Showing results by author "Ra" in All Categories

Computers are changing. Soon the silicon chip will seem like a clunky antique amid the bounty of more exotic processes on offer. Robots are changing, too; material evolution and swarm intelligence are creating a new generation of devices that will diverge and disperse into a balanced ecosystem of humans and robjects (robotic objects).

When 12-year-old Kaira Renn listens in on one of her father’s secret meetings, she hears of strange things...Soon after, Kaira leaves the comfort of childhood and enters a place like no other: The Society for the Preservation of Magical Artefacts. In this secret world of wonders, Kaira learns how to use magic, conjuring spells, charms, and remedies. She also begins to make links between the strange words overheard on her bedroom landing and the darkness closing in on the magical society. And soon Kaira learns the true meaning of bravery, betrayal - and sacrifice.

Love doesn’t always conquer all. Cherise Stanchon is the princess heir of Ethea, a country embroiled in a century-long war. Her betrothed is a prince of the Valdir, a race of dragon riders. But when loss and war threaten to come between them, Cherise must choose between her duty to her country and her heart.

As the saying goes, “pride comes before a fall”. But in present day, most of us think of pride as a good thing. If pride is something that always causes us to fall, it is strange that we would think that. In this audiobook, we take a closer look at the definition of pride and how it might have changed over the centuries. Was the change by accident, or was there a darker purpose? As we take a closer look at pride, theories on why so many of us fall will be revealed. And the more that gets revealed, the easier it will become to catch yourself…before you fall.

Árni is about to leave his burrow for a four-year adventure out at sea. But Árni doesn’t want to go, at least not today. You see, he wants one more day to play with his best friend Birta, but she can’t be found. Summertime in Iceland means nearly 24 hours of glistening sunlight each day - perfect for lighting the way for adventurous little puffins. While Árni searches Iceland for Birta, his mother and father are searching for him. Little pufflings shouldn’t be wandering about all alone!

"Our pride rules the empire now." A new era has begun in Tzoladia! But lions are not the only things prowling the streets. The brash young ruler has inherited an empire full of divisions, intrigue, assassins, and disease. Have the last days arrived? Where are The Deliverers? Brina matches wits with the ruthless and brutal Bladar. Amanki fights the faceless and deadly blue sickness. Moshoi battles the restless and all-consuming desires of his own heart. Three Seals. Three Deliverers. One last chance. Will anyone escape Tzoladia alive? "Breathtaking resolution to a fantastic series!" "A huge ...

Do you tend to take life for granted? We may or may not take life for granted, but we all seem to ignore death entirely. Having a human life means wanting to acquire, wanting to keep indefinitely. Yet, as we get closer to death, our goals tend to change from wanting stuff to giving possessions away. It seems the meaning of life isn’t what we own, but more of what we might have learned, grown from, and experienced.

Humans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded port city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can. Arra Cynnis is the youngest child in one of the most powerful families in the wealthy district of Unicorn Precinct.

Aubrey Hartmann left the Imperial battlefields with a pocketful of medals, a fearsome reputation, and a clockwork leg. The Imperium diverts her trip home to investigate the murder of a young druwyd in a strange town. She is ordered to not only find the killer, but prevent a full-scale war with the dreaded Fae.

In the midst of a surprise snowstorm and the catastrophic threat of dwindling snacks, Cass Stephens finds herself thrust into a world she never imagined–and it’s hotter than she could have ever dreamed. Two irresistibly sexy shifters, Jax and Damon, emerge from the cold, harboring a secret desire that goes deeper than Cass could have ever imagined. But there’s more to this tale than meets the eye. Jax and Damon endure a centuries-old curse, one only Cass can help break by becoming their third, completing their Alpha Triad.

Unfortunately, running away from your problems only works for so long. Since I got pulled into the secret underworld of demons, fae, and vampires, it’s been one crisis after another. I’ve been dodging and ducking, rather than hitting back. Reacting instead of acting. Ransley Thorpe and I have been gradually backed into a corner, and we’re about to take the offensive. We may be punching way above our weight class, it's true. But if the alternative is death or captivity at the hands of our enemies, do we really have anything to lose?

