New Releases by Matt Forbeck

Roll the dice to create your very own Minecraft story in this tabletop game—with dice, instructions, and an all new, original adventure book!

"To me, my X-Men!" This - the first full-sized sourcebook for the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game - features the X-Men and all their various spin-off teams, greatest allies and most fearsome foes. Written by d616 System co-creator and New York Times-bestseller Matt Forbeck (The Marvel Encyclopedia, Dungeons & Dragons: Endless Quest) and packed with illustrations by Marvel''s incredible army of artists, the X-Men Expansion is jammed full of vital information about Marvel''s most popular mutants, including new options for creating characters, new Traits, new Tags and new Powers! It also includes new profiles for dozens of characters from X-Force, New Mutants and Marauders, new full-color maps of famous X-Men homes, including the Xavier Institute, Krakoa and Arakko and plenty of plot hooks for an entire campaign. Answer the call and join the X-Men!

The mythic past of Minecraft Legends returns to threaten the Overworld in this official novel! Farnum dreams of running a famous zoo. But though the mobs he keeps are adorable, none of them draws anything close to a crowd. Farnum needs something strange and new—but he’s the furthest thing from an adventurer. It takes a lot of convincing from his friends, but Farnum finally takes a chance and goes with them to explore a lush new biome . . . which is how he ends up falling down a waterfall and washing up in front of a mysterious purple portal. Kritten has advised many powerful piglins. Few have been as fearsome or demanding as the Great Bungus. If Kritten wants their head to stay on their shoulders, the pint-sized piglin advisor is going to need to find their clan more land. And fast. At their most desperate point, they discover a cavern filled with ancient piglin carvings, depicting a legend that may have all the answers they’re looking for. Once upon a time, three fabled piglin hordes left the Nether behind and made war on the Overworld. And Kritten thinks they might just have a way to do the same now. All they need is the help of someone in the Overworld foolish enough to trust them . . . someone like Farnum. Together, zookeeper and piglin are about to carve out a legend of their own. And the Overworld may never be the same!

____________________________ Learn the tragic origins of the wicked Arch-Illager in this official Minecraft novel, a prequel to Minecraft Dungeons! Brave heroes have banded together to take a perilous journey through the war-torn Overworld to defeat the Arch-Illager and his formidable army. But how did that army come to be? And just where did the Arch-Illager come from? The terrible truth behind the Arch-Illager is that he never asked for ultimate power. Known as Archie, this little Illager is bullied by his fellow Illagers and mistrusted by fearful Villagers. Archie only ever wanted a place to call home, but he finds himself shunned by all. As he wanders through deep forests and up craggy mountains, he stumbles upon a dark cavern-with a sinister secret waiting inside. Archie discovers an object that whispers to him promises of power- the Orb of Dominance. With it, Archie realizes he can wield incredible magic and reshape a world that turned its back on him. All he needs to do is exactly what it tells him . . . After all, it''s called the Orb of Dominance for a reason, right? But is it named for the way Archie uses it-or is it using him?

Every night, legions of zombies scratch at the outer walls of Dragon City, trying to claw their way into the grim and gritty metropolis ruled over by the Dragon Emperor, the mighty beast that keeps the hordes of hungry dead from storming the place and tearing it to the ground. Inside, ex-adventurer Max Gibson — now "Freelance" — tries to keep his head down and enjoy his early retirement, but something keeps digging up parts of his long-buried past. First he has to rescue an old pal from murder charges. Next he has a run-in with the corrupt Imperial Dragon''s Guard and the dwarven mafia that run the city''s under-mountain. After that, things get much worse, and Max soon finds himself wrapped up in a plot that involves the Dragon Emperor''s young offspring and the fabled leader of the undead hordes herself, the legendary Ruler of the Dead. With the fate of Dragon City and all its occupants in his hands, what will Max do? Who does he truly care about? And what is he willing to destroy to protect them? This omnibus edition contains all six Shotguns & Sorcery stories written to date. This includes: • "Friends Like These" (short story) • "Goblintown Justice" (short story) • Hard Times in Dragon City (novel) • Bad Times in Dragon City (novel) • End Times in Dragon City (novel Plus, a brand-new story written for this book: • "The Job Never Ends" (novella)

Retired adventurer Max Gibson has seen better times. Ever since he and his treasure-hunting friends struck it big and called it quits a decade back, it seems like things have slid downhill. It''s hard enough to scrape by in a sprawling mountain city in which elves and dwarves live higher than humans in every way. It''s worse at night, when the groans of the zombies laying an eternal siege to the city provide a ceaseless reminder that the Dragon Emperor himself is the only thing that keeps the hordes of hungry dead from storming the walls. When Max is called in to help investigate the wholesale slaughter of a long-dead dwarf friend''s family, he thinks maybe he''s finally hit bottom. Then the love of his life--the elf who left him when their careers as adventurers ended--walks back through his door, desperate for his help and with nowhere else to turn. It''s not getting any easier. That''s for sure.

