Indie Recs Indie SPSFC Kraken Collective Introvert Reed Rothwell is part of a subculture of art deco era enthusiasts, pushing back against bland mainstream society and its mandated technology. Stuck with an AI assistant in his head is bad enough, but when he's inflicted with a forced upgrade to a new beta version, named Mazarin, the navigator starts to take on feelings and opinions of his own. â When rumors spread of beta navs turning on their pilots, Reed is determined not to become a victim. Mazarin hasnât become violent yetâthe AI is sympathetic and understandingâbut with beta participants coerced into slitting their own throats, itâs only a matter of time before Reed is next. The AI megacorporation already has an unhealthy interest in Reed, and all the beta testers who have sought help for their navigators have disappeared. The swingin' cats of the deco scene have the means to illegally terminate Reed's AI. But Mazarin has never tried to harm Reedâhe loves Reed. Grappling with ridding himself of intrusive technology, the morality of hurting his self-aware AI, and avoiding the attention of a company that wants to sweep Reedâs existence under the rug might be too much for one hep cat to handle. |
Rebellion by Kim Petersen, J. Thorn, and Zach Bohannon If you knew the truth, would you live in shackles or die for freedom? High above the ruins of Seattle sits the Nest, a settlement filled with the aristocratic Crow class, governed by the iron fist of Lord Corvus. For decades, Rayna and her fellow Hydrans have crawled the bottom of Lake Union for scrap metal which they trade with the Crows until a mysterious boy shows up and shares a disturbing, dark secret with Raynaâone that could bring the factions to the brink of war. Will Rayna fight for the truth even if it costs her everything? Is she fated to spark the Rebellion? Rebellion is the new dystopian thriller set in a post-apocalyptic world from bestselling authors, J. Thorn, Zach Bohannon, and Kim Petersen, the first book in the Stone the Crows trilogy. |
History's Prisoners by James Garmisch Moments before his execution, Huan is given a clear choice: infiltrate the Global Resistanceâor die, and never see his children again. The Alliance is collapsing, and Huan, a former economist for the worldwide government, knows how it was engineered. History has been reset, the children of dissidents re-educated, and the family unit abolished. The facade of utopia is evaporating. |
Birds of a Feather by Sandy Butchers Gifted with wings and an exceptional predatorâs instinct, Gideon finds that The Keep of Whispers is not too fond of Splices like him. Growing up in a cruel city, he quickly discovers that the only people who care about him are the people who created him through generations of genetic enhancements. Trained to be a killer in the name the tech-hoarding Houses, Gael Griswold, the man behind the Splice technology, sells Gideon to the highest bidder. Here, he discovers that thereâs more to life than his head on a wanted bounty pamphlet. Follow Gideon Crowby as he tries to discover who he is and how he can become a better man. Birds of a Feather is the third volume in a series of short story collections that prelude the 'The Singularian' |
The Committee Wars by Gerald Hoover In a World Where (I said that in that Hollywood announcer voice, you know the one) the United States no longer exists three new nations arose from the ashes. The east coast is ruled by the Green Committee where every thought, inkling, and urge is monitored and controlled in an effort to force one to worship Mother Nature. The West Coast is ruled by the iron fists of the Peace Committee social justice warriors, where every victim-class can obtain retribution. And stuck in-between, the Smith Committee, where people just want to be left alone to live their lives as they see fit. Our hero, Simon, was born and raised in the Green Committee and is upon the cusp of his thirteenth birthday, the age when the frivolities of youth are no longer overlooked. He craves freedom and is about to be sent to a work camp for his divergent beliefs when The Smith Committee offers him asylum. Simon embarks upon roller-coaster of an adventure, where his understanding of the world is blown wide open. He must confront the terrifying, the unknown, and conquer his doubts. By following the guidance he found in his Grandfatherâs hidden journal, Simon will be transformed from Green Committee reject into Smith Committee hero -- if he survives. |
