The Hour of the Dragon

The Hour of the Dragon

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

Also known as "Conan the Conqueror," The Hour of the Dragon is Robert E. Howard's only full-length novel about Conan, and it is considered by many to be one of his best works. During Conan's reign as King of Aquilonia, a group of conspirators plot to depose him in favor of Valerius, heir to Conan's predecessor Numedides, whom he had slain to gain the throne. To accomplish this they resort to necromancy, resurrecting Xaltotun, an ancient sorcerer from the pre-Hyborian empire of Acheron. With his aid the Aquilonian army is defeated by that of the rival kingdom of Nemedia and occupied. Conan, captured, is slated for execution until the sympathetic slave girl Zenobia risks her life to free him. Conan's quest to retrieve the Heart of Ahriman in order to defeat the wizard and regain his throne takes him through all the lands of Hyboria. After his eventual triumph he vows to make Zenobia his queen. Robert E. Howard is considered the godfather of Sword and Sorcery, and he is the creator of the international icon Conan the Cimmerian. This classic of adventure has been newly designed and typeset in a 6-by-9-inch format by Waking Lion Press. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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The Hyborian Age

The Hyborian Age

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

" The Hyborian Age" is as essay by Robert Ervin Howard. Robert Ervin Howard (January 22, 1906 – June 11, 1936) was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. He is well known for his character Conan the Barbarian and is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre. Howard was born and raised in the state of Texas. He spent most of his life in the town of Cross Plains with some time spent in nearby Brownwood. A bookish and intellectual child, he was also a fan of boxing and spent some time in his late teens bodybuilding, eventually taking up amateur boxing. From the age of nine he dreamed of becoming a writer of adventure fiction but did not have real success until he was 23. Thereafter, until his death at the age of 30 by suicide, Howard's writings were published in a wide selection of magazines, journals, and newspapers, and he had become successful in several genres. Although a Conan novel was nearly published into a book in 1934, his stories never appeared in book form during his lifetime. The main outlet for his stories was in the pulp magazine Weird Tales. Howard’s suicide and the circumstances surrounding it have led to varied speculation about his mental health. His mother had been ill with tuberculosis his entire life, and upon learning that she had entered a coma from which she was not expected to wake, he walked out to his car and shot himself in the head. In the pages of the Depression-era pulp magazine Weird Tales, Howard created Conan the Barbarian, a character whose cultural impact has been compared to such icons as Tarzan, Count Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, Batman, and James Bond. With Conan and his other heroes, Howard created the genre now known as sword and sorcery, spawning many imitators and giving him a large influence in the fantasy field. Howard remains a highly read author, with his best works still reprinted. Howard spent his late teens working odd jobs around Cross Plains; all of which he hated. In 1924, Howard returned to Brownwood to take a stenography course at Howard Payne College, this time boarding with his friend Lindsey Tyson instead of his mother. Howard would have preferred a literary course but was not allowed to take one for some reason. Biographer Mark Finn suggests that his father refused to pay for such a non-vocational education. In the week of Thanksgiving that year, and after years of rejection slips and near acceptances, he finally sold a short caveman tale titled "Spear and Fang", which netted him the sum of $16 and introduced him to the readers of a struggling pulp called Weird Tales. Now that his career in fiction had begun, Howard dropped out of Howard Payne College at the end of the semester and returned to Cross Plains. Shortly afterwards, he received notice that another story, "The Hyena," had been accepted by Weird Tales. During the same period, Howard made his first attempt to write a novel, a loosely autobiographical book modeled on Jack London's Martin Eden and titled Post Oaks & Sand Roughs. The book was otherwise of middling quality and was never published in the author's lifetime but it is of interest to Howard scholars for the personal information it contains. Howard's alter ego in this novel is Steve Costigan, a name he would use more than once in the future. The novel was finished in 1928 but not published until long after his death.
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Beyond the Black River

Beyond the Black River

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

Ever beset by wanderlust and an insatiable urge to seek out conflict, Conan the Cimmerian (also known as Conan the Barbarian) travels to a wild frontier region that lies beyond the Black River. Amidst a raging war, Conan goes head-to-head against a number of formidable opponents, both supernatural and mortal.
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Gods of the North

Gods of the North

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

New complete edition (fixed missing chapters problem!!)Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films (including Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer), television programs (cartoon and live-action), video games, role-playing games and other mediaConan is a Cimmerian. From Robert E. Howard's writings (The Hyborian Age among others) it is known that the Cimmerians were based on the Celts or Gaels. He was born on a battlefield and is the son of a village blacksmith. Conan matured quickly as a youth and, by age fifteen, he was already a respected warrior who had participated in the destruction of the Aquilonian outpost of Venarium. After its demise, he was struck by wanderlust and began the adventures chronicled by Howard, encountering skulking monsters, evil wizards, tavern wenches, and beautiful princesses. He roamed throughout the Hyborian Agenations as a thief, outlaw, mercenary, and pirate. As he grew older, he began commanding larger units of men and escalating his ambitions. In his forties, he seized the crown of the tyrannical king of Aquilonia, the most powerful kingdom of the Hyborian Age, having strangled the previous ruler on the steps of the throne. Conan's adventures often result in him performing heroic feats, though his motivation for doing so is largely to protect his own survival or for personal gain.Here you will find all of Robert E. Howard's stories about Conan the Barbarian, published in Weird Tales magazine between 1933-1936 and features an interactive table of contents. Included are the stories: Cimmeria — A PoemThe Phoenix on the SwordThe Scarlet CitadelThe Tower of the ElephantThe Slithering Shadow/ Xuthal of the DuskThe Pool of the Black OneRogues in the HouseGods of the North/The Frost Giant's Daughter/The Frost King's DaughterShadows in the MoonlightQueen of the Black CoastThe Devil in IronThe People of the Black CircleA Witch Shall Be BornJewels of GwahlurBeyond the Black RiverRed NailsThe Hour of the DragonAlso you get: The Hyborian Age - Howard's essay on the world of Conan+Bonus: Robert E. Howard's Biography and more!
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Queen of the Black Coast

Queen of the Black Coast

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

"Queen of the Black Coast" is one of the original short stories about Conan the Cimmerian, written by American author Robert E. Howard and first published in Weird Tales magazine circa May 1934. It is set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age and concerns Conan becoming a notorious pirate and plundering the coastal villages of Kush alongside Bêlit, a head-strong femme fatale. Due to its epic scope and atypical romance, the story is considered an undisputed classic of Conan lore and is often cited by Howard scholars as one of his most famous tales.
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The People of the Black Circle

The People of the Black Circle

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

Conan kidnaps a princess and foils a nefarious plot of world domination in this action-packed adventure. An undisputed classic of Conan lore, often cited by Howard scholars as one of his best tales. It is also one of the few Howard stories where the reader is treated a deeper insight on magic and magicians.
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Red Nails

Red Nails

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

Excerpt: ... city." "Then your ancestors didn't build Xuchotl?" asked Valeria. "It was ancient when they first came into the land. How long it had stood here, not even its degenerate inhabitants knew." "Your people came from Lake Zuad?" questioned Conan. "Aye. More than half a century ago a tribe of the Tlazitlans rebelled against the Stygian king, and, being defeated in battle, fled southward. For many weeks they wandered over grasslands, desert and hills, and at last they came into the great forest, a thousand fighting-men with their women and children. "It was in the forest that the dragons fell upon them, and tore many to pieces; so the people fled in a frenzy of fear before them, and at last came into the plain and saw the city of Xuchotl in the midst of it. "They camped before the city, not daring to leave the plain, for the night was made hideous with the noise of the battling monsters throughout the forest. They made war incessantly upon one another. Yet they came not into the plain. "The people of the city shut their gates and shot arrows at our people from the walls. The Tlazitlans were imprisoned on the plain, as if the ring of the forest had been a great wall; for to venture into the woods would have been madness. "That night there came secretly to their camp a slave from the city, one of their own blood, who with a band of exploring soldiers had wandered into the forest long before, when he was a young man. The dragons had devoured all his companions, but he had been taken into the city to dwell in servitude. His name was Tolkemec." A flame lighted the dark eyes at mention of the name, and some of the people muttered obscenely and spat. "He promised to open the gates to the warriors. He asked only that all captives taken be delivered into his hands. "At dawn he opened the gates. The warriors swarmed in and the halls of Xuchotl ran red. Only a few hundred folk dwelt there, decaying remnants of a once great race. Tolkemec said they came from the...
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A Witch Shall Be Born

