Most Popular Books by Max Gladstone

A tale of intrigue, a murdered god, and the business of necromancy: an urban fantasy set in an alternate reality

A rash of demonic infestations threatens the city of Dresediel Lex, and a young man with a haunted past and an addiction to risk searches for the reason why.

From the co-author of the viral New York Times bestseller This is How You Lose the Time War. In Last Exit, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Max Gladstone weaves American myths—the muscle car, the open road, the white-hatted cowboy—into a deeply emotional tale. When Zelda and her friends first met, in college, they believed they had all the answers. They had figured out a big secret about how the world worked and they thought that meant they could change things. They failed. One of their own fell, to darkness and rot. Ten years later, they''ve drifted apart, building lives for themselves, families, fortunes. All but Zelda. She''s still wandering the backroads of the nation. She''s still fighting monsters. She knows: the past isn''t over. It''s not even past. The road''s still there. The rot''s still waiting. They can''t hide from it any more. Because, at long last, their friend is coming home. And hell is coming with her. “A novel carved by hand out of salt and rock and bone. This is what the Great American Novel wishes it could be: honest, furious, in love.”—Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Amal El-Mohtar “[A] deliriously strange novel of alternate universes and dysfunctional explorers. This gloriously metaphysical adventure will stick with you long after you return to the so-called real world.”—Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Charlie Jane Anders Also Available by Max Gladstone: The Craft Sequence 1. Three Parts Dead 2. Two Serpents Rise 3. Full Fathom Five 4. Last First Snow 5. Four Roads Cross 6. Ruin of Angels The Craft Wars 1. Dead Country 2. Wicked Problems Last Exit Empress of Forever This is How You Lose the Time War (with Amal El-Mohtar) At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

"The great city of Alt Coulumb is in crisis. The moon goddess Seril, long thought dead, is back--and the people of Alt Coulumb aren''t happy. Protests rock the city, and Kos Everburning''s creditors attempt a hostile takeover of the fire god''s church. Tara Abernathy, the god''s in-house Craftswoman, must defend the church against the world''s fiercest necromantic firm--and against her old classmate, a rising star in the Craftwork world"--Amazon.com.

