The gods have gotten bored, and humanity is the answer. Charles earns the ultimate surprise one morning when he awakens to discover the world has ended, or rather the gods of old were bored and decided to redesign how it worked. Everyone else got a nice little message that showed up their vision, everyone else woke up when the gods decided to make their decision known. Only Charles gets cursed by the gods, and only Charles gets a visit from one as well. The Game of the Gods has begun and the monsters of old are returning to our world, and all it took was the death of half the worlds population and counting.

The first Penguin anthology of Japanese haiku, in vivid new translations by Adam L. Kern. Now a global poetry, the haiku was originally a Japanese verse form that flourished from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. Although renowned for its brevity, usually running three lines long in seventeen syllables, and by its use of natural imagery to make Zen-like observations about reality, in fact the haiku is much more: it can be erotic, funny, crude and mischievous. Presenting over a thousand exemplars in vivid and engaging translations, this anthology offers an illuminating introduction to this widely celebrated, if misunderstood, art form. Adam L. Kern's new translations are accompanied here by the original Japanese and short commentaries on the poems, as well as an introduction and illustrations from the period.

Accumulations of life stresses--physical injuries, emotional and psychological stresses, birth traumas, and toxicity--can become imprinted in the tissues, acting like a videotape that is replayed whenever stimulated. Biodynamic craniosacral therapy aims to resolve the trapped forces that underlie and drive these trauma-based patterns of disease and suffering in body and mind. Wisdom in the Body teaches practitioners to develop the finely tuned skills of hands-on palpation and perception to sense the body's subtle rhythms and patterns of inertia or congestion, with the goal of ending trauma and facilitating the expression of the breath of life. A comprehensive introduction to this practice, the book draws on the insights of pioneers like Drs. W. G. Sutherland and Franklyn Sills to explain the key principles about the body's natural intention to heal and how this capability can be encouraged. A valuable resource for students, practitioners, and the lay reader, the book...

Since we first looked at the stars, there has been a silence, no signs of alien life, no one who has tried to speak to us, a mystery that a long dead scientist called the Fermi Paradox.‘Where are they?’In 2118, the first daring mission to another star, Tau Ceti, twelve light years away is launched. Tom Hites and Harry Cosgrove command the Starship Endeavour on an epic journey to solve the Fermi Paradox. From the first, nearly disastrous steps on a distant world, their quest takes them further than they ever imagined. Out amidst the mysterious long abandoned worlds and ancient relics they discover, some strange, some wonderful and some deadly, that question they seek to answer becomes:‘Where are they now?’

Haley can't face Christmas. Her super-critical family hate her presents and her life. It's her turn to prepare the holiday diner, but her apartment kitchen is too small for anything but toast. Which is the only think she knows how to cook. When her cookie fortune turns out to be an ad—Madam Zelda, Fortune Teller—she makes a desperate decision. Zach is the mastermind behind the ad. He and Zelda show Haley that a fortune cookie can be full of surprises, solutions, and love.

The Game of the Gods has changed hands. Gaia has taken control of the system the gods put in place for their game. Charles and Kira have rescued Alli from the Goddess Alaria and returned to Earth with news of an impending threat. At home, the lack of significant progress on his quest to create more towns is keeping him and Charlotte from searching for their parents. It’s time to change that. A goal Charles and his sister Charlotte have been working towards for months is nearing completion, and with it, they will gain access to the rest of the world. The gods had their chance, and then Gaia took it from them. Earth is hers to control, and it’s time to let the humans know it. The Game of the Gods is no longer what it was, and a new era has begun.

Things have begun to go awry for the gods of Earth, with control of the game they started quickly leaving their grasp.A new arc has begun and with it a new quest, one that involves helping the world and potentially saving Charles and Charlotte's parents.Unhappy gods plot behind the scenes, desperate to enter the game before their time. Unfortunately, their interference results in a powerful old spirit being awoken from its millennia long slumber. The Game of Gods is about to get a new player, one that none of them can control.

