The Darkness Calling by Joe Coates The Darkness Calling is a gritty, stylish, action-packed novel from start to finish. Populated with vividly portrayed characters, thrilling moments and plenty of dark humour, it is brilliantly written, and will keep you turning the pages far into the night. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, J.J Connelly, Ben Aaronovitch, Iain Banks and Warren Ellis. When a contract goes out on the head of a human-trafficker living in one of London's most exclusive suburbs, romantically deprived hitman, Archie Nyx, assumes it's just another day at the office. In a profession that usually comes with minimal moral high ground, being paid a hefty sum to expunge an excrescence like Andras Janos is as close to a good day at work as Archie gets. It's a nice thought, but when the hit goes south and the unexpected elements rear their heads, Archie must track down the mysterious client who seems to want more than just Janos dead. Beautiful but hard-boiled Detective Inspector Valentina Galanti is back at work at the Met after an accident that tore her life apart. Her old friend and boss, Detective Superintendent Jack McNeill, assigns Val to a brutal multiple homicide by way of a welcome back. Val embraces the carnage as a pleasing escape from the grief and fury that are threatening to overwhelm her. By chance, or so it seems, Archie and Val meet one afternoon. Lies and deceptions breed more lies and deceptions, with the assassin and copper having no idea that they are both working towards the middle of the same problem from opposite sides. Set in a near-future London not too dissimilar to the one we know, The Darkness Calling is a soft sci-fi novel that explores whether any silver lining can be found in the midst of a son's hatred for his father, a mother's heart-crushing grief, and the place where the bullets fly. |
SPFBO9 SPSFC 2023 Indie Recs Indie Those who cross into Rheta from other worlds don’t usually arrive alive. Berro collects the crosser bodies for a prestigious secret project headed by his academic mentor, and he’s proud of his role, but when a living, breathing woman arrives in the forest through a crack in reality, the project and Berro’s ordered life are thrown into disarray. On Rheta, nature is thriving and conflict is a distant memory. Chaos and cruelty are things belonging to other worlds, other times, and most Rhetari have lapsed into blissful complacency. But Berro is at the epicentre of an event that calls the delicate balance into question. As the crossing project unravels, he confronts the ugly truths about the civilisation he lives in, the work he’s committed to, and the broken parts of himself. |
Identity Revealed (Tue-Rah Chronicles Book 1) by J.M. Butler, Jessica M. Butler Amelia prepared for the wrong destiny--and it might cause the death of millions. Cursed as a blood child and isolated as a pariah, the young princess Inale lives with one goal: to defeat Naatos, the shapeshifting warlord, in his march of terror across the thirty-six worlds. Then Naatos conquers her home of Libysha in a murderous midnight ambush before she has even learned how to throw a knife. Whisked to Earth by the mysterious Tue-Rah, an interdimensional portal, and now dubbed Amelia, she trains night and day to prove her worth and rescue her people. But when the Tue-Rah delivers Amelia home, she discovers her family captured, the royal court slaughtered, and her people imprisoned. A desperate attempt to free them only reveals more horrific truths: Amelia is a damaged psychic, the last of her kind, cursed by her birth mother, and if she kills Naatos, it will destroy her. Moreover, Naatos is her betrothed in an arranged marriage from birth and he vows to claim her by any means necessary, even as he continues to wreak savage bloodshed in his goal to bring the worlds under the control of him and his two brothers. Outmatched and outflanked, Amelia must defend her nation. But her traitorous empathic powers and connection to Naatos and his family war for her heart. Moreover, her new allies are equally manipulative. Amelia must take control of her true destiny or condemn the worlds to Naatos's rule and millions to death. |
Betrayal of Hope by Justin Doyle Darynn, Fyra, and Kaylaa have solved the mysteries of the gods. But how can they unveil the secrets to save the starving Olan-Har without unleashing chaos upon Vastire? Even if they knew what to do, war with long-time adversary Erodia forces them to wait. Unfortunately, the Erodians are winning: they’ve taken Vastire’s capital and bombard the west coast nightly. With few options left, Commander Aseus turns to Darynn to attempt a daring mission to infiltrate Erodia, just like his grandfather did 80 years ago. With Fyra, Kaylaa, and a small team at his side, Darynn agrees to the treacherous mission across the dangerous, wild continent filled with powerful enemies. But he’s conflicted. Not only does magical power rampage within, but he starts to wonder who he’s fighting for: royalty and the clergy, or the people? That question will drive him to make impossible choices. If he chooses correctly, he can end the war and save the Olan-Har, but at a great cost. If he doesn’t, the Erodians will rule Vastire and the secrets of the gods will be lost. |
