342 results for "Fantasy"

The Free People’s Village

Kern, Sim
USA TODAY BESTSELLER ― NOW IN PAPERBACK! From environmental journalist and founder of the #TransRightsReadathon Sim Kern, comes the eat-the-rich climate fiction you won't want to put down: In an alternate 2020 timeline, Al Gore won the 2000 election and declared a War on Climate Change rather than a War on Terror. For twenty years, Democrats have controlled all three branches of government, enacting carbon-cutting schemes that never made it to a vote in our world. Green infrastructure projects have transformed U.S. cities into lush paradises (for the wealthy, white neighborhoods, at least), and the Bureau of Carbon Regulation levies carbon taxes on every financial transaction. English teacher by day, Maddie Ryan spends her nights and weekends as the rhythm guitarist of Bunny Bloodlust, a queer punk band living in a warehouse-turned-venue called “The Lab” in Houston’s Eighth Ward. When Maddie learns that the Eighth Ward is to be sacrificed for a new electromagnetic hyperway out to the wealthy, white suburbs, she joins “Save the Eighth,” a Black-led organizing movement fighting for the neighborhood. At first, she’s only focused on keeping her band together and getting closer to Red, their reckless and enigmatic lead guitarist. But working with Save the Eighth forces Maddie to reckon with the harm she has already done to the neighborhood―both as a resident of the gentrifying Lab and as a white teacher in a predominantly Black school. When police respond to Save the Eighth protests with violence, the Lab becomes the epicenter of “The Free People’s Village”―an occupation that promises to be the birthplace of an anti-capitalist revolution. As the movement spreads across the U.S., Maddie dreams of a queer, liberated future with Red. But the Village is beset on all sides―by infighting, police brutality, corporate-owned media, and rising ecofascism. Maddie’s found family is increasingly at risk from state violence, and she must decide if she’s willing to sacrifice everything in pursuit of justice. P R A I S E "Incisive and insightful." ―Texas Monthly “Sim Kern’s masterpiece burns with righteous fury. This book doesn’t pull punches ― instead of hopelessness, it sliced straight through frustration, fatalism, and ennui and made me want to fight back.” ―Shana Hausman, All She Wrote Books “Achingly real, bitterly funny, and deeply moving, The Free People’s Village is a commentary, both compassionate and cutting, on the woke white activist’s journey and, above all, a full-throated ode to resistance and the found family that fuels it.” ―Megan Bell, Southern Bookseller Review “The Free People’s Village tackles many social and environmental issues at once without feeling heavy or prescriptive, focusing on personal stories amid the larger ones it tells about capitalism, climate, and activism. Its commentary never comes off as rote or tedious, bolstered by humor and humanity.” ― Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya for Autostraddle "Full of furious kindness, radical community, passionate politics, and authentic friendships, The Free People's Village is a sharply-written paean to hope, set in a vivid, brilliantly imagined future that alternately filled me with loathing and yearning. From the carefully crafted timelines to the intensely real characters, this was a story that yanked me into its world and didn't let me surface for hours. You live because you still can, and you organize because you still can, and you fight because you still can." ―Premee Mohamed, Nebula Award-winning author of And What Can We Offer You Tonight “A thought-provoking, exciting ride. The Free People's Village is a mesmerizing portrait of revolutions ― the internal ones that call us to find and fight for the best versions of ourselves; the external that consume, invigorate, and demand as they explore paths to justice. Grounded in an imaginative landscape and rounded out by an inclusive, complex cast, this novel masterfully explores identity, morality, and the choices we make as vehicles that hold radical power in the quest for liberation. More than a love letter to Houston, its bayous, and people forgotten and remembered, Sim Kern's world sings with possibility, hope, and joy that will leave you laughing--and crying ― long after the last bomb has dropped." ―Ehigbor Okosun, author of Forged by Blood "Beautiful, brilliant, and unflinching, The Free People's Village will both inspire you and devour you...in the best possible way." ―Nicky Drayden, author of Escaping Exodus and The Prey of Gods
Lantern Paperbacks 2024-09-24 416 pages

Just a Dream

Chris Van Allsburg
In this picture book classic, travel with young Walter on a fantastical adventure as he journeys--by way of his bed--into a polluted dreamscape world that wakes him up to our collective and individual environmental responsibility. Walter does not appreciate the beauty of nature, or understand his role in keeping the planet healthy . . . until a fantastic journey shows him the tragic fate that could befall Earth if humans like him are not more careful. Chris Van Allsburg (The Polar Express) pairs pitch-perfect narrative with his full-color pastel illustrations, rendering this picture book a story that has stood the test of time. "Two-time Caldecott Medalist Van Allsburg reaches a new pinnacle of excellence in both illustration and storytelling in his latest work." --Publishers Weekly This anniversary edition includes a stunning new jacket!
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 1990 48 pages

