Video Game Ecologies and Culture
Video Game Ecologies and Culture examines the environments that video games affect and are impacted by. The edited collection engages with the notion of ecology as a critical concept that allows to study video game conceptions of human, posthuman, and natural environments and explore the entangled eco-cultural formations in video games and gaming. The contributions discuss the theme of video game ecologies with an interdisciplinary emphasis on the cultural, political, social, and ecological discourses pertaining to the medium and reflect on the relations and imaginaries developed through eco/critical video game practices. These interrelations are carved out in essays on relationality, kinship, and capitalist ruins, immersion in virtual marine ecosystems, video games and the commodification of ecocriticism, eco-colonial power formations, playing and recording nature, gender and post-anthropocentric game worlds, time-loop chronotopes, and ludoaffective dissonance and survival in video games.
Starfinder Rpg: Starfinder Player Core (S2)
The Starfinder Player Core is the definitive entry point for Starfinder Second Edition, with everything a player needs to learn how to play the game! Choose from 10 ancestries, six character classes, and hundreds of feats and spells to create unique characters ready to take on a ruthless galaxy awash with magic and opportunity. Starfinder Player Core brings the Starfinder RPG into its new edition and is now 100% compatible with the acclaimed Second Edition of the hit Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Along with GM Core and Alien Core, these books provide a new foundation for the future of tabletop gaming!Starfinder Player Core includes: Complete character creation rules, walking you through building a character by selecting your Ancestry, Background, and Class, with a focus on the envoy, mystic, operative, solarian, soldier, and witchwarper classes!Core ancestry options include android, barathu, human, kasatha, lashunta, pahtra, shirren, skittermander, vesk, and ysoki!A vast catalogue of options allowing you to customize your character including versatile heritages, like the undead borai and Drift-touched prismeni, skills and feats, and hundreds of spells, ensuring that the character you build represents your hero not just in story, but in rules as well!A primer on the Pact Worlds and wider galaxy, so your character can be a part of an exciting and diverse setting!Rules and tools to advance your character through play, taking them from a fresh-faced adventurer ready to take on the world to a veteran hero, wielding powerful magic that can reshape reality.Written by: Jessica Catalan, Thurston Hillman, Jenny Jarzabski, Mike Kimmel, and Dustin Knight.
Streaming by the Rest of Us
An in-depth investigation of the Twitch streamers who make up the largest population on the platform: those streaming to small audiences or even no one. The vast majority of people who stream themselves playing videogames online do so with few or no viewers. In Streaming by the Rest of Us, Mia Consalvo, Marc Lajeunesse, and Andrei Zanescu investigate who they are, why they do so, and why this form of leisure activity is important to understand. Unlike the esports athletes and streaming superstars who receive the lion's share of journalistic and academic attention, microstreamers are not in it for the money and barely have an audience. In this, the first book dedicated to the latter group, the authors gather interviews from dozens of microstreamers from 2017 to 2019 to discuss their lives, struggles, hopes, and goals. For readers interested in livestreaming, and Twitch in particular, the book rethinks the medium's history through accounts of the everyday uses of webcams, with particular attention to notions of liveness and authenticity. These two concepts have become calling cards for the videogame livestreaming platform and underlie streamer motivations, the construction of their practices (whether casual, serious, or anywhere in between), and the complex "metas" that take shape over time. The book also looks at the authors' own practices of livestreaming, focusing on what can be gained through experiencing the lived reality of the practice. Finally, the authors explain how Twitch's platform (studied from 2017-2023) informs how streamers structure their every day and how corporate ideologies bleed into real-world spaces like TwitchCon.
King's Anti-Sicilians for Black
This opening manual completes the Black repertoire against the Sicilian that uses the Kalashnikov as the main line. When possible, Black will opt for the adventurous moves 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5, covered in the book King's Kalashnikov. But if you play 1... c5 you must be ready for all those lines where White declines to play an Open Sicilian. In this volume King provides you with a repertoire against the so-called Anti-Sicilians, including the Rossolimo, the Alapin and the Grand Prix Attack. Other less frequently played variations such as the Morra and the Wing Gambit, are covered as well. Grandmaster Daniel King has played the Sicilian for over forty years and his clear explanations and practical approach will help you achieve your own successes. Additionally, there is a selection of annotated model games by grandmasters such as Magnus Carlsen, Anish Giri, as well as King himself, which demonstrate how the recommendations are applied in real games.The two volumes provide a compact and versatile repertoire for Black, focusing on the most important lines, and always aiming for dynamic middlegame play.
