Kacey Ezell

Aelys wanted to move on, but her family wants her back in her place, and strange forces move against her loved ones even as her partners try to work out their relationships with one another and her. IN HER DARKEST HOUR, AELYS CHOSE FREEDOM . . . BUT CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES. Bellatrix Aelys turned her back on the family that betrayed her and chose to forge her own destiny alongside the dangerous men she had accidentally bound. Now free, Romik, Vil, and Daen make the uneasy choice to continue to work with Aelys as her protectors and business partners. But when Aelys faced off against her family, she didn't eliminate every threat, and now mysterious forces are moving against her once more. Fearing for her safety and that of her men, Aelys agrees to do a simple task for her old teacher: escort some old "friends" to Zandrine, one of the fabled cities located in the south of the empire. Only, not everything is as it seems. Zandrine is a city built on secrets and blood and pain. Aelys and her protectors will have to face the demons of the past and the dark schemes of the present, all while trying to figure out who they are to one another and how the four of them-- warrior, sorceress, forester, and thief--can meld their strengths to keep each other alive. Can Aelys, Romik, Vil, and Daen make the necessary hard choices that will forge them into a team capable of surviving these new challenges? Or will the pain of the past and the danger of the present destroy them one by one?

Fleeing her sheltered life, a noblewoman must trust a warrior, a forester, and a thief to unlock her true power and face her destiny.Embrace Your Power and Forge Your Destiny All her life, Aelys of Brionne had been weak. As the noble daughter of one of the empire’s most powerful magic-wielding families, it should have been easy for her to live her dream of bonding with a warrior protector and joining the Imperial Battlemage Corps. But when her weakness robs her of her dreams, her best friend, and the man she loves, Aelys makes the only choice she can see: she takes her fate into her own hands and she runs, leaving her safe, protected world behind. Now she must find a way to work with three dangerous strangers—a warrior, a forester, and a thief—to escape the bandits stalking her, fight through the dangers of the untamed forest, and make her way back home, where her family and her destiny await. Only . . . her violent protectors might be the key to the power and freedom she’s always craved. Can Aelys find the strength to choose her own destiny and become the sorceress she was born to be? Or lose herself on the path to power?

No imperial family stuck in a little out of the way town, with no road, rail or river connection for most of the year, can be counted as important. Thus, already, with the corpses left from their rescue still being collected, Tsarina Tatiana, the First of Her Name, is striking out for better position. A battle must be fought against a seemingly overwhelming force of Bolsheviks, just to hold on to their tiny Tobolsk, in Siberia. Yekaterinburg, rich in precious metals must be taken to fund the war, with only a dozen men available to take it. The beautiful nun and imperial aunt, Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna and her companions must be rescued from a vile fate. And too, the lines must be laid out for the various fractious anti-Bolshevik forces to unite under the Imperial Crown. Finally, the two possible successors, Maria Alexandovna and her sister, Anastasia must be whisked to safety in the United States and the United Kingdom, where one of them will learn love not just of a man, but of his people, his country, and their way of life. Clever spying, desperate battles, subtle diplomacy, terrorism, counter-terrorism, propaganda, and romance: the campaign to defeat the Bolsheviks and rescue Holy Russia from a dark and terrible fate continues.

