Search Worlds Without End

This short story originally appeared in Lightspeed, October 2011.

Read the full story for free at Lightspeed.

In the first book of The Runelords, Raj Ahten, the Wolf Lord of Indhopal, uses magic to transform himself into the ultimate warrior: The Sum of All Men. He seeks to bring all of humanity under his rule - destroying anything and anyone in his path. Standing in his way is Prince Gaborn Val Orden, who must fulfil a 2,000-year-old prophecy and become the Earth King, a mythic figure who can unleash the forces of the earth itself. Only then will humanity have a chance to survive. . .

The epic struggle begun in THE SUM OF ALL MEN continues in BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF. Gaborn has managed to drive off Raj Ahten, but Ahten is far from defeated. Striking at far-flung cities and fortresses and killing dedicates, Ahten seeks to draw out the Earth King from his seat of power, in order to crush him. But as they weaken each other's forces in battle, the armies of an ancient and implacable enemy issue forth from the very bowels of the Earth. . .

Reeling from the battle at Carris, the young king Gaborn Val Orden finds that he has lost the powers that let him protect his people. As he struggles to rid his land of reavers, he discovers that the creatures are more resourceful and terrifying than even he imagined. Desperate for any weapon that will aid him in this battle, all of his hopes come to rest upon the nine-year-old girl, Averan, the Wizardborn apprentice to the earth wizard Binnesman. Despite her fears, he must convince her to lead him in battle against the reaver lord of the underworld.Meanwhile the ailing Wolf Lord, Raj Ahten, learns that a reaver horde is decimating his own homeland. There, he confronts his enemy, and finds that he must choose to strip himself of all humanity or face ultimate defeat . . .

The stars fall from heaven and the very earth trembles in pain. With Gaborn's kingdom of Mystarria in ruins, four powerful kings march to claim its spoils, even as a vast army of reavers sallies forth from the underworld, intending to put an end to mankind.In one last-ditch effort to heal the earth, the wizardborn Averan leads the Earth King, Gaborn Val Orden, far below the surface to the Lair of Bones, to face the leader of the reaver hordes. There Gaborn must confront an ancient evil - before the world is torn apart. . .

The Earth King, Gaborn Val Orden, has roamed to the ends of the known world to preserve his people, but the life-draining powers he has embraced have finally taken their toll. His death leaves his young son Fallion at the mercy of his enemies.But Fallion is no ordinary prince, with no ordinary enemies, but is a reincarnation of an immensely powerful immortal. Known as the torch-bearer, Fallion is fated to engage with an ancient evil across the many ages of his existence. Now, without his father's protection, powerful supernatural forces will seek to prevent him waking to his full powers - and the land of the Runelords will become their battlefield. At stake is not just a single world and Gaborn's hard-won legacy of peace, but the very foundations of creation ...

Fallion and Jaz, sons of the Earth King Garborn, have returned from their long exile. Yet they have arrived under cover of darkess, fugitives in their own kingdom. There seems little left to save, but Fallion's heritage has given him a powerful calling to heal not just this land, but all lands - if he can master the flameweaver's talent that threatens to consume him. But he has an ancient enemy, skilled in the ways of evil, and she initiated the catastrophe that doomed the worlds of men. Many ages ago, a perfect world was split into fragments, and each fragment was but a distorted image of this golden age. If Fallion could but unite all these splinters, he could recreate the One True World of Legend, and heal the sickness in the realm. But his adversary wants the One World for her own ends, and an army of darkness is on her side.

The monstrous wyrmlings are growing in strength. These creatures have learnt to endow themselves with powers stolen from others, and their capacity for evil is still growing. The people of Mystarria were thrust into the land of the wyrmlings following the merging of two shadow realms, just some among many parallel lands, so now these creatures have millions of victims from which to draw power.The only one who can mend the broken lands - the talented flameweaver Fallion - has fallen into the hands of the wyrmling horde. Now Fallion's allies must prepare to breach the impenetrable wrymling fortress to rescue him. And unless they can prevent the wyrmlings from gathering more power, these creatures may bring all the shadow worlds under their control. It's not just worlds that are at stake, but eternities.

