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Cybernetic addiction plagues the populace of Cyber City, the post-apocalyptic metropolis of neon grime and crime. The government promises a tech-free âUtopiaâ for the Virgins, a small community rejecting body modification technology. But before the invitation goes public, the Virgins begin to disappear. Xia, a lawbreaking freelancer with a haunting past, is the first to notice the strange vanishings. As she puts the pieces together, she reveals a sinister plot: someone is kidnapping Virgins and using their bodies to escape to the promised Utopia. Teaming up with Mai, a Virgin prostitute, Xiaâs mission shifts from providing simple protection as a means for money into an impossible endeavor: helping the Virgins escape the city. This mission puts them at odds with both the mysterious Virgin body snatchers and Cyber Cityâs governmentâtwo threats that could end in fates worse than death. As the unlikely duo embark on the impossible, they discover secrets more shocking than the plasma dome that traps the city within. |
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Navvy Dreams by H. M. H. Murray TAKE A JOB. FALL IN LOVE. TRY NOT TO BLOW UP SUNS! My nameâs Polla Ottrava. Iâm a registered smuggler and hotshot hyperspace pilot with a navigational symbiote (ânavvyâ) implanted in my arm. Its name is Second. With dear Second, Iâm the best pilot I know (probably). Without, Iâm just a farmgirl from a backwater planet whoâs moved back in with her folks. Between the lover I abandoned and the crime boss I cheated, I had no choice. In my twenty-eight years Iâve made a lot of bad calls, but thatâs relative, isnât it? I mean, Iâve never blown up a binary star with space magic. Iâve never harnessed a fleet of alien ships and used âem to terrorize perfectly respectable arms dealers, either. Iâve also never unleashed a shapeshifting biophage, nor ended even one civilization. The woman who did all that was Ledas-stinking-Starfire. Ledas: the rebel Kamen-lord, spoiled Terran princeling, and failed revolutionary. A year ago, someone killed her. Now her widowerâs ravaging planets. I guess for revenge. Who cares? This isnât her stinking story⌠Itâs MINE. Iâm Polla Ottrava. Iâve taken a job I wasnât allowed to refuse. My employers are war criminals who swear theyâre saving the galaxy. They say Iâm the only one who can fly their bloodship. They say weâre heroes. They say theyâll pay me. They say a lot of crap. Only some of itâs true⌠|
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In a near-future America torn apart by corporate warfare and social unrest, an unlikely antihero might be the lesser evil. Warner Vogelâs life in a corporate dystopia isnât as bad as it could be: his name blazes in blue neon atop a skyscraper. As heir to the omnipotent VogelCorp, his life should be idyllic, but a brutal encounter with an insurgent fifteen years ago cost him an eye and much of his sanity. Now, he lives for his secret projects and his distractions in seedy nightclubs, but his only desire is revenge. Freya is a genetic marvelâa supersoldier from the legendary Unit Six, engineered for violence and conditioned to enjoy it. When her mission at the VogelCorp vault goes catastrophically wrong, she ends up in a titanium cage with a hole in her skull. Her escape hinges on one thing: helping Warner exact revenge on Nero, her former handler. As they unite, they uncover a shared enemy and a common goalâto dismantle Unit Six and end the decades-long war ravaging their states. As their journey unfolds, Warner is forced to question everything he knows: the loyalties of those closest to him, the integrity of his country, and his own humanity. How far will he go for vengeanceâand the greater good? |
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Kemperâs House by Frank Saverio What if the cost of first contact was leaving behind a world youâd never recognize upon return? On the heels of discovering interstellar travel, humanity has stumbled upon the first signs of intelligent life in another system. Captain Adrian Kemper is selected to lead the expedition to Kyra-2B in order to make first contact with the Kyrans. He departs a world struggling to deal with overpopulation, knowing that the realities of space travel will mean the Earth he eventually returns to will no longer be home. Even the stone cottage he loves may not remain. Despite this, Kemper accepts the mission. He leads an elite crew of optimistic scientists on a journey that will traverse hundreds of light years before reaching an alien world. What they find is truly unexpected. |
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KARA by Peter Beard For over ten years Kara was a Hunterâthe highly trained individuals with the ability and resources to find people, no-matter where they tried to hide. But after killing her best friend in a tragic accident, her world collapsed in on itself, and Kara spiralled. Recovering, and keen for a distraction to keep her mind from wandering, Kara turned her attention to something that had intrigued her for as long as she could rememberâto the mysterious symbol on her wrist. Determined to learn more, she began a hunt of a different kindâa hunt for answers. But three years of searching yielded little information, and she began losing hope of ever discovering the truth. But then, unexpectedly, she receives an anonymous messageâa message pointing her to a highly secretive prison on the outskirts of the Kuiper Belt. What she finds changes everything, and leads her down a path that puts her, and the people around her, in danger. Can she learn the origins around the strange marking, all whilst unravelling a sinister plot that threatens to send a peaceful world back into chaos? |
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Governments have fallen. Corporations control the world. Now their eyes are on Mars. But Benjamin Drake is about to ruin everyoneâs plans. Earth is no longer made up of countries and nations. Every bit of land has been privatized, and most of it is owned by five big corporations. Life is hard, and people are struggling. Crime is rampant, and they send serious offenders to Mars to help with the terraforming. Benjamin Drake is a happy-go-lucky truck driver (or hauler) with an uncomplicated life, hauling cargo around the world in his Hydrostar, until a run of bad decisions leaves him without work. Down on his luck and desperate for a contract, he makes a decision that he instantly regrets. As Drake gets caught in a tug of war between a mining mogul and the worldâs most ruthless security force, he suddenly finds himself with a truck full of stolen cargo, and decisions need to be made. But who can he trust? After a big professional blunder, Lt. Lily Wells plots a way to get her career back on track as one of Penta Corporationsâ top security officers. But when Wells ends up on a murder case, she uncovers something much bigger. One on the run and the other on the hunt, Drake and Wells cross paths, at odds and supposedly enemies. But could their alliance be the only way out alive? Set in the near-future, Hauler is the first book in the Benjamin Drake adventure series, filled with witty dialogue, flawed heroes, and plenty of bad decisions. |
