"Sixteen spellbinding stories of uncanny canines, heroic hounds and magical mutts"

This latest volume of the "Magical Tales" series contains tales of fantasy involving a range of unusual canines and features works by Philip K. Dick, Harlan Ellison, Fritz Leiber, and others.

"Auto-da-Fe" by Damon Knight
"Roog" by Philip K. Dick
"The Hounds" by Kate Wilhelm
"The Howling Tower" by Fritz Leiber
"Demon Lover" by M. Sargent Mackay
"A Few Kindred Spirits" by John Christopher
"Dogs’ Lives" by Michael Bishop
"here, Putzi!" by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt
"Desertion" by Clifford D. Simak
"I Lost my Love to the Space Shuttle Colombia" by Damien Broderick
"The Master of the Hounds" by Bruce Boston
"Friend’s Best Man" by Jonathan Carroll
"Wish Hound" by Pat Murphy

Magical, miraculous—and sometimes mischievious…fourteen tales of angelic adventure!

A collection of fifteen short stories depicts angelic interventions in subtle forms and includes the writings of such authors as Isaac Asimov, Tanith Lee, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Roger Zelazny.

“Basileus” by Robert Silverberg
“Angelica” by Jane Yolen
“Angels” by Bruce McAllister
“If Angels Ate Apples” by Geoffrey A. Landis
“Alfred” by Lisa Goldstein
“A Plethora of Angels” by Robert Sampson
“The Man Who Loved the Faioli” by Roger Zelazny
“Upon the Dull Earth” by Philip K. Dick
“Angel” by Pat Cadigan
“Curse of the Angel's Wife” by Bruce Boston
“Sleepers Awake” by Jamil Nasir
“And the Angels Sing” by Kate Wilhelm
“Grave Angels” by Richard Kearns
“All Vows” by Esther M. Friesner

A mind is a terrible thing to replace.

Ten masters of speculative fiction explore the future of computerized intellect, and how humanity will interact with machines that can outthink them--and are learning to outsmart them. Computers were designed to think faster than the human mind. But solving mathematical equations and retaining dizzying amounts of information are minor achievements compared to the processing technology of tomorrow's artificial intelligences...machines capable of thinking independently without human input - and evolving into self-maintaining sentient beings.

Ride the brainwaves of mechanical intellect with some of today's masters of speculative fiction, as a woman tries to outsmart a runaway A.I. and save the lives of her children...scientists lose control of a supercomputer with the power and omnipotence of a god...and a sentient starship falls in love with its pilot. These and seven more stories of man and machine await you in... A.I.s

“Antibodies” by Charles Stross
“Trojan Horse” by Michael Stanwick
“Birth Day” by Robert Reed
“The Hydrogen Wall” by Gregory Benford
“The Turing Test” by Chris Beckett
“Dante Dreams” by Stephen Baxter
“The Names of all the Spirits” by J.R. Dunn
“From the Corner of My Eye” by Alexander Glass
“Halfjack” by Roger Zelazny
“Computer Virus” by Nancy Kress

It's a tough universe out there. A hard‑hitting collection of the best fiction of Michael Z. Williamson, creator of the popular Freehold military SF saga, along with a helping of truth‑telling nonfiction by a guy who has been there and done that, both at home and abroad.

Duty in the face of danger on a planetary scale.  Pride and competence in the face of idiotic clients who hate that that they need your services, and an enemy who wants to make your bad day even worse. These are stories of the warriors and civilians who get things done in extreme situations, whether it's rescue from a ship broken in space and leaking air and radiation, hard choices by a brigade of mercenary swords in a world of blood and magic, or scramble and response by troops in the Sandbox doing what it takes to make it through another scorching, rocket‑filled day.

Walter Williams Short Fiction Bundle

Daddy's World

by Walter Jon Williams

Investments

by Walter Jon Williams

Prayers in the Wind

by Walter Jon Williams

All humanity is at peace. The Diamond Library contains all wisdom, and has incarnated itself as the semi-divine Treasured King. But now the peace is threatened by the alien Sang, a species bent on conquest, and humanity’s response is fatally divided.

