Sinister Stories and Twisted Tales: The Ultimate Anthology of Sci-Fi & Cosmic Horror by Anthony L. Abraham A tapestry of interlinked cosmic horrors unfolds in this unique interactive anthology, featuring video links that accompany each chilling story. ⢠"A boy's dream pet morphs into his family's nightmare, serving as a gateway to something far more sinister." ⢠"A father's desperate quest to help his daughter leads him into a dark trade of body parts, where horrific bargains threaten everything he holds dear." ⢠"In a dystopian world of twisted flesh and dark alchemy, a girl must escape her haunting existence or risk becoming the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of the New Flesh." ⢠"In her quest for justice after her husbandâs murder, Betty's plea to a seemingly benevolent god unleashes a dark cosmic force, revealing that true sacrifice may demand a far more monstrous price." This anthology immerses readers in puzzles reminiscent of Black Mirror, exploring unsettling, thought-provoking facets of the human psyche while venturing into realms beyond nightmares and dreamscapes. An absolute must-read for fans of speculative fiction seeking rich world-building and narratives that defy conventions, especially those who appreciate the eerie storytelling of The Twilight Zone, the philosophical twists of Philip K. Dick, and the gripping horror of Stephen King. |
Heart of the Covenant by S.L. Dove Cooper In Heart of the Covenant, five stories explore ties of friendship, family and culture, embracing our differences and our similarities. Having applied to be an ambassador for her people within the Galactic Covenant, Hedriar has relocated to Cerulean Station, one of the Covenantâs largest residential stations. There, sheâll spend the next years sharing her own culture and learning about the Covenantâs as part of an exchange programme between the two. Hedriar may not have the most detailed of plans of what, or even how, to share the aspects of her culture that matter most to her, but sheâs got enthusiasm, family and new-found friends at her side. Sheâll figure it out, and along the way sheâll learn that what people value most may not be so different at the core. Heart of the Covenant is a cosy, low-stakes science fiction collection with a strong focus on slice-of-life narratives. |
Early Adopter by Drew Harrison The Price of Tomorrow, Paid Today "Early Adopter" is a collection of short stories from the edge of human progress. Eight stories hold dark mirrors to our own world⌠experience thought-provoking sci-fi, technologic tragedy, and pulse-pounding thrillers. To Run Again: Dr. Laura Brandie is ready to change the world. She's the lead researcher behind the KSE, a revolutionary cure for paralysis and neurodegenerative conditions. And now, by good fortune, she's found the perfect candidate for her first human trial: a man who suffers from locked-in syndrome. Brett Harmon's paralysis is total: he can't move his arms, legs, torso, neck, or face. To the outside world, he's little more than a statue that breathes... but Dr. Brandie's KSE might be the miracle that allows Brett to run again. Homonoia: The world faces an unprecedented alignment of catastrophes and failing systems, far too intricate and interconnected for any human to solve. Frank Burman joins with seven other volunteers for Project Homonoia--a radical, last-ditch effort to postpone the apocalypse. Separate minds link to form one multidisciplinary consciousness, the world's first human superorganism... a hive mind. But with the world's health rapidly failing, can Project Homonoia work out its kinks in time to make a difference? Early Adopter: A loner enters into a relationship with a new type of partner: an AI agent, programmed to be the "perfect companion." Sure, it's all self-deception and a game of pretend, as she's not actually real... but where simulated consciousness is concerned, maybe the lines between real and real enough can get blurry. |
The Cartographer's Vault by Richard Houlden This is a collection of science fiction tales that will take you across the cosmos of existence. Each one is a glimpse into events that have yet to happen or have happened in another timeline. Every event is archived within the walls of the space station Catographer's Vault. Follow Ashra Whistlo as she leads a team to rediscover this station that has been lost to time for over a millennium but heed the warning that she is given from The Do not lose your grasp on what is your reality. You will be presented with real people and real existences within this room. Their emotions will be palpable as if they were yours. You must detach yourself from their reality and remember that it isnât yours. |
