Books with category 📚 Fiction
Displaying books 8017-8064 of 11780 in total

The Woman Who Rides Like a Man

2005

by Tamora Pierce

"Let her prove herself worthy as a man." Newly knighted, Alanna of Trebond seeks adventure in the vast desert of Tortall. Captured by fierce desert dwellers, she is forced to prove herself in a duel to the death -- either she will be killed or she will be inducted into the tribe. Although she triumphs, dire challenges lie ahead.

As her mythic fate would have it, Alanna soon becomes the tribe's first female shaman -- despite the desert dwellers' grave fear of the foreign woman warrior. Alanna must fight to change the ancient tribal customs of the desert tribes -- for their sake and for the sake of all Tortall. Alanna's journey continues...

Little Children

2005

by Tom Perrotta

Tom Perrotta's thirty-ish parents of young children are a varied and surprising bunch. There's Todd, the handsome stay-at-home dad dubbed "The Prom King" by the moms of the playground; Sarah, a lapsed feminist with a bisexual past, who seems to have stumbled into a traditional marriage; Richard, Sarah's husband, who has found himself more and more involved with a fantasy life on the internet than with the flesh and blood in his own house; and Mary Ann, who thinks she has it all figured out, down to scheduling a weekly roll in the hay with her husband, every Tuesday at 9pm.

They all raise their kids in the kind of sleepy American suburb where nothing ever seems to happen—at least until one eventful summer, when a convicted child molester moves back to town, and two restless parents begin an affair that goes further than either of them could have imagined.

Unexpectedly suspenseful, but written with all the fluency and dark humor of Perrotta's previous novels, Little Children exposes the adult dramas unfolding amidst the swingsets and slides of an ordinary American playground.

Death in a Strange Country

2005

by Donna Leon

Early one morning, Commissario Guido Brunetti of the Venice Police confronts a grisly sight when the body of a young man is fished out of a fetid canal. All the clues point to a violent mugging, but for Brunetti, the motive of robbery seems altogether too convenient.

When something is discovered in the victim’s apartment that suggests the existence of a high-level conspiracy, Brunetti becomes convinced that somebody, somewhere, is taking great pains to provide a ready-made solution to the crime.

The American

2005

by Henry James

Henry James's third novel is an exploration of his most powerful, perennial theme - the clash between European and American cultures, the Old World and the New.

Christopher Newman, a 'self-made' American millionaire in France, falls in love with the beautiful aristocratic Claire de Bellegarde. Her family, however, taken aback by his brash American manner, rejects his proposal of marriage.

When Newman discovers a guilty secret in the Bellegardes' past, he confronts a moral dilemma: Should he expose them and thus gain his revenge?

James's masterly early work is at once a social comedy, a melodramatic romance and a realistic novel of manners.

The Cry of the Icemark

2005

by Stuart Hill

The Icemark is a kingdom in grave danger. Its king has been killed in battle, its enemy lies in wait, and its fate rests on the shoulders of one girl. Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield, a beautiful princess and an intrepid warrior, must find a way to protect her land from a terrible invasion.

She will forge an extraordinary alliance of noble Snow Leopards, ancient Vampires, and ferocious Wolf-folk. She will find unexpected strength in her friendship with a young warlock. And she will lead her allies to victory with her fierce battle cry: Blood! Blast! And Fire!

Girl with a Pearl Earring

2005

by Tracy Chevalier

Girl with a Pearl Earring centers on Vermeer's prosperous Delft household during the 1660s. When Griet, the novel's quietly perceptive heroine, is hired as a servant, turmoil follows. First, the 16-year-old narrator becomes increasingly intimate with her master. Then Vermeer employs her as his assistant—and ultimately has Griet sit for him as a model.

The Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, with precisely 35 canvases to his credit, represents one of the great enigmas of 17th-century art. The meager facts of his biography have been gleaned from a handful of legal documents. Yet Vermeer's extraordinary paintings of domestic life, with their subtle play of light and texture, have come to define the Dutch golden age. His portrait of the anonymous Girl with a Pearl Earring has exerted a particular fascination for centuries—and it is this magnetic painting that lies at the heart of Tracy Chevalier's second novel of the same title.

Even Now

2005

by Karen Kingsbury

Sometimes hope for the future is found in the ashes of yesterday.

