Fantasy & science fiction

The first battle was a victory. But the war is just beginning . . .Earth is a radioactive ruin. But the initial campaign of the Butlerian Jihad has given new hope to mankind. SerenaButler, whose murdered child has become a symbol for oppressed humanity, inspires a war against the thinking computers led by Xavier Harkonnen and Vorian Atreides.But four of the Titans murderous machines with human brains and human cunning still remain. And the universal computer mind, Omnius, still wields most of its power. Such vile villains...and such a fascinating description of splendid places.' Anne McCaffrey on HOUSE HARKONNEN

SONG OF SUSANNAH is the sixth volume in Stephen King's epic Dark Tower series. The Dark Tower is now a major motion picture starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba.The pivotal sixth novel in Stephen King's bestselling epic fantasy saga provides the key to the quest that defines Roland's life.Susannah has used the power of Black Thirteen to get to New York where she can give birth to a child fated to grow up as Roland's nemesis. Jake and Father Callahan set out to break her date with destiny and to find Calvin Tower, owner of the vacant lot where a magical rose grows - a rose that must be saved at all costs.Meanwhile, Roland and Eddie tumble into Maine in the Summer of 1977. Here they are greeted by the gangster Balazar and must face their maker, a man called Stephen King... JOIN THE QUEST FOR THE DARK TOWER...THE DARK TOWER SERIES:THE DARK TOWER I: THE GUNSLINGER THE DARK TOWER II: THE DRAWING OF THE THREE THE DARK TOWER III: THE WASTE LANDS THE DARK TOWER IV: WIZARD AND GLASS THE DARK TOWER V: WOLVES OF THE CALLA THE DARK TOWER VI: SONG OF SUSANNAH THE DARK TOWER VII: THE DARK TOWERTHE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE: A DARK TOWER NOVEL

THE DARK TOWER is the seventh volume in Stephen King's epic Dark Tower series. The Dark Tower is now a major motion picture starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba.The final book in King's epic The Dark Tower series, sees gunslinger Roland on a roller-coaster ride of exhilarating triumph and aching loss in his unrelenting quest to reach the dark tower.Roland Deschain and his ka-tet have journeyed together and apart, scattered far and wide across multilayered worlds of wheres and whens. The destinies of Roland, Susannah, Jake, Father Callahan, Oy, and Eddie are bound in the Dark Tower itself, which now pulls them ever closer to their own endings and beginnings and into a maelstrom of emotion, violence, and discovery.And as he closes in on the Tower, Roland's every step is shadowed by a terrible and sinister creation. Finally, he realises, he may have to walk the last dark strait alone... JOIN THE QUEST FOR THE DARK TOWER...THE DARK TOWER SERIES:THE DARK TOWER I: THE GUNSLINGER THE DARK TOWER II: THE DRAWING OF THE THREE THE DARK TOWER III: THE WASTE LANDS THE DARK TOWER IV: WIZARD AND GLASS THE DARK TOWER V: WOLVES OF THE CALLA THE DARK TOWER VI: SONG OF SUSANNAH THE DARK TOWER VII: THE DARK TOWER THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE: A DARK TOWER NOVEL

Roused by a single drop of blood, Rosie Daniels wakes up to the chilling realisation that her husband is going to kill her. And she takes flight - with his credit card. Alone in a strange city, Rosie begins to build a new life: she meets Bill Steiner and she finds an odd junk shop painting, 'Rose Madder', which strangely seems to want her as much as she wants it. But it's hard for Rosie not to keep looking over her shoulder. Rose-maddened and on the rampage, Norman is a corrupt cop with a dog's instinct for tracking people. And he's getting close. Rosie can feel how close he is getting . . .A brilliant, dark-hued fable of gender wars, a haunting love story, and a hold-your-breath triumph of suspense, ROSE MADDER is Stephen King at his electrifying best.

