trailer park, and doesn&’t even own a cell phone. But there&’s a good reason for all that: Daisy has a secret, unpredictable power—one only her best friend, Danielle, knows about. Despite her &“gift&” (or is it a curse?), Daisy&’s doing a good job of fitting in, and a gorgeous senior named Kevin even seems interested in her! But when Daisy tries to help Vivi, a mysterious classmate in a crisis, she soon discovers that her new friend has a secret of her own. Now Daisy and her friends must deal with chilling dreams and messages from the beyond. Can Daisy channel the power she&’s always tried to hide, before it&’s too late? Extra features include:• A short graphic novel telling Vivi&’s story• Danielle&’s journal, revealing her deepest thoughts • Lyrics and video links for Kevin's music (songs composed by Fredrik Larsson, otherwise known as YouTube sensation FreddeGredde)
Gift from the Stars
by James GunnGift from the Stars is a science fiction novel by James Gunn first written as a series of connected novelettes in Analog and then published as a novel in 2005. It deals with the same theme as that in Carl Sagan's novel Contact, spaceship plans received in signals from the stars, but it provides what Gunn considers a more realistic extrapolation. About the romanticism and easy adventure highlighted in Sagan's novel, Gunn in his preface writes as follows: That isn't the way it would happen, I told myself, and I was "inspired" to write Gift from the Stars, a response not only to Contact but to every novel of humans encountering the unknown. I wrote it as a series of novelettes, just as I had written The Listeners, and published them over a period of half a dozen years in Analog, beginning with "The Giftie," which won the Analog readers' poll for best novelette of the year. I have kept that pattern in the book, even though I planned it from the beginning as a novel exploring "the way it would really be." It is a novel in six parts instead of a dozen or so chapters. If aliens sent us plans for a spaceship, the novel suggests, they would arrive without fanfare and their arrival would be greeted not with surprise or joy or gratitude, but with suspicion and resistance. A few space enthusiasts would want to implement them to reach the stars, but the great masses of humanity-and the bureaucrats who make decisions for them-would ignore the plans or want to suppress them. Most of all, why would aliens send us spaceship plans? Are their intentions beneficent or inimical? Damon Knight raised the question in a classic shortshort story entitled "To Serve Man," but Gift from the Stars pursues the question in detail and arrives at an answer, like the spaceship the humans construct and name Ad Astra Per Aspera. "To the stars through difficulty." Gift from the Stars is a more light-hearted look at the issues of alien contact-the plans, for instance, are discovered as an appendix in a book on a UFO remainder table-and I enjoyed writing them and living with the characters: Adrian Mast, Frances Farmstead, Jessica Buhler, and the troubled genius Peter Cavendish.
Gift of Griffins (Faraman Prophecy #2)
by V. M. EscaladaThe “fresh, engaging new fantasy series” continues as a young woman must hone her magical abilities as she faces enemies on all sides in the fight to save her homeland (Julie E. Czerneda, author of A Turn of Light)Talent Kerida Nast and her companions have fought hard against the invading Halian forces. But though they have found Jerek Brightwing, the true Luqs of Farama, the country remains in the cruel hands of the Halians. The fight has only just begun.For the Halians have installed their own puppet Luqs—Jerek's father. And as Ker’s skills as a psychic Talent grow stronger, she must somehow learn the subtle arts of persuasion and politicking if she is to unite her quarrelling allies who still harbor a strong distrust of each other—and a suspicion of her magical gifts.Still, this bigotry is nothing compared to the Halians, who see all women as little more than chattel. Mere possessions that exist to diminish the greatness of men. And a woman of Talents is seen as an abomination to be destroyed at all costs.But now, their own twisted beliefs may prove to be their undoing.For Bakura, the Princess Imperial of the Halians and soon-to-be-Queen possesses her own long-hidden magical gifts. And her greatest desire is to escape the corrupted world of power she was born into, and be free to embrace who she truly is. All she needs is someone to help her…Someone like Kerida.
Gift of Griffins (Faraman Prophecy #2)
by V. M. EscaladaThe second book in the Faraman Prophecy epic fantasy series returns to a world of military might and magical Talents as Kerida Nast continues the quest to save her nation.Kerida Nast and her companions have succeeded in finding Jerek Brightwing, the new Luqs of Farama, and uniting him with a part of his Battle Wings, but not all their problems have been solved. Farama is still in the hands of the Halian invaders and their Shekayrin, and it's going to take magical as well as military strength to overcome them. Unexpected help comes from Bakura, the Princess Imperial of the Halians, whose Gifts have been suppressed. As the Voice of her brother the Sky Emperor she has some political power over the Halian military, and she will use it to aid the Faramans, if Kerida can free her from what she sees as a prison. But whether Kerida can help the princess remains to be seen. If she succeeds, Bakura may prove their salvation. But should Kerida fail, all may be lost....
Gift of Magic
by Lynn KurlandGift of Magic is the latest installment in New York Times bestselling author Lynn Kurland's breathtaking Nine Kingdoms saga, which follows the daughter of a dreamweaver and the son of a mage as they struggle to save the realm from a magic as dark as it is powerful. Sarah of Doìre knows the pattern of spells is no accident. With each page, each powerful rune, she and Ruith are being led somewhere, to someone-but by whom, she cannot tell. Sarah's gift of sight only allows her to see the spells themselves, not the person behind them.A reluctant sorcerer still learning to trust his own magic, Ruithneadh of Ceangail knows he's woefully unprepared for the adversaries they'll face. But he and Sarah must collect and destroy his father Gair's spells soon. Many mages seek their power, and in the wrong hands, Gair's magic would plunge the Nine Kingdoms into an eternity of darkness.But as they pursue the final spells-acquiring strange companions, welcome allies, and unexpected foes along the way-Sarah and Ruith realize that their true quest has only just begun. The real enemy is closer, darker, and more power hungry than they ever imagined; and until he is defeated, the fate of the Nine Kingdoms hangs in dire peril.
Gift of Wonder
by Lenora WorthA church full of guests…But where was Alice Bryson's fiancé? He was hightailing it out of the Louisiana bayou, with Alice's heart and the townspeople's trust. So how could she believe in another handsome stranger who vows to rebuild their hurricane-battered community? Yet developer Jonah Sheridan promises to do just that. His motive: a secret— about his infamous biological family, folks Jonah never knew. As a reporter, Alice is determined to uncover it. Until Jonah risks everything by opening up…the first of many gifts of wonder in store for Alice, Jonah and their beloved bayou.
Gift of the Bouda
by Richard FarnsworthSoldiers returning from the War on Terror bring back terrors of their own, and have trouble coping with normal life after combat. But few of these terrors are as tangible as those brought home by Special Forces Captain John Rogers, who is attacked by a lycanthrope. He survives but is infected by the curse. After returning to the real world, things fall apart for John. His wife divorces him and he struggles in the grip of this new affliction. He is finally able to get some sort of a life together when he accidentally hunts in the wrong territory and has a run-in with the local werewolf pack. Honey strips at the club where John works as a bouncer, when he's not a monster. While moonlighting as a prostitute, she accidentally roles the wrong john. This john is carrying a package meant for a werewolf pack, and when they come looking for it they find John Rogers waiting.
Gift of the Shaper: Book One of the HIGHGLADE Series (Highglade Series)
by D. L. Jennings D. L. JenningsIn this epic fantasy series opener, humans and other beings must halt the release of an imprisoned god who could destroy the world. For thousands of years, the Breaker of the Dawn has been locked away in the ethereal plane of the Otherworld. Now, a young blacksmith&’s apprentice finds himself trapped in a war between the noble Athrani, a subset of humanity gifted with the ability to transmute matter, and the malevolent and powerful Khyth, who seek to free the ancient god from his prison. Gift of the Shaper chronicles the epic struggle between the existing forces of good and evil, with both sides vying for control of the key that unlocks the Otherworld. The very powers of creation and destruction hang in the balance, and only a heroic effort can possibly stop the Khyth from unleashing ruin upon their world. Praise for Gift of the Shaper: &“An exceptional series opener with memorable characters and simple but enticing worldbuilding.&” —Kirkus Reviews&“A rollicking good read that is for the fantasy fiction lover in all of us. . . . Packed full of adventure, action, suspense, and horror. . . . Akin to the classics of fantasy fiction from Tolkien and modern-day George RR Martin.&” —Seattle Book Review &“Jennings uses seamless world-building like [Robert] Jordan and [Brandon] Sanderson. The language elements are beautiful and consistent and the Otherworld is much greater and larger than the slice that we are treated to.&” —Christopher D. Schmitz, author
Gifted & Talented
by Olivie BlakeFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes the story of three siblings who, upon the death of their father, are forced to reckon with their long-festering rivalries, dangerous abilities, and the crushing weight of all their unrealized adolescent potential.Where there’s a will, there’s a war. Thayer Wren, the brilliant CEO of Wrenfare Magitech and so-called father of modern technology, is dead. Any one of his three telepathically and electrokinetically gifted children would be a plausible inheritor to the Wrenfare throne.Or at least, so they like to think.Meredith, textbook accomplished eldest daughter and the head of her own groundbreaking biotech company, has recently cured mental illness. You're welcome! If only her father's fortune wasn't her last hope for keeping her journalist ex-boyfriend from exposing what she really is: a total fraud.Arthur, second-youngest congressman in history, fights the good fight every day of his life. And yet, his wife might be leaving him, and he's losing his re-election campaign. But his dead father’s approval in the form of a seat on the Wrenfare throne might just turn his sinking ship around.Eilidh, once the world's most famous ballerina, has spent the last five years as a run-of-the-mill marketing executive at her father’s company after a life-altering injury put an end to her prodigious career. She might be lacking in accolades compared to her siblings, but if her father left her everything, it would finally validate her worth—by confirming she'd been his favorite all along.On the pipeline of gifted kid to clinically depressed adult, nobody wins—but which Wren will come out on top?Also by Olivie BlakeThe Atlas SixThe Atlas ParadoxThe Atlas ComplexAlone with You in the EtherOne for My EnemyMasters of DeathJanuaries: Stories of Love, Magic & Betrayal As Alexene Farol FollmuthTwelfth KnightAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Gifted: Better Late Than Never
by Marilyn KayeGoth girl Jenna Kelley has the ultimate tool to stage a teenage rebellion: she can read peoples' minds without even trying.
