Icarus Down

Earth's survivors cling to life on an unforgiving, distant planet, next to the sun! Three generations after the crash of the colony ship Icarus, Iapyx is barely hanging on: one of thirteen cities suspended halfway down deep chasms. The sun on the diamond lands above will kill a man in less than five minutes. The ticktock monsters in the fog forest below are a little slower -- but quite a bit smarter. An electromagnetic wash has disabled the computers, the radios, even the lightbulbs. It's the steam and clockwork age reborn: a careful society, rationed and stratified. Which suits Simon Daud just fine. Simon likes the rules, and knows his place -- in the shadow of his older brother, Isaac. All he wants is to earn his wings as an ornithopter pilot and get to work in the flight bays. But on his final test flight, something goes wrong. Isaac is killed. Simon is burned; his body will never be the same. Neither will his world. Not everything in Iapyx is quite as it seems, and through his rehabilitation Simon falls into the middle of a conspiracy that will bring everything he's ever known to the ground. Down in the fog forest, monsters await -- but so does the truth . . . if Simon can survive long enough to find it.

From Timothy Zahn, Hugo Award winner and New York Times bestselling author of two landmark Star Wars® series, comes an original new tale featuring a renegade space pilot, his unusual alien partner, and an unknown cargo that can change the course of galactic history. Jordan McKell has a problem with authority. Unfortunately for him, the iron-fisted authority of the powerful Patthaaunutth controls virtually every aspect of galactic shipping. In order to survive, Jordan ekes out a living dabbling in interstellar smuggling for outlaw concerns that represent the last vestiges of free trade in the galaxy. So when Jordan and his partner, Ixil--an alien with two ferret-like "outhunters" linked to his neural system--are hired by a mysterious gentleman to fly a ship and its special cargo to Earth, they jump at the job. Caution has never been one of Jordan's strong suits. But this time he may have taken on more than even he can handle. The ship, Icarus, turns out to be a ramshackle hulk, the ragtag crew literally picked up off the street, and the cargo so secret, it's sealed in a special container that takes up most of the cramped and ill-designed ship. As if that weren't bad enough, it looks like the authorities already suspect something is afoot, there's a saboteur aboard, and the Icarus appears to be shaking apart at the seams. It doesn't seem as if things could get any worse. That is, until a beautiful crew member helps McKell uncover the true nature of the cargo he's carrying. With his enemies closing in on the lumbering Icarus, the unknown saboteur still aboard, and authorities on Earth pressured to turn them in, McKell and Ixil become fugitives. Their only chance is to stay one step ahead of their pursuers as they try to make it home. A bold and epic novel filled with unrelenting action and a good dose of humor, The Icarus Hunt is a wild hyperspace romp through the galaxy.

Four destinies intertwine in a saga of magic, courage, and the quest for identity. In Eldavon, a rite of passage sends 13-year-olds up Eldavon Mountain to drink from the mystical Silver Springs. Those unchanged by the magic remain human and learn practical trades in the village, while those transformed into witches or dragons attend The Institute, a magical academy. Here, students embark on quests and hone their abilities, preparing for their sacred duty to defend the kingdom. As they mature, they wrestle with societal norms, personal relationships, and the complexities of fated mates. Through their adventures and trials, they deepen their understanding of friendship and loyalty, discovering the profound impact of their connections. Enter a world where magic, destiny, and friendship collide in the "Defenders of the Realm" series by Canadian indie author Marie-Hélène Lebeault. Join a diverse group of young heroes as they embark on thrilling adventures, uncover ancient secrets, and forge unbreakable bonds in a kingdom teeming with magic, dragons, and mystery. In this epic series, you'll follow the journey of human, witch, and dragon characters who must discover their unique destinies and face challenges that test their courage, love, and friendships. From heartwarming coming-of-age tales to enchanting fantasy romance novellas, "Defenders of the Realm" promises an unforgettable adventure through a world where the power of magic and the strength of unity reign supreme. Don't miss out on this captivating series that will transport you to a realm of wonder and enchantment. This boxset includes the Prequel, the 5 main edge-of-your-seat adventure books and the 6 swoon-worthy no-spice fantasy romance novellas. 1,500 pages of unforgettable epic fantasy adventure! Stay in the loop! Join Marie-Hélène's newsletter for writing updates, sales, upcoming events, and special promotions at www.mhlebeault.com

