'A true fantasy masterpiece' Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author 'World building to rival the likes of George R.R. Martin' GUARDIAN SAVE THE WORLD OR END IT. CLAIM THE SWORD OR BREAK IT. From the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Realm Breaker and the multi-million copy selling Red Queen series, as seen on TikTok... _____________ A divided world must rally, an unstoppable enemy must be defeated, and the fate of the world rests on a blade's edge. Andry, a former squire, fights for hope amid blood and chaos. Dom, a grieving immortal, strives to fulfill a broken oath. Sorasa, an outcast assassin, faces her past when it returns with sharpened teeth. Valtik, an old sorceress, summons a mighty power. And Corayne, a pirate's daughter with an ancient magic in her blood, steps closer to becoming the hero she's destined to be. Together they must assemble an army to face Queen Erida and Taristan's wicked forces. But something deadly waits in the shadows, something that might consume the world before there's any hope for victory. The follow-up to the instant #1 New York Times bestselling Realm Breaker features breathless action, deadly twists, and gripping magic, making it perfect for fans of Garth Nix and J. R. R. Tolkien. 'Blade Breaker is an ambitious sequel with stellar world building. Pure fantasy heaven.' CULTUREFLY _____________ Praise for Victoria Aveyard: 'Electrifying' GUARDIAN 'A fantasy fan's dream' Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times bestselling author of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin 'A new classic' Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Skyhunter 'A true fantasy masterpiece' Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Monsters are culturally meaningful across the world. Starting from this key premise, this book tackles monsters in the context of social change. Writing in a time of violent upheaval, when technological innovation brings forth new monsters while others perish as part of the widespread extinctions that signify the Anthropocene, contributors argue that putting monsters at the center of social analysis opens up new perspectives on change and social transformation. Through a series of ethnographically grounded analyses they capture monsters that herald, drive, experience, enjoy, and suffer the transformations of the worlds they beleaguer. Topics examined include the evil skulking new roads in Ancient Greece, terror in post-socialist Laos's territorial cults, a horrific flying head that augurs catastrophe in the rain forest of Borneo, benign spirits that accompany people through the mist in Iceland, flesh-eating giants marching through neo-colonial central Australia, and ghosts lingering in Pacific villages in the aftermath of environmental disasters. By taking the proposition that monsters and the humans they haunt are intricately and intimately entangled seriously, this book offers unique, cross-cultural perspectives on how people perceive the world and their place within it. It also shows how these experiences of belonging are mediated by our relationships with the other-than-human.

The Wild West is infamous for its outrageous stories, cowboys, and gun battles. But the region is also known for its ghost stories, unexplained deaths, bizarre murders, and peculiar burials. In Weird Wild West, author Keven McQueen brings together a fabulous collection of tales of the darker and stranger side of Texas, Oklahoma, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington. Exploring mysterious deaths, true crime stories, and paranormal activity, this eerie collection uncovers long buried and disturbing stories of the region. Included are the unforgettable tales of the body-snatching of Billy the Kid, the revenge curse of a former deputy district attorney in Colorado, and the weird tale of Mr. Moon, who couldn't keep his dearly departed wife in the ground despite his best efforts. An intriguing, frightful, and entertaining exploration of the strange and gothic side of the Western states, Weird Wild West promises to send chills down your spine.

Arm yourself with garlic, stake and crucifix, for the vampires are back in force - at the top of the best-seller lists, on your TV, on the web and lurking in darkened cinemas. But where did they come from?Why have they come back now? And how can you tell if you are one? Beginning with the first sightings of bats and blood-sucking in the Romantic period, Bite follows the undead's progress through the ages, right up to the present. Alongside mini-essays, anecdotes, facts and figures, each section will be punctuated with lists, such as the best places around the world for vamp tourism; rock songs with vampire allusions; box-office revenue for vamp movies; the Top 10 Vampire clubs, video-games, vampire brides, as well as reliable and unreliable methods of killing a vampire ...