Millenniums had passed since the first human caught sight of the first troll. Was it by chance or design? For now, how and why it happened is hidden in the fog of history.Millenniums had passed since the first human caught sight of the first troll. Was it by chance or design? For now, how and why it happened is hidden in the fog of history. With time, humans assumed they were superior to trolls. And the trolls? Well, the trolls just wanted to be left alone. They didn’t care who was superior, they just wanted to live quietly and in peace. As with everything, though, change is inevitable. Common to both humans and trolls, there were those who sought power and wealth. This brought war, and more war. Humans bloodied their hands with their brothers’ blood, over and over, and trolls did the same. Troll and human blood cried out from the ground in battle after battle, for control of the land, and one another.The last of the wars was fought amongst the trolls themselves. One large group of trolls wanted closer ties with humans, feeling they held much in common with them. Those opposing their plan wanted limited contact with humans. Quarreling escalated and the trolls who didn’t want change declared war upon those who sought greater understanding of the humans. The war was one of the bloodiest ever recorded in the Journals of Time, ending suddenly when one of the leaders of the movement was killed. Humans and trolls then continued avoiding one another after the war, but as I said before, change is inevitable, and it was born in the smallest of the kingdoms on a crisp, sunny, fall day.

The Great War spreads… One after another, the Kingdom's star bases have fallen before the Neo Hegemony and their coalition. Only one remains in the strategically vital Talos Rift.Valestra. Low on supplies, low on fuel and low on food - The base's only hope is a desperate resupply mission. The Kingdom fleet assembles the largest convoy yet, protected by dozens of warships and hundreds of fighters. Even with all the firepower the Kingdom can bring to bear, if only a single freighter manages to run the enemy's relentless gauntlet, then the relief operation will be deemed a success. Lieutenant Jason 'Rick' Richards knows he's the best Tempest pilot in the Kingdom. But there's an enemy out there who is his equal. Someone only he can defeat. Someone he must defeat. Hegemony pilot, Major Gan Corla's hatred for Rick burns strong. He has given himself body and soul to the Neo cause, but his hunger to take down his nemesis could overwhelm even that fanatical loyalty. Both will risk all to kill the other. Even the mission. Even the war, if need be. And while fighters and warships collide in ferocious combat, hidden in the dark, a new kind of warrior rises. Lieutenant Commander Nisha Draper and her stealth ship, the KSS Ghost, may be all that stands between the convoy, and the massive fleet of enemy reinforcements headed their way. For brutal dogfights, epic rivalry and massive warships clashing, download A Relentless Fury. Audio book available. Narrated by Jeffrey Kafer.

War has come to the Galaxy. The dark forces of the Neo Hegemony strike, sweeping across the worlds of the Arcadian sector and crushing all in their path.One system stands against the onslaught, the Kingdom of New Avalon. But the men and women of their expeditionary forces are trapped behind enemy lines on a besieged planet. Losing those troops will lose the war.Their only hope? A last-ditch rescue mission led by Captain Hal Cutter and his battleship, Achilles. Beset on all sides by lethal enemy warships, he must lead a rag-tag fleet of naval and civilian vessels across Hegemony held space to save the beleaguered Kingdom soldiers.In the skies and orbit, Lieutenant Jason 'Rick' Richards and the untested pilots of Viper squadron clash in a furious battle for supremacy against elite enemy fighters.And on the ground, Private Patrick 'Wink' Goble and his platoon must hold the line against a ruthless enemy commander and her overwhelming force of battle-tested mechs until salvation arrives.All will play their part in this desperate struggle for survival against impossible odds.The Great War has begun… Read the epic new military science fiction series from Ralph Kern, the best-selling author of the Locus series.

The Great War rages.The Reach. A vast barren tract of space lying between the besieged stars of the Kingdom of New Avalon and their distant allies. And it is the latest battlefield in the war burning across the void.Admiral Valin Sarven of the Hegemony fleet is as cunning as he is ruthless. A master tactician commanding the most powerful vessel in space, the battleship Behemoth. He is dispatched into the Reach with a single goal; to sever the long, tenuous supply lines linking the Kingdom to the Liberty Federation.Captain Hal Cutter and his ship, Achilles, join the flagship of the Kingdom's fleet, the legendary KSS Cronus, in hunting the monstrous vessel lurking in the dark.But nothing has prepared the proud Kingdom Navy for what they'll face as battleships clash in savage combat. And when Cronus is lost in the first brutal engagement, Cutter must play a deadly game of cat and mouse among the dim stars of The Reach.For these warriors, no quarter will be asked or given.It isn't just admirals, captains and officers fighting this war, though. It is often those below decks who pay the highest price. And two spacers, one on either side, learn that even amid the fires of war and hatred, an act of mercy may save a wounded soul.Turrets will roar and hulls will buckle in this epic tale of battleships clashing in the night.