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As the Second American Civil War wanes, Mary the Exoputian awaits her chance to contact the Folbulaeâa highly advanced species of extraterrestrial, only to be hunted down by the dictator of the Sovereign States of America, Vladimir Booth. With rising tides and thawing tundra, the Exoputiansâa new species of human genetically created to live in Space and communicate with the Folbulae, land in the Republic of Texas following a missile strike on their Space station. Mary and the other Exoputians learn of the lies their progenitor taught them, training the Space-bred crew to use their novel communication to cure the planet theyâd never set foot on. As Mary and the others road trip through racially segregated America, they encounter multiple attempts on their lives to follow through with their once-mission of saving the planet from the climate crisis. Discover with Mary whatâs worth saving on a planet prepared to destroy her entire species. |
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âA chunk of white rested inside the dip of her collarbone. She fished it out and flicked it away, its rattle echoing as it bounced under a display table, alerting her to the silence. The ringing in her ears had finally stopped. The mask and goggles were long gone; fallen off in her haste. Pointless to wear them now, anywayâŚâ Caede wants to complete her masterâs degree, refresh her dating profile, and finally join the land of the living. Instead, she wakes up on a cold, wet pavement, surrounded by dead bodies and ferocious monsters. Kai waits anxiously for his sister to return from the worldâs longest night shift. Ravi hides under a desk in his office, and Efia lays unconscious in a garage. Jonathan, recently dumped and drinking himself to death in an empty flat, is waiting for the end to come⌠until a grizzly attack sends him stumbling into the path of Caede, and all the horrors of an apocalyptic London. |
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Bleeding Mars by Asher J. Quazar Dezi doesnât own the clothes on his back or the blood in his veins. Heâs a college dropout working a dead-end job on the most backwater planet humanity has ever colonized. Heâd always dreamed of traveling the system, but when heâs framed for a facility malfunction, heâs forced to flee to the capital of Marsâa city teeming with gangs and space-age aristocracy. He manages to land a job at a luxury casino where a VIP selects him as his regular host. Umbra is a perennial, one of the few wealthy enough to extend their lives through a blood-based medical process, and he might be Deziâs ticket to paying off his bounty, but the immortal is as eccentric as he is generous. He claims to be an authentic vampire, and his appetites have Dezi questioning whether he might just be telling the truth. As Dezi falls headfirst into a web of seduction and deceit, he must decide what heâs willing to do to survive a city where the weak end up as blood bags. |
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In 2140 the strange had become the norm. Human life has been transformed by the cy-lnk cognitive implant that connects the physical brain to the âOnline Environmentâ. On board the first manned trip to colonize Proxima Centauri B, all is not well. Chief Engineer Gus Salatin and Science Officer Dr Lilian Garcia are among the few who refused to have âthe operationâ. They believe the company is using cy-lnk to control the crewâs thoughts. As the ship passes through the Keiper Belt on its way out of our solar system, chaos erupts. A mysterious planet suddenly appears, the crew begin hallucinating, and a terrifying secret about their destination is revealed. Brace for a oddly believable, darkly humorous, and hopeful read. |
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Company Assassin by Claudia Blood Time is coming apart at the seams, and a tech-savvy teenage orphan is the only one who can save the past and the future⌠Turning eighteen in the orphanage on Kalecca means starvation for those who arenât hired into a Family, so no one is celebrating Duff Romanâs big day. Outside the Family compounds lies the jungle. And in the jungle lies death. And Relicsâthe only real currency on Planet Kalecca. The orphans are Duffâs family, and heâs sacrificed everything to keep the orphanage running, even his chance to move on. But without him to bring in extra money, the orphans will starve under the Companyâs control. Duffâs only chance to save them is to find a spot on an independent crew and hopefully find a Relic to sell. When a seemingly chance encounter with Z, leader of the most feared independent crew, offers Duff his opportunity to score a Relic, it also gives Z a chance to relieve the guilt he feels over his past. But a Company assassin has plans to lay waste to Duffâs future and destroy the people he cares about the most⌠|
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Children of the Fall by H. S. Down Hypatia is a companion child, a cyborg with the consciousness of a child, designed to help her non-verbal human sister, Alexandra, navigate the world. When a flash knocks out the power and a civil war erupts, the sisters are forced to travel through powerless cities and dangerous country roads in search of refuge on the eastern coast of the United States. Realizing that without access to a charging station itâs only a matter of time before her battery fails, Hypatia must deliver Alexandra to safety before itâs too late. Yet, as Hypatia and Alexandra encounter other companion children that have gone berserk, Hypatia begins to suspect the flash may have done more than just take out the power. Can Alexandra trust her sister, and is Hypatia exactly what she seems? |
