Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, is a peaceful sort of  cozy hole in the Shire, a place where adventures  are uncommon and rather unwanted. So when the  wizard Gandalf whisks him away on a treasure hunting  expedition with a troop of rowdy dwarves, he's...  more

Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, is a peaceful sort of  cozy hole in the Shire, a place where adventures  are uncommon and rather unwanted. So when the  wizard Gandalf whisks him away on a treasure hunting  expedition with a troop of rowdy dwarves, he's not  entirely thrilled. Encountering ruthless trolls,  beastly orcs, gigantic spiders, and hungry wolves,  Bilbo discovers within himself astonishing strength  and courage. And at the ultimate confrontation  with the fearsome dragon Smaug, the hobbit will brave  the dangers of dark and dragon fire alone and  unaided. Brilliantly conceived to evoke Tolkien's  richly imagined Middle Earth, this production features  an original score written for Renaissance era  instruments outstanding ensemble acting by the best  performers available to the BBC and innovative sound  techniques designed to present a hobbit's eye view  of Bilbo's adventures. A fitting tribute to the  centenary of J.R Tolkien's birth. The Hobbit will  captivate longtime fans and the newly initiated  alike.

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing...  more

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

When Zane shot Death, he learned, too late, that he would have to assume his place, speeding over the world riding his pale horse, and ending the lives of others. Sooner than he would have thought possible, Zane found himself being drawn to Satan's plot. Already the Prince of Evil was forging a...  more

When Zane shot Death, he learned, too late, that he would have to assume his place, speeding over the world riding his pale horse, and ending the lives of others. Sooner than he would have thought possible, Zane found himself being drawn to Satan's plot. Already the Prince of Evil was forging a trap in which Zane must act to destroy Luna, the woman he loved...unless he could discover the only way out....The first novel of the INCARNATIONS OF IMMORATLITY series.

Twenty-five years ago, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks wrote a novel that brought to life a dazzling world that would become one of the most popular fantasy epics of all time, beloved by millions of fans around the world. Ten more Shannara books would follow. Now, for the first...  more

Twenty-five years ago, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks wrote a novel that brought to life a dazzling world that would become one of the most popular fantasy epics of all time, beloved by millions of fans around the world. Ten more Shannara books would follow. Now, for the first time in one elegant collector’s edition hardcover, and featuring an introduction by the author, here are the first three novels of that classic series: The Sword of Shannara, The Elfstones of Shannara, and The Wishsong of Shannara -- the beginning of a phenomenal epic of good and evil. The Sword of Shannara Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races. The Elfstones of Shannara The magical Ellcrys tree is dying, loosening the spell that bars the Demons from enacting vengeance upon the land. Now Wil Ohmsford must guard the Elven girl Amberle on a perilous quest as she carries one of the Ellcrys’ seeds to a mysterious place where it can be quickened into a powerful new force. But dark on their trail comes the Reaper, most fearsome of all Demons, aiming to crush their mission at any cost. The Wishsong of Shannara An ancient Evil is stirring to new life, sending its ghastly Mord Wraiths to destroy Mankind. To win through the vile growth that protects this dark force, the Druid Allanon needs Brin Ohmsford -- for she alone holds the magic power of the wishsong. Reluctantly Brin joins the Druid on his dangerous journey. But a prophecy foretells doom, as Evil nurses its plans to trap the unsuspecting Brin into a fate far more horrible than death. Thus begins Terry Brooks’s thrilling Shannara epic, an unforgettable tale of adventure, magic, and myth.

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen's rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw...  more

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen's rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins. For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, surviving cadre mage of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze. However, it would appear that the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand . . . Conceived and written on a panoramic scale, Gardens of the Moon is epic fantasy of the highest order -- an enthralling adventure by an outstanding new voice.

Pug and Tomas are two kitchen boys who dream of being heroes one day in the medieval fantasy world of Midkemia. But as the boys start on the path to manhood and begin their apprenticeships to their respective masters, they one day stumble upon a strange shipwreck and learn that invaders from a...  more

Pug and Tomas are two kitchen boys who dream of being heroes one day in the medieval fantasy world of Midkemia. But as the boys start on the path to manhood and begin their apprenticeships to their respective masters, they one day stumble upon a strange shipwreck and learn that invaders from a strange and distant world have found a way to invade Midkemia through portals known as "rifts" and are preparing for a full scale assault. As Tomas learns to be a soldier and Pug studies the path of a magician, both boys find themselves growing into the heroes they had hoped to become - but growing apart as the effects of the Riftwar change both of their lives forever.