A contemporary Lovecraftian tale of art, obsession, and elder gods. There were no monsters at first, only “Arthur Dufresne Crispin,” who met me on the front steps of his apartment in the Village: towheaded, tall, and lean, with long spidery fingers that closed mine in a strangler’s handshake. Don''t miss Max Gladstone''s dark fantasy tale Crispin''s Model, a Tor.com Original. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From the co-author of the viral New York Times bestseller This is How You Lose the Time War. “Brilliant, elegant, epic, astonishing, smart, gritty.... another wondrous visit to the fantastic world of the Craft Sequence.” —Ken Liu, author of The Grace of Kings Max Gladstone''s Craft Sequence chronicles the epic struggle to build a just society in a modern fantasy world. Forty years after the God Wars, Dresediel Lex bears the scars of liberation-especially in the Skittersill, a poor district still bound by the fallen gods'' decaying edicts. As long as the gods'' wards last, they strangle development; when they fail, demons will be loosed upon the city. The King in Red hires Elayne Kevarian of the Craft firm Kelethres, Albrecht, and Ao to fix the wards, but the Skittersill''s people have their own ideas. A protest rises against Elayne''s work, led by Temoc, a warrior-priest turned community organizer who wants to build a peaceful future for his city, his wife, and his young son. As Elayne drags Temoc and the King in Red to the bargaining table, old wounds reopen, old gods stir in their graves, civil blood breaks to new mutiny, and profiteers circle in the desert sky. Elayne and Temoc must fight conspiracy, dark magic, and their own demons to save the peace-or failing that, to save as many people as they can. Set in a phenomenally built world in which lawyers ride lightning bolts, souls are currency, and cities are powered by the remains of fallen gods, Max Gladstone''s Craft Sequence introduces readers to a modern fantasy landscape and an epic struggle to build a just society. Also Available by Max Gladstone: The Craft Sequence 1. Three Parts Dead 2. Two Serpents Rise 3. Full Fathom Five 4. Last First Snow 5. Four Roads Cross 6. Ruin of Angels The Craft Wars 1. Dead Country 2. Wicked Problems Last Exit Empress of Forever This is How You Lose the Time War (with Amal El-Mohtar) At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From the co-author of the viral New York Times bestseller This is How Your Lose the Time War. “A classic space opera...a universe we’ve never seen before.” —Delilah S. Dawson, New York Times bestselling author From Hugo Award finalist Max Gladstone comes a smart, swashbuckling, wildly imaginative adventure; the saga of a rag-tag team of brilliant misfits, dangerous renegades, and enhanced outlaws in a war-torn future. A wildly successful innovator to rival Steve Jobs or Elon Musk, Vivian Liao is prone to radical thinking, quick decision-making, and reckless action. On the eve of her greatest achievement, she tries to outrun people who are trying to steal her success. In the chilly darkness of a Boston server farm, Viv sets her ultimate plan into motion. A terrifying instant later, Vivian Liao is catapulted through space and time to a far future where she confronts a destiny stranger and more deadly than she could ever imagine. The end of time is ruled by an ancient, powerful Empress who blesses or blasts entire planets with a single thought. Rebellion is literally impossible to consider--until Vivian Liao arrives. Trapped between the Pride—a ravening horde of sentient machines—and a fanatical sect of warrior monks who call themselves the Mirrorfaith, Viv must rally a strange group of allies to confront the Empress and find a way back to the world and life she left behind. A magnificent work of vivid imagination and universe-spanning action, Empress of Forever is a feminist Guardians of the Galaxy crossed with Star Wars and spiced with the sensibility and spirit of Iain M. Banks and William Gibson. “Empress of Forever is tense and vast, complex and twisty, a space opera epic that’s a lot faster on the draw than Star Wars or Star Trek ever dreamed of being. But at its core, it’s an epic about the value of empathy and the importance of compassion. It’s amazingly good.”—Locus “With Empress of Forever, Max Gladstone’s remarkable talent is operating at full stretch, demonstrating the strength, power, and originality at his command. This unique and propulsive novel yields a deep, cellular-level enchantment filled at every turn with curiosity and delight.”—Peter Straub “Empress of Forever is a story that will make you weep with wonder. The whole book is filled with the kind of snark that I love and an endless majesty of stars. It broke me to pieces and then stitched me back together with golden thread. Simply glorious.”—K.B. Wagers, author of Behind the Throne “Galaxy-saving space opera with cool original settings and a unique band of adventurers that change each other for the better. It was a wild ride and I really enjoyed it.”—Martha Wells, Hugo Award-winning author of The Murderbot Diaries “Incorporates wonder and wit to create a feminist, humanist playground. Introduces one mind-blowing concept after another, capitalizing on the concept of personal power while candidly addressing personal failure. This feast for the imagination intelligently captures the complexities of a variety of relationships in an adrenaline-fueled series of escapades and will leave readers both exhausted and elated.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review “A fantastic tale of adventure on the grandest scale of epic space opera, spanning galaxies full of battles and traps as well as trade and negotiation, all told with humor as the crew seeks allies, weapons, and ships to fight back against The Empress to save the galaxy—and so Viv can find her way home.”—Booklist, starred review “Vivian is an amazing woman: with no more than her sharp wit in a universe of AIs and enhanced beings, she still ends up being the key to the truth. Gladstone''s epic space opera and fast-paced adventure will thrill readers.”—Library Journal, starred review Also Available by Max Gladstone: The Craft Sequence 1. Three Parts Dead 2. Two Serpents Rise 3. Full Fathom Five 4. Last First Snow 5. Four Roads Cross 6. Ruin of Angels The Craft Wars 1. Dead Country 2. Wicked Problems Last Exit Empress of Forever This is How You Lose the Time War (with Amal El-Mohtar) At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

HUGO AWARD WINNER: BEST NOVELLA NEBULA AND LOCUS AWARDS WINNER: BEST NOVELLA ONE OF NPR’S BEST BOOKS OF 2019 Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange letters—and fall in love in this thrilling and romantic book from award-winning authors Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. In the ashes of a dying world, Red finds a letter marked “Burn before reading. Signed, Blue.” So begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents in a war that stretches through the vast reaches of time and space. Red belongs to the Agency, a post-singularity technotopia. Blue belongs to Garden, a single vast consciousness embedded in all organic matter. Their pasts are bloody and their futures mutually exclusive. They have nothing in common—save that they’re the best, and they’re alone. Now what began as a battlefield boast grows into a dangerous game, one both Red and Blue are determined to win. Because winning’s what you do in war. Isn’t it? A tour de force collaboration from two powerhouse writers that spans the whole of time and space.