Shane Galanter—a man ready to put down roots after years of searching. But is he making the right choice? Or is there a woman somewhere who even now remembers—as does he—those long-ago days...and a love that hasn't faded with time?

Lauren Gibbs—a successful international war correspondent who gave up on happily-ever-after years ago when it was ripped away from her. Since then, she's never looked back. So how come she can't put to rest the one question that haunts her: Why is life so empty?

Emily Anderson—a college freshman raised by her grandparents, and about to take her first internship as a journalist. But before she can move ahead, she discovers a love story whose tragic ending came with her birth. As a result, she is drawn to look back and search out the mother she's never met.

A young woman seeking answers to her heart's deep questions. A man and woman separated by lies and long years...yet who have never forgotten each other. With hallmark tenderness and power, Karen Kingsbury weaves a tapestry of lives, losses, love, and faith—and the miracle of resurrection.

Fame

2005

by Karen Kingsbury

A Dream Come True
Dayne Matthews is at the top of the Hollywood list—a successful, popular actor with a bright future. He has everything a man could want—fame, fortune, and friends. But his heart is pulling him toward a woman and a family who have no idea how their lives are tied to his.

A Wounded Past
Katy Hart, the director of Christian Kids Theater, is immersed in her new life. Glad to move on and forget her past, she finally feels at home in Bloomington, Indiana. With a successful community theater and the love of many friends, she thinks she is content. But that changes in an instant when she meets Dayne Matthews and he promises a future she left in her past.

A Painful Promise
As Elizabeth Baxter lay dying, John made a promise that he must keep. A promise to reconnect the entire family—including the one child they never spoke of.

Hadassah: One Night with the King

Bestselling author Tommy Tenney expands the extraordinary story of Esther like no novelist has done before. Both a thriller and a Jewish woman's memoir, Hadassah takes readers to ancient Persia (now known as Iran), into the inner sanctum of the palace and back out into the war zones of battle and political intrigue.

This gripping drama of a simple peasant girl chosen over many more qualified candidates to become Esther, Queen of Persia, captures the imagination and fires the emotions of men and women alike.

Hygiène de l'assassin

2005

by Amélie Nothomb

Prétextat Tach, prix Nobel de littérature, n’a plus que deux mois à vivre. Des journalistes du monde entier sollicitent des interviews de l’écrivain que sa misanthropie tient reclus depuis des années. Quatre seulement vont le rencontrer, dont il se jouera selon une dialectique où la mauvaise foi et la logique se télescopent. La cinquième lui tiendra tête, et il se prendra au jeu.

Si ce roman est presque entièrement dialogué, c’est qu’aucune forme ne s’apparente autant à la torture. Les échanges, de simples interviews, virent peu à peu à l’interrogatoire, à un duel sans merci où se dessine alors un homme différent, en proie aux secrets les plus sombres.

Dans ce premier roman d’une extraordinaire intensité, Amélie Nothomb manie la cruauté, le cynisme et l’ambiguïté avec un talent accompli.

My Sunshine

New York Times bestselling author Catherine Anderson's Coulter Family series continues in this poignant story of a love that defies all the odds.

Five years ago, Laura Townsend’s life was nearly destroyed when a head injury impaired her ability to use language and forced her to abandon a brilliant career. Despite her difficulties, she never lost her vivacious spirit or sunny disposition. Now she has a great new job at an animal clinic—and a handsome new boss who fills her heart with longing. But veterinarian Isaiah Coulter deserves a woman who can meet all his needs. Battling her feelings, Laura decides that sometimes a woman must love a man enough to walk away…

When Isaiah hired Laura, he wasn’t expecting her to be such a breath of fresh air. Impressed by her healing touch—and captivated by her dazzling beauty—Isaiah finds himself falling in love. And he’ll move heaven and earth to convince Laura that she’s the woman he needs….

Oceans Apart

2005

by Karen Kingsbury

A forgotten secret. A shocking discovery. A sacrifice of love that will bring Connor Evans to his knees.

Airline Captain Connor Evans has nearly forgotten that stormy weekend in Hawaii eight years ago when he broke the greatest promise of all. Now Connor has the perfect life with his wife, Michele, and their two daughters, and the secret of that long-ago time is his alone.