The Heart of Space by Adam Gaffen The Cassidyverse is back! Kendra and Aiyana's world is as vibrant and rich as ever in this new collection of thirteen pieces of short fiction. You might think their world runs on fusion power, or antimatter plants, or maybe even warp drives. But it doesn't. It runs on emotions and relationships and heart. What happened after Kendra's near-disastrous Christmas party? You're not going to believe it! Kendra's journey from actress to assassin continues in "Roses Have Thorns" Lexie wants to break up with her boring boyfriend, but she never expected a goddess Shi faces her demons in "Lupus in Astris", putting the ghosts of her past to rest In "Heart of Molycirc", Elsa confronts a lying, corrupt bully to regain her self-respect Step into the distant future of the Terran Empire in "Chooser of the Living" and see the covert battle that could launch a revolution These stories and more show what we mean when we say that the Terran Federation is the Heart of Space. |
Greater Than His Nature by Edited by Eirik Gumeny In every laboratory, every experiment, there are two diametrical energies at play: chaos and control. The raw pandemonium of what is, and the diamond-sheen of what could be. And in between? Blood, bones, and broken hearts. Because no equation, no solution, will ever be able to contain the wild entropy of the human soul. Within these pages, you'll find reverse mermaids and murder-spiders and bloated flesh-monsters tearing down the Golden Gate Bridge. A nurse waving a patient into a haunted MRI machine. A reimagined Mary Shelley obsessing about her galvanic guy. The dead will come back, organs will grow where you least expect them, and "healthy" will be outed as a disease all its own, the most damning by a long mile. Because, like the highest-born hopes of bodies sacrificed to progress, like the darkest dreams of the brains behind the beakers, mad science truly knows no bounds. Featuring new fiction from Katharine Duckett, A.T. Greenblatt, Ally Malinenko, Tyler Battaglia, Samantha H. Chung, Jonathan Fortin, Brianna Nicole Frentzko, Josh Hanson, Wade Hunter, M.W. Irving, Pooja Joshi, Andrew Kozma, K.L. Mill, Lena Ng, Robert Perez, Zachary Rosenberg, Jennifer Lee Rossman, Violet Schwegler, and Nicole M. Wolverton. Edited by Eirik Gumeny. |
Devout: An Anthology of Angels by Edited By Quinton Li Featuring work by FreydĂs Moon, Dorian Yosef Weber, Angela Sun, Ian Haramaki, Tyler Battaglia, Daniel Marie James, Morgan Dante, Cas Trudeau, AurĂŠlio Loren, Rae Novotny, Rafael NicolĂĄs & Emily Hoffman. A collection of stories, poetry, and art dedicated to the angelic. Here you will find the strange, the creepy, the funky, slightly silly, pieces with feeling. An experience buried deep inside, it might be from another dimension. Something questionable that makes you wonder if your first impression of the world is accurate enough to trust. Or maybe something human â too human. How about a feeling between a feeling? Longing, yearning. Conflict between moral and love. World between worlds. Above all â angelic. Are we what angels make of us, or are angels what we make of them? This anthology is for mature audiences due to themes and explicit content. Our genres include, but are not limited to: Contemporary Fantasy Romance, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Horror, Historical Fantasy Romance, Mythological, Gothic Fiction, Science Fiction, Horror Drama |
Common Bonds: An Aromantic Speculative Story by Claudie Arseneault, C. T. Callahan, RoAnna Sylver, B. R. Sanders Common Bonds is an anthology of speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters. At the heart of this collection are the bonds that impact our lives from beginning to end: platonic relationships. Within this anthology, a cursed seamstress finds comfort in the presence of a witch, teams of demon hunters work with their rival to save one of their own, a peculiar scholar gets attached to those he was meant to study, and queerplatonic shopkeepers guide their pupil as they explore their relationship needs and desires. Through nineteen stories and poems, Common Bonds explores the ways platonic relationships enrich our lives. |
