From the Creators of the award-winning steampunk Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series comes a collection of new adventures from around the world.The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences investigates the bizarre and unusual, and protects the citizens of the Empire from forces of darkness. Every agent knows that thrusting themselves into danger is part of the job, and may demand of them the ultimate sacrifice. They call on their own inner strength, wits, intellect, and innovations of science and technology.But is it enough to face the unknown and the unexplainable? Travel to the farthest corners of Queen Victoria’s mighty empire and back again to the shores of Old Blighty, unlocking the mysteries of legend, lore, and shadowy societies. Welcome to a world of steam, secrets, machinations and madness.
In a one-of-a-kind collaboration, seventeen of the most recognizable YA writers—including Shaun David Hutchinson, Neal and Brendan Shusterman, and Beth Revis—come together to share the viewpoints of a group of students affected by a school shooting. It took only twenty-two minutes for Kirby Matheson to exit his car, march onto the school grounds, enter the gymnasium, and open fire, killing six and injuring five others. But this isn’t a story about the shooting itself. This isn’t about recounting that one unforgettable day. This is about one boy—who had friends, enjoyed reading, playing saxophone in the band, and had never been in trouble before—became a monster capable of entering his school with a loaded gun and firing bullets at his classmates. Each chapter is told from a different victim’s viewpoint, giving insight into who Kirby was and who he’d become. Some are sweet, some are dark; some are seemingly unrelated, about fights or first kisses or late-night parties. This is a book told from multiple perspectives—with one character and one event drawing them all together—by some of YA’s most recognizable names.
Like Unfettered before it, the contributing writers of Unbound were allowed to submit the tales they wished fans of genre to read—without the constraints of a shackling theme. The result is magical. Twenty-three all-original stories are sure to captivate you—some will move you to tears while others will keep you turning the pages long into the night. The power of Unbound lies in its variety of tales and the voices behind them. If you are a fan of discovering new writers or reading the works of beloved authors, Unbound is for you. Return to Landover with Terry Brooks. Go to trial with Harry Dresden and Jim Butcher. Enter the Citadel and become remade with Rachel Caine. Survive a plague with John Marco and his robot companion Echo. Be painted among the stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. These tales and the others that comprise the anthology are only bound by how enchanting and enthralling they are. Unbound is filled with spectacularly wonderful stories, each one as diverse as its creator. You will be changed upon finishing it. And that is the point.
An anthology of essays exploring the origins of the authors' relationships to their favorite superheroes; including stories from Neil Gaiman, Jodi Picoult, Brad Meltzer, Joe Lansdale and more! As broad as our exponentially growing cultural fascination with caped crusaders is, it runs just as deep as this long awaited anthology underscores. Liesa Mignogna the VP, Editorial Director at Simon Pulse and editor of this anthology can expound on the virtues of Batman (her wedding was even Batman-themed) but it's her retelling of incredibly harrowing yet ultimately inspiring encounters with The Dark Knight over the years, as she struggled to coexist with the supervillains in her own family that birthed this collection. Last Night, A Superhero Saved My Life gives readers the chance to connect to their beloved authors, while those same authors connect to their beloved superheroes, and within that feedback loop of respect and admiration lies a stellar, and phenomenally accessible, anthology full of thrills, chills, and spills. Contributors include New York Times bestsellers Christopher Golden, Leigh Bardugo, Brad Meltzer, Neil Gaiman, Carrie Vaughn, Jodi Picoult, and Jamie Ford, as well as award-winners and mainstays like Joe R. Lansdale, Karina Cooper, and Ron Currie, Jr among many others. Last Night, A Superhero Saved My Life 's authors share their most hilarious and most heart wrenching experiences with their chosen defender to explain why superheroes matter, what they tell us about who we are, and what they mean for our future.