As this epic trilogy reaches its unforgettable conclusion, young FitzChivalry faces his toughest opponent ever: himself. Embittered and broken, his body reclaimed from the grave and his spirit from the care of his bond-wolf Nighteyes, Fitz awakens to a world where everything he once held dear is...  more

As this epic trilogy reaches its unforgettable conclusion, young FitzChivalry faces his toughest opponent ever: himself. Embittered and broken, his body reclaimed from the grave and his spirit from the care of his bond-wolf Nighteyes, Fitz awakens to a world where everything he once held dear is in ruins. King Shrewd is dead; Prince Regal has claimed the throne and rules the kingdom with a cruel and selfish negligence. Molly has deserted him for parts unknown. Queen Kettricken and her unborn child have fled to the mountains with the Fool, Verity is lost seeking the elusive Elderlings, and Fitz's presumed death forever bars him from Buckkeep. The only companions he had left in his solitude are Chade and Burrich, who wrestle him reluctantly back to humanity after his sojourn in Nighteyes' mind.But angry with the lot Fate has cast him, Fitz drives away even these loyal companions, and for the first time faces his life on his own, without anyone to guide or lead him. And what he most desires is revenge against Regal, for everything the usurper has cost him. So, preparing his assassin's kit, he sets out for Regal's new capital at Tradeford, determined to murder the treacherous "king." Without guidance, though, he botches the attempt, and an urgent sending by Verity to save him leaves Fitz imprinted with the burning imperative to find and aid his true king in his quest to aid the land.Eventually fighting his way through to the mountains, he rejoins Kettricken and the Fool in a quest for Verity--and there in the Skill-shadowed hills, he discovers an ancient power and a mysterious riddle, whose answer may well change the fate of the Six Duchies forever....

Robin Hobb's acclaimed Farseer trilogy--Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin's Quest--wove a spellbinding tale of magic, passion, and glory.  Now, in the first book of a new trilogy set in the same world, she tells the magnificent story of a proud seafaring clan and the...  more

Robin Hobb's acclaimed Farseer trilogy--Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin's Quest--wove a spellbinding tale of magic, passion, and glory.  Now, in the first book of a new trilogy set in the same world, she tells the magnificent story of a proud seafaring clan and the enchanted ships that carry them on far-flung, ferocious tides....Not far from the Six Duchies lies Bingtown, hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships--rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness.  Bingtown's Old Traders, their wealth eroded by northern wars and the rapacity of southern pirates, now face an influx of upstart merchants who bring change to a complex society.The Vestrit family's only hope of renewed prosperity is the Vivacia, a liveship they have nurtured for three generations.  Now, as old Captain Vestrit lies dying in Bingtown, the Vivacia cuts homeward through the waves, about to quicken into a living being.  The ship carries Vestrit's daughter Althea and the conniving son-in-law he has named as the Vivacia's next captain.But lovely, wild-spirited Althea, sailing the Vivacia with her father since childhood and sharing its half-awakened memories and ocean secrets, has bonded with the ship in her deepest soul.  Joined by Brashen--her father's first mate, now demoted by the Vivacia's new commander--she will stop at nothing in a bitter quest to claim its captaincy.Meanwhile, in the rocky cays known as the Pirate Isles, a ruthless man lusts after his own kind of power.  The pirate captain Kennit, in his scheme to be king of this outlaw realm, has vowed that he will wrest a liveship from its owners and turn it to his own use.  His twisted ambition will bring him into a strange partnership with a boy-priest turned seaman--and into violent conflict with the wizardwood magic of Althea and Brashen.From the peculiar magic realm of the Others to the bawdy, raucous lair of the pirates, Ship of Magic sweeps a dazzling cast of characters into an epic of terrible beauty and mysterious sorcery.

