Describes an eight-trip, three-and-a-half-year-long adventure to some of the wildest places on all seven continents searching for rare and interesting wildlife.

◆ Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents follows Marty and Deb Essen on a three-and-a-half-year-long adventure to some of the wildest places on all seven continents. The American couple began crisscrossing the globe with the simple intention of searching for rare and interesting wildlife. When their travels coincided with the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the added element made them unwitting ambassadors for peace. Their experiences—from amusing to life threatening—changed their lives forever. This is not your average travelogue. Marty Essen has written a book that entertains, informs, and poignantly reminds us that we all share a small planet. Locations visited include: Belize, Peru (the Amazon Rainforest), Argentina, Australia (Queensland), Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Northwest Territories), Antarctica, Europe (Spain, France, Switzerland, and Andorra), Malaysia (Borneo), and Africa (Zimbabwe). “This is a wonderful book—a labor of love—that describes in soul-stirring language what it is like to live with the people, the animals, the birds, the snakes, the insects, the jungles, the treacherous rivers, the gorgeous scenery of seven continents. It is the best travel and exploratory work I have yet encountered. Marty Essen and his wife, Deb, are two highly intelligent, imaginative, and brave people.”—Senator George McGovern, 1972 Democratic nominee for president “An exciting and adventurous read. Cool Creatures, Hot Planet by Marty Essen is a roller coaster ride through the natural world that will both entertain and enlighten readers.”—Jeff Corwin, The Jeff Corwin Experience

“Thoughtful, informative, and darkly entertaining. It’s the best treatment of this important (and scary) topic you can find.” —Elizabeth Kolbert Right now, a group of scientists is working on ways to minimize the catastrophic impact of global warming. But they’re not designing hybrids or fuel cells or wind turbines. They’re trying to lower the temperature of the entire planet. And they’re doing it with huge contraptions that suck CO2 from the air, machines that brighten clouds and deflect sunlight away from the earth, even artificial volcanoes that spray heat-reflecting particles into the atmosphere. This is the radical and controversial world of geoengineering, which only five years ago was considered to be “fringe.” But as Jeff Goodell points out, the economic crisis, combined with global political realities, is making these ideas look sane, even inspired. Goodell himself started out as a skeptic, concerned about tinkering with the planet’s thermostat. We can’t even predict next week’s weather, so how are we going to change the temperature of whole regions? What if a wealthy entrepreneur shoots particles into the stratosphere on his own? Who gets blamed if something goes terribly wrong? And perhaps most disturbing, what about wars waged with climate control as the primary weapon? There are certainly risks, but Goodell believes the alternatives could be worse. In the end, he persuades us that geoengineering may just be our last best hope—a Plan B for the environment. His compelling tale of scientific hubris and technical daring is sure to jump-start the next big debate about the future of life on earth. “Goodell explores with infectious curiosity and thoughtful narration this strange, promising, and untested suite of climate fixes.” —BusinessWeek “A quick, enjoyable read through a complex, timely topic. And after you read it, you’ll never look at the sky or the ocean—or Earth, really—in quite the same way again.” —The Christian Science Monitor

BOOK ONE IN THE CLASSIC HEOROT SERIES FROM GENRE LEGENDS LARRY NIVEN, JERRY POURNELLE, AND STEVEN BARNES The two hundred colonists on board the Geographic have spent a century in cold sleep to arrive here: Avalon, a lush, verdant planet lightyears from Earth. They hope to establish a permanent colony, and Avalon seems the perfect place. And so they set about planting and building. But their very presence has upset the ecology of Avalon. Soon an implacable predator stalks them, picking them off one by one. In order to defeat this alien enemy, they must reevaluate everything they think they know about Avalon, and uncover the planet's dark secrets. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About The Legacy of Heorot: "Page-turning action and suspense, good characterization and convincing setting . . . may be the best thing any of those authors has written.”—The Denver Post “Outstanding! . . . The best ever, by the best in the field . . . the ultimate combination of imagination and realism.”—Tom Clancy “Well written, action-packed, and tension filled . . . makes Aliens look like a Disney nature film."—The Washington Post “Spine-tingling ecological tale of terror.”—Locus About sequel Beowulf's Children: "Few writers have a finer pedigree than those here. . . . As one might suspect Beowulf's Children is seamless . . . absorbing, substantial . . . masterful novel."—Los Angeles Times "Panoramic SF adventure at its best."—Library Journal About Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle: "Possibly the greatest science fiction novel I have ever read."—Robert A. Heinlein on The Mote in God's Eye About Larry Niven: “Larry Niven’s RINGWORLD remains one of the all-time classic travelogues of science fiction — a new and amazing world and fantastic companions.”—Greg Bear "Our premier hard SF writer.”—The Baltimore Sun "The scope of Larry Niven's work is so vast that only a writer of supreme talent could disguise the fact as well as he can."—Tom Clancy "Niven is a true master."—Frederik Pohl About Jerry Pournelle: "Jerry Pournelle is one of science fiction's greatest storytellers."—Poul Anderson "Jerry Pournelle's trademark is first-rate action against well-realized backgrounds of hard science and hardball politics."—David Drake "Rousing . . . The Best of the Genre"—The New York Times "On the cover . . . is the claim 'No. 1 Adventure Novel of the Year.' And well it might be."—Milwaukee Journal on Janissaries About Steven Barnes: “Brilliant, surprising, and devastating.”—David Mack “Sharp, observant and scary.”—Greg Bear "Profound and exhilarating."—Maurice Broaddus, author of The Knights of Breton Court “Barnes gives us characters that are vividly real people, conceived with insight and portrayed with compassion and rare skill and then he stokes the suspense up to levels that will make the reader miss sleep and be late for work.”—Tim Powers “[Barnes] combines imagination, anthropology and beautiful storytelling as he takes readers to the foot of the Great Mountain, today known as Mount Kilimanjaro.”—Durham Triangle Tribune on Great Sky Woman

