World Leader Pretend

With over 100 million players world wide, virtual games are more than just a niche community, it's phenomenon. Now comes the first novel set in the world of virtual gaming World Leader Pretend. Xeres Meticula is a failure. A casualty of the dot.com bust, he now lives in his parents' basement and spends all day on one pursuit, winning The Realm. Fortunately he's not alone. Joining him in his world is; Gek-Lin, an orphan in Thailand who spends her nights in an internet cafe; Dietrich Bjornson, a welder working in Antarctica; and Tres Rawling, a former Olympic skier for England whose career was cut short when an accident left him a quadriplegic; and many more. Together they communicate and connect, working to achieve virtual world dominance, but when tragedy on and off line occurs, can these real people trust each other enough to find the help they need in one another? World Leader Pretend is a provocative novel about virtual connection in the modern age that reads like Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night meets Indecision.

The Mist rises in New Gotham as Batman takes on this strange new foe! And Hawkgirl finds herself outnumbered as she confronts Fury and the new Amazons.

Based on Martin Strong's The Great Rock Discography, this is a compact version featuring 500 of the most influential figures in the history of popular music. It expands on the format of the previous title, in which full track listings for all albums, b-sides for all singles, labels, UK and US chart positions, band members, recommended listening, style analysis, band histories - from original line-ups to dissolution, solo projects, potted biographies, a pricing guide for rare albums and release dates are given.

Martin Strong's best-selling and highly acclaimed monster reference book is now in its fourth edition. Encyclopaedic in scope, the book contains incomparable details on all the great figures in the development of the rock genre.

Refusing to kowtow to commercial pressures, the band achieved success on their own terms, and, like all the great rock acts that preceded them, they created a unique sound and style that many have copied but few can capture. This book collects the best of these critical essays, record and concert reviews, interviews, and other material that helps unlock the mystery of R.E.M."--BOOK JACKET.

The band tell their own story through a collection of quotes. Originating from Georgia, REM recieved critical acclaim for their early albums and live performances. They eventually enjoyed success with the albums Out of Time, Automatic for the People, Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi.