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The Mortal Word (The Invisible Library series #5)
by Genevieve CogmanThe Mortal Word is part of Genevieve Cogman’s witty and wonderful Invisible Library series, which can be enjoyed as part of a sequence or as standalones.A corrupt countess. A spy in danger. And an assassin at large.Peace talks are always tricky . . . especially when a key diplomat gets stabbed. This murder rudely interrupts a top-secret summit between the warring dragons and Fae, so Librarian-spy Irene is summoned to investigate. In a version of 1890s Paris, Irene and her detective friend Vale must track down the killer – before either the peace negotiations or the city go up in flames. Accusations fly thick and fast. Irene soon finds herself in the seedy depths of the Parisian underworld on the trail of a notoriously warlike Fae, the Blood Countess. However, the evidence against the Countess is circumstantial. Could the assassin – or assassins – be closer than anyone suspects?The Mortal Word is perfect for fans of Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes.'Captivating story with animated characters . . . cracking pace'Guardian
Moby-Dick: Ahab, Captain Of The Whaling Ship For Revenge The White Whale (Macmillan Collector's Library #62)
by Herman MelvilleDesigned to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.This beautiful Macmillan Collector's Library edition of Moby-Dick features an afterword by Nigel Cliff.On board the whaling ship Pequod a crew of wise men and fools, renegades and seeming phantoms is hurled through treacherous seas by crazed Captain Ahab, a man hell-bent on hunting down the mythic White Whale. Herman Melville transforms the little world of the whale ship into a crucible where mankind's fears, faith and frailties are pitted against a relentless fate. Teeming with ideas and imagery, and with its extraordinary intensity sustained by mischievous irony and moments of exquisite beauty, Moby-Dick is both a great American epic and a profoundly imaginative literary creation.
A Window Into Time
by Peter F. HamiltonTeenager Julian has perfect recall, which means he has trouble finding his place in the world. But he really does know his own mind. So when he starts experiencing someone else's memories, which are also tantalizing glimpses of the future, Julian realizes he must find out why. And as he comes to know this unmet friend, it becomes clear that this man is in danger. Julian resolves to do everything in his power to track him down - a journey which takes him to the heart of London's commercial district, home to the city's financial elite. He can't give up, as he might just prevent a murder.
The Space Between the Stars
by Anne CorlettThe Space between the Stars by Anne Corlett is an enthralling novel of love, the choices we make, and what it means to be human. It's also a dramatic road-trip across the stars, as a woman journeys across a plague-ravaged universe to the place she once called home, and the man she once loved.How far would you travel to find your way home?Jamie Allenby wakes, alone, and realizes her fever has broken. But could everyone she knows be dead? Months earlier, Jamie had left her partner Daniel, mourning the miscarriage of their baby. She’d just had to get away, so took a job on a distant planet. Then the virus hit. Jamie survived as it swept through our far-flung colonies. Now she feels desperate and isolated, until she receives a garbled message from Earth. If someone from her past is still alive – perhaps Daniel – she knows she must find a way to return. She meets others seeking Earth, and their ill-matched group will travel across space to achieve their dream. But they’ll clash with survivors intent on repeating humanity’s past mistakes, threatening their precious fresh start. Jamie will also get a second chance at happiness. But can she escape her troubled past, to embrace a hopeful future?
The Lie Tree Special Edition: Costa Book of the Year 2015
by Frances HardingeWinner of the Costa Book of the Year 2015, The Lie Tree is a dark and powerful novel from universally acclaimed author, Frances Hardinge. It was not enough. All knowledge- any knowledge - called to Faith, and there was a delicious, poisonous pleasure in stealing it unseen.Faith has a thirst for science and secrets that the rigid confines of her class cannot supress. And so it is that she discovers her disgraced father's journals, filled with the scribbled notes and theories of a man driven close to madness. Tales of a strange tree which, when told a lie, will uncover a truth: the greater the lie, the greater the truth revealed to the liar. Faith's search for the tree leads her into great danger - for where lies seduce, truths shatter . . .'Brilliant, dark, thrilling, utterly original' Patrick Ness'The Lie Tree is a wonder. I can't think of anyone who would not love this story' Matt Haig'I loved this book so much' Lucy Mangan'Complex and intelligent: a lustrous, delicious romp.' Philip Womack, The Telegraph
The Collapsing Empire (The Interdependency #1)
by John Scalzi'Rousing storytelling and satisfying intrigue . . . an engaging, well-crafted sci-fi drama.' - SFXDoes the biggest threat lie within?In the far future, humanity has left Earth to create a glorious empire. Now this interstellar network of worlds faces disaster - but can three individuals save their people?The empire's outposts are utterly dependent on each other for resources, a safeguard against war, and a way its rulers can exert control. This relies on extra-dimensional pathways between the stars, connecting worlds. But 'The Flow' is changing course, which could plunge every colony into fatal isolation.A scientist will risk his life to inform the empire's ruler. A scion of a Merchant House stumbles upon conspirators seeking power. And the new Empress of the Interdependency must battle lies, rebellion and treason. Yet as they work to save a civilization on the brink of collapse, others have very different plans . . . The Collapsing Empire is an exciting space opera from John Scalzi.
