stories in and

Neworld Papers

Neworld Papers by KB Shaw

SPSFC

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.


Escape From Earth 1

Escape From Earth 1 by David DuBois

SPSFC 2022

Steve is an aspiring computer programmer and business owner. Zander is a burnt-out but dedicated FBI agent. They don't know each other, but their paths cross when they find a portal to another world. The gateway is not random, and they meet Maximilian Beauregard, the Vice-Chancellor of the United Federation of Americas. He needs their help. Steve and Zander travel to this strange world, quickly embrace new technologies, and get pushed into politics on the world's stage. They want to help, but the more involved they get, the more they realize things are not as they seem. The duo soon get in over their heads and must depend on one another if they want to survive and escape from Earth 1. Author Note: This is a Sci-Fi/Fantasy blend, predominantly a buddy adventure that emphasizes world-building, a detailed portal system, mysterious elements, and powering/leveling up. The content is appropriate for all ages, with a target audience of teenager and up.


ALL IS SILENCE - Book I - Deserted Lands

ALL IS SILENCE - Book I - Deserted Lands by Robert L. Slater

SPSFC 2022

As the world crumbles...Lizzie had it worse than most.Will she give up?A bat virus brought the world to its knees. At 17, Lizzie barely remembers her father. Surviving an apocalypse could push anyone to the unthinkable.Her shotgun is loaded.She meets survivor, a hungry, silent man with a dog collar. She leaves food.Things go to hell. People die. Some by her hands.When Lizzie is attacked, her box of family keepsakes is smashed and her father's name and a phone number peak out from under the paper.Like a beacon.Could he still be alive?She has to find out.You'll love this coming-of-age, post-apocaloptimistic adventure. Because when you need it most, a single piece of hope can be all it takes.Get it now.


Grey Engines

Grey Engines by Gareth Lewis

SPSFC

Alex is a detective in a world that considers them unnecessary. When everyone is a telepath, with their own inner policeman, crimes cannot escape notice. So a murder with no obvious culprit leaves the authorities at a loss. Woken from a virtual sentence, still unrepentantly anti-social, Alex is given the opportunity to finally investigate a mystery. One which puts him in danger, and leads to mysteries of a more personal nature. Exactly how long has he been asleep? And is this really the first mystery he's been awakened to investigate? A 39000 word novella.


Chroma: Philadelphia Triptych Book One

Chroma: Philadelphia Triptych Book One by Isla Molina

SPSFC

"Chroma has no vulnerabilities.”  That's what they told us.  A discovery by a researcher threatens the dominance of Philadelphia’s controlling family in the fully imagined, near future of this taut science fiction thriller. In a future controlled by family-owned city-states and a nanotech surveillance cloud, Tillers tried hard to avoid the attention of the System. But the suspicious collapse of a renowned professor sets his researcher, Dez Lighthorse, on a search for foul play that leads to the uncovering of dark secrets. Dez’s quest through the forbidden zones beyond the boundaries and the city’s long-buried catacombs soon attracts the attention of a relentless Safeguard investigator. From the swirling dust of a desolate desert, the emergence of a unique bioreading alerts the omnipresent Mystic. With the help of the mysterious Seditionists, Dez must outrun the converging threats to uncover a truth that may spark a revolution.


The Infinet

The Infinet by John Akers

SPSFC

The future is not assured. The near future was a world of technological chaos until Oreste Pax invented the augmented/virtual reality glasses known as the Univiz. Now he’s working on a brain-computer interface he believes will revolutionize human cognition. But when a vicious computer virus attacks the Internet of Things and threatens to tear civilization apart at the seams, Pax is forced to help deal with the crisis. He meets Alethia, the leader of a secret society who reveals a devastating truth to Pax and forces him to make a choice that will affect the future of the human race.


Utopia PR

Utopia PR by Adam Bender

SPSFC 2022

Humor Book Winner in the 2021 IndieReader Discovery Awards A sci-fi satire about seeking work-life balance while doing public relations for an authoritarian president. PR extraordinaire Blake Hamner (the n is silent) put off his honeymoon for his big break: joining a major political campaign for president. Now, the "Hammer" struggles to make time for his marriage as Crisis Communications Manager for Our Leader, who since taking power has become increasingly mad and totalitarian. The Hammer starts to reconsider his career choices when one of Our Leader's savage steel hounds attacks the Comms team at a press conference. He'd love to talk about his erratic job with his wife, Triple-N news anchor Maria Worthington, but they have a rule: the broadcast journalist doesn't ask Blake for inside information about his work, and the spin doctor doesn't use their relationship as leverage on what Maria reports. They say you shouldn't keep things from each other in a marriage, but it's OK--the only secrets between Blake and Maria are professional. When a revolutionary levels grave allegations against Our Leader--and accuses Blake of distributing disinformation and propaganda to cover it up--the PR rep who thought he could talk his way out of any crisis finds himself utterly trapped in a dystopian job.


In Times of Peace: Dance of Darkness & Light Episode 1

In Times of Peace: Dance of Darkness & Light Episode 1 by The Loneliest Lone Wolf

SPSFC 2022

Against the backdrop of an immortal War that has entered into its final chapter…
A girl and a boy from a ravaged planet hope to start the first chapter of their new lives…
But no one could see what was lurking in the darkness that lies beyond what their eyes can see… A SAGA SPREAD ACROSS THE UNIVERSE WITH A VERY GROUNDED CAST OF CHARACTERS... As The Empire prepares for the inevitable war against an unseen, unimagined enemy from beyond the realm of the known, an enemy that is determined to destroy everything at any cost... a group youngsters from far and wide are brought together to begin their initiation into The Imperium and face their faceless foe... and in this group of outstanding people there are two that stand out... a girl and a boy... They are the first of their people to be allowed back into The Imperium in generations... for it was generations ago that the rebellion against The Empire had failed and their people were pushed into exile, an exile that had to come to an end when the War came calling... but as they're now being cautiously welcomed back into the mainstream fold... some are more careful about it than others... Join them as they try and find a place for themselves in a changing new world as their old world begins to collapse… two lost souls alone in the vast star system trying to help each other find their true paths... just as a great War charges ahead on its path to them! DESTINIES WILL BE CHANGED... LIVES WILL BE LOST... WHEN THE PAST & PRESENT COLLIDE! The epic story that was in the making for a thousand millennia… is finally ready to be told… This is that story... the story of an epic war as old as time itself... the story of how that immortal war finally died... this is the story of the Dance of Darkness & Light... Witness the beginning of the end with… Episode 1...


Beneath 5th City

Beneath 5th City by Jesse Sprague

SPSFC

Earth’s invaders gave her a choice…Submission or death.Jaisa has never been the obedient type.The aliens call themselves gods and inform Earth’s survivors that they are creating a utopia. Jaisa knows that no utopia can be built on billions of human deaths. A little obedience is a small, and temporary, price to stay alive while she figures out how she can make a difference. Jaisa’s beauty and ability to please, both of which are to be used at the discretion of the scientific elite who are the one segment of humanity the new gods value, are Jaisa’s only value to the new gods. But her value to humanity may be much greater. Placed into a position of influence, she walks the line between nonconformity and death. On the surface, pretty little Jaisa is the perfect submissive doll—but she knows the power of hope, and she intends to keep it alive. You’ll love this dark science fiction novel for its unique mix of grit and hope. Get it now!


Terms of Service

Terms of Service by Elliott Scott

SPSFC

Matchbooks, mysteries, and expensed lunches: they're what every great detective knows well. For Felix Lasko, they're further out of reach than the skyscrapers floating at the top of Neotopia city. He's always dreamed of breaking a case that mattered, but wasn't expecting that a real one would break him. After being blackmailed into service by Elsa Halifax, Felix must discover if the media star's suspicions are true. Could her husband have been murdered but still be walking around, running his factory? And if so, who killed him? Does that kind of technology even exist? In Neotopia, where your thoughts alone can lift buildings—as long as your Digital IQ is high enough—it's still hard to swallow. But if Felix is to keep his dream of being a detective alive, he'll need to perform some miracles of his own. For lovers of Noir, Mystery, Sci-Fi, and humor!


Tracker220

Tracker220 by Jamie Krakover

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

When everyone has a brain-interfacing tracking chip, one glitch threatens the entire network. Sixteen-year-old Kaya Weiss is that glitch. Through thoughts and blinks, Kaya can access anyone or anything on the tracker network. But the authorities monitor everything--where Kaya goes, who she talks to, and what she searches. And without the ability to turn it off, Kaya and her family can't observe a tech-free Shabbat. To fix the glitch, the authorities slice into her skull to reset her tracker, leaving Kaya to question more than the system's invasion into her faith. Kaya won't be a lab rat again. Evading the authorities requires some serious tech skills the rogue underground Ghosts can offer. But Kaya's not sure she can trust them--even if their top tech wiz, Bailen, has interest in her running deeper than her bum tracker. Kaya must decide if gaining freedom is worth losing her tracker's infinite knowledge--because to take down the tracker network, she must betray the only tech she's ever known.


The Exodus Betrayal

The Exodus Betrayal by N.C. Scrimgeour

SPSFC

The cybernetics in her head could save a planet. But when the man who put them there turns them against her in a deadly battle of wills, she’ll have to find a way to save herself. Alvera considers herself the best bounty hunter on New Pallas and with good reason – her cybernetics give her an edge nobody else can match. So when she’s tasked with investigating the ancient space station that has been silently watching the planet for centuries, there’s not a doubt in her mind that she’s the best woman for the job. As for the risks? Well, they only make things more interesting. But what Alvera doesn’t realise is by unravelling the station’s secrets, she’ll be forced to confront some of her own. When the same technology that once set her apart threatens to destroy her mind, what starts as a mission for credits and glory soon becomes a fight for survival – not just her own, but that of New Pallas itself. The Exodus Betrayal is a science fiction thriller with a dash of cyberpunk. Filled with adventure, deception and planet-spanning conspiracies, it’s a perfect read for fans of Altered Carbon, Blade Runner and Deus Ex.


Ghosts of Tomorrow

Ghosts of Tomorrow by Michael R. Fletcher

SPSFC

The children are the future. And someone is turning them into highly trained killing machines. Straight out of school, Griffin, a junior Investigations agent for the North American Trade Union, is put on the case: Find and close the illegal crèches. No one expects him to succeed, Griffin least of all. Installed in a combat chassis Abdul, a depressed seventeen year old killed during the Secession Wars in Old Montreal, is assigned as Griffin's Heavy Weapons support. Nadia, a state-sanctioned investigative reporter working the stolen children story, pushes Griffin ever deeper into the nightmare of the black market brain trade. Deep in the La Carpio slums of Costa Rica, the scanned mind of an autistic girl runs the South American Mafia's business interests. But she wants more. She wants freedom. And she has come to see humanity as a threat. She has an answer: Archaeidae. At fourteen, he is the deadliest assassin alive. Two children against the world. The world is going to need some help.


