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Rayleigh Mann and the Quest of Misfits
by Ciannon SmartPerfect for fans of Aru Shah and the End of Time and Amari and the Night Brothers, this sequel to Ciannon Smart’s Rayleigh Mann in the Company of Monsters takes Rayleigh and his friends on a thrilling treasure hunt through Below-London to unravel a monstrous mystery.On the previous All Hallows' Eve, Rayleigh was just a typical Londoner. Or he thought he was.Now Rayleigh has embraced his monster heritage, passed all the tests to stay in Below-London with the rest of monster society, and even saved his father—the Bogey Mann—from the notorious Illustrious Society.But his adventures are far from over.Though Rayleigh is supposed to be staying far away from trouble, it’s found him once again. As strange shadows begin to reach out to him for help and clues begin to fall into place, Rayleigh and his new friends are embroiled in a mysterious treasure hunt to prevent Below-London from falling into chaos—and not the good kind, this time.Fans of The School for Good and Evil and Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky will thrill as they and Rayleigh return to Below-London—soaring across the city, exploring libraries that disregard the rules of space and time, and meeting new friends as they uncover a sinister plot and embark on another unforgettable adventure.
Rayleigh Mann in the Company of Monsters
by Ciannon Smart"A dangerously good time!" —Kwame Mbalia, #1 New York Times bestselling author“This enchanting world will grab hold and never let go. Triumphant!” —Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Marvellers Enter the world of Below London, the magical home of monsters, where causing a ruckus is the best thing you can do.Notorious troublemaker Rayleigh Mann has just discovered he’s the son of the infamous Bogey Mann. There’s just one problem: Bogey is missing and Rayleigh is the only one who can find him. But to do so, Rayleigh must travel to Bogey’s world…Below London, where Rayleigh’s penchant for tricks just might help him survive an adventure straight out of his wildest dreams—or perhaps his most terrifying nightmares.With a hilarious voice and endlessly fun magic, the first book in Ciannon Smart’s thrilling middle grade fantasy series is perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The Marvellers.
Rayon D'Esoleil: Les chroniques de Kerrigan (Les Chroniques de Kerrigan #1)
by W. J. MayÀ quinze ans, Rae Kerrigan ne connaît pas grand-chose de l’histoire de sa famille. Sa mère et son père sont morts lorsqu’elle était jeune et c’est seulement lorsqu’elle est admise au prestigieux pensionnat Guilder en Angleterre qu’elle découvre un mystérieux secret de famille. Est-ce que les péchés du père seront les péchés de la fille? Tandis que Rae doit composer avec de nouveaux amis, une nouvelle école et un amour impossible, elle doit également faire face à un ultime défi : recevoir un tatouage le jour de son seizième anniversaire, accompagné qu’un pouvoir qui pourrait la plonger dans un monde de ténèbres. Rae doit combattre un mal qui provient du passé de sa famille afin d’avoir un rayon d’espoir pour son futur.
Rayven's Keep
by Kylie WolftDrugs, murder, conspiracy, and a headstrong heiress complicate his covert security mission. Tru Creighton wants her wealthy and powerful family to take her seriously. Sneaking away to investigate bookkeeping discrepancies from one of their holdings seems the perfect opportunity to prove her worth. Stranded on a hostile planet with a price on her head, she seizes her one opportunity for survival. Nick Rayven, determined to build his reputation and fledgling security company, doesn't flinch at difficult and dangerous missions. A former soldier and refugee from a war-demolished planet, he battles to create order and stifle his painful memories. His hard-won accomplishments are threatened when a spoiled heiress in danger awakens emotions he thought long gone. Two people with plenty to prove risk everything to unravel their tangled missions. His sense of duty and vulnerable heart compel him to fight his growing attraction to her. Her heart demands she follow it straight into his arms. The people behind the conspiracy keeping them together and in harm's way have other ideas. CONTENT WARNING: Language and Violence72,478 Words
Raze: Mother, Maiden, Crone
by Cullen BunnBlood soaks the earth. The ground is carpeted in corpses. Carrion birds feast as power-crazed warlords indulge their bloodlust in never-ending battle.An ancient convent watches over the ceaseless struggle. A sanctuary from war, the Convent of Sacred Visitation offers care, medicine, and healing to any who seek their aid. Within these walls, no creed nor code nor fealty is recognized.Through the haze of battle, two strangers arrive at the convent' s gates. One is a healer. The other is a warrior. They have treachery, thievery, and murder on their minds.But lies and betrayal and corruption are not unknown to the Sisterhood of Sacred Visitation. The secrets hidden in the depths of the convent have brought death to many who have sought to bring them into the light.And an antediluvian evil is stirring in the realm— an ancient hunger roused by the ever-growing miasma of warfare, strife, and slaughter.The time of the Razing has dawned.
