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Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs was first published in 1913. It was the third book in an eleven part series known as the Barsoom Chronicles which relate to a sequence of exciting adventure tales set on the fictional planet of Barsoom. In the Barsoom series, Mars, assumed to be older than Earth, is a dying planet. “Barsoom” is the native word for Mars in the Martian language. The stories first appeared in serialized form in various magazines like All-Story, Argosy, Amazing Stories and The Blue Book. They were later compiled into book form and were hugely popular in their day. Edgar Rice Burroughs, known more famously as the creator of the Lord of the Jungle, Tarzan, was an extremely prolific American writer who churned out potboilers by the hundreds. His work covered several genres including science fiction, adventure tales, historical sagas and Westerns. Though literary critics carped at what they called “pulp fiction” Burroughs’ influence on generations of young people in search of excitement and adventure is undeniable. He influenced “more serious” writers to explore the world of Sci-Fi writing. Burroughs was also extremely media savvy and far ahead of his time about marketing his work. Tarzan was converted into a bestselling comic strip, film rights were sold, Tarzan theme parks and merchandise were planned. The Barsoom series is based on the expedition of Earthmen to Mars by a mysterious method of transportation that involves astral projection. John Carter an American Civil War veteran travels to Mars, engages in fierce battles for supremacy with various denizens of the Red Planet and falls in love with and marries one of its lovely inhabitants. In Warlord of Mars, the hero, John Carter’s mission is to rescue his wife Princess Dejah Thoris who has been imprisoned by the evil Goddess Issus. Carter explores deeper and further into the planet’s far flung regions and discovers all manner of fantastic creatures who he has to vanquish to gain the title of Warlord of Mars. In the Barsoom series, Burroughs has created an entire fictional universe, complete with history, geography, politics, religion and people with their own set of values. He based much of his work on the scientific information available at the time and used it to create these fantasy worlds. For Sci-Fi fans, Warlord of Mars is indeed a gripping and entertaining read.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Edgar Rice Burroughs, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, science, science-fiction, Teen/Young adult, Warlord of Mars

Mary Mapes Dodge created an instant bestseller with “Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates.” She wanted the book to be partly a book of travels and partly a domestic story. It is a tale written for children that adults also find interesting and uplifting. Dodge writes as if she is sending a series of letters from Holland to children in America, and her you-are-there perspective is aided by a nice attention to detail and vivid imagery.The Brinkers are a poor but stoic family under a dark cloud – Raff, the man of the house, fell from the dikes while reinforcing them during a bad storm, and for ten years he has been in a vegetative state. With no steady income, the family’s lot is grinding poverty. Despite their unfortunate circumstances, Hans and Gretel are cheerful children, yet always attentive to the needs of their mother and their present-but-not-really-there father. Their social standing is very low, but they both attract firm friends, even among the gentry, for their honesty, industry, and good-heartedness.Then a glorious skating race is proposed for the town of Broek, with the prize a pair of silver skates for both the winning boy and girl. In the weeks leading up to the race, we follow the adventures of five of the local boys who are showing a visiting relative from England the sights of the Netherlands. Hans improbably meets the one man who might be able to heal his father, and somehow Hans finds a way to afford some skates so that he and Gretel can enter the race.This all leads up to a dramatic, moving, and entirely satisfactory conclusion. “Hans Brinker” hits a series of high notes and encourages children to cultivate and display their finer qualities. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Hans Brinker, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mary Mapes Dodge, Teen/Young adult

An acclaimed children’s classic depicting the odd, but riveting journeys of the curious Alice as she explores the surreal world of Wonderland. Written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson or better known under his pseudonym Lewis Caroll, this episodic novel is assembled in twelve chapters each containing a prominent adventure. The departure from logic and its embracement of pure imagination is what makes Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland a model for fantasy novels and a timeless classic. The novel begins when the self-aware young Alice, who grows bored of sitting by the river with her sister, and spots a peculiar looking rabbit, dressed in a waistcoat. She hears the rabbit, which is seemingly in a hurry, mumbling whilst dangling its pocket watch. Impulsively, Alice inquisitively rushes after it making her way down a rabbit-hole which descends to the fantasy realm of Wonderland. Finding herself in an unknown corridor encircled by doors of all shapes and sizes, Alice is subject to her first of many bizarre encounters. In order to fit through a tiny door, which separates her from a beautiful garden, she drinks a shrinking potion. Unfortunately, she forgets the key to the door on the normal sized table and faces the beginning of her troubles. In her pursue of the White Rabbit throughout Wonderland, Alice goes through immense individual changes and revelations as her perception of reality is altered. After a sequence of events, Alice discovers the unsettling features of the strange world as she encounters zany characters including the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the Hare and the intimidating Queen of Hearts. Caroll’s use of wordplay is another interesting concept in the novel. Not only does he invent new words and expressions, but he also twists the meanings of the already existing. Illustrating the purity of childhood innocence, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland serves as a playful fairy tale for its youngest readers and a limitless playground for the imaginative minds of older enthusiasts.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventure, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Lewis Carroll, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com

