The Masquerade

On his way to deliver a splendid necklace to the Sun from the Moon, Jack Hare is diverted by a series of odd characters and when he finally reaches his destination he realizes that the necklace is missing. The reader is invited to answer several riddles and solve the mystery from clues given in the text.

Seth Dickinson's epic fantasy series which began with the “literally breathtaking” (NPR) The Traitor Baru Cormorant, returns with the third book, The Tyrant Baru Cormorant. The hunt is over. After fifteen years of lies and sacrifice, Baru Cormorant has the power to destroy the Imperial Republic of Falcrest that she pretends to serve. The secret society called the Cancrioth is real, and Baru is among them. But the Cancrioth's weapon cannot distinguish the guilty from the innocent. If it escapes quarantine, the ancient hemorrhagic plague called the Kettling will kill hundreds of millions...not just in Falcrest, but all across the world. History will end in a black bloodstain. Is that justice? Is this really what Tain Hu hoped for when she sacrificed herself? Baru's enemies close in from all sides. Baru's own mind teeters on the edge of madness or shattering revelation. Now she must choose between genocidal revenge and a far more difficult path—a conspiracy of judges, kings, spies and immortals, puppeteering the world's riches and two great wars in a gambit for the ultimate prize. If Baru had absolute power over the Imperial Republic, she could force Falcrest to abandon its colonies and make right its crimes. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

A breathtaking geopolitical epic fantasy, The Monster Baru Cormorant is the sequel to Seth Dickinson's "fascinating tale" (The Washington Post), The Traitor Baru Cormorant. Her world was shattered by the Empire of Masks. For the power to shatter the Masquerade, She betrayed everyone she loved. The traitor Baru Cormorant is now the cryptarch Agonist—a secret lord of the empire she's vowed to destroy. Hunted by a mutinous admiral, haunted by the wound which has split her mind in two, Baru leads her dearest foes on an expedition for the secret of immortality. It's her chance to trigger a war that will consume the Masquerade. But Baru's heart is broken, and she fears she can no longer tell justice from revenge...or her own desires from the will of the man who remade her. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The global bestseller Vampire: The Masquerade comes to comics in Vampire: The Masquerade Vol. 1: Winter's Teeth. When Camarilla enforcer Cecily Bain takes a fledgling vampire under her wing, she's dragged into a vast conspiracy that will topple princes and threaten the very Masquerade. BORN FROM THE WORLD OF THE INTERNATIONALLY BEST-SELLING ROLE PLAYING GAME, VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE'S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED COMICS DEBUT SPINS A GRIPPING AND TRAGIC TALE ABOUT THE BEAST WITHIN US ALL. When Cecily Bain, an enforcer for the Twin Cities' vampiric elite, takes a mysterious new vampire under her wing, she's dragged into an insidious conspiracy. Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the cities, a rebellious found-family of vampire cast-outs investigates a vicious killing. As the unlives of the Kindred twine together and betrayals are unearthed, will Cecily be able to escape and save what's left of her family, or will she be yet another pawn sacrificed to maintain the age-old secret: that vampires exist among the living? Vampire: The Masquerade Vol. 1: Winter's Teeth collects issues #1 - #5 of the ongoing series. Read more in Vampire: The Masquerade Vol. 2: The Mortician's Army, collecting issues #6 - #10 of the series For fans of VAMPIRE: The Masquerade RPG, WEREWOLF: The Apocalypse RPG, The World of Darkness, American Vampire, Killadelphia, Something is Killing the Children, Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat/The Vampire Chronicles, Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries/True Blood, Certain Dark Things, Underworld, and vampire/werewolf/monster graphic novels, tabletop/RPGs, books, movies, video games, and series! “This is a fresh take on vampires, mixing it with crime, thrillers, and a pinch of romance all with a vein of horror running through it.” -- Horror DNA “… strongly recommend this book to both fans of the franchise and newcomers.” – Grimdark Magazine "I’m absolutely in love with what a badass Cecily is..." - The Wandering Nerd Girl “Vampire: the Masquerade … is an enjoyable read even if you’re not familiar with the RPG… like the real world, but with hotter outfits, blood, and fangs. – Graphic Policy “This is the horror thriller we all need.” – Horror DNA

On the evening of her first masquerade, shy Elizabeth Anne Fitzgerald is stunned by Tyrell de Warenne's whispered suggestion of a midnight rendezvous in the gardens. Lizzie has secretly worshipped the unattainable lord for years. When fortune takes a maddening turn, she is prevented from meeting Tyrell, but she cannot foresee that this night is only the beginning…. Tyrell de Warenne is shocked when, two years later, Lizzie arrives on his doorstep with a child she claims is his. He remembers her well—and knows that he could not possibly be the father. What is this game she is playing…and why? Is Elizabeth Anne Fitzgerald a woman of experience, or the gentle innocent she seems? But neither scandal nor deception can thwart a love too passionate to be denied….

Many Christian women today are wearing masks. From an early age, we are taught that to be valuable we need to do more, to be more. To feel worthy, we learn to hide behind the masks of our accomplishments, physical appearance, intelligence, education, relationships—even our work in the church. But those masks separate us from God, from other people, and from our true selves. Thankfully, there is hope. We can remove our masks and trust Christ to see us as we really are . . . but it takes humility. To examine our hearts, motives, and past experiences requires honesty and confession. But beyond the masquerade, Christ can heal and transform our lives, freeing us from bondage.

The Masquerade, a treasured four-act play by Mikhail Yurievich Lermontov, is a classic work of Russian romanticism. In 1830s St. Petersburg, aristocrat Arbenin and Nina, his wife, attend a masked ball. In a tragic case of mistaken identity, Arbenin convinces himself that his wife is romantically involved with Prince Zvezdich. Arbenin is tragically blinded by jealousy and pride, and then a disaster happens... A celebration and examination of a classic work from the Golden Age of Russian culture, the first poetic translation by Russian American professor Alfred E. Karpovich brings The Masquerade to a new, English-speaking audience. A work of great importance, this drama examines the collision between true love and the societal prejudice of honor and dignity. In translation, it casts an inquisitive eye at the state of human dignity in the twenty-first century. Praise for The Masquerade translation The following is in reference to Dr. Alfred E. Karpovich's translation of the great Russian writer and poet Mikhail Lermontov's play : Masquerade . Thoroughly versed in classical Russian, I am a great admirer of Lermontov's works. I approached the translation with a feeling of skepticism, but was literally knocked over by the translation. Mr. Karpovich's understanding of Lermontov and fine-tuning of the English version are truly amazing. It is my pleasure to give this work the highest possible recommendation (and I hope to see it on stage). Sincerely yours, Nicholas Bobrinskoy GDOOSJ (formerly of Marymount Manhattan College Faculty, NYS; St Peter's College, author of The Golden Age of Russian Literature; Pronounce Russian Correctly and of many articles & Interviews in USA & Russia)