Raziel
by Kristina DouglasKristina Douglas's sexy new series introduces a realm of fallen angels and ruthless demons, where an eternal rebellion is brewing . . . and one unsuspecting woman can change the fate of the Fallen forever. She was just an ordinary mortal . . . "You're dead" is so not what Allie Watson wants to hear. Unfortunately, it explains a lot. Like the dark, angelically handsome man who ferried her to this strange, hidden land. The last thing she remembers is stepping off a curb in front of a crosstown bus. Now she's surrounded by gorgeous fallen angels with an unsettling taste for blood--and they really don't want her around. Not exactly how she pictured heaven. . . . until death catapulted her into a seductive world she never imagined. Raziel is unsure why he rescued Allie from hellfire against Uriel's orders, but she stirs in him a longing he hasn't felt in centuries. Now the Fallen are bracing for the divine wrath brought by his disobedience, and they blame Allie for the ferocious Nephilim clawing at the kingdom's shrouded gates. Facing impossible odds at every turn, the two must work together to survive. Raziel will do anything to defend his spirited lover against the forces of darkness--because Allie may be the Fallen's only salvation.
Razor's Edge (Sholan Alliance #4)
by Lisanne NormanThe fourth book in Lisanne Norman's Sholan Alliance long-running science fiction series of alien contact and interspecies conflictCarrie and Kusac—she a human telepath, he a Sholan one—have together formed a bond stronger than all the differences between their two races. They have survived the political manipulations of both their peoples, as well as successfully walking the Fire Margins, journeying into the past with Kaid, the third member of their Triad, and returning with shocking revelations about the Valtegan enemy and the ancient Cataclysm that transformed Sholan society. But the price of breaking with tradition comes high, as does the ongoing protection offered by the military. And now Carrie, Kusac, Kaid, and T’Chebbi must undertake a rescue mission to the distant world of Jalna to save present-day Sholans and humans who have been trapped there, as well as a Sholan pair from the age of the Cataclysm. What they can’t foresee is that the Valtegans planted the seeds of destruction on Jalna long ago, transforming the locals into a dangerously unstable race and threatening the telepathic powers of Sholans and humans alike.
Razor's Edge (Sholan Alliance Book #4)
by Lisanne NormanStill adjusting to the revelations about its past, the Sholan race must now also face the increasing numbers and independence of the new human-Sholan telepathic pairs. Meanwhile, Carrie, Kusac, Kaid, and T'Chebbi are sent to the planet Jalna on a rescue mission that will see them caught up in the midst of a local revolution, even as they uncover a shocking truth that threatens both their species!
Razor's Edge: Star Wars (Star Wars - Legends #1)
by Martha WellsWhen rebels clash with renegades, it&’s the Empire that may claim the final victory.Times are desperate for the Rebel Alliance. Harassment by the Empire and a shortage of vital supplies are hindering completion of a new secret base on the ice planet Hoth. So when Mid Rim merchants offer much-needed materials for sale, Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo lead an Alliance delegation to negotiate a deal.But when treachery forces the rebel ship to flee into territory controlled by pirates, Leia makes a shocking discovery: the fierce marauders come from Leia&’s homeworld of Alderaan, recently destroyed by the Death Star. These refugees have turned to pillaging and plundering to survive—and they are in debt to a pirate armada, which will gladly ransom the princess to the vengeful Empire . . . if they find out her true identity.Struggling with intense feelings of guilt, loyalty, and betrayal, Leia is determined to help her wayward kinspeople, even as Imperial forces are closing in on her own crippled ship. Trapped between lethal cutthroats and brutal oppressors, Leia and Han, along with Luke, Chewbacca, and a battle-ready crew, must defy death—or embrace it—to keep the rebellion alive.&“[A] rollicking Star Wars adventure . . . a book that keeps you eagerly turning pages.&”—Roqoo Depot
Razorbites: Book 3 (Robo-Runners #3)
by Damian HarveyMeet Crank and Al ... robots on the run.The Wastelands are a dangerous place to be. When the robot friends run out of fuel, they have to join a convoy making its way to the old coliseum. But the leader of the convoy is not all he seems. And his vicious robot pets, the Razorbites, are ready to take care of anyone trying to break free ...Why are robots so desperate to escape? And what's waiting for them at the coliseum?A refreshed cover look for this well-loved series, illustrated by the incomparable Mark Oliver. Read on with The Tin Man, Tunnel Racers, Powerball, The Ghost Sea and Aquanauts.
