Search Worlds Without End

CITY OF CIRCLES is an entrancing love story between Danu and Morrie, two circus performers, and Danu's Lewis Carroll-esque odyssey through the magical city of Matryoshka, that ends with a heart-warming yet bittersweet twist.

Danu is a tightrope walker who is mourning her parents, after a disease has ravaged the circus where she grew up. Her mother has entrusted her with a locket that hides a secret.

Over the years, Danu pushes away her grief and develops elaborate and successful high-wire acts with Morrie, a charismatic hunchback who wants to marry her. When the circus returns to Danu's birthplace, Matryoshka, Danu is enchanted by the temples, spice mists, and pleasure seekers within the intoxicating outer circle district.

Here, she finally gains the courage to open her mother's locket, and discovers the name of a stranger who lives behind the locked gate of the Inner Circle. Fated to remain in Matryoshka, Danu attempts to resolve this mystery...

Will she and Morrie ever be reunited, or will something far more unexpected be waiting for her in the mysterious heart of the city?

My sister is a formwanderer: she is a mirror of want. Each person she meets sees what they want, when they look at her. And she changes for each pair of eyes.

Two sisters, fleeing the city of Paradon, find their way to a village by the sea, where Old Kelp's cottage - and her recipe book - await them.

Amber feels this is where she finally belongs, baking honey cakes each night for the villagers to collect in the morning, using a set of bone spoons that allow her to add truth, lust and confusion to her pies and puddings.

Her little sister Maya is a formwanderer, engineered to reflect the wants of others. All her life she has been like a twin to Amber, but now Amber has changed her mind, and wants Maya to learn how to be herself.

Kip, a child growing up amongst the songs and stories of the village, delivers Amber's ingredients. When an act of terrible violence stirs and sets free the secrets of a generation, only one of these three can reveal the truth.

Set on an isolated island off the Scottish coast, in a community run by women who are in awe of a mysterious structure called the Thrashing House, the novel is narrated by two teenage girls in very different circumstances. Mary is doing her best to protect her younger brother, Barney, as the island's sons are mysteriously disappearing. Morgan is scheming to escape the prison her parents have made of their home. The two girls unite, each on a desperate mission in which secrets will be revealed and lives changed forever.

This short story originally appeared on Strange Horizons, 5 November 2012. It can also be found in the anthology The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2013, edited by Rich Horton.

Read the full story for free at Strange Horizons.

Investigative reporter Nora Hesper spends her nights cloaked in shadows. As Indigo, she's become an urban myth, a brutal vigilante who can forge darkness into weapons and travel across the city by slipping from one patch of shadow to another. Her primary focus both as Nora and as Indigo has become a murderous criminal cult called the Children of Phonos. Children are being murdered in New York, and Nora is determined to make it stop, even if that means Indigo must eliminate every member. But in the aftermath of a bloody battle, a dying cultist makes claims that cause Indigo to question her own origin and memories.

Nora's parents were killed when she was nineteen years old. She took the life insurance money and went off to explore the world, leading to her becoming a student of meditation and strange magic in a mountaintop monastery in Nepal...a history that many would realize sounds suspiciously like the origins of several comic book characters. As Nora starts to pick apart her memory, it begins to unravel. Her parents are dead, but the rest is a series of lies. Where did she get the power inside her?

In a brilliant collaboration by New York Times and critically acclaimed coauthors Charlaine Harris, Christopher Golden, Kelley Armstrong, Jonathan Maberry, Kat Richardson, Seanan McGuire, Tim Lebbon, Cherie Priest, James A. Moore, and Mark Morris join forces to bring you a crime-solving novel like you've never read before.

Published for the first time in a low cost edition, Maurice Richardson's cult classic is one of the strangest works of fiction ever written. Fifteen stories that relate the activities of the Surrealist Sportsman's Club, a society with very dubious morals that spends the time it has left between the collapse of the moon and the end of the universe taking the concept of the 'game' to its logical limit.

A club can't operate without members, and those of the SSC are as strange and astonishing as some of the events they compete in. Most formidable of all, and more than just a little sinister, is the old Id, an "elemental force" who thinks nothing of venturing forth from his home at Nightmare Abbey to arrange a rugby match between Mars and the entire human race, or of playing chess with boy scouts and nuclear bombs as pieces.

Centre stage, however, is given to Engelbrecht himself, the dwarf boxer. Surrealist boxers don't take on human opponents, but "do most of their fighting with clocks." Engelbrecht has his fair share of those and even bests a malign Grandfather Clock in a match where years rather than money is at stake, but his talents are also called upon to help him deal with almost the whole spectrum of Gothic, electric and purely impossible threats in a style both charming and ferocious. He's an eternal optimist and it's his pluck and spirit, rather than his fists or footwork, which generally make the greatest contribution to the precarious well-being of his club.

The tone of these adventures is a curious blend of Gothic and science fiction, but an avant-garde Gothic and an absurdist SF, a voice which simultaneously lampoons much of the atmosphere found in novels of the past and future while making a genuine contribution to both kinds. Richardson has placed his tongue firmly in his cheek, true, but then he has proceeded to bite it off with molars sharpened on the grindstones of profundity...

"The Exploits of Engelbrecht is English surrealism at its greatest. Witty and fantastical, Maurice Richardson was light years ahead of his time. Unmissable." - J.G. Ballard

This novelette originally appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, January 1991. It can also be found in the anthology The Year's Best Science Fiction: Ninth Annual Collection (1992), edited by Gardner Dozois.

Under the article on Venus in the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, the writer says that "Philip Latham's Five Against Venus is a Venusian Robinsonade." Indeed, in overall form the story is Swiss Family Robinson in space, though the precipitating crisis owes more to the 1950 movie Rocketship X-M.

