MY AUDIOBOOK LIBRARY

Cantor D'Ahma waited his whole life for this day. Born with a gift to walk between worlds, the young realm walker is finally ready to leave his elderly mentor and accept his role as protector and defender of the realms.

But mere hours after he steps through his first portal, Cantor discovers that his job will be more dangerous and difficult than he ever imagined. The realms are plagued with crime and cruelty, and even members of the once-noble Realm Walkers Guild can no longer be trusted. To make matters worse, his first assignment -- finding a dragon to assist him on his quest -- has led him to Bridger, who is clearly inept and won't leave him alone.

With the help of his new friends, Bixby and Dukmee, Cantor must uncover the secrets of the corrupt guild before they become too powerful to be stopped. But his skills aren't progressing as fast as he would like, and as he finds himself deeper and deeper in the guild's layers of deceit, Cantor struggles to determine where his true allegiance lies.

Plague and warfare have swept across the Orient, ravaging the ancient kingdom of Wa, devastating the royal line, and leaving a new dynasty on the throne--a new emperor, Akantsu, filled with fear of all who might seek to wrest the empire from his grasp. Among those out of favor with the new liege is the Order of the Botahist Monks, whose mystical powers have enabled them to hold positions as spiritual advisors to the imperial court for nearly ten centuries. But Emperor Akantsu fears none so greatly as he does Lord Shonto, the brilliant leader of the most important of the old families, whose influence could rally the great houses against the throne and whose adopted daughter, the beautiful and talented Lady Nishima, is the last surviving member of the old royal family.

Sent to be military governor of a northern border province long threatened by barbarian invaders, Lord Shonto knows he is being lured to his death. But Akantsu has underestimated his foe, for not only is Lord Shonto the greatest military genius of the age but he has with him a spiritual advisor from the Botahist order--a young man gifted with extraordinary martial arts skills and magical abilities, Initiate Brother Shuyun. And even Lord Shonto does not realize the true potential of this young monk. Only time will reveal that Shuyun’s magical powers have not seen their equal in nearly a thousand years--not since the Perfect Master himself walked the paths of the empire.

It is the season of war.

As the plum blossom winds herald spring in the Empire of Wa, Initiate Brother Shuyun, spiritual advisor to Lord Shonto, the military governor of the northernmost province of Seh, receives a shocking message from the barbarian lands. The massive army of the Golden Khan is poised at their border. Forced to retreat south, Lord Shonto is caught between the pursuing barbarian hordes and his own hostile emperor’s Imperial Army.

Meanwhile, the beautiful young Lady Nishima again becomes involved in court intrigue as well as in a dangerous romantic liaison.

Even as this trap closes on Shonto and his allies, Brother Shuyun faces a crisis of his own. For in the same scroll that warned of the invasion was a sacred udumbara blossom, a sign his order has awaited for a thousand years, a sign that the Great Teacher has finally been reborn. And now it may fall to one young monk with extraordinary powers to save his empire.

For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now the familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting. Hunted like an animal by Norman invaders, Bran ap Brychan, heir to the throne Elfael, has abandoned his father's kingdom and fled to the greenwood. There, in the primeval forest of the Welsh borders, danger surrounds him - for this woodland is a living, breathing entity with mysterious powers and secrets, and Bran must find a way to make it his own if he is to survive. Like the forest itself, Hood is deep, dark, and at times savagely brutal - yet full of enchantment and hope. Internationally-acclaimed author Stephen R. Lawhead has created a lyrical rendering of a time-honored story that will lead you down strange pathways into another time and place.