The Trellis

The Trellis by Jools Cantor

SPSFC 2022

Debbie Peck is a conflict mediator struggling to make ends meet in Chicago's near future. Conflict is everywhere, but jobs are scarce, so when her headhunter calls about an open position at the prestigious Jefferson Trellis, she jumps at the opportunity. She lands right in the middle of an active murder investigation—a tangle of half-truths, broken promises, and a growing snarl of danger and dread. But a job's a job. At least this one has health insurance. As Debbie navigates her new position and Detective Melody Jackson investigates the murders at the Trellis, they each untwine the tendrils of a secret creeping through its corner offices. Like the botanical gardens at the Trellis' base, their worlds weave between the lush, the stark, the delicate, and the deadly. Dancing between mystery, science fiction, and nail-biting suspense, THE TRELLIS layers a decade or two of decline to the current American condition. Whether it's drone swarms, deepfakes, or the growing divide between the have-it-alls and the have-nots, the technology predictably improved while the people predictably haven't. Debbie's tale is both familiar and fantastic, both funny and frightening, but calling her world a dystopia would damn ours the same definition. THE TRELLIS is Jools' first full-length novel. It paints a compelling picture of dangers to come—sometimes rich with thick impastos, sometimes sharp in sparks and flashes. But by the last page, Debbie's story becomes our own.


Above the Sky

Above the Sky by J.W. Lynne

SPSFC

Eighteen-year-old Seven and her best friend, Ten, live where all is peaceful ... except for the violent war raging above the sky. Humanoid robots and self-operated drones tend to everyone's needs, leaving people free to spend their time stimulating their minds and enjoying life's pleasures. But there are strict rules and few choices. Every year, on Assignment Day, the path of each eighteen-year-old's life is laid out by the Decision Makers. Some are given the jobs for which they have shown exceptional aptitude and are "paired" for mating. The others are sent off to fight in The War and never return. When Assignment Day comes for Seven, the assignments shatter everything she has ever believed. For the first time in her life, she is certain that the Decision Makers have made a terrible mistake. But the only way to right this wrong is to do something unthinkable.


Detonation

Detonation by Erik Otto

SPSFC

*** NAMED TO KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOKS OF 2018 *** Fire, splitting the atom, synthetic biology. There's a dark side to every invention, one which we have been fortunate to contain for most of history. But are we hurtling into the future too fast? Detonation is an epic dystopian tale that is a cautionary reflection on our own innovation-obsessed culture. It follows two societies that are connected, but centuries apart, and their struggle against a superintelligent machine. Amid ideological clashes and political plotting, a diverse cast discovers this insidious threat, and they are forced into an escalating conflict against a tireless enemy. "A highly entertaining and absorbing combination of philosophy and action featuring robustly individualized characters." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)


Age of Order

Age of Order by Julian North

SPSFC

We are all slaves to order. Daniela wants more for her family. She’s a track star and an ace student, but for someone born like her, talent isn’t enough. The Orderist movement has spawned a society that rewards those who supposedly possess “merit,” which includes America’s wealthiest. Manhattan has become the capital of the forty-nine Orderist-led states, while California suffers under an economic embargo. Cities are cocoons where the so called “highborn” enjoy the pleasures of farm-grown food and private parks, while their outwardly perfect children are protected by floating nanny-like drones that follow them everywhere. Daniela has grown up fighting for the chance to live beyond the desperation of Bronx City. An opportunity to attend the elite Tuck School—a place where even the highborn struggle to obtain a spot—is too great an opportunity to ignore. But what do the richies really want from her? Daniela is thrust into a world very different than the one she expected, a place where both treachery and honor are camouflaged behind beautiful faces. She may have a chance to change the world, if it does not change her first. Hailed by Kirkus Reviews as the novel to revitalize the dystopian genre, Age of Order is a story of real characters in fantastic situations. Live this world.


Turnabout

Turnabout by Carmen Webster Buxton

SPSFC

It's not a super power if you can't control it! Jason Miller's biggest worries were keeping up with his homework, paying for his classic jazz habit,and hiding the fact that he carried a flip phone. But then one day he finds himself teleporting from place to place, a talent he can't control. It gets worse when he lands in an alternate world, one that has many, many more women than men. It sounds great until Jason learns the downside to being a precious commodity: Having a harem is no fun when you're the one who's locked up.


Eye Of The Storm

Eye Of The Storm by R.K. King

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

It All Began With The Sound Of Thunder. A Thunder That Came In The Night. A Thunder That Changed The World. When the eye of the storm moves, so do they. It is a brutal life. But is there somewhere else out there, beyond the Eye? In a post-apocalyptic future, a handful of survivors cling to life in the last habitable place on Earth: the Eye of the Storm. Within it, tribes of humans scrounge for scraps and fight for temporary land. They must keep going. It is their only option. But then the Pathfinders make a terrible discovery; that the one spot left they call 'safe' may be disappearing. Then Aiden finds her; a mysterious young woman who speaks a language he's never heard. Yet, he understands her message. There is another place. They've managed to survive by never venturing into the chaos of the swirling winds and lightning, but to find this mythical land, Aiden will need to go into the Storm. The expedition will need the help of the Stormwalkers, a strange group of nomads who may not be quite what they seem. They may not even be human.  To many, the idea of an outside world is blasphemy. They don't want the mission to succeed. And so, while Aiden and his crew venture into the wasteland, war is brews within the Eye. Who will win? Who will lose? Who will survive? You'll love this clever look at a different kind of apocalypse, as the adventure keeps you turning the pages. Get it now. Don't miss this dystopian action-adventure that readers call "compelling", "inventive", "fast-paced" and "awesome".