"We Go Anywhere" was the legend scrawled on the battered hull of the ALBATROSS, one of the worst old tubs in space. To Dale Sutton, the biggest man on campus at the Space Academy, it was a slap in the face to be ordered to such a crate. But his biggest shock came when orders set the ALBATROSS and its two companion ships on a course that let straight to the dreaded planet Saturn. No one had ever come back from Saturn, yet everyone knew the story of Captain Dearborn who had led the first and only expedition to the ringed planet a century earlier. His diary was the record of a steadily losing battle against the unknown as one by one, the little party had vanished.

Now, a hundred years later, the superstitious crew of the ALBATROSS found it impossible to rid themselves of the feeling that the same catastrophe that had wiped out the previous expedition would strike again. They had hardly been settled a day in Dearborn's old underground quarters on Titan, Saturn's largest satellite, when their gnawing fears began to materialize. First, the loss of all their guns when the lights suddenly and inexplicably faded, then the disappearance of the first man! But greater and more deadly horrors were yet to come: panicky moments of groping though ghastly underground caves, the appearance of a face bearing the same twisted features of the illustrious Captain Dearborn, a collision that sends Titan up in a blaze of destruction, and the final landing on Saturn, a planet heaving with volcanos and covered with streams of molten lava.

The 13th Spacebourne is the elite fighting force of the Accord of Free Worlds. For decades, the Accord tried to keep out of the war that divided the galaxy. But now, they have no choice -- it's fight or die. And the soldiers of the 13th Spacebourne are "the lucky" ones chosen to do it.

Two enemy empires are poaching Free World planets. The Lucky 13th must "hold until relieved," delaying the actions of one empire while the Free Worlds' main fleet fights on another front. If their mission succeeds, the fleet will come and rescue them. If anything goes wrong, the unlucky fighters of the Lucky 13th are on their own...

Meet the soldiers of the "Lucky 13th"...

Colonel Stossen is the only commanding officer the "Lucky 13th" has ever had. He doesn't always like what he has to ask his men to do, but he always knows they'll do it -- or die trying.

Sergeant Joe Baerclau rarely shows any outward emotion, but when his gray eyes begin to smolder, his men know it's time to get out of his way or follow him into action.

Corporal Ezra Frain is a veteran at age twenty. The tall redhead has joined the 13th after helping fight off the enemy's invasion of his home planet. Now he's ready to give that enemy a taste of his own poison.

Private Mort Jaiffer is the "old man" of his squad at twenty-seven. A former college professor turned soldier, he turned down a chance at officer school to be a private.

Private Kam Goff had never seen combat before landing on Porter, but before the end of his first day on the ground, he'd seen enough to last him a lifetime.

The 13th Spacebourne is the elite fighting force of the Accord of Free Worlds. For decades, the Accord tried to keep out of the war that divided the galaxy. But now, they have no choice -- it's fight or die. And the soldiers of the 13th Spacebourne are the "lucky" ones chosen to do it.

The Accord's campaign to liberate Jordan from the Hegemony has stalled -- well short of its objectives. Most important is a secret lab behind enemy lines doing research that could decide the outcome of the war. The soldiers of the Lucky 13th have their assignment, to rescue the scientists and recover their results... and the boys know all too well that if they fail, nobody will be coming to rescue them.

The 13th Spacebourne is the elite fighting force of the Accord of Free Worlds. For decades, the Accord tried to keep out of the war that divided the galaxy. But now, they have no choice -- it's fight or die. And the soldiers of the 13th Spacebourne are the "lucky" ones chosen to do it.

Intelligence says the Hegemony is preparing a major invasion of the Accord planets. The only way to head off the invasion is prevent it -- by launching a crippling attack on the heavily defended planet where the Hegemony stockpiles ordnance. The Lucky 13th is chosen to spearhead the assault. Heavy casualties are expected. But the soldiers of the 13th don't just know the odds -- they know how to beat them!

The year is 2804 AD. Humanity has colonized the universe. But the authority of the Confederation of Human Worlds is spread thin. Where the Army of planet Earth cannot reach, mercenaries must keep the peace--and the Dirigent Mercenary Corps are the best of the best.

Lon Nolan wasn't supposed to be serving with the DMC. He'd earned his place at the elite North American Military Academy, and he'd excelled there. But when he's kicked out of the Academy on trumped-up charges, he's left with no choice: join the DMC or go home.

So join he does, going from top of his class to bottom rung in the DMC. To become an officer, he'll have to survive his first taste of combat with his new army, and if he fails, he won't lose just his honor, but his life.

The year is 2804 AD. Humanity has colonized the universe. But the authority of the Confederation of Human Worlds is spread thin. Where the Army of planet Earth cannot reach, mercenaries must keep the peace--and the Dirigent Mercenary Corps are the best of the best.

Kicked out of the prestigious North American Military Academy, Lon Nolan had only a few choices left to him. He chose the hardest one: serving with the Dirigent Mercenary Corps, an elite fighting squad where respect is earned not in the classroom but on the battlefield.

Nolan proved himself on the battlefield on Norbank. But now he's commanding men of his own, and the stakes are higher. He's going to learn sooner or later that leadership always comes with a cost...

The year is 2804 AD. Humanity has colonized the universe. But the authority of the Confederation of Human Worlds is spread thin. Where the Army of planet Earth cannot reach, mercenaries must keep the peace--and the Dirigent Mercenary Corps are the best of the best.

Serving with the Dirigent Mercenary Corps wasn't Lieutenant Lon Nolan's first choice--it was his only choice. After he was expelled from the North American Military Academy, there was nowhere else to go. He's finally made a place for himself with the DMC when a girl has to go and throw a wrench in his plans. Sara Pines is beautiful and brilliant, and he's sure she's the one.

Unfortunately, Lon's shipped out to quell a civil war on a distant planet before he has a chance to marry the woman he loves. And now that he's arrived on Aldrin, it's becoming increasingly clear that he might never make it home...

The year is 2804 AD. Humanity has colonized the universe. But the authority of the Confederation of Human Worlds is spread thin. Where the Army of planet Earth cannot reach, mercenaries must keep the peace--and the Dirigent Mercenary Corps are the best of the best.