But an ocean away, a flight attendant is raising her young son by herself when the plane she's working on crashes into the Pacific. Her will is very clear about one thing—before the child can be given over to the state, his father must be contacted.

The news rocks Captain Evans' life, and in the process, he is presented with a choice: Refuse the child and never hear from him again, or take him for two weeks and decide whether to claim the boy as his own.

Now, the family is on the brink of destruction. Can Michele and their daughters ever forgive Connor for what went wrong all those years ago? Or will the presence of one lonely child destroy everything?

Prodigal Son

2005

by Dean Koontz

Every city has secrets. But none as terrible as this.

His name is Deucalion, a tattooed man of mysterious origin, a sleight-of-reality artist who’s traveled the centuries with a secret worse than death. He arrives as a serial killer stalks the streets, a killer who carefully selects his victims for the humanity that is missing in himself.

Detective Carson O’Connor is cool, cynical, and every bit as tough as she looks. Her partner Michael Maddison would back her up all the way to Hell itself–and that just may be where this case ends up. For the no-nonsense O’Connor is suddenly talking about an ages-old conspiracy, a near immortal race of beings, and killers that are more—and less—than human.

Soon it will be clear that as crazy as she sounds, the truth is even more ominous. For their quarry isn’t merely a homicidal maniac—but his deranged maker.

The Fall of Lucifer

2005

by Wendy Alec

Three Archangels...Three Brothers...One turned renegade

A sweeping epic of origins and mysteries, The Fall of Lucifer tells a tale older than the universe itself. Set in opulent palaces and frightening hell worlds, this is a timeless saga of doubt, of demons and angelic warriors, of obsessive love and treason, and of an ancient evil that knows no bounds.

Soon the universe itself will be rocked by war...

A war between three angelic brothers. A war fought for the greatest prize in the universe: the race of men.

The House of Mirth

2005

by Edith Wharton

First published in 1905, THE HOUSE OF MIRTH shocked the New York society it so deftly chronicles, portraying the moral, social and economic restraints on a woman who dared to claim the privileges of marriage without assuming the responsibilities. Lily Bart, beautiful, witty and sophisticated, is accepted by 'old money' and courted by the growing tribe of nouveaux riches. But as she nears thirty, her foothold becomes precarious; a poor girl with expensive tastes, she needs a husband to preserve her social standing and to maintain her in the luxury she has come to expect. Whilst many have sought her, something - fastidiousness or integrity- prevents her from making a 'suitable' match.

The Crystal World

2004

by J.G. Ballard

J. G. Ballard's fourth novel, which established his reputation as a writer of extraordinary talent and imaginative powers, tells the story of a physician specializing in the treatment of leprosy who is invited to a small outpost in the interior of Africa. Finding the roadways blocked, he takes to the river, and embarks on a frightening journey through a strange petrified forest whose area expands daily, affecting not only the physical environment but also its inhabitants.

Through a 'leaking' of time, the West African jungle starts to crystallize. Trees are metamorphosed into enormous jewels. Crocodiles encased in second glittering skins lurch down the river. Pythons with huge blind gemstone eyes rear in heraldic poses.

Fearing this transformation as a herald of the apocalypse, most flee the area in terror, afraid to face a catastrophe they cannot understand. But some, dazzled and strangely entranced, remain to drift through this dreamworld forest. Travelling through this gilded land, the doctor tries to resist its strange allure, while a tribe of lepers search for Paradise…

P.S. I Love You

2004

by Cecelia Ahern

A novel about holding on, letting go, and learning to love again. P.S. I Love You is an enchanting novel with cross-generational appeal, introducing a fresh new voice in women's fiction, Cecelia Ahern.

Holly couldn't live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to. They were the kind of young couple who could finish each other's sentences. When Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, 30-year-old Holly is set adrift, unable to pick up the pieces. But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.

A Matter of Honor

2004

by Jeffrey Archer

It seems innocent enough. A disgraced British colonel bequeaths a mysterious letter to his only son. But the moment Adam Scott opens the yellowing envelope, he sets into motion a deadly chain of events that threatens to shake the very foundations of the free world.

Within days, Adam's lover is brutally murdered, and he's running for his life through the great cities of Europe, pursued not only by the KGB but by the CIA and his own countrymen as well. Their common intent is to kill him before the truth comes out.

