I don't read a lot of sci-fi but this had it all: it was funny, the plot was crisp, clear and original, the characters were perfectly drawn and it made me cry twice which no sci-fi has ever done. I was fully immersed in the world created and found myself worrying about the predicament of the hero when I wasn't reading. Strongly recommend it, even if you don't usually read sci-fi!
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.
Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.
All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through…
This book is by a creativity and education expert who writes about how finding what motivates and excites you ('the point where natural talent meets personal passion') is life-changing. A lot of it is both eye-opening and quite funny in a bleak sort of way (e.g. how many very famous people were not noticed for their talent at all as children, just bored in school). It does make you think about how our society is not really set up for encouraging people to find their 'element' and how we might change that. Thought-provoking.
The groundbreaking international bestseller that will help you fulfil your true potential.
The Element is the point at which natural talent meets personal passion. In this hugely influential book, world-renowned creativity expert Ken Robinson considers the child bored in class, the disillusioned employee and those of us who feel frustrated but can't quite explain why - and shows how we all need to reach our Element.
Through the stories of people like Vidal Sassoon, Arianna Huffington and Matt Groening, who have recognized their unique talents and made a successful living doing what they love, Robinson explains how every one of…
This one, as a Terry Pratchett fan, was an interesting read as the tone and style reminded me a lot of him, but written by a woman. It's fantasy, but gives domesticity status, so even when our band of heroes are on a quest, there are still farmyard animals and sleeping arrangements to consider, which grounds it and gives it a realism which I liked. I'd have liked this to have been longer so that we could stay with the characters beyond their initial quest, but I enjoyed it a lot and so did my bookclub.
An Instant USA Today & Indie Bestseller An Oprah Daily Top 25 Fantasy Book of 2022 An NPR Best Sci Fi, Fantasy, & Speculative Fiction Book of 2022 A Goodreads Best Fantasy Choice Award Nominee
From Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes an original and subversive fantasy adventure.
*A very special hardcover edition, featuring gold foil stamp on the casing and custom endpapers illustrated by the author.*
This isn't the kind of fairytale where the princess marries a prince. It's the one where she kills him.
In the shadows of Rome’s greatest spectacle, a young woman discovers friendship, belonging, and the fragile beginnings of love. Rome, 80 AD. Althea has always lived unseen. A slave scribe, she records the words of powerful men while silencing her own.
But when she is sent to serve Marcus, the man charged with creating the Colosseum’s inaugural Games, her life begins to change. Haunted by the loss of his family in Pompeii, Marcus teeters on the edge of despair. To save him, Althea must step beyond obedience and into courage.
Amid the roar of the arena and the demands of an Emperor, Althea forms unexpected bonds: a sharp-tongued prostitute, a fallen Vestal Virgin, a runaway boy, and others cast aside by Rome. Together, they become more than survivors. They become family. And in Marcus’ sadness, Althea begins to glimpse the tender possibility of love.
From the Ashes is a sweeping story of resilience, found family, and one woman’s journey to claim her freedom in a world built on power. Both action-packed and heart-stirring, it brings to life the people behind the Colosseum and the quiet strength that can rise from ruins.
