Without realizing it, Kimihiro Watanuki has purchased a dream. According to his boss Yūko Ishikawa, the mysterious time-space witch, people usually buy good dreams–but Kimihiro's dream is a man-eating nightmare. Even worse, it has come true!

Then Kimihiro meets a wistful girl who, like him, can see the spirit world. Together they try to prevent a harmless ghost from being exorcised from its beloved resting place, an ancient cherry tree. The girl's mother wants her to have nothing to do with Kimihiro, but the spirits say otherwise. . . .

Includes chapters 52-58.

John Truby is one of the most respected and sought-after story consultants in the film industry. His students have gone on to pen some of Hollywood's most successful films, including Sleepless in Seattle, Scream, and Shrek. The Anatomy of Story is his long-awaited first book, and it shares all his secrets for writing a compelling script.

Based on the lessons in his award-winning class, Great Screenwriting, The Anatomy of Story draws on a broad range of philosophy and mythology, offering fresh techniques and insightful anecdotes alongside Truby's own unique approach to building an effective, multifaceted narrative. Truby's method for constructing a story focuses on the hero's moral and emotional growth, encouraging writers to dig deep within and explore their own values and worldviews to create an effective story.

Writers will come away with a precise set of tools to work with—specific, useful techniques to make the audience care about their characters, and that make their characters grow in meaningful ways. They will construct a surprising plot that is unique to their particular concept, and they will learn how to express a moral vision that can genuinely move an audience. The foundations of story that Truby lays out are fundamental and essential to all writers, from novelists and short-story writers to journalists, memoirists, and writers of narrative non-fiction.

Wicked: The Grimmerie is not just a companion book to the musical; it is a phenomenon in its own right. Every week, thousands flock to the Gershwin Theatre in New York to experience the show, which has become the most successful musical on Broadway since 2004. Based on Gregory Maguire's bestselling novel, Wicked tells the story of Elphaba, the headstrong Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the good witch, as they navigate life in the Land of Oz.

This whimsical keepsake is designed to resemble the Grimmerie, an ancient book of spells that Elphaba uses in the show. It offers fans a behind-the-scenes peek at the musical, profiles of the cast and creative team, and inside stories. The book is filled with full-color photographs and includes irresistible special features such as an Ozian glossary, spells, an illustrated family tree, and a step-by-step look at how Elphaba gets green before each show. Wicked: The Grimmerie provides everything fans need to relive the Broadway experience day after day.

In the deft hands of Neil Gaiman, magic is no mere illusion, and anything is possible. In Smoke and Mirrors, Gaiman's first book of short stories, his imagination and supreme artistry transform a mundane world into a place of terrible wonders. Imagine a place where an old woman can purchase the Holy Grail at a thrift store, where assassins advertise their services in the Yellow Pages under Pest Control, and where a frightened young boy must barter for his life with a mean-spirited troll living beneath a bridge by the railroad tracks.

Explore a new reality, obscured by smoke and darkness, yet brilliantly tangible, in this extraordinary collection of short works by a master prestidigitator. It will dazzle your senses, touch your heart, and haunt your dreams.

In Marvel 1602, award-winning writer Neil Gaiman presents a unique vision of the Marvel Universe set four hundred years in the past. Classic Marvel icons such as the X-Men, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and Daredevil appear in this intriguing world of 17th-century science and sorcery, instantly familiar to readers, yet subtly different in this new time.

Marvel 1602 combines classic Marvel action and adventure with the historically accurate setting of Queen Elizabeth I's reign to create a unique series unlike any other published by Marvel Comics. This collection includes Marvel 1602 issues #1-8, penciled by Andy Kubert and digitally painted by Richard Isanove, with covers by Scott McKowen.

Kimihiro Watanuki is haunted by spirits–and the only way to escape his curse is to become the indentured servant of the mysterious witch, Yûko Ichihara. But when his beloved, beautiful Himawari-chan, asks him for a favor, he and his eternal rival, the exorcist Dômeki, must go on a spirit-busting adventure without Yûko there to save them!

