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A History of the Vampire in Popular Culture: Love at First Bite
by Violet FennAn exploration of the continuing appeal of vampires in cultural and social history. Our enduring love of vampires—the bad boys (and girls) of paranormal fantasy—has persisted for centuries. Despite being bloodthirsty, heartless killers, vampire stories commonly carry erotic overtones that are missing from other paranormal or horror stories. Even when monstrous teeth are sinking into pale, helpless throats—especially then—vampires are sexy. But why? In A History Of The Vampire In Popular Culture, author Violet Fenn takes the reader through the history of vampires in &“fact&” and fiction, their origins in mythology and literature, and their enduring appeal on TV and film. We&’ll delve into the sexuality--and sexism--of vampire lore, as well as how modern audiences still hunger for a pair of sharp fangs in the middle of the night.
A História de Finbar
by Steve VernonA água é mentirosa. Uma história com água não pode ser confiada, e suas palavras serão levadas com a primeira chuva torrencial ou com as lágrimas de um longo choro. E as histórias contadas em sangue e pedra são, de longe, as que mais ficam marcadas. Finbar Tanner está contando uma história para seu filho, Isaac. É uma história sobre amor, desejo e sacrifício. Uma história sobre sangue, água e pedras. Uma história sobre as correntezas mais profundas que correm no coração de um homem. Uma história sobre o mar. O QUE ESTÃO DIZENDO SOBRE STEVE VERNON "O gênero precisa de sangue novo, e Steve Vernon é uma transfusão e tanto! " –Edward Lee, autor de FLESH GOTHIC e CITY INFERNAL "Se Harlan Ellis, Richard Matheson e Robert Bloch fizessem um ménage à trois em uma banheira quente, e então uma equipe de cientistas viesse, filtrasse toda a água e misturasse o DNA restante em um tubo de ensaio, o resultado do experimento genético provavelmente viria a tornar-se Steve Vernon." - Bookgasm "Steve Vernon é uma espécie de anomalia no mundo da literatura de terror. Ele é uma das novas vozes mais revigorantes no gênero, embora sua carreira já se estenda por vinte anos. Escrevendo com rara arrogância e confiança, Steve Vernon pode levar seus leitores por uma gama inteira de emoções que vão desde o medo e a repulsa escancarados à compaixão e aos risos." - Cemetery Dance "Armado com um senso de humor bizarro, uma enorme dose de originalidade, um dom para assumir riscos e um forte domínio sobre caracterização – Steve tem o jeito, com certeza." - Dark Discoveries "Steve Vernon nasceu para escrever. Ele é coisa séria, e temos sorte por tê-lo.” - Richard Chizmar Minha mãe também acha que eu sou bem legal.
A Hold on Me (Dark Heart_ #1)
by Pat EsdenShe never wanted to return.He wants nothing more than for her to leave.But the fire between them is as strong as the past that haunts them.Annie Freemont grew up on the road, immersed in the romance of rare things, cultivating an eye for artifacts and a spirit for bargaining. It's a freewheeling life she loves and plans to continue--until her dad is diagnosed with dementia. His illness forces them to return to Moonhill, their ancestral home on the coast of Maine--and to the family they left behind fifteen years ago, after Annie's mother died in a suspicious accident. Once at Moonhill, Annie is shocked when her aunt separates her from her father. The next time Annie sees him, he's a bizarre, violent shadow of his former self. Confused, she turns to an unlikely ally for support--Chase, the dangerously seductive young groundskeeper. With his dark good looks and powerful presence, Chase has an air of mystery that Annie is irresistibly drawn to. But she also senses that behind his penetrating eyes are secrets she can't even begin to imagine. Secrets that hold the key to the past, to Annie's own longings--and to all of their futures. Now, to unlock them, she'll have to face her greatest fears and embrace her legacy... The Dark Heart Series Book 1
A Hollow Sky: A stylish thriller that will keep you guessing (The Alex Ripley Mysteries #Vol. 2)
by M. Sean ColemanA detective investigates a reputed miracle worker on behalf of a grieving husband, in this novel of faith and fear by the author of The Cuckoo Wood . . . After one meeting with a faith healer, Jane Hewitt rose from her wheelchair and walked, seemingly cured of terminal cancer, believing that her lifetime of devoted faith had been rewarded. She was wrong. She died just days later. Her husband, Ian, blames her hastened death on the faith healer she visited and turns to Dr. Alex Ripley, the so-called Miracle Detective, for help. Fascinated by the case, Ripley finds herself on Holy Island, off the coast of North Wales, caught up in an investigation that will prove more sinister and dangerous than even she could have imagined—because Ian is not the first person to complain about the faith healer. But he is the only one still alive. For now . . .
