Severed Roots: A dystopian novel by Nego Huzcotoq

WHO ARE YOU IF YOU HAVE NO ROOTS, NO REAL CONNECTIONS? In an alternative contemporary reality, Nick Wong is a product of the Children's Centres –government-run residential schools designed to prevent all forms of patriarchy and help usher in an unprecedented age of world peace. While girls are groomed for leadership, boys are taught subservience. As is the case with most male graduates, Nick's emotions are stunted and he feels little connection to others. Nevertheless, his innate curiosity and his desire to do the right thing spur him on a perilous quest for Truth –about marriage, family and the need to connect with who we are. NOTE: Replete with action and mystery, the novel is profoundly thought-provoking as it confronts current controversies regarding marriage, patriarchy, gender, and the relevance of the nuclear family.

Reverence: A Faith-Based Dystopian Novel (The Reverence Trilogy, Book 1) by Raena Rood

REVERE THE VOLUNTEER Twelve years ago, a global pandemic known as the Job virus decimated the world’s population. One city withstood the virus by going into lockdown during the early days of the pandemic and erecting a massive barricade wall to insulate themselves from the sick and the dying. Now called Vita Nova—meaning New Life—the city is overcrowded and its resources are quickly dwindling. The area outside the wall, known as the Unregulated Zone, is a vast wasteland filled with crumbling buildings, overgrown highways, and the Lawless: brutal bands of marauders intent on breeching the barricade and claiming the city’s resources for themselves. To combat the problem of overcrowding, the leadership of Vita Nova has implemented two programs: The Compulsory Program, which requires that anyone over the age of sixty—or anyone who requires medical treatment for a chronic illness—undergo a humane euthanization procedure. There is also the Volunteer Program, which offers residents the chance to be revered at a public ceremony and receive a Final Week of luxury, gifts, and praise...in exchange for giving up their lives for the good of all. After losing her mother as a Compulsory, Kira Liebert became a volunteer advocate for Vita Nova. She works closely with the Volunteers, arranging their stay at Rolling Meadows, a lavish, country-club estate where Volunteers spend their last few days. She also fulfills any special requests they might have for their Final Week. But when young, handsome Will Foster enters her office, wishing to end his life as a Volunteer, he has just one request for his Final Week. He wants to spend it with Kira. Unable to refuse the Volunteer’s last request, Kira gets swept into Will’s world, leaving everything she knows behind and going somewhere she never thought she’d go: beyond the barricade. With the end of Will’s Final Week rapidly approaching, Kira realizes that Vita Nova is not the utopian sanctuary she once thought it was. And some people—the truly brave ones—will sacrifice everything to prove it. REVERENCE is the first book in Raena Rood’s thrilling new faith-based dystopian series.

Aestus: Book 2: The Colony by S. Z. Attwell

An underground city. A deadly project. And an Intelligence agent who can help Jossey take down the City...if she can trust him again.Jossey grew up believing the Onlar, creatures of the aboveground, were monsters. But when they kidnapped her, she found out terrible secrets about her city and her family. Her choice to help the Onlar against the City almost cost her her life. And the Intelligence agent she'd thought was her friend was the one tasked with carrying out her execution.But he didn't quite succeed.Now Jossey, barely alive, has been sent to the Onlar by a mysterious figure from the City. And time is of the essence - her solar network project could mean disaster not only for the Onlar, but for thousands of citizens as well. She can’t do much from the Onlar camp, but Gavin, Jossey’s Patrol leader and longtime friend, isn’t convinced she’s dead. And Patrol has started to learn the truth.As tentative alliances form, Jossey begins to think this might be easier than she’d thought. But a terrible miscalculation has been made, one that may cost her and her friends both the City and their lives. Can she see it before it’s too late?Aestus is an adult dystopian science-fiction series set centuries after climate change has ravaged much of Earth. An epic story of vengeance, power, shifting loyalties, and survival that looks at just how far people will go to protect what they love, brought to you by science writer S.Z. Attwell, Aestus paints a picture of a world in which far too little has changed.

Hidden Shifters by David Dann

Invading aliens on Planet A7 have divided native hybrid creatures into two categories: harmless and dangerous. Shapeshifters, capable of assuming any form, are considered the largest threat. Hidden in sheep form, shapeshifter Adrian Walker works as a janitor at the hybrid prison. When he is promoted to warden, he has no choice but to comply. After his shapeshifter girlfriend is taken prisoner, he learns she is part of an underground movement to overthrow the aliens. Determined to rescue her, Adrian agrees to become the inside man for the resistance. As their plan unfolds, he must decide if he will continue to play it safe or risk it all—not only to save his girlfriend, but also the future of the planet.