Meanwhile, Yûko gives a young woman a precious cylindrical box from her treasure room. There's just one caveat: She must never open it. Inside is a magical device with a terrifying reputation! Can Kimihiro save an ambitious young lady from her own overconfidence?

See a special appearance by the characters of Tsubasa in xxxHOLiC volume three! Don't miss it! Includes chapters 16-22.

WATCH OUT FOR WITCHES

Kimihiro Watanuki thought he had signed up with a bunch of weirdoes, and he was right! He became the unfortunate indentured servant of a woman known as Yūko Ichihara, who was widely rumored to be the time-space witch. Now his voyage through the worlds of the occult are off and running, as he and Yūko go visiting fortune tellers and horoscope readers. But can the future really be told?

Meanwhile, the romance is heating up between Kimihiro and cute Himawari-chan. Then fate throws Kimihiro's old rival back into his life. Now Yūko invites all three to a temple to tell scary stories throughout the night. Is it just for fun or is there some deeper reason?

See the other side of the Tsubasa story in xxxHOLiC volume two! Don't miss it!

Includes chapters 9-15

After stumbling across a haunted go board, Hikaru Shindo discovers that the spirit of a master player named Fujiwara-no-Sai has taken up residence in his consciousness. Sai awakens in Hikaru an untapped genius for the game, and soon the schoolboy is chasing his own dream--defeating the famed go prodigy Akira Toya!

Watanuki Kimihiro is haunted by visions of ghosts and spirits. Seemingly by chance, he encounters a mysterious witch named Yuuko, who claims she can help. In desperation, he accepts, but realizes that he's just been tricked into working for Yuuko in order to pay off the cost of her services. Soon he's employed in her little shop—a job which turns out to be nothing like his previous work experience.

Most of Yuuko's customers live in Japan, but Yuuko and Watanuki are about to have some unusual visitors named Sakura and Syaoran from a land called Clow. xxxHolic volume one crosses over with Tsubasa volume one. Don't miss it!

Includes special extras after the story. Includes chapters 1-8.

The inventive, exuberant, and totally original literary fun that began with The Eyre Affair continues with Jasper Fforde's second adventure starring the resourceful, fearless literary sleuth Thursday Next. When Landen, the love of her life, is eradicated by the corrupt multinational Goliath Corporation, Thursday must moonlight as a Prose Resource Operative of Jurisfiction—the police force inside the BookWorld.

She is apprenticed to the man-hating Miss Havisham from Dickens's Great Expectations, who grudgingly shows Thursday the ropes. And she gains just enough skill to get herself in a real mess entering the pages of Poe’s The Raven. What she really wants is to get Landen back. But this latest mission is not without further complications. Along with jumping into the works of Kafka and Austen, and even Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, Thursday finds herself the target of a series of potentially lethal coincidences, the authenticator of a newly discovered play by the Bard himself, and the only one who can prevent an unidentifiable pink sludge from engulfing all life on Earth.

It’s another genre-bending blend of crime fiction, fantasy, and top-drawer literary entertainment for fans of Douglas Adams and P. G. Wodehouse. Thursday’s zany investigations continue with The Well of Lost Plots.

Hundreds of years in the future, Manhattan has become a deadly slum, run by mutant crime-lords and disinterested cops. Stuck in the middle is a young girl who thought she had no future, but learns she has a great destiny.

In a world so poisoned that it doesn't notice the monsters on its streets, how can a street kid like Fray unite a fallen city against a demonic plot to consume mankind? Joss Whedon, the celebrated creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, brings his vision to the future in this unique tale.

As inventive in the comics medium as in that of television or film, Whedon spins a complex tale of a skilled thief coming of age without the help of friends or family, guided only by a demonic Watcher.

While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci — clues visible for all to see — yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion — an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who seems to anticipate their every move. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory’s ancient secret — and an explosive historical truth — will be lost forever.

