Thieves' World: First Blood


Book Description

Contains all of the stories of the first two Thieves' World anthologies (Thieves' World and Tales of the Vulgar Unicorn), with additional material. Return to the Olden Days of Sanctuary! Sanctuary, a seedy, backwater town governed by evil forces, powerful magic, and political intrigue See how Thieves' World all began! Classic stories by: Robert Lynn Asprin Lynn Abbey Poul Anderson Marion Zimmer Bradley John Brunner David Drake Philip Jose Farmer Joe Haldeman Janet Morris Andrew J. Offutt A. E.van Vogt At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.




Blood Ties


Book Description

A ruined city rebuilds in the ninth entry of this shared-world fantasy series. Hakiem, storyteller and adviser, surveys the city of Sanctuary from a palace window and is heartbroken by what he sees. The city of outlaws and adventurers now lies in shambles, ravaged by war, plague, riots, and magical destruction, and many citizens are dead or wounded. Hakiem is not the only one thinking of leaving . . . Now, without gods or magic, the people of Sanctuary face the task of rebuilding their homes and their lives. It will be their toughest struggle for survival yet. Featuring stories from some of fantasy’s best authors, including Robert Lynn Asprin, Diana L. Paxson, Janet and Chris Morris, Robin W. Bailey, C. J. Cherryh, Diane Duane, Lynn Abbey, and Andrew and Jodie Offutt.




Thieves' World


Book Description

Azehur, Firaqa, the Rankan Empire, the Kingdoms of Ilsig and more have resonated in the stories and deeds of the famous heroes and villains of Sanctuary. The Thieves' World Gazetteer presents all new information on the world of Sanctuary, expanding the focus to reveal the peoples and places in the Known World. From the Cold Lands in the northeast to the Gate of the East, Mrsevada, the Thieves' World Gazetteer is packed full of information. In addition, this volume includes extensive details on the gods of Thieves' World, a comprehensive history, and a discussion on the cosmology and planes, along with a slew of new cultures, backgrounds, and other supplementary information. With the Thieves' World Gazetteer, Sanctuary is just the beginning of a larger world of adventure!




The Thieves of Blood


Book Description

Discover the dark world of Eberron as one assassin-turned-cleric searches for peace in a land that knows only blood Diran Bastiaan was once one of the most feared assassins in the land—one of the best money could buy. But after a life-altering spiritual experience, he has turned his back on murder, seeking the life of a wandering priest of the Silver Flame. All he wants is peace. But in a rough port town on the edge of the world, his past is about to catch up to him—and killing may be his only hope. When raiders known as the Black Fleet hit the town, capturing Diran’s former lover, he must risk everything to save her. Accompanied by a half-orc fighter named Ghaji, he races against the clock, knowing time is quickly running out. For these are no ordinary pirates bent on plunder, but minions of Erdis Cai, a warlord and servant of the Blood of Vol . . .




The Face of Chaos


Book Description

War looms over Sanctuary in the fifth Thieves’ World® anthology compiled by the New York Times–bestselling author of the Phule’s Company series. The invasion by the Beysibs, an amphibious humanoid race, brings unusual prosperity to the city of Sanctuary. But underneath the glittering façade lies a ticking time bomb, for the nefarious residents of Sanctuary don’t take kindly to an invasion—well-meaning or otherwise . . . Join Janet Morris, C. J. Cherryh, Robert Lynn Asprin, Lynn Abbey, David Drake, and Diana L. Paxson as their stories unravel the fates of Sanctuary’s favorite liars, thieves, assassins, and warriors. “Abbey . . . understands Sanctuary and its characters. She also knows how to write a short story with a strong main character, a riveting plot that contains twists and turns, and a satisfying resolution. Best story in the book . . . Lalo is the most interesting of all of the characters in Thieves’ World and his stories are always interesting. Paxson . . . spins an interesting and well written yarn that closes the book nicely.” —brianbookreviews.blogspot.com




Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn


Book Description

Belly up to Thieves’ World®’s favorite bar for tales told by such fantasy stars as Philip José Farmer, David Drake, Janet Morris, and others. In the second shared-world anthology of the Thieves’ World® series, we see “the gods themselves taking a hand in the fight for the hearts, minds and souls of the citizens of Sanctuary” (Fantasy-Faction). Via contributions from Philip José Farmer, David Drake, Lynn Abbey, A.E. van Vogt, Janet Morris, Andrew J. Offutt, and Robert Lynn Asprin, you’ll revisit the nefarious characters of Sanctuary, including One-Thumb, the proprietor of the Vulgar Unicorn; Regli, a nobleman; Illyra, the seer; Hanes, the thief; the crime lord, Jubal; and introducing Tempus Thales, the immortal mercenary. “It’s the best kind of sequel, the kind which was not meticulously planned from the start, unlike the deliberate megafranchises being created today, which may be plotted out for a decade in advance of the launch. . . . An important book in the series . . . Many elements which will be exploited to huge degree and cast a huge shadow over later pages are introduced here for the first time. . . . In some ways, it provides an anticipatory, even direct, model for the grimdark of the nineties which would follow.” —World of Antra




Shadows of Sanctuary


Book Description

The third Thieves’ World® anthology—with stories by fantasy’s favorite authors—curated by the New York Times–bestselling author of the Myth series. Times are hard, and the citizens of Sanctuary are not their greedy, immoral, grifting selves. But desperate times call for desperate measures, which means the bad guys are about to up their game. No one is safe from Sanctuary’s evil charms—not the fish in the waters, not the prince’s own Hell Hound guards, not even Satan himself. “Shadows also includes another story by Offutt that reinforces my opinion that he is incapable of writing a bad story for this series. A number of the tales are Tempus stories, with several of our other recurring characters also making appearances. By virtue of Tempus’ unique relationship with the god Vashanka, these stories also bring us back toward the storyline of the competing deities, and help us to look forward to new developments in the fourth book. All in all, Shadows is the strongest book amongst the first three publications.” —Fantasy-Faction




The Tale of the Body Thief


Book Description

“Rice is our modern messenger of the occult, whose nicely updated dark-side passion plays twist and turn in true Gothic form.”—San Francisco Chronicle In a gripping feat of storytelling, Anne Rice continues the extraordinary Vampire Chronicles that began with the now-classic Interview with the Vampire. For centuries, Lestat—vampire-hero, enchanter, seducer of mortals—has been a courted prince in the dark and flourishing universe of the living dead. Now he is alone. And in his overwhelming need to destroy his doubts and his loneliness, Lestat embarks on the most dangerous enterprise he has undertaken in all the years of his haunted existence. Praise for The Tale of the Body Thief “Tinged with mystery, full of drama . . . The story is involving, the twists surprising.”—People “Fast-paced . . . . mesmerizing . . . silkenly sensuous . . . No one writing today matches her deftness with the [sensual].”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Hypnotic . . . masterful.”—Cosmopolitan




Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn


Book Description




The Demon World


Book Description

The epic, magical saga of royalty, romance, and violence continues. A princess. A soldier. A servant. A demon hunter. A thief. When we last saw them, this unlikely group was heading into the Northern Territory of the kingdom of Pitoria, on the run from the sadistic and power-hungry King Aloysius of Brigant. The Smoke Thieves have discovered that demon smoke is not only an illegal drug used for pleasure, but in fact, when taken by children, demon smoke briefly gives its users super-human strength. Aloysius' plan is simple and brutal: kill the demons for their smoke, and use that smoke to build an unstoppable army of children to take over Pitoria, Calidor, and then the rest of the world. The Smoke Thieves are the only ones who understand this plan--but can they stop it? Catherine, Aloysius' daughter, is seen as a traitor from all sides; Tash is heartbroken after the loss of her one friend and sees nothing left for her in the human world; Edyon is wanted for murder; March is carrying the secret of his betrayal of his new love; Ambrose is out for revenge--and all the while, the demons have plans of their own...