At the height of the crisis, the Treasured King is found dead, and a dangerous new incarnation is born-- beautiful, seductive, erratic, and very possibly mad.

Walter Jon Williams combines cutting-edge science, Tibetan Buddhism, and hard-nosed political reality in this novelette, which was nominated for a Nebula Award on its first release.

This short novel takes place in the universe of Walter Jon Williams' Dread Empire's Fall series.

Three years after the Naxid war, Lord Gareth Martinez has accepted a meaningless post as Inspector General of Chee, a newly-settled world. Intending nothing more than a pleasant vacation with his family, Martinezirst discovers corruption among the contractors engaged to develop Chee . . . but then he finds something far more dangerous--- a literal cosmic menace that threatens to wipe out all life on the planet.

A classic work from Walter Jon Williams, "Daddy's World" earned the Nebula Award for Novelette in 2001.

Little Jamie lives with his family in an eerily perfect environment, entertained by characters from literature, sung to sleep at night by the Woman in the Moon. But cracks begin to appear in Jamie's world that reveal rifts within his family, and he begins to see the terrifying reality behind the walls of his life, and to understand that perfection has its price . . .

Walter Williams Novel Bundle

Angel Station

by Walter Jon Williams

Aristoi

by Walter Jon Williams

Aristoi - French Edition

by Walter Jon Williams

NOTE: This Ebook Edition is in French

Days of Atonement

by Walter Jon Williams

Knight Moves

by Walter Jon Williams

Ambassador of Progress

by Walter Jon Williams

A Philip K Dick Award-nominated novel.

Eight hundred years ago Doran Falkner gave humanity the stars, and he now lives with his regrets on a depopulated Earth among tumbledown ruins and ancient dreams brought to life by modern technology.

But word now comes that alien life has been discovered on a distant world, life so strange and impossible that the revelation of its secrets could change everything. A disillusioned knight on the chessboard of the gods, Doran must confront his own lost promise, his lost love, and his lost humanity, to make the move that will revive the fortunes both of humans and aliens . . .

Knight Moves is an engrossing and evocative read, a tale of immortality and love and death rendered in a style that reminds me more than a little of the early Roger Zelazny. Williams’ people are intriguing and sympathetic, and his portrait of an Earth left transformed and empty by a humanity gone to the stars, where aliens dig among ancient ruins for old comic books while the creatures of legends stir and walk again, will linger in my memory for a long time. Williams is a writer to watch, and– more importantly– to read. –George R.R. Martin, author of Game of Thrones

Knight Moves uses an unmatched cast of characters, human and otherwise, to tell an intriguing story. – Fred Saberhagen, author of the Book of Swords Trilogy

Loren Hawn is a traditional Western peace officer walking the streets of 21st Century New Mexico, seemingly unaware that times have changed. And when a dying man named Randal falls out of a bullet-riddled car and dies in Loren’s arm, Loren finds he isn’t the only man living in the wrong time--- because he remembers pulling Randal’s dead body out of a wrecked car twenty years before.

Loren knows the mystery is connected to a high-security laboratory built on the outskirts of town, and he knows that if he doesn’t work fast, all evidence of a crime will disappear into national security vaults. In order to bring justice back to his community, Loren will have to risk everything, his life, his job, his faith, and his family.

Peter Heck

Williams' longest, most densely realized and successful book to date.

Roland Green

This is a novel that works marvelously on a variety of levels-- as an adventure story, a trek through personal entanglements, a study in detailed police techniques and an enlightening lesson in theoretical science. And if that isn't enough, it also offers a totally unexpected ending.

