Sci-fi action, angst, and super-powered teenagers abound in this new series from Reki Kawahara, the acclaimed author of Sword Art Online and Accel World! Ever since a terrible childhood tragedy, Minoru Utsugi has wished for one thing: solitude. Years later, a bizarre encounter leaves a mysterious artifact in Minoru's body that grants his wish--but that's far from the end of his troubles. Others have been visited and given powers like Minoru's, but their twisted desires are not so benign. When a murderous force threatens the people Minoru holds dear, will his newfound abilities be enough to stand in its way? And can there be a future for someone who craves eternal solitude above all else? The story of the Isolator begins here!

Escape was impossible until it was cleared; a game over would mean an actual «death»―.Without knowing the «truth» of the mysterious next generation MMO, «Sword Art Online» (SAO), approximately ten thousand users logged in together, opening the curtains to this cruel death battle.Participating alone in SAO, protagonist Kirito had promptly accepted the «truth» of this MMO.And in the game world, a gigantic floating castle named «Aincrad», he distinguished himself as a solo player.Aiming to clear the game by reaching the highest floor, Kirito riskily continued alone.Because of a pushy invitation from a female warrior and rapier expert, Asuna, he teamed up with her.That encounter brought about an opportunity to call out to the fated Kirito―.The legendary novel made an appearance with browsing numbers exceeding 6.5 million page views recorded at the personal website.

Denied her voice, even the freedom to ask questions, al Muqri's ill-fated heroine remains nameless. As a female she is simply a 'Hurma' – literally 'sanctity', an entity to be protected from violation. Growing up in the stifling and oppressive atmosphere of her childhood home in the Yemeni capital of Sana'a, Hurma's story intersects with those of her elder siblings, Lula and Abd al-Raqeeb. Lula's overt sexuality is a foil to Hurma's staunch conservatism. For Lula sex offers a form of resistance and empowerment, although one that will ultimately result in her destruction. In contrast, their brother, Abd al-Raqeeb undergoes an overnight transformation from an avowed socialist, contemptuous of his father's piety, to a religious extremist; a conversion triggered by sexual jealously over his new wife. Hurma's passionless marriage to a man whose impotency is a cruel reflection of her inability to shape her reality, is the first in a catalogue of farcical disappointments. She...

Against the Country is a gift for fans of Southern Gothic and metafiction alike. Set in the Virginia pines, and overrun with failed parents, racist sex offenders, cast-off priests, and suicidal chickens, this novel challenges literary convention even as it attacks our national myth--that the rural naturally engenders good, while the urban breeds an inevitable sin. In a voice that evokes the old-timer's winding yarn, Metcalf's narrator leads the reader through Goochland County--a land of stubborn soil, voracious insects, and lackluster farms and forests--until it becomes clear that Goochland is not the setting. It is the living, breathing menace that warps each and every character's existence. Equal parts fiery criticism and icy farce, Against the Country is the most hilarious sermon one is likely to hear on the subject of our native soil, and the starkest celebration of the language our land produced. The result is a literary tour de force that...

Sometimes friendship is the only thing that keeps you afloat ...When Karen's husband drowns off the postcard-perfect Queensland coast, five women realise they are no longer happy to simply tread water in the shallow end of the local pool - and life. Karen wants distraction from the grief that threatens to overwhelm her - and she needs to feel that she could save a drowning swimmer if she had to. Charlie, a divorced mother of two young boys, needs to get fit - and get back into the swim of dating.Then there's Cate, the goddess of the swimming pool, newly married to a much older man; Laura, the dependable local GP everyone turns to for advice; and Wendy, the brisk and capable leading light of the P&C. And all of them have secrets ... Trading aquarobics for triathlon training, they cheer each other on to success, both in and out of the water. As their strokes improve, their friendship deepens and along the way they share tears, laughter and changing-room confidences.