The world of the Runelords is drastically changed. It has been magically combined with a parallel world, causing widespread destruction and chaos. Lands have sunk below the sea and elsewhere mountains have risen from it. Thousands have died, and humankind faces extinction.Borenson and Myrrima must journey to save their realm from total devastation, but the landscape is not all that has been altered. In the change, Borenson has merged with a monstrous creature from another world, Aaath Ulber. Not only is he transformed physically, but his behaviour also begins to evolve - he is becoming a berserker warrior. And as the dark rulers of this new world play a byzantine game of politics, this warrior is now the most significant pawn in that game.

The great war with the Wyrmling Hordes is over, and mankind has lost. Lord Despair has gathered an army of fell creatures, and is planning to unleash them like a wildfire across the stars.

Those who oppose him know that the battle is all but lost. Though they stand against the darkness, they cannot hope to win with arms. Indeed, they stand against him armed with little more than principles alone.

Fallion and Tuul Ra, with only a handful of allies, must hope that with resolve and cunning alone they can win the day, before darkness closes upon them for ever...

The future is here... the future is now! Orson Scott Card, Kevin J. Anderson and Larry Niven have seen the future. Now, you can, too.

A constellation of the brightest lights in the Science Fiction and Fantasy firmament have judged these authors to be the best, the brightest, the truest emerging stars in the field.

From Alien Invasion to Alternate History, from Cyberpunk to Comic Fantasy to Post-Apocalyptic Worlds, these are the winning writers who have mastered every version and vision of sci-fi and fantasy.

Don't be left behind. Get a read on what's next.

"The Writers of the Future contest looks for people with the best imaginations who can see through the possibilities of the strangest and best ideas and tell stories that intrigue us and involve us." --ORSON SCOTT CARD

Celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Writers of the Future contest and the 26th anniversary of the Illustrators of the Future contest.

Table of Contents:

• Preface - essay by Peter J. Wacks
• Introduction - essay by David Farland
• Switch - novelette by Steve Pantazis
• The God Whisperer - short story by Daniel J. Davis
• Stars That Make Dark Heaven Light - novella by Sharon Joss
• Art - essay by L. Ron Hubbard
• When Shadows Fall - (1948) - short story by L. Ron Hubbard
• A Revolutionary's Guide to Practical Conjuration - novelette by Auston Habershaw
• Twelve Minutes to Vinh Quang - short story by Tim Napper
• Planar Ghosts - novelette by Krystal Claxton
• Fiction Without Paper - essay by Orson Scott Card
• Rough Draft - (2005) - short story by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta
• Between Screens - short story by Zach Chapman
• Unrefined - novelette by Martin L. Shoemaker
• Half Past - short story by Samantha Murray
• Purposes Made for Alien Minds - short story by Scott R. Parkin
• Inconstant Moon - (1971) - novelette by Larry Niven
• The Illustrators of the Future - essay by Bob Eggleton
• The Graver - novelette by Amy M. Hughes
• Wisteria Melancholy - novelette by Michael T. Banker
• Poseidon's Eyes - novelette by Kary English
• The Year in the Contests - essay by unknown

Science Fiction & Fantasy Anthology and Advice to Writers 2016

You are about to meet:

YOUR NEXT FAVORITE AUTHOR

The 32nd edition of Writers of the Future may be the best new book yet! Brand-new adventure through space, time and possibility.

Along the way these new authors will introduce you to fascinating characters such as Nate, a very loyal companion--like most werewolves would be. Keanie has a parasite that lets her morph and so transform into anyone. Liz owns a dinosaur maker, but raw ingredients can be a problem. Anna slaves away in a factory but her magic leaves her unfulfilled. These authors take creative writing to a whole new level!

The answers, the stories, the visions, and the mind-stretching possibilities are all waiting inside.

Welcome to the future of Science Fiction and Fantasy. It gets better every year. These are the award winning short stories of the international contest that have launched the writing careers of some of the best new books!

