Books published by Close-Up Books

Fighting the insect hordes of a malevolent God isn't easy when you're a young man with no special talents.While searching an old temple Kilek and his friends stumble across the Goddess Avendria who transforms them into heroes all grown up, with weapons, magic, and skills.But when she gives Kilek nothing at all nothing except the impossible task of saving the lands he must fight bitter doubts. Worse, a dark prince is massing his armies and more, agents of other Gods have been set loose in the world.Only the long-lost dragons can turn the tide but Kilek must find them before it's too late.And somehow, he has to do it all without divine intervention.

Australian poet Jane Downing's When Figs Fly reveals life in Australia and beyond with a keen eye for poignant details that linger, deftly capturing the beauty of the natural world, the bittersweetness of childhood and memory and exploring the all-too familiar foibles of human nature. A widely published writer, When Figs Fly is Jane's first poetry collection.

At last, Notch escapes the city of vipers and starts his quest to find Qu-Sitka, the only mage able to restore Sofia. Yet Casselli and the Prince have other plans for Notch and the mysterious bracers he bears, sending along an Inquisitor to watch his every move. And before he knows it, the power of the bracers begins to change him...Across the sea, Flir finds herself prisoner and servant to the White Witch, where she must protect her friends and keep the witch from finding the bones of the last sea god – yet it is easier said than done. And even for a dilar, Flir knows she is overmatched.Back in Anaskar, Seto is locked in his own struggle with not only a royal imposter sent to replace him but also his own conscience, while Ain finds himself stranded on an island with little clue as to where the Stones of Shali can be found... or if they will even allow him to save the Cloud.The Raven's Price is the second in a new epic fantasy trilogy that follows from The Bone Mask Trilogy, however, new readers can still start their adventure with the previous installment.

Thomas, Mia and Ethan have finally discovered the long-lost rebellion airship Clara - only to learn that it cannot grant them their freedom, since none know how to fly the mighty ship.A desperate search for a pilot follows but disaster strikes when Thomas falls into the clutches of their old tormentor, Lady Elisabeth; master of the Sand-Hog and lieutenant to the King. Yet Elisabeth has her own plans for Thomas and they do not involve simply handing him over to her liege.Mia and Ethan find themselves torn between chasing Thomas and following clues to the Clara's pilot but hounding Mia every step of the way is her own doubts and fears, her confusion over her feelings for Ethan and worse, dark dreams that hide an even greater threat than King Williams could ever pose.A steampunk adventure set in a slowly dying land where magic clashes with steam and alchemy.

A dark sorceress sinks her talons into the land…War-hero Notch has abandoned his king and city to wage a war against his own guilt. With the giant Alosus at his side, Notch must search the Land of the Sun for ancient magic to bring a loved one back from the dead. But when he arrives in the city of vipers, Notch quickly finds himself entangled in a web of conspiracy and hidden motives as ruthless Houses vie for the soon to be vacant throne.Far across the glittering sea, Notch's home of Anaskar is still reeling after repelling a mighty invasion. King Oseto is forced to scatter his heroes across the world in a desperate quest for the last sea beast and its bones. With them, he will be able to forge new Greatmasks to protect his people and the fragile state of peace between nations.Yet evil stirs in every corner of the lands. Reports of new, foul creatures and old foes alike are growing; and worse, the King fears that through his own weakness, he himself has unleashed the architect behind it all.The Last Sea Beast is the first in a new epic fantasy trilogy that follows from The Bone Mask Trilogy, however, new readers can still start their adventure here.

Dig into the cold earth, pull away the damp leaves and burrow deep down to uncover true darkness...Face the horror of war-torn Germany with Edmund as he fights to rescue his family. Confront the same overwhelming dread as Cody, in the midst of a futuristic prison, is haunted by his past and desperate for a chance at redemption. Discover true monsters aboard a slaver's ship on the high seas and witness a more twisted side to Christmas.Uncover these and other bleak mysteries in Beneath the Ferny Tree.

The Book of Never (1-3) brings together Nevers first three adventures as he searches for the truth behind his mysterious heritage and the curse on his blood.The Amber IsleRoguish Never is on a quest to lift a curse on his blood and to learn his true name; but upon joining a group of treasure-hunters he soon finds himself unearthing world-altering secrets that have long lain dormant within the mysterious Amber Isle.A Forest of EyesPoisoned and furious, Never must add a desperate quest for a cure to his existing search for truth. His path takes him deep into the White Wood where he faces vengeful spirits, giant leeches and Commander Harstas himself, whose lust for revenge is an ever-present threat.River GodArmed with disturbing news about Snow, his unpredictable brother, Never picks up a cold trail on the rivers of Hanik. There he must face both new dangers and demons from his past, all the while doing his best to avoid becoming entangled in a brewing civil war.

