“Hot new talent.” —Locus Get to know tomorrow’s brightest creative talents chosen by some of today’s bestselling authors and celebrated artists including Kevin J. Anderson, Orson Scott Card, Larry Elmore, and Brandon Sanderson. Explore 12 diverse new universes of possibility through a variety of creative and fresh new ideas—all in one anthology. From dragons to mythical death dealers, from murder on the moon to deep space mystery, these stories bring you the hot new talent in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Discover the writers who push the boundaries—and break beyond them . . . the illustrators who envision the impossible—and render it real . . . the stories that challenge the way we see ourselves—and see the world in a new way. You’ll love this anthology because of the diversity of stories, unexpected twists and turns, and 16 full color illustrations that bring the stories to vivid life. Get it now. Bonus short stories by L. Ron Hubbard, Todd McCaffrey, and Robert J. Sawyer Art and writing tips by Anne McCaffrey, L. Ron Hubbard, and Larry Elmore “This fine collection will appeal to both fans of science fiction and fantasy short stories and aspiring writers looking for ways to improve their craft.” —Booklist About the Stories: When Gwen’s husband is found murdered, she’s the only suspect. After all, they were the only two people on the moon.—Moonlight One Flora’s father is a mech-soldier of the Slayer Class, but how much of him is really left inside the machine?—The Armor Embrace When an alien with godly intelligence is discovered watching the earth, one man must try to learn if its motives are pure.—Envoy in the Ice If you were stranded in an open boat and the only hope for rescue came from a ghost ship, would dare to ride?—The Devil’s Rescue Some gifts come with heavy price tags, and the giver must rise to the occasion.—Tears for Shülna What if an alien asks for your help with a question, and the answer affects the future of the whole human race?—The Drake Equation Barlow has a talent for finding the dead. Or do they find him.—Acquisition When Varga sets out to explore the ancient stronghold of a long- dead wizard, she discovers that the ruins aren’t as deserted as she thought.—Obsidian Spire If only that reptile in the sewer were something as predictable as an alligator.—Gator On a distant world among the cloud peaks, the light-hawks promise a rich reward for those daring enough to harvest one.—A Glowing Heart In a world where memories can be stripped, Bill discovers that he has a family he has never known.—The Long Dizzy Down Not all spirits have the best of intentions, and they must be dealt with.—The Woodcutters’ Deity You can put an end to something wondrous, but only at a cost.—The Dragon Killer’s Daughter In a life-or-death situation, sometimes you wish that you had a really powerful spell. But that begs the question—what is power?—Useless Magic Some devils are as old as a dream, and more evil than men can imagine.—Adramelech When the world needs saving, three children are called to the task.—The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove Can an aging sorcerer find a way to track down his old nemesis with the small bit of magic he has left, or is he just fooling himself?—The Magnificent Bhajan

The Best New Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: 28 Award-Winning Authors and Illustrators Accompanied by Anne McCaffrey, Robert J. Sawyer, Larry Elmore, Todd McCaffrey, Bob Eggleton Find out what's next. What if there was a single contest to determine the most talented new writers across the genres of Sci-fi and Fantasy? What if you could find all the award-winning stories--a variety of creative and fresh new ideas--all in one anthology? What if you could turn the page, explore diverse new universes of possibility and see what is to come? Welcome to the world of the Writers of the Future. Where what if--IS what's here. About the Stories: - When Gwen's husband is found murdered, she's the only suspect. After all, they were the only two people on the moon. --Moonlight One? - Flora's father is a mech-soldier of the Slayer Class, but how much of him is really left inside the machine? --The Armor Embrace - When an alien with godly intelligence is discovered watching the earth, one man must try to learn if its motives are pure. --Envoy in the Ice - If you were stranded in an open boat and the only hope for rescue came from a ghost ship, would dare to ride? --The Devil's Rescue - Some gifts come with heavy price tags, and the giver must rise to the occasion. --Tears for Shu]lna - What if an alien asks for your help with a question, and the answer affects the future of the whole human race? --The Drake Equation - Barlow has a talent for finding the dead. Or do they find him? --Acquisition - When Varga sets out to explore the ancient stronghold of a long- dead wizard, she discovers that the ruins aren't as deserted as she thought. --Obsidian Spire - If only that reptile in the sewer were something as predictable as an alligator. --Gator - On a distant world among the cloud peaks, the light-hawks promise a rich reward for those daring enough to harvest one. --A Glowing Heart - In a world where memories can be stripped, Bill discovers that he has a family he has never known. --The Long Dizzy Down - Not all spirits have the best of intentions, and they must be dealt with. --The Woodcutters' Deity - You can put an end to something wondrous, but only at a cost. --The Dragon Killer's Daughter - In a life-or-death situation, sometimes you wish that you had a really powerful spell. But that begs the question--what is power? --Useless Magic - Some devils are as old as a dream, and more evil than men can imagine. --Adramelech - When the world needs saving, three children are called to the task. --The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove - Can an aging sorcerer find a way to track down his old nemesis with the small bit of magic he has left, or is he just fooling himself? --The Magnificent Bhajan Read them here--and enjoy