Turn down Slade Alley - narrow, dank and easy to miss, even when you're looking for it. Find the small black iron door set into the right-hand wall. No handle, no keyhole, but at your touch it swings open. Enter the sunlit garden of an old house that doesn't quite make sense; too grand for the shabby neighbourhood, too large for the space it occupies. A stranger greets you and invites you inside. At first, you won't want to leave. Later, you'll find that you can't.This unnerving, taut and intricately woven tale by one of our most original and bewitching writers begins in 1979 and comes to its turbulent conclusion around Hallowe'en, 2015. Because every nine years, on the last Saturday of October, a 'guest' is summoned to Slade House. But why has that person been chosen, by whom and for what purpose? The answers lie waiting in the long attic, at the top of the stairs . . .

The Dream of the Red Chamber is one of the "e;Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese Literature."e; It is renowned for its huge scope, large cast of characters and telling observations on the life and social structures of 18th century China and is considered by many to be the pinnacle of the classical Chinese novel.The "e;Red Chamber"e; is an expression used to describe the sheltered area where the daughters of wealthy Chinese families lived. Believed to be based on the author's own life and intended as a memorial to the women that he knew in his youth, The Dream of the Red Chamber is a multilayered story that offers up key insights into Chinese culture."e;Henry Bencraft Joly's attention to detail and the faithfulness in his translation of Hong Lou Meng makes this revised edition of The Dream of the Red Chamber an excellent book for the student of modern Chinese."e; Edwin H. Lowe, from his introduction"e;this partial version certainly deserves a wider readership, as a brave early skirmish on the outer ramparts of this masterpiece. The re-issuing of Joly's work will undoubtedly provide a rich crop of fascinating raw material for the growing community of Translation Studies scholars."e; John Minford, from his foreword

The weather is going to hell. The tigers are coming to town. And the Doctor has taken his violin and vanished.The island world of Hitchemus is home to a colony of musicians and seemingly harmless alien animals. When the storms and the tigers break loose, the Doctor tries to protect the humans - but the humans don't want him. When he ventures into the wilderness in search of the tigers' secrets, Fitz and Anji find themselves on their own, trying to prevent a war.With both sides eager for blood, and hurricanes on the horizon, the Doctor must decide whether this time he's on the side of the human race.Featuring the Eighth Doctor as played by Paul McGann in the hit sci-fi series by BBC Television.

Iona Sheehan has always felt a powerful connection to Ireland. So when her beloved grandmother confesses an extraordinary family secret, she can't resist visiting County Mayo to discover the truth for herself. Arriving at the atmospheric Castle Ashford, Iona is excited to meet her enigmatic cousins, Connor and Branna O'Dwyer. And when she lands a job at the local riding school she is soon drawn to its owner - the charismatic, fiercely independent Boyle McGrath. Perhaps she has found her true home at last... But Iona's arrival is no accident. The three cousins have each inherited a dangerous gift from an ancestor known as the Dark Witch. And they are about to discover that some old legends can return to haunt the present.The first in a magical new trilogy, Dark Witch is a captivating story of love, family and destiny.

The tenth Culture book from the awesome imagination of Iain M. Banks, a modern master of science fiction. The Scavenger species are circling. It is, truly, the End Days for the Gzilt civilisation.An ancient people, organised on military principles and yet almost perversely peaceful, the Gzilt helped set up the Culture ten thousand years earlier and were very nearly one of its founding societies, deciding not to join only at the last moment. Now they've made the collective decision to follow the well-trodden path of millions of other civilisations: they are going to Sublime, elevating themselves to a new and almost infinitely more rich and complex existence.Amid preparations though, the Regimental High Command is destroyed. Lieutenant Commander (reserve) Vyr Cossont appears to have been involved, and she is now wanted - dead, not alive. Aided only by an ancient, reconditioned android and a suspicious Culture avatar, Cossont must complete her last mission given to her by the High Command. She must find the oldest person in the Culture, a man over nine thousand years old, who might have some idea what really happened all that time ago. It seems that the final days of the Gzilt civilisation are likely to prove its most perilous.Praise for the Culture series:'Epic in scope, ambitious in its ideas and absorbing in its execution' Independent on Sunday'Banks has created one of the most enduring and endearing visions of the future' Guardian'Jam-packed with extraordinary invention' Scotsman'Compulsive reading' Sunday Telegraph The Culture series:Consider PhlebasThe Player of GamesUse of WeaponsThe State of the ArtExcessionInversionsLook to WindwardMatterSurface DetailThe Hydrogen SonataOther books by Iain M. Banks:Against a Dark BackgroundFeersum EndjinnThe Algebraist

