Steam-powered airships rule the skies in a world blanketed by a toxic fug. These are the continuing adventures of Nita, Lil, Coop, Cap’n Mack, and the rest of the Wind Breaker crew in a series of steampunk adventures that comprise the second half of the main story arc of the Free-Wrench series. The collection includes three full novels: The Calderan Problem - The Wind Breaker earns a safe harbor in Caldera and brings its conflict with it. Cipher Hill - The Wind Breaker Crew goes on the offensive, dead set on dethroning the biggest thorn in their side. Contaminant Six - The fug takes a terrible toll on the Wind Breaker crew, but just as this journey began as a search for a cure, so shall the journey end. It also includes two short stories: Lil and Coop - The tale of how the Cooper siblings came to be a part of the Wind Breaker Crew The New Inspector - The story of how the ship got its surly ship's inspector.

The islands of Caldera are a shining jewel in a rather bleak world. A terrible calamity in the past had blanketed much of the world with a toxic "fug." Those who survived were forced to take to the mountains and the skies in wondrous airships. Life has since been a struggle, with only the most ruthless and crafty able to survive. To spare themselves the same fate, the Calderans erected a battery of guns to fend off the airships of the mainland. They isolated themselves from the madness of the world, choosing instead to focus on the pursuits of art and creativity. Few believe the technologically advanced but socially barbarous outsiders have anything to offer. Amanita Graus, though, is hoping that they do. Nita's mother has lost her livelihood and perhaps soon her life to a terrible disease. Already the black sheep of the family for embracing engineering rather than art, Nita resolves to leave the safety of her home and do whatever it takes to find a cure. For a price, the bizarre crew of an airship called The Wind Breaker are willing to grant her a meeting with their mysterious benefactors, and thus a chance to procure the one thing with a chance to save her mother. Free-Wrench follows Nita’s adventures in a steampunk world of airships and lunatics. Helping her in her journey are an eccentric crew of smugglers; the gruff Cap’n Mack, the simple but enthusiastic Lil and Coop, the arrogant marksman Gunner, the surly surgeon Butch, and the irritable mascot Wink. To survive and find what she seeks she’ll need to earn their trust, follow their rules, and meet face to face with the people who pull the strings of their society.

The Book of Deacon is the first book of The Book of Deacon series by Joseph R. Lallo. Myranda Celeste’s world has been built on a legacy of bloodshed. For more than a century, her homeland the Northern Alliance has fought the Kingdom of Tressor in what has come to be known as the Perpetual War. While her people look upon the conflict with reverence, Myranda’s hate for the war has made her an outcast. When she finds a precious sword among the equipment of a fallen warrior, she believes her luck may have changed. Little does she imagine that the treasure will draw her into an adventure of wizards and warriors, soldiers and rebels, and beasts both noble and monstrous. The journey will teach her much about her potential, about the origins of the war, and about the threat her world truly faces. Will Myranda unlock the secret of bringing peace once and for all, or will the world be lost to the Perpetual War?

WRENCH IN THE SYSTEM Why business software doesn't work—and how to fix it Every year, businesses waste billions of dollars on information technology that doesn't communicate clearly with the people who use it. This fundamental flaw causes errors and delays, lowers profits, and can even endanger lives. In this groundbreaking book, technology designer Harold Hambrose shows executives and managers how to turn underperforming digital assets into powerhouse systems—how to specify small changes that dramatically boost productivity, how to reduce training costs, and how to ask vendors the right questions. Wrench in the System reveals: Why so many of our essential software systems are needlessly confusing How to make low-cost changes that provide direct, measurable benefits The hidden costs of forcing people to adapt to clumsy electronic tools The secrets of matching software to the needs of the company How to leverage the power of technology for innovation Information technology is still in its adolescence, and Hambrose explains that because the industry has grown so quickly, it's still in an awkward phase. Software manufacturers have been in such a rush to add new features that they haven't paid enough attention to the human beings who use their products. Most software systems are built to fulfill business requirements and technical specifications, but often they fail to meet expectations because they aren't designed to anticipate human needs. As a result, much of our most powerful business software is ineffective and underutilized. With compelling case histories and an engaging narrative, Hambrose exposes popular nonsense about software systems and shows how to evaluate them and measure their performance just as we do every other product. This timely book by an industry insider tells decision makers what they need to know to un-lock the full potential of one of their biggest business investments.

The thrilling sequel to the book that Kirkus Reviews called “ingeniously plotted and vastly entertaining,” inspired by the classic board game CLUE—now in paperback! New semester. New secrets. New murder. In the aftermath of their headmaster’s brutal murder, Blackbrook Academy has been thrown into chaos. Half the student body hasn’t bothered to return to campus—but those who have include Orchid McKee, Vaughn Green, Scarlett Mistry, Beth “Peacock” Picach, Phineas Plum, and Sam “Mustard” Maestor, now warily referred to by the other students as the Murder Crew. When another staff member is found dead, each teen’s reasons for sticking around come to light. Orchid and Vaughn grow ever closer to having their secrets exposed, Peacock and Scarlett struggle to change their stripes, and Plum and Mustard question everything. As everything comes to a boiling point at Tudor House, nobody’s life will ever be the same.

Lavishly illustrated primer on the work of tailors, shoemakers, calico printers, millers, and 29 other craftworkers provides valuable insights on Victorian working class culture. More than 700 illustrations.

Steam-powered airships rule the skies in a world blanketed by a toxic fug. Join Nita, Lil, Coop, Cap’n Mack, and the rest of the Wind Breaker crew in a steampunk adventure that will leave you reeling. Free-Wrench Collection: Volume 1 combines the first three novels of this exciting steampunk series into one amazing anthology. Here’s what you get: Free-Wrench - Beyond the islands of Caldera the world is a vicious place. A terrible calamity has poisoned the land. Those too ruthless or stubborn to die have crafted steam-powered mechanical wonders and taken to the sky. Yet somewhere in that wretched land there is a cure for a dire disease. With the eccentric crew of an airship called The Wind Breaker, Nita Graus means to find that cure, whatever the price. Skykeep - Several months have passed since Nita Graus left her home in Caldera to soar with the crew of the Wind Breaker, and life is anything but easy. Their prior exploits have earned them quite a reputation among surface-dwellers and made them a perpetual target of the manipulative residents of the fug. Now a new plot could split the crew and ground the Wind Breaker once and for all. Ichor Well - Ever since Nita joined the Wind Breaker crew, the airship's reputation has been growing. The destruction of the mighty dreadnought and the escape from the legendary Skykeep have made the crew the stuff of legend. Alas, legendary heroes always attract worthy villains. Luscious P. Alabaster strives to be just that foe. The Free-Wrench series is an ongoing steampunk adventure from Joseph R. Lallo, author of The Book of Deacon and Big Sigma series.