An elderly caretaker at a large outdoor exhibition, called Art in Nature, finds that a couple have lingered on to bicker about the value of a picture; he has a surprising suggestion that will resolve both their row and his own ambivalence about the art market. A draughtsman's obsession with drawing locomotives provides a dark twist to a love story. A cartoonist takes over the work of a colleague who has suffered a nervous breakdown only to discover that his own sanity is in danger. In these witty, sharp, often disquieting stories, Tove Jansson reveals the fault-lines in our relationship with art, both as artists and as consumers. Obsession, ambition, and the discouragement of critics are all brought into focus in these wise and cautionary tales. Translated into English for the first time by Thomas Teal.

From the dangerous world of the Demon Cycle comes the early adventures of Arlen, Peter V. Brett’s quintessential fantasy hero. These exciting origin tales follow Arlen as he learns to navigate a world where the elemental forces of evil conjure themselves from the earth each night. Humanity has barely survived a demonic onslaught by using magical wards that protect their cities and homes. Only a handful of mercenaries and explorers risk traveling after the sun sets. Arlen, seeking adventure and fortune, is barely protected by the warded armor upon which he has inscribed intricate defensive runes. From a journey ferrying a wagonload of dynamite to a mountain stronghold, to a dangerous mission to recover desert treasures, Arlen faces friends and enemies with a strong arm and a cunning wit.

Sarah Robertson's less-than-super powers relegated her to a group of misfit heroes known as 'Misshapes', who banded together to save their town of Doolittle Falls. Now, after an exciting summer fighting storms, Sarah returns home a different girl in the second book in this heroic series.Doolittle Falls is in chaos, and with the election of a new President, things take a dark turn. Heroes are given extraordinary freedom with results that are less than super - and certain people have a vendetta against Sarah's mom, aka Lady Oblivion, and the entire Robertson family. Johnny and Alice are too preoccupied with their band to help, Freedom Boy is off shooting a movie, and Butters is in a Karaoke battle of epic proportions, so Sarah takes the investigation into her own hands, and must uncover the true reason behind her mother's turn from Hero to villain.Soon Sarah discovers a devastating secret that could topple the nation, and if Sarah and the rest of the Misshapes don't stop...

*“What sort of thing are you?” asked the little creature. “I’m a moomintroll,” answered Moomintroll, who had had time to feel brave again. “And this is my mother…”* And so, for the very first time, we meet the young Moomin, Moominmamma and Sniff as they search through forest and flood for long lost Moominpappa, last seen wandering with the Hattifatteners. Along the way, in a series of delightful adventures, they encounter Hemulens, stranded kittens and the blue-haired Tulippa. The Moomins and the Great Flood was the original Moomin story, published in Finland in 1945. A rediscovered gem, it offers an extraordinary glimpse into Tove Jansson’s unique vision, featuring beautiful sepia watercolours as well as the pen and ink drawings that would become her trademark.

An introverted teenage girl with an unconventional superpower, Taylor goes out in costume to find escape from a deeply unhappy and frustrated civilian life. Her first attempt at taking down a supervillain sees her mistaken for one, thrusting her into the midst of the local ‘cape’ scene’s politics, unwritten rules, and ambiguous morals. As she risks life and limb, Taylor faces the dilemma of having to do the wrong things for the right reasons. The story, titled Worm, takes the form of a web serial, posted in bite-sized reads in much the same way that authors such as Mark Twain would release their works one chapter at a time in the days before full-fledged novels. Worm started in June 2011, updating twice a week, and finished in late November, 2013. It totals roughly 1,750,000 words; roughly 26 typical novels in length (or 10-11 very thick novels).

An all-new Star Trek adventure set during The Original Series era and featuring James T. Kirk! The saga of James T. Kirk's historic command of the U.S.S. Enterprise is known throughout the galaxy. But one part of the legend has barely been touched upon until now: the story of Kirk's first starship command and the remarkable achievements by which Starfleet's youngest captain earned the right to succeed Christopher Pike as the commander of the famous Enterprise. From his early battles with the Klingons to the rescue of endangered civilizations, Kirk grapples with difficult questions: Is he a warrior or a peacemaker? Should he obey regulations or trust his instincts? This thrilling novel illustrates the events and choices that would shape James T. Kirk into one of the most renowned captains in Starfleet history.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world\'s literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Following the breakout success of his instant festive classic, The Night I Met Father Christmas, get ready for the brilliant new novel from comedian, actor and bestselling author, Ben Miller! 'Stories are often about a good person who does a Bad Thing, and this is no exception...'Harrison tries his best to be good. He doesn't steal, he always shares with his sister and he never cheats at board games, but Harrison also has a BIG flaw ... He can't control his temper! So when he's given a black hole instead of a balloon at a party, Harrison jumps at the chance to get rid of everything that makes him cross. But when it's not just things he hates that are disappearing into the black hole but things he loves, too, Harrison starts to realise that sometimes you should be careful what you wish for...An out-of-this-world adventure about twists of fate, time travel and troublesome black holes, Ben Miller's...

Jim faces off against Angor Rot in this all-new epic story based on the hit Netflix series Trollhunters—from the limitless imagination of acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and DreamWorks Animation.When presented with one more task from Merlin, Jim Lake, Jr., isn't too worried. How bad could bathing in a magical elixir be? It almost sounds soothing. Hopefully he'll be able to relax and get away from it all. Oddly enough, it does transport him, just not in the way he imagined. Suddenly Jim finds himself in the cold, dark woods and he's not alone. The recently resurrected Angor Rot is there with a score to settle. To make matters more complicated, Jim has suddenly grown taller, stronger, and is sporting some very Troll-like hair, eyes, and teeth. All of this leaves him questioning Merlin's magic, trying to get a handle on his new body, and wondering how he'll get away from Angor Rot. Talk about an awkward stage! This book includes full-color...

Climb into the adventure of your dreams in the next classic adventure from bestselling author, Ben Miller - pre-order now!Lana and Harrison are staying with their grandparents, when they discover their favourite tree to play in is under threat. That night, a magical golden thread leads them up through the hollow of the tree into a storybook land, where wind and rain rage and a fearsome beast terrifies all who live there. When Harrison is kidnapped by the evil Spider Queen, Lana must do whatever it takes to find him, save the villagers and restore the balance of the storybook world, before the night is out. A breathtaking journey through magical worlds for all the family, featuring Lana and Harrison, the adventure-loving siblings from the bestselling The Day I Fell into a Fairytale, from master storyteller, Ben Miller. Praise for Ben Miller:'Wonderful, funny, magical' Chris Evans on How I Became a Dog Called...

Delve into the history of the sinister Count Dooku in the original script to the thrilling Star Wars audio production!Darth Tyranus. Count of Serenno. Leader of the Separatists. A red saber, unsheathed in the dark. But who was he before he became the right hand of the Sith? As Dooku courts a new apprentice, the hidden truth of the Sith Lord's past begins to come to light. Dooku's life began as one of privilege—born within the stony walls of his family's estate, orbited by the Funeral Moon where the bones of his ancestors lie interred. But soon, his Jedi abilities are recognized, and he is taken from his home to be trained in the ways of the Force by the legendary Master Yoda. As he hones his power, Dooku rises through the ranks, befriending fellow Jedi Sifo-Dyas and taking a Padawan of his own, the promising Qui-Gon Jinn—and tries to forget the life that he once led. But he finds himself drawn by a strange fascination with the Jedi...

Alif the Unseen is an incredibly timely adventure tale worthy of Neil Gaiman. In an unnamed Middle Eastern security state, a young Arab-Indian hacker protects watched groups from surveillance and tries to stay out of trouble—until he falls for the wrong woman and unleashes a forbidden text thought to be written by the jinn (genies).As the book opens, Alif’s computer has been breached by the Hand, the state’s electronic security force, and the woman Alif loves has jilted him for a prince. When it turns out the fiancé is the Hand, and the state security forces come after Alif, he must go underground, all while trying to fight back against a piece of code which the Hand is using to create the most sophisticated state surveillance ever developed. When Alif discovers the secret book of the jinn, which may unleash a new level of information technology, the stakes are raised and Alif must struggle for life or death.With shades of Neal Stephenson, Philip Pullman, and The Thousand and One Nights, Alif the Unseen is a tour de force that will enchant readers—a sophisticated blend of ideas, philosophy, technology and spirituality smuggled inside an irresistible page-turner.