Ebook : A Midsummer Night's Dream - William Shakespeare

The play features three interlocking plots, connected by a celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazonian queen Hippolyta, and set simultaneously in the woodland, and in the realm of Fairyland, under the light of the moon.^[3]

In the opening scene, Hermia refuses to follow her father, Egeus's instructions for her to marry his chosen man, Demetrius. In response, Egeus quotes before Theseus an ancient Athenian law whereby a daughter must marry the suitor chosen by her father, or else face death. Theseus does not want this young girl to die, and offers her another choice, lifelong chastity worshipping the goddess Diana as a nun. (The word 'nun' in this sense is an anachronism.)

Hermia and her lover Lysander decide to elope by escaping through the forest at night. Hermia informs her friend Helena, but Helena has recently been rejected by Demetrius and decides to win back his favour by revealing the plan to him. Demetrius, followed doggedly by Helena, chases Hermia. Hermia and Lysander, believing themselves safely out of reach, sleep in the woods.

Meanwhile, Oberon, king of the fairies, and his queen, Titania, arrive in the forest outside Athens. Titania tells Oberon that she plans to stay there until after she has attended Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding. Oberon and Titania are estranged because Titania refuses to give her Indian changeling to Oberon for use as his "knight" or "henchman," since the child's mother was one of Titania's worshippers. Oberon seeks to punish Titania's disobedience and recruits the mischievous Puck (also called Hobgoblin and Robin Goodfellow) to help him apply a magical juice from a flower called "love-in-idleness" (a.k.a. pansy), which makes the victim fall in love with the first living thing seen upon awakening. He instructs Puck to retrieve the flower so that he can make Titania fall in love with some vile creature of the forest. Oberon applies the juice to Titania in order to distract her and force her to give up the page-boy.

Having seen Demetrius act cruelly toward Helena, Oberon orders Puck to spread some of the elixir on the eyelids of the young Athenian man. Instead, Puck accidentally puts the juice on the eyes of Lysander, who then falls in love with Helena. Oberon sees Demetrius still following Hermia and is enraged. When Demetrius decides to go to sleep, Oberon sends Puck to get Helena while he charms Demetrius' eyes. Due to Puck's errors, both lovers now fight over Helena instead of Hermia. Helena, however, is convinced that her two suitors are mocking her, as neither loved her originally. The four pursue and quarrel with each other most of the night, until they become so enraged that they seek a place to duel each other to the death to settle the quarrel. Oberon orders Puck to keep the lovers from catching up with one another in the forest and to re-charm Lysander for Hermia, to prevent them all from killing each other.

Meanwhile, a band of lower-class labourers ("rude mechanicals", as they are famously described by Puck) have arranged to perform a crude play about Pyramus and Thisbe for Theseus' wedding, and venture into the forest, near Titania's bower, for their rehearsal. Nick Bottom, a stage-struck weaver, is spotted by Puck, who transforms his head into that of an ass (donkey). Titania is awakened by Bottom's singing and immediately falls in love with him. She treats him like a nobleman and lavishes him with attention. While in this state of devotion, she encounters Oberon and casually gives him the Indian boy. Having achieved his goals, Oberon releases Titania and orders Puck to remove the ass's head from Bottom. The magical enchantment is removed from Lysander but is allowed to remain on Demetrius, so that he may reciprocate Helena's love.

The fairies then disappear, and Theseus and Hippolyta arrive on the scene, during an early morning hunt. They wake the lovers and, since Demetrius doesn't love Hermia anymore, Theseus over-rules Egeus's demands and arranges a group wedding. The lovers decide that the night's events must have been a dream. After they all exit, Bottom awakes, and he too decides that he must have experienced a dream "past the wit of man." In Athens, Theseus, Hippolyta and the lovers watch the mechanicals perform "Pyramus and Thisbe." It is ridiculous and badly performed but gives everyone pleasure regardless, and afterward everyone retires to bed.

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Ebook : The Host - Stephenie Meyer

Melanie Stryder is one of few "wild" humans - rebels who have evaded the alien souls that have taken over the Earth. With her younger brother Jamie and the man she loves, Jared Howe, Mel is on the run from souls who hunt down host bodies for use. Souls are creatures that rely upon host bodies to survive. After insertion, they erase any mental presence of the being there prior and establish a claim over the body and mind. Earth is Wanderer's ninth planet, and Mel is her ninth host body. Upon waking inside her new body, she is shocked not only by the vividness of human emotions, memories, and senses, but quickly learns that Melanie Stryder is not willing to give up her mind.