The Dragon's Tongue by C.J. Brightley

While hiding with Lord Owen, the Fae, and the human resistance, Aria is forced to question everything she thought she understood. What are the Fae? Who is Aria herself? More than refuge, Aria needs answers. Despite the appeal of Dr. Bartok’s talk of grace, the Empire’s darkness threatens to overwhelm Aria as she wrestles with questions of sin, justice, and love. Colonel Grenidor has his own questions as he makes a new powerful ally. How much can Edwin really be trusted? And what of the Slavemaster, who Edwin claims is an ally of the vampires opposing the Empire? Colonel Grenidor’s research on the vampires has grown increasingly dangerous, with consequences for the Fae, the vampires, and the supernatural entities on both sides of the conflict.‘

H2LiftShips - Beyond Luna by Bob Freeman

H2LiftShips - Beyond Luna (Volume 1 in the Series) "A Tech Manual for a Future" Imagine a world, exactly like ours, but different A series taking you on the ride of your life: part road trip, part solar sailing. Into a world almost parallel to our own (but not quite.) Soaring through the heliosphere through the asteroid belt on Solar Sail ships, the unlikely crew of the LunaCola finds themselves foraging supplies from Earth and sea and hitting up the casinos around Sol to gamble their bounty hoping to their pot. Their adventures cross paths with everything from pirates, anarchy, poker games to jail time. This is a space adventure unique to its own with characters who are just as out of this realm of reality, entertaining and unforgettable. And after your cruise through the Asteroid belt, Mars, and Luna, settle down on Earth for a party in the desert. They'll bring the Carne Asada burritos and count on you to bring the fun.

Leaving Hope (Golden Terrace Colony Book 1) by R.L.S. Hoff

If Anya doesn't marry the guy her parents choose, this generation will be the last with pure Euros. She can live with that. They might not let her. The trouble is, that guy (the one Anya’s parents like) wants to be ship captain. That means staying on Hope. When there’s a new world within reach, waiting to be explored… Anya doesn’t know if she’s smart enough or strong enough to be part of the colony team that will get the planet ready for humans to live there. But she's sure she'll like forming a new world as much as she enjoys molding light sculptures. Two activities her parents despise almost as much as they despise her talking with anyone other than “that guy.” Yeah, Anya’s life stinks. But her parents are powerful. And her father’s sometimes violent. Which is probably why Anya hates conflict. Maybe she should just go along with her parents’ plans… And be stuck, friendless, living other people’s dreams. But what’s the alternative?

Adephon's Rise by B. R. Russell

The Federation of Chinese City-States has known unrivaled peace and prosperity for generations. But as The Automated City of Chengdu goes dark, rumors swirl that the long peace is over. Generals are always fighting the last war, and George Chen’s life is on the line because of it. Leading the tip-of-the-spear to Chengdu, George will need everything he has to survive a battle the world’s never seen before. Nicholas Chen dives into the criminal underworld of Shanghai to decipher a software update that’s bricking everything with a microchip. Money and power beyond his wildest dreams are up for grabs—if he can fix the break and get out. Zhifang Li works four jobs and her Vio Corp position is the worst. Conscripted into the Clover espionage unit, she’s in over her head. With the rumors of implanted people proving all too real, she’s to infiltrate a rival company’s most secure databank, or die trying. Adephon’s Rise is an action-packed techno-thriller on cybernetics, war, and corporate espionage. It’s a cyberpunk Malazan Book of the Fallen. In book two of the Banned Algorithm Library, the Clovers get upgraded, and Weaver’s cousin, Adephon, rears its head—changing the world forever.

Things Unseen by C.J. Brightley

History student Aria Forsyth's studies lead her to dangerous questions about the Empire's origins. A mysterious man named Owen, impervious to the winter cold, further unravels the safety of the world she thought she knew. At first, Aria believes Owen is human. He says he's not. What if they're both wrong? A moment's compassion draws her into a conflict between human and inhuman, natural and supernatural, and she begins to discover the secrets of the Empire, the Fae, and what it means to be human.

Bridge Daughter (The Bridge Daughter Cycle) by Jim Nelson

A world where daughters bear their parents' children! Hanna thinks her thirteenth birthday will be no different than the one before—until her mother explains the facts of life. Hanna is a “bridge daughter” born pregnant with her parents’ child. In a few months she will give birth and die, leaving her parents with their true child to raise. A mature bookworm who dreams of college and career, Hanna is determined to overcome her biological fate. Then Hanna learns of an illegal procedure that will allow her to live to adulthood…at the cost of the child’s life.

Mindwire (Mindwire Trilogy) by Carl Sampson

A new case for psychologist Paul Clark leads him into a shadowy world of surveillance, authoritarian control and psychic resistance. Charlotte is a young girl who has been confined to a psychiatric hospital for reasons unknown. With Paul’s help, she begins to recover her memories and unlock her past. However, with Charlotte’s recovery comes the development of a new level of psychic powers — and a desire for revenge. Have Paul and Charlotte started something that cannot be stopped?

Infection (The Hive) by Ethan Stand

Penelope Heath is in her final year of schooling. While on an excursion to Sydney a genetically modified infection is accidentally released. Those who are infected lose their individuality and work only for the good of their new species. The infected aggressively attack the uninfected. Penelope and her best friend Tiffany need to make their way from the infected over-run centre of Sydney to Penelope's family property in Queensland's outback. NOTE: This is only 22,000 words. That's about 100 kindle pages. The next episode will be about the same size.

Tijaran Tales - The Complete Series by F.T Barbini

Set in a not-so-distant future, Tijaran Tales follows Scottish teen Julius McCoy during his years at the ZED Lunar Academy, on the Moon. Between spaceship piloting, engineering and mind control classes, Julius and his friends will come face to face with the Arneshians, a banished sect of humanity which seeks to seize control of Earth. Tijaran Tales is a popular SF series for teens of all ages, about the trials of growing up, the joy of friendship, standing up for what’s right, and facing up to responsibilities. Growing up is never easy, but in war, choices are even tougher. In the face of adversity, would you follow in Julius’ steps? The Academy is recruiting, and they are waiting for you.

