"Dracula''s Guest" follows an Englishman (whose name is never mentioned but is presumed to be Jonathan Harker) on a visit to Munich before leaving for Transylvania. It is Walpurgis Night, and in spite of the hotelier''s warning to not be late back, the young man later leaves his carriage and wanders toward the direction of an abandoned "unholy" village. As the carriage departs with the frightened and superstitious driver, a tall and thin stranger scares the horses at the crest of a hill. Upon reaching a desolate valley after a few hours, it begins to snow and as a dark storm gathers intensity, the Englishman takes shelter in a grove of cypress and yew trees. The Englishman''s location is soon illuminated by moonlight to be a cemetery, and he finds himself before a marble tomb with a large iron stake driven through the roof, the inscription reads: Countess Dolingen of Gratz / in Styria / sought and found death / 1801. Inscribed on the back of the tomb "graven in great Russian letters" is: The dead travel fast. The Englishman is disturbed to be in such a place on such a night and as the storm breaks anew, he is forced by hail to shelter in the doorway of the tomb. As the Englishman avoids the pelting hail, the bronze door of the tomb opens under his weight and a flash of forked lightning shows the interior - and a "beautiful woman with rounded cheeks and red lips, seemingly sleeping on a bier". The force of the following thunder peal throws the Englishman from the doorway (experienced as "being grasped as by the hand of a giant") as another lightning bolt strikes the iron spike, destroying the tomb and the now screaming woman inside. The Englishman''s troubles are not quite over, as he painfully regains his senses from the ordeal, he is repulsed by a feeling of loathing which he connects to a warm feeling in his chest and a licking at this throat. the Englishman summons courage to peek through his eyelashes and discovers a gigantic wolf with flaming eyes is attending him. Military horsemen are the next to wake the semi-conscious man, chasing the wolf away with torches and guns. Some horsemen return to the main party and Harker after the chase, reporting that they had not found ''him'' and that the Englishman''s animal is: "A wolf - and yet not a wolf". They also note that blood is on the ruined tomb yet the Englishman''s neck is un-bloodied, "See comrades, the wolf has been lying on him and keeping his blood warm". Later, the Englishman finds his neck pained when a horseman comments on it. When the Englishman is taken back to his hotel by the men, he is informed that it is none other than his expectant host Dracula that has alerted his employees, the horsemen, of "dangers from snow and wolves and night" in a telegram received by the hotel in the time the Englishman was away.

Dracula''s Guest

In the year 2040 scientists created a drug (called Longevity) to prevent the aging process and stop dying. However, because people are still being born yet no one is dying, the Earth quickly becomes too crowded. Therefore, in the year 2080, anyone who wants to take Longevity is forced to sign The Declaration, agreeing that if they take Longevity, they will not have any children. Of course, there are people who resist, and refuse not to bear children. The children of those individuals are offensively referred to as "Surplus". In some countries, the Surpluses are killed the moment they are born, but in countries such as Britain, they are taken from their parents at birth to live in "Surplus Halls" where they are taught that their existence is a crime against Nature, and that they ought to work hard if they want to redeem for their parents'' sins and become a "Valuable Asset", in which case they would be able to work for "The Legals" and be partially free. Surplus Anna is nearly 15 years old. She lives in Grange Hall (a surplus hall), and is a prefect. She was taken away from her parents at the age of two and now, in year 2140, she has learned to hate them for bringing her to this world. Anna has already worked for a legal lady for a month (Julia Sharpe), as a part of her pending process, by which she ought to become Valuable Asset the moment she comes of age. Mrs Sharpe has given her a small pink diary in which Anna writes every night, but is forced to hide it away in the bathroom, in order not to get in trouble with Mrs Pincent, the House Matron in charge of Grange Hall. Then one day, Peter arrives at Grange Hall, and Anna''s world is turned upside down. Peter defies everything she believes in, insists upon calling her Anna Covey, and keeps telling her that he knows her parents, and they love her. Anna is at first annoyed with him, but soon she becomes intrigued by his bold attitude and bravery. When Peter offers for them to run away, to find her parents, Anna is torn between her curiosity and the rules she has been following her whole life. She then accepts Peters invitation to run away from Grange Hall, leading to a lot of trouble. They then have a close call with the Catchers and are helped by a lady named Julia Sharpe. The plot proceeds to Anna reuniting with her parents and later, them killing themselves to make her, and her brother Ben, legal. Meanwhile, Margaret Pincent kills Peter''s father, making him legal as well. The two legals arouse a lot of suspicion leading to the next book, The Resistance.