Assassination of Hope by Justin Doyle The destruction of the embargo has made Darynn Mark a lot of enemies: an interstellar bounty hunter, the Grand Cardinal, families of the fallen. On top of that, Darynn struggles with his new responsibility to discover the truth behind Vastire's gods, while battling his growing internal desire to destroy. Darynn and Fyra must travel to the frozen planet Yiptae to find the final pieces of the gods' puzzle. But Yiptae has problems of its own, from a violent revolution to the assassination of a key political figure for immigrant rights. In the middle of it all is Kaylaa, whose mysterious past leads to new opportunities, conflicts, and enemies. Darynn, Fyra, and Kaylaa must work with new allies to solve the secret to the past while navigating the revolution and solving the murder. If they don't, they will end up dead, and the truths of two worlds will be buried forever. Secrets ignite revolutions... |
Outrageous Fortune by Kathleen McClure After surviving numerous battles and an unjust court martial, John Pitte thought he’d seen the worst of Fortune. Then he went into the air freight business… A year after the war with the Coalition States has ended, John Pitte and the crew of the airship Errant aren't just scraping the bottom of the barrel, they're scraping the the deck under the bottom of the barrel. So when a mysterious woman offers the crew salvation—or, at least, a paying job—John signs on, only to discover that neither the job, nor the woman, are what they appear. Now John and the rest of the crew are on the run and embroiled in hive of madness and deception, while everything he hoped to save teeters on the brink of disaster. |
Fortune's Fool by Kathleen McClure On the planet Fortune, tech is low and times are hard… especially for those living in Nike's slums. Gideon Quinn has barely set up shop as Nike’s—and Fortune's—only private facilitator when an idealistic young medic reports several patients have gone missing. Gideon takes the case and soon finds himself tangled in a cruel enterprise fueled by greed and vengeance that targets the most vulnerable of Nike’s population. And the investigation only grows more complex when a woman from Gideon’s past appears at his door with a missing person of her own. Now Gideon is faced with a bitter question: To save the people no one else cares about, will he be able to bring home a man he’d as soon see vanished from the face of Fortune? |
Soldier of Fortune by Kathleen McClure On the planet of Fortune, tech is low, tensions are high and heroes as unlikely as they come. Wrongly convicted of treason, Gideon Quinn spent six years harvesting crystal under the killing suns of the Morton Barrens. When a general of the Corps arrives with an offer of freedom and the chance to clear his name, Gideon doesn’t have to think twice. With his pet draco Elvis on his shoulder, Gideon takes 'ship for Nike City on a quest for justice (or, failing that, revenge). What he finds is a dodger named Mia, a city steeped in corruption, and a menace at the heart of the Corps which could bring Fortune's new and fragile peace to an explosive end. And that’s just his first night in town. |
Stellar Instinct (Agent Renault Adventures) by Jonathan Nevair Mission: Impossible meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in this fun and fast-paced spy-fi adventure series featuring a tough yet conflicted secret agent/poet, cloak and dagger intrigue, and a charming cast of alien characters. When galactic danger calls, Agent Lilline Renault answers. Strange signals pulse from an icy planet in a remote star system. Enter Lilline Renault, GAM-OPs secret agent extraordinaire. To ordinary citizens she's Keely Larkin, an adventure company guide with a flair for the daring and a penchant for writing trite poetry. When a terrifying link between high-tech entertainment and ancient cosmic forces rises, Lilline leaps into action. Verses flow as she rockets through space, dons cunning disguises, and infiltrates enemy territory with an arsenal of secret gadgets. To solve the mystery behind a dastardly plan means beating a mastermind at his own game. Lilline will need her best weapon to stand a fighting chance: her instinct. Each Agent Renault Adventure is a standalone story - start anywhere in this award-winning series. |