“Come with me, ladies and gentlemen who are in any wise weary of London: come with me: and those that tire at all of the world we know: for we have new worlds here.” – Lord Dunsany, the preface to “The Book of Wonder”

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Lord Dunsany, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories, The Book of Wonder

Part of the Voyages Extraordinaires series by French novelist Jules Verne, and also a sequel to his classic science fiction novel From the Earth to the Moon, Round the Moon presents the continuation of the gripping tale which ended with a cliffhanger and left readers to ponder over endless possibilities. Published in 1870, the novel presents an unprecedented journey into space, while focusing on space navigation, scientific calculations, unforeseen circumstances and dangerous encounters, which in turn mark the novel as prophetic of its time. The novel launches with the reappearance of the distinct trio and first space travelers, Barbicane, Nicholl and Ardan, who have been launched out of a projectile and begin their visionary mission of lunar exploration. Having blacked out after being fired out of a space gun, the three adventurers later regain consciousness, extremely lucky to have escaped serious injury. However, their luck and sense of achievement is short-lived after the journey takes a shaky turn of events as an asteroid just barely misses the projectile. Although they escape near collision, the event marks the beginning of the misfortunes fixated on the journey including the death of Ardan’s dog, deviation, and intoxication by gases. Nevertheless, the valiant group maintains a positive attitude as they proceed with their initial objective to unravel the mysteries of space. Abundant in descriptive language, imagery and fantasy, the novel proves to be a successful sequel while additionally providing a resolution to a gripping story. Verne’s Round the Moon only further strengthens his reputation as a visionary adventure novelist, as the novel proves to be a unique representation of space expedition and man’s curiosity about the unknown. Bearing in mind that the novel was written a century before the first lunar mission, the novel provides an interesting contrast between modern and past views concerning the topic of space travel, and demonstrates the extent of technological progression. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Jules Verne, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Round the Moon: A Sequel to From the Earth to the Moon, science-fiction, Teen/Young adult

An impoverished but loving young couple sacrifices their most precious possessions to buy Christmas gifts for each other. A tramp who is desperate to be sent to prison so he can escape the winter cold. Two depressed laborers get their palms read by a Coney Island mountebank. A yellow dog who relates the story of a fat lady and her hen pecked husband. These and other unforgettable characters form part of absolutely delightful and unforgettable short story collection, The Four Million by O Henry. As the master of the “twist in the tail/tale” and the completely unexpected endings, O. Henry is unrivaled. His penchant for word-play, creating utterly charming characters, the deep humanism and romance portrayed in his stories make him one of the most read and loved short story writers. In fact, he has almost appropriated the genre and no classic anthology of English language short stories is considered complete without an O. Henry story. And O. Henry was not even his real name! Born William Sidney Porter in North Carolina, he initially studied to become a pharmacist. He was also a gifted artist. However, he began working in a bank after ill health compelled him to move to Texas. Here he was accused, probably with some cause, of embezzlement and though he was allowed to resign, a later audit conducted by the bank resulted in conviction and a desperate flight to escape arrest. He lived in the Honduras for a while, but soon returned when he got the news of his wife’s fatal illness. A term in prison followed where he began publishing short stories under various pseudonyms. After serving his sentence, he discovered that he was a literary success. He began to churn out stories by the week for various magazines and earned quite a fortune. Known as the American Guy de Maupassant, O. Henry wrote stories that were witty, mischievous and impish in tone. The Four Million is his second collection and contains twenty-five stories, including his most famous one, The Gift of the Magi. Other charming tales include The Skylight Room, about a poor young typist who lives in a cramped little room in a boarding house, The Caliph, Cupid and The Clock about a nervous young suitor who’s helped by a royal prince, Sisters of the Golden Circle which describes a bride who sacrifices her own husband to save another’s and many more that provide hours of reading pleasure. The true hero of The Four Million is the city of New York, with its energy, compassion and kaleidoscope of human emotions.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, O. Henry, The Four Million

