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The Routledge Companion to Science Fiction (Routledge Literature Companions)
by Mark BouldThe Routledge Companion to Science Fiction is a comprehensive overview of the history and study of science fiction. It outlines major writers, movements, and texts in the genre, established critical approaches and areas for future study. Fifty-six entries by a team of renowned international contributors are divided into four parts which look, in turn, at: history – an integrated chronological narrative of the genre’s development theory – detailed accounts of major theoretical approaches including feminism, Marxism, psychoanalysis, cultural studies, postcolonialism, posthumanism and utopian studies issues and challenges – anticipates future directions for study in areas as diverse as science studies, music, design, environmentalism, ethics and alterity subgenres – a prismatic view of the genre, tracing themes and developments within specific subgenres. Bringing into dialogue the many perspectives on the genre The Routledge Companion to Science Fiction is essential reading for anyone interested in the history and the future of science fiction and the way it is taught and studied.
The Routledge Concise History of Science Fiction (Routledge Concise Histories of Literature)
by Mark Bould Sherryl VintThe term ‘science fiction’ has an established common usage, but close examination reveals that writers, fans, editors, scholars, and publishers often use this word in different ways for different reasons. Exploring how science fiction has emerged through competing versions and the struggle to define its limits, this Concise History: provides an accessible and clear overview of the development of the genre traces the separation of sf from a broader fantastic literature and the simultaneous formation of neighbouring genres, such as fantasy and horror shows the relationship between magazine and paperback traditions in sf publishing is organised by theme and presented chronologically uses text boxes throughout to highlight key works in sf traditions including dystopian, apocalyptic and evolutionary fiction includes a short overview and bullet-pointed conclusion for each chapter. Discussing the place of key works and looking forward to the future of the genre, this book is the ideal starting point both for students and all those seeking a better understanding of science fiction.
The Routledge Handbook of Role-Playing Game Studies (Routledge Media and Cultural Studies Handbooks)
by Sebastian Deterding José P. ZagalThis Handbook provides a comprehensive guide to the latest research on role-playing games (RPGs) across disciplines, cultures, and media in one single, accessible volume.Collaboratively authored by more than 40 key scholars, it traces the history of RPGs, from wargaming precursors to tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons to the rise of live-action role-play and contemporary computer RPG and massively multiplayer online RPG franchises, like Baldur’s Gate, Genshin Impact, and World of Warcraft. Individual chapters survey the perspectives, concepts, and findings on RPGs from key disciplines, like performance studies, sociology, psychology, education, economics, game design, literary studies, and more. Other chapters integrate insights from RPG studies around broadly significant topics, like worldbuilding, immersion, and player-character relations, as well as explore actual play and streaming, diversity, equity, inclusion, jubensha, therapeutic uses of RPGs, and storygames, journaling games, and other forms of text-based RPGs. Each chapter includes definitions of key terms and recommended readings to help students and scholars new to RPG studies find their way into this interdisciplinary field.A comprehensive reference volume ideal for students and scholars of game studies and immersive experiences and those looking to learn more about the ever-growing, interdisciplinary field of RPG studies.
The Rover: A Rover Novel Of Three Adventures (The\rover Ser. #1)
by Mel OdomEdgewick Lamplighter (Wick to his friends) is a humble librarian in the isolated halls of Greydawn Moors until dreams of wanderlust and a bit of dereliction in his duties result in his being shanghaied to a far-off land.Captured by pirates, sold into slavery, and adopted by a gang of thieves, Wick soon finds himself with more adventures than even a halfling librarian can imagine.Rival gangs, goblin marauders, evil wizards, and monstrous dragons are soon after the wee adventurer and his newfound allies in a tale of treasures and treachery, magic and mystery, where even a little guy can rise to the occasion and save the day.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Rowan (A Tower and Hive Novel)
by Anne McCaffreyThe captivating first novel in the classic science fiction series The Tower and the Hive.An extraordinary woman with unparalleled telepathic abilities is destined to face a lonely life of servitude—until she receives a telepathic plea from across the stars.As a young girl, The Rowan is discovered because her incredible gift: telepathic abilities that are more powerful than anyone has ever seen. As she grows older, she uses her talents to benefit society as a Prime, responsible for communicating and moving ships through space. But a life as a Prime is a lonely one, leaving her longing to find personal connection and meaning.When a distress call from a distant planet reaches her, The Rowan is drawn into a rescue mission that will put her powers to the test—and everything changes when she meets Jeff Raven, another telepath who just might have that crucial spark of connection she&’s been searching for.
