Eizo is a middle-aged, overworked software engineer who loves cats.One night after working late, he saves an injured cat from a speeding truck. The cat survives, but Eizo does not...Luckily, that cat turns out to be a god-like being who offers him a second chance in another world! Eizo decides that he wants a slower life, one where he can live off the things he creates with his own hands. So, why not become a blacksmith? He does have one other stipulation: ...

An Australian shamaness traveling in the body of a Chicago bartender leads to a surreal rendezvous with a presumed-dead rock star. An OkCupid encounter turns into blissful madness when souls connect over a national tragedy. A bloody accident at a city bus stop gives way to an absurdly rewarding feast.This collection of seven short stories poses the question: What phenomena are occurring under our nose, right now, that appear completely random but are consistent and solid periodic e...

Two exes reunite for a make-or-break interview that will either bring them back together ... or drive them apart forever.Sloane Donavan dreamed of being a rock journalist ever since she posted her first MySpace blog. Now, one journalism degree, a failed internship, and dozens of backstage passes later, she’s struggling to land a full-time staff position. So when punk rock’s most notorious and elusive frontman offers her his first i...

After Marius's wedding, the Forge Eizo family returns to a life of normalcy.The season has turned, and with a sweltering summer on the horizon, Eizo decides it's time to construct a water well near the cabin. However, their digging is soon interrupted by a familiar face: the fairy chief Gizelle appears and asks them to meet the mystical master of the Black Forest! This master requests that the family eliminate a terrifying monster—a beast corrupted by stagnant magi...

With the rainy season quickly closing in on the Black Forest, Eizo and his family must hurry to renovate the cabin in preparation for more time spent indoors.The cold, stormy weather forces a change in routine, but Eizo knows just the thing to lift spirits and stave off cabin fever—comfort food! And now that Camilo has procured miso and soy sauce, Eizo can finally whip up some Japanese-style cuisine.Just as the household is adapting to its new normal, a mys...

Eizo Tanya is now living a quiet life as a blacksmith in another world. Well, maybe not so quiet...Tales of his cheat-smithing abilities and overpowered blades have started to spread. Alongside his companions, Eizo tries to earn a modest living while avoiding political intrigue. However, intrigue finds him anyway when he saves Diana, the daughter of a comital family. With the nobility embroiled in conflict about the line of succession and the fate of a family heirl...

It's the season for treason …The king of Yusan must die.The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the god king Joon.He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined … or sold.And now each of the five blades will come for him. Each has tasted bitterness—from the hired hit man seeking atonement, a lovely as...

With the empire now off their backs, Forge Eizo welcomes Anne as a permanent member of the family!Eizo offers to buy everyone gifts as rewards for their hard work, but they suggest something else—each member of the household gets to spend an entire day alone with him. Meanwhile, Camilo informs Eizo of a commission request from an unexpected customer: Marius! The count is finally getting married, and he wants a set of custom wedding rings. Just one problem—Marius wa...

June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history.Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and h...

With the successful conclusion of the monster subjugation campaign, Eizo returns home with a new addition to the family—Lidy!However, his days of battling beasts aren't quite over. During a chance encounter with Samya's childhood friend, Jolanda, the family learns of another corrupted bear that's stalking around the Black Forest. Jolanda also mentions a tantalizing rumor about a magical knife, which Rike and Eizo are eager to investigate. Could this be a new produc...

After a successful rescue mission in the empire, Eizo welcomes Helen to the family.Life at the forge is peaceful once more, though living in the Black Forest comes with its own set of dangers. The family encounters another aggressive bear, and once they dispatch it, they find and adopt an orphaned wolf pup. With yet another mouth to feed, Eizo knows he must continue to test the limits of his cheats.His next challenge? Working with a rare, stubborn metal cal...

Eizo has mastered mithril sword repair and is looking forward to new experiences, new commissions, and new metals!When a mysterious woman requests a custom katana, Eizo's passion is ignited. There's just one problem—the client is a demon, and her people have had a complicated and historically violent relationship with humans. Since Eizo desires a peaceful life, can his conscience withstand forging a god-tier weapon for humanity's former enemy?Along with a n...