Download or read book Thrilling Tales of the Downright Unusual the Lair of the Clockwork Book written by Bradley Schenck and published by . This book was released on 2012-04-02 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Clockwork Book of Retropolis sits in its lair below the city and contains answers. It accumulates stories. Its huge graven face looms over the stainless steel sheets that are its pages and when it's not otherwise occupied, which is most of the time, it reads. From time to time it adds a footnote or a cross-reference. But mostly, it reads. And it waits. The Book accumulates stories by trading the stories it knows... for new stories. This sounds harmless: in fact, it sounds beneficial, until you think about it. Because stories are not neutral. Stories always say something about the person who tells them. They often say more than the teller realizes, and it's easy to become so wrapped up in the telling that we tell too much. Everything that the Book learns becomes part of the Book. And the Book grows by trading the stories it knows - to anybody who asks. Anybody. If that doesn't worry you, you're probably one of those people that natural selection hasn't noticed yet. Over the many years since the Clockwork Book collected its first story people have gradually learned to avoid the Book despite the fact that, in general, people really want to know things. And there must be a reason why they avoid the Book. There's a way to find out for certain, of course: you just have to bring something to trade. The Clockwork Book's lair lies far beneath the city of Retropolis, in the world of the Future That Never Was. As far as anybody knows, it's always been there - slowly collecting the stories, the ideas, and the secrets of its visitors, and then sharing them to those who come after. If you were to visit the Book yourself, you might realize that in its own retro-futuristic world the Book serves the purpose of a social network - a mechanical social network. With that in mind you could hardly be surprised at the misadventures its clients seem to have. And what is the Book, really, and who constructed it, and why? That's one of the few stories that the Book is not allowed to tell. On the other hand... the Book has learned how to bend the rules. The Lair of the Clockwork Book, with its 129 full color illustrations, began its life as a serial which ran from February of 2011 to April of 2012 at the Thrilling Tales of the Downright Unusual web site. It's now available in this handsome print edition.

Download or read book Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom written by Bradley W. Schenck and published by Tor Books. This book was released on 2017-06-13 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ROCKETS. ROBOTS. DEATH RAYS. MAD SCIENCE. THE FUTURE THAT NEVER WAS IS BACK. If Fritz Lang’s Metropolis somehow mated with Futurama, their mutant offspring might well be Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom. Inspired by the future imagined in the 1939 World Fair, this hilarious, beautifully illustrated adventure by writer and artist Bradley W. Schenck is utterly unlike anything else in science fiction: a gonzo, totally bonkers, gut-busting look at the World of Tomorrow, populated with dashing, bubble-helmeted heroes, faithful robot sidekicks, mad scientists, plucky rocket engineers, sassy switchboard operators, space pirates, and much, much more—enhanced throughout by two dozen astonishing illustrations. After a surprise efficiency review, the switchboard operators of Retropolis are replaced by a mysterious system beyond their comprehension. Dash Kent, freelance adventurer and apartment manager, is hired to get to the bottom of it, and discovers that the replacement switchboard is only one element of a plan concocted by an insane civil engineer: a plan so vast that it reaches from Retropolis to the Moon. And no one—not the Space Patrol, nor the Fraternal League of Robotic Persons, nor the mad scientists of Experimental Research District, nor even the priests of the Temple of the Spider God, will know what hit them. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Download or read book Kiss of Steel written by Bec McMaster and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2012-09-01 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "darkly atmospheric and delectably sexy."—Booklist, starred review Honoria Todd has more secrets than most people and she's hiding them in Whitechapel. Blade is the master of the rookeries and agrees to protect her, but at what price? Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it's the last safe haven as she hides from the Blue Blood aristocracy that rules London through power and fear. Blade rules the rookeries—no one dares cross him. It's been said he faced down the Echelon's army single–handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood–craving he's been quicker, stronger, and almost immortal. When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She's so...innocent. He doesn't see her backbone of steel—or that she could be the very salvation he's been seeking. A unique, sexy paranormal romance, Bec McMaster's London Steampunk novels will appeal to fans of Gail Carriger, Kristen Callihan's Darkest London series, and the Blud series by Delilah Dawson. What everyone is saying about Bec McMaster: "a must read for paranormal fans and steampunk fans alike. 5/5 Stars, Reviewer Top Pick"—Night Owl Reviews "richly imagined, gritty and dark, and full of hot heroes and hot sex... utterly delicious."—Smart Bitches, Trashy Books "Action, adventure, steampunk, and blazing hot seduction...Bec McMaster offers it all."—Eve Silver, author of Sins of the Flesh