Isolated Futures Omnibus by Koen Martens If youâre a fan of thought-provoking sci-fi cyberpunk technothrillers like The Passengers and Black Mirror, then Koen Martensâ sci-fi anthology is your perfect next read! Story 1 - Forced to be Free: Sam, a young hacker with anger management issues, has joined a defense initiative against the advancing Russian army set to occupy Europe. When he discovers his boss is working undercover for the enemy, he must thwart his boss and prevent the destruction of the EUâs drone defense network before itâs too late. Story 2 - Murder, Plain and Simple: Dr. Jennifer Mendoza is a ship physician on the interstellar luxury cruiser Christopher. When a prominent and wealthy passenger is murdered, she is called to investigate the crime. Can she identify the killer before more people lose their lives? Story 3 - Cima Peak: Juan, a naive adolescent growing up in a post-apocalyptic world, embarks on a dangerous excursion that strands him and his friend far from his home. Can they make it back to their base before itâs too late to save the city from incoming slavers? Story 4 - Negative Reinforcement: Limei is an independent app developer on an isolated space station. She is utterly dependent on and enamored with her personal AI assistant. When she learns The Algorithm is planning to destroy human life on her ship, she must find a way to take it down before her crew perishes. Story 5 - Eddy: Digital forensics expert Lagan has been wrongly convicted of murder, but no one is willing to believe that he witnessed his own doppelgänger commit the crime. When he learns that the doppelgänger was one of many beings created to replace humans with AI-run clones, he must prove his innocence and take down the scheme before more peopleâs lives are ruined. Story 6 - DingDong by Zhumee: When Martinâs new Zhumee smart doorbell accidentally causes his neighborâs wrongful arrest, he must set out on a quest to prove her innocence. Little does he know, Zhumee has far more control over the justice system than anyone imagined. Can he race against the clock to take down this corrupt system? |
THE INSTITUTE Stolen Case Files by T S Galindo A collection of 8 Science Fiction stories from the future What do robot apocalypses, existence-ending devices, fractured time, and a sentient single-celled species have in common? The Institute Investigative journalist, [REDACTED], spent a year stealing secret documents from The Institute's scientific think-tank in [REDACTED]. These files will leave you awed and terrified. |
Love in the Wreckage: A Science Fiction Story Collection by Jessie Sprague When a world is ending... Love becomes more important than ever. But love is not one-size-fits-all. Explore the kinds of emotional bonds that arise amid vastly different circumstances in this anthology full of futuristic tech, aliens, and celestial threats. âBlind Blackâ A plague, an alien invader, and a dark dungeonâCarikaâs had better years. In the midst of her imprisonment, sheâs found a noble companion who she might be able to free from the alienâs influence⌠if doing so doesnât kill him. âStreamlined Livingâ When a questionable new app promising a perfect life goes viral, Rhea wonders what a âperfect lifeâ would look like for her. How much would she give up to love herself? âSuneaterâ Earthâs hours are numbered. June wants to be with her family, but sheâs torn between her distant husband and her baby niece who remind her of the life sheâll never have. âWreckageâ Menacing faces in the sky could be the end of humanity, but blighted love was killing Cara alreadyâshe just hadnât faced it. âAwakeâ Sleeping Beauty wakes. Rose canât believe her husband loved her enough to spend years bringing her back, yet she questions the price of her own continued consciousness. Come join the fun in a trip through the wreckage! Read less |
Technoconvergence by James Smith A floating corpse drifts through an antigravity nightclub, a first assignment for Epoch the electronic investigator. Enlisted to determine whether the cause was antigravity toxicity, drug overdose, or murder, Epoch's investigational skills improve exponentially. But while Epoch investigates, his complacent human colleagues find themselves increasingly addicted to hallucinations induced by virtual reality tablets. Gradually, the humans begin to have doubts about their robot friend. What was his origin? Who were his creators? Has he been sent to destroy the human race? What does all of this have to do with Fermiâs paradox? And above all, the one question which persistently vexes them â has the Technoconvergence arrived at last? |
We Deserve to Exist by Allison Baggett-Rowe, Joris Filipp, Bernardo Villela, Tyler Wittkofsky, Rashmi Agrawal, Daphne Fama, Tessa Hastjarjanto, Marisca Pichette, Emmie Chris The world is not kind. It never was. Fear, jealousy, and anger fuel the actions of those who wish to assert their power and eliminate those they deem unworthy. There will come a time of reclamationâwhether by force or by empathyâwhen those tides shift, a balance reborn. It must start somewhere. The reclamation of self, of culture, of heritage, and of our worldâstarts within. No longer will those around us decide if we deserve to exist. |