RETURN OF THE DEATHWALKERFrom the timeless, magical, and merciless Drenai realm--evoked so unforgettably in David Gemmell's international bestseller Legend--comes a new tale of power and passion, of a man born to kill, and destined for greatness . . .He was called Druss. Captain of the ax. The...  more

RETURN OF THE DEATHWALKERFrom the timeless, magical, and merciless Drenai realm--evoked so unforgettably in David Gemmell's international bestseller Legend--comes a new tale of power and passion, of a man born to kill, and destined for greatness . . .He was called Druss. Captain of the ax. The Deathwalker. Though the blood of merciless butchers coursed through his veins and made him an outcast among men, Druss had finally found a fragile peace through his love for beautiful, mystical Rowena. In their small village on the edge of the Drenai land, the young married couple lived a simple life . . . until the day Druss returned from the forest to find everyone dead, massacred by slavers who had stolen the young women to sell for gold, Rowena among them.Armed only with his family's deadly heirloom, a darkly powerful double-bladed ax called Snaga, Druss went after Rowena. His journey would carry him to strange kingdoms, from the highest thrones of power to the deepest dungeons of depravity. Along the way, he would win empires and nearly lose his mind, battle savage monsters and descend into terrifying lands of black magic and demons. Yet one thing was certain, Druss would have victory . . . or death.

Twilight has fallen upon the Three Kingdoms: a grey time that could foretell either dawn or descent into bitter night. Richard Cypher, woodsman and warrior, is chosen to bear the powerful Sword of Truth, but his enemy, Darken Rahl, is a royal mage who commands armies, hideous beasts and -- more...  more

Twilight has fallen upon the Three Kingdoms: a grey time that could foretell either dawn or descent into bitter night. Richard Cypher, woodsman and warrior, is chosen to bear the powerful Sword of Truth, but his enemy, Darken Rahl, is a royal mage who commands armies, hideous beasts and -- more terrible by far -- a twisted magic.

In the peaceful land of Osten Ard, the good king is dying -- and a long-dreaded evil is about to be unleashed. Only Simon, a lowly castle scullion apprenticed to a secret order dedicated to halting the coming darkness, can solve the dangerous riddle that offers salvation to the land. His...  more

In the peaceful land of Osten Ard, the good king is dying -- and a long-dreaded evil is about to be unleashed. Only Simon, a lowly castle scullion apprenticed to a secret order dedicated to halting the coming darkness, can solve the dangerous riddle that offers salvation to the land. His dreams of great deeds and heroic wars come all too shockingly true when his world is torn apart by a terrifying civil war fueled by ancient hatreds, immortal enemies, and the dark powers of sorcery.

Sorcery and those who practice it have been exterminated from the Four Realms, their memory used only to frighten children. To be accused of associating with a suspected sorcerer means death or worse. Seri has adapted to her harsh exile, seeing herself well rid of her noble family’s...  more

Sorcery and those who practice it have been exterminated from the Four Realms, their memory used only to frighten children. To be accused of associating with a suspected sorcerer means death or worse. Seri has adapted to her harsh exile, seeing herself well rid of her noble family’s intrigues and the cruel politics of power. But her bitter peace collapses when she shelters a fugitive – a man incapable of speech, yet skilled at violence and quite possibly mad. Only a journey of anguished memory and ancient riddles can unravel the mysteries of his identity, his mission, and her own soul. And those responsible for his condition lie hidden, awaiting the apocalypse.  

The first book of the saga of The Runelords The very Earth is in pain. Its wounds must be healed. There must arise a new king: the Earth King must be reborn. Only then will humanity have a chance to survive.

As unwanted and rebellious boys, they find refuge in Ironhall ... Years later they emerge as the finest swordsmen in the realm -- A magical ritual of a sword through the heart binds each to his ward -- if not the king himself, then to whomever else the monarch designates -- with absolute...  more

As unwanted and rebellious boys, they find refuge in Ironhall ... Years later they emerge as the finest swordsmen in the realm -- A magical ritual of a sword through the heart binds each to his ward -- if not the king himself, then to whomever else the monarch designates -- with absolute loyalty. And the greatest Blade of them all was -- and is -- Sir Durendal. But a lifelong dream of protecting his beloved liege from enemies, traitors, and monsters is dashed to bits when Durendal is bonded till death to an effete noble fop at his king's orders. Yet Destiny has many strange and inscrutable plans for the young knight -- for a mission, a contest, and, perhaps, a treasure await him in a faraway land. But he soon finds himself enmeshed in treason and foul intrigues, compelled to betray the king he had hoped to serve. The Blades have ways to protect their own, but death and madness haunt the path to salvation -- and few ever return unscathed.