The past few years have seen an incredible explosion in our knowledge of the universe. Since its 2009 launch, the Kepler satellite has discovered more than two thousand exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system. More exoplanets are being discovered all the time, and even more remarkable than the sheer number of exoplanets is their variety. In Exoplanets, astronomer Michael Summers and physicist James Trefil explore these remarkable recent discoveries: planets revolving around pulsars, planets made of diamond, planets that are mostly water, and numerous rogue planets wandering through the emptiness of space. This captivating book reveals the latest discoveries and argues that the incredible richness and complexity we are finding necessitates a change in our questions and mental paradigms. In short, we have to change how we think about the universe and our place in it, because it is stranger and more interesting than we could have imagined.

Imagine being forced to move to a new planet where YOU are the alien! From the creator of the Tapper Twins, New York Times bestselling author Geoff Rodkey delivers a topical, sci-fi middle-grade novel that proves friendship and laughter can transcend even a galaxy of differences. The first time I heard about Planet Choom, we'd been on Mars for almost a year. But life on the Mars station was grim, and since Earth was no longer an option (we may have blown it up), it was time to find a new home. That's how we ended up on Choom with the Zhuri. They're very smart. They also look like giant mosquitos. But that's not why it's so hard to live here. There's a lot that the Zhuri don't like: singing (just ask my sister, Ila), comedy (one joke got me sent to the principal's office), or any kind of emotion. The biggest problem, though? The Zhuri don't like us. And if humankind is going to survive, it's up to my family to change their minds. No pressure.

◆ Marty Mann and Nellie Dixon are back for another irreverent, liberal, twisty, time travel comedy! This time they have Noah’s Ark and Ronald Reagan in their sights. Where would you go on a time travel vacation? At the conclusion of their last episode, Marty Mann and Nellie Dixon were on Starship Blue, about to depart for the planet Krichardia, some forty light-years away. Knowing that they would likely never return to Earth again, their Krichard lovers, Chrissie and Tina, arranged for them to abscond with the Chromosphere Cruiser for up to twenty seconds. During that time, Marty and Nellie could do whatever they wanted as a way to say goodbye to Earth. Days, weeks, or even months might pass for them, but as long as their final time jump delivered them back into Starship Blue’s cruiser bay within twenty seconds of their departure, Captain Jagger and the rest of the Krichard crew would never know they were gone. In this episode, our snarky heroes embark on that time travel vacation. Those trips will hurl them into an enlightening adventure that spans from 3000 BC to AD 10,000. They’ll discover the truth behind Noah’s Ark, encounter the Cult of the Holy Smokin’ Hot Nellie, pilfer a bass from a young Geddy Lee, and be taken prisoner by people in the future with just one demand: Kill Ronald Reagan! Time Is Irreverent 3: Gone for 16 Seconds is a hilarious, thought-provoking satire with unpredictable twists, an unconventional Jesus, an unwitting Ronald Reagan, and an unabashed look at Earth’s past and future! Publisher’s Warning: This book is intended for a liberal audience and features satirical content that may not be appropriate for Donald Trump supporters or those who are offended by views that challenge traditional religious beliefs. Common side effects include wide smiles, sudden laughter, and occasional snorts. Reader discretion is advised. This is the third book in the Time Is Irreverent series. Each novel is a stand-alone adventure, and a humorous prologue quickly gets readers up-to-date.