“I address you across more than three thousand years, you who live at the conjunction of the Fish and the Water-carrier,” speaks Daedalus, an artisan, inventor, and designer born into an utterly alien family of heroes who value acts of war above all else, a world where his fellow Greeks seem driven only to destroy—an existence he feels compelled to escape. In this fictional autobiography of the father of Icarus, “Apollo’s creature,” a brilliant but flawed man, writer and sculptor Michael Ayrton harnesses the tales of the past to mold a myth for our times. We learn of Daedalus’s increasingly ambitious artifacts and inventions; his fascination with Minoan culture, commerce, and religion, and his efforts to adapt to them; how he comes to design the maze of the horned Minotaur; and how, when he decides that he must flee yet again, he builds two sets of wax wings—wings that will be instruments of his descent into the underworld, a place of both purgatory and rebirth. A compelling mix of history, fable, lore, and meditations on the enigma of art, The Maze Maker will ensnare classicists, artists, and all lovers of story in its convolutions of life and legend. “I never understood the pattern of my life,” writes Daedalus, “so that I have blundered through it in a maze.”

"Half a Hundred Hero Tales of Ulysses and The Men of Old " by various is a collection of 50 classical stories relevant to Greek Mythology. The book is a great choice for any young reader interested in Ulysses' period of heroism and all other connected legends to this extraordinary character. Excerpt: "You Greeks," said the Egyptian priest to Herodotus, "are always children," and Greece will never lose the secret of eternal youth. The tale of Troy divine, of Thebes and Pelops' line, the song of sweet Colonus, the cruelest death of Pyramus and Thisby, Dido with a willow in her hand—these old stories of Homer and Sophocles, of Virgil and Ovid, have not lost their gloss and freshness. "The innocent brightness of a new-born day is lovely yet." They have been sung or said by Wace and Caxton, by Chaucer and Wordsworth, by Keats and William Morris; they have been adapted for young readers by Fénelon, by Niebuhr, by Kingsley, by Hawthorne, and yet the last word has not been said. Each new editor makes his own selection, chooses some new facet, or displays the jewel in a new light."

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Tales of Ancient Greece" by Enid Blyton. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Wonder if it were written by David Almond. A powerful, deeply insightful middle grade novel that poignantly deals with themes of friendship, bullying, and loneliness. Alex has worked out a foolproof plan to avoid being picked on. Don't React. It's so simple, it just might work. David, a boy in his class, does react. He's branded a weirdo, becomes an outcast, and is given a terrible nickname. Alex is determined not to suffer the same fate.But one day, Alex gets a note in his bag that forces him out of his safe little world. Who sent the note? And is what it promises true--will a boy really fly?The Icarus Show is an unforgettable story about friendship, loneliness, and a strange kind of genius.

Reading selected texts by Michael Ondaatje, including the novels In the Skin of a Lion and The English Patient and the poem "Birch Bark," Annick Hillger demonstrates how his writing both answers and challenges attempts to delineate the idea of a Canadian national self. She sets Ondaatje's work within the context of theoretical and philosophical ideas, developing the notion of a "literature of silence" concerned with finding a ground for self beyond the realm of language.

The year is 1942. World War II is in full swing in the Atlantic. The Caribbean islands form an arc of sentry posts arrayed against an unseen enemy. From here, Great Britain and the United States spy the waves for German U-boats attempting stealthy approaches to the Panama Canal, the Gulf of Mexico and the strategic ports of South and Central America. Though not far from the deadly fray out in the mid Atlantic, life could have gone on as usual in the British colony of Trinidad. But this cosmopolitan island has become a crucial outpost, now manned by thousands of American servicemen. And as the days grow hotter and the nights grow longer lying in wait for those Nazi ships, restlessness turns to mischief, and mischief turns to murder.

Aphrodite. Zeus. Medusa. Hercules. You've heard their names. You thought you knew their stories... until now. Lose yourself in this collection of eleven young adult re-imaginings of Greek myths from the authors of Snowy Wings Publishing. From magical kingdoms under the sea to the halls of a modern high school, from Ancient Greece to the distant future, you will find romance, courage, fantasy, danger, and more. With each story bringing a twist on a classic legend, there is something for everyone to enjoy again and again. Across the ages, the Muses call: SING, GODDESS!