While powerful men in smoke-filled rooms plot ever more ingenious means of destroying him, Adam finds himself betrayed and abandoned even by those he holds most dear. When at last he comes to understand what he is in possession of, he's even more determined to protect it, for it's more than a matter of life and death—it's a matter of honor.

Anthem

2004

by Ayn Rand

Anthem has long been hailed as one of Ayn Rand's classic novels, and a clear predecessor to her later masterpieces, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. In Anthem, Rand examines a frightening future in which individuals have no name, no independence, and no values. Equality 7-2521 lives in the dark ages of the future where all decisions are made by committee, all people live in collectives, and all traces of individualism have been wiped out. Despite such a restrictive environment, the spark of individual thought and freedom still burns in him—a passion which he has been taught to call sinful. In a purely egalitarian world, Equality 7-2521 dares to stand apart from the herd—to think and choose for himself, to discover electricity, and to love the woman of his choice. Now he has been marked for death for committing the ultimate sin. In a world where the great "we" reign supreme, he has rediscovered the lost and holy word—"I."

Darkest Hour

2004

by Jenny Carroll

What - or who - is buried in Susannah's backyard? When the nineteenth-century ghost of Maria de Silva wakes her up in the middle of the night, Suze knows this is no ordinary visitation - and not just from the knife at her throat, either. In life, Maria was the fiancée of Jesse - the same Jesse who was murdered a hundred and fifty years before. The same Jesse Suze is in love with.

Maria threatens Suze: The backyard construction must cease. Suze has a pretty good idea what - or rather, who - Maria doesn't want found. But in solving Jesse's murder, will Suze end up losing him forever?

The Eustace Diamonds

Following the death of her husband, Sir Florian, the beautiful Lizzie Eustace mysteriously comes into possession of a hugely expensive diamond necklace. She maintains it was a gift from her husband, but the Eustace lawyers insist she give it up. While her cousin Frank takes her side, her new lover, Lord Fawn, states that he will only marry her if the necklace is surrendered.

As gossip and scandal intensify, Lizzie's truthfulness is thrown into doubt, and in her desire to keep the jewels, she is driven to increasingly desperate acts.

The third in Trollope's Palliser series, The Eustace Diamonds bears all the hallmarks of his later works, blending dark cynicism with humor and a keen perception of human nature.

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood

2004

by Ann Brashares

With a bit of last summer's sand in the pockets, the Traveling Pants and the Sisterhood that wears them embark on their second summer together.

Bridget: Impulsively sets off for Alabama, wanting to both confront and avoid her demons... but she can't keep the truth from the Pants.

Carmen: Is concerned that her mother is making a fool of herself over a man. When she discovers that her mom borrowed the Pants to wear on a date, she's certain of it.

Tibby: Makes a movie she'd like to be proud of... while the Pants keep alive the memory of a friend who could see beyond appearances.

Lena: Has spent months hiding from love... only to find that she's at last ready to put on the Pants and let them lead her where they will.

Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand

Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand is a science fiction masterpiece, an essay on the inexplicability of sexual attractiveness, and an examination of interstellar politics among far-flung worlds. First published in 1984, the novel's central issues—technology, globalization, gender, sexuality, and multiculturalism—have only become more pressing with the passage of time.

The novel's topic is information itself: What are the repercussions, once it has been made public, that two individuals have been found to be each other's perfect erotic object out to "point nine-nine-nine and several nines percent more"? What will it do to the individuals involved, to the city they inhabit, to their geosector, to their entire world society, especially when one is an illiterate worker, the sole survivor of a world destroyed by "cultural fugue," and the other is—you!

Stonehenge

Bestselling author Bernard Cornwell takes us back four thousand years, to a vibrant world of ritual and sacrifice that is at once timeless and wholly original. This historical novel unlocks the mystery of Britain's most haunting and puzzling structure and tells a tale of three brothers—fierce rivals—who are uneasily united in their quest to create a temple to their gods.

Lengar, the eldest brother, kills his own father to become chief of his tribe. Camaban, the illegitimate middle brother, is determined to have a massive temple built in his own honor. And Saban, the youngest, who actually builds Stonehenge, must act as mediator between the other two.

Stonehenge is the enthrallingly dramatic story of patricide, betrayal, and murder; of bloody brotherly rivalry; and of the never-ending quest for power, wealth, and spiritual fulfillment.