Seventeen years ago Stenwold witnessed the Wasp Empire storming the city of Myna in a brutal war of conquest. Since then he has preached vainly against this threat in his home city of Collegium, but now the Empire is on the march, with its spies and its armies everywhere, and the Lowlands lie...  more

Seventeen years ago Stenwold witnessed the Wasp Empire storming the city of Myna in a brutal war of conquest. Since then he has preached vainly against this threat in his home city of Collegium, but now the Empire is on the march, with its spies and its armies everywhere, and the Lowlands lie directly in its path. All the while, Stenwold has been training youthful agents to fight the Wasp advance, and the latest recruits include his niece, Che, and his mysterious ward, Tynisa. When his home is violently attacked, he is forced to send them ahead of him and, hotly pursued, they fly by airship to Helleron, the first city in line for the latest Wasp invasion.Stenwold and Che are Beetle-kinden, one of many human races that take their powers and inspiration each from a totem insect, but he also has allies of many breeds: Mantis, Spider, Ant, with their own particular skills. Foremost is the deadly Mantis-kinden warrior, Tisamon, but other very unlikely allies also join the cause. As things go from bad to worse amid escalating dangers, Stenwold learns that the Wasps intend to use the newly completed railroad between Helleron and Collegium to launch a lightning strike into the heart of the Lowlands. Then he gathers all of his agents to force a final showdown in the engine yard ...

Gont, the island famous for wizards ... Ged, the young wizard of the isles ... In his day Ged, called Sparrowhawk, became both dragonlord and Archmage. His story is told in many songs, but this is the haunting tale of a proud, lonely boy in the time before his fame. It is a tale of wizards,...  more

Gont, the island famous for wizards ... Ged, the young wizard of the isles ... In his day Ged, called Sparrowhawk, became both dragonlord and Archmage. His story is told in many songs, but this is the haunting tale of a proud, lonely boy in the time before his fame. It is a tale of wizards, dragons and shadows played out in Earthsea, a world of nunberless islands and vast oceans where mages, looking for adventure, wandered, working magic.

When the two-hundred year war between the kingdoms of Vania and Landsing ended the Landsingers were left in triumphant possession of Vania's rich coal and coast territories. When young King Troven assumed the throne of Vania thirty years later, he was determined to restore her greatness, not...  more

When the two-hundred year war between the kingdoms of Vania and Landsing ended the Landsingers were left in triumphant possession of Vania's rich coal and coast territories. When young King Troven assumed the throne of Vania thirty years later, he was determined to restore her greatness, not through waging another assault upon their traditional enemies, but by looking in the opposite direction and colonising the wild plains and steppes to their east. Over the next twenty years, cavalry forces manage to subdue the rolling plains formerly wasted on nomadic herders and tribesmen.Troven's campaign restores the pride of the Varnian military and to reward them, Troven creates a new nobility that is extremely loyal to their monarch. Beyond the grasslands lies the current frontier of Varnia, the heavily forested Barrier Mountains, home to enigmatic Specks: a dappled, forest dwelling people, unable to tolerate the heat and full sunlight of the plains. The new settlers find the Specks slightly dim-witted and overly placid, and yet strangely difficult to control. There are tales that they are 'blood-drinkers' and their nature worship of ancestral trees has presented difficulties for those who wish to harvest the forest's exotic timber. They also harbour strange diseases, ones that cause the Specks little more than a week or two of discomfort but which frequently kills those settlers and soldiers who fall victim to it. For that reason, prolonged contact, and especially intimate contact with the Specks is judged both fool-hardy and disgusting. Nevare Gerar is the second son of one of King Troven's new lords. Following in his father's footsteps, a commission as a cavalry officer at the frontier and an advantageous marriage await him, once he has completed his training at the King's Cavalry Academy.