Download or read book The Unbeheaded King written by L. Sprague deCamp and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2011-09-29 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Never Trust a Demon Three years earlier, Jorian had been the crowned King of Xylar. But the laws of Xylar decreed that each randomly chosen King must be beheaded at the end of a five-year reign. Jorian had a prejudice against losing his head. With the aid of the aged wizard Karadur, he managed to flee. Unfortunately he had not been able to bring his beloved wife, Queen Estrildis, with him, nor had he yet been able to find a means of freeing her from the palace in Xylar City. Now, however, he felt that his luck was about to change. He and the aged wizard Karadur were being flown through the night air in a great copper bathtub, powered by a demon under Karadur's control. Ahead of them lay Xylar City. There, while the demon kept the bathtub hovering above the palace, Jorian could let down a rope and rescue Estrildis. It should have been a foolproof scheme¿

Download or read book The Reluctant King written by L. Sprague de Camp and published by Baen Books. This book was released on 2016-11-01 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The King had a good head on his shoulders—for the moment, anyway. Everyone agreed that King Jorian of Xylar had been a good and just ruler. In fact, many also agreed that, in this case, it was a pity that the laws of Xylar decreed that each randomly chosen King must reign for only five years and then, after due pomp and ceremony, have his head cut off! Understandably, Jorian himself was wholeheartedly in agreement with the second sentiment, so with the help of a spell provided by the wizard Karadur, he escaped from the beheading ceremony with his head still on his shoulders. Unfortunately, his beloved wife, Queen Estrildis, was left behind, and getting her out of Xylar would be anything but simple—particularly with the Royal Guard of Xylar hot on the trail of their fugitive monarch. With Karadur's magic, Jorian might be able to pull off the rescue. But first, he would have to locate a trove of ancient spells, deal with an enemy wizard, steal an item from a 500-year-old (but still beautiful) princess who turns into a giant serpent at inopportune moments, repair the giant tower clocks of Iraz to fulfill a prophecy, break a pirate siege, and finally fly back to Xylar in an enchanted bathtub and whisk away his beloved Estrildis before the Royal Guard notices that their King (not to mention his head) has returned. Then things began to get complicated... At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

Download or read book The Honourable Barbarian written by L. Sprague deCamp and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2011-09-29 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Whims of Destiny Jorian, the one-time unbeheaded king, was now safely retired from a long career of getting into trouble. But his younger brother Kerin lacked such wisdom. The outraged father of Adeliza had caught him in compromising circumstances with the maiden. So Kerin had to be sent at once on a mission by sea to the Far East. But Kerin's talent for trouble was not to be denied. First came Belinka, a sprite sent by Adeliza to bring him back safe for her. The ship captain believed Kerin was seducing his mistress. Though innocent this time, Kerin left hastily in a rowboat. That got him to a hermit-wizard's island - and a voyage on a pirate ship, where the kidnapped princess Nogiri was held captive. Kerin was unable to save her - until he gained the help of the hermit-wizard, who then betrayed him by seizing the girl and fleeing with her to be used as a human sacrifice. From then on, events became hectic as Kerin managed to save Nogiri again, helped by a wizard who was the enemy of the first one. Belinka was much distressed by what happened then between Kerin and Nogiri - with cause - as they set out again, this time to the Emperor of the Farthest East. There Kerin discovered more magic, and the Emperor learned that no man should be absentminded when using a powerful spell. But it was later that Kerin discovered the limitations of roller skates.

Download or read book The Goblin Tower written by L. Sprague deCamp and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2011-09-29 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: King Jorian was rather attached to his head. Hence, he felt his promise to seal the Kist of Avlen, a treasure trove of ancient manuscripts on magic, was little enough a price to pay for a chance to escape his own beheading. But when the quest pitted him against one peril after another - a murderous wizard and his giant squirrel, a castle full of executioners, a marauding troop of ape men, and a voluptuous 500-year-old princess who was also a serpent - Jorian wondered if he'd made a good bargain!

Download or read book The Fallible Fiend written by Lyon Sprague De Camp and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Clocks of Iraz written by L. Sprague deCamp and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2011-09-29 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Best Mislaid Plans Wizardly schemes, Jorian knew went oft a-gley. But this time the wizard's plan seemed simple. Since ancient prophecy foretold that the clocks would save Iraz, Jorian must repair the great tower clocks that his father had built. If everything went well, Karadur could then plan the rescue of Jorian's beloved wife, Queen Estrildis from Xylar. And Jorian would be appointed Clockmaster of Iraz, a position that would require him to break a pirate siege, placate an amorous priestess, and stay at least one step ahead of the Royal Guard of Xylar - where he was still wanted as the star sttraction of a royal beheading!