Twenty-five years of Vampire: The Masquerade Twenty-five years of storytelling, adventure, and exploration. In celebration, we bring you eighteen authors that explore the evolution and development of the world of Vampire. From tales of wanton diablerie to the fulfilling of centuries-old religious vows, lover’s sacrifices, and searches for truth. Peel apart the layers and discover the endless ages of beauty and betrayal. Celebrating 25 years of personal horror, the eighteen stories in Endless Ages range in style and aesthetics from the very first edition of Vampire released in 1991, all the way to the latest books put out for the 20th Anniversary Edition. "The Becoming" has stories grounded in the lonely struggle for morality. "Gothic-Punk" stories focus on sensuality and the conflict between young and ancient vampires. "Signs of Gehenna" shows what happens to Kindred society as it teeters on the edge of apocalypse. Finally, "Modern Nights" juxtaposes all of these concepts to present a comfortable illusion of status quo in a world of conspiracy. Vampire: the Masquerade and World of Darkness are registered trademarks of White Wolf Entertainment AB.
Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling is an anthology of short stories, poetry, and essays edited by Monica Valentinelli and Jaym Gates. Over two dozen authors, ranging from NYT-bestsellers and award winners to debut writers, chose a tired trope or cliche to challenge and surprise readers through their work. Read stories inspired by tropes such as the Chainmaille Bikini, Love at First Sight, Damsels in Distress, Yellow Peril, The Black Man Dies First, The Villain Had a Crappy Childhood, The Singularity Will Cause the Apocalypse, and many more...then discover what these tropes mean to each author to find out what inspired them. Join Maurice Broaddus, Adam Troy-Castro, Delilah S. Dawson, Shanna Germain, Sara M. Harvey, John Hornor Jacobs, Rahul Kanakia, Alethea Kontis, Valya Dudycz Lupescu, Haralmbi Markov, Sunil Patel, Kat Richardson, Nisi Shawl, Ferrett Steinmetz, Anton Strout, Michael Underwood, Alyssa Wong, and many other authors as they take well-worn tropes and cliches and flip them upside down. CONTENTS Introduction -- Jerry Gordon SECTION I: INVERTING THE TROPES On Loving Bad Boys: A Villanelle -- Valya Dudycz Lupescu Single, Singularity -- John Hornor Jacobs Lazzrus -- Nisi Shawl Seeking Truth -- Elsa Sjunneson-Henry Thwock -- Michelle Muenzler Can You Tell Me How to Get to Paprika Place? -- Michael R. Underwood Chosen -- Anton Strout The White Dragon -- Alyssa Wong Her Curse, How Gently It Comes Undone -- Haralambi Markov Burning Bright -- Shanna Germain Santa CIS (Episode 1: No Saint) -- Alethea Kontis Requiem for a Manic Pixie Dream -- Katy Harrad & Greg Stolze The Refrigerator in the Girlfriend -- Adam-Troy Castro The First Blood of Poppy Dupree -- Delilah S. Dawson Red Light -- Sara M. Harvey Until There Is Only Hunger -- Michael Matheson Super Duper Fly -- Maurice Broaddus Drafty as a Chain Mail Bikini -- Kat Richardson Swan Song -- Michelle Lyons-McFarland Those Who Leave -- Michael Choi Nouns of Nouns: A Mini Epic -- Alex Shvartsman Excess Light -- Rahul Kanakia The Origin of Terror -- Sunil Patel The Tangled Web -- Ferrett Steinmetz Hamsa, Hamsa, Hamsa, Tfu, Tfu, Tfu. -- Alisa Schreibman Real Women Are Dangerous -- Rati Mehrotra SECTION II: DISCUSSING THE TROPES I'm Pretty Sure I've Read This Before ... -- Patrick Hester Fractured Souls -- Lucy A. Snyder Into the Labyrinth: The Heroine's Journey -- A.C. Wise Escaping the Hall of Mirrors -- Victor Raymond Tropes as Erasers: A Transgender Perspective -- Keffy R.M. Kehrli SECTION III: DEFINING THE TROPES Afterword -- Monica Valentinelli & Jaym Gates Trope Definitions/Index of Tropes SECTION IV: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND ADDITIONAL BIOS
Mother. Warrior. Caregiver. Wife. Lover. Survivor. Trickster. Heroine. Leader. This anthology features 21 stories and six essays about women who defy genre stereotypes. Here, it's not the hero who acts while the heroine waits to be rescued; Hath No Fury's women are champions, not damsels in distress. Whether they are strong, bold warriors, the silent but powerful type, or the timid who muster their courage to face down terrible evil, the women of Hath No Fury will make indelible marks upon readers and leave them breathless for more.