The Declaration

The story starts out in a museum where Geneva Settle, a high-school student in Harlem, is researching information for a paper about her ancestor, Charles Singleton. While she is looking at an old newspaper, Thompson Boyd, an unfeeling, professional killer, attempts to murder her. As his attempts continue, each time he leaves behind a clue which either helps or misleads Lincoln Rhyme. Amelia Sachs, Fred Dellray, Mel Cooper, and Lon Sellitto help Lincoln to solve why Boyd is after Settle. Rhyme believes initially that Geneva was the witness to a planned terrorist attack. It is eventually revealed that Boyd was hired to kill her because of her ancestor''s secret. Singleton’s secret was that he owned fifteen acres of prime land in Manhattan in the 1800s. Rhyme had discovered through the investigation of the crime that Geneva''s ancestor was falsely accused of murder and had his land stolen. The person who bought the land ended up creating a huge company in the modern time. As the land was not legally sold, all of Singleton''s relatives were legally entitled to compensation over the course of 200 years. The chase to catch Boyd and all of his accomplices continue throughout a two day period. Throughout the story, there are also some other smaller story lines and this crime eventually leads to the solutions of other crimes. Some of the people in the novel are not who they appear to be. One of Boyd''s accomplices pretends to be the guidance counselor at Settle’s high school. Also, a common vandal and criminal turns out to be Settle’s dad.

The Twelfth Card

The book is split into four sections covering the Das family from the children’s perspective in this order: adulthood, adolescence, childhood, and the time perspective returns to adulthood. The book centers on the Das family, who have grown apart with adulthood. It starts with Tara, the wife of Bakul, India’s ambassador to America, greeting her sister Bimla (Bim), who is a history teacher living in Old Delhi as well as their autistic brother Baba''s caretaker. Their conversation eventually comes to Raja, their brother who lives in Hyderabad. Bim doesn’t want to go to the wedding of Raja’s daughter, showing Tara an old letter from when Raja became her landlord, unintentionally insulting her after the death of his father in law. In part two the setting switches to partition era India, when the characters are adolescents in what is now Bim’s house. Raja is severely ill with tuberculosis and is left to Bim’s ministrations. Aunt Mira (Mira masi), their supposed caretaker after the death of the children’s often absent parents, becomes alcoholic and dies of alcoholism. Earlier Raja''s fascination with Urdu attracts the attention of the family''s Muslim landlord, Hyder Ali, whom Raja Idolizes. When he heals, Raja follows Hyder Ali to Hyderabad. Tara escapes from the situation through marriage to Bakul. Bim is then left to provide for Baba alone, in the midst of the partition and the death of Gandhi. In part three Bim, Raja and Tara are depicted in pre-partition India awaiting the birth of their brother Baba. Aunt Mira, widowed by her husband and mistreated by her in-laws, is brought in to help with Baba, who is autistic, and to raise the children. Raja is fascinated with poetry. He shares a close bond with Bim, the head girl at school, although they often exclude Tara. Tara wants to be a mother although this fact brings ridicule from Raja and Bim, who want to be a hero and a heroine, respectively. The final section returns to modern India and showcases Tara confronting Bim over the Raja''s daughter''s wedding and Bim''s broken relationship with Raja. This climaxes when Bim explodes at Baba. After her anger fades she comes to the conclusion that the love of family is irreplaceable and can cover all wrongs. After Tara leaves she decides to go to her neighbors the Misras for a concert and she then decides that she will go to the wedding.