THE COMPLETE LOCUS SERIES An epic tale of mystery, survival, exploration, intrigue and war. The cruise ship, M/S Atlantica is lost. On these strange and uncharted seas, where even the compass shows the sun rising to the west, Atlantica's passengers and crew must do what it takes to survive. UNFATHOMED Atlantica arrives in a strange new world. Unable to locate land, and with no way to contact home, they must find new allies, fend off relentless enemies, and discover the horrifying truth behind The Locus. EXPEDITION An expedition to the mainland discovers an unstoppable threat, and leads to a devastating new conflict for Atlantica and her fleet. A dark secret tears apart friends and families. OSIRIS The future of humanity will be decided as the fleet confronts the architect of the Locus. Not everyone will survive the desperate final battle. The Locus boxset contains all three action-packed novels in this best-selling science fiction thriller series: Unfathomed, Expedition and Osiris. Acclaimed for great characters, thrilling action, technical accuracy and compelling mystery and intrigue. Buy today.

The gods have begun to change Earth, leaving humanity confused and desperate. Charles and Alli have managed to survive the first week of the apocalypse, unfortunately for them, it isn't over yet. The changes to the world are still ongoing and new monsters are being born. For Charles the only thing that matters is finding his sister, but what happens after? The enemies of humanity are revealed and begin to unite under the banner of enemy gods. Champions stand on both sides of the field and it is time for some to die.

The tower is waiting for those who wish to grow stronger.Kate has entered the tower inside the town of Dungeonville. At her side is the shy Beth, and the four-legged Inara. Together they must search for the entrance to the second floor, all while leaving the first floor in time for dinner with their families every day.What happens when the being in control of the tower decides to get involved?

A riveting and powerful story of a runaway girl lured into prostitution in New York City, perfect for fans of Ellen Hopkins and Patricia McCormick.What do you do if you're in trouble? When Michelle runs away from her drug-addicted mother, she has just enough money to make it to New York City, where she hopes to move in with a friend. But once she arrives at the bustling Port Authority, she is confronted with the terrifying truth: She is alone and out of options.Then she meets Devon, a good-looking, well-dressed guy who emerges from the crowd armed with a kind smile, a place for her to stay, and eyes that seem to understand exactly how she feels. But Devon is not who he seems to be, and soon Michelle finds herself engulfed in the world of child prostitution, where he becomes her "Daddy" and she is his "Little Peach." It is a world of impossible choices, where the line between love and abuse, captor and savior, is blurred beyond...

How Gentrification is killing our cities, and what we can do about itWhat does gentrification look like? Can we even agree that it is a process that replaces one community with another? It is a question of class? Or of economic opportunity? Who does it affect the most? Is there any way to combat it?  Leslie Kern, author of the best selling Feminist City, travels from Toronto, New York, London, Paris and San Francisco and scrutinises the myth and lies that surround this most urgent urban crisis of our times.First observed in 1950s London, and theorised by leading thinkers such as Ruth Glass, Jane Jacobs and Sharon Zukin, this devastating process of displacement now can be found in every city and most neighbourhoods. Beyond the Yoga studio, farmer's market and tattoo parlour, gentrification is more than a metaphor, but impacts the most vulnerable communities.  Kern proposes an intersectional way at looking at the crisis that seek to reveal the...