Dust & Lightning by Rebecca Crunden In the near future, humans have gone beyond simple space travel. By the year 4054, multiple solar systems are inhabited, and taking a spaceship is as commonplace as taking an aeroplane. Unfortunately, not everything about the future is so advanced. The central planets, led by Earth, have risen high at the expense of cheap labour on distant worlds. Dissent is widespread and arrests are common. Sometimes prisoners are released; sometimes they disappear without a trace, sent to labour camps in other solar systems. When Ames Emerys receives a letter telling him that his brother Callum has died en route to the remote planet of Kilnin, he takes the first ship he can off Earth, desperate for answers. But the secrets Ames uncovers prove far more dangerous than he could have imagined. And trouble isnât far behind. |
A Time of Prophecy by Rebecca Crunden In the years since Kitty, Nate and Thom escaped the Kingdom, the Plague has ravaged the population and the rebels have seized two of the northern countries. In an attempt to bring order to the chaos, the leader of the rebels, Nateâs old friend James, has agreed to hold trials for those responsible for intentionally leaking the Plague. Unfortunately, the rumour in the Kingdom is that Kitty is responsible. To make matters worse, Blaise tells Kitty that the Council, who still count her father as one of their own, are once again experimenting on Radiants. Itâs a horrifying realisation that hits too close to home, and for the first time in her life, Kitty thirsts for vengeance. Itâs a thirst thatâs matched by the one person who has always been her mirror â her Complement, Thom. On the other side of the Wall in the Outlands, desperate to bring Kitty home and finish the Council once and for all, Thom begins plotting, using the skills heâs long honed to outsmart those with more power. But outsmarting his enemies might turn Thom into the very thing heâs always feared becoming, and war soon seems the only possible solution to stopping the Council and the Hangman. But with more than a few looking to the ancient prophecy of peace, Thom searches desperately for a way to circumvent more bloodshed. Yet the weight of the years have taken their toll, and as Thomâs physical and mental health deteriorate, Nate struggles with the fallout of past crimes, both the ones he did commit, and the ones he didnât ⌠|
A Promise of Return by Rebecca Crunden When Thom Anteros is arrested after breaking into the Building of Historical Records, he demands to be taken before the King. A laughable demand for anyone else, Thom's request is granted and the King spares his life. Yet what's to become of him is left in the hands of the one person Thom truly fears â Mickey Taenia, the King's Hangman. Infuriated by Thom's refusal to reveal the whereabouts of Nate and Catherine, the Hangman sends Thom to one of the worst places in the Kingdom â the slave markets of Muntenia. It is there that Thom is bought for the Red Arena: a barbaric, gladiator-type competition where the children of convicts and other unlucky souls are forced to fight to the death. Twenty wins is release. One loss is death. With the help of Charles Thoreau, a fellow captive, Thom begins not only to survive, but to thrive. A master of words becomes a master of death, and Thom's prowess in the arena frightens even him. But death isn't the only thing haunting Thom. As the days go by, he dreams of his brother, and the promise he cannot forget. I will return. |
A History of Madness by Rebecca Crunden The four remaining fugitives are now spread across the Kingdom. And with the fate of the others unknown to him, Nate Anteros prays for a fast execution. Yet execution does not come. After a meeting with the King which leaves Nate questioning his sanity, heâs sent to a workcamp in Argon Basin for five years of hard labour. Itâs there that Nate learns what became of his friends upon their arrest. And as his strength returns to him, and heâs plagued by dreams which are much too real to be ignored, Nate decides five years is far too long to wait ⌠|
A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden A thousand years in the future, the last of humanity live inside the walls of the totalitarian Kingdom of Cutta. The rich live in Anais, the capital city of Cutta, sheltered from the famine and disease which ravage the rest of the Kingdom. Yet riches and power only go so far, and even Anaitians can be executed. It is only by the will of the King that Nate Anteros, son of the Kingâs favourite, is spared from the gallows after openly dissenting. But when heâs released from prison, Nate disappears. A stark contrast, Catherine Taenia has spent her entire life comfortable and content. The daughter of the Kingâs Hangman and in love with Thom, Nateâs younger brother, her life has always been easy, ordered and comfortable. That is, where it doesnât concern Nate. His actions sullied not only his future, but theirs. And unlike Thom, Catherine has never forgiven him. Two years pass without a word, and then one night Nate returns. But things with Nate are never simple, and when one wrong move turns their lives upside down, the only thing left to do is run where the Kingâs guards cannot find them â the Outlands. Those wild, untamed lands which stretch around the great walls of the Kingdom, filled with mutants and rabids. |