Clear Light of Day

Gilbert Kemp is dealer specializing in antique guns in London with a somewhat dubious background. He is approached by the mysterious Carlos MacGregor Garcia, a Nicaraguan and his employer, the very wealthy ex-professional tennis player Doña Margarita Umberto, who are traveling around Europe buying oil paintings to form a private collection which they allege will be donated to the Nicaraguan people. However, as many of the works are to be acquired from private collectors who do not wish the sale to be made public, and as many European governments would block the export of the historically valuable paintings, Kemp''s services are needed in order to smuggle the paintings into Switzerland, from where they will be transported to Nicaragua in the diplomatic pouch. It seems like a straightforward matter of art smuggling until Kemp is mugged on arrival in Zürich, and a priceless Cezanne is stolen. On his next commission in Amsterdam, he helps obtain an un-catalogued work of Vincent van Gogh, but the art expert certifying the painting is soon brutally murdered. Things heat up in Venice and culminate in Vienna where Kemp finally unravels the web of treachery and deceit that he has unwittingly stumbled into.

Venus with Pistol

The story is divided into three parts. The first part "Zeleno" (eng. Green) is allotted 23 chapters, the second "Zuto" (Yellow) 18 chapters, and "Crveno" (Red) 16 chapters in the 57-chapter work. Names of these parts refer to three colors of the traffic light. The story follows a 15-year-old girl Marija from the moment of her moving to Belgrade from a small town where she previously lived with her parents. The young, pretty and quite immodest girl dreams about glory and wealth during the difficult years of political and economy crisis. She starts a relation with recently enriched young man Luka, who is involved in new kind of dangerous, but also profitable, street game called "Serbian Roulette" – suicidal street races against all traffic rules. Everything goes well between Marija and Luka, until he proposes to include his best friend Viktor, beautiful green-eyed playboy, into their sexual relation. She becomes confused and unsure about her feelings for Viktor, and also very jealous on Luka’s and Viktor’s friendship. Things get even worse after sudden return of Marija’s old friend Jovana, who appears to know the secret of Marija’s early sins. Her intentions to have revenge and reveal everything to Luka and Viktor threatens to ruin not only Marija’s love relation, but also her financial interests. Throughout Surf na crvenom talsu, Aleksandar Đuričić explores the influence of transition on the young people in Serbia, at the end of twentieth and the beginning of twenty-first century. The emotional story about love and friendship is told in the shadow of some political historical events, such as 1999 NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the fall of Slobodan Milošević in 2000, the Zoran Đinđić assassination in 2003. * Marija - a pretty blond girl determined to achieve success, glory and wellness in the big city of Belgrade using her charms and beauty. * Luka - a young political dissident. After the fall of Milošević''s regime his father unexpectedly becomes very rich, and the young Luka gets to be the perfect target for Marija. * Viktor - an attractive playboy who enjoys many vices, sharing them with his best friend Luka. * Jovana - an unattractive and plain girl, Marija''s best friend, who used to be her roommate until she moved to London. * Daca Faca - Victor''s faithful girlfriend who owns a beauty salon. * Željko - Marija''s gay friend who used to be her first boyfriend. * Džezer - a musician who introduces "Serbian Roulette" to Luka. * Tina - Džezer''s girlfriend, eccentric directress. * Bisa - Marija''s mother, neurotic woman with an exaggerated affection for her daughter.