The Rowan (Tower and Hive #1)
by Anne MccaffreyThe Talents were the elite of the Nine Star League. Their gifts were many and varied, ranging from the gentle telepathic, to the rare and extremely valued Primes. On the Primes rested the entire economic wealth and communications systems of the civilised worlds. But Primes were scarce--only very rarely was a new one born. And now on the planet Altair,in a small mining colony on the western mountain range, a new Prime existed, a three-year-old girl--trapped in a giant mud slide that had wiped out the rest of the Rowan mining community. Every Altarian who was even mildly talented could 'hear' the child crying for help, but no one knew exactly where she was buried. Every resource on the planet was centred into finding 'The Rowan' the new Prime, the first ever to be born on Altair, an exceptionally unique Prime, more talented, more powerful, more agoraphobic, more lonely, than any other Prime yet known in the Nine Star League.
The Royal Book of Oz: In Which The Scarecrow Goes To Search For His Family Tree And Discovers That He Is The Long Lost Emperor Of The Silver Island, And How He Was Rescued And Brought Back To Oz By Dorothy And The Cowardly Lion (classic Reprint) (The\wizard Of Oz Collection)
by L. Frank Baum Ruth Plumly ThompsonThe Royal Book of Oz is the fifteenth in the series of Oz books, and the first by Ruth Plumly Thompson, to be written after L. Frank Baum's death. The Scarecrow goes back to the corn-field where Dorothy Gale found him to trace his "roots." When he fails to return, Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion set out to search for him.
The Royal Changeling
by John WhitbournInvading England after Charles II's death, the Duke of Monmouth comes face-to-face with an old friend - Theophilus Oglethorpe. Oglethorpe, in common with only a handful of others, knows Monmouth's background fully - not only that he is Charles's son, but also that he has elven blood, and has allied himself with evil powers in order to take England's crown. In fact, he is being used as a cat's paw by one far more steeped in evil than himself...King Arthur, who would return to rule Britain and the entire world. Through London, Glastonbury, Sedgemoor and many stranger places unearthly battles rage, and the elves forsake their millennia-long neutrality...
The Royal Changeling
by John WhitbournInvading England after Charles II's death, the Duke of Monmouth comes face-to-face with an old friend - Theophilus Oglethorpe. Oglethorpe, in common with only a handful of others, knows Monmouth's background fully - not only that he is Charles's son, but also that he has elven blood, and has allied himself with evil powers in order to take England's crown. In fact, he is being used as a cat's paw by one far more steeped in evil than himself...King Arthur, who would return to rule Britain and the entire world. Through London, Glastonbury, Sedgemoor and many stranger places unearthly battles rage, and the elves forsake their millennia-long neutrality...
The Royal Order of Fighting Dragons (The Royal Order of Fighting Dragons)
by Dan Elish Sam ShearonIke Rupert Hollingsberry is haunted by the past because complete strangers won't let him forget when his famous father died on the set of The Fighting Dragons, a cult favorite that still has people talking. But when he's attacked by a large locust like the one that killed his dad, Ike is helped by the geekiest nerd of all, Elmira Hand. Killing the giant locust is only the beginning of the surprises in store for Ike as he is whisked away from New York City to an isolated Florida compound to assume his role as the next in line to lead the Royal Order of the Fighting Dragons—that are NOT supposed to exist—and learns his dad's death was a cover-up for a far greater purpose...
