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Voices from the Radium Age (MIT Press / Radium Age)
by Joshua GlennA collection of science fiction stories from the early twentieth century by authors ranging from Arthur Conan Doyle to W. E. B. Du Bois.This collection of science fiction stories from the early twentieth century features work by the famous (Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes), the no-longer famous (&“weird fiction" pioneer William Hope Hodgson), and the should-be-more famous (Bengali feminist Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain). It offers stories by writers known for concerns other than science fiction (W. E. B. Du Bois, author of The Souls of Black Folk) and by writers known only for pulp science fiction (the prolific Neil R. Jones). These stories represent what volume and series editor Joshua Glenn has dubbed &“the Radium Age&”—the period when science fiction as we know it emerged as a genre. The collection shows that nascent science fiction from this era was prescient, provocative, and well written. Readers will discover, among other delights, a feminist utopia predating Charlotte Perkins Gilman&’s Herland by a decade in Hossain&’s story, &“Sultana&’s Dream&”; a world in which the human population has retreated underground, in E. M. Forster&’s &“The Machine Stops&”; an early entry in the Afrofuturist subgenre in Du Bois&’s last-man-on-Earth tale, &“The Comet&”; and the first appearance of Jones&’s cryopreserved Professor Jameson, who despairs at Earth&’s wreckage but perseveres—in a metal body—to appear in thirty-odd more stories.
Voices from the Sky
by Sir Arthur C. ClarkeFirst published in 1965, this brilliant, prescient book is divided into three sections:The first concerns space travel and other aspects of the new space age: how our concept of time must be modified when we travel long distances, the space seas of tomorrow, uses of the moon, how lower gravity will affect the sports of space colonists and other fascinating ideas. The second part is about communications satellites, a field in which the author has already played the role of true prophet. The third section ranges widely over the side implications of the space age - scientific meddling, the lunatic fringe and the moral obligations of scientists.
Voices from the Street
by Philip K. DickOne of Dick's earliest books but his last to be published, this is the story of one man's descent into depression and madness - and his escape to the other sideStuart Hadley is a young radio electronics salesman in early 1950s Oakland, California. He has what many would consider the ideal life. He has a nice house, a pretty wife, a decent job with prospects for advancement - but he still feels unfulfilled. Something is missing from his life.Hadley is also an angry young man - an artist, a dreamer, a screw-up. He tries to fill his void first with drinking, then sex, and then with religious fanaticism, but nothing seems to be working and it is driving him crazy. He reacts to the love of his wife and the kindness of his employer with anxiety and fear.Is there anything that can bring him back to the world?Winner of both the HUGO and JOHN W. CAMPBELL AWARDs for BEST NOVEL, Philip K. Dick is widely regarded as the premiere science fiction writer of his day. The object of cult-like adoration from his legions of fans, he has come to be seen in a literary light that defies classification in much the same way as Borges and Calvino. With breathtaking insight, he utilizes vividly unfamiliar worlds to evoke the hauntingly and hilariously familiar in our society and ourselves.
Voices in the Dark
by Edmund CooperAt ten-thirty in the morning the skies over London were clear. Then an arrow formation of five bright points became visible. They appeared to be moving at an amazing speed in tight circles. They were spiralling down to about five thousand feet, and at that altitude their nature was easily discernable. They were the tings most of us had discussed and dismissed at one time o another. Flying Saucers. Giant saucers, smooth and lustrous and blinding, more than a hundred yards in diameter. They hung over the city in a neat formation.
Voices in the Dark: The Last Descendants Trilogy - Book II
by Catherine BannerAsking for the truth can be as painful as telling it. . . . Anselm Andros has clearly defined roles in his family and they are roles he plays very well—he is confidante to his mother, Maria. He is the confessor to his stepfather, Leo, a man haunted by the secrets of his past. And Anselm is also the patient, caring brother to his precocious sister, Jasmine. When the political landscape of Malonia starts to shift, this unassuming family begins to unravel. Even though they’ve spent the past fifteen years leading a quiet life, Maria and Leo’s actions are forever linked to the turbulent history of Malonia and its parallel world, modern-day England. With so much uncertainty at home and in his world, it is more important than ever for Anselm to put all the pieces of the past together. He must listen to his own voice and acknowledge his fears and desires—whatever the cost.
