Maxima Library

Legally, the United Planets Organization could do nothing about the repressive, backward planetary governments of Falange, Stalin and Doria. It was imperative, however, that something be done. The UP had proof that a race of highly advanced, warlike aliens existed somewhere in the depths of space — the human-held worlds had to be ready to meet the challenge when it came. For this reason the secret corps, Section G, was formed. No government could be allowed to hold up the progress of mankind; Section G was ordered to bring them down — by any means necessary!

In a time when dragons are thought to be a myth, Damon finds that there may be one remaining, one last great secret. The answers lie at the other end of Dire. However, there is more than distance and the possibility of a dragon, there is also a king who cannot rule, people who are hiding the truth, and others who use their powers for personal gain. The story twists and turns, never taking the reader where expected, and it does so with sharp wit and compassion.

The last dragon has been set free by Kendra. With that release, Damon's small powers are reduced, and Kendra now begins to take control of the dragon. However, their plans are disrupted when they find themselves the innocent combatants in a war with the mages. They do not know the rules of magic, nor how to properly use it. Those around them fare no better. Princess Elizabeth rides to bring help, but events progress so fast that she may arrive too late.
Their first task is to explore the remains of the cave where the dragon was held prisoner for hundreds of years, yet even in that there is danger and wyverns are intent on preventing them from learning the secrets of Mercia. While there are answers revealed, more problems arise. Who are they fighting against? And why? The dragon is at the center of part of it, but the web of lies and danger expands daily. With the help and protection of the dragon they may survive.

The mages of Dire have disappeared, Magic no longer works, and the royalty in nearby kingdoms are dying, one after the other. The answers lie across the sea in a land known as Kondor. The old city of Dagger lies at the edge of the Brownlands, and both the mages and sorceresses have congregated there. Damon and Kendra follow, with the Last Dragon always nearby.

Damon is captured by slavers and will be sold at the markets in Kaon. Kendra and her dragon are free, but the Brownlands hold other dangers waiting to trap her. What they have learned about magic and the mages so far is mostly wrong. They begin learning the truths that solve many of their questions, as well as what needs to be done.

The battle for Kaon is near. Kendra's dragon is leading the way. One final push will win the war-but it is all too easy. Something is wrong. The fourth book in the series pulls together the threads of the last three and delves into the story in a fresh new approach. The scope is increased, the goals are more defined, and in the end, only one side can win.

Kendra, Elizabeth, and Damon must learn how to defend against more kingdoms falling. At the same time, they must find a way to fight back. The last book in the series holds more answers, higher excitement, and the interplay between Damon and the others continues to reveal humor, intelligence, and surprise after surprise.

One crown can unite them—or destroy them all.The three kingdoms lie splintered, their aging dragon riders content with stories of glorious battle victories. But a new evil creeps across the land. Inyene, a powerful noblewoman of the Northern Kingdom, plunders valuable resources to power mechanical dragons in her quest to gain a foothold in the Middle Kingdom. From there she will ascend the High Throne, once again uniting the realms under a single crown.For the wearer of the Stone Crown can wield unlimited power—if it can be found.Narissea has spent a quarter of her sixteen years slaving away in the mines, accused of a crime she didn’t commit. When word reaches her of the horrors assailing her village, Narissea knows she must act despite the risk. Already her arm is scarred with four brands signifying previous escape attempts. If she’s unsuccessful in her fifth, it will mean death.But her life forever changes when she stumbles upon an injured dragon, discovers an ancient shrine, and learns the true purpose behind Lady Inyene’s mechanical abominations.Now, Narissea has only one choice: gain Inyene’s trust and find a way to thwart her plans, even if it means sacrificing that which she desires most of all.

Her freedom.

This novel contains violence.

She can save her people—or doom the world.

Narissea and her dragon Ymmen face an impossible choice. Armed with a map discovered in the hidden shrine, she’s forced to lead Inyene’s heir, Abioye, through the wilds of the Plains to claim the ultimate prize. For only the wearer of the Stone Crown can command all dragons, and take the High Throne that rules over the three kingdoms.

To place the crown’s power into Inyene’s hands is unthinkable. Yet failure to obtain it means certain death.

But the small band is not alone. Vicious mercenaries seek the crown for their mysterious patron and attack Narissea’s expedition when they least expect it. In the ensuing chaos, the map is torn in two, forcing Narissea to rely on her memories of landmarks and stories passed down by the village elders to make her way through the Plains and its treacherous Sea of Mists.