"Écrit avec brio, grâce et intelligence, [Aristoï] décrit une société future basée sur l'informatique de pointe et la bioingénierie, deux domaines entièrement contrôlés par une élite, celle des Aristoï. Ce monde est dépeint de façon vivante et précise, tout comme la guerre qui le menace lorsqu'un de ses dirigeants succombe à la corruption de la toute-puissance. Un excellent roman, qui donne matière à réflexion et que je recommande vivement ; Williams semble s'améliorer à chaque nouveau livre." —Roland Green, Chicago Sun-Times

"Sous cette façade de prospérité universelle est tapie une menace de folie et de dissension qu'on ne peut affronter que de l'intérieur. Williams teste les limites de l'imagination dans un roman où se mêlent hard-science rigoureuse et visions spéculatives, sans jamais perdre de vue l'humanité de ses personnages. Un achat prioritaire pour toutes les collections de SF." —Library Journal

Gabriel fait partie des Aristoï, l'élite dominante d'une culture interstellaire sophistiquée, dont le règne est plus absolu encore que celui des despotes de la Vieille Terre. Lorsqu'un des Aristoï est assassiné, Gabriel découvre que les fondations mêmes de sa civilisation sont ébranlées et que sa propre puissance repose peut-être sur le plus grand mensonge de l'histoire.

Afin de se défendre et de préserver l'ordre interstellaire, Gabriel se lance dans une quête qui le mènera au cœur de la barbarie et du chaos, et qui lui fera découvrir en lui-même les vestiges de son humanité perdue.

Written with care, intelligence, and grace, [Aristoi] depicts a future society based on highly developed computers and biological engineering, the key skills of which are controlled by an elite known as the Aristoi. This world is depicted meticulously and vividly, and so is the near war of all against all that is unleashed when one of the Aristoi falls prey to the corruption of power. A fine, thoughtful work, highly recommended; Williams seems to grow with each book. ---Roland Green, Chicago Sun-Times

Beneath the facade of universal prosperity, however, lurks a tide of dissension and madness that can only be fought from within. Williams tests the borders of imagination in a novel that combines brilliant hard science and speculative vision with a firm grip on the central humanity of his characters. A priority purchase for sf collections. ---Library Journal

In this complex and rewarding novel, Williams has created a future which features many of the wonders SF has been promising us for years: virtual reality, genetic engineering, faster-than-light travel, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, telepathic links with computers, and more. ---Publishers Weekly

Gabriel is one of the Aristoi, the elite class that hold dominion over a glittering interstellar culture, their rule more absolute than that of any Old Earth tyrant. When another of the Aristoi is murdered, Gabriel finds that the foundations of his civilization are tottering, and that his own power may have its roots in the greatest lie in all history.

In order to defend himself and the interstellar order, Gabriel must go on a quest into the heart of barbarism and chaos, and discover within himself his own lost, tattered humanity.

ORPHANS OF DEEP SPACE . . .

They're outlaws now. Created to serve a function grown obsolete, haunted by the holographic ghost of their father, Ubu and Maria have lived their entire lives skating along the edge of extinction. Now they and their ship Runaway are in flight both from the law and from a predatory clan of competitors. They're going to come back rich, or not at all.

But what they find in the depths of space isn't wealth, but a secret so startling that Ubu and Maria will need every last reserve of guile, cunning, and intelligence just to survive . . .

"No one can accuse Williams of failing to grow with each new major work . . . Straight-forward space adventure with a strong picaresque flavor. The pacing is brisk, the high-tech details vivid, the rewards to readers considerable." ---Booklist

"Williams colorfully invokes the life of the trader families and their honkeytonk space stations. With its emphasis on youth, beauty, sex, and mischief, [ANGEL STATION] also conjures a contemporary mood agreeably distinct from its futuristic settings." --Publishers Weekly

"Williams has it all." --Analog

"Williams is a skillfully literate addition to the stylish new generation of science fiction writers." ---Chicago Tribune

“Well-developed characters, an intriguing plot and a clear-eyed view of the double-edged sword called change make [AMBASSADOR OF PROGRESS] an engrossing book...”
-LIBRARY JOURNAL

“Williams has an above-average knack for fast pacing, gritty realism, and high-tech details.”
-BOOKLIST

An interstellar catastrophe has left humanity scattered on dozens of primitive worlds. Fiona is an emissary to one such world, charged with helping the inhabitants of Echidne rise from barbarism.

But once she’s arrived on the planet, she finds herself in the middle of a war... the Brodaini, the world’s most ferocious warriors, have risen in revolt against their overlords. The combat threatens to become a war of extermination.

Fiona is a neutral in the war. But Echidne is proving a perilous place for neutrals...

Walter Williams Metropolitan Bundle

Metropolitan

by Walter Jon Williams

City on Fire

by Walter Jon Williams

Nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula Award, City on Fire returns to the world-city of Metropolitan, a city dominated by plasm, the magical substance capable of both creation and destruction.

With her help, Aiah's lover Constantine has established himself in the metropolis of Caraqui, a nation dominated by corrupt officials, gangsters, and the genetically altered known as the "twisted." Here they hope to create a revolution in the cosmic order--- but first they must fend off treachery, war, and the threat of Taikoen, the "hanged man," a deadly creature that lives within plasm itself. Aiah must fight not only for her revolution and for her place in the world, but for Constantine's very soul.

"City on Fire is a splendid, riveting novel in which the most powerful magic is that of a writer directing the twin streams of reason and intuition to produce a dream within the texture of reality." ---Russell Letson, Locus, April 1997

"City on Fire, by Walter Jon Williams, is that rarest of entertainments, a sequel that improves on a successful predecessor . . . Mr. Williams' prose is distinguished by a no-nonsense confidence that perfectly matches Constantine's unshakable faith in his own destiny and in his ability to resist the corruption that notoriously comes with power." ---Gerald Jonas, NY Times Book Review, Feb 23, 1997

"City on Fire offers something for just about every kind of reader . . . Williams really gives the reader hours of entertainment with polished style, twisty plots, action and vivid characters." ---Jeff Watkins

"Williams [creates] a magnificent world-city, its entire surface urbanized by a multitude of civilizations that draw their very existence from plasm, the mysterious energy contained in all matter . . . Well-drawn, believable characters give emotional force to this fine novel . . . Ultimately, however, it is Williams's complex world-city, more convincing than even Asimov in Foundation, and his endlessly inventive use of plasm that will hold readers' fascinated attention. ---Publishers Weekly, Dec 30, 1996.

NOMINATED FOR A NEBULA AWARD. Walter Jon Williams' classic science fantasy Metropolitan is once again available for a new generation of readers.

Aiah has fought her way from poverty and discovered a limitless source of plasm, the mysterious substance that powers the world-city. Her discovery soon involves her with Constantine, the charismatic, dangerous, seductive revolutionary who plans to overthrow, not simply the government, but the cosmic order . . .

"A spectacular blend of fantastic science, high politics, and low intrigue . . . Williams's world and characters are richly imagined yet utterly real." —Melissa Scott

"Entertaining . . . Williams understands that science fiction can breathe life into language . . . [His] writing is always lean, lively and engaging. —New York Times Book Review

"Blends SF aspects with noir stylings to create a potent atmosphere or urban dystopia . . . Ever the expert storyteller, Williams provides more than enough suspense." —Publishers Weekly

Walter Williams Drake Maijstral Bundle

The Crown Jewels

by Walter Jon Williams

House of Shards

by Walter Jon Williams

Rock of Ages

by Walter Jon Williams

After years of struggle, Drake Maijstral has been rated Number One Burglar by the Imperial Sporting Commission. Surely by now he deserves a vacation— and he fully intends to take one, on Earth. But valuable items keep disappearing, and it’s clear that Maijstral, the master thief to end all master thieves, is being preyed upon by another expert burglar. Maijstral would very much like to solve this mystery, but unfortunately people keep challenging him to duels, and he’s become enmeshed in conspiracies laid by two very attractive, very dangerous ladies. And to make things worse, the corpse of Maijstral’s father has been stolen— a corpse that is dead, but still senile.

Rock of Ages is the third hilarious Drake Maijstral adventure by the New York Times best-selling author Walter Jon Williams.