A Witch Shall Be Born

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

One of Robert E. Howard's inspired novellas about Conan the Cimmerian and his adventures, A Witch Shall Be Born focuses on a unique story that was conceived in just a few days in 1934. Conan, who is the loyal captain of the queen's guard in this enchanting and exciting tale, is faced with a puzzling dilemma when the queen's twin sister ends up replacing her. Fears of secret schemes and plots dominate the story, as elements of conflict between barbarism and civilization are present throughout the novel. Along with Howard's elegant and inviting style, the gradually growing complexity of the plot, the sudden twists that will take your breath away make A Witch Shall be Born one of the more intense writings of American Pulp fantasy that readers truly enjoy. Robert E. Howard is considered a literary icon of American Pulp writing, as well as renowned for his accomplished use of fantasy, horror and adventure elements. His works are often compared to famous names in popular culture, such as Tarzan of the Apes, or even to the Sherlock Holmes series. While Howard's style is imbued more with themes revolving around barbarism and extreme endurance that see Conan the Cimmerian almost crucified and Queen Taramis thrown in the dungeon by her sister Salome, it also features a complex, methodical plot that shows Conan outwitting the new queen in his attempt to restore order. A theme of paranoia and duality is present throughout the novel, with the two siblings presented in extreme antagonism toward each other, and Salome being in a constant inner struggle as she feels threatened by Conan and her twin sister. You will thoroughly enjoy this well-written and exciting tale of adventure, heroics and fantasy, which never seems to show a dull moment, and manages to introduce plot twists that can fascinate and thrill readers even decades after their inception.
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The Devil in Iron

The Devil in Iron

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

The Texas-born author who created the inimitable character Conan the Barbarian is also single-handedly responsible for developing and popularizing the so-called "sword and sorcery" fantasy subgenre. In this gripping tale, Howard spins an unforgettable yarn about an early version of Conan and a ruse that puts the mighty warrior face to face with a horrifying ancient demon.
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Shadows in the Moonlight

Shadows in the Moonlight

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

Shadows in the Moonlight is a story in the Conan series about his escape to a remote island of mystery. Robert Ervin Howard was born in Peaster, Texas in 1906. During his youth, his family moved between a variety of Texan boomtowns, and Howard - a bookish and somewhat introverted child - was steeped in the violent myths and legends of the Old South. At fifteen Howard began to read the pulp magazines of the day, and to write more seriously. The December 1922 issue of his high school newspaper featured two of his stories, 'Golden Hope Christmas' and 'West is West'. In 1924 he sold his first piece - a short caveman tale titled 'Spear and Fang' - for $16 to the not-yet-famous Weird Tales magazine. Howard's most famous character, Conan the Cimmerian, was a barbarian-turned-King during the Hyborian Age, a mythical period of some 12,000 years ago. Conan featured in seventeen Weird Tales stories between 1933 and 1936 which is why Howard is now regarded as having spawned the 'sword and sorcery' genre. The Conan stories have since been adapted many times, most famously in the series of films starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Shadows in Zamboula

