Trapped in a realm straight out of a fantasy novel? Check. Sold off as a mate in a bizarre auction? Double check. And guess what? The bidders aren't charming princes but rather orcs, minotaurs, and other creatures straight out of my worst nightmares. As if my love life wasn't complicated enough, I've got malevolent forces lurking around, threatening to ruin my newfound romance. But hey, at least I've got two strapping warriors by my side. Who needs a knight in shining armor when you've got an orc and a minotaur? Now, the big question looms: Do I try to find my way back home or do I stay in this fantastical world with my unlikely mates? Love, danger, and some seriously weird creatures await.

Going once...going twice...sold to the very hot orc in the back row! Don't ask me how I got here. One minute I'm breaking up with my ex and the next I'm standing on a block, being sold off as a mate in a bizarre auction. The highest bidder? A monster. Literally. When the orc warrior takes me home and gives me a taste of his superhuman skills, I'm too satisfied to be scared. And when a minotaur mercenary joins us, we are more than happy to let that bull horn in on our fun. I'm living in a fantasy world...and loving every minute of it. But now there are malevolent forces threatening us, and I have to wonder if our romance will survive when we're fighting for our very lives. Would my mates be safer without me? Should I try to find my way home, or is there a way I can be a help instead of a hindrance? Some things are worth fighting for. And love is one of them.

The heroes, villains, and monsters portrayed in such popular science fiction television series as Heroes, Lost, Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, Doctor Who, and Torchwood, as well as Joss Whedon's many series, illustrate a shift from traditional, clearly defined characterizations toward much murkier definitions. Traditional heroes give way to "gray" heroes who must become more like the villains or monsters they face if they are going to successfully save society. This book examines the ambiguous heroes and villains, focusing on these characters' different perspectives on morality and their roles within society. Appendices include production details for each series, descriptions and summaries of pivotal episodes, and a list of selected texts for classroom use. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

A retired group of legendary mercenaries get the band back together for one last impossible mission in this award-winning debut epic fantasy. "Fantastic, funny, ferocious." -- Sam Sykes Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best, the most feared and renowned crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld. Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk, or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay's door with a plea for help -- the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for. It's time to get the band back together.

A trio of mismatched mercenaries is hired by a young woman to evaluate the safety of a boy who may have been taken against his will to a New Mexico backwoods settlement, where the mercenaries encounter paranoia, mistrust, and insanity in the shadow of a monolithic idol.