Emily Bronte’s first and only novel, Wuthering Heights, portrays the obsessive and vengeful love story between Heathcliff and Catherine. Images of cruelty and passion with an incorporation of gothic supernatural elements set the dark and misty atmosphere present throughout the novel. Moving between two neighboring houses, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, the wild love story turned destructive obsession is narrated by Mr. Lockwood through his diary entries. Bronte sets the novel into motion with the arrival of Mr. Lockwood at the house of his grim landlord Heathcliff. The strange and unfriendly manner in which his landlord behaves and his lack of effort to appear otherwise, sparks a flame of curiosity in Lockwood to learn more about the mysterious Wuthering Heights. After nature forces him to spend a night in the house, his eerie experience during the night only further ignites his curiosity to learn more about its past. When he settles into Thrushcross Grange he asks Nelly the housekeeper to tell him more about Wuthering Heights and its residents. Nelly then recounts events leading to Heathcliff’s current bitter state, beginning with his childhood when he was brought in by Mr. Earnshaw, owner of the Wuthering Heights manor. As the young dark-skinned Heathcliff tries to fit in with the family, everyone grows to like him except for Mr. Earnshaw’s son Hindley, who is jealous of the affection Heathcliff receives from his father. His sister Catherine, however, becomes inseparable with the youngster and the two share many adventures together on the moors and a mutual affection is born. As future events unfold, Catherine chooses to marry Edgar Linton, who lives in the nearby Thrushcross Grange, and leaves Heathcliff heartbroken. Hurled into a world of revenge, Heathcliff extends his mission of vengeance to their innocent children years later as they face lurking resentment and animosity. Bronte’s Gothic romance novel combines the use of extraordinary literary devices, while simultaneously structuring a captivating storyline. Vivid descriptions, a compelling plot and a complex array of characters is what maintains the special place Wuthering Heights holds on the classic literature bookshelf. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Emily Bronte, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Psychology, romance, tragedy, Wuthering Heights

The Critique of Pure Reason, first published in 1781 with a second edition in 1787, has been called the most influential and important philosophical text of the modern age. Kant saw the Critique of Pure Reason as an attempt to bridge the gap between rationalism (there are significant ways in which our concepts and knowledge are gained independently of sense experience) and empiricism (sense experience is the ultimate source of all our concepts and knowledge) and, in particular, to counter the radical empiricism of David Hume (our beliefs are purely the result of accumulated habits, developed in response to accumulated sense experiences). Using the methods of science, Kant demonstrates that though each mind may, indeed, create its own universe, those universes are guided by certain common laws, which are rationally discernable. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Immanuel Kant, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, The Critique of Pure Reason

Legend Land is a collection of some of the OLD TALES told in those Western Parts of Britain served by the GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY, now retold by LYONESSE More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: art, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Legend Land, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, various

Weather Explained: Fog, clouds, rain, haze, thunder, cyclones, dew point and how to count dust motes are just a few of the 35 topics covered in short, easy to read and understand chapters in this book published in 1905.

Categories: Arts, Education

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, instruction, J.G. M'Pherson, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Meteorology; or Weather Explained, Non-fiction, science

Regarded as one of Grahame’s most distinguished short stories, the children’s classic was first published in 1898 and featured in Dream Days, a reminiscent short story collection for children, and has also been adapted into a feature film from Walt Disney Productions. The story centers on the events following the discovery of a dragon living inside a cave near a small town, which its residents perceive as dangerous and a threat to their safety, whereas as a young boy goes out of his way to prove the dragon’s harmless nature. Offering a positive glimpse of compassion, loyalty, and friendship, the classic serves as an early instance of a tale in which a dragon is presented in a good light, far from its previous stereotypical depiction as a menacing beast. The story sets into motion when a young shepherd boy discovers a dragon residing in a cave near his family home and village. Having read many stories concerning dragons, the young boy has adopted an open-minded attitude toward the feared creature, and quickly befriends the dragon. Moreover, the dragon demonstrates a love for poetry which confirms his intelligence and civility, and also gives an account of his life. However, the townspeople soon learn of the dragon’s dwelling and things quickly escalate, as they perceive him as a danger to them all and a problem that needs to be dealt with accordingly. Although the young boy welcomes him with open arms, the townspeople, on the other hand, are not convinced of its harmless intentions and unanimously agree that the beast should be vanquished. Subsequently, St. George arrives and is appointed the task of ridding the town of its unwelcome guest. So, St. George, the dragon, and the shepherd boy are thrown into a thrilling predicament, as they must join forces and come up with a solution that will fulfill everyone’s wishes. Containing all the vital elements to stir a child’s imagination including absorbing characters, an exciting plot, humor, rich descriptions, and delightful twists, The Reluctant Dragon is a gripping tale ideal for children in search of excitement, as well as for older readers who wish to take a trip down memory lane.