BONUS stories and articles on how to write by New York Times best sellers Tim Powers, Sean Williams, Brandon Sanderson, Sergey Poyarkov & L. Ron Hubbard

"The Writers of the Future contest looks for people with the best imaginations who can see through the possibilities of the strangest and best ideas and tell stories that intrigue us and involve us." --Orson Scott Card

Celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the Writers of the Future contest and the 27th anniversary of the Illustrators of the Future contest.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by David Farland
• The Star Tree - short story by Jon Lasser
• Images Across a Shattered Sea - short story by Stewart C. Baker
• Möbius - short story by Christoph Weber
• How to Drive a Writer Crazy - (1998) - essay by L. Ron Hubbard
• The Last Admiral - (1950) - short story by L. Ron Hubbard
• The Jack of Souls - novelette by Stephen Merlino
• Swords Like Lightning, Hooves Like Thunder - novelette by K. D. Julicher
• Where Steampunk Started - essay by Tim Powers
• Hellfire on the High Frontier - (2014) - novelette by David Farland
• Squalor and Sympathy - novelette by Matt Dovey
• Dinosaur Dreams in Infinite Measure - short story by Rachael K. Jones
• Cry Havoc - short story by Julie Frost
• A Glamour in the Black - short story by Sylvia Hiven
• The Broad Sky Was Mine, and the Road - short story by Ryan Row
• The Fine Distinction Between Cooks and Chefs - essay by Brandon Sanderson
• The Jade Woman of the Luminous Star - (2011) - novelette by Sean Williams
• Freebot - short story by R. M. Graves
• Last Sunset for the World Weary - short story by H. L. Fullerton
• The Sun Falls Apart - short story by J. W. Alden
• Flawless Imperfection - essay by Sergey Poyarkov
• Directing the Art - essay by Bob Eggleton
• The Year in the Contests - essay by uncredited

Internationally acclaimed anthology of award winning science fiction and fantasy short stories.

Explore diverse new universes of possibility through a variety of creative and fresh new ideas--all in one anthology. From dragons to mythical death dealers, from murder on the moon to deep space mystery, these stories bring you the hot new talent in science fiction, fantasy & horror.

Enjoy these award-winning stories & illustrations, with bonus stories by New York Times bestselling authors Robert J. Sawyer, Todd McCaffrey & L. Ron Hubbard.

Learn how to write or improve your craft with tips from Grand Master fantasy author Anne McCaffrey and New York Times bestselling author L. Ron Hubbard.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by David Farland
• Moonlight One - novelette by Stephen Lawson
• The Armor Embrace - short story by Doug C. Souza
• Envoy in the Ice - novelette by Dustin Steinacker
• Search for Research - (1991) - essay by L. Ron Hubbard
• The Devil's Rescue - (1940) - short story by L. Ron Hubbard
• Tears for Shülna - short story by Andrew L. Roberts
• The Drake Equation - short story by C. L. Kagmi
• Acquisition - short story by Jake Marley
• Obsidian Spire - short story by Molly Elizabeth Atkins
• A Thousand or So Words of Wisdom - (1986) - essay by Anne McCaffrey
• Gator - (1997) - short story by Robert J. Sawyer
• A Glowing Heart - short story by Anton Rose
• The Long Dizzy Down - short story by Ziporah Hildebrandt
• The Woodcutter's Deity - short story by Walter Dinjos
• How to Become an Illustrator - essay by Larry Elmore
• The Dragon Killer's Daughter - short story by Todd McCaffrey
• Useless Magic - short story by Andrew Perry
• Adramelech - short story by Sean Hazlett
• The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove - novelette by Ville Meriläinen
• The Magnificent Bhajan - short story by David VonAllmen
• Notes on Art Direction: Is It DIrection or Suggestion? - essay by Bob Eggleton
• The Year in the Contests - essay by David Farland

24 Award-Winning Authors and Illustrators.

Accompanied by Orson Scott Card, Brandon Sanderson, Jody Lynn Nye, Jerry Pournelle, Ciruelo and Echo Chernik and Edited by David Farland.

Your search for something new and different in sci-fi and fantasy ends here.

Presenting this year's collection of fresh voices, fabulous worlds, and fantastic new characters.

Each year, the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests' blue-ribbon judges search the world to discover and introduce to you the very best new talent in sci-fi and fantasy.