'Charm, wit, and stylistic brilliance.... This is a novel that every writer should read and reread' - Chicago News 'If men no longer know what they are looking at, there may well be unicorns in the world yet, unknown and glad of it.' Living in peace in her lilac wood, the Unicorn didn't know the world had changed, or that anything had happened to the rest of her kind. Overhearing a chance conversation, she resolves to venture out and discover the truth. The road is dangerous, and the risks are great. If she fails, then unicorns will be lost. Forever. A modern fairy tale, The Last Unicorn is a beloved classic, voted by TIME as one of the 100 greatest fantasy novels of all time. It is fantastical, poignant, wistful and wonderous, showing us the humanity of magic, and the magic of humanity. Available in the UK for the first time in decades, this edition features an introduction by Patrick Rothfuss. 'At his best, Peter S. Beagle outshines the moon, the sun, the stars, the entire galaxy' - Seattle Times 'Truth and humanity shine out of the book as brightly as any of Beagle's unicorns' - StrangeHorizons.com

Last Days: Zombie Apocalypse is a skirmish-scale miniatures game of survival horror. It pits players against each other in a nightmarish near-future where the dead have returned to life and are feasting on the living.

Players build their own factions, representing desperate civilians, military personnel, or hardened survivors, and must explore, scavenge, and fight in order to survive another day. Rival gangs are only one of the dangers they face - mindless zombies wander the streets, driven by insatiable hunger and drawn by the sound of combat!

A gang's ability to scavenge is as vital as their combat ability, and players must ensure that they have the resources to survive in this hostile world. Scenarios and campaigns allow you to develop your gang, gain experience and recruit new henchmen to build up your strength or replace the inevitable casualties of the zombie apocalypse.

Monstrous textuality emerges when Gothic narratives like Frankenstein reflect the monstrous in their narrative structure to create narratives of resistance, and allows writers to meta-narratively reflect their own poetics and textual production, and reclaim authority over their work under circumstances of systemic cultural oppression and Othering. This book traces the representation of other Others through Black feminist hauntology in Toni Morrison's Beloved (1987) and Love (2003); it explores fat freak embodiment as a feminist resistance strategy in Angela Carter's Nights at the Circus (1984) and Margaret Atwood's Lady Oracle (1976); and it reads Atwood's MaddAddam trilogy (2003-13) and Shelley Jackson's Patchwork Girl (1995) within a framework of critical posthumanist and cyborg theory. The result is a comprehensive argument about how these texts can be read within a framework of critical posthumanist questioning of knowledge production, and of epistemological exploration, beyond the exclusionary humanist paradigm.

Bigfoots ARE The Locals. They live here. They were here before we humans showed up on the continent and they will likely outlast us. This is a bigfoot book' yet it probes much deeper than a simple treatment of the hackneyed question of 'Does Bigfoot exist?'. This book delves into such questions as why bigfoots exist, why they behave as they do, and why they have not yet been, and may never be dragged into the spotlight of science and the media. And don't look to science' for answers, because science is currently unequipped to shed any light on this profound anthropological mystery.

A magical story about friendship and difference, perfect for children learning to read. When her Dad, the blacksmith, needs a new dragon for the fire in his forge, Jess goes to the king to get an egg, which hatches into a dragon chick. But then the dragon gets sick, and it's only with the help of a boy from the valley below that Jess learns how to heal her and, excitingly, to fly on her! The Reading Ladder series helps children to enjoy learning to read. It features well-loved authors, classic characters and favourite topics, so that children will find something to excite and engage them in every title they pick up. It's the first step towards a lasting love of reading. Level 3 Reading Ladder titles are perfect for fluent readers who are beginning to read exciting, challenging stories independently. * Varied sentences * Detailed illustrations to enjoy * Chapters * Interesting characters and themes * A rich range of vocabulary * More complex storylines to stretch confident readers All Reading Ladder titles are developed with a leading literacy consultant, making them perfect for use in schools and for parents keen to support their children's reading. Book band: Gold.

Lydia is hungry. She's always wanted to try sashimi, ramen, onigiri with sour plum stuffed inside - the food her Japanese father liked to eat. And then there is bubble tea and the vegetables grown by the other young artists at the London studio space she is secretly squatting in. But Lydia can't eat any of this. The only thing she can digest is blood, and it turns out that sourcing fresh pigs' blood in London - where she is living away from her vampire mother for the first time - is much more difficult than she'd anticipated.

Then there are the humans: the people at the gallery she interns at, the strange men who follow her after dark, and Ben, a goofy-grinned artist she is developing feelings for. Lydia knows that they are her natural prey, but she can't bring herself to feed on them.

