Alisiyad by Sarah R. Suleski
Twenty-year-olds Liseli Luenford and Russell Markson are living mundane, disappointing, lonely lives in a small midwestern town, working jobs better suited for high school students. Both want something more from life, though what exactly they cannot name, or even begin to achieve. Liseli finds solace in the Mill, a building on the edge of town, long abandoned and all but forgotten. Russ comforts himself with thoughts of Liseli. One day both of their dreams seem to come true, when together they stumble into a strange otherworld hidden in the doorway of the old Mill. But dark secrets and mysteries from the past haunt the land of Alisiya, and dreams turn to nightmares as the two become entangled in a feud that has spanned decades.
All Things Impossible: Crown of the Realm by Dalton Reed
In this first volume of the All Things Impossible series, an ancient evil has returned. An ancient war has resumed. And for the first time in elven history, the Crown of the Realm has been stolen. But young Derora Saxon knows nothing of such things. When she sets out from her village with her best friend Kelin, she knows only that she wants to be a warrior. She does not know the immortal chemmen have escaped the
realm of darkness to which they had been banished for millennia. She does not know chemmen armies are already exacting revenge on their hated enemies, the elves, or that chemmen assassins have already killed the elven king and queen. And she does not know that by helping a young stranger, she will be drawn into a struggle that began long before she was born, and take the first steps on her path to destiny. In the fires of an ancient war, a new hero will be forged… To read, click on the Crown of the Realm link under "Read now!" Added 6/16/09.
Assassin's Apprentice: The Farseer, Book One by Robin Hobb
Offered by Suvudu (Random House) Free Book Library through August 19. Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father's gruff stableman. He is treated like an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz's blood runs the magic Skill--and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.
Beasts of New York by Jon Evans
An urban fantasy about the wildlife of New
York City, starring a squirrel protagonist who has to find his way from exile
in Staten Island back to his home in Central Park.
Blood Engines by T.A. Pratt
Offered by Suvudu (Random House) Free Book Library through August 19. Sorcerer Marla Mason, small-time guardian of the city of Felport, has a big problem. A rival is preparing a powerful spell that could end Marla's life-and, even worse, wreck her city. Marla's only chance of survival is to boost her powers with the Cornerstone, a magical artifact hidden somewhere in San Francisco. With her partner-in-crime, Rondeau, Marla is soon racing against time through San Francisco's alien streets, dodging poisonous frogs, murderous hummingbirds, cannibals, and a nasty vibe from the local witchery, who suspect that Marla herself may be behind the recent murders. And if Marla doesn't figure out who is killing the city's finest in time, she'll be in danger of becoming a magical statistic herself....
The Bog Monster of Booker Creek by Wayne Miller
In an extended letter to his son ten years in the future, John Densch chronicles how he and his family slid into a media circus, one in which a middle-school science project became a national joke. With the unexplained disappearance of a local girl, the joke takes an ominous turn. John finds himself in a cauldron of competing world-views, from the paranormal to the ultra-rational to the paranoid. As he waits for life to return to normal, he becomes more and more absorbed by the stories he tells himself, and realizes that he must finally acknowledge the tale that defines his life.
Bridge at War by Trevor Hopkins
A prequel to New Bridge to Lyndesfarne, Bridge at War is set in 1946, immediately after the end
of the Second World War. The story follows three young men - Tom, Alistair and
Bram - who were comrades in the Army during the war. Bram gently introduces
the world of Lyndesfarne to the others, and engineers their recruitment into
the Guardians, one of the secretive organisations whose purpose is to protect
the crossing to Lyndesfarne.
The Broken World by J.L. Byers
It is the final year of the twentieth century. The world is in a quiet state of chaos that threatens to overtake civilization. People are either apathetic or enraged. Inside itself society and the world are crying out, hoping for something more, something better. They're about to find it. In Los Angeles, one man begins a movement that miraculously gains a small but devoted following. He is dismissed as a faux cult leader and forgotten. All the better for him, since he keeps a secret that could change the world.