Shadows in Zamboula

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

Shadows in Zamboula is a story in the Conan series which is set over one night in a city filled with cannibals. Robert Ervin Howard was born in Peaster, Texas in 1906. During his youth, his family moved between a variety of Texan boomtowns, and Howard - a bookish and somewhat introverted child - was steeped in the violent myths and legends of the Old South. At fifteen Howard began to read the pulp magazines of the day, and to write more seriously. Howard's most famous character, Conan the Cimmerian, was a barbarian-turned-King during the Hyborian Age, a mythical period of some 12,000 years ago. Conan featured in seventeen Weird Tales stories between 1933 and 1936 which is why Howard is now regarded as having spawned the 'sword and sorcery' genre. The Conan stories have since been adapted many times, most famously in the series of films starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Jewels of Gwahlur

Jewels of Gwahlur

Robert E. Howard

Fantasy / Horror / History

In this exciting story Conan is a mercenary soldier searching for the the treasure of a lost city. After fighting and overcoming several perils, both natural and supernatural, he finds that some things are more valuable than a casket of jewels.
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The Fixed Period

The Fixed Period

Anthony Trollope

Fiction / Travel / History

In mid-19th century England, an era full of celebrated novelists, Anthony Trollope was one of the most popular and critically acclaimed of them all. Even today, his Chronicles of Barsetshire series is widely read, as are his other novels, many of which deal with criticisms of English culture at the time, from its politics to its customs and norms. 
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The Sea Lady

The Sea Lady

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

Such previous landings of mermaids as have left a record, have all a flavour of doubt. Even the very circumstantial account of that Bruges Sea Lady, who was so clever at fancy work, gives occasion to the sceptic. I must confess that I was absolutely incredulous of such things until a year ago. But now, face to face with indisputable facts in my own immediate neighbourhood, and with my own second cousin Melville (of Seaton Carew) as the chief witness to the story, I see these old legends in a very different light. Yet so many people concerned themselves with the hushing up of this affair, that, but for my sedulous enquiries, I am certain it would have become as doubtful as those older legends in a couple of score of years. Even now to many minds.
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The Golgotha Dancers

The Golgotha Dancers

Manly Wade Wellman

Science Fiction & Fantasy / Historical Fiction / History

"Hold on, there!" came a sharp challenge from the stairs behind and below me. "What are you doing? And what's that picture doing?" It was one of the Museum's guards. "I was going to ask somebody that same question," I told him as austerely as I could manage. "What about this picture? I thought there was a Böcklin hanging here." The guard relaxed. "Oh, I beg your pardon, sir. I thought you were somebody else--the man who brought that thing." He nodded at the picture. "Personally, I think it's plain beastly." "And the Museum has accepted it at last?" I asked. He shook his head. "Oh, no, sir." I, too, came close. There was no plate beneath the painting. But in the lower left-hand corner of the canvas were sprawling capitals, pale paint on the dark, spelling out the word GOLGOTHA. Beneath these, in small, barely readable script: I sold my soul that I might paint a living picture.
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Sintram and His Companions

Sintram and His Companions

Freiherr de Friedrich Heinrich Karl La Motte-Fouqué

Memoir / Military Art & Science / History

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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The Treasure of the Isle of Mist

The Treasure of the Isle of Mist

W. W. Tarn

History / Cultural / India

"My excavations came to an untimely end," said the Student. "I always owed that old man a grudge for being beaten before my tent. Why couldn't he have been beaten somewhere else? I should like to meet him again and tell him precisely what I thought of his conduct." "You have done both now," said the hawker. "And it is his turn." "Impossible," said the Student. "He was as old twenty-five years ago as you are now." "At my age," said the old man, "one grows no older. No one who walks the world as I do need ever grow any older. You can walk thirty miles on Monday when you are twenty years old; good.
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The Time Machine

The Time Machine

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

H.G. Wells, a pioneer in the science fiction genre, produced awesomely imaginative novels whose technologies seem impossibly sophisticated for a writer living in an era before automobiles and the widespread application of electricity. In his work The Time Machine, Wells Time Traveller, a gentleman inventor living in England, traverses first thousands of years and then millions into the future, before bringing back the knowledge of the grave degeneration of the human race and the planet. One wonders if Wells could truly see into the future, as over 100 years after its publication date his visions seem timelier than ever.
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The War of the Worlds