Lon Nolan is skyrocketing through the ranks of the DMC, proving time and again that he's got what it takes to be one of the most elite fighters in the galaxy. But as his family grows, he grow less certain that the mercenary life is for him. With one kid at home and another on the way, he grows more reluctant to march off to battle.

But when duty calls, he must answer. In MAJOR, Nolan is off to the mining planet of Bancroft on a routine security mission. Of course, this is the DMC, so it won't stay routine for long...

The year is 2804 AD. Humanity has colonized the universe. But the authority of the Confederation of Human Worlds is spread thin. Where the Army of planet Earth cannot reach, mercenaries must keep the peace--and the Dirigent Mercenary Corps are the best of the best.

Lon Nolan has distinguished himself at the DMC, and he has the battle scars to prove it. Now, the governor of the isolated mining planet of Bancroft again needs Lon's help. The Colonial Mining Cartel is terrorizing the planet, and Lon is the only person who can stop it. He'd never thought he'd have to return, and now he's going back to face a more disciplined adversary than ever before. This time, the responsibility for the Second Battalion falls on him.

The year is 2804 AD. Humanity has colonized the universe. But the authority of the Confederation of Human Worlds is spread thin. Where the Army of planet Earth cannot reach, mercenaries must keep the peace--and the Dirigent Mercenary Corps are the best of the best.

As a young cadet, all Lon Nolan ever dreamed of was serving in the military of planet Earth. After a dishonorable discharge on trumped-up choices, he saved himself and his honor by joining up with the Dirigent Mercenary Corps. Over the decades he's forged himself a place with the DMC, and shown himself to be a true hero. There's even talk that he might become the next General.

But Lon isn't after a promotion--in fact, he's thinking about retirement. With his son in the Corps, he's hoping he can leave the fighting to the next generation. But when the political machinations of the Confederation of Human Worlds get in the way, Lon has to return to the front lines, leading not just his troops, but his son among them, into a final bitter campaign.

We are all stories, in the end...

A stunning illustrated collection of fifteen dark and ancient fairy tales from the world of Doctor Who.

These captivating stories include mysterious myths and legends about heroes and monsters of all kinds, from every corner of the universe. Originally told to young Time Lords at bedtime, these twisted tales are an enchanting read forDoctor Who fans of all ages.

Written by Justin Richards and illustrated by David Wardle.

This book uses the conceit that characters from Doctor Who have written some of these stories.

With a new introduction by Amelia Williams, as well as a rare interview with the reclusive author, 'The Girl Who Never Grew Up'.

Summer Falls by Amelia Williams
In the seaside village of Watchcombe, young Kate is determined to make the most of her last week of summer holiday. But when she discovers a mysterious painting entitled 'The Lord of Winter' in a charity shop, it leads her on an adventure she never could have planned. The painting is a puzzle - and with the help of some bizarre new acquaintances, she plans on solving it...
(Inspired by the Doctor Who episode 'The Bells of Saint John')

The Angel's Kiss by Melody Malone
Detective Melody Malone has an unexpected caller: movie star Rock Railton thinks someone is out to kill him--and when he mentions the 'kiss of the Angel', she takes the case. At the press party for Railton's latest movie, studio owner Max Kliener invites Melody to become their next star. But the cost of fame, she'll soon discover, is greater than anyone could possibly imagine.
(Inspired by the Doctor Who episode, 'The Angels Take Manhattan')

Devil in the Smoke, as recounted by Mr Justin Richards
On a cold day in December, two young boys, tired of sweeping snow from the workhouse yard, decide to build a snowman--and are confronted with a strange and grisly mystery. In horrified fascination, they watch as their snowman begins to bleed... The search for answers to this impossible event will plunge Harry into the most hazardous--and exhilarating--adventure of his life.
(Inspired by the Doctor Who episode, 'The Snowmen')

As it had been foretold, the armies of the Universe gathered at Trenzalore. Only one thing stood between the planet and destruction - the Doctor. For nine hundred years, he defended the planet, and the tiny town of Christmas, against the forces that would destroy it.

He never knew how long he could keep the peace. He never knew what creatures would emerge from the snowy night to threaten him next. He knew only that at the end he would die on Trenzalore.

Some of what happened during those terrible years is well documented. But most of it remains shrouded in mystery and darkness.

Until now.

This is a glimpse of just some of the terrors the people faced, the monstrous threats the Doctor defeated. These are the tales of the monsters who found themselves afraid - and of the one man who was not.

Tales of Trenzalore documents four of the Doctor's adventures from different periods during the Siege of Trenzalore and the ensuing battle:

• Let it Snow - by Justin Richards
• An Apple a Day - by George Mann
• Strangers in the Outland - by Paul Finch
• The Dreaming - by Mark Morris

In 1920s London the Doctor and Rose find themselves caught up in the hunt for a mysterious murderer. But not everyone or everything is what they seem. Secrets lie behind locked doors and inhuman killers roam the streets.

Who is the Painted Lady and why is she so interested in the Doctor? How can a cat return from the dead? Can anyone be trusted to tell or even to know the truth?

With the faceless killers closing in, the Doctor and Rose must solve the mystery of the Clockwise Man before London itself is destroyed...

The Novrosk Peninsula: the Soviet naval base has been abandoned, the nuclear submarines are rusting and rotting. Cold, isolated, forgotten. Until the Russian Special Forces arrive and discover that the Doctor and his companions are here too.

But there is something else in Novrosk. Something that predates even the stone circle on the cliff top. Something that is at last waking, hunting, killing. Can the Doctor and his friends stay alive long enough to learn the truth?

With time running out, they must discover who is really responsible for the Deviant Strain...

Starfall - a world on the edge, where crooks and smugglers hide in the gloomy shadows and modern technology refuses to work. And that includes the TARDIS. The pioneers who used to be drawn by the hope of making a fortune from the mines can find easier picking elsewhere. But they still come for the romance of it, or old-fashioned organic mining. Or in the hope of finding the lost treasure of Hamlek Glint - scourge of the spaceways, privateer, adventurer, bandit.