Learning Monkey and Crocodile (The Harvester Series Book 7) by Nick Wood âNick Woodâs short stories are powerful, impassioned visions of worlds and worldviews remade by way of redemptive engagement with the spirits of the earth and the earth of the spirit. Joining ancestral wisdom and transformative technologies, combining searing self-scrutiny with joyous awareness of the Other, Learning Monkey and Crocodile is a book for Africa and for all of us.â Nick Gevers Nickâs stories have delighted readers across the world and have appeared in publications such as Interzone, Albedo One, Omenana, among others. His debut novel Azanian Bridges was shortlisted for the BSFA award. Embark on a journey where science meets African culture, through psychology, alternate history and disability. âI read Bridges with much pleasure... Chilling and fascinating.â Ursula K. Le Guin âWoodâs characterization is excellent.â Strange Horizons âThis is a gut-puncher of a novel; original, brilliantly written, and a page-turner of note.â Sarah Lotz on Bridges âPolitically acute and powerful, with its heart in the right place... in many ways a âtextbook storyâ, because itâs so well done.â Ian Watson on Bridges |
Incomplete Solutions (The Harvester Series Book 4) by Wole Talabi An elderly woman in early 22nd century Lagos is called in to help test the artificial intelligence built from her genius motherâs mind, but all is not as it seems in the Nommo-award winning story, âThe Regression Testâ. Exiled from Earth for a crime of passion, a young man must learn to survive a barely habitable prison planet and come to peace with his past in âPolarisâ. âWednesdayâs Storyâ, nominated for the 2018 Caine Prize, is at once a retelling of nursery rhymes and folklore and a meta-fictional meditation on the mechanics, art and power of storytelling. In the novella âIncompleteness Theoriesâ, an international team, led by a Nigerian physicist, try to invent teleportation technology with haunting, unforeseen results. From the bustling streets of Lagos to the icy moons of Jupiter, this debut collection of twenty stories from the vivid imagination of the award-winning Wole Talabi explores what it means to be human in a world of accelerating technology, diverse beliefs, and unlimited potential, from a uniquely Nigerian perspective. |
Once Upon A Star: 14 SF-Inspired Faerie Tales (Once Upon Series Book 4) by Various From the bestselling authors of the award-winning Once Upon Anthologies! Revisit your favorite faerie tales, masterfully retold in science fiction settings with delightful (and sometimes chilling) twists. What if the Twelve Dancing Princesses were undead clones? What if the witch in Hansel and Gretel was an AI-sentient house? Are you ready for the Three Little Pigs⌠in space? These fourteen tales will entertain and inspire you, and youâll never see your favorite faerie tales quite the same way again. Grab your copy of Once Upon A Star, and donât forget the five other anthologies for more magical retellings! ESCAPE: A Liza Roth Adventure by Anthea Sharp - A princess on the run and her feline companion find adventure - and danger - on Starhub Station in this story based on the Icelandic fairy tale Kisa the Cat. TRUE.LOVE by Alethea Kontis - In this futuristic retelling of Sleeping Beauty, a gamer hacktivist tries to take down the worldâs largest matchmaking siteâŚand stumbles on a side quest he never bargained for. BLOW YOUR PLANET DOWN by Shawntelle Madison - After the Wolverine Horde nearly destroyed her home world, Commander Cressida Van Der Snout is prepared to use the Hordeâs greatest weapon to exact her revenge. |
Triangulation: Extinction (Triangulation Anthologies) by Various Can we bring a species back from extinction? Why are dragons not with us today? Would you condemn a whole species to die so you could live? Explore these tales of species extinction. Hold fast against the winds of death with the caretakers of the future. Decipher warnings from the past, the future, and worlds between worlds. Be more dangerous than the big game hunters. Doggedly track down the last specimen across three continents. Recognize messages aliens have left for us so we don't continue on the destructive path we're on. Are our successors already waiting in the wings? Featuring stories by these authors: Liam Hogan, Blake Jessop, Owen Leddy, Katie Sakanai, Joshua David Bellin, Marshall J. Moore, Elana Gomel, Rhonda Eikamp, Jamie Lackey, Jennifer R. Povey, Jim Hanson, Sean Jones, E.A. Petricone, Brett Kozlowski, Bradley Heywood, Jennifer Lee Rossman, Katrinka Mannelly, Bo Balder, Bethany Van Sterling, Steve Carr, Joy Kennedy-O'Neill, Marissa James, Brian Rappatta, Anya Ow, Michael Triozzi, Carina Bissett, & Sam Hicks. |