Voices in the Night
by Steven MillhauserFrom the Pulitzer and Story Prize winner: sixteen new stories--provocative, funny, disturbing, enchanting--that delve into the secret lives and desires of ordinary people, alongside retellings of myths and legends that highlight the aspirations of the human spirit. Beloved for the lens of the strange he places on small town life, Steven Millhauser further reveals in Voices in the Night the darkest parts of our inner selves to brilliant and dazzling effect. Here are stories of wondrously imaginative hyperrealism, stories that pose unforgettably unsettling what-ifs, or that find barely perceivable evils within the safe boundaries of our towns, homes, and even within our bodies. Here, too, are stories culled from religion and fables: Samuel, who hears the voice of God calling him in the night; a young, pre-enlightenment Buddha, who searches for his purpose in life; Rapunzel and her Prince, who struggle to fit the real world to their dream. Heightened by magic, the divine, and the uncanny, shot through with sly and winning humor, Voices in the Night seamlessly combines the whimsy and surprise of the familiar with intoxicating fantasies that take us beyond our daily lives, all done with the hallmark sleight of hand and astonishing virtuosity of one of our greatest contemporary storytellers.From the Hardcover edition.
Voices of Chaos: A Novel of StarBridge
by A. C. Crispin Ru EmersonA newly discovered planet peopled by feline beings called the Arrekhi has requested admission into the interplanetary Cooperative League of Systems. But the Arrekhi are skillful at deception and they conceal a cruel secret that could plunge the entire planet into a bloodbath.
Voices of Dragons
by Carrie VaughnOn one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity's deepest fears: dragons. Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them. But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon interactions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war? In her young-adult debut, New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn presents a distinctly twenty-first-century tale of myths and machines, and an alliance that crosses a seemingly unbridgeable divide.
Voices of Hope: Fisherman's Hope, Voices Of Hope, Patriarch's Hope, And Children Of Hope (The Seafort Saga #5)
by David FeintuchDecades have passed since Nick Seafort battled the vicious aliens. Now, in the fifth installment of the celebrated Seafort Saga, it&’s trouble on Earth that looms . . .Everyone knows Nick Seafort as &“the Fisherman&”—the hero who stopped the merciless, fishlike aliens when they attacked Earth. Voices of Hope picks up with Seafort decades later, after he&’s retired as the Secretary General of the United Nations. Despite his trappings of power, he has been unable to aid the so-called transpops, desperate people who live in the dangerous lower levels of New York City. When Seafort&’s son, Philip, follows a friend into the streets of New York, he encounters the transpop culture—one evolved to exist in the shadows and operate with ruthless efficiency. The trannies are a powder keg ready to blow, and a water shortage appears to be the spark to prove that humans can be far more dangerous than any outer-space alien. Long ago, Seafort had braved these violent streets to find his wife; now he must return to save his son.
Void Black Shadow (The Voidwitch Saga #2)
by Corey J. WhiteCorey J. White's space opera Voidwitch Series continues: Mars Xi returns in Void Black Shadow, sequel to Killing Gravity.Mars Xi is a living weapon, a genetically-manipulated psychic supersoldier with a body count in the thousands, and all she wanted was to be left alone. People who get involved with her get hurt, whether by MEPHISTO, by her psychic backlash, or by her acid tongue. It's not smart to get involved with Mars, but that doesn't stop some people from trying.The last time MEPHISTO came for Mars they took one of her friends with them. That was a mistake. A force hasn't been invented that can stop a voidwitch on a rampage, and Mars won't rest until she's settled her debts.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Void Dancer (Tales from the Gemstone Kingdoms)
by Amanda MeuwissenA brilliant inventor, Enzo Dragonbane has plenty to hide, including his secret identity as the recently deceased king&’s bastard son. But he&’s not half as mysterious as Cullen, the man he finds in the caverns. Cullen has no memories at all.Cullen doesn&’t know who he is or how he got there, and he certainly doesn&’t know anything about his strange shadow powers. But he soon learns that memories or not, magic or not, the Ruby Kingdom stands on the brink of civil war. A lower-class group called the Ashen is poised to take advantage of the power vacuum caused by the king&’s death to fight for equality.Soon Enzo and Cullen find themselves in the midst of a revolution. As they untangle Cullen&’s past, they discover they have much in common. But if they&’re to have any hope of a peaceful life together, they&’ll have to discover the secret of controlling Cullen&’s abilities, take sides in the coming fight, and face up to the truth of who they really are.
