Mei has two sworn duties—protecting her village, and defending her brother.When the village's prejudices drive her brother into exile, she chases after him. But with the hostile nation of Nasaru threatening the border, if she doesn't find him quickly, the telekinetic siblings risk being caught and executed.Anyo is desperate to reclaim his honour. Only unearthing a lost, legendary blade will restore the Beggar Prince of Nasaru to his rightful place. So when ...

A nameless rogue. A priceless treasure map. An abundance of bad choices.The rogue Never wants two things—his blood curse lifted and to know his true name. He's hunted down every relic and clue only to end up empty-handed. Until he hears of a treasure map to a sunken city full of potential answers.Getting his hands on the map might prove to be Never's most dangerous heist yet. When the city is invaded in the middle of his caper, Never trades stealth for brute force to save t...

He can speak to the dead. But will giving them justice get him killed?Reed Lavender lives two lives—one as a detective and another as a reaper. Hearing the last words of the dead is a handy skill in his line of work, but magic can't solve all his problems. While investigating the case of a teen runaway, he learns his cousin is missing. Racing against the clock, Reed soon finds himself trapped in a vast conspiracy.A cult is capturing reapers to siphon their ...

New poetry from Australian author Ashley Capes. His first new collection since between giants in 2012. VI brings together published and unpublished work from the intervening years.

From the moment a fairy wren drops his lost wedding ring at his feet, Paul realises there's more magic to the world than he thought...When Paul Fischer receives a strange phone call asking for help, from a woman who might be his estranged wife Rachel, he's drawn into a mysterious search that threatens not only his struggling bookstore, but long-buried dreams too.Unfortunately, the only help comes from a shady best friend, an Italian runaway and a strange bl...

Alchemy made them slaves. Only their magic can free them.Thomas is a runaway slave on a barren continent. He'll do whatever it takes to seize his freedom and protect his sister Mia, tasks made harder by their missing memories. When rumours of an old airship surface, Thomas is desperate to find their only real hope of escape.But freedom is not so easily won. The king who once kept them as pets seeks the magic they wield, and he'll stop at nothing to own them...

Things aren't exactly getting easier for Reed Lavender.Old obligations and new cases are piling up but in the aftermath of Feronia's defeat, answers are still too thin on the ground.But one clue – his father's knucklebone – might just lead to something big.To learn the truth about his parents' disappearance, Reed will have to take the fight to whoever is behind the growing turmoil in his city. And if the rising number of Spirit-Worms, needy Gods, vi...

Aimed chiefly at newcomers, this is a practical guide to understanding and composing haiku.If you’ve long been curious about haiku then this introduction will answer your questions about syllable counts, cutting-words (kireji), season-words (kigo) and so much more, including differences between approaches in the English and Japanese languages.Using verse from masters and contemporary poets, the Haiku How-To will take you through key concepts and important c...

A bitter mercenary. A naïve mask-carver. A city in peril.Sofia is a failure. The sentient magical mask with the power to compel, the Greatmask, refuses to choose her as its successor. Without it, the mask-carver will never succeed her father or have the power to protect her city. When palace conspiracies place a tyrant on the throne and lead to her father's disappearance, her only choice is to hide.Notch wants revenge. After escaping imprisonment for a crim...

Bizarre visions. Bad decisions. And one man's descent into madness…or magic.Paul Fischer is one step away from rock bottom. With his bookstore on its last leg, a pending eviction and a failed relationship, he's at his breaking point. When his ex Rachel calls begging for help, it's only the beginning of the troubles to come.Rachel is missing and no one can reach her. Worse still, his best friend is determined to solve Paul's money problems in the shadiest wa...

Freedom. Magic. Vengeance.Vilas is a man consumed by anger. Kept prisoner in the city that slaughtered his people, he dreams of the day his magic is unsealed so he can burn everything to ash. When the city's queen asks for his help hunting down rebel cultists, he agrees in exchange for his freedom, his magic, and a night in her bed.Given access to only a fraction of his magic and forced to work alongside a jailor who can seal it entirely, a quick escape is ...

Stepping Over Seasons artfully depicts the finer details of life, encapsulating change within people and places as the seasons unfurl.Ashley Capes explores subtle links between human nature and the natural world. Using spare and evocative language, these graceful poems display a curiosity and empathy which make for accessible and rewarding reading - Jane Williams.(Expanded reissue of the 2009 collection.)