C is for Chimera (Alphabet Anthologies) by Various This installment of Rhonda Parrishâs alphabet anthology series asks skilled storytellers to write around the theme of chimera. The resulting tales are part fable, part poem, part dream. But like any chimera, the parts make up a greater whole. Blend reality with fantasy. Mesh science fiction with mystery. Mix history with what should have been. They are all chimera. A shadow tells a tale of schoolyard bullies. A long-vanished monster returns from the cold dark. Make-up makes up a life. Alchemy, Atlantis, and apocalypse. These 26 tales bring both chaos and closure to dark and elusively fantastic geographies. Contributing authors include: ~ Alexandra Seidel ~ KV Taylor ~ Marge Simon ~ Pete Aldin ~ Michael M. Jones ~ Simon Kewin ~ BD Wilson ~ Gabrielle Harbowy ~ Sara Cleto ~ Megan Engelhardt ~ Michael Fosburg ~ Megan Arkenberg ~ Lilah Wild ~ Laura VanArendonk Baugh ~ Milo James Fowler ~ Brittany Warman ~ Michael B. Tager ~ L.S. Johnson ~ Beth Cato ~ C.S. MacCath ~ Sammantha Kymmell-Harvey ~ Steve Bornstein ~ Suzanne van Rooyen ~ Michael Kellar ~ Jonathan C. Parrish ~ Amanda C. Davis ~ |
Unsanctioned Experiments: Collected Short Stories by Ben Creedle n this collection of five short stories and a novella, Ben Credle explores misused science and dark motivations. Space garbagemen are forced to confront a deranged passenger in orbit, a middle-aged paper-pusher is thrust into the role of time-traveling assassin, and townspeople in 1890s Texas are stalked by an ancient predator with an appetite for blood. Across space and time, Unsanctioned Experiments introduces relatable characters who struggle against unexpected challenges. |
Gilgamesh in the 21st Century: A Personal Quest to Understand Mortality by Paul Bracken "Must I die?" asked Gilgamesh. Forty five centuries later, we're still asking the same question. Science writer Paul Bracken embarks on a lighthearted assessment of the human condition, to explore what it means to be mortal, and what our fate may be. This scientific reimagining of the ancient Gilgamesh quest delves into a multitude of topics including the origin of life, the workings of the human mind, and the possibilities for life prolongation. The ancient Gilgamesh was so distraught at the death of his friend Enkidu, and so sickened by the knowledge that he too would die, that he rebelled against his fate and set out on a search for salvation. Likewise, at the age of eleven, Bracken wondered if there might be a way to bring his grandfather back from the dead and has been pondering this question ever since. Is death a problem to be solved, or is it an essential aspect of our humanity? "We human beings instinctively resist the notion of personal extinction. In his thoughtful and hugely readable Gilgamesh in the 21st Century, Paul Bracken canters effortlessly through an amazing range of science to help put this fraught human proclivity in perspective, both for himself and for us." -- IAN TATTERSALL, American Museum of Natural History, New York City. |
Inhuman Pressure (The Infinite Void Anthologies Book 1) by Richard Rimington Cybernetic elder beings control the stars. Haunted wilderness planets offer no safety. An anthology of nine science fiction short stories of interplanetary conspiracy and catastrophe. An impending apocalypse. A lone soldier at the end of a galaxy. Witness the fate of the universe in a startling collection of science fiction tales. The limits of the human condition are tested as ordinary people face conquest and revenge. Cyberpunk and space opera combine in these dystopian far future adventures. A trail of forgotten lives will have vast consequences for all civilization. Inhuman Pressure is the first anthology in the Infinite Void series. "From android wives and interspecies lovers to robot soldiers and sinister AI grandfathers, Inhuman Pressure is a compendium of action-packed stories that take place in a fantastical intergalactic universe where mankind and machine love and hate each other. A rollicking joyride for fans of âFarscapeâ and âBabylon 5â." Michele Koh, author. "This foray into space simultaneously takes us into the philosophical depths of humanity. Won't disappoint fans of sci-fi / dystopian fiction!" Kate B., Red Adept Editing |