Bone River: Book 1 of The Aspect Wars by Jesse Sprague Haunted by a tragic loss, one woman defies the laws of magic. But will the cost of freedom claim her last breath? Flynt is devastated by her husband’s untimely demise on a space station hub. Not only is she drowning in grief for a man she truly loved, he was the only one protecting her from the fate that killed her mother. Vowing to avoid the twisted law that her race must become breeders, Flynt’s heartbreak awakens her high-stakes ability to manipulate death. Training to control her deadly new skills at a forbidden school, her magical gift hides a formidable power not seen in centuries. But when the queen falls gravely ill, only Flynt can save her life… if she can prove she’s not the necromancer to blame. Can she expose the devious truth before she’s cast out to die? Bone River is the explosive first book in the Last Necro-Equitem dark science fiction fantasy series. If you like relentless heroines, mind-blowing worldbuilding, and epic battles against evil, then you’ll love Jesse Sprague’s spellbinding tale. |
Deus Ex Machina by Raquel Rich Grace knew killing her soulmate to save her son Jordan’s life would trigger a new plague. She did it anyway. When a plan to stop the man responsible came together, Grace jumped at the chance for redemption, bringing Marc, Charlie, and Kay along to 1930s Germany. However, the plan derails fast when a betrayal lands the group in 2006 Las Vegas instead, leaving them stranded. Refusing to accept defeat, they seek help from others in 2006—namely, Jordan. But he seems to have his own agenda and is reluctant to help. Meanwhile, Marc is unwilling to forgive Grace’s selfish decision and turns cold toward her. As the ice thickens between them, and Jordan’s agenda begins to unfold, Grace is fraught with regret. If she had known who her son would become, would she still have saved his life? Official Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-dM0tJHWbE |
The God Queen (1) (Rebirth) by M.L Tishner THE GOD QUEEN RETURNS. SO, WHY IS EVERYONE SQUELCHING HER POWER? In a backwater Earth town, Rei Ettowa dreams of traveling across the stars to destroy Infiernen - the knight who murdered her brother. When Rei discovers she is the reincarnation of the prophesied GodQueen, she relishes her newfound ability to channel lightning forrevenge. Unfortunately, blazing through a battlefield clashes with theFederation's plan for Rei and the others like her. All the gods are tobe trained as diplomatic figureheads to sway voters, not agents of war.Infiernen must remain untouched. As Rei navigates her new role in the Federation, she finds herselfdrawn to Bronx, a handsome young man who can barely control his powers.He is also yet another target of Infiernen's wrath. Unable to let go ofher brother's murder and desperate to save Bronx, Rei searches forInfiernen, only to discover a shocking secret the Federation has beenkeeping from her. Furious by the Federation's secrets, she's outfor revenge. But not everything is as it seems. What else could theFederation be hiding from her? |
Tech Mage (The Magitech Chronicles) by Chris Fox Enslaved and Forced to Fight Dragons Aran awakens in chains with no memory. He’s conscripted into the Confederate Marines as a Tech Mage, given a spellrifle, then hurled into the war with the draconic Krox and their Void Wyrm masters. Desperate to escape, Aran struggles to master his abilities, while surviving the Krox onslaught. Fighting alongside him are a Major who will do anything to win, a Captain who will stop at nothing to see him dead, and a woman whose past is as blank as his own. Caught between survival and loyalty Aran must choose. If he flees he will live, but the Krox will burn the galaxy. Stopping them requires a price Aran may be unable to pay: Learning to trust the very people who enslaved him. |
Chronicles of My Alien Invasion Life by Jes McCutchen Chuck and her friends lost a good one last summer, but none of them are convinced that Ghost is truly gone. Once she recovers from her accident, she's ready to find the truth behind where he went. With the help of her friends, Bailey, Corrin, and Pacey, Chuck will do what she can to track down Ghost, even if it means she maybe kinda gets abducted. It's complicated. Will Chuck be able to reunite her crew, and, more importantly, will she do it without embarrassing herself? Probably not, but she's gotta try. |
The Last Human by P. S. Hoffman ALL HUMANKIND died thousands of years ago... …but the xenos still worship them as GODS. Today, hundreds of alien civilizations thrive in the gods’ lost cities and fallen megastructures. One Empire has learned to harness the remains of humanity's forgotten technology to reconnect the distant worlds... and dominate them. Eolh is an old, jaded, avian thief who lives in the dark underbelly of a conquered city. When the Empire first opened the gate between worlds, they stormed his home, killed his gang, and burned everything he held dear. But that was a long time ago. Now, the resistance is dead. No one dreams of fighting back—for the Empire wields the weapons of the gods: warships that fly, robotic constructs that hunt, and rare mysteries scavenged from the tombs of the gods. Eolh lives a half-life, thieving, running jobs, and selling his services as a freelance listener for the last gangs of Lowtown. He trusts no one, and only looks out for himself. When an unusual heist takes a deadly turn, Eolh must bargain with an overzealous android who carries an impossible secret—one that will shake the foundations of the universe. There is one last hope for salvation. For his people, or maybe just for himself… This is the story of The Last Human. |