Club Ded by Nikhil Singh

Club Ded is an exhilarating psychedelic-noir, the second novel from Nikhil Singh, author of Taty Went West, which was shortlisted for Best African Novel at the inaugural Nommo Awards. Club Ded is shortlisted for Best Novel and Best Artwork at the BSFA Awards. Shortlisted for the NOMMO Awards - Best Novel. Brick Bryson, iconic African-American 90s action star, is fresh out of rehab and shooting the doomed sci-fi blockbuster CLUB DED with his old drinking buddy, bad boy, #metoo'd director, Croeser, in South Africa. But all is not as it seems. Behind the scenes, operatives of Oracle Inc., an elite, all-female information gathering organisation, have gone rogue. Utilising their vast criminal resources, they're pushing the interests of a street-level psychedelic drug-cult - spearheaded by the mysterious ex-Nollywood director Fortunato, and his underground 'reality- revolutionaries'. As the subtropical, fish-derived drug begins to exert an apocalyptic influence in secret, the fabric of time itself begins to unravel. Set in Cape Town, Club Ded expands the Afrofuturist genre while it is still being formed, focusing on the methodology of creation in the media world of the city. "Nikhil Singh is the compelling, razor sharp and hallucinogenic voice of nascent and imminent African futures. In Club Ded, he rides a wild and filmic dialectic between America and Africa, all handled with scabrous surety and emotional force. Nikhil is a writer to be experienced, not just read." Nick Wood, author of Azanian Bridges and Learning Monkey and Crocodile "Club Ded is a laugh out loud riot. And yet each staccato chapter retains a gravitas that builds and builds to provide a Pynchonesque future vision of South Africa and the larger African continent with its aging action movie star, neurotic film director, beautiful sirens, paparazzi, charismatic wanderers, talking chimps and alien creatures. Nikhil Singh has outdone himself with this new novel - his dialogue is as sharp as ever, his new world grim but intoxicating. Club Ded is so f...d up, so hilarious and so brilliant." Billy Kahora, Former Editor, Kwani? and author of The Cape Cod Bicycle War Content Warning: Themes of violence, sex and drug abuse.

Star Struck: Josie and the Sentinels: Book 1 by N.J Boyer

Haunted by her past and her future Hunted by her friends and their enemies The broken piece in an unconventional family, Josie Braveman longs for excitement. Anything to free her from her prescribed path. But when everything leads her to a dangerous world, she finds that it is not like her daydreams. Music manager Yasin Sabri is successful and wealthy largely due to his work ethic. But even top businessmen need days off. If only he could step away from his job, the large music festival in Golden Gate Park would be ripe for his restful desire. Little did he see the day pulling him into a world he never thought to enter. When Josie’s guardian leaves her in the care of someone they barely know, a secret is revealed that will leave an indelible mark on the young teen. As she is taken deeper into an underground world of magic, paranormal beings, and hazard, she will need to rely on Yasin for safety. But will he be able to put aside his lifestyle to free her? And now that she knows the truth, will she ever be safe again? Star Struck is the first book in the Josie and the Sentinels Series. Enter the world of Josie Braveman as she walks the thin line between what is and what should never be.

Subversion by Ruhi Parikh

IT IS THE YEAR 2064, and Washington, D.C., is divided into the Rich and the Poor. The Rich bathe in their luxuries and chastise those that they believe are below them. And the Poor have been forced to endure their morbid lives ever since the end of the nationwide war, with no light seeming to peer at the end of the tunnel. As quiet and respectful as they are, they also resent every nook and cranny of D.C., of the haughty Rich, and of the self-imposed President Remington who is willing to do whatever it takes to bring the country out of its everlasting economic despair. And as much as they want to rebel and fight for a better life, they know they will be shot and killed if they dared to do so. Blaire Cohen is a nineteen-year-old Poor woman who despises how the Poor are treated daily. She and her family labor for the government, mining from the crack of dawn to dusk. Everyday she dreams of escaping the atrocious city with her family, willing to give them the life they deserve. But that is until she gets kidnapped by a mystifying organization determined to destroy the treacherous government . . . and determined for her to join, too. Blaire begins to embark on a life oozing with the unknown. Dangerous decisions are present at every corner she encounters, and she must choose wisely, for the wrong one will lead to imminent consequences. Perfect for fans of Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth, book one of this heart-pounding dystopian series will have you at the edge of your seat until the very last page. Disclaimer: This novel includes intense action, violence, and language that may be sensitive to some readers. Please read with caution.

Out of Due Season: The First Transit by Benjamin X. Wretlind

A cult leader. A government tightening its grip. Competing global interests. A mysterious power source. What could possibly go wrong? On a June afternoon, a body is discovered floating in a remote lake in northwestern Washington. When a recovery team attempts to retrieve it, they make a shocking discovery: 311 other bodies lie under the water, all members of a previously unknown religious cult. However, what appears to be a tragedy of immense proportions is only the beginning. Soon, a few relatives and friends of the victims discover inconsistencies in the stories, and a small group bands together to learn the truth. As government agencies apply pressure for reasons unknown and civil unrest in the country makes communication and movement difficult, this tiny yet determined team unravels what may be the greatest event in recent—if not all—human history. Something epic is about to happen in that remote lake, and as Father Elijah Jonas tries to convince his followers to abandon the purgatory that is Earth and travel on faith to a new world, competing sides with divergent interests inch ever closer to the truth. What if humanity had a second chance? Would we make the same mistakes? For one cult, the only way to find out is to try.