Head On: A Novel Of The Near Future
by John ScalziTo some left with nothing, winning becomes everything In a post-virus world, a daring sport is taking the US by storm. It’s frenetic, violent and involves teams attacking one another with swords and hammers. The aim: to obtain your opponent’s head and carry it through the goalposts. Impossible? Not if the players have Haden’s Syndrome. Unable to move, Haden’s sufferers use robot bodies, which they operate mentally. So in this sport anything goes, no one gets hurt – and crowds and competitors love it. Until a star athlete drops dead on the playing field. But is it an accident? FBI agents Chris Shane and Leslie Vann are determined to find out. In this game, fortunes can be made – or lost. And both players and owners will do whatever it takes to win, on and off the field.John Scalzi returns with Head On, a chilling near-future SF with the thrills of a gritty cop procedural. Head On brings Scalzi's trademark snappy dialogue and technological speculation to the future world of sports.
The Consuming Fire (Interdependency #2)
by John ScalziThe Consuming Fire by John Scalzi is the dazzling follow-up to The Collapsing Empire – a space opera in a universe on the brink of destruction.The Interdependency, humanity’s interstellar empire, is on the verge of collapse. The Flow, the extra-dimensional pathway between the stars, is disappearing, leaving planets stranded. Billions of lives will be lost – unless desperate measures can be taken. Emperox Grayland II, the leader of the Interdependency, is ready to take those measures. But it’s not that easy. There are those who believe the collapse of the Flow is a myth – or an opportunity for them to ascend to power. While Grayland prepares for disaster, others prepare for civil war. A war that will take place in the halls of power, by the altars of worship and amongst the titans of industry as much as between spaceships. Nothing about this power struggle will be simple or easy . . . and all of human civilization is at stake.Praise for The Collapsing Empire'Provocative and unexpected' The Wall Street Journal'Scalzi continues to be almost insufferably good at his brand of fun but think-y sci-fi adventure' Kirkus Reviews'Scalzi builds a fascinating new interstellar civilization in order to destroy it....[The Collapsing Empire is] amusing escapism full of guts and brains' Ars Technica
A Far Away Magic
by Amy WilsonWhen Angel moves to a new school after the death of her parents, she isn’t interested in making friends. Until she meets Bavar - a strange boy, tall, awkward and desperate to remain unseen, but who seems to have a kind of magic about him. Everyone and everything within Bavar's enchanted house is urging him to step up and protect the world from a magical rift through which monsters are travelling, the same monsters that killed Angel's parents. But Bavar doesn’t want to follow the path that's been chosen for him - he wants to be normal; to disappear. Fighting one another as well as their fears, Angel and Bavar must find a way to repair the rift between the worlds, and themselves, before it's too late . . .Praise for A Girl Called Owl'A story of wild winds and bitter frosts with the warmth of friendship at its heart' - Abi Elphinstone, author of The Dreamsnatcher'This debut is a sparklingly frosty read, full of feisty characters, myth and mystery' - Daily Mail'A winter treat full of frosty magic' - Katherine Woodfine, author of The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow'A perfect read for those who love wintery magic and a strong female character proving her place in the world.' Booktrust
Firestorm (The Worldmaker Trilogy #3)
by Lucy HounsomTo protect her future, she must defend her past Kyndra has finally mastered her cold Starborn powers – but is it too late? A faction of assassins, who can manipulate time, plan to rewrite the history of Acre. These Khronostians will ensure the Sartyan Empire was never founded. And in this new narrative, Kyndra is never even born.With her ally Char, and the rogue Khronostian Ma, Kyndra resolves to enlist the help of the dragons, banished long ago. They must find them first, but together they could generate a huge amount of power. It could propel Kyndra far back in time, to avert the ending of an era. However, Kyndra will be heading towards a terrible confrontation – one that has shaped and will shape the future of her world.Lucy Hounsom's Worldmaker trilogy comes to a dramatic conclusion in Firestorm.