Surf na crvenom talasu

Since the original run, Shaffer has extensively revised his play, including changes to plot details; the following is common to all revisions. At the opening of the tale, Salieri is an old man, having long outlived his fame, and is convinced he used poison to assassinate Mozart. Speaking directly to the audience, he promises to explain himself. The action then flashes back to the eighteenth century, at a time when Salieri has not met Mozart in person, but has heard of him and his music. He adores Mozart''s compositions, and is thrilled at the chance to meet Mozart in person, during a salon at which some of Mozart''s compositions will be played. When he finally does catch sight of Mozart, however, he is deeply disappointed to find that Mozart''s personality does not match the grace or charm of his compositions. When Salieri first meets him, Mozart is crawling around on his hands and knees, engaging in profane talk with his future bride Constanze Weber. Salieri cannot reconcile Mozart''s boorish behaviour with the genius that God has inexplicably bestowed upon him. Indeed, Salieri, who has been a devout Catholic all his life, cannot believe that God would choose Mozart over him for such a gift. Salieri renounces God and vows to do everything in his power to destroy Mozart as a way of getting back at his Creator. Throughout much of the rest of the play, Salieri masquerades as Mozart''s ally to his face while doing his utmost to destroy his reputation and any success his compositions may have. On more than one occasion it is only the direct intervention of the Emperor himself that allows Mozart to continue (interventions which Salieri opposes, and then is all too happy to take credit for when Mozart assumes it was he who intervened). Salieri also humiliates Mozart''s wife when she comes to Salieri for aid, and smears Mozart''s character with the Emperor and the court. A major theme in Amadeus is Mozart''s repeated attempts to win over the aristocratic "public" with increasingly brilliant compositions, which are always frustrated either by Salieri or by the aristocracy''s own inability to appreciate Mozart''s genius. The play ends with Salieri attempting suicide in a last attempt to be remembered, leaving a false confession of having murdered Mozart with arsenic. He survives, however, and his confession is disbelieved by all, leaving him to wallow once again in mediocrity.

Amadeus

Spinello is poisoned by Vanai. The southern front is in Yanina, which is in a bad position. The Unkerlanters use Yaninan forces as if they were penal battalions, while Algarvians start killing Yaninans for magical energy in retaliation for Yanina''s switch to Unkerlant. In Jelgava, close to the Bratanu Mountains on the border with Algarve, Leino and Xavega are killed by an Algarvian magical trap. Puppet King Beornwulf installed in Forthweg, and Ealstan is drafted. Kuusamans and Lagoans occupy Valmiera. Unkerlanters push into Algarve, first on the southern front then the northern. Algarvians develop the superstick, first using it on Unkerlanters on the southern front. Ealstan in Unkerlanter army is having to reduce his own hometown, Gromheort, in which Algarvians were holed up. Algarvians come out with other desperate magics, some demonic, others new and unreliable, but appear to have given up killing Kaunians for the most part. Pekka destroys Becsehely in first test of divergent blast. Krasta has a baby boy, which she at first names Valnu (later Gainibu), but which turns out to be Lurcanio''s; Merkela cuts all her hair off in punishment. Unkerlanters and Kuusamans meet at Torgavi on the Albi in the north of Algarve. Skarnu becomes marquis of Pavilosta. Lurcanio''s army surrenders, followed by Gromheort. Ealstan is wounded, discharged from army, and stays in Gromheort with his family. Mezentio''s palace falls, Algarve surrenders. Talsu released from prison (again) and expelled with his wife to Kuusamo. Lurcanio, who had been turned over to the Valmierans, is executed by firing squad. Ceorl is killed when he and Garivald escape from a mining camp. Garivald makes his way back to Obilot.

Out of the Darkness

The book is divided into four sections. The first section, "Papers from the Castle," opens with a bit of history. It tells about the background of how The Castle developed from a little village and how the Queen came to stay there and the arrival of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. This is followed by Rupert Gringe''s Around-the-Castle Boat Tour programme. Other tours are represented, such as the "Ask Sirius Walking Tour of the Castle and the Ramblings" and Silas Heap''s ink-splotched "A Ramble through the Ramblings Walking Tour." After a restaurant guide, the biographies of the main characters start. Never before known facts facts about Sarah and Silas Heap, Jenna, Mr. and Mrs. Gringe, Marcia Overstrand, ghost Alther Mella, spy Linda Lane and the main protagonist Septimus Heap. One can delve even deeper into these personalities by way of the journals, letters, appointment diaries, and family trees. The second part, "Papers from the Wizard Tower" includes a brief history of the construction of the Wizard Tower and rules and regulations one should consider while visiting the Tower. It also includes Septimus'' homeworks and its corrections by Marcia and a pamphlet by Alther Mella, on assisting recently turned ghosts in the afterlife. The third part, entitled "Papers from The Palace" describes the Palace as a whole and includes Jenna''s private journals and a brief history of some notable queens. The last part talks about the Message Rat service and other locations of the Castle.

Septimus Heap: The Magykal Papers

The Drenai King is dead - murdered by a ruthless assassin. Enemy troops swarm into Drenai lands. Their orders are simple - kill every man, woman and child. But there is hope. Stalked by men who act like beasts and beasts that walk like men, the warrior Waylander must journey into the shadow-haunted lands of the Nadir to find the legendary Armour of Bronze. With this he can turn the tide. But can he be trusted? For he is Waylander the Slayer. He is the traitor who killed the King. For the last twenty years the farmer, Dakeyras, who tragically lost his wife and children has been travelling the world as the assassin Waylander the Slayer. Consumed by anger and guilt, on his journey for revenge against his families murderers, he has become a soulless killer who will kill anyone for money. However, his assassination of the Drenai king and the events that follow help Waylander to reclaim his humanity and makes him the perfect anti-hero. The book starts with the main character Waylander (Dakeyras) saving the Source priest Dardalion from torture and certain death inflicted by a band of 5 thieves. After rescuing the young priest he travels with him, though Waylander is used to traveling alone - as he has done for the past 20 years. Waylander ruthlessness wash off on the priest, and vice versa with Dardalion''s goodness. Soon Waylander becomes a man of conscience, though he loses none of his deadly skill. Soon Waylander is being accompanied by a good-looking young woman Danyal, as well as three small children. He subsequently embarks on a journey to bring back the Armor of Bronze, a symbol, and a rallying point for the Drenai. Along the way he encounters fellow assassin, the giant Durmast. At first Durmast attempts to kill Waylander but they soon become allies. And allies are what Waylander needs, because amongst the people trying to kill him are the renowned assassin, Cadoras the Chaos Blade, a group of werewolves, and a band of supernaturally enhanced knights. de:Waylander fr:Waylander pl:Waylander

Waylander

After expressing frustration over a lack of action after his year-long mission with the Royal Navy (as detailed in Win, Lose or Die), Bond threatens to resign. Instead, M orders Bond to take a vacation. Bond travels to Victoria, British Columbia where he is intrigued by Lee Fu-Chu, a half-Blackfoot, half-Chinese philanthropist who is known as "Brokenclaw" because of a deformed hand. Later, Bond is ordered to San Francisco where he is tasked to investigate the kidnapping of several scientists who have been working on a new submarine detection system and an "antidote" known as LORDS and LORDS DAY. Bond and CIA agent Chi-Chi Sue go undercover using the codenames Peter Abelard and Héloïse that were assigned to two agents from the People''s Republic of China that are sent to evaluate the submarine technology before purchasing it. Ultimately, Bond discovers that Brokenclaw is involved in this scheme on behalf of China, and also has plans of his own which involve sparking a worldwide economic disaster by bringing about the collapse of the dollar by tapping into the New York Stock Exchange, which would in turn bring down other major currencies worldwide. The plan, dubbed Operation Jericho was a long-term plan initially started by the Japanese, but now believed to have been worked on simultaneously by the Chinese before being acquired by Brokenclaw. Brokenclaw''s hideout in California is raided by Special Forces after he is located by Naval Intelligence officer Ed Rushia who was searching and attempting to help Bond and Chi-Chi while on their mission. Brokenclaw escapes the raid only to be tracked down by Bond and Rushia, off the books, to the Chelan Mountains of Washington where Bond is challenged to a torture ritual known as o-kee-pa. In the end, the competition comes down to a fight between the two using bow and arrows; Brokenclaw barely misses Bond and in turn is shot through the neck by Bond''s arrow.