'A master storyteller' - Mark Lawrence We have fought battles that left more than a hundred corpses on the ground and not a word of it has ever been set down. The Order fights, but often it fights in shadow, without glory or reward. We have no banners.Vaelin Al Sorna is the Sixth Order's newest recruit. Under their brutal training regime, he learns how to forge a blade, survive the wilds and kill a man quickly and quietly - all in the name of protecting the Realm and the Faith. Now his skills will be put to the test. War is coming. Vaelin must draw upon the very essence of his strength and cunning if he is to survive the coming conflict. Yet as the world teeters on the edge of chaos, Vaelin will learn that the truth can cut deeper than any sword.Blood Song is the epic first novel in the internationally bestselling Raven's Shadow series - an enthralling tale of desperate battles, deadly politics and epic adventure.'Engrossing' - Buzzfeed'Powerful' - SFFWorld'Compelling' - SFXBooks by Anthony Ryan:Raven's ShadowBlood SongTower LordQueen of FireRaven's BladeThe Wolf's Call The Draconis MemoriaThe Waking FireThe Legion of FlameThe Empire of Ashes

NEVER LOOK BACKAlex Verus is a diviner who can see probable futures - a talent that's gotten him and his friends out of many a tough scrape. But what happens when someone doesn't want Alex's help?Alex's friend, the life mage Anne, distanced herself from him when she found out about his past as a Dark apprentice. Now she's in serious trouble, but wants nothing to do with him. Alex has to start wondering if Anne's problem is really with him - or if there's a secret she's trying to hide. On top of that, rumours are swirling around London that Alex's former master may be back in town. Alex has no idea what his agenda may be, or who it involves . . .

In the enchanted woods of County Mayo, a young woman must fight the one thing she fears the most - her own heart. Meara Quinn is in trouble. Fiercely independent and scarred by a tough childhood, she is convinced that love is for other people. She is certainly not going to fall for Connor O'Dwyer - her best friend's brother. He may be drop dead gorgeous, with a good heart and a wicked smile, but he's never taken his relationships seriously. Safer for them to stay friends, share the odd pint - nothing more. And loving Connor would be a dangerous business. With his sister Branna and his American cousin Iona, Connor has inherited a dark gift, passed down through generations. The cousins use their powers for good, but they are being hunted by evil. An evil that is determined to destroy them - and everyone they care for...

'Snuff is entertaining, with all Pratchett's genius on display' Sunday ExpressThe Discworld is very much like our own - if our own were to consist of a flat planet balanced on the back of four elephants which stand on the back of a giant turtle, that is . . . 'The jurisdiction of a good man extends to the end of the world.' It is a truth universally acknowledged that a policeman taking a holiday would barely have had time to open his suitcase before he finds his first corpse.Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch is on holiday in the pleasant and innocent countryside, but not for him a mere body in the wardrobe. There are many, many bodies - and an ancient crime more terrible than murder.He is out of his jurisdiction, out of his depth, out of bacon sandwiches; and out of his mind. But never out of guile. Where there is a crime there must be a punishment. They say that in the end all sins are forgiven.Vimes is about to uncover the exception. _______________Winner of the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic FictionThe Discworld novels can be read in any order but Snuff is the eighth book in the City Watch series.