Wanderer is bombarded with memories and her host body's yearning for Jared and Jamie, and finds herself in love with the humans and desperate to see if they are still alive. On a road trip to Tucson, Melanie remembers her Uncle Jeb telling her about a secret hideaway he once made. Wanderer sets out to find the hideaway, and is found half-dead with exhaustion and dehydration by Jeb. She is taken back to the caves in which a rebel cell lives, but is treated spitefully as they believe Wanderer to be a "parasite" in Melanie's body. Kyle and Ian O'Shea, two brothers, attempt to kill Wanderer, but are stopped by Jeb. Given time, Wanderer becomes a part of the routine by working, eating, and becoming an unofficial history teacher after evening meals; some even grow to believe that Mel is present in her mind as well. During this time Ian befriends Wanda, as she is most often called. Meanwhile, Ian begins to fall in love with Wanda, who is confused because of the love she feels for Jared. Insisting that Ian is only in love with her body, not Wanda the soul, Wanda rejects him.

When Jamie returns from a raid with an infected cut to the leg, Wanda and Jared sneak out to a hospital where she steals supplies to bring back to Jamie and the rest. At this point the humans realize that Wanda can be of use to them as a raider, since she is trusted by other souls. Following another raid, Wanda decides to reveal her biggest secret: how to remove a soul without killing either the human or the soul, a procedure that their doctor had been attempting unsuccessfully. She promises to teach Doc under two conditions: first, he promises to send the souls to new planets, and second, he promises to remove Wanda's soul from Melanie's body and bury Wanda, who does not want to be a parasite any longer.

Wanda sneaks away from Ian, who is enraged at the idea of Wanda ending her life, and has Doc remove her from Melanie's body. Later, however, she awakens in a new one, and it is revealed that none of the humans wished for her to leave. The book ends with the rebels, when on a raid with Wanda, discovering another rebel group who also have a soul amongst them. This discovery suggests that humanity may still have hope for the future.

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Ebook : Midnight Sun - Stephenie Meyer (1-12)

Midnight Sun was an expected companion novel to the book Twilight by author Stephenie Meyer. It would be a retelling of the events of Twilight, but written from the perspective of Edward Cullen as opposed to that of Bella Swan.^[1] Meyer has stated that Twilight is the only possible book from the series that she plans to rewrite from Edward's perspective.^[2] To give them a better feel of Edward's character, Meyer allowed Catherine Hardwicke, the director of the film adaptation of Twilight, and Robert Pattinson, the actor playing Edward, to read some completed chapters of the novel while they filmed the movie.^[3]

On August 28, 2008, Meyer halted the writing of Midnight Sun. This was done in response to the illegal leak of twelve chapters of the unfinished manuscript on the Internet. She stated, "If I tried to write Midnight Sun now, in my current frame of mind, James would probably win and all the Cullens would die, which wouldn't dovetail too well with the original story. In any case, I feel too sad about what has happened to continue working on Midnight Sun, and so it is on hold indefinitely."^[1] She made the twelve-chaptered draft available on her website in fairness to her readers, now that the novel has been compromised before its intended publication date.^[4] Meyer also stated that she doesn't believe the manuscript was leaked with any malicious intent, and would not give any names.^[1]

In a November 2008 interview, Meyer said that, "It's really complicated, because everyone now is in the driver's seat, where they can make judgment calls. [...] I do not feel alone with the manuscript. And I cannot write when I don't feel alone."^[5] She said that her goal was to go for around two years without hearing about Midnight Sun, and she thought that she would begin working on the novel again once she was sure that "everyone's forgotten about it".

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Ebook : Brisingr - Christopher Paolini

Eragon, Roran, and Saphira rescue Roran's betrothed, Katrina, who is held prisoner at Helgrind, the dwelling place of the Ra'zac. Eragon also finds Sloan, Katrina's imprisoned father and a traitor to Carvahall. While Saphira, Roran and Katrina return to the Varden, Eragon slays the remaining Ra'zac. Using Sloan's true name (discovered by accident), Eragon commands him to travel towards the Elves' domain before returning to the Varden himself. Meanwhile, Arya finds Eragon in a town named Eastcroft, and together, they return to the Varden. At the Varden's camp, Eragon reverses the curse he accidentally set upon Elva and repays small debts, and settles other minor affairs. Thus, the subtitle, The Seven Promises of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular.