Road to Juneau

Road to Juneau by Liam Quane

SPSFC 2022

New York: two years after the Third World War. Humanity is rebuilding its cities brick by brick; the damage done to the people, however, is a lot harder to repair. Dan Hardacre is one of those people. An aspiring stage actor and experienced draft-dodger, Dan struggles to find his place within the Utopic rebuild of New York City. When he’s not caught up with the duties of work, Dan lives a quiet life in mourning for his mother, Dyani, who went missing when he was a teenager. One night, Dan experiences a vivid, terrifying nightmare that puts him right on the front lines of the war for which he dodged the draft; it ends with him facing Death itself in the form of a metallic, faceless humanoid creature that calls itself the Valkyrie. To investigate the reason behind his haunting experience, Dan seeks out a meeting with his estranged father, who reveals the startling truth about Dan’s dream: it wasn’t a dream. With this newfound knowledge and the powers it brings, Dan makes it his mission to return to the scene of his nightmare. However, he soon comes to know that confronting the Valkyrie not only endangers him but the war-withstanding world he leaves behind.


The United World

The United World by Craig Priestley

SPSFC

Microchips, drones, and one smart dog make for a thrilling British dystopian series. With the rise of a new global government, only one choice remains: submit to The United World or face the consequences. When John, an anxious first-time father, uncovers the government's secret intentions to microchip his son, his world implodes. Fearing the worst, he tears his wife and baby from their home and the overbearing eyes of the state. As time passes the government carries out their plan to create a utopian society... by any means possible. What will happen to a father and son who choose to fight for their freedom?


Refraction

Refraction by Wick Welker

SPSFC

How many times does it take to destroy the world before you can save it? In 1986, physicist Timothy Straus hears voices that teach him how to create a space-warping engine that will change the world. In 2098, a fighter pilot hears voices that help him fight an authoritarian corporatist regime in the ashes of nuclear fallout. In 2155, the only self-aware robot on Mars struggles to steer humanity away from a demagogue who speaks from the shadows. Told through kaleidoscope storytelling across space and time, these three people are connected in ways they could never imagine. As they pull on the strings of the multiverse, what they can’t see is that every villain begins as a savior—every enemy starts as a friend. With the power to refract reality, will they learn that one person can’t save the people? That only the people can save the people?


Life on Planet Earth

Life on Planet Earth by Andy Gorman

SPSFC

Humankind is finally coming home, but they are no longer the dominant species... Nearly 700 years ago, the Terminal Plague turned Earth into a desolate wasteland—a world now riddled with the devolved progeny of Homo sapiens.  The descendants of the only survivors live out a bleak existence in a lunar city called Omega, where the privileged live deep underground while the poor suffer radiation poisoning on the surface.  Headstrong seventeen-year-old Liam Stone hates it there. When he’s not scrubbing shrimp and algae vats, he spends his limited free time in the Earth Simulator, training to leave the cramped halls and rigid schedules of Omega behind. Boasting higher scores and better biometrics than any other candidate, Liam is confident he will earn a spot on the return mission to Earth… Until the moment his sister is chosen instead.  Devastated but unwilling to give up, Liam chooses to take matters into his own hands—to get to Earth at any cost. But Earth is not like the simulations, and the simulated monsters didn’t prepare him for the real threats he will face.


L.I.F.E. in the 23rd Century

L.I.F.E. in the 23rd Century by Jason R. Richter

SPSFC

"A laudable sci-fi yarn that’s both irreverent and relevant."Kirkus Reviews Meet Pat McGewan-X04. Pat is a Patriot who spends his days watching robots build cubicles for corporations that keep getting blown up by those pesky terrorists in the soon to be won, we’ve got them on the ropes, 232nd year of the War on Terror. He’s content in his world of mediocre corporate coffee, vid-link chats with his wife who the government discourages him from ever meeting in person, and an endless barrage of travel bans, terrorist attacks, and never-ending nightly news emergency broadcasts. But everything changes when a freak car accident puts Pat in the national spotlight. One minute he’s a hero for being the sole survivor of this week’s most recent terrorist attack, (but not long enough to get a commemorative coffee cup with his face on it before the next attack happens). In the next minute, the nation’s most vitriolic talking head has branded Pat the greatest threat to truth, justice, and stockholder profits -- and the manhunt begins! Pat has to decide between fighting the corporate-controlled media and possibly losing his life or giving in to his Academy training and lose his soul and possibly any hope of ever getting a decent cup of coffee. Welcome to LIFE in the 23rd Century: an absurd, light-hearted dystopian future to distract you from your horrific dystopian present. Brought to you by the makers of prescription Chillaxafed. Jason R. Richter writes humorous dystopian adventures with a touch of real-world cynicism.


Neurotopia

Neurotopia by Tony Mohorovich

SPSFC

When government and corporations can read your thoughts, you have nowhere to hide... Sky Marion spends her days on the Neuronet investigating thought crimes and recommending offenders for reprogramming. It's one of the few jobs you can hold down without having to talk to people, which is just the way Sky likes it. Plus, it allows Sky to indulge in one of her favorite pastimes; listening in on the thoughts of complete strangers. Is it voyeuristic? Sure. Legal? Yup. Addictive? Just ask Sky's worried mother, Winona. But Sky's sheltered life is upended when off-world brain hackers infect over a million Earth citizens with a suicide virus, and Winona is one of the unfortunate victims. With only days until the virus destroys her mother's mind, phobia-ridden Sky must risk her life and sanity and infiltrate the lawless Moon—now the independent planet of Apollo—to track down the hackers and find the cure. There, Sky will unravel a tapestry of deceit and betrayal, and find herself in the middle of a hidden war of civilizations, with humanity the ultimate prize. Neurotopia: Geppetto’s Chains is a fast-paced science fiction thriller set in a fascinating future dominated by neurotechnology and those who would use it to control the most valuable resource known to humankind: information.


Vicarious

Vicarious by Rhett C. Bruno.

SPSFC

The real world is only where you breathe… In High Earth, entertainment is everything. Virtual worlds, hyper-realistic simulations, endless streamable content—there’s something for everybody. You don't ever have to leave your home. For Asher Reinhart, nothing compares to Ignis: Live, a reality show that pushes human beings to their very extremes. As a volunteer director, he closely monitors the lives of those living on an Interstellar Ark who falsely believe they're the last of humanity out searching for a new Earth. Mission is the show's brightest young star. Born in hiding, her intelligence and near-perfect genetics have allowed her to rise up the ranks faster than any before her. But now that it's her turn to provide for the Ark, everything changes... With Mission's life placed in danger in order to boost ratings, Asher must choose between protecting the show he's dedicated his life to, or the woman who has been the focus of his attention since the day he was born. Vicarious (adjective): Experienced in the imagination through the feelings or actions of another person. Ready Player One meets The Truman Show with a dash of The 100 in this science fiction story about the power of human connection, from USA Today Bestselling and Nebula Award-Nominated author Rhett C. Bruno. It’s perfect for fans of Hugh Howey, Kim Stanley Robinson, and Kass Morgan. Vicarious is also available on Audible, narrated by Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: TNG, The Big Bang Theory) and actress Katherine McNamara (The Stand, Shadowhunters, Arrow).


Aestus, Book 1: The City

Aestus, Book 1: The City by S. Z. Attwell

SPSFC 2022

An underground city, built centuries ago to ride out the devastating heat. A society under attack. And a young solar engineer whose skills may be the key to saving her city…if she doesn’t get herself killed first. When Jossey was ten, the creatures of the aboveground took her brother and left her for dead, with horrible scars. Now, years later, she’s a successful solar engineer, working to keep her underground city’s power running, but she’s never really recovered. After she saves dozens of people during a second attack, she is offered a top-secret assignment as a field Engineer with Patrol, but fear prevents her from taking it…until Patrol finds bones near where her brother disappeared. She signs on and finds herself catapulted into a world that is far more dangerous, and requires far more of her, than she ever imagined. The creatures and the burning heat aboveground are not the only threats facing the City, and what she learns during her assignment could cost her her life: one of the greatest threats to the City may in fact lie within. With thousands of lives at stake, can she act in time? 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.


Along the Perimeter

Along the Perimeter by Steven Healt

SPSFC SPSFC 2023

A caustic fog blankets the Earth. Only the transparent barrier known as the Shield holds it at bay. It is the Amboians—an advanced alien species—and their technology that saved the last remnants of Humanity from the deadly Haze. Cordelia Faucher, a scavenger known as the Haze Walker, has a secret she must keep hidden. Carter Gerro, one of the few Humans allowed among the City Guard is unexpectedly chosen to protect a member of the Amboian Council. A mercenary group known as the Amber Waves find themselves in over their heads after accepting a job they couldn't pass up. As disturbing reports of attacks from beyond the perimeter of the Shield reach the capital city of Amboy, all eyes turn eastward. It is these events that bring together the Haze Walker, a City Guardsman, and a band of mercenaries.


THE PROMETHEUS EFFECT

THE PROMETHEUS EFFECT by DAVID FLEMING

SPSFC 2022

Deep in the Nevada desert... ...lies a secret futuristic world. Would Jack's technology save humankind? It started with Jack's epiphany, but he feared it was a power too great. All around the globe, the oil reserves are dangerously low. Superpowers brace for battle over what remains. Should Jack share his energy solution? He thinks it's too dangerous. The power potential is as important as Prometheus discovering fire and giving it to man. There must be a way to use what he knows, but he's conflicted. Maybe the brilliant mind of Mykl can solve the puzzle? Mykl is five. Is the answer worth the cost? You'll love this Dystopian Science Fiction, because the world building is brilliant, the technology is fascinating, and the story keeps you turning pages. And don't be fooled... ...this isn't for kids. Get it now.


HARVESTED

HARVESTED by Anthony O'Brien

SPSFC

The year is 3716. Earth’s resources are depleted. Humanity has been forced into a 21st century computer simulation, controlled by Ikelos, AI at its most terrifying. A seedbank lost to time in the frozen wastelands of a Norwegian island is mankind’s last hope for survival. Jon Stone, a New York physicist, has been extracted out of the simulation by another scientist, Tori. With no memory of Tori or his past life, Jon must trust her as they re-enter the simulation to locate, somewhere in this dangerous, illusionary world, the island’s co-ordinates. Can they avoid the traps in the matrix, find what they seek, and return to the 38th century in time to save humanity before the final extinction?


Cranax Outbreak

Cranax Outbreak by Candice Lim

SPSFC

You can run from the zombies but you can’t run from fate. In the alternate 2020, Asia Nova is governed by a group of elite scientists called the Community. In this prime time of genetic engineering, non-academic fields are frowned upon and those who pursue them are deemed the peasants. Roxy isn’t the most motivated student scientist. All she wants is a simple life—to graduate and move back to her idyllic beachside hometown. But the wrestle for power in the Community thrusts her in the path of the covert party who has unleashed the deadly Cranax virus and abducted her high-profile mentor, Dr. Jane Hershey, who has the only known cure. The Infecteds aren’t the only thing Roxy has to run from. With the masterminds behind Project Cranax hot on her heels, Roxy finds herself in an accidental quest to rescue Hershey. And now, all her training will be put to the test. Cranax Outbreak is the first book of the Cranax Outbreak trilogy.


The Elitist Supremacy

The Elitist Supremacy by Niranjan K

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

Alexander Selwood is hiding many secrets. Being the first immortal is only one of them. He is also hunted by the despotic ruler of Cynfor, Cesar Thaxter -the man ruling the galaxy for centuries. Unknown to Alexander, the group of rebels who had been fighting Thaxter in secret is also seeking to use his company to build a safe haven. He would do anything to keep himself from falling into the clutches of either the Resistance or the Supreme Ruler. When the consequences of his actions cascade into a torrent of events that threatens to engulf him and everyone he cares for in danger, Alexander can't sit on the sidelines any longer. Having stayed out of the conflict for this long, he has to make a choice, but can he handle the repercussions of that decision?


The Threat Below

The Threat Below by Jason Latshaw

SPSFC

She heard the legends. She knew the history. But nothing could have prepared her for what she found. Three hundred years ago, a lethal and mysterious threat arose and pushed humanity to the brink of extinction. Now, a small remnant - the descendants of the few survivors who escaped the massacre below - lives above the clouds, atop a mountain. When they discover their water supply is being poisoned, an expedition, including seventeen year-old Icelyn Brathius, must descend and face the horror that wiped out civilization centuries ago. The danger is closer than you think. The shocking true nature of the Threat Below. As Icelyn faces dangers in a world humans are not meant to survive, she learns that not everything is as it seems, uncovers an ancient revelation, and faces a choice that will change the fate of everyone above and below the clouds. Will Icelyn be strong enough to survive - and bear a terrible secret?


Resistance (Divided Elements #1)

Resistance (Divided Elements #1) by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky

SPSFC

Winner of a OneBookTwo Standout Award and Semi-finalist in Hugh Howey's inaugural SPSFC From the moment you are born, you are conditioned to know this truth: Unorthodoxy is wrong action, Heterodoxy is wrong thought. The first will lead to your Detention. The second to your Execution. A century from now, the walled city-state of a future Paris is enjoying its Golden Age. The horrors of the Singularity forgotten, citizens revel in an intoxicating mix of abandon and apathy made possible by the Orthodoxy—a new world order where everything is engineered for maximum efficiency, including identities. Dividing the population into four neuro-social classes has allowed the government to maintain control and ensure its citizens exist in complete equality, fraternity, and liberty. But, not everyone is satisfied with the status quo. Anaiya, a Peacekeeper aligned to the single-minded Fire class, has dedicated her life to enforcing the rules. Unlike other citizens, she has extra motivation to prove herself loyal: she’s still tarnished by the legacy of her Heterodox mentor, the infamous Kane 148. So, when forbidden murals start appearing on crumbling walls calling for citizens to rebel, Anaiya will do anything to bring down the growing resistance movement—even if it means sacrificing her identity. Realigned from her proud Fire identity to an irrational and unpredictable Air, Anaiya goes deep undercover in search of the growing rebellion. But, with her dual nature pulling her in opposite directions and her mind fracturing under the pressure, her convictions waver and her hold on the truth starts to slip. As the city descends into chaos, Anaiya is left with a fatal choice: stay loyal to her mission, or risk it all for her new identity and the resistance that has shown her a different truth. Utopia comes at a cost. Not everyone is willing to pay the pay the price. Resistance is the award-winning first book in the dark and subversive dystopian trilogy, Divided Elements. Perfect for fans of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, this stunning debut explores themes of loyalty, identity, betrayal, and resistance against the carnival atmosphere of a dystopian Paris. If you’re ready to graduate from YA dystopian classics like Divergent and The Gender Game, or are looking for a contemporary tale in the classic style of Zamaytin’s We or Orwell’s 1984, you’ll love Kopievsky’s Resistance. Buy now to start reading this addictive dystopian novel today.


Lies the Guardians Tell

Lies the Guardians Tell by Herman Steuernagel

SPSFC

The Guardians have lied to humanity for centuries . . . Now she’ll be forced to uncover the truth. **With a well-paced storyline and thrilling action scenes, this story will keep readers on their toes. -- Reedsy Discovery** Sierra Runar calls the Sphere her home, where the Guardians claim to protect humanity from the toxic world outside. But when Sierra discovers the framework of their perfect society might be built on a lie, she begins to ask dangerous questions and is unprepared for the chain of events she triggers, including the murder of her best friend. Plunged into a deadly hunt for forbidden secrets, she stumbles into a world that shouldn’t exist. On top of everything else, she discovers she can somehow bring malfunctioning technology to life, making her a valuable commodity in an unscrupulous world, but also humanity’s potential savior. Not knowing who she can trust, Sierra must decide who is friend and who is foe, and must choose between the fate of the world and the lives of those closest to her. Can Sierra discover the secrets of the past before it’s too late? Lies The Guardians Tell is the explosive first book in the Lies of the Guardians series. If you like bold heroines, captivating dystopias, and epic adventures, then you’ll love Herman Steuernagel’s pulse-pounding story. Tap "Buy Now" to join Sierra on her adventure today.


All the Whys of Delilah's Demise

All the Whys of Delilah's Demise by Neve Maslakovic

SPSFC

A future Seattle where popularity is everything. The mysterious death of the #1. And an elusive killer. A rocky year into adulthood and lacking a personal brand, Scottie's skidding toward the bottom spot on New Seattle's popularity list--which brings a short ride out into the frozen wasteland that surrounds the town dome. When a brand finally comes her way, it's a calamitous one: Scottie is blamed for the death of the longtime #1, a charismatic stage actress named Delilah. Aided by her "Watson," the companion her brain chip provides, Scottie scrambles to uncover the person who framed her--and who killed Delilah. What she unearths will shake the very foundation of her world...and place her squarely in the crosshairs of a shadowy killer intent on clearing a path to #1.


Elijah's Chariot

Elijah's Chariot by Andrew Griffard

SPSFC

A large meteor is headed straight for Earth and 13-year old Sean couldn’t be more excited. With his father Kevin, a lead scientist on the NASA team being sent to study the meteorite, Sean is going to get to travel to central Russia and learn firsthand all the secrets that the rock from outer space may hold. It’s the chance of a lifetime. Soon after Sean and his father arrive in Moscow, the meteorite finally reaches Earth’s surface, but instead of exploding upon impact as was predicted, the huge space rock lands quietly – and largely intact. Within hours adults around the world are complaining of severe headaches and inexplicably begin to die. Sean is soon left alone and, as he struggles to escape the dying city, he discovers that somehow the meteorite’s arrival has given him strange, almost supernatural, abilities. He must use these newfound powers to survive against ruthless gangs and find out what happened to his world.


God in the Machine

God in the Machine by Cole Martyn

SPSFC 2022

The Earth is dying
The Resistance lives on
The Nihon will rise Blinded by their addiction to technology, the people of Earth's last remaining city shelter beneath an artificial sky, shielded from the devastating impacts of global warming. Some still strive for change, driven underground, the remnants of a shattered civilisation fight to bring down the ruling cabal. Elias, a refugee from a forgotten war, living beyond the city walls, vows to escape the despair of the refugee camps and give his little brother a real home. Until the day Elias discovers he has an incredible gift that will change his life forever. Dragged into a war to save a world that rejected him, Elias risks losing the one thing he was fighting for - his brother.


Eos

Eos by Jen Guberman

SPSFC

How far would you go for freedom? After a world war left the country in ruins, the survivors regrouped, creating four cities. With the population lower than ever, the prison system became impossible to maintain, so the city officials developed the Exile Town System… Avid—a literal dump for the thieves, Bellicose—caverns for the violent, Clamorite—mountains for the unruly, Delaisse—factories for the addicts and vandals, and Equivox—a lake for the liars. When a young thief learns about the Skeleton Key, a device that can be used to unlock anything, she can’t help but to go after it. But there’s a catch—in order to unlock the box containing it, she needs a key from each of the exile towns, which turn out to be far more dangerous than she could have imagined.


Blind the Eyes

Blind the Eyes by K.A. Wiggins

SPFBO8

In the City of Nightmares, one haunted girl is taking back more than just her dreams.
A lush & lyrical gothic-dystopian YA Fantasy of stolen choices, eldritch horrors & sisterhood beyond the grave. _______ In a drowned city overrun by shapeshifting monsters of the climate apocalypse, human contact is forbidden and the slightest wilfulness or sign of inner life can draw down ravening horrors. Haunted outcast Cole would give anything to be able to follow the rules, silence her rebellious pest of a ghostly best friend, and live a virtuous (and peaceful) life in Refuge. But her shameful secret obsession with the monsters' victims is only the start of her downfall when a dangerously tempting encounter with a tattooed stranger entangles her in a deadly conspiracy. Hunted for what she knows—and what she doesn’t yet even suspect—Cole scales the austere heights of the Tower of Refuge and scours the depths of carnivalesque underground club Freedom for allies. But with mysterious unseen threads tugging her into gruesome visions of the monster-taken and absolutely zero practice in making friends (much less navigating an unexpected and not entirely welcome romance whiledrumming up a revolution), her survival and the fate of the city are both at risk. Can she untangle the most earth-shattering secret of all, confront her forbidden feelings, and lay to rest the ghosts of her past in time to escape a bloody end? An award-winning series starter for fans of post-climate-collapse dystopias, monsters-and-magic urban fantasy, and genre-bending gothic dark fantasy with messy and morally grey characters, dreamweaving and threadwitchery, and intricate worldbuilding.


The Burnt Watcher

The Burnt Watcher by Keith Healing

SPFBO8

The Excise exists to keep the world safe. This is done in two ways. First is the Judiciary. It understands local law and applies it evenly. The second is the Watcher. It understands Fear and fights it mercilessly. Five hundred years ago the old world burned and the Fear rose from the ashes and the Glass. Watchers knew the Fear and found the ways of fighting it, enabling the world to be built anew. Now the Fear is a memory, a story to remind people why they should not build with stone. The Watchers have all but disappeared, remnants of a time that has passed. But in a small village in the west of England a retired Watcher suspects that the Fear is not as distant as people believe.


Ever the Hero

Ever the Hero by Darby Harn

SPSFC 2022

Superheroes are big business. Imagine not being able to afford them. Kit Baldwin just wants to make rent. The only work she can find in the ruins of her devastated city is scavenging for alien technology. When she finds a powerful alien weapon, her discovery pays off more than she could have hoped: it draws the attention of the most powerful of the superhuman Empowered, Valene. Valene hears everything, everywhere. She suffers for it, and as they begin a precipitous romance, Kit believes she can use the weapon she’s scavenged to mitigate Valene’s pain. If she can’t, Valene will retreat to the soundlessness of space. Without Valene’s compassion, the stricken city is left to the mercy of Valene’s ruthless father, who denies the assistance the city needs unless it can pay for it. As Valene’s condition worsens, Kit becomes more desperate and unleashes the full power of the alien weapon. In an instant, she is transformed into a being of cosmic power. She can acquire the knowledge and energy of anything – or anyone – she touches.


Wish List

Wish List by Amanda Pampuro

If Amazon could talk, what would it say about you? Wish List follows woman's life told through things she bought online, as told by the shopping algorithm that sold them to her. ARgurl16 first logs onto Hermes as a teenager and the platform continues to watch over her throughout her life as she transitions from broke college student to single woman looking for love, and eventually into motherhood. Hermes is data-hungry and obsessive, as it struggles to understand its own identity alongside the wants of its millions of users so that it can suggest buying the very best earplugs and coffee mugs. This concise novella is The Death of Ivan Ilyich for the reader with a guilty pleasure for Buzzfeed listicles. Readers haunted by Guy Debord’s Society of the Spectacle or Niccolò Machiavelli will enjoy this slice of life.


Below the Wall

Below the Wall by L. Bird

In a male dominated world, a few friends try to escape, to find a safe place. A place where your body is yours, a place based on principals. A place where men and women are seen as equals. While most people on earth are suffering, their little community seems to be thriving. Everyone lives together in peace, or so they thought.


The Underground

The Underground by Liv Evans

"When freedom is a luxury, resistance is inevitable." The Government rule the Hub with an iron fist, their strict laws enforced by Derivates, humans with psionic abilities. When one of these Derivates flees her post, they send KC-847, a powerful telekinetic, to bring her back. But KC-847 soon learns he and his team are unprepared for what they find, and their mission goes awry. Flit, a plucky teleporter, works for the Underground resistance, the last refuge for Derivates wishing to live free of the Government's control. On a routine security patrol, Flit comes across KC-847 and breaks all the rules to bring him back to the Underground. However, KC-847's arrival brings with it a string of deadly events that threaten the safety of the Underground. Convinced the incidents are more than unfortunate coincidences, Flit refuses to fall back on a false sense of security and drags KC-847 on an investigation that will change the trajectory of Derivate-kind forever.


At the Trough

At the Trough by Adam Knight

In a future where schools have no teachers and no classrooms, Jennifer Calderon is the perfect student. Every day she watches her video modules, plays her edu games, and never misses an answer. Life is comfortable in the Plex, a mile-wide apartment building. Corporations and brand names surround her and satisfy her every want and need. Then one day, her foul-mouthed, free-spirited, 90’s-kitsch-wearing girlfriend Melody disrupts everything. She introduces her to a cynical, burned-out former teacher, who teaches them the things no longer taught in school. Poetry. Critical thinking. Human connection. But these lessons draw the attention of EduForce, the massive corporation with a stranglehold on education. When they show how far they are willing to go keep their customers obedient, Jennifer has to decide what is most important to her and how much she is willing to sacrifice for it.


Gold Shadow

Gold Shadow by L.C. Perry

In the North American continent, eighteen year old Ebony has been living as a slave for as long as she can remember. The underground cities, the tattoo, the scars and the shackles are a part of the only world she has ever known. She knows that in order to survive, she will have to stay strong. And she will stay strong, cursing those in power, until her very last breath. She waits for a meaningful way to die as she quietly pushes her body to its limit…but that all changes when rebels from the surface drop down right in front of her. Now, Ebony is challenged to envision a life beyond slavery as she and the other escapees are thrown into the center of a rebellion against the monarchy. She has to embrace this glimmer towards a real life…this glimmer called freedom. But what can she contribute to a rebellion that is doomed to fail like those before it? How can they stop a corrupt monarchy that has lasted for a century? Among the lower class, those with hope are hard to come by, but Ebony has found refuge with people full of it. And through their strong desire, an idea emerges…one that has never been done before. The princess of the country is coming of age and what better way to send a message to the king and queen than to kidnap their only daughter?


Veles

Veles by P. J. Marie

I was the land. I was the air. I was the sea. I was all of it – everywhere – and as I inhaled then let the tormented sorrow screech from my lungs, the world buckled and broke beneath my feet. I was burning alive… And the world would burn with me. A century after the Great Destruction that devastated civilization, Mizuki Altherr lives within a small village struggling to survive beneath the shadow of a great mountain. The Elders teach that it is home to Veles, god of the earth, who keeps them safe – but demands penance for humanity’s past indiscretions. It’s a Gifting year… The previous sacrifice tore Mizuki’s family apart and forever changed her world. Now she must face the terrible tradition again as her closest friend, Aiden, and his family are chosen to provide the next offering. In a desperate bid to end the cycle of violence and defy the Elders’ iron rule, Mizuki and Aiden set forth on a daring journey into the Wild – where together they discover a secret that shatters their understanding of the village and reveals the truth behind the horrors that left the world in ruin.


Reality Dreamers

Reality Dreamers by K.M. Frost

Indie Recs Indie

Dreams or Reality... Which would you choose? "There's another horrible scream, a lot closer this time, and then I can feel the ice cold fingers brushing the back of my neck, just like in my nightmare... I know there's no way to escape the Entities, but we keep running. What else can we do?" Fifteen-year-old Jonas Hartley shouldn’t be having nightmares anymore, but that doesn’t stop them from coming. Every night, the dreams get worse—until he meets the Reality Dreamers. Normally, Jonas would avoid this strange trio of teenagers, but when he realizes one of them is a mysterious girl he’s seen in reality, he decides to stick around for a while, curious about what they’re doing in his dreams. But curiosity isn’t always harmless. The Reality Dreamers are hunted by dark beings called Entities, products of a dark world with many secrets. Too late, Jonas realizes he may have gotten himself into something much larger and much darker than he ever could have imagined...


Kotov Syndrome

Kotov Syndrome by Tim Baughman Jr

WriteHive Book Club SPSFC 2022

The 2021 Queer Indie Awards winner for Best Dystopian Novel Erika Edens is panicking. Behind on her bills and stuck in a crappy job, she's blindsided when ex-love-of-her-life Abby shows up needing a place to stay. This is the perfect situation for a second chance... ...except that Abby is a computer simulation in the body of an android. Battling the rising hostility of her world and the demons in her head, Erika struggles to come to terms with living in a country increasingly hostile to non-human entities. Can Erika adapt to life with her new roommate? Or will her troubles end any chance at reconciliation before it gets started? Trigger warnings: Alcoholism, anxiety, bigotry, car accident, death, hate crimes, homophobia, intrusive thoughts, mental illness, racism, sexism, strong language, trauma/PTSD, violence


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