The most powerful necromancer in the world is tired of being the bogeyman under the bed.After realizing the stage is the perfect place for monstrous misfits like himself, Achille "Bones" Bonaparte creates the Second Chance Circus. But the local baron would rather see Bones and his undead troupe killing the kingdom's enemies instead of killing it onstage.Can Bones and his newfound friends prove their magic is better suited for clowning than conquest? All the...

The quick spread of posthumanism and of critiques of anthropomorphism in the past few decades has resulted in greater attention to concrete objects in critical theories and in philosophy. This new materialism or new object philosophy marks a renewal of interest in the existence of objects. Yet while their mode of existence is independent of human cognition, it cannot erase the relation of subject to object and the foundational role of our experience of things in our mental activity.

Cassius Lange and Ryan Tang present Book 2 in the Tower Apocalypse series.

My life was ordinary, but never boring. That is, until a colossal tower landed smack-dab in the middle of the city. What should have followed was mass panic and hysteria, but I never got to that part. Why? Simple. I was taken along with 99,999 other people from Earth and dropped onto an unknown world.Strange beings appeared before us—floating, featureless figures that call themselves demi-gods. They ruled this place, this fantastical world called Gaea. The reason w...

The walls are closing in.The more Devin Cain learns about Gaea, the more dangerous it appears. After finding a hidden shard of the broken Demigod Parfanel, Devin has become more powerful than ever—but that same power has also drawn the ire of the Demigods and the System.He's already united humanity and won the dwergar to his side, but even an alliance of thousands won't be enough. When Devin and his friends decide to risk it all and escape Gaea's death game...

All help is gone. Gaea is vicious and brutal. All we can do is fend for ourselves.There I was, thinking that things were finally going to get a little bit better. I had no idea how, but the System was on humanity's side, giving us hints and even unlocking a new all-powerful summon for me.Nope. That System is gone now, replaced by a new one that's cold and unfeeling. And to make matters worse, the darkling are stronger than ever before.The three prin...

Join Ursula K. Le Guin as she explores a broad array of subjects, ranging from Tolstoy, Twain, and Tolkien to women's shoes, beauty, and family life. With her customary wit, intelligence, and literary craftsmanship, she offers a diverse and highly engaging set of readings. The Wave in the Mind includes some of Le Guin's finest literary criticism, rare autobiographical writings, performance art pieces, and, most centrally, her reflections on the arts of writing and reading.

A compelling call to rediscover the transformative power of art in an age of distraction, coercion, and spectacle – featuring an introduction from Pulitzer Prize–winning author Donna TarttIn Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice, J. F. Martel offers a compelling and incisive meditation on the nature of art in a world dominated by invasive media, rampant consumer culture, and artificial intelligence. Drawing on a wide range of examples, from Paleolithic cav...

An exploration of cuteness and its immense hold on us, from emojis and fluffy puppies to its more uncanny, subversive expressionsCuteness has taken the planet by storm. Global sensations Hello Kitty and Pokémon, the works of artists Takashi Murakami and Jeff Koons, Heidi the cross-eyed opossum and E.T.—all reflect its gathering power. But what does “cute” mean, as a sensibility and style? Why is it so pervasive? Is it all infantile fluff, or is there something more...

"Examines the way we connect to novels, films, paintings and music, and argues that our enthusiasms should be an integral part of conversations about art." —Helen Thaventhiran, London Review of BooksHow does a novel entice or enlist us? How does a song surprise or seduce us? Why do we bristle when a friend belittles a book we love, or fall into a funk when a favored TV series comes to an end? What characterizes the aesthetic experiences of feeling captivate...

In an age of obsessive productivity and stress, this illustrated ode to idleness invites you to explore the pleasures and possibilities of slowing down.Beloved author and illustrator Roman Muradov weaves together the words and stories of artists, writers, philosophers, and eccentrics who have pursued inspiration by doing less. He reveals that doing nothing is both easily achievable and essential to leading an enjoyable and creative life. Cultivating idleness can be ...

Semiotics is the theory of signs, and reading signs is a part of everyday life: from road signs that point to a destination, to smoke that warns of fire, to the symbols buried within art and literature. Semiotic theory can, however, appear mysterious and impenetrable. This introductory book decodes that mystery using visual examples instead of abstract theory.This new edition features an expanded introduction that carefully and clearly presents the world of semiotics before leading...