As the remnants of humanity defend against the onslaught of a deadly infection, an army commander is sent on a voyage along the river Thames to discover the whereabouts of a missing general. Along the way he witnesses the futility of humanity's struggle and experiences the overwhelming power that one person, promising answers and salvation, can wield over his fellow man.A homage to Joseph Conrad's short novel, Heart of Darkness, A Last Fire reimagines this classic story in a differ...

Seeking atonement for past crimes, Breq takes on a mission as captain of a troublesome new crew of Radchai soldiers, in the sequel to the New York Times bestselling, award-winning Ancillary Justice**.?****"Powerful." —**New York TimesBreq is a soldier who used to be a warship. Once a weapon of conquest controlling thousands of minds, now she has only a single body...

**50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION—WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY DAVID MITCHELL AND A NEW AFTERWORD BY CHARLIE JANE ANDERSUrsula K. Le Guin’s groundbreaking work of science fiction—winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.**A lone human ambassador is sent to the icebound planet of Winter, a world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants’ gender is fluid. His goal is to facilitate Winter’s inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf betwee...

Anovel of dazzling wit and serious purpose. An extraordinary feat of storytelling and breathtaking invention on a grand scale, it is a tour de force from a writer who has turned science fiction on its head."Unexpectedly savage, emotionally powerful, and impossible to forget." —The TimesIn a world renowned even within a galaxy full of wonders, a crime within a war. For one brother it means a desperate flight, and a search for the on...

John Flanagan, author of the bestselling Ranger's Apprentice fantasy adventure epic, delivers a second prequel to Ruins of Gorlan, the novel that started it all, with Halt and Crowley preparing for war against a near-unstoppable enemyWhen the former Baron Morgarath escaped to avoid punishment for treason, an uneasy peace fell on Araluen. But Morgarath, now in hiding, is already planning his next move, recruiting an army of savage, overpowering beas...

An action-packed short story featuring Dan "Spider" Shepherd during his days on the SAS Escape & Evasion course. Mid-way through the exercise Shepherd realises that all is not as it seems - and his life is on the line.Narrow Escape is just under 12,000 words, about thirty pages, perfect if you have half an hour to spare.Stephen Leather is one of the UK's most successful thriller writers. He was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily ...

It is 1788 and Lieutenant Watkin Tench of His Majesty's Royal Marines is an officer in charge of transporting over a thousand ne'er-do-well convicts to the great south land. But a mysterious white squall engulfs the Fleet and then it's not 1788 anymore. Not as Tench knew it. A great and ghostly city of the dead appears out of the storm and the men and women of the First Fleet must fight not just for their lives, but for their immortal souls and the very future of the world.

“Splendidly intricate and hugely imaginative tales.” —NewsweekA striking new 50th anniversary edition of Ursula K. Le Guin's extraordinary short story collection.The recipient of numerous literary prizes, including the National Book Award, the Kafka Award, and the Pushcart Prize, Ursula K. Le Guin is renowned for her lyrical writing, rich characters, and diverse worlds. The Wind's Twelve Quarters c...

In North Seamus Heaney found a myth which allowed him to articulate a vision of Ireland - its people, history and landscape. Here the Irish experience is refracted through images drawn from different parts of the Northern European experience, and the idea of the north allows the poet to contemplate the violence on his home ground in relation to memories of the Scandinavian and English invasions which have marked Irish history so indelibly.

"Why are we fighting this war? Because evil must be resisted, and sooner or later there comes a time when men of principle have to make a stand. But at this stage in the proceedings," he added, with a slightly lopsided grin, "mostly from force of habit."A soldier with a gift for archery. A woman who kills without care. Two brothers, both unbeatable generals, now fighting for opposing armies. No one in the vast and once glorious United Empire remains untouched by the rift between Eas...

In his thrillingly contemporary retelling of the world’s oldest epic, award-winning poet Derrek Hines brings us as close as we may ever come to re-creating the power it had over its original listeners more than four thousand years ago in the ancient Near East.Gilgamesh, the semi-divine ruler of Uruk, is a larger-than-life bully and abuser of his people. In order to tame the arrogant king, the gods create the wild and handsome Enkidu. But after Enkidu and Gilgamesh become fast frien...

The epic Two of Swords trilogy continues in this second volume from a World Fantasy Award–winning author."One of fantasy's premier voices." — SFXA soldier with a gift for archery. A woman who kills without care. Two brothers, both unbeatable generals, now fighting for opposing armies. No one in the vast and once glorious United Empire remains untouched by the rift betwee...