The Lion in Winter

2004

by James Goldman

Insecure siblings fighting for their parents’ attention; bickering spouses who can’t stand to be together or apart; adultery and sexual experimentation; even the struggle to balance work and family: These are themes as much at home in our time as they were in the twelfth century.

In James Goldman’s classic play The Lion in Winter, domestic turmoil rises to an art form. Keenly self-aware and motivated as much by spite as by any sense of duty, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine maneuver against each other to position their favorite son in line for succession.

By imagining the inner lives of Henry, Eleanor, and their sons, John, Geoffrey, and Richard, Goldman created the quintessential drama of family strife and competing ambitions, a work that gives visceral, modern-day relevance to the intrigues of Angevin England.

Combining keen historical and psychological insight with delicious, mordant wit, the stage play has become a touchstone of today’s theater scene.

Loch

2004

by Paul Zindel

Loch and his sister are with their father on a scientific expedition to track lake monsters. Their father's boss, Anthony Cavenger, a ruthless publishing mogul, is determined to prove that the legends are fact. Until now, it has been a fruitless exercise.


But suddenly, on a routine exploration, a hideous water beast explodes out of the water, and a photographer, hoping to get the picture of a lifetime, loses his life instead. The plesiosaurs terrorize the secluded lake community, but Loch encounters a baby plesiosaur and realizes that the monsters only attack when threatened.


So he risks his life—and the lives of his family and friends—to save the prehistoric creatures from destruction.

Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye

2004

by Victoria Laurie

Abby Cooper is a P.I., psychic intuitive. But her insight failed her when she didn't foresee the death of one of her clients—or that the lead investigator for the case is the gorgeous blind date she just met.

Now, with the police suspicious of her abilities and a killer on the loose, Abby's future looks more uncertain than ever.

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

2004

by Rebecca Wells

When Siddalee Walker, oldest daughter of Vivi Abbott Walker, Ya-Ya extraordinaire, is interviewed in the New York Times about a hit play she's directed, her mother gets described as a "tap-dancing child abuser." Enraged, Vivi disowns Sidda. Devastated, Sidda begs forgiveness, and postpones her upcoming wedding. All looks bleak until the Ya-Yas step in and convince Vivi to send Sidda a scrapbook of their girlhood mementos, called "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood." As Sidda struggles to analyze her mother, she comes face to face with the tangled beauty of imperfect love, and the fact that forgiveness, more than understanding, is often what the heart longs for.

Fatelessness

2004

by Imre Kertész

At the age of 14, Georg Koves is plucked from his home in a Jewish section of Budapest and, without any particular malice, placed on a train to Auschwitz. He does not understand the reason for his fate. He doesn’t particularly think of himself as Jewish. And his fellow prisoners, who decry his lack of Yiddish, keep telling him, “You are no Jew.” In the lowest circle of the Holocaust, Georg remains an outsider.

The genius of Imre Kertesz’s unblinking novel lies in its refusal to mitigate the strangeness of its events, not least of which is Georg’s dogmatic insistence on making sense of what he witnesses—or pretending that what he witnesses makes sense. Haunting, evocative, and all the more horrifying for its rigorous avoidance of sentiment, Fatelessness is a masterpiece in the traditions of Primo Levi, Elie Wiesel, and Tadeusz Borowski.

Fire of the Covenant: The Story of the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies

2004

by Gerald N. Lund

In the summer of 1856, three companies of handcarts were outfitted and sent west from Iowa to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. All went well, and they arrived without undue incident. But two additional companies - one captained by James G. Willie, and the other by Edward Martin - left England late in the season. When they arrived at Iowa City, they were long past the time for safe departure across the plains. By the time they left Florence, Nebraska, with still more than a thousand miles to go, it was near the end of August. As if that were not serious enough, President Brigham Young thought that the arrival of the third company ended the migration for that season and ordered the resupply wagons back to Salt Lake.

Fire of the Covenant is the story of those handcart pioneers and their exodus to the Salt Lake Valley. Author Gerald N. Lund has used the same techniques present in The Work and the Glory series to blend fictional characters into the tapestry of actual historical events, making this a story filled with all the elements of great drama - tragedy, triumph, pathos, courage, sacrifice, surrender and faith.