The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning (Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #1)
by John FlanaganFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author John Flanagan comes the story that brings the Ranger's Apprentice series full-circle and ushers in a brand new arc starring Maddie, the Royal Ranger!Will Treaty has come a long way from the small boy with dreams of knighthood. Life had other plans for him, and as an apprentice Ranger under Halt, he grew into a legend—the finest Ranger the kingdom has ever known. Yet Will is facing a tragic battle that has left him grim and alone. To add to his problems, the time has come to take on an apprentice of his own, and it&’s the last person he ever would have expected: Princess Madelyn, the daughter of Princess Cassandra. Will has to win the trust and respect of his difficult new companion—a task that at times seems almost impossible.John Flanagan returns to conclude the series that has conquered millions of readers worldwide with this pulse-pounding adventure that brings one era to a close, ushers in the next, starting the series anew starring Maddie, the Royal Ranger.For fans of Tolkien, Redwall, Game of Thrones, and T.H. White, Ranger's Apprentice delivers fantasy-adventure thrills with real-world historical details.Praise for John Flanagan: &“The last few years have seen the publication of many fantasies, but few have the appeal of this original story.&” —Booklist, starred review, on The Ruins of Gorlan &“Fans of the series will eagerly devour this one and wait impatiently for the next . . . A sure bet for fantasy fans.&” —School Library Journal &“Flanagan's deft character portrayals and well-paced story will engage readers, and the ending will leave them clamoring for the next volume.&” —Booklist, on The Icebound Land
The Royal Ranger: Ambush at Sorato (Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #7)
by John FlanaganInternational bestselling author John Flanagan returns to world of Ranger's Apprentice in the seventh installment of the Royal Ranger series in which Will and Maddie must travel through Toscana and encounter the dangerous Temujai forces.Will and Maddie are in Toscana on a diplomatic mission when word comes of a cavalry force crossing the northern body and marauding through the countryside.At the behest of the emperor, the rangers head north to investigate. They discover that the invaders are a group of Temujai—a reconnaissance force searching for a place to penetrate and invade. So Will and Maddie must split up to gather forces and information in order to push the Temujai back once again.As the Temujai move their forces ahead, cutting at the Toscan forces, Maddie and Will must step up and lead their allies to victory, despite the danger of one of their greatest enemies.
The Royal Ranger: Arazan's Wolves (Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #6)
by John FlanaganInternational bestselling author John Flanagan returns to world of Ranger's Apprentice in the sixth installment of the Royal Ranger series in which Maddie and Will must travel to Celtica to investigate a series of dire wolf attacks and a dangerous sorceress.When Maddie and Will get a message that dire wolves—huge misshapen changelings, much larger than regular wolves—have been marauding and attacking through the hills and valleys of Celtica, the Rangers are sent on a mission to unravel just who or what is behind these dangerous creatures.Will isn&’t anxious to return to Celtica, especially approaching the Rift. And as they travel, Maddie must grapple with their growing dealings with the spiritual and supernatural. But they are Rangers—and they will do whatever it takes to accomplish their mission. After they receive some offers of help from locals, Will and Maddie learn the name of the sorceress behind these strange and dangerous attacks, Arazan, along with the location of her hideout.On the way to take her down once and for all, the Rangers must face direwolves, wargals, dark magic, and more. And as Arazan&’s desires lead her to the most evil of powers, Will and Maddie must form a plan of action that can outwit not just the sorceress but the darkest forces from the beyond.
The Royal Ranger: Duel at Araluen (Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #3)
by John FlanaganInternational bestselling author John Flanagan returns to world of Ranger's Apprentice in this new installment of the Royal Ranger series starring Maddie, Will Treaty's fearless young apprentice.King Duncan and Princess Cassandra are trapped in the south tower of Castle Araluen and under near-constant attack from the Red Fox Clan. Sir Horace and Ranger Commandant Gilan are holed up in an old hill fort, surrounded by the enemy. And Ranger's apprentice Maddie is the only one who can save them all.With the help of Hal, Thorn, and the rest of the Heron brotherband, Maddie will have to break her father and his men out of the hill fort, but will they reach Castle Araluen in time? International bestselling author of the Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband series, John Flanagan returns in the captivating next installment of the Royal Ranger series: The Royal Ranger: Duel at Araluen. Perfect for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Jacques's Redwall, and George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones!