The War of the Worlds

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

H.G. Wells's classic tale of planetary conquest.The War of the Worlds (1898), by H. G. Wells, is an early science fiction novel which describes an invasion of England by aliens from Mars. It is one of the earliest and best-known depictions of an alien invasion of Earth, and has influenced many others, as well as spawning several films, radio dramas, comic book adaptations, and a television series based on the story. The 1938 radio broadcast caused public outcry against the episode, as many listeners believed that an actual Martian invasion was in progress, a notable example of mass hysteria.
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The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance

The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

The Invisible Man is a science fiction novella by H. G. Wells. Originally serialized in Pearson's Weekly in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. The Invisible Man of the title is Griffin, a scientist who has devoted himself to research into optics and invents a way to change a body's refractive index to that of air so that it neither absorbs nor reflects light and thus becomes invisible. He successfully carries out this procedure on himself, but fails in his attempt to reverse it.
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Micromegas

Micromegas

Voltaire

Philosophy / Literature & Fiction / History

Édition enrichie de centaines de notes explicatives, d\'introductions, de notices, de gravures originales qui en font l\'ouvrage le plus complet des oeuvres de Voltaire, soit plus de 109 titres spécifiquement mis en forme pour une lecture sur Kindle.CONTENU DÉTAILLÉ :LES 25 CONTES PHILOSOPHIQUES : Avertissement de Moland • Le Monde comme il va, Vision de Babouc • Le Crocheteur Borgne • Cosi-Sancta, Un petit mal pour un grand bien • Nouvelle Africaine • Zadig ou la Destinée • Memnon ou la Sagesse Humaine • Bababec et Les Fakirs • Micromégas • Les Deux Consolés • Histoire des voyages de Scarmentado • Songe de Platon • Candide ou L’optimisme • Histoire d’un bon Bramin • Le Blanc et le Noir • Jeannot et Colin • L’Ingénu • L’homme aux quarante écus • La Princesse de Babylone • Les Lettres d’Amabed • Aventure de la Mémoire • Le Taureau Blanc • L’histoire de Jenni ou le Sage et l’Athée • Les oreilles du comte de Chesterfield et le chapelain GoudmanLES 41 PIÈCES DE THÉÂTRE : Oedipe • Fragments d’Artémire • Mariamne • L\'indiscret • La Fête de Bélébat • Brutus • Les Originaux ou Monsieur Du Cap-Vert • Ériphyle • Zaïre • Samson • Tanis et Zélide ou Les Rois pasteurs • Adélaïde du Guesclin • Le Duc d’Alençon ou Les Frères ennemis • Amélie ou le Duc de Foix • L\'Echange • La mort de César • Alzire, ou les Américains • L’Enfant prodigue • L\'Envieux • Pandore • Zulime • Le fanatisme, ou Mahomet le prophète • Mérope • Le Temple de la Gloire • Nanine • Rome sauvée, ou Catilina • L\'Orphelin de la Chine • L\'Ecossaise • Tancrède • Le Droit du Seigneur • Olympie • Le Triumvirat • Les Scythes • Charlot ou la Comtesse de Givry • Le Dépositaire • Les Guèbres, ou la Tolérance • Le Baron d\'Otrante • Irène • Jules César • Le Comte de Boursoufle ou Mademoiselle de La Cochonnière • L’Héraclius Espagnol Ou La Comédie FameuseLES 7 RECUEILS DE POÉSIES : Le Pour et le Contre • La Henriade • Le Mondain • Poème sur la Loi naturelle • Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne • La Pucelle d’Orléans • ÉpîtresLES 15 CONTES EN VERS : Le Cadenas • Le Cocuage • La Mule du pape • Ce qui plaît aux dames • L’Éducation d’un prince • L’Éducation d’une fille • Thélème et Macare • Les Trois Manières • Azolan • L’Origine des métiers • La Bégueule • Les Finances • Le Dimanche ou les Femmes de Minée • Sésostris • Le Songe creuxLES 19 TITRES DE L\'OEUVRE PHILOSOPHIQUE ET HISTORIQUE : Lettres philosophiques • Traité de métaphysique • Vie de Molière • Réflexions pour les sots • Traité sur la tolérance • Le philosophe ignorant • Femmes, soyez soumises a vos maris • La bible enfin expliquée par plusieurs aumôniers de s. m. l. r. d. p • Dialogue du chapon et de la poularde • Histoire de l’établissement du christianisme • Dictionnaire philosophique • Dialogues philosophiques • Essai sur les moeurs et l’esprit des nations • Le siècle de louis XIV • Précis du siecle de Louis XV • Pot-pourri • De l’horrible danger de la lecture • Éloge historique de la raison • Petite digression- 1 BIOGRAPHIE détaillée- Les CITATIONS et proverbes de Voltaire A PROPOS DE L’ÉDITEUR : Les éditions Arvensa, leaders de la littérature classique numérique, ont l\'objectif de vous faire connaître les œuvres des grands auteurs de la littérature classique à un prix abordable, tout en vous fournissant la meilleure expérience de lecture sur votre liseuse. Tous les titres sont produits avec le plus grand soin et bénéficient d\'un système de navigation optimale. Le service qualité s’engage à vous répondre dans les 48h. Retrouvez tous les titres et offres privilégiées des éditions Arvensa sur leur site.
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When the Sleeper Wakes