A Different Life--What If? by Joyce Reynolds-Ward What if Gabriel Martiniere's family didn't die in a plane crash when he was twelve? What if he didn't have to go into hiding after testifying against the atrocities committed by his father, Philip Martiniere? What if he met and fell in love with Ruby Barkley as himself, not as Gabe Ramirez, a broke saddle bronc rider on the run from indenture bounty hunters? Gabe's a billionaire nerd with a conscience, unlucky at love, striving to overcome the shadows of his past while searching for agritech to fight climate change. Ruby's a former rodeo queen, trying to get her degree in agricultural robotics, searching for agritech means to fight climate change, also unlucky at love and struggling with a shadowy past. Can Ruby and Gabe successfully negotiate the complexities of the Martiniere Group and launch Ruby's world-changing biobots without interference from competitors? |
Adrift in Starlight by Mindi Briar When set adrift in the universe, some things are worth holding onto. Titan Valentino has been offered a job they can’t refuse. Tai, a gender-neutral courtesan, receives a scandalous proposition: seduce an actor's virgin fiancée. The money is enough to pay off Tai’s crushing medical debt, a tantalizing prospect. Too bad Aisha Malik isn’t the easy target they expect. A standoffish historian who hates to be touched, she’s laser-focused on her career, and completely unaware that her marriage has been arranged behind her back. This could be the one instance where Tai’s charm and charisma fail them. Then an accidental heist throws them together as partners in crime. Fleeing from the Authorities, they’re dragged into one adventure after another: alien planets, pirate duels, and narrow escapes from the law. As Tai and Aisha open up to each other, deeper feelings kindle between them. But that reward money still hangs over Tai’s head. Telling Aisha the truth could ruin everything... Their freedom, their career, and their blossoming love all hang in the balance. To save one might mean sacrificing the rest. |
Embargo on Hope by Justin Doyle Even gods have secrets… On planet Vastire, worth is set by the sins of one’s ancestors. Good families rise to the elite and the wicked fall into poverty. Unfortunately for sixteen-year-old Darynn Mark, his father incited a revolution. Now, Darynn scrounges his way through life in the slums. When Vastire is surrounded by an embargo, it gets even harder to survive. That all changes when an alien ship slips through the embargo, seeking Darynn with an offer: finish the revolution and the embargo ends. He might have a chance thanks to mysterious magic powers, and his two companions: clairvoyant crush Fyra and soldierly alien Kaylaa. Cutthroat killers, mystical beasts, Vampires, power-hungry priests and lords, and self-serving spies stand in their way. If the three of them can crack his father’s secret, maybe they can end the embargo and save the poor. If not, another poor orphan will be added to the growing piles of dead. |
The Miranda Project: The Miranda Project Book 1 by Matthew Cesca For the last five years, Alex has been on the run. Once a living weapon for a shadowy government organization, Alex is now hiding out on Mars trying to start a new life. But the shadows of his past creep around every corner. Every night, his broken mind forces him to relive the horrors he has committed. Alex isn’t like most people: he’s a psych. Born with rare psionic powers, each mental is a prized asset for the Centralized World Government back on Earth. Psyches like Alex are tracked down by the Agency and trained to do the jobs the CWG doesn’t want the public to know about. With Mars no longer safe, Alex is forced to run once more. Refuge won’t come easy—he's running out of places to hide. And for the first time since taking his life back into his own hands, he's not running alone... |