From the co-author of the viral New York Times bestseller This is How You Lose the Time War. “This is the best kind of urban fantasy, filled with diverse characters and thought-provoking philosophies.” —The Washington Post Max Gladstone''s Craft Sequence chronicles the epic struggle to build a just society in a modern fantasy world. On the island of Kavekana, Priestess Kai builds gods to order—sort of. Kai''s creations are perfect vehicles for Craftsmen and Craftswomen operating in the Old World. For beyond the ocean, true deities still thrive, untouched by the God Wars that stransformed the city-states of Alt Coulumb and Dresediel Lex. When Kai tries to save a friend''s dying idol, she''s graveley injured—then sidelined from the business, her near-suicidal rescue attempt offered up as proof of her instability. But when Kai gets tired of hearing her boss, her coworkers, and her ex-boyfriend call her crazy, and digs into the cause of the idol''s death, she uncovers a conspiracy of silence and fear that will break her if she can''t break it first. Set in a phenomenally built world in which lawyers ride lightning bolts, souls are currency, and cities are powered by the remains of fallen gods, Max Gladstone''s Craft Sequence introduces readers to a modern fantasy landscape and an epic struggle to build a just society. Also Available by Max Gladstone: The Craft Sequence 1. Three Parts Dead 2. Two Serpents Rise 3. Full Fathom Five 4. Last First Snow 5. Four Roads Cross 6. Ruin of Angels The Craft Wars 1. Dead Country 2. Wicked Problems Last Exit Empress of Forever This is How You Lose the Time War (with Amal El-Mohtar) At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From the co-author of the viral New York Times bestseller This is How You Lose the Time War. Discover the destiny of the Craft in Dead Country, the standalone entry point to Max Gladstone''s beloved fantasy epic. BOOK ONE OF THE CRAFT WARS SERIES Since her village chased her out with pitchforks, Tara Abernathy has resurrected gods, pulled down monsters, averted wars, and saved a city, twice. She thought she''d left her dusty little hometown forever. But that was before her father died. As she makes her way home to bury him, she finds a girl, as powerful and vulnerable and lost as she once was. Saving her from raiders twisted by the God Wars, Tara changes the course of the world. Dead Country is the first book in the Craft Wars Series, a tight sequence of novels that will bring the sprawling saga of the Craft to its end, and the perfect entry point to this incomparable world. Also Available by Max Gladstone: The Craft Sequence 1. Three Parts Dead 2. Two Serpents Rise 3. Full Fathom Five 4. Last First Snow 5. Four Roads Cross 6. Ruin of Angels The Craft Wars 1. Dead Country 2. Wicked Problems Last Exit Empress of Forever This is How You Lose the Time War (with Amal El-Mohtar) At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

"Originally published in e-serial format online"--Colophon.

For over 25 years, the Wild Cards universe has been entertaining readers with stories of superpowered people in an alternate history. "Fitting In" by Max Gladstone shows how everyday people can step up to become extraordinary. Robin Ruttiger tries—he really does—but his lot in life falls way shorter than his expectations. A failed contestant of the superhero reality TV show, American Hero, he now works as a high school guidance counselor to reluctant students. Things change, however, when a favorite bakery in Jokertown becomes a target of vandalism, and Robin realizes he can play the hero after all. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From the award-winning author Max Gladstone comes a dark fantasy tale, "A Kiss with Teeth, a Tor.com Original short story Vlad has grown distant from his wife. His son has trouble at school. And he has to keep his sharp teeth hidden. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The Cold War rages in the back rooms and dark alleys of 1970s Prague—and on one misty night a CIA agent discovers that the city and its spies have become the new front of another, and more ancient war. A war of magic. When spies and sorcerers cross murky lines to do battle for home and country—who do you trust? Can you even trust yourself?

Magic is real, and hungry--trapped in ancient texts and artifacts. Only a few who discover it survive to fight back. Join Detective Sal Brooks, newest recruit to a black-ops magic hunting team backed by the Vatican, as she travels the world to keep the supernatural in check. Just remember: watch your back and don''t touch anything. Fans of Supernatural, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Da Vinci Code will love this epic urban fantasy. Bookburners Season 3 is written by Max Gladstone, Margaret Dunlap, Brian Francis Slattery, Andrea Phillips, Mur Lafferty, and Amal El-Mohtar and presented by Serial Box Publishing.

