Michael Kortes

Spine-tingling Breathtaking Mind-blowing Experience these powerful new voices?vivid, visceral, and visionary?as they explore uncharted worlds and reveal unlimited possibilities. Twelve captivating tales from the best new writers of the year as selected by Writers of the Future Contest judges accompanied by three more from L. Ron Hubbard, Nancy Kress, S. M. Stirling. Each story has a full-color illustration. Plus Bonus Art and Writing Tips from Gregory Benford, Bob Eggleton, L. Ron Hubbard, Dean Wesley Smith ? When her owner goes missing, a digital housecat must become more than simulation to find her dearest companion through the virtual world. The Edge of Where My Light Is Cast? by Sky McKinnon, art by Carina Zhang No one came to his brother's funeral. Not even the spirits. tienne knew it was his fault. Son, Spirit, Snake? by Jack Nash, art by Pedro N. Man overboard is a nightmare scenario for any sailor, but Lieutenant Susan Guidry is also running out of air?and the nearest help is light years away. Nonzero? by Tom Vandermolen, art by Jennifer Mellen Mac wanted to invent a cocktail to burn itself upon the pages of history?but this one had some unexpected side effects. The Last Drop? by L. Ron Hubbard and L. Sprague de Camp, art by Chris Arias Dementia has landed Dan Kennedy in Graydon Manor, and what's left of his life ahead seems dismal, but a pair of impossible visitors bring unexpected hope. The Imagalisk? by Galen Westlake, art by Arthur Haywood When a teenage swamp witch fears her mama will be killed, she utilizes her wits and the magic of the bayou?no matter the cost to her own soul. Life and Death and Love in the Bayou? by Stephannie Tallent, art by Ashley Cassaday Our exodus family awoke on the new world?a paradise inexplicably teeming with Earth life, the Promise fulfilled. But 154 of us are missing. Five Days Until Sunset? by Lance Robinson, art by Steve Bentley Spirits were supposed to lurk beneath the Lake of Death, hungry and patient and hostile to all life. Shaman Dreams? by S. M. Stirling, art by Dan dos Santos A new app lets users see through the eyes of any human in history, but it's not long before the secrets of the past catch up with the present. The Wall Isn't a Circle? by Rosalyn Robilliard, art by Guelly Rivera In the shadows of Teddy Roosevelt's wendigo hunt, a Native American boy resolves to turn the tables on his captors, setting his sights on the ultimate prey? America's Great Chief. Da-ko-ta? by Amir Agoora, art by Connor Chamberlain When squids from outer space take over, a punk-rock P. I. must crawl out of her own miserable existence to find her client's daughter?and maybe a way out. Squiddy? by John Eric Schleicher, art by Tyler Vail Another outbreak? This time it's a virus with an eighty percent infection rate that affects personality changes ? permanently. Halo? by Nancy Kress, art by Lucas Durham Planet K2-18b is almost dead, humanity is enslaved, and it's Rickard's fault. Now in his twilight years, he?d give an arm and a leg for redemption. Literally. Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber? by James Davies, art by May Zheng What if magic could undo the unthinkable, and undo Death itself? Would you use it no matter the cost? What would you sacrifice for love Summer of Thirty Years? by Lisa Silverthorne, art by Gigi Hooper Joe is a prospector tasked with exploring the cosmos on behalf of an all-powerful government. Breadna is a toaster. There have been weirder love stories, but that's unlikely. Butter Side Down? by Kal M, art by Selena Meraki 24 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators 16-page color gallery of artwork

The kings and queens of Korvosa have long ruled under the shadow of the Curse of the Crimson Throne—an infamous superstition claiming that no monarch of the city of Korvosa shall ever die of old age or produce an heir. Whether or not there is any truth to the legend of the curse, Korvosa's current king is but the latest victim to succumb to this foul legacy. Now, the metropolis teeters on the edge of anarchy, and it falls to a band of new heroes to save Korvosa from the greatest threat it has ever known! This softcover compilation presents the fan-favorite campaign for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game First Edition, including new and revised content and nearly 500 pages packed with mayhem, excitement, and adventure! The Curse of the Crimson Throne Pocket Edition contains: • All six chapters of the original Adventure Path, expanded and updated for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game First Edition. • An in-depth gazetteer of the city of Korvosa as it exists under the rule of its new queen. • An array of new rules options for characters, ranging from campaign traits to spells to magic items. • An expansive appendix with statistics, descriptions, backgrounds, and rules support for the 12 most important NPCs in the campaign. • A bestiary featuring nine monsters from the original Adventure Path. • Dozens of new illustrations, never-before-seen characters, location maps, extensive new encounter locations, and more!

The Sky Pharaoh Hakotep I has risen and launched an attack against the city of Wati with his infamous flying pyramid. The heroes return to Wati to defend the city against this menace, only to discover that the attack is just the preface to a larger invasion of Osirion, controlled from Hakotep’s own flying tomb. Will the heroes call down the flying pyramid of the Sky Pharaoh from the sky, or will their bones join the thousands of skeletons that lie within the slave trenches of Hakotep? A 13th-level Pathfinder adventure, The Slave Trenches of Hakotep continues the Mummy's Mask Adventure Path.