- Table View
- List View
Agatha H and the Voice of the Castle (Girl Genius)
by Phil Foglio Kaja FoglioIn the third installment of the Girl Genius novels, Agatha H. and the Voice of the Castle begins as Agatha Heterodyne returns to her ancestral home, the warped little town of Mechanicsburg. There she must claim her inheritance by convincing the artificial intelligence that animates her family&’s castle that she is, in fact, the new Heterodyne. But this apparently simple task is made complicated in several ways: An imposter claiming to be the legitimate heir appears. The Empire is convinced that Agatha is the person responsible for the Long War (and to be fair, they are not entirely incorrect). And, worst of all, the Castle itself is insane.From the Hugo Award–winning Girl Genius online comics comes this third book in the Agatha H. trilogy; and just like the first two, Agatha H. and the Voice of the Castle will grab you from the first page and not let go!
Chains of the Heretic: Bloodsounder's Arc Book Three (Bloodsounder's Arc)
by Jeff SalyardsMen are more easily broken than myths.Emperor Cynead has usurped command of the Memoridons—Tower-controlled memory witches—and consolidated his reign over the Syldoonian Empire. After escaping the capital city of Sunwrack, Captain Braylar Killcoin and his Jackal company evade pursuit across Urglovia, tasked with reaching deposed emperor Thumarr and helping him recapture the throne. Braylar&’s sister, Soffjian, rejoins the Jackals and reveals that Commander Darzaak promised her freedom if she agreed to aid them in breaking Cynead&’s grip on the other Memoridons and ousting him.Imperial forces attempt to intercept Braylar&’s company before they can reach Thumarr. The Jackals fight through Cynead&’s battalions but find themselves trapped along the Godveil. Outmaneuvered and outnumbered, Braylar gambles on some obscure passages that Arki has translated and uses his cursed flail, Bloodsounder, to part the Godveil, leading the Jackals to the other side. There, they encounter the ruins of human civilization, but they also learn that the Deserters who abandoned humanity a millennium ago and created the Veil in their wake are still very much alive. But are they gods? Demons? Monsters?What Braylar, Soffjian, Arki, and the Jackals discover beyond the Godveil will shake an empire, reshape a map, and irrevocably alter the course of history.
Eclipse 3
by edited by Jonathan StrahanTo observe an eclipse is to witness a rare and unusual event. Under darkened skies the sun becomes a negative image of itself, its corona transforming the landscape into a strange space where anything might happen, and any story may be true...In the spirit of classic science fiction anthologies such as Universe, Orbit, and Starlight, master anthologist Jonathan Strahan (The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year) presents the non-themed genre anthology Eclipse: New Science Fiction and Fantasy. Here you will find stories where strange and wonderful things happen--where reality is eclipsed by something magical and new.Continuing in the footsteps of the multiple-award-nominated anthologies Eclipse One and Eclipse Two, Eclipse Three delivers new fiction by some of the genre's most celebrated authors, including Karen Joy Fowler's story of a family's desperation and a rebellious young woman's strange incarceration; Ellen Klages's fable of a practical girl, an unusual tortoise, and an ancient mathematical puzzle; Pat Cadigan's story of a mysterious photograph and two friends' journey through space and time in order to solve its riddle; Jeffrey Ford's tale of a legendary sword imbued with the power to turn flesh to coral, and of the artist that wields it; Daniel Abraham's story of divine providence, sacred oaths, and the omens that indicate whether a man is fit to be king; and Caitlin R. Kiernan's chronicle of an astronaut whose memories of a lover lost to an alien intelligence haunt her.
