Soul warrior

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Sherrilyn Kenyon

Deadmen tell their tales . . . To catch evil, it takes evil. Enter Devyl Bane--an ancient dark warlord returned to the human realm as one of the most notorious pirates in the New World. A man of many secrets, Bane makes a pact with Thorn--an immortal charged with securing the worst creations the ancient gods ever released into our world. Those powers have been imprisoned for eons behind enchanted gates . . . gates that are beginning to buckle. At Thorn's behest, Bane takes command of a crew of Deadmen and, together, they are humanity's last hope to restore the gates and return the damned to their hell realms. But things are never so simple. And one of Bane's biggest problems is the ship they sail upon. For the Sea Witch isn't just a vessel, she's also a woman born of an ancient people he wronged and who in turn wronged him during a centuries long war between their two races--a woman who is also sister to their primary target. Now Marcelina, the Sea Witch, must choose. Either she remains loyal to her evil sister and almost extinct race against Bane and his cause, and watches humanity fall, or she puts faith in an enemy who has already betrayed her. Her people over the totality of humanity--let's hope Bane can sway her favor.

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Victoria Hanley

Something is threatening the legendary Healer's Keep, where students gifted in the healing arts are trained. Will they learn enough in time to keep the darkness at bay? Or will the Shadow King turn their gifts against them and once again walk the world? "This complex and engrossing companion to *The Seer and the Sword* can be read independently. Lovers of fantasy will gravitate to its magic, its compelling characters, and its classic struggles between good and evil. Recommend this fine offering to fans of Diana Wynne Jones and David Eddings."--*School Library Journal* "Four young people divided by geography, class, and philosophy come together in the dream realm to fight the powers of darkness. . . . The tale works well both as a sequel [to *The Seer and the Sword*] and on its own. Solid and satisfying."--*Kirkus Reviews*

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Erin Hunter

Fire Alone Can Save Our Clan... Tensions are still high among the warrior Clans that roam the forest, and as allegiances shift, it becomes harder than ever to know whom to trust. Fireheart is determined to find out the truth about the mysterious death of the former ThunderClan deputy Redtail. But as he searches for answers, he uncovers secrets that some believe would be better left hidden... **Books in this arc** 1. [Into the Wild][1] 2. [Fire and Ice][2] 3. Forest of Secrets 4. [Rising Storm][4] 5. [A Dangerous Path][5] 6. [The Darkest Hour][6] [1]: [2]: [4]: [5]: [6]:

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I.U. Tarchetti

"Giulia's corpse ... rests in her shroud as if wrapped in the veils of her virginal bed. Her beauty has lost none of its seductiveness. A white dress, light, almost diaphanous, covers her modest figure ... Her pure white hands lie at her sides with the gentle surrender of sleep, and only her feet, pointing upward and joined together, bear witness to the horrible rigidity of death." This passage from "Bouvard," a macabre evocation of obsessive love beyond the grave typifies the eerie narratives in Fantastic Tales. The first Gothic tales published in the Italian language, Tarchetti's strange stories recall and sometimes imitate those of Edgar Allan Poe, E.T.A. Hoffmann, and Mary Shelley. In "A Spirit in a Raspberry," a nobleman is possessed by the soul of a servant girl; "The Letter U" recounts a man's mysterious phobia about that letter; the unexpected gift of everlasting life becomes a dreaded, endless curse in "The Elixir of Immortality." William Weaver, translator of Italo Calvino and Umberto Eco, writes: "While current Italian literature in English translation is closely followed by publishers, critics, and readers, the Italian writers of the past ... are largely ignored. Lawrence Venuti now presents the nineteenth-century writer Iginio Ugo Tarchetti--a strange, romantic figure now almost forgotten even by Italian readers. But, as Venuti's probing introduction to this collection of tales indicates, Tarchetti is emblematic, the child of his times and their taste. These stories are enjoyable to read simply for themselves, but they also illustrate a literary culture of notable fascination. The translations flow, yet retain the flavor of their period and are true to the style and personality of their curious, gifted author." Mercury House is pleased to present the first English translation of Fantastic Tales, in a fine edition illustrated by San Francisco.