Fulcrum: Season One: A Dystopian Post-Armageddon Technofantasy by J.J Vega

Jack loves his life. Yeah, he lives at the edge of a warzone between armies of monstrosities. You call it dangerous. Jack calls it Tuesday. Folks in town aren’t too keen on a fourteen-year-old running the only bar, but Jack has it under control. Maybe his customers trash the place more than he would like, but sometimes cybernetically enhanced mercenaries need to blow off some steam. With the help of Zeke—friend, mentor, monkey—Jack serves drinks to anyone who comes through his door. And for the right price, he might even sell you something with a bit more kick … something magical. When Corva gets knocked through the wall of his bar, Jack decides to help her out. Sure she’s being chased by a pack of bounty hunters and she’s got no idea why. But she can fight. Holy hell, she can fight. Jack could use someone like that to keep a little order in the bar. That should be a win-win, but Jack’s and Corva’s problems are bigger than either of them can guess, big enough change the course of the war. Fulcrum is a post-Armageddon dystopian science fiction fantasy with a taste of anime. Technology, magic, and a badass monkey. The drinks aren’t on the house, but you’re welcome to stay until last call. Note: This is not a YA story. This dark future is violent and contains profanity.

Metaworld Chronicles: Vol.1 by David J Wuto

Everyone dreams of reliving oneʼs life, starting over, but when Gwen Song awoke in her fifteen-year-old body, she found herself in a world of urban sorcery. Though her troubled child- hood remained, the familiar society she had once lived in had all but disappeared, replaced by a parallel reality.Back in her teenage body, she must navigate her new world, once again forging friendships, filial bonds, and gain mastery over the skills necessary to survive in a 21st century Earth ruled by Mages and Magic, where humanity lives in enclaves shielded from Magical Beasts, Demi-humans, and otherworldly beings in a meta-world made unreal by a sorcerous apartheid

By the Shining Sea: Khe 3 by Alexes Razevich

Khe looked for a savior.She found monsters. Khe loves her simple life on a farming commune until she discovers her ability to make the crops grow faster is a death sentence. Terrified, she flees the only home she's ever known for the far-off city of Chimbalay in search of those who might save her But Chimbalay has its own dangers. When a powerful alien race takes notice of her and wants to use her for their own evil purpose, Khe must learn to fight. What she discovers about herself will change her planet forever. Khe deftly blends elements of sci-fi and fantasy, satisfying those wanting something new. Readers looking for solid world-building and strong female characters will especially enjoy this book. Khe's story continues in Ashes and Rain and concludes in By the Shining Sea. Click now and start reading instantly.

The Lifeline Signal (Chameleon Moon Book 2) by RoAnna Sylver

Parole is still burning. And now the day everyone has been waiting for is finally here: it’s collapsed. A lucky few managed to escape with their lives. But while their city burned, the world outside suffered its own devastating disaster. The Tartarus Zone is a deadly wasteland a thousand miles wide, filled with toxic storms, ghostly horrors, and just as many Eyes in the Sky as ever. Somehow, this new nightmare is connected to Parole. And it’s spreading. Now Parole’s only hope lies in the hands of three teenagers reunited by their long-lost friend Gabriel - in their dreams. Growing up outside Parole, Shiloh Cole always had to keep xir energetic powers a secret, except from xir parents, Parole’s strategist-hero Garrett, and Tartarus expert Maureen. When Parole collapsed, all contact was lost. Now, connected by Gabriel and their colliding pasts, xie joins collapse survivor Annie and the enigmatic, charismatic Chance on a desperate cross-country race, carrying a disc of xir mother’s vital plans, whose encrypted contents may be Parole’s salvation. First they’ll board the FireRunner, a ship full of familiar faces that now sails through Tartarus’ poison storms. Together, they’ll survive Tartarus’ hazards, send a lifeline to lost Parole - and uncover the mystery connecting every one of them. The world outside Parole isn't the one they remember, and it didn’t want them back. But they'll save it just the same. It's what heroes do.

A Merry Life by Sarah Branson

Kat Wallace is on a mission. After escaping tortuous enslavement, she sets her sights on ending the human trafficking that has flourished in 24th century Earth. Adopted by the leader of the pirate nation of Bosch, Kat Wallace is determined to prove herself as a member of the Bosch Pirate Force and use her skills to avenge her enslavement and free other thralls. But unexpected love and a test of loyalty threaten to rob her of what she wants most: a home.

Chameleon Moon by RoAnna Sylver

The city of Parole is burning. Like Venice slips into the sea, Parole crumbles into fire. The entire population inside has been quarantined and left to die - directly over the open flame. Eye in the Sky, a deadly and merciless police force ensures no one escapes. Ever. All that's keeping Parole alive is faith in the midst of horrors and death, trust in the face of desperation... and their fantastic, terrifying, and beautiful superhuman abilities. Regan, silent, scaly stealth expert, is haunted by ten years of anxiety, trauma and terror, and he's finally reached his limit. Evelyn is a fearless force on stage and sonic-superheroic revolutionary on the streets. Now they have a choice - and a chance to not only escape from Parole, but unravel the mystery deep in its burning heart. And most of all, discover the truth about their own entwining pasts. Parole's a rough place to live. But they're not dead yet. If they can survive the imminent cataclysmic disaster, they might just stay that way...

