Showing results by narrator "Brian Wiggins" in All Categories

Dr. Timothy Ryan, head of the military psychiatric unit at Grantham Barracks, is meeting a new patient, a woman known as Prisoner Alpha. As she is being transferred, they are attacked by assassins, barely escaping with their lives. One shooter vanishes, leaving behind a dead companion unlike anyone Ryan has ever seen. But even more baffling is the puzzle of Alpha herself. She speaks in a strange tongue, and doodles in bars, dots, and little pictures like nothing Ryan has ever seen. Is she some sort of savant, or the most cunning spy he's ever met?

As humans, we think in stories—stories that allow us to feel and share emotions. In order for this phenomenon to work, our brains and the ways in which we tell stories must be attuned to each other. But how exactly does this happen? Tapping into the essence of thinking in stories, Fritz Breithaupt draws on the latest scientific research, including a retelling study (comparable to the telephone game) with more than 12,000 participants, and experiments in which ChatGPT functions as storyteller.

Having gained self-awareness while still in my mother's belly, I realized that this was my chance. Being born was the first step. Then at one years old, I would have a college degree, and at five, I would be a billionaire. I didn't care that I remembered nothing of the past. This being a magical world, and with lots of smart tech, too, I'd catch up in no time, wouldn't I?

They shouldn't have pissed off a virtual world top player by erasing his character for a highly questionable "violation of game rules"—and taking away his valuable in-game possessions. After returning to the virtual world under a different nickname, an unknown newb puts everything on the line by selecting the most difficult Hardcore mode: a single life that's so easy to lose in the dangerous game world.

Nearly twenty years after leaving the Great Pulha Woodlands and making first contact with the human civilizations of this world, Acer finds the consequences of his actions catching up with him. The incident that forced him to leave the kingdom of Ludoria has brought a half-elf child into the world. Traditionally, such children were disposed of, but at Acer's request, the child is spared—on the condition that Acer himself takes responsibility for it.

This omnibus contains the first three novels of the Frith Chronicles, all of which are also sold separately: Knightmare Arcanist, Dread Pirate Arcanist, and Coliseum Arcanist. Volke Savan has always wanted to be an arcanist - someone who has bonded with a mystical creature and is capable of wielding magic. Phoenix arcanists can create fire and heal, hydra arcanists can create poison and recover from most injuries, and knightmare arcanists are masters of shadow and fear.

Volke Savan has sworn he’ll bring the Second Ascension to justice, but as the Autarch amasses power, it becomes apparent Volke’s task might not go as originally planned. God-arcanists gather on two sides of a brewing war, and the outcome of the arcane plague will determine the fate of the world.

Joe Monteleone takes you beyond the usual divinatory topics and into the realm of mysticism. He presents Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot as a tool for mystical insight, through which you can experience the deeper mysteries directly. Joe reveals a life-changing concept: your thoughts and the physical world appear to be separate realms, but they're not. He teaches you how to unify them using the Thoth Tarot and achieve a mystical experience, a sort of "ecstasis" akin to those experienced by monks, sages, and philosophers of antiquity.

Arlan can go back in time by one minute, once per day. Fail a challenge? Say something dumb? He can get a redo as long as he acts fast. And every time he levels up, he can go back a little further. But, even with his growing power, Arlan has never been in more danger. He was left stranded in the middle of a monster-infested forest, nobody to rely on but himself as he fights to build strength. And his time magic wasn't given to him freely. He stole it. And its original owners would go to any lengths to take it back.

In Sidus, notoriety comes with danger, and every enhancement is a double-edged sword. Betrayed by his species, his family dissolved, Carter Riley is the quintessential underdog turned unwilling pioneer. As the first human to interface with the legacy of an ancient race, he is thrust into the heart of the Sidus system—a game-like reality where his every move is monitored, and every level gained draws him deeper into a labyrinth of intrigue. Carter has the power to level humanity up by deciphering the legacy of an ancient civilization.

For the first time since the start of the invasion, Arlan has found safety within the walls of the Empire. Others may use this opportunity to sleep in, eat good food, and get some rest. But Arlan has other ideas. Because within the same walls that have comfortable beds and expensive restaurants, one can also find magical items, powerful allies, and plenty of high-level monsters to slay. He may have found a moment of safety, but Arlan knows the Demons have not yet been defeated—not by a long shot. And he intends to make their next attack the worst mistake they'll ever make.

My name is Carter Riley. I am a veteran peacekeeper--once a one-armed, homeless, jobless father, now the first human ever to come into contact with the Precursors' Cube on Mars, and proud owner of the most combative hamster in the galaxy. The artifact is what brought me to Sidus, a mysterious space station at the center of the galaxy. A dozen or so alien civilizations have also found their way here, seemingly to unite against a common enemy. Or common enemies.

Volke Savan is tasked with finding the remaining god-creatures and helping them bond with people who will help fight the Second Ascension. Unfortunately, enemies and power-hungry arcanists are out to find the creatures themselves. With the help of the Frith Guild, and those who have sworn to him, Volke intends to face off against the Second Ascension with overwhelming force.

Called the "Ennoia," the woman who came within a heartbeat of killing prisoner Alpha in the Grantham parking garage is back. This time she’s snatched Dr. Timothy Ryan. The Psi Team find themselves caught in a battle that has been raging across timelines for 2,000 years. But, can they trust the Ennoia? Or is she using our timeline for her own purposes? Meanwhile, Bill Stevens has his own agenda, and his goons have already crossed blades with Psi Team. Now they are coming for Alpha, and all the revenge they can get.

No one is better than Dr. Marc Bekoff at turning state-of-the-art animal science into practical, digestible information. His subjects include dog care, dog cognition and emotions, and dog-human relationships, and though he has impressive scientific credentials and much technical expertise, this is the accessible book that every dog lover should have.

Seeking to make their fortunes in human society, the elves of the underworld involve themselves in stock car racing, child pornography, and worse, and three runaway kids find themselves in a heap of trouble.

The most effective communicators in the world all structure their messages the same way, by designing for simplicity. But the problem is, simple is hard work. Our brains are programmed to complicate. Our world incentivizes more, more, more. It takes deliberate, intentional effort to communicate in a way that seems effortless. In Simply Put, award-winning marketing entrepreneur Ben Guttmann unveils a five-part framework that allows anybody to communicate with clarity. With this book, you'll be able to design messages that are beneficial, focused, salient, empathetic, and minimal—and that work.

When young Jamie Chase is kidnapped by his father and made the victim of a radical cult, his desperate mother, whose resources have run out, is aided by a fun-loving and hard-driving elf to get him back

Sharks are some of the most fascinating and ecologically important, yet most threatened and misunderstood animals on Earth. More often feared than revered, their role as predators of the deep has earned them a reputation as a major threat to humans. But the truth is that sharks are not a danger to us—they’re in danger from us. In Why Sharks Matter, marine conservation biologist Dr. David Shiffman urges us to overcome our misconceptions and embrace sharks as the imperiled and elegant ocean guardians they really are.

Kings. Dragons. The start of an all-consuming war. As the 12 god-creatures appear in the world, nations brace for a inevitable struggle. Some have allied themselves with the Second Ascension in return for power and protection, but the Frith Guild aims to form a counter alliance. Volke Savan, along with the other arcanists of the Frith Guild, must not only find a way to end the arcane plague once and for all, but prevent the remaining god-creatures from falling into the hands of their enemies.