Mankind's history is bound up in the fabric of fate, a strong cloth, tough and closely woven. It is the beginning of 1918, the last year of the greatest war in human history to date. All the belligerents stagger on their feet. Starvation is an ever-present reality, while disease waits in the wings. In Russia, no longer a belligerent but, instead, rapidly descending into civil war and chaos, a lone family—father, mother, four beautiful young girls, and a brave but sickly boy—await their own fate, shivering and hungry in the dark, hoping and praying for salvation. Their relatives in England have turned their backs. The guards set over them do little but torment them. They look Heavenward, but God doesn’t answer. They know they’re a threat to the new regime, a threat that will, in time, be eliminated. But even the strongest fabric has flaws. An escaped prisoner of war, caught, injured, and punished, but still highly capable, might be one. An airship, returned and at loose ends after a failed mission to Africa, might be another. A German general, taking a wrong turn on his nightly walk and suddenly coming face-to-face with the reality of the monster rising in the east, would be a third. Follow, then, as the general gives the orders, the prisoner of war raises the men from among his fellows, and the airship launches itself forward to contest fate, to tear the fabric of time, and to effect The Romanov Rescue. “. . . this alternate history employs vibrant steampunk vibes and aptly captures the uncertainties of the tumultuous era, as well as the courageous desperation of the world-weary men and women involved. Fans of detailed and technical military fiction will enjoy this, as well as those who appreciate real historical figures as characters.” —Library Journal About The Romanov Rescue: "This alternate history employs vibrant steampunk vibes and aptly captures the uncertainties of the tumultuous era, as well as the courageous desperation of the world-weary men and women involved. Fans of detailed and technical military fiction will enjoy this, as well as those who appreciate real historical figures as characters."—Library Journal About the Carrera series: “[I]nterplanetary warfare with . . . [a] visceral story of bravery and sacrifice . . . fans of the military SF of John Ringo and David Weber should enjoy this SF action adventure.”—Library Journal “Kratman's dystopia is a brisk page turner full of startling twists . . . [Kratman is] a professional military man . . . up to speed on military and geopolitical conceits.”—Best-selling author of America Alone Mark Steyn on Tom Kratman’s uncompromising military SF thriller Caliphate “Kratman raises disquieting questions on what it might take to win the war on terror . . . realistic action sequences, strong characterizations, and thoughts on the philosophy of war.”—Publishers Weekly About Tom Kratman: “[Baen publisher] Toni [Weisskopf] and I disagree about everything except about how good his books are.”—John Birmingham

Mankind's history is bound up in the fabric of fate, a strong cloth, tough and closely woven. It is the beginning of 1918, the last year of the greatest war in human history, to date. All the belligerents stagger on their feet. Starvation is an ever present reality, while disease waits in the wings. In Russia, no longer a belligerent but, instead, rapidly descending into civil war and chaos, a lone family - Father, Mother, four beautiful young girls, and a brave but sickly boy - await their own fate, shivering and hungry in the dark, hoping and praying for salvation. Their relatives in England have turned their backs. The guards set over them do little but torment them. They look Heavenward, but God doesn't answer. They know they're a threat to the new regime, a threat that will, in time, be eliminated. But even the strongest fabric has flaws. An escaped prisoner of war, caught, injured, and punished, but still highly capable, might be one. An airship, returned and at loose ends after a failed mission to Africa might be another. A German general, taking a wrong turn on his nightly walk and suddenly coming face to face with the reality of the monster rising in the east, would be a third. Follow, then, as the general gives the orders, the prisoner of war raises the men from among his fellows, and the airship launches itself forward, to contest fate, to tear the fabric of time, and to effect The Romanov Rescue. About the Carrera series: “[I]nterplanetary warfare with . . . [a] visceral story of bravery and sacrifice . . . fans of the military SF of John Ringo and David Weber should enjoy this SF action adventure.”—Library Journal “Kratman's dystopia is a brisk page turner full of startling twists . . . [Kratman is] a professional military man . . . up to speed on military and geopolitical conceits.”—Best-selling author of America Alone Mark Steyn on Tom Kratman’s uncompromising military SF thriller Caliphate “Kratman raises disquieting questions on what it might take to win the war on terror . . . realistic action sequences, strong characterizations, and thoughts on the philosophy of war.”—Publishers Weekly About Tom Kratman: “[Baen publisher] Toni [Weisskopf] and I disagree about everything except about how good his books are.”—John Birmingham

After a devastating galactic war, disgraced veteran Ralston Muck ekes out a living as a bouncer at Last Stop Station's premier nightclub, A Curtain of Stars. Night after night he listens to the club's star performer, Siren, sing her memories and ease some of his aching loss. But when Siren goes missing, Muck finds himself drawn into a world of dirty cops, drug lords, and conspiracies that trace back to the war itself. The only person he can trust isn't even human. Angel, Siren's personal AI, was ripped from the singer's mind the night Siren disappeared. With no idea what has happened to her human host, and pursued by a killer virus, Angel flees to Muck for answers. Together they struggle to comprehend the conspiracy that entangles both their lives. Can Muck and the angel on his shoulder recover Siren before it's too late? Or will he lose everything that matters to him one more time?