If Lydia is to find a way to exist in the world, she must reconcile the conflicts within her - between her demon and human sides, her mixed ethnic heritage, and her relationship with food, and, in turn, humans. Before any of this, however, she must eat.

Continuing the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of George R.R. Martin's landmark series, this gorgeously illustrated special edition of A Clash of Kings features over twenty all-new illustrations from Lauren K. Cannon, both colour and black-and-white, and a special foreword by Bernard Cornwell. The Iron Throne once united the Sunset Lands, but King Robert is dead, his widow is a traitor to his memory, and his surviving brothers are set on a path of war amongst themselves. At King's Landing, the head of Lord Eddard Stark rots on a spike for all to see. His daughter Sansa is betrothed still to his killer's son Joffrey - Queen Cersei's son, though not the son of her late husband Robert. Even so, Joffrey is now a boy-king, Cersei is his regent, and war is inevitable. In Dragonstone, Robert's brother Stannis has declared himself king, while his other brother Renly proclaims himself king at Storm's End - and Eddard Stark's fifteen year old son Robb wears the crown of the north at Winterfell. A comet in the night sky, red and malevolent, the colour of blood and flame, can only be an omen of murder and war. Stannis's child Princess Shireen dreams of dragons waking from stone. And a white raven has brought word from the Citadel itself, foretelling summer's end. It has been the longest summer in living memory, lasting ten years, and the smallfolk say it means an even longer winter to come... The first rule of war is never give the enemy his wish. But winter will be the biggest enemy. From beyond the Wall the undead and Others clamour for freedom, and from beyond the sea the long-dead Dragon King's daughter hatches her revenge. Robb Stark will be exceedingly lucky to reach adulthood.

This collection is the first to focus exclusively on twenty-first-century young adult Gothic fiction. The essays demonstrate how the contemporary resurgence of the Gothic signals anxieties about (and hopes for) young people in the twenty-first century. Changing conceptions of young adults as liminal figures, operating between the modes of child and adult, can be mobilised when combined with Gothic spaces and concepts in texts for young people. In young adult Gothic literature, the crossing of boundaries typical of the Gothic is often motivated by a heterosexual romance plot, in which the human or monstrous female protagonist desires a boy who is not her 'type'. Additionally, as the Gothic works to define what it means to be human - particularly in relation to gender, race, and identity - the volume also examines how contemporary shifts and flashpoints in identity politics are being negotiated under the metaphoric cloak of monstrosity.

Among the monsters said to roam the world's jungles and desolate deserts, none is more feared than the chupacabra--the blood-sucking beast blamed for the mysterious deaths of thousands of animals since the 1990s. To some it is a joke; to many it is a very real threat and even a harbinger of the apocalypse. Originating in Latin America yet known worldwide, the chupacabra is a contradictory and bizarre blend of vampire and shapeshifter, changing its appearance and characteristics depending on when and where it is seen. Rooted in conspiracy theory and anti-American sentiment, the beast is said to be the result of Frankenstein-like secret U.S. government experiments in the Puerto Rican jungles. Combining five years of careful investigation (including information from eyewitness accounts, field research, and forensic analysis) with a close study of the creature's cultural and folkloric significance, Radford's book is the first to fully explore and try to solve the decades-old mystery of the chupacabra.

In this remarkable volume, Dr. Jean-Paul Debenat, a professor of comparative literature (University of Nantes, France) with a flair for anthropology, takes us far beyond the realm of documented research on the Sasquatch / Bigfoot phenomenon. His extensive travels in North America, skilful investigations, and years of research on the 'wild man' throughout world history have resulted in this highly authoritative work. Dr Debenat's handling of the subject is both unique and exciting, as well as being highly factual. Rather than a simple presentation of facts and findings, we are taken to the very 'heart' of the matter with meaningful insights and knowledgeable interpretations - one experiences the full spectrum of learning, including emotion. Originally published in French, the work has been translated, modified, and enhanced for the English-speaking public. It is a classic work that will intrigue readers in all walks of life.

What should have been an ordinary morning is about to spiral into a day of unrelenting terror.

As a reporter for his high school newspaper, Tom is always on the lookout for an offbeat story. But from the moment he woke up this morning, his own life has been more bizarre than any headline could ever tell.

The streets of his town are suddenly empty and silent. A strange fog has drifted in from the sea and hangs over everything. And something is moving in that fog. Something evil. Something hungry. Closing in on Tom.