Void Star: A Novel
by Zachary MasonA riveting, beautifully written, fugue-like novel of AIs, memory, violence, and mortalityNot far in the future the seas have risen and the central latitudes are emptying, but it’s still a good time to be rich in San Francisco, where weapons drones patrol the skies to keep out the multitudinous poor. Irina isn’t rich, not quite, but she does have an artificial memory that gives her perfect recall and lets her act as a medium between her various employers and their AIs, which are complex to the point of opacity. It’s a good gig, paying enough for the annual visits to the Mayo Clinic that keep her from aging. Kern has no such access; he’s one of the many refugees in the sprawling drone-built favelas on the city’s periphery, where he lives like a monk, training relentlessly in martial arts, scraping by as a thief and an enforcer. Thales is from a different world entirely—the mathematically inclined scion of a Brazilian political clan, he’s fled to L.A. after the attack that left him crippled and his father dead.A ragged stranger accosts Thales and demands to know how much he can remember. Kern flees for his life after robbing the wrong mark. Irina finds a secret in the reflection of a laptop’s screen in her employer’s eyeglasses. None are safe as they’re pushed together by subtle forces that stay just out of sight.Vivid, tumultuous, and propulsive, Void Star is Zachary Mason’s mind-bending follow-up to his bestselling debut, The Lost Books of the Odyssey.
Voidbreaker (The Keepers #3)
by David DalglishWhen magical creatures storm the gates of Londheim and claim it for themselves, Devin, a warrior priest, must decide who the true monsters are in the final book of the USA Today bestselling author's epic fantasy trilogy. Monsters have retaken the capital city of Londheim and claimed it for themselves. Humanity, fearful of being pushed out for good, has reacted with violence and destruction, and peace between the two races seems all but impossible. Devin will need to bring all his skills to bear in order to find a solution. But the greatest threat to humanity's safety may well be closer than he expects. Because his sister is the most powerful priestess the world has ever seen . . . and she's fighting for the monsters. The fate of all races, human and magical, rests in their hands, and the only person standing in their way is each other.
Voidbreaker (The Keepers Series #3)
by David Dalglish'A dark and lush epic fantasy brimming with magical creatures and terrifying evil . . . Readers of George R. R. Martin and Patrick Rothfuss will find much to enjoy here' Booklist on SoulkeeperPerfect for monster slayers and dungeon crawlers everywhere, Voidbreaker is the final book in the unmissable new fantasy series from USA Today bestselling author David Dalglish. Monsters have begun retaking the capital city of Londheim and claiming it for themselves. Humanity, fearful of being pushed out for good, has reacted with violence and destruction. Peace between the two races seems all but impossible. Devin will need to bring all his skills to bear in order to protect his friends and family amid the chaos. But the greatest threat to humanity's safety may well be closer than he expects. His sister is the most powerful priestess the world has ever seen . . . and she's fighting for the monsters.Praise for the Keepers Trilogy:'A fast-paced, page-turning ride. The definition of entertaining' John Gwynne'Amazing action sequences, cool magic systems, terrifying monsters' Fantasy Book Critic'A rich and intriguing world' Kirkus'With strong world building, imaginative monsters, and a capable system of magic, this series will please readers who enjoy dark epic fantasy with engaging characters' BooklistBooks by David Dalglish:The Keepers seriesSoulkeeperRavencallerVoidbreakerThe Shadowdance seriesA Dance of CloaksA Dance of BladesA Dance of MirrorsA Dance of ShadowsA Dance of GhostsA Dance of ChaosThe Seraphim seriesSkybornFirebornShadowborn
Voidfarer: A Tale Of The Moonworlds Saga (The Moonworlds Saga #3)