The Center Game
The Center Game is a wonderful opening for club players. White starts with a center push, develops quickly, looks for opposite castling, and launches an attack. The setup will feel very familiar to you in no time. And the chess engines show that this opening is both sound and correct, and at least as good as the over-analyzed Ruy Lopez and Italian Opening.With this opening, you'll get a middlegame position that you know very well, but quite often will be new to Black. This will probably guarantee you an advantage on the clock, which will further increase your winning chances.The author, Arne Moll, is an experienced club player, chess writer and chess book reviewer, so he knows exactly what the reader needs: the historical context, the basic strategic ideas of each line, the tactical patterns that will emerge, and some inspiring model games by great players such as Ian Nepomniatchi and Arjun Erigaisi --who uses the Center Game as a surprise weapon
Strategic Play with 1 E4
Many players approach the opening with a desire to learn sharp lines and out-prepare their opponents. This is an exhausting task, which gets more difficult by the day. However, there is a different strategy which is more practical and designed for longevity. This is to develop an advanced understanding of typical positions. Such a policy is the best approach against different move orders and new ideas. Milos Pavlovic's 1 e4 repertoire is based on lines where an understanding of plans and strategic ideas is more important than rote memorisation. The focus is on important positional considerations such as: - How to make the pieces work most effectively with a given pawn structure - How to spot weak points and exploit them - How to limit the opponent's counterplay Opening Repertoire: Strategic Play with 1 e4 guides the reader through a complete repertoire for White. Pavlovic examines the key aspects of each line and provides the reader with well-researched and fresh analysis. Every annotated game is a lesson on typical middlegame plans, based on the instructive question-and-answer method.
Alexander Alekhine - The Russian Sphinx
***Winner of the Chess Journalists of America Book of the Year award for 2025!***Award-winning historian Sergey Voronkov has written a four-volume psychological biography of Alexander Alekhine, presenting the former world chess champion in a much more complicated, conflicted and tragic light than you have ever seen him before! This first volume traces his early development through to his departure from Soviet Russia in 1921, while also attempting to untangle the knot of his complex relationships with all his five wives.Unpublished or long forgotten memoirs, as well as original newspaper and magazine articles from around the world, are drawn together in forensic research to paint the most extensive picture of Alekhine ever created. Key events in his life are reconsidered, including his release from internment in Germany during World War 1, his escape from execution in Odessa, his service under the Bolsheviks as a detective, his trip to the Urals as a Comintern translator, as well as just how he emigrated.His character development is considered beginning with a detailed examination of his childhood, based on memoirs of his classmates. Voronkov then considers Alekhine's transition from shy boy to dandy (and even the role played in that by his erstwhile friend Jos矇 Capablanca), as well as how our protagonist gained the mental toughness of a world champion, and his chess philosophy. Some details make you admire him, others make you pity him, still others cast him in an unfavorable light...Chess-wise, Voronkov presents over 50 games and fragments with original commentary by Alekhine and his opponents, most of which has not been published in books before. These include eleven completely unknown Alekhine games as well as ten game scores of other players with light commentary by Alekhine from the first Soviet Championship in 1920, found in Alexander Kotov's archive.In many cases, Alekhine's earliest annotations are compared with his later ones to the same games, often leading to surprising conclusions. In particular, Voronkov highlights brilliant variations shown in Alekhine's analysis that were supposedly found during play but which were actually discovered by the champion only years later when he republished his games. This led to Alekhine radically changing his assessments of positions in his writings as the years passed. We also see how Kotov had a habit of taking Alekhine's commentary and presenting it as his own.This book is illustrated by over 170 photos and other visuals, many published for the first time.Check out the Elk and Ruby website for special offers on this and other books!