Butcher Bird: A Novel of the Dominion (Sandman Slim)
by Richard KadreyButcher Bird, an early protoype for dark urban fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of Sandman Slim, is reissued in a special tenth anniversary edition. Spyder Lee is a happy man. He lives in San Francisco and owns a tattoo shop. He has his favorite drinking buddy, Lulu Garou, and other friends all over town. One night a pissed-off demon tries to bite his head off and he's saved by a stranger?a small, blind woman with a sword as wicked as her smile. After that, Spyder&’s life is turned upside down. The demon infected Spyder with something awful?the truth. He can suddenly see the world as it really is: full of angels and demons and monsters and monster-hunters; a world full of black magic and mysteries. These are the Dominions, parallel worlds full of wonder, beauty and horror, of which Spyder&’s is only one. Each Dominion is home to another race of creatures from human myth. If you&’re clever or lucky, you can pass from one Dominion to another, but the Dominions themselves never touch. At least, they&’re not supposed to. The Black Clerks, infinitely old and infinitely powerful beings whose job it is to keep the Dominions in balance, seem to have new interests and a whole new agenda. Dropped into the middle of a conflict between the Black Clerks and other forces he doesn't fully understand, Spyder searches for a magic book with the blind swordswoman who saved him. Their journey will take them from deserts to lush palaces, to underground caverns, to the heart of Hell itself.
Orbus (A Spatterjay Novel)
by Neal AsherThis is a follow-up to The Voyage of the Sable Keech tracing the journey of an Old Captain, Orbus – a sadist in charge of a crew of masochists - to a planetary wasteland called The Graveyard&’ lying between the Polity and the Prador Kingdom. An ancient war drone by the name of Sniper has stowed away aboard his spaceship, and the purpose of the journey is not entirely what the captain expected. Also heading in the same direction is the Prador king and the Prador Vrell. Vrell, having been mutated by the Spatterjay virus into something powerful and dangerous, has seized control of a Prador dreadnought, killing much of its crew, and is intent on heading back to the Prador Third Kingdom to exact vengeance on the King of the Prador, who tried to have him killed. All three ships are heading towards a climatic confrontation to The Graveyard, where underlying truths about the virus are revealed and an ancient menace to civilization reappears…
The Reign of the Departed: The High and Faraway, Book One
by Greg KeyesA young man looking for death finds purpose in a world beyond our own in this sweeping fantasy from Greg Keyes (The Briar King, Newton&’s Cannon). Errol Greyson hadn&’t intended to commit suicide. Or so he told himself. But waking up after his &“cry for help&” in the body of a wood-and-metal construct magically animated by Aster?the strange girl from school?was not a result he could have imagined. Aster&’s wild explanations of a quest to find the water of health that would cure her father seemed as unreal as her description of Errol&’s own half-dead existence, his consciousness stuck in an enchanted automaton while his real body was in a coma from which it might never wake. And of course, they would need to recruit a girl?a virgin, no less?who had been dead for thirty years, to lead them through something called the Pale, beyond which a bunch of magical kingdoms existed. Plus, the threat that Aster could turn him off like a light switch, sending him into a hellish oblivion, was a convincing incentive to cooperate. It all seemed quite mad: Either Aster was nuts, or Errol was hallucinating. But if it meant a new chance at life, he reckoned it was worth playing along.
The Collected Fantasies of Clark Ashton Smith: A Vintage From Atlantis
by Clark Ashton SmithPublished in chronological order, with extensive story and bibliographic notes, this series not only provides access to stories that have been out of print for years, but gives them a historical and social context. Series editors Scott Conners and Ronald S. Hilger excavated the still-existing manuscripts, letters and various published versions of the stories, creating a definitive &“preferred text&” for Smith's entire body of work. This third volume of the series brings together 21 of his fantasy stories.
The Song of All
by Tina Le Count MyersOn the forbidding fringes of the tundra, where years are marked by seasons of snow, humans war with immortals in the name of their shared gods. Irjan, a human warrior, is ruthless and lethal, a legend among the Brethren of Hunters. But even legends grow tired and disillusioned.Scarred and weary of bloodshed, Irjan turns his back on his oath and his calling to hide away and live a peaceful life as a farmer, husband, and father. But his past is not so easily left behind. When an ambitious village priest conspires with the vengeful comrades Irjan has forsaken, the fragile peace in the Northlands of Davvieana is at stake.His bloody past revealed, Irjan&’s present unravels as he faces an ultimatum: return to hunt the immortals or lose his child. But with his son&’s life hanging in the balance, as Irjan follows the tracks through the dark and desolate snow-covered forests, it is not death he searches for, but life.