How does one approach Blackness, masculinity, otherness, and the perils of young adulthood? For G’Ra Asim, punk music offers an outlet to express himself freely. As his younger brother, Gyasi, grapples with finding his footing in the world, G’Ra gifts him with a survival guide for tackling the sometimes treacherous cultural terrain particular to being young, Black, brainy, and weird in the form of a mixtape.

Let the battle begin! The vast Tzoladian army clashes with the Karsonian confederation in the valley of Mt. Sarmos. But the stakes are higher than a mere fight for power between countries. As the cruel emperor intensifies his persecution of the "subhumans," the three chosen youths make tough choices that will decide the fate of the world. Amanki is a soldier fighting for an empire that wants him dead. After losing her freedom and her seal, Brina faces the ruthless leader of the Sparaggi tribes. Tuka is surrounded by intrigue. Plots of assassination abound. Thrown into circumstances they ...

Peri is not who Sultan Moulay Ismail thinks she is. She hasn't come to his royal palace to serve him. She's an American time traveler who was sucked into ball lightning and ended up the slave of a holy man in Morocco. She is risking her life to save the person she loves. If she is discovered, she will be tortured and killed. Her mission depends on a dubious disguise and a man she's grown to despise. And she isn't the only one plotting in the palace...

They stalk their prey from deep in the menacing shadows, poised and ready to strike at the penultimate moment. Their victims unexpectant, unaware, until they wake in dark rooms, dank basements, or on chilly floors stained with the rotting blood of other hapless victims. The stench fills their nostrils and permeates their pores, the bile rising up in their burning throats. They scream and try to escape, but all attempts are futile. Fear dances like spiders down their spines as they hear ominous footsteps approaching - their eyes spread wide in horror as they realize the end is near.

Humans and elves, dwarves and gnomes, wizards and warriors all live and do business in the thriving, overcrowded port city of Cliff's End, to say nothing of the tourists and travelers who arrive by land and sea, passing through the metropolis on matters of business or pleasure - or on quests. The hard-working, under-appreciated officers of the Cliff's End Castle Guard work day and night to maintain law and order as best they can. A new drug called Bliss is sweeping across the slums of Goblin Precinct.

Porter makes a killing tracking down missing persons. The former federal agent has the bank statements and body count to prove it. But when a good friend asks him to take on a charity case gone cold, he reluctantly agrees. After all, no family should have to bury their little girl's empty coffin. As he retraces the girl's last known steps, Porter squares off against a disgruntled bus driver, Tampa gang leaders, and human traffickers who peddle their wares on the darkest corners of the web. Through dirty hands and bloody knuckles, Porter learns the girl may still be alive.

Mashed is an anthology of twisted humor, erotic horror, and culinary experimentation. Featuring demented authors from all over the world coming together to delight and terrify you. Mashed feels like Scary Movie meets 50 Shades on the Food Network! This collection of 17 sensually sinister tales that will leave you both scared and slightly turned on, while laughing out loud and contemplating whether or not you should have their next meal.

There is a great disturbance in the Force. From the sleek ships of the glimmering Coruscant skyscape to the lush gardens of pastoral Naboo, dissent is roiling. The Republic is failing, even under the leadership of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, elected 10 years earlier to save the crumbling government. Separatists threaten war, and the Senate is hopelessly divided, unable to determine whether to raise an army for battle or keep the fragile peace.

The mutated spree killer known as the Claw has returned, leaving bloody victims all over Super City. While Homicide detectives try to find out who the Claw really is, uniformed officers must deal with the Bolt's escape from the drunk tank, and the bumblings of aspiring hero Knight Dude. Meanwhile, the Superior Six claim they'll cooperate with the police and stop the Claw - but they are busy fighting the Brute Squad and stonewalling the cops. The SCPD must find out the Claw's deadly secret, before he claims another victim!