Will the TARDIS ever work again? Is Glint's lost treasure waiting to be found? And does the fabled Resurrection Casket, the key to eternal life, really exist? With the help of new friends, and to the horror of new enemies, the Doctor and Rose aim to find out.

Castle Extremis - whoever holds it can control the provinces either side that have been at war for centuries. Now the castle is about to play host to the signing of a peace treaty. But as the Doctor and Martha find out, not everyone wants the war to end.

Who is the strange little girl who haunts the castle? What is the secret of the book the Doctor finds, its pages made from thin, brittle glass? Who is the hooded figure that watches from the shadows? And what is the secret of the legendary Mortal Mirror?

The Doctor and Martha don't have long to find the answers - an army is on the march, and the castle will soon be under siege once more...

'For a few moments this afternoon, it rained on the moon...'

An astronaut in full spacesuit appears out of thin air in a busy shopping centre. Maybe it's a publicity stunt. A photo shows a well-dressed woman in a red coat lying dead at the edge of a crater on the dark side of the moon - beside her beloved dog 'Poochie'. Maybe it's a hoax. But as the Doctor and Amy find out, these are just minor events in a sinister plan to take over every human being on earth. The plot centres on a secret military base on the moon - that's where Amy and the TARDIS are.

The Doctor is back on Earth, and without the TARDIS there's no way he can get to the moon to save Amy and defeat the aliens. Or is there? The Doctor discovers one last great secret that could save humanity: Apollo 23.

'They like the Shadows. You know them as Plague Warriors...'

When the Doctor arrives in the 19th-century village of Klimtenburg, he discovers the residents suffering from some kind of plague - a 'wasting disease'. The victims face a horrible death - but what's worse, the dead seem to be leaving their graves. The Plague Warriors have returned...

The Doctor is confident he knows what's really happening; he understands where the dead go, and he's sure the Plague Warriors are just a myth. But as some of the Doctor's oldest and most terrible enemies start to awaken he realises that maybe - just maybe - he's misjudged the situation.

"Vastra and Strax and Jenny? Oh no, we don't need to bother them. Trust me."

Marlowe Hapworth is found dead in his locked study, killed by an unknown assailant. This is a case for the Great Detective, Madame Vastra.

Rick Bellamy, bare-knuckle boxer, has the life drawn out of him by a figure dressed as an undertaker. This angers Strax the Sontaran.

The Carnival of Curiosities, a collection of bizarre and fascinating sideshows and performers. This is where Jenny Flint looks for answers.

How are these things connected? And what does Orestes Milton, rich industrialist, have to do with it all? As the Doctor and Clara joint the hunt for thr truth they find themselves thrust into a world where nothing and no one are what they seem.

"We're dicing with death on the information superhighway to hell."

A rebellion on another planet. A kidnapping in central London. The head of MI5 assassinated. A hostage siege suddenly and violently ended by the SAS. A computer CD slipped into the Fourth Doctor's pocket by a dead man...

It's 1998, and the global information superhighway is about to come on line. OffNet controls everything digital from cars to sliding doors, from interactive television to military command and control systems.

The Doctor and Sarah must join forces with an old friend in a race against time: to prevent the breakdown of technological society and foil an unconventional alien takeover bid.

"If Sutekh had escaped, no power in the universe could have stopped him wreaking havoc and destruction. This time, it's worse."

Arriving in Victorian London, the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan run straight into trouble: Nyssa is kidnapped in the British Museum by Egyptian religious fanatics; the Doctor and Tegan are greeted by a stranger who knows more about them than he should and invited to a very strange party.

Why are rooms already booked for the Doctor at the Savoy? How can Lord Kenilworth's butler Atkins be in Egypt and London at the same time? What is the history of the ancient mummy to be unwrapped at Kenilworth's house? And what has all this got to do with Nyssa?

The Doctor's quest for answers leads him across continents and time as an ancient Egyptian prophecy threatens 1990s England. While the Doctor attempts to unravel the plans of the mysterious Sadan Rassul, mummies stalk the night and an ancient terror stirs in its tomb.

The Doctor arrives just in time to lend a helping hand to a survey team of scientists drilling beneath the Moon's surface to discover the cause of an unusual power source. The adventure continues with deadly lunar dust and a Crystal that has been lost for centuries... Unfortunately it's just what the Darksmiths have been looking for and they have despatched an Agent to recover it. At any cost.

The Doctor arrives in an underwater base on the planet. Flydon Maxima - known locally as 'Despair' because hope is lost for all life there. The scientific base has for centuries been monitoring the results of planetary warming - the slow melting of the glaciers at the south pole and subsequent rise in sea levels. Curiously their most advanced monitoring equipment was created and donated by Varlos. The Doctor is helped by a little girl called Gisella. Why did Varlos risk coming here? What has caused the ice to crumble so rapidly now? Can the Doctor evade the rampaging Dreadbringers, and sort out the attacking sea monsters? Who is Gisella and will she and the Doctor manage to escape in the TARDIS? Don't miss this thrilling fourth installment of the Darksmith Legacy!

The neutral ground of the usually lush and beautiful Ursulonamex, known as The Planet of Oblivion, is now scorched and charred. This is where the Darksmiths met their clients to discuss the Eternity Plan, but there is no sign of the clients now, nothing to suggest who they were! as though the mysterious clients have made sure of it. The Doctor and Gisella learn from the few survivors of the Rain of Fire, and that the only clues there might be of what happened could be stored in the observation stations in orbit round the planet. Do any of the observation stations still exist? Are the Doctor and Gisella as alone on board as they think? Who are the Dravidian Hive and are they as benign as they seem? What is a Dreadbringer? Find out by reading the next exciting installment of "The Darksmith Legacy!"

The Krashoks commissioned the Darksmith Collective to fashion a device that creates life. The Krashoks, after waiting for centuries, have finally had their contract fulfilled. They intend to detonate the Eternity Crystal unless the Doctor can stop them. To make matters worse, Gisella is trapped on board the Krashoks' ship. Can the Doctor save Gisella and destroy the Eternity Crystal once and for all?