'This is one of Pratchett's best books. Hilarious and highly recommended' The TimesThe Discworld is very much like our own - if our own were to consist of a flat planet balanced on the back of four elephants which stand on the back of a giant turtle, that is . . .___________________'It was the usual Ankh-Morpork mob in times of crisis; half of them were here to complain, a quarter of them were here to watch the other half, and the remainder were here to rob, importune or sell hotdogs to the rest.'Insurrection is in the air in the city of Ankh-Morpork. The Haves and Have-Nots are about to fall out all over again.Captain Sam Vimes of the city s ramshackle Night Watch is used to this. It s enough to drive a man to drink. Well, to drink more. But this time, something is different the Have-Nots have found the key to a dormant, lethal weapon that even they don t fully understand, and they re about to unleash a campaign of terror on the city. Time for Captain Vimes to sober up.___________________The Discworld novels can be read in any order but Guards! Guards! is the first book in the City Watch series.

'Orson Scott Card made a strong case for being the best writer science fiction has to offer.' - The Houston Post on Xenocide'The novels of Orson Scott Card's Ender series are an intriguing combination of action, military and political strategy, elaborate war games and psychology.' - USA TodayTOGETHER THEY STAND - BUT CAN THEY PREVENT AN ATROCITY?Ender and Valentine Wiggin: brother and sister whose lives have shaped history. Valentine is 'Demosthenes', whose subversive, incendiary writings fight the monstrous power of Starways Congress, masters of the Hundred Worlds. And Ender. . . As a child, Ender commanded a warfleet that wiped out a planet. The triumph of his life could be his fight to stop it happening again. It might be his tragedy that he cannot.Congress has sent a warfleet to Lusitania, home to Ender, his family, two alien species and the deadliest virus ever known. The warfleet carries an order to destroy. To commit xenocide.A sequel novel to the science fiction classic ENDER'S GAME - soon to be released as a major motion picture starring Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley and Asa ButterfieldBooks by Orson Scott Card:Alvin Maker novelsSeventh SonRed ProphetPrentice AlvinAlvin JourneymanHeartfireThe Crystal CityEnder Wiggin SagaEnder's GameSpeaker for the DeadXenocideChildren of the MindEnder in ExileHomecomingThe Memory of the EarthThe Call of the EarthThe Ships of the EarthEarthfallEarthbornFirst Formic War (with Aaron Johnston)Earth UnawareEarth AfireEarth Awakens

Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, is about to have a very bad day. As Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness, Harry never knows what the scheming Mab might want him to do. Usually, it's something awful.This time, it's worse than that. Mab's involved Harry in a smash-and-grab heist run by one of his most despised enemies to recover the literal Holy Grail from the vaults of the greatest treasure horde in the world - which belongs to the one and only Hades, Lord of the Underworld.Dresden's always been tricky, but he's going to have to up his backstabbing game to survive this mess - assuming his own allies don't end up killing him before his enemies get the chance . . .

SOME AGENTS HAVE ALL THE FUN. OTHERS SAVE THE WORLD. Bob Howard is an IT expert and occasional field agent for the Laundry, the branch of Her Majesty's Secret Service that deals with occult threats. Dressed (grudgingly) in a tux and sent to the Caribbean, he must infiltrate a millionaire's yacht in order to prevent him from violating a treaty that will bring down the wrath of an ancient underwater race upon humanity's head. Partnered with a gorgeous American agent who's actually a soul-sucking succubus from another dimension, Bob's mission (should he choose to accept it) is to stop the bad guys, avoid getting the girl, and survive - shaken, perhaps, but not stirred.

NEVER VOLUNTEER FOR ACTIVE DUTY . . .Bob Howard is a low-level techie working for a super-secret government agency. While his colleagues are out saving the world, Bob's under a desk restoring lost data. His world was dull and safe - but then he went and got Noticed.Now, Bob is up to his neck in spycraft, parallel universes, dimension-hopping terrorists, monstrous elder gods and the end of the world. Only one thing is certain: it will take more than a full system reboot to sort this mess out . . .This is the first novel in the Laundry Files.

