Books by John Gregory Betancourt

In the nationally bestselling Roger Zelazny's The Dawn of Amber, John Gregory Betancourt began the epic exploration into how the world of Amber and all of its shadow worlds came into existence. The young warrior named Oberon, who is destined to found a dynasty and rule over Amber, was rescued from attacking hell creatures by his father, Dworkin, and introduced to his brothers and sisters-and his heritage as a Prince of the Courts of Chaos.But the shadow world called Juniper, the home of Dworkin and his kin, came under deadly attack by unknown and overwhelming forces. After sending the rest of the family to distant shadow worlds for their own safety, Dworkin and Oberon, and Oberon's half-brother Aber, traveled to the center of the known universe and the lair of their enemies, the Courts of Chaos, to put an end to the undeclared blood feud. In CHAOS AND AMBER, the story picks up with the arrival of the fleeing trio in the shadow world closest to the Courts, known as "the Beyond." The Courts of Chaos are hostile to Dworkin and his kin, and potentially deadly to Oberon-who barely survives several attempts on his life. Dworkin disappears after leaving for a meeting with King Uthor, ruler of the Courts. This leaves Oberon and Aber to uphold the family's honor on their own. But with the Beyond so close to Chaos, they know that their enemies are nearby and probably spying on their every move.Rumors are rampant the King Uthor is about to brand Dworkin a traitor, making it open season on him and his family. Oberon seeks allies among those family members who have political ties to the Courts, little realizing that every alliance comes with a price. In this case, it is a betrothal to a distant, monstrous cousin, and a knife fight to the death with one of the Courts most powerful princes.

Hours of great reading await, with ghostly tales from some of the 19th and 20th century's most renowned authors. Featured in this volume are::THE SIGNAL-MAN, by Charles DickensTHE SOUL OF THE GREAT BELL, by Lafcadio HearnPRESENT AT A HANGING, by Ambrose BierceCANON ALBERIC'S SCRAP-BOOK by M. R. JamesTHE MASS OF SHADOWS, by Anatole FranceTHE MAN WHO WENT TOO FAR, by E.F. BensonTHE THING AT NOLAN, by Ambrose BierceTHE PHANTOM 'RICKSHAW, by Rudyard KiplingTHE RIVAL GHOSTS by Brander MatthewsTHE INTERVAL, by Vincent O'SullivanA GHOST, by Guy De MaupassantA COLD GREETING, by Ambrose BierceTHE TURN OF THE SCREW, by Henry JamesTHE SHADOWS ON THE WALL, by Mary E. Wilkins FreemanTHE MESSENGER, by Robert W. ChambersTHE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS, by W. F. HarveyWHAT WAS IT?, by Fitz-James O'BrienTHE SHELL OF SENSE, by Olivia Howard DunbarTHE WOMAN AT SEVEN BROTHERS, by Wilbur Daniel SteeleAT THE GATE, by Myla Jo ClosserLIGEIA, by Edgar Allan PoeTHE HAUNTED ORCHARD, by Richard Le GallienneKERFOL, by Edith WhartonTHE WIND IN THE ROSE-BUSH, by Mary E. Wilkins FreemanTHE STORY OF MING-Y, by Lafcadio HearnAnd don't forget to check out the 350+ other volumes in the MEGAPACK® series! Search on "Wildside Press Megapack" in your favorite ebook store to see the complete list...covering science fiction, fantasy, horror, westerns, mysteries, and much more!

