Tags:magic
We'll Prescribe You a Cat
THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT!Contains five exquisite line-drawings.For fans of THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES, discover the award-winning heartwarming sensation.Readers adore it:‘The most wonderful book I've ever read’ *****‘A terrific idea, a powerful ending, brilliant storytelling’ *****‘The story drew me in instantly, and I laughed so much’ *****‘I definitely want everyone to read this book’ *****‘There are so many wonderful lines to underscore, but if I write them here, there will be spoilers!’ *****____________A cat a day keeps the doctor away ...On the top floor of an old building at the end of a cobbled alley in Kyoto lies the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. Only a select few - those who feel genuine emotional pain - can find it.The mysterious centre offers a unique treatment for its troubled patients: it prescribes cats as medication.Get ready to fall in love:- Bee, an eight-year-old female, mixed breed helps a disheartened businessman as he finds unexpected joy in physical labour;- Margot, muscly like a lightweight boxer, helps a middle-aged callcentre worker stay relevant at work and at home;- Koyuki, an exquisite white cat brings closure to a young mother troubled by the memory of the rescue kitten she was forced to abandon;- Tank and Tangerine bring peace to a hardened handbag designer, as she learns to be kinder to herself;- Mimita, the Scottish Fold kitten helps a broken-hearted Geisha to stop blaming herself for the cat she lost years ago;As the clinic's patients navigate their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them towards healing, self-discovery and newfound hope.**Contains five exquisite cat line-drawings**Japanese bestseller, October 2023
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 'BOOK OF THE YEAR'AN ACCLAIMED WEST END THEATRE PRODUCTION *****'Neil Gaiman's entire body of work is a feat of elegant sorcery. He writes with such assurance and originality that the reader has no choice but to surrender to a waking dream' ARMISTEAD MAUPIN'Some books just swallow you up, heart and soul' JOANNE HARRIS'Summons both the powerlessness and wonder of childhood, and the complicated landscape of memory and forgetting' GUARDIAN---'My favourite response to this book is when people say, 'My childhood was nothing like that - and it was as if I was reading about me' NEIL GAIMAN---This is what he remembers, as he sits by the ocean at the end of the lane:A dead man on the back seat of the car, and warm milk at the farmhouse.An ancient little girl, and an old woman who saw the moon being made.A beautiful housekeeper with a monstrous smile.And dark forces woken that were best left undisturbed.They are memories hard to believe, waiting at the edges of things. The recollections of a man who thought he was lost but is now, perhaps, remembering a time when he was saved . . .NEIL GAIMAN.WITH STORIES COME POSSIBILITIES.
The Shape of Water
The 2018 Academy Award's Best Picture of the Year and New York Times-bestselling novel, The Shape of Water.From visionary storyteller Guillermo del Toro and celebrated author Daniel Kraus comes this haunting, heartbreaking love story. "[A] phenomenally enrapturing and reverberating work of art in its own right...[that] vividly illuminates the minds of the characters, greatly enhancing our understanding of their temperaments and predicaments and providing more expansive and involving story lines." —BooklistIt is 1962, and Elisa Esposito—mute her whole life, orphaned as a child—is struggling with her humdrum existence as a janitor working the graveyard shift at Baltimore’s Occam Aerospace Research Center. Were it not for Zelda, a protective coworker, and Giles, her loving neighbor, she doesn’t know how she’d make it through the day.Then, one fateful night, she sees something she was never meant to see, the Center’s most sensitive asset ever: an amphibious man, captured in the Amazon, to be studied for Cold War advancements. The creature is terrifying but also magnificent, capable of language and of understanding emotions...and Elisa can’t keep away. Using sign language, the two learn to communicate. Soon, affection turns into love, and the creature becomes Elisa’s sole reason to live.But outside forces are pressing in. Richard Strickland, the obsessed soldier who tracked the asset through the Amazon, wants nothing more than to dissect it before the Russians get a chance to steal it. Elisa has no choice but to risk everything to save her beloved. With the help of Zelda and Giles, Elisa hatches a plan to break out the creature. But Strickland is on to them. And the Russians are, indeed, coming.Developed from the ground up as a bold two-tiered release—one story interpreted by two artists in the independent mediums of literature and film—The Shape of Water is unlike anything you’ve ever read or seen.“Most movie novelizations do little more than write down what audiences see on the screen. But the novel that’s accompanying Guillermo del Toro’s new movie The Shape of Water is no mere adaptation. Co-author Daniel Kraus’ book and the film tell the same story, of a mute woman who falls in love with an imprisoned and equally mute creature, in two very different ways.” —io9Praise for The Shape of Water directed by Guillermo del ToroWinner of the 2018 Academy Award for Best PictureWinner of the 2018 Academy Award for Best DirectorWinner of the 2018 Academy Award for Music (Original Score)Winner of the 2018 Academy Award for Production DesignWinner of the 2018 Golden Globe Award for Best Director of a Motion Picture"With encouragement from critics and awards voters, discerning viewers should make Fox Searchlight’s December release the season’s classiest date movie—for perhaps the greatest of The Shape of Water’s many surprises is how extravagantly romantic it is.” —Variety"A visually and emotionally ravishing fantasy that should find a welcome embrace from audiences starved for imaginative escape.” —The Hollywood ReporterAwarded the Golden Lion for Best Film at the 74th Annual Venice International Film Festival