Christmas Coloring Postcards
Featuring delightful patterns of holiday trees, Santa, reindeer, and other cheerful designs, this postcard collection is perfect for sharing the holiday spirit and celebrating the magic of Christmas. Each book in the series features a stunning gold-foil cover and includes 20 beautiful designs printed on thick, high-quality cardstock, with easy peel-out pages. The 5" x 7" cards are perfectly sized for framing, allowing users to display their art or send it as a heartfelt message. Users can simply color the front, personalize their note on the back, and add a stamp to send happy mail that's brimming with holiday cheer.
Candela Obscura Core Rulebook
Inside of the Candela Obscura Core Rulebook you'll discover: 204 detailed pages, with a satin ribbon to keep your place. The core rules to play and create your Candela Obscura investigators and their circles. Over 90 pages detailing the turn of the century-inspired setting of the Fairelands, and in detail the city of Newfaire and the ancient ruins beneath known as Oldfaire. 4 full example assignments for gamemasters to dive in with their players. Over 30 example assignments to explore far-flung corners of the Fairelands and the organizations and people operating within it. An extensive guide to preparing for and gamemastering Candela Obscura. Immersive, in-world ephemera and notes strewn throughout the chapters--illustrations, sketches, research notes, correspondences, advertisements, maps, and more to bring the Fairelands to life.
Alexander Alekhine - The Russian Sphinx
***Winner of the Chess Journalists of America Book of the Year award for 2025!***Award-winning historian Sergey Voronkov has written a four-volume psychological biography of Alexander Alekhine, presenting the former world chess champion in a much more complicated, conflicted and tragic light than you have ever seen him before! This first volume traces his early development through to his departure from Soviet Russia in 1921, while also attempting to untangle the knot of his complex relationships with all his five wives.Unpublished or long forgotten memoirs, as well as original newspaper and magazine articles from around the world, are drawn together in forensic research to paint the most extensive picture of Alekhine ever created. Key events in his life are reconsidered, including his release from internment in Germany during World War 1, his escape from execution in Odessa, his service under the Bolsheviks as a detective, his trip to the Urals as a Comintern translator, as well as just how he emigrated.His character development is considered beginning with a detailed examination of his childhood, based on memoirs of his classmates. Voronkov then considers Alekhine's transition from shy boy to dandy (and even the role played in that by his erstwhile friend Jos矇 Capablanca), as well as how our protagonist gained the mental toughness of a world champion, and his chess philosophy. Some details make you admire him, others make you pity him, still others cast him in an unfavorable light...Chess-wise, Voronkov presents over 50 games and fragments with original commentary by Alekhine and his opponents, most of which has not been published in books before. These include eleven completely unknown Alekhine games as well as ten game scores of other players with light commentary by Alekhine from the first Soviet Championship in 1920, found in Alexander Kotov's archive.In many cases, Alekhine's earliest annotations are compared with his later ones to the same games, often leading to surprising conclusions. In particular, Voronkov highlights brilliant variations shown in Alekhine's analysis that were supposedly found during play but which were actually discovered by the champion only years later when he republished his games. This led to Alekhine radically changing his assessments of positions in his writings as the years passed. We also see how Kotov had a habit of taking Alekhine's commentary and presenting it as his own.This book is illustrated by over 170 photos and other visuals, many published for the first time.Check out the Elk and Ruby website for special offers on this and other books!
Happy Day Coloring Postcards
Whether it's for a birthday, anniversary, spring holiday, or just a thoughtful gesture to brighten someone's day, this delightful postcard collection is perfect for celebrating friendship and love. Each book in the series features a stunning gold-foil cover and includes 20 beautiful designs printed on thick, high-quality cardstock, with easy peel-out pages. The 5" x 7" cards are perfectly sized for framing, allowing users to display their art or send it as a heartfelt message. Users can simply color the front, personalize their note on the back, and add a stamp to send happy mail that is sure to bring a smile to its recipient's face.
The Bibliophile's Coloring and Lettering Book
Calling all book lovers! This unique adult activity book combines coloring and lettering to celebrate a love of reading through creativity. From Dawn Nicole Warnaar, the author of Modern Folk Art Coloring Book and The Art of Playful Lettering, this book is the perfect way for readers to relax and get creative while celebrating the bookish lifestyle! Inside are 25 beautifully illustrated, book-themed coloring pages, 6 pull-out bookmarks, and 10 unique lettering lessons so readers can personalize journals, notes, and art projects. Showcasing a perfect blend of creativity and the love of reading for book enthusiasts and in a premium format with thick, high-quality pages and a keepsake-worthy design, this unique coloring and lettering book allows readers to slow down, get creative, and celebrate the joy of books and art.
