Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive Volume 2

Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive Volume 2
Author: Square Enix
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2018-12-18
Genre: Games & Activities
ISBN: 1506706622

Explore the art and adventure of the quintessential entries in the Final Fantasy saga with this gorgeous 300-plus-page hardcover. Collecting concept art, design notes, creator retrospectives, and more from Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy IX, Dark Horse's journey through the creation of the groundbreaking role-playing masterpiece continues! Dark Horse and Square Enix are thrilled to present the second of three volumes that officially translate Square Enix's detailed history chronicling the creation of the Final Fantasy franchise's seventh, eighth, and ninth games. Filled with captivating art and creator commentary, Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive Volume 2 remains completely authentic to its Japanese source material with unrivaled access for a Western audience. This prestige compendium is a must-have addition for any Final Fantasy enthusiast's collection.

The Brides of Purple Heart Ranch Boxset Volume 2

The Brides of Purple Heart Ranch Boxset Volume 2
Author: Shanae Johnson
Publisher: Those Johnson Girls
Total Pages: 299
Release: 2020-06-09
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

The continuing story of the soldiers and brides of the Purple Heart Ranch! Including two full length novels and an exclusive holiday short story! HIS PERMANENT SCAR The Army calls Sean Jeffries a hero, but his hesitation to take down a child suicide bomber left dozens wounded and him with a permanent scar. Wracked by nightmares of those he couldn’t save, he’s sworn to live a life of solitude in penance. His only bright spot is his nurse, Ruhi. But when she finds herself in trouble, can Sean step up to be a hero again? Ruhi Patel’s casual approach to dating leads to men who won’t commit. After her last non-boyfriend not only dumped her, but stole her dream job, Ruhi swears off men. However, she soon learns she’s pregnant. Being a single mom is not part of her plan. So when her favorite patient proposes a platonic marriage of convenience, Ruhi takes it into serious consideration. After the two say “I do,” feelings begin to grow. But Sean is holding himself back, convinced he doesn’t deserve happiness. And Ruhi is afraid she’s falling for yet another unavailable man. Can these two sidestep heartache and allow themselves to be loved despite their scars? HAVING HIS BACK Xavier Ramos was always a smooth talker. As an army communications specialist, his gift of gab loosened the lips of informants and helped gain needed intelligence. But the collateral damage of his actions left scars inside and out. He battles his demons with a joking attitude and forced smiles, but gets tongue tied when he meets the daughter he never knew he had. It’s love at first sight for him and his little girl, unfortunately, her mother, the love of his life who he abandoned years ago, is immune to his sweet talk. Cassie Butler was the quintessential good girl. She sang in the choir on Sundays and followed all the rules until the night she gave herself to the man she thought she would marry. But when Xavier went off to war and never returned, she was left heartbroken and pregnant. Shunned by her parents and community, Cassie has struggled to raise her child on her own. With no child care for her special needs daughter, she hasn’t had it easy and has resolved to never depend on anyone again. And then Xavier shows up in her life again. His proposal is simple: a platonic marriage of convenience complete with a home and child care. But can she trust the pretty words of the man who broke her heart and abandoned her? For Xavier, opening up to Cassie about the wartime horrors that kept him away from her will be his biggest battle yet. And even if he can get her to trust him, can he convince himself that he is worthy of love again? COURAGE TO HEAL Grumpy Vincent Klause's plan to turn the town's Christmas Tree farm into a paper mill is not a popular one, especially not with the town's #1 holiday enthusiast, Isabella Snow. Not that a man like Vincent, who prefers sonnets to society, cares what the beautiful bookworm thinks. When Izzy goes to chop down a tree for the holidays she doesn't expect her swing to land right at the heart of the handsome new owner... and give him a concussion. Now trapped in a snow storm with a grumpy beast, can Izzy get Vincent's heart to thaw before the storm is over? Find out if love can truly heal all wounds in these light-hearted, sweet romances of convenient arrangements that unfold into lasting love.

Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive Volume 3

Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive Volume 3
Author: Square Enix
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Total Pages: 344
Release: 2019-06-11
Genre: Games & Activities
ISBN: 1506708013

The journey through the creation of the groundbreaking video games continues with this breathtaking volume, featuring hundreds of pieces of concept art, design notes, and creator retrospectives from the original team behind the making of Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XI, Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XIII, and Final Fantasy XIV. Art, commentary, and lore from a transformative era in the indispensable role-playing franchise, collected in a beautifully printed 300-plus-page hardcover. Foray into one of gaming's most iconic properties, exploring beautiful art and incisive commentary behind five of the most memorable entries in the Final Fantasy saga. Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive Volume 3 authentically translates original Japanese source material to present unparalleled access for a Western audience. This incredible tome is a must-have addition to any Final Fantasy enthusiast's collection.

