Archive for bestselling fantasy books
New Fantasy Novels: The Lost Gate
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Title: The Lost Gate (Mither Mages)
Author: Orson Scott Card
Release: November 29 2011
Pages: 464
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
The Lost Gate is a new fantasy novel with a world of imagination. High in the mountains of Western Virginia, Danny and his family of mages live in seclusion far from the everyday world below. Danny knows his family is different, but he also knows that he is different again from the rest of his family. He just doesn’t know in what way, until now.
In the new fantasy novel, Danny is a different kind of hero. His is a family of cousins, aunts and uncles by the dozen, each of them perfectly capable of forming “an outself” that could be a fairy or a ghost or a troll or even a werewolf. But not Danny and he doesn’t know why.
And then his ability does manifest itself, and that is more dangerous than any other manifestation he could have dreamed of. Because Danny is something far more powerful, he is a gatemage. He can open the way between worlds, maybe even between this world and the one his family is from originally. But to open the Great Gate is to court disaster because it can only cause the long quiet war to erupt again amongst the clans. And so gatemages are always killed.
And when Danny finds this out, there is only one thing he can do – flee. Join Danny in The Lost Gate as he journey finds the answers to his questions about gatemages and the quest for his own kind.
The Vampire Diaries Book 1: The Awakening by L. J. Smith
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Title: The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening
Author: L. J. Smith
Release Date: August 25, 2009 (re-release)
Pages: 272
Genre: Young Adult Vampire
The first installment in an excellent young adult vampire series, The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening, delivers an exciting take on the vampire genre. Elena is a beautiful student who is the queen of the high school – no one can touch her popularity. She can have anything she wants.
But, she’s not mean about it – she simply knows that she is one of the special people. So, when a new boy comes to school and he is completely immune to her charms, Elena is totally stumped. How dare he act like she doesn’t exist? How dare he snub her when she tries to introduce herself? All her angst goes into her diary which chronicles her plans to triumph over this arrogant boy.
Little does she know, the new guy, Stefan Salvatore, is very much aware of Elena but he’s doing his best to dissuade her from any involvement with him. That’s because Stefan is a dangerous individual and he knows how close he is to losing control around the beautiful, spirited Elena. However, he’s underestimated Elena – she has made it her personal mission to win him over. And, like all dangerous attractions, Stefan can’t resist her and they fall in love. Everything should be fine now, right? No, not really, because there are a couple of problems – he’s a vampire, he’s got lots of secrets, and one of his darkest secrets has shown up in Fells Church and it wants Elena too.
I have to admit, I’ve been watching the Vampire Diaries TV show and was instantly trying to compare the book to the show. But, after about twenty pages, it because apparent that the characters in the book are quite different from the tv storyline. Elena has a definite, unique personality of her own. With Stefan, you get a better understanding of why he is so sad and withdrawn. Damon, Stefan’s brother, is just a bad, bad man. I really liked this book and immediately dove into the next one upon finishing The Awakening. L. J. Smith has a crisp writing style that keeps you fully focused on the story and it’s given me a true craving for the Vampire Diaries series of books.
The Mercy Thompson Werewolf Books by Patricia Briggs
Posted by: | CommentsThe Mercy Thompson Werewolf Books by Patricia Briggs is a series of urban fantasy novels. The stories tell the adventures of Mercedes (Mercy) Thompson, a shape-shifter brought up by werewolves. The novels are set in the state of Washington but in an alternate universe where werewolves and other types of the fae have been forced to reveal their true nature in public.
Moon Called (Book 1)
Mercy Thompson’s life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf.
Her former boss is a gremlin.
And she’s fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn’t exactly normal herself.
Blood Bound (Book 2)
Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places-and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.
But this new vampire is hardly ordinary-and neither is the demon inside of him.
A demon-riding vampire has gone on a killing spree unlike any the Tri- Cities has ever seen-and the undead and werewolves sent to stop him haven’t returned. A coyote is no match for a demon, but shapeshifting mechanic Mercy Thompson is immune to many vampiric powers-and those are her friends who are missing, including the two werewolves circling around her heart. Game on…
Iron Kissed (Book 3)
When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it’s up to shapeshifting car mechanic Mercy Thompson to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not.
And she’ll have to choose between the two werewolves in her life-whether she wants to or not.
Bone Crossed (Book 4)
New in the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series.
In a world where “witches, vampires, werewolves, and shape-shifters live beside ordinary people” (Booklist), it takes a very unusual woman to call it home. By day, Mercy Thompson is a car mechanic in Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shape-shifter with some unusual talents, Mercy’s found herself maintaining a tenuous harmony between the human and the not-so- human on more than one occasion. This time she may get more than she bargained for.
And she’s planning a return trip.
Marsilia, the local vampire queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan. Now, she’s out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack-and her relationship with its sexy Alpha-it’s not Mercy’s blood Marsilia is after…
Silver Borne (Book 5)
All-new action in the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series
When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she’d previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.
It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn’t take enough of Mercy’s attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam’s life forfeit.
All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn’t careful, she might not have many more to live…
River Marked (Book 6)
Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She’s never known any others of her kind. Until now.