How I Became Stupid

2004

by Martin Page

Ignorance is bliss, or so hopes Antoine, the lead character in Martin Page's stinging satire, How I Became Stupid—a modern day Candide with a Darwin Award-like sensibility. A twenty-five-year-old Aramaic scholar, Antoine has had it with being brilliant and deeply self-aware in today's culture.

So tortured is he by the depth of his perception and understanding of himself and the world around him that he vows to denounce his intelligence by any means necessary in order to become "stupid" enough to be a happy, functioning member of society.

What follows is a dark and hilarious odyssey as Antoine tries everything from alcoholism to stock-trading in order to lighten the burden of his brain on his soul.

Sunshine

2004

by Robin McKinley

There are places in the world where darkness rules, where it's unwise to walk. But there hadn't been any trouble out at the lake for years, and Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts. Vampires never entered her mind.

Until they found her...

A Raisin in the Sun

"Never before, in the entire history of the American theater, has so much of the truth of black people's lives been seen on the stage," observed James Baldwin shortly before A Raisin in the Sun opened on Broadway in 1959. Indeed, Lorraine Hansberry's award-winning drama about the hopes and aspirations of a struggling, working-class family living on the South Side of Chicago connected profoundly with the psyche of black America--and changed American theater forever. The play's title comes from a line in Langston Hughes's poem "Harlem," which warns that a dream deferred might "dry up/like a raisin in the sun."

"The events of every passing year add resonance to A Raisin in the Sun," said The New York Times. "It is as if history is conspiring to make the play a classic." This Modern Library edition presents the fully restored, uncut version of Hansberry's landmark work with an introduction by Robert Nemiroff.

Beggars in Spain

2004

by Nancy Kress

In this future, some people need no sleep at all. Leisha Camden was genetically modified at birth to require no sleep, and her normal twin Alice is the control. Problems and envy between the sisters mirror those in the larger world, as society struggles to adjust to a growing pool of people who not only have 30 percent more time to work and study than normal humans, but are also highly intelligent and in perfect health.

The Sleepless gradually outgrow their welcome on Earth, and their children escape to an orbiting space station to set up their own society. But Leisha and a few others remain behind, preaching acceptance for all humans, Sleepless and Sleeper alike. With the conspiracy and revenge that unwinds, the world needs a little preaching on tolerance.

Fool's Fate

2004

by Robin Hobb

In the final book in the Tawny Man Trilogy, Fitz and the Fool are tested more severely than ever in a book the Monroe News-Star calls “a breathtaking ride from beginning to end.” FitzChivalry Farseer has become firmly ensconced in the queen’s court. Along with his mentor, Chade, and the simpleminded yet strongly skilled Thick, Fitz strives to aid Prince Dutiful on a quest that could secure peace with the Out Islands—and win Dutiful the hand of the Narcheska Elliania.

The Narcheska has set the prince an unfathomable task: to behead a dragon trapped in ice on the isle of Aslevjal. Yet not all the clans of the Out Islands support their effort. Are there darker forces at work behind Elliania’s demand? Knowing that the Fool has foretold he will die on the island of ice, Fitz plots to leave his dearest friend behind. But fate cannot so easily be defied.

Tehanu

Tehanu, the fourth book in the renowned Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin, continues the saga of the wizard Ged and the priestess Tenar. In their youth, they had faced peril together in the Tombs of Atuan. Now, Ged returns as a broken old man, stripped of his magical powers, while Tenar has embraced the simple pleasures of an ordinary life as a farmer's widow.

Together, they are drawn into aiding another in need—a child scarred physically and emotionally, whose destiny is yet to be revealed. Tehanu is a story of restoration and healing, weaving a tale where magic meets the mundane, and where the characters' personal journeys reflect larger themes of loss, redemption, and the rediscovery of self.

The Bloody Crown of Conan

In his hugely influential and tempestuous career, Robert E. Howard created the genre that came to be known as sword and sorcery—and brought to life one of fantasy’s boldest and most enduring figures: Conan the Cimmerian—reaver, slayer, barbarian, king.

This lavishly illustrated volume gathers together three of Howard’s longest and most famous Conan stories—two of them printed for the first time directly from Howard’s typescript—along with a collection of the author’s previously unpublished and rarely seen outlines, notes, and drafts.

