“Ruiz Zafón’s visionary storytelling prowess is a genre unto itself.”—USA Today Return to the mythical Barcelona library known as the Cemetery of Forgotten Books in this posthumous collection of stories from the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow of the Wind and The Labyrinth of the Spirits. Bestselling author Carlos Ruiz Zafón conceived of this collection of stories as an appreciation to the countless readers who joined him on the extraordinary journey that began with The Shadow of the Wind. Comprising eleven stories, most of them never before published in English, The City of Mist offers the reader compelling characters, unique situations, and a gothic atmosphere reminiscent of his beloved Cemetery of Forgotten Books quartet. The stories are mysterious, imbued with a sense of menace, and told with the warmth, wit, and humor of Zafón's inimitable voice. A boy decides to become a writer when he discovers that his creative gifts capture the attentions of an aloof young beauty who has stolen his heart. A labyrinth maker flees Constantinople to a plague-ridden Barcelona, with plans for building a library impervious to the destruction of time. A strange gentleman tempts Cervantes to write a book like no other, each page of which could prolong the life of the woman he loves. And a brilliant Catalan architect named Antoni Gaudí reluctantly agrees to cross the ocean to New York, a voyage that will determine the fate of an unfinished masterpiece. Imaginative and beguiling, these and other stories in The City of Mist summon up the mesmerizing magic of their brilliant creator and invite us to come dream along with him.

Taki led the way through the dense undergrowth, the ancient trees towering above them like silent sentinels. The air was thick with the earthy scent of moss and the distant murmur of the river grew louder as they approached. "Do you know what we're doing here?" Taki asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We are going to find treasure!" Hyo-ge-tsu replied, his voice filled with determination. "Exactly," Taki grinned. "Do you see the river over there? No one has touched this place in hundreds of years! Come." They pushed through a final thicket of bushes and emerged into a small clearing, the river glistening in the sunlight. Taki knelt down at the water's edge, her fingers trailing through the cool, clear water.

A personal, moving, and vibrant picture of one of the most beautiful and troubled places in the world, described through the experiences of one family, whose fortunes have changed dramatically with those of the region. If there is a paradise on earth, it is definitely here, here and only here," said the early seventeenth-century Mughal Emperor Jehangir when describing the Kashmir Valley. But for nearly twenty years this delicate mountain region has been torn by a brutal conflict that has pitched idealism against Islamist militancy and military crackdown. In the tradition of Ryszard Kapuscinski, this is an intimate story told by the author, journalist, and aid worker Justine Hardy. Having lived and worked in Kashmir for many years, she draws the reader beyond the headlines into the world of In the Valley of Mist. A family portrait, the book describes a unique and gentle culture that has been shattered by the impact of insurgency, repression, and Islamic extremism in a place once famous for the warmth between its Hindu and Muslim residents. "If you want people to know do not tell stories that will make them hold their breath like in a made-up film. Tell them the truth. It is strong enough," she was told when she asked permission of her Kashmiri friends to tell this story. Revealing and disturbing, In the Valley of Mist paints Kashmir as the template for the changing face of Islam.

Hazardous Duty Mountain guide Simon Hazard couldn't believe Sunday Harrington was his latest client. She'd probably never hiked one day of her privileged life! But it was Simon who had sweaty palms and palpitations. And they had nothing to do with roughing it in the jungle, and everything to do with Sunday's long, long legs…. Dangerous Curves Sunday wasn't about to give Simon the satisfaction of proving she was all body and no brains. Men like him were all alike—uncivilized and very dangerous. And if she wasn't careful, they'd wind up exploring a lot more than their lush little paradise!

The world’s bestselling travel book is back in a more informative, more experiential, more budget-friendly full-color edition. A #1 New York Times bestseller, 1,000 Places reinvented the idea of travel book as both wish list and practical guide. As Newsweek wrote, it “tells you what’s beautiful, what’s fun, and what’s just unforgettable— everywhere on earth.” And now the best is better. There are 600 full-color photographs. Over 200 entirely new entries, including visits to 28 countries like Lebanon, Croatia, Estonia, and Nicaragua, that were not in the original edition. There is an emphasis on experiences: an entry covers not just Positano or Ravello, but the full 30-mile stretch along the Amalfi Coast. Every entry from the original edition has been readdressed, rewritten, and made fuller, with more suggestions for places to stay, restaurants to visit, festivals to check out. And throughout, the book is more budget-conscious, starred restaurants and historic hotels such as the Ritz,but also moderately priced gems that don’t compromise on atmosphere or charm. The world is calling. Time to answer.

Capturing the scope of this country's rich diversity--with over 100 entries from a wealth of perspectives--"The Brazil Reader" offers a fascinating guide to Brazilian life, culture, and history. 52 photos. Map & illustrations.

What gamer hasn’t tried Final Fantasy IX ? "Final Fantasy IX is the closest to my ideal view of what Final Fantasy should be." This quote is from Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the Final Fantasy saga. For his last great RPG, Sakaguchi wanted to get back to the roots of his series in order to amaze the players one last time. The Legend of Final Fantasy IX deals with the creation of this episode, sharing a lot of fun trivias. The scenario is also decrypted, as well as the mythological inspirations. For its return to heroic fantasy, the game is dressed as a magical theatrical play, including many colorful characters. The book dives into the influence of classical authors and History on the game, and unrevealed its last secrets. An essential book to (re) discover the universe of the mythical series Final Fantasy ! ABOUT THE AUTHORS - Fascinated by print media since childhood, Mehdi El Kanafi, alongside Nicolas Courcier, wasted no time in launching his first magazine, Console Syndrome, in 2004. After five issues with a distribution limited to Toulouse, France, he and Nicolas Courcier decided to create a publishing house under the same name. One year later, their small business was acquired by Pix’n Love, a major publisher of books on video games. Over the next four years in the world of publishing, Mehdi published more than twenty works on major video game series, and co-wrote several of those works: Zelda, Chronicles of a Legendary Series, Metal Gear Solid: Hideo Kojima’s Magnum Opus, and The Legend of Final Fantasy VII and IX. Since 2015, his publishing endeavors have been focused on analyzing major video game sagas through a new publishing house he co-founded with Nicolas: Third. - Video game journalist for fifteen years, Raphaël Lucas worked for most of the mags that existed before the fall of Mer 7 (formerly Future France and Yellow Media), from Joypad to Joystick, including the official magazines, Consoles More, etc. He started with PC Team and with FJM, the publisher of Gameplay RPGs. Today he writes mainly for Video Games Magazine, a bit for his blog, and he has a few projects in the works relating to other gaming topics. RPG Story Author / BioShock Co-Author: From Rapture to Columbia and The Legend of FinalFantasy IX He also runs the Geekomatick blog - Fabien Mellado