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Welcome to the Isulum Empire. Inflation is high, trust in the government is low, and unrest is growing. Here, oligarchs live offshore on superyachts with their pleasure androids, far from tax obligations and the crumbling, crime-ridden city center. The rest of the population retreats into the digital world of Parallel, a sanctuary that offers daily respite from the real world. Many of Parallelâs users have rallied around the speaker Rita Shor, who challenges the empireâs class division and the injustices faced by women. Shor and her followers adamantly oppose the radical ideologies of another charismatic speaker, Doctor Gagarin Sokolo, who promotes extreme misogyny in an effort to address the empireâs declining birth rate. Neither Shor nor Sokolo realize that in the depths of Parallel, a team of hackers is working hard to unite their disparate followers under a singular purpose: to dismantle the Isulum Empire. As Shor and Sokoloâs lives become further intertwined, the empireâs fate rests in their hands. But the price of victory may prove far greater than they ever imagined. |
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ASH by Grace Walker The mission was supposed to be simple: go to Xeiryn, complete the objective, and leaveâbefore itâs too late. Of course, thatâs where everything fell apart. Kade, an underworld operative, fights for survival on Xeirynâa planet on the edge of the galaxy where crime syndicates control the only antidote to the deadly atmosphere. With no other choice as a human, he is caught serving the syndicates under his protector, a woman called Ash. However, when her secret against the syndicates is revealed, their world is torn apart. After a devastating separation, Kade is forced into a struggle for survival in a new galaxy. Working with a crew of mercenaries, he has only one goal: Find his way back to Ash. When a powerful client offers the crew a secretive mission to Xeiryn, Kade canât resist the opportunity that could lead him back to Ash. But the mission quickly becomes the least of his worries when Kade and his sharpshooter comrade Xiara suspect their assignment isnât at all what it seems. Now, torn between his past and his future, Kade has to face the bitter reality of what it will take to find Ash and if she is truly everything he once believed. |
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All Hope of Becoming Human by Lonnie Busch The world is about to change in unimaginable ways⌠Earthquakes rock the planet, revealing massive metallic objects and vast subterranean graveyards. One such location is in the Arizona desert. Scientists believe this incredible discovery may hold answers to the origins of man, but when the site is suddenly shut down due to seismic activity, one researcher knows she must return. Assistant archaeologist Rebecca Duccati sneaks into the compound alone, and will have to dig deep to find clues in these strange underground caves and tunnels. The work is dangerous and frightening, but she feels a connection to this bizarre phenomenon that even she isnât fully aware of yet. FBI Special Agent Demzey knows nothing about archaeology; his specialtyâ anomalous crimes, the fringe edge of the aberrant and the unknown. Demzey is investigating a recent rash of vicious and brutal murders, the clues surrounding the killings both disturbing and inexplicable. He and his assistant Connie Wegman catch a break when they discover remains of two monstrous creatures unknown to science, believed to be a race of aliens responsible for attacks on humans across the globe. With the death toll ticking ever higher, scientists and intelligence agencies on every continent search for the source of these vicious creatures, until the combined efforts of Duccati and Demzey begin to unravel the mystery, though what they uncover could spell the end for the human race. |
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A Universe Upon Us by Marc DeGeorge When Ceri boarded the colony ship with her parents, they were escaping the destruction on Earth. Theyâd sleep in stasis for a thousand years, then wake on their new home, free from the ravages of war. But for Ceri, it was not to be. The adults of the Stratford stole her childhood and replaced it with terror. For seven years, they forced her and her squad to fight against a rival faction. They were called the enemy, but just like her, they were children, trying to survive. One day, Efa, her squad mate and friend, confesses a forbidden love that can only be considered treason. Ceri is furious, but also confused. They were like sisters. Why had Efa kept this from her? The reason forces Ceri into a choice. Should she do what Efa asks, or risk losing the only person on the ship she could trust? |
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A Quiet Universe by Kay F. Atkinson CERHA is a fabricant, and her job is simple: keep Annalise Fletcher safe, a role she performs dutifully and without fail, as she was designed to. Neither she nor her charge expected that this routine assignment could lead to love, but when feelings begin to bloom, neither see fit to stand in their way, and the two find themselves leading a shared life where both must walk a tightrope, precariously balancing between duty, and what domestic bliss is woven into the spaces remaining. For a time, they are as close to happy as they can manage. Then Annalise vanishes away to the embattled starship âUpon Silver Tidesâ, leaving a cryptic warning in her wake, and CERHA finds herself frantically in pursuit, on an illegal mission to save her objective-turned-lover and bring her home alive. She isnât sure what sheâll find. But what awaits is a web ensnaring both wayward lovers, far more tangled than either could possibly know, and lurking upon this forsaken vessel is a descent into insanity that will force CERHA to confront the bleak truth at the heart of her function. |
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âEarthâs time has run out. You must leave this decaying cradle.â With only a few words, Orinious Xaivâs deliberately small world is altered forever when heâs named Exim, the leader-elect of the Imitari. A theocratic group of genetically altered beings presiding over the dying Earth. As a âNamed,â Orinious receives an impossible task: to recover the lost seeds of mankind. Without them, all is destined for failure, resulting in not only his death â but that of all. Setting out with him on this mission is Veyra, one of the rare Chimaera with an elevated position among the Imitari. An elite personal enforcer, infamous for her ruthlessness and violent nature. Sheâs ordered to leave her masterâs side to protect Orinious â no matter the cost. Forced to work together to survive, theyâre confronted by gut-wrenching realizations about themselves, their world, and the true purpose of their mission. Unlikely friendships emerge and a forbidden romance dares to gasp, all while brutal attacks, unrelenting chaos, and bitter deception challenge them at every turn. Tracking down the seeds is only the beginning. Imitari is the first book in the exhilarating dystopian sci-fi ALTERA DOMI Series. |
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Beautiful World Part 1 by Bill Sharrock In a broken future, ink-like stains have appeared on people's skin splitting the world in two. Now the beautiful people all wear masks and live in a luxurious haven kingdom where strict beauty laws are enforced. The others, âstainersâ, are segregated to a lawless life in the Outlands ruled by chaos and warlords. But when Chesterman, a mysterious, ruthless leader from the north rises to power with plans to bring the kingdom to its knees, people will have to find out what they truly want to live for beneath their masks. Beautiful World is a grand scale story of Anna, Barvarik, Talessa and the individuals who will shape destruction, hope, terror and change to a future where only the most beautiful can sit at its apex. |
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A Spectre in the Stream by Simon Tull In a world gone mad with bloodlust, can a girl with a fragmented past use her inner monster to save a boy from undying predators? Earth, post-Apocalypse. Prisma longs to understand herself. Two centuries after humanity died, the claustrophobic immortal is grateful sheâs not driven by the thirst for blood plaguing every other enslaved survivor. But when she encounters a strange boy with a cryptic message about her origins, she fears his existence has made them both a deadly target. As Prismaâs violently protective alter-ego gives her remarkable abilities, she and her curious companion track his mysterious origins through their decaying city and its virtual twin. But sheâs horrified to learn of a vicious truth that sends her split personality into dangerous denial when a psychotic assassin and a desperate bounty hunter close in for the kill. Can she unearth the secret that will renew their stricken planetâs hope? A Spectre in the Stream is the edge-of-your-seat first book in The Slip Saga science fiction fantasy series. If you like gritty characters, violent action, and dark-edged humour, then youâll love Simon Tullâs fast-paced adventure. |
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The Grandmaster's Gamble by Paul G. Zareith An unparalleled academic genius of his generation - Norman has a bright future ahead. While he may be the rising star of the famed Illustrious Academy, in the brutally competitive Irvanian socio-political landscape, opportunist vultures lurk at every corner and no tactic is too low. The biggest obstacle in the way of his grand ambitions though, is an ancient alien parasite that has made his body its nest. Oh, and there is also the problem of a high profile murder investigation that is likely to destroy his career. Will Norman be able to reassert control over his life? Or will he succumb in his pursuit of the forgotten arts of soul harvesting and become something else... Find out in this grimdark cyberpunk fantasy. Sometimes being the best among the best is still not good enough. |
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To choose what is right would bring him in conflict with the vampires, but can he avert his eyes yet again when a child needs his help? In a world where Vampires make the rules, the hunters are bound by the terms of an ancient agreement and the witches are hunted. Ken is a vampire hunter having an affair with the vampire, Frederick. Navigating a relationship with a vampire while trying to help those he terrorises is not easy. If Frederick finds out what heâs doing, their relationship isnât the only thing in jeopardy. When a situation arises when Frederickâs ward, Mabel, needs his help, Ken knows his actions will pit him against Frederick. With his very life at stake, will he choose to do the right thing or follow the path of least resistance yet again? Life Remains is a queer, paranormal, dystopian fantasy novel with morally grey characters, found family and themes of redemption and making the right choice. If you love dystopian worlds with vampires, hunters, and witches, you will love this book. |
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Merittown by Uilleam Whitedale First book of The Lillian Rebellion. Lillian Gillespie is not the everyday grade school teacher she thinks she is. After learning that she is an ultra-creative empath, whose father had her reassigned after she was deemed defective as a child, Lillian flees her recently-capitalized, gaslighting partner, pursuing a relationship with an old school friend, unaware of how controlled her life has been. Her father is also not who he seems and seeks to persuade her to return to her former life, but it is a cage she cannot abide, needing to be free. As she develops her gifts, she is joined by two young empaths who seek her out through feelings. Discovering that she is an empath among empaths and being threatened by the oligarchical class who fear her, she and her friends decide to run to Old New York City, a dangerous journey under the watch of the meta-panopticon. With the help of another powerful empath, they achieve their destination⌠and the fight against the ruling class begins. |
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Decades of hostilities. A chance for peace. Caught between belligerent groups, will this operation be her last? Sam "Valkyrie" Ryan is reeling. Struggling with her brother's recent decision to make their next assignment his last, the recon specialist fights to change his mind. But she has no time to process her emotions when they're tasked to protect a pivotal reconciliation summit between the Altered and Humans from human-supremacist terrorists. Distracted by a charming female medic, the golden-haired marine struggles to stay focused as events quickly unravel. And with the conflict becoming dangerously unpredictable, secrets from the past catch Sam by surprise as she uncovers a plot to destroy all of humanity. Can she stop a violent and oppressive history from spiraling into a catastrophic future? Of Friction is the fast-paced first book in the Altered Earth dystopian military speculative fiction series. If you like strong women, tense action, and slow-burn LGBTQ+ relationships, then you'll love S.J. Lee's gripping story. |
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When a monster hunter's last mission is to capture a wasteland girl, his only chance of survival is to turn the hunt around. Hunt the monsters of the wasteland. Bring them back alive. Retire. Ninety years after the devastating global "Fracture," the biosphere has collapsed. The few remaining cities, once bastions of human survival, have become fortresses of power ruled by ruthless corporations. Axel Mercer, a former soldier, explores the hostile plains to recover organisms for scientific research. But the corporations who run civilization want more. As his last mission, Mercer is sent to recover a specimen that could bring eternal life to the corporate elites. He learns this organism is not a monster, but a teen girlâa wasteland fighter hardened by a life of survival. Her spirit and fierce determination challenge everything Mercer has believed about his job, his future, and his questionable past. In a world where power is worth more than life itself, Mercer must decide which side of the fight he belongs onâand what kind of future is worth fighting for. An action-packed dystopian novel with a simple premise, crazy twists, cruel desires, a pinch of humor, and all the blood and violence of an edge-of-your-seat action movie. |
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The Scorching: The World in My Hands by Nick Snape A lonely PA, a rebellious teenager, two ordinary people on a deadly journey to save humanity. The world is heading towards global collapse as The Scorching takes full effect. Salvation vessels orbit the Earth, waiting to transport the chosen few away from danger and to start again; ten plantships grown by an alien species for the wealthiest and most powerful, or those lucky enough to be selected by lottery. The rest remain behind, their future dependent on the Drathken finding a solution to Earthâs problems. Jenna, Personal Assistant to a prominent oil mogul, feels privileged to be among the saved, never questioning her good fortune. While Seth suffers, forced to leave his friends behind as his family takes their place aboard their luxurious ship. Yet not all is well on board. Dark secrets lurk in the corridors and depths of their respective ships, dragging Jenna and Seth into a world of malice and violence they thought they had left far behind. "Immersive and approachable sci-fi, and one that wonât easily be forgotten." Literary Titan |
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A girl has gone missingânothing unusual for the corrupt, crime-filled megacity of Xi, where biotechnical mods make everyone as unique and dangerous as their imaginations allow. Soon enough, no one will remember that the girl ever existed. At least, thatâs what Chance believes, until a duo of ambitious bounty hunters snatch him from his mundane day-to-day in the slums and introduce him to the shiny, secretive world of Xiâs rich and powerful. Meanwhile, in the cityâs sparkling high-rises, a pair of siblings witness a murder and are forced into the violent bowels of the city, hunting for answers as they are hunted by a killer. A hard-punching, fast-paced cyberpunk fantasy, The Neons follows an ensemble cast of unlikely heroes as they untangle the wires of a twisted mystery and uncover a reality inhabited by cybernetic deities, android angels, and the resurrected demons of their own past lives. |
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Paris at Nightfall by Merlina Garance In an early 20th century Paris emptied of its population and surveilled by the army, two men are trying to survive. Would that include falling in love? Jules has been surviving off of preserves he scavenges out in the city when he leaves his hideout at night. He never knew why one day, the Army hauled the whole townâs population into vans and evacuated the city. He only knows heâs the only one left behind. Or so he thought. When he runs into a blond aristocrat with nice hands on an outing, his world is turned upside down once again... The ebook is only available, for free, through the author's newsletter. |
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Unbreakable Bonds by Marc Wisdom In a world ravaged by the devastating "Squeeze" virus, two groups of survivors fight for hope and a future. Lance and Gwen, a young couple immune to the virus, find themselves prisoners in a ruthless government facility, subjected to cruel experiments in the search for a cure. As they plan a daring escape with fellow inmates, they discover a growing resistance movement that could change everything. Meanwhile, Michael and John lead a diverse group of survivors on a perilous journey north, chasing rumors of a safe haven. Battling hostile forces, dwindling supplies, and their own doubts, they forge a makeshift family bound by shared struggles and unwavering loyalty. As both groups face unimaginable challenges, they must confront the true cost of survival in a world where trust is a luxury and hope is a lifeline. "Unbreakable Bonds" is a gripping tale of resilience, love, and the indomitable human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. |
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AVA by Lydia Baker First, they came for the city and we allowed it, they put up the Barrier and we stayed quiet, silenced by the fear of what was beyond. Our elderly were next and still we didnât cry out; then they came for the women, removed their fertility and stole our future, so I hid. I became Alec and I turned my back on my true self, Ava. â¨Ava canât live as Alec any longer, the lie is killing her, destroying all that she is.â¨The world beyond MTechâs Barrier calls to her and she canât ignore it. She has to know what, if anything, survived the terrible day that tore her family apart fourteen years ago.â¨â¨But what if the Outside is far more dangerous than anything Ava has ever faced on the Inside?â¨Ava is set in a dystopian future, where individual rights are being eroded and the population live under a dome barrier that they have been told is for their protection. But, what is outside? Is escape possible and even if it is, will it be a death sentence? |
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Let Slip the Beasts by Suzanne Berget Beneath the streets of East Resplendent, monsters are mounting a war against their masters. Kaliope Dearborne, a customer service nobody for a pharmaceutical mega-conglomerate, wants only to escape her cubicle and find true meaning for her life. But after accidentally killing her little sisterâs bully, sheâs taken captive by The Warren, a ragtag group of runaway medical test subjects. Kaliope learns that she and her captors are experiments owned by the VyroGen corporation. Locked away and evolving, pieces of her slough off as she grows stronger, faster, and hungrier. Only Thresherânot quite man, not quite animalâkeeps her from losing her grip on reality. When Kaliope discovers the hidden truth of her genetic code, she joins The Warren in the war against VyroGen. With chemistry-altering pheromones and brain-tampering, sheâs converted into a sleeper agent. But deep inside the dark heart of the corporation, Kaliope finds something that drastically changes her role in the war. She might win back her memories, her body, and her life, but will Kaliope lose her humanity in the process? |
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Battle Calm by W.D. Kilpack III When Badger succeeded his father, Red Skin, as Keeper Base Leader, he was well prepared, raised to handle anything the enemy threw at him. He was the best killer, and the most respected tactician. He knew Red Skinâs Laws like he wrote them himself. Most importantly, he was always calm, no matter how frenzied the combat. These were only some of the reasons why he still had all his original parts. Trinity would die for him. Korry would follow him without question. They were Keepers. They fought, they killed, they lived to kill another day, even when it meant bugging out to another Base ... and another. That was life when life was war. They knew nothing else. But even war cannot last forever, regardless of the infallible truth of Red Skinâs Law #35: âUnder conditions of peace, men attack themselves; thus, there never has been, and there never will be a time without war. It is the greatest, most perfect thing men can do.â "Battle Calm is a dystopian military science fiction novel that ... revolves around Badger, a complex character â renowned as a skilled tactician and fighter â he navigates a relentless world governed by the unyielding Red Skinâs Laws, which assert that war is humanityâs perpetual state. The narrative dives deep into the psyches of its characters, illustrating the psychological toll of endless combat and the fragile bonds formed among comrades. The bookâs intense action sequences and vividly detailed world-building are highlights. Kilpack immerses the reader in the brutal realities of dystopian warfare, where moments of calm between battles carry their own form of tension and danger. The thematic exploration of warâs cyclical nature and its dehumanizing effects offers thought-provoking insights, making it more than just an action-driven tale. Not just the protagonist but the emotional depth of characters like Trinity and Korry, also bring additional dimensions to the narrative as Badger's loyal allies. Fans of hard military science fiction and dystopian sagas will likely find Battle Calm a rewarding, intense, and reflective read. It balances relentless action with philosophical underpinnings." â Jasveer Singh Dangi, author of The Hunter Genesis "Battle Calm is a visceral dystopian war novel. Kilpack builds a world that is haunting in its vivid depictions of a world at war for so long that humans remember nothing else. Born to train, fight and live to take the lives of their enemy. Following the laws of a veteran leader, the characters strive to find humanity in the loss of their compatriots, as their numbers dwindle and the enemy continues to advance with more hardware and seemly endless combatants. Kilpack brings you into the lives, histories and hopes of soldiers fighting for survival. Combat is fierce, on the battlefield and in the calm between enemy engagements. Awaiting book two - Battle Calm: Omega Message.â â Jessica Bair, former Special Agent, US Army CID |
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The Scorching: Just Press Play by Nick Snape Joshua Nkosi, cop, joker, vlogger and an octopus's best friendâŚbut Earthâs saviour? Winner of Literary Titan's Black Gold Award âStaggeringly original and timely release from a masterful voice in modern sci-fiâ â â â â â SPR Review On an Earth devastated by The Scorching climate event, the Drathken land their giant plantships with the promise of healing the planet. Joshua Nkosi vlogs and jokes his way through an easy life guarding a deep-sea mining operation while watching old vids. That is until he, and his modded octopus partner, Marc, get caught up in a plot to steal radiation rich materials from the seabed, fuelling the terroristsâ plan to destroy a Drathken plantship, and ultimately put an end to the alien/human alliance. Nkosi and his sarcastic tentacled buddy are forced to enter the Burnout Zone, only to come face to face with humanityâs stark future when the hunt for the terrorists' lab takes a devastating twist. As conspiracies deepen and the jokes fly, Nkosi and Marc enter a dark journey of discoveryâone they decide humanity desperately needs to listen to. |
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The Scientist, The Spaceman, and The Stars Between Them by A.L. Davidson Theyâve incited deicide, and the old gods are angry⌠In a desperate attempt at saving humanity from its own destructive hubris, the Zeus Project set out to explore the untouched reaches of deep space. Now, countless light years later, the colonizing efforts are well under way, but the vast universe has been anything but kind. After surviving a near-fatal revival from their cryo-pod that permanently damaged their lungs, Dr. London Davies has spent the last two years trapped within the confines of a sterile, sanitized outpost far away from the rest of humanity and their loving husband, Temple. Acting as the chief embalmer for Zeus, London grows more and more concerned as cadavers filled with writhing worms and unusual forms of decay overrun their cold storage. With their husband off fighting for humanityâs survival under the brutal, watchful eye of Zeus, anxiety, and claustrophobia test the limits of the embalmerâs sanity. The once quiet morgue has transformed into a playground for something otherworldly, and London's only hope is that Temple can breach the stars between them before it's too late. |
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Severed Legacy by E.M. Zolotor A stunning illustrated book for readers of fantasy adventuresâfeaturing black-and-white illustrations in every chapter. You will never find your way. You are lost. Such are the hauntings of Eos Bellator, trapped in the North American Sector desert by a never-ending sandstorm. The government forces the orphan siblings, Eos and Maxima, to harvest their Soul Energy, providing power for the Sector. Beyond the sands lies a tattered world being vied for by many forces. Yet, the biggest threat to Eos is not having control over his emotion-driven abilities. When fear overwhelms him, disaster strikes, and the siblings are separated. They learn that they are not alone. The Mitad, an off-world organization of similarly super-powered members, is attempting to capture them. The government has them cornered. A crazed prisoner seems to hold the answers. So begins a journey of high-powered, dangerous adventure. Eos and Maxima's search for freedom and the truth about their past leads them to pursue a mysterious world they never knew existedâHyperborea. |