Wonderword Treasury 53
Millions enjoy Wonderword every day... are you one of them? Includes more than 100 puzzles, 20 of which are the larger 20 x 20 grid! Get lost in the most essential, habitual and enthralling puzzle! To order, select quantity and click "Add To Cart" for each product. Press "Check Out" to complete your transaction and start testing your true "word power"!
Sudoku Rush
Test your skills, beat the clock, and take your puzzling to the next level with these challenging timed puzzles, perfect for any puzzler who likes to race the clock. Sudoku Rush is not just a collection of puzzles, it's a test of speed and mental agility. This book offers nearly 200 timed challenges that turn puzzling into a pulse-pounding experience. Whether you're a novice or an expert, Sudoku Rush has puzzles for all difficulty levels so you can test your skills, train your speed solving, and take on larger feats with more challenging puzzles. Each level of difficulty comes with suggested solving times, and every puzzle has space to record your timed triumphs. This unique format encourages competitive puzzle-solving, making it more than just a puzzle book! With solutions for each puzzle at the back of the book, you can ensure you're accurate as well as speedy. So grab a pencil and a stopwatch and get ready to tackle some speed puzzles.
Woodpecker Method 2
Swedish chess Grandmaster Axel Smith returns with a sequel to his colossal bestseller, The Woodpecker Method, which was on the tactics of the World Champions. For The Woodpecker Method 2, he has found 1002 foundational positional exercises and prepared them for 'woodpecking' - solve the puzzles repeatedly, and boost your positional intuition.The quick explanation of the Woodpecker Method is that you need to solve a large number of puzzles in a row; then solve the same puzzles again and again, only faster. It's not a lazy shortcut to success - hard work is required. But the reward can be re-programming your unconscious mind.
Hot to Glow
The only coloring book for Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girls. From Pink Pony Club to Coachella, this bright and beautifully designed coloring book takes fans on the incredible journey of the pop powerhouse and queer icon that is Chappell Roan. The ultimate gift for Chappell fans, this gorgeous collection of illustrations follows the Grammy-winner through her meteoric rise to stardom-from Midwest princess to pop supernova-with super graphic spreads and collages that celebrate her ever-changing style and stand-out performances. Add your own stamp to these unique illustrations and graphics dedicated to the most vibrant star on the planet and her extraordinary musical journey.
The Jazz Age
Embrace the free-wheeling spirit of the roaring twenties with this beautiful, Parisian themed adult coloring book. A coloring book of rebellious flapper girl fashion, sensational hats, art deco patterns and chic Parisienne architecture, The Jazz Age: A Twenties-Inspired Coloring Book is the perfect celebration of creative freedom. Add color to M矇lanie Boureau's beautiful hand-drawn scenes and experience the glamour of one of the world's most beautiful cities. Designed for adult colorists, this charmingly illustrated collection invites you to explore the spirit of the 1920s through scenes that evoke freedom, creativity, and timeless style. From sensational hats and beaded dresses to ornate architecture and bold geometric patterns, each page is a tribute to the era's visual richness. Perfect for relaxing, gifting, or sparking artistic inspiration, this coloring book is more than a pastime--it's a celebration of individuality and expression. Whether you're rediscovering the Charleston or imagining a stroll through 1920s Paris, the book offers a creative escape into a world of elegance and edge. The Jazz Age is ideal for fans of vintage fashion, decorative arts, and mindful coloring.
Mystery Coloring Wild Animals
Get ready to explore the intriguing adventure of Mystery Coloring... this latest trend in coloring books combines the joy of coloring with the thrill of a surprise! Each of the 30 fresh and modern illustrations features a popular and colorful wild animal that is revealed as you complete the color-by-numbers design. The high-quality 180gsm uncoated paper ensures a smooth experience whether you prefer colored pencils or markers, with no risk of bleed-through. To add to the fun, each illustration comes with a riddle that you can ponder as you bring the artwork to life. Uncover the answers in words and pictures at the end of the book. Mystery Coloring Wild Animals offers a delightful and engaging escape for coloring enthusiasts of all levels.