Tom's terrified girlfriend Marie says the answers lie at the Santa Maria Monastery, a haunted ruin standing amidst a forest blackened by wildfire. But can he trust her? A voice that seems to be coming from beyond the grave is warning him that nothing is what it seems.

Only one thing is certain: with his world collapsing around him, Tom has only a few hours to recover the life he knew--before he, too, is lost forever in this nightmare city.

Majestic, mighty, and mysterious, dragons teach us how to rise above the mundane and shine like beacons in the dark. This beautiful hardcover book provides everything you need to become a cryptoherpetologist a student and researcher of these fantastic creatures. Discover the different dragon species and their histories. Learn about dragon life cycles and how to live harmoniously with them. Explore vacation spots for dragon watching in America and Europe. Celebrate seasonal dragon festivals and meet the most famous dragons from literature and lore. Dragon expert Shawn MacKenzie guides you on an epic journey into the world of dragons all in this convenient little book

In this landmark work on a subject too often dismissed as paranormal or disreputable, Jeffrey Meldrum gives us the first book on Sasquatch to be written by a scientist with impeccable academic credentials. He gives an objective look at the facts in a field mined with hoaxes and sensationalism. Meldrum reports on the work of a team of experts from a wide variety of fields who were assembled to examine the evidence for a large, yet undiscovered, North American primate. He reviews the long history of this mystery--which long predates the "Bigfoot" flap of the late fifties--and explains all the scientific pros and cons in a clear and accessible style, amplified by over 150 illustrations. Anyone who has pondered the mysteries of human evolution will be fascinated and eager to join Dr. Meldrum in drawing their own conclusion.

Bigfoot sightings have been reported in every state except Hawaii. Interest in this creature, which many believe to be as mythical as a leprechaun, is as strong today as ever, with the wildly popular show Finding Bigfoot persisting on the Animal Planet network and references to bigfoot appearing throughout popular culture. What is it about bigfoot that causes some people to devote a chunk of their lives to finding one? In Monster Trek, Joe Gisondi brings to life the celebrities in bigfoot culture: people such as Matt Moneymaker, Jeff Meldrum, and Cliff Barackman, who explore remote wooded areas of the country for weeks at a time and spend thousands of dollars on infrared imagers, cameras, and high-end camping equipment. Pursuing the answer to why these seekers of bigfoot do what they do, Gisondi brings to the reader their most interesting-and in many cases, harrowing-expeditions. Gisondi travels to eight locations across the country, trekking into swamps, mountains, state parks, and remote woods with people in search of bigfoot as well as fame, fortune, adventure, and shared camaraderie. Many of the people who look for bigfoot, however, go counter to stereotypes and include teachers, engineers, and bankers. Some are private and guarded about their explorations, seeking solitude during a deeply personal quest. While there are those who might arguably be labeled "crazy," Gisondi discovers that the bigfoot research network is far bigger and more diverse than he ever imagined.

Discover the most legendary story ever told in the SUNDAY TIMES bestseller TROY, Stephen Fry's most epic book yet 'An inimitable retelling of the siege of Troy . . . Fry's narrative, artfully humorous and rich in detail, breathes life and contemporary relevance into these ancient tales' OBSERVER 'An amiable meander through the myth of Troy' TIMES 'Troy. The most marvellous kingdom in all the world. The Jewel of the Aegean. Glittering Ilion, the city that rose and fell not once but twice . . .' _______ The story of Troy speaks to all of us. It is the kidnapping of Helen, a queen celebrated for her beauty, which sees the Greeks launch a thousand ships against that great city, to which they will lay siege for ten whole and very bloody years. It is Zeus, the king of the gods, who triggers war when he asks the Trojan prince Paris to judge the fairest goddess of them all. Aphrodite bribes Paris with the heart of Helen, wife of King Menelaus of the Greeks, and nature takes its course. It is a terrible, brutal war with casualties on all sides. The Greeks cannot defeat the Trojans - since Achilles, the Greek's boldest warrior, is consumed with jealousy over an ally's choice of lover and will not fight . . . The stage is set for the oldest and greatest story ever told, where monstrous passions meet the highest ideals and the lowest cunning. In Troy you will find heroism and hatred, revenge and regret, desire and despair. It is these human passions, written bloodily in the sands of a distant shore, that still speak to us today. Troy is a myth in which we seek the truth about ourselves, which Stephen Fry brings breathtakingly to life for our modern age. *** NOW COMES WITH A PROTECTIVE DUST JACKET *** _______ 'Fry's knowledge of the world - ancient and modern - bursts through at the seams . . . The reader will find themselves on a fun romp through the world's greatest story' DAILY TELEGRAPH PRAISE FOR MYTHOS AND HEROES: 'A romp through the lives of ancient Greek gods. Fry is at his story-telling best . . . the gods will be pleased' Times 'A head-spinning marathon of legends' Guardian 'An Olympian feat. The gods seem to be smiling on Fry - his myths are definitely a hit' Evening Standard 'An odyssey through Greek mythology. Brilliant . . . all hail Stephen Fry' Daily Mail 'A rollicking good read' Independent