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Fantasy and Horror Fiction written by Don D'Ammassa and published by Infobase Learning. This book was released on 2015-04-22 with total page 2061 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents articles on the horror and fantasy genres of fiction, including authors, themes, significant works, and awards.

Download or read book Here Be Dragons written by Stefan Ekman and published by Wesleyan University Press. This book was released on 2013-02-19 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First in-depth study of the use of landscape in fantasy literature Winner of the Mythopoeic Scholarship Award for Myth and Fantasy Studies (2016) Fantasy worlds are never mere backdrops. They are an integral part of the work, and refuse to remain separate from other elements. These worlds combine landscape with narrative logic by incorporating alternative rules about cause and effect or physical transformation. They become actors in the drama—interacting with the characters, offering assistance or hindrance, and making ethical demands. In Here Be Dragons, Stefan Ekman provides a wide-ranging survey of the ubiquitous fantasy map as the point of departure for an in-depth discussion of what such maps can tell us about what is important in the fictional worlds and the stories that take place there. With particular focus on J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Ekman shows how fantasy settings deserve serious attention from both readers and critics. Includes insightful readings of works by Steven Brust, Garth Nix, Robert Holdstock, Terry Pratchett, Charles de Lint, China Miéville, Patricia McKillip, Tim Powers, Lisa Goldstein, Steven R. Donaldson, Robert Jordan, and Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess.

Download or read book A Choir of Lies written by Alexandra Rowland and published by S&S/Saga Press. This book was released on 2019-09-10 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A young storyteller must embrace his own skills—and the power of stories—to save a nation from economic ruin, in the standalone sequel to A Conspiracy of Truths. Three years ago, Ylfing watched his master-Chant tear a nation apart with nothing but the words on his tongue. Now Ylfing is all alone in a new realm, brokenhearted and grieving—but a Chant in his own right, employed as a translator to a wealthy merchant of luxury goods, Sterre de Waeyer. But Ylfing has been struggling to come to terms with what his master did, with the audiences he’s been alienated from, and with the stories he can no longer trust himself to tell. That is, until Ylfing’s employer finds out what he is, what he does, and what he knows. At Sterre’s command, Ylfing begins telling stories once more, fanning the city into a mania for a few shipments of an exotic flower. The prices skyrocket, but when disaster looms, Ylfing must face what he has done and decide who he wants to be: a man who walks away and lets the city shatter, as his master did? Or will he embrace the power of story to save ten thousand lives? With a memorable cast of characters, starring a fan-favorite from A Conspiracy of Truths, and a timely message, Choir of Lies reminds us that the words we wield can bring destruction—or salvation.

Download or read book The Year s Best Science Fiction First Annual Collection written by Gardner Dozois and published by St. Martin's Griffin. This book was released on 1984-04-15 with total page 809 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection launched the popular and long-running "The Year's Best Science Fiction" series: Fantastic Science Fiction! The Year's Best -- And Biggest Collection Here's the cream of the crop: short stories, novelettes, novellas by science fiction writers already famous and awarded for their high-quality work in science fiction. Writers like: Poul Anderson Joe Haldeman Tanith Lee George R.R. Martin Robert Silverberg James Tiptree, Jr. Vernor Vinge Gene Wolfe Plus writers who are newer to the field, but just as excellent! These are the stories that will vie for the Hugo and Nebula Awards this year. And we've got them all! Not ten. Not twenty. 25 GREAT SF TALES. Each one is chosen by renowned SF writer and editor Gardner R. Dozois. Among them are "Black Air" by Kim Stanley Robinson, "Blood Music" and "Hardfought" by Greg Bear, "Blind Shemmy" by Jack Dann, "Cicada Queen" by Bruce Sterling and "Slow Birds" by Ian Watson.

Download or read book The Ancient Engineers written by L. Sprague De Camp and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 1995-01-03 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Mr. de Camp has the trick of being able to show technology engaging in feats as full of derring-do as those of Hannibal’s army. History as it should be told.”—Isaac Asimov, The New York Times Book Review The Pyramids of Giza, the Parthenon of Greece, the Great Wall of China, the Colosseum of Rome. Today, we stand in awe before these wonders of the ancient world. They hold our history and the deepest secrets of our past in their hidden recesses. In The Ancient Engineers, L. Sprague de Camp delves into the heart of the mystery. He introduces us to the master builders who had the vision, the power, and the passion to reach for the clouds and touch the heavens. We share in some of the greatest technological triumphs of all time—triumphs of the human mind, imagination, and spirit.

