Showing results by narrator "Ryan Burke" in All Categories

Humanity faces extinction. A few stubborn governments fight back, caught on the defensive. But even their concerted efforts may not be enough to stem the tide of the biological weapon sweeping the world. As people succumb to this genetically engineered weapon, they devolve into weaponized monstrosities hell-bent on destruction. But humanity hasn’t breathed its last breath yet. Those that are determined to vanquish these abominable creatures and the fanatical organization behind them still fight.

Captain Dominic Holland and his group of covert operatives are charged with uncovering the whereabouts of the fleet and stopping them before they reach land. On a mission that takes them around the crumbling strongholds of Europe, they uncover a plot more sinister than they could have possibly imagined. With few resources and little time, Dom and his Hunters put their lives on the line to save the world from utter destruction. But even that may not be enough.

Join Josh, Linc, and Hilly one last time as they put the finishing touches on the settlement of Blade's Rest. Brick by brick, plank by plank, they have built up their little haven until their dream is within reach: Blade's Rest might soon be recognized as a town.

Fighting, apocalyptic quests, endless danger—it's nice to get a break from that kind of thing sometimes. Why not escape into a world where fighting isn't the only way to level up? Come to a place where you'll get a mug of tasty beer and a bowl of hearty winter stew to warm your belly. A place with bookstores owned by grouchy satyrs, and bakeries where delicious sweet treats are guaranteed. Does that sound like just what you need? If so, you're in luck.

Morgan and his friends won the right to be a part of an expedition to the Tower of Power. Part of a raid group that was led by two Great Guilds, and had the intention of conquering the Tower. But, no one who had ventured beyond the third floor had ever returned. Adventuring might be a dangerous profession, and ascended might encounter death at every turn, but there is a reason why most do not attempt to climb the Tower. For most ascended going into the Tower is a risk not worth taking, in opinions of some, it was equal to suicide.

When Pete Etchells was 13, his father died from motor neurone disease. In order to cope, he immersed himself in a virtual world - first as an escape, but later to try to understand what had happened. Etchells is now a researcher into the psychological effects of video games, and was co-author on a recent paper explaining why WHO plans to classify "game addiction" as a danger to public health are based on bad science and (he thinks) are a bad idea. In this, his first book, he journeys through the history and development of video games via scientific study....

Captain Dominic Holland leads a crew of skilled covert operatives and talented scientific personnel. He's taken them to all corners of the Earth to protect the United States from biological and chemical warfare. When his CIA handler, Meredith Webb, gives him a mission to investigate a disturbing lead on a laboratory based out of an abandoned oil rig, they discover the most terrifying threat to mankind they've ever faced - a genetically engineered biological weapon called the Oni Agent.

Max Fowler's time on the world of Nava has been short—but he's already made waves. Touching on power he can hardly understand, Max is forced into responsibilities few could ever know. From befriending cultists to dancing with alien beings, secrets find him more than he'd ever care for. When war comes knocking, will Max be able to use these secrets to protect Lesterwood? Or will he have to run, hiding from the individuals who wish him dead?

Navy SEAL Brendon O’Neil spent the past decade executing dangerous missions across the globe. He never expected to be deployed in his own country. A biological weapon has hit much of the world - including the United States. People are turned into twisted creatures hellbent on destruction. As the country tumbles headlong into utter collapse, O’Neil leads a team of SEALs fighting to defend America against the devastation sweeping city after city.

Nationally best-selling fantasy legend Mercedes Lackey created a vivid, dynamic fusion of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms of ancient Egypt with the most exciting, authentic and believable portrayal of dragons ever imagined. In the second novel in Mercedes Lackey's richly conceived Dragon Jousters series, the dragonrider Vetch escapes to Alta, the subjugated land of his birth. There, he hopes to teach his people to raise and train dragons - and build an army that will liberate his homeland.

What would happen if our world turned into a computer game? It might sound tempting at first, but there's one small detail you should know: in this game, people are nothing but non-playable characters, useful only for the service they provide to the real players. Experience, development, loot, levels—none of that is for us. Our role is merely to dance to the tune of our masters, who have come to our world to turn it into a character farm and a space for their own entertainment.