The New York Times bestselling series based on the blockbuster Xbox® games continues with the acclaimed story of Spartan Edward Buck—first seen in HALO: ODST and reappearing in HALO 5: GUARDIANS! While Spartans get all the glory, no soldier―not even the legendary Master Chief―wins a war on his own. Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck and his team of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs) played a major role in saving Earth from all-out invasion at the end of the Covenant War―acts of bravery and ingenuity that did not go unnoticed by the United Nations Space Command. Now, after many Spartans have been killed in battle and the Master Chief is listed as MIA, the UNSC decides to create a new generation of Spartans to defend humanity from threats both outside―and within. When they come to Buck with an extraordinary proposition, he is forced to make a life-altering decision. With the Covenant War finally over, is it time for him to retire to the sidelines for a life he could only dream about…or is he prepared to step up and become part of the military’s new blood? Copyright © 2015 by Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Microsoft, Halo, the Halo logo, Xbox, and the Xbox logo are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

The rich and powerful take what they want. We steal it back for you. When a disreputable dealer starts swindling aged and ailing comic-book creators out of their wealth—and their high-valued comics and artwork—the daughter of one victim comes to ex-insurance investigator Nathan Ford and his team of counter-crooks for help. Their scheme: run a con at the Comic-Con International, where the crook intends to sell the goods. But there’s more going on than simple theft. An arson plot is in motion that will not only destroy countless rare collectibles, but may end up costing lives. With time short, the team must take down a ruthless mark whose true motives have yet to be revealed…

It''s a kind of magic... When two college freshmen decide to spend Spring Break using their magic to fleece the gambling tables of Las Vegas, little do they imagine that Vegas harbors some magical secrets of its own... And of course what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas - alive or dead. File Under: [The Mob & Magic | Ancient Secrets | Zombie Wizardry | Bet Your Life]

THE VERY BEST PERSON TO CATCH YOUR KILLER…IS YOU. Matt Forbeck arrives as the new king of high-concept - with a blockbuster action movie in a book. In the near future, scientists solve the problem of mortality by learning how to backup and restore a persons memories into a vat-bred clone. When Secret Service agent Ronan "Methusaleh" Dooley is brutally murdered, he''s brought back from the dead one more time to hunt his killer, but this time those who wanted him dead are much closer to home. FILE UNDER: Science Fiction [Future Thriller / Cheat Death / Rogue Agents / Who Killed Who?] From the Paperback edition.

Con your way into a scholarship. Sleep with your professors. Crash a closed course. Sell your organs for beer money. Get textbooks for free. And more... This book has schooled its readers before...but not like this. This guide is a full-scale assault on the ivory towers of academia, teaching students the ins and outs of college life--from how to handle obnoxious roommates (retaliation) to how to make it onto the dean''s list (cheat). With 101 entries providing a crash course in college survival, this next Forbidden Knowledge installment is perfect for senior and freshman fans alike who aren''t afraid of double-secret probation.

250 years ago, Ascalon burned . . . Desperate to defend his land from advancing hordes of bestial charr, King Adelbern summoned the all-powerful Foefire to repel the invaders. But magic can be a double-edged sword—the Foefire burned both charr and human alike. While the charr corpses smoldered, the slain Ascalonians arose again, transformed by their king’s rage into ghostly protectors and charged with guarding the realm . . . forever. The once mighty kingdom became a haunted shadow of its former glory. Centuries later, the descendants of Ascalon, exiled to the nation of Kryta, are besieged on all sides. To save humankind, Queen Jennah seeks to negotiate a treaty with the hated charr. But one obstacle remains. The charr legions won’t sign the truce until their most prized possession, the Claw of the Khan-Ur,is returned from the ruins of fallen Ascalon. Now a mismatched band of adventurers, each plagued by ghosts of their own, sets forth into a haunted, war-torn land to retrieve the Claw. Without the artifact, there is no hope for peace between human and charr—but the undead king who rules Ascalon won’t give it up easily, and not everyone wants peace!

Adrenaline junkies took to the first edition like a Molotov cocktail to an empty car, and now we’re back with the eyebrow singeing, nerve-shaking, possible assault-charge causing, second round of forbidden knowledge. Where its predecessor pushed the limits and put the pedal to the metal, this followup explodes through boundaries and sets the reader in a tailspin of danger, temptation, and fun. Inside this edgy four-color self-destruction manual, you will learn how to: Become a mercenary; Amputate a limb; Summon a demon; Pass a drug test; Kite checks; and more. Certain to cause some laughs, scrapes, burns, and scarring—emotional and physical—this book packs twice the punch, kick, and fun.

Experience the complete comic book history of the iconic super hero, Captain America, with this comprehensive visual guide including full-color illustrations, concept art, and more! Featuring interviews with key artists and writers essential to the creation and evolution of the Star-Spangled Avenger! Chronicling eight decades of the art of the Sentinel of Liberty, Marvel's Captain America: The Illustrated History dives into the creation of the character in 1940 and his journey to becoming one of the most popular and recognizable Marvel characters of all time. Alongside exclusive interviews with the artists and minds that brought the character to life, the book is filled with stunning imagery and behind-the-scenes illustrations. Featuring iconic cover art and full-color panels, this is the complete exploration of the quintessential American Super hero—from Steve Rogers to Sam Wilson, and a celebration of heroes Cap inspired like Captain Carter and Iron Patriot. Marvel's Captain America: The Illustrated History is the perfect addition to any comic lover's collection.

A guide to the Forbidden Realms reveals how to best explore the treasure-laden dungeons, mysterious Underchasm, and Icewind Dale.