Presents short stories of fantasy and horror which are set either in the future or in unknown worlds.

The world of the Runelords has been combined by magic with another parallel world to form a new one, the beginning of a process that may unify all worlds into the one true world. This story picks up after the events of The Wyrmling Horde and follows two of Farland's well-known heroes, Borenson and Myrrima, on a quest to save their devastated land and the people of the new world from certain destruction. But the land is not the only thing that has been altered forever: in the change, Borenson has merged with a mighty and monstrous creature from the other world, Aaath Ulber. He begins to be a different person, a berserker warrior, as well as having a huge new body because of the transformation of worlds. Thousands have died, lands have sunk below the sea and, elsewhere, risen from it. The supernatural rulers of the world are part of a universal evil, yet play a Byzantine game of dark power politics among themselves. And Aaath Ulber is now the most significant pawn in that game. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

24 Award-Winning Authors and Illustrators Accompanied by Orson Scott Card, Brandon Sanderson, Jody Lynn Nye, Jerry Pournelle, Ciruelo and Echo Chernik and Edited by David Farland Your search for something new and different in sci-fi and fantasy ends here. Presenting this year’s collection of fresh voices, fabulous worlds, and fantastic new characters. Each year, the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests’ blue-ribbon judges search the world to discover and introduce to you the very best new talent in sci-fi and fantasy. Created by L. Ron Hubbard, whose commitment to help new writers and artists gave rise to the annual Writers of the Future anthologies—a launching pad for writers and artists who are sure to command our attention for decades to come. “Writers of the Future, as a contest and as a book, remains the flagship of short fiction.” —Orson Scott Card “The best new stories by new writers, anywhere.” —Larry Niven “These are the people who are going to be creating trends.” —Brandon Sanderson “Science fiction as a genre has always looked to the future and the Writers of the Future looks to the future of science fiction.” —Kevin J. Anderson “See the best of the best culled for you, curated and selected in a single volume every year.” —Robert J. Sawyer Wondrous and powerful tales from some of the world’s best new writers Turnabout—Djinn are famous for twisting your words so they don’t really grant your wish, but two can play that game. A Smokeless and Scorching Fire—Deacon is a government official, and he’s afraid he’ll stay that way if he can’t break his conditioning. The Howler on the Sales Floor—It’s easy making sales when you can send images of despair into the hearts of your clients. The Minarets of An-Zabat—Alder seeks the secrets of the Windcallers’ magic, but his curiosity may destroy the people he loves. The Death Flyer—Jim Bellamy tries to save the life of a girl who died in the wreckage of a train ten years ago. Odd and Ugly—A tree giant takes in a housekeeper, but she has more secrets than either of them can handle. Mara’s Shadow—An ancient myth might provide the key to curing a disease that threatens all of humanity. The Lesson—A lesson on philosophy in action turns into a deadly encounter. What Lies Beneath—A powerful sorcerer has so disgraced himself, he is afraid of what his family will think should he ever die and meet them on the other side. The Face in the Box—Cara discovers a floating farm parked over her land, blocking the sunlight, and must confront the driver. Flee, My Pretty One—In a world controlled by dragons and their henchmen, rock singer Josephine really only wants “death to all collaborators.” Illusion—Even a court wizard will struggle to fight off armies if his weapons pack no actual punch. A Bitter Thing—You can put an end to something wondrous, but only at a cost. Miss Smokey—Lily’s ability to shift shapes into a bear offers some strange challenges. All Light and Darkness—On a far world, a nameless man meets a woman of ancient genetic stock, and when trouble follows in his wake, he must choose: her life or his humanity?