The Buried Pyramid
by Jane Lindskold
Limited time download from Tor Books. Requires free registration on site. [Still available as of 6/27/09]. "Taking a break from her well-received Firekeeper series (Through Wolf's Eyes, etc.), Lindskold delivers an exotic historical fantasy that takes the reader from Victorian England to Egypt. Sir Neville Hawthorne, a self-made millionaire and wounded war hero, is a man so mesmerized by his desire to retrace the path to a mythical Egyptian archeological treasure that he willfully neglects to use common sense and heed warnings of imminent peril. Sir Neville is hunting the burial chamber of Pharaoh Neferankhotep, who's rumored to be Moses the Lawgiver. His niece Jenny Benet, recently orphaned and come to live with him in England, is spunky and rather too American for her upper-crust English uncle's sensibilities, but she manages to persuade Sir Neville to take her into the desert along with the other members of his team." Publishers Weekly. Added 3/3/09.
Butcher Bird
by Richard Kadrey
"The relatively normal life of San Francisco tattoo artist Spyder Lee goes thoroughly crazy when he's rescued from a mugger by Shrike, a mysterious blind woman who reveals that Lee's assailant was actually a demon. The wounds he suffered in the assault give him the ability to see the Dominions, other spheres of existence that regular mortals are unaware of. Soon Spyder finds himself hip-deep in demonic trouble, protecting his friend Lulu by offering his body to the organ-collecting Black and then dragging her off to join Shrike on a madcap journey to Hell, where they encounter monsters, Lucifer and even an alternate-time version of Lee himself." Publishers Weekly.
The Castle
of Secrets by Michelle Siva
"About 3 yards away I stopped, wondering what
had changed about him. Looking closely, I noticed his skin shimmer, particles
constantly moving around and around his skin. I slowly backed up, but it was
too late. With lightening speed, he reached out and grabbed my arm in a vise
like grip." Alyssa, a regular 15 year old girl, has never stayed in one place
for more than a semester. It's not her fault, and frankly she has no idea why
she has to go through with it, but she goes along with the flow, except when
she shows up at Duncan High School. Her English teacher and a newly found
friend named Tristan show who she really is: magical.
The Chalice of Life by Karen Anne Webb
Offered by Dragon Moon Press. Thalas a world on the brink of civil war. The Carotian Union a nascent confederation of planets at the edge of destruction. Eliander a prince lost millennia ago to the flow of normal space-time. On a world where both magic and technology function, seven extraordinary souls set out on the Quest of the Lost Prince. Passionate mystics, honest thieves, and a silver-tongued bard with a penchant for instigating barroom brawls: what the Carotian goddess Minissa was thinking when she selected them, she alone knows. Inconceivable dangers await them around every turn on worlds they never knew existed. But such trivialities never deter a band of true heroes… Added 6/28/09.
Children of Rhatlan by Jonathan Fesmire
Garum and Vayin are "duals," twins trapped in each other's minds and bodies, sharing one life. When a deranged wizard hunts them, whom can they turn to? Their mentor? The city guard Vayin loves? The Wizards' Guild? In a world that hates duals, anyone could be their enemy, and one misstep could get them killed. Children of Rhatlan introduces one of Fesmire's break-through ideas: that of "duals," uniquely connected twins with special abilities feared by their world's mainstream society. This is an exciting fantasy novel, with magic, romance, treachery, wizards, and plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing. Available also as a free audio book.
Children of Ruin by Brian Fette
The world of Terrace Libre, where threats to mankind lie behind every corner, has been thrown into war and it will never be the same. A mysterious woman, ordained by god and demon alike has raised an army to spread her darkness across all borders. The only hope for the free people comes in the form of two murderers who have already washed themselves clean of society's problems. Against their will they will be thrown back into the world that has abandoned them and will fight to find their own souls and hearts, defying enormous odds.
The Code Breaker by Rachel Hatch
Marin Lindrine lives in a world where she knows things are not always as they seem. Manuscripts contain hidden messages, couriers carry encoded news of the war, and even Mr. Rosings, the man who saved her from a life from poverty, may be hiding something from her. But Marin too is caught up in something much too large for her trusting temperament. Forces have mobilized to snatch Marin from the shadows of obscurity and launch her into the heart of the pivotal conflict that will decide the future of Mykolia. Journey back to the beginnings of Mykolia to a time when the world was new, when myth was still reality, where the trees and mountains still bore the marks of the kings and queens who lent their craftsmanship to their formation, and where even Marin Lindrine herself may be more than what she seems.
