Virtual Reality Epic

Deadly competition. Deep desert. A dying tyrant. Finn Harris was declared the Mage Guild's champion. However, that was only the beginning of the Emir's competition. The next stage will send Finn and his companions deep into the desert north of Lahab in search of a long-lost relic. The magical artifact is said to be held within the Abyss. Except, this time, he's not just facing novice mages. Everyone in the region seems to be arrayed against him, god and man alike.

Finn Harris should have been the one to die. But he wasn't - his wife took his place. What was worse, he only had himself and his company to blame. They let their passion outpace their prudence, determined to revolutionize the world. While all innovation comes with a price, he never imagined it would cost him Rachael. Nearly a decade later, Finn is content to hole himself up and wait out the rest of his life. That is, until his daughter intervenes, forcing him out of his grief and into a new virtual reality game developed by his old employer. They're calling it Awaken Online.

Would you be prepared to work for free? How would you like to bust your hump for a large corporation 60-plus hours a week without a wage or a single day off for the vague promise of some mysterious perks in the distant future? You'd refuse point blank, wouldn't you? But what if the job in question was playing a state-of-the-art fantasy MMORPG game? And what if this was the only thing you're really good at? Especially considering that your in-game partner is someone really special to you - and this person already lives a virtual life?

Alex is one of us. An office rat during daytime, he spends sleepless nights playing his favorite MMO game: a familiar, predictable world which is about to collapse. A new virtual universe arrives to replace it, aggressively devouring all others: the Crystal Sphere. Alex gets involved in testing new technologies which promise to revolutionize gaming. Fitted out with a neuroimplant which provides a 100 percent authentic experience, he has to survive in the Crystal Sphere against all odds.

Toad’s Terrible, No-Good, Very Excellent Adventure (How Not to Quest Properly) What happens when an imp with the self-preservation instincts of a sock in a tornado, a wizard who can’t stop turning things into chickens, a ghost rabbit with a talent for bad decisions, and a knight-turned-frog who just wants some peace get tangled in a fate-woven disaster? Well… this. Toad, an imp with a talent for absolutely the wrong kind of mischief, has been "banished" (read: promoted) to the Mortal Realm. Osric, a wizard desperately trying to master magic without creating more poultry, has somehow ...

The author of The Internet of Things presents his latest book.

Every player in Barliona has heard of the Gray Lands - the land of the dead. Few have managed to travel there and speak with the heroes and villains of old. And of this minuscule number, only one bard has managed to bring the souls of the dead back to the world of the living: the Bard of Shadow. Now, it is up to her to determine the future of her race. Shall the Biota race become full-fledged members of Barliona, or will they oppose all that lives?

A disgraced hero. A galaxy on the brink. The fate of humanity lies in the balance. Kel Chaada was once a celebrated war hero—until his victories uncovered the dark secrets of humanity’s immortal rulers. Branded a fugitive and forced into exile, Kel flees to the edges of the galaxy, only to discover ancient alien civilizations with unimaginable powers. These forces could reshape the future of the Milky Way, but they come with a dangerous allure. When a new galactic threat emerges, Kel must decide: will he harness these newfound powers to protect humanity, or succumb to their temptation ...

New Standalone Tower of Gates Novel! Learn how Benji entered the simulation and other surprises! Bernard, responsible for his father's gambling debts, decides to sign up for a study at ECNEP corporation. Their fully immersive virtual reality simulations are being tested for consumer use. At first he's not very into it, but he soon becomes friends with at least one person he finds interesting. When they try to hack the code of the simulation, things begin to go very wrong. Can they survive and hang onto their humanity while trapped inside a limitless virtual world. This is a STANDALONE ...

A Tale of Fantasy and Magic Rockwell believes his eight-year-old daughter Sydney has a very vivid imagination. She sees the mythical Fae: fairies, goblins, sprites, pixies, and other magical creatures. She sees them, talks about them, and plays with them, but every instance feels like a knife in Rockwell's gut. His daughter sees all the mythical creatures in the stories told to her by his late wife, Sarah, reminding him that Sarah is gone. These stories are folklore handed down through the generations and all that his daughter has to cling to of her mother. He has no idea how to help his ...

