Desiring Dragons

Author of The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien, talked of ‘desiring dragons’; that he would prefer ‘a wilderness of dragons’ to the bleak territory of the unimaginative critic. The genre of Fantasy (including Science Fiction and its various sub-genres in TV, film & computer games) has never been more popular. This book seeks to examine why this might be and why so many are tempted to write Fantasy fiction. Tolkien suggested how 'consolation' is an important criteria of the Fairy Tale: we look at how writing Fantasy can be consoling in itself, as well as a portal to Fantastic Realms for the reader. Along the way famous dragons of myth, legend and fiction will be encountered - from Grendel to Smaug. The riddles of dragons will be tackled and their hoard unlocked. ,

You will wander, you will roam SORIN: He is Zmeu, one of the great dragons of myth. As a young dragon, he was told an important truth: Dragons do not fall in love. They definitely do not fall in love with mortal women. It’s a lesson Sorin takes to heart. He might have had a mortal mother, but mortals had also killed her, leaving him alone. A dragon grown, he dwells in an impenetrable castle, living a dragon’s best life. He dances with fae swan maidens, steals baubles from unknowing kings, scoffs at mortals stumbling through life wasting time on war, hate…love. Then love finds him. In the village of his birth, a woman teaches him a truth his dragon family hadn’t—it’s rather easy for a dragon to find love. Ever seeking solace, ever seeking home Easy to love, yes. But understanding the woman who steals his heart? Not so easy. He doesn't realize it at the time, his arrogance leading him to assume he knew best. After all, he was a dragon. Sorin’s arrogance led to her death…and a curse. Hundreds of years later, living in the New World as the world prepares for war, he is almost numb to the curse that haunts him still. You will wander, you will roam, they’d said. He did. But seeking solace, seeking home? Home and solace were lost to him, every bit as much as his love. As penance, he guards the mortals in his territory, as she had protected those under her care. He’ll hold off the coming war as long as possible. When the time comes to take up a sword—or breathe fire—he will. It’s little comfort, but his lost love would expect him to protect. So he does. One night, a sudden awareness yanks him from deepest sleep. Chasing the faint magical trail, he finds a woman battling for her life. Just before a killing strike, he sees her eyes…eyes of haunting green. The eyes of the woman he’d loved, the eyes of the woman he’d killed.

*** A Standalone Short Story with No Cliffhanger! *** Angela Spencer has never been one to toe the line and has always gone to the beat of her own drum. That sometimes gets her into trouble. She has only one sibling, but he’s a deadbeat drunk living in Australia, working as a guide in the outback. She considers herself a loser in love and in life. This is proven to her beyond a shadow of a doubt when she loses one of her temporary jobs. It’s the one that she loved the most and finding that pink slip on her desk is a shock. She’s outside after dark, not caring about her own safety, and walking with her mind awash with images of living in a box on the street. It’s then that she notices something remarkable. She uses the video on her phone to capture what can only be described as a dragon. Soon after that, Regis Sunning, a billionaire businessman, takes an interest in her. Are his motives entirely pure, or does he hold a terrible secret that’s going to come back and haunt him? WARNING: It contains mature language and content, intended for 18+ readers only!

We were in love, and things were perfect. I thought love would solve everything, but instead, loving Erich has only caused problems: Apocalyptic in nature. That new car smell of our budding relationship has gone out the window, leaving behind the smell of a rancid tuna taco. Erich's mother, Lady Hel, the Norse goddess of death, despises me. It's more than silent daggers and rolling of eyes. If she could make my head roll, she would. I'm not sure what she'd do to try to get her Erich to break things off with me. But she is capable of anything. Including forcing me to travel back to 1799 where her maniacal brother, Fenrir, the wolf-like monster awaits. He's more than dangerous. He's pure destruction. And he's determined that he will use me, a dragon-shifter, to take down the gods in Asgard. If I don't cooperate, Erich bites the dust permanently, and if I do, I'll damn us all. Maybe that is what Lady Hel wants. How the hell am I supposed to choose? Grab your copy of this passionate adventure! Other books in the series include: A Dragon's Destiny A Dragon's Desire A Dragon's Heart A Dragon's Witch

What Does God Think about Technology? From smartphones to self-driving cars to space travel, new technologies can inspire us. But the breakneck pace of change can also frighten us. So how do Christians walk by faith through the innovations of Silicon Valley? And how does God relate to our most powerful innovators? To build a biblical theology of technology, journalist and tech optimist Tony Reinke examines nine key texts from Scripture to show how the world's discoveries are divinely orchestrated. Ultimately, what we believe about God determines how we respond to human invention. With the help of several theologians and inventors throughout history, Reinke dispels twelve common myths in the church and offers fourteen ethical convictions to help Christians live by faith in the age of big tech. Biblical, Informed Look at Technology: Written by the author of 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You and Competing Spectacles: Treasuring Christ in the Media Age Gathers Ideas from Industry Experts and Theologians: Interacts with Christian and non-Christian sources on technology and theology including John Calvin, Herman Bavinck, Wendell Berry, and Elon Musk Educational: Discusses the history and philosophy behind major technological innovations

Game of Thrones meets Gladiator in this blockbuster debut epic fantasy about a world caught in an eternal war, and the young man who will become his people's only hope for survival. ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S TOP 100 FANTASY BOOKS OF ALL TIME Winner of the Reddit/Fantasy Award for Best Debut Fantasy Novel The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable war for almost two hundred years. The lucky ones are born gifted. One in every two thousand women has the power to call down dragons. One in every hundred men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine. Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Young, gift-less Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He's going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn't get the chance. Those closest to him are brutally murdered, and his grief swiftly turns to anger. Fixated on revenge, Tau dedicates himself to an unthinkable path. He'll become the greatest swordsman to ever live, a man willing to die a hundred thousand times for the chance to kill the three who betrayed him. The Rage of Dragons launches a stunning and powerful debut epic fantasy series that readers are already calling "the best fantasy book in years." The BurningThe Rage of Dragons

Are you a dragon lover? One of those people like J.R.R. Tolkien who have always desired dragons of one sort or another? If your answer is yes, then get in line with devoted dragon fans like author Anne Petty, who has been reading and thinking about dragons for years, especially as they appear in fantasy fiction. Petty asks, "What is a dragon? What does it look like, and how does it behave? What image pops into your mind when you read the word dragon?" You are invited on a quest for dragons of fantasy literature, for an in-depth look at the scaly characters on the page and the skilled writers who created them. A longtime dragon admirer, Tolkien scholar Petty takes readers on an adventurous ride over the hills and far away into realms populated by the likes of Smaug, Ramoth, Norbert, and Orm Embar, just to name a few. Authors under discussion include J.R.R. Tolkien, Anne McCaffrey, Terry Pratchett, Ursula Le Guin, Jane Yolen, Terry Goodkind and J.K. Rowling. there's also an in-depth background section on the history of dragons in myth and literature, plus an extensive bibliography. Happy dragon hunting! - Back cover.

The ancient cultivators of great powers, once they thought of becoming demons, and once they thought of becoming buddhas, there were also experts of the martial way that broke through the void. They were the only ones who had the right to do so. In chaotic times, geniuses would rise to prominence. The imperial government, sects, aristocratic families, and foreign races would battle with each other for karmic luck. Who could emerge from the masses and become a true dragon, reaching the peak of perfection? Like this book... 