Epic City

Times are truly desperate within Averalaan's hundred holdings, and Jewel MArkess and her den are finding it hard to survive. Then suddenly their mentor, Rath, orders them to avoid the ancient Undercity beneath Averlaan's streets, cutting them off from their main source of income. Yet Rath himself refuses to heed the warnings of Jewel's seer dreams. Instead, he allies with the mages of the Order of Knowledge in a secret war against demonic foes, knowing he'll be targeted for death - or worse.

After a cataclysmic war of the gods, the last of humanity huddles in Bastion, a colossal ringed city. Beyond the outermost wall lies an endless desert, haunted by the souls of all the world’s dead. Trapped in a rigid caste system, Nuru, a young street sorcerer, lives in the outer ring. She dreams of escape and freedom. When something contacts her from beyond the wall, she risks everything and leaps at the opportunity.

A prince cursed by fate. A love that defies destiny. A kingdom on the edge of war. "You stopped the aching starvation that I have endured for far too long..." Drake Blakeshire was never meant to rule—at least, not without bloodshed. Crafted in shadows, sculpted by war, and destined to wear a crown that could either destroy him or make him a legend, he has spent his life fighting against forces stronger than himself. But nothing in his haunted existence prepared him for her. Madison Marie Blair is no ordinary girl. She is his salvation and his greatest weakness. Bound by an undeniable pull...

Here is Old Man's War author John Scalzi's sendup of the heroic fantasy genre, now a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Short Story.

Not all ancient secrets are lost. Father Winthrop's insanity and eloquence turn a rabble of starving militiamen into an army with a new purpose. With the spore eating away at William's humanity, he finds a new place in the world as the survivors from the Ancient City expeditions discover a remnant of the past that could change everything.

The city of Voortyashtan was once the home of the goddess of death, war and destruction, but now it's little more than a ruin. General Turyin Mulaghesh is called out of retirement and sent to this hellish place to find a Saypuri secret agent who's gone AWOL in the middle of a mission. But the ghosts of past wars have followed her there, and soon she begins to wonder what happened to the souls in the afterlife when the gods were defeated by her people, the Polis.

As Jack Lee investigates a series of deadly cases, he encounters murderers, international criminals, and a robber. At the same time, his niece Jenn, an underwater archaeologist studying mermaids, arrives on the island, coinciding with a sudden crime wave. From bank robberies to vandalism to searching a lake with hidden secrets, Jack is determined to solve every case and protect the public. However, when tragedy hits the high school swim team, and someone close to Jack is kidnapped, Jack must find help to close the cases, including assistance from someone with fins, scales, and a long tail. ...

Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city's Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people. Maris Casperia was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel's inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city.

Every great city has a soul. A human avatar that embodies their city's heart and wields its magic. New York? She's got six. But all is not well in the city that never sleeps. Though Brooklyn, Manny, Bronca, Venezia, Padmini and Neek have temporarily managed to stop the Woman in White from invading—and destroying the entire universe in the process—the mysterious capital 'E' Enemy has more subtle powers at her disposal.

In the aftermath of a catastrophic battle, Althera is a city on the brink of collapse. Seraphine, a leader burdened by guilt and haunted by her past, struggles to maintain a fragile peace amidst the ruins. But as whispers of a rising dark force beyond the city’s borders grow louder, she realizes that a new, more sinister enemy is emerging—a threat that seeks not only to shatter the tenuous stability of Althera but to unravel the very fabric of magic itself. Elias, a warrior bound by loyalty yet torn by inner conflict, uncovers secrets buried in ancient texts that hint at a prophecy of ...

Samazzar and his family have moved to the city of Vereton to continue his magic studies. There, he is introduced to a dizzying array of culture, technology, and magic. The caves he grew up in as a kobold fade into memory as Sam throws himself into his new life studying and adventuring under the mentorship of Wind Master Pothas.