Murtagh and his dragon, Thorn, attack the Varden shortly after Eragon's return, but Elven spell-casters, sent by the Elven Queen Islanzadi aid Eragon and Saphira, forcing Murtagh to flee. After the fight, Roran marries Katrina. Nasuada then orders Eragon to attend the election of the new dwarf king, insisting Saphira stay behind. Among the dwarves, Eragon is reunited with Orik, who is now the chief of his clan, Dûrgrimst Ingeitum. An unsuccessful attempt to kill Eragon is found to be the work of the clan Az Sweldn rak Anhûin. Orik successfully forces Az Sweldn rak Anhûin into exile. Having won the trust of the dwarves, Orik is elected the new dwarf king. At Orik's coronation, Saphira mends Isidar Mithrim, which Arya had shattered while rescuing Eragon from Durza.

Eragon and Saphira go to Ellesméra to continue their training. There, Oromis and Glaedr reveal that Brom, not Morzan, is Eragon's father. Glaedr also reveals the source of Galbatorix's power: Galbatorix controls hundreds of Eldunarí, or the Heart of Hearts, which preserve Dragons' consciousnesses until destroyed, even after the Dragon's physical demise. Though a Dragon cannot physically exist through its Eldunarí, a dragon could still channel its energy into the bearer of the heart, and also impart its knowledge and wisdom. Eragon then visits an Elven blacksmith, Rhunön, who helps forge Eragon a new sword, which he names Brisingr, using the substance brightsteel found under the Menoa Tree. Whenever Eragon says the name Brisingr his sword ignites in blue flames, just like when Saphira breathes fire. Before Eragon and Saphira set off to return to the Varden, Oromis says that the time has come to openly oppose Galbatorix alongside Islanzadí. Glaedr gives his Eldunarí to Eragon and Saphira before they part.

Meanwhile, after marrying Katrina, Roran is sent on various missions as part of the Varden's military. One of his targets, a convoy of the empire's supply wagons, was guarded by soldiers who feel no pain, and Roran's unit suffers extreme casualties. Only nine return to the Varden, and the commander is replaced after losing his hand. Later on, on a mission to take back one of the Surdan cities, the new commander's plan almost kills the soldiers, but Roran takes over and gives new orders. Despite saving the mission, and killing one hundred and ninety-three men on his own, Roran is charged with insubordination, and is relieved of his duties. When they arrive back at the Varden, Nasuada promotes Roran to commander and sends him on another mission. When he returns he joins the siege of the city of Feinster.

Eragon and Saphira return to the Varden in the midst of the siege of Feinster. Eragon and Arya find the leader of the city, Lady Lorana, but discover that her three magicians are attempting to create a Shade. While racing to kill the magicians, Eragon passes out as Glaedr's Eldunarí shows Oromis and Murtagh fighting near the city of Gil'ead. Galbatorix takes control of Murtagh as Oromis suffers a seizure, and Eragon watches as Oromis is slain by Murtagh. Glaedr furiously charges at Thorn, who evades and kills him. Eragon regains consciousness, and he helps Arya kill the Shade, much like Arya did in Farthen Dur. After the successful siege, Eragon tells Nasuada and Arya about Oromis and Glaedr. Nasuada then tells Eragon that the Varden plan to march to Belatona, then to Dras-Leona, and finally to Urû'baen, where they plan to kill Galbatorix.

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Ebook : Eldest - Christopher Paolini

The first events in this book are the attack on Ajihad's life, his death and funeral, the disappearance of Murtagh and The Twins, - two magicians of the Varden - who are captured by Urgals and assumed dead, and the election of a new leader of the Varden - Nasuada, Ajihad's daughter, to whom Eragon swears fealty following some internal politics among the Varden's Council of Elders.

Meanwhile, in Carvahall, Roran is being pursued by Galbatorix, the tyrant king of The Empire, who has sent the Ra'zac and a unit of soldiers to capture him and thus lure Eragon out. After repelling many attacks, the town manages to drive the army away, but Katrina, Roran's fiancée, is captured by the Ra'zac, due to the betrayal of Sloan. They decide to leave Carvahall and travel to Surda. Roran earns the name "Stronghammer" because he defended Carvahall with a hammer given to him by Horst.