by Sean McMullenAt first Wayfarer Inspector Danolarian thought the huge oval thing that had fallen from the sky was a dragon's egg. When it opened, however, he knew that it was much, much worse. His world was being invaded by pitiless sorcerers from Lupan, who could sweep whole armies aside, and even defeat the invulnerable glass dragons. Surrender or flight were the only options ... but not for Inspector Danolarian, his Wayfarer Constables, and his sweetheart, the sorceress Lavenci.Although Danolarian is no sorcerer, he's no ordinary Wayfarer either. Faced with civilization crumbling around him, and organized resistance shattered by the invincible magic of the Lupanians, he chances upon an unlikely ally and begins to fight back. It won't be easy, for he has to rally the demoralized sorcerers of Alberin, organize its terrified citizens, stay one step ahead of his own past, and, most importantly, survive a dinner party with Lavenci's mother.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Voidwalker (Beasts of the Void #1)
by S. A. MacleanFrom the author of The Phoenix Keeper comes an era-defining new fantasy universe where spicy romantasy meets the Cosmere, unmissable for fans of the world-building scale of Sarah J. Maas and the world-shifting stakes of Rebecca Yarros. Voidwalker will be your next romantasy obsession, a deliciously feral story that starts with just two words: "bite me." Fionamara is a smuggler. Antal is the reason her people fear the dark. Fi ferries contraband between worlds, stockpiling funds and stolen magic to keep her village self-sufficient - free from the blood sacrifices humans have paid to Antal's immortal species for centuries. Only legends whispered through the pine forests recall a time when things were different, before one world shattered into many, and the flesh-devouring beasts crept from the cracks between realities, with their sable antlers and slender tails, lethal claws and gleaming fangs. Now, mortal lives are food to pacify their carnivorous overlords, exchanged for feudal protection, and the precious silver energy that fuels everything from transport to weaponry. When Fi gets planted with a stash of smuggled energy, a long-lost flame recruits her for a reckless heist that escalates into a terrorist bombing - and a coup against the reigning immortals, with Fi's home caught in the crossfire. She's always known the dangers of her trade - and of the power she's wielded since childhood, allowing her to see the secret doors between dimensions, to walk the Void itself. But nothing could have prepared her for crossing paths with Antal. For the deal she'll have to make with him, a forced partnership to reclaim his city that begins as a desperate bid for survival, only to grow into something far more dangerous. A revolution. And a temptation - for how sweet the monster's fangs might feel.
Voidwalker: An unmissable new romantasy series from the instant Sunday Times bestseller (Beasts of the Void #1)
by S. A. MacLean'A gorgeous, genre-defying journey through broken worlds' BRIGITTE KNIGHTLEY'A book that bites back' ALEXANDRA KENNINGTON'Deliciously tender' SARA OMER'Your vicious new obsession' LYRA SELENE'10/10 would trade my soul for another chapter' MIKAYLA BRIDGE'For everyone who wished the beast hadn't turned back into a human' HAZEL MCBRIDEWOULD IT BE SO BAD, TO BE DEVOURED?Fi has carved out a career as a cross-dimensional smuggler by sticking to simple rules: keep your routes secret, always draw your energy sword first, and - at all costs - avoid the daeyari, the carnivorous immortals who have ruled for millennia.When she's hired to smuggle a bomb into the capital, instinct tells her the risk isn't worth the pay, but the entreaty of a long-lost friend guilts her into accepting. Until the heist goes terribly wrong, and Fi is thrown at the feet of the daeyari lord, Antal, as payment.Antal is a hunter - cold and cunning and furious at Fi for her part in the attack on his city. Her saving grace is a common enemy: he'll spare her if she helps him uncover who masterminded the scheme. To save her life, her family, and the village she calls home, Fi must join Antal on a new hunt with far higher stakes than she's ever faced before, bartering with neighbouring immortals who might offer an alliance - or tear their throats out in the snow. She's always known the dangers of her trade - and of the power she's wielded since childhood, allowing her to see the secret doors between realities, to walk the Void itself. But nothing could have prepared her for meeting Antal. For the deal she's been forced to make, and what that deal might ignite. A revolution. And a temptation - for how sweet the monster's fangs might feel. From the author of instant Sunday Times bestseller The Phoenix Keeper comes a dazzling new fantasy universe unmissable for fans of the world-building scale of Sarah J. Maas and the world-shifting stakes of Rebecca Yarros.