Tower Broken: Tower and Knife 3 (Tower and Knife)
by Mazarkis WilliamsThe Cerani Empire reaches a tipping point in the thrilling conclusion to the Tower and Knife trilogy.The world is at its breaking point. The nothing, a terrible darkness caused by the festering wounds of a god, bleeds out the very essence of all, of stone, silk—and souls. Emperor Sarmin thought he had stopped it, but it is spreading toward his city, Cerana—and he is powerless to halt the destruction.Even as Cerana fills with refugees, the Yrkmen armies arrive with conquest in mind, but they offer to spare Sarmin&’s people if they will convert to the Mogyrk faith.Time is running out for Sarmin and his wife, Mesema. The Mage&’s Tower is cracked; the last mage, sent to find a mysterious pattern-worker in the desert, has vanished; and Sarmin believes his kidnapped brother, Daveed, still has a part to play. The walls are crumbling around them . . .As the Tower and Knife trilogy thunders to the finish line, author Mazarkis Williams expands his masterful world-building a final time, putting the pieces in place for an explosive conclusion.
Ironfoot: The Enchanter General, Book One
by Dave DuncanMedieval magic, murder, and mayhem! It is 1164, and for a hundred years England has been ruled by the Normans. A young Saxon boy named Durwin, crippled by a childhood accident, had caught the eye of a Norman sage teaching at a rural school of magic. Realizing that the boy had promise, Durwin was made stable boy, and eventually allowed to attend classes. Now twenty, Durwin is proficient enough that he is assigned to teach, but the other sages refuse to promote him and he is hassled by the Norman juniors for his disability. But those troubles turn out to be the least of his worries when he manages to corrects errors in an ancient corrupted spell, which promptly prophesies murder. Sure enough, word soon reaches the school that one of the local count&’s house sage has died, perhaps slain by black magic. Durwin is whisked away to the family&’s castle, only to find that one death was only the beginning. The young sage quickly learns of a dizzying plot to assassinate King Henry. Dropped into the middle of the complex politics of England&’s royal courts, can Durwin stop them in time?
Never Knew Another (Dogsland)
by J.M. McDermottFugitive Rachel Nolander is a newcomer to the city of Dogsland, where the rich throw parties and the poor just do whatever they can to scrape by. Supported by her brother Djoss, she hides out in their squalid apartment, living in fear that someday, someone will find out that she is the child of a demon. Corporal Jona Lord Joni is a demon's child too, but instead of living in fear, he keeps his secret and goes about his life as a cocky, self-assured man of the law. The first book in the Dogsland Trilogy, Never Knew Another is the story of how these two outcasts meet.
Social Principles of The United Methodist Church 2025-2028
by United Methodist ChurchGain a deeper understanding of your beliefs as a United Methodist.Use this powerful resource to dive deep into The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church. This 64-page booklet is specially designed to aid individuals and small groups in their study. Packed with the official text of The Social Principles, exercises, a topical index, and the Social Creed, this resource is your key to understanding the church's stance on crucial topics.For over a century, dedicated lay and clergy members of The United Methodist Church and its predecessor denominations have made legislative decisions to shape The Social Principles. These principles are the result of prayerful consideration and thoughtful efforts by multiple General Conferences to address complex and controversial global issues.By engaging in this study, you can delve into your own theology and ethics, allowing you to grow in discipleship and further explore your beliefs. Don't miss out on this invaluable opportunity for personal and group growth.