A Deadly Education
The Sunday Times bestseller!FINALIST FOR THE LODESTAR AWARDIn the start of an all-new trilogy, the bestselling author of Uprooted and Spinning Silver introduces you to a dangerous school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death - until one girl begins to rewrite its rules.____________Enter a school of magic unlike any you have ever encountered.There are no teachers, no holidays, friendships are purely strategic, and the odds of survival are never equal. Once you're inside, there are only two ways out: you graduate or you die.El Higgins is uniquely prepared for the school's many dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out untold millions - never mind easily destroy the countless monsters that prowl the school.Except, she might accidentally kill all the other students, too. So El is trying her hardest not to use it . . . that is, unless she has no other choice.With flawless mastery, Naomi Novik creates a heroine for the ages - a character so sharply realized and so richly nuanced that she will live on in hearts and minds for generations to come.____________'Hilarious and wild! Take any fictional magic school, make it as over-the-top dangerous as possible, and populate it with a bunch of snarky teenagers; the result is pure batshit fun.'N.K. Jemisin, three-time Hugo Award winner and author of The Fifth Season'Novik deliciously undoes expectations about magic schools, destined heroes, and family legacies. A gorgeous book about monsters and monstrousness, chockablock with action, cleverness, and wit.' Holly Black, #1 New York Times bestselling author'The Scholomance is the dark school of magic I've been waiting for, and its wise, witty, and monstrous heroine is one I'd happily follow anywhere-even into a school full of monsters.' Katherine Arden, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale'The wonderful cast of characters will grab a hold of your heart and you'll never want to leave this deadly school ... a fantasy that delights on every level. I loved this brilliant book.'Stephanie Garber, #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Caraval series'Eyeball-meltingly brilliant. Novik is, quite simply, a genius.'Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken'Sharp, witty, and darkly effervescent, A Deadly Education is Naomi Novik's fresh take on the concept of the magic school. One of my favorite reads of the year.'Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls'Fresh, smart, and delightfully unique. It's Hogwarts with higher stakes and sharper claws, and I absolutely loved it.'Alix E. Harrow'A nightmare from which I never wished to wake. Savage, inventive, and soulful, Novik grasps the totems of childhood that linger in your mind-schools of magic, curses, cutthroat classmates, monsters-only to twist them into a grand new tale that'll make you believe in magic again.' Pierce Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Dark AgeA Deadly Education, Sunday Times bestseller - October 2020
The Bear and the Nightingale
Katherine Arden’s bestselling debut novel spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice. “A beautiful deep-winter story, full of magic and monsters and the sharp edges of growing up.”—Naomi Novik, bestselling author of UprootedWinter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil. Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village. But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed—to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales.Praise for The Bear and the Nightingale“Arden’s debut novel has the cadence of a beautiful fairy tale but is darker and more lyrical.”—The Washington Post“Vasya [is] a clever, stalwart girl determined to forge her own path in a time when women had few choices.”—The Christian Science Monitor“Stunning . . . will enchant readers from the first page. . . . with an irresistible heroine who wants only to be free of the bonds placed on her gender and claim her own fate.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Utterly bewitching . . . a lush narrative . . . an immersive, earthy story of folk magic, faith, and hubris, peopled with vivid, dynamic characters, particularly clever, brave Vasya, who outsmarts men and demons alike to save her family.”—Booklist (starred review) “An extraordinary retelling of a very old tale . . . The Bear and the Nightingale is a wonderfully layered novel of family and the harsh wonders of deep winter magic.”—Robin Hobb
The Obelisk Gate
Essun's missing daughter grows more powerful every day, and her choices may destroy the world in this "magnificent" Hugo Award winner and NYT Notable Book. (NPR)The season of endings grows darker, as civilization fades into the long cold night.Essun -- once Damaya, once Syenite, now avenger -- has found shelter, but not her daughter. Instead there is Alabaster Tenring, destroyer of the world, with a request. But if Essun does what he asks, it would seal the fate of the Stillness forever. Far away, her daughter Nassun is growing in power -- and her choices will break the world.N. K. Jemisin's award winning trilogy continues in the sequel to The Fifth Season.
