Showing results by narrator "Ryan Burke" in All Categories

The Golden Lion has retreated to Atalia with the remnants of his army. An anxious calm has settled over war-torn Bergonia, but it doesn't seem likely that things will stay quiet for very long. With the burden of command finally removed from his shoulders, Max is headed to northern Bergonia. To the lands of the Margraviate de Valier, which were conferred on him by King Carl III.

When Pete Etchells was 13, his father died from motor neurone disease. In order to cope, he immersed himself in a virtual world - first as an escape, but later to try to understand what had happened. Etchells is now a researcher into the psychological effects of video games, and was co-author on a recent paper explaining why WHO plans to classify "game addiction" as a danger to public health are based on bad science and (he thinks) are a bad idea. In this, his first book, he journeys through the history and development of video games via scientific study....

Crime reporter Joe Carpenter lost his wife and two daughters in the crash of Flight 353. Joe is unable to work, think, or do anything but grieve, and wait for his own death. Then Joe meets Rose, a woman who claims to be the crash’s sole survivor. But before Joe can probe further, the elusive Rose slips away and Joe is left with haunting questions: If Rose lived through the crash, is it possible his family could have survived it, too? Did the authorities conspire to hide what really happened that night? Joe’s search for the truth will shatter him - and force him to question everything he thinks he knows about life and death.

Who knew that getting a second chance for life on another world - after you died - could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you? Morgan has been living on this new world for quite some time. He has made friends, found love, been betrayed, formed a guild, fought off a goblin horde, and become an adventurer. His life is perhaps a bit strange now compared to what he had been used to on Earth, but hey, he has an energy sword now.  

Microsoft project veteran Scott Berkun offers a collection of essays on field-tested philosophies and strategies for defining, leading, and managing projects. Each essay distills complex concepts and challenges into practical nuggets of useful advice, and the new edition now adds more value for leaders and managers of projects everywhere.  

World War III is a month old. After sinking the Destroyer USS Stacy Heath, the Chinese invade Tibet and India counterattacks. Rather than allow the Chinese to seize control, the US sends 20,000 soldiers to join the fight. The Russians use the opportunity to invade Ukraine. American forces are spread thin, and the decision is made to evacuate all personnel from Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Russians are holding a training exercise called Red Ice. Except that it isn’t a training exercise.

The last time Thread attacked Pern, the world was unprepared for the fight - until the Oldtimers appeared. These courageous dragonriders arrived from the past, traveling 400 years to help their descendants survive. But the collision of past and present took its toll. While most of the displaced rescuers adapted to their new reality, others could not abide the jarring change and found themselves in soul-crushing exile, where unhappiness and resentment seethed.

Fresh out of the Academy, Ensign Cole Jackson’s first posting to Freedom couldn’t have come at a worse time. All over the Alliance, planets and colonies are suddenly under attack by the vicious Coven Empire. Freedom and her sister ship, Hood, are ambushed by alien warships, leaving Hood drifting dead in the void. Cole is ordered to salvage parts from the powerless Hood, but when he arrives on the unpowered hulk, Freedom is called away, marooning him and a group of malcontent techs in deep space.

Heinrich de Gramont's petition to the king to release Max Renard from his duty to serve at Westerly Fort has been signed. Max's debt to the crown has been paid. And now his "doting" uncle expects his wayward and petulant nephew to come to the capital at once so he can be wed to Viscountess Aurelie de Marbot. Max knows there's no getting out of a trip to the capital this time. Also, beyond personal affairs, he has a lot of questions both for his father's brother and a number of maternal relatives.

Attorney Cameron Thorne is thrust into a bloody tug-of-war involving secret societies, treasure hunters, and keepers of the secrets of the Jesus bloodline. Joined by Amanda, an enchanting British researcher with secrets of her own, Cam races around New England with only two choices - unravel the 600-year-old mysteries encoded in the ancient artifacts, or die trying. 

After receiving the title of Margrave de Valier, Max has set off on campaign as part of the royal army commanded by the Duke de Clairmont, Marshal of Vestonia. Max's assignment is to take control of his new lands, which are known popularly as Shadow Pass and which are being held by the Knights of the Order of the Scarlet Shield.

The remnants of Duke de Clairmont's army are surrounded by enemy legions under the command of Ricardo di Lorenzo, otherwise known as the Golden Lion. Marshal de Clairmont himself is badly wounded, and already at death's door. Duke de Bauffremont and Duke de Gondy have assembled their forces on the border between Bergonia and Vestonia, and now, under Prince Philippe's leadership, this army is about to march off to rescue the surrounded Vestonian force. But that won't be enough to beat the Golden Lion in the field.

Having returned to Herouxville, capital of Vestonia, Max Renard has found himself drawn into the dangerous game of courtly intrigue. King Carl III is ill and weakened by his wounds. This leads to tensions between the various princely parties at court. The struggle for influence inside the country is spilling over onto a whole new level. Carl III's foreign enemies are taking advantage of his weakness and ramping up their pressure.

Come to a place where you'll get a mug of tasty beer and a bowl of hearty winter stew to warm your belly. Relax in a tavern on a cozy winter evening with the gentle flames of a hearth flickering nearby. Does that sound like what you need right now? If so, you came to the right place. Josh and his fellow builders are expanding Blade's Rest with the dream of achieving "town" status one day. This means there's a lot of work to do, problems to solve, ales to savor, and pies to enjoy. But as Josh discovers, the bigger your settlement, the bigger your headaches. 

Ero Bright’Lor, an outcast krey noble, has a mad plan to form an alliance from the outlaw clans. If he can overcome centuries of enmity, their combined might would threaten the entire fleet of the Krey Empire. But the cause needs a leader.

LIDAR scans of the area beneath the Great Pyramids have revealed something astonishing. An entire city lies beneath the sands, hidden for countless millennia, remembered only by the ancient priests of the early dynastic Egyptians. Thoth left behind the Emerald Tablets to explain what lies within the Halls of Amenti, a place that transcends life and death. There he met 32 immortal sages, and became the 33rd so that he could pass the knowledge onto the Egyptians.

Blade & Sheath is a fully immersive VRMMORPG game where some folks complete quests, while others develop their magic and battle monsters. Then there are players like Josh. He needs to earn some cash, so when he gets a job as a town builder for Blade & Sheath, he can't believe his luck. However, it won't be easy. The land he needs to build on is as untamed as the critters that prowl it. That's not all—he also starts with no skills and no resources.

In this hilarious and highly practical book, author and professional speaker Scott Berkun reveals the techniques behind what great communicators do, and shows how anyone can learn to use them well. For managers and teachers - and anyone else who talks and expects someone to listen - Confessions of a Public Speaker provides an insider's perspective on how to effectively present ideas to anyone. It's a unique, entertaining, and instructional romp through the embarrassments and triumphs Scott has experienced over 15 years of speaking to crowds of all sizes.

We've discovered Terra, but the cost is bitter. All that remains is the Vagrant Fleet, carrying the refugees from every world. Earth is our only hope, but their leaders don't even believe in magic. We also have to convince the Earth flight protecting them that we're not hostiles. Did I mention the dread fleet is right behind us led by a dark god who seems to have a real hate-boner for Xal'Aran? If we're going to win, then we must harness the most powerful Catalyst in existence, the Eye of Om.

The first audiobook in this thrilling new series introduces us to a young slave who dreams of becoming a jouster - one of the few warriors who can actually ride a flying dragon. And so, in secret, he begins to raise his own dragon....