Paul Levinson's astonishing new SF novel is a surprise and a delight: In the year 2042, Sierra, a young graduate student in Classics is shown a new dialog of Socrates, recently discovered, in which a time traveler tries to argue that Socrates might escape death by travel to the future! Thomas, the elderly scholar who has shown her the document, disappears, and Sierra immediately begins to track down the provenance of the manuscript, with the help of her classical scholar boyfriend, Max. The trail leads her to a time machine in a gentlemen's club in London and in New York, and into the past -- and to a time traveler from her future, posing as Heron of Alexandria in 150 AD. Complications, mysteries, travels, and time loops proliferate as Sierra tries to discern who is planning to save the greatest philosopher in human history, or to do so herself. And she finds that time travel raises more questions than it answers. Fascinating historical characters from Alcibiades (of the honeyed thighs) and Thomas Appleton, the great 19th century American publisher, to Socrates himself appear. With surprises in every chapter, Paul Levinson has outdone himself in The Plot to Save Socrates. About the Author: Paul Levinson writes science fiction, sf/mystery and popular and scholarly non-fiction. The Silk Code won the Locus award for Best First Novel of 1999. His novel The Consciousness Plague won the 2003 Mary Shelley Award for outstanding Fictional Work. He has published more than 25 science fiction stories. About the Narrator: New York City resident Mark Shanahan has appeared at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, off-Broadway, and on film and television. In addition to being a playwright, he has provided voices for commercials, animation, museum tours, audiobooks, and radio programs.

From a mind-blowing new talent, an audacious novel that imagines the world after God descends to Earth as a Dinka woman from the Sudan and subsequently dies in the Darfur desert. The result is a world both bizarrely new yet eerily familiar. In Currie’s provocative, wise, and emotionally resonant novel we meet God himself; the Dinka woman whose mortality He must suffer when He inhabits her body; people all over the world coping with the devastating news of God’s demise; a group of young men who, fearing the end of the world, take fate into their own hands; mental patients who insist that a god still exists; armies taking up the eternal war between fate and free will; and parents who, in the absence of a deity and the “lack of anything to do on Sundays,” worship their children. On the surface, this world utterly transformed-yet certain things remain unchanged: protective parents clash with willful, idealistic teenagers; idols are exalted; small town rumor mills run unabated; and children often don’t realize how to forgive their parents until it’s too late. In God Is Dead, Currie brings together a prescient satirical gift worthy of Jonathan Swift, the raw appeal of Chuck Palahniuk’s blackest comedy, and the thought-provoking ethical questions of Kurt Vonnegut, all with a light touch, empathy, and wisdom that make for an exhilarating reading experience. Off beat yet accessible, God Is Dead is an exciting debut from a fresh new voice in contemporary fiction. About the Author: Ron Currie, Jr.’s prizewinning fiction has appeared in Glimmer Train. He has been short-listed for the Fish International Short Story Award and Swink magazine’s Emerging Writer Award. He lives in Waterville, Maine. About the Narrator: Gabriel Baron is an actor and director with extensive experience in stage, commercials and voiceover work. He has been honored with the Genius Award for theater, and the Footlight Award for acting and directing. Baron's work in theater, dance and spoken word poetry have earned him a reputation as one of Seattle's most diverse performance artists.

Explore this fantastical tale. Down-on-his-luck tramp Doughface Jack has been shot while trying to escape from a cop and a train brakeman—causing him to fall from the train and crush his skull. A local doctor performs emergency surgery to save Doughface's life, patching up and stitching together the two halves of his brain and then sealing the cranium with a silver bowl.

While Doughface miraculously survives, he also acquires phenomenal mental powers: he can instantaneously heal or kill, or make the old young. Terrified of his newfound abilities, Doughface flees the university where he was being kept for examination, only to cross paths with a vengeful and beautiful woman bound to reach the ultimate seat of power—using Jack to destroy anything that gets in her way! "Hubbard’s Golden Age Stories, rendered with lush music and Hollywood sound design." —AudioFile 