Princess Mirror-Belle and Snow White (Princess Mirror-Belle #8)
by Julia DonaldsonFrom Julia Donaldson, the bestselling author of The Gruffalo, comes Princess Mirror-Belle and Snow White, the exciting adventures of a princess with a difference. Full of black-and-white illustrations by Lydia Monks, Princess Mirror-Belle and Snow White is perfect for fans of this bestselling picture book team and who are beginning to read on their own.Ellen gets a big shock when her double appears out of the bathroom mirror. But Mirror-Belle is a double with a difference! She is a princess, and a very mischievous one at that. In this story Mirror-Belle comes popping out of Ellen's mirror to help out with the local pantomime, taking the story off script in a hilarious way.Princess Mirror-Belle and Snow White is an engaging short story by Julia Donaldson and is illustrated by Lydia Monks. It is part of a handful of selected short reads specially produced for World Book Day.
The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby (Macmillan Collector's Library #72)
by Charles KingsleyAfter being chased from the home of an upper-class young girl called Ellie, chimney-sweep Tom falls asleep and tumbles into a river. There he is transformed into a 'water-baby' and his adventures truly begin. Beneath the surface, he enters a magical world full of strange and wonderful creatures, where he must prove his moral worth in order to earn what he truly desires.One of the most unusual children's books ever written, The Water-Babies, subtitled 'A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby', was originally intended as a satire in support of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, and explores many of the issues at the forefront of biologists' minds at the time. First published as a complete novel in 1863, Charles Kingsley's classic tale also explores ideas about religion, the Victorian education system and the working conditions of children and the poor.With glorious black and white illustrations by W. Heath Robinson and an introduction by author and journalist Christina Hardyment.Designed to appeal to the book lover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
The War of the Worlds: Literary Touchstone Classic (Macmillan Collector's Library #86)
by H. G. WellsShooting stars tear across the night sky, then a gigantic artificial cylinder descends from Mars to land near London. Inquisitive locals gather round, only to be struck down by a murderous Heat-Ray. Giant destructive machines disgorge from the cylinder, destroying everything in their path on a merciless march towards the capital. Can humanity survive this Martian onslaught? A gripping adventure written in semi-documentary style, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells is the seminal man versus machine adventure which has inspired countless science fiction stories and novels. This Macmillan Collector's Library edition of The War of the Worlds contains an introduction by author James P. Blaylock.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: Or, The Marvellous And Exciting Adventures Of Pierre Aronnax, Conseil His Servant, And Ned Land, A Canadian Harpooner (Macmillan Collector's Library #122)
by Jules VerneThree adventurers set out to kill a sea monster, but all is not as it seems. Out in the vast expanse of the Pacific they find not a beast but a submarine - the Nautilus, an advanced craft captained by the enigmatic Captain Nemo. Captured and hauled aboard, they accompany him through coral reefs, shipwrecks, and ancient ruins. There they hunt sharks, and battle giant squid, not realising that the greatest danger is Nemo himself, who will stop at nothing in his quest for vengeance.Beautifully illustrated by the French painter Édouard Riou, who worked with Jules Verne on six of his novels, this Macmillan Collector's Library edition of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea also includes an afterword by author David Stuart Davies.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth: Reader (Macmillan Collector's Library #3)
by Jules VerneWhen the chance discovery of an ancient cryptogram reveals a path to the Underworld, the adventurous Professor Otto Lidenbrock sets off to Iceland, determined to reach the centre of the earth. But nothing can prepare him and his nephew Axel for what they will find beneath the ground; measureless caverns and vast subterranean seas reveal all of the earth's known history and more, while dinosaurs do battle, giant men herd mastodons, and danger and excitement wait around every corner. Richly illustrated by Édouard Riou, the French painter and illustrator who worked with Jules Verne on six of his novels, this Macmillan Collector's Library edition of Journey to the Centre of the Earth also includes an afterword by Ned Halley.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
Five Children and It (Macmillan Collector's Library #127)
by E. NesbitWhilst out playing in the countryside, five children come across a Psammead called ‘It’ – a cantankerous little sand fairy who agrees to grant them one wish every day, though its effects will only last until sunset. The possibilities seem endless to the adventurous siblings but whatever their wishes, whether it’s having piles of money, growing wings, or disposing of their annoying infant brother, their days never seem to go as planned. Indeed, the consequences of all their wishes lead the children into many thrilling and often hilarious escapades. Edith Nesbit was inspired by her own five children to write this enchanting novel, and its warm and funny portrayal of a magical childhood has ensured its presence in print ever since. This beautifully illustrated Macmillan Collector’s Library edition of Five Children and It features the drawings of H. R. Millar, and an afterword by writer, critic and broadcaster Nicolette Jones.Designed to appeal to the book lover, the Macmillan Collector’s Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector’s Library are books to love and treasure.
