It begins with the terrifying nightmare of a young woman, pregnant with her second child. It ends, nearly forty years later, with an old widow, a former queen, crawling amidst the wreckage of her city-her family butchered, an old age of slavery and abasement ahead. The young woman and the old queen are the same person: Hecuba, queen of Troy. To this day, Hecuba remains one of the great women of Greek drama, supported by a cast of characters whose names are forever enmeshed in our language and culture: Priam, Achilles, Odysseus, Agamemnon, Hector ... and more. Here is a look at a famous war from a different perspective: not from those who took part in the glories of battle, but from a not-so-innocent bystander, deeply affected and ultimately devastated by the horrors wrought upon her family. It is not a happy story, admittedly-but it is not one you will easily forget.

Spiders hatch from their eggs as miniature adults, certain of their role in life. All except Yarunt, that is. Born premature-lacking vital instincts and the ability to spin-Yarunt finds herself thrown into a bewilderment of growing panic and chaos. And that's just her mother. Beyond their one tiny, sheltered web, a looming cataclysm threatens the entire world. Shoved into action against her will, it's suddenly up to Yarunt to figure out what's going on and how to stop it...before it's too late.

An artist, a famous Painter, discovers an offhand doodle in her sketchbook has inexplicably come to life. From the moment the Painter draws him, the doodle-a childish stickman named Sketch-has but one dream: to become a great artist like his creator. The Painter is a willing enough teacher, but Sketch proves a challenging student. Overwhelmed by this exciting new world, what Sketch lacks in knowledge he makes up for in enthusiasm. Mistakes are made, however, and mistakes compound, until Sketch finds himself pushing the very boundaries of creation, destruction and perhaps even forgiveness.

It begins with the terrifying nightmare of a young woman, pregnant with her second child. It ends, nearly forty years later, with an old widow, a former queen, crawling amidst the wreckage of her city-her family butchered, an old age of slavery and abasement ahead. The young woman and the old queen are the same person: Hecuba, queen of Troy. To this day, Hecuba remains one of the great women of Greek drama, supported by a cast of characters whose names are forever enmeshed in our language and culture: Priam, Achilles, Odysseus, Agamemnon, Hector ... and more. Here is a look at a famous war from a different perspective: not from those who took part in the glories of battle, but from a not-so-innocent bystander, deeply affected and ultimately devastated by the horrors wrought upon her family. It is not a happy story, admittedly-but it is not one you will easily forget.

An artist, a famous Painter, discovers an offhand doodle in her sketchbook has inexplicably come to life. From the moment the Painter draws him, the doodle-a childish stickman named Sketch-has but one dream: to become a great artist like his creator. The Painter is a willing enough teacher, but Sketch proves a challenging student. Overwhelmed by this exciting new world, what Sketch lacks in knowledge he makes up for in enthusiasm. Mistakes are made, however, and mistakes compound, until Sketch finds himself pushing the very boundaries of creation, destruction and perhaps even forgiveness.

Spiders hatch from their eggs as miniature adults, certain of their role in life. All except Yarunt, that is. Born premature--lacking vital instincts and the ability to spin--Yarunt finds herself thrown into a bewilderment of growing panic and chaos. And that's just her mother. Beyond their one tiny, sheltered web, a looming cataclysm threatens the entire world. Shoved into action against her will, it's suddenly up to Yarunt to figure out what's going on and how to stop it...before it's too late.