Those Once Forgotten by N. C. Scrimgeour They were a memory once forgotten. For millennia, they waited. Now, they are coming. The galaxy has been plunged into chaos, left reeling from the trap Alvera Renata triggered around the ancient alien waystations. As the leaders of the allied systems desperately try to prepare for what might be coming, Ridley and Kojan go on the hunt in search of answers. But the one person who might hold the key—the rogue starship captain who started it all—is missing in action, and her old friends aren’t the only ones looking for her… Meanwhile, tensions between the Coalition and the Idran-Var are at breaking point in the aftermath of a brutal attack. The only hope for peace may lie in a fragile alliance between Rivus and Niole, old enemies thrown unwillingly onto the same side. But even if they can bury their past, what will it take to overcome the centuries of bloodshed dividing their people? As the mysterious signal coming from the waystations counts down, only one thing is for certain: something is coming, and if the fractured factions of the galaxy can’t find a way to stand against it together, it may be the end for them all. |
Those Left Behind by N. C. Scrimgeour A dying planet. A desperate mission. A crew facing impossible odds. Humanity’s last hope lies with them… Time is running out for the people of New Pallas. Nobody knows that better than Alvera Renata, a tenacious captain determined to scout past the stars with nothing but a handpicked crew and a promise: to find a new home for humanity. But when a perilous journey across dark space leads to first contact with a galactic civilisation on the brink of war, Alvera soon realises keeping her word might not be as easy as she thought. Her only hope lies with the secrets of the ancient alien waystations scattered across the galaxy. The mysterious technology could be the key to humanity’s survival—or bring unwanted attention from the long-forgotten beings who built them. But remaining united in the face of annihilation is a lot to ask from a crew already splintering under the weight of their differences. A jaded pilot looks for a place he can start over. A young translator searches for meaning out in the galaxy's lawless frontier. And Alvera reckons with the aftermath of betrayal as she fights for a way to save them all. As they break apart to forge their own paths, Alvera and her crew all face the same question: what are they willing to sacrifice to save those left behind? |
The Last Lumenian by S.G. Blaise MOST PRINCESSES NEED SAVING. THIS ONE WILL SAVE YOU. She is a rebel. Lilla is fighting for the refugees's freedom from oppression. The king, her father, lost touch with reality ever since Lilla's mother died. Now everyone else is paying the price. The arrival of Callum, a powerful Teryn general, complicates Lilla's life. His presence leads to conflicted feelings and friction with Arrov, a handsome pilot and fellow rebel. Her life is not what she imagined it to be. Not by far. Meddling gods, love interests and sudden magical abilities have no room in Lilla's world, but that has become her new reality. No matter how hard she pushes them away, it's too late. They all seek to control her anyway. Now the Era War between two ruling archgods forces Lilla to act: accept who she really is magic and all; find true love; fulfill her destiny by defeating the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction before He finds her. |
The Enixar: The Sorcerer's Conquest by Mikkell Khan A sorcerer king, his wise advisor, and a young sorceress hiding her growing powers race to find an ancient power once thought lost. Giving the wielder the power to control the universe... or to destroy it. Gudrunn, entrusted with one of three magical artifacts, amplifies his terrifying power and quickly elevates to become the sorcerer king of the planet Gramadon. He seeks a rarity still protected by its people, even from him: an unhatched Dragon egg just waiting for the next dragonrider. Meriaus, native to the planet Gramadon, believes he can guide the sorcerer king to make the universe a better place. Yet, the power of the Enixar soon twists his master’s mind. No one can stop him... no one except his trusted advisor. Amadalia loves her grandfather, the sorcerer king who believes in her and understands her true potential: the potential to inherit his throne. Training in secret proves to be her best weapon in the battles to come. The Enixar - The Sorcerer's Conquest is a dynamic introduction to an epic fantasy series you won’t be able to put down! Complete with a strong female protagonist, Sorcerer King, complex characters and political intrigue, this series dives into the core of Epic Fantasy and Science Fantasy that readers will love. If you are a fan of John Flanagan's The Ranger's Apprentice, Garth Nix's The Old Kingdom, or Kim Harrison's The Hollows, then this is for you. |
Bloodflower (The Hidden Flames Artifact #1) by K.J. Harrowick Born into a world of futuristic technology, ecologist Jà den Ravenscraft wields starship fuel like magic but she’s losing control of her power. Marked as a dangerous weapon, she’s trapped in hypersleep for 4000 years and wakes in the backwoods of a terraformed moon. Now she’s determined to find her reincarnated lover and escape back to the stars before her power takes control... or she is found. Because one life is not the end. The man she loves has lived more than twenty lives without her, and Jà den’s alone in a world of swords and sorcery. When exiled prison guard Captain Jon Ayers shields her from an attack, Jà den seizes the chance for safety and human connection. Using her magic, she ties her energy to Jon, forging a bond to keep him close to her side. But Jon is hunted by mercenaries for the pendant he carries, a key to the gateway between worlds, and their bond stirs a desire neither can ignore. Jà den is faced with the hardest choice of her life: between Jon and her reincarnated ex. Saving one lover will destroy the other, and the wrong choice will land her in chains she can never escape. |