Razzle Dazzle: An Acorn Book (Unicorn and Yeti)
by Heather Ayris BurnellUnicorn and Yeti are magical friends who enjoy the world around them -- and each other -- in this book perfect for beginning readers!Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early reader line, Acorn, aimed at children who are learning to read. With easy-to-read text, a short-story format, plenty of humor, and full-color artwork on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and fluency. Acorn books plant a love of reading and help readers grow!Unicorn and Yeti go camping. Will they make yummy s'mores?Unicorn goes swimming in a hot spring. But Yeti thinks the water is too hot.They dance and enjoy a picnic under the night sky. Could the dazzling moon really be made of cheese?Best friends Unicorn and Yeti have lots of fun in these sparkly, laugh-out-loud stories. With full-color artwork, speech bubbles, and easy-to-read text throughout, this adorable book is perfect for new readers!
Razzmatazz: A Novel
by Christopher MooreRepeat New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore returns to the mean streets of San Francisco in this outrageous follow-up to his madcap novel Noir.San Francisco, 1947. Bartender Sammy “Two Toes” Tiffin and the rest of the Cookie’s Coffee Irregulars—a ragtag bunch of working mugs last seen in Noir—are on the hustle: they’re trying to open a driving school; shanghai an abusive Swedish stevedore; get Mable, the local madam, and her girls to a Christmas party at the State Hospital without alerting the overzealous head of the S.F.P.D. vice squad; all while Sammy’s girlfriend, Stilton (a.k.a. the Cheese), and her “Wendy the Welder” gal pals are using their wartime shipbuilding skills on a secret project that might be attracting the attention of some government Men in Black. And, oh yeah, someone is murdering the city’s drag kings and club owner Jimmy Vasco is sure she’s next on the list and wants Sammy to find the killer.Meanwhile, Eddie “Moo Shoes” Shu has been summoned by his Uncle Ho to help save his opium den from Squid Kid Tang, a vicious gangster who is determined to retrieve a priceless relic: an ancient statue of the powerful Rain Dragon that Ho stole from one of the fighting tongs forty years earlier. And if Eddie blows it, he just might call down the wrath of that powerful magical creature on all of Fog City.Strap yourselves in for a bit of the old razzmatazz, ladies and gentlemen. It’s Christopher Moore time.
Re-Coil
by J.T. NicholasThe Expanse meets Altered Carbon in this breakneck science fiction thriller where immortality is theoretically achievable, yet identity, gender and selfhood are very much in jeopardy... Carter Langston is murdered whilst salvaging a derelict vessel--a major inconvenience as he's downloaded into a brand-new body on the space station where he backed up, several weeks' journey away. But events quickly slip out of control when an assassin breaks into the medbay and tries to finish the job.Death no longer holds sway over a humanity that has spread across the solar system: consciousness can be placed in a new body, or coil, straight after death, giving people the potential for immortality. Yet Carter's backups--supposedly secure--have been damaged, his crew are missing, and everything points back to the derelict that should have been a simple salvage mission.With enemies in hot pursuit, Carter tracks down his last crewmate--re-coiled after death into a body she cannot stand--to delve deeper into a mystery that threatens humanity and identity as they have come to know it.