Embracing the Uncertain, 2nd edition: A Bible Study for Unsteady Times
by Magrey deVegaLearn to navigate life’s uncertainties.Just turning on the news lets us know we are living in uncertain times. Economic instabilities, eruptions of violence, and natural catastrophes can alter the lives and landscapes of entire communities. Our individual lives are often just as unsteady: relationships can falter, plans can go awry, and confidence can wane.Uncertainty can be uncomfortable. Many of us prefer stability and a predictable future to an unknown fate. We are wired to want to control our destiny.The reality is that in our fast-changing, unpredictable world, there are few guarantees in life. It’s those who are willing to embrace uncertainty and make the risky decision to follow Jesus despite the many unknowns who will reap the greatest rewards.In Embracing the Uncertain, Magrey deVega invites readers to engage and wrestle with life’s uncertainties, not ignore them. The six chapters focus on six post-transfiguration, pre-Passion stories in the Gospels. Each of these stories is a signpost in the Gospel narrative, pointing down at a world filled with uncertainty but pointing us forward to a cross that can show us how to follow Jesus with courage, hope, and obedience.Embracing the Uncertain helps you dig deep into your faith and face life’s challenges with a renewed sense of purpose.In addition to the book, other study components include a Leader Guide and DVD.
Grace to Lead: Practicing Leadership in the Wesleyan Tradition, Revised Edition
by Laceye C. Warner Kenneth L. CarderWesleyan Leadership Is About Character.Grace to Lead: Practicing Leadership in the Wesleyan Tradition, Revised Edition offers a clear and practical guide for pastors, teachers, and Christian leaders shaped by the Wesleyan vision of grace. Drawing on the insights of the 18th-century Wesleyan revival and the best of contemporary scholarship, Bishop Kenneth Carder and Dr. Laceye Warner show how leadership rooted in grace forms character, inspires mission, and strengthens the church for faithful service today.This updated edition expands the original with fresh illustrations, models of leadership for congregations and institutions, and renewed attention to the practices that empower leaders in every ministry setting.Christian leadership, the authors remind us, is theological at its core. Flowing from the abundant grace of God in Christ, effective leadership is never merely about technique or strategy, but about embodying God’s mission in the world.
The Progressive Planter: A Handbook for Ecclesial Entrepreneurs
by Joe GravesDiscover how to launch an inclusive Church for today’s world.Equip new church start pastors, sending churches and denominational leaders with the essential tools to establish an inclusive, theologically healthy church that will impact its community. Learn about crafting a vision, recruiting leaders, working with parent churches and denominations, marketing, reclaiming evangelism, and cultivating generous givers.With the purchase of The Progressive Planter, you will receive access to supplemental digital download templates and tools for starting a church, including a board manual, job descriptions, core values, surveys, prayer guides, and more.
Let the Children Lead: Models for Worship with All Generations
by Nelson CowanNurturing Children (and all) as Disciples through Worship.Discover a new approach to ministry with children and families, one that goes beyond simply increasing attendance numbers. Dive into five innovative congregational models that faithfully and intentionally engage children in worship. Gain insight from real-life success stories and learn how to contextualize and scale the models, implementing them with the laity and leaders in your congregation.The models include pray-grounds, sensory sensitive worship practices, outreach-oriented experiences, school partnerships in the arts, and leadership in band-led worship settings.The book offers theological perspectives on the importance of worship in children’s faith formation. And it provides practical help as your congregation learns to support and serve children not as a means for church growth but as an act of faithfulness. See the Holy Spirit at work as you follow Christ’s example of embracing young hearts into the worship community.
Embracing the Uncertain, 2nd edition, Leader Guide: A Bible Study for Unsteady Times
by Magrey deVegaLearn to navigate life’s uncertainties.The Leader Guide contains discussion questions and session plans for a six-week study of Embracing the Uncertain. It includes opening and closing prayers, optional activities, and weekly session goals. It is designed to be used with the book and DVD.Just turning on the news lets us know we are living in uncertain times. Economic instabilities, eruptions of violence, and natural catastrophes can alter the lives and landscapes of entire communities. Our individual lives are often just as unsteady: relationships can falter, plans can go awry, and confidence can wane.Uncertainty can be uncomfortable. Many of us prefer stability and a predictable future to an unknown fate. We are wired to want to control our destiny.The reality is that in our fast-changing, unpredictable world, there are few guarantees in life. It’s those who are willing to embrace uncertainty and make the risky decision to follow Jesus despite the many unknowns who will reap the greatest rewards.In Embracing the Uncertain, Magrey deVega invites readers to engage and wrestle with life’s uncertainties, not ignore them. The six chapters focus on six post-transfiguration, pre-Passion stories in the Gospels. Each of these stories is a signpost in the Gospel narrative, pointing down at a world filled with uncertainty but pointing us forward to a cross that can show us how to follow Jesus with courage, hope, and obedience.Embracing the Uncertain helps you dig deep into your faith and face life’s challenges with a renewed sense of purpose.