When the Sleeper Wakes

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

This anthology is a thorough introduction to classic literature for those who have not yet experienced these literary masterworks. For those who have known and loved these works in the past, this is an invitation to reunite with old friends in a fresh new format. From Shakespeare s finesse to Oscar Wilde s wit, this unique collection brings together works as diverse and influential as The Pilgrim s Progress and Othello. As an anthology that invites readers to immerse themselves in the masterpieces of the literary giants, it is must-have addition to any library.
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The First Men in the Moon

The First Men in the Moon

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

The novel tells the story of a journey to the moon by the impecunious businessman Mr Bedford and the brilliant but eccentric scientist Dr Cavor. On arrival, Bedford and Cavor find the moon inhabited by a race of moon-folk the two call "Selenites." The novel can also be read as a critique of prevailing political opinions from the turn of the century, particularly of imperialism.
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Tales of Space and Time

Tales of Space and Time

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

The Crystal Egg The Star (audiobook from librivox) A Story of the Stone Age (audiobook from librivox) 1. Ugh-lomi and Uya 2. The Cave Bear 3. The First Horseman 4. Uya the Lion 5. The Fight in the Lion\'s Thicket A Story of the Days to Come 1. The Cure for Love 2. The Vacant Country 3. The Ways of the City 4. Underneath 5. Bindon Intervenes The Man Who Could Work Miracles
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The Country of the Blind, and Other Stories

The Country of the Blind, and Other Stories

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

The early short stories of an essential 20th century literary personageHerbert George Wells was perhaps best known as the author of such classic works of science fiction as The Time Machine and War of the Worlds. But it was in his short stories, written when he was a young man embarking on a literary career, that he first explored the enormous potential of the scientific discoveries of the day. He described his stories as "a miscellany of inventions," yet his enthusiasm for science was tempered by an awareness of its horrifying destructive powers and the threat it could pose to the human race. A consummate storyteller, he made fantastic creatures and machines entirely believable; and, by placing ordinary men and women in extraordinary situations, he explored, with humor, what it means to be alive in a century of rapid scientific progress.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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Twelve Stories and a Dream