The sins of the distant past echo far into the future.An uneasy peace settles over the strange new world into which the M/S Atlantica has been thrust by the Locus. The cruise ship leads her war-weary fleet on its first, tentative steps beyond simple survival. But an expedition to the mainland changes everything, sparking a chain of events leading to a devastating new conflict.For Karl Grayson, soldier, spy and traitor, there is no forgiveness for the murder and destruction he brought on the Fleet. Nor is his long mission over to hunt those responsible for the Locus and its terrifying repercussions. His prey will do anything to protect their secrets.Jack Cohen, who fought so hard to protect Atlantica, is caught between Grayson and his quarry. Cohen’s decisions will test his morals, and may cost him the woman he loves.Amid betrayal and lies, enemies become allies, old friends become the deadliest of foes, and the ships of the Fleet clash in battle.And this world may yet prove itself to be more hostile than they could ever have imagined.

The next standalone novel in Erin Kern's Champion Valley series!This alpha athlete is about to meet his match...Cameron Shaw knows exactly what he's doing when it comes to coaching high school boys on the football field, but caring for a six-year-old girl is a whole different ballgame. When a gorgeous, highly opinionated woman shows up with his niece in tow and claims he's Piper's new guardian, Cameron's first response is "hell no." But he can't abandon a little girl who just lost her mother....Audrey Bennett wasn't planning to stick around town, but Piper's gruff, way-too-good-looking-for-his-own-ego uncle clearly needs help. The longer she stays-watching Cameron teach Piper to make pancakes and tie her sparkly pink shoelaces-the harder it is to leave. Especially when he stops arguing and gives Audrey the most toe-curling kiss of her life. But just as she thinks he might be the one, a secret he's been keeping threatens to tear apart...

The M/S Atlantica, one of the most advanced cruise ships in the world, is lost.Land has disappeared. Fuel, food and hope begin to dwindle.After months recuperating in hospital, US Marine, Jack Cohen hoped a Caribbean cruise would help him recover from the horrific injuries he sustained fighting in the Middle East. Instead, when the ship is attacked, he is once again thrust into battle to protect Atlantica against the ruthless enemy hunting her, and the insidious threat already aboard.On these mysterious and uncharted seas, where even the compass shows the sun rising to the west, Atlantica's salvation may lie with a U.S Navy warship which is as lost as they are. Together, they must pool their resources and use every means available to defend themselves while discovering what has happened to them.And the rest of the world.Unfathomed, a military science fiction thriller which will appeal to anyone who enjoyed Lost, BSG or The Last Ship.From the international best-selling author of Endeavour and Erebus.Please subscribe to my mailing list, which I host in collaboration with a number of other leading authors: www.scifiexplorations.com

The sins of the distant past echo far into the future.An uneasy peace settles over the strange new world into which the M/S Atlantica has been thrust by the Locus. The cruise ship leads her war-weary fleet on its first, tentative steps beyond simple survival. But an expedition to the mainland changes everything, sparking a chain of events leading to a devastating new conflict.For Karl Grayson, soldier, spy and traitor, there is no forgiveness for the murder and destruction he brought on the Fleet. Nor is his long mission over to hunt those responsible for the Locus and its terrifying repercussions. His prey will do anything to protect their secrets.Jack Cohen, who fought so hard to protect Atlantica, is caught between Grayson and his quarry. Cohen’s decisions will test his morals, and may cost him the woman he loves.Amid betrayal and lies, enemies become allies, old friends become the deadliest of foes, and the ships of the Fleet clash in battle.And this world may yet prove itself to be more hostile than they could ever have imagined.

Since we first looked at the stars, there has been a silence, no signs of alien life, no one who has tried to speak to us, a mystery that a long dead scientist called the Fermi Paradox.‘Where are they?’In 2118, the first daring mission to another star, Tau Ceti, twelve light years away is launched. Tom Hites and Harry Cosgrove command the Starship Endeavour on an epic journey to solve the Fermi Paradox. From the first, nearly disastrous steps on a distant world, their quest takes them further than they ever imagined. Out amidst the mysterious long abandoned worlds and ancient relics they discover, some strange, some wonderful and some deadly, that question they seek to answer becomes:‘Where are they now?’

Bluford High freshman Harold Davis is trapped. Medical bills for his sick grandmother are piling up, and a social worker has threatened to put him in a foster home. Desperate for money, he reluctantly agrees to work for Londell James, a neighborhood drug dealer. The choice leads him into a world of dangerous streets where no one is safe. Will Harold escape the violence that surrounds him, or will he become its next victim?