The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring provides an authoritative and insightful look into the creative development of the first film in Peter Jackson's acclaimed The Lord of the Rings trilogy. This official publication boasts 500 exclusive images, ranging from initial pencil sketches and conceptual drawings to full-color paintings that influenced the film's visual design.

The book covers all principal locations, costumes, armor, and creatures in stunning detail, including content that did not make it into the final film. Alongside sketches, paintings, and digital images, the book features photographs illustrating how the creative process materialized, as well as film stills.

Contributions from artists Alan Lee and John Howe, whose work inspired Peter Jackson's vision of Middle-earth, are highlighted. They, along with other designers, share insights into how they contributed to the film's development, offering a behind-the-scenes look at bringing Middle-earth to life.

With text compiled from exclusive interviews with director Peter Jackson, special effects supervisor Richard Taylor, and designers such as Grant Major and Ngila Dickson, The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring celebrates the collective efforts that transformed the first Lord of the Rings movie into an award-winning global phenomenon.

After stumbling across a haunted Go board, Hikaru Shindo discovers that the spirit of a master player named Fujiwara-no-Sai has taken up residence in his consciousness. Sai awakens in Hikaru an untapped genius for the game, and soon the schoolboy is chasing his own dream of defeating the famed Go prodigy Akira Toya!

In Hikaru no Go, Vol. 12: Sai's Day Out, Hikaru's career as a professional Go player begins. In his first game, he must face veteran player Toya Meijin, Akira's father. The match is not just a competition but also a personal challenge for Sai. As Sai attempts to teach a cheating Go player a lesson he'll never forget, the question arises: will Hikaru's ghostly master do him proud or make him look like an amateur?

After stumbling across a haunted go board, Hikaru Shindo discovers that the spirit of a master player named Fujiwara-no-Sai has taken up residence in his consciousness. Sai awakens in Hikaru an untapped genius for the game, and soon the schoolboy is chasing his own dream--defeating the famed go prodigy Akira Toya!

Hikaru is horrified to find that he's losing all of his games at the insei school! The Young Lions Tournament is just three months away, and the insei who qualify will play against rookie pros, including Akira. Hikaru sees his chance to impress his rival, but can he turn his losing streak around in time?

In 1993, Scott McCloud tore down the wall between high and low culture with the acclaimed international hit Understanding Comics, a massive comic book that explored the inner workings of the world's most misunderstood art form. Now, McCloud takes comics to the next level, charting twelve different revolutions in how comics are created, read, and perceived today, and how they're poised to conquer the new millennium.

Part One of this fascinating and in-depth book includes:

• The life of comics as an art form and as literature
• The battle for creators' rights
• Reinventing the business of comics
• The volatile and shifting public perceptions of comics
• Sexual and ethnic representation in comics

Then in Part Two, McCloud paints a breathtaking picture of comics' digital revolutions, including:

• The intricacies of digital production
• The exploding world of online delivery
• The ultimate challenges of the infinite digital canvas

Nan King, an oyster girl, is captivated by the music hall phenomenon Kitty Butler, a male impersonator extraordinaire treading the boards in Canterbury. Through a friend at the box office, Nan manages to visit all her shows and finally meet her heroine. Soon after, she becomes Kitty's dresser and the two head for the bright lights of Leicester Square where they begin a glittering career as music-hall stars in an all-singing and dancing double act.

At the same time, behind closed doors, they admit their attraction to each other and their affair begins.

The armies of Persia -- a vast horde greater than any the world has ever known -- are poised to crush Greece, an island of reason and freedom in a sea of madness and tyranny. Standing between Greece and this tidal wave of destruction is a tiny detachment of but three hundred warriors. But these warriors are more than men -- they are Spartans!

Frank Miller's epic retelling of history's supreme moment of battlefield valor is finally collected in a glorious hardcover volume in its intended format -- each two-page spread from the original comics is presented as a single undivided page.

Collects: 300 #1-5

Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud is an innovative comic book that provides a detailed look at the history, meaning, and art of comics and cartooning. It traces the 3,000-year history of storytelling through pictures and discusses the language and images used in the unique medium of comics.