The Sci-Fi and Fantasy of Tomorrow Selected by Masters of Today 28 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators Get ready to get carried away . . . to places no one has ever gone before. Turn the page . . . from dark fantasy to dystopian nightmare, from magical realism to military science, from paranormal urban fantasy to post-apocalyptic power trips . . . and beyond. Take flight on a starship powered by a godlike being, willing to go to any length to know what it is to be human. Delve into the psyche of a scientist who must choose between ambition and compassion while compelled to participate in a secret and sadistic government project. Get lost in the chilling Museum of Modern Warfare, where one woman is about to discover life-changing secrets. Experience the stories that challenge our sense of self—and our sense of the world. And that’s just the beginning of your journey. . . . Discover the mesmerizing power of these new stories, thought-provoking new ideas, brilliant new horizons, and astounding new writers and illustrators—the chosen ones, selected by today’s bestselling science fiction and fantasy authors and artists. ___________________________ 3 Bonus Short Stories by L. Ron Hubbard • Jody Lynn Nye • Kristine Kathryn Rusch “The Dangerous Dimension” by L. Ron Hubbard: Meek Dr. Henry Mudge has a dramatic personality change after discovering a mathematical equation that transports him to any place in the universe he can think of. . . . “The Phoenixes’ War” by Jody Lynn Nye: When a lover’s gift to her king turns out to be a perilous trap, the Phoenixes and their priestess face a test that will decide the fate of two realms. . . . “Museum of Modern Warfare” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch: When an ambassador is asked to inspect the controversial Museum of Modern Warfare, she discovers life-changing secrets. . . . ___________________________ Art and Writing Tips by L. Ron Hubbard • Orson Scott Card • Craig Elliott “Magic Out of a Hat” by L. Ron Hubbard: From a challenge to write a story inspired by a completely uninspiring wastebasket, Ron provides timeless insight on generating a solid story idea and also reveals a bit of the effusive spirit that he brought to the magic of writing. “On Magic Out of a Hat” by Orson Scott Card: Card discusses and expands upon Hubbard’s article breaking down the techniques Ron used to create a story from a simple object. Card also explores the history of memorable speculative fiction and what makes it great. “The Rewards of Imagination” by Craig Elliott: In addition to his fine-art work, Craig has had a hand in designing many of today’s most popular animated films. Here Craig expounds on the value and need for creative artists and their impact on our society.

25 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators Brilliant new worlds Captivating new ideas Powerful new stories of action, adventure, and fantasy Just imagine... It’s game on, the fate of the universe is on the line—and you’re about to go all in. Saving the mammoths is in your hands—can you conjure the magic to make it happen? You’ve got a monster BFF—whom you’re hiding from your own monster-hunting family. You’re part of a sting, out to catch some bar hoppers who are not only bending their elbows, but bending time as well. And much more! Think you’ve seen it all? Think again. Prepare for alien contact. Explore the darkest alleyways of urban fantasy. Rise to the dizzying heights of magical realism. You will love this year’s anthology because these award-winning writers provide a diverse array of stories that will transport you and reshape your reality. Get it now. 3 Bonus Short Stories by David Farland • Frank Herbert • L. Ron Hubbard Art and Writing Tips by Diane Dillon • Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson • Frank Herbert • L. Ron Hubbard Edited by David Farland 16-page color gallery of artwork • Cover art by Bob Eggleton