Robert Tschorn Books

Základní kurz na většině středověkých univerzit se skládal ze studia sedmi svobodných umění. Nižší úroveň (gramatika, rétorika a dialektika) se nazývala trivium a úroveň vyšší, kvadrivium, zahrnovala studium aritmetiky, geometrie, hudby a astronomie. Kvadrivium lze chápat jako studium čísel ve vztahu k prostoročasu: aritmetika se zabývá čistými čísly, geometrie čísly v prostoru, hudba čísly v čase a astronomie (kosmologie) čísly v časoprostoru. Kniha Kvadrivium vznikla jako syntéza šesti publikací řady Pergamen, která pro českého čtenáře již téměř deset let systematicky mapuje lidské poznání na pomezí vědy a tajemna. Stejně jako u jednotlivých titulů řady jde o atraktivně graficky zpracované ochutnávky velkých témat, které se nebrání mystice ani čisté spekulaci. Jednotlivé knihy byly pro Kvadrivium aktualizovány, doplněny o řadu nových kapitol, tabulek a přehledů a propojeny odkazovým aparátem. Kniha poskytne mnoho potěšení každému, kdo se nebojí přemýšlet o velkých tématech, a uvítá názorného průvodce po jejich říši s doprovodem stovek půvabných ilustrací.

Ve druhém dílu fantasy ságy se Jednomyslně zvolení setkají se zlem v nové podobě, ale je to hlavně Samuel, který mu bude čelit tváří v tvář. Přešel času běh a draci zmizeli. Zdálo by se, že zlo je poraženo a Jednomyslně zvolení bez překážek dostojí svému slibu. S jakou lehkostí by se tomu dalo uvěřit. Jenže pravda je jiná a odhaluje bezduché násilí, které tu po dracích zůstalo a z jehož temné hlubiny se vynoří hrůzovláda netušené síly. Ale prozatím není nic ztraceno a Poutník, Modrooká, Horal, Lovec a Johan jedou vstříc nové naději.

Neal Stephenson hacks into the secret histories of nations and the private obsessions of men, decrypting with dazzling virtuosity the forces that have shaped the past century. Weaving together the cracking of the Axis codes during WWII and the quest to establish a free South East Asian 'data haven' for digital information in the present, Cryptonomicon explores themes of power, information, secrecy and war in the twentieth century in a gripping and page-turning thriller.

Two warriors shepherd an ancient god across a broken land to end the tyrannical reign of a royal family in this new epic fantasy from the author of The Vanished Birds.The people suffer under the centuries-long rule of the Moon Throne. The royal family—the despotic emperor and his monstrous sons, the Three Terrors—hold the countryside in their choking grip. They bleed the land and oppress the citizens with the frightful powers they inherited from the god locked under their palace.But that god cannot be contained forever.With the aid of Jun, a guard broken by his guilt-stricken past, and Keema, an outcast fighting for his future, the god escapes from her royal captivity and flees from her own children, the triplet Terrors who would drag her back to her unholy prison. And so it is that she embarks with her young companions on a five-day pilgrimage in search of freedom—and a way to end the Moon Throne forever. The journey ahead will be more dangerous than any of them could have imagined.Both a sweeping adventure story and an intimate exploration of identity, legacy, and belonging, The Spear Cuts Through Water is an ambitious and profound saga that will transport and transform you—and is like nothing you’ve ever read before.

Úplné vydání dnes již kultovní sbírky povídek, sestavené snad nejznámějším americkým SF autorem 20. století – Isaacem Asimovem. V původním českém vydání z roku 1979 bylo vypuštěno pět povídek, které jsou v tomto vydání doplněny. Antologie obsahuje povídky těchto autorů: Stanley G.Weinbaum, Don A. Stuart, Lester del Rey, Milton A. Rothman, Robert A. Heinlein, Hal Clement, A. J. Deutsch, James Blish, William Morrison, Jerome Bixby, Arthur C. Clarke, James E. Gunn, Hal Clement, Isaac Asimov, H. Beam Piper, Walter S. Trevis, Larry Niven.

Mastersmith Elof Valantor pursues his love, Kara, to an unknown land where he is faced with the greatest challenge of his life

The fourth novel in Isaac Asimov’s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series THE EPIC SAGA THAT INSPIRED THE APPLE TV+ SERIES FOUNDATION At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations has come to an end. The scientists of the First Foundation have proved victorious, and now they return to Hari Seldon’s long established plan to build a new Empire on the ruins of the old. But rumors persist that the Second Foundation is not destroyed after all—and that its still-defiant survivors are preparing their revenge. Now two exiled citizens of the Foundation—a renegade Councilman and a doddering historian—set out in search of the mythical planet Earth . . . and proof that the Second Foundation still exists. Meanwhile someone—or something—outside of both Foundations seems to be orchestrating events to suit its own ominous purpose. Soon representatives of both the First and Second Foundations will find themselves racing toward a mysterious world called Gaia and a final, shocking destiny at the very end of the universe.

WINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST ALL-TIME SERIES The Foundation series is Isaac Asimov's iconic masterpiece. Unfolding against the backdrop of a crumbling Galactic Empire, the story of Hari Seldon's two Foundations is a lasting testament to an extraordinary imagination, one that shaped science fiction as we know it today. Faced with determining the fate of the galaxy, Golan Trevize hesitantly chose to hand over the rule of the galaxy to planet Gaia. Two mysteries now remain: who has erased the records of Earth - and why? Determined to ensure his choice was right, Golan sets off with Janov Pelorat and Bliss, to answer these questions once and for all. But nothing could prepare them for the secrets which await them on Earth. Secrets which predate history as they know it, and will change its significance forever...

A brilliant sci-fi novel from one of the last century's most influential pop culture figures Substance D - otherwise known as Death - is the most dangerous drug ever to find its way on to the black market. It destroys the links between the brain's two hemispheres, leading first to disorentation and then to complete and irreversible brain damage. Bob Arctor, undercover narcotics agent, is trying to find a lead to the source of supply, but to pass as an addict he must become a user, and soon, without knowing what is happening to him, he is as dependent as any of the addicts he is monitoring.

Fantasy fiction by the author of T̀he Belgarian', and T̀he Malloreon sagas'.

David Eddings returns to The Elenium, the splendid fantasy series that began with the thrilling novels Diamond Throne and Ruby Knight. Finally the knight Sparhawk had come to possess Bhelliom, legendary jewel of magic that alone could save Queen Ehlana from the deadly poison that had felled her father. Sparhawk and Sephrenia, ageless instructor in Styric magics, made haste to free Ehlana from the crystalline cocoon that had preserved her life while they desperately sought a cure. But Bhellion carried dangers of its own. Once the stone came into his hands, Sparhawk found himself stalked by a dark, lurking menace. Whether the foul Zemoch God Azash was behind this threat, or some other enemy, even Sephrenia could not say—only that the sapphire rose held powers too dangerous for any mortal to bear. Restoring Queen Ehlana would be only the beginning of Sparhawk’s mission. With the aid of four stalwart knights, one from each Militant Order, he must thwart Ehlana’s prisoner, the Primate Annias, in his plot to assume the throne of the Church. For as Archprelate, Annias would serve his secret master, Azash, and deliver up to the dread God the one thing Azash thirsted for—Bhelliom itself!

The inspiration for the Syfy miniseries. Childhood’s End is one of the defining legacies of Arthur C. Clarke, the author of 2001: A Space Odyssey and many other groundbreaking works. Since its publication in 1953, this prescient novel about first contact gone wrong has come to be regarded not only as a science fiction classic but as a literary thriller of the highest order. Spaceships have suddenly appeared in the skies above every city on the planet. Inside is an intellectually, technologically, and militarily superior alien race known as the Overlords. At first, their demands seem benevolent: unify Earth, eliminate poverty, end war. But at what cost? To those who resist, it’s clear that the Overlords have an agenda of their own. Has their arrival marked the end of humankind . . . or the beginning? Praise for Childhood’s End “A first-rate tour de force.”—The New York Times “Frighteningly logical, believable, and grimly prophetic . . . Clarke is a master.”—Los Angeles Times “There has been nothing like it for years; partly for the actual invention, but partly because here we meet a modern author who understands that there may be things that have a higher claim on humanity than its own ‘survival.’ ”—C. S. Lewis “As a science fiction writer, Clarke has all the essentials.”—Jeremy Bernstein, The New Yorker

"A human being is a soft, weak creature. It needs constant supplies of air, water, and food; it has to spend a third of its life asleep, and it can't work if the temperature is too hot or too cold. But a robot is made of strong metal. It uses electrical energy directly, never sleeps, and can work in any temperature. It is stronger, more efficient - and sometimes more human than human beings. Isaac Asimov was one of the greatest science-fiction writers, and these short stories give us an unforgettable and terrifying vision of the future."--Back cover

A brutal triple murder in a remote northwestern crofting community in 1869 leads to the arrest of a young man by the name of Roderick Macrae. There.s no question that Macrae is guilty, but the police and courts must uncover what drove him to murder the local village constable. And who were the other two victims? Ultimately, Macrae.s fate hinges on one key question: is he insane? ?A story ingeniously recounted through the accused.s memoir, trial transcripts and newspaper reports, His Bloody Project is a riveting literary thriller that will appeal to fans of Hannah Kent.s Buria

Everybody has regrets. They're a fundamental part of our lives. In The Power of Regret, Pink explains how we can enlist our regrets to make smarter decisions, perform better and deepen our sense of meaning and purpose. Drawing on the largest sampling of attitudes about regret ever conducted from his own World Regret Survey, Pink identifies the four core regrets that most people have. With his signature blend of big ideas and practical takeaways, captivating stories and crisp humour, he argues that by understanding what people regret the most, we can understand what they value the most. We can transform our regrets into a positive force for working smarter and living better.