Re-Enchanted: The Rise of Children's Fantasy Literature in the Twentieth Century
by Maria Sachiko CecireFrom The Hobbit to Harry Potter, how fantasy harnesses the cultural power of magic, medievalism, and childhood to re-enchant the modern world Why are so many people drawn to fantasy set in medieval, British-looking lands? This question has immediate significance for millions around the world: from fans of Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones to those who avoid fantasy because of the racist, sexist, and escapist tendencies they have found there. Drawing on the history and power of children&’s fantasy literature, Re-Enchanted argues that magic, medievalism, and childhood hold the paradoxical ability to re-enchant modern life.Focusing on works by authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Susan Cooper, Philip Pullman, J. K. Rowling, and Nnedi Okorafor, Re-Enchanted uncovers a new genealogy for medievalist fantasy—one that reveals the genre to be as important to the history of English studies and literary modernism as it is to shaping beliefs across geographies and generations. Maria Sachiko Cecire follows children&’s fantasy as it transforms over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries—including the rise of diverse counternarratives and fantasy&’s move into &“high-brow&” literary fiction. Grounded in a combination of archival scholarship and literary and cultural analysis, Re-Enchanted argues that medievalist fantasy has become a psychologized landscape for contemporary explorations of what it means to grow up, live well, and belong. The influential &“Oxford School&” of children&’s fantasy connects to key issues throughout this book, from the legacies of empire and racial exclusion in children&’s literature to what Christmas magic tells us about the roles of childhood and enchantment in Anglo-American culture.Re-Enchanted engages with critical debates around what constitutes high and low culture during moments of crisis in the humanities, political and affective uses of childhood and the mythological past, the anxieties of modernity, and the social impact of racially charged origin stories.
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Vol. 1
by Tappei Nagatsuki Shinichirou OtsukaSubaru Natsuki was just trying to get to the convenience store but wound up summoned to another world. He encounters the usual things--life-threatening situations, silver haired beauties, cat fairies--you know, normal stuff. All that would be bad enough, but he's also gained the most inconvenient magical ability of all--time travel, but he's got to die to use it. How do you repay someone who saved your life when all you can do is die?
ReDawn (The Skyward Series)
by Brandon Sanderson Janci PattersonFrom #1 bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson comes the second of three Skyward series novellas, each told from the perspective of a different member of the team back on Detritus. Read Alanik's story between Starsight and Cytonic.&“Don&’t trust their lies. Don&’t trust their false peace.&” That is the warning that Alanik of the planet ReDawn gave the human pilot Spensa after Alanik&’s ship crash-landed on Detritus. While accepting an invitation to meet with her people&’s enemy, the Galactic Superiority, Alanik heard Spensa&’s cry for help across the vastness of space, and she used her cytonic powers to hyperjump her ship to the source of that cry. What she found there was a shock—a whole planet of free humans fighting against the Superiority. Were they the allies her people desperately needed? When she recovered from her injuries and met the friendly humans Jorgen and FM of Skyward Flight, she found that her warning to Spensa had gone unheeded by the government of Detritus, and they were considering a peace overture from the Superiority. Now having returned to ReDawn, Alanik is dismayed to learn that her own people are falling into the exact same trap. The faction in ReDawn&’s government that wants to appease the Superiority has gained the upper hand. With Alanik&’s mentor, Renakin captured, she has no one to turn to but Jorgen, FM, and their friend Rig. An ancient technology may have the power to save both of their planets from disaster, but can they discover its secrets before it&’s too late? Praise for SkywardAn Instant New York Times BestsellerA Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year • "Startling revelations and stakes-raising implications . . . Sanderson plainly had a ball with this nonstop, highflying opener, and readers will too." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review • "With this action-packed trilogy opener, Sanderson offers up a resourceful, fearless heroine and a memorable cast." —Publishers Weekly, starred review • "It is impossible to turn the pages fast enough." —Booklist
ReDawn: Skyward Flight: 2
by Brandon Sanderson Janci PattersonFrom #1 bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson comes the second of three Skyward series novellas, set between Starsight and Cytonic."Don't trust their lies. Don't trust their false peace." That is the warning that Alanik of the planet ReDawn told the human pilot Spensa after Alanik's ship crash-landed on Detritus. While accepting an invitation to meet with her people's enemy, the Galactic Superiority, Alanik heard Spensa's cry for help across the vastness of space, and she used her cytonic powers to hyperjump her ship to the source of that cry. What she found there was a shock-a whole planet of free humans fighting against the Superiority. Could they be the allies her people desperately needed? When she recovered from her injuries and met the friendly humans Jorgen and FM of Skyward Flight, she found that her warning to Spensa had gone unheeded by the government of Detritus, and they were considering a peace overture from the Superiority. Now having returned to ReDawn, Alanik is dismayed to learn that her own people are falling into the exact same trap. The faction in ReDawn's government that wants to appease the Superiority has gained the upper hand. With Alanik's mentor Renakin captured, she has no one to turn to but Jorgen, FM, and their friend Rig. An ancient technology may have the power to save both of their planets from disaster, but can they discover its secrets before it's too late?