Rooted in the Wild: Revitalizing the Church in a Blended Ecology
by Michael Adam BeckDiscover the blended ecology model for modern churches.How can the church adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing culture while staying true to its roots? With churches facing declining attendance and outreach struggles, Rooted in the Wild offers a timely and inspiring solution. Author Michael Adam Beck introduces the concept of a “blended ecology” of the church. This groundbreaking approach combines the “deep roots” of traditional practices with the “wild branches” of fresh, unconventional expressions of faith. From biblical foundations to real-world examples, Beck explores how churches can honor their heritage while reaching new people in unexpected places, such as homes, tattoo parlors, and dog parks.This isn’t just a lofty vision – it’s a practical, hands-on guide filled with actionable strategies for revitalizing your church community. Whether you’re a leader in an established congregation or someone pioneering innovative ways of doing ministry, Rooted in the Wild shows how tradition and innovation can work together to create meaningful transformations. This book serves as a roadmap to bridge the past and the future, helping your congregation grow as a community while expanding its ministry to all.
Steadfast 2026: 365 Days of Devotion
by Abingdon PressA year of devotions to deepen your faith."Teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom." These words from Psalm 90:12 invite us to reflect deeply on the precious gift of time and how we use it. For centuries, Christians have leaned on Scripture—not just reading it but truly immersing themselves in it—to grow closer to God and develop a life rooted in faith. This yearlong devotional aligns with the calendar year and beautifully intertwines the church’s liturgical seasons. From Advent to Easter and everything in between, it highlights the sacred rhythm of the Christian calendar, providing moments to pause, reflect, and celebrate. The themes woven throughout the year create a narrative structure, offering readers a sense of continuity and connection as the weeks unfold. The devotions explore a wide variety of Scripture passages and themes, reflecting the ebb and flow of life’s experiences. No matter what this year holds, these devotions aim to meet you where you are.Steadfast 2026 is an invitation to intentionally spend time in God’s presence, deepen your faith, and open your heart to God’s Word. By committing to daily devotion, you’ll find yourself drawing nearer to the Lord, cultivating wisdom, and walking boldly in faith daily.
Answering the Call: Candidacy Guidebook
by Abingdon PressHow to prepare for ordination in The United Methodist Church.Discover your true purpose and gain clarity in your spiritual calling with Answering the Call, the Candidacy Guidebook from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Thoughtfully designed to inspire deep reflection, this guide walks you through the essential steps to discern whether ordained ministry aligns with God's plan for your life.It’s not just about hearing the call; it’s about understanding whether your unique gifts, grace, and readiness align with the path of ministry leadership. Packed with prayerful guidance and thought-provoking questions, this resource empowers you to make a faithful decision, not just for yourself, but for the community you are called to serve.Whether you’re stepping into this process with excitement or uncertainty, Answering the Call offers the counsel and reassurance you need. Required reading for those pursuing candidacy within the United Methodist Church, this guidebook invites you to explore your potential with confidence, ensuring that God’s purpose can work powerfully through your life, no matter the outcome.
The Bash Bash Revolution
by Douglas LainSeventeen-year-old Matthew Munson is ranked thirteenth in the state in Bash Bash Revolution, an outdated Nintendo game from 2002 that, in 2016, is still getting tournament play. He&’s a high school dropout who still lives at home with his mom, doing little but gaming and moping. That is, until Matthew&’s dad turns up again.Jeffrey Munson is a computer geek who&’d left home eight years earlier to work on a top secret military project. Jeff has been a sporadic presence in Matthew&’s life, and much to his son&’s displeasure insists on bonding over video games. The two start entering local tournaments together, where Jeff shows astonishing aptitude for Bash Bash Revolution in particular.Then, as abruptly as he appeared, Matthew&’s father disappears again, just as he was beginning to let Jeff back into his life.The betrayal is life-shattering, and Matthew decides to give chase, in the process discovering the true nature of the government-sponsored artificial intelligence program his father has been involved in. Told as a series of conversations between Matthew and his father&’s artificial intelligence program, Bash Bash Revolution is a wildly original novel of apocalypse and revolution, as well as a poignant story of broken family.