An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father’s people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help…
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Posted by: | CommentsThe Dresden Files by Jim Butcher is a series of fantasy novels. The novels tell the story of private investigator and wizard Harry Dresden. Harry tells of his adventures from his point of view, as he investigates supernatural disturbances in modern-day Chicago.
These are the books in the series:
Storm Front (Book 1)
Harry Dresden–Wizard
Lost items found. Paranormal investigations.
Consulting. Advice. Reasonable rates.
No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties, or Other Entertainment.
Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things–and most of them don’t play too well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a–well, whatever.
There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get… interesting.
Magic. It can get a guy killed.
Fool Moon (Book 2)
Business has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn’t been able to dredge up any kind of work—magical or mundane.
But just when it looks like he can’t afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise.
A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guesses—and the first two don’t count…
Grave Peril (Book 3)
Harry Dresden’s faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. It comes with the territory when you’re the only professional wizard in the Chicago area phone book.
But in all Harry’s years of supernatural sleuthing, he’s never faced anything like this: the spirit world’s gone postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble–and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly. Someone–or something–is stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc. But why? And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry? If Harry doesn’t figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself . . .
Summer Knight (Book 4)
Harry Dresden’s faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. All par for the course for Chicago’s only professional wizard.
But in all Harry’s years of supernatural sleuthing, he’s never faced anything like this: the spirit world’s gone completely postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble-and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly.
Someone-or something-is stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc. But why? And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry? If Harry doesn’t figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself.
Death Masks (Book 5)
Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But he also knows that whenever things are going good, the only way left for them to go is bad. Way bad.
Recent examples: A duel with the lethal champion of the Red Court, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards…Hit men using Harry for target practice…The missing Shroud of Turin-and the possible involvement of Chicago’s most feared mob boss…A handless and headless corpse the Chicago police need identified…
Not to mention the return of Harry’s ex-girlfriend Susan, who’s still struggling with her semi-vampiric nature-and who seems to have a new man in her life.
Some days, it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed. No matter how much you’re charging.
Blood Rites (Book 6)
For Harry Dresden, there have been worse assignments than going undercover on the set of an adult film. Still, there’s something more troubling than usual about his newest case. The film’s producer believes he’s the target of a sinister curse-but it’s the women around him who are dying.
Harry’s even more frustrated because he only got involved with this bizarre mystery as a favor to Thomas-his flirtatious, self-absorbed vampire acquaintance of dubious integrity. Thomas has a personal stake in the case Harry can’t quite figure out. But Harry is about to discover that Thomas’ family tree has been hiding a shocking revelation that will change his life forever…
Dead Beat (Book 7)
The USA Today Bestselling Author’s new Dresden Files novel…finally in paperback-and soon to be a Sci Fi Channel movie!
Filled with kickass adventure and supernatural fireworks, Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files novels have been compared to Harry Potter.
Now, Harry Dresden must save Chicago from black magic and necromancy-all in a day’s work for the city’s only professional wizard.
Proven Guilty (Book 8 )
The White Council of Wizards has drafted Harry Dresden as a Warden and assigned him to look into rumors of black magic in Chicago. Malevolent entities that feed on fear are loose in the Windy City, but it’s all in a day’s work for a wizard, his faithful dog, and a talking skull named Bob…
What would you get if you crossed Spencer with Merlin? Probably you would come up with someone very like Harry Dresden, wizard, tough guy and star of [The Dresden Files]. (Washington Times)
White Night (Book 9)
A sensational addition to the Dresden Files adventures-from a USA Today bestselling author.
In Chicago, someone has been killing practitioners of magic, those incapable of becoming full-fledged wizards. Shockingly, all the evidence points to Harry Dresden’s half-brother, Thomas, as the murderer.
Determined to clear his sibling’s name, Harry uncovers a conspiracy within the White Council of Wizards that threatens not only him, but his nearest and dearest, too…
Small Favor (Book 10)
No one’s tried to kill Harry Dresden for almost an entire year, and his life finally seems to be calming down. For once, the future looks fairly bright. But the past casts one hell of a long shadow.
An old bargain has placed Harry in debt to Mab, monarch of the Winter Court of the Sidhe, the Queen of Air and Darkness-and she’s calling in her marker. It’s a small favor he can’t refuse…one that will trap Harry Dresden between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and one that will strain his skills- and loyalties-to their very limits.
It figures. Everything was going too well to last…
Turn Coat (Book 11)
The Warden Morgan has been accused of treason against the Wizards of the White Council—and there’s only one, final punishment for that crime. He’s on the run, wants his name cleared, and needs someone with a knack for backing the underdog. Someone like Harry Dresden…
Now, Harry must uncover a traitor within the Council, keep a less-than-agreeable Morgan under wraps, and avoid coming under scrutiny himself. And a single mistake may cost someone his head—someone like Harry
Changes (Book 12)
Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden’s lover-until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it.
Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it-against Harry. To prevail this time, he may have no choice but to embrace the raging fury of his own untapped dark power. Because Harry’s not fighting to save the world…
He’s fighting to save his child.
Ghost Story (Book 13)
The eagerly awaited new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series, set to be released on the 26th of July.
When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn’t doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.
But being dead doesn’t stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.
To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic…
Cold Days (Book 14)
Release Date: To be announced.


