Created by L. Ron Hubbard, whose commitment to help new writers and artists gave rise to the annual Writers of the Future anthologies--a launching pad for writers and artists who are sure to command our attention for decades to come.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by David Farland
• Illustrators of the Future - essay by Echo Chernik
• Turnabout - short story by Erik Bundy
• A Smokeless and Scorching Fire - short story by Erin Cairns
• The Howler on the Sales Floor - short story by Jonathan Ficke
• The Minarets of An-Zabat - novelette by Jeremy A. TeGrotenhuis
• Suspense - (1937) - essay by L. Ron Hubbard
• The Death Flyer - (2008) - short story by L. Ron Hubbard
• Odd and Ugly - novelette by Vida Cruz
• Mara's Shadow - novelette by Darci Stone
• Theme - essay by Orson Scott Card
• The Lesson - (2010) - short story by Brandon Sanderson
• Paying It Forward - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• What Lies Beneath - short story by Cole Hehr
• The Face in the Box - short story by Janey Bell
• Flee, My Pretty One - short story by Eneasz Brodski
• Passion and Profession - essay by Ciruelo Cabral
• Illusion - essay by Jody Lynn Nye
• A Bitter Thing - novelette by N. R. M. Roshak
• Miss Smokey - short story by Diana Hart
• All Light and Darkness - novelette by Amy Henrie Gillett
• The Year in the Contests - essay by uncredited

The 35th collection of winners of the Writers and Illustrators of the Future competition features expertly crafted stories and art, spanning the gamut from hard core sci-fi to epic fantasy. 12 stories so fresh and new, they're 5-10 years ahead of the curve--the future is literally here and now.

Let your imagination run wild.

If you're ready to travel to a universe of mystery, sacrifice, and suspense, where the laws of physics are optional, book your journey here.

On this odyssey of enchantment, enlightenment, and endless possibility, you will meet a murderer who's out to save mankind, a cyborg who robs the dead to rescue the living, and a lost boy who holds the key to peace. Discover visions of the world, of mankind, and of the future that are sure to open your eyes.

Every illustration will touch you.

Every word will move you.

Every idea will take you by surprise.

Just imagine.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by David Farland
• Cover Art by Bob Eggleton - essay by uncredited
• Directing the Art - essay by Echo Chernik
• Untrained Luck - short fiction by Elise Stephens
• Untrained Luck - interior artwork by Aliya Chen
• The First Warden - short fiction by Kai Walden
• The First Warden - interior artwork by Alexander Gustafson
• The Damned Voyage - short fiction by John Haas
• The Damned Voyage - interior artwork by Allen Morris
• Tomorrow's Miracles - (1938) - essay by L. Ron Hubbard
• The Idealist - (1940) - short story by L. Ron Hubbard
• The Idealist - interior artwork by Brian C. Hailes
• Thantos Drive - short fiction by Andrew Dykstal
• Thantos Drive - interior artwork by Qianjiao Ma
• A Harvest of Astronauts - short fiction by Kyle Kirrin
• A Harvest of Astronauts - interior artwork by Sam Kemp
• Super-Duper Moongirl and the Amazing Moon Dawdler - short fiction by Wulf Moon
• Super-Duper Moongirl and the Amazing Moon Dawdler - interior artwork by Alice Wang
• Tips for Embryonic Pros - essay by Mike Resnick
• Lost Robot - short fiction by Dean Wesley Smith
• Lost Robot - interior artwork by Bob Eggleton
• Are You the Life of the Party? - short fiction by Mica Scotti Kole
• Are You the Life of the Party? - interior artwork by Josh Pemberton
• Release from Service - short fiction by Rustin Lovewell
• Release from Service - interior artwork by Emerson Rabbitt
• Dark Equations of the Heart - short fiction by David Cleden
• Dark Equations of the Heart - interior artwork by Vytautas Vasiliauskas
• Advice for Artists - essay by Rob Prior
• Yellow Submarine - short fiction by Rebecca Moestra
• Yellow Submarine - interior artwork by David Furnal
• An Itch - short fiction by Christopher Baker
• An Itch - interior artwork by Jennifer Ober
• Dirt Road Magic - short fiction by Carrie Callahan
• Dirt Road Magic - interior artwork by Yingying Jiang
• A Certain Slant of Light - short fiction by Preston Dennett
• A Certain Slant of Light - interior artwork by Christine Rhee
• The Year in Contests - essay by uncredited

Sci-fi and fantasy of tomorrow... selected by masters of today.

Where can you find the hottest new talent all in one book?

Right here. This year's winning stories include a diverse collection of brilliantly realized worlds of dystopian politics, magical realism, post-apocalyptic adventure, and romance, dark fantasy and more.

You'll love this anthology because these writers push the boundaries--and break beyond them... these illustrators envision the impossible--and render it real... these stories challenge the way we see ourselves--and present the world in a new way.

