Specter Files (A Novella)


Book Description

While attacking a monster in a dark, evil night, super-commandos reach the Arizona jungles where they find a Specter Files box that contains fifteen files of horror cases. After studying all the files, the super-commandos continue to visit various incredible, terrifying, and life-threatening strange worlds to destroy those worlds and the hair-raising creatures, specters, and demons ... to protect Earth. While the super-commandos are busy destroying the mysterious horror worlds, some evils enter Earth to become rulers of the world. Many vampires that died thousands of years ago awake through the energy of the dark, evil night. During this destructive and horrifying period, many innocent people die, and countries collapse. The most horrifying concern for our planet is ... Will the super-commandos succeed in destroying terrorizing worlds and their terrifying evils? Or will they die outside Earth somewhere in a horror world? Specter Files is a horror, dark fantasy novella about five super-commandos who risk their lives to protect humanity by solving fifteen horror cases.




Specter of the Past: Star Wars Legends (The Hand of Thrawn)


Book Description

Hugo Award-winning author Timothy Zahn makes his triumphant return to the Star Wars(r) universe in this first of an epic new two-volume series in which the New Republic must face its most dangerous enemy yet--a dead Imperial warlord. The Empire stands at the brink of total collapse. But they have saved their most heinous plan for last. First a plot is hatched that could destroy the New Republic in a bloodbath of genocide and civil war. Then comes the shocking news that Grand Admiral Thrawn--the most cunning and ruthless warlord in history--has apparently returned from the dead to lead the Empire to a long-prophesied victory. Facing incredible odds, Han and Leia begin a desperate race against time to prevent the New Republic from unraveling in the face of two inexplicable threats--one from within and one from without. Meanwhile, Luke teams up with Mara Jade, using the Force to track down a mysterious pirate ship with a crew of clones. Yet, perhaps most dangerous of all, are those who lurk in the shadows, orchestrating a dark plan that will turn the New Republic and the Empire into their playthings.




Spectre


Book Description

Retired and happily in love, Kirk believes his adventuring days are over. But as he returns to Earth for the first time since his apparent "death" upon the Enterprise-B, events elsewhere in the galaxy set in motion a mystery that may provide Kirk with his greatest challenge yet. The Enterprise-E, under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, is exploring an unstable region of space on a scientific mission of vital concern to Starfleet when they discover the last thing they ever expected to find: a lonely, battle-scarred vessel that is instantly recognizable to every member of Picard's crew. Five years after being lost with all hands in the Delta Quadrant, the Starship Voyager has come home! The commander of Voyager, one Tom Paris, explains that Captain Kathryn Janeway and half of the original crew is dead, but if that is true, who is the mysterious woman who has kidnapped Kirk back on Earth, pleading with him to assist her against a threat to the entire Federation? All is not as it seems, and soon Kirk is forced to confront the hideous consequences of actions taken more than a hundred years prior, as well as his own inner doubts. After years of quiet and isolation, does he still have what it takes to put things right-and join with Captain Picard to save the lives of everyone aboard a brand-new Enterprise? An unforgettable saga peopled by old friends and ancient enemies, Star Trek: Spectre propels Kirk on a journey of self-discovery every bit as harrowing as the cataclysmic new adventure that awaits him.




Eagle Against the Sun


Book Description

“The best book by far on the Pacific War” (The New York Times Book Review), this classic one-volume history of World War II in the Pacific draws on declassified intelligence files; British, American, and Japanese archival material; and military memoirs to provide a stunning and complete history of the conflict. This “superbly readable, insightful, gripping” (Washington Post Book World) contribution to WWII history combines impeccable research with electrifying detail and offers provocative interpretations of this brutal forty-four-month struggle. Author and historian Ronald H. Spector reassesses US and Japanese strategy and shows that the dual advance across the Pacific by MacArthur and Nimitz was more a pragmatic solution to bureaucratic, doctrinal, and public relations problems facing the Army and Navy than a strategic calculation. He also argues that Japan made its fatal error not in the Midway campaign but in abandoning its offensive strategy after that defeat and allowing itself to be drawn into a war of attrition. Spector skillfully takes us from top-secret strategy meetings in Washington, London, and Tokyo to distant beaches and remote Asian jungles with battle-weary GIs. He reveals that the US had secret plans to wage unrestricted submarine warfare against Japan months before Pearl Harbor and shows that MacArthur and his commanders ignored important intercepts of Japanese messages that would have saved thousands of lives in Papua and Leyte. Throughout, Spector contends that American decisions in the Pacific War were shaped more often by the struggles between the British and the Americans, and between the Army and the Navy, than by strategic considerations. Spector vividly recreates the major battles, little-known campaigns, and unfamiliar events leading up to the deadliest air raid ever, adding a new dimension to our understanding of the American war in the Pacific and the people and forces that determined its outcome.




Grave Peril


Book Description

After Chicago's ghost population starts going seriously postal, resident wizard Harry Dresden much figure out who is stirring them up and why they all seem to be somehow connected to him.




Spectre Rising


Book Description

"After a combat incident in Iraq, Cal "Spectre" Martin was grounded and told he would never fly an F-16 again. Years later, he started a new civilian life with his F-16 pilot fiancee while being haunted by the nightmares of his last deployment. But when she goes missing on a routine training mission off the South Florida coast, Spectre unwillingly finds himself thrust back onto the frontlines of the war on terror - this time, not in the skies over Iraq, but on the streets of Miami. While searching for answers, Spectre uncovers a deadly international conspiracy that shakes his beliefs to the core and threatens national security. The stakes have never been higher as Spectre rises to overcome his inner demons, challenge his friendships, and take to the skies once again in a daring final mission"--Back cover.




Boondocks: An Asian Evil Apocalyptic Thriller


Book Description

They believe it is only about defeat and escape. Little do they know; it is something more than that. It is about the rise of the dead and the world’s destruction. Lost in the desert of Rajasthan, India, Rahul and Elisa learn the truth about a wicked wizard named Dansh and some enchanters performing resurrection rituals. Though they try to stop him, Dansh knows black magic and they find him a challenging adversary. Even worse than him, Rahul and Elisa soon discover that the churel named Dali has returned. Soon, the King of the Underworld, an immortal rakshasa named Sekiada, will make his way to the earth with the force of his thousands of fallen angels to conquer the world. Rahul and Elisa must find a way to stop them and save humanity. Terror inflames the nation. The country’s best commando, Aarav Singh, and the best local police officer, Arjun Rawat, reach the city’s border near the desert with the force of gifted soldiers to commence battle against evil. They turn the border into a battlefield to prevent the demons from entering the city. The apocalypse is struggling to reach its highest peak as the Asian evils slowly spread across the nation: churels, rakshasas, pishachas, daayans, shaitans, and many more hair-raising bloodshed lovers. Rahul must find a way to murder the immortals: the wicked wizard, the king of the Underworld, and the strongest churel of all time, and Elisa must gather her own courage to battle the demons, especially one of the immortals, to prove women are not weak. Welcome to the world of horror, where the characters play games of deceit and betrayal to achieve their goals, and the demons enjoy slaughtering the humans. The end is near. Or it’s just the beginning!? Dare to witness the apocalypse, but only if you are comfortable with bloodbath and barbarity.




The Asset: A Lance Spector Thriller


Book Description

Montana, USAWhen Lance Spector quit the CIA, he never looked back.The backstabbing, the killing, the cold-blooded murder.He swore, if he had to swallow one more government lie, he was going to lose it.He couldn't eat, he couldn't sleep. Years of service had left him with nothing, and no one.Washington, Langley, the Pentagon, the whole rotten swamp could go to hell as far as he was concerned.Yekaterinburg, RussiaA Russian expedition to the heart of the tundra returned with a devastating new pathogen, harvested from the corpses of long-dead mammoths.It was the biological super-weapon they'd been looking for, an apocalypse-level pathogen, a virus more deadly than anything ever to come out of a Russian lab.It would stop NATO and the Americans in their tracks.A Biological Chernobyl.Strong enough to win a war.Washington DC, USAA mysterious vial, sealed in a titanium case, arrived at CIA headquarters. They had no idea who'd sent it, but it came with a message."I will only speak to Lance Spector."The Asset by Saul Herzog is a stunning new thriller, a spectacular tour de force, a book that has single-handedly taken the publishing industry, and Hollywood rights departments, by storm. This dazzling debut kicks off the jaw-dropping new Lance Spector series, and sets the stage for a franchise that's on track to break all records. From the mind of one of the most creative and versatile writers working in America today, this book will go down as a classic of the spy thriller genre.If you read only one book this year, this is it. Action, adventure, rebellion, provocative foreign agents, characters you can sink your teeth into. If you're looking for a new spy thriller series that will stay with you long after you turn the last page, look no further.Recommended for fans of Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp, Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne, and Brad Thor's Scot Harvath.




