Jig Kumonuma bears a curious curse. Whenever others try to harm him, the device on his back returns the damage twofold, while Jig remains unscathed. Fearful of harming others, Jig isolates himself from his family and the world— until he hears word of a cure in the bustling city of Jinbo-cho. But the city’s a dangerous place where all sorts of species gather, and in its sketchiest areas, the police are no help at all. Good thing Jig’s got the elite V&V Total Security Protection agency and its top agent, Troma Yabusame, on his side. It doesn’t hurt that Troma’s also invisible! -- VIZ Media

Jig Kumonuma bears a curious curse. Whenever others try to harm him, the device on his back returns the damage twofold, while Jig remains unscathed. Fearful of harming others, Jig isolates himself from his family and the world—until he hears word of a cure in the bustling city of Jinbo-cho. A whopping 45.7 billion shy of obtaining the dragon heirloom that can break his curse, Jig finally lands a job with the Cyborg Soldier School. His first real gig is to rescue a trailer full of people from human traffickers. But to succeed, he’ll need to defeat Troma of V&V Total Security Protection. -- VIZ Media

Central to the repertoire of Western art music since the 18th century, the symphony has come to be regarded as one of the ultimate compositional challenges. Surprisingly, heretofore there has been no truly extensive, broad-based treatment of the genre, and the best of the existing studies are now several decades old. In this five-volume series, A. Peter Brown explores the symphony from its 18th-century beginnings to the end of the 20th century. Synthesizing the enormous scholarly literature, Brown presents up-to-date overviews of the status of research, discusses any important former or remaining problems of attribution, illuminates the style of specific works and their contexts, and samples early writings on their reception. The Symphonic Repertoire provides an unmatched compendium of knowledge for the student, teacher, performer, and sophisticated amateur. The series is being launched with two volumes on the Viennese symphony. Volume IV The Second Golden Age of the Viennese Symphony Brahms, Bruckner, Dvorák, Mahler, and Selected Contemporaries Although during the mid-19th century the geographic center of the symphony in the Germanic territories moved west and north from Vienna to Leipzig, during the last third of the century it returned to the old Austrian lands with the works of Brahms, Bruckner, Dvorák, and Mahler. After nearly a half century in hibernation, the sleeping Viennese giant awoke to what some viewed as a reincarnation of Beethoven with the first hearing of Brahms's Symphony No. 1, which was premiered at Vienna in December 1876. Even though Bruckner had composed some gigantic symphonies prior to Brahms's first contribution, their full impact was not felt until the composer's complete texts became available after World War II. Although Dvorák was often viewed as a nationalist composer, in his symphonic writing his primary influences were Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms. For both Bruckner and Mahler, the symphony constituted the heart of their output; for Brahms and Dvorák, it occupied a less central place. Yet for all of them, the key figure of the past remained Beethoven. The symphonies of these four composers, together with the works of Goldmark, Zemlinsky, Schoenberg, Berg, Smetana, Fibich, Janácek, and others are treated in Volume IV, The Second Golden Age of the Viennese Symphony, covering the period from roughly 1860 to 1930.

As the Soul Society’s secrets are brought to light in the mysterious figure of Hikone Ubuginu, the full terror of Tokinada Tsunayashiro’s plan is revealed. Shuhei Hisagi must grasp the true ability of his zanpaku-to and the meaning of its name. Can a single blade sever the consequences of death? -- VIZ Media

Hikone Ubuginu’s mysterious origin story, and the secrets behind the very existence of the Soul Reapers and all their allies and adversaries, could be revealed to incite an all-out battle royal. Meanwhile, Urahara and Hisagi face down formidable enemies in Karakura Town as Tokinada Tsunayashiro’s fiendish plan unfolds! -- VIZ Media

With this landmark series, bestselling author R. A. Salvatore introduced fantasy readers around the globe to an astonishing new world. As the DemonWars Saga unfolds over these first three books, two intrepid young heroes must confront the dark tides of destiny in an epic search for justice and peace. This eBook bundle includes: THE DEMON AWAKENS THE DEMON SPIRIT THE DEMON APOSTLE A great evil has awakened in the land of Corona: a demon determined to spread death and misery. His goblin armies and fearsome giants ravage the settlements of the frontier, and in the small village of Dundalis their merciless attack leaves behind two shattered orphans: Pony and her lifelong friend Elbryan. Taken in by elves, Elbryan is raised to become a formidable ranger—a fateful role that will lead him into harrowing confrontation. Meanwhile, on a far-off island, a shower of gemstones falls onto the black sand shores. These heaven-sent stones carry within them an incredible power—the key to all that is good and all that is evil in the world. Now it’s up to one young monk to liberate them from the corrupt monastery that harvests them. Pray that they don’t fall into the wrong, clawed hands. Praise for the DemonWars Saga “An enthralling epic adventure story, it introduces memorable characters and an intricate scheme of magic the readers won’t soon forget.”—Terry Brooks, on The Demon Awakens “A new classic! Wonderfully told! Fans will love it!”—Troy Denning, New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Crucible, on The Demon Awakens “Absorbing . . . one of the finest books yet in Salvatore’s prolific career.”—Publishers Weekly, on The Demon Spirit “Unforgettable . . . another rousing and masterful DemonWars adventure . . . a must-read for all fans of Salvatore’s work.”—Realms of Fantasy, on The Demon Apostle

"In this elegant narrative, celebrated naturalist Ted Floyd guides you through a year of becoming a better birder. Choosing 200 top avian species to teach key lessons, Floyd introduces a new, holistic approach to bird watching and shows how to use the tools of the 21st century to appreciate the natural world we inhabit together whether city, country or suburbs." -- From book jacket.