Featured in the Netflix series Love, Death & Robots A unique anthology of all-new stories that challenges authors to throw down the gauntlet in an epic genre battle and demands an answer to the age-old question: Who is more awesome—robots or fairies? Rampaging robots! Tricksy fairies! Facing off for the first time in an epic genre death match! People love pitting two awesome things against each other. Robots vs. Fairies is an anthology that pitches genre against genre, science fiction against fantasy, through an epic battle of two icons. On one side, robots continue to be the classic sci-fi phenomenon in literature and media, from Asimov to WALL-E , from Philip K. Dick to Terminator . On the other, fairies are the beloved icons and unquestionable rulers of fantastic fiction, from Tinkerbell to Tam Lin, from True Blood to Once Upon a Time . Both have proven to be infinitely fun, flexible, and challenging. But when you pit them against each other, which side will triumph as the greatest genre symbol of all time? There can only be one…or can there? Featuring an incredible line-up of authors including John Scalzi, Catherynne M. Valente, Ken Liu, Max Gladstone, Alyssa Wong, Jonathan Maberry, and many more, Robots vs. Fairies will take you on a glitterbombed journey of a techno-fantasy mash-up across genres.
From the editor of the award-winning anthology Unfettered comes the newest installment in the science fiction and fantasy series, Unfettered III . Be haunted by the chilling ghost story of Megan Lindholm. Revisit the Magicians world with Lev Grossman. Return to Osten Ard in an epic first look at Tad Williams's Empire of Grass . Share a heartfelt story of loss and gain with Callie Bates. Cross the sands of the desert planet Dune with Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Travel the Ways in a new Wheel of Time novella with Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson. Enter the amazing potter city of Seven with Naomi Novik. And many more stories, all wondrous alongside beautiful art by Todd Lockwood! More than 700 pages of stellar SF&F from the likes of: Callie Bates Terry Brooks Delilah S. Dawson Jason Denzel David Anthony Durham Lev Grossman John Gwynne Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson Mark Lawrence Megan Lindholm (Robin Hobb) Seanan McGuire Naomi Novik Peter Orullian Cat Rambo Robert V.S. Redick Ken Scholes Scott Sigler Anna Smith Spark Shawn Speakman Anna Stephens Patrick Swenson Ramon Terrell Marc Turner Carrie Vaughn Tad Williams Deborah A. Wolf Lacking health insurance when he was diagnosed with cancer, Shawn Speakman asked friends in the science fiction and fantasy writing community to donate short stories he could use to counter mounting medical debt. The result was Unfettered , an anthology offering tales from some of the best authors working today. Now, in Unfettered III , Speakman continues to pay forward the aid he received, raising money to combat medical debt for SF&F artists and authors. He has gathered together a great mix of new and favorite writers—free to write what they like—the result a powerful new anthology perfect for all readers. Unfettered III is sure to astound with the magic bound within its pages. All the while raising money for a charitable cause. Because protecting our artists and authors is as important as the stories they tell.
Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas have co-edited and co-published Uncanny Magazine since its launch in 2014. They brought readers stunning cover art, passionate science fiction and fantasy fiction and poetry, gorgeous prose, and provocative nonfiction by writers from every conceivable background, including some of science fiction and fantasy's most fabulous award-winning and bestselling authors. In its first four years, Uncanny Magazine won the Best Semiprozine Hugo Award three times (2016, 2017, 2018), Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas won the 2018 Best Editor—Short Form Hugo Award for their work on the magazine, and numerous stories from Uncanny Magazine have been finalists or winners of Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Awards—including the novelette “Folding Beijing” by Hao Jingfang (translated by Ken Liu) which won the 2016 Best Novelette Hugo Award and the novelette “You'll Surely Drown Here If You Stay” by Alyssa Wong which won the 2017 Best Novelette Locus Award. This Best of Uncanny anthology collects those two novelettes and many of the other best stories and poems from the first 22 issues of Uncanny Magazine . Naomi Novik plunges you into a delicious fractured fairy tale retelling in “Blessings.” Delilah S. Dawson explores superpowers, harassment, and revenge in “Catcall.” Neil Gaiman takes you along to keep pace with his gorgeous and powerful poem “The Long Run.” Charlie Jane Anders shakes up a haunting cocktail of comedy clubs and love with “Ghost Champagne.” Mary Robinette Kowal weaves a heartbreaking tale of marriage, duty, and magical curses in “Midnight Hour.” N.K. Jemisin ruminates on dangerous fans, awards, and legacy in “Henosis.” Maria Dahvana Headleys links into a Classic Hollywood of animal actors and sleazy secrets with “If You Were a Tiger, I'd Have to Wear White.” Catherynne M. Valente travels to a colony world infested with strange psychic cats in “Planet Lion.” Carmen Maria Machado wrestles with predators, identity, and death in “My Body, Herself.” And Seanan McGuire sings a tragic song of misunderstandings and unfortunate consequences with “Ye Highlands and Ye Lowlands.” Those pieces are only the beginning. The Best of Uncanny features some of the uncanniest stories and poetry in SF/F today, by its current leading voices. Sit down and immerse yourself in 44 original science fiction and fantasy stories and poems that can make you feel .
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Celebrate the legacy of The Empire Strikes Back with this exciting reimagining of the timeless film featuring new perspectives from forty acclaimed authors. On May 21, 1980, Star Wars became a true saga with the release of The Empire Strikes Back . In honor of the fortieth anniversary, forty storytellers re-create an iconic scene from The Empire Strikes Back through the eyes of a supporting character, from heroes and villains, to droids and creatures. From a Certain Point of View features contributions by bestselling authors and trendsetting artists: • Austin Walker explores the unlikely partnership of bounty hunters Dengar and IG-88 as they pursue Han Solo. • Hank Green chronicles the life of a naturalist caring for tauntauns on the frozen world of Hoth. • Tracy Deonn delves into the dark heart of the Dagobah cave where Luke confronts a terrifying vision. • Martha Wells reveals the world of the Ugnaught clans who dwell in the depths of Cloud City. • Mark Oshiro recounts the wampa's tragic tale of loss and survival. • Seth Dickinson interrogates the cost of serving a ruthless empire aboard the bridge of a doomed Imperial starship. Plus more hilarious, heartbreaking, and astonishing tales from: Tom Angleberger, Sarwat Chadda, S. A. Chakraborty, Mike Chen, Adam Christopher, Katie Cook, Zoraida Córdova, Delilah S. Dawson, Alexander Freed, Jason Fry, Christie Golden, Rob Hart, Lydia Kang, Michael Kogge, R. F. Kuang, C. B. Lee, Mackenzi Lee, John Jackson Miller, Michael Moreci, Daniel José Older, Amy Ratcliffe, Beth Revis, Lilliam Rivera, Cavan Scott, Emily Skrutskie, Karen Strong, Anne Toole, Catherynne M. Valente, Django Wexler, Kiersten White, Gary Whitta, Brittany N. Williams, Charles Yu, Jim Zub All participating authors have generously forgone any compensation for their stories. Instead, their proceeds will be donated to First Book—a leading nonprofit that provides new books, learning materials, and other essentials to educators and organizations serving children in need. To further celebrate the launch of this book and both companies’ longstanding relationships with First Book, Penguin Random House will donate $100,000 to First Book and Disney/Lucasfilm will donate 100,000 children’s books—valued at $1,000,000—to support First Book and their mission of providing equal access to quality education.
Horror’s favorite authors throw open the doors to the Horadric Library, inviting Diablo fans a glimpse into the terrors that lurk beneath the world of Sanctuary. . . . While the Eternal Conflict rages forever onward, horror and superstition of a purely Sanctuary variety still prey on the hearts of the people. In a time long since forgotten, the Horadric Order was tasked with recording local legends, cautionary tales, and stories of the most twisted horror, in the hope that some innocents might be saved by their knowledge. Now, the vaults are open. Direct from the Diablo development team and horror’s preeminent minds comes Tales from the Horadric Library , a short story collection exploring the darkest corners of Sanctuary, and the evils that dwell there. This beautiful deluxe book has original artwork and metallic ink on its illuminated pages.