Showing results by narrator "Jacob McNatt" in All Categories

The Core has labeled the authorized version of THE TIMELINE we constantly endeavor to maintain as the “approved timeline”—or ATL for short. To be sure, I once believed that time flowed like a river from point A to point B and then to point C, and so forth. Unfortunately, I have come to understand that it absolutely does not unfold in such an orderly fashion. The day of my departure from this mortal coil was as normal as these departures tend to be in all respects but one: It would be the occasion of my recruitment.

Mason and Ty were once the very best of friends, like two nerdy sides of the same coin . . . until seventh grade, when Ava Petrakis came along. Now Mason can trace everything bad in his life to that terrible fight they had over the new girl. The one thing he’d give anything for is a do-over. But that can’t happen in real life—can it?

A skilled martial artist beyond his years, 15-year-old Sparrow is on a grueling quest in search of a man with golden eyes, when he stumbles into a feud between two rival martial arts academies—one run by the brutish Master Mon, and the other by the wise Master Shin.

Take a journey through the eyes of a Marine scout sniper as he unveils the horrors of the mean streets of Ramadi, Iraq, in 2005, from losing fellow Marines and escaping death to dodging IEDs, snipers, and the chaos associated with a country’s first election. Continue the journey through Fallujah in 2007, where the fighting turns more inward, and the struggles faced when balancing the losses in war and at home. Fly through countless hours of combat missions in support of multiple countries’ militaries and the scars associated with flying the wounded and fallen back to base.

He wants a litter of puppies. But instead his parents have a different surprise. Jacob will be an older brother soon. And there won’t be only one new baby. There will be three! When the triplets are born, Jacob thinks puppies are cuter. The babies look identical to him and he gives them a name: “the Trips.” For a school science project, Jacob decides to study the Trips. It feels like magic as they begin to smile, talk, and grow. Slowly, he gets to know each of them. They call his mother “Mama” and his father “Da.” But what will they call him? One day, one of the Trips calls him “Jay.”

Never steal from an evil wizarding mastermind. But if fate forces you into staging an international heist? Rule One: Get your story straight before trying to smuggle magical items through customs. Rule Two: If you’re going to use a forged passport, make sure you trust the sketchy dude who made your papers. Rule Three: Be familiar with the local laws before spells start flying. Rule Four: Never trust cats. Rule Five: Don’t think being an ocean away from home will keep your troubles from catching up to you. Some shadows, you can’t outrun.

Soryn and Lucas leave their small village in quest of fame and fortune, when a beggar man on the road tells them of a treasure hidden within the neighboring Kingdom of Dahut. When he offers directions on where these riches can be found, he omits an important detail: The castle in which it is hidden is the home of Dahut's reigning royalty and where twin princesses violently battle for the queen's crown. Will Soryn and Lucas lose themselves in the brutal political fight between Princess Elana and Princess Vivian - while stealing the treasure from the depths of Castle Laurent?

I used to be your typical nerd, a total weakling, letting bullies like Bobby Graden push me around. Then one day, Bobby and I got hit by a car. Somehow, the accident changed us, as if something inside us responded. It made us strong, more than strong, actually. It gave us power. That power brought us together, our shared secret creating a friendship despite our differences. Bobby and I could do things no one else could, and it was exhilarating, fun. Until the day we found out we weren’t alone. And that, for others, power can be deadly serious.

When 16-year-old Deb heads to a roller derby tournament in Vegas, she hardly expects to skate against so many dangerous fairies - much less for The Realm to experience a coup in her absence. What follows is an odyssey among fairy nightlife, beastly derby girls, blown-out casinos, and a mermaid with a hankering for a Philly cheesesteak. Separated from her best friend Harlow, can Deb keep her head, or will she lose herself to the Dark Queen Sardonica?

There’s a new crane on the construction site! His name is Lefty and he's the opposite of Cranky—smiley, talkative, and a jokester. Everything Lefty does makes Cranky feel extra cranky. But everyone else seems to love him. What if Cranky's friends like Lefty more than him?

When Mike and Sam discover a message leading to ancient treasure on an uncharted island, they plot to escape their orphanage to hunt for the treasure. But the cruel administrator, Ms. Schwartz, has other plans for them. Can the genius boys escape in time? And what bizarre adventures await them on the mysterious Sun Stone Island?

Was humanity cursed after 9/11? These are trying times for many people. Quality of life seems to be on an accelerating downward slide that began on September 11, 2001. It is as if an unknown hand were tracing downward strokes on a cosmic touchscreen. Some would say the hand would be divine. Others, demonic. Still, others would blame witchcraft and black magic. Environmentalists might define the hand as humanity's own. Scientists would rule themselves out and deny that any science could be mad.

Just your average tech genius and sword-fighting enthusiast, inventing a device that could unlock the universe…or lead to its total destruction. After a decade of research and development, I've done it. I've created a personal wormhole transportation device, a feat that should have been the pinnacle of my career. But all my excitement turns to horror when I realize my boss is willing to kill to get his hands on my invention. Suddenly, the groundbreaking device I created becomes a deadly weapon, and the only way to survive is to use it.

I am a Time Traveler. According to the reckoning of the approved timeline (ATL), such has been my position for nigh unto seven months now. To be sure much has occurred since my arrival....

It's the last day at the construction site and Cranky the crane truck is feeling, well, cranky. And he doesn't want to talk about it. His friends Zippy, Wheezy, and Dump Chuck try to cheer him up. But you know what doesn't help when you're feeling cranky? A lot of talking. But what will help?