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'An unwilling hero with an unwanted and flawed power.' Daniel must come to accept his old life is over and learn the extent of his new abilities all while on the run from the mysterious Level 8. |
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A Swift Kick to the Thorax by Mara Lynn Johnstone When space poachers release Earth animals on an alien world, threatening a fragile new alliance, they anger the wrong people. A veterinarian, an accountant, and a furious sign-language-fluent gorilla are coming for them. ~~~ Robin enjoys being one of the only humans around: an exotic outsider, strange and tall, with no shell and only two arms. Consulting for locals who want to keep Earth pets is a fine job. But when a swarm of rabbits invade town and humanity is blamed, everything unravels. If Robin wants to save the alliance between two planets — and keep from getting sent home in disgrace — she has to prove that a powerful crime ring is behind the crisis. Luckily for her, she makes friends who are eager to help: from planetside, from the nearby space station, and recently escaped from the poacher's ship. Those poachers may be bug aliens with an excellent range of vision, but they won't see this coming. |
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Webley and The World Machine by Zachary Chopchinski "This world within a world is such a fabulous concept! It's almost like Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the Bible all mashed up together with a steampunk twist." A strange coin. A mysterious elevator. And a war deep within the Earth that could destroy the world. Adal and Arija weren't concerned with what makes the world go round until they followed an old coin into a dark cave. Deep within the Earth is a world they never dreamed possible. A world that will challenge their most important beliefs. A world that will soon be torn apart by war. Webley controls the center of Earth, but not all his creations are happy. When the hidden plot to overthrow him turns violent, Adal and Arija are forced to choose sides. But the dangers are more than they could have predicted. Will their hidden feelings for each other help them through it, or rip them and the world apart? If you like Cassandra Clare, Quantum Leap, and Lindsay Buroker, you'll love this hilarious portal fiction adventure full of snark, sass, and one curious little robot boy. |
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For many years the curse of the Evil Shadowy Figure is plaguing the Chagga. Prophecy has it that the day an extraterrestrial falls from the sky, the tribe will have a chance to perform a ritual to end the curse. DECEMBER 2010. In a far-off galaxy, a Brozian cargo ship, with a female Catusapien aboard, slips into a wormhole and spits out into the Milky Way Galaxy. The Catusapien escapes her cell and flees the ship in an escape pod. Allison Banes, who is in Tanzania working on a PhD in zoology, is in Arusha National Park and sees the Brozian spaceship explode and crash land. She finds the Catusapien sleeping by the escape pod and takes the alien to her house for observation. When Allison Banes falls victim to the Evil Shadowy Figure, the alien retreats to the forest surrounding Lake Duluti. After spearfishing on Christmas Eve, Cassidy Mkama, an 11-year-old African girl, sees the alien and tells her friend Laila Diwani, a Chagga member who tells the tribe’s Paramount Chief, Anton Naruma. The chance to end the supernatural curse on the Chagga is at hand. And a lifelong friendship between Cassidy and the alien, whom she soon will name Gotham Kitty, is just beginning. |
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Black Table by Anttimatti Pennanen Jon and Gus, science fiction fans from Finland with a penchant for fist bumping and pop culture references, travel to the Portland Comic Con where tragedy strikes. Their hero, Dr Wells, suffers a heart attack. With his dying breath, the doctor exhorts Jon to “find the …” as he pushes a book into Jon’s hands. Following clues inscribed in the book, Jon and Gus discover an alien structure with a mysterious Black Table which they accidently activate, transporting them to an alien world. Jumping from world to world via the Black Table galactic transportation network, Jon and Gus embark on the adventure of a lifetime where they encounter monsters, alien tech, giant vessels made of water and make new friends. But those friends are facing an unstoppable and mindless enemy. An enemy that is destroying the galaxy, and Earth is next in its path. Can two fans from Finland save the day? Black Table is a rollicking yarn of two likeable, wise-cracking friends who like nothing better than pranking each other. That is, except when they are not doing something more serious, like saving the universe. JOIN THE FIGHT, JOIN THE BLACK TABLE NETWORK! |
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The Left Hand of Dog by Si Clarke Escaping intergalactic kidnappers has never been quite so ridiculous. When Lem and her faithful dog, Spock, retreat from the city for a few days of hiking in Algonquin Park, the last thing they expect is to be kidnapped by aliens. No, scratch that. The last thing they expect is to be kidnapped by a bunch of strangely adorable intergalactic bounty hunters aboard a ship called the Teapot. After Lem falls in with an unlikely group of allies – including a talking horse, a sarcastic robot, an overly anxious giant parrot, and a cloud of sentient glitter gas – the gang must devise a cunning plan to escape their captors and make it back home safely. But things won’t be as easy as they first seem. Lost in deep space and running out of fuel, this chaotic crew are faced with the daunting task of navigating an alien planet, breaking into a space station, and discovering the real reason they’re all there… Packed with preposterous scenarios, quirky characters, and oodles of humour, The Left Hand of Dog tackles complex subjects such as gender, the need to belong, and the importance of honest communication. Perfect for fans of Charlie Jane Anders’ Victories Greater than Death and The Long Way to a Small by Becky Chambers – especially ones who enjoy endless references to Red Dwarf, Star Trek, and Doctor Who. This book will show you that the universe is a very strange place indeed. |