This work is celebrated throughout the cartoon industry and is essential reading for anyone interested in the intricate and fascinating world of comics.

Hikaru Shindo is like any sixth-grader in Japan: a pretty normal schoolboy with a two-tone head of hair and a penchant for antics. One day, he finds an old bloodstained Go board in his grandfather's attic--and that's when things get really interesting. Trapped inside the Go board is Fujiwara-no-Sai, the ghost of an ancient Go master who taught the strategically complex board game to the emperor of Japan many centuries ago.

In one fateful moment, Sai becomes a part of Hikaru's consciousness and together, through thick and thin, they make an unstoppable Go-playing team. Will they be able to defeat Go players who have dedicated their lives to the game? Will Sai achieve the "Divine Move" so he'll finally be able to rest in peace? Begin your journey with Hikaru and Sai in this first volume of Hikaru no Go.

When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?

Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.

Margaret Mary, the eldest Concannon sister, is a glass artist with an independent streak as fierce as her volatile temper. Hand-blowing glass is a difficult and exacting art, and while she may produce the delicate and the fragile, Maggie is a strong and opinionated woman, a Clare woman, with all the turbulence of that fascinating west country.

One man, Dublin gallery owner Rogan Sweeney, has seen the soul in Maggie's art, and vows to help her build a career. When he comes to Maggie's studio, her heart is inflamed by their fierce attraction—and her scarred past is slowly healed by love.

The fables of Aesop have become one of the most enduring traditions of European culture, ever since they were first written down nearly two millennia ago. Aesop was reputedly a tongue-tied slave who miraculously received the power of speech; from his legendary storytelling came the collections of prose and verse fables scattered throughout Greek and Roman literature.

First published in English by Caxton in 1484, the fables and their morals continue to charm modern readers: who does not know the story of the tortoise and the hare, or the boy who cried wolf?

Originally titled Children's and Household Tales, The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales contains the essential bedtime stories for children worldwide for the better part of two centuries. The Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, were German linguists and cultural researchers who gathered legendary folklore and aimed to collect the stories exactly as they heard them.

2012 marked the 200th anniversary of Grimm's Fairy Tales, and to celebrate, all 211 stories were included in this collection. Featuring all your favorite classics, including "Hansel and Gretel," "Cinderella," "The Frog Prince," "Rapunzel," "Snow White," and "Rumpelstiltskin," among dozens more, this book is a must-have for any personal library collection.

In addition to the beloved tales, this edition is also accompanied by 40 color plates and 60 black and white illustrations from award-winning English illustrator Arthur Rackham, whose books and prints are now highly sought-after collectibles. A selection of stunning color reproductions by the famous illustrator, Arthur Rackham, further enhances the reading experience.

Hopscotch is a novel by Julio Cortazar, translated by Gregory Rabassa, that revolutionized the narrative structure with its non-linear approach. The story follows Horacio Oliveira, an Argentinian writer living in Paris with his mistress, La Maga, amid a group of bohemian friends known as "the Club." After a series of personal tragedies, Oliveira returns to Buenos Aires, where his life takes a series of unexpected turns as he takes on various odd jobs.

The novel is famous for its unique structure, allowing readers to navigate through its chapters in a non-conventional order. This innovative layout mirrors the book’s thematic exploration of life's complexity and the search for meaning. Cortazar drew inspiration from a variety of sources, including Henry Miller's quest for truth, Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki's Zen Buddhism teachings, and the aesthetics of Modernist writers like Joyce. Additionally, the novel reflects influences from Surrealism, the French New Novel, jazz music, and New Wave Cinema.

Gregory Rabassa's translation of Hopscotch won the National Book Award in 1966, marking a significant moment for the recognition of translation in literature. Cortazar's approval of Rabassa's work led to the translator's collaboration with Gabriel García Márquez on One Hundred Years of Solitude, further cementing Rabassa's reputation as a master translator.