Shades: the dragon and the fire by Atlas Theseus Schmidt

The year is 2635. A techno-biological virus has transformed the human race and gifted some with superhuman abilities. Artemis Rhyex has lived in this virus-stricken dystopia for sixteen years, beaten and starved, surviving virtually on the bottom of society. As luck and choices take her higher through the echelons, she begins to notice that the divide between the privileged Overseers, the commoner Purities, and the super-human terrorist Shades, is far deeper than she has been led to believe. When Artemis’s status takes a sudden plunge, and she transforms from a Purity into the one thing she fears most, she is forced to confront the world’s growing injustice while adapting to her new powers and learning to survive in a world that now wants her dead. She joins forces with the insane Shade “Pyro” on a vendetta to destroy the Overseers’ fascist regime, and ultimately challenge society’s fundamental ideas of what it means to be a person.

Court of Snakes: This Desert Cage by Tycho Dwelis

In the city of Segeno, it’s eat or be eaten. Someone has to rule the masses. A boy has lost his birthright. His parents killed. Dead and gone. A girl has lost her father. She means nothing to him now. The city of Segeno stands tall after a great war, the only city left of its kind. Terran has lost both of his parents and is now on the run from a tyrant eager to kill him and cut off the royal bloodline. Parisa struggles with her own identity as even her father rejects her for the color of her skin as he claws for the throne. Along their journeys, they meet unexpected allies and encounter unprecedented magick, but, most importantly, they learn what it is to stand up for themselves and take back their city from corruption.

The Symbiosis by Casie Aufenthie

A hero lost. An assassin on the warpath. A villain forced to be a savior. Eight months after Tristan Faraday sacrificed his identity to save the woman he loved, the newest member of the Council faces danger on all sides. The woman he was programmed to care for, Emmeline Boucher, grows more unstable and dependent on him daily while he becomes embroiled in a deadly political game with the ruthless Head of the Council, Fang Chen, who will do anything—destroy anyone—to hold on to her power. To honor Tristan’s legacy, Samara Zidan has thrown herself into ending the Council’s reign, leading the Resistance in a furious offensive against them. However, her heart remains fixed on finding a way to save the man she loves. When an opportunity presents itself, Samara will end up in the path of the most dangerous people on the planet, risking both her heart and her life. Desperate to uphold his promise to make amends, Wyatt Faraday has worked tirelessly to find a way to fix Tristan’s faulty memories, but with Fang out for his brother’s blood, time is running out. If he doesn’t restore what was taken from Tristan soon, everything Wyatt cares about will be lost.

The Drift by Casie Aufenthie

In a future where the human race has split into three species, the mentally-evolved Illuminatos have conquered the other two in a brutal Evolutionary War. Now, the seven most powerful Illuminatos, the Council, control the Earth, ruling over the other two human species through violent oppression. As one of the defeated physically-evolved Corporis, Samara lost everything: her family, her freedom, and her will to fight. But when her master, Lord Wyatt Faraday, commands her to find the mysterious leader of the Resistance, Tristan, everything she thought she knew is challenged. Tristan is an Illuminatos who has turned his back on his own kind to follow his principles. An idealist hoping to restore peace and equality for all species, he cannot escape his past, and it may force him to make a terrible choice. Their meeting will change the world, but will it be for the better?

Pallas Lost by Jake Morrison

When Ensign Vasyli Nikonov’s ship happened upon a drifting derelict, he had no idea how drastically his life was about to change. Not only had the crew been killed in an impossible manner, the Captain of the ship left a reference to the child’s tale of the lost colony of Pallas. Elsewhere in the Fifteen Systems, scholar Eliot Charter gamely starts his own fool’s quest to prove that Pallas is real. Armed with nothing but naivety and knowledge, he hires mercenary Captain Skadi Ulfsdöttir to help him on his journey. Things quickly spiral out of hand, leaving them all wondering if Pallas was truly Lost...

The Last Human by P. S. Hoffman

ALL HUMANKIND died thousands of years ago... …but the xenos still worship them as GODS. Today, hundreds of alien civilizations thrive in the gods’ lost cities and fallen megastructures. One Empire has learned to harness the remains of humanity's forgotten technology to reconnect the distant worlds... and dominate them. Eolh is an old, jaded, avian thief who lives in the dark underbelly of a conquered city. When the Empire first opened the gate between worlds, they stormed his home, killed his gang, and burned everything he held dear. But that was a long time ago. Now, the resistance is dead. No one dreams of fighting back—for the Empire wields the weapons of the gods: warships that fly, robotic constructs that hunt, and rare mysteries scavenged from the tombs of the gods. Eolh lives a half-life, thieving, running jobs, and selling his services as a freelance listener for the last gangs of Lowtown. He trusts no one, and only looks out for himself. When an unusual heist takes a deadly turn, Eolh must bargain with an overzealous android who carries an impossible secret—one that will shake the foundations of the universe. There is one last hope for salvation. For his people, or maybe just for himself… This is the story of The Last Human.

Realization by Joyce Reynolds-Ward

THEY’VE ALMOST REALIZED THEIR DREAMS…BUT CAN THEY REMAIN THEMSELVES? The indentured labor wars heat up as Ruby Barkley and Gabriel Martiniere struggle with medical complications that interfere with their fight to stop the sinister goals of Gabe’s father Philip. Discoveries by their son Brandon about the degree to which Philip and the family corporation, the Martiniere Group, are involved in unethical, interdicted human experimentation push them into accepting a questionable treatment to speed their recovery. Philip’s direct challenge initiates Gabe’s final push to take over the Martiniere Group. Ruby and Brandon consolidate family support behind Gabe. When a high-profile assassination attempt at a political banquet reveals the existence of cyborged Martiniere descendants and clones of Philip intended to provide him with replacement parts, Ruby and Gabe must take action. One clone—Michael—still survives. Along with their bid to win control of the Martiniere empire, Ruby and Gabe now face the dilemma of what is to be done with Michael. Can they save both the family and Philip’s clone—or should they even try? The realization of their dreams is within Ruby and Gabe’s reach. Can they fulfill it while still remaining true to themselves?