The Lunar colony is a mining colony with only internal security capabilities. Nobody had even considered that there might soon arise a need to defend the colony from the Earth! But that day has come. Something has been uncovered on the Moon. Something important. Something . . . alien. The Lunar colonists perceive this great discovery as their own. Finders keepers and possession being nine-tenths of the law is how things are on the Moon. But as far as the governments of the Earth are concerned, they paid for everything on the Moon, so it belongs to them. There is only one solution: turn Luna into a battlefield! About Travis S. Taylor: “[E]xplodes with inventive action.”—Publishers Weekly on Travis S. Taylor’s The Quantum Connection “[Warp Speed] reads like Doc Smith writing Robert Ludlum . . . You won’t want to put it down.”—John Ringo About Timothy Zahn: “Zahn keeps the story moving at a breakneck pace, maintaining excitement.”—Publishers Weekly “[Y]ou can count on Timothy Zahn for three things: clean, sparse prose; good pacing; and great action scenes. The first book in the Cobra War series hits all those marks in admirable style and makes for a quick, entertaining sci-fi novel.”—Blogcritics “[Conqueror’s Heritage] is another finely wrought space adventure . . . [with] social, political and emotional complications, all of which Zahn treats with his usual skill.”—Booklist “Zahn paints every detail [in Angelmass] with gleamy realism . . . scientific dialogue that streams with starship hardware and military trooper talk . . . immensely appealing.”—Kirkus Review About Michael Z. Williamson: “A fast-paced, compulsive read . . . will appeal to fans of John Ringo, David Drake, Lois McMaster Bujold, and David Weber.”—Kliatt “Williamson's military expertise is impressive.”—SF Reviews

After a devastating galactic war, disgraced veteran Ralston Muck ekes out a living as a bouncer at Last Stop Station's premier nightclub, A Curtain of Stars. Night after night he listens to the club's star performer, Siren, sing her memories and ease some of his aching loss. But when Siren goes missing, Muck finds himself drawn into a world of dirty cops, drug lords, and conspiracies that trace back to the war itself.The only person he can trust isn't even human. Angel, Siren's personal AI, was ripped from the singer's mind the night Siren disappeared. With no idea what has happened to her human host, and pursued by a killer virus, Angel flees to Muck for answers.Together they struggle to comprehend the conspiracy that entangles both their lives. Can Muck and the angel on his shoulder recover Siren before it's too late? Or will he lose everything that matters to him one more time?

Thirty years ago, the world ended. Giant electrovoric ants and pterodons came through a rift in space-time, millions of humans died, and that was that. Thirty years later, humanity has rebuilt . . . to an extent. Without electricity, human ingenuity has provided some creative solutions, but most folks survive at the subsistence level, farming to keep themselves and their families fed. Chuck Gibson never thought he'd have to leave his family's farm. The simple life of a rancher was enough for him. A dying stranger proved him wrong. Now, he’s on the road of destiny, accompanied by a mystic warrior monk, a beautiful dragon tamer, a runaway cultist, and a mysterious drunken lecher, all of them searching for the key to reclaiming humanity’s future and past. Each of them carrying a single spark of hope. But will that hope be enough to light the beacons of freedom once again? Or will they face the next century in bondage to the last century’s technology? About The Valley of Shadows by John Ringo: ". . . fast-paced . . . building to an exciting climax . . . Ringo and Massa have written an end-of-the-world novel that is unconventional and entertaining."—Daily News of Galveston County About Black Tide Rising, coedited by John Ringo (featuring stories by Kacey Ezell and Christopher L. Smith): “. . . an entertaining batch of . . . action-packed tales. Certainly, fans of Ringo’s particular brand of action-adventure will be pleased.”—Booklist "This anthology broadens Ringo’s Black Tide world, serving up doses of humanity amid the ravenous afflicted. Comedy has a place in this harsh reality, and these stories stir adventure and emotion at a frantic clip throughout. Zombie fiction fans will be thrilled."—Library Journal About the Black Tide Rising Series: “Not only has Ringo found a mostly unexplored corner of the zombie landscape, he's using the zombie frame to tackle a broader theme: the collapse and rebirth of civilization. The zombie scenes are exciting, sure, but its the human story that keeps us involved. A fine series.”—Booklist on the Black Tide Rising Series About John Ringo: “[Ringo’s work is] peopled with three-dimensional characters and spiced with personal drama as well as tactical finesse.”—Library Journal “. . . Explosive. . . . Fans . . . will appreciate Ringo’s lively narrative and flavorful characters.”—Publishers Weekly “. . . practically impossible not to read in one sitting . . . exceedingly impressive . . . executed with skill, verve, and wit.”—Booklist “Crackerjack storytelling.”—Starlog About the work of Kacey Ezell: "Gritty, dark and damp. Much like the war itself."—Michael Z. Williamson, best-selling author of A Long Time Until Now "I loved Minds of Men."—D.J. Butler, best-selling author of Witchy Eye