Mystery Coloring Japan
Get ready to explore the intriguing adventure of Mystery Coloring... this latest trend in coloring books combines the joy of coloring with the thrill of a surprise! Each of the 30 fresh and modern illustrations features a colorful Japanese themed page that is revealed as you complete the color-by-numbers design. The high-quality 180gsm uncoated paper ensures a smooth experience whether you prefer colored pencils or markers, with no risk of bleed-through. To add to the fun, each illustration comes with a riddle that you can ponder as you bring the artwork to life. Uncover the answers in words and pictures at the end of the book. Mystery Coloring Japan offers a delightful and engaging escape for coloring enthusiasts of all levels.
Mystery Coloring Mandalas
Get ready to explore the intriguing adventure of Mystery Coloring... this latest trend in coloring books combines the joy of coloring with the thrill of a surprise! Each of the 30 fresh and modern illustrations features a colorful mandala that is revealed as you complete the color-by-numbers design. The high-quality 180gsm uncoated paper ensures a smooth experience whether you prefer colored pencils or markers, with no risk of bleed-through. To add to the fun, each illustration comes with a riddle that you can ponder as you bring the artwork to life. Uncover the answers in words and pictures at the end of the book. Mystery Coloring Mandalas offers a delightful and engaging escape for coloring enthusiasts of all levels.
Wondrous Folk Coloring Book
Frolic through fields of your imagination with Wondrous Folk Coloring Book, where mythical characters and fantasy creatures await your artistic touch. From whimsical fairies to enchanted witches, each page offers a chance to bring these otherworldly figures to life. Enjoy hours of peaceful relaxation as you color 50 beloved illustrations by Christine Karron, plus four exclusive new designs created just for this book: Christmas Joy, Marigold, Wind of Change, and Witches Magic. Printed on high-quality ivory paper, each single-sided page provides the perfect canvas for pencils, markers or watercolors. The carefully crafted line drawings strike a harmonious balance between open spaces and intricate details, guiding your hand while leaving room for your creative flair to flourish. Whether you're a seasoned artist or a beginner, this magical collection is sure to bring joy and tranquility to your coloring experience.
Mystery Coloring Flowers
Get ready to explore the intriguing adventure of Mystery Coloring... this latest trend in coloring books combines the joy of coloring with the thrill of a surprise! Each of the 30 fresh and modern illustrations features a popular and colorful flower that is revealed as you complete the color-by-numbers design. The high-quality 180gsm uncoated paper ensures a smooth experience whether you prefer colored pencils or markers, with no risk of bleed-through. To add to the fun, each illustration comes with a riddle that you can ponder as you bring the artwork to life. Uncover the answers in words and pictures at the end of the book. Mystery Coloring Flowers offers a delightful and engaging escape for coloring enthusiasts of all levels.
Fantasy Letters and Inspiring Quotes Minis - Pocket Sized Fantasy Coloring Book
Color anywhere, anytime, with these fantasy coloring designs by bestselling coloring designer, Selina Fenech - in travel size!This mini sized coloring book by Selina Fenech is filled with inspiring designs for you to bring to life with color.50 designs to color, anywhere, anytime. Contains all pictures from larger format coloring books Fantasy Alphabet Magical Creatures and Inspirational Quotes, in a pocket size edition! This 5 x 7.8 inch book is perfectly transportable, fits into bags and purses to take your coloring wherever you go. Images on one side only, bordered within page.HAND DRAWN by a real artist. No AI. Your purchase directly helps support a living artist!Selina Fenech's coloring titles have 10,000+ 5-star Amazon Reviews and sold over 300,000 copies. A favorite among the adult coloring community, discover the elegant design, inspiring scenes, and sense of magic that makes Selina Fenech's books so popular.Be calm, be content, and awaken your inner magic. Coloring has become famous for its calming power and benefits for mental and emotional health, in adults and children. Relieve anxiety while you release your inner artist, and amaze yourself with the masterpieces you can create adding color to these magical designs.Buy Now, and experience peace through the wonder and magic of coloring.