Ascendant by Joyce Reynolds-Ward

WHAT DOES ASCENSION TO POWER REALLY COST? Six months after the triumphant collaborative conclusion of the AgInnovator Superhero game show, Ruby Barkley and her ex-husband Gabriel Martiniere still struggle with the professional and personal fallout from their victory. The Superhero money allowed Ruby to launch her line of agricultural biobots. But one of the RubyBot spinoffs, the Defender, leads to unsettling revelations about crop tampering using body-modified indentured workers. Their son Brandon uncovers even more disturbing information about the abuse of indentureds as he campaigns to end it. All of these disclosures lead back to the Martiniere Group, the family corporation controlled by Gabe’s malevolent uncle, Philip Martiniere. Meanwhile, Ruby and Gabe wrestle with what form their resumed relationship will take, as Ruby contemplates whether she wants to take on the role of a Martiniere wife. The revelation that Gabe’s father is not who they thought, and Philip’s attempt to force Ruby away from Gabe once again confirms her decision. But the need to rescue one of Brandon’s valued indentured informants turns celebration into catastrophe. Will Ruby and Gabe be able to recover from this disaster—or will Philip triumph yet again in his campaign to destroy Gabe?

Inheritance by Joyce Reynolds-Ward

YOU CAN’T ESCAPE THE INHERITANCE OF THE PAST…OR CAN YOU? Rancher Ruby Barkley and her ex-husband Gabe Ramirez are competing head-to-head for the AgInnovator game show’s new one-shot award, the Ag Superhero. The winner walks away with $3.75 million per year for five years, with no accountability or need to re-earn the Superhero, unlike the Innovator’s other awards. But issues beyond those raised by their long-ago acrimonious divorce face Ruby and Gabe. Fence cutting. Rogue biobots destructively ranging beyond programmed parameters. Physical attacks. And the realization that they may need to reunite to save their son Brandon from indentured servitude. Then the secret shadow of Gabe’s hidden inheritance reveals itself. Will he step up to the Martiniere Legacy—and what role will Ruby accept in any future they may share?

The Last 0-Day by B. R. Russell

The cybernetics revolution knows no compromise. Luciana Gutierrez, a police officer, works ninety-six-hour shifts with a eugeroic hangover around the corner. Her investigation into those who stole her life is sidelined as a crime syndicate turns her precinct into a war-zone. Sent for backup, she’s offered experimental technology that could turn the tide, if she’s willing to risk mind, body, and soul. Anton Grissom’s birth was a crime, and his sentence is military service. Molded into an elite soldier, his path of atonement falls away when he’s caught on the losing side of a massacre. In the aftermath, he’s offered a second chance at life—if he’s prepared to pay. Weaver heals the broken and disposable, and in the process makes cybernetics a reality. Superhuman strength, intelligence, and connections to one another, it could solve humanity’s problems or tear society apart. But those concerns are secondary to Weaver, who just wants to see the next sunrise. All three are augmented for their own personal crusade and are on a collision course that will change the world. The Last 0-Day is an action packed adventure of the first cyborgs. It’s Neuromancer meets Malazan Book of the Fallen with a dash of cli-fi.

One Tin Soldier: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel by Chris Tullbane

Damian Banach's journey from Crow to Cape comes to a thrilling conclusion! Every year, the best Academy third-years are offered internships with Free States Cape teams, while the rest join the Mission on a multi-month expedition to bring hope and supplies to the Badlands. This year is different though... and it's not just because Damian Banach, the Academy's only Crow, actually volunteered for the Mission. The fact is, Damian's not headed into the Badlands for relief work. He's going because he owes someone a favor, and that favor has come due. Somewhere in the lawless lands east of the Free States is the person responsible for the Break and all the chaos that came after, and it's Damian's job to find him. He's hunting for Dr. Nowhere.

Red Right Hand: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel by Chris Tullbane

"If life’s taught me anything, it’s that you scrap and claw for every moment you can get. And if you’re a Crow like me, you don’t let a little thing like dying get in your way." Following the events of See These Bones, Damian is back at the Academy of Heroes as the Free States' most unlikely potential Cape. He has a new name, a new reputation, and a whole host of new questions about his own past. If he's going to find answers to those questions, let alone survive another year at the Academy, he'll need to learn a skill the orphanage never taught him: teamwork. Nothing's ever easy, is it?

See These Bones: A Post-Apocalyptic Superhero Novel by Chris Tullbane

Some superheroes want to save the world. Damian is just hoping to save himself. In the post-Break world of superpowers, necromancy is the one gift nobody wants. Everyone knows what happens to Crows; they go mad and they go bad. That's the story of infamous mass murderers like Crimson Death, Gravedigger, and Sally Cemetery. It's also the story of David Jameson, an otherwise unremarkable man who came home one day and killed his wife, orphaning their five-year-old son, Damian. Thirteen years later, Damian has inherited more than just grey eyes and a beak of a nose from his father. He too is a Crow, doomed to become a killer unless he can find a way to avoid the violent madness endemic to his powers. When a Finder offers enrollment at Los Angeles' Academy of Superheroes, he jumps at the chance, believing training could be the key to changing his fate. His classmates despise him, the majority of his teachers want him expelled, and his mom's ghost hasn't said a word since reappearing when he was nine, but Damian isn't the kind to give up. He's going to take control of his destiny or die in the process. It's that or end up like his father.