The People of the Black Circle
Amid the towering crags of Vendhya, in the shadowy citadel of the Black Circle, Yasmina of the golden throne seeks vengeance against the Black Seers. Her only ally is also her most formidable enemy—Conan, the outlaw chief.

The Hour of the Dragon
Toppled from the throne of Aquilonia by the evil machinations of an undead wizard, Conan must find the fabled jewel known as the Heart of Ahriman to reclaim his crown... and save his life.

A Witch Shall Be Born
A malevolent witch of evil beauty. An enslaved queen. A kingdom in the iron grip of ruthless mercenaries. And Conan, who plots deadly vengeance against the human wolf who left him in the desert to die.

The Farthest Shore

Book Three of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle. Darkness threatens to overtake Earthsea: the world and its wizards are losing their magic. Despite being wearied with age, Ged Sparrowhawk -- Archmage, wizard, and dragonlord -- embarks on a daring, treacherous journey, accompanied by Enlad's young Prince Arren, to discover the reasons behind this devastating pattern of loss.

Together they will sail to the farthest reaches of their world -- even beyond the realm of death -- as they seek to restore magic to a land desperately thirsty for it.

Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

2004

by Sean Stewart

A gripping Clone Wars–era adventure featuring a showdown between Grand Master Yoda and his former apprentice, the sinister Count Dooku.

The savage Clone Wars have forced the Republic to the edge of collapse. During the height of the battle, one Jedi Knight escapes the carnage to deliver a message to Yoda on Coruscant. It appears that Dooku wants peace and demands a rendezvous. Chances are slim that the treacherous Count is sincere but, with a million lives at stake, Yoda has no choice.

The meeting will take place on Vjun, a planet steeped in evil. The challenge could not be more difficult. Can Yoda win back his once promising pupil from the dark side or will Count Dooku unleash his sinister forces against his former mentor? Either way, Yoda is sure of one thing: this battle will be one of the fiercest he’ll ever face.

Night Fall

2004

by Nelson DeMille

Based on true events, but unlike anything you've ever read before, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille has created what may be his finest work to date.

It is dusk on July 17, 1996. A man and a woman who are married--but not to each other--make love on a Long Island beach as a video camera records their pleasure...and something more. Out over the ocean, TWA Flight 800 suddenly explodes with 230 victims on board, the terrible blast illuminating the sky. The government's verdict is mechanical failure. But the videotape may tell another story--if it can be found.

Now on the fifth anniversary of the crash, two members of the Federal Anti-Terrorist Task Force set out to reopen the case; John Corey, an ex-NYPD detective, and his wife, Kate Mayfield, a career FBI agent. Together, they hunt for the crucial video...and race toward an elusive truth even more horrifying than the crash itself.

Ghost in the Shell

2004

by Masamune Shirow

In the rapidly converging landscape of the 21st century, Major Kusanagi is charged to track down the craftiest and most dangerous terrorists and cybercriminals, including ghost hackers. When she tracks the trail of one hacker, her quest leads her to a world she could never have imagined.

Deep into the 21st century, the line between man and machine has been inexorably blurred. In this rapidly converging landscape, cyborg super-agent Major Motoko Kusanagi is charged to track down the most dangerous terrorists and cybercriminals, including "ghost hackers," capable of exploiting the human/machine interface by reprogramming human minds to become puppets to carry out their criminal ends.

Augustus

2004

by John Williams

Augustus is a brilliant and beautifully written novel in the tradition of Robert Graves, presenting a sweeping narrative that vividly brings to life a compelling cast of historical figures through their letters, dispatches, and memoirs.

A mere eighteen years of age when his uncle, Julius Caesar, is murdered, Octavius Caesar prematurely inherits the rule of the Roman Republic. Surrounded by men jockeying for power—Cicero, Brutus, Cassius, and Mark Antony—young Octavius must work against the powerful Roman political machinations to claim his destiny as the first Roman emperor.

Sprung from meticulous research and the pen of a true poet, Augustus tells the story of one man's dream to liberate a corrupt Rome from the fancy of the capriciously crooked and the wildly wealthy.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Graphic Novel)

2004

by Bo Hampton

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Graphic Novel) is a faithful adaptation of Washington Irving's tale, brought to life by Bo Hampton. This graphic novel explores the ghostly inhabitants of Tarrytown, New York, during the time of the American Revolution.