On contemporary Earth, the Doctor and Sam discover an ancient secret society is trying to start a nuclear war. An optical mystery compounds their confusion and the mysterious US-owned Station Nine brings further problems for them to resolve.

The Doctor, Sam and Fitz land on the Vega station, a pleasure center given over to gambling, shopping and the Arts. It hangs on the edge of Battrulian Space, close to the Earth colony's frontier with the Canvine, huge, wolf-like dog creatures.The Earth colony president is arriving to attend an exhibition of the 3-D reality scans in oil paintings of Toulour Martinique. But the Doctor soon discovers there is more to the paintings than meets the eye. A dark secret is hidden behind the shallow delights of the station, and it seems that it is not only the President who is marked for death but the Doctor and his friends, too.

In 1889 a mine owner, desperate to prevent the closure of the local mine, builds a dam. The construction of the dam disturbs a long-dormant entity and the Doctor finds himself in a race against time to combat the menace.

The late nineteenth century -- the age of reason, of enlightenment, of industrialization. Britain is the workshop of the world, the center of the Empire. Progress has left Middletown behind. The tin mine is worked out, jobs are scarce, and a crack has opened across the moors that the locals believe reaches into the depths of Hell itself.But things are changing: Lord Urton is preparing to reopen the mine; the society for Physical Research is interested in the fissure; Roger Nepath and his sister are exhibiting their collection of mystic Eastern artifacts. People are dying. Then a stranger arrives, walking out of the wilderness: A man with no name, no history.

With Fitz gone to his certain death and Anji back at work in the City, the Doctor is once more alone. But he has a lot to keep him occupied. At the Naryshkin Institute in Siberia, scientists are busily at work in a haunted castle. Over a century earlier, creatures from a prehistory that never happened attack a geological expedition. Pages from the lost expedition's journal are put on display at the British Museum, and a US spy plane suffers a mysterious fate. Deep under the snowy landscape of Siberia the key to it all remains trapped in the ice. Only the Doctor can see that these events are all related. But he isn't the only person involved. Why is Colonel Hartford so interested in the Institute? Who is the mysterious millionaire who is after the journal? How is the Grand Duchess, descendent of the last Tsar, involved? Soon the Doctor is caught up in a plot that reaches back to the creation of the Universe. And beyond... ...to Time Zero.

This Week: A hideous misshapen creature releases a butterfly. Next Week: The consequences of this simple action ensure that history follows its predicted path... Sometime: In the swirling maelstrom of the Time Vortex, The Council of Eight maps out every moment in history and take drastic measures to ensure it follows their predictions. But there is one elemental force that defies prediction, that fails to adhere to the laws of time and space... A rogue element that could destroy their plans merely by existing. Already events are mapped out and defined. Already the pieces of the trap are in place. The Council of Eight already knows when Sabbath will betray them. It knows when Fitz will survive the horrors in the Museum of Anthropology. It knows when Trix will come to his help. It knows when the Doctor will finally realize the truth. It knows that this will be: Never.

The Empire of the Wolf simmers with unrest. Rebels, heretics, and powerful patricians all challenge the power of the Imperial throne.

Only the Order of Justices stands in the way of chaos. Sir Konrad Vonvalt is the most feared Justice of all, upholding the law by way of his sharp mind, arcane powers, and skill as a swordsman. At his side stands Helena Sedanka, his talented protégé, orphaned by the wars that forged the Empire.

When the pair investigates the murder of a provincial aristocrat, they unearth a conspiracy that stretches to the very top of Imperial society. As the stakes rise and become ever more personal, Vonvalt and Helena must make a choice: Will they abandon the laws they've sworn to uphold, in order to protect the Empire?

A Justice's work is never done.

The Battle of Galen's Vale is over, but the war for the Empire's future has just begun. Concerned by rumors that the Magistratum's authority is waning, Sir Konrad Vonvalt returns to Sova to find the capital city gripped by intrigue and whispers of rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, while fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets.

Yet facing down these threats to the throne will have to wait, for the Emperor's grandson has been kidnapped - and Vonvalt is charged with rescuing the missing prince. His quest will lead him -- and his allies Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir -- to the southern frontier, where they will once again face the puritanical fury of Bartholomew Claver and his templar knights -- and a dark power far more terrifying than they could have imagined.

THE TIME OF JUDGEMENT IS AT HAND

The Empire of the Wolf is on its knees, but there's life in the great beast yet.

To save it, Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena must look beyond its borders for allies - to the wolfmen of the southern plains, and the pagan clans in the north. But old grievances run deep, and both factions would benefit from the fall of Sova.

Even these allies might not be enough. Their enemy, the zealot Bartholomew Claver, wields infernal powers bestowed on him by a mysterious demonic patron. If Vonvalt and Helena are to stand against him, they will need friends on both sides of the mortal plane - but such allegiances carry a heavy price.

As the battlelines are drawn in both Sova and the afterlife, the final reckoning draws close. Here, at the beating heart of the Empire, the two-headed wolf will be reborn in a blaze of justice... or crushed beneath the shadow of tyranny.

Harper Blaine was your average small-time P.I. until a two-bit perp's savage assault left her dead for two minutes. When she comes to in the hospital, she sees things that can only be described as weird-shapes emerging from a foggy grey mist, snarling teeth, creatures roaring.

But Harper's not crazy. Her "death" has made her a Greywalker- able to move between the human world and the mysterious cross-over zone where things that go bump in the night exist. And her new gift is about to drag her into that strange new realm-whether she likes it or not.

Meet Harper Blaine. She doesn't just see dead people... Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died - for two minutes. Now she's a Greywalker - walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she's discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of "strange" cases. In the days leading up to Halloween, Harper's been hired by a university research group that is attempting to create an artificial poltergeist. The head researcher suspects someone is deliberately faking the phenomena, but Harper's investigation reveals something else entirely - they've succeeded. And when one of the group's members is killed in a brutal and inexplicable fashion, Harper must determine whether the killer is the ghost itself, or someone all too human.