The Monster Hunter Files


Book Description

For well over a century, Monster Hunter International has kept the world safe from supernatural threats small and large—and in some cases very, very large. Now, join us as MHI opens their archives for the first time. From experienced Hunters on their toughest cases, to total newbies' initial encounters with the supernatural, The Monster Hunter Files reveals the secret history of the world's most elite monster fighting force. Discover what happened when Agent Franks took on the Nazis in World War Two. Uncover how the Vatican’s Combat Exorcists deal with Old Ones in Mexico. And find out exactly what takes place in a turf war between trailer park elves and gnomes. From the most powerful of mystical beings to MHI’s humble janitor, see the world of professional monster hunting like never before. Featuring seventeen all new tales based on Larry Correia’s bestselling series, from New York Timesbest-selling authors Jim Butcher, John Ringo, Jessica Day George, Jonathan Maberry, Faith Hunter, and many more. Contributors: Larry Correia Jim Butcher Mike Kupari Jessica Day George John C. Wright Maurice Broaddus Brad R. Torgersen Faith Hunter Jody Lynn Nye Quincy J. Allen Alex Shvartsman Kim May Steve Diamond John Ringo Bryan Thomas Schmidt & Julie C. Frost Sarah A. Hoyt Jonathan Maberry About Larry Correia and the Monster Hunter International series: “[E]verything I like in fantasy: intense action scenes, evil in horrifying array, good struggling against the darkness, and most of all people—gorgeously flawed human beings faced with horrible moral choices that force them to question and change and grow.”—Jim Butcher “[A] no-holds-barred all-out page turner that is part science fiction, part horror, and an absolute blast to read.”—Bookreporter.com “If you love monsters and action, you’ll love this book. If you love guns, you’ll love this book. If you love fantasy, and especially horror fantasy, you’ll love this book.”—Knotclan.com “A gun person who likes science fiction—or, heck, anyone who likes science fiction—will enjoy [these books] . . . The plotting is excellent, and Correia makes you care about the characters . . . I read both books without putting them down except for work . . . so whaddaya waitin’ for? Go and buy some . . . for yourself and for stocking stuffers.”—Massad Ayoob “This lighthearted, testosterone-soaked sequel to 2009's Monster Hunter International will delight fans of action horror with elaborate weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, disgusting monsters, and an endless stream of blood and body parts.”—Publishers Weekly on Monster Hunter Vendetta About Mission: Tomorrow, edited by Bryan Thomas Schmidt: “This themed anthology . . . will appeal to a wide range of readers, who will appreciate the diversity of stories . . . a solid introduction to a classic genre.”—Kirkus “Editor Schmidt adds grandmasters to a mix of newer established names and balances the tragic with the humorous.”—Publishers Weekly About Shattered Shields, edited by Jennifer Brozek and Bryan Thomas Schmidt: “In this well-built anthology, seventeen original stories cut to the heart of military fantasy, diving directly into the most exciting moments of dramatic bravery, grand battles, and life-changing heroism. . . . Readers who prefer to cut straight to the action, but want more depth than pure hack-and-slash, will find these offerings appealing.”—Publishers Weekly “An inventive and thought-provoking set of tales that capture the bravery and terrors of battle. Carries the banner of military fantasy proudly.”—John Marco, author of The Bronze Knight Series About The Raygun Chronicles, edited by Bryan Thomas Schmidt: “Fans of sf should enjoy this stylistically varied homage to a genre as old as the fiction . . . ”—Library Journal The Monster Hunter Memoirs series by Larry Correia and John Ringo: Monster Hunter Memoirs: Grunge Monster Hunter Memoirs: Sinners The Monster Hunter series by Larry Correia: Monster Hunter International Monster Hunter Vendetta Monster Hunter Alpha Monster Hunter Legion Monster Hunter Nemesis




Data Manipulation with R


Book Description

This book presents a wide array of methods applicable for reading data into R, and efficiently manipulating that data. In addition to the built-in functions, a number of readily available packages from CRAN (the Comprehensive R Archive Network) are also covered. All of the methods presented take advantage of the core features of R: vectorization, efficient use of subscripting, and the proper use of the varied functions in R that are provided for common data management tasks. Most experienced R users discover that, especially when working with large data sets, it may be helpful to use other programs, notably databases, in conjunction with R. Accordingly, the use of databases in R is covered in detail, along with methods for extracting data from spreadsheets and datasets created by other programs. Character manipulation, while sometimes overlooked within R, is also covered in detail, allowing problems that are traditionally solved by scripting languages to be carried out entirely within R. For users with experience in other languages, guidelines for the effective use of programming constructs like loops are provided. Since many statistical modeling and graphics functions need their data presented in a data frame, techniques for converting the output of commonly used functions to data frames are provided throughout the book.