A Home for Unusual Monsters (The Kairos Files)
by Shaun David HutchinsonA girl who has spent her life in disguise tackles a mission that uncovers lies and surprises around every corner. Nothing is as it seems in the next cozily creepy monster mystery from acclaimed author Shaun David Hutchinson.Sam Osborne may have helped her new friend Hector Griggs save St. Lawrence&’s Catholic School for Boys from a terrifying monster, but she is still trying to prove herself as a member of Kairos, the secretive and shadowy government agency devoted to investigating the strange and unusual. And her unique ability to control how others see her makes her the perfect agent…if she can learn to play by Kairos&’ rules. Her next mission? Use her powers of disguise to infiltrate the family of a former agent to find top secret information about monsters hiding in plain sight. But even though Sam is well versed in deception, she may not be prepared for the web of secrets she uncovers. Especially since she may not be the only one pretending to be someone—or something—she&’s not. And once the clues are unraveled and the truth is revealed, the monsters she&’s searching for might just be closer to home…
A Hora da Morte (S. K. Tremayne)
by S.K. TremayneUm hotel isolado. Uma mulher desesperada. Uma ilha da qual não é possível escapar… Um thriller arrepiante e incrivelmente envolvente. O muito aguardado novo livro do autor do bestseller As Gémeas do Gelo. S. K. Tremayne está de regresso com um thriller arrepiante, sinistro e absolutamente viciante. Um hotel de luxo lotado Cercado pelo estuário de Blackwater, o hotel Stanhope ergue-se no centro de uma exuberante ilha remota. É chegada a grande noite de reabertura, e Hannah, a organizadora, tem o coração cheio ao ver todos os convidados. A celebração conduz à tragédia Mas aquilo que deveria ser apenas uma festa animada rapidamente se descontrola quando vários convidados embriagados decidem entrar no mar, alheios às perigosas correntes que surgem durante a Hora da Morte. Alguns nunca mais serão vistos. O medo torna-se fobia Atormentada pelo pavor da água, Hannah vê-se presa na ilha durante o inverno. Os rumores acerca daquela noite começam a surgir. Alguém sabe o que se passou realmente durante a Hora da Morte — e a segurança de Hannah está em risco… SOBRE A HORA DA MORTE:«Arrepiante.» Sunday Times «Esplendorosamente sombrio.» Spectator «Um livro tão viciante que é impossível de pousar.» Sunday Mirror «Envolvente e profundamente inquietante.» Independent on Sunday «Ficamos imediatamente cativados pelo livro. Arrepios garantidos desde a primeira página.» Monique Roffey, autora vencedora do Prémio Costa «Insuportavelmente cativante.» Sophie Hannah, autora bestseller internacional «Absolutamente envolvente.» Lisa Jewell, autora bestseller internacional «Um livro que é própria definição de suspense.» Jeffery Deaver, autor bestseller internacional «Intensamente arrepiante.» Good Housekeeping
A House With Good Bones
by T. KingfisherA Barnes & Noble Best Horror Book of 2023A haunting Southern Gothic from an award-winning master of suspense, A House With Good Bones explores the dark, twisted roots lurking just beneath the veneer of a perfect home and family. "Mom seems off." Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out. But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.Also by T. KingfisherWhat Moves the DeadWhat Feasts at NightNettle & BoneThornhedgeA Sorceress Comes to CallAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
A House Without Mirrors
by Karin Altenberg Marten SandenA moving ghost story that explores the overcoming of loss, and how to move onThomasine has spent months living in her great-great-aunt's dusty, dark house with her father, and her aunt, uncle and cousins. While her father's siblings bicker about how much the house must be worth, her distant, elderly aunt is upstairs, dying, and her father has disappeared inside himself, still mourning the death of Thomasine's little brother. But one day, her youngest cousin makes a discovery: a wardrobe, filled with all the mirrors missing from the big house. And through the mirrors, a different world - one in which you can find not what you most wish for, but perhaps what you most need... A beautiful tale of love, grief and growing up, A House Without Mirrors is an unforgettable adventure into families and the power of love.
A House Without Mirrors
by Karin Altenberg Marten Sanden Moa SchulmanA moving ghost story that explores the overcoming of loss, and how to move onThomasine has spent months living in her great-great-aunt's dusty, dark house with her father, and her aunt, uncle and cousins. While her father's siblings bicker about how much the house must be worth, her distant, elderly aunt is upstairs, dying, and her father has disappeared inside himself, still mourning the death of Thomasine's little brother. But one day, her youngest cousin makes a discovery: a wardrobe, filled with all the mirrors missing from the big house. And through the mirrors, a different world - one in which you can find not what you most wish for, but perhaps what you most need... A beautiful tale of love, grief and growing up, A House Without Mirrors is an unforgettable adventure into families and the power of love.
A House at the Bottom of a Lake
by Josh MalermanFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie comes a haunting tale of love and mystery, as the date of a lifetime becomes a maddening exploration of the depths of the heart.&“Malerman expertly conjures a fairy tale nostalgia of first love, and we follow along, all too willingly, ignoring the warning signs even as the fear takes hold.&”—Lit Reactor The story begins: young lovers, anxious to connect, agree to a first date, thinking outside of the box. At seventeen years old, James and Amelia can feel the rest of their lives beginning. They have got this summer and this summer alone to experience the extraordinary. But they didn&’t expect to find it in a house at the bottom of a lake. The house is cold and dark, but it&’s also their own. Caution be damned, until being carefree becomes dangerous. For the teens must decide: swim deeper into the house—all the while falling deeper in love? Whatever they do, they will never be able to turn their backs on what they discovered together. And what they learned: Just because a house is empty, doesn&’t mean nobody&’s home.
A House at the Bottom of a Lake
by Josh MalermanA haunting tale of love and mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie.At seventeen years old, James and Amelia can feel the rest of their lives beginning. They have got this summer and this summer alone to experience the extraordinary.But they didn't expect to find it in a house at the bottom of a lake.The house is cold and dark, but it's also their own.Caution be damned, until being carefree becomes dangerous. For the teens must decide: swim deeper into the house-all the while falling deeper in love?Whatever they do, they will never be able to turn their backs on what they discovered together. And what they learned: Just because a house is empty, doesn't mean nobody's home.
A House for Miss Pauline: 'One of the Caribbean's finest writers' Monique Roffey
by Diana McCaulay'The past is uprooted, the present holds on by thread, and in the midst of it all is Miss Pauline, strong, conflicted, driven and remarkable.' Marlon James, Booker Prize-winning author of MOON WITCH, SPIDER KING'Delightful and big-hearted . . . It kept me turning pages deep into the night, and left me full of admiration at the end.' Claire Adam, Guardian'One of the Caribbean's finest writers . . . Her novels are building blocks of the current Caribbean canon and will be read for years to come.' Monique Roffey, author of THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCHWhen the stones of her home begin to rattle and call out to her in the quiet of the night, Pauline Sinclair knows she will not live to see her 100th birthday.From educating herself through stolen books to becoming one of the most successful ganja farmers in the area and raising a family, Pauline has lived a life on her own terms in Mason Hall, a rural Jamaican village.Yet these whispering walls promise to topple the foundations of her security and exhume Pauline's many buried secrets, including the mysterious disappearance of the man who came to claim the very land on which she built her home, stone by stone, from the ruins of a plantation.Compelled to make peace before she dies, Pauline decides to leave the only home she has ever known on a final, desperate mission to uncover truths she could never have imagined . . .Lyrical, funny, eerie and profound, A House for Miss Pauline tells a timely and nuanced tale, infused with the patois and natural beauty of Jamaica, which questions who owns the land on which our identities are forged.'History's crimes unfurl in this magical story . . . McCaulay's immaculate, breathtaking writing carries it with poise and conviction.' Lisa Allen-Agostini, author of THE BREAD THE DEVIL KNEAD'Where has Diana McCaulay been all my reading life? . . . A profound and beautiful novel of encounters with the past and atonements in the present.' Julia Alvarez, author of THE CEMETERY OF UNTOLD STORIES
A House for Miss Pauline: 'One of the Caribbean's finest writers' Monique Roffey
by Diana McCaulay'The past is uprooted, the present holds on by thread, and in the midst of it all is Miss Pauline, strong, conflicted, driven and remarkable.' Marlon James, Booker Prize-winning author of MOON WITCH, SPIDER KING'Delightful and big-hearted . . . It kept me turning pages deep into the night, and left me full of admiration at the end.' Claire Adam, Guardian'One of the Caribbean's finest writers . . . Her novels are building blocks of the current Caribbean canon and will be read for years to come.' Monique Roffey, author of THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCHWhen the stones of her home begin to rattle and call out to her in the quiet of the night, Pauline Sinclair knows she will not live to see her 100th birthday.From educating herself through stolen books to becoming one of the most successful ganja farmers in the area and raising a family, Pauline has lived a life on her own terms in Mason Hall, a rural Jamaican village.Yet these whispering walls promise to topple the foundations of her security and exhume Pauline's many buried secrets, including the mysterious disappearance of the man who came to claim the very land on which she built her home, stone by stone, from the ruins of a plantation.Compelled to make peace before she dies, Pauline decides to leave the only home she has ever known on a final, desperate mission to uncover truths she could never have imagined . . .Lyrical, funny, eerie and profound, A House for Miss Pauline tells a timely and nuanced tale, infused with the patois and natural beauty of Jamaica, which questions who owns the land on which our identities are forged.'History's crimes unfurl in this magical story . . . McCaulay's immaculate, breathtaking writing carries it with poise and conviction.' Lisa Allen-Agostini, author of THE BREAD THE DEVIL KNEAD'Where has Diana McCaulay been all my reading life? . . . A profound and beautiful novel of encounters with the past and atonements in the present.' Julia Alvarez, author of THE CEMETERY OF UNTOLD STORIES
A House of Ghosts: A Gripping Murder Mystery Set in a Haunted House
by W. RyanFinalist for the Irish Book Award for Crime Fiction Book of the Year, a Classic Cozy Big-House Mystery Haunted by the Specters of World War One—For Readers of Agatha Christie and Simone St. James Winter 1917. As the First World War enters its most brutal phase, back home in England, everyone is seeking answers to the darkness that has seeped into their lives. At Blackwater Abbey, on an island off the Devon coast, armaments manufacturer Lord Highmount has arranged a spiritualist gathering to contact his two sons, both of whom died at the front. Among the guests, two have been secretly dispatched from the intelligence service: Kate Cartwright, a friend of the family who lost her beloved brother at the Somme and who, in the realm of the spiritual, has her own special gift; and the mysterious Captain Donovan, recently returned from Europe. Top secret plans for weapons developed by Lord Highmount’s company have turned up in Berlin, and there is reason to believe enemy spies will be in attendance. As the guests arrive, it becomes clear that each has something they would rather keep hidden. Then, when a storm descends, they find themselves trapped on the island. Soon one of their number will die. For Blackwater Abbey is haunted in more ways than one . . . . An unrelenting, gripping mystery, packed with twists and turns and a kindling of romance, A House of Ghosts is the perfect cold-weather read.
A Hundred Words for Hate
by Sniegoski Thomas E.As an Angel, Remy possesses powers and skills only to be used if the situation calls for it. And the sudden reappearance of the Garden of Eden is just such a situation. Two opposing forces of immortals want the Key to the Gates of Eden, so Remy must turn for help to a fallen angel who is sometimes friend, sometimes foe-and always deadly. .
A Hunger So Wild (A Renegade Angels Novel)
by Sylvia DayFrom the No. 1 international bestselling author of the Crossfire series, A Hunger So Wild is the second red-hot paranormal romance following the sizzling A Touch of Crimson. If you fell for Gideon Cross, wait until you meet the men who really are out of this world...Elijah Reynolds is the most dominant of lycans, a rare Alpha whose skill for the hunt is surpassed only by his primal sexuality. When the lycans revolt, Elijah becomes both enemy and coveted ally in the conflict between vampires and angels. Vashti is the second most powerful vampire in the world, a lethal beauty with a path of devastation in her wake. She approaches Elijah with a proposed alliance...and discovers his vow to avenge his closest friend with her death, even as his passion demands her surrender. Their enmity soon erodes beneath an all-consuming desire. But as war looms, each must decide where their loyalty lies - with their own kind or with the enemy lover they can no longer live without...Find out where it all began in A Touch of Crimson, the first in the sinfully sexy Renegade Angels series...
A Hunter Called Night
by Tim WaggonerIf you enjoyed Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix or Authority by Jeff Vandermeer, then you'll love this latest horror novel from the Bram Stoker award-winning author Tim Waggoner.A sinister being called Night and her panther-like Harriers stalk their quarry, a man known only as Arron. Arron seeks refuge within an office building, a place Night cannot go, for it&’s part of the civilized world, and she&’s a creature of the Wild. To flush Arron out, she creates Blight, a reality-warping field that slowly transforms the building and its occupants in horrible and deadly ways. But unknown to Night, while she waits for the Blight to do its work, a group of survivors from a previous attempt to capture Arron are coming for her. The hunter is now the hunted.FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress
A Innsmouth de Lovecraft
by Elaine Beatriz de Sousa Pagliaro Claudio Vergnani... se tratava simplesmente de acompanhar o professor Franco Brandellini - este é o nome do cliente - por mais ou menos uma semana a uma cidadezinha para turistas nas costas de Massachusetts, onde tinha sido reconstruída para uso e consumo dos tolos - esta era a explicação de Vergy - a Innsmouth do conto As sombras sobre Innsmouth de H.P. Lovecraft. O nome da estrutura era, em sua enorme originalidade, A Innsmouth de Lovecraft. "Em suma", explicou Vergy, "construíram esta espécie de Disneylândia para adultos que retrata fielmente a cidade do conto. Casebres, cabanas, hotel nojento, a igreja da ordem daquele... como se chamava a porra daquela espécie com escamas com o qual os habitantes fechavam o pacto blasfemo?" Fiz minha memória voltar aos tempos da escola. "Dagon, diria. Um capitão do lugar que havia estado em alguma localidade exótica o tinha contatado. Ali, ele soube sobre esta criatura que, pelo preço módico de um sacrifício humano, garantiria peixe, ouro e mulher por todos os anos vindouros." "Sim, certo, uma coisa assim. Ah! você vai gostar dessa. Pelas ruas andam algumas pessoas fantasiadas como os habitantes da história. Alguns miseráveis raquíticos que caminham trôpegos, fedem a peixe e no lugar do rosto tem uma grande máscara de bacalhau ou algo do gênero. Bem, agora você não vai acreditar, mas parece que há pelo mundo um bom número de apaixonados por essa coisa e o nosso professor é um deles. E quer dar um pulo lá para aproveitar-se de tanta beleza. Você e eu precisamos acompanhá-lo e protegê-lo. Do quê, eu não saberia te dizer." "Parece uma tarefa exequível." "É. O problema é que diziam o mesmo sobre o desembarque na Normandia."
A Is for Alien
by Caitlin R. KiernanFrom the wastelands of Mars to the streets of a late 21st-century Manhattan, from the moons of Europa and Saturn to an iceless Antarctica, these 8 tales bring an acclaimed author's trademark brand of the eco-gothic to bear on what it means to be human and the paths that may face mankind only a little farther along.
A Kind of Death (Cav Crawford Mysteries #1)
by Josh AterovisCav Crawford has a lot going on. He&’s a college student. He has a side gig as a PI. Oh yeah—and he sees ghosts.When four teenage boys disappear while ghost hunting but only one reappears days later (covered in blood and with no memory of what happened), the police point the finger at the boy. The boy&’s parents hire Cav to prove his innocence, and it doesn&’t take him long to realize he&’s in over his head. To complicate matters, Cav unintentionally summons the ghost of his dead boyfriend, who can&’t seem to move on.As the investigation deepens, Cav unearths disturbing similarities between his current case and a decades-old murder-suicide. By the time he realizes the power of the dark forces at work, it&’s too late—he&’s caught the attention of the killer, and he&’ll soon learn there&’s more than one kind of death….
A King and a Pawn (Leader Murders #3)
by Liv OlteanoLeader Murders: Case ThreeBert Cooper's life used to be great, until his sister turned out to be a traitor. Now Bert feels the whole pack looks on him with doubt and suspicion. To prove his loyalty, he volunteers to be the first ambassador at Fey Court, gathering information to finally solve the Leader Murders and punish those plotting against the Council and community. At least, that was the plan.... When Bert meets Sir William Matthew Sims, Court Interrogator, and one hell of a sexy man, life becomes a balancing act. And when the Fey King is assassinated, things become really messy. Pack politics, fey politics, treason, suspicions of treason.... Bert has to choose between being ruled by his fears or standing up for what--and who--he believes in. And it might just break his heart.
A Legacy Of Ghosts
by Colin DannThere had been rumours for years about the wealth of old Mr Mackie. But when ben and Richard start snooping around the dead man's house, they're soon plunged into a web of terror. Whose dark face is at the window? Where are the strange footsteps coming from? And what is the secret of the blue ring wrapped in a blanket? Pursued by a villainous tramp, and haunted by ghastly visions, the two boys find themselves on a daring journey through darkest Wales, and into the unearthly territory of the ancient spirits.
A Legacy of Violence #12 (A Legacy of Violence #12)
by Cullen Bunn(END OF SERIES) As Nick flees that brutality of the forest, the villagers have grown even more enraged and follow Nick to the hospital. There, Nick will discover the truth he&’s been running from for so long. Will the Killer&’s identity be revealed? And will the villagers finally be rid of this hell that fallen upon them? Find out in the final issue of A Legacy of Violence!
A Lick of Frost: A Novel (Merry Gentry #6)
by Laurell K. HamiltonYou know me. I am Meredith Gentry, princess and heir apparent to the throne in the realm of Faerie; one-time private investigator in the mortal world. You also know my circumstances: to be crowned queen, I must first continue the royal bloodline, and give birth to an heir of my own. If I fail, then my aunt, Queen Andais, will be free to do what she most desires: install her twisted son, Cel, as monarch and kill me. My royal guards surround me, and my best loved - my Darkness and my Killing Frost - are always beside me, sworn to protect and make love to me. But still the threat grows greater. For despite my eager carnal efforts, I remain childless and all the while the machinations of my sinister, sadistic Queen and her confederates remain tireless. So my bodyguards and I slipped back into Los Angeles - hoping to outrun the gathering shadows of court intrigue. But even exile wasn't far enough to escape the grasp of those with dark designs upon us. Now, King Taranis, powerful and vainglorious ruler of Faerie's Seelie court, has accused my noble guards of a heinous crime - and gone so far as to ask the mortal authorities to prosecute them. If he succeeds, my men face extradition to Faerie - and the hideous penalties that await there. But I know Taranis' charges are baseless - his true target is me. He tried to kill me when I was a child. Now, I fear his intentions are far more terrifying. Between the darkest faerie magic and the deepest desires of the flesh lies the world of Meredith Gentry - princess, private eye and powerful player in a deadly game of supernatural and intrigue.
A Life For The Stars: Cities in Flight Book 2 (CITIES IN FLIGHT)
by James BlishScience has come to humanity's rescue with two crucial discoveries - antigravity devices that enable whole cities to be lifted from the Earth to become giant spaceships, and longevity drugs that allow their inhabitants to live for thousands of years - lead to the establishment of a unique Galactic empire.Now, the earth's cities are able to abandon the worn-out homeworld for a new life, a new future. But what will they find as the hurtle off into the depths of space . . . ?