Table of Contents:

• The Trade - short fiction by C. Winspear
• Foundations - short fiction by Michael Gardner
• A Word That Means Everything - short fiction by Andy Dibble
• Steps in the Right Direction - essay by R. Walton Willems
• Borrowed Glory - (1941) - short story by L. Ron Hubbard
• Catching My Death - short fiction by J. L. George
• A Prize in Every Box - short fiction by F. J. Bergmann
• Yellow and Pink - short fiction by Leah Ning
• Making Collaboration Work for You or Co-writing with Larry and Sean - essay by Sean Williams
• The Phoenix's Peace - short fiction by Jody Lynn Nye
• Educational Tapes - short fiction by Katie Livingston
• Trading Ghosts - short fiction by David A. Elsensohn
• Stolen Sky - short fiction by Storm Humbert
• Breathing In - essay by Mike Perkins
• The Winds of Harmattan - (2013) - short story by Nnedi Okorafor (variant of Asuquo, or The Winds of Harmattan 2003)
• As Able the Air - short fiction by Zack Be
• Molting Season - short fiction by Tim Boiteau
• Automated Everyman Migrant Theater - short fiction by Sonny Zae
• The Green Tower - [Deryni Universe] - (2002) - novelette by Katherine Kurtz

The Sci-Fi and Fantasy of Tomorrow Selected by Masters of Today

26 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators

Get ready to get carried away... to places no one has ever gone before.

Turn the page... from dark fantasy to dystopian nightmare, from magical realism to military science, from paranormal urban fantasy to post-apocalyptic power trips... and beyond.

Take flight on a starship powered by a godlike being, willing to go to any length to know what it is to be human. Delve into the psyche of a scientist who must choose between ambition and compassion while compelled to participate in a secret and sadistic government project. Get lost in the chilling Museum of Modern Warfare, where one woman is about to discover life-changing secrets. Experience the stories that challenge our sense of self--and our sense of the world. And that's just the beginning of your journey....

Discover the mesmerizing power of these new stories, thought-provoking new ideas, brilliant new horizons, and astounding new writers and illustrators--the chosen ones, selected by today's bestselling science fiction and fantasy authors and artists.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume 37) - essay by Dave Wolverton [as by David Farland]
• 4 - The Illustrators of the Future Contest - essay by Echo Chernik
• 7 - The Tiger and the Waif - interior artwork by André Mata
• 8 - Sixers - interior artwork by Will Knight
• 9 - The Enfield Report - interior artwork by Stephen Spinas
• 10 - The Widow's Might - interior artwork by Madolyn Locke
• 11 - The Dangerous Dimension - interior artwork by Anh Le
• 12 - How to Steal the Plot Armor - interior artwork by Dan Watson
• 13 - The Redemption of Brother Adalum - interior artwork by Isabel Gibney
• 14 - The Argentum - interior artwork by Rupam Grimoeuvre
• 15 - Soul Paper - interior artwork by Mariah Salinas
• 16 - The Skin of My Mother - interior artwork by Shiyi Yu
• 17 - Death of a Time Traveler - interior artwork by Jennifer Bruce
• 18 - The Battle of Donasi - interior artwork by Ben Hill
• 19 - The Museum of Modern Warfare - interior artwork by Isabel Gibney