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Fermi's Progress by Chris Farnell “The Fermi is the Earth’s first and last faster-than-light-spaceship. The last, because it turns out its engine vaporises entire star systems in its wake. And nobody knows how to turn it off.” Four planets. Four adventures. Four apocalypses. A Dyson sphere, a philosophical zombie apocalypse, a giant airborne beehive and a galactic telesales scam. Each world brings new wonders, new dangers, and a planetary scale genocide. The Fermi crew must survive by what little wits they have as they bounce a trail of destruction across the galaxy. For the first time all four parts of Fermi’s Progress are together in one volume. |
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Always being connected to technology is nothing new for Daj, a young Maglan with dreams of flying. With constant access to vid streams, friends, legions of fans, and everything digital, there’s nothing else he needs. When he stumbles upon an anti-tech group, however, he begins to see the other side of a world controlled by technology. |
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Echoes of Another Earth by J Daniel Layfield A scientist in hiding. An admiral on the brink of treason. A man who has lived hundreds of versions of his life across the same number of dimensions. Three paths converge in one dimension. Their actions will affect them all. Josh hasn't really felt like himself since the first time he died. It's funny what you can get used to though. With his next jump into another Josh's life, he may finally get some answers, but does he want to hear them? Better question: can he trust the scientist being hunted by his past? Whatever Josh chooses, his actions will either aid in saving this dimension from destruction, or add it to a long list of ones destined to end. |
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The Unpleasantness at Baskerville Hall by Chris Dolley Wodehouse steampunk version of The Hound of the Baskervilles! “Jeeves and Wooster meet Holmes and Watson with a touch of steampunk in the hilarious first full-length Reeves and Worcester tale ... This laugh-out-loud parody works on several levels ... With razor-sharp wit and fast pacing that plays fair with the reader, this is an excellent genre mash-up that fires on all cylinders.” - Publishers Weekly An escaped cannibal, a family curse ... and Reginald Worcester turning up on the doorstep. Could things get any worse for the Baskerville-Smythe family? As the bodies pile up, only a detective with a rare brain – and Reggie’s is so rare it’s positively endangered – can even hope to solve the case. But... there is the small matter that most of the guests aren’t who they say they are, the main suspect has cloven feet, and a strange mist hangs over great Grimdark Mire. Luckily the young master has Reeves, his automaton valet, and Emmeline, his suffragette fiancée, on hand to assist. This stand alone novel is the fifth Reeves & Worcester Steampunk mystery |
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When his spaceship crash-lands outside of Newton College, destroying his papers, weapons, and clothes, Phil thinks that his life has hit rock-bottom. But when he's forced to hide out in Alpha Tau Ceti fraternity, he learns that life can always get worse... Now laser-toting assassins are after him, the dean wants him to help hunt for UFOs, and his frat brothers are building something in the basement--but the most dangerous thing he's discovered about Earth--is girls. |
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Escaping First Contact by T.S. Beier At the far edge of cultivated space, a derelict ship rests. Ten times larger than the biggest Terran dreadnaught, the ship is not recognized by any of the five species tenuously coexisting in the galaxy. Small crews are sent to investigate. What they find is a trap. Once in the metal labyrinth’s clutches, it is clear the unlikely allies will not escape unless they can work together as a team. Unfortunately, trust and cooperation are entirely out of the question. An immersive tale of escape and comradery, Escaping First Contact brings together an unforgettable cast of characters, richly detailed alien cultures, deft humour, and explosive action. |
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Mercuryville by Tara Summerville Things were great in the desert. We ate pancakes, shopped at farmer's markets, casually murdered, drank hot cocoa by the fire, dodged cannibals, sunbathed, decorated for Christmas, buried bodies, looked through old photo albums, and did minor home improvements. Then, things took a weird turn. Mercuryville follows the story of Kid, a self-proclaimed recluse that knew she needed a change. When a stranger asks her to join her for a mystery project in the middle of the desert, she follows him. As she drives across the country, her imagination explores all of the terrible things awaiting her at her destination. Even after two days on the road, what she finds in the small cabin in the middle of nowhere is beyond anything she imagined. |