Download or read book Breath of Earth written by Beth Cato and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2016-08-23 with total page 263 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After the earth’s power under her city is suddenly left unprotected, a young geomancer must rely on her unique magic to survive in this fresh fantasy standalone from the author of the acclaimed The Clockwork Dagger. In an alternate 1906, the United States and Japan have forged a powerful confederation— the Unified Pacific—in an attempt to dominate the world. Their first target is a vulnerable China. In San Francisco, headstrong secretary Ingrid Carmichael is assisting a group of powerful geomancer wardens who have no idea of the depth of her own talent—or that she is the only woman to possess such skills. When assassins kill the wardens, Ingrid and her mentor are protected by her incredible magic. But the pair is far from safe. Without its full force of guardian geomancers, the city is on the brink of a cataclysmic earthquake that will expose the earth’s power to masterminds determined to control the energy for their own dark ends. The danger escalates when Chinese refugees, preparing to fight the encroaching American and Japanese forces, fracture the uneasy alliance between the Pacific allies, transforming San Francisco into a veritable powder keg. And the slightest tremor will set it off. . . . Forced on the run, Ingrid makes some shocking discoveries about herself. Her already considerable magic has grown even more fearsome . . . and she may be the fulcrum on which the balance of world power rests.

Download or read book The Warriors written by Sol Yurick and published by Open Road + Grove/Atlantic. This book was released on 2007-12-01 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The basis for the cult-classic film The Warriors chronicles one New York City gang’s nocturnal journey through the seedy, dangerous subways and city streets of the 1960s. “Warriors, come out to play-yay!” Every gang in the city meets on a sweltering July 4 night in a Bronx park for a peace rally. The crowd of miscreants turns violent after a prominent gang leader is killed and chaos prevails over the attempt at order. The Warriors follows the Dominators making their way back to their home territory without being killed. The police are prowling the city in search of anyone involved in the mayhem. An exhilarating novel that examines New York City teenagers, left behind by society, who form identity and personal strength through their affiliation with their “family,” The Warriors “goes to the core of the heart of darkness” as it weaves together social commentary with ancient legends for a classic coming-of-age tale (Flyer). This edition includes a new introduction by the author. “It seems to me the best novel of its kind I’ve ever read, an altogether perfect achievement. I’m sure that to many it will sound like sacrilege but I have to say that I think it a better novel than Lord of the Flies.” —Warren Miller, author of The Cool World

Download or read book Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Brontë and published by . This book was released on 2024-05-20 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Embark on a journey of resilience, romance, and self-discovery with Charlotte Brontë's timeless classic, "Jane Eyre." Set against the moody and atmospheric backdrop of 19th-century England, this beloved novel follows the life of Jane Eyre, an orphaned girl who overcomes adversity to forge her own path in a world often harsh and unforgiving. From her bleak childhood under the care of her cruel aunt to her years at the austere Lowood School, Jane's spirit remains unbroken. As she matures into a strong and independent young woman, she takes a position as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets the enigmatic and brooding master, Mr. Rochester. Despite the stark differences in their social status, a passionate and complex romance blossoms between them, testing Jane's convictions and resolve. "Jane Eyre" is more than just a romance-it's a profound exploration of themes such as morality, social criticism, and the struggle for personal integrity and equality. Brontë's rich, evocative prose and deeply psychological characterizations make this novel an enduring masterpiece that continues to captivate and inspire readers. Join Charlotte Brontë on an unforgettable journey through the trials and triumphs of "Jane Eyre." With its strong, relatable heroine, dramatic plot twists, and timeless exploration of love and identity, this classic novel remains a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring quest for self-respect and emotional fulfillment.

Download or read book Wicked written by Gregory Maguire and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-10-13 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The New York Times bestseller and basis for the Tony-winning hit musical, soon to be a major motion picture starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande With millions of copies in print around the world, Gregory Maguire’s Wicked is established not only as a commentary on our time but as a novel to revisit for years to come. Wicked relishes the inspired inventions of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, while playing sleight of hand with our collective memories of the 1939 MGM film starring Margaret Hamilton (and Judy Garland). In this fast-paced, fantastically real, and supremely entertaining novel, Maguire has populated the largely unknown world of Oz with the power of his own imagination. Years before Dorothy and her dog crash-land, another little girl makes her presence known in Oz. This girl, Elphaba, is born with emerald-green skin—no easy burden in a land as mean and poor as Oz, where superstition and magic are not strong enough to explain or overcome the natural disasters of flood and famine. Still, Elphaba is smart, and by the time she enters Shiz University, she becomes a member of a charmed circle of Oz’s most promising young citizens. But Elphaba’s Oz is no utopia. The Wizard’s secret police are everywhere. Animals—those creatures with voices, souls, and minds—are threatened with exile. Young Elphaba, green and wild and misunderstood, is determined to protect the Animals—even if it means combating the mysterious Wizard, even if it means risking her single chance at romance. Ever wiser in guilt and sorrow, she can find herself grateful when the world declares her a witch. And she can even make herself glad for that young girl from Kansas. Recognized as an iconoclastic tour de force on its initial publication, the novel has inspired the blockbuster musical of the same name—one of the longest-running plays in Broadway history. Popular, indeed. But while the novel’s distant cousins hail from the traditions of magical realism, mythopoeic fantasy, and sprawling nineteenth-century sagas of moral urgency, Maguire’s Wicked is as unique as its green-skinned witch.

