Murdoc Jern's father, an interstellar gem trader, was murdered by outlaw competitors and left behind an odd ring, large enough to fit over the finger of a space suit. With his companion Eet, a strange feline mutant with phenomenal mental powers, he soon discovered that the stone in the ring was actually a Zero Stone¾an alien device left behind by an ancient vanished race¾and it was the key to powers beyond human imagination. Murdoc and Eet had to solve the secret of the Zero Stone, and very quickly, because very greedy and dangerous people wanted that ring, and wouldn't hesitate at a second murder to obtain it. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

A fresh, new Canadian author, who is comparable to Marion Zimmer Bradley, debuts a brand new fantasy trilogy for all ages. The quest is on to find the coveted Stone of the Stars on the mystical isle of Trynisia, once a place where humans dwelt side by side with dragons. Four have set off on their journey to reach it-Ailia, a daydreaming bookworm; Damion, a devoted missionary; Jomar, a half-breed soldier-slave; and Lorelyn, quite possibly a prophesied savior, who will one day guide her people ina battle against the Dark God. But can they reach the isle and the Stone of the Stars before the tyrannical God-King Khalazar finds it and uses it to rule the world?

[CALL OF CTHULHU ROLEPLAYING] The Keeper's Companion is an invaluable resource for gamemasters. The material includes advice for new keepers, a lengthy study of Mythos artifacts, a learned discussion of many occult books, an up-to-the-moment description of every facet of forensic medicine, a thorough revision and expansion of the game skills (including nearly two dozen new ones), and the entire text of The Keeper's Compendium, somewhat updated -- forbidden books, secret cults, alien races, and mysterious places. Additional short essays and features round out this book -- more than 100,000 words!

The hermetic tradition claims "As above, so below". Did the ancients mean that literally? Stars, Stones and Scholars shows that many ancient megalithic sites are not tombs, but are remnants of ancient local, regional and perhaps even larger Neolithic surveys of the Earth by Stone Age astronomy, with gigantic stones being placed as immovable survey markers. Circa 40 photographs, 240 drawings and 80 maps show how megaliths were carved and "sculpted" with figures and cupmarks (holes in the stones) to represent stars and constellations, long before the modern astrological Zodiac was known. Megalithic sites from England (Stonehenge), Wales (Paviland), Scotland (Clava Cairns), Ireland (Newgrange, Knowth), Germany (Externsteine), Benelux (Weris), France (Carnac), Italy (La Spezia), Malta (Tarxien), Greece, Turkey (Anatolia), Scandinavia (Tanum), the Baltic, Russia, the Near East, the Far East (China and Japan), Africa, Central and South America (Tikal, Maya, Aztecs), Oceania (Hawaii), The USA (Cahokia, Miami Circle, Clovis) and Canada (Peterborough Petroglyphs) are included in this fascinating book.

Your compact guide to more than 450 rocks, crystals, gemstones, and fossils Explore the treasures of the Earth—sparkling crystals, vibrant gemstones, and age-old fossils—with this illustrated guide that's sure to captivate every rockhound and budding gemmologist. From primeval origins to their astonishing modern-day uses and appeal, this is the ultimate portrait of Earth's geological riches. Also included is a focused look at other precious materials often prized for their beauty, such as amber, coral, ivory, and fossils. Learn how to identify more than 450 rock and gem specimens through stunning photographs and detailed characteristics. Discover more about rocks and gems through folklore and historical artifacts and find out the fascinating stories behind some of the amazing natural treasures, including the Hope Diamond and the Great Mogul emerald. It also contains information on polishing and displaying your finds to further equip you with all the knowledge needed to delve into the arena of rock and mineral collecting. Rocks & Gems was produced in association with the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., the world's largest museum complex, ensuring the guide's accuracy.

Throughout the four hundred thousand years that humanity has been collecting fossils, sea urchin fossils, or echinoids, have continually been among the most prized, from the Paleolithic era, when they decorated flint axes, to today, when paleobiologists study them for clues to the earth’s history. In The Star-Crossed Stone, Kenneth J. McNamara, an expert on fossil echinoids, takes readers on an incredible fossil hunt, with stops in history, paleontology, folklore, mythology, art, religion, and much more. Beginning with prehistoric times, when urchin fossils were used as jewelry, McNamara reveals how the fossil crept into the religious and cultural lives of societies around the world—the roots of the familiar five-pointed star, for example, can be traced to the pattern found on urchins. But McNamara’s vision is even broader than that: using our knowledge of early habits of fossil collecting, he explores the evolution of the human mind itself, drawing striking conclusions about humanity’s earliest appreciation of beauty and the first stirrings of artistic expression. Along the way, the fossil becomes a nexus through which we meet brilliant eccentrics and visionary archaeologists and develop new insights into topics as seemingly disparate as hieroglyphics, Beowulf, and even church organs. An idiosyncratic celebration of science, nature, and human ingenuity, The Star-Crossed Stone is as charming and unforgettable as the fossil at its heart.