Stepping Over Seasons artfully depicts the finer details of life, encapsulating change within people and places as the seasons unfurl. Ashley Capes explores subtle links between human nature and the natural world. Using spare and evocative language, these graceful poems display a curiosity and empathy which make for accessible and rewarding reading - Jane Williams. (Expanded reissue of the 2009 collection.)

Leap into worlds like and unlike our own: a creepy restaurant stalks its customers, steampunk slaves find a new home in the Australian desert, storybook characters come alive to make deals with the Roman God of Sleep and in the future, a synthetic society suffers dark consequences of endless augmentation... all these stories and more lurk within.A collection of short fiction featuring steampunk, cyberpunk, fantasy and even a little horror!

Escape isn’t the hardest challenge for a slave – it’s staying free afterwards.Siblings Thomas and Mia find themselves fleeing across a desolate land, hounded by the monstrous sand-hog, a steam-powered war machine bent on recapturing them at all costs.Thomas fears the worst. He knows the tyrannical King Williams seeks Mia and her mysterious powers of foresight, but it seems even her gift cannot save the day when the sand-hog corners them. It isn’t until they cross paths with a group of rebels and stumble across rumours of a lost airship that Thomas begins to wonder if there isn’t hope of escape after all...A steampunk adventure set in a slowly dying land where magic clashes with steam and alchemy.

When Amanda bumps into a strange man, she thinks nothing of it until she sees him again. And again. Wherever she goes, even at home – he’s there.She tries to ignore him. But he doesn't like to be ignored.Amanda doesn’t know who to turn to. She’s just met Lucas, a man her friends believe is perfect. While she can't deny her attraction to him, demons from her past and present continue to haunt her. And she's not the only one with secrets. What follows is a desperate escape from the city, where she's forced to confront her past, deal with her growing feelings for Lucas, and fight for a future she's just beginning to believe in. Is she strong enough to survive?

Waking in Anaskar Prison, covered in blood and accused of murder, nobody will listen to Notch's claims of innocence until he meets the future Protector of the Monarchy, Sofia Falco.But Sofia has her own burdens. The first female Protector in a hundred years, her House is under threat from enemies within, the prince has made it clear he does not want her services and worst of all, she cannot communicate with her father's sentient mask of bone, the centuries-old Argeon. Without the bone mask she cannot help anyone -- not herself, and certainly not a mercenary with no powerful House to protect him.Meanwhile, far across the western desert, Ain, a young Pathfinder, is thrust into the role of Seeker. Before winter storms close the way, he must leave his home on a quest to locate the Sea Shrine and take revenge on the people who drove his ancestors from Anaskar, the city ruled by the prince Sofia and Notch are sworn to protect, whether he wants their help or not.

The Book of Never (4-5) brings together Nevers final two adventures as he searches for the truth behind his mysterious heritage and the curse on his blood. The Peaks of AutumnAt Snows urging, Never climbs into the Folhan Mountains to search for the Altar of Stars, which he must reach by the new moon. Yet he cannot shake off his doubts; will the answers he seeks even reside with the altar? Or is Snow manipulating him once more?Never soon finds that the mountains harbour their own threats, from avalanches and enemy troops to ancient creatures deep within abandoned mines and worse - pursuit from a vengeance-obsessed King.Imperial TowersOnly one thing stands between Never and answers his brother.Driven toward the enemy-occupied Imperial City, Never's doubts grow. Even with new knowledge about his powers, can he truly keep his friends safe in a warzone? Or, like too many times before, will he end up responsible for the deaths of those he should have protected?Never faces a bitter choice between finally winning the answers he has searched for all his life and stopping his brother once and for all. Worse, he knows that if he hesitates, Snow's sinister vision for the world will come to pass.

New poetry from Australian author Ashley Capes. His first new collection since between giants in 2012. VI brings together published and unpublished work from the intervening years.

When ESL teacher Riko finds an old journal buried in the forests beneath Mt Fuji, a malevolent, untraceable force begins to threaten her at every turn.But is it all in her head?The more she studies the journal for answers, the more questions she uncovers. Worse, no-one takes her fears seriously and her best lead appears to be a belligerent old man, whose only care in the world is raking leaves deep in the forest.With her grip on reality shaken and friendships strained to breaking point, Riko must discover the truth about the journal in order to put ghosts of the past to rest before she loses everything.

From the moment a fairy wren drops his lost wedding ring at his feet, Paul realises theres more magic to the world than he thought...When Paul Fischer receives a strange phone call asking for help, from a woman who might be his estranged wife Rachel, hes drawn into a mysterious search that threatens not only his struggling bookstore, but long-buried dreams too.Unfortunately, the only help comes from a shady best friend, an Italian runaway and a strange blue fairy wren that seems to be trying to tell him something - yet the further he follows the clues it leaves the less sense the world seems to make. Is he on the verge of a magical, beautiful discovery or at the point of total disaster?