The Royal Ranger: Escape from Falaise (Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #5)
by John FlanaganInternational bestselling author John Flanagan returns to world of Ranger's Apprentice in the fifth installment of the Royal Ranger series starring Maddie, Will Treaty's fearless young apprentice.After their plan to rescue the prince of Gallica has gone horribly wrong, Will Treaty and his apprentice, Maddie, are being held captive at the Chateau des Falaises in Gallica. The dangerous baron Lassigny is intent on keeping them—and the prince—no matter what. But Will and Maddie are determined to escape. If they ever want to return to their home, they&’ll have to find ways to outwit the baron and get outside the locked tower. When friends from home endeavor to find their own way to help it seems escape is closer than ever. But the dirty tricks of the baron are no laughing matter. Facing dangerous threats, battles with knights, and a new and risky plot to save the prince—the odds are stacked against them. But the Rangers will use all the tools of their trade to save themselves and save the day.Internationally bestselling author of the Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband series, John Flanagan returns in the captivating next installment of the Royal Ranger series: The Royal Ranger: Escape from Falaise. Perfect for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Jacques's Redwall, and George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones!
The Royal Ranger: The Missing Prince (Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #4)
by John FlanaganInternational bestselling author John Flanagan returns to world of Ranger's Apprentice in the fourth installment of the Royal Ranger series starring Maddie, Will Treaty's fearless young apprentice.Will Treaty and his apprentice, Maddie have been urgently summoned to Castle Araluen. When they arrive they learn a shocking truth: the Prince of Gallica is missing--and the King of Gallica has asked for help. All reports suggest that the young prince has been taken prisoner by the dangerous and powerful Baron Joubert de Lassigny. King Duncan knows that sending troops to Gallica to rescue the prince could start a war, as could openly helping Gallica resolve internal convict. But there's another way to save the prince: the Ranger Corps.Soon, Will and Maddie are on the road to rescue the missing prince, disguised as father and daughter jongleurs. Maddie will have to use her knifethrowing skills to keep up her disguise, and her ranger's apprentice training to complete the mission. But going undercover is dangerous--and the road presents its own hazards. Can she and Will use all their talents to save the prince, or will the arrogant Baron uncover their plans and put their lives, and their kingdom, at risk?Internationally bestselling author of the Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband series, John Flanagan returns in the captivating next installment of the Royal Ranger series: The Royal Ranger: The Missing Prince. Perfect for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Jacques's Redwall, and George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones!Praise for The Missing Prince:"Flanagan builds suspense with well-practiced skill . . . . Tension increases right up to the last page." --Booklist
The Royal Ranger: The Red Fox Clan (Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #2)
by John Flanagan#1 New York Times bestselling author John Flanagan returns to the world of Ranger's Apprentice, continuing the story arc starring fan favorites, Will and Maddie (The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning).Picking up where The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning left off, this next installment continues the story arc featuring young apprentice, Maddie, and the student-turned-master, Will Treaty. The time has come for the next generation to assume the mantle and become protectors of the kingdom of Araluen. After passing her third-year assessment as a ranger's apprentice, Maddie is called home to Castle Araluen. Forced to keep her ranger training a secret, Maddie feels trapped by the monotony of castle life and longs to find a way out. But there are whisperings of a new threat to the kingdom. The mysterious Red Fox Clan, a group of anarchists all donning fox masks, have threatened Castle Araluen and question Princess Cassandra and Madelyn's succession to the throne. Will they succeed in unseating Cassandra and Madelyn and take the throne for themselves? Bestselling author of the Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband series, John Flanagan returns in the captivating follow-up to The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning. Perfect for fans of Tolkien, Redwall, and Game of Thrones!