Revenge by Dani Hoots

A swashbuckling upper YA/NA LGBTQ+ sci-fi western you don't want to miss! It has been three years since Elvira "Ellie" Ryder was betrayed by her ex-boyfriend Cor, which caused the destruction of her people by invaders from a different Zone. Now she will do anything to find him and make him pay. Ellie has found someone who knows where Cor is. The price—assassinate a half-human, half-Sirian who is trying to join the Society, a high-class club only for the rich. Ellie takes the job, as it wouldn’t be the first assassination job she has taken, and heads to the Human Zone. However, when she learns more about her target, the more she realizes what is going on behind the curtain, and how her people were really destroyed. Will Ellie be able to forgive Cor after learning the truth? Or will she forever hold on to that hatred? *Rep: Bisexual, asexual, & gay

Dog Eaters by Malcolm Wong

Mankind failed to transcend the Petroleum Age… 175 years after the Die Off, civilization consists of scattered nomadic tribes, isolated casino-cities, and hordes of predatory bandits. The Black Dog Clan heads down the Southwest trade route to make their home on the Gulf.

The Old Love And The New by Alistair Caradec

'My priority is, and has always been to protect the citizens of our country. God save the King.' Twenty-five years after the infection started spreading across Britain and Ireland, most people have stopped asking questions. Nobody seems to care anymore what happened to the women in the provisional quarantine centres. Sid doesn’t have the headspace to care. Since receiving a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder at age nineteen, he has stuck to a strict regimen of routine, low expectations, and tuning out the world. When his best friend brings home the first woman either of them has seen since the epidemic, Sid has to push back the boundaries he set for his own safety and face outwards for the first time

The Miranda Project: The Miranda Project Book 1 by Matthew Cesca

For the last five years, Alex has been on the run. Once a living weapon for a shadowy government organization, Alex is now hiding out on Mars trying to start a new life. But the shadows of his past creep around every corner. Every night, his broken mind forces him to relive the horrors he has committed. Alex isn’t like most people: he’s a psych. Born with rare psionic powers, each mental is a prized asset for the Centralized World Government back on Earth. Psyches like Alex are tracked down by the Agency and trained to do the jobs the CWG doesn’t want the public to know about. With Mars no longer safe, Alex is forced to run once more. Refuge won’t come easy—he's running out of places to hide. And for the first time since taking his life back into his own hands, he's not running alone...

Silent Night by Emma K. C. Couette

In a future world, the skyscrapers of Haven City have crumbled and the government of today is no more. Death lurks around every corner and tomorrow is not promised. The Resistance and the Assassin’s Guild fight for control of the city, but after decades of a silent war, no one expects victory. In this lawless city, enemies are abundant, but three people are feared above all: the Charger, Black Death, and the mysterious assassin called Silent Night. ​ Silent Night has spent her whole life clawing her way to the top of the assassin list and has reached second place at the age of 18. She is days away from becoming Agent One when the tables are turned and a horrible truth is revealed. The next day, Silent Night seeks out the Resistance, to aid in the destruction of the Assassin’s Guild. Silent Night expects hatred and mistrust from her former enemies, but one boy will surprise her and that boy might just be the end of her. Please note: This book contains content/themes that may not be suitable for all readers, including: death, graphic violence, abuse, manipulation, alcoholism, death of a child, and mental health issues, such as panic attacks. Please read at your own discretion.

The Collapse: A Zombie Outbreak Story (Aftermath) by Alice B. Sullivan

What else could the dead rising be other than a sick joke? Karen Gallagher is a mother, a wife, and a scientist, and her past is catching up to her. As the world falls victim to a viral pandemic, Karen struggles to keep her daughter safe, forced to turn to the people who burned her all while harboring an awful secret.

Forgotten Evil by Quill Holland

If you had the power to rewrite people’s thoughts… would you? As a thirty-five-year-old farmer on a colony world, Raith is a kind and simple man, with a catch – he’s only existed for two years. His previous life is a mystery; the only clue to his past is a dark, ominous voice inside his head. When the Empire executes its triennial ‘Soul Harvest’, Raith’s partner, Amorina, is amongst the abducted colonists. Stowing away aboard one of the departing ships, Raith must navigate strange yet familiar territory in an attempt to save her. Haunted by his inner demon, the rescue becomes increasingly complex, as Raith finds himself caught between the Empire, the Insurgency, and the United Earth Republic, with new friends and enemies knowing more about Raith’s history than he does. Finally, as his past catches up with him, Raith discovers the dark truth about his former life and the powerful technology responsible for erasing it. With the burden of his disturbing past weighing upon him, Raith is forced into wielding that power once more; and the fate of humanity hangs on his decision.