The EC Archives: Weird Fantasy Volume 2

The EC Archives: Weird Fantasy Volume 2
Author: Bill Gaines
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Total Pages: 220
Release: 2023-10-03
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
ISBN: 1506721176

Weird Fantasy from EC Comics captured the wonder and terror of science fiction like no other title of its era. And now the Dark Horse Comics library of EC classics returns with EC Archives: Weird Fantasy Volume 2, now in a value-priced paperback edition featuring the work of comics legends Al Feldstein, William Gaines, Wally Wood, Jack Kamen, Joe Orlando and more. This volume collects Weird Fantasy issues #7–#12 with remastered digital color based on Marie Severin’s original tones. Foreword by rock superstar Gene Simmons of KISS!

Game Dev Stories Volume 2

Game Dev Stories Volume 2
Author: David L. Craddock
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 200
Release: 2021-08-26
Genre: Games & Activities
ISBN: 1000433935

Game Dev Stories: Interviews About Game Development and Culture Volumes 1 and 2 are a collection of interviews from renowned author David L. Craddock as he explores all corners of the video game industry. Collected from the author's archives, Game Dev Stories gathers conversations with individuals from all corners of the industry: Who they are, the paths they paved, and their contributions to this multibillion-dollar industry. This text offers viewpoints from well-known individuals like John Romero, Tom Hall, and Matt Householder. From artists and writers to programmers and designers, Game Dev Stories offers amazing insights and understanding to what occurs behind the screens of your favorite games and may help inspire future game developers in pursuing their dreams. Author Bio David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of over a dozen nonfiction books about video game development and culture, including the bestselling Stay Awhile and Listen series, Arcade Perfect: How Pac-Man, Mortal Kombat, and Other Coin-Op Classics Invaded the Living Room, and fiction for young adults, including The Dumpster Club and Heritage: Book One of the Gairden Chronicles. Find him online @davidlcraddock on Twitter.

The Ultimate History of Video Games, Volume 2

The Ultimate History of Video Games, Volume 2
Author: Steven L. Kent
Publisher: Crown
Total Pages: 592
Release: 2021-08-24
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1984825437

The definitive behind-the-scenes history of video games’ explosion into the twenty-first century and the war for industry power “A zippy read through a truly deep research job. You won’t want to put this one down.”—Eddie Adlum, publisher, RePlay Magazine As video games evolve, only the fittest companies survive. Making a blockbuster once cost millions of dollars; now it can cost hundreds of millions, but with a $160 billion market worldwide, the biggest players are willing to bet the bank. Steven L. Kent has been playing video games since Pong and writing about the industry since the Nintendo Entertainment System. In volume 1 of The Ultimate History of Video Games, he chronicled the industry’s first thirty years. In volume 2, he narrates gaming’s entrance into the twenty-first century, as Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and Microsoft battle to capture the global market. The home console boom of the ’90s turned hobby companies like Nintendo and Sega into Hollywood-studio-sized business titans. But by the end of the decade, they would face new, more powerful competitors. In boardrooms on both sides of the Pacific, engineers and executives began, with enormous budgets and total secrecy, to plan the next evolution of home consoles. The PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Sega Dreamcast all made radically different bets on what gamers would want. And then, to the shock of the world, Bill Gates announced the development of the one console to beat them all—even if Microsoft had to burn a few billion dollars to do it. In this book, you will learn about • the cutthroat environment at Microsoft as rival teams created console systems • the day the head of Sega of America told the creator of Sonic the Hedgehog to “f**k off” • how “lateral thinking with withered technology” put Nintendo back on top • and much more! Gripping and comprehensive, The Ultimate History of Video Games: Volume 2 explores the origins of modern consoles and of the franchises—from Grand Theft Auto and Halo to Call of Duty and Guitar Hero—that would define gaming in the new millennium.

Previews

Previews
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 462
Release: 1999
Genre: Comic books, strips, etc
ISBN:

The Stuff of Science Fiction

The Stuff of Science Fiction
Author: Gary Westfahl
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 298
Release: 2022-09-23
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1476686599

While students and general readers typically cannot relate to esoteric definitions of science fiction, they readily understand the genre as a literature that characteristically deals with subjects such as new inventions, space, robot and aliens. This book looks at science fiction in precisely this manner, with twenty-one chapters that each deal with a subject that is repeatedly addressed in science fiction of recent centuries. Based on a packet of original essays that the author assembled for his classes, the book could serve as a supplemental textbook in science fiction classes, but also contains material of interest to science fiction scholars and others devoted to the genre. In some cases, chapters offer thorough surveys of numerous works involving certain subjects, such as imagined vehicles, journeys beneath the Earth and undersea adventures, discovering intriguing patterns in the ways that various writers developed their ideas. When comprehensive coverage of ubiquitous topics such as robots, aliens and the planet Mars is impossible, chapters focus on major themes referencing selected texts. A conclusion discusses other science fiction subjects that were omitted for various reasons, and a bibliography lists additional resources for the study of science fiction in general and the topics of each chapter.