Boss, a loner, loved to dive derelict spacecraft adrift in the blackness of space...But one day, she found a ship that would change everything - an ancient Dignity Vessel - and aboard the ship, the mysterious and dangerous Stealth Tech. Now, years after discovering that first ship, Boss has put together a large company that finds Dignity Vessels and finds "loose" stealth technology. Following a hunch, Boss and her team come to investigate the city of Vaycehn, where 14 archeologists have died exploring the endless caves below the city.

The other side of the story ...Trickshot is in trouble. Captured by Karos' Fallen Court and held prisoner aboard Karos' warship, Trickshot's only hope of escaping six of the multiverse's most dangerous supervillains a seven-year-old magician who is a bit of a brat. Doctor Mind isn't in trouble. Guilty over failing to prevent Trickshot's kidnapping, Doctor Mind decides to investigate the real reason Prince Tojas wants the Trinity Blade. Even if he risks his own life in the process. Busker Burn is looking for trouble. Like Doctor Mind, Busker suspects there's more going on than meets the eye....

A City of Secrets. A Trial of Souls. A War That Changes Everything. The war of hearts and souls takes Landen and Willow to the enigmatic streets of New Orleans—a city steeped in mystery and haunted by secrets that should have stayed buried. But the path before them is treacherous. To uncover the truth and face the trial that awaits, they must first overcome devilish jealousies and wrathful grudges threatening to tear them apart. With the weight of their fate—and the faith of those who believe in them—pressing heavily on their shoulders, Landen and Willow hold the power to change ...

Elle Takra, the heir to a throne in a far-off place known as the Second Land, finds her life in upheaval when she’s whisked away to this foreign fantasy land. After being attacked by those who would see her killed, Elle is rescued by a handsome fellow First Lander named Patch. Even though Patch awakens within Elle romantic feelings she doesn’t understand, she’s still promised to her intended, Simon, who became separated from her in the attack. And Elle is determined to find him. Unluckily for both Elle and Patch, they soon find themselves playing captive yet again, this time in a far ...

He has rescued his sister, Isabel, but the cost is that his many enemies know he survived. Now his enemies are looking for him in the city to rectify his “still living” status. James needs to gain an edge if he’s to return to the city and establish his new dungeon. James’ granddad, Leviathan, paved the road for James to get that edge. But that plan requires James to sail to the continent of Nazgrim. He’ll need to cross the Burning Sands in order to convince a dying Abomination, Felgoth, to join him.

"It's suicide, Shyla. You're the prize they want". Through her courage and tenacity, Shyla Sun-Kissed has awoken the power of The Eyes of Tamburah. But this feat only marks the beginning of the challenges that the magical order, the Invisible Sword, faces to free the underground city of Zirdai. Though they have allies among the monks and splinter cells inside the city, Shyla knows the Invisible Sword doesn't have the strength to win. With the group fracturing due to the strain of losses from their latest ordeal, it's up to Shyla to forge a new united order.

With Bataar deathly ill and a city on the lookout for Tor, things seem more desperate than ever for Tor and his dragon partner, Saboraak. But a new ally with a plan might be just what they need to find answers. Can they trust the mysterious stranger? Do they dare to refuse?

Tilla, bastard of House Kent, has it made. Safe from her murderous father in the dazzling capital of Lightspire, she lives a life of luxury under the protection of the Volaris King, alongside her boyfriend, Zell, and best friend, Princess Lyriana. So why isn't she happy? Maybe it's the whispers and stares that follow her wherever she goes, as the daughter of the traitor waging war against Lightspire. Or maybe it's the memories of her beloved brother, Jax, who lies cold in his grave even as she tries to settle into a life in the city's prestigious university. Then Tilla stumbles upon the body of a classmate - a friend.

Young and filled with idealistic fervor, Arturo packs his blade and travels to the fabled City of Swords in the hopes of joining the dashing Bravadori. Yet upon arriving, he discovers these masked vigilantes have more in common with brutal thugs than noble monster slayers. Disillusioned and mocked, he stubbornly refuses to give up his dreams. When an impending bandit attack threatens untold depravities upon a distant village, and no others will heed the call for help, Arturo joins forces with a worthless outcast and a walking legend to attempt the impossible.