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Dim Stars: A Novel of Outer Space Shenanigans by Brian P. Rubin Kenzie Washington, fourteen-year-old girl genius, signs up for a two-week tour as a cadet on the spaceship of her idol, Captain Dash Drake. Too bad Dash, who once saved the galaxy from the evil Forgers, is a broke loser and much less than meets the eye. But when an intergalactic evil appears and launches an attack, Dash, Kenzie, and the ship’s crew escape, making them the next target. On the run and low on gas, Dash and Kenzie encounter cannibal space-pirates, catastrophic equipment failure, and a cyborg who’s kind of a jerk. Kenzie is determined to discover the bad guys’ secret plan. But for her to succeed, Dash needs to keep his brilliant, annoying cadet from getting killed …which is a lot harder than it sounds. |
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Samurai Barber Versus Ninja Hairstylist by Zed Dee Change is in the hair. Ninjas are wreaking havoc by cutting people’s hair without their permission. Behind this follicular terrorism is a master ninja, the Ninja Hairstylist, whose chaotic hairstyle embodies the anarchy that is about to tear the city apart. The Samurai Barber must step up and cut down the evil strands on the Ninja Hairstylist’s head. It is not just keratin that is at stake. The Samurai Barber must fight for one of the cornerstones of modern civilization; the freedom and self-determination to choose your own hairstyle. |
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A wild ride stuffed to the cut-lines with humor, heart, and space shenanigans. May’s humdrum life gets flung into hyperdrive when she’s abducted, but not all aliens are out to probe her. She’s inadvertently rescued by Xan who’s been orbiting Earth in a day-glo orange rocket ship, watching re-runs of “I Love Lucy”. Seizing the opportunity for a better life, May learns how to race the Audacity and pilots her way into interstellar infamy. Finally, she has a job she likes and a friend to share her winnings with—until the Goddess of Chaos screws the whole thing up, and Xan’s unmentionable past makes a booty call. If Douglas Adams got punted into a sticky orange pool of feminism and made sweet love to Futurama, you’d have something approximating The Audacity. Fans of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy will appreciate the style, fans of Futurama will love the blend of laugh out loud humor and feels, fans of Steven Universe will enjoy that Space is Very Gay. If you’re tired of the same old cynical, militaristic sci-fi and crave characters who genuinely care about each other and an image of life in the Universe that isn’t all gloom and doom, you’re going to have a good time in the Audacity. |
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The Levitation Game by Sharon Wagner A botched magician and a chef simmering with secrets unite to solve a supernatural puzzle as profound as gravity. The Levitation Game explores the power of sound, love, and magic! |
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Sphere of Influence by G.E. Ginn After centuries of war and mismanagement, planet earth is finally dying, and no one is inclined to do much about it but pack up and leave. If you're rich enough. Cheetah and his best friend, Mayan, have no intention of sticking around until the end of days, knowing he, at least, will be amongst those kicked to the curb. Inspired by an old map, a stashed away lunar shuttle and a ride or die attitude, their last hurrah will be to experience their last days on their terms; as free people, fighting for their survival their way. And who knows? Maybe they'll end up doing something noble after all. Like save the human race. |
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The Galactic Culinary Society: The Secrets of Umami by D.R. Schoel Edible Sonnets? Digestible Poetry? Whoever heard of such a thing? Jeane Oberon, Intergalactic Chef Hunter, that’s who! And if Jeane doesn’t unravel the secrets of the Esculent Sonnets of Umami first, her dastardly Greelon rival just might… and the Galaxy would be in a real pickle then, wouldn’t it? |
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The Hereafter Bytes by Vincent Scott Come for the cyberspace, stay for the laughs. Come for the laughs, stay for the cyberspace. Romeo is a digital copy of his dead bio self—a ghost—in a spindly robot body. When Romeo’s friend Abigail—a dominatrix with a gift for uncovering secrets—tells Romeo she’s at risk because of dangerous info from a client, Romeo agrees to help her investigate. Pursued by digital Golden Retrievers and a real-world assassin, Romeo slips in and out of cyberspace in a madcap race for survival. Can he unmask the criminal who threatens the integrity of cyberspace and the real-world economy before it’s too late? |
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Invention Is a Mother by Rob Brownell RESPONSIBILITY IS OVERRATED. A recently graduated and happily unemployed engineer, Shaughnessy shirks responsibility whenever possible. He coasts through life, sidestepping every opportunity to follow in his father Walton’s footsteps, until Walton begins to suspect that he has MFD (Mysterious Fatal Disease). The family coerces Shaughnessy to impersonate his father as a senior engineer at Critical Think Inc. There, he is immediately entangled in the development of an irrational consumer product. Pressured to innovate in the face of absurd challenges and fantastical demands, Shaughnessy teeters on the edge between breakthrough and breakdown. In a near future where you are what you wear, can an idling young engineer successfully navigate corporate startup culture, accept his family’s medical crisis, and harness his full creative potential? Fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Good Omens will enjoy laugh-out-loud collisions with the limits of reason in Invention Is a Mother. |
