Science For Adults

Stories provide portals into other worlds, both real and imagined. The promise of escape draws people from all backgrounds to speculative fiction, but when people of color seek passageways into the fantastic, the doors are often barred. The Dark Fantastic is an engaging and provocative exploration of race in popular youth and young adult speculative fiction. Grounded in her experiences as YA novelist, fan-fiction writer, and scholar of education, Thomas considers four black girl protagonists from some of the most popular stories of the early 21st century.

Eric has survived where people much stronger than him have found their deaths. And not just that: He's managed to activate his magic supply, tame one of the most dangerous dungeon monsters, find the ancient city of monster hunters, and rescue Jay, the girl abandoned by the scouts in Gulper's lair. He left the Dungeons of the Crooked Mountains behind him. Now his path leads him to Orchus, where our freshly-minted mage intends to finally free himself of his debt-repayment oath.

With a scarlet fever epidemic raging throughout London, a rogue baron on the loose, a new baby keeping him up at night, and a kingdom to run, the last thing David has time for is a trip to the twenty-first century. But as he should know by now, time waits for no man, not even the King of England ...

Our future. Noncitizens and individuals of low social standing can only find work in one place: the virtual world of Disgardium. And that might mean mining ore; it could just as well mean cleaning pigsties or washing dishes in a tavern, but that's about as glamorous as it gets. Fifteen-year-old schoolboy Alex has dreams of working as a space guide. All he can think about is the stars, but life gets in the way, and now his only path to achieving that goal is through the game.

It's swimming season! But Ryuuji's hopes of a relaxing dip are shattered when another spat between Taiga and Ami escalates into a challenge--a no-holds barred swimming contest! The prize? The winner gets to claim Ryuuji for the summer! Ryuuji's none too keen on being spirited away by Ami, but if he wants Taiga to win, he's going to have to teach her to swim from scratch! And what happens if Taiga doesn't even want to win?

Mrs. Moore knew that leaving the city was the best chance that she and her students had to survive the EMP, but when half of her charges refuse to leave she knows she has to stay and try and protect them. Fighting against time and the people in her group that refuse to face the reality of their situation will be a huge challenge. Even after finding a safe haven to wait out the destruction and chaos they are threatened and have to flee for their lives. With her group's numbers lessening at every turn she must lead them on the 1500-mile journey back to Canada.

Zombies and hotties. Keep them separate. A good guy in a post-apocalyptic world, Mason has more than survived. He has drawn some very attractive and talented women to his side. Attempting to settle down and build a future is proving to be more difficult than he had hoped. The area around them is full of zombie-like women and rival clans. On top of threats to their lives, Mason must contend with people wanting to steal his lovely followers. He does all this while still maintaining a soft spot in his heart for mankind. This is the second book in the gripping Dystopian Girls harem adventure ...

Emma, half human and half Syrena, and her Syrena love, Galen, need time together - alone. Away from the kingdoms of Poseidon and Triton. Emma's grandfather, the Poseidon king, suggests the two visit a small town called Neptune. Neptune is home to both Syrena and Half-Breeds alike. But Emma and Galen didn't sign up to be peacemakers between the ocean and the land-dwelling, freshwater Syrena. They didn't bargain for meeting a charming Half-Breed named Reed, who can barely disguise his feelings for Emma.

The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. It's losing the war at its borders, and rumors of a new, deadlier threat on the horizon have surfaced. Princess Jennesara knows her skills on the battlefield would make her an asset and wants to help, but her father has other plans. As the second-born heir to the throne, Jenna lacks the firstborn's magical abilities, so the king promises her hand in marriage to the prince of neighboring Turia in exchange for resources Hálendi needs. Jenna must leave behind everything she has ever known if she is to give her people a chance at peace.

The forces of the entire Th'un Empire are about to come down on Amelia like a 10-ton hammer. Wanted dead or alive by ruthless aliens and with nowhere to run, Amelia must use every ounce of her brilliance to defeat them on Earth. But the Earth is just the beginning. The galaxy is larger than she realized, and their planet isn't the only one in peril.