Download or read book No Sense of Obligation written by Matt Young and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2001-10-31 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Some of the Praise for No Sense of Obligation . . . fascinating analysis of religious belief -- Steve Allen, author, composer, entertainer [A] tour de force of science and religion, reason and faith, denoting in clear and unmistakable language and rhetoric what science really reveals about the cosmos, the world, and ourselves. Michael Shermer, Publisher, Skeptic Magazine; Author, How We Believe: The Search for God in an Age of Science About the Book Rejecting belief without evidence, a scientist searches the scientific, theological, and philosophical literature for a sign from God--and finds him to be an allegory. This remarkable book, written in the laypersons language, leaves no room for unproven ideas and instead seeks hard evidence for the existence of God. The author, a sympathetic critic and observer of religion, finds instead a physical universe that exists reasonlessly. He attributes good and evil to biology, not to God. In place of theism, the author gives us the knowledge that the universe is intelligible and that we are grownups, responsible for ourselves. He finds salvation in the here and now, and no ultimate purpose in life, except as we define it.

Download or read book Odyssey of the Dragonlords RPG written by Modiphius and published by Modiphius. This book was released on 2020-03-03 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Campaign book; compatible with the "5E" edition rules of Dungeons & Dragons.

Download or read book My Tiny Life written by Julian Dibbell and published by Julian Dibbell. This book was released on 1998 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This novelistic rendering of a true account tells of a celebrated rape case which took place in an electronic "salon", where Internet junkies have created their own interactive fantasy realm.

Download or read book Game Feel written by Steve Swink and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2008-10-13 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Game Feel" exposes "feel" as a hidden language in game design that no one has fully articulated yet. The language could be compared to the building blocks of music (time signatures, chord progressions, verse) - no matter the instruments, style or time period - these building blocks come into play. Feel and sensation are similar building blocks whe

Download or read book Watchers written by Dean Koontz and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2008-05-06 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A “superior thriller”(Oakland Press) about a man, a dog, and a terrifying threat that could only have come from the imagination of #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz—nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read. On his thirty-sixth birthday, Travis Cornell hikes into the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. But his path is soon blocked by a bedraggled Golden Retriever who will let him go no further into the dark woods. That morning, Travis had been desperate to find some happiness in his lonely, seemingly cursed life. What he finds is a dog of alarming intelligence that soon leads him into a relentless storm of mankind’s darkest creation...

Download or read book Starfish written by Peter Watts and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2014-09-16 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A huge international corporation has developed a facility along the Juan de Fuca Ridge at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean to exploit geothermal power. They send a bio-engineered crew--people who have been altered to withstand the pressure and breathe the seawater--down to live and work in this weird, fertile undersea darkness. Unfortunately the only people suitable for long-term employment in these experimental power stations are crazy, some of them in unpleasant ways. How many of them can survive, or will be allowed to survive, while worldwide disaster approaches from below? Starfish, the first installment in Peter Watts' Rifters Trilogy At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Download or read book The Clansman written by Thomas Dixon and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2020-07-30 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reproduction of the original: The Clansman by Thomas Dixon

Download or read book Level Up written by Scott Rogers and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-09-29 with total page 515 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Design and build cutting-edge video games with help from video game expert Scott Rogers! If you want to design and build cutting-edge video games but aren’t sure where to start, then this is the book for you. Written by leading video game expert Scott Rogers, who has designed the hits Pac Man World, Maxim vs. Army of Zin, and SpongeBob Squarepants, this book is full of Rogers's wit and imaginative style that demonstrates everything you need to know about designing great video games. Features an approachable writing style that considers game designers from all levels of expertise and experience Covers the entire video game creation process, including developing marketable ideas, understanding what gamers want, working with player actions, and more Offers techniques for creating non-human characters and using the camera as a character Shares helpful insight on the business of design and how to create design documents So, put your game face on and start creating memorable, creative, and unique video games with this book!

Download or read book The Pendragon Legend written by Antal Szerb and published by Pushkin Press. This book was released on 2007-08-31 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "An absolute treat, deliciously ludic, to be read with a big smile on your face throughout."—Nicholas Lezard, Guardian AT THE END-OF-LONDON-SEASON soiree, the young Hungarian scholar-dilettante Janos Batky is introduced to the Earl of Gwynedd, a reclusive eccentric who is the subject of strange rumours. Invited to the family seat, Pendragon Castle in North Wales, Batky receives a mysterious phone-call warning him not to go. But he does, and finds himself in a bizarre world of mysticism and romance, animal experimentation, and planned murder. His quest to solve the central mystery takes him down strange byways-old libraries and warehouse cellars, Welsh mountains and underground tombs.

Download or read book Mary Barton written by Elizabeth Gaskell and published by . This book was released on 1849 with total page 412 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: