Showing results by narrator "Brian Wiggins" in All Categories

Having gained self-awareness while still in my mother's belly, I realized that this was my chance. Being born was the first step. Then at one years old, I would have a college degree, and at five, I would be a billionaire. I didn't care that I remembered nothing of the past. This being a magical world, and with lots of smart tech, too, I'd catch up in no time, wouldn't I?

Long ago, so the Storyteller claimed, the evil God Torak sought dominion and drove men and Gods to war. But Belgarath the Sorcerer led men to reclaim the Orb that protected men of the West. So long as it lay at Riva, the prophecy went, men would be safe.

Jim Donini has been an icon of American climbing for the past fifty years, pushing the boundaries of alpine ascents around the world, and inspiring generations with his achievements. In Survival Is Not Assured, award-winning author Geoff Powter dives into Donini's remarkable life story, exploring his groundbreaking climbs and his tumultuous experiences both on and off the rock.

Fresh off saving the French Four—a quartet of American treasures—and their mom's museum, Carter twins Ike and Iris are back in Washington, D.C., when they're summoned to the National Archives by the FBI Art Crimes Team because the Statue of Liberty is missing. Well, not the statue. But pieces of the flame packed away in 1916 have somehow vanished. The Smithsonian has organized an elaborate, high-profile event around the artifacts in six days—with the presidents of both the U.S. and France set to attend—and the flame's absence will be a national embarrassment.

They shouldn't have pissed off a virtual world top player by erasing his character for a highly questionable "violation of game rules"—and taking away his valuable in-game possessions. After returning to the virtual world under a different nickname, an unknown newb puts everything on the line by selecting the most difficult Hardcore mode: a single life that's so easy to lose in the dangerous game world.

Enchanters' End Game is the thrilling conclusion to the Belgariad series.

It all began with the theft of the Orb that protected the West from the evil God Torak. Before that, Garion had been a simple farm boy. Afterward, he discovered he is a sorcerer. Now, at last, the Orb has been regained, and the quest nears it end. Of course, the questors must still escape from a crumbling enemy fortress, flee across a desert filled with Murgo soldiers, and avoid the Grolim Hierarchs seeking to destroy them with dark magic. After that, Garion feels assured, his part would be finished. But the Prophesy still holds several surprises for Garion.

Reacting to the tumultuous crises of the twentieth century, especially the horrors of World War I, avant-garde artists and writers sought to destroy art by transforming it into the substance of everyday life. Following the evolution of these revolutionary groups, How to Be Avant-Garde charts its pioneers and radical ideas.

Kings. Dragons. The start of an all-consuming war. As the 12 god-creatures appear in the world, nations brace for a inevitable struggle. Some have allied themselves with the Second Ascension in return for power and protection, but the Frith Guild aims to form a counter alliance. Volke Savan, along with the other arcanists of the Frith Guild, must not only find a way to end the arcane plague once and for all, but prevent the remaining god-creatures from falling into the hands of their enemies.

Death. Destiny. The rise of god-arcanists. Volke Savan has reunited with the Frith Guild just in time to help fight the Second Ascension, a group of power-hungry dastards bent on controlling the newly created god creatures. The world serpent is the first on their list, and if the Second Ascension manages to harness its power, the world will forever be changed for the worse. But the Frith Guild has another plan.

Sam Smith, the biggest superhero fanboy ever, was excited to get super powers...until his first evening as a crime fighter meant dealing with the villain Exosuit. Then Sam died. It was a heroic death, but still not how Sam imagined things going. To his surprise, Sam wakes as a "Villain Core” - the AI behind superhero training centers. He’s quickly informed that an equal number of superheroes and supervillains will be created for an intergalactic competition over the control of Earth, and Sam must prepare his side - the superheroes - for this grand war.

Every moment counts as Volke Savan races south to the city of New Norra. His goal: find Theasin Venrover, the famous artificer who may have a cure for the arcane plague. Separated from most of the Frith Guild - and even his sister - Volke must rely on the crew of the airship Sun Chaser to help him find Theasin in time.

Sam Smith, the "Villain Core" training-center dungeon, survived his second encounter with Exosuit. But the supervillains made off with the other nine Villain Cores.

The evil God Torak covets dominion over all men. If the stolen Orb of Aldur reaches him, he will surely gain what he desires. Garion travels through strange lands with master sorcerers Belgarath and Polgara in frantic pursuit of the Orb. But as his own powers grow, Garion starts to realize that he too may have a part to play-a part he isn't sure he wants . . .

Volke Savan is tasked with finding the remaining god-creatures and helping them bond with people who will help fight the Second Ascension. Unfortunately, enemies and power-hungry arcanists are out to find the creatures themselves. With the help of the Frith Guild, and those who have sworn to him, Volke intends to face off against the Second Ascension with overwhelming force.

Garion, Belgarath, Polgara, and their companions face new challenges as they continue their quest to retrieve the stolen Orb before it can be delivered to the evil god Torak.

Will is the newest in a long line of dungeons born into the world — and he’s a rank higher than any dungeon that preceded. He’s born along with seven other dungeons in a small area, but so many dungeons were born in one place because of a magical disaster...a disaster brought about by the Voidbringers who sought to conquer the world.

Like it or not, our country's future depends on Congress. The Founding Fathers made a representative, deliberative legislature the indispensable pillar of the American constitutional system, giving it more power and responsibility than any other branch of government. Yet today, contempt for Congress is nearly universal. To a large extent, even members of Congress themselves are unable to explain and defend the value of their institution.

Sharks are some of the most fascinating and ecologically important, yet most threatened and misunderstood animals on Earth. More often feared than revered, their role as predators of the deep has earned them a reputation as a major threat to humans. But the truth is that sharks are not a danger to us—they’re in danger from us. In Why Sharks Matter, marine conservation biologist Dr. David Shiffman urges us to overcome our misconceptions and embrace sharks as the imperiled and elegant ocean guardians they really are.

Life in the Great Pulha Woodlands is the very definition of stillness and tranquility—and Acer's had enough of it! That's right. Acer isn't quite like the other high elves of the forest. For starters, he remembers living a past life as a human in another world . . . meaning he's got a taste for meat, adventure, and plenty of other decidedly un-elven things! He's also bored out of his skull after 120 years of the peace and quiet of their serene sylvan lifestyle.