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Spectacular Silver Earthling by Mara Lynn Johnstone Hubcap used to be a rescue bot, getting humans out of every boneheaded scrape imaginable. His new career as a TV star suits him better: he can poke fun at the humans instead, while harvesting jetpods and tackling alien predators faster than any of them. It doesn’t hurt that he’s also immune to the mysterious “space frenzy” that keeps sending his coworkers into a froth. The robot worries for his human friends, though he would never admit it. Not when it’s much more fun to deploy weapons-grade sass. The pressure ratchets up when a rival show aims to steal their sponsor. Hubcap has to film his most spectacular footage yet, while avoiding dangerous wildlife, plantlife, and emotions. But if anyone is up to the task, it’s the robot with skills second to none, and an ego to match. |
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Daughter of the Cyber Dragons by C.T. Phipps FROM THE BEST SELLING AUTHOR OF THE SUPERVILLAINY SAGA: Keiko "Kei" Springs is a Rider, a specialized form of delivery girl and mercenary all in one. They are among the most highly prized criminals in the dystopian neon city of New Los Angeles. Kei has been running from her past for years and has literally erased it from her mind using a popular street drug called lethe. Unfortunately, you can't outrun your past forever, even on her specialized Nina cybercycle. Strapped for cash, Kei accepts a job she probably shouldn't after barely surviving a live fire test by a married pair of oligarchs. Teamed up with a group of other mercenaries and cyborgs, Kei is to seek out a stolen computer program that has the power to drive otherwise ordinary individuals to shocking acts of violence. Her team includes her ex, a handsome bioroid assassin, a teenage hacker, and a ruthless corporate exec that all have their own agendas. It'd be the worst time of her life if not for all the ones she can't remember. The Cyber Dragons Trilogy is set in the same world as the Agent G series and is an exciting action adventure cyberpunk thriller with plenty of humor. |
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Space Academy Dropouts by C.T. Phipps "Boldly going because they're completely lost." The newly renamed Vance Turbo has sabotaged his own career at Space Fleet Academy due to a desire to atone for training accident. Unfortunately, his actions result in him getting press-ganged into an expendable crew of misfits recruited by a legendary starship captain. Their mission? To recover a collection of lost sun-destroying missiles that could restart a galactic war. Unfortunately, Vance is smart enough to know something is wrong with this picture. After all, no sane person would recruit this crew to save the universe. SPACE ACADEMY DROPOUTS is an all-new series from C.T. Phipps (Supervillainy Saga, Agent G) and Michael Suttkus (I Was a Teenage Weredeer, Lucifer's Star) that lampoons the space opera as well as military science fiction genres. |
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Red Darkling by L. A. Guettler Red Darkling’s ship is a weevil-infested piece of junk. Her smuggling business barely brings in enough credits to buy cheap beer. Alien creeps think a blaster can get them favors when their charm fails. Her only company is a glitchy cat and the occasional hook-up. Her life is dirty, dangerous, and lonely: just how she likes it. It all takes a turn for the worse when things start going well. A little too well. Partying with movie stars, weekends in paradise, troublesome people turning up dead—it’s maddening. Who is this anonymous benefactor, and why does he think she needs protecting? |
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Bonkpocalypse by L. A. Guettler Bonk isn’t a normal cat. It’s glitchy, rusty, its eyes don’t match—and it’s only getting worse. Red Darkling, its owner and all-around space babe, is determined to find out what’s wrong. Red’s investigation takes her across the galaxy, from Chuck’s Tap to the Whore’s Knuckles, from Dr. Mn’s Vet Clinic and Oil Change Emporium to The Meaty Noodle. Along the way, she’s joined by a lounge lizard, a government assassin and her busty wife, and some suspiciously hospitable monks. Will Red uncover Bonk’s secret? Who is Todhunter Balzac? And will she ever get that damn FlinkBar jingle out of her head? Advance praise for Bonkpocalypse “It’s just the book I was looking for." ~The Serendipitous Teh “A powerful exploration of a young woman’s struggle to find her place in the galaxy.” ~Fritzi Giggler “More fun than a C’longi bachelor party.” ~Dirk Largo |
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Blazing Coffins by Jowsey Jones Jowsey Jones is the newest comedy fantasy voice in town and he brings you a tumbling SFF farce with Blazing Coffins, the first in The Monster Twins series. Theda and Wolfie are The Monster Twins and boy, do they have their hands full in this madcap good vs evil romp with a mind-boggling cast of monstrosities. Sad sack Theda is woken from a horrible hex and finds there is more to life than drudgery in her uncle’s wonky funeral parlour. Something is tingling in her teeth, and wait…why has her dimwit hunk of a brother sprouted a tail? Before long, the twins are chasing around a bizarro America trying to save their parents from a lunatic sorcerer with pharaonic delusions. They face an army of crackpot enemies: a vampire haberdasher and his toothy cohort, bumbling claymen, and a beautiful, insatiable nightmare from the ancient Steppes. Even Santa gets a cameo, and he isn’t very nice at all. Thankfully, they have some monsters of their own to help: an old-school Frankencouple and a Green Man with his snippety eco-warrior wife. Plus a trio of cheerful dead people, the world’s worst paranormal investigator, and a lovelorn bogman in dire need of moisturiser. Welcome to a fearless frolic that sacrifices anything for a laugh. Get your giggles here with Blazing Coffins. |