Is it too late? The world is overrun by the infectious walking dead seeking living flesh... The Breathing Dead, a zombie tale, follows Karen, Jane, Sam and House fighting for survival in Farmore. In world where being dead no longer means the end, time is running out for the human race... About the Author: A.M. Esmonde was born in 1977. At a young age Esmonde appeared in many amateur plays and notably assisted in the production of the film "15: The Life and Death of Philip Knight." He is an avid fan of all genres of film, books, music and art. Although he has written many short stories and screenplays, "The Breathing Dead" is his first young adult adventure horror novelette. A.M. continues to expand "The Breathing Dead" universe, creating "The Breathing Dead Tales" book series which will include further zombie, vampire and werewolf novels, audiobooks and films. A.M. is the founder of the MADAZZ Film Company. As well as producing "The Breathing Dead Tales" film trailers he has co-directed/produced 2009's short film "Revamped: A Vampire Tale" based on "The Breathing Dead: A Vampire Tale" novel. He lives in Wales, UK, with his wife and two children. About the Narrator: Paul Rees has been involved in radio for over 25 years and during that time has interviewed many well known personalities. He currently presents and co-produces both an arts and music-based program which is broadcast worldwide via the Internet. Paul has voiced numerous corporate video productions as well as having presented to camera. He has also worked on other audio productions which he has both produced and presented, including commercials for radio, vocal presentation for drama and specialist audio applications. Paul is one of the most listened to voices in the UK. Music on this audiobook is provided by Kevin MacLeod.

A young man named Anodos experiences dream-like adventures in Fairy Land, where he meets tree-spirits, endures the presence of the overwhelming shadow, journeys to the palace of the fairy queen, and searches for the spirit of the earth. The story conveys a profound sadness and a poignant longing for death. (Brad Powers)

Lilith, written by the father of fantasy literature, George MacDonald, was first published in 1895. Its importance was recognized in its later revival in paperback by Ballantine Books as the fifth volume of the celebrated Ballantine Adult Fantasy series in September, 1969. Lilith is considered among the darkest of MacDonald’s works, and among the most profound. It is a story concerning the nature of life, death and salvation. Many believe MacDonald is arguing for Christian universalism, or the idea that all will eventually be saved. (Summary from Wikipedia)

A great civilization’s fate lay in Dick Barrow’s hands as he led his courageous fellow engineers into a strange and unknown land. None of them knew what lay ahead–what dangers awaited them–or what rewards. But they did not hesitate because the first question asked them had been: “Are you a brave man?” (Summary from the text).

Known mainly for his tales of adventure, this work of science fiction by Jack London is set in a post-apocalyptic future. It’s 2072, sixty years after the scarlet plague has depopulated the planet. James Howard Smith is one of the few survivors of the pre-plague era left alive in the San Francisco area, and as he realizes his time grows short, he tries to impart the value of knowledge and wisdom to his grandsons. Through his narrative, we learn how the plague spread throughout the world and of the struggles of the handful of survivors it left in its wake. The Scarlet Plague was originally published in London Magazine in 1912. (Summary by Wikipedia and James Christopher)

A dystopian novel about the terrible oppressions of an American oligarchy at the beginning of the Twentieth Century, and the struggles of a socialist revolutionary movement. (Introduction by Matt Soar)

Published in 1909, this science fiction short story takes place in a future where mankind, seemingly no longer able to survive on earth’s surface, exists in a vast underground civilization known as “The Machine”. Each individual lives in an isolated, fully-automated cell-like room, connected to global information and communication systems, but cut off from all direct experience. The narrative focuses on Vashti, an “advanced” mother whose total dependence upon The Machine has led her (like most others) to increasingly reverence and even worship it; and her “untechnological” son, Kuno, who has begun to deny The Machine’s omnipotence and even seeks to escape if possible. Kuno’s radical views are validated as the The Machine’s systems begin to malfunction and eventually fail completely. The story has proved to be far ahead of its time, with remarkably accurate predictions of modern technologies, and paints a chilling picture of over-dependence on them. This recording marks the 100th anniversary of the original publishing. (Summary by Jerome Lawsen)

“Security”, tells the story of a compartmentalized government physicist ordered by secret police to complete experiments aimed at developing a new weapon. He is brought to a hidden space station and put in charge of the project but there are many questions. In a world of spies watching spies it’s sometimes hard to know what’s patriotic. -- Poul Anderson was a Golden Age Science Fiction and Fantasy author. “Security” first appeared in the magazine “Space Science Fiction” in February of 1953 (Summary by Gregg Margarite)