From "The High Kingdom" by Philip S Weeks

Carlton fought alongside a company of armed men. He felt that he knew them well, although as yet he couldn't identify them. As they battled on together, surrounded by flames, and orange and gray clouds of smoke, the heavy stench of sulphur reeked in his nostrils.

The air was rent with screams and inhumanly deep threatening growls, while steel met steel with resounding clashes like giant anvils ringing, like hammers the size of planets beating mercilessly upon them, fashioning destruction with every blow.

Carlton fought with every ounce of might he could muster. But forced back by the fury of the onslaught, he retreated grudgingly, until his feet found he had reached the edge of an uncrossable chasm. He pressed his full weight forward upon his shield once more in a vain attempt to gain some space on which to stand. Still he felt himself pushed backward.

His unsighted opponent lifted him effortlessly as if he were made of straw and tossed him up and over the edge into the chasm. He began to fall, and to spin as he fell. He cried out, as he did in every dream, the name of his sovereign liege. "For the Scattered Realm, and for the Prince!"

From "A Measure of Disorder," Book One of the Mother-Earth Series, by Alan Tucker

Jenni and her 8th grade science class find themselves in a strange place while on a field trip in the forest...

Twilight gave way to darkness and stars filled the sky. Unfamiliar stars. Jenni had received a small telescope one Christmas when she was younger and spent many evenings in her back yard with it pointed at the sky. She'd learned the names of some of the stars and several constellations — the Big Dipper, Orion’s belt, the distinct “W” shape of Cassiopeia — all had been replaced by a much brighter assortment of strange twinkling lights.

“Well, that tears it,” Mr. Kain said, also looking at the stars. “We’re not in Kansas anymore.”

“Kansas?” Todd interjected. “We live in Idaho.”

Sara snorted. “Wizard of Oz, you dork.”

Several kids snickered and Todd opened his mouth to retort when Ms. Pap held up a hand. “All right. Enough.” Todd scowled but remained quiet. “We have some decisions to make and I think we should discuss our options, such as they are.

“We have no idea how it happened, but we’re obviously very far from home with no apparent means to get back. We haven’t seen any signs of civilization and the land around us has changed. We need information.”

From "Anabar's Run" by Will Granger

Anabar struggles to escape from the giant...

Anabar gasped as the rope dug deeper into his neck. He finally managed to free his hands, but he could not release the rope around his neck. He almost lost his footing, but he was angry, so he grabbed the rope with both hands and once again planted his feet and jerked back on the rope. The giant barely held on to his end and the two engaged in a deadly tug of war. Anabar was certain the giant would use the knife on him if he lost his balance. They stared across the open space between them, neither willing to give in.

The dark rider watched silently from edge of the woods. He reached down to his side and grabbed the handle of a long, curved sword hanging in a scabbard. He pulled the sword partway out.

Anabar and the giant circled around the camp, the rope pulled taught between them. No matter how hard he tried, and despite his size advantage, the giant could not gain any ground or cause Anabar to lose his footing. He growled and swore and became more and more frustrated as the struggle continued.