The Royal Secret (His Majesty's Paladins #1)
by Christopher KeeneA terrible battle has decimated the ranks of the Paladins of Crystalia. The enemy has been pushed back for a time, but the death toll includes the leader of the Paladins, Otto's father.Now the Paladins must vote for a new head, someone to lead them against the forces of darkness and restore peace in the kingdom. At first Otto has no interest in the role, preferring to serve on quests throughout the kingdom. But when the candidates are chosen, Otto finds himself pitted against a man whose loyalty to the light is in question. To protect the integrity of the Royal Paladins, Otto must investigate the secrets of the castle.Can Otto drive the darkness back, or has evil already snuck inside the walls?
The Royal Trials (Last Gate of the Emperor #2)
by Kwame Mbalia Prince Joel MakonnenFrom Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel David Makonnen comes an Afrofuturist adventure about a mythical Ethiopian empire. Sci-fi and fantasy combine in this epic journey to the stars.Yared has traveled a long way to find his place in the universe. Light years, even. Though the battle of Addis Prime is over, the spacefaring Axum Empire is still fractured. The kingdom once gave their technology away free of charge, to better humankind. Now, having been missing for over a decade, they’re returning to the planet where their galaxy-spanning civilization began—Earth.But they find the planet in disarray. Old Earth’s atmosphere is a mess of junked shuttles and satellites. This is especially true of Debris Town, an orbital flotilla where poor spacefarers—left to rot by the Intergalactic Union that rose up in Axum’s place—have taken to piracy to survive.Yared is set to speak at the opening of the Royal Trials, a competition of the best exo pilots in the Sol System. But on the day of his speech, the pirates launch an attack!The siege sets off a chain of events that will lead Yared into the depths of Old Earth—and the jaws of a cruel betrayal. There’s more to the pirates—and Debris Town—than anyone saw coming.
The Rubicus Prophecy: The Witches of Orkney, Book Two (The Witches of Orkney #Bk. 2)
by Alane AdamsAbigail has just started her second year at the Tarkana Witch Academy and is already up to her ears studying for Horrid Hexes and Awful Alchemy! Worse, Endera&’s malevolent spellbook has its hooks in her, whispering in her ear to use its dark magic. Meanwhile, the entire school is talking about the Rubicus Prophecy; a sign has arrived that the chosen witchling is among them, the one who will one day break Odin&’s curse over them. When an Orkadian warship arrives carrying troubling news, Abigail and her friend Hugo are swept into a new mystery after a young boy from the ship, Robert Barconian, asks for their help retrieving a missing item. Along with the former glitch-witch, Calla, the four friends end up deep in the catacombs beneath the Tarkana Fortress—a place where the draugar, the living dead, wander about. Abigail discovers there is more to the Rubicus Prophecy than anyone ever imagined. Can she stop it in time before she and her friends are destroyed? Filled with magical spells, spine-tingling ghosts, and visits from the Norse gods, The Rubicus Prophecy pits Abigail against a sinister power greater than anything she has ever imagined.
The Ruby Brooch: Time Travel Romance (The celtic Brooch #1)
by Katherine LoganCan a 21st century paramedic find her heart's desire on the other side of time?From the white-plank fenced pastures of Lexington, Kentucky, to the beautiful Bay of San Francisco, The Ruby Brooch, a saga steeped in family tradition and mystery, follows a young woman's journey as she searches for the truth on the other side of the heather-scented mist. As the lone survivor of a car crash that killed her parents, paramedic Kit MacKlenna makes a startling discovery that further alters her life. A faded letter and a well-worn journal reveal that she was abandoned as a baby and the only clues to her identity are a blood-splattered shawl, a locket that bears a portrait of a nineteenth-century man, and a Celtic brooch with mystical powers. After studying the journal, she decides to continue her father's twenty-year search for her identity and solve her birth parents' murders. For safety reasons, she adopts the persona of the Widow MacKlenna. Although a perfect cover for her eccentric behavior, she will be forced to lie and MacKlennas don't lie, or so she thought. Finally, dressed and packed, she utters the incantation inscribed on the ancient stone and is swept back to Independence, Missouri, in the year 1852.Upon arriving in the past, she meets Cullen Montgomery, an egotistical Scotsman with a penchant for seducing widows. The San Francisco-bound lawyer happens to resemble the ghost who has haunted Kit since childhood. She quickly finds the Bach-humming, Shakespeare-quoting man to be over-bearing and his intolerance for liars threatens her quest.If she can survive his accusations and resist his tempting embrace for seventy-three days, she might be able to find the answers she seeks, and return home to a new life without changing history or leaving her heart on the other side of time.
