This source contains excerpts from a Czech edition of the fantasy book The Last Wish, written by the celebrated author Andrzej Sapkowski. The text features a series of short stories centered on Geralt of Rivia, a professional monster hunter known as a witcher who navigates a world filled with magical threats and moral ambiguity. Through various dialogues and narrative fragments, the book explores themes of destiny, the blurring lines between humanity and monstrosity, and the political intricacies of the Northern Kingdoms. Notable characters such as the queen Calanthé, the bard Dandelion, and the sorcerer Stregobor appear alongside creatures like strigas and mutants. The document also provides supplementary material, including illustrations, a map of the world, and a table of contents detailing the structure of the collection.

Bernd Heinrich’s Summer World explores the complex biological strategies organisms use to survive and thrive during the season of plenty. The text details how environmental cues like temperature and daylight trigger crucial transitions, such as trees breaking dormancy or insects emerging from their pupal stage. Heinrich highlights the evolutionary arms race between predators and prey, specifically examining how caterpillars use camouflage and behavioral tricks to evade birds. He also documents the unique adaptations of desert life, where creatures like the Apache cicada manage extreme heat and water scarcity. Through personal observations of birds, insects, and flora, the author reflects on the interconnectedness of life and the physical constraints imposed by the changing seasons. Ultimately, the work serves as a naturalist’s meditation on the resilience and diverse survival mechanisms found throughout the natural world.

This excerpt from Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Allies by Christie Golden follows multiple narrative threads centered on shifting political tensions and an ancient threat. Luke Skywalker and his son Ben engage in an uneasy cooperation with Sith warriors to hunt the malevolent entity Abeloth within the Maw. On Coruscant, Chief of State Natasi Daala intensifies her siege of the Jedi Temple, while Tahiri Veila faces a high-stakes legal trial defended by an eccentric Bothan lawyer. Simultaneously, journalist Madhi Vaandt exposes the brutal reality of slavery on Vinsoth, sparking a revolutionary spirit that threatens the stability of the Galactic Alliance. The story further explores a crisis on Klatooine involving the desecration of the sacred Fountain of the Ancients, leading to the collapse of a millennia-old treaty. Ultimately, the characters must navigate a landscape of fragile alliances where the line between traditional heroes and villains becomes increasingly blurred.