Alexia Tarabotti, now Lady Maccon, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears - leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria. But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her into the backwaters of ugly waistcoats, Scotland, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only A soulless can. She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.***Also available as a manga adaptation***

Alexia Tarabotti is labouring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire - and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Or will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart? SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.***Also available as a manga adaptation***

The sixth novel in the international No. 1 bestselling Mercy Thompson series - the major urban fantasy hit of the decade'I love these books!' Charlaine Harris'The best new fantasy series I've read in years' Kelley ArmstrongMERCY THOMPSON: MECHANIC, SHAPESHIFTER, FIGHTERCar mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. And she's never known any others of her kind. Until now. As Mercy comes to terms with this new information, an evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River. Something deadly is coming, facts are thin on the ground and Mercy feels ill at ease. However, her father's people may know more. To have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need all the resources the shifters can offer. Or death will be the least of their worries.A fast-paced adventure featuring the ingenious and appealing Mercy Thompson - mechanic, trouble-magnet and coyote shapeshifter.Praise for the series:'Plenty of twists and turns . . . Kept me entertained from its deceptively innocent beginning to its can't-put-it-down end' Kim Harrison, bestselling author of Dead Witch Walking 'I enjoyed every minute of it. I love Mercy and can't wait for her to kick some more ass' Lilith Saintcrow Books by Patricia Briggs:The Mercy Thompson booksMoon CalledBlood BoundIron KissedBone CrossedSilver BorneRiver MarkedFrost BurnedNight BrokenFire TouchedSilence FallenStorm CursedShifting Shadows (Stories from the world of Mercy Thompson)

Although the architect of the White's victory, Auraya's first taste of war has left her sleep filled with nightmares. She walks in fields of blood while the dead rise in accusation. You killed us. You. It seems Auraya will know no peace while these nightmares haunt her, but the only one she trusts to help has vanished.The Dreamweaver, Leiard, still struggling to come to terms with the ever more powerful memories of the long-dead Mirar, flees into the mountains with Emerahl, perhaps the last of the Wilds. Although not a Dreamweaver herself, Emerahl is powerfully gifted, and helps Leiard to make sense of his strange jumble of memories. What they discover will change his life forever.And far to the south, the Pentadrians lick their wounds and set about finding a new leader. Peace, it seems, must wait a while yet ...

Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard PI. Turns out the 'everyday' world is full of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. But he's forgotten his own golden rule: magic - it can get a guy killed. Which didn't help when he clashed with unknown assailants with his murder in mind. And though Harry's continued existence is now in some doubt, this doesn't mean he can rest in peace. Trapped in a realm that's not quite here, yet not quite anywhere else, Harry learns that three of his loved ones are in danger. Only by discovering his assailant's identity can he save his friends, bring criminal elements to justice, and move on himself. It would just be easier if he knew who was at risk. And had a (working) crystal ball. And access to magic. Instead, he is unable to interact with the physical world - invisible to all but a select magical few. He's also not the only silent presence roaming Chicago's alleys. Hell, he put some there himself. Now, they're looking for payback.

Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard P.I. Turns out the 'everyday' world is full of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in.Harry Dresden should be happy that business is good - makes a change. But now he's getting more than he bargained for: a duel with the Red Court of Vampires' champion, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards; professional hit men using Harry for target practice; the missing Shroud of Turin (less missing than expected) and a headless corpse the Chicago police need identifying . . . Not to mention the return of Harry's ex-girlfriend Susan, still struggling with her semi-vampiric nature. And who seems to have a new man. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you're charging.Magic - it can get a guy killed.