Out of the Blue
by Sophie CameronSophie Cameron's Out of the Blue is a story of love and acceptance and finding your place in this world, as angels drop out of another. When angels start falling from the sky, it seems like the world is ending. But for Jaya the world ended when her mother died, two weeks before the first angel fell. Smashing down to earth at extraordinary speeds, wings bent, faces contorted, not a single angel has survived and, as the world goes angel crazy, Jaya's father uproots the family to Edinburgh, intent on catching one alive. But Jaya can't stand his obsession and, struggling to make sense of her mother's sudden death and her own role on that fateful day, she's determined to stay out of it. Then something extraordinary happens: an angel lands right at Jaya’s feet, and it’s alive . . . Set against the backdrop of the frenzied Edinburgh festival, Out of the Blue tackles questions of grief and guilt and fear over who we really are.
Saboteurs
by Ben PeekBueralan Le - exiled baron, fighter, saboteur - washes up on strange shores with a stranger mission. Bueralan and his crew have a grand plan: to save a town in this gods-touched land from anarchy, as it heads towards violence and bloodshed. The job will demand all of their cunning, experience and skill with the sword. But they've been hired to right a great wrong and they won't rest until it's done. Set before the events of The Godless, this novella by Ben Peek sees Bueralan and his group of mercenaries make new allies and meet old adversaries.
The Lost World: Being An Account Of The Recent Amazing Adventures Of Professor George E. Challenger, Lord John Roxton, Professor Summerlee, And Mr. E. D. Malone Of The Daily Gazette (classic Reprint) (Pan 70th Anniversary #5)
by Arthur Conan DoyleA special edition of The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle reissued with a bright retro design to celebrate Pan’s 70th anniversary.In a rip-roaring journey of peril and adventure, four explorers find a lost prehistoric world in the remote wilds of South America. Huge pterodactyls rule the skies and the jungle beneath is home to lumbering stegosaurus, carnivorous dinosaurs and terrifying ape-men. If the adventurers can survive then fame and fortune almost certainly await them back in London, but in this dangerous land that defies all science and reason who knows what could happen.First published in 1912, this thrilling story by the creator of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson was the inspiration for Jurassic Park.
Genesis (Project Nemesis #2)
by Brendan ReichsPROJECT NEMESIS PHASE 2 HAS BEGUN . . .Noah Livingston knows he is destined to survive. The sixty-four members of his class are trapped in a place where morals have no meaning and zero rules apply.Min Wilder knows that survival alone isn't enough. In a violent world where brute force passes for leadership, Min's instincts rebel against allowing others to decide who lives and who dies. She's ready to fight for what she believes in. And against whoever might stand in her way. From Brendan Reichs, co-author of the Virals series with Kathy Reichs, comes Genesis the nail-biting sequel to Nemesis - a fast-paced, high concept thriller perfect for fans of The 100 and The Maze Runner.