Shitlord In the Anus of Madness by Fabrina Glitchlace Like all great artists do, Shia tried to become his art. He tried to be a force for good in the world. He tried to change minds. He tried his best to elevate consciousness; to help people realize their potential for self actualization. He tried to enable them to become like him: Master of their own destiny. To not let their dreams be dreams. But instead, he ended up exhausting his social capital, leaving sloppy personal messes in his wake which could not be cleaned. He became unemployable. Toxic. He was pushed out by those who had once accepted him. He was dumped. Now he hungers for the success that he once tasted. |
The Bright Lord by Alex Knowles A home, a family. Lies, resentment. To save the future, he must reclaim his past.Ryan Hart thought he had saved them all. He'd served as Lord Commander of the Sarashead guild, faithfully and with honor for thousands of years. His work expanded their empire and brought peace.But peace never lasts. . . .Emperor Duhan has been murdered, ripping Ryan out of his new life as a citizen on Earth. Once again, he must leave those he loves for the greater good.Rebirth is the path, a reset into a new body that he must cultivate and train. The collision of two worlds draws ever closer, and if he can't claim what was once his, all will be lost.The Bright Lord is a thrilling Litrpg, cultivation story that spans multiple worlds, love and friendship. |
The Kavordian Library Omnibus (Fyskar, Subject 15, Polaris Skies, Subgalaxia) by Chapel Orahamm Collects Fyskar, Subject 15, Polaris Skies, and Subgalaxia. Content Warning-18+, not suitable for young people-Depictions and mention of sex, blood, gore, violence, abuse, suicide, rape, death, homophobia, racism, sexism, drowning, PTSD, psychological trauma, war, language, loss of pregnancy |
Reality Testing by Grant Price Welcome to Berlin. Population: desperate. In the throes of the climate crisis the green tech pioneers are king, and if you aren't willing to be their serf then you're surplus to requirements. Carbon credit for sleeping on the job. That's the offer a dreamtech puts to Mara Kinzig, and she jumps on it. After all, the city ain't getting any cheaper. Then somebody changes the deal while she's dreaming in the tank. Now Mara has a body on her hands, an extra voice in her head, and the law on her tail. Only the Vanguard, a Foreign Legion of outcasts seeking an alternative path in the dust between the city states, might be able to help her figure out what went wrong. First, though, she'll have to escape the seething streets of Berlin alive. |
Models and Citizens by Andrew Sweet In the year 2185, models (or clones) do the jobs that others wonât. Failure to work is punishable by death. Ordell Bentley flees from the violence of the Human Pride Movement and discovers the death of his lover. Ordell chooses to escape rather than return to his life of forced-labor. Harper, his loverâs daughter, hides him from bounty hunters in her family home. Haunted by an unseen stalker, Ordell relies on Harper to help plan his refuge trip to Canada. The reward for Ordellâs capture steadily ticks upward⌠Can Ordell make it to freedom? Will his unlikely friendship with Harper prove to be his undoing? |
Entanglement: A Dystopian Sci-Fi Thriller by Alina Leonova Cay thinks he may be going insane. His partner isnât herself. He can only surmise that sheâs been replaced, which is impossible. And yet⌠In a desperate attempt to discover the truth, Cay gives up his identity and flees home. Cutting out the implant that connects him to society is an unforgivable crime, but it may be the only way to find the people who can help him. His path leads him to the underworld where he meets Vietra. She wants to run from her past but canât leave it behind. Together, they get a chance to discover why the world has set out to destroy them. Will the answers they find save them, or bring their downfall? Readers call Entanglement mind-bending, exciting, and unpredictable. This cyber-punk thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page. |
Sowing (The Purification Era #1) by Angie Grigaliunas They can take your house, your daughter, whatever they want. For Ariliah, life under the militarized Hulcondans is one of order and safety. Despite the soldiersâ ruthless policies, she trusts their judgment. They alone provide protection from the enemies lurking beyond the city wall. For her older sister, Rabreah, every glance from a Hulcondan is a threat. Though even a whisper against them is treason worthy of death, Rabreah is determined to end their tyranny. Joining an underground resistance is her only hope â until she realizes she doesnât know the people sheâs aligned herself with at all. Unsure who to trust but unable to back out, she must work alongside the attractive yet infuriating rebel leader who reminds her far too much of the soldiers she hates. But with subversive posters appearing throughout the city and people dying on the blade of an unknown assailant, the sistersâ world begins to crumble. And as the line between friend and enemy blurs, both girls must face the truth: everything is about to change. Sowing is a gritty, slow burn spy thriller set in a dystopian world on the brink of war. Perfect for fans of the characterization and political tension in Leigh Bardugoâs Six of Crows, Sabaa Tahirâs An Ember in the Ashes series, and Pierce Brownâs Red Rising saga. **This series is meant to be read in order.** |
The Wall: A Post-Brexit Dystopian Fantasy by Margaret Mason The only road to escape ends at The Wall. In a desolate post-Brexit England, nothing is as it seems. There is no chance, for those who remain in England encased behind The Wall, to live a long and healthy life in the smog drenched, almost abandoned cities. None. Apart from one. Walking North, alone, through a desolate and deserted landscape, on old, cracked roads, long since abandoned, Harra has only two items to guide her. A sheet of paper with a list of instructions to direct her steps to The Wall and an ancient Casio watch to ensure her timely arrival. Yet neither of those can guarantee success, not when the ever-vigilant Border Drones must be avoided to chance the final crossing. And with every step she takes, the Establishment lies begins to unravel, revealing to Harra just how far the Government has gone to ensure its âtruthsâ are not only never questioned, but that they also come to pass. Harra has a future to gain, and a past to unravel. The Wall both beckons and repels, but there is no other means of escape. |
Telluria (Telluria, #1) by Jodi Trask The earth was on the brink of a futuristic utopia when a new and deadly disease threatened to wipe out humanity. Telluria slowly dissolved its victims into one of the four primordial elements of water, fire, earth or wind. Terra was a child when her parents caught Telluria. The corporation New Atlantis developed a cure and distributed it for free just in time, saving her parents and the world from extinction. The world was just beginning to rebuild when Terra caught Telluria herself. She planned to simply go get the cure, but when her best friend Grey is killed by New Atlantis officials for trying to warn her against it, Terra is on the run for her life and the truth. |
The Nothing Within by Andy Giesler Root is... different. Though raised in a fearful society that reveres tradition and conformity, sheâs irreverent, outspoken, and deeply curious. Her blindness sets her even further apart. Centuries after the Reckoning, a global biotech plague, savage chimeras still threaten human survival. After Root hears a voice that no one else can hear, she flees into the wilderness. Outcast and hunted, she must confront a dire threat to her people--and unravel the mystery of who she really is. |
Meadowcity (Arcera #1) by Liz Delton The first war in a thousand years has only just begun... Sylvia Thorne is one of the few people brave enough to travel through the empty lands of what remains of once great civilizations. She is a Rider: delivering messages betwen the Four Cities and setting up trade are her business, one that thrives only because she knows how to defend herself in the empty spaces called the wilds. Everything changes when Sylvia returns home to Meadowcity, carrying a message from the Governor of Skycity. She quickly finds out that what sheâs been carrying isnât some trifling correspondenceâbut a declaration of war from Governor Sorin Greyling. And the message isn't their only cause for concern... Join Sylvia as she embarks on a journey that will decide the fate of Meadow Cityâand all of those who live in the Four Cities of Arcera. And relive the past to discover what drove Sorin down his path of destruction... |
Emissary (Emissary Quintet #1) by E.B. Brooks Ewan OâMeara dreams of becoming the greatest adventurer Veridor has ever known. Problem is, there havenât been any epic quests since the ancient war of independence. His parents keep badgering him to take a respectable profession, and the overbearing Church soaks him for penance gold every time he dies. When he encounters a young woman fleeing arrest, he canât resist helping her. At first glance, Treanna Rothchild needs it: sheâs clueless about Veridian life. But she has other skills that defy Ewanâs understanding, and she knows things. Unsettling, seditious things the Church wants kept secret at any cost. And sheâs here to raise an army. Risking both life and soul, Ewan follows Treanna where no Veridian has been, but he must come to terms with the harsh world she reveals as he discovers how much they have in commonâand how much they depend on each other to survive. |
Always Greener by J.R.H. Lawless A smash-hit reality show is offering a lifetime of luxury to the one person living the worldâs worst life, and now everyone is out to prove just how bad theyâve got it. |
Consequences: A Wilders Finale by Cass Kim The exciting conclusion to the captivating Wilders Series. The virus is morphing and moving fast. Wilders aren't following the three rules anymore. Nobody is safe. Running low on supplies while waiting for a response from their plea for help, the camp in the Adirondak forest can't wait any longer. Emerson is selected to lead a supply run on what should be a short trip into town. With the world sliding dangerously close to a full apocalypse, his team will have to make hazardous decisions. Back in the camp, help arrives. But the form it takes is unexpected. Renna doesn't know who to trust. Or how she'll survive. Bold choices always have consequences. Now it's time to face them. |
The Recoil Trilogy by Joanne Macgregor FROM RECOIL (BOOK 1): When a skilled gamer gets recruited as a sniper in the war against a terrorist-spread plague, she discovers thereâs more than one enemy and more than one war. The Game is real. Three years after a series of terrorist attacks flooded the US with a lethal plague, society has changed radically. Sixteen year-old Jinxy James spends her days trapped at home â immersed in virtual reality, worrying about the plague and longing for freedom. Then she wins a war simulation game and is recruited into a top-secret organisation where talented teenagers are trained to become agents in the war on terror. Eager to escape her motherâs over-protectiveness and to serve her country, Jinxy enlists and is trained to become an expert sniper. Sheâs immediately drawn to Quinn OâRiley, a charming and subversive intelligence analyst who knows more about the new order of government and society than he is telling. Then a shocking revelation forces Jinxy to make an impossible decision, and she risks losing everything. THE RECOIL TRILOGY is a fast-paced, exciting, original Young Adult dystopian romance series, which makes great reading for lovers of Rick Yancey (The Fifth Wave), Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games), and Veronica Roth (Divergent). |
Reactive (The Elite Trials #1) by Becky Moynihan AN INESCAPABLE CITY. THREE DEADLY TRIALS. ONE WAY OUT. Lune Tatum, adopted daughter of the Supreme Elite, has lived within her fatherâs walled city for eleven years. â¨â¨But she wants out. â¨â¨ Except she canât leave, and not because of the clans and mutated beasts that roam beyond the impenetrable, electrified walls protecting her life. Her plan has always been to win the Elite Trials and earn Title of Choiceâher only chance at freedom. And the only way to return home to her mother. â¨Then a boy from her past arrives on her eighteenth birthday. His presence threatens Lune's carefully laid plans and exposes memories she's desperate to forget. He canât be trusted. Especially as he possesses dangerous secrets. And what he reveals could ruin the chance at freedom sheâs willing to die for. Perfect for fans of the Hunger Games, Divergent, and Shatter Me series, THE ELITE TRIALS trilogy is the gripping story of Lune Tatum as she fights for freedom in a futuristic dystopian world plagued by danger, secrets, and betrayal. An emotional, action-packed journey of resilience, second chances, and fierce love. |
Witches' Gambit: Book One of the Seven Worlds by Charles Freedom Long FINALIST- BEST SF/F BOOK OF 2018âNext Generation Indie Book Awards. Aidan Ray, successful attorneyâand psychicâsecretly communes with the dead in a fascist fundamentalist society that would call her âWitchâ and wipe her mind. Earth is split into separate warring theocracies who want to dominate the planet. They are on the verge of expanding their conflict into outer space. Michael good, an executive who likes to live dangerously, leads a secret insurgency in Aidanâs home state. Fate places them together. And together, they must face a crisis that could destroy the earth. A mediating alien, concerned about the future of their shared universe, has come to earth. His galaxy is on the verge of making a preemptive strike against earth, to prevent the spread of a species that resolves its problems by murdering each otherâa diseased specimen that may have to be exterminated before it infects other worlds. He ponders if earth is worth saving? And asks Aidan and Michael to plead humanityâs case to the council of the seven worlds, before the earth is destroyed. But to do that, they must brave the hazardous passage to another galaxy from which they may never return. Or have anything to return to. |
The Binary Man by Jacob Prytherch Three lives collide in this #1 UK cyberpunk thriller. Yannick Meyer's life seems locked in a downward spiral, before a knock at the door changes everything. Offworld opportunity promises a release from the rampant pollution and social decay of Earth, although the bright lights of Washington station cast their own shadows, ones which are not so easily shaken off. Alice Howe stumbles upon a seemingly harmless signal that draws her into a vicious war between corporations. Toshihiro Sato watches the funeral of someone that only he truly knows, losing count of how many he has consigned to death. These three stories are wound together through The Binary Man, the first true magician. |
Downhome Little Planet Vol. 3 by Joey Daiba The gangâs all back for another eight chapters of city-collapsing antics! Hell-bent on avoiding the inevitable, Twitch is finding all sorts of new, brain-damaging ways to try and hold off the wedding day! If he keeps this up, Leuki will be changing his diapers before they graduate from school... Maybe sheâs into that sort of thing, but frankly, the author would rather not entertain the idea! Regardless, our star-crossed lovers are up to no good in all sorts of hair-raising new ways!With the discovery of subspace, Leuki has some plans for Acies Gemma and sets the planet on itâs edge by bringing back the global network! Of course, this only means trouble once she tries to dive in. Can Twitch keep her from becoming an unsavory internet celebrity? Hopefully Leuki knows better and never winds up performing an image search of herself! In the meantime, a new threat lurks in the shadows of Yokaro. Something terrible has happened to F.P.U. Division 194 and Agent Willis is at a loss at how to keep the happy couple of Acies Gemma safe! Not that the F.P.U. was doing a bang-up job anyway, but itâs the thought that counts! Can the group survive another slew of catastrophic happenstances? |
Downhome Little Planet Vol. 2 by Joey Daiba A glimmer of dubious hope flickers in the distance for the backwater planet of Acies Gemma. A powerful race known as the Jâsarri is on route to save the dying world and ensure the safety of their runaway princess. But even with the political marriage of Twitch and Leuki promising an alliance, things arenât getting much better for the planetâs abandoned populace. If anything, youâd think nobody had even noticed the events of the last couple of months! What the hell is wrong with everyone?! To make matters worse, things have only gotten more problematic for our favorite cyborg degenerate! His blushing bride has a knack for attracting enough trouble to bring entire government branches crashing down. And donât think Twitchâs girlfriend Scarlet has given up on the man of her dreams. Her schemes are adding even more thorium to the fire! Behind all this chaos, a mystery is slowly unraveling. Thereâs something more to the Fyx family than meets the eye. Even more, the planet itself holds secrets, haunting just beneath its surface. Can Fix hold his life together before all hell breaks loose? Can Leuki win him over and finally have the simple life of her dreams? |
Downhome Little Planet Vol. 1 by Joey Daiba Backwater planet Acies Gemma is barely a glowing dot on the galactic map these days due in part to the fact that it resides at the redneck ass-end of the galaxy... and the fact that its rotation is slowing. The planet has only a few years left before it becomes uninhabitable and the bulk of the population dies horribly. Tragically. The dire situation has caused everyone who is anyone to flee, leaving the "lower class gutter trash hicks" stranded to fend for themselves. Government has broken down. Society has come untethered. Fire and brimstone raining down from the sky. Rivers and seas boiling. Forty years of darkness. Earthquakes, volcanoes. The dead rising from the grave. Human sacrifice. Dog and cats living together! - Mass hysteria! In the middle of all of this is a cyborg street peddler known to his friends and family as Twitch who must uphold a promise he never made and finds himself engaged to a troublesome alien princess... and boy is his girlfriend pissed! Can he really hold it together? Or will his literal and figurative world come crashing down around him? We honestly do not know the answer to that question yet, but here's to hoping you want to find out and like the story and tell all your friends about it! Because for every negative comment received the editor will be giving the author a very harsh jab to the kidney! And Joey is very fond of both of his. |
Fireflies by Melissa Koberlein Ghosts donât exist but aliens do, and theyâre living inside my boyfriend. Will has extraordinary abilities thanks to the beings living inside his body. His job is to recruit rare compatible humans to join his kind. His latest search leads him to the spirited Marley. The more time he spends with her, the more certain he is that sheâs meant to be his. Meanwhile, she canât stop dreaming about him. An alluring glimmer in his eyes reminds her of fireflies. When she discovers his true nature, her future is altered forever. |