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The Mystery Of The Murdered Guy by G.M. Nair After their very public triumph over the sinister machinations of the Future Group, Michael Duckett and Stephanie Dyer's accidental detective agency has become a household name. Practically overnight, they've cemented their place as the city's go-to sleuths for solving the weird, oddball cases that would confuse and irritate anyone else. Join them as they tackle the mysteries of a medically licensed vampire, a mysterious mad bomber, a genderfluid reverse werewolf, and the true meaning of Christmas - just to name a few. Meanwhile, an aging billionaire obsesses over his plans to achieve immortality, which could mean dire consequences for the world. But with Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire on the case, what could go wrong? If you said 'everything', you'd be correct. |
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Before and After by Andrew Shanahan THE BEST-SELLING SCI-FI THRILLER THAT BLENDS HEALTHY LIVING AND LOTS OF DYING "A big fat five stars. This is a horror story. It's a visceral portrait of addiction and the hope of redemption in a world turned mad by hate and fear. The worst thing is that it is true. A must-read." Jane Almond-Deville, The British Obesity Society. Ben Stone is terrified. He's terrified because he weighs 601 pounds and needs his right leg amputating. He's terrified because a crane will shortly lift him from his fourth-floor flat and lower him 44 feet to an ambulance waiting below. He's terrified because he hasn't been outside in nine years and he doesn't know who will look after his beautiful dog. He needn't worry though, because the world is about to end. |
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Galaxy Cruise: The Maiden Voyage by Marcus Alexander Hart Humanity needed a hero. It got a karaoke DJ. Leo MacGavin is not the brightest specimen of humanity. But when he inadvertently rescues a flirty alien heiress, he’s promoted from second-rate lounge entertainer to captain of the galaxy’s most sophisticated cruise ship. Before he can flee in terror, a human-hating executive gives Leo an ultimatum—complete the vessel’s maiden voyage or mankind’s last colony will be turned into a sewage dump. To make matters worse, a militant cyborg is undermining his authority, a giant spider is terrifying the passengers, and a sentient plant keeps stealing all the beer. If Leo ever wants to see his home again, he’ll have to keep the guests happy through seven days of onboard antics and madcap shore excursions. As strange malfunctions tear the ship apart, can he hold his rag-tag crew together, or will he flush the last bastion of humanity down the crapper? Galaxy Cruise: The Maiden Voyage is a hilarious science fiction comedy adventure for readers who love The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Space Team. And moviegoers who love Galaxy Quest, Spaceballs, and Guardians of the Galaxy. And TV watchers who love Red Dwarf, Futurama, and The Orville. And people who basically just want to see The Love Boat on a spaceship. |
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Humor Book Winner in the 2021 IndieReader Discovery Awards A sci-fi satire about seeking work-life balance while doing public relations for an authoritarian president. PR extraordinaire Blake Hamner (the n is silent) put off his honeymoon for his big break: joining a major political campaign for president. Now, the "Hammer" struggles to make time for his marriage as Crisis Communications Manager for Our Leader, who since taking power has become increasingly mad and totalitarian. The Hammer starts to reconsider his career choices when one of Our Leader's savage steel hounds attacks the Comms team at a press conference. He'd love to talk about his erratic job with his wife, Triple-N news anchor Maria Worthington, but they have a rule: the broadcast journalist doesn't ask Blake for inside information about his work, and the spin doctor doesn't use their relationship as leverage on what Maria reports. They say you shouldn't keep things from each other in a marriage, but it's OK--the only secrets between Blake and Maria are professional. When a revolutionary levels grave allegations against Our Leader--and accuses Blake of distributing disinformation and propaganda to cover it up--the PR rep who thought he could talk his way out of any crisis finds himself utterly trapped in a dystopian job. |
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Bragg For Hire by John B. Cheek Shipwrecked behind enemy lines … a desperate fight to survive and escape … and a mysterious terror that comes only in the night. When soldier of fortune Atticus Bragg accepts a job to shepherd a young nobleman in his first combat command, it looks like easy money—drop in with the platoon, relax in a quiet sector away from the real fighting, and collect his pay. Easy, right? But it all goes wrong when their drop ship is hit on the way to the surface and crashes in a barren wilderness, far behind enemy lines. Lost and fighting among themselves, Atticus and the survivors must overcome their own divisions and the horrors of a hostile alien world, or none of them will ever leave it… |