From the co-author of the viral New York Times bestseller This is How You Lose the Time War. Max Gladstone returns with The Ruin of Angels, the sixth novel in the Hugo-nominated Craft Sequence, which The Washington Post calls "the best kind of urban fantasy" and NPR calls "sharp, original, and passionate" The God Wars destroyed the city of Alikand. Now, a century and a half and a great many construction contracts later, Agdel Lex rises in its place. Dead deities litter the surrounding desert, streets shift when people aren’t looking, a squidlike tower dominates the skyline, and the foreign Iskari Rectification Authority keeps strict order in this once-independent city—while treasure seekers, criminals, combat librarians, nightmare artists, angels, demons, dispossessed knights, grad students, and other fools gather in its ever-changing alleys, hungry for the next big score. Priestess/investment banker Kai Pohala (last seen in Full Fathom Five) hits town to corner Agdel Lex’s burgeoning nightmare startup scene, and to visit her estranged sister Lei. But Kai finds Lei desperate at the center of a shadowy, and rapidly unravelling, business deal. When Lei ends up on the run, wanted for a crime she most definitely committed, Kai races to track her sister down before the Authority finds her first. But Lei has her own plans, involving her ex-girlfriend, a daring heist into the god-haunted desert, and, perhaps, freedom for an occupied city. Because Alikand might not be completely dead—and some people want to finish the job. Also Available by Max Gladstone: The Craft Sequence 1. Three Parts Dead 2. Two Serpents Rise 3. Full Fathom Five 4. Last First Snow 5. Four Roads Cross 6. Ruin of Angels The Craft Wars 1. Dead Country 2. Wicked Problems Last Exit Empress of Forever This is How You Lose the Time War (with Amal El-Mohtar) At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From the co-author of the viral New York Times bestseller This is How You Lose the Time War. Gods and lawyers battle for the soul of the world in the action-packed second volume of Max Gladstone''s Craft Wars, an epic fantasy like no other. A deadly force has been unleashed into the world. With apocalypse on the horizon, a girl and a god have joined in order to turn back the coming end. Young, brash, and desperate, they are willing to destroy anything and everything that stands between them and their goals. The structures of the Craft are theirs to overturn, with billions of lives in the balance. And it is all Tara Abernathy’s fault. The battle for the world of the Craft is heating up. A dead god will rise. A mountain will fall. Ancient fire will be stolen. And while Tara races to stop Dawn’s plans, the end draws ever closer, skittering across the stars to swallow the world. The Craft Wars enter their second stage in Wicked Problems. Also Available by Max Gladstone: The Craft Sequence 1. Three Parts Dead 2. Two Serpents Rise 3. Full Fathom Five 4. Last First Snow 5. Four Roads Cross 6. Ruin of Angels The Craft Wars 1. Dead Country 2. Wicked Problems Last Exit Empress of Forever This is How You Lose the Time War (with Amal El-Mohtar) At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The Bookburners are back as Sal and the Societas Librium Occultorum rise from the ashes of Season 1. Changes are underway at the Vatican but out the world, the mischief of demons is on the rise. When a town in New England goes missing behind a mysterious fog, Team Three must run to the rescue. Magic is real, and hungry—trapped in ancient texts and artifacts, only a few who discover it survive to fight back. Detective Sal Brooks is a survivor. Freshly awake to just what dangers are lurking, she joins a Vatican-backed black-ops anti-magic squad: Team Three of the Societas Librorum Occultorum. Together they stand between humanity and magical apocalypse. Some call them the Bookburners. They don’t like the label. "Creepy Town" begins Season Two of Bookburners, presented by Serial Box Publishing. This serial will unfold in 13 episodes.

During a celestial civil war, an angel-like soldier searches for her missing brother. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The Cold War gets magical when spies brush shoulders with sorcerers in this genre-defying serial created by Lindsay Smith and Max Gladstone. This is the 5th episode in the second season of The Witch Who Came In From The Cold, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode written by Lindsay Smith. The Ice plots their move on the Hosts, enlisting local muscle whose loyalties are divided. Newcomer Van turns heads at the boxing ring and Bar Vodnář alike. Zerena grooms Tanya and Andula for her own secret endeavors. Welcome to Prague, 1970: the epicenter in a Cold War of spies and sorcerers. The streets are a deadly chessboard on which the CIA and KGB make their moves, little dreaming that a deeper game is being played between the Consortium of Ice and the Acolytes of Flame, ancient factions of sorcery. Praise for The Witch Who Came in from the Cold: "Those who like to mix magic, spycraft, and secret history should enjoy this—it may please fans of Stross’s Laundry series." —Locus Magazine "Full of fast-paced, high-intensity action paired with magic at a level that has not been seen until now, with a cliff-hanger that lets readers know that the game is not over and has only just begun." —The San Francisco Book Review "The Witch Who Came in from the Cold is a chilly evocation of a different kind of Cold War." —Charles Stross, author of the Laundry Files series “Take a double shot of Le Carré, a dash of Deighton, a twist of Quiller, a splash of Al Stewart’s The Year of the Cat, throw in a jigger full of elemental magic, mix well ... and voilà! The Witch Who Came In From The Cold.” —Victor Milán, author of The Dinosaur Lords "The occult love child of John le Carre and The Sandbaggers." —Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons "As soon as I saw that, I was instantly hooked, and the pilot jacked the intrigue to the max. Two female Soviet spy witches, an American spy with something weird drilling magical holes in his head, and a world of secrets within secrets in a locale where old-world myth and the Cold War face off, pedal to the metal . . . it’s awesome. Or as we said in 1970, Far out. " —Sherwood Smith, author of Crown Duel "The installments are easy to read one at a time, but the tangles of alliances, secrets, and shocking double-crosses will have readers up all night mumbling, “Just one more.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

