Showing results for "The Challenge" in Science Fiction & Fantasy

When virtual reality becomes real enough that people feel as if they're being transported to another world, Valia Online arrives. A man running from his past joins the game to forget it all. Calling himself Jack Thorn, he chooses an undead race, Deathlord. A mage by choice, and a swordsman by necessity, he soon finds out that he'll need to use much more than magic and steel to survive; strategy, creativity, and carefully chosen words can often accomplish what simple attacks can't.

In Honor Harrington’s day, the Star Kingdom of Manticore is the wealthiest star nation on a per capita basis in the entire galaxy. It is home to magnificent cities. Its planets’ oceans and seas—and skies—are open to its people, yet they have maintained the beauty and the magnificence of their natural habitats. But that was not always true. Pioneers, especially interstellar pioneers, must be tough, smart, and self-reliant, and the people who built the Star Kingdom knew that.

Secret Service agent Tessa Camen took a bullet meant for the president. She regains consciousness three hundred years in the future on a spaceship, naked in the arms of Kahn, a fierce warlord from the planet Rystan. He's been expecting her.

Jack, the groundbreaking Elementist, returns, thrust into a world on the brink of chaos. A sinister cult, wielding both elemental and psychic might, emerges from the shadows, setting the stage for a confrontation of catastrophic proportions. The newly revealed Mortal Element, Metal, beckons Jack, offering both unparalleled strength and uncharted danger. Yet, mastery of this element might be his only chance against an ever-growing legion of foes.

Stephanie Michelakakis worked and sacrificed for her position as a lieutenant in the Coalition. Nicholas Deffand was the youngest male ever named as the captain of King Jotham's Royal Guard. These two dedicated people never expected to find love. Will they be strong enough to make it work, or will their relationship be another sacrifice they must make?

L. E. Modesitt Jr. presents Book 25 in the Saga of Recluce series.

Dan’s first tournament may have ended, but life goes on. His luck is still with him in his regular life as well, and it seems to be endless. However, he is surrounded by very smart people, and surely one of them is going to start doubting his talents, at least a bit? Especially now, with a new game about to start. The latest foes are even more dangerous than the last and the rules are still unfamiliar to him. Dan wonders how reasonable the rules are in the first place. Is it really possible to take a competition that lasts a couple of hours at most seriously?

Julian Savage was golden. Powerful. But tormented. For the brooding hunter walked alone. Always alone, far from his Carpathian kind, alien to even his twin. Like his name, his existence was savage. Until he met the woman he was sworn to protect…. When Julian heard Desari sing, rainbows swamped...

One of the most popular role-playing properties in the world gets new life with this trio of horror novellas set in Vampire: The Masquerade's World of Darkness by three brilliant talents: Genevieve Gornichec, Cassandra Khaw, and Caitlin Starling The subtle horror and infernal politics of the...

Still recovering from injuries received in foiling the plots of the Ferran envoy, Rhenn is preparing to take up his new duties as imager liaison to the Civic Patrol of L'Excelsis. No sooner has he assumed his new position than he discovers two things. First, the commander of the Civic Patrol doesn't want a liaison from the infamous Collegium and soon has Rhenn patrolling the streets of the worst district in the city.

A little over four months has passed since Desmond McLaughlin was physically yanked from his home and thrown to the mercy of a conquering alien empire when they demanded he be handed over for training as he was an ‘Adept’, one of the few able to harness the power of magic in the universe. During that time, he has learned how to manipulate mana and made several friends amongst the aliens whose culture he was now immersed in. And one lover.

Ariane Austin and her crew had learned these lessons the hard way, and - with luck, skill, and sheer will, had managed to survive so far. But now a debt of honor to Humanity's oldest, if sometimes self-serving, ally, Orphan, has come due. The threat of war looms with the xenophobic Molothos, one of the five Great Factions; the dark and omnipresent legacy of the Hyperion Experiment lingers. As Leader of the Faction of Humanity, Captain Ariane Austin had to deal with all of these problems, and deal with them soon.

Pantheon Leader Jay Luckrun has experienced the loss of friends and enemies alike. But he continues marching forward to conquer new challenges and bring vengeance against the System Admins. His magic has grown stronger. His gravity has greater reach. And the dungeons of an invasive pantheon of goblins are up next on the chopping block. Follow Jay as he develops his own unique path and finally gets some revenge upon the evil System Admins. He might have to lose his humanity along the way. But that's a plus. He'll gain greater power that's more paradoxical than expected.

The signs are unmistakable, Momar isn't just targeting Austin's brother. When one of Momar's grunts breaks into Austin's territory looking to grab Jessie for questioning, Jessie and her crew realize they are under fire. In order to protect themselves, it becomes obvious they need backup. Thankfully, the basajaun's people have invited Jessie and her crew into the basajaunak lands. This is their golden opportunity to seek their help. The problem is, a host of mages and mercenaries are following them. Once they take Jessie this time it won't be just for questioning, and she won't be coming back.

It is time to start colonizing the solar system. Ex-astronaut, current space advisor, and all-out troubleshooter for the president, Jake, is determined to make it happen. And what better way than to return to America’s glory by returning to the moon and setting up a permanent moon-base which can then serve as the launching pad for Mars and beyond. But as usual, political intrigue and conflicting priorities are threatening the whole program.

A shadowy presence in this world is controlling the shifters, supporting them as they carry out attacks on the innocent citizens of Westport and the witches that protect them. On Oriceran, something unseen has an agenda with Aza's family and an unwilling blood donation. The fragile balance between the Roses and Dragons has been destroyed by a pair of Syndicate assassins determined to make Boston the prize. Cait and Aza are right in the middle of all of it.

Xavy: Everything about Tabitha tempts me. Her soft curves and her big smile and loud voice full of laughter. But it terrifies me how badly I want to do things to her that are dishonorable to a Drixonian warrior, so I have to reject her. When I find her as a stowaway on my important mission, I have no choice but to return her to camp. That is, until our return trip doesn't go quite as expected. Now I'm the only thing keeping her safe, and it's not so easy to avoid her now. Especially when I find that she likes my rough touch as much as I like giving it to her.

Once upon a time, a girl loved a boy but married another man. What a mistake, especially since that man has been using her as part of his sick plot to experiment on shifters. And he's got a plan to use their sons. Over my dead body. But Melanie might need help keeping her boys safe. Wes is keeping secrets, lots of them, but he doesn't have a choice. The people he cares about are in danger, and he'll do anything to protect them, but that struggle intensifies when the girl he never stopped loving is drawn into danger.

Cheyenne Summerlin has 11 days to gather her terms for Ba'rael, find someone to take her place as the new O'gúl Crown, and deal with a traitor in the FRoE. Her dance card is already full with weapons and betrayal. But when her mother gets hit with a curse intended for her father, L'zar, freeing Bianca from the deadly curse becomes Cheyenne's top priority. The time is cut short.

After 20 years as a not-quite-human, wondering where I belong, I've finally found my place among the fae in Avalon, and my dads want to take it away. All I want to do is avoid my family, stay under the radar, learn about my magic, and get up close and personal with my suitors. But, of course, the gods have other plans for me. Change-the-world-save-the-fae kinds of plans. Turns out I'm not really a save-the-world kind of girl. Honestly, I don't want any of this.