Lake of Sins Series Box Set Books 1-3

Lake of Sins Series Box Set Books 1-3
Author: L. S. O'Dea
Publisher: Linda O'Dea
Total Pages: 754
Release: 2017-05-28
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1942706189

Books 1- 3 in the series filled with human-animal hybrids where class determines imprisonment or freedom. Escape: Every year after harvest the weakest are removed from the encampment. None of them are ever seen or heard from again. Trinity’s only hope of escape lies in the forest. She’s not afraid of the creatures that live there. There’s nothing bigger than foxes in those woods, except this time something is different. This time she’s hunted from land and sea by predators that should only exist in legends. Surrounded by three enemies. Surrender is her only option, but which one should she choose? A captivating dystopian read filled with human-animal hybrids and creatures you’ve never even imagined. Secrets In Blood: The disturbing and yet exciting sequel to Lake of Sins: Escape. Having discovered the horrible fate of her kind, Trinity has left her family behind and is fleeing from the Almightys. Her friends have promised to help her, but they don’t know that her blood holds a secret that some in power want revealed and others want destroyed. Hugh Truent, an Almighty, learns that Trinity is a product of the mating of two different classes which is impossible, but if it’s true, it’s the discovery of a lifetime. He must catch her before she is destroyed, but someone will stop at nothing to ensure he fails, putting his life and the lives of those he loves in danger. Hangman's Army: A rebellion is brewing in the world of the Lake of Sins while Hugh Truent sits in prison days away from his execution. After taking his findings about the genetic similarities between the classes to the Supreme Almighty and the Council, Hugh had been arrested for treason and all his evidence had vanished as if made from smoke. To protect his family, he cut off all contact with the outside world while he sat in prison for over four years waiting for his execution. He has no idea that some of his reports were leaked to the other classes and that civil war looms on the horizon. Trinity and her friends have no hope of winning the war unless they can unite the classes. In order to do that, they need someone everyone will follow. They need the one person all the classes trust and believe in. They need Hugh. That means they have to break him out of a maximum-security prison and convince him to lead their army, but that won’t be easy because Hugh wants revenge and he’s not going to let anything get in his way especially mouthy, attractive, know-it-all Trinity. Interview with the Author Q. – So, why should someone read the Lake of Sins series? Well, because it’s great (smiles). However, if you’re looking for your typical dystopian, post-apocalyptic, survival thriller then you should look somewhere else. This story has been described as a one-of-a-kind world created in a unique dystopian society. The characters in the series are human-animal hybrids—genetic mutations or evil experiments is yet to be revealed. It’s an entire new species of characters who don’t fit in the typical genre categories of vampire, werewolf, witch, fairies or even angels and demons. The world of the Lake of Sins is segregated by class with the humans ruling supreme. In book one, Escape, Trinity, a sixteen-year-old Producer (the lowest of the classes), unwittingly sets off a collision between the classes when she flees into the forest to discover the fate of the teenagers who are removed from camp every year after harvest. Some say they are taken to another camp to keep bloodlines strong. Others say they are tortured. No one knows and Trinity is determined to find out, but what she doesn’t expect is to be hunted by mutant creatures and predators long thought to be extinct. The books are fast paced with adventure and mutated creatures around every corner. There are legends that are truth and societal truths that are well guarded lies. All-in-all, it’s a unique and exciting read and you should give it a try. I think you’ll love it. The Chimera Chronicles series also takes place in the world of the Lake of Sins. These stories are prequels, explaining how some of the characters, who you meet in the Lake of Sins series, became monsters. Q. – Who should read the Lake of Sins series? Although there’s a strong, female lead in Lake of Sins, the audience for both series is broad. I have fans (male and female) aged ten through eighty. Anyone who likes gory thrillers that are dark, a little disturbing and packed with action will enjoy these books. However, a word of caution is in order. These books are not for the squeamish. Some scenes are bloody and violent almost falling into the horror genre, but the interactions between the characters are funny, poignant and loving (and a love triangle develops as the stories progress). Still, I wouldn’t recommend these books to anyone under thirteen without the parents reading the books first.