The Cold War gets magical when spies brush shoulders with sorcerers in this genre-defying serial created by Lindsay Smith and Max Gladstone. This is the 8th episode in the second season of The Witch Who Came In From The Cold, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode written by Max Gladstone. Carefully laid plans hit explosive roadblocks as Ice, Flame, CIA, and KGB all meet at the docks of the Vltava. Tanya’s efforts for Zerena bear fruit, though their value is debatable. Alestair and Nadia grow closer. Edith and Josh see something they won’t soon forget. Welcome to Prague, 1970: the epicenter in a Cold War of spies and sorcerers. The streets are a deadly chessboard on which the CIA and KGB make their moves, little dreaming that a deeper game is being played between the Consortium of Ice and the Acolytes of Flame, ancient factions of sorcery. Praise for The Witch Who Came in from the Cold: "Those who like to mix magic, spycraft, and secret history should enjoy this—it may please fans of Stross’s Laundry series." —Locus Magazine "Full of fast-paced, high-intensity action paired with magic at a level that has not been seen until now, with a cliff-hanger that lets readers know that the game is not over and has only just begun." —The San Francisco Book Review "The Witch Who Came in from the Cold is a chilly evocation of a different kind of Cold War." —Charles Stross, author of the Laundry Files series “Take a double shot of Le Carré, a dash of Deighton, a twist of Quiller, a splash of Al Stewart’s The Year of the Cat, throw in a jigger full of elemental magic, mix well ... and voilà! The Witch Who Came In From The Cold.” —Victor Milán, author of The Dinosaur Lords "The occult love child of John le Carre and The Sandbaggers." —Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons "As soon as I saw that, I was instantly hooked, and the pilot jacked the intrigue to the max. Two female Soviet spy witches, an American spy with something weird drilling magical holes in his head, and a world of secrets within secrets in a locale where old-world myth and the Cold War face off, pedal to the metal . . . it’s awesome. Or as we said in 1970, Far out. " —Sherwood Smith, author of Crown Duel "The installments are easy to read one at a time, but the tangles of alliances, secrets, and shocking double-crosses will have readers up all night mumbling, “Just one more.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

This is the 8th episode in the third season of Bookburners, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode written by Mur Lafferty. Magic is real . . . and hungry. Ever since he was rescued from demonic possession in Prague, Liam has spent a good deal of time feeling guilty. In an effort to make amends, he embarks upon a trip to apologize to his exes, bringing Sal and Grace along on his journey of self-discovery. And though they roll their eyes at him, it turns out to be an eye-opening experience for them, too. Things have changed for the Vatican''s magic-fighting Team Three: their forces are depleted, and internal rifts are coming close to tearing this close-knit group apart. But some things never change. Magic still threatens to overwhelm our world, and when a startling appearance from Menchú''s past reveals new dimensions to this danger, the team will have to reassess their loyalties-to their jobs, their beliefs, and even to each other.

This is the 2nd episode in the third season of Bookburners, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode written by Margaret Dunlap. Magic is real . . . and hungry. Father Menchú and Liam investigate a disturbance in a small town in Spain, confronting a centuries-old werewolf curse. Meanwhile, Sal is loaned out to Team One to look into an issue near New Zealand, putting her in close quarters with Grace for the first time since Grace left Team Three. The Orb warned of these two magical flare-ups simultaneously-and they''re on exact opposite ends of the globe. Coincidence? . . . Unlikely. Things have changed for the Vatican''s magic-fighting Team Three: their forces are depleted, and internal rifts are coming close to tearing this close-knit group apart. But some things never change. Magic still threatens to overwhelm our world, and when a startling appearance from Menchú''s past reveals new dimensions to this danger, the team will have to reassess their loyalties-to their jobs, their beliefs, and even to each other.

A covert mission in Shanghai reunites Kusanagi with a wartime rival amid shifting loyalties. The infiltration of an anti-cyberization cult calls for Section 9’s most “human” members to do things the old-fashioned way. A deep dive into the mind of a criminal forces Kusanagi to question the nature of imagination – and her own identity. The stories in Global Neural Network bring a 21st-century perspective to its questions of human identity and the border between mind and machine that made The Ghost in the Shell one of the most revered manga of all time, and unleash top Western comics artists on eye-popping action scenes starring Kusanagi, Batou, Togusa, Aramaki, and all the members of Section 9! Original stories by: * Alex de Campi (Twisted Romance) & Giannis Milonogiannis (Prophet) * Brenden Fletcher (Gotham Academy, Motor Crush) & LRNZ (Golem) * Genevieve Valentine (Mechanique, Icon), & Brent Schoonover (The Astonishing Ant-Man) * Max Gladstone (the Craft Sequence) & David López (All-New Wolverine)

This is the 6th episode in the third season of Bookburners, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode written by Max Gladstone. Magic is real . . . and hungry. Grace and Menchú have been called to China to help investigate a source of magic deep in the ground. But Grace hasn''t been summoned for her strength-she''s been summoned for her memories. As they try to prevent Tom, Liam''s old friend from the Network, from gaining the secrets of this place, they all must contend with booby traps laid decades ago, and confront the fact that they might not get out alive. Things have changed for the Vatican''s magic-fighting Team Three: their forces are depleted, and internal rifts are coming close to tearing this close-knit group apart. But some things never change. Magic still threatens to overwhelm our world, and when a startling appearance from Menchú''s past reveals new dimensions to this danger, the team will have to reassess their loyalties-to their jobs, their beliefs, and even to each other.