Castle Barebane
by Joan Aiken'Joan Aiken writes superbly, with a force, a colour and strength of imagination that one encounters all too rarely today. I loved every moment of it.' London Daily TelegraphStrong and independent Vahalla Montgomery, a heroine straight out of a Henry James novel, abandons her New York career as a journalist to search for her half-brother in Joan Aiken’s gothic novel, Castle Barebane.Wishing to escape from her pretentious New York fiancé, Valla is happy to have an excuse to travel to England, only to discover that her half-brother and his wife have disappeared from their London home – leaving their young two children all alone. Finding Victorian London a gloomy and sinister place, haunted by a series of Ripper style murders, Valla takes the children up to Scotland to a bleak family property known as Castle Barebane. In this Gothic ruin, perched on the edge of a cliff, the mystery surrounding her missing brother only gets darker, and more terrifying . . . This unforgettable tale of love, loss, and human nature is brought to life by Joan Aiken’s vivid story-telling and gripping plot. If you love Virginia Andrews or Nicola Cornick, Joan Aiken should certainly be your next read.
The Oracle Queen: A Three Dark Crowns novella (Three Dark Crowns Novella Ser. #2)
by Kendare BlakeA short story from Kendare Blake's bestselling Three Dark Crowns universe, The Oracle Queen tells the story of the last queen born with the gift of sight. . .Historically, baby queens born with the sight gift were drowned. This had been the practice for hundreds of years, so long that few were even born anymore, as if the Goddess knew it would be a waste. It is a harsh sentence, but necessary, for it is well-known that in a queen the sight gift will run strong. Strong enough to drive her mad.This is the tale the last sight gift queen to be allowed to live. She was overcome by paranoia and false visions, driven past the brink by the phantom thoughts of others in her head, so she set upon the capital with bloody ruin, murdering whole houses, whole family lines without trial. Or at least, that is how the tale is told. This is her story.
The Young Queens: A Three Dark Crowns novella (Three Dark Crowns Novella Ser. #1)
by Kendare BlakeThree black witches, born to a descending queen. One would rise to become queen in her place. Perhaps the strongest of the three. Perhaps the cleverest. Or perhaps it would be the girl born under the best shield of luck.Katharine, Arsinoe and Mirabella - three young queens born to fulfil their destiny - to fight to the death to win the crown. But before they were poisoner, elemental and naturalist, they were children, sisters and friends . . . Discover the origin story of the three queens of Fennbirn in this exclusive e-novella from Kendare Blake, bestselling author of the New York Times bestselling, Three Dark Crowns. What everyone is saying about Three Dark Crowns:'A brutal and inventive fantasy that is as addictive as it is horrifying.' Marissa Meyer, NYT bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles on Three Dark Crowns'Gorgeous and bloody, tender and violent, elegant, precise, and passionate; above all, completely addicting.' Kirkus Reviews on Three Dark Crowns
If Cats Disappeared From The World: A Novel
by Genki KawamuraA beautifully moving tale of loss and reaching out to the ones we love, of one man’s journey to discover what really matters in modern life.Our narrator’s days are numbered. Estranged from his family, living alone with only his cat Cabbage for company, he was unprepared for the doctor’s diagnosis that he has only months to live. But before he can set about tackling his bucket list, the Devil appears with a special offer: in exchange for making one thing in the world disappear, he can have one extra day of life. And so begins a very bizarre week . . .Because how do you decide what makes life worth living? How do you separate out what you can do without from what you hold dear? In dealing with the Devil our narrator will take himself – and his beloved cat – to the brink. Genki Kawamura's If Cats Disappeared from the World is a story of loss and reconciliation, of one man’s journey to discover what really matters in modern life.This beautiful tale is translated from the Japanese by Eric Selland, who also translated The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide. Fans of The Guest Cat and The Travelling Cat Chronicles will also surely love If Cats Disappeared from the World.
The Wizard of Oz: Simplified Characters (Macmillan Collector's Library #185)
by L. Frank BaumRegarded as a modern fairy tale, L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz is one of America’s most cherished and enchanting children’s stories. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition features original illustrations by W. W. Denslow, coloured by Barbara Frith, and an introduction by Professor Sarah Churchwell.Follow Dorothy, and her loyal dog Toto, as they are carried away from Kansas by a cyclone to the wonderful world of Oz. Wandering down the yellow brick road Dorothy meets her three famous companions – a Scarecrow longing for a brain, a Tin Woodman wishing for a heart, a cowardly Lion yearning for some courage – and together they travel to the illustrious Emerald City where they hope all their dreams will come true.