Harper Blaine was just an average small-time private investigator until she died - for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker, walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And her new abilities are landing her all sorts of strange cases.

In the cold of winter, Pioneer Square's homeless are turning up dead and mutilated, and zombies have been seen roaming the streets of the underground - the city buried beneath modern Seattle. When Harper's friend Quinton fears he may be implicated in the deaths, he persuades her to investigate their mysterious cause. But when Harper turns to the city's vampire denizens for help, they want nothing to do with her or with the investigation. For this creature is no vampire. Someone has unleashed a monster of ancient legend upon the Underground, and Harper must deal with both the living and the dead to put a stop to it... unless it stops her first.

For Seattle investigator Harper Blaine, her own case may prove the most difficult to solve. Why did she - as opposed to others with near-death experiences - become a Greywalker? When Harper begins digging into her own past, she unearths some unpleasant truths about her father's early death as well as a mysterious puzzle. She sets out to find his ghost but encounters only a void where he should be, leaving her with more unanswered questions.

Before she can continue her search, Harper gets an offer she can't refuse to go to London and pursue an investigation on behalf of some very demanding vampires. But there are unpleasant surprises waiting for her, and Harper soon discovers her present trouble in England is entangled with her dark past back in Seattle - and her ultimate destiny as a Greywalker.

Just back from London, Harper picked up some new skills while she was away. But instead of taking the time to hone them, she'd rather focus on what's important. Like finding the two-bit perp who 'killed' her. She's convinced he's a valuable clue in the puzzle of her past and her missing father, as well as a key to figuring out who's trying to manipulate her powers and why.

There's just one problem. Turns out the man who "killed" her was murdered himself while she was away. Lucky for Harper, she has an airtight alibi, but that doesn't mean the police are going to play nice. With Seattle's recent surge in violence - thanks to the vampires - she's already under suspicion. Which means Harper has to watch her step. Because finding the ghost of her 'killer' - and rescuing her father - will mean entering into the Grey. And with her growing powers pulling her more deeply into that paranormal world, Harper's afraid she may not be able to come back out...

After being shot in the back and dying - again - Harper's recovery has been hard. She's lost many of the powers she'd acquired since first becoming a Greywalker, and knows that if she dies one more time, she won't be coming back. Her only respite from the chaos is her work... until she sees a ghostly car accident for which there are no records. Worse still, the victim of the fatal wreck insists he was murdered, and that the nearby community of Sunset Lakes - called 'Blood Lake' by locals - is to blame.

The picturesque area is an unlikely a haven for conspiracy but Harper soon learns that the icy waters of the lake hide a terrible power and a host of hellish beings. And both are held under the thrall of a sinister cabal that will use the darkest of arts to achieve their fiendish ends...

Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died--for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker, treading the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she's discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of "strange" cases.

A quarter century ago, the Seawitch cruised away from her dock and disappeared with everyone on board. Now the boat has mysteriously returned to her old berth in Seattle and the insurance company has hired Harper to find out what happened--but she's not the only one investigating.

Seattle police detective Rey Solis is a good cop, albeit one who isn't comfortable with the creepy cases that always seem to end up in Harper's lap. As Solis focuses on the possible murder of a passenger's wife, Harper's investigation leads her to a powerful being who may be responsible for the Seawitch's disappearance. While their searches lead Harper and Solis in different directions, they will need to put aside their differences to solve a mystery twenty-five years in the making....

Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died--for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker, treading the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she's discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of "strange" cases.

When a comatose woman suddenly wakes up and starts painting scenes she's never witnessed, with a skill she's never had, medical science has no explanation. As more bizarre phenomena manifest, including strange voices coming from her mouth, even her doctors wonder whether the woman may be possessed.

Frustrated and frightened, the patient's sister turns to Harper to discover who--or what--is occupying her sister's body. As Harper digs into the case, she discovers other patients struck with the same mystifying afflictions and a disturbing connection to one of the most gruesome episodes in Washington's history....

Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died--for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker, treading the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And these abilities are landing her all sorts of "strange" cases....

Turmoil, sickness, and destruction are sweeping through Europe--and its effects are being felt all the way across the world in Seattle. Harper Blaine and her lover, Quinton, suspect that Quinton's father, James Purlis--and his terrifying Ghost Division--are involved.

Following a dark trail of grotesque crimes and black magic across the Old World, the pair slowly draws closer to their quarry. But finding and dismantling the Ghost Division won't be enough to stop the horror that Purlis has unwittingly set in motion.

An ancient and forgotten cult has allied with Quinton's mad father. And their goals are far more nightmarish than Harper and Quinton--or even Purlis--could ever imagine.

The pursuit leads to Portugal, where the desecrated tomb of a sleeping king and a temple built of bones recall Harper's very first paranormal case and hold clues to the cult's true intentions. Harper and Quinton will need all the help they can get to avert a necromantic cataclysm that could lay waste to Europe and drag the rest of the world to the brink of war.

With millions watching on live stream, Daxx and his teammates Qrysta and Grell win the role-playing Games (RPG) Grand Championship. But winning the game was was a piece of cake compared with what comes next.

Daxx wakes up to find he's turned into his own avatar and is in the middle of a wilderness he doesn't recognize. Armed with a crappy sword he has no idea how to use and dressed in beginner-level gear he must figure out how to survive quickly because he can already hear the blood-thirsty howls of wild animals from the jungle that surrounds him.

Thus starts a fantastic epic fantasy adventure. Once the three friends finally find each other they need to puzzle out their new world, gain skills, combat enemies, and make alliances with all kinds of characters and creatures from the different territories of this new world in order to survive.

The Second Doctor and his companions land in what seems to be a medieval castle. In reality, it is a fortress/prison, the last stronghold for military forces. The TARDIS crew quickly finds itself in danger from outside threats and inside, not the least of which is seemingly self-animating suits of armor.