Magical Mandala Coloring Book
This innovative round coloring book features 45 mandala designs of various styles and levels of complexity for you to color in. The word mandala comes from the ancient Sanskrit language and loosely means 'circle', 'centre' or 'wheel'. It's a simple geometric shape with no beginning or end and the essential design can be seen in all aspects of life - from the design of a snowflake, to the sun in the sky. The benefits to be gained from coloring mandalas are significant, and there are no rules - just let your imagination be your guide. All you need is a selection of colored pencils or markers, a quiet space to spread out and a dash of creativity. Comes with thick, luxurious paper and thick board covers. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Full Circle Coloring features attractive circle-shaped coloring books which are perfectly suited to circular coloring projects such as wreaths and mandalas. Presented in a hardback format with foil cover effects, these eye-catching coloring books are an all-round delight!
The Christmas Wreaths Coloring Book
Celebrate the spirit of Christmas in this innovative round coloring book. With 45 interpretations of Christmas wreaths, you're sure to find something that echoes the sort of wreath you'd like to have on your door. There are traditional wreaths, more quirky versions as well as more modern, fresh designs. All you need is a set of colored pencils or markers, somewhere to spread out and a little bit of seasonal inspiration. Comes with thick, luxurious paper and thick board covers. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Full Circle Coloring features attractive circle-shaped coloring books which are perfectly suited to circular coloring projects such as wreaths and mandalas. Presented in a hardback format with foil cover effects, these eye-catching coloring books are an all-round delight!
Magnus Carlsens Middlegame Evolution
Magnus Carlsen's mastery of the middlegame is astonishing, even by the standards of World Champions. But how did this power develop, and what can the rest of us learn from it? To explain the mysteries requires another elite grandmaster, and Ivan Sokolov is perfectly qualified for this role. Magnus Carlsen's Middlegame Evolution allows the reader to celebrate the brilliance of the highest-rated chess player in history while learning from his example. With insightfully annotated games, Sokolov takes us inside the mind of a chess genius. Shortlisted for FIDE Book Awards 2022
Autumnalwood: Enchanted Creatures
Embark on your colorful journey into the woods with this official coloring book by the viral artist. Beloved by her more than 850K fans young and old worldwide, Autumnalwood is an illustrator whose doodles are inspired by nature and vintage storybooks. From the wildly popular artist comes this delightful coloring book that creates a comforting sense of nostalgia. Discover cozy cottages and enchanting forests in these beautifully detailed black-and-white illustrations. With high quality uncoated paper suitable for all types of pencils and inks, fans of all ages can color their favorite whimsical tableaus. Part storybook cottagecore coziness, part psychedelic fairycore, transport into these sunshine-y scenes filled with wizard frogs, cloud pals, mushroom friends, and more.
Magical Nature Coloring Book
Relax and unwind as you color the elves and fairies, nymphs, strange creatures, and mysterious animals in this mystical coloring book. The allure of the enchanted world of magical creatures that inhabit woods and forests exerts an irresistible attraction for all ages: a clear example of this is the countless books and spectacular films that come out each year. The illustrations in Magical Nature Coloring Book are an invitation to enter this world, to color it according to one's own taste and mood, giving free rein to the imagination.
Color in Taylor
Color in Taylor Swift in all her glorious outfits in this fun coloring and sticker book! Color In Taylor invites fans to immerse themselves in the vibrant world of the multitalented artist. From her country roots to her pop superstar status, each page features intricate illustrations inspired by Swift's iconic tours, music videos, and fashion moments. Whether adding your own touch to the scene from "Love Story" or adding a splash of color to the Folklore era, this coloring book offers a creative outlet for Swifties of all ages to celebrate their favorite artist. Once done, use the included stickers to embellish creations or stick them to any surface that needs a bit of that feel-good Swiftie magic.
Relaxing Cats Coloring Book
This adult coloring book is an opportunity to unwind and dive into a world of magnetic eyes and curious creatures. Cats have been part of human families for hundreds of years. Consider that, today, there are more than 600 million domestic cats worldwide. Playful or haughty, lazy or lively, independent or cuddly, they are fascinating and celebrated. In this book you'll find cats doing all the things they love. Choose your favorite shades for each one and bring them to life with artistic expression and hours of pure entertainment.