Every day, more and more people long for vacations that go beyond packaged tours and overpriced hotels. They want unforgettable adventures. Travel expert Matt Kepnes has been traveling the world since 2006 and has shared his expertise and insights with countless globe-trotters on his blog and in print. In this new, updated edition of How to Travel the World, you’ll be able to benefit from practical, detailed, exhaustively researched travel advice that will help you get on the road better, cheaper, and smarter.

Wonderbook has become the definitive guide to writing science fiction and fantasy by offering an accessible, example-rich approach that emphasizes the importance of playfulness as well as pragmatism. The book features sidebars and essays from some of the biggest names working in the field today, including George R. R. Martin, Lev Grossman, Neil Gaiman, Michael Moorcock, and Karen Joy Fowler. For the fifth anniversary of the original publication, Jeff VanderMeer has added writing exercises, creating the ultimate volume of inspiring advice.

An empire entombed under ash. Four centuries ago, the Stewards decreed that the Elentian Imperium must be punished. For a year and a day, ash rained from the sky forming what is now known as the Ashlands. As a new member of the Temple of Celeste, you are now privy to the truth. Our diviners have scried the infamous lich's final moments. If you dare witness the memory, you will find it transcribed within. The Crown of Command is a short novella set in the Shattered Gods universe.

Come to a place where you'll get a mug of tasty beer and a bowl of hearty winter stew to warm your belly. Relax in a tavern on a cozy winter evening with the gentle flames of a hearth flickering nearby. Does that sound like what you need right now? If so, you came to the right place. Josh and his fellow builders are expanding Blade's Rest with the dream of achieving "town" status one day. This means there's a lot of work to do, problems to solve, ales to savor, and pies to enjoy. But as Josh discovers, the bigger your settlement, the bigger your headaches.

Danger stalks the Republic once again. Raiders hijack their starships, biological weapons slaughter their colonists, and terrorists kill thousands of innocents in their mega-cities...and as the head of Fleet Intelligence, it’s Jason McKay’s job to track down the enemy, whether they’re on a world at the edge of known space or in the midst of a corrupt government. McKay and his lethal second-in-command, Shannon Stark, are on a hunt for the truth, but that pursuit will end up with traitors in high places hunting them.

World War III is a few months month old. After attacking and sinking the Destroyer USS Stacy Heath, the Chinese seize control of Nepal and Bhutan and push into India where the Allies manage to stop them. But for how long? Pakistan is attacking from the north - and China is preparing for the 'big push' from the east. Worse yet, China’s Ministry of State Security has orders to assassinate the Dalai Lama, rather than run the risk that he will inspire a Buddhist rebellion in Tibet.

Thirteen-year-old Abby Hubble lives in an unhappy home in the Sierra Nevada foothills where her father makes life miserable for her and her mother, Mary. One day Abby witnesses a man dump a litter of puppies into the nearby river. Diving in to rescue all seven, she knows she won’t be able to bring them home. Afraid for their fate at the pound, she takes them to an abandoned cabin, where all she can offer is a promise that she’ll be back the next day.

They sent me into the blasted lands to die. I refused. I lived. And now...I return to the empire that discarded me. A god, rich with worship. I don't know what has become of Hasra, or the war with the Fomori. I don't know where Li is, or if her homeland is still dealing with the wyrm Khonsu. My sister and mother were freed—the reward for my blood price— but I have no idea what has become of them. It is time to go home. Time to right old wrongs, and to find the legacy left behind by my former incarnation. Three tombs remain. Once I am certain my family is safe I will seek them.

Aran awakens in chains with no memory. He's conscripted into the Confederate Marines as a Tech Mage, given a spellrifle, then hurled into the war with the draconic Krox and their Void Wyrm masters. Desperate to escape, Aran struggles to master his abilities, while surviving the Krox onslaught. Fighting alongside him are a Major who will do anything to win, a Captain who will stop at nothing to see him dead, and a woman whose past is as blank as his own.