This book chosen to represent the Second Doctor in the 50th Anniversary Collection.

In Britain, panic has set in as the government realises the full implications of Year 2000. In the race against time, one company seems to promise all the technological answers... but what exactly are the methods and motives behind the operation?

The TARDIS materializes on an island named Dorsill, which has recently been bought by a DNA scientist named Sheldon. At first the villagers aren't suspicious when they notice a few people dying, and attribute it to natural causes. Little do they realize that they are in fact now part of Sheldon's closed experiment. The Sixth Doctor must discover what dark experiments Sheldon is carrying out on the innocent people of Dorsill.

In Anterctica, nearly fifty years after the end of World War 2, Nazi Initiates inhibit a secret base; around them move the shadows and reflections of strange, Imp-like figures...The village of Turelhampton in Dorset is still a restricted military zone, cordoned off from the outside world. When a rogue film-crew breaks in, welrd damons, invisible to the naked eye, appear on camers...

And in a remote country-house in Cornwall, a freelance investigative journalist is horrified to discover neo-Nazis performing an occult ritual involving a functional, accurate, crystal ball - the Scrying Glass. And in the background, the figure of Hilter watching, exactly as he appears in the last pictures of him alive...What really did happen in the Berlin bunker in 1945, when Hitler and Eva Braun supposedly committed joint suicide? And what connection does this have with the uncanny imps that can be seen only in reflections and shadows? Why is it so imperative that no-one discover the secret of Turelhampton? It is up to the Doctor and the faithful Brigadier to find out.

Meet Richards and Klein -- the Holmes and Watson of the 22nd century.

Except that Richards is a highly advanced artificial intelligence, and Klein his German ex-military cyborg partner. Their first case takes them into the renegade digital realm known as Reality 36 and through the Great Firewall of China, in search of a missing Artificial Intelligence Rights activist. What they find there will threaten every reality.

The powerful artificial intelligence designated k52 has a plan to take over the world.

If it were to create an artificial reality based on our own universe it could theoretically gain enough data to be able to alter reality itself, turning k52 into the ultimate arbiter of mankind's fate.

It's down to Richards and Klein to stop k52 - even though the alternative could be worse!

Rick Shelley's Federation War trilogy begins with a novel that takes you through the barracks corridors and the trenches of war, bringing the war of the future home with a combination of battlefield action and home-town heroics.

For Doug Weintraub of the Buchanan Planetary Commission, it begins with a fuzzy call, quickly cut off. Federation troops have invaded his world. The battle they've long feared and tried to avoid is coming. Now it's time to seek help, to launch a rocket into Q Space and hope for Second Commonwealth troops to arrive -- and soon.

Aboard the Starship Victoria, it begins differently. It's a short, unexpected message on the screen for Sergeant David Spencer of the Royal Marines. New orders, surprising ones, that will send him and his men to an independent frontier world that's become a new front in the war between the Commonwealth and Federation.

Doug Weintraub and David Spencer soon find themselves in unexpected roles, a skilled warrior in the Royal Marines side-by-side with a back-world farmer. They'll need each other to keep the Federation at bay.

Coventry. One of the founding worlds of the Second Commonwealth. It lies just eight light years away from the Commonwealth's capitol world, Buckingham, but it's mostly been ignored during the Federation War.

No longer. The Federation has its sights set on taking Coventry by any means necessary. Their first wave of attacking troops have set Coventry aflame in an effort to force out the population and keep local resistance at bay as they establish a base for attacking the heart of the Commonwealth.

Coventry is Reggie Bailey's home. Reggie isn't a Royal Marine. He's a family man, a father of three. But he has to put it all aside and join his brethren to fight the fires that threaten his world. It's up to the home guard to keep the Federation at bay long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

To Sergeant David Spencer of the Commonwealth's Royal Marines, the scorched earth assault on Coventry is a challenge. But he's trained, skilled, armed, ready. When the unexpected orders to go to Coventry arrive, there's no question that David and his men are up to the task, but there's every question if they can arrive in time and fight their way through the fires of Coventry before it's too late for Reggie and his family.

War hits home as Rick Shelley's Federation War trilogy continues.

Prince George, Earl of New Britain, was supposed to hold a position of great importance on Buckingham, capitol world of the Second Commonwealth. However, Prince George wasn't on Buckingham. He hadn't been for seven years, in fact. The Federation War had stranded him on the resort world of Camerein, His Royal Highness little more than a footnote to the long, bitter war.

Newly made Captain David Spencer has proven his worth time and again on the fields of battle. But his latest promotion comes with some strings attached. He'll have to lead a top secret mission to Camerein, to determine once and for all the fate of Prince George.

Camerein is now in play. With a nearby shuttle crash putting Prince George and the other stranded resort guests on the move, Lieutenant Spencer beginning his search, and the Federation looking for one last bargaining chip for the war's endgame, the resort world of Camerein is about to host a deadly game of cat and mouse. The future of the Second Commonwealth could rest on who catches whom.

Rick Shelley concludes the Federation War trilogy with another great novel that puts the high tech toys and skilled tactics of David Spencer's Royal Marines team to use on the home front, bringing every sensation of war home to the reader.

STEVE AUSTIN, THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTED

When Steve Austin single-handedly rescued a kidnapped ambassador from a jungle stronghold, he made some powerful enemies. The kidnappers were part of an elaborately organized criminal syndicate that specialized in the abduction of political figures. Now, Steve has been called in to foil the gangs's most ambitious project. They have taken the United States' top diplomatic negotiator, and they want a billion dollars in gold for his return. They fully expect the bionics man to intervene-and they are ready for him!

As members of the Alliance of Light, humans have committed to the battle against the Ilion Federation, and they're doing their part. But the Alliance's army is fragmented, and to unify their forces, the army's leaders must do the unthinkable: they form the First Combined Regiment, made up of soldiers from every alien race in the Alliance.