Voidwalker: An unmissable new romantasy series from the instant Sunday Times bestseller (Beasts of the Void #1)
by S. A. MacLean'A gorgeous, genre-defying journey through broken worlds' BRIGITTE KNIGHTLEY'A book that bites back' ALEXANDRA KENNINGTON'Deliciously tender' SARA OMER'Your vicious new obsession' LYRA SELENE'10/10 would trade my soul for another chapter' MIKAYLA BRIDGE'For everyone who wished the beast hadn't turned back into a human' HAZEL MCBRIDEWOULD IT BE SO BAD, TO BE DEVOURED?Fi has carved out a career as a cross-dimensional smuggler by sticking to simple rules: keep your routes secret, always draw your energy sword first, and - at all costs - avoid the daeyari, the carnivorous immortals who have ruled for millennia.When she's hired to smuggle a bomb into the capital, instinct tells her the risk isn't worth the pay, but the entreaty of a long-lost friend guilts her into accepting. Until the heist goes terribly wrong, and Fi is thrown at the feet of the daeyari lord, Antal, as payment.Antal is a hunter - cold and cunning and furious at Fi for her part in the attack on his city. Her saving grace is a common enemy: he'll spare her if she helps him uncover who masterminded the scheme. To save her life, her family, and the village she calls home, Fi must join Antal on a new hunt with far higher stakes than she's ever faced before, bartering with neighbouring immortals who might offer an alliance - or tear their throats out in the snow. She's always known the dangers of her trade - and of the power she's wielded since childhood, allowing her to see the secret doors between realities, to walk the Void itself. But nothing could have prepared her for meeting Antal. For the deal she's been forced to make, and what that deal might ignite. A revolution. And a temptation - for how sweet the monster's fangs might feel. From the author of instant Sunday Times bestseller The Phoenix Keeper comes a dazzling new fantasy universe unmissable for fans of the world-building scale of Sarah J. Maas and the world-shifting stakes of Rebecca Yarros.
Volatile Memory (The Volatile Memory Duology)
by Seth HaddonThis is How You Lose the Time War meets Ex Machina: Seth Haddon's science fiction debut, Volatile Memory, is a sapphic sci-fi action adventure novella."A gorgeously tender exploration of human connection in a post-human universe."—The Washington PostAn Amazon Editor's Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy PickA Most Anticipated Book: GoodReads | Literary Hub | BookRiot | Words & Brush Strokes | SheReads | BookTrib | Winter Is Coming | We Are Bookish | New ScientistWith nothing but a limping ship and an outdated mask to her name, Wylla needs a big pay day. When the alert goes out that a lucrative piece of tech lies hidden on a nearby planet, she calls on all the swiftness of her prey-animal instincts to beat other hunters to it.What you found wasn’t your ticket out—it was my corpse wearing an AI mask. When you touched the mask, you heard my voice. A consciousness spinning through metal and circuits, a bodiless mind, spun to life in the HAWK’s temporary storage. I crystallized and realized: I was alive.Masks aren't supposed to retain memory, much less identity, but the woman inside the MARK I HAWK is real, and she sees Wylla in a way no one ever has. Sees her, and doesn’t find her wanting or unwhole. Armed with military-grade tech and a lifetime of staying one step ahead of the hunters, Wylla and HAWK set off to get answers from the man who discarded HAWK once before: her ex-husband.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Volcano: Book 5 (Starstormers #5)
by Nicholas FiskWhen the Starstormers accidentally blast off into space they head for the relative safety of the strange and unwelcoming planet of Volcano. Here they are delighted to be joined by their old allies - the veils of Moloch - who prove surprisingly useful. But they soon discover that the Octopus Emperor - determined to enslave or destroy them - is still pursuing them relentlessly. And under his influence the planet and its inhabitants are becoming increasingly hostile. Finally, Ispex comes up with a plan to destroy the Emperor once and for all. Something so far-fetched that it might just work. But is there time before the Tyrannopolis battleship strikes its final, fatal blows? And can the Starstormers make the huge sacrifice the plan demands?
Volere la luna
by Sarah Madison Ugo TeleseIl vampiro Alexei Novik può anche avere i denti aguzzi e la bara, ma ha abbandonato quello stile di vita per una vecchia casa da ristrutturare nei monti Blue Ridge. Stanco del passato, Alex intende restare da solo, ma sembra che il suo nuovo affascinante vicino, Tate, non recepisca il messaggio: una buona cosa, dal momento che questi sembra essere a conoscenza di tutte le cose che riguardano la casa. Tate va anche d'accordo con gli amici mannari di Alex, anche se uno di loro gli ricorda apertamente che la loro amicizia non è una buona idea. Se una relazione platonica è una cattiva idea, la crescente attrazione tra Tate e Alex è un disastro annunciato. Il dolce Tate si ritroverà invischiato nel mondo pericoloso di Alex e quest'ultimo sarà diviso tra la voglia di avere la relazione che ha sempre desiderato e il desiderio di tenere Tate al sicuro. Quest'ultimo, d'altro canto, non accetta un no come risposta e sembra accettare tranquillamente tutto ciò che Alex gli riversa addosso senza battere ciglio. Proprio quando il vampiro pensa che, dopotutto, le cose possano andare per il meglio, il passato di Alex ritorna, spingendolo a fare una scelta terribile.