Brokenclaw

In this alternate universe, life exists on Venus and Mars. Because of this discovery, the United States and the Soviet Union have poured all their resources into space exploration, sending their best and brightest to colonize Venus and Mars. Although there have been a few outbreaks of hostilities on Earth, an uneasy détente exists in space between the Americans and Russians who are struggling for supremacy, supported by their respective allies. The European Union is also anxious not to be excluded from this neo-colonial race but is far behind the other powers. In 1962 the USSR drops planetary probes on Venus and discovers people, both Homo Sapiens and Homo Neanderthalensis, on the planet. Crewed flights by the Soviets and later by the Americans establish bases on the planet (the American one named Jamestown; the Soviet one Cosmograd) and find other familiar species, including dinosaurs. Both fauna and flora are strangely similar to those from Earth''s past. In 1988, Lieutenant Marc Vitrac, a Ranger in the US Aerospace Force, has been on the planet for a year. Born in a Cajun family amidst the Louisiana bayous, his primary function is exploration of the vast wild lands but in the beginning of the novel he is tapped to welcome newcomers to the colony. The new arrivals are somewhat taken back by the ceratopsia used as a shuttle bus. The dinosaur has been “iced” by the insertion of an Internal Control Device into its brain, which allows the creature to be controlled with messages sent directly to the brain. These new arrivals include Cynthia Whitlock, a young African-American specialist, and Wing Commander Christopher Blair, a supposedly British linguist. As with all the Terrans on the planet, Cynthia and Blair also have other skills. Blair spends most of his time in the nearby town of Kartahown extending their knowledge of one of the native languages. As the story progresses many of the characters comment about how similar evolution has progressed on Venus and on Earth. Naturally, the scientists at the Jamestown base are puzzled by the seeming parallel evolutions. Although the base doesn''t have any means to check the DNA (as in this alternate timeline, the majority of research funding has been spent on space travel), other tests indicate that the natives are closely related to Terrans. The fossil record is very spotty, with occasional infusions of new species, but no one has an explanation as to why there are humans and other Earth animals and plants on Venus. On another part of Venus, an unknown, external force interferes with the computer on a Soviet shuttle, causing it to crash land in the unexplored wild lands. The Soviets ask for American assistance to recover the crew. The airship Vepaja, with Captain Tyler commanding, is selected for the rescue attempt and Marc, Cynthia, and Chris are chosen as the crew. Jadviga Binkis, wife of the Soviet shuttle commander, is also included in the crew. Marc also takes his greatwolf pup, Tahyo, with them. The weather, animals, mechanical failure and sabotage from an unknown enemy eventually forces the group to abandon the airship. Once they arrive at their destination they find themselves in the midst of a civil war between the very human Cloud Mountain People and the Neanderthals. Additionally, an alien AI is annoyed at the Terrans for interfering with the Venusians. The AI is sapient, but not sentient and is able to control both Homo Sapiens and Homo Neanderthalensis within a short range. Unsure as to what to do, the AI calls for its creator race to return. Additionally, Blair discovers that the Cloud People speak a Proto-Indo-European language, indicating that the creator race has taken Homo Sapiens from earth and seeded them on Venus within the last several thousand years. The group sides with the Cloud Mountain People, Marc having fallen in love with their princess, and help them defeat the Neanderthals. The Cloud Mountain People’s lands were destroyed, however, by a biological weapon on board the downed Russian shuttle. Marc thus leads the Cloud Mountain People on a five thousand mile overland journey back to Jamestown to settle around the base and brings with him an alien artifact that may be evidence of the alien race that brought life to Venus and Mars.

Over 8000 Takeaways For Your Brain!

Read - Listen - Learn

Dracula's Guest

By Bram Stoker

The Declaration

By Gemma Malley

The Twelfth Card

By Jeffery Deaver

Clear Light of Day

No Author Listed

Venus with Pistol

By Gavin Lyall

Surf na crvenom talasu

By Aleksandar Đuričić

Amadeus

By Peter Shaffer

Out of the Darkness

By Harry Turtledove

Septimus Heap: The Magykal Papers

By Angie Sage

Waylander

By David Gemmell

Brokenclaw

By John Gardner

The Sky People

By S. M. Stirling