With Caught, award-winning author Margaret Peterson Haddix delivers the fifth thrilling installment of her Missing series. Time-traveling siblings Jonah and Katherine are shocked when time in the 21st century comes to a standstill. Back in 1903, the siblings discover the time-freeze was caused by a botched job involving Albert Einstein's secret daughter Lieserl. Somehow, they've got to set things right - but that won't be easy with Lieserl's mother standing guard.

The long-awaited tournament has finally begun, and, under Lumina's tutelage, Teacher and Fran are ready to claim their rightful spot as champions. There's just one problem, though--as they advance through the rounds, they find themselves facing off against old friends and A-rank adventurers Amanda and Forlund!

Is it moral to create a life form to attend human sexual needs? Discover the forbidden tale that has been banned in two countries. A thrilling story of love, action, and a world filled with AI sex robots that will revolutionize our future. Meet Nancy, an expert in helping people overcome their sexual anxieties, but she is not a human; she is a sex robot created for pleasure. When Harris Harrison, a brilliant mathematician, is hired to reprogram her, he gives her synthetic intelligence that makes her more than just a mere machine. As fame and notoriety surround Nancy, she catches the ...

At Mythos Academy, everyone knows exactly who I am: Rory Forseti, Spartan girl and the daughter of Reapers. Even though I fought alongside my cousin Gwen Frost to save the mythological world from Loki and his evil Reapers of Chaos, I'm still the most hated girl at the academy because of all the horrible things my parents did. I had hoped that this school year would be different, but the other kids just won't let me forget about my parents.

Spoiled society sisters Dacia and Lou return to their native Romania to do the bidding of the royal Dracula family. But when its devilish heir takes a fancy to Dacia, the sisters must team with a monster-fighting duo to break free from this horrific family legacy.

Alone and forlorn, Rudeus arrives at the city of Rosenburg to search for his mother, Zenith. Despite his attempts to focus on the task at hand, Eris' absence weighs heavy on his heart, and so Rudeus gambles on a dangerous new venture to distract himself from his newfound loneliness--accepting an A-rank job all by himself.

Ryn Tyler didn't intend to kill a demon when she moved to Eagle Valley - or to become the hero of a divine race of angels. She just wants to be a normal teenager, but fate has other plans. As she prepares to attend Galen High, a magical school for angels, Ryn navigates a complicated relationship with Marek, the guy who can't stop saving her life. But Marek knows more about Ryn's magic than he's letting on. Only Ryn has the power to stop this age-old war. But there's a demon in Eagle Valley who wants that power for himself - and if Ryn wants to survive, she'll have to fight back.

Zul'var's altar is no more. In one fell swoop, it was destroyed, Leg Ondo lost his shot at becoming a full-fledged wizard, and Liara Slick disappeared without a trace. The emperor is doing everything he can to impede the upstart clan's growth. A mysterious wizard following Bashorg is filling Brown Bear lands with terrifying demons. And then there's the academy and final exams.

Veteran video-game designer Dustin Hansen takes YA listeners on a fun and fascinating trip through the brief but intensely innovative history of video games. Find out about the fast and furious growth and evolution of video games (including how they are quickly taking over the world!) by looking at some of the most popular, innovative, and influential games ever, from Pong, the very first arcade game ever, to modern hits like Uncharted.

Only her personal bodyguard, Hans, remains loyal. Hans claims to know the real Ava but she finds that hard to believe - after all, she's been the villain so long that she can't remember anything else.Deep in exile, Ava learns her kingdom needs a hero, and she might be the only one who can save it. The catch? She'll have to ally herself with the people she blames for her downfall. But in a game of life and death where the stakes are an entire kingdom, winning over her enemies will only be the beginning. Can one fugitive save her people, her kingdom, and - hardest of all - herself?