Volición
by Aliz Ayala Lee StraussLa emocionante continuación de la Trilogía Percepción: Zoe Vanderveen está huyendo con su captor quien se convirtió en su salvador, Noah Brody. Ellos están enamorados. O al menos eso es lo que él le cuenta. Sus recuerdos han vuelto pero sus sentimientos son como un sueño, tenue y fugaz. No puede confiar en su corazón. Solo mira lo que pasó con Taylor Blake. El nuevo equipo de agentes ciborg del Senador Vanderveen está tras ellos y en todo el país se transmite una recompensa por su captura. El frío y la nieve sin precedentes dificultan su escape. Alguien muere al ayudarles. Y su lucha por la supervivencia apenas comienza.
Volk: A Novel of Radiant Abomination (The Book of the Juke Series #2)
by David NickleThe sequel to Eutopia is &“a nailbiter . . . that is spooky as hell, a critical and sharp demolition of Lovecraft&’s own romanticization of eugenics&” (Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing). In Eutopia, an orphaned farm boy and a black physician came face to face with monsters both human—American eugenicists—and inhuman—a parasite called the Juke. Volk is &“another dive into the horrific . . . a dazzling horror novel that&’s unafraid to ask questions and leave some of them unanswered&” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). At the dawn of the twentieth century, Dr. Andrew Waggoner and Jason Thistledown made it out of the Idaho town of Eliada alive—but so did the Juke . . . Now, in 1931 Europe, there are those who seek to resurrect the philosophy of the founders of Eliada. Deep in the Bavarian mountains, research has begun on the creature whose seductive poison can be used in the Nazis&’ quest for a master race. Still struggling with the aftershocks of their encounters with the Juke, Dr. Waggoner has become the head of a secret society in Paris dedicated to the monster&’s destruction, while Thistledown is a veteran World War I pilot. Drawn back together to fight the evil that is brewing, they will be forced to confront the diabolical plans of those who will stop at nothing to reshape humanity—and the one being capable of destroying it completely . . . &“The most intellectually provocative horror novel of the twenty-first century.&” —Toronto Star &“[Volk] cements David Nickle&’s reputation as one of the leaders of his generation of writers.&” —John Langan, award-winning author of The Fisherman
Volkhavaar
by Tanith LeeNow for the first time in e-book, a dark fantasy tale from a master of the genre.Kidnapped from her home at a young age, Shaina has been enslaved for most of her life. Now sixteen, she&’s been bought and sold, growing wiser and more resilient with each new trial she must endure. Her current enslavers are an older couple living in a small farming village, a quiet place—until the arrival of a magnificent troupe of traveling players, led by the great Kernik, the Clever Showman and Prince of Conjurers. Kernik and his troupe enchant the village with their grand performance, only to disappear under the cover of night. The next morning, everyone has mysteriously forgotten the troupe—except for Shaina. Helplessly smitten with one of the handsome actors, Dasyel, Shaina seeks the help of the witch Barbayat, who offers to teach her how to separate her soul from her body. Shaina&’s soul can search for Dasyel while her body remains. But Kernik is no ordinary showman. He&’s truly the dark magician Volkhavaar, drawing his powers of illusion from Takerna, the evil god of night and shadows. He plans to subjugate the great city of Arkev, to force its citizens to worship Takerna and strengthen his powers further. And Dasyel is under his control. In order to save Arkev and free Dasyel from Volkhavaar&’s thrall, Shaina must fight Volkhavaar&’s illlusions with the strength of her soul, defying his tyranny of hatred with the power of her love.
Volkhavaar (Gateway Essentials #391)
by Tanith LeeVOLKHAVAAR is a novel of witchcraft and wonders on a world far removed from those we know. Here the gods contend for power - the Dark forces against the Light - and here an entire city and its land is plunged into the shadow of an eil beyond anything conceivable. It is the story of Shaina the slave girl and of Volk the outcast who enslaved himself to cosmic forces to gain total power - and of how they were finally to meet and flash - with an entire world as their prize.