Gifted: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
by Marilyn KayeQueen of Mean Amanda Beeson is shocked to find herself in the body of one of her victims, Tracey Devon, who has the ability to become invisible. It soon becomes clear to Amanda that at School, the definition of "gifted" has a whole other meaning.
Gifting Fire
by Alina BoydenThe battle has been won, but the war is just beginning. Although at long last Razia Khan has found peace with herself and love with her prince, Arjun, her trials are far from over. In order to save her prince and his city from certain destruction, Razia made a deal with the devil--her father, the Sultan of Nizam. Now the bill has come due. Razia must secure the province of Zindh, a land surrounded by enemies, and loyal to a rebel queen who has survived her father's purge. But when her old tormentor Prince Karim invades her new home and forces her into a marriage alliance, Razia finds herself trapped in the women's quarters of a foreign palace, with her beloved Prince Arjun exiled from her side. Now, in order to free herself, and her province, from Karim's clutches, she must call upon all of her training as a royal princess, a cunning courtesan, and a daring thief to summon new allies and old friends for a battle that will decide her fate, and the fate of an empire.
Gifts
by Ursula K. Le Guin'She's showing no signs of losing her brilliance. She is unparalleled in creating fantasy peopled by finely drawn and complex characters... GIFTS has the simplicity of fairy tale and the power of myth' GUARDIAN'Le Guin is a writer of phenomenal power' OBSERVEROrrec, the son of the Brantor of Caspromant, and Gry, daughter of the Brantors of Barre and Rodd, have grown up together, running half-wild across the Uplands. The people there are like their land: harsh and fierce and prideful; ever at war with each other.Only the gifts keep the fragile peace. The Barre gift is calling animals. The women of Cordemant have the power of blinding, or making deaf, or taking away speech. The Rodds can send a spellknife into a man's heart. The Callems can move heavy things - even buildings, even hills. The Caspro gift is the worst and best of all: it is the gift of undoing: an insect, an animal, a place ...Orrec and Gry are the heirs to Caspro and Barre. Gry's gift runs true, but she refuses to call animals for the hunt. Orrec too is a problem, for his gift of undoing is wild: he cannot control it - and that is the most dangerous gift of all ...GIFTS is Ursula Le Guin at her best: an exciting, moving story beautifully told.
Gifts (Annals of the Western Shore #1)
by Ursula K. Le GuinScattered among poor, desolate farms, the clans of the Uplands possess gifts. Wondrous gifts: the ability--with a glance, a gesture, a word--to summon animals, bring forth fire, move the land. Fearsome gifts: They can twist a limb, chain a mind, inflict a wasting illness. The Uplanders live in constant fear that one family might unleash its gift against another. Two young people, friends since childhood, decide not to use their gifts. One, a girl, refuses to bring animals to their death in the hunt. The other, a boy, wears a blindfold lest his eyes and his anger kill.In this beautifully crafted story, Ursula K. Le Guin writes of the proud cruelty of power, of how hard it is to grow up, and of how much harder still it is to find, in the world's darkness, gifts of light.Includes a reader's guide and a sample chapter from the companion title Voices.
Gifts for the One Who Comes After
by Helen MarshallWinner of the World Fantasy Award—“Should single out Marshall as one of the most accomplished writers of the fantastic being published today” (This Is Horror). Ghost thumbs. Microscopic dogs. One very sad can of tomato soup . . . Helen Marshall’s second collection offers a series of twisted surrealities that explore the legacies we pass on to our children. A son seeks to reconnect with his father through a telescope that sees into the past. A young girl discovers what lies on the other side of her mother’s bellybutton. Death’s wife prepares for a very special funeral. In Gifts for the One Who Comes After, Marshall delivers eighteen tales of love and loss that cement her as a powerful voice in dark fantasy and the New Weird. Dazzling, disturbing, and deeply moving. “Helen Marshall is a writer who creates real people in real situations, then uses the fantastic to pry her way inside her readers’ ribcages and break us wide open.” —Neil Gaiman, New York Times–bestselling author of American Gods “Helen Marshall whispers in your ear when she fits the noose around your neck, filling you with wonder and dread, urging you into a startling, beautiful darkness. These stories—which sometimes feel more like spells—are the very best kind of unsettling.” —Benjamin Percy, author of The Dark Net “In turns chilling, heart-wrenching and uplifting. Marshall has a way with words that makes even the most peculiar seem possible, and the stories here are each so layered with character and meaning, they are like perfect, condensed novels.” —Kaaron Warren, award-winning author of Tide of Stone