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The Vacuum of Space by Julia Huni In space, no one can hear you clean Most people want fame and fortune, but not Triana Moore. She prefers programming maintenance bots and eating vendo food in the solitude of the space station’s control center. But when a highly connected security agent interrupts her routine with stories of murder and missing bodies, Triana can’t ignore him; it’s cooperate or find a new job. A girl has to pay the rent, even on a crappy studio compartment. Since working with a shiny detective beats a shuttle dirt-side, Triana lends her programming skills to Agent O’Neill’s investigation. Together, they find more victims and evidence of a major cover-up. A killer with a clean-up crew means money—lots of money, and connections—just the kind of notice Triana tries to avoid. Following the clues leads them to the wealthiest levels of the station, uncovers long-hidden secrets and puts the killer on notice. It will take all Triana’s technical talents, most of O’Neill’s connections, and some really excellent croissants to stop the murders, save her job, and ultimately, her life. This book was previously published as Murder is Messy |
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Space Operatic by Dale E. Lehman Eternal fame or eternal shame? Hopeless optimist Roberto Maccarone has staked his fortunes on a bold move: he's brought grand opera to the Oort Territories, where there isn't enough culture to fill a petri dish. But it's a tough sell here in the cold dark of the next to last circle of hell, and soon Maccarone is up to his mephistophelean eyebrows in corporate greed, rebellious miners, bloodthirsty mercenaries, outrageous lies, intense loathing, inane conversations, and more unintended consequences than you can shake a baton at. Really, how hard can it be to stage a performance? One thing alone can save Maccarone and his company: the most fabulous theater in the solar system slumbers nearby, mysteriously shuttered without having once been used. But the keys are held in the icy grip of the local Culture Minister, and nothing-not Maccarone, not obscene amounts of money, not even that guy who juggles flaming kabobs while singing an ancient song about how great America was-can pry them loose. Will it be fame for Maccarone and his troupe? Or unemployment in Beelzebub's outhouse? |
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Alice works for Jaffle Tech incorporated, the world’s biggest technology company and the creator of the Jaffle Port, the brain implant that gives users direct access to global communications, social networks and every knowledge source on the planet. Alice is on Jaffle Standard, the free service offered to all people. All she has to do in return is let Jaffle use a bit of her brain’s processing power. Maybe it’s being used to control satellites. Maybe it’s being used to further space exploration. Maybe it’s helping control self-driving cars on the freeway. Her brain is helping Jaffle help the world. And Jaffle are only using the bits of her brain she doesn’t need… But when a kind deed goes wrong, Alice gains unauthorised access to her entire brain and discovers what she has been missing out on her entire life: music, art, laughter, love… Now that she has discovered what her mind is truly capable of, how long will the company bosses let her keep it? |
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L.I.F.E. in the 23rd Century by Jason R. Richter "A laudable sci-fi yarn that’s both irreverent and relevant."Kirkus Reviews Meet Pat McGewan-X04. Pat is a Patriot who spends his days watching robots build cubicles for corporations that keep getting blown up by those pesky terrorists in the soon to be won, we’ve got them on the ropes, 232nd year of the War on Terror. He’s content in his world of mediocre corporate coffee, vid-link chats with his wife who the government discourages him from ever meeting in person, and an endless barrage of travel bans, terrorist attacks, and never-ending nightly news emergency broadcasts. But everything changes when a freak car accident puts Pat in the national spotlight. One minute he’s a hero for being the sole survivor of this week’s most recent terrorist attack, (but not long enough to get a commemorative coffee cup with his face on it before the next attack happens). In the next minute, the nation’s most vitriolic talking head has branded Pat the greatest threat to truth, justice, and stockholder profits -- and the manhunt begins! Pat has to decide between fighting the corporate-controlled media and possibly losing his life or giving in to his Academy training and lose his soul and possibly any hope of ever getting a decent cup of coffee. Welcome to LIFE in the 23rd Century: an absurd, light-hearted dystopian future to distract you from your horrific dystopian present. Brought to you by the makers of prescription Chillaxafed. Jason R. Richter writes humorous dystopian adventures with a touch of real-world cynicism. |
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Escape From B-Movie Hell by M T McGuire If you asked Andi Turbot whether she had anything in common with Flash Gordon she'd say no, emphatically. Saving the world is for dynamic, go-ahead, leaders of men and while it would be nice to see a woman getting involved for a change, she believes she could be the least well-equipped being in her galaxy for the job. Then her best friend, Eric, reveals that he is an extraterrestrial. He's not just any ET either. He's Gamalian: seven-foot, lobster-shaped and covered in Marmite-scented goo. Just when Andi's getting used to that he tells her about the Apocalypse and really ruins her day. The human race will perish unless Eric's Gamalian superiors step in. Abducted and trapped on an alien ship, Andi must convince the Gamalians her world is worth saving. Or escape from their clutches and save it herself. |