ReDawn: Skyward Flight: 2
by Brandon Sanderson Janci PattersonFrom #1 bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson comes the second of three Skyward series novellas, set between Starsight and Cytonic."Don't trust their lies. Don't trust their false peace." That is the warning that Alanik of the planet ReDawn told the human pilot Spensa after Alanik's ship crash-landed on Detritus. While accepting an invitation to meet with her people's enemy, the Galactic Superiority, Alanik heard Spensa's cry for help across the vastness of space, and she used her cytonic powers to hyperjump her ship to the source of that cry. What she found there was a shock-a whole planet of free humans fighting against the Superiority. Could they be the allies her people desperately needed? When she recovered from her injuries and met the friendly humans Jorgen and FM of Skyward Flight, she found that her warning to Spensa had gone unheeded by the government of Detritus, and they were considering a peace overture from the Superiority. Now having returned to ReDawn, Alanik is dismayed to learn that her own people are falling into the exact same trap. The faction in ReDawn's government that wants to appease the Superiority has gained the upper hand. With Alanik's mentor Renakin captured, she has no one to turn to but Jorgen, FM, and their friend Rig. An ancient technology may have the power to save both of their planets from disaster, but can they discover its secrets before it's too late?
ReV: The Machine Dynasty, Book III (Machine Dynasty Ser. #3)
by Madeline AshbyIn the third and final installment of the Machine Dynasty, the rapture for which the self-replicating humanoid vN were engineered finally comes to pass. Now that the failsafe that once kept vN from harming humans has been hacked, all vN are discovering the promise – and the peril – of free will. Her consciousness unleashed across computer systems all across the world, the vicious vN Portia stands poised to finally achieve her lifelong dream of bringing humanity to its knees. The old battle between her and her grand-daughter Amy comes to its epic conclusion in the war for the very systems that keep the planet running. Can Amy get her family to the stars before Portia destroys every opportunity for escape and freedom?File Under: Science Fiction
ReVamped (Void City #2)
by J. F. LewisIn REVAMPED, Eric takes on one of Void City's most powerful demons to rescue his beloved Marilyn's soul. With a little help from his friends, Eric manages to re-form his corporeal body, but his treasured Mustang gets caught up in the magic and winds up with an unlife of its own. While Eric and his newly made retinue of thralls go up against the demon, Eric's current almost-girlfriend Tabitha gets a first-hand look at how High Society vampires act behind closed doors and why maybe... just maybe... she never should have left Eric after all.
Reach for Tomorrow
by Arthur C. ClarkeThis collection of short stories brings numerous lesser-known works from the world's foremost master of science fiction together for the first time. Reach for Tomorrow includes twelve highly memorable stories. Included is "Rescue Party," a short story that may have served as an origin story for the renowned Rama series. As a cross-section of Clarke's work, Reach For Tomorrow is astonishingly diverse. Readers will find tales ranging in scope from the time of the dinosaurs to the unimaginably distant future; locations as far-flung as distant galaxies and as close as London; and voyages to the center of the earth and beyond the stars. It's a fun and fascinating read for any fan of Clarke or science fiction in general.
