Short Game

War is a serious business - or is it? Christopher Anvil turns his sardonic sense of humor loose on the subject. Hard-SF legend and Analog regular Christopher Anvil brings together mind-bending ideas and grim-but-true black humor in the face of war's utter destruction in this mega-compilation.

Collection of five short stories.

This collection invites listeners on an enchanting journey through shadowed forests, haunted inns, and small towns where secrets simmer just beneath the surface. Each story unveils a darkly magical world where courage is tested, and the line between reality and the supernatural blurs. Perfect for fans of the occult and fairy tales tinged with horror, Tales of Witches: Haxor transports listeners into a world where every passing minute reveals chilling spells, dark rituals, and the timeless struggle between light and shadow.

Richard just wanted a girlfriend - not the apocalypse. Richard Peak's senior year is looking painfully ordinary - fighting for position on the soccer team, his parents' constant arguing, a glaring lack of a girlfriend. He can't wait to graduate and join a soccer team overseas, preferably as far from home as possible. Then the president is assassinated and his life changes forever. As an alarming chain of nationwide terrorist attacks trigger a civil war, Richard finds himself on a dangerous journey for survival.

Ruby James has finally made it. As an official Rater, she's reached upper class society and all that comes with it - a huge house in a guarded neighborhood, box seats, and an elite client list. She even has the perfect boyfriend to go with it, one she expects to marry as soon as her career settles. Then she uncovers a terrible secret. One her boss will do anything to protect.

Thomas Cromwell started as a scrappy blacksmith’s son from Putney. Before he became the King’s right-hand man, Cromwell was a soldier, a merchant, and (allegedly) a bit of a dodgy dealer. By the time Henry VIII noticed him, he’d already survived Italy, bankruptcy, and at least one attempt on his life. Somehow, he ended up masterminding the greatest religious upheaval England had ever seen.

Sherlock Holmes is one of the most iconic and lasting figures in literature. In this new edition of Baker Street Irregulars, authors present the iconic detective in over a dozen wildly entertaining new ways. In Keith DeCandido's "Six Red Dragons", Sherlock is a young girl in modern New York City. In Sarah Stegall's "Papyrus", Sherlock is a female librarian in ancient Egypt. In Daniel M. Kimmel's mesmerizing "A Scandal in Chelm", Sherlock is a rabbi. Derek Beebe sends Sherlock to the moon, while Mike Strauss, in "The Adventure of the Double Sized Final Issue", casts him as a comic book character.

Lady Jane Grey never wanted the crown. She barely had time to wear it. While history remembers her reign in days, this short book remembers the girl. Lady Jane Grey was only 16 when she was handed the throne of England like a poisoned chalice. Sharp-witted, highly educated, and utterly unprepared for royal life, Jane found herself thrust into the deadliest game the Tudors ever played. Nine days later, it was all over... except the part where they lopped off her head.

For the Sake of the Game is the latest volume in the award-winning series from New York Times best-selling editors Laurie R. King and Leslie S. Klinger, with stories of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and friends in a variety of eras and forms. King and Klinger have a simple formula: Ask some of the world's greatest writers-regardless of genre - to be inspired by the stories of Arthur Conan Doyle. The results are surprising and joyous.

In a world of criminals, thugs, con artists, cheats, and swindlers, there must be a man to stand against the powers of darkness and corruption. A man not afraid to walk the mean streets—whether they be those of 1930s Los Angeles, an ancient fantasy realm, or some far-flung planet of a future star empire. He is a man who knows that a “good man” is not always a “nice guy”. But when the chips are down, he understands that a hero does the right thing, even if it means losing everything.

Caleb Ryan was the only man I ever loved. But then he betrayed me.... I spent years trying to get over what he'd done to me, honing my hatred until it was knife-sharp. Now I finally have a chance to take my revenge. The only problem is I need him to achieve another goal. Whether I like it or not, we're going to have to work together. Now feelings are coming back that should be buried and gone. Can years mend a broken heart, or is my need for revenge all I have left?

Picture this: You’re scrolling through your usual books, but tonight, something’s different. You’re not just looking for the same-old vanilla story—you want raw heat, heart-pounding encounters, and scenes that make your skin tingle. You want the kind of forbidden, electrifying tales that could only exist in the darkest corners of your imagination. Well, lucky for you, you’re holding the ultimate collection of sinfully seductive stories, each more tantalizing than the last.

For generations, basketball has united people through the players' unwavering determination and the thrilling moments that define this sport. However, there exists a realm of untold stories and experiences beyond the scores displayed on the scoreboard and the excitement of winning or losing that have greatly influenced the sport and the individuals who participate in it. These tales are the pieces to the whole puzzle of what makes basketball one of the greatest sports there are today.

This fast-paced collection of novellas and short stories from leading Russian LitRPG authors sheds new light on their signature worlds. You're in Game! features works by Vasily Mahanenko, Andrei Livadny, Alexey Osadchuk, Michael Atamanov, Pavel Kornev, and Andrew Novak. Expect your favorite heroes to play second fiddle to an array of new main characters, once-minor plot lines to lead you in unexpected directions, and familiar story events to take surprising new turns.

Miss Lucy Lancester has loved her brother's best friend, Roman Alexander, for as long as she can remember. So devotedly, she's vowed never to marry anyone else. But her beloved libertine is hardly aware of her existence, and not the least deserving of her affection. Deciding her cause is lost, she makes plans to open a girls' school in Bath. There's just one thing she needs to do before she confirms her spinsterhood forever: spend one blissful night in Roman's arms.

Enjoy eight short stories with a travel theme - a perfect companion for the train, the plane, or on a road trip. Road Games happen on the road, in the air, the open sea, and in the uncharted territory where the twilight meets the horizon.

In this companion story to Numbers Game, Chan Norwell comes from the perfect citizen family. His mother is chief of the city monitor force, his brother an all-star, and his sister a prodigy - which leaves little wiggle room for a nobody like Chan. He is determined to have his time in the spotlight at last. But he doesn't expect things to go so horribly wrong. Alone, dishonored, and humiliated, Chan can only see one way out.

A charming and inclusive YA anthology all about games—from athletic sports to board games to virtual reality—from editor Laura Silverman and an all-star cast of contributors. From the slightly fantastical to the utterly real, light and sweet romance to tales tinged with horror and thrills...

And through the sleepiness, Inka sensed a man in her presence. He was standing there but she couldn’t see him. He was hunting for her, but he couldn’t see her either. Inka Keto - Sexy, curvy and full of vigor, she's a bear shifter from a very close family of shifters. As open, kind, and as whimsical as she is, she's also tight like a steel trap. Her family has been trying to save shifter slaves from the powerful, yet evil regime, on Herta for some time.

A New York Times bestselling author’s gripping account of a Chicago community coming together to save a group of teenagers from gun violence. In the tradition of works like Random Family and Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Sudhir Venkatesh’s The Tomorrow Game is a deeply reported chronicle of...