R. A. Salvatore - Demon Wars II 03 - Immortalis
In this extraordinary third and final work in the Second DemonWars Saga, R. A. Salvatore weaves a diverse tapestry of characters and events from all the novels of the DemonWars Saga into an epic, unforgettable conclusion. Casting his inimitable spell of the human and supernatural, love and war, faith and faithlessness, Salvatore’s crowning work is centered on a dark young king, driven by a quest to remake humankind.
In Honce-the-Bear, King Aydrian Boudabras wakes in a cold sweat, his conscience haunted by those he has killed to garner power, including the rightful king before him, Danube, his mother’s husband. Now Aydrian is preparing his armies for war, forging loyalties, playing one adversary against the other, and giving those around him barely a glimpse of his remarkable powers. Even Adyrian does not fully understand what drives his ambition, the guiding voices he first heard from the shadow of Oracle, or the truth of his birth in the elven land—before it was stained and mortally threatened by the demon dactyl.

R. A. Salvatore - Demon Wars II 02 - Transcendence
In Transcendence, the second book in his second DemonWars Saga, author R.A. Salvatore adds another layer to the events of book one, Ascendance, with a parallel plot line in the desert kingdom of Behren. He spotlights the Elven-trained Ranger Brynn Dharielle as she quests to claim her birthright and free the nomadic To-gai from the theocratic occupation of Behren and its dark kingpriest--Yakim Douan.
Transcendence is as much the story of Brynn's quest to free the oppressed To-gai as it is the tale of their oppressors. While events in Ascendance are heating up, Transcendence introduces the Yatol leader Douan who is single-mindedly preparing for his, yes, "transcendence" wherein the leader will die to be reborn. It's the secret behind this miracle and Douan's machinations to secure his lands in preparation for the rebirth that will eventually allow Brynn to free the To-gai from the Behrenese yoke. But Brynn's quest will unleash the deadly power of an ancient ally who will test her resolve to win her people's freedom.
Transcendence is excellent fantasy. Salvatore's characters stride across a grand stage that is epic in scale yet still detailed and personal. The juxtaposition of happenings in the first two books sets up what will be a thrilling conclusion as the political implications of each will undoubtedly collide in book three.

R. A. Salvatore - Demon Wars II 01 - Ascendance
Fans of bestseller Salvatore (The Demon Awakens, etc.) will welcome the chance to follow favorite characters through yet another epic saga of good versus evil in this start to a new trilogy, in which good-hearted Jilseponie "Pony" Wyndon and her dreaded enemy, cleric-turned-weretiger De'Unnero, are caught up in fresh intrigues that tear at the civil and religious heart of the land called Honce-the-Bear. Pony, now wise to "the truth of God, of spirituality, of living beyond this mortal coil," rules as well-liked Baroness of Palmaris during an age of unprecedented peace and prosperity. Unknown to her, however, scheming elf Lady Dasslerond has taken Pony's "unborn" son, Aydrian, whom Pony thought she lost in battle during the first DemonWars trilogy, to raise in secret. Grown into young manhood, talented Aydrian chaffs against lessons in rangering and gemstone magic. He longs to make a name for himself even bigger than that of his famous father, Ranger Elbryan (aka "Nightbird"), killed by De'Unnero, and later runs away from his elven teachers and assumes the role of "Nighthawk." While Pony ponders an offer of marriage from good King Danube, De'Unnero comes out of hiding to manipulate Aydrian into destroying Pony and helping him take control of the kingdom. The many plot twists are clumsy and all too convenient, while the book concludes predictably with Aydrian gaining the upper hand over his mother and her allies.

You can't help but benefit from Larry King's years of experience and sage advice. Even if you think you were born without the "gift of gab," you can begin to improve your speaking abilities immediately. King offers myriad techniques, skills, and ice breakers that anyone can learn to use with confidence. Mr. King also tells personal stories about the best and worst communicators he has met or interviewed. You'll hear the secrets that made Mario Cuomo, Richard Nixon, and JFK such powerful political speakers; how Jack Kent Cooke, Ted Turner, and Ross Perot became such dynamic businessmen through their communication styles ...

AUDIOBOOK: Kurt Vonnegut - Mother Night (unabridged audiobook + text)
Kurt Vonnegut is a master of contemporary American literature. His black humor, satiric voice, and incomparable imagination first captured America’s attention in The Sirens of Titan in 1959 and established him as a "true artist" with Cat’s Cradle in 1963. He is, as Graham Greene has declared, "one of the best living American writers."
Mother Night is a daring challenge to our moral sense. American Howard W. Campbell, Jr., a spy during World War II, is now on trial in Israel as a Nazi war criminal. But is he really guilty? In this brilliant book rife with true gallows humor, Vonnegut turns black and white into a chilling shade of gray with a verdict that will haunt us all.