Headlined by the Headless Horseman himself, this edition features new covers and 16 pages of new material, including numerous preliminary sketches of scenes and characters. Dive into this classic story with a new visual twist!

London Bridges

2004

by James Patterson

Two of the greatest villains James Patterson has ever created in one book!

Minutes after soldiers evacuate a Nevada town, a bomb completely destroys it. On vacation, FBI agent Alex Cross gets the call: the blast was perpetrated by the Wolf. A supercriminal and Cross's deadliest nemesis, the Wolf threatens to obliterate major cities, including London, Paris, and New York.

Then evidence reveals the involvement of a ruthless assassin known as the Weasel. Could these two dark geniuses be working together? Now with just four days to prevent an unimaginable cataclysm, Cross is catapulted into an international chase of astonishing danger — and toward the explosive truth about the Wolf's identity, a revelation that Cross may not survive.

Daniel Martin

2004

by John Fowles

Set internationally and spanning three decades, Daniel Martin is, among other things, an exploration of what it is to be English. Daniel is a screenwriter working in Hollywood, who finds himself dissatisfied with his career and with the person he has become.

In a richly evoked narrative, Daniel travels home to reconcile with a dying friend, and also to visit his own forgotten past in an attempt to discover himself. Summoned home to England to visit an ailing friend, Daniel Martin finds himself back in the company of people who once knew him well, forced to confront his buried past, and propelled toward a journey of self-discovery through which he ultimately creates for himself a more satisfying existence.

A brilliantly imagined novel infused with a profound understanding of human nature, Daniel Martin is John Fowles at the height of his literary powers.

Maktub

2004

by Paulo Coelho

Maktub não é um livro de conselhos, mas uma troca de experiências. A maior parte dos textos se refere a ensinamentos que Paulo Coelho recebeu de seu mestre ao longo de 11 anos. Outros são relatos de amigos ou pessoas desconhecidas que de uma forma ou de outra lhe deixaram uma mensagem inesquecível. Finalmente, existem trechos de livros que ele leu e de histórias que pertencem à herança espiritual da raça humana.

A proposta do autor é reunir um apanhado da sabedoria universal destacando um ponto comum a todas as histórias: a busca da felicidade. Embora o desejo de ser feliz seja relatado em contextos tão diversos, fica fácil concluir que, não importa o lugar ou a época, ele sempre se baseia nos mesmos pilares: amor, humildade, solidariedade e renúncia.

Maktub oferece aos leitores uma oportunidade de refletir e se reencontrar. "Se você está percorrendo o caminho de seus sonhos, comprometa-se com ele. Não deixe a porta de saída aberta através da 'Ainda não é bem isto que eu queria.' Assuma o seu caminho. Mesmo que precise dar passos incertos, mesmo que saiba que pode fazer melhor o que está fazendo. Se você aceitar suas possibilidades no presente, com toda certeza vai se sair melhor no futuro."

Shadowmarch

2004

by Tad Williams

The maze-like castle of Southmarch stands sentry along the border between the human kingdoms and the land of the immortal Qua. Now, the darkness from beyond that border has begun to enfold Southmarch - or Shadowmarch - the Qua's ancient home.

To stop the darkness falling, the Southmarch royal family must face their human enemies, supposed friends, and the family curse. Twins Barrick and Briony shoulder impossible burdens as their father is imprisoned and their brother murdered.

Briony flees towards her father and the slave armies of the Autarch, while her brother Barrick crosses the Shadowline gripped by madness...

The Heart of the Matter

2004

by Graham Greene

In a British colony in West Africa, Henry Scobie is a pious and righteous man of modest means enlisted with securing borders. But when he’s passed over for a promotion as commissioner of police, the humiliation hits hardest for his wife, Louise.


Already oppressed by the appalling climate, frustrated in a loveless marriage, and belittled by the wives of more privileged officers, Louise wants out. Feeling responsible for her unhappiness, Henry decides against his better judgment to accept a loan from a black marketeer to secure Louise’s passage. It’s just a single indiscretion, yet for Henry it precipitates a rapid fall from grace as one moral compromise after another leads him into a web of blackmail, adultery, and murder.


And for a devout man like Henry, there may be nothing left but damnation.

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