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Symphony Under Siege by Stephen Hall 512 years in the future. Not your typical Thursday morning. Five centuries from now, ex-navy officer Diana Singh commands the monumental luxury spaceliner the 'Symphony of the Stars'. None of her crew knows that their ship is smuggling a treasure worth millions. None of them knows which one of them is the serial killer. As Captain Singh pilots the mighty cruise ship back to base, she races to unmask the murderer in their midst before they can kill again. So, not the most convenient time to be attacked by pirates... "I am Captain Salazar Sharp, here to claim what is wrongfully mine!" For the flamboyant leader of the pirates, infiltrating the 'Symphony' is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But the secret treasure that could make him and his crew filthy rich is only the beginning; his ultimate goal is a far greater prize... 'Symphony Under Siege' is a witty sci-fi adventure packed with heroic exploits, twists and turns, nail-biting cliffhangers and daring escapes. If you like rollicking, fast-paced sci-fi with a sense of humour, then you'll love this exuberant debut novel from veteran TV comedy writer Stephen Hall. Buy 'Symphony Under Siege' today, and get on board the adventure! |
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Shakedowners by Justin Woolley To boldly go where no losers have gone before... Some starship captains explore strange new worlds, seeking out new life and new civilisations. Some lead missions of discovery through wormholes to the other side of the galaxy. Then there's Captain Iridius B. Franklin, someone who spent too long seeking out strange new bars and new alien cocktails. After graduating bottom of his class at Space Command Academy Iridius Franklin hasn't had the glamorous career he envisioned, instead he hauls cargo ships full of mining waste, alien land whale dung, and artificially intelligent toy dogs across the stars. Iridius does have talent though - he is exceptionally good at breaking starships. So, when not hauling freight, he is captain of a shakedown crew, a skeleton crew used to test newly constructed ships for faults before the real crew takes over. While on a routine shakedown mission aboard the FSC Gallaway, soon to be pride of the Federation Fleet, Earth is attacked by an unknown alien life-form. With the galaxy in chaos, Captain Iridius B. Franklin finds himself, unqualified, understaffed and completely unprepared, in command of the most advanced starship in the galaxy. Now, he just needs to not break it. |
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Watson and Holmes by E.B. Dawson A SOLDIER TIRED OF WAR Born into wealth and privilege, Jenny Watson left her parents’ way of life behind when she volunteered to go fight the Shifters. After giving up her commission, she arrives in Linden hoping to make a fresh start and to put her medical degree to good use. But when her friend and fellow passenger is murdered, Jenny finds new purpose working with Detective Sharlotte Holmes. A DETECTIVE ITCHING FOR TROUBLE Sharlotte Holmes has lived in a three mile radius her entire life, content to pursue her varied interests and wholly unconcerned with the burden the outside world would place on her great intellect. But when Jenny's past comes back to haunt her, Sharlotte may have to choose between staying in her comfort zone and getting answers. EXPERIENCE SHERLOCK HOLMES LIKE NEVER BEFORE |
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Loved Mars, Hated The Food by Willie Handler Dix Jenner, a self-proclaimed slacker, is the first chef to live—and maybe die—on Mars. After an explosion kills his colony companions and leaves him with nothing but his spacesuit, his time on the faraway planet is about to expire… until he’s rescued by friendly Martians Bleeker and Seepa, who smuggle him into their vast underground civilization. Despite an unfamiliar world of telepathy, strange class dynamics, and really bad food, Dix sets out to make his mark. After opening a cafe—who knew Martians loved espresso?—he starts to notice that responsibility can feel good. Not only that, but he’s got a new romance, and for the first time he actually cares. Unfortunately, his success attracts the attention of the corrupt and narcissistic Martian Grand Leader. Forced to run to avoid being imprisoned, Dix gets lucky: a NASA rescue mission lands on Mars. But seeing it brings back the dark secret he’s been keeping from himself about the colony’s explosion, and now Dix must choose between returning to Earth or spending the rest of his life in a cell on the dusty red planet where he belongs. |
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The Universal Good Deal by Cleophas Foy Alien white people from outer-space invade Earth armed with amazing deals and low, low prices. They're selling lava lamps, fanny packs, water beds, and more and everyone's buying it. Wouldn't you? It's from outer-space! Made by Aliens! And everything's on sale. It's a steal. But the Aliens only take cash. It's up to a marketing genius, a bosomy politician, and a genuinely nice guy to figure out what the Aliens want before we all become the product. Can humanity survive the most effective advertising campaign ever created or will the Aliens make a real killing? The Universal Good Deal is a satire about colonialism that explores all the horrible ways people fail to understand those who are different from them. |