Magic is real, and hungry--trapped in ancient texts and artifacts. Only a few who discover it survive to fight back. Join Detective Sal Brooks, newest recruit to a black-ops magic hunting team backed by the Vatican, as she travels the world to keep the supernatural in check. Just remember: watch your back and don''t touch anything. Fans of Supernatural, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Da Vinci Code will love this epic urban fantasy. Bookburners Season 2 is written by Max Gladstone, Margaret Dunlap, Brian Francis Slattery, Andrea Phillips, Mur Lafferty, and Amal El-Mohtar and presented by Serial Box Publishing.

The Cold War gets magical when spies brush shoulders with sorcerers in this genre-defying serial created by Lindsay Smith and Max Gladstone. This is the 6th episode in the second season of The Witch Who Came In From The Cold, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode written by Fran Wilde. The spies and sorcerers of Prague leave the shadows for the big Fight Night in Kazimir’s underground. Tanya seeks contact with Gabe while Nadia learns more about Van. Zerena goes shopping – and slumming. Welcome to Prague, 1970: the epicenter in a Cold War of spies and sorcerers. The streets are a deadly chessboard on which the CIA and KGB make their moves, little dreaming that a deeper game is being played between the Consortium of Ice and the Acolytes of Flame, ancient factions of sorcery. Praise for The Witch Who Came in from the Cold: "Those who like to mix magic, spycraft, and secret history should enjoy this—it may please fans of Stross’s Laundry series." —Locus Magazine "Full of fast-paced, high-intensity action paired with magic at a level that has not been seen until now, with a cliff-hanger that lets readers know that the game is not over and has only just begun." —The San Francisco Book Review "The Witch Who Came in from the Cold is a chilly evocation of a different kind of Cold War." —Charles Stross, author of the Laundry Files series “Take a double shot of Le Carré, a dash of Deighton, a twist of Quiller, a splash of Al Stewart’s The Year of the Cat, throw in a jigger full of elemental magic, mix well ... and voilà! The Witch Who Came In From The Cold.” —Victor Milán, author of The Dinosaur Lords "The occult love child of John le Carre and The Sandbaggers." —Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons "As soon as I saw that, I was instantly hooked, and the pilot jacked the intrigue to the max. Two female Soviet spy witches, an American spy with something weird drilling magical holes in his head, and a world of secrets within secrets in a locale where old-world myth and the Cold War face off, pedal to the metal . . . it’s awesome. Or as we said in 1970, Far out. " —Sherwood Smith, author of Crown Duel "The installments are easy to read one at a time, but the tangles of alliances, secrets, and shocking double-crosses will have readers up all night mumbling, “Just one more.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

This is the 10th episode in the third season of Bookburners, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode written by Andrea Phillips. Magic is real . . . and hungry. In Sal''s new, weird life, it makes complete sense that she''d be summoned to Germany with her colleagues to defeat a fairy tale witch. She''d just rather do it without getting sucked into the story, herself. Meanwhile, Asanti takes matters into her own hands-but is she prepared for the evil she''ll face? Things have changed for the Vatican''s magic-fighting Team Three: their forces are depleted, and internal rifts are coming close to tearing this close-knit group apart. But some things never change. Magic still threatens to overwhelm our world, and when a startling appearance from Menchú''s past reveals new dimensions to this danger, the team will have to reassess their loyalties-to their jobs, their beliefs, and even to each other.

When it comes to tattoos in the City of Sin, what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. The Team must travel to Las Vegas when the human canvases of a tattoo competition show start dying. The list of potential magical murders is colorful and well documented across episodes of Ink Stainz: Vegas—but appearances can be deceiving and the team must check their prejudices at customs and investigate the bristly and well inked lot before time runs out and more victims fall prey to the demonic ink. This episode is brought to you by team-writer Mur Lafferty and brings some Vegas vice and trash TV to our story. Get ready for deadly drama because no one is here to make friends.

Grace’s secret history comes to light. While all the members of Team Three have their secrets, only Grace seems willing to guard hers with fists of fury. Finally fed up with being kept in the dark, Sal takes matters into her own hands and engages in a friendly stalking operation to learn just what Grace’s deal is. A lit candle and flashbacks to 1930s China help illuminate matters—but things are never simple when magic is in play. This episode is brought to you by team-writer Max Gladstone and reveals the backstory of one of most mysterious cast members while skipping through time, place, and emotion.