My Hand and My Heart by Isabel Huntoon Magic hasn't been used in Haven-the last human settlement in a flooded world-for hundreds of years. Except, that is, for the magical relic that powers the settlement. Nime and her younger sister, Navi, stumble upon a terrible secret one night: the relic is leaking deadly energy that could kill everyone in Haven in a matter of weeks. There's seemingly no way to fix it-not with all knowledge of magic lost at the bottom of the Endless Sea. But Nime is protective and reckless, and she refuses to give up. She throws herself into the search for a solution, setting her hopes on a dismantled machine that could lead to a place far away from danger. Navi, meanwhile, retreats into daydreams, where she is someone brave enough to save her home. Filled with priestesses and magic, vivid dreams blend confusingly with her waking life, until she wonders if there's something she, and only she, can do to protect the people she loves. But Nime and Navi have more than just time working against them, and both sisters may have to give more of themselves than they can afford if they want to save Haven. |
Chase: The Boy Who Hid by Z Jeffries Don't run from your feelings. Run from the killer robot hunting you. Chase refuses to believe Grandad is dead. When he skips the old man’s funeral, he finds shape shifting tech, Grandad’s invention and the first hint of a secret life. Then his old teammates show up at Chase’s, recruiting him to pilot the tech. Trusting these strangers, risking his life piloting this bleeding edge technology is the only way to find out if Grandad is still alive. It all leads to the Military Camouflage Challenge, a clash of billion-dollar armor prototypes against clones and drones, and a classified game of hide-and-seek. That’s why the team wants to train Chase. It’s also the last place anyone saw Grandad. If he’s going to learn the truth, Chase must train, qualify, and survive the deadly game. Given the chance, he’ll do anything to reunite his family, including double-crossing his new teammates...or even risk disappearing himself. Chase: The Boy Who Hid is the action-packed first book of the Hide & Seek Chronicles, the teen Sci-Fi adventure series. If you like fast-paced sci-fi, lqbtq representation, and adventure stories for all ages, you have to follow Chase: The Boy Who Hid today! |
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 isn’t far behind. |
SkyView: Lord of The Wills by M. Sheehan Seven-Centuries, Seven-Heirs. If one holds the world's knowledge, then one can shape its reality. A unique perspective on history and time, SkyView draws readers into a seven-hundred-year struggle between good and evil. Eight family lines are on a quest to discover and control the family's centuries-old accumulation of wealth. William Ward, the twenty-first century heir to this wealth, is tasked with destroying the leader and heir of the evil line and ending the malice that has been thrust upon the world. Guided by his uncle and protected by the six others with claims to the fortune, he embarks on a geographical and historical journey that reveals secrets, manipulations, and unbelievable connections. From the vantage point of SkyView, a jet with an Augmented Reality window and the capacity to digitally project history onto the landscape as it happened, William and his team desperately try to follow the fortune. A brilliant combination of science fiction, historical fiction, action and adventure, and mystery, SkyView is a unique reading experience that will keep readers turning the pages. |
The Rave (The Aelfraver Trilogy Book 1) by J.R. Traas Time, it stretched before her, every second crawling by, lengthening like an uncurling worm. Alina absorbed it all in painful detail: the twinkles of firelight caught in the breastplates and gauntlets of the Chimaera Guard, the panic in Cho’s eyes, the spittle glistening on Mezami’s fangs, every growl and sputter of all their raised voices. The Aelfraver Trilogy, set in J.R. Traas's futuristic fantasy world of El, is a story about teenage rebellion—against the ruling elite and their gods. GO HOME, ALINA When Alina K’vich lost her parents, her grandfather Dimas gave her a home and a purpose. At The School, he trained her to become an Aelfraver—a hunter of arcane beasts, demons, and other anti-human entities. For ten years, they built