Of Truth and Beasts


Book Description

Young journeyer Wynn Hygeorht sets out with her companions, the vampire Chane Andraso and Shade, an elven wolf, in search of a dwarven stronghold that may well be the last resting place of a mythical orb- one of five such mysterious devices from the war of Forgotten History. And now, a direct descendant of that war's infamous mass murderer-the Lord of Slaughter-is tracking Wynn. If only that were all she had to worry about...




Lovely Beasts


Book Description

A stunning debut picture book that encourages kids to look beyond first impressions by sharing unexpected details about seemingly scary wild animals like gorillas, rhinoceroses, and more. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It's a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children. Spiders are creepy. Porcupines are scary. Bats are ugly. Or are they...? This captivating book invites you to learn more about awe-inspiring animals in the wild. After all, it's best not to judge a beast until you understand its full, lovely life. Includes backmatter with additional reading suggestions.




Beasts


Book Description

Bestselling author Jeffrey Masson shows us what the animals at the top of the food chain-orca whales, big cats, etc.-can teach us about the origins of good and evil in ourselves. In his previous bestsellers, Masson has showed us that animals can teach us much about our own emotions-love (dogs), contentment (cats), and grief (elephants), among others. In Beasts, he demonstrates that the violence we perceive in the “wild” is a matter of projection. Animals predators kill to survive, but animal aggression is not even remotely equivalent to the violence of mankind. Humans are the most violent animals to our own kind in existence. We lack what all other animals have: a check on the aggression that would destroy the species rather than serve it. In Beasts, Masson brings to life the richness of the animal world and strips away our misconceptions of the creatures we fear, offering a powerful and compelling look at our uniquely human propensity toward aggression.




Strange Beasts of China


Book Description

A New York Times Editors' Choice and Notable Book of 2021 "Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror of 2021"—The Washington Post From one of the most exciting voices in contemporary Chinese literature, an uncanny and playful novel that blurs the line between human and beast… In the fictional Chinese city of Yong’an, an amateur cryptozoologist is commissioned to uncover the stories of its fabled beasts. These creatures live alongside humans in near-inconspicuousness—save their greenish skin, serrated earlobes, and strange birthmarks. Aided by her elusive former professor and his enigmatic assistant, our narrator sets off to document each beast, and is slowly drawn deeper into a mystery that threatens her very sense of self. Part detective story, part metaphysical enquiry, Strange Beasts of China engages existential questions of identity, humanity, love and morality with whimsy and stylistic verve.




In Shade and Shadow


Book Description

View our feature on Barb and J.C. Hendee’s In Shade and Shadow. The national bestselling Noble Dead saga is "one of those [series] for which the term dark fantasy was definitely intended" (Chronicle) Wynn Hygeorht arrives at the Guild of Sagecraft, bearing texts supposedly penned by vampires. Seized by the Guild's scholars without Wynn's consent, several pages disappear-and two sages are found murdered. Convinced the Noble Dead are responsible for the killings, Wynn embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of the texts...




The Year of the Beasts


Book Description

Alternating chapters of prose and comics (illustrated by Eisner Award-winning graphic novelist Nate Powell) are interwoven in Cecil Castelucci's extraordinary YA novel about jealousy and grief, and how they cut us off from the ones we love. Every summer the trucks roll in, bringing the carnival and its infinite possibilities to town. This year Tessa and her younger sister Lulu are un-chaperoned and want to be first in line to experience the rides, the food . . . and the boys. Except this summer, jealousy will invade their relationship for the first time, setting in motion a course of events that can only end in tragedy, putting everyone's love and friendship to the test. Castellucci's deft shifting between straight prose and graphic novel visualize how Tessa processes the events of the summer, seeing herself and her friends as freaks personified by characters from Greek mythology.




The Frolic of the Beasts


Book Description

Set in rural Japan shortly after World War II, this gripping novel tells the story of a strange and utterly absorbing love triangle that leads to psychological self-entrapment, seduction, and murder. • “A compelling tale of love and violence.” —The Washington Post “Mishima is a giant.... One of the most acclaimed writers of the 20th century.” —The New York Times Book Review Translated into English for the first time, this novel is about an affair gone wrong between a former university student, Kōji; his would-be mentor, the eminent literary critic Ippei Kusakado; and Ippei's beautiful, enigmatic wife, Yūko. When brought face-to-face with one of Ippei's many marital indiscretions, Kōji finds his growing desire for Yūko compels him to action in a way that changes all three of their lives profoundly. Originally published in 1961 and now available in English for the first time, The Frolic of the Beasts is a haunting examination of the various guises we assume throughout our lives.




An Anatomy of Beasts


Book Description

In the dazzling sequel to acclaimed author Oliva A. Cole’s YA sci-fi/fantasy debut, A Conspiracy of Stars, Octavia’s search to uncover the truth grows more dangerous as she becomes determined to protect her planet’s fate. This series is perfect for fans of Amie Kaufman, Veronica Roth, and Pierce Brown! In the forty years since the Vagantur landed on Faloiv, the planet has existed in a tenuous peace between the humans who live in the enclosed community of N’Terra and the Faloii, the indigenous population. But after uncovering the shadowy secrets of the Council’s newly elected leader and helping a kidnapped Faloii man escape, sixteen-year-old Octavia knows that conflict is looming. Then the Faloii discover the N’Terran’s latest experiment: an artificially weaponized creature, and Octavia realizes that it’s up to her to prevent her people from causing any further destruction. As she and her friends set out to understand the scope of humanity’s history, nothing can prepare them for what they discover about both their home on Faloiv and the Origin planet. With war on the brink, Octavia must act to change her people’s future before the natural balance on the planet shifts forever.




The Dead Seekers


Book Description

In the New York Times bestselling Noble Dead saga, Barb and J.C. Hendee created an engrossing mix of "intrigue, epic fantasy, and horror."* Now, they present a bold new series set in the same world, where the destinies of two hunters shaped by the shadows of their pasts are about to collide... In the dark reaches of the eastern continent, Tris Vishal travels from village to village, using his power to put unsettled spirits to rest. He works alone, having learned that letting people close only leads to more death. Still, he finds himself accepting the help of the Móndyalítko woman who saves his life--a woman whose gifts are as much a burden as his own. Mari Kaleja thirsted for vengeance since the night her family was taken from her. She has searched far and wide for the one she thinks responsible, known only as "The Dead's Man." But before she can kill him, she has to be sure. Mari hopes traveling with Tris will confirm her suspicions. But as they embark on a hunt where the living are just as dangerous as the dead, she learns the risks of keeping your enemy close... Because it's no longer clear who is predator and who is prey.




Beasts of Prey


Book Description

"Beasts of Prey" asserts that men cannot be bound in lengthy relationships for good without crossing the line from time to time. The writer refers to well established theories, social, and biological research on men's hormonal and psychological structures to show how men's inclination to have sex with multiple women outside their bonds is at the heart of the matter. "Beasts of Prey" delves into the basics of males' cheating habits, tactics and schemes, and their sexual, social and cultural monopoly in the world. Following history of relationships from ancient times to the Internet revolution of our postmodern generation, "Beasts of Prey" exposes the stereotypes that lurk beneath the surface of male manipulated societies and their cultural taboos.