No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs presents the first Alpha and Omega novel - the start of an extraordinary series set in the world of Mercy Thompson, but with rules of its own . . . Perfect for fans of Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, Christine Feehan and J. R. Ward.'Patricia Briggs is an incredible writer' Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling series'Patricia Briggs is amazing . . . Her Alpha and Omega novels are fantastic' Fresh FictionCharles Cornick is his pack's enforcer and lives a harsh life, doing jobs other wolves can't - or won't. And his most recent task was rescuing Anna Latham from a life of brutality. This leaves him shot and wounded, but he's happy to pay the price. Charles is strongly drawn to Anna, and her growing 'Omega' powers will see his people through dangerous times. Anna desperately needs her new mountainous home to be safer than the life she's left behind. But when a rogue werewolf starts murdering hikers, Charles and Anna are sent into the winter forests to investigate. Charles is still weak and will need Anna's strength as they discover a web of witchcraft that could drag down the whole pack. Including its leader Bran, Charles's father, head of a vast network of wolves. And if Bran weakens, dark madness could run like a fever through half a continent.Discover the first page-turning Alpha and Omega adventure, from the queen of urban fantasy Patricia Briggs.Praise for Patricia Briggs:'I love these books!' Charlaine HarrisThe best new fantasy series I've read in years' Kelley Armstrong'Patricia Briggs never fails to deliver an exciting, magic and fable filled suspense story' Erin Watt, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Royals series'It is always a joy to pick up a new Briggs novel . . . Briggs hits another one out of the park!' RT Book ReviewsBooks by Patricia Briggs:The Alpha and Omega Novels Cry WolfHunting GroundFair GameDead HeatBurn BrightThe Mercy Thompson novelsMoon CalledBlood BoundIron KissedBone CrossedSilver MarkedFrost BurnedNight BrokenFire TouchedSilence FallenStorm CursedSianim seriesAralorn: Masques and Wolfsbane

Paksenarrion wasn't planning to submit to an unwelcome marriage and a lifetime of poverty, so she left her village with a plan and her grandfather's sword. And a few weeks later, she was installed as Duke Phelan's newest recruit in a company of soldiers for hire, her arms training about to begin. But when Paks sees combat, she's stabbed with an ensorcelled knife and barely survives. Then the near-misses start mounting up, raising questions about this young fighter. Is she attracting evil because she is a danger to them all? Or is there another reason malignant forces seek her life?Paks will face the spider-minions of the Webmistress Achrya, orcs and the corrupted men who serve blood mage Liart, Master of Torments. She will also earn the gratitude of elves and of her Duke. And through conflict she will learn she has powers of her own and a destiny. To become a gods-chosen Paladin of Gird, and a target for the ultimate torture.

The aging First Lord of Alera has fallen in battle. Yet his people must continue to resist an invading inhuman army. Desperate Alerans even pledge fealty to the Vord Queen to survive, turning the incredible power of Aleran furies back on their own people. And despite all efforts, the Alerans are being ground into dust and pushed to the farthest reaches of their own realm.However, Tavi has returned with vital insights from the Canim Blood Lands. He knows how to counter the Vord and, more importantly, believes human ingenuity can equal fury-born powers. Now events are rushing towards a last stand, where Tavi and the last Aleran legions must formulate a dangerous new strategy, together. For a civilisation is on the brink of extinction.

Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard P.I. Turns out the 'everyday' world is full of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in.Harry Dresden is feeling happy. No one's tried to kill him in nearly a year, and the worst problem he's had lately is removing stains his apprentice bungled into his carpeting. The future seems bright. Unfortunately, the past isn't looking nearly so optimistic. An old bargain placed Harry in debt to Mab, faerie monarch of the Winter Court and the Queen of Air and Darkness. Harry still owes her two favours, and it's time to pay up. It's a small favour he really can't refuse, but it will trap Harry between a nightmarish foe and a deadly ally, stretching his skills and loyalties to their limits. It figures. Everything was going too well to last.Magic - it can get a guy killed.

For centuries, the people of Alera have relied on the power of the furies to protect them from outside invaders. But the gravest threat might be closer than they think.Tavi has escaped the Calderon Valley and the mysterious attack of the Marat on his homeland. But he is far from safe, as trying to keep up the illusion of being a student while secretly training as one of the First Lord's spies is a dangerous game. And he has not yet learned to use the furies, making him especially vulnerable.When the attack comes it's on two fronts. A sudden strike threatens the First Lord's life and threatens to plunge the land into civil war. While in the Calderon Valley, the threat faced from the Marat is dwarfed by an ancient menace. And Tavi must learn to harness the furies if he has any chance of fighting the greatest threat Alera has ever known . . .