Crimes never solved, eerie sightings never explained and paranormal events that stretch the limits of the mind -- read about the mysteries that continue to baffle British Columbians to this day.

The fae are increasingly adapting to the urban world. This book teaches you how to develop relationships with them for a lifelong journey of inspiration and magic. Urban Faery Magick introduces you to dozens of faeries and offers tips and techniques for interacting with them and receiving their help on your own spiritual path. Author Tara Sanchez explores modern case studies and her own personal stories of fae encounters, uniquely associating each faery with one of the elements. You will learn about the Zaragoza Goblin, John the Rust Spirit, Jennie Greenteeth, and many more. You will also explore dozens of exercises, including breathwork, trance, chants, invocations, protection, scrying, and interpreting signs as you discover the important lessons the fae can teach us.

Beloved and bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson is back with a hilarious and heartfelt shifter romance featuring:A delightful cast of shifters and supernatural creaturesSide-splitting hijinks that'll make you snort-laughA slow-burn romance that's still sexy as hellVerity Lane might be a Shifter who can't shift (known as a "squib")—but woe betide anyone who tries to tell her who she is or what she's capable of. She's a proud member of a club for squibs out to prove themselves by participating in dangerous stunts. Which is probably how she ended up on this strange island… Bear shifter Magnus Berne wants two things: to connect with his motherless goddaughter, and to find out who keeps dumping dead bodies on his property. When he discovers Verity on his island, he's determined to get some answers—but it's clear that whoever has been killing squibs is just as resolved to keep it quiet. And now that Verity is in the crosshairs, they'll have to move quickly to stay ahead, stay alive, and stay together. You won't want to miss the rollicking series readers are raving about! Praise for A Wolf After My Own Heart: "Hilarious, quirky, unique, and fun."—CHRISTINE FEEHAN, #1 New York Times bestselling author "Super cute…sure to keep you flipping pages."—TERRY SPEAR, USA Today bestselling author "A droolworthy hero and high-stakes…a winner!"—PAIGE TYLER, New York Times bestselling author

Devon has a long and rich folkloric heritage which has been extensively collected over many years. This book consolidates more than a century of research by eminent Devon folklorists into one valuable study and builds on the vital work that was undertaken by the Devonshire Association, providing insightful analysis of the subject matter and drawing comparisons with folklore traditions beyond the county. The first major work on Devon's folklore since Ralph Whitlock’s short book published by the Folklore Society in the 1970s, this volume brings the subject into the twenty-first century with consideration of internet memes and modern lore, demonstrating that ‘folklore’ does not equate to ‘old rural practice’. With chapters covering the history of Devon's folklore collecting, tales from the moors, the annual cycle, farming and the weather, the devil, fairies, hauntings, black dogs, witchcraft and modern lore, this will remain the standard work for many years to come.

There are strange monsters in Indiana. Some are grudgingly called "hypothetical" species by the state's Department of Natural Resources; others are merely exotic, overlooked, or "hidden" animals, that people think are extinct or just not possible in the Hoosier State. Read about: *Exotic reptiles and fish overlooked on official rosters, *"Extinct" cougars that refuse to disappear, *Alien big cats (including lions and black panthers), *Lake and swamp monsters, *Freshwater cephalopods, *Phantom kangaroos and "Devil Monkeys," *Bigfoot, mer people, lizard men, giant birds, and *A 40-foot dragon. Explore the Indiana monsters that date from the early nineteenth century to modern times. Indiana's creatures will fascinate you as much as the intrepid hunters who stalk them.