Showing results for "Matthew Hughes" in All Categories

In a dying Earth of wizards and walled cities, a boy climbs out of poverty when he becomes an assistant to a moneylender's debt collector, then enters a career as henchman to an ambitious young thaumaturge. But Baldemar's career as a wizard's minion goes sideways after a powerful entity left over from the creation of the cosmos finds him useful for its own ends. Now he must tread a perilous path peopled by dukes and demons, spellslingers and secret agents, assassins and academics, plus a pair of vengeful wizards who want their stolen treasures returned.

The first collection by writer Matthew Hughes, and the perfect companion to his acclaimed novel Black Brillion, The Gist Hunter and Other Stories features nine stories taking place in the universe of The Archonate, as well as four non-series stories. The stories of Henghis Hapthorn, Old Earth's "foremost freelance discriminator", combine mystery and science fantasy while simultaneously recalling the arch irony of Gene Wolfe and the sly fancies of Jack Vance.

After accidentally summoning a demon while playing poker, the normally mild-mannered Chesney Anstruther refuses to sell his soul…which leads through various confusions to, well, Hell going on strike. Which means that nothing bad ever happens in the world – and that actually turns out to be a really bad thing. There’s only one thing for it. Satan offers Chesney the ultimate deal – sign the damned contract, and he can have his heart’s desire.

A super-criminal - as deadly as she is beautiful - wagers all in an epic battle with a master detective, Akechi Kogoro. No trick is too elaborate, no disguise too fantastic as the two perfectly matched antagonists take turns to outwit each other.

YouTube Success: Unleash Your Inner Creator! 🎥✨ Ever dreamt of riding the YouTube wave to stardom? Or perhaps just keen to boost your brand and master the art of viral content? Dive into "YouTube Success" - your ultimate backstage pass to the world of YouTube stardom! 🌟 From decoding algorithms to crafting click-worthy thumbnails, we’re pulling back the curtain on every tip, trick, and trade secret. But wait, there's more! 🎤 Every episode brings you face-to-face with the platform’s movers and shakers - successful YouTubers, content gurus, and savvy entrepreneurs, all dishing out...

Twenty years ago, five master criminals known as the Demon Princes raided Mount Pleasant to enslave thousands of inhabitants in the lawless Beyond. Now Morwen Sabine, a daughter of captives, has escaped her cruel master and returns to Mount Pleasant to recover the hidden treasure she hopes will buy her parents’ freedom.

When professional duelist Conn Labro escapes indentured servitude as the star player of Horder's Emporium, he abandons the gaming world of Thrais, and sets out on an interstellar journey filled with murder, deceit, and self-discovery. His only friend on Thrais, dead and tortured, left him enough money to buy himself out of his contract, and a curious encrypted "bearer deed" to a mysterious property. With the seductive, secretive showgirl Jenore Mordene at his side, and a villainous, pleasure cult dogging his every move, Labro sets out to learn the truth, and more about his own past.

In an age of wizards and walled cities, Raffalon is a journeyman member of the ancient and honorable guild of Purloiners and Purveyors—in other words, a thief. His skills allow him to scale walls, tickle locks, defeat magical wards. He lifts treasures and trinkets, and spends the proceeds on ale and sausages in taverns where a wise thief sits with his back to the wall. But somehow things often go the way they shouldn’t, and then Raffalon has to rely upon his wits and a well-calibrated sense of daring.

Chesney’s efforts to 'Save the Day' and 'Win the Girl' make slow progress. This superhero lark is a bit more complicated than he thought. But even as Chesney is trying to learn the ropes, Boss Greeley has made a deal with the Devil. A deal that is making Greeley stronger by the minute. Soon he will be untouchable. Meanwhile Reverend Hardacre digs deeper and finds that not everything in reality is quite what it seems… Now Chesney, the one-time actuary-turned superhero must continue the fight.

Lottie Pumpkin is an ordinary girl who longs to be a princess; Ellie Wolf is a princess who longs to be ordinary. When fate puts them in the same dorm at Rosewood Hall, the two come up with the perfect solution: to swap places. Now back for their second year at Rosewood, Connie and Ellie are close as ever and learning more about their new roles. But strange things are happening at Rosewood. With pupils being poisoned, it seems like the threat of secret organisation Leviathan is growing closer. Lottie and Ellie are determined to find the culprit. But is danger closer than they think?

Meet Chesney Arnstruther. Once a mild-mannered insurance actuary, now a full-time crime-fighting superhero, it’s all he can do to kick bad-guy ass while at the same time holding down a steady relationship with the gorgeous Melda. Something is going on. Meet Xaphan, wise-cracking demon and the source of (almost) all of Chesney’s powers. He’s been asked by his infernal master to give Chesney whatever he needs…but surely stopping bad guys is not in Hell’s plan?

A personal development podcast delivering actionable insights around the stories and science of selling professional services. If you’re a lawyer, financial advisor, business consultant, accountant, trustee, director, sales leader, subject matter expert, or anyone else offering professional services this podcast is tailored just for you.

Joe Jackson is an adventurous twelve-year-old boy from the boring English town of Highcross. His exploration of the site of an unexploded World War II bomb will see the beginning of the most amazing experience of his life where he will meet up with Max, an extra-terrestrial from the planet Proxima Centauri b. Joe, Max and their friends, Mo and the Robinson family will embark on an adventure through time and space where they will encounter dinosaurs, Roman legionaries and medieval knights as they try to stop the evil and ambitious Dardan from taking over Planet Earth.

A cab ride to an infamous cemetery takes a sinister turn when the passengers discover they may be the graveyard’s next residents. Fun and games unleash evil beyond imagination when a young couple rolls the dice of a board game from hell. And a treasure hunt turns deadly when a pair of explorers discover what’s really hiding deep in the woods....

Each month hosts Jonathan and Rachel take on a workplace hot topic, raiding the archives of 16 years worth of Mind Tools interviews to see what the experts have to say.

She could see Master loved her. He could see Puppet’s devotion to him… Puppet misses her Master after two weeks of being without him. She misses his commanding presence, and longs for how content she feels submitting to all his demands. Master - sexy, powerful Troy Utter - has been away on a business trip. But he has special plans for Puppet upon his return. He sends her written instructions: get dressed, get into a cab… and get inside a movie theater. But it’s not just any movie theater.