Download or read book Of Dice and Men written by David M. Ewalt and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-08-20 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Updated with new chapters and an introduction for the 50th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, the fascinating and authoritative history of Dungeons & Dragons that “tracks D&D’s turbulent rise, fall, and survival, from its heyday in the 1980s…to the 21st century” (The Wall Street Journal), by award-winning journalist David M. Ewalt. Even if you’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: the game has had a profound influence on our culture, and 2014 marks the intriguing role-playing phenomenon’s 40th anniversary. Released decades before the Internet and social media, Dungeons & Dragons inspired one of the original nerd subcultures and is still revered by more than 30 million fans. Now, the authoritative history and magic of the game are revealed by an award-winning journalist and lifelong D&D player. In Of Dice and Men, David Ewalt describes the development of Dungeons & Dragons from the game’s origins on the battlefields of ancient Europe through the hysteria that linked it to satanic rituals and teen suicides to its apotheosis as father of the modern video-game industry. As he chronicles the surprising history of the game’s origins (a history largely unknown even to hardcore players) and examines D&D’s lasting impact, Ewalt weaves laser-sharp subculture analysis with his own present-day gaming experiences, “writing about the world of fantasy role-playing junkies with intelligence, dexterity, and even wisdom” (Ken Jennings). An enticing blend of history, journalism, narrative, and memoir, Of Dice and Men sheds light on America’s most popular form of collaborative entertainment.

Download or read book The Encyclopedia of Fantasy written by John Clute and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 1999-03-15 with total page 1110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Like its companion volume, "The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction", this massive reference of 4,000 entries covers all aspects of fantasy, from literature to art.

Download or read book Speaking of the Fantastic II written by Darrell Schweitzer and published by Wildside Press LLC. This book was released on 2004-01-01 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Another selection of fascinating, informal conversations with the creators of Science Fiction and Fantasy, presented exactly as originally published.Here are authentic voices from 1983 through 2002: Peter S. Beagle, Octavia Butler, Philip Jose Farmer, Charles L. Harness, Michael Kandel, R.A. Lafferty, Jack McDevitt Tim Powers, Charles Sheffield, Susan Shwartz, Michael Swanwick, Evangeline Walton, Gene Wolfe, Jane Yolen, and George Zebrowski."

Download or read book Historical Dictionary of Fantasy Literature written by Allen Stroud and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2023-06-12 with total page 579 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fantasy is a genre in motion, gradually expanding its reach and historical sources to embrace a global identity Historical Dictionary of Fantasy Literature, Second Edition is a snapshot of the genre in this moment, identifying new themes and sources that are emerging to inspire, enhance and invigorate the published works of fantasy writers.

Download or read book The A to Z of Fantasy Literature written by Brian Stableford and published by Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2009-08-13 with total page 568 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once upon a time all literature was fantasy, set in a mythical past when magic existed, animals talked, and the gods took an active hand in earthly affairs. As the mythical past was displaced in Western estimation by the historical past and novelists became increasingly preoccupied with the present, fantasy was temporarily marginalized until the late 20th century, when it enjoyed a spectacular resurgence in every stratum of the literary marketplace. Stableford provides an invaluable guide to this sequence of events and to the current state of the field. The chronology tracks the evolution of fantasy from the origins of literature to the 21st century. The introduction explains the nature of the impulses creating and shaping fantasy literature, the problems of its definition and the reasons for its changing historical fortunes. The dictionary includes cross-referenced entries on more than 700 authors, ranging across the entire historical spectrum, while more than 200 other entries describe the fantasy subgenres, key images in fantasy literature, technical terms used in fantasy criticism, and the intimately convoluted relationship between literary fantasies, scholarly fantasies, and lifestyle fantasies. The book concludes with an extensive bibliography that ranges from general textbooks and specialized accounts of the history and scholarship of fantasy literature, through bibliographies and accounts of the fantasy literature of different nations, to individual author studies and useful websites.

Download or read book The Greek Economy written by N. Pirounakis and published by Springer. This book was released on 1997-08-13 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The European Union's weakest economy is in crisis. This makes Greece's participation in European Monetary Union doubtful and weakens her security against mounting foreign pressures. She must improve her economic performance dramatically. The book explains why Greece has lost ground and covers growth, inflation, public debt, banking, social security, industry, housing and tourism. The social and political roots of the crisis are identified. The road for recovery is outlined. Passionately written, it is also a rich source of data on Greece not readily found elsewhere.