An original collection of interwoven short stories set in the Wild Cards universe, where an alien virus mutates some and grants superpowers to others, created by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones An alien virus ravages the world, with effects as random as a hand of cards. Those infected either draw the black queen and die, draw an ace and receive superpowers, or draw the joker and are bizarrely mutated. Croyd Crenson is the Wild Card’s greatest failure—and its greatest success. Dubbed “The Sleeper,” he randomly undergoes hibernations that can span days, weeks, or even months. After each hibernation, he awakens with a new appearance and set of powers—sometimes a joker, sometimes an ace, and sometimes a combination of both—until exhaustion claims him and his next inevitable sleep shuffles the cards anew. Ever since his initial infection in 1946, he’s awoken in a singular body—until now. His latest awakening has left him split into six different incarnations, each of them a self-contained piece of the original and each with a unique look and ability. One of them, at least, recognizes this for the disaster that it is, and tasks the clever and elusive Tesla—a joker with ace powers—to locate and gather the remaining five versions of himself before sleep claims them again and leaves Croyd permanently fractured. What follows is a journey through Croyd’s long and colorful life, through the lens of some who have encountered the world’s most unusual wild carder. And as Tesla delves deeper into the investigation, he’ll have to work fast, because not every Croyd is as amiable as the first—and they’ll do whatever it takes to survive. Featuring stories from: Christopher Rowe • Carrie Vaughn • Cherie Priest • William F. Wu • Walter Jon Williams • Stephen Leigh • Mary Anne Mohanraj • Max Gladstone • Edited by George R. R. Martin • Assisted by Melinda M. Snodgrass

A traitor is unmasked and the gloves come off in the fasten-your-seatbelts season finale of The Witch Who Came in from the Cold, Serial Box''s alternate Cold War series that expertly mashes up magic and espionage. When a long-buried mole comes to light, sending Operation ANCHISES off the rails, rival agents Gabe and Tanya are forced to take drastic action. Now KGB and CIA alike will find themselves little more than pawns in an older and deadlier game between the ancient adversaries of Ice and Flame. This episode, brought to you by series co-creators Max Gladstone and Lindsay Smith, brings our witch in from the cold. Praise for The Witch Who Came in from the Cold: "Those who like to mix magic, spycraft, and secret history should enjoy this—it may please fans of Stross’s Laundry series." —Locus Magazine "Full of fast-paced, high-intensity action paired with magic at a level that has not been seen until now, with a cliff-hanger that lets readers know that the game is not over and has only just begun." —The San Francisco Book Review "The Witch Who Came in from the Cold is a chilly evocation of a different kind of Cold War." —Charles Stross, author of the Laundry Files series “Take a double shot of Le Carré, a dash of Deighton, a twist of Quiller, a splash of Al Stewart’s The Year of the Cat, throw in a jigger full of elemental magic, mix well ... and voilà! The Witch Who Came In From The Cold.” —Victor Milán, author of The Dinosaur Lords "The occult love child of John le Carre and The Sandbaggers." —Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons "As soon as I saw that, I was instantly hooked, and the pilot jacked the intrigue to the max. Two female Soviet spy witches, an American spy with something weird drilling magical holes in his head, and a world of secrets within secrets in a locale where old-world myth and the Cold War face off, pedal to the metal . . . it’s awesome. Or as we said in 1970, Far out. " —Sherwood Smith, author of Crown Duel "The installments are easy to read one at a time, but the tangles of alliances, secrets, and shocking double-crosses will have readers up all night mumbling, “Just one more.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

This is the 3rd episode in the third season of Bookburners, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode written by Andrea Phillips. Magic is real . . . and hungry. The annual invitation to the Market Arcanum arrives, but with Asanti barred from fieldwork, Liam recovering from injuries, and Father Menchú feeling strained after meeting Hannah, it falls to Sal to attend. She''s joined by Grace, pitching in from Team One as backup. Before they leave, though, Asanti tasks them with completing a trade she''s set up . . . and warns that there will be dire consequences if it''s not completed. Things have changed for the Vatican''s magic-fighting Team Three: their forces are depleted, and internal rifts are coming close to tearing this close-knit group apart. But some things never change. Magic still threatens to overwhelm our world, and when a startling appearance from Menchú''s past reveals new dimensions to this danger, the team will have to reassess their loyalties-to their jobs, their beliefs, and even to each other.

