Books published by publisher Spectra Books

Somewhere beyond the northern mists lies a land where dreams live and dragons are real. This is the tale of the twilight of the dragons, of two nations plunged into war by a tragic misunderstanding, of a shy dreamer's incredible voyage of peace to a long forgotten land where nightmares are born. . 'Until now, there have been only two real grandmasters of modern epic fantasy-J.R.R. Tolkien and Ann McCaffrey. With the team of Preiss and Reaves, there are three, and may they write and write and write?." -United Press International. You can share your thoughts about Dragonworld, and its authors, in the new ibooks virtual readers' group at www.ibooksinc.com.

The center of our galaxy is magnificant, wondrous - and utterly deadly. Located there is an enormous black hole, a pit into which a million suns have fallen. Against this haunting starscape, a small human band flees from an enemy it cannot hope to combat - enormously superior artificial minds embodied in great insectlike machines. This last remnant of humanity is led by Killeen, a man elevated to command in desperate times by his luck and daring. He manages to reach a new planet, where he encounters vast wonders - a planet-coring cosmic string, an organic life-form the size of an entire world, and another group of humans led by a strange messianic ruler - and he faces even greater dangers from the most awesome beings the band has yet to confront. Their battle for survival reaches overwhelming dimensions. But they will gain an un expected ally. And they will figure in the new order of life developing at the Galactic Center.

The tattooed man moves, and in the arcane designs scrawled upon his skin swirled tales beyond imagining: tales of love and laughter darkness and death, of mankind’s glowing, golden past and its dim, haunted future. Here are eighteen incomparable stories that blend magic and truth in a kaleidoscope tapestry of wonder–woven by the matchless imagination of Ray Bradbury.

The winner of multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards, Connie Willis has thrilled countless readers with her enthralling science fiction novels that entertain as well as enlighten. Now this superb writer captures the timeless essence of generosity and goodwill in a magical collection of Christmas stories that showcase her remarkable talent while taking us on breathless journeys to fascinating realms filled with wonder and joy.This enchanting group of eight tales--two of which are original to this collection--begins with the title story, "Miracle," in which an office worker hopes that her handsome colleague will finally notice her at the company Christmas party. But her carefully devised plans go awry when her guardian angel takes it upon himself to show her the true meaning of love. In the cautionary tale "In Coppelius's Toyshop," the motto What Goes Around Comes Around serves as an eerie reminder to a jaded narcissist who finds himself trapped in a crowded toy store at Christmastime.In the touching "Adaptation," the Ghosts of Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come pay a visit to a lonely bookstore clerk, who discovers that the best gift of all is to give--even when his one wish for the holidays doesn't come true. "Inn" presents the inspiring story of a choir singer who gives shelter on a cold winter night to a homeless man and his pregnant wife--only to learn later that there's much more to the couple than meets the eye. And "Epiphany" follows three unwitting, modern-day wisemen on a quest unlike any they've ever experienced.A treasure to cherish anytime of the year, this collection boldly reimagines the stories of Christmas and serves as a testament to Connie Willis's unique genius and skill in bringing the extraordinary to life while conveying the power of human compassion and love.