When Inyene suspects betrayal, she sends her mechanical dragons against the beleaguered band, and the sands erupt in an epic clash of forces. Narissea’s desperate decisions threaten to alter destinies, but she’ll do whatever it takes to save her people.

No matter the consequences.

Fleet, introduced in the last book, is selected to investigate the dragon-master who helped Raymer escape the dungeons. His pride in the appointment is tempered when Camilla from book one is sent with him. They travel to the Drylands Family and beyond, and what they find changes the future of the Dragon Clan, and threatens its existence. Besides fighting against the King, they have an unknown enemy—one that is ready to attack—and the Dragon Clan is unprepared.

Gray is dispatched to the port of Fleming on the Endless Sea to investigate the sudden appearance of rogue green dragons. Stinson, Gray’s nemesis since childhood, is assigned to accompany him into the drylands and beyond. Their partnership is contentious, but Gray discovers information that changes everything—and threatens the end of the Dragon Clan. His actions might upset the delicate balance of power, and end a truce. Worse, war is coming and the king is unprepared, perhaps even traitorous.

Hannah and Sage escape to the port city of Indore where they attempt to escape--but the young mage follows. Hannah must elude him and others, as well as learn more of her craft so she can return to the Kingdom of Wren and claim her rightful inheritance--and seek revenge. The forces against her mount, but she will not back away. This book is not intended to stand alone, but is a continuation of the first Mage's Daughter.

She sacrificed her freedom to save the kingdom from a tyrannical ruler—and may have doomed them all.

No sooner has Narissea successfully recovered the Stone Crown and used its power to fend off Inyene, the evil Metal Queen, then she realizes the crown can’t be removed. And it’s consuming her mind with its poisonous whispers. Irrational commands and uncharacteristic rage burst forth before she considers their impact. Dragons across the land are enslaved by forced obedience to her every word. And those who fought alongside her abandon the quest to keep the artifact from Inyene.

But it’s the voices that drive Narissea toward madness. Voices of the world’s dragons that never cease thundering through her skull—until one breaks through the rest: The voice urging her to take up the throne as High Queen.

In desperation, Narissea consults Torvald’s scholar king to help unravel the mysteries of the crown’s creation and crush its growing control over her. But the Stone Crown has a will of its own—and it will use whatever means necessary to accomplish its evil goal.

Now Narissea must find a way to destroy the crown.

Before it destroys her.

All Gareth must do is steal a dragon's egg and live to tell about it. He’s warned by night whispers to flee from his tiny mountain village of Dun Mare. All he believes about his life and home is a tangle of falsehoods. Gareth finds himself alone in a strange world of tempest seas, flying dragons, and powerful foes vying for the mental powers he may possess, and for control of the egg. They are only the beginning of Gareth's story.

After thirty years of peaceful living on Bitters Island, Gareth is struck down, nearly killed and his mind attacked. His father is dead, but he managed to send Gareth one last warning. To complicate matters more, Gareth finds his Grandson has powers equal to, or greater, than his. They discover a warped mind every bit as powerful as Gareth’s. But he must identify the source of the mental powers. Gareth must make an alliance with the Brotherhood, Sisterhood, and even the King that has tried to kill him for half a century.

Seth is a stepchild, a slave to be sold at will. Tired of the beatings and mistreatment, he steals a canoe and paddles away just before winter sets in. However, he does not have the supplies or knowledge to survive a winter. He searches for what he needs--and finds much more, including dragons, a crazy old man, and enough mystery to last a lifetime. Ahead of him lie excitement, dragons, and more, but as a short introduction to the Dragon Clan series, telling you more would ruin it for you.

If you’re thinking of reading this 23k novella as the introduction to your first Dragon Clan story, you have a lot to look forward to. Each of the Dragon Clan novels is about a different member of the family, but all the stories are interlinked, with common places, people, and goals. Enjoy this short story and then the entire Dragon Clan series.

An orphan named Camilla has the birthmark of the Dragon Clan - an intricate design of a dragon flowing from her hip to the ugly head peering over her shoulder. She knows enough to conceal it. When dragons fly nearby, the design on her back tingles. She's told that one day she will call down dragons - whatever that means, but first, she must avoid the assassins sent by the King. He has already murdered her family, and Camilla must escape and find sanctuary.

Raymer has been locked in the Summer Palace dungeon for a year. His only crime is being born of the Dragon Clan. The cell next to him holds an emissary of a rival kingdom, an irreverent giant of a man named Quint. Together they plan a daring escape, but once free they find that only the two of them can prevent a war and save innocent lives. Raymer learns of the special abilities he has with dragons and must use those abilities to control a dragon and prevent a war while also protecting the secrets of the Dragon Clan.

Princess Hannah learns the King has died. She is now positioned to become Queen, if she can sail across a sea, cross mountains, prevent a war, and save another kingdom. All that has happened to her in the previous books culminates in her return to her homeland, but six years additional have passed and things change, not always for the better. If she ever believed she would return to cheering crowds and be welcomed by the other royals, she understands that won't happen. As with all of Hannah's books (3) the reader never knows what will happen next.

Anna, the fast-talking clever girl from Gray's Story, learns of the deception and dangers discovered across the Endless Sea. She understands war is coming, but knows she can help her people. Anna decides to sail to the land of Breslau and gather information to win the war, but she needs help--a lot of it, and failure may mean the end of the Dragon Clan. Raymer, who bonded with a red dragon agrees to travel with her, and take his dragon with them. Perhaps between them they can prevent a war--or start one.

Hannah's finger can ignite a magical flame. But only mages deal with elemental fire, and all mages are men. The mage whispered to be her father is returning, and she intends to display her flame where he can see it. Her life changes with the dowsing of a flame. She has no friends, an uncertain future, and jealous enemies at every turn. But five years of working in the morning kitchen while listening to the gossip and cruel whispers serves her well. Her wit, sharp tongue and determination are honed to a razor edge and prepare her for the future.

Poul Anderson's stories are classics from the golden age of science fiction and beyond. A master storyteller, Anderson wrote tales ranging from the immediate to the distant future, from Earth to far-flung galaxies, from hard science fiction to fantasy - all the elements stirred and blended as only Anderson could! THE QUEEN OF AIR AND DARKNESS is the second volume of The Collected Works of Poul Anderson and collects his best works from a writing career that spans over 50 years.

Poul Anderson wrote stories ranging throughout time and space, from the near future to the far future, tales set on Earth, other planets, and galaxies distant… sometimes with a bit of time travel added to the brew. Call me Joe is the first of a multi-volume compendium of Poul Anderson’s best works from a writing career that spans over 50 years and contains 26 stories, including: «Call Me Joe», «Enough Rope», «Starfog», «The Helping Hand», «The Man Who Came Early», «The Sharing of Flesh" (1969 Hugo winner), «Time Patrol», «Tomorrow’s Children», «Wildcat».

For thousands of years, the Terran Empire had known peace. Then came violent creatures whose only desire was destruction. They had quietly amassed an arsenal of weapons. They were ready for war. But Earth was not! The first planet to be conquered would be an obscure world of medieval peasants. It would be slaughter--unless some highly unconventional espionage was tempted, by three altogether unusual Terran agents.

A Minga woman invites Northwest into the forbidden Venusian fortress where she lives. It turns out to be even more dangerous than expected.

All The World’s A Happy Stage. Until the knives come out… «Lyorn» is the next adventure in Steven Brust’s bestselling Vlad Taltos series. Another Opening… Another Cataclysm? Vlad Taltos is on the run. Again. This time from one of the most powerful forces in his world, the Left Hand, who are intent on ending his very lucrative career. Permanently. He finds a hidey-hole in a theatre where the players are putting on a show that was banned centuries ago… and is trying to be shut down by the House that once literally killed to keep it from being played. Vlad will take on a number of roles to save his own skin. And the skins of those he loves. And along the way, he might find a part that was tailor-made for him. One that he might not want… but was always his destiny.

The Changing Land is fantasy novel by American writer Roger Zelazny, first published in 1981. The novel resolves the storyline from the various Dilvish, the Damned, short stories (collected in 1982 as Dilvish, the Damned).

Dilvish, the Damned is a collection of fantasy stories by Roger Zelazny, first published in 1982. The storyline begun in this collection was resolved in the novel The Changing Land, which was published before the other Dilvish stories appeared in book form.

Tsalmoth is the next installment in Steven Brust’s bestselling Vlad Taltos series—hold on to your hats and get ready for another swashbuckling adventure! First comes love. Then comes marriage… Vlad Taltos is in love. With a former assassin who may just be better than he is at the Game. Women like this don’t come along every day and no way is he passing up a sure bet. So a wedding is being planned. Along with a shady deal gone wrong and a dead man who owes Vlad money. Setting up the first and trying to deal with the second is bad enough. And then bigger powers decide that Vlad is the perfect patsy to shake the power structure of the kingdom. More’s the pity that his soul is sent walkabout to do it. How might Vlad get his soul back and have any shot at a happy ending? Well, there’s the tale…

Pilgrimage to Earth is a collection of science fiction short stories by Robert Sheckley. It was first published in 1957 by Bantam Books.

In The Alternative Detective Sheckley once again creates a mystery with a comic heart. Hob Draconian, an aging former hippie detective, discovers that you cannot maintain the status quo by being decent when people are trying to kill you.

Sheckley's novelization of the film The 10th Victim (starring Marcello Mastroianni, Ursula Andress and Elsa Martinelli) based on Robert Sheckley's 1953 short story "Seventh Victim". It was followed by two sequels, Victim Prime and Hunter/Victim.

Vlad Taltos is an Easterner—an underprivileged human in an Empire of tall, powerful, long-lived Dragaerans. He made a career for himself in House Jhereg, the Dragaeran clan in charge of the Empire’s organized crime. But the day came when the Jhereg wanted Vlad dead, and he’s been on the run ever since. He has plenty of friends among the Dragaeran highborn, including an undead wizard and a god or two. But as long as the Jhereg have a price on his head, Vlad’s life is… messy. Meanwhile, for years, Vlad’s path has been repeatedly crossed by Devera, a small Dragaeran girl of indeterminate powers who turns up at the oddest moments in his life. Now…

All secret agents need to look out for William Nye, now known as Agent X. His recruitment was simple and his legend is brilliant but unearned. Somehow, he thinks he’s the best there is, and we all know how pride goeth before a fall. The master of SF hilarity and biting social satire creates a spy world that has gathered praise from the greats of the genre.

Dramocles, an ordinary king on an ordinary planet, finds himself thrust into an adventure that combines soap opera, Greek tragedy, and Shakespearean drama as he unwillingly, and disastrously, seeks to fulfill a momentous destiny that is only revealed to him a piece at a time as he manages to foment an interplanetary war, precipitate the disintegration of his family, lose all his friends, and uncover betrayal among his closest advisers as barbarian invaders besiege his realm.

Discover the wit and imagination of Robert Sheckley with 'The Robot Who Looked Like Me'. This paperback collection brings together twelve of Sheckley’s most fantastic tales, featuring time travel, robot doubles, and a range of bizarre scenarios that will leave you laughing and pondering. Perfect for fans of humorous science fiction.

Robert Sheckley’s collection Store of Infinity (1960) contains eight remarkable short stories — three of which are near masterpieces. Sheckley’s visions are satirical, mordant, and replete with vivid imagery conveyed in solid prose.

Years ago, Vlad Taltos came to make his way as a human amidst the impossibly tall, fantastically long-lived natives of the Dragaeran Empire. He joined the Jhereg, the Dragaeran House (of which there are seventeen) that handles the Empire's vices: gambling, rackets, organized crime. He became a professional assassin. He was good at it. But that was then, before Vlad and the Jhereg became mortal enemies. For years, Vlad has run from one end of the Empire to the other, avoiding the Jhereg assassins who pursue him. Now, finally, he's back in the imperial capital where his family and friends are. He means to stay there this time. Whatever happens. And whatever it takes.

Untouched by Human Hands consists of thirteen stories of beings who dwell on the strange borders of reality. Some of these stories tell of people you know or of events that might happen--but haven't yet. Some will take you to the furthermost reaches of the sky and to planets whose names are unknown this side of Arcturus. And some--perhaps the richest and most memorable of these stories--open into the interior of strange minds to reveal the reflection of ourselves.

The People Trap (full title The People Trap and other Pitfalls, Snares, Devices and Delusions, as Well as Two Sniggles and a Contrivance) is a collection of science fiction short stories by American writer Robert Sheckley. It was first published in 1968 by Dell.

The classic sci-fi story collection features eleven tales of outer space adventure from one of the genre’s greatest talents

A man looking for psychotherapy is accidentally sold a Martian therapeutic machine — with unexpected consequences.

First published in

Galaxy 1956/7

The story was published in 1957 by Bantam Books as a part of

the Pilgrimage to Earth

collection of science fiction short stories by Robert Sheckley.

It's well established now that the way you put a question often determines not only the answer you'll get, but the type of answer possible. So ... a mechanical answerer, geared to produce the ultimate revelations in reference to anything you want to know, might have unsuspected limitations.

A visitor should be fed, but this one could eat you out of house and home ... literally!