Gabe pokes into some dark corners, while Jordan gets an unexpected offer as the intricate shadow play of spycraft and witchcraft continues in the latest thrilling installment of The Witch Who Came in from the Cold. Spurred on by the mystic hitchhiker in his brain, Gabe decides to do a little digging of his own into the Host’s fate. But his interest in the missing student has not gone unremarked by agents of the Flame and the KGB alike . . . to say nothing of Tanya herself, who is determined to discourage this brash young American with a talent for dabbling in matters that don''t concern him. This episode is brought to you by Lindsay Smith, who knows that some secrets might be scary, but they keep things spicy. Praise for The Witch Who Came in from the Cold: "Those who like to mix magic, spycraft, and secret history should enjoy this—it may please fans of Stross’s Laundry series." —Locus Magazine "Full of fast-paced, high-intensity action paired with magic at a level that has not been seen until now, with a cliff-hanger that lets readers know that the game is not over and has only just begun." —The San Francisco Book Review "The Witch Who Came in from the Cold is a chilly evocation of a different kind of Cold War." —Charles Stross, author of the Laundry Files series “Take a double shot of Le Carré, a dash of Deighton, a twist of Quiller, a splash of Al Stewart’s The Year of the Cat, throw in a jigger full of elemental magic, mix well ... and voilà! The Witch Who Came In From The Cold.” —Victor Milán, author of The Dinosaur Lords "The occult love child of John le Carre and The Sandbaggers." —Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons "As soon as I saw that, I was instantly hooked, and the pilot jacked the intrigue to the max. Two female Soviet spy witches, an American spy with something weird drilling magical holes in his head, and a world of secrets within secrets in a locale where old-world myth and the Cold War face off, pedal to the metal . . . it’s awesome. Or as we said in 1970, Far out. " —Sherwood Smith, author of Crown Duel "The installments are easy to read one at a time, but the tangles of alliances, secrets, and shocking double-crosses will have readers up all night mumbling, “Just one more.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Weather Alert: Tornado eating titans on the loose in Oklahoma. There might not be much upon the open, wind-swept planes of Oklahoma—but magic, like life, finds a way to thrive nevertheless. In this week’s episode the Team is literally blown away when they touch down in a tiny country town, utterly destroyed by horrifying monsters the locals call Tornado Eaters. The town is past saving but the threat remains—it will take all the Society can throw at them and even that might not be enough. Readers, and Sal, will finally get their first look at just what heat Team One is packing . . . but quickly learn that words wreak more havoc than even the most imaginative weapons. This episode is brought to you by team-writer Brian Francis Slattery who once again brings the Weird, this time to the West—but it’s not all fun and monsters in Oklahoma and the Society’s toll of life and limb is rising.

This is the 12th episode in the third season of Bookburners, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode written by Brian Francis Slattery. Magic is real . . . and hungry. As the City Eater ravages London, Team Three finds itself in a quandary: How can they fight back? And, more important: How can they neutralize this problem before Team One swoops in and does so with no regard for the lives of innocent bystanders? The answer may lie deep within the city itself . . . if the new Team Four can get its work done in time. Things have changed for the Vatican''s magic-fighting Team Three: their forces are depleted, and internal rifts are coming close to tearing this close-knit group apart. But some things never change. Magic still threatens to overwhelm our world, and when a startling appearance from Menchú''s past reveals new dimensions to this danger, the team will have to reassess their loyalties-to their jobs, their beliefs, and even to each other.

The March/April 2016 issue of u003cemu003eUncanny Magazine.u003c/emu003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003e Featuring new fiction by Rachel Swirsky, Shveta Thakrar, Max Gladstone, Kelly Sandoval, and Simon Guerrier, classic fiction by Daryl Gregory, essays by Jim C. Hines, Kyell Gold, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, and Mark Oshiro, poetry by C.S.E. Cooney, Jennifer Crow, and Brandon O''Brien, interviews with Rachel Swirsky and Simon Guerrier by Deborah Stanish, a cover by Katy Shuttleworth, and an editoral by Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas.

Cloak-and-dagger intrigue is served up with a magical twist in the riveting new episodic online serial created by Max Gladstone and Lindsay Smith. The streets of Prague are a deadly chessboard on which the CIA and KGB make their moves, little dreaming that a deeper game is being played between the Consortium of Ice and the Acolytes of Flame, ancient organizations that seek to harness elemental magic. When Andula, a young Czech student, is stalked by an inhuman hunter, KGB agent and Ice operative Tanya Morozova must risk all to protect her, while CIA agent Gabe Pritchard learns that some horrors, once seen, can never be forgotten. This episode is brought to you by lead creatives Max Gladstone and Lindsay Smith, who advise readers to fasten their seatbelts and get ready for one hell of a ride. Praise for The Witch Who Came in from the Cold: "Those who like to mix magic, spycraft, and secret history should enjoy this—it may please fans of Stross’s Laundry series." —Locus Magazine "Full of fast-paced, high-intensity action paired with magic at a level that has not been seen until now, with a cliff-hanger that lets readers know that the game is not over and has only just begun." —The San Francisco Book Review "The Witch Who Came in from the Cold is a chilly evocation of a different kind of Cold War." —Charles Stross, author of the Laundry Files series “Take a double shot of Le Carré, a dash of Deighton, a twist of Quiller, a splash of Al Stewart’s The Year of the Cat, throw in a jigger full of elemental magic, mix well ... and voilà! The Witch Who Came In From The Cold.” —Victor Milán, author of The Dinosaur Lords "The occult love child of John le Carre and The Sandbaggers." —Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons "As soon as I saw that, I was instantly hooked, and the pilot jacked the intrigue to the max. Two female Soviet spy witches, an American spy with something weird drilling magical holes in his head, and a world of secrets within secrets in a locale where old-world myth and the Cold War face off, pedal to the metal . . . it’s awesome. Or as we said in 1970, Far out. " —Sherwood Smith, author of Crown Duel "The installments are easy to read one at a time, but the tangles of alliances, secrets, and shocking double-crosses will have readers up all night mumbling, “Just one more.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review