The Dark mirror

Shannon, Samantha
"Everything is about to change. Paige Mahoney is outside the Republic of Scion for the first time in more than a decade-but she has no idea how she got to the free world. Half a year has been wiped from her memory. Her journey back to the revolution soon takes her to Venice, where the Domino Programme has uncovered evidence of a secret Scion plan. Before Paige can return to London, she must help the network unravel the sinister Operation Ventriloquist, which threatens to bring Europe to its knees in weeks. And it soon becomes clear that the one person who could recover her memories-Arcturus Mesarthim-might also hold the key to thwarting Scion, allowing the revolution to strike an unprecedented blow . . ." --
Bloomsbury publishing 2025-02-25 552 pages

The Caves of Steel

Isaac Asimov
A millennium into the future, two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. Isaac Asimov's Robot novels chronicle the unlikely partnership between a New York City detective and a humanoid robot who must learn to work together. Like most people left behind on an over-populated Earth, New York City police detective Elijah Baley had little love for either the arrogant Spacers or their robotic companions. But when a prominent Spacer is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Baley is ordered to the Outer Worlds to help track down the killer. The relationship between Baley and his Spacer superiors, who mistrusted all Earthmen, was strained from the start. Then he learned that they had assigned him a partner: R. Daneel Olivaw. Worst of all was that the "R" stood for robot---and his positronic partner was made in the image and likeness of the murder victim!
Ballantine 1986-10-12 268 pages

The future

Alderman, Naomi
Lai Zhen is about to die. As an Internet-famous survivalist, she's spent her life prepping for the end of the world. But now, desperate and cornered in a mall in Singapore, she's mad she might go out not knowing what the hell is going on. If she makes it out alive, what kind of a future will be waiting for her? Across the world, Martha Einkorn works the room at a gathering of mega-rich companies hell-bent securing a future just for them. Covert weapons, private weather, technological prophecy, when Martha fled her father's compound she may have left the cult behind, but if the apocalyptic warnings of his fox and rabbit sermon are starting to come true, how much future is actually left? Martha and Zhen's worlds are about to collide. While a few billionaires assured of their own safety lead the world to destruction, Martha's relentless drive and Zhen's insatiable curiosity could lead to something beautiful or the cataclysmic end of civilization.[Bokinfo]
4th Estate 2024-08-29 416 pages

The Mandalorian. Season 2: junior novel

Schreiber, Joe,Favreau, Jon,Filoni, Dave,Famuyiwa, Rick
"The Mandalorian and Grogu continue their journey to find more of Grogu's kind as they make their way through a dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era following the fall of the Empire. They will encounter strange creatures, mysterious Jedi, old friends, and the sinister Moff Gideon, who wants the Child for his own purposes"--
Disney Lucasfilm Press 2022-01-04 224 pages

Stories from the Twilight Zone

Rod Serling
Rod Serling became a cultural icon of the 20th Century with his creation 'The Twilight Zone, ' which more than 50 years later was nominated by the Writers Guild of America as the third best written television series of the past seventy years. Of the 156 Twilight Zone episodes, Serling wrote 92. In the early 1960s, Rod Serling, novelized nineteen (19) of his scripts and published them in three volumes - this is the first. In this volume, you will read about a baseball pitcher with magical powers; a self-centered hypochondriac; a nostalgic journey back to childhood; a self-righteous domineering husband getting his comeuppance; the panic of a man with no memory finding himself alone in an empty town; and the destructive combination of fear and mob mentality
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 2013-06-30 176 pages

The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown

Julia Quinn,Suzanne Enoch,Karen Hawkins,Mia Ryan
A New York Times Bestseller A sparkling anthology starring Lady Whistledown--the elusive Regency-era gossip columnist popularized in # 1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn's Bridgerton novels, now a series created by Shondaland for Netflix. Lady Whistledown Tells All! Society is abuzz when the Season's most promising debutante is jilted by her intended--only to be swept away by the deceitful rogue's dashing older brother--in New York Times bestseller Julia Quinn's witty, charming, and heartfelt tale. When the scandalous actions of his beautiful fiancée are recorded in Lady Whistledown's column, a concerned groom-to-be rushes back to London to win his lady's heart once and forever, in Suzanne Enoch's enchanting romantic gem. Karen Hawkins captivates with an enduring story of a handsome rogue whose lifelong friendship--and his heart--are tested when the lovely lady in question sets her cap for someone else. A dazzling and delightful tale by Mia Ryan has a young woman cast out of her home by an insufferable yet charming marquis--who intends to take possession not only of the house . . . but its former occupant as well!
HarperCollins Publishers 2022-10-25 368 pages

