Patriot Games by Tom Clancy

• First published August 4, 1987
• 794 pages

On Sale At:

• Amazon
• B&N
• Google
• Kobo

Synopsis

Tom Clancy reveals Jack Ryan’s origins in this electrifying #1 New York Times bestselling thriller that pits the former Marine turned family man against a vicious group of international terrorists.**

As an American in London on vacation with his family, Jack Ryan never imagined his quick thinking would prevent an assassination attempt on Britain’s royal family and earn him the gratitude of an entire nation—and the scorn of an ultra-left-wing faction of the IRA. Irish terrorist Sean Miller and his followers in the Ulster Liberation Army intend to make sure Ryan pays for his interference in blood. But he’s not the only one they’re after...

With the lives of his pregnant wife and young daughter in mortal danger, Ryan accepts a role as a CIA analyst in order to find Miller and shut down the ULA. Going head to head with a ruthless terrorist is a fool’s errand, but Jack Ryan is the kind of man who will do whatever it takes to protect his family.

Devs just released update 36. I've posted the highlights below which aren't even half the patch notes, its huge. The update is 276MB.

View Patch Notes

Highlights

• Added new 'Region' option to Conquest creation screen that will choose map pool selection. Ex. Osftront Maps only, Osftront + Finnish Maps etc. Feature is moddable.

• Added new prop 'engine' to vehicles with engines so only they have the engine button on the right control panel

• Moved Engine button in right control panel to same location as cannon switch stance button

• Moved Ammo Switching Lock button in right control panel to where engine button use to be

• Added experimental pathing settings for vehicles and cannons to not get stuck on cliff edges and trenches as often

• Added "Kick" button for MP and CooP hosts to use during loading screen

• Added new pathing settings for vehicles and cannons to not get stuck on cliff edges and trenches as often and work on bridges and tight spaces better

• Fixed several memory leak related crashes

• Fixed several Conquest related crashes

• Fixed several online sync issues

• Fixed several cases of humans not shooting at other humans due to skeleton limits and alignment

• Fixed humans being able to walk through windows/walls of buildings when ordered to garrison/crew a window

• Fixed human continuing previous move order, when new move order was to garrison/crew a window. New order should override old order now, as it should

• Fixed canceling a squad formation move order so that whole squad stops instead of just squad leader

• Fixed crash on MP server on airstrike, if airstrike can't happen (cooldown)

• Fixed sync issue with cannon when link/unlink using quick command

• Fixed inventory sometimes weapon stayed locked ("flashing") after failed boarding attempt

• Rebalanced spawns and capture point positions for Domination and Battlezone maps

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

• First published July 19, 2022
• 342 pages

On Sale At:

• Amazon
• B&N
• Kobo

Carlota Moreau: A young woman growing up on a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of a researcher who is either a genius or a madman.

Montgomery Laughton: A melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.

The hybrids: The fruits of the doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.

All of them live in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Dr. Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.

For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and, in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is both a dazzling historical novel and a daring science fiction journey.

Verne: The Shape of Fantasy

• Price : $14.99 USD
• Release Date: August 14, 2023
• Developer: Gametopia
• Trailer: Youtube
• Steam: Steam

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1424600/Verne_The_Shape_of_Fantasy/

Become Jules Verne and adventure into the dangers that hide in Hemera, a fantastic parallel world built from his own imagination. Explore, solve puzzles and unlock the most coveted secret of the mighty Atlantis.

The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu

• First published August 9, 2022
• 545 pages

On Sale At:

• Amazon
• B&N
• Kobo

So many stories begin the same way: With a prophecy. A chosen one. And the inevitable quest to slay a villain, save the kingdom, and fulfill a grand destiny.

But this is not that kind of story.

It does begin with a prophecy: A child will rise to defeat the Eternal Khan, a cruel immortal god-king, and save the kingdom.

And that prophecy did anoint a hero, Jian, raised since birth in luxury and splendor, and celebrated before he has won a single battle.

But that’s when the story hits its first twist: The prophecy is wrong.

What follows is a story more wondrous than any prophecy could foresee, and with many unexpected heroes: Taishi, an older woman who is the greatest grandmaster of magical martial arts in the kingdom but who thought her adventuring days were all behind her; Sali, a straitlaced warrior who learns the rules may no longer apply when the leader to whom she pledged her life is gone; and Qisami, a chaotic assassin who takes a little too much pleasure in the kill.

And Jian himself, who has to find a way to become what he no longer believes he can be—a hero after all.

The devs posted Dev update #132

There's lots of cool screenshots and it looks like there will be an open beta before before Liberation launches.

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/400750/view/3668798644189379664

Some Highlights:

SP campaign The SP campaign has a different approach than usual in two ways. First of all, we have focused on particular fighting units, with 2 units in each campaign. The second difference is the fact that we have integrated the skirmishes in the US SP campaign storyline. As our Store page mentions, the US campaign focuses on the 2nd Rangers and the 3rd armored division. As you may know, the 2nd Rangers did much more than take Pointe du Hoc on D-Day; they fought in Belgium and Germany as well. The 3rd armored division arrived in France a few weeks after D-DAY, and started making history immediately.

On the German side, the SP campaign follows the 3rd Fallschirmjäger division, which arrived in Normandy 4 days after D- Day, and 116th Panzer division. Both of these units were in the thick of it after D-Day and both fought until the end. The 4 skirmishes for the US faction will be integrated in the SP campaign, filling in the spaces in the linear storytelling. Basically this will give the player a 10 mission storyline.

Jade City by Fonda Lee

• First published November 7, 2017
• 612 pages

On Sale At:

• Amazon
• B&N
• Kobo

The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion--but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself.

Sylvanas by Christie Golden

• First published March 29, 2022
• 496 pages

• Amazon
• B&N
• Kobo

Ranger-General. Banshee Queen. Warchief. Sylvanas Windrunner has borne many titles. To some, she is a hero—to others, a villain. But whether in pursuit of justice, vengeance, or something more, Sylvanas has always sought to control her own destiny.

The power to achieve her goals has never been closer, as Sylvanas works alongside the Jailer to liberate all Azeroth from the prison of fate. Her final task? Secure the fealty of their prisoner—King Anduin Wrynn.

To succeed, Sylvanas will be forced to reflect on the harrowing path that brought her to the Jailer’s side and to reveal her truest self to her greatest rival. Here, Sylvanas’s complete story is laid bare: the breaking of the Windrunner family and her rise to Ranger- General; her own death at the hands of Arthas and her renewed purpose in founding the Forsaken; the moment she first beheld the Maw and understood the true consequences of what lay beyond the veil of death.

But as her moment of victory draws near, Sylvanas Windrunner will make a choice that may ultimately come to define her. A choice that’s hers to make.

• Amazon
• B&N
• Kobo

The next adventure in the High Republic begins expanding the new era of Star Wars, with a story set generations before Light of the Jedi.

It is an age of exploration. Jedi travel the galaxy, expanding their understanding of the Force and all the worlds and beings connected by it. Meanwhile, the Republic, led by its two chancellors, works to unite worlds in an ever-growing community among near and distant stars.

On the close orbiting planets of Eiram and E’ronoh, the growing pains of a galaxy with limited resources but unlimited ambition are felt keenly. Their hatred for each other has fueled half a decade of escalating conflict and now threatens to consume surrounding systems. The last hope for peace emerges when heirs from the two planets’ royal families plan to marry.

Before lasting peace can be established, an assassination attempt targeting the couple tilts Eiram and E’ronoh back into all-out war. To save both worlds, Jedi Knight Gella Nattai volunteers to uncover the culprit, while Chancellor Kyong appoints her son, Axel Greylark, to represent the Republic’s interests in the investigation.

But Axel’s deep distrust of the Jedi sparks against Gella’s faith in the Force. She’s never met such a puffed-up, privileged party boy, and he’s never met a more self-serious, relentless do-gooder. The more they work to untangle the shadowy web of the investigation, the more complicated the conspiracy appears to be. With accusations flying and potential enemies in every shadow, the pair will have to work together to have any hope of bringing the truth to light and saving both worlds.

Sherlock Holmes Franchise Sale

• Sale Price : Varies from $1.99 USD and up
• Sale Ends: August 28, 2023
• Developer: Frogwares
• Sale On: Steam

https://store.steampowered.com/sale/sherlockholmes/

All the Sherlock Holmes games developed by Frogwares are on sale.

The older games are a bit rough but they recently released some updates so they run better on newer computers.

Snapshot of everything that's on sale below

Click/Tap Here to View Full Size Image

Link to Book on Amazon

• Author: William Meikle
• Authors Mastadon: https://mstdn.ca/@williemeikle
• Authors Website: https://www.williammeikle.com
• Added: August 20, 2023
• Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror
• Length: 128 Pages
• ASIN: B0CG5CBWJF
• X-Ray: No

Mankind is spreading through the Solar System but, as yet, is still alone in the vastness of space.

That is all about to change.

A small team of intrepid scientists and engineers have made the long trip through the dark to Jupiter’s moon, Europa, and set up camp on an icy plain under the looming watch of Jupiter above them.

Initial samples show that the planet is host to primitive, unicellular life.

A submersible makes its first dive under the moon’s icy surface and finds signs that the life forms may not be quite so primitive after all. They uncover an indigenous species that shows signs of being capable of swarming together to achieve goals impossible for a single cell, a colonial organism that they nickname Opa. These Opas swarm in several different configurations in the cold dark ocean beneath.

The teams A.I. is set the task of deciphering the science behind the Opa’s dances, a swirling, and swooping that looks very similar to the movements of great flocks of birds back on Earth. Science is done, samples are taken back to the lab on the surface… and that’s when the trouble begins. The Opas have been given a chance to roam in a new environment. A human environment.

Mankind is not the only species hungry for exploration. The Opas escape into the expedition’s living quarters.

They are curious, and hungry.

They are voracious for food…

And they will kill every living organism in the space station!

The devs posted a huge dev diary a few days ago. I took a screenshot of just a small part of the dev diary below, to see it in full follow the link.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/400750/announcements/detail/3657539010844237399