Cyborgs, Immortals, and Spacefarers: Book 1 of An End of Our Own Making by Aristotle Evangelos After the next war, what's left of humanity struggles against extinction. Three connected social science fiction stories: The Immortalists, 1000 years after the war: Immortals trying to save their community are on a collision course with a farmer determined to protect his people. The Leavers, 500 years after the war: The corporations rule the solar system, and the Earth is off limits. A shadowy group of activists seeks to disrupt the established order, and an ion ship captain is sent to stop them. The Cyborgs, 200 years after the war: Cyborgs are a vanishing breed. They trust no one, especially not each other. Still, they must survive. |
Occupational Hazards: The Blue-Collar Omnibus by Geoff Sturtevant Occupational Hazards is an omnibus of acclaimed novelettes from the "Return to the Dirt" and "Just Speculating" collections, and new, exclusive stories only available in this book. The stories exemplify the unsavory side of our everyday existence. Existentialism, absurdism, and outlandish humor merge with ordinary, workaday life for a unique and hilarious perspective of the human experience. Occupational Hazards is an unflinching ride through the absurdity of it all. Not recommended for the faint of heart or easily offended. But if meaty stories are what youâre after⌠I hope youâre hungry. âIn time-honoured fashion, these taut tales of work and death employ humour to highlight the worst aspects of human behaviour. They're sharp, savage slices of smartly observed social satire, with humour so bleak it raises blisters.â âmurdermayhemandmore.com (on Return to the Dirt) âTrue to the Sturtevant style, each tale offers a penetrating view into humanity, opening the doors that people usually keep shuttered tight from prying eyes, and doing so with razor-sharp dialogue and a healthy dose of (sometimes) dark humor.â |
Immunity Cage: A Dystopian Science Fiction Novel about Genetically Engineered Humans (Modified Humans Book 1) by Louise Spilsbury Early 22nd century. A hundred years of pandemics, wars, and dwindling human populations. If youâre rich enough, you protect yourself from disease with X-cells from Immunity Specialists, the rare and valuable Genetically Modified Humans. Otherwise you have to settle for the imperfect quick-vaccines. Jian is Heredis Corporationâs most valuable Modified. With every new outbreak, he must allow himself to be exposed to deadly pathogens in order to prime his X-cells for harvesting. The company ensures his co-operation by applying psychological conditioning to addict him to a pair of perfect lovers. But when Cullen and Dani die in the New Spanish outbreak, no one knows how to turn the conditioning off. As his loversâ ghosts haunt him and his health and sanity fail, the company begins to consider unspeakable solutions. Jian must find a way to free himself⌠before itâs too late. |
Spectacular Tales: The Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection (The Indie Collaboration Presents Book 6) by Various A thrilling anthology of short stories by some of the rising stars in independent publishing. In this collection we bring you a shipâs locker full of great Science Fiction and Fantasy. There are tales about beautiful princesses and cunning thieves, intergalactic wars, cosmic energy beings, warriors and rocketship pilots.So strap on your jet pack and grab your broadsword and come join us in exploring these âSpectacular Talesâ |
Omnilogos: Extended Edition by Michele Amitrani âI am a collector of hopes and peregrine truths, a shepherd of thoughts, ideas, projects and dreams too important not to be realized. Iâm an abstract concept that has no body, no smell, no boundaries, no shape and no color. I am the Omnilogos.â So it is forged, a Science Fiction saga that gave birth to a legend, a tale about the life of a man with one project that will change mankindâs future forever. Ten stories about his life, his sorrow, and his quest to gather the resources and the people needed to claim our place among the stars. This is Weiâs story. This is the world of the Omnilogos. |
Through Shadows by P.S. Livingstone, A.M. Justice, Alex McGilvery, J.E. Hannaford, Laura Shank, Liam Hogan, Anela Deen A collection of award-winning speculative short fiction! QuaranCon's top entries from both the 2020 and 2021 short fiction contests, these six stories all deal with themes of isolation and innovation, and are sure to keep you entertained in bite sized moments of adventure. |