Consider Her Ways by Frederick Philip Grove
Offered by Insomniac Press. In the tradition of Orwell's Animal Farm, Grove examines the idea of a utopian society through the story of a group of traveling ants who find themselves in North America. An amateur scientist encounters the colony and makes telepathic contact with an elder of the ant community. The ant infuses the scientist with her memory and uses him as a medium through which she tells the colony's incredible story. It is a tale that holds up a mirror to human culture, demonstrating to both worlds the parallels and contrasts between the pastoral ways of the ants and the North American life of excess. Originally published in 1947, this classic novel is back in print for the first time in 20 years. Fans of speculative fiction will be delighted to see that Grove's prose is as fresh as it was 50 years ago.
The Crimson Wrath by Grant Salo
In the darkest reaches of the ominous north, a strange and powerful force is brewing. Cities crumble before its overpowering might and tales of madness and despair haunt the once peaceful lands of Oldenor. One fateful night the mighty city of Salanbonia is overwhelmed by the Crimson Wrath. Homes are plundered and set alight and the people are enslaved and forced to mine under unbearable conditions. Can the descedants of the legendary King Rabanar seek out the root of all evil and eliminate it? Or will they fall prey to the cunning traps that lay before them?
The Crooked Letter by Sean Williams
"Drawing on worldwide myths and legends, Australian author Williams (The Resurrected Man) expertly twists the familiar into the grotesque in this deeply spooky story, the first in a new fantasy series. When Seth Castillo is stabbed and killed, his spirit is whisked away to the Second Realm, a literally inside-out place full of hideous monsters, while his mirror twin, Hadrian, remains in the First Realm of the living. Their psychic link draws the two realms together, precipitating a world-warping cataclysm that the alien Yod hopes will let him conquer the First Realm as he has the Second." Publishers Weekly.
The Dark Dreamweaver by Nick Ruth
Offered by Imaginator Press. Eleven-year-old David is suffering from nightmares. Over and over again, he dreams about a strange, bear-like man with black eyes. He's not the only one; an epidemic of nightmares seems to have infected the Earth. David takes matters into his own hands and embarks on an adventure to Remin, a land powered by dreams. Aided by a caterpillar wizard, a jellyfish-man, two wise-cracking water serpents, and several other unusual characters, he sets out to find and confront the evil wizard who is causing the nightmares. The challenges that he encounters will require all of his intelligence, his courage, and most of all, his imagination.
The Darkling Band by Jason Henderson
Offered by Dragon Moon Press. Two best friends in 13th-Century Germany set out across towns, tundra and mountains to find one of the friend’s two sisters, who have been kidnapped by a raiding party of winged men locked in a war with the exploding human population. A fast, violent, big, romantic project—fantasy with sweat and rivets! A race of winged men wreak havoc on Earth and fight for their survival. In the middle of this epic struggle are two friends driven by love and loyalty to opposite sides. An adventure full of surprises, from the creator of Sword of Dracula and Soulcatcher. Added 6/13/09.
Dark Moon Seasons by Valerie Griswold-Ford
Offered by Dragon Moon Press. Dark Moon Seasons is the second installment in the Dark Horseman series. Nikki, the Horseman Death, is lost in the Chaos storm that is sweeping through the world. No one knows where the other three Horsemen are. The Council of 9 is in tatters. And the StarChild has sealed herself off in a corner of Vermont for unknown reasons. She has to find the other three, or the World Walls will completely disintegrate. Alex Masterson, the renegade billionaire geneticist who created her, has the key to find them. She’s just got to find him first.
Dark Reflection by Daniel Cobb
When Princess Angel finds a mirror in a haunted castle, her dark reflection comes to life. Her simple life shatters – she must find the missing pieces. Unless she puts it back together in time, she’ll fade away forever. Facing Shadow the Witch, she becomes her own worst enemy. Will she be able to defeat the dark side of her soul that she can’t control? Until her heart is broken, it will never be whole! It’s up to a brave prince (named Paladin) and a white unicorn (named Starlight) to slay the Dragon King, who kidnapped her. Now she has to dream the darkness away, or she’ll be trapped in a nightmarish reality turned upside-down. With the fate of her world hanging by a thread, she gets caught in a web of confusion. Can he save her before it’s too late?
Darkside by S.K.S. Perry
James Decker just won’t stay dead. Slain while rescuing a young woman from a would-be rapist, he finds himself in a pseudo-life, caught between two realities, belonging to neither. Haunted by the ghosts of his father and grandfather, he learns that the woman he rescued is in fact an Innocent, the physical embodiment of hope. As it turns out, seeing dead people is the least of James' worries. It's the trolls, goblins, vampires, and other assorted creepy-crawlies that make being dead a living nightmare.
Daughter of the Sun by Lonnie Ezell
As memories of her mother's horrible death manifest themselves into reality, Elena, a candle-maker cursed with outlawed magic, is forced down a path that pits her against the most deadly men and magic in the land. Johan, her drunken, ex-hero of a husband chases after her but soon realizes that she will have to face this destiny alone, as he is thrust into leadership of a failed rebellion that must stop the Overlord and Duke from destroying the one thing that holds the fabric of their broken lands together. There is also a podcast version of this novel.
Dawning by D.A. Caldwell
The land of Unedea has known peace for many years, but as the kingdoms of the land enjoy prosperity, a threat in the north grows secretly. As this collective of evil searches out the Untouchable Stave, its influence spreads to the many cities of the land. Arum, a young half-elf living in the countryside of Artemia, leaves his childhood home to seek out a new life and finds unexpected adventure. With a ragtag band of companions, Arum must fight to save the city of Helsing from becoming a beacon of evil. This is book one of The Untouchable Stave Trilogy: Dawning.
Death on the New Bridge by Trevor Hopkins
A sequel to New Bridge to Lyndesfarne, Death on the New Bridge once again follows Kevin and Tanji, who are asked by Bret to assist with the investigation of the mysterious death of Andrew Wollack, a microbial epidemiologist who was found in the exact centre of the new bridge shortly after its official opening. Added 6/18/09.
Delver Magic - Book I: Sanctum's Breach by Jeff Inlo
A rolling tremor passes through the land of Uton, signaling a return of long absent magic as well as an ancient evil that accompanies it. Ryson Acumen, purebred delver, senses the changes throughout the land. In his investigations, he learns that legends he considered fables hold more truth than fantasy. The delver encounters elves and learns the Sphere of Ingar, a talisman that captured all magical energies long ago, is free from its tomb in Sanctum Mountain. As violent, evil creatures return to shred the very fabric of reality, the sphere gains awareness and chooses to spew corrupted magical energies to obliterate all life.
Delver Magic Book II: Throne of Vengeance by Jeff Inlo
The Sphere of Ingar has been destroyed and pure magic now flows freely throughout the land of Uton. Magic casters arise as do the dark creatures that need magic to exist in this land. As the land changes and its inhabitants adapt, a growing wind of rebellion leads to potential disaster for all the races. The dwarf queen, Yave, declares war on the algors, blaming the desert dwellers for the tragedy which took the life of her eldest son. She leads a revolution against what remains of her own family. Dwarf separatists eager to assert their own superiority follow blindly as she begins her quest for revenge.
Delver Magic - Book III: Balance of Fate by Jeff Inlo
Ryson Acumen finds that his time of service to the Land of Uton and its people is not yet complete. Together with Holli Brances and Lief Woodson, they must work together once more to end a growing threat and to meet their own undeniable destinies. It is not without loss or sacrifice as they struggle to battle grotesque forces of malevolence. Enemies once forgotten return to hold sway over each ensuing conflict.