• 20 - A Demon Hunter's Guide to Passover Seder - interior artwork by Jeff Weiner
• 21 - Hemingway - interior artwork by Sethe Nguyen
• 22 - Half-Breed - interior artwork by Daniel Bitton
• 23 - The Tiger and the Waif - short story by John M. Campbell
• 32 - The Tiger and the Waif [2] - interior artwork by André Mata (variant of The Tiger and the Waif)
• 43 - Sixers - novelette by Barbara Lund
• 51 - Sixers [2] - interior artwork by Will Knight (variant of Sixers)
• 67 - The Enfield Report - novelette by Christopher Bowthorpe
• 83 - The Enfield Report [2] - interior artwork by Stephen Spinas (variant of The Enfield Report)
• 93 - The Widow's Might - short fiction by Elizabeth Chatsworth
• 95 - The Widow's Might [2] - interior artwork by Madolyn Locke (variant of The Widow's Might)
• 111 - Magic Out of a Hat - (1994) - essay by L. Ron Hubbard
• 121 - On "Magic Out of a Hat" - essay by Orson Scott Card
• 133 - The Dangerous Dimension - (1938) - short story by L. Ron Hubbard
• 155 - The Dangerous Dimension [2] - interior artwork by Anh Le (variant of The Dangerous Dimension)
• 159 - How to Steal the Plot Armor - novelette by Luke Wildman
• 162 - How to Steal the Plot Armor [2] - interior artwork by Dan Watson (variant of How to Steal the Plot Armor)
• 185 - The Redemption of Brother Adalum - short story by K. D. Julicher
• 190 - The Redemption of Brother Adalum [2] - interior artwork by Isabel Gibney (variant of The Redemption of Brother Adalum)
• 203 - The Argentum - short story by Anj Dockrey
• 224 - The Argentum [2] - interior artwork by Rupam Grimoeuvre (variant of The Argentum)
• 227 - The Phoenixes' War - short story by Jody Lynn Nye
• 249 - Phoenix Passage - interior artwork by Echo Chernik (variant of cover art for L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume 37)
• 251 - Soul Paper - short story by Trent Walters
• 269 - Soul Paper [2] - interior artwork by Mariah Salinas (variant of Soul Paper)
• 271 - The Skin of My Mother - short story by Erik Lynd
• 283 - The Skin of My Mother [2] - interior artwork by Shiyi Yu (variant of The Skin of My Mother)
• 285 - Death of a Time Traveler - short story by Sara Fox
• 292 - Death of a Time Traveler [2] - interior artwork by Jennifer Bruce (variant of Death of a Time Traveler)
• 295 - The Battle of Donasi - novelette by Elaine Midcoh
• 313 - The Battle of Donasi [2] - interior artwork by Ben Hill (variant of The Battle of Donasi)
• 321 - The Rewards of Imagination - essay by Craig Elliott
• 327 - The Museum of Modern Warfare - (2015) - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 344 - The Museum of Modern Warfare [2] - interior artwork by Isabel Gibney (variant of The Museum of Modern Warfare)
• 351 - A Demon Hunter's Guide to Passover Seder - novelette by Ryan Cole
• 365 - A Demon Hunter's Guide to Passover Seder [2] - interior artwork by Jeff Weiner (variant of A Demon Hunter's Guide to Passover Seder)
• 375 - Hemingway - short story by Emma Washburn
• 380 - Hemingway [2] - interior artwork by Sethe Nguyen (variant of Hemingway)
• 385 - Half-Breed - novelette by Brittany Rainsdon
• 409 - Half-Breed [2] - interior artwork by Daniel Bitton (variant of Half-Breed)
• 417 - The Year in Contests (L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume 37) - essay by uncredited

