Magic Opera

Esper and Kubu take an outlaw vacation to a remote planet whose tiny colony seems idyllic. It’s far enough for the Convocation wizards dogging them to lose their trail. The plan is simple: Stay out of trouble, let the heat die down, and slink back quietly to civilized space. But these two aren’t good at keeping out of trouble. Before long, they’re exposed to the rotten core beneath this purported utopia. Bitter feuds lurk just below the surface. Feigned friendships mask deadly rivalries. Cliques control what passes for a government on the colony.

If anyone were ever to forget that magic can disrupt science and technological equipment, they need only refer to the incident at Mobile Mining Station YF-77. That poor, unfortunate station had a wizard for a guest, and that wizard lost control of his magical powers while the mining station was moving to a new drilling site. Bereft of attitude control, the station fell out of stable orbit on a collision course for a deserted, lifeless planet.

S.P. Somtow’s much anthologized story The Fallen Country, and the acclaimed young adult novel that derived from it, have been favorites since the 1980s when they first appeared. In 2015, wearing his other hat as one of the leading contemporary opera composers, Somtow premiered his opera The Snow Dragon, a third variation on this theme, taking the characters into a whole new dimension. This volume collects all three variants — short story, novel, and opera libretto, to form a fascinating study in the evolution of a writer’s mind over a thirty-five year period. The Snow Dragon is the ...

Elizabeth Kirtenpepper loves the opera. But she never wanted to be in one. Certainly not a real-life opera. So, when a strange magical twist of fate transports her into The Marriage of Figaro, Elizabeth finds herself swept out of the orchestra pit and into the scullery of the ruthless and domineering Count Almaviva. Stuffed into a corset and forced to wear impractical shoes, Elizabeth meets Figaro, Susanna, and the whole cast of memorable characters, but no one is sticking to their story, and a strange, hooded villain is running through the estate, unraveling every bar line and fermata of ...

After losing control of his magic, wizard Cedric The Brown blew up his boss and nearly crashed a space station into a planet. Determined to make amends, he pledges to help the mining station negotiate with the nearby planet's mysterious magical inhabitants. With nothing but the bankrupt station as severance pay, Director Fujita Hiroko moves to the edge of the galaxy to keep the station afloat as an independent mining operation.

On the way home from a gym, Mary starts noticing a large man stalking her. Whenever she tells people about it, they mysteriously forget about it the next day. When her friend tries to help her catch this stalker, he gets kidnapped instead and a few minutes later, everyone forgets about him except her and two others. This is book 2 of the Surviving Destiny series.

On the way home from a gym, Mary starts noticing a large man stalking her. Whenever she tells people about it, they mysteriously forget about it the next day. When her friend tries to help her catch this stalker, he gets kidnapped instead and a few minutes later, everyone forgets about him except her and two others...

On the way home from a gym, Mary starts noticing a large man stalking her. Whenever she tells people about it, they mysteriously forget about it the next day. When her friend tries to help her catch this stalker, he gets kidnapped instead and a few minutes later, everyone forgets about him except her and two others. Mary and her friends found themselves involved in big political games and now they should take some responsibility and make things go right. Friends facing now unpleasant news about themselves, but that can’t stop them. This is Book5 of the "Surviving Destiny" series.

Chuck's fortunes are shifting, and he lands a long-term gig performing at a casino on a core world. They're planetside long enough that Brad gets stuck attending a school. Meanwhile, Mort wanders off on his own errands. But nothing is quite what it seems. Brad's new school friends turn out to be rich kids and become suckers in his plot to make cash he can conceal from his parents. Chuck's casino gig was a setup. And Mort's errands are actually a series of contract killings. He's made a deal to keep the family safe, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to keep up his end.

A missionary ship hijacked by pirates. Legion of armed aliens burnt to a crisp. At the Convocation, something doesn't add up, and when the Grand Council gets word, they launch an investigation. Now, anyone who was aboard the missionary vessel is a suspect. There was a wizard aboard, and until the Convocation inquisitors are satisfied, anyone on that ship might be the most wanted wizard in the galaxy in disguise.

Sunshine of Your Cult is the fifth mission of Black Ocean: Mercy for Hire. It follows the exploits of a pair of do-gooder bounty hunters who care more about saving the day than getting a payday. Mercy for Hire builds on the rich Black Ocean universe and introduces a colorful cast for new and returning listeners alike. Fans of vigilante justice and heroes who exemplify the word will love this series.

And Drift Away is the sixteenth mission of Black Ocean: Mirth & Mayhem. It follows a mismatched duo of itinerant comedian and outlaw wizard as they roam the galaxy trying to eke out a living and stay ahead of the consequences of their actions. Black Ocean: Mirth & Mayhem looks back at an earlier era in the Black Ocean universe, and returning readers will get to see how some of their favorite characters came to be. Fans of morally gray heroes and slick talking conmen will love this series.

Far away in the Sea of Tranquility is the Island of Infinity, home to the world's lost creatures. Infinity has a secret for the world but Moog, a boy from Battersea in London, and Rockford his dog are the only ones who can deliver its message. Travelling to Infinity, Moog and Rockford are drawn into an adventure that threatens the entire human race. At its heart Lost on Infinity, the first adventure from Rockford's Rock Opera, is a tale about extinction. But it's a hopeful story that shows that even the smallest creatures, and humans, can make the biggest difference.

Not the popular music from 1972 but much older. Special classical music called opera, with singing that tells a story. This was the music that Viktor loved. Viktor is a charming ancient dragon who has been coming to the Metropolitan Opera House for many years. He befriends a taxi driver and his ten-year-old son to help him meet the new tenor opera star, who woke him up.

Esper tracks the Cult of Ra to an arms factory on a grimy colony world. With limited magical resources, they're reduced to doing their vigilante act the old-fashioned way. But when their best efforts fall short, Esper is forced to make an impossible choice. In the aftermath, Esper is going to have to reevaluate her priorities and rediscover what magic means to her. With her powers returned, so has the dark voice that haunts her day and night.

Leaving an apprentice unsupervised has never been a good idea. With Esper neglecting her duties as magical teacher, Tiffany takes her education into her own hands. Struggling with self-esteem and credibility with the universe, she resorts to trying a magical performance-enhancing drug. Of course, Esper has problems of her own. Unbeknownst to her, a crack squad of assassins is hot on her trail, and this time they're bringing twice the number of wizard-hunters along. It would be a great time for a fully-trained and capable apprentice to have her back. Wouldn't it?

Tanny and Esper’s rebel syndicate needs to hit the Ruckers hard and where it hurts: in the finances. They decide on a target, one that most of the galaxy is blissfully unaware is owned by a vicious criminal gang: Friendli Foods. Purveyors of the Milky Way’s favorite junk foods, they make shipments to Earth on a megafreighter large enough to feed billions. Tanny has a plan to hijack it.

Comedy doesn't pay. Some might claim that's the wrong cliché, but Chuck Ramsey knows the truth of it all too well. That's why he resorts to crime to pay the bills. His latest scheme isn't to pick up odd, questionably legal jobs near his gigs; this time he's found the perfect opportunity, and he's willing to buy a gig to be in the right place at the right time. All he has to do is get a certain wizard to play his part without knowing it.

What started as a mission gone wrong changed the way we understand the universe. Now, our team of Marines will stop at nothing to see evil put down. The Earther government has battle cruisers inbound, and new allies are just around the corner. Will they arrive in time, and when a series of dragon ships open a portal to a greater evil, will they be enough? Only through grit and determination will these Marines be able to answer that question. The final book in the PRIMAL LINK series wraps up the story and ties into the ASCENSION GATE books. Don't forget to get started with the prequel, PRIME...

Nia Courant is an interstellar lawyer with a shadowed past. Gyle Martan is an academic official who is not at all what he seems. Both are outsiders in the space-station city called Wendis. When an outing in the famous Zoned Park of Wendis turns into a dangerous game designed by unknown enemies, Nia and Martan become allies in danger and adversaries in love.