Decades ago, Japan won the Second World War. Americans worship their infallible Emperor, and nobody believes that Japan's conduct in the war was anything but exemplary. Nobody, that is, except the George Washingtons -- a group of rebels fighting for freedom. Their latest terrorist tactic is to distribute an illegal video game that asks players to imagine what the world might be like if the United States had won the war instead. Captain Beniko Ishimura's job is to censor video games, and he's tasked with getting to the bottom of this disturbing new development. But Ishimura's hiding something...kind of. He's slowly been discovering that the case of the George Washingtons is more complicated than it seems, and the subversive videogame's origins are even more controversial and dangerous than the censors originally suspected. A spiritual sequel to Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle, United States of Japan carries on the legacy of Dick's famous alternate history, focusing on how Americans and Japanese deal with their guilt and troubled relationship to the past.

When Lucy Brennan, a Miami Beach personal-fitness trainer, disarms a gunman chasing two frightened homeless men, the police and the breaking-news cameras are not far behind and, within hours, Lucy is a media hero. The solitary eye-witness is the depressed and overweight Lena Sorensen, who becomes obsessed with Lucy and signs up as her client - though she seems more interested in the trainer's body than her own. When the two women find themselves more closely aligned, and can't stop thinking about the sex lives of Siamese twins, the real problems start

Co všechno je člověk ochoten podstoupit pro lásku? Vyzvat samotné bohy? Leah a Olivie jsou kamarádky už od dětství. Leah se přátelila i s Oliviiným bratrem Ericem, ale to odnesl čas. Všichni tři patří mezi strážce živlů, které stvořili bozi, aby udržovali rovnováhu mezi přírodními silami, a kteří léta žijí ve vyhnanství. Leah s Olivií na rozdíl od Erica nezpochybňují trest, jejž bozi uvalili na jejich předky, a nesnaží se překonat hranici, která obklopuje jejich vesnici. Jenže pak se stane něco strašlivého, co Leah otřese natolik, že hněv bohů přestává být tou největší hrozbou.

Gives us a horrifying glimpse of an alternative world - one where the Allies have lost the Second World War.

Award-winning author Seth Dickinson explodes into a new genre with this new standalone novel, a science fiction debut. “Anna, I came to Earth tracking a very old story, a story that goes back to the dawn of time. it’s very unlikely that you’ll die right now. It wouldn’t be narratively complete.”

Naomi Seberg and Nathan Math, sensational photojournalists of the digital age, are both lovers and rivals. They traverse the world separately, meeting only in airport hotels or online, always in search of spectacular, often sordid stories. The case of Célestine and Aristide Arosteguy, a libertine couple and former philosophy professors, particularly captivates Naomi. Célestine is found mutilated in her Paris apartment, and her missing husband is suspected of having murdered and cannibalized her. Accompanied by Hervé Blomqvist, an eccentric student, Naomi embarks on a quest to find Aristide, leading her to Tokyo. Meanwhile, Nathan is in Budapest photographing Zoltán Molnár, a controversial surgeon wanted by Interpol for organ trafficking. After having an affair with one of Molnár's patients, Nathan contracts a strange illness, the "Roiphe disease," and travels to Toronto to meet the doctor who identified this mysterious syndrome. These parallel narratives intertwine in a plot that blends technology, body, 3D printing, and philosophy, exploring dark themes of death and sex in all its forms. David Cronenberg delves into the psychological and physical darkness of humanity in this debut novel, incorporating his cinematic themes and aesthetics.

Kniha esejí "O Pálení kníh" po prvý raz zhrnula do jedného zväzku štyri texty od Ericha Käastnera, v ktorých autor rozpráva, čo sa v roku 1933 – a aj neskôr stalo, ako sa to stalo a prečo sa to stalo. Erich Käastner je dvojitý korunný svedok hanebného činu – pálenia kníh. V noci 10. mája 1933 musel na námestí opery v Berlíne hľadieť, ako nacisti hádžu do ohňa jeho knihy a v roku 1965 v Düsseldorfe zažil, ako jeho knihy páli Spolok odhodlaných kresťanov.