In the World of Science Fiction... this Anthology stands out for three reasons:

The stories. The art. The extras. Which will you love most?

Standing on the shoulders of giants, these writers of the future have earned their place in the hallowed pages of volume 38. With 25 award-winning authors and illustrators, this collection is a masterwork.

These diverse stories will fill you with wonder and new ideas. And a few just might break your heart.

Just imagine...

• It's game on, the fate of the universe is on the line--and you're about to go all in.
• Saving the mammoths is in your hands--can you conjure the magic to make it happen?
• You've got a monster BFF--whom you're hiding from your own monster-hunting family.
• You're part of a sting, out to catch some bar hoppers who are not only bending their elbows, but bending time as well.
• And much more!

Think you've seen it all? Think again.

The beautiful art and writing tips by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson, Frank Herbert, L. Ron Hubbard, and Diane Dillon are just as wonderful as the collection of stories. How would you like to read one of Frank Herbert's rare stories or know his "Single Most Important Piece of Advice?"

Volume 38 is a treasure.

You'll love this collection from past and future science fiction masters, because these stories are hand-picked by some of your favorite authors--including Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, Nnedi Okorafor, Robert J. Sawyer, and Jody Lynn Nye.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction by David Farland (1957-2022) - essay by uncredited
• 2 - Introduction (L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume 38) - essay by Dave Wolverton [as by David Farland]
• 4 - The Illustrators of the Future Contest and the Importance of Art Direction - essay by Echo Chernik
• 7 - Agatha's Monster - interior artwork by Zaine Lodhi
• 8 - The Magic Book of Accidental City Destruction - interior artwork by Ari Zaritsky
• 9 - The Squid Is My Brother - interior artwork by Natalia Salvador
• 10 - Gallows - interior artwork by Nick Jizba
• 11 - The Professor Was a Thief - interior artwork by Michael Talbot (I)
• 12 - Lilt of a Lark - interior artwork by Brett Stump
• 13 - The Mystical Farrago - interior artwork by Annalee Wu
• 14 - Tsuu, Tsuu, Kasva Suuremasse - interior artwork by Natalia Salvador
• 15 - The Daddy Box - interior artwork by André Mata
• 16 - The Island on the Lake - interior artwork by Majid Saberinejad
• 17 - The Phantom Carnival - interior artwork by Xiaomeng Zhang
• 18 - The Last Dying Season - interior artwork by Jerome Tieh
• 19 - The Mammoth Leaders - interior artwork by Bob Eggleton
• 20 - The Greater Good - interior artwork by Jim Zaccaria
• 21 - For the Federation - interior artwork by Arthur M. Doweyko
• 22 - Psychic Poker - interior artwork by Tenzin Rangdol
• 23 - Agatha's Monster - short fiction by Azure Arther
• 49 - Agatha's Monster [2] - interior artwork by Zaine Lodhi (variant of Agatha's Monster)
• 55 - The Magic Book of Accidental City Destruction: A Book Wizard's Guide - short fiction by Z. T. Bright
• 68 - The Magic Book of Accidental City Destruction: A Book Wizard's Guide - interior artwork by Ari Zaritsky (variant of The Magic Book of Accidental City Destruction)
• 75 - The Squid Is My Brother - short fiction by Mike Jack Stoumbos
• 78 - The Squid Is My Brother [2] - interior artwork by Natalia Salvador (variant of The Squid Is My Brother)
• 95 - Gallows - short fiction by Desmond Astaire
• 98 - Gallows [2] - interior artwork by Nick Jizba (variant of Gallows)
• 119 - Boos and Taboos - essay by L. Ron Hubbard
• 127 - The Professor Was a Thief - (1940) - novelette by L. Ron Hubbard
• 161 - The Professor Was a Thief [2] - interior artwork by Michael Talbot (I) (variant of The Professor Was a Thief)
• 167 - Lilt - short fiction by Michael Panter
• 173 - Lilt [2] - interior artwork by Brett Stump (variant of Lilt of a Lark)
• 221 - The Mystical Farrago - short fiction by N. V. Haskell
• 224 - The Mystical Farrago [2] - interior artwork by Annalee Wu (variant of The Mystical Farrago)
• 245 - Tsuu, Tsuu, Kasva Suuremasse - short fiction by Rebecca E. Treasure
• 248 - Tsuu, Tsuu, Kasva Suuremasse [2] - interior artwork by Natalia Salvador (variant of Tsuu, Tsuu, Kasva Suuremasse)
• 263 - The Single Most Important Piece of Advice - (1986) - essay by Frank Herbert
• 267 - The Daddy Box - (2014) - short story by Frank Herbert
• 272 - The Daddy Box [2] - interior artwork by André Mata (variant of The Daddy Box)
• 281 - Teamwork: Getting the Best out of Two Writers - essay by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert
• 291 - The Island on the Lake - short fiction by John Coming
• 295 - The Island on the Lake [2] - interior artwork by Majid Saberinejad (variant of The Island on the Lake)
• 319 - The Phantom Carnival - short fiction by M. Elizabeth Ticknor
• 337 - The Phantom Carnival [2] - interior artwork by Xiaomeng Zhang (variant of The Phantom Carnival)
• 343 - The Last Dying Season - short fiction by Brittany Rainsdon
• 346 - The Last Dying Season [2] - interior artwork by Jerome Tieh (variant of The Last Dying Season)
• 375 - The Third Artist - essay by Diane Dillon
• 387 - A Word of Power - short fiction by Dave Wolverton [as by David Farland]
• 393 - A Word of Power [2] - interior artwork by Bob Eggleton (variant of The Mammoth Leaders)
• 395 - The Greater Good - short fiction by Em Dupre
• 398 - The Greater Good [2] - interior artwork by Jim Zaccaria (variant of The Greater Good)
• 425 - For the Federation - short fiction by J. A. Becker
• 444 - For the Federation [2] - interior artwork by Arthur M. Doweyko (variant of For the Federation)
• 447 - Psychic Poker - short fiction by Lazarus Black
• 458 - Psychic Poker [2] - interior artwork by Tenzin Rangdol (variant of Psychic Poker)
• 465 - The Year in the Contests - short fiction by uncredited