When a young boy named Eragon finds a blue gem stone in the middle of the forest, he has no idea what magic is in store for him. It hatches a sapphire-blue dragon, a member of a race thought to be extinct. Eragon bonds with the dragon and soon discovers that he is the first in a new line of Dragon Riders, fated to play a part in a war that is poised to sweep his land. With over two million copies in print, "Eragon" (the first book in the "Inheritance" trilogy, published in the UK by Corgi Childrens) is one of the bestselling books for young readers since Harry Potter first landed. Now author Lois H. Gresh brings us "The Ultimate Eragon Guide": a fun, interactive book that looks deep inside the complex world of Alagaesia to reveal facts behind the magical people, places, and creatures that fill the "Inheritance" series. Also included is an in-depth look the many folk references, myths, and legends that form the basis of the books, as well as quizzes, a fascinating trip through the lore of dragons, a biography of the young author, plus tons of fun side bars and more! "The Ultimate Eragon Guide" will be an entertaining resource for fans of the series and curious readers alike.

"Entertaining and informative."
–– Julius Schwartz, Editor Emeritus, DC Comics

Praise for The Science of Superheroes

"We comics fans have known it for years, of course: somewhere, in some nether dimension or on some alternate world, there is an Earth on which superheroes are real . . . and now Lois Gresh and Bob Weinberg have shown us how that’s possible. To paraphrase an old DC Comics feature: Science says you’re wrong if you believe that The Science of Superheroes isn’t more fun than a barrel of genetically altered winged monkeys."
–– Roy Thomas, writer and editor of X-Men, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Superman, Justice League of America, Legion of Superheroes, Star Wars, and many other comic book classics

"Weinberg and Gresh tell it like it is–– and how it would be, if our favorite comic book characters actually existed. The Science of Superheroes is a fascinating and entertaining examination of everything from astrophysics to genetic biology to the evolution of the ‘superhero.’ "
–– Mark Powers, editor of X-Men and Uncanny X-Men

The Science of Superheroes takes a lighthearted but clear-headed look at the real science that underlies some of the greatest superhero comic books of all time, including Spider-Man, Batman, Fantastic Four, and many more. Each chapter presents the story of the origin of one or more superheroes and asks intriguing questions that lead to fascinating discussions about the limits of science, the laws of nature, and the future of technology.

If gamma rays can’t turn a 128-pound weakling into the Incredible Hulk, what could? Are Spider-Man’s powers really those of a spider? Could a person ever breathe water like a fish? From telepathy to teleportation, from cloning to cosmic rays, this vastly entertaining romp through the nexus of science and fantasy separates the possible from the plausible and the barely plausible from the utterly ridiculous.

The depiction of computers on the various "Star Trek" series has ranged from lame to breathtakingly imaginative. This book covers the gamut, and makes lucid and entertaining comparison of these fictional computers with those that now exist or are likely to inhabit our future. Throughout its history, "Star Trek" has been an accurate reflection of contemporary ideas about computers and their role in our lives. Affectionately but without illusions, The Computers of Star Trek shows how those ideas compare with what we now know we can and will do with computers.