John M Olsen

With the Great War raging across Europe, Sergeant Jones and his crack team of Special Unit Thirteen Marines are called upon to investigate the strange disappearance of allied aircraft in the North of France. Pilot, Lance Corporal Jackson and his gunner/bombardier, Sous-Lieutenant Marcel Moreau, find themselves deep behind enemy lines, fighting for their lives against an evil and ancient airborne threat in support of Special Unit Thirteen's efforts on the ground. Can they survive long enough to eliminate the threat, and secure the battlefield from the Keiser's massing forces.

King Gavin Stoutheart and his council face war like the world hasn't seen in ages. The enemy kings will soon lay waste to the countryside, and it is up to Gavin to fight with the tools given to him to avoid destruction. While gathering his forces for war, Gavin must also work through unexpected ambassadors, secrets among his closest allies, and hidden clues from the past within the Riland Capital to avoid repeating the mistakes of those who preceded him. While an abundance of crystals helps Gavin's army to control more war animals and to speed training, nothing ever goes as planned while defending against the remaining four Crystal Kings. The enemy has surprises of their own as they seek to overwhelm and crush Gavin and his allies.

Is anybody else out there? Are they friendly or hostile? Will we find them or have they already found us? These are the questions we have all pondered as we gaze into the endless expanse of the night sky. Sixteen established and up-coming authors explore these questions and more in this collection of science fiction. Let's venture together into the unknown as we search for FIRST CONTACT.

DEVOTION - DUTY - POWER - DECEITPrincess Lilia Talendor of the Graven Kingdom finds herself promised to marry a foreign king to secure her father's release. She will do her duty, but even the plans forced upon her suffer as slavers take advantage of chaos in the kingdom during the king's absence. King Gavin Stoutheart wants desperately to meet and impress Princess Lilia, even if she is the daughter of his enemy. He hopes to bring peace to all of the Crystal Kingdoms, but traitors, spies, and uncertain advisors challenge his plans as he seeks to discover why the princess has been delayed. Crystal magic and animal avatars join the intrigue as challenges come from all quarters. War looms on the horizon, and one thread runs through it all. Gavin needs allies, and Lilia could be the key to saving or destroying both their kingdoms.