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The winner of multiple Hugo Awards, Charles Stross is one of the most highly regarded science fiction writers of his time. In The Apocalypse Codex, occasionally hapless British agent Bob Howard tackles a case involving an American televangelist and a supernatural threat of global proportions.

In the distant past, a time of magic and swordplay, there lived Harold, the mightiest lich of all, a master of arcane sciences, and a challenger of gods. After reaching the pinnacle of his power and finding it surprisingly bland, Harold waged a cataclysmic war against the gods, aiming to shatter the very system that confined him.

When the beautiful and precocious sisters Sally and Gillian Owens are orphaned at a young age, they are taken to a small Massachusetts town to be raised by their eccentric aunts, who happen to dwell in the darkest, eeriest house in town. As they become more aware of their aunts' mysterious and sometimes frightening powers - and as their own powers begin to surface - the sisters grow determined to escape their strange upbringing by blending into "normal" society.

Fresh off their victory over Graves and his followers, Marcus and his friends have managed to enjoy a few weeks of relative calm and peace as they continue to build Aldford, preparing the town for a new wave of settlers coming from Eberia. But as the days wear on with no new arrivals in sight, they begin to fear the worse, eventually setting out to search for their promised reinforcements and soon realizing that they weren’t as alone on the frontier as they thought they were.

Years ago, the magnificent dragon queen Tintaglia forged a bargain with the inhabitants of the treacherous Rain Wilds. In exchange for her protection against enemy invaders, the humans promised to protect an unhatched brood of dragons. But when the dragons emerged as weak and misshapen hatchlings unable to fend for themselves, dragonkind seemed doomed to extinction. When even Tintaglia deserted the crippled young dragons, the Rain Wilders abandoned the burden of caring for the destructive and ravenous creatures.

Eizo is a middle-aged, overworked software engineer who loves cats. One night after working late, he saves an injured cat from a speeding truck. The cat survives, but Eizo does not... Luckily, that cat turns out to be a god-like being who offers him a second chance in another world! Eizo decides that he wants a slower life, one where he can live off the things he creates with his own hands. So, why not become a blacksmith? He does have one other stipulation: a cat companion for his quiet life.

Anastasia "Stacy" Drakethorn is a lawyer with a secret—she's the heir to a powerful supernatural dynasty. When her mother's tragic death leaves a power vacuum in the city's paranormal hierarchy, Stacy must step up and take her rightful place as leader. With enemies lurking in the shadows and her own powers awakening, Stacy must navigate a treacherous landscape of politics and magic. Guided by her trusted allies and the wisdom of her dragon father, Khan, she embarks on a journey to claim her birthright.

Ryker Waterborn's heart is broken, and his wife is a killer. Their marriage is a sham, built on a foundation of murder, lies, and deceit. They're broken. Destroyed. Yet, even after hearing her confession, Ryker cannot leave Brynleigh in the pit. In an act of foolish love, he makes a deal to set Brynleigh free. All she has to do is go back to her maker and find evidence that Jelisette de la Point is a traitor. That's easier said than done, but Brynleigh is left with no choice. She can either accept the deal or rot behind bars. Worse than all that is her relationship with Ryker.

Once, Alex Verus was a diviner trying to live quietly under the radar. Now, he's a member of the Light Council who's found success, friends...and love. But it's come with a price - the Council is investigating him, and if they find out the truth, he'll lose everything. Meanwhile, Alex's old master, Richard Drakh, is waging a war against the Council, and he's preparing a move that will bring Alex and the life mage, Anne, under his control. Caught between Richard and the Council, Alex's time is running out.

The Lowlands’ city states have lived in peace for decades, hailed as bastions of civilization. Yet that peace is about to end. A distant empire has been conquering neighbours with highly trained soldiers and sophisticated combat techniques. And the city states are its desirable new prize. Only the ageing Stenwold Maker – spymaster, artificer and statesman – foresees the threat, as the empires’ armies march ever closer. So it falls upon his shoulders to open the eyes of the cities’ leaders.

The darkness within me grows stronger every day, threatening to consume the person I once was. I crave the company of Kicks and the others I love—and yet fear to let them close to the monster I am becoming. So when Death calls in her bargain and tells me to go to Scotland, I'm eager to end the debt I owe her. But her vengeance is sure to bring more pain and heartache. Instead of the healing I seek, I'll surely form more enemies and dole out more death. The end of this bargain might destroy any hope of a new beginning…

"Happily Ever After" wasn't supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of twenty years packs up and heads for greener pastures and my son leaves for college, that's exactly what my life becomes. Do-over. This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Age is just a number, after all, and at forty I'm ready to carve my own path. Eager for a fresh start, I make a somewhat unorthodox decision and move to a tiny town in the Sierra foothills. I'll be taking care of a centuries old house that called to me when I was a kid.

Noel is desperate for cash. So PA for the mafia boss it is, or he risks losing his childhood home. Too bad the job also comes with a grumpy vampire boss. Family has been Fernando's priority for centuries, so why does his adorable PA suddenly stir long-forgotten feelings? Killing anyone who endangers Noel counts as a romantic gesture, right? Asking for a vampire.

The smallest of creatures often carry the sharpest of stings. Lydia Chapman is just such a vampire. Her small stature hides a mighty wit, a razor-edged tongue, and an implacable protector of the only natural-born vampire in existence. Here is the back story of the snarkiest hero on Team Gordon/Demidova, told in her own words, just for fans of the Demon Accords. Go ahead and underestimate her ... it'll be fun.

John Taylor works in the Nightside - the gaudy, neon noir, secret heart of London, where it's always three in the morning, where gods and monsters make deals and seek pleasures they won't find anywhere else. He has a gift for finding things. And sometimes what he's hired to locate can be very, very dangerous indeed.

Edgar does not cheat in flower shows. He might use a magically enhanced serum, but anyone could do that. It's not his fault the other competitors don’t know magic exists! But when the Ivy House crew goes to the pre-show to support him, it becomes clear that someone should've been watching Edgar much more carefully. What he's done is way worse than overgrown flora. While Jessie is dealing with that, she gets a shock as she discovers photos of her ex with his girlfriend…turned fiancée. And while the flood of emotions can be ignored, the desire to show off Austin on social media is not.

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets. Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it.

Since the day they unwittingly found themselves in the horror show of Carousel, Riley (the Film Buff), Antoine (the Athlete), Kimberly (the Eye Candy), Camden (the Scholar), and Anna (the Final Girl) have learned the rules of their horror-movie world. They've fought through story after story and come out alive—or at least preserved the storyline enough to come back to life. But their biggest challenge yet lies ahead.

My name's Nadia, and I serve the High Queen of the Elves. My friend Neil Freeman also works for her, and he's the deadliest assassin who ever lived. He paid a high price for his abilities, including a damaged memory. But his memory holds secrets that might destroy the world. So when the mad wizards of Singularity come to rip open Neil's mind and steal those secrets, it's up to us to stop them.

It was a dark and stormy knight, and nine dark defenders embarked upon a most perilous quest. They're the ultimate defenders of humanity, modern day knights who do dark deeds for all the right reasons. In this all-star collection, nine of today's hottest paranormal authors bring us thrilling, all-new stories of supernatural knights that are brimming with magic mystery and mayhem.