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The Highwayman
by Michele HaufMax Fitzroy, the legendary Highwayman, had slain scores of demons with a razorlike whip and a burning need for revenge. Now, to rid himself of the demon inside him--who'd cursed him with immortality and stolen all sensual pleasures--Max needed a witch's familiar, the one creature he'd made a career of killing. But the Highwayman wasn't prepared for the familiar named Aby. The sleek and sexy conduit to the demon world saw past his swirling shadow as easily as he scaled the walls she'd erected to protect herself. Max needed Aby to grant him his freedom, and then he needed to slay her. But how could he destroy the only creature he'd desired in centuries?
The Hike: A Novel
by Drew Magary"The Hike is Cormac McCarthy's Alice in Wonderland--gritty and terrifying but with deliriously surreal twists and turns." --Jeffrey Cranor, New York Times bestselling cowriter of Welcome to Night Vale"It's kind of a more cynical version of The Phantom Tollbooth mixed with a game of Dungeons & Dragons." --Wired, chosen as one of "This Summer's 14 Must-Read Books"From the author of The Postmortal, a fantasy saga unlike any you've read before, weaving elements of folk tales and video games into a riveting, unforgettable adventure of what a man will endure to return to his family When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once he sets out into the woods behind his hotel, he quickly comes to realize that the path he has chosen cannot be given up easily. With no choice but to move forward, Ben finds himself falling deeper and deeper into a world of man-eating giants, bizarre demons, and colossal insects. On a quest of epic, life-or-death proportions, Ben finds help comes in some of the most unexpected forms, including a profane crustacean and a variety of magical objects, tools, and potions. Desperate to return to his family, Ben is determined to track down the "Producer," the creator of the world in which he is being held hostage and the only one who can free him from the path. At once bitingly funny and emotionally absorbing, Magary's novel is a remarkably unique addition to the contemporary fantasy genre, one that draws as easily from the world of classic folk tales as it does from video games. In The Hike, Magary takes readers on a daring odyssey away from our day-to-day grind and transports them into an enthralling world propelled by heart, imagination, and survival.From the Hardcover edition.
The Hills Have Spies (Valdemar: Family Spies #1)
by Mercedes LackeyIn this new series, set in the bestselling world of Valdemar, Heralds Mags and Amily must continue to protect the realm of Valdemar while raising their children and preparing them to follow in their footsteps.Mags, Herald Spy of Valdemar, and his wife, Amily, the King’s Own Herald, are happily married with three kids. The oldest, Peregrine, has the Gift of Animal Mindspeech—he can talk to animals and persuade them to act as he wishes. Perry's dream is to follow in his father's footsteps as a Herald Spy, but he has yet to be Chosen by a Companion. Mags is more than happy to teach Perry all he knows. He regularly trains his children, including Perry, with tests and exercises, preparing them for the complicated and dangerous lives they will likely lead. Perry has already held positions in the Royal Palace as a runner and in the kitchen, useful places where he can learn to listen and collect information. But there is growing rural unrest in a community on the border of Valdemar. A report filled with tales of strange disappearances and missing peddlers is sent to Haven by a Herald from the Pelagirs. To let Perry experience life away from home and out in the world, Mags proposes that his son accompany him on an expedition to discover what is really going on. During their travels, Perry’s Animal Mindspeech allows him to communicate with the local wildlife of the Pelagirs, whose connection to the land aids in their investigation. But the details he gleans from the creatures only deepen the mystery. As Perry, Mags, and their animal companions draw closer to the heart of the danger, they must discover the truth behind the disappearances at the border—before those disappearances turn deadly.
The Hills of Home
by Alfred CoppelAlfred Coppel was a science fiction writer in the middle of the 20th century. He wrote adventurous stories for numerous pulp magazines. Other works by Coppel can be found under his pseudonym Robert Cham Gilman. This is one of those stories.
The Historian
by Elizabeth KostovaIn this internationally bestselling novel, the author of The Swan Thieves has 'refashioned the vampire myth into a compelling...late-night page-turner' - San Francisco ChronicleLate one night, exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters addressed ominously to 'My dear and unfortunate successor'. Her discovery plunges her into a world she never dreamed of - a labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past and her mother's mysterious fate connect to an evil hidden in the depths of history. In those few quiet moments, she unwittingly assumes a quest she will discover is her birthright - a hunt for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler whose barbarous reign formed the basis of the Dracula myth. Deciphering obscure signs and hidden texts, reading codes worked into the fabric of medieval monastic traditions, and evading terrifying adversaries, one woman comes ever closer to the secret of her own past and a confrontation with the very definition of evil. Elizabeth Kostova's debut novel is an adventure of monumental proportions - a captivating tale that blends fact and fantasy, history and the present with an assurance that is almost unbearably suspenseful - and utterly unforgettable.'Quite extraordinary....Kostova is a natural storyteller....She has refashioned the vampire myth into a compelling contemporary novel, a late-night page-turner' - San Francisco Chronicle'Filled with fascinating details of archaic vampire lore, the splendours of the Ottoman Empire and the beauty of the Romanian countryside' - Times Literary Supplement
The Historian: The captivating international bestseller and Richard and Judy Book Club pick
by Elizabeth KostovaIn this internationally bestselling novel, the author of The Swan Thieves has 'refashioned the vampire myth into a compelling...late-night page-turner' - San Francisco ChronicleLate one night, exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters addressed ominously to 'My dear and unfortunate successor'. Her discovery plunges her into a world she never dreamed of - a labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past and her mother's mysterious fate connect to an evil hidden in the depths of history. In those few quiet moments, she unwittingly assumes a quest she will discover is her birthright - a hunt for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler whose barbarous reign formed the basis of the Dracula myth. Deciphering obscure signs and hidden texts, reading codes worked into the fabric of medieval monastic traditions, and evading terrifying adversaries, one woman comes ever closer to the secret of her own past and a confrontation with the very definition of evil. Elizabeth Kostova's debut novel is an adventure of monumental proportions - a captivating tale that blends fact and fantasy, history and the present with an assurance that is almost unbearably suspenseful - and utterly unforgettable.'Quite extraordinary....Kostova is a natural storyteller....She has refashioned the vampire myth into a compelling contemporary novel, a late-night page-turner' - San Francisco Chronicle'Filled with fascinating details of archaic vampire lore, the splendours of the Ottoman Empire and the beauty of the Romanian countryside' - Times Literary Supplement
The History Behind Game of Thrones: The North Remembers
by David C. WeinczokThe true history behind the hit HBO fantasy show and George R. R. Martin&’s bestselling Fire and Ice series. A wall in the distant north cuts the world in two. Ruthless sea-born warriors raid the coasts from their war galleys. A young nobleman and his kin are slaughtered under a banner of truce within a mighty castle. A warrior king becomes a legend when he smites his foe with one swing of his axe during a nation-forging battle. Yet this isn&’t Westeros—it&’s Scotland. Game of Thrones is history re-imagined as fantasy. The History Behind Game of Thrones turns the tables, using George R. R. Martin&’s extraordinary fictional universe as a way to understand the driving forces and defining moments from Scotland&’s story. Why were castles so important? Was there a limit to the powers a medieval king could use—or abuse? What was the reality of being under siege? Was there really anything that can compare to the destructive force of dragons? By joining forces, Westeros and Scotland hold the answers. Writer and presenter David C. Weinczok draws on a vast array of characters, events, places, and themes from Scottish history that echo Game of Thrones at every dramatic turn. Visit the castle where the real Red Wedding transpired, encounter the fearsome historical tribes beyond Rome&’s great wall, learn how a blood-red heart became the most feared sigil in Scotland, and much more. By journey&’s end, the cogs in the wheels of Martin&’s world and Scottish history will be laid bare, as well as the stories of those who tried to shape—and sometimes even break—them.
The History of Lucy's Love Life in Ten and a Half Chapters
by Deborah WrightWho would you date if you had a time machine? Lucy's love life needs a boost. When she isn't flirting with the gorgeous guy at the newsstand, she's daydreaming about torrid affairs with Lord Byron and George Clooney--anyone but her boyfriend Anthony. So she does what any sensible woman would do: she steals a time machine and tracks down the great lovers of the past. From Casanova to Ovid to Byron himself, Lucy's dating pool expands to truly historic proportions. But she quickly finds that even the world's most renowned lovers have their limitations--and that her true love may be closer to home than she ever believed.
The History of Mischief
by Rebecca HiggieWhen Jessie and her older sister Kay find a book called The History of Mischief,hidden beneath the floorboards in their grandmother's house, they uncover asecret world. The History chronicles how, since antiquity, mischief-makers haveclandestinely shaped the past – from an Athenian slave to a Polish salt miner andfrom an advisor to the Ethiopian Queen to a girl escaping the Siege of Paris. Jessiebecomes enthralled by the book and by her own mission to determine its accuracy.Soon the History inspires Jessie to perform her own acts of mischief, unofficiallybecoming mischief-maker number 202 in an effort to cheer up her eccentricneighbour, Mrs Moran, and to comfort her new schoolfriend, Theodore. However, noteverything is as it seems. As Jessie delves deeper into the real story behind theHistory, she becomes convinced her grandmother holds the key to a long-held familysecret.The History of Mischief is about the many things we do to try to escape
The History of Science Fiction
by Adam RobertsThis book is the definitive critical history of science fiction. The 2006 first edition of this work traced the development of the genre from Ancient Greece and the European Reformation through to the end of the 20th century. This new 2nd edition has been revised thoroughly and very significantly expanded. An all-new final chapter discusses 21st-century science fiction, and there is new material in every chapter: a wealth of new readings and original research. The author's groundbreaking thesis that science fiction is born out of the 17th-century Reformation is here bolstered with a wide range of new supporting material and many hundreds of 17th- and 18th-century science fiction texts, some of which have never been discussed before. The account of 19th-century science fiction has been expanded, and the various chapters tracing the twentieth-century bring in more writing by women, and science fiction in other media including cinema, TV, comics, fan-culture and other modes.
The History of Science Fiction and Its Toy Figurines
by Luigi Toiati"This eye-opening book deserves a spot on the bookshelves of anyone who not only enjoys collecting, but also has a great interest in all facets of the history of our hobby." — Toy Soldier Collector Science fiction, as the name suggests, is the combination of science and fantasy. In addition to a literary form, it also encompasses film, TV, comics, toys and our beloved toy astronauts, or other figures such as aliens, monsters and other playable genres. The term science fiction was coined by publisher Hugo Gernsbach around the first decades of the last century to refer to the predominantly 'space' adventures covered in his magazines. Space invaded radio, cinema, TV, and consequently for a long time toy figurines were predominantly space-related, later evolving into other themes. This lavishly illustrated book covers both the history of literary science fiction, following in the footsteps of contemporary official criticism, and toy figurines inspired by science fiction. You will also find several other themes, such as the link between science fiction figures and cinema, radio, TV, comics, and more. Luigi Toiati offers to both guide the reader on an often-nostalgic walk through science fiction in all its various forms, and to describe the figurines and brands associated with it.
The History of the Hobbit
by J. R. TolkienIn one volume for the first time, this revised and updated examination of how J.R.R. Tolkien came to write his original masterpiece The Hobbit includes his complete unpublished draft version of the story, together with notes and illustrations by Tolkien himself.The Hobbit was first published on September 21,1937. Like its sequel, The Lord of the Rings, it is a story that "grew in the telling," and many characters and plot threads in the published text are quite different from the story J.R.R. Tolkien first wrote to read aloud to his young sons as one of their "fireside reads."Together in one volume, The History of the Hobbit presents the complete text of the unpublished manuscript of The Hobbit, accompanied by John Rateliff’s lively and informative account of how the book came to be written and published. Recording the numerous changes made to the story both before and after publication, he examines—chapter by chapter—why those changes were made and how they reflect Tolkien’s ever-growing concept of Middle-earth. As well as reproducing the original version of one of the world’s most popular novels—both on its own merits and as the foundation for The Lord of the Rings—this book includes many little-known illustrations and draft maps for The Hobbit by Tolkien himself. Also featured are extensive commentaries on the dates of composition, how Tolkien’s professional and early mythological writings influenced the story, the imaginary geography he created, and how Tolkien came to revise the book years after publication to accommodate events in The Lord of the Rings.Endorsed by Christopher Tolkien as a companion to his essential 12-volume The History of Middle-earth, this thoughtful and exhaustive examination of one of the most treasured stories in English literature offers fascinating new insights for those who have grown up with this enchanting tale, and will delight any who are about to enter Bilbo’s round door for the first time.
The History of the Siege of Lisbon: A Novel
by José SaramagoA proofreader realizes his power to edit the truth on a whim, in a &“brilliantly original&” novel by a Nobel Prize winner (Los Angeles Times Book Review). Raimundo Silva is a middle-aged, celibate clerk, proofing manuscripts for a respectable publishing house. Fluent in Portuguese, he has been assigned to work on a standard history of the country, and the twelfth-century king who laid siege to Lisbon. In a moment of subversive daring, Raimundo decides to change just one single word of text—a capricious revision that completely undoes the past. When discovered, his insolent disregard for facts appalls his employers—save for his new editor, Maria Sara. She suggests that Rainmundo take his transgressions even further. Through Rainmundo and Maria&’s eyes, what transpires is an alternate view of history and a colorful reinvention of a debatable truth. It&’s a serpentine journey through time where past and present converge, fact becomes myth, and fiction and reality blur—especially for Rainmundo and Maria themselves, who begin to find themselves erotically drawn to each other. &“Walter Mitty has nothing on Raimundo Silva . . . this hypnotic tale is a great comic romp through history, language and the imagination.&” —Publishers Weekly Translated by Giovanni Pontiero
The Hitch-Hiker
by Meg HutchinsonPhilip Bartley stops to pick up a hitch-hiker one rainy night, hoping for sexual favours in return. But when the car crashes into a hedge, the slender, blonde figure with the seductive tongue is nowhere to be seen . . .Reverend Peter Darley has a mortal sin on his conscience, and as he struggles with his faith, he finds that even the church cannot provide sanctuary from his impure thoughts . . .A whiff of perfume, a pair of hyacinth blue eyes are oddly familiar to James Connor. Will they cause the Deputy Police Commissioner to lose his head?That is just the beginning. There are three men with one woman in common. Now that woman, Anna, is dead. Her lover Richard Torrey is determined to get at the bottom of her brutal murder and bring her killers to justice. But his investigations, helped by journalist Kate Mallory and Inspector Bruce Daniels, are hampered by a series of inexplicable events.
The Hitch-Hiker
by Meg HutchinsonPhilip Bartley stops to pick up a hitch-hiker one rainy night, hoping for sexual favours in return. But when the car crashes into a hedge, the slender, blonde figure with the seductive tongue is nowhere to be seen . . .Reverend Peter Darley has a mortal sin on his conscience, and as he struggles with his faith, he finds that even the church cannot provide sanctuary from his impure thoughts . . .A whiff of perfume, a pair of hyacinth blue eyes are oddly familiar to James Connor. Will they cause the Deputy Police Commissioner to lose his head?That is just the beginning. There are three men with one woman in common. Now that woman, Anna, is dead. Her lover Richard Torrey is determined to get at the bottom of her brutal murder and bring her killers to justice. But his investigations, helped by journalist Kate Mallory and Inspector Bruce Daniels, are hampered by a series of inexplicable events.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Douglas Adams The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #1)
by Douglas Adams<P><P>Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor. <P><P>Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have") and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox--the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years. <P><P>Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? Why do we spend so much time between wearing digital watches? For all the answers stick your thumb to the stars. And don't forget to bring a towel!
The Hitler Options: Alternate Decisions of World War II (Greenhill Military Paperback Ser.)
by Kenneth MackseyTen stories of what-if World War II scenarios from military historians: &“A thought-provoking study of what might have been.&” —British Army Review What would have happened if Hitler invaded England in July 1940, or concentrated on the capture of Moscow in 1941 instead of first diverting to Kiev? Or if Rommel had implemented Plan Orient in 1942, striking across the Middle East to join Japanese forces moving to India? How would the course of World War II have been changed if Churchill had persuaded the Americans to concentrate on attacking the &“soft underbelly&” of Europe instead of Northern France? In this compelling book, ten acclaimed military historians explore what might have happened if at ten crucial turning points of the war Hitler had taken a different direction, or how he would have reacted if the Allies had changed course. Each scenario is based on real situations and are within the bounds of what could genuinely have occurred. With vivid and realistic descriptions of the ensuing campaigns and battles, The Hitler Options is a gripping, thought-provoking and, at times, disturbing look at what could have been.
The Hive (The Second Formic War #2)
by Orson Scott Card Aaron JohnstonCard and Johnston continue the fast-paced hard science fiction history of the Formic Wars--the alien invasions of Earth’s Solar System that ultimately led to Ender Wiggin’s total victory in Ender's Game. A coalition of Earth’s nations barely fought off the Formics’ first scout ship. Now it’s clear that there’s a mother-ship out on edge of the system, and the aliens are prepared to take Earth by force. Can Earth’s warring nations and corporations put aside their differences and mount an effective defense? Ender's Game is one of the most popular and bestselling science fiction novels of all time. The Formic War series (The First Formic War and The Second Formic War) are the prequels to Ender’s story.
The Hive Construct
by Alexander MaskillSituated deep in the Sahara Desert, New Cairo is a city built on technology – from the huge, life-giving solar panels that keep it functioning in a radically changed, resource-scarce world to the artificial implants that have become the answer to all and any of mankind's medical problems. But it is also a divided city, dominated by a handful of omnipotent corporate dynasties. And when a devastating new computer virus begins to spread through the poorest districts, shutting down the life-giving implants that enable so many to survive, the city begins to slide into the anarchy of violent class struggle. Hiding amidst the chaos is Zala Ulora. A gifted hacker and fugitive from justice, she believes she might be able to earn her life back by tracing the virus to its source and destroying it before it destroys the city. Or before the city destroys itself . . .With its vivid characters, bold ideas and explosive action, The Hive is science fiction at its most exciting, inventive and accessible.
The Hive Queen (Wings of Fire #12)
by Tui T. SutherlandGrowing up in the hives, Cricket has always had a million questions. Why are trees forbidden, even in art? Why do her parents seem to hate her? And the biggest, most dangerous and secret question of all: why is Cricket immune to Queen Wasp's powers? Whenever the queen takes control of all the HiveWings, speaking through their mouths and seeing through their eyes, Cricket has to hide, terrified of being discovered. Now she's hiding again, wanted for stealing the Book of Clearsight along with her new SilkWing friends, Blue and Swordtail, and the fierce LeafWing, Sundew. The fugitives need answers, and fast, in order to prevent a LeafWing attack. But Cricket has more questions than ever. How can she stay hidden and discover the queen's deadliest secret? And if she does succeed -- can a powerless dragonet really do anything to topple a regime and stop a war?
The Hive: Star Wars (Short Story) (Star Wars - Legends)
by Steven BarnesBONUS: This short story features an exclusive author interview--plus an excerpt from Steven Barnes' Star Wars novel, The Cestus Deception. WHAT LIES BENEATH Dispatched as a Republic envoy to the Outer Rim planet Ord Cestus--in a bid to halt the sale of potentially deadly "bio-droids" to the Confederacy--Obi-Wan Kenobi finds himself enlisted in a mission more desperate, and dangerous, than diplomatic. The once self-contained world has long since been co-opted by unscrupulous offworlders, whose plunder of a vital natural resource has enabled the rise of a powerful corporation that controls the economy. Ord Cestus's native population, the X'Ting, are now mere second-class citizens in their own society. Enter the Jedi Knight, with news that a legal technicality has turned the tables--and the corrupt forces with a stranglehold on Ord Cestus are now at the mercy of the X'Ting. Circumstances, however, are more dire than the Republic suspected. In the wake of a devastating plague, the X'Ting's benevolent rulers are dead, and the once tightly knit race has splintered into battling factions. Reunification can only come with the rise of new royals, whom all X'Ting are bound by blood to serve. But the eggs that will spawn those sovereigns lie out of reach, secured in a secret chamber and booby-trapped by those whose knowledge died with them in the plague. Now, to salvage a people's destiny, Obi-Wan will risk a veritable descent into hell: braving the unknown horrors in the forgotten depths of an alien world, on a perilous quest from which none who went before have ever returned.
The Hob and Hound Pub (Sam Quinn #4)
by Seana KellyI’m Sam Quinn, the newly married werewolf book nerd owner of the Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore and Bar. Clive and I are on our honeymoon. Paris is lovely, though the mummy in the Louvre inching toward me is a bit off-putting. Although Clive doesn’t sense anything, I can’t shake the feeling I’m being watched.Even after we cross the English Channel to begin our search for Aldith—the woman who’s been plotting against Clive since the beginning—the prickling unease persists. Clive and I are separated, rather forcefully, and I’m left to find my way alone in a foreign country, evading not only Aldith’s large web of hench-vamps, but vicious fae creatures disloyal to their queen. Gloriana says there’s a poison in the human realm that’s seeping into Faerie, and I may have found the source.I knew this was going to be a working vacation, but battling vampires on one front and the fae on another is a lot, especially in a country steeped in magic. As a side note, I need to get word to Benvair. I think I’ve found the dragon she’s looking for.Gloriana is threatening to set her warriors against the human realm, but I may have a way to placate her. Aldith is a different story. There’s no reasoning with rabid vengeance. She’ll need to be put out of our misery permanently if Clive and I have any hope of a long, happy life together. Heck, I’d settle for a few quiet weeks.
The Hob's Bargain
by Patricia Briggs"Hated and feared, magic was banished from the land. But now, freed from the spells of the wicked bloodmages, magic-both good and evil-returns. And Aren of Fallbrook feels her own power of sight strengthen and grow... Overcome by visions of mayhem and murder, Aren vows to save her village from the ruthless raiders who have descended upon it-and killed her family. With the return of wildlings to the hills and forests, she strikes a bargain with the Hob, a magical, humanlike creature imbued with the power of the mountains. But the Hob is the last of his kind. And he will exact a heavy price to defend the village-a price Aren herself must pay..." Taken from the Bookjacket
The Hob's Bargain
by Patricia BriggsBeauty and The Beast Hated and feared, magic was banished from the land. But now, freed from the spells of the wicked bloodmages, magic-both good and evil-returns. And Aren of Fallbrook feels her own power of sight strengthen and grow... Overcome by visions of mayhem and murder, Aren vows to save her village from the ruthless raiders who have descended upon it-and killed her family. With the return of wildlings to the hills and forests, she strikes a bargain with the Hob, a magical, human-like creature imbued with the power of the mountains. But the Hob is the last of his kind. And he will exact a heavy price to defend the village-a price Aren herself must pay...
The Hobbit
by J. R. R. Tolkien Alan LeeThis lavish gift edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic features cover art, illustrations, and watercolor paintings by the artist Alan Lee. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum. Written for J.R.R. Tolkien's own children, The Hobbit has sold many millions of copies worldwide and established itself as a modern classic.