By that time, Eragon has decided to go to Du Weldenvarden to pursue his training. After some adventures on the way, Eragon arrives at his destination and meets Islanzadí, the Elven Queen. It is revealed that Arya is Islanzadí's daughter. Eragon is introduced to another Dragon Rider, Oromis; the Mourning Sage or Osthato Chetowa: The Cripple Who Is Whole, Togira Ikonoka; who shielded Eragon in the first book. Eragon and Saphira begin their training with Oromis and his dragon Glaedr. Oromis and Glaedr escaped from Galbatorix, though with injuries: one of Glaedr's forelegs where cut off, and Oromis suffers from an incurable disease, leaving him vulnerable to sudden seizures. However, Galbatorix was as yet unaware that a Dragon Rider had survived the Fall. Eragon learns how to read and fluently speak the Ancient Language, as well to use various magic skills. While Eragon's feelings for Arya increase, he continues to train under Oromis and suffers repeated bouts of pain from the scar on his back that Durza, the Shade gave him. Nevertheless, he and Saphira grow steadily more powerful, but he is held back immensely by the pain from his scar.

Nasuada has made a momentous decision and moved the Varden to Surda. Here, she learns that the blessing Eragon bestowed on the child in Eragon was worded wrongly due to his lack of basic knowledge of the Ancient Language at the time, becoming a curse of sorts. Eragon too is horrified when he hears of this, and promises to try and nullify it. In the meantime the girl, Elva, serves as a sort of bodyguard to Nasuada against Galbatorix's network of spies and assassins, the Black Hand, who are discovered in Surda.

On a traditional Elvish celebration day of the pact with the dragons, called the Blood-Oath Celebration, or the Agaetí Blödhren in the Ancient Language, Eragon is healed of his wound and, as an unprecedented gift from the dragons, gains elvish qualities that greatly enhance his strength and agility.

Because Nasuada moved the Varden, the threat of war with Galbatorix seems imminent. Upon hearing of this, Eragon immediately leaves for the battle in Surda and finds the situation poised on the edge of battle. The armies of the Varden, together with the army of Surda, camp on a plain opposite the vast armies of Galbatorix. Meanwhile, Roran and his men take command of a ship of the Empire - with the help of Jeod - the Dragon Wing, and arrive in time in Surda.

The battle begins, and Eragon and Saphira are able to repel the opposing armies for some time with his new training, but the tide soon turns. During the fighting, Roran arrives at Surda, and his group of villagers join the Varden in the battle. Then, with the appearance of the Dwarves from the east, the situation changes again; until an unknown Dragon Rider with his red dragon appear and kill Hrothgar, the Dwarf king. Also at the same time, the magicians of the Varden feel the presence of two new, powerful spell casters arrive on the battle-field and recognize them as the Twins, thought dead. The Twins systematically start killing off the Varden's group of magicians and sorcerers.

Eragon faces off with the unknown Rider in both aerial and ground fights and ultimately unmasks his opponent, revealing Murtagh. Murtagh tells Eragon that the Twins had betrayed the Varden and taken him to Galbatorix. Galbatorix made Murtagh and Thorn, his red Dragon, swear fealty in the Ancient Language. Galbatorix knows the true names of both Murtagh and his dragon, and thus is able to control them. Thorn finally hatching to Murtagh implies that one of the two remaining dragon eggs in existence has finally hatched, which was eagerly awaited by Galbatorix for a long time. Murtagh also reveals that Galbatorix is working to resurrect the race of the Dragons by capturing Saphira and having her mate with one of the two remaining dragons; Thorn or the other Dragon, which was still lying dormant in its egg, held by Galbatorix. Murtagh says that Saphira holds the key to a new era, because she is the only female dragon left in existence. He and Thorn prove to be more powerful than the battle-weary Eragon and Saphira. Murtagh displays great and terrible strength, using spells that would have killed a normal human. Meanwhile, the Twins are slain by Roran. Finally, Murtagh decides to have mercy on Eragon and Saphira, on account of their old friendship; but before leaving them, he reveals that Eragon was the younger son of Morzan and Selena (the Black hand), and that therefore Murtagh is Eragon's elder brother. Murtagh takes Zar'roc, Eragon's sword, saying it should rightfully have been his, as he is the eldest son of Morzan. After Murtagh and Thorn leave, Eragon decides that even though Morzan may be his biological parent, Garrow was his father and Roran is more of a brother than Murtagh. In the meantime, Galbatorix's army is forced to retreat after the arrival of the Dwarves, the death of the Twins, and the departure of Murtagh and Thorn. In the end, Eragon and Roran reunite and decide that they will seek out Katrina together.

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