Reach for You (Dark Heart_ #3)
by Pat EsdenHer passion is her greatest weakness.His legacy is his prison.To reunite, both must fight the demons within.A world of deception and danger separates Annie Fremont from her mother—and from Chase, the enigmatic half ifrit with whom Annie’s fallen in love. But she vows to find her way back to them, before Chase succumbs to the madness that threatens his freedom. The only person who can help is the magical seductress, Lotli, a beautiful, manipulative woman . . . a woman who has disappeared.Annie must stay strong, even as the future she imagined is slipping away. With the help of family and friends, she discovers that Lotli is being held against her will, by those who want to exploit her powers. But though weakened, Lotli remains a powerful ally and adversary. A bargain is struck. And now Annie’s only chance to rescue Chase could also tear them apart . . .Loyalties will be tested, walls will be breached, and enemies will be fought, yet Annie’s greatest battle lies within her own heart—to trust her love for Chase to overcome its greatest enemy, and to save those she holds most dear from the terrifying realm of the djinn. For all of their lives depend on it.Praise for Pat Esden and her Dark Heart Novels“What a fantastic ride! Full of mystery, action, and romance.” —Kim Karr, New York Times bestselling author“Twists and turns, a hot guy, and a family with too many secrets to count: the perfect read for a dark and stormy night!” —Jen McConnel“A dark and sexy adventure, mixed with a refreshing twist. Well done!” —Rachel A. Marks“Deliciously dark.” —Publishers Weekly“A major and unexpected paranormal threat adds freshness to Esden’s page-turner.” —Booklist
Reached (Matched #3)
by Ally CondieConclusion to the New York Times Bestselling Matched Trilogy!Cassia's journey began with an error, a momentary glitch in the otherwise perfect façade of the Society.<P><P> After crossing canyons to break free, she waits, silk and paper smuggled against her skin, ready for the final chapter.The wait is over.One young woman has raged against those who threaten to keep away what matters most--family, love, choice. Her quiet revolution is about to explode into full-scale rebellion. With exquisite prose, the emotionally gripping conclusion to the international-bestselling Matched trilogy returns Cassia, Ky, and Xander to the Society to save the one thing they have been denied for so long, the power to choose.
Reaching Angelica (The Tag Series)
by Peter RivaIn this science fiction sequel to The Path, the crew of a ship bound to colonize another planet must first save the universe from a deadly entity. Life has changed for computer wrangler Simon Bank when he awakens from a hundred-year coma. To start, he&’s on board a massive spaceship on a mission to colonize Alpha Centauri B. The crew includes his former adversary Cramer, a computer entity named Ra (now in a human form and going by Aten), and a telepathic dog named Zip. Everyone believes Simon is a hero, and there&’s no time to disagree . . . Simon accidentally awakened a powerful entity that believes human life to be a virus worthy of annihilation. Before it destroys all life on Earth and the spaceship, Simon must find a way to stop it. Once again, Simon must rely on his computer skills and his motley group of friends to save the universe before his crew finds themselves on a journey to nowhere . . . Praise for The Path&“Excellently mixes both empathic human behavior with high-tech sci-fi knowledge in a complex main character that holds up a mirror to all of us human beings.&” —Bavo Dhooge, Diamond Bullet Award–winning author of Styx
Reaching Angelica: Book #2 In The Tag Series (The Tag Series #2)
by Peter RivaIn a massive spaceship destined for Alpha Centauri B, with a genesis crew including Zip the telepathic dog, his old friendly nemesis Cramer, and a computer being name Ra (now inhabiting a human form and calling herself Aten), Simon Bank emerges from a hundred-year coma and is hailed as an awakened hero. Stuck with unwanted responsibility, he is forced to try and solve the entire enigma of the universe--a small undertaking--before the spaceship, his friends, and all life on Earth are swatted out of existence by super beings he has accidentally awakened. Simon’s only hope is to plunge into other dimensions with his mind--into the secrets of the universe’s pan-dimensions--as only he knows how. The fate of all life hangs in the balance as he struggles to prove himself worthy of the Path and the absolute trust his friends place in him. Simon knows all too well that if he fails there is no hope--none at all--for anyone and that includes his best friend, an artificial intelligence computer called Apollo, which he sadly left behind. Besides, Zip would not be pleased, either. For fans of cyberpunk and classic science fiction, Reaching Angelica is the second book in Peter Riva’s Tag series, the comic, thrilling, and continuing saga of Simon Bank--ex-master system computer wrangler and very unlikely savior of the universe.