Tasmanian Gothic by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky

A modern gothic thriller set in a decaying urban environment and lush mutant wilderness. Solari wasn’t alive when the ozone layer split above Tasmania and spilled radiation over the edge of the stratosphere, but she’s living with the consequences—the mutations, the gangland war, and the border wall that divides the affluent North from the contaminated South. Orphaned and alone in the southern reaches, Solari survives the chaos the only way she knows how: cooking the wildly addictive snowrock for local crime lord, Worcsulakz, and avoiding the mutants that skulk in the lush, untamed wilderness of the Fringes. But, when her junkie ex-boyfriend puts Solari more firmly in Worcsulakz’s debt, she runs—escaping the promise of violent retribution with a stolen van and a pair of giant wings cleaved from a mutant moth. Grafting the wings to her body disguises Solari as one of Tasmania’s most reviled and hunted, but grants her refuge in the one place Worcsulakz won’t look for her—a mutant enclave. There, Solari will form an unlikely alliance and commence the dangerous journey through gangland strongholds and carnival towns to get to the Border Wall in the north. Hunted by Worcsulakz, the hidden terrors of the Fringes, the secrets in her family’s past, and the deception at the core of her fragile alliance, Solari will need to confront them all or stay condemned to a life of loneliness and brutality. -- This dark biopunk adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world of danger and decay is perfect for readers of dystopian, gothic, and new weird science fiction, and fans of China Mieville, Jeff VanderMeer, Kameron Hurley, and Tamsyn Muir.

Revolution (Divided Elements #3) by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky

With her conditioning finally unravelled, Anaiya is free. But her single-minded pursuit to pull down the Orthodoxy is made more complicated with the return of old friends and foes who challenge and fight her for the chance to decide Otpor's future. In a world of fragile trust and heavy betrayals - will Anaiya finally get what she wants? Or will she, too, join the legacy of her former mentor - the infamous Original Resistor, Kane 148?

Rebellion (Divided Elements #2) by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky

"The sky over the Edges shimmers then falters. Hovering between night and day, the dawn has come and trapped it between two very different realities - blurring it at the fringes until it becomes impossible to tell whether it is in one state or the other. Maybe both, maybe neither. Maybe something altogether different." In the anticipated sequel to Mikhaeyla Kopievsky's award-winning debut, Resistance, Anaiya 234 finds herself abandoned and reviled by both the Fire and Air Elements. While desperate to stay off the radar and keep her own Heterodoxy hidden, her guilt and need for redemption drive her back into the conflict that first unraveled her identity. But Otpor has changed - now a battleground scarred by violent attacks and reprisals. And Anaiya is no longer the Elemental she once was. Forced to confront her fractured identity and forge new relationships, will Anaiya's past come back to haunt her...or help her?

Bypass the Stars by Kate Sheeran Swed

Seventeen-year-old Frankie Hartiger can reroute any elevator, steal the data from any ID chip, and scramble the facial recognition software on any security bot. The only thing she can’t hack? Her parents. They won’t trust her with a coffee order, never mind a position in their interworld exploration company. When their very first inter-universal tour goes wrong, Frankie sets out to rescue her parents—accompanied by Earth’s first (and most annoying) interworld immigrant, Jord Mathison. But a transport malfunction hurtles them into the wrong world, where a deposed prince wears Jord’s face. To the prince, Frankie’s last name is equivalent to a curse: his world is dying, and Frankie’s family is at fault. As a breadcrumb trail of conspiracies leads Frankie toward her parents, she’s sure Jord knows more than he’s willing to admit. If she can’t forge a truce with him to root out the truth, she’ll be stuck forever—and if the inhabitants get their way, she’ll burn with their world.

The Rax-Out of Darkness by C.G. Harris

Human technology is a crime punishable by death and the alien race controlling the planet fears one thing... a blind boy immune to their greatest weapon... With Earth enslaved by a vicious alien race known as the Rax, hope hangs on a single savior—a blind runaway named Tael. His alien captors distill fear into a devastating weapon, but Tael and a small band of rebels discover an ancient super computer that holds the technology to defeat them. If Tael unravels its secrets, humanity may have a fighting chance. But only if they find the traitor hidden within their rebel ranks who threatens their extinction…

Drained by Marc Daniel Acriche

A Booklife Reviews editor's pick. Can you trust your family? Can you trust your friends? Because you may just have to choose. New York City, 2048. Superstorms, and the politics of privilege, have left downtown Manhattan in tatters with electricity rationed, neighborhoods condemned, and hope destroyed. When high school senior Casey Parker and her best friend Jennifer are ripped from their comfortable, prep school lives, the pair find themselves in the dangerous world of the resistance. With family on both sides of the conflict, there’s no way out for Casey but a dangerous gamble: allowing herself to be captured by the enemy in order to learn their secrets. Failure could mean the lives of her family; success could mean the lives of her friends…

Neworld Papers by KB Shaw

CYGNUS AWARD FINALIST DANTE ROSSETTI AWARD FINALIST Neworld Papers is brimming with action, adventure, and a touch of New Adult romance grounded solidly in thought-provoking science fiction. Is revealing the truth worth the disruption of a society? Fallon lives in a peaceful world that has no concept of war, or murder, or even love. It is a society that prohibits histories and pledges itself to "The Service of Today and the Building of Tomorrow." Just weeks before he reaches adulthood, Fallon is torn from his sheltered life as a ward of the state. He is drawn into a subversive group that needs his secret talents and he quickly becomes a chronicler of discoveries that threaten to destroy the very fabric of Neworld. Can Fallon handle the weight of the new responsibilities thrust upon him while he navigates relationships with the feisty redhead Aidan and raven-haired beauty Lenore? This volume includes first two Neworld stories: The Historian's Tale and The Warriors' Tale. You can check out their reviews when deciding to buy this volume.