The Fire in His Hands: Book One of A Fortress in Shadow
by Glen CookOnce a mighty kingdom reigned, but now all is chaos. In the vast reaches of the desert, a young heretic escapes certain death and embarks on a mission of madness and glory. He is El Murid - the Disciple - who vows to bring order, prosperity, and righteousness to the desert people of Hammad al Nakir. After four long centuries, El Murid is the savior who is destined to build a new empire from the blood his enemies. But all is not as it seems, and the sinister forces pulling the strings of empire come into the light. Who and what lies behind El Murid's vision of a desert empire? The first book in the A Fortress in Shadow book.
Enormity
by W.G. MarshallEnormity is the strange tale of an American working in Korea, a lonely young man named Manny Lopes, who is not only physically small (in his own words, he's a &“Creole shrimp&”), but his work, his failed marriage, his race, all conspire to make him feel puny and insignificant-the proverbial ninety-eight-pound weakling.Then one day an accident happens, a quantum explosion, and suddenly Manny awakens to discover that he is big-really big. In fact, Manny is enormous, a mile-high colossus! Now there's no stopping him: he's a one-man weapon of mass destruction. Yet he means well.Enormity takes some odd turns, featuring characters like surfing gangbangers, elderly terrorists, and a North Korean assassin who thinks she's Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. There's also sex, violence, and action galore, with the army throwing everything it has against the rampaging colossus that is Manny Lopes. But there's only one weapon that has any chance at all of stopping him: his wife.
Transmaniacon
by John ShirleyJohn Shirley&’s Debut Novel!Ben Rackey, Professional Irritant: A man who is assigned to steal the Exciter—a device that can amplify and release strong, hostile human emotions in anyone, anywhere. The Exciter can turn suppressed anger into a full-scale war. With the power to psychically manipulate crowds of people, Rackey can demolish The Barrier, an invisible wall of densely flowing ions entirely enclosing the continental United States...and escape. BEN RACKEY Foremost Professional irritant, remarkable in acting both as burglar and inciter in the bizarre and pleasure-seeking world of the 22nd century is a fearless, ruthless man of ingenuity, completely overwhelmed with his own strength. His latest and most dangerous assignment is to steal THE EXCITER. A dangerous and fragile device for the augmentation of the telepathic transfer of mania. By seeking out and amplifying strong, hostile human emotions, the exciter can turn a street brawl into a full scale war. As soon as Ben has possession if it he will have the power to destroy THE BARRIER. Conceived as the perfect defense against nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare, it was activated in 1989 - an invisible screen of densely flowing ions entirely enclosing the continental zone labeled "The United States." Once the barrier is demolished Ben can escape.
The Tree (The Wrath & Athenaeum)
by Na'amen Gobert TilahunThe sequel to The Root, a compelling urban fantasy series set between modern-day San Francisco and an alternate dimension filled with gods and worlds of dark magic. In Corpiliu, an alternate dimension to our own, a darkness grows, devouring whole cities as it spreads. Robbed of her greatest power, separated from her siblings and thrown among people she does not trust, Lil, a &’dant from the city Zebub, must find a way to turn everything around, to trust in a power she knows nothing about.Erik travels from San Francisco to Zebub, haunted by the ghost of his ex, still coming to terms with his true identity as a descendant of the gods, and unsure how to fight what seems to have no weakness. Pushing back against taboos meant to keep the true history of Corpiliu secret, he gains many enemies and few allies, and strange visions will make him question his own sanity.Between Earth and Corpiliu, a war is developing on two fronts, one that might well mean the end of both dimensions. In The Tree, the dynamic follow-up to the exciting fantasy debut The Root, long-held secrets will be revealed, and long-trusted loyalties will be put to the test.