The Ruby Code
by Jessica KhouryFrom Jessica Khoury comes a high-action sci-fi adventure about a video game AI come to life. Warcross meets Ready Player One in this thriller set in a high-tech near future.Bullied at school and home, Ash finds respite from his unhappy life in virtual reality games. One night, he spends his meager savings to help a stranger, who thanks him with a copy of an old fantasy game called The Glass Realm.While exploring the game, Ash meets a seemingly humble shopkeeper named Ruby. But from the start, Ruby seems different than the other townsfolk—especially when she and Ash stumble across an in-game quest designed not for the player, but for Ruby to solve. When Ruby begins developing powerful abilities that can rewrite the very code of the game, they realize she is far more than a pre-programmed side character.Following the quest left for her in The Glass Realm, the pair discover that Ruby is actually a sentient AI who’s been hidden inside the game. Originally built as a weapon, her developer stole her from his employers and hid her away, hoping to keep her safe.That safety vanishes when Ash and Ruby are targeted by the powerful shadow organization who funded Ruby’s development, and who would use her to spark a world war to rack up huge profits. Caught in a deadly game that blurs the lines between real and virtual, Ash and Ruby must flee for their lives. If they lose this game—they might just doom the world.
The Ruby Guardian
by Thomas M. ReidArrabar - a nation of mercenaries at odds with its neighbors and at war with itself...The Scions of Arrabar - heirs to a legacy of blood and steel...Vambran and Emriana have survived assassination attempts, family feuds, arranged marriages, and monster-guarded secrets.But now things are starting to get really dangerous!
The Ruby Guardian (Forgotten Realms: Scions of Arrabar #2)
by Thomas M. ReidArrabar - a nation of mercenaries at odds with its neighbors and at war with itself...The Scions of Arrabar - heirs to a legacy of blood and steel...Vambran and Emriana have survived assassination attempts, family feuds, arranged marriages, and monster-guarded secrets.But now things are starting to get really dangerous!
The Ruby Key
by Vicky BurkholderCaught between a group of exiles and her fate as protector of the ruby key, one woman will have to choose between the dork, the gentleman, and the loner. The fate of her world and those beyond depend on her making the right choice! Vicky Burkholder takes you back to Lemuria in The Ruby Key, Book 2 of her contemporary, paranormal romance series, The Crystal Keys.For centuries, four women have held the keys to Lemuria, a land where magic is real. They and their Protectors are all that stand against The Brotherhood, a group of exiles who want to return to Lemuria and take control of the gateway between realms.Phoebe, Keeper of the ruby key, lost her lover and Protector, Ryan, to murder. The Powers That Be saddled her with a dorky salesman. That is, until Zack arrives on the scene. With his Scandinavian good looks, he is the essence of what a Protector should be, but he is a loner and wants nothing to do with magic. Magic is what got his brother killed. Phoebe wants nothing to do with him as a protector, but he draws her in ways Ryan never did.Edward is the epitome of a British gentleman and shows Phoebe the genteel side of life, but Edward has a past, and an agenda. He is the leader of the Brotherhood and if he controls Phoebe, he will control everything--and destroy it all.The past, present, and future all come crashing down to one moment. Only Phoebe can make the choice--and her choice will determine the fate of several worlds.They lost the battle once before. This time, will love really conquer all?Content Notes: Spicy, Fantasy, Demons, Paranormal, Magic, Witches