Mistborn Quartet Boxed Set
THE INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON BEHIND THE COSMERE****For the first time in eBook, collected here is the set of the novels making up the second era of the Mistborn series, from fantasy superstar Brandon Sanderson.Jump into the adventures of frontier lawman Waxillium Ladrian and Wayne, his investigative partner, as they uncover a plot that threatens the world like nothing else has since the Dark Lord himself ruled over Scadrial.From beginning to end, this fantasy series brims with magic and is quintessential reading for anyone looking to experience the imagination of a master of the genre.Contains:The Alloy of LawShadows of SelfThe Bands of MourningThe Lost Metal****FANTASY DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN SANDERSON: 'Highly recommend to anyone hungry for a good read' ROBIN HOBB 'Epic in every sense' GUARDIAN 'Sanderson is the most immersive fantasy writer I've ever encountered' BEN AARONOVITCH 'All the explosive action any adventure fan could want' LOCUS
The Lost Metal
Return to #1 New York Times bestseller Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn world of Scadrial as its second era, which began with THE ALLOY OF LAW, comes to its earth-shattering conclusion in THE LOST METAL. For years, frontier lawman turned big-city senator Waxillium Ladrian has hunted the shadowy organization the Set - with his late uncle and his sister among their leaders - since they started kidnapping people with the power of Allomancy in their bloodlines. When Detective Marasi Colms and her partner, Wayne, find stockpiled weapons bound for the Outer City of Bilming, this opens a new lead. Conflict between the capital, Elendel, and the Outer Cities only favors the Set, and their tendrils now reach to the Elendel Senate - whose corruption Wax and his wife, Steris, have sought to expose - and Bilming is even more entangled.After Wax discovers a new type of explosive that can unleash unprecedented destruction and realizes that the Set must already have it, an immortal kandra serving Scadrial's god, Harmony, reveals that Bilming has fallen under the influence of another god: Trell, worshipped by the Set. And Trell isn't the only factor at play from the larger Cosmere - Marasi is recruited by offworlders with strange abilities who claim their goal is to protect Scadrial...at any cost.Wax must choose whether to set aside his rocky relationship with God and once again become the Sword that Harmony has groomed him to be. If no one steps forward to be the hero Scadrial needs, the planet and its millions of people will come to a sudden and calamitous ruin.
The Dark Talent
The Dark Talent is the fifth action-packed fantasy adventure in the Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series for young readers by the #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson. This never-before-published, fast-paced, and funny novel is now available in a deluxe hardcover edition, illustrated by Hayley Lazo.Alcatraz Smedry has successfully defeated the army of Evil Librarians and saved the kingdom of Mokia. Too bad he managed to break the Smedry Talents in the process. Even worse, his father is trying to enact a scheme that could ruin the world, and his friend, Bastille, is in a coma. To revive her, Alcatraz must infiltrate the Highbrary--known as The Library of Congress to Hushlanders--the seat of Evil Librarian power. Without his Talent to draw upon, can Alcatraz figure out a way to save Bastille and defeat the Evil Librarians once and for all?“Like Lemony Snicket and superhero comics rolled into one.” —Publishers Weekly, starred reviewAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Rithmatist
A fast-paced fantasy adventure for readers of all ages by Brandon Sanderson, bestselling author of the Mistborn series and the Stormlight Archives.Here, in a school for the magically gifted, your talent could cost you your life . . .Joel is fascinated by the magic of Rithmatics, but few have the gift and he is not one of them. Undaunted, he persuades Professor Fitch to teach him magical theory. Joel can't infuse his protective lines and circles with power, or bring his chalk-drawn creatures to life, but he's quick to master the underlying geometric principles. His unique skills will soon face an extraordinary test when top Rithmatist students are kidnapped from his Academy.Since he's not a magic user, Joel appears to be safe – but he's desperate to investigate and prove himself. Then people start dying, but can Joel really stop a killer alone? As even more students disappear, he realizes he'll need the help of Rithmatist apprentice Melody. Together, they must race to find clues before the killer notices them – and takes them out too.The Rithmatist is a New York Times bestseller, enjoyed by adult and young adult readers alike. The book features illustrations by Ben McSweeney, which depict the magical elements of the novel with elegance and insight.'He's brilliant and has an imagination I've only seen in the likes of Stephen King and J.K. Rowling' – James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner
The Scrivener's Bones
#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn series Brandon Sanderson continues the epic adventure he began in Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians... So if you haven’t read that one yet, put this book down, buy the first one (several copies!), read it, and come back when you know what the heck is going on.Go ahead. I’ll wait...Good, you’re back.So now you’ve read all about me, Alcatraz Smedry, and how I was swept out of my life in your normal world, and into the fight against the Librarians (jerks!). And after being all heroic and stuff in that tale I really didn’t expect much—though a huge parade would have been appreciated. Seriously, even a pizza party would have worked.I certainly didn’t expect to charge headlong into enemy territory—the Library of Alexandria, where I and my grandpa and my grouchy bodyguard Bastille and her even grouchier mother and some weirdly gifted cousins would face the Curators (ghosts who will gladly help you check out a book...as long as you don’t mind giving up your mortal soul) and some new, nasty Librarians who hate our guts—and would be happy to rip them out for us.But none of that comes close to the horror we would have to face if we succeeded in finding what we were searching for...MY DAD! (DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!)Big surprise there, right? Well, believe me—that’s not even close to the biggest surprise you’re going to get when you read this book...Praise for the Alcatraz series:“Like Lemony Snicket and superhero comics rolled into one (and then revved up on steroids).”—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)“An excellent choice to read aloud to the whole family.” —NPR“Those who enjoy their fantasy with a healthy dose of slapstick humor will be delighted.” —School Library Journal“Genuinely funny...plenty here to enjoy.” —Locus“In this original, hysterical homage to fantasy literature, Sanderson’s first novel for youth recalls the best in Artemis Fowl and A Series of Unfortunate Events.” —VOYA
The Shattered Lens
The sci/fi fantasy adventures of Brandon Sanderson--#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Knights of Crystallia and the Mistborn series—have been praised as “genuinely funny” and “an excellent choice” and...and......and you know what? That’s enough. For too long, I’ve been telling you all how fantastic this Brandon Sanderson character is, and I’m just sick of it. Take it from me—I’ve actually met the guy.Now me? I can be impressive. Unfortunately, that’s usually when the trouble starts. But not this time! Honest!I mean, it’s hardly my fault that the kingdom of Mokia was about to fall to the evil forces of the Librarians.And it’s not really my fault if I sort of accidentally led a small force of freedom fighters to the Mokian capital of Tuki Tuki to help save the city and its brave people.And it’s definitely not my fault that the Librarians found out I was there and launched an all-out attack with giant robots and scary weapons that permanently knocked people out and blew huge holes in the ground and kidnapped people and then my Librarian mother showed up and ruined everything as usual while my father was too busy to care even though he’s the one who was going to unleash chaos on the world and my talent for breaking things was getting way out of control and I didn’t know what to do!!!(WHEW!)So...if you want to keep reading and find out what else was totally not—I repeat, NOT—my fault, go right ahead.Just don’t blame me if you can’t stop turning the pages.Praise for the Alcatraz series:“Like Lemony Snicket and superhero comics rolled into one (and then revved up on steroids).”—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)“An excellent choice to read aloud to the whole family.” —NPR“Those who enjoy their fantasy with a healthy dose of slapstick humor will be delighted.” —School Library Journal“Genuinely funny...plenty here to enjoy.” —Locus“In this original, hysterical homage to fantasy literature, Sanderson’s first novel for youth recalls the best in Artemis Fowl and A Series of Unfortunate Events.” —VOYA