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Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Kenneth Grahame, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Reluctant Dragon

The Critique of Practical Reason (Kritik der praktischen Vernunft) is the second of Immanuel Kant’s three critiques, first published in 1788. It follows on from his Critique of Pure Reason and deals with his moral philosophy. The second Critique exercised a decisive influence over the subsequent development of the field of ethics and moral philosophy, becoming the principle reference point for ethical systems that focus on the rightness or wrongness of actions themselves, as opposed to the rightness or wrongness of the consequences of those actions. Subsequently termed “deontological ethics”, Kant’s ethical system also laid the groundwork of moral absolutism, the belief that there are absolute standards against which moral questions can be judged, and that certain actions are right or wrong, devoid of the context of the act.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Immanuel Kant, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, The Critique of Practical Reason

Charles Dickens is one of the most appreciated Victorian writers, his novels gaining worldwide recognition by both critics and readers. First published in 1850, David Copperfield begins with avid the tragedy of David’s brother dying when David is just a boy. After this episode he is sent by his step-father to work in London for a wine merchant. When conditions worsen he decides to run away and embarks on a journey by foot from London to Dover. On his arrival he finds his eccentric aunt, Betsey Trotwood who becomes his new guardian. Being witness to the formation of David’s character is quite fascinating. David begins as a strong child whose only aspiration is a better life. On the way to his adulthood, David sees how people enter and leave his life. Romanticism takes its place in David’s life as he gets married to Dora Spenlow who is not long for this world. Will David ever find stability and happyness? And what of his wife? Dickens proves to be a master in creating an autobiographical work that is a captivating page-turner.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com

An anthology of Buddhist scriptures, appropriate as an introduction to its vast literature, or as a sampler for those who want to better understand Buddhism. The selections in this anthology are primarily from the Theravada school of Buddhism.

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Buddhist Writings, ebooks, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, religion, various

The Red House Mystery is a novel by A. A. Milne about the mysterious death of Robert Ablett inside the house of his brother, Mark Ablett while there was a party taking place. It’s a whodunit novel with a simple story that’s skilfully told. Milne is best known for his works about Winnie the Pooh, but before he became famous for telling stories about this teddy bear, he also garnered praise for “The Red House Mystery.” The novel was set during a house party in the mansion home of Mark Ablett known as the “red house.” Mark had many guests in the party including a widow and his daughter, an actress and a young man named Bill. While the party was going on, Mark’s long-lost brother Robert arrived in the house and shortly after was found dead. Then suddenly the guests noticed that Mark had disappeared. Anthony Gillingham, a very interesting man who just went to the house to call on his friend Bill acted as the “investigator” to the crime. The two “detectives,” Antony and Bill went on to “investigate” the crime and find out who committed it. It will be up to the readers to categorize who among them is Watson and who is Holmes. Milne did an excellent work of telling the story in a very light and entertaining way. Readers will like this book not because of originality or a complicated plot that’s found in other mystery novels. They’ll enjoy reading it because of the interesting characters and the humour contained in the story. This is a good read for people who are looking for a mystery novel that’s a light hearted enjoyable book to read.

Categories: Arts

Tags: A. A. Milne, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, MYSTERY, The Red House Mystery

“Mark Phillips” is, or are, two writers: Randall Garrett and Laurence M. Janifer. Their joint pen-name, derived from their middle names (Philip and Mark), was coined soon after their original meeting, at a science-fiction convention. Both men were drunk at the time, which explains a good deal, and only one has ever sobered up. A matter for constant contention between the collaborators is which one. Originally published as That Sweet Little Old Lady, Brain Twister follows the adventures of FBI agent Kenneth J. Malone as he attempts to unravel the machinations of a telepathic spy. His first problem: how do you find a telepath to catch the first telepath? The novella was nominated for the Hugo Award in 1960.

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Brain Twister, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mark Phillips (Randall Garrett and Laurence M. Janifer), Psychology, science, science-fiction, Spy stories

The People that Time Forgot is a science fiction novel, the second of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Caspak” trilogy. The first novel ended with the hero writing a manuscript of his adventures and casting it out to sea in his thermos bottle. The second novel begins with the finding of the manuscript and the organization of a rescue expedition. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Edgar Rice Burroughs, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, science, science-fiction, The People that Time Forgot

It need hardly be said that the woman by whom these letter were written had no thought that they would be read by anyone but the person to whom they were addressed. But a request, conveyed under circumstances which the writer herself would have regarded as all-commanding, urges that they should now be given to the world; and, so far as is possible with a due regard to the claims of privacy, what is here printed presents the letters as they were first written in their complete form and sequence. From book explaination

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: An Englishwoman's Love-Letters, anonymous, audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, romance