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Ghost Dragon by Craig A. Price Jr. A spaceship crashes onto a planet… completely filled with dragons. When crash landing onto a planet filled with flying, fire-breathing beasts, Daniel is uncertain he can step up as the captain his crew needs to escape the strange planet. Daniel is an Unwanted. His parents didn't want him. The Space Academy didn't want him. The shipyard he worked at for years barely wanted him. But here he was, clawing through the ranks of them all to become the captain of his very own ship. The Ghost. After one successful accidental mission, and a second mediocre one, he is now the captain of an exploratory crew. To go where no one has gone before, and all that jazz. It's always been his dream. But when he crash lands on a planet full of dragons. No, not dinosaurs. Dragons. Yes, you heard that right. Dragons. Fire-breathing, Ice-Breathing, and lots of other elemental-breathing, flying dragons. Daniel doesn't know what to do. They may not be intelligent life, but he's stranded with a small crew and they must fight their way out, fix their ship, and get as far away from what Daniel is calling "Dragon Planet" (Original--I know), and onto his next exploratory mission ... if he can survive. If you love Star Trek and The Orville, Science Fiction with snarky characters and humor-filled plot lines with a little bit of hard science, then you’ll love Ghost Dragon, because everyone is an explorer at heart! |
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Ghost Surveillance by Craig A. Price Jr. A radio transmission deep in space… a surveillance mission is ordered … Daniel finally has his chance to prove himself with his first official planetary exploration mission. It isn’t going to be Daniel’s first time to a new planet, but it will be his first time leading an expedition from the beginning. In the past, he led missions to asteroids, and one planetary exploration since there were no nearby captains. But this time, he is chosen to go on his first official planet exploratory mission. He is ready to prove himself a capable ship captain. What could possibly go wrong with a simple surveillance mission? Daniel is an Unwanted, surrounded by a galaxy of clones. He desires nothing more than to prove himself, but no one takes him seriously. He uses humor as a defense mechanism and stumbles his entire way through being a captain. But this is his first serious mission. He needs to make sure it succeeds at all cost. If you love Star Trek and The Orville, Science Fiction with snarky characters and humor-filled plot lines with a little bit of hard science, then you’ll love Ghost Surveillance, because everyone is an explorer at heart! |
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Ghost Probe by Craig A. Price Jr. Roads?! Where we’re going, we don’t need roads! When a strange radio signal is detected in deep space, the president needs his finest officers to check it out. Unfortunately, the closest vessel is a lowly asteroid miner staffed with a ragtag crew of misfits. The leader of this crew is Captain Daniel, an "Unwanted." In the future, the rigors of space travel are reserved for two sets of people. Clones of the best and brightest officers, and the products of unplanned pregnancies. As one of the latter, Daniel is considered inferior to his peers and sees this exploratory mission as a chance to prove himself to the galaxy. Full of tongue-in-cheek humor, "Ghost Probe" will have you chuckling and smiling as the crew of the ship attempts to answer one of humanity's biggest existential questions. With comic dialogue and situations, "Ghost Probe" will appeal to fans of "The Orville" and other sci-fi that doesn't take itself too seriously. |
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Unicorn Farmhand by Samuel Yaw Jian Fong Every horse has a talent or two. Some can sit, some can jump over obstacles, and some can select a button for a treat. For one particular draft horse, Dok Saau, his talent is in writing. He does not just scribble letters in the ground as a trick, but he also uses his talent to express his own thoughts to his bemused owners. Surprised by his strange talent, his owner Chang Gao brings him to the Horse Fair, where he beats the other horses by writing proper answers to several questions. After a DNA scan, he is revealed to be a unicorn: even though he was supposed to be released into the wild, the authorities let Chang Gao keep him so that he might become a local attraction. Yet even as he tries to adjust to his new life as an animal celebrity, every now and then he faces recurring nightmares from his troubled past. As he seeks Chang Gao's help, will he be there to help him defeat his fears? Or would they instead attract something much worse: something that could threaten his comforts or even his own life? |
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Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire by G.M. Nair Michael Duckett is fed up with his life. His job is a drag, and his roommate and best friend of fifteen years, Stephanie Dyer, is only making him more anxious with her lazy irresponsibility. Things continue to escalate when they face the threat of imminent eviction from their palatial 5th floor walk-up and find that someone has been plastering ads all over the city for their Detective Agency. The only problem is: He and Stephanie don’t have one of those. Despite their baffling levels of incompetence, Stephanie eagerly pursues this crazy scheme and drags Michael, kicking and screaming, into the fray only to find that they are way out of their depth. They stumble upon a web of missing people that are curiously linked to a sexually audacious theoretical physicist and his experiments with the fabric of space-time. And unless Michael and Stephanie can put their personal issues aside and fix the multi-verse, the concept of existence itself may, ironically, no longer exist. |