All Hail King Oberon! At last, Dworkin has created the magic Pattern, and Amber has been established with its own myriad of shadow worlds. Now, King Oberon works on repairing Castle Amber after winning his epic battle with the forces of Chaos. And his world is at peace . . . until he is attacked by a nightmare creature that refuses to die, while everything in its path withers and turns to dust. Oberon leads the monster away from Amber, on through an almost infinite number of Shadows, and still the creature presses ever closer. At last, Oberon travels to the world of the Pattern itself—his source of power—to make a stand against it. His fight, from the center of the Pattern, rips the world asunder—even damaging the Pattern itself. But Oberon manages to defeat the deadly monstrosity . . . and the Pattern repairs itself. Still, much time has passed, and much damage has been done. Among other things, when Oberon returns to Amber, his father tells him that the Pattern has been magically transported to the bowels of the castle. Further examination reveals that the original Pattern remains where it was drawn, and Castle Amber now possesses its identical double. But more damage than that may have been done. In a single evening, Oberon discovers that Amber hosts another race of creatures—a whole civilization living beneath the ocean in a mirror duplicate of Amber. He learns that it, too, has had a copy of the Pattern appear in its depths, that the Queen of the undersea kingdom knows all about him and desires him to get rid of the Pattern from her realm; and that she has plans for him . . . and the powers to perhaps make her wishes real.“Fans of the late Roger Zelazny’s popular AMBER series should flock to this…”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

In this volume, a new universe, with its infinite shadow reflections, is brought into being by Dworkin via the Pattern he has created with his own blood. But his creation has caused a great upheaval in the faraway Courts of Chaos. While Oberon uses Trumps to bring over family members to the relative safety of his new world, Dworkin-who has become unhinged from the extraordinary strains of creating the universe-mysteriously disappears. Assassins, shapeshifters, Pattern ghosts and double-crosses work against both Uthor and the house of Dworkin. Oberon must use all of his skills and new-found power to control the course of events, win the day, and stake his claim as the first king of Amber."Betancourt creates a thrill-a-minute series…" -Library Journal "John Gregory Betancourt's The Dawn of Amber is cause to celebrate. He is the ideal choice to assume Roger Zelazny's mantle, and The Dawn of Amber is the perfect introduction to a new series of Amber books that glow equally with the magic of Roger Zelazny's creation and John Betancourt's own burgeoning talent." -Richard A. Lupoff "John Betancourt channels Zelazny? However he got it, he has the gift, and now there is a new Amber trilogy that will delight a legion of fans eager to learn how Amber came to be." -Tom Easton, Book Reviewer for ANALOG Magazine "The spirit of Zelazny lives on in Betancourt's prequel. Roger Zelazny's works in the years he wrote the first Amber books were perhaps the best in SF and Fantasy of the 20th century. If you've read the Amber books, this book is a must. If you haven't, this book is the best place to start." -David Bischoff, author of Aliens vs. Predator

When Strange Tales first appeared, it was clearly something new. Edited by Harry Bates, it combined the supernatural horror and fantasy of Weird Tales with vigorous action plots. Strange Tales rapidly attracted the most imaginative and capable writers of the day, including Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Henry S. Whitehead, Hugh B. Cave, Ray Cummings, and numerous others. Had the Great Depression not intervened and killed it after seven issues, the whole history of fantastic fiction might have been different. This issue issue features Hugh B. Cave's classic "Murgunstrumm," as well as stories by Robert E. Howard, Henry S. Whitehead, and many more.

Johnny Zed is a science fiction novel set in a dystopian America where a corrupt Congress rules over a society addicted to drugs and confined to slums and malls. In this bleak landscape, an underground group of revolutionaries, led by the enigmatic Johnny Zed, strive to overthrow the corrupt government and restore the Constitution.Johnny Zed, a brilliant strategist, is never seen but always influential, orchestrating the rebellion from behind the scenes. His primary operative is Shelly Tracer, a fierce warrior navigating a world populated by "glitterfolk," oxygen addicts, and genetically modified beings. Together, they attempt to pull off the ultimate coup, although their plans are fraught with danger and betrayal¿.

The Blind Archer is a fantasy novel that tells the story of young Ker Orrum, who dreams of wielding magic. His fate changes when an Oracle speaks of a journey and a gem, leading him to challenge the mighty god known as the Blind Archer. During his quest, Ker becomes a pawn to wizards and gods, ultimately releasing an ancient evil that only he can defeat. The novel explores themes of destiny, power, and the consequences of one's actions in a richly imagined world