Who were the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome? What did they mean to the people who worshiped them? Although their time of widespread worship has long passed, the Greek and Roman gods have fascinated and inspired writers and artists for millennia. From Aphrodite to Apollo, Poseidon to Zeus, these are some of the most recognizable characters in Western culture, yet there is a much richer past behind famous paintings of the birth of Aphrodite...

"Is it possible that behind what is taking place in America and the world lies a mystery that goes back to the gods of the ancient world ... and that they now have returned?" --

In the aftermath of a war between gods and men, a hero, a librarian, and a girl must battle the fantastical elements of a mysterious city stripped of its name.

"From the beloved author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series comes a delightful compendium of very short fiction and comics that celebrate the joy and absurdity of the human experience. It is often said that the best things in life come in small packages -- anyone in search of proof need look no further than the stories in this collection: brief, utterly engaging tales that offer lasting surprise and delight. From the original Greek financial...

A mysterious figure and his seven followers attempt to ascend the Holy Mountain, in order to displace the gods who live there and become immortal.

"When Reina arrives at Aguila Manor, her heart stolen from her chest, she's on the verge of death -- until her estranged grandmother, a dark sorceress in the Don's employ, intervenes. Indebted to a woman she never knew, and smitten with the upper-caste daughter of the house, Celeste, Reina will do anything to earn -- and keep -- the family's favor. Even the bidding of the ancient god who speaks to her from the Manor's foundations. To save the woman...

Alex is under close watch at the Covenant now that she knows her destiny is to awaken as the second Apollyon, and she has effectively angered anyone in a position of authority. She is brave, reckless, and in love with a Pure - so kind of foolish, too, since acting on this love would send her into servitude for the rest of her life. Now she not only has to prepare for her Awakening, but she has to deal with her dangerous feelings she holds towards...

"The conclusion to The Just City and The Philosopher Kings" -- "More than sixty-five years ago, Pallas Athena founded the Just City on an island in the eastern Mediterranean, placing it centuries before the Trojan War, populating it with teachers and children from throughout human history, and committing it to building a society based on the principles of Plato's Republic. Among the City's children was Pytheas, secretly the god Apollo in human form....

"In a heavenly war, the moon is prevailing ... It happens in an instant, filling Aija with dread: the Sun is suddenly cast from the sky, throwing the Earth into midday darkness. On the fourth day of endless night, Aija finds an unconscious man by the river. His skin is as hot as her lantern's glass and just as golden. To Aija, a farmhand with the soul of an artist, this beautiful stranger is an inspiration -- and a mystery. He calls himself Saiyon....

As Alexandria approaches her 18th birthday, she find that a fanatical order is out to hill her. Time spent with Seth leads to another mark of the Apollyon, signifying the approach of her awakening. As her birthday draws near, she must choose between love and fate as the gods prepare to reveal themselves.