After stumbling upon a portal.... ... a universe of magic and science exploration becomes possible, and life is never the same again. Bored in science class for the hundredth time, Noah stares out the window until a strange noise catches his attention—one that no one else seems to hear. Following the sound, he sneaks out, only to find a gateway to another dimension right before his eyes... and then it all gets a little crazy... But just when Noah fears he’s destined to be trapped in a parallel universe all alone, he discovers a world brimming with new friends, wondrous discoveries, and ...

Instead of enjoying the game, I found myself trapped inside my character's dead body. Now the only way I can save myself is by procuring the Scroll of Rebirth. The problem is my chances of getting it are slim. I'm an undead: an outlaw with no friends, only fickle allies and plenty of enemies. Who are only waiting for their chance to strike. My undead hangman character has to tread a razor's edge, with only the support of his fellow players preventing his imminent plunge into the abyss. But are they who they claim they are?

Books 22, 23, and 24 in the international #1 bestselling "Vampire for Hire" series, including: MOON ELDER (Book #22) Wealthy, reclusive families seldom hire private investigators for ordinary jobs. So when a woman from such a family asks Samantha Moon to locate her missing brother, the vampire detective suspects all is not quite as it seems. Indeed, it doesn't take her long to discover her suspicions prove valid, though she's not prepared for exactly how deep the rabbit hole goes... Straight into the depths of madness. The trail to the missing brother leads her to bizarre people wielding ...

A group of adventurers searching for a cure for comatose children find themselves trapped in a sequence of virtual worlds, the only opponents of a conspiracy of the rich to live forever in a dream. Now, they are forced to make an uneasy alliance with their only surviving former enemy against his treacherous sidekick Johnny Wulgaru, a serial killer with a chance to play God forever. Few science fiction sagas have achieved the level of critical acclaim - and best-selling popularity - as Tad Williams's Otherland novels.

EPICI played multiple defensive positions in baseball, including pitcher, catcher, shortstop, and third base; the latter is considered the hot spot. The hot spot is where the fastest and hardest balls travel. The player in this position had to be fearless, skilled, innovative, and productive. These characteristics practiced early in my childhood were found to be beneficial later throughout my thirty-two years as an educator. I always found a way to win, particularly when faced with One Opportunity for success. EPIC ...originated as a theme but evolved into an exemplary system that, after ...

***B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree*** A dream reveals parallel worlds of darkness and light, sending Holly on a spiritual quest to save her soul. Reality becomes elusive as Holly grapples with middle age, loneliness, and regret after the sudden departure of Jack. She finds peace in an ethereal place of light. But is it marred by tragedy from a past life? And can she trust a protector lurking in darkness who promises unlimited power in return for an unthinkable sacrifice? As she sinks deeper into the depths of these realms, Holly must make a choice. Will she align with those in the light who once...

Dying in virtual reality isn't fun, but facing bullets from real-world criminal overlords is really the pits. In such a desperate scenario, their demand to render them a service in VR doesn't sound like such a bad alternative. The problem is, the games played by spook agencies follow much harsher rules. For them, the absence of choice doesn't sound like a good excuse - not if you end up in the grindstones of their undercover schemes.

A fantasy book set in a timeless and magical forest.Mystical Shadows follows the enchanting journey of the young protagonist, Eldrian. On his pivotal 21st birthday, he stumbles across his father's hidden documents and kickstarts his mystical adventure that blurs the lines between reality and myth. Plot Summary:Waking up to his 21st birthday, Eldrian discovers the keys to his father’s peculiar cabinet. Inside, a miniature, ethereal woman offers him passage into an enchanted realm, vibrant with magic and fraught with peril – Fairy Land. His adventure unfurls in fairytale-like forests ...

A Tale of Forgotten Truths, Hidden Powers, and the Stories That Shape Reality Some stories are written. Some are erased. And some refuse to be forgotten. Ilias was once a scholar, a seeker of knowledge buried in the ruins of the past. Now, he is something else—a wanderer bound to an unraveling world, caught in the threads of a history no one remembers and a future that may never come to pass. The Keepers, the silent guardians of time’s greatest secrets, claim they are protecting balance, but Ilias has seen the truth: the past is breaking, and the very fabric of reality is fraying at the...

Jerrell Hawkins has a plan. He’s going to marry Nadine Hartwell, study magic at University, and serve his kingdom in the ongoing war in the prestigious Orichalcum Company led by the hero of the realm. To do this, he needs to obtain a Class. When his plan to create a new, powerful spellcasting class fails, he fears all is lost. Then an enemy sleeper agent burns down his world and Nadine is infected with lycanthropy.