Depth of the
Rain by Orin Drake
Two worlds collide, bringing an outsider
home, and the rest of existence to its knees, in a manner of speaking. A teen
-aged girl who has been called Shadow from modern human Earth gets pulled into
another world, and hurled into a quest she has no idea how to pursue. She
meets up with a brother and sister from the other world, a horse who
understands every word they say, and a very disturbed boy that may or may not
really be helping them to achieve their goal. Their destinies are
intertwined.
Descent of the Horseman by Sye Pascoe
A dark gothic fantasy, packed full of action, intrigue, romance and philosophy. A warrior that can never be defeated faces the one thing he cannot fight: love. The Horseman has descended into a hell that appears to be remarkably like ordinary, everyday life. He is there with one purpose: to enter into the whirlwind of brutality and pass judgement on all those he meets. His arrival upsets the plans of a gang of killers, intent on taking control of a village, deep within the darkest reaches of human suffering. Unstoppable, The Horseman cuts through the village without remorse - until he meets Serina, a woman lost in a melody played out by those around her. This is a brutal depiction of life, love and death. Click on Download link at top of page.
The Dias by Matthew Walker
The Dias is located within a fictional world of power and magic, where the very soul of mankind is being challenged by an unlawful evil. The remnants of The Council must embark on a perilous journey to uncover the truth, searching to cleanse the evil once and for all. Though time is against them, and sadly, some of their supposed ‘friends’ are against them too. On the way they meet the most horrific Beasts and most cunning traitors, and also discover that the truth is more terrifying than they could have possibly imagined.
Digital Magic by Philippa Ballantine
Offered by Dragon Moon Press. The Fey are gone... and with them, magic. At least, that is how things seem at the conclusion of the award-nominated novel Chasing the Bard. Lord what fools these mortals be. Penherem is a quaint, sleepy English village where people go to escape the 21st century. Hiding from the world of laptop computers, the Internet, and wireless communication, is Ella. A writer, now barren of ideas and drive, she resigns herself to a quiet life of solitude. Everything changes with the arrival of a shapeshifting thief. Suddenly, everyone begins to change--from the local librarian to the lady of the manor--revealing their true natures and dangerous secrets. Something in this sleepy English village is awakening … something that might be better left alone. Downloads slowly. Added 6/30/09.
Dorothea's Song by Ron Vitale
Peter is your typical high school student, but when his mother’s marriage falls apart he copes by dreaming up the story of Dorothea, an elf who lives in the magical Bois d’or forest. Releasing his frustrations in his French teacher's nightly writing assignment, Peter shares Dorothea’s story with his teacher, imagining a world in which witches, a renegade elf lord and the humans have joined forces to conquer the elves. With the Bois d’or on the verge of being invaded, Dorothea and her friends embark on a quest to find the wizard Mohan. But the witches have other plans. They have set the three ancient evils of Anger, Fear and Lust against Dorothea. Can Dorothea survive the three curses and find Mohan in time to save her homeland? Dorothea’s fate is in Peter's hands, but as his mother’s marriage deteriorates and his infatuation with his French teacher increases, he must find a way to rise above the insanity and save not only Dorothea’s home but also his own. This book is also available as a podcast.
Dragons' Truth by Teel McClanahan III
When two young boys decide to skip school and seek adventure one day, they end up finding much more than they ever bargained for. More than the dragon and the mountain of riches they see at first, one of the boys finds the entire course of his life changed. That boy, Larry, finds himself at the center of an adventure bigger than anything he’d ever dreamed of. And when Larry’s continuing adventure begins to affect his schoolwork, and then his teachers and his entire school, Larry’s not sure what he’s gotten himself into. When the effects of that seemingly innocent day begin to spread throughout - and then to threaten - his entire nation, Larry is forced to take action or face the destruction of the entire human race as a result of a single day of hooky. Contains some violent content.
Dreamers by Sarah R. Suleski
To sleep, perchance to dream . . . or wake again in a different world.This is the dual life of Muse, Love, and other Immortals like them. Split between two lives in two worlds, they never sleep, never dream, and never die. In one life they walk among us, unknown, in the other, they are worshiped as gods. But they are not immune to the troubles of life — love, loneliness, loss, and the eternal question of where they came from and what their purpose is. This is their story.
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