Twelve Stories and a Dream

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

ime minister yesterday, and he, bless his heart! didn\'t look particularly outsize, on the very first occasion. Conceive it! Filmer! Our obscure unwashed Filmer, the Glory of British science! Duchesses crowd upon him, beautiful, bold peeresses say in their beautiful, clear loud voices--have you noticed how penetrating the great lady is becoming nowadays?--\'Oh, Mr. Filmer, how DID you do it?\' "Common men on the edge of things are too remote for the answer. One imagines something in the way of that interview, \'toil ungrudgingly and unsparingly given, Madam, and, perhaps--I don\'t know--but perhaps a little special aptitude.\'" So far Hicks, and the photographic supplement to the New Paper is in sufficient harmony with the description. In one picture the machine swings down towards the river, and the tower of Fulham church appears below it through a gap in the elms, and in another, Filmer sits at his guiding batteries, and the great and beautiful of the earth stand around him, with Banghurst massed mo
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The War in the Air

The War in the Air

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

The first three chapters of The War in the Air relate details of the life of Bert Smallways and his extended family in Bun Hill – a (fictional) former Kentish village which had become a London suburb within living memory (in many ways similar to Bromley where Wells was born). The story begins with Bert\'s brother Tom, a stolid greengrocer who views technological progress with suspicion and apprehension (which would turn out to be all too well founded) and their aged father, who recalls with longing the time when Bun Hill was a quiet village and he had driven the local squire\'s carriage. However, the story soon focuses on Bert who is an unimpressive, not particularly gifted, unsuccessful young man with few ideas about larger things – but far from unintelligent. He has a strong attachment to a young woman named Edna, and works as a helper and later a partner in a bicycle shop. When bankruptcy threatens one summer, he and his partner abandon the shop, devise a singing act ("the Desert Dervishes"), and resolve to try their fortunes in English sea resorts. As chance would have, their initial performance is interrupted by a balloon which lands on the beach before them, and which turns out to contain one Mr. Butteridge. Butteridge is famous for his successful invention of an easily manoeuvrable fixed-wing aircraft whose secret he has not revealed and that he is seeking to sell to the British government or, failing that, to Germany. Prior to Butteridge, nobody had succeeded in producing a practical heavier-than-air machine, only a few awkward devices of limited utility such as the German "Drachenflieger", which had to be towed aloft and released from an airship. Butteridge\'s invention is a major breakthrough, as it is highly manoeuvrable, capable of both very fast and very slow flight, and requires only a small area to take off and land, reminiscent of the later autogyro. By accident Bert is carried off in Butteridge\'s balloon, and discovers Butteridge\'s secret plans on board it. Bert is clever enough to appraise his situation, and when the balloon is shot down in a secret German "aeronautic park east of Hamburg," Bert intends to pass himself off as Butteridge to sell the secret. However, he has stumbled upon the German air fleet just as it is about to launch a surprise attack on the United States - and Prince Karl Albert, the author and leader of this plan, decides to take him along for the campaign. The Prince, world-famous as "The German Alexander" or Napoleon, is a living manifestation of German Nationalism and boundless imperial ambitions, his personality as depicted by Wells in some ways resembling that of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Bert\'s disguise is soon seen through by the Germans, and – narrowly avoiding being summarily thrown overboard by the furious Prince – he is relegated to the role of a witness to the true horror of war.
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The Sleeper Awakes

The Sleeper Awakes

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

The story of a man who sleeps for two hundred and three years and wakes up in a completely transformed London. Because of compound interest on his bank accounts, this man has become the richest individual in the world. A fanatic socialist and author of prophetic writings, the main character awakes to see his dreams realized, and the future revealed to him in all its dystopian horror.
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  • 223
Tono-Bungay

Tono-Bungay

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

This anthology is a thorough introduction to classic literature for those who have not yet experienced these literary masterworks. For those who have known and loved these works in the past, this is an invitation to reunite with old friends in a fresh new format. From Shakespeare s finesse to Oscar Wilde s wit, this unique collection brings together works as diverse and influential as The Pilgrim s Progress and Othello. As an anthology that invites readers to immerse themselves in the masterpieces of the literary giants, it is must-have addition to any library.
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  • 291
The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents

The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents by the English author H. G. Wells is a collection of fantasy and science fiction short stories. From the author of some of the worlds greatest tales including \'War of the worlds\' and \'Time machine\' comes this new edition of an old classic, a great addition to the collection. Any profits from the sale of this book will go towards the Freeriver Community project, a project that aims to promote peace and well-being in the world. To learn more about the Freeriver Community project please visit the website - www.freerivercommunity.com
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  • 971
The Onslaught from Rigel

The Onslaught from Rigel

Fletcher Pratt

History / Science Fiction & Fantasy

This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.
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  • 789
The First Men in the Moon

The First Men in the Moon

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

The novel tells the story of a journey to the moon by the impecunious businessman Mr Bedford and the brilliant but eccentric scientist Dr Cavor. On arrival, Bedford and Cavor find the moon inhabited by a race of moon-folk the two call "Selenites." The novel can also be read as a critique of prevailing political opinions from the turn of the century, particularly of imperialism.
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  • 884
In the Days of the Comet

In the Days of the Comet

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

H. G. Wells, in his 1906 In the Days of the Comet uses the vapors of a comet to trigger a deep and lasting change in humanity\'s perspective on themselves and the world. In the build-up to a great war, poor student William Leadford struggles against the harsh conditions the lower-class live under. He also falls in love with a middle-class girl named Nettie. But when he discovers that Nettie has eloped with a man of upper-class standing, William struggles with the betrayal, and in the disorder of his own mind decides to buy a revolver and kill them both. All through this a large comet lights the night sky with a green glow, bright enough that the street lamps are left unlit.
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The Plattner Story, and Others

The Plattner Story, and Others

H. G. Wells

Literature & Fiction / Science Fiction & Fantasy / History

Whether the story of Gottfried Plattner is to be credited or not, is a pretty question in the value of evidence. On the one hand, we have seven witnesses—to be perfectly exact, we have six and a half pairs of eyes, and one undeniable fact; and on the other we have—what is it?—prejudice, common sense, the inertia of opinion. Never were there seven more honest-seeming witnesses; never was there a more undeniable fact than the inversion of Gottfried Plattner’s anatomical structure, and—never was there a more preposterous story than the one they have to tell! The most preposterous part of the story is the worthy Gottfried’s contribution (for I count him as one of the seven). Heaven forbid that I should be led into giving countenance to superstition by a passion for impartiality, and so come to share the fate of Eusapia’s patrons! Frankly, I believe there is something crooked about this business of Gottfried Plattner; but what that crooked factor is, I will admit as frankly, I do not know. I have been surprised at the credit accorded to the story in the[2] most unexpected and authoritative quarters. The fairest way to the reader, however, will be for me to tell it without further comment.
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  • 666
Gun for Hire

Gun for Hire

Paul Ernst

Historical Fiction / Mystery & Thrillers / History

Gun for Hire is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Mack Reynolds is in the English language, and may not include graphics or images from the original edition. If you enjoy the works of Mack Reynolds then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection.
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  • 445
Remember the Alamo!

Remember the Alamo!

T. R. Fehrenbach

History / Nonfiction / Military History

Remember the Alamo! is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by T. R. Fehrenbach is in the English language, and may not include graphics or images from the original edition. If you enjoy the works of T. R. Fehrenbach then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection.
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  • 341
Weak on Square Roots

Weak on Square Roots

Russell Burton

History / Religion & Spirituality

Weak on Square Roots is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Russell Burton is in the English language, and may not include graphics or images from the original edition. If you enjoy the works of Russell Burton then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection.
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  • 407
The Radiant Shell

The Radiant Shell

Paul Ernst

Historical Fiction / Mystery & Thrillers / History

The Radiant Shell is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Paul Ernst is in the English language, and may not include graphics or images from the original edition. If you enjoy the works of Paul Ernst then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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