James C. Glass has been writing science fiction, fantasy, and dark fantasy tales for over a dozen years, haunting us with ghosts, aliens, and things far worse. These breathtaking and disturbing stories have now been gathered in his first collection. Also featuring new, unpublished work, MATRIX DREAMS offers something to every reader of speculative fiction. Peek inside and dare to discover the dreams of this talented, award-winning author.

Van Pelt's first collection, "Strangers and Beggars," was voted one of the Best Books of 2003 by the American Library Association. This new collection continues to explore the ever-changing boundaries of science fiction, fantasy and horror.

The future is everything we wanted it to be—and far more than we bargained for. It is the twenty-third century. Herb, a young entrepreneur, returns to the isolated planet on which he has illegally been trying to build a city—and finds it destroyed by a swarming nightmare of self-replicating machinery. Worse, the all-seeing Environment Agency has been watching him the entire time. His punishment? A nearly hopeless battle in the farthest reaches of the universe against enemy machines twice as fast, and twice as deadly, as his own—in the company of a disarmingly confident AI who may not be exactly what he claims. . . . Little does Herb know that this war of machines was set in motion nearly two hundred years ago—by mankind itself. For it was then that a not-quite-chance encounter brought a confused young girl and a nearly omnipotent AI together in one fateful moment that may have changed the course of humanity forever.

If I could teach you one thing, it would be this: you are energy. If I could teach you a second thing, it would be that your energy affects humanity and the planet. Then I would teach you that you are not your wounds. I would walk you through the process of spiritual expansion. I would open your heart to the energy of compassion. I would teach you how to navigate an ego death. I would teach you how to hone in on the vibration of your dream. I would show you everything that I see in the quantum field. I would teach you how to manage your energy so that you can birth your dream. I would ask you to join me in creating compassion on planet earth so that we may end violence and create a planet of peace that lives in harmony with Mother Earth. Welcome to The Matrix Teachings. We have been taught partial truths and fed illusion. It is time to wake up and become the empowered energetic creators that we were born to be. We are all connected energetically, so as we birth our individual dreams, we birth our collective dream. We all want to live on a healthy planet, and we all want violence to end. Who are we? We are compassion-based human beings who are agents of positive change. The Matrix Teachings is your energetic guide for dream birthing. Whether your dream is harmony in your family, healing, or birthing a business, this book explains how to do it. We are far more empowered than we know. We are energy, and we are dream birthers. Join me in the quantum field. I’ll meet you in the matrix. We will dance the dream.

From the widely acclaimed author of The Gone-Away World and Tigerman, comes a virtuosic new novel set in a near-future, high-tech surveillance state, that is equal parts dark comedy, gripping detective story, and mind-bending philosophical puzzle. "A Pynchonesque mega-novel that periodically calls to mind the films of Inception and The Matrix…. What a ride!" —The Washington Post In the world of Gnomon, citizens are constantly observed and democracy has reached a pinnacle of 'transparency.' Every action is seen, every word is recorded, and the System has access to its citizens' thoughts and memories—all in the name of providing the safest society in history. When suspected dissident Diana Hunter dies in government custody, it marks the first time a citizen has been killed during an interrogation. The System doesn't make mistakes, but something isn't right about the circumstances surrounding Hunter's death. Mielikki Neith, a trusted state inspector and a true believer in the System, is assigned to find out what went wrong. Immersing herself in neural recordings of the interrogation, what she finds isn't Hunter but rather a panorama of characters within Hunter's psyche: a lovelorn financier in Athens who has a mystical experience with a shark; a brilliant alchemist in ancient Carthage confronting the unexpected outcome of her invention; an expat Ethiopian painter in London designing a controversial new video game, and a sociopathic disembodied intelligence from the distant future. Embedded in the memories of these impossible lives lies a code which Neith must decipher to find out what Hunter is hiding. In the static between these stories, Neith begins to catch glimpses of the real Diana Hunter—and, alarmingly, of herself. The staggering consequences of what she finds will reverberate throughout the world. A dazzling, panoramic achievement, and Nick Harkaway's most brilliant work to date, Gnomon is peerless and profound, captivating and irreverent, as it pierces through strata of reality and consciousness, and illuminates how to set a mind free. It is a truly accomplished novel from a mind possessing a matchless wit infused with a deep humanity.

The latest edition of the world's foremost annual showcase of horror and dark fantasy fiction. Here are some of the very best short stories and novellas by today's finest exponents of horror fiction - including Kim Newman, Neil Gaiman, China Miéville, Paul McAuley, Glen Hirshberg, Ramsey Campbell and Tanith Lee. The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 16 also contains the most comprehensive overview of horror around the world during the year, lists of useful contact addresses and a fascinating necrology. It is the one book that is required reading for every fan of macabre fiction.

Double En, the most powerful corporation ever created, and its founders, Nakamura and Norton, are two of the most brilliant minds in history. But now they have launched a private war against each other and winner takes all. While Norton is hidden deep inside the heart of the Double En's mainframe, Nakamura is busy hiring the very best in computer warfare -- that's Iceberg Berg, master of security systems. No one can penetrate a barrier he has created, except for one woman, his ex-wife, Icebreaker Calley. No wall has ever been barred to her. Together again, they face the impossible task of separating Norton from his beloved matrix before the man becomes the computer and the computer becomes more powerful than anything humanity has ever seen.