The Spec Ops Squad is supposed to be the best of the best, an elite group within the First Combined Regiment to take care of the dirtiest jobs. Sergeant Bart "Dragon" Drak isn't too surprised to learn that these warriors don't have a whole lot in common, and it's obvious that it will take a lot of work to turn a bunch of commandos into a team. He didn't sign up for this, but he's got to see it through.

In the midst of training, the Spec Ops Squad is called off to planet Dintsen to fight off an invasion from the Ilion Federation. With such an elite fighting force, beating them back should be a piece of cake ... except Ilion's got the same kind of team on their side, and theirs are better trained. Drak will have to face down tremendous odds and new challenges to bring his team home.

The Spec Ops Squad is a team of elite soldiers from every alien race in the Alliance of Light. They're supposed to be the best of the best, handling all the toughest missions--but these elite soldiers don't have a whole lot in common. It's fallen to Sergeant Bart "Dragon" Dark to forge them into a seamless fighting machine. It hasn't been easy, but they've accomplished some big things: they scored a major victory over the Ilion Federation, and importantly, they proved that they can function as a team.

Now the First Combined Regiment are back on Earth, recovering from their first mission together, trying to unlearn some of the bad habits they picked up. But before they get much down time, they've got to go on the offensive: they're going deep into enemy territory to take and hold the key world of Olviat. If they fail in this DEEP STRIKE, it's not just this mission that falls apart--it could be the entire Alliance.

The Spec Ops Squad is a group of elite soldiers from every alien race in the Alliance of Light. They're supposed to be the best of the best: It's been tough to forge them into a team: they didn't have much in common at the beginning. But commanding officer Sergeant Bart "Dragon" Drak has done a good job, and the Squad has achieved some important victories--at a heavy cost.

Now they're facing their toughest test yet. The Alliance of Light has built a utopian community on the planet Unity, where people from all the various alien races live together. But Unity is threatened by an attack from the Ilion Federation. The Spec Ops Squad and the rest of their regiment are responsible for holding Ilion at bay until the Alliance can build up their supports. The Squad is up for the task. The only question is, can Unity hold itself together long enough?

WEWELSBURG CASTLE, 1940

The German war machine has woken an ancient threat - the alien Vril and their Ubermensch have returned. Ultimate Victory in the war for Europe is now within the Nazis' grasp.

ENGLAND, 1941

Foreign Office trouble shooter Guy Pentecross has stumbled into a conspiracy beyond his imagining - a secret war being waged in the shadows against a terrible enemy.

The battle for Europe has just become the war for humanity.

THE VRIL ARE HERE. THE WAR FOR HUMANITY HAS BEGUN

The Germans have lost control of their most deadly discovery. The alien Vril have awakened and are scouring the Earth for ancient relics.

From the Hollywood lights of LA to the bloody devastation of Stalingrad, Major Guy Pentecross and the team at Station Z must uncover the mystery and stop the Vril and Nazis alike.

Failure will mean the end of life as we know it.

Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.

Ace stared at the Doctor. He nodded. 'Yes, Ace. We're in Elsinore. And I don't like it either.'

Five years ago, an archaeological expedition came to Menaxus to explore the ruins of an ancient theatre. All but one of the visitors died horribly, and the planet was abandoned, bathed in lethal radiation.

Now the only survivor has returned, determined to uncover the theatre's secrets whatever the cost. Among her archaeological team is a certain Professor Bernice Summerfield.

Soon the deaths begin again, while the front line of an interstellar war moves ever closer. Desperate for help, Bernice tries to summon her companions. But when the TARDIS lands on the planet, the Doctor finds himself participating in a frighteningly real performance of Shakespeare's greatest tragedy. And he begins to realise that the truth about Menaxus may be far stranger than anyone imagines.

Mecq thirsts in the English countryside. An unnatural drought besets the town, driving its residents to desperation.

The wizard Silvas has vowed to use his magic to help all in need. But once he arrives in Mecq, he quickly discovers that the town's problems run deeper than a mere lack of water.

Evil lies in wait for Silvas, an evil so powerful that even a wizard of Silvas's abilities may be outmatched. The safety of both Mecq and Silvas's own domain hangs in the balance.

The ruins of Mecq still smolder in the English countryside, and in the ashes, the wizard Silvas mourns the loss of his goddess, Carillia. With her final breath, Carillia raises Silvas into the ranks of the divine.

But divinity brings its own risks. Silvas finds that once he stands among gods, he must contend with an ancient evil more powerful than any he has ever known. The forces arrayed against him harbor old grudges that he cannot assuage.

Faced with the fight of his life, Silvas is about to learn that deities have long memories. And as he well knows, even gods can die...

Gil Tyner has plans for the future: he's going to be a computer programmer in the bustling technology Mecca of Silicon Valley. And as his 21st birthday approaches, he's on the cusp of realizing his goals.

But fate has other plans. A note from his mother on his birthday propels Gil into The Buffer Zone, seven magical kingdoms that stand between our world and the realm of the immortal elves.

Gil's about to learn that plans can change. When destiny calls, he'll discover that the life he'd imagined and the life he'll lead will be very different.

On his 21st birthday, Gil Tyner stepped through a portal into the magical Buffer Zone between our world and the land of the fairies, leaving his life as a college student behind. Torn from everything he'd ever known, Gil rose to the challenge and mastered his new surroundings, becoming a slayer of both elves and dragons.

But now the Buffer Zone faces a threat that will push even Gil to his limits, a menace that could propel rampaging dragons into the world Gil left behind.

To stop it, Gil will need to seek a treasure, but its recovery may prove more dangerous than even the dragons themselves...

When seven moons rise, the world will end.

So the prophecy says, and so it is being carried out. In the magical world of Varay, more and more moons rise. On earth, nuclear war lays the planet to waste.

Gil Tyner, Hero of Varay, must make common cause with his sworn enemy, the Elflord, to avert the end of everything.

As the boundaries between earth and the realm of magic begin to blur, Gil must brave dangers in both worlds, until he finally stands against an entity so mighty that their battle will either avert Armageddon, or destroy everything we've ever known.