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Mushroom Blues by Adrian M. Gibson âA fascinating merging of oppressive imperialism and disconcerting alienation.ââAdrian Tchaikovsky, award-winning author of Children of Time & Shadows of the Apt SPFBO X Finalist. Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist. ENTER THE FUNGALVERSE. Blade Runner, True Detective and District 9 meld with the weird worlds of Jeff VanderMeer, Philip K. Dick and China MiĂŠville in Adrian M. Gibsonâs hallucinatory, fungalpunk noir debut. Two years after a devastating defeat in the decade-long Spore War, the island nation of HĹppon and its capital city of Neo Kinoko are occupied by invading Coprinian forces. Its fungal citizens are in dire straits, wracked by food shortages, poverty and an influx of war refugees. Even worse, the corrupt occupiers exploit their power, hounding the native population. As a winter storm looms over the metropolis, NKPD homicide detective Henrietta Hofmann begrudgingly partners up with mushroom-headed patrol officer Koji Nameko to investigate the mysterious murders of fungal and half-breed children. Their investigation drags them deep into the seedy underbelly of a war-torn city, one brimming with colonizers, criminal gangs, racial division and moral decay. In order to solve the case and unravel the truth, Hofmann must challenge her past and embrace fungal ways. What she and Nameko uncover in the midst of this frigid wasteland will chill them to the core, but will they make it through the storm alive? âThis is like nothing Iâve read before. Its premise is cool, creepy, and incredibly unique, bolstered by prose as savvy and knife-sharp as the detectives of the NKPD.ââNicholas Eames, award-winning author of Kings of the Wyld & Bloody Rose âThis is more than a full-throttle, mushroom-and-blood-drenched adventure. At its heart, Gibson's story is one of acceptance: of hard truths, of others, and, perhaps most critically, of oneself.ââM. J. Kuhn, internationally bestselling author of Among Thieves & Thick as Thieves âMushroom Blues is a brilliant debut that encapsulates all I love about the noir mystery genre.â âR.R. Virdi, bestselling author of The First Binding & The Grave Report âThe imagination on display in Mushroom Blues is immense. Prepare to enter a fantasy world unlike anything you've ever seen, one that surprises, delights, and grosses the fuck out.ââMoses Ose Utomi, author of The Lies of the Ajungo |
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Disobedience by Daniel Sarah Karasik Shael lives in a vast prison camp, a monstrosity developed after centuries of warfare and environmental catastrophe. As a young transfeminine person, they risk abject violence if their identity and love affair with Coe, an insurrectionary activist, are discovered. But desire and rebellion flare, and soon Shael escapes to Riverwish, a settlement attempting to forge a new way of living that counters the campâ s repression. As the complexities of this place unfold before Shael, Disobedience How can a community redress harm without reproducing unaccountable forms of violence? How do we heal? What might a compassionate, sustainable model of justice look like? This is a remarkable work of queer and trans speculative fiction that imagines how alternative forms of connection and power can refuse the violent institutions that engulf us. |
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Hurricanes 2007: The Virus of The Extermination by DarĂo Aguilar Peregrina After concluding the Climatic Crisis War, a new illness had appeared on the planet, its name⌠"The Virus of the Extermination." In a matter of weeks, the epidemic began to spread at extremely rapid levels, causing those infected to suffer from various symptoms ranging from a simple flu to severe tuberculosis. In an attempt to halt the infection, Misaki Nami Kisaragi, Akira Mikuni Koizumi, Housen Daisy Gallagher, along with Akane Shizue Koizumi, would try to find those responsible for spreading this disease around the world. Meanwhile, RĂo Pedroza would reunite with her lost girlfriend named Charlotte Raven Brock, who was a possible key to curing the virus. |
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Hurricanes 2007: The Climatic Crisis by DarĂo Aguilar Peregrina One year after the fall of humanity, the war between the "Hurricanes" and the humans continued. In her eagerness to capture Darcy Ember Phoenix and convince Rio Pedroza to stand by her side, Katrina Fernandez began to create abnormalities in the weather, causing irreparable damage to the Earth's ecosystems and creating horrors of destruction that wouldn't stop until she got what she wanted along with the dark intentions of Akane Shizue and Akira Mikuni Koizumi, Misaki Nami Kisaragi along with Housen Daisy Gallagher. Meanwhile, Rio, Darcy, Emily, Frank, Marquinhos and Julieta would try to survive the so-called climatic crisis alongside the people who had endured the attacks of Katrina and her supporters. |
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Price War: The Colour of Money by Richard Holliday WHEN SURVIVAL BECOMES A CURRENCY, FUGITIVE DANNY PRICE FINDS HIM BATTLING CORPORATE SUPERPOWER YELLOWSTONE'S HOSTILE TAKEOVER! Following on from Price War, head of Yellowstone UK PLC, Wendy Tunt, has ousted its founder, Grayson Laurie and connived an illegal scheme to take over the UK government. At the stroke of midnight one fateful night, this scheme comes to fruition with Wendy Tunt installed as CEO of an entire country. From that moment, Danny Price and Grayson Laurie, enemies forced to become allies, are now fugitives. As they are chased across the country, they face deception, betrayal and discovery as they attempt to reach a safe haven. Henry Archer feels the pressure of his new role in the top echelons of the corporate ladder at Yellowstone, reporting directly to Wendy Tunt as she puts her plans for the country into action. The nascent insurgency against Yellowstone's hostile takeover of the country presents unforeseen challenges. These difficulties threaten to bring Henry out of favour with his new paymasters at precisely the wrong time for the Archer name, and threatens to destabilise the new leadership. Henry's sister, Hailey, is betrayed by her father, who seeks to salvage any of the reputation he built for the family name. For the Archer name to survive in Tunt's new world, he agrees for Hailey to work for Yellowstone, living in one of their vast facilities against her will. Hailey finds life in a Yellowstone fulfilment facility hard, especially with the deck stacked against her from the off. Hailey befriends another of the forgotten and together they plan to escape, taking one of Yellowstone's prized assets with them to bargain with. Danny, Grayson, Henry and Hailey's stories converge on the night a paranoid Wendy Tunt finally snaps and decides to dispose of her enemies and complete her hostile takeover and change the country forever, whoever has to pay the price⌠|
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The Sapien Empire by Nathan Ogloff A post-apocalyptic novel where civilization is making a comeback. Shindo Dacan is a socially awkward but gifted engineer who has made the most brilliant machines seen since before the All-Silenceâmachines that ruler Vibrun Magrite used in his creation of the Domain as he brought all four of the city-states within his iron grip. With the help of a friend of his, Shindo is secretly planning to provide prosthetic limbs to the many victims of the war his machines have waged. When Magrite finds out and slaughters Shindoâs friend before his eyes, Shindo tricks Magrite into funding a warrior mech to wreak revenge and is unwillingly rewarded with a woman from Magriteâs harem, Jarim Alsaedon. With his mech machine and Jarimâs help, Shindo stages a coup dâĂŠtat that leaves Magrite dead and him and his accomplice as platonic dual heads of state. As Shindo and Jarim work to rebuild their civilization, theyâre beset by factions both within and beyond the Domainâs borders. Can Shindo learn how to design a stable peace before the new world heâd envisioned becomes a wasteland of death and destruction? |
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Kill All The Dogs by Rick Berry Are we defined by the things that happen to us, or the things we make happen to others? Ten-year-old Nathan Hyde is playing in a tree house, when he witnesses a vicious attack on his best friendâs younger sisters. Life is never the same again. Many years later, Nathan finds himself in the lower reaches of a government department, when an opportunity to confront his demons and enact revenge presents itself. A mystery illness is taking hold in the population, at the very moment a scheming, attention-seeking politician becomes Nathanâs new boss. It canât happen, can it? In the farcical world of politics, anything is possible. Nathan Hyde is going to kill all the dogs. Part psychological drama, part political satire, Kill All The Dogs is the story of how of a personal trauma becomes twisted into a national tragedy. |
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The Engineer's Mechanic by L.K. Wintur Feel the pulse of a city in turmoil and stand alongside those who dare to fight and ignite the flames of freedom. In the domed metropolis of MetiCity-6, a talented young mechanic named Ren emerges from the shadows of orphanhood with an extraordinary skill set. His undeniable engineering prowess allows him to breathe life into machines and droids, pushing them beyond their original capabilities. Renâs abilities catch the attention of allies who unveil a sinister truth concealed by the powerful MetiCorp, the ruling force within the dome. In this gripping sci-fi adventure, Ren and a cast of unforgettable characters navigate both holographic and real worlds, challenging the oppressive rule of MetiCorp and threatening its very foundation. As they weave through a complex web of power, deceit, and despair, the quest for justice becomes a high-stakes gamble. Will Renâs journey spark the revolution they yearn for, or will it crumble under the weight of overwhelming odds? Can Ren rise above his scars and become the beacon of change in a city engulfed by a relentless thirst for power and control? |
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We All Fall Down by Jennifer Bernardini Hg34, a super virus, has scorched the earth of many of its inhabitants. Those unlucky enough to still be wandering the streets must fight for their survival. Choice becomes an illusion and the fate of millions rests uneasily in the palm of President Virginia Hillâs hands when she runs for, and wins, the presidential election. Civilization is crushed into dust when the President does the unthinkable and poisons her people. Libby and her six-year-old son team up with brothers Lincoln and Gideon, one a drug dealer with conspiracy theories on the brain and the other an ex-con. They struggle to survive as they search for answers: answers as to what happened and what to do next. |
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Early Adopter by Drew Harrison The Price of Tomorrow, Paid Today "Early Adopter" is a collection of short stories from the edge of human progress. Eight stories hold dark mirrors to our own world⌠experience thought-provoking sci-fi, technologic tragedy, and pulse-pounding thrillers. To Run Again: Dr. Laura Brandie is ready to change the world. She's the lead researcher behind the KSE, a revolutionary cure for paralysis and neurodegenerative conditions. And now, by good fortune, she's found the perfect candidate for her first human trial: a man who suffers from locked-in syndrome. Brett Harmon's paralysis is total: he can't move his arms, legs, torso, neck, or face. To the outside world, he's little more than a statue that breathes... but Dr. Brandie's KSE might be the miracle that allows Brett to run again. Homonoia: The world faces an unprecedented alignment of catastrophes and failing systems, far too intricate and interconnected for any human to solve. Frank Burman joins with seven other volunteers for Project Homonoia--a radical, last-ditch effort to postpone the apocalypse. Separate minds link to form one multidisciplinary consciousness, the world's first human superorganism... a hive mind. But with the world's health rapidly failing, can Project Homonoia work out its kinks in time to make a difference? Early Adopter: A loner enters into a relationship with a new type of partner: an AI agent, programmed to be the "perfect companion." Sure, it's all self-deception and a game of pretend, as she's not actually real... but where simulated consciousness is concerned, maybe the lines between real and real enough can get blurry. |
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The Collar and the Cavvarach (Krillonian Chronicles Book 1) by Annie Douglass Lima Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire's most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie's escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time. With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse? |