Anthem A Chilling Saga of Barbarity of a Totalitarian State in the Name of Reason and Progress

Ayn Rand
In her dystopian novella *Anthem*, Ayn Rand presents a haunting vision of a future devoid of individuality and personal freedom, set in a collectivist society where the word "I" has been obliterated from existence. The narrative follows the journey of Equality 7-2521, a rebellious individual who discovers the power of self and the concept of personal identity. Rand's lyrical prose and philosophical undertones make for an engaging exploration of objectivism, positing the inherent value of the individual against the backdrop of a conformist society, ultimately advocating for the pursuit of one's own happiness and purpose. Ayn Rand, a Russian-American writer and philosopher, crafted *Anthem* during a time of great political upheaval in the early 20th century, influenced by her own experiences of totalitarianism in Soviet Russia. Her commitment to individualism and capitalism is evidenced throughout this novella, reflecting her belief that society should foster rather than suppress personal achievement and ambition. Rand's philosophical insights resonate deeply, revealing the tenets of her objectivist philosophy through her protagonist's journey of self-discovery. *Anthem* is highly recommended for readers interested in political philosophy, individualism, and the critique of collectivism. Its succinct narrative and profound themes make it an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of personal freedom and the importance of the self in a world often bent on conformity.
OK Publishing 2021-09-21 40 pages

Full Tilt

Neal Shusterman
Sixteen-year-old Blake has always been the responsible one in his dysfunctional family -- the one who drives safely, gets good grades, and looks after his wild younger brother, Quinn. Quinn is his brother's opposite -- a thrill-seeker who's always chasing the next scary rush, no matter what the cost. But Quinn and Blake are in for the surprise of their lives when they're thrust into the world of a bizarre phantom carnival -- and their souls are the price of admission. In order to save his brother, and himself, Blake must survive seven different carnival rides before dawn. Seven rides...it sounds easy. But each ride is full of unexpected dangers, because each ride is a reflection of one of Blake's deepest fears. And the last ride is the worst one of all. Because that's the one that confronts Blake with a terrifying secret from his past -- a secret he's been running from for years. Full of roller-coaster twists and turns, Neal Shusterman's latest page-turner is an Orpheus-like adventure into one boy's psyche.
Simon and Schuster 2009-11-10 224 pages

Equoid A Laundry Files Novella

Charles Stross
For Bob Howard, a working day tends to alternate between desperately trying not to fall asleep in committee meetings and being menaced by tentacular horrors from beyond spacetime. That's because Bob works for the Laundry, the secret British government agency tasked with protecting the realm from occult nightmares. So when his manager Iris sends him off to the countryside to liaise with a veterinary inspector from the Department of the Environment, Fisheries, and rural Affairs, at first he takes it as a pleasant vacation. But why is Edgebaston Farm's livery stable buying a hundred kilos of raw meat per day? Why does his briefing file contain the death-bed confession of that old fraud, H. P. Lovecraft? And why is his contact from DEFRA so deathly afraid of unicorns
Subterranean Press 2014 109 pages

Imaginary Magnitude

Stanisław Lem
These wickedly authentic introductions to twenty-first-century books preface tomes on teaching English to bacteria, using animated X-rays to create "pornograms," and analyzing computer-generated literature through the science of "bitistics." "Lem, a science fiction Bach, plays in this book a googleplex of variations on his basic themes" (New York Times Book Review). Translated by Marc E. Heine. A Helen and Kurt Wolff Book
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich 1985 264 pages

Goosebumps Most Wanted: 2 12 Screams of Christmas (Goosebumps Most Wanted) [Special Edition]

Stine, R. L.
Kate welles doesn't want to be special. She just wants to play the lead in her school's christmas play. Her annoying \"Friend\" courtney is constantly getting in the way of that. Can you even call someone a \"Friend\" if all they do is make fun of you and ruin everything all of the time? But kate has to get along with courtney or else neither of them will be allowed to take part in the 12 screams of christmas. Kate and courtney's teacher decides they need to find a special place to rehearse. A certain house with a special history. The kind of place that kate would normally be pretty frightened to go into. The kind of place that gives new meaning to the term: christmas spirit.
Scholastic Paperbacks 2014-09-30 192 pages