Showing results by narrator "Ryan Burke" in All Categories

Four centuries ago, the Stewards rained ash on the heartland of an empire for a year and a day, murdering the Elentian Empire and orphaning the Hasran Imperium where I was born. The stories say the ash drains magic and that any who venture into the Ashlands will need to contend with the armies of unliving swimming beneath the ash—unliving as old as the Mad Imperator Jhordil himself.

The war in Hasra is over. A monstrous puppet sits upon the throne. Valys has fallen, and the Praetor rots in prison while his daughter remains a public hostage. Calmora is under Khonsu's rule, the dragonflight's plaything. Worse, my aunt and the other demon princes have fostered a new religion, which is sweeping the west. Our only choice was to flee to Olivantia, where we huddle with the dreadlords, who are under assault by the Tree of Blood and its armies of consumed. Things have never looked so grim. I have no more tombs. No more miracles from friendly gods.

We've discovered Terra, but the cost is bitter. All that remains is the Vagrant Fleet, carrying the refugees from every world. Earth is our only hope, but their leaders don't even believe in magic. We also have to convince the Earth flight protecting them that we're not hostiles. Did I mention the dread fleet is right behind us led by a dark god who seems to have a real hate-boner for Xal'Aran? If we're going to win, then we must harness the most powerful Catalyst in existence, the Eye of Om.

The Ganog have arrived. Their fleets are endless. Their will implacable. They cannot use magic, but that isn't stopping them from wiping out mages. Behind them lurks a worse foe, the Gorthians, those holding the Ganog's leash. They have devoured countless galaxies, harvesting them over and over to create more monstrosities.

Were the Egyptian gods fanciful imaginings of primitive people or something more? Some believe they once walked the Earth as mortals, that they warred and loved just as any of their worshippers. This is their story--the tale of how Isis gained the power of shaping. How mighty Osiris died and lived again. How they discovered the fabled First Ark, a structure older than man. It is the tale of us all, the story that shaped our race from cave dwellers into the people we are today.

It's been six years since a terrifying breed of seemingly unkillable creatures emerged from the darkness to topple the unprepared governments of the world, in the process knocking mankind down the food chain. Survivors called it The Purge. A few brave souls rose from the ashes of the old world to fight back, often against overwhelming odds. Led by indomitable heroes, they risked everything to achieve a final, stunning victory over the supernatural "ghouls" in The Battle of Houston. Five years later, what remains of the ghouls have fled back into the shadows.

Thirteen-year-old Abby Hubble lives in an unhappy home in the Sierra Nevada foothills where her father makes life miserable for her and her mother, Mary. One day Abby witnesses a man dump a litter of puppies into the nearby river. Diving in to rescue all seven, she knows she won’t be able to bring them home. Afraid for their fate at the pound, she takes them to an abandoned cabin, where all she can offer is a promise that she’ll be back the next day.

A decade ago, a devastating bioweapon changed the face of humanity. Innocent people were turned into ravenous creatures driven by a relentless urge for destruction. Now the survivors struggle to rebuild their lives in the remains of a shattered America.

Henry already died once. Does he really need to do it again? Now he's a skeleton with a stat sheet, skills, and an insatiable desire to kill humans. Lurking in the very depths of his bleached skull, some remnant of his old self still remains—and it wants to break free just as badly as Henry wants to figure out how he's a skeleton in the first place. And Henry isn't the only one. Other skeletons are gaining sentience all over Jallfoss. Is there any way back? Any way to break the curse that holds all of Jallfoss in its icy grip?

Navy SEAL Brendon O’Neil spent the past decade executing dangerous missions across the globe. He never expected to be deployed in his own country. A biological weapon has hit much of the world - including the United States. People are turned into twisted creatures hellbent on destruction. As the country tumbles headlong into utter collapse, O’Neil leads a team of SEALs fighting to defend America against the devastation sweeping city after city.

Melody St. Germain, the leader of the Arcadia Village Adventurer's Guild and one of the kingdom's strongest adventurers, desperately needs a vacation. Ordered by one of the king's advisors—her own power-hungry father—to host a tournament in four weeks, Melody faces a series of obstacles he's devised to ensure her failure. Her friends and the rest of Arcadia Village come together to help, and she finds that just might be enough to overcome her father's tests.

In the new edition of this fascinating book, a book that has appeared on MSNBC, CNBC, Slashdot.org, Lifehacker.com and in the New York Times, best-selling author Scott Berkun pulls the best lessons from the history of innovation, including the recent software and web age, to reveal powerful and surprising truths about how ideas become successful innovations - truths people can easily apply to the challenges of today.

Mankind's outer colonies are disappearing. Without warning. Without a trace. Fleet command chalks the attacks up to pirates, but Captain Dryker of the UFC Johnston isn't buying it. Defying command, he leads his misfit crew into hostile territory in search of answers. They encounter a technologically superior foe unlike anything humanity has ever seen, one bent on the destruction of all sentient life. After 26,000 years the mythical Void Wraith have returned to begin the next Eradication.

Blade & Sheath is a fully immersive VRMMORPG game where some folks complete quests, while others develop their magic and battle monsters. Then there are players like Josh. He needs to earn some cash, so when he gets a job as a town builder for Blade & Sheath, he can't believe his luck. However, it won't be easy. The land he needs to build on is as untamed as the critters that prowl it. That's not all—he also starts with no skills and no resources.

Contains the complete Void Wraith Origins trilogy: Dryker's Folly, Book One; Dryker's Stand, Book Two; and Dryker's Fall, Book Three.

Humanity faces extinction. A few stubborn governments fight back, caught on the defensive. But even their concerted efforts may not be enough to stem the tide of the biological weapon sweeping the world. As people succumb to this genetically engineered weapon, they devolve into weaponized monstrosities hell-bent on destruction. But humanity hasn’t breathed its last breath yet. Those that are determined to vanquish these abominable creatures and the fanatical organization behind them still fight.

In this hilarious and highly practical book, author and professional speaker Scott Berkun reveals the techniques behind what great communicators do, and shows how anyone can learn to use them well. For managers and teachers - and anyone else who talks and expects someone to listen - Confessions of a Public Speaker provides an insider's perspective on how to effectively present ideas to anyone. It's a unique, entertaining, and instructional romp through the embarrassments and triumphs Scott has experienced over 15 years of speaking to crowds of all sizes.

Captain Dominic Holland and his group of covert operatives are charged with uncovering the whereabouts of the fleet and stopping them before they reach land. On a mission that takes them around the crumbling strongholds of Europe, they uncover a plot more sinister than they could have possibly imagined. With few resources and little time, Dom and his Hunters put their lives on the line to save the world from utter destruction. But even that may not be enough.

Drake needed a new start, and the small farm on the outskirts of the kingdom seemed like the perfect chance. Just one problem: he doesn't know the first thing about farming. He's also not sure how to deal with the giant, magical rooster that lives on his farm. But it's a fresh start, and Drake intends to make the best of it. Daily chores, a slew of monsters, and a haunted garden are one thing, but when his past catches up to him, Drake will have to learn to juggle his new responsibilities, a budding social life, and a secret that could cost him everything.

With a new class unlocked, Clay has been chosen to compete in the infamous Solmini Summoner Tournament. No big deal, barring the mortality rate for contestants. The plan is simple: compete, survive, and find allies in the growing conflict across Illyria. But with warring factions and political intrigue dominating the desert capital, one false move could spell disaster for Clay and his friends. Let the trials begin.