a life together. Then, one night, in the middle of preparing dinner, Dimas vanished. Now seventeen, and stuck with her grandfather’s debts, Alina resorts to illegal Raves in her rundown hometown. But these small-time contracts simply aren’t enough: The School lies in disrepair, the power’s shut off, and the bills remain insurmountable. In a last-ditch gamble, she signs up for a Rave whose massive reward could rewrite her entire future. However, she’s far from the only Aelfraver to answer the call of such an alluring bounty… Out of options, Alina sinks the last of her money into a forged Raver’s license and a one-way ticket to New El, the floating Capital. There, an unnamable horror—her target—busies itself slaughtering the nobility in the dead of night, leaving no survivors and no witnesses. Protected only by her wits and spells, Alina must find a way to save New El, her School, and herself. |
The Stars Within by Lena Alison Knight Escape was impossible...until she had nothing to lose. For Kerelle Evandra, her psionic powers have always meant three things: mandatory service to a multigalactic corporation, a luxurious lifestyle as a prized asset, and an electronic collar that will kill her if she steps out of line. As much as Kerelle might resent her gilded cage - and obedience to her corporate masters’ cold directives - everyone knows that escape is impossible. And defiance risks not just her own life, but also the life of the person closest to her: Galhen Ambrel, her lover and fellow bound psionic. But when Galhen’s contract is suddenly sold to a distant oligarch, Kerelle learns that obedience was not the guarantee of safety she once thought - and that escape may not be as inconceivable as she was taught to believe. When a mission brings her into contact with an unexpected ally, she must decide how far she can go, and how much she’s willing to risk for freedom. |
Silence of the Song Trees by Branwen OShea Young Cerulean's carefree life as a Firth is shattered when a planet-wide disaster wipes out all of his kind except him. The song trees that once harmonized to maintain the ecological balance of their shared planet Lenglood are silenced by the tragedy. Grief-stricken, Cerulean struggles to survive and awaken the dormant trees. But when human colonists show up, he has more to lose--the planet of Lenglood itself. |
Rusted Lies, a Dalton Rust P.I. Novel by Jacob Klop You'd think being a detective is a pretty good gig, but when Dalton Rust gets roped into his newest case he can't help but wonder why he ever got into the business. The Royals are looking for blood, the Harpers won't stop badgering him, and even his own cat, Thatch, keeps tripping him up. The news doesn't get any better when Rust discovers a cybermancer who's capable of turning invisible and tossing people around like paper plates is protecting the document he needs to retrieve. But it's not all bad. His coffee maker still works like a dream. Now if only Rust could figure out why a bunch of high powered families from the Hill are so interested in an average crank like him...but no one wants to talk, and time is running short. |
A Tale of Stars and Shadow (A Tale of Stars and Shadow #1) by Lisa Cassidy Dumnorix princess and born warrior, Talyn Dynan was the finest fighter of her generation. With her Callanan partner at her side, she was invincible, reckless, a death-knell to their enemies. But after her partner is torn away from her, Talyn is left broken, wracked with guilt and unable to regain the confidence she once had. Could an unexpected mission to the mysterious country of Mithranar, home of the magical winged folk, be the thing that saves her? Or will the danger and secrets she finds there finally break her completely? The Shadowhawk lives a life in the shadows. Constantly hunted for his criminal exploits, yet desperate to help the human folk of Mithranar who are oppressed by their winged folk rulers, he haunts the streets of Dock City. The arrival of a foreign warrior threatens to upset the carefully balanced life he leads, but when she begins to offer a hope for the humans he's only ever dreamed of, can he risk trusting her? And unbeknownst to both, a mysterious foe stalks the dark corners of Dock City. One that answers to a single purpose... Vengeance. |
The Void Revealed (Origo Essentia #1) by Stephen J. Ethier The first book of the Origo Essentia Series, a Sci-Fi Fantasy adventure with a female protagonist. Sitting atop the Spire, Windhold is governed by the theocratical Brotherhood and the secular leadership of the Sentinel. Below them lies the Void, a barren land filled with the Red Death that arrived with the blistering winds of the Fury. The corruption in Windhold has left everyone at the mercy of a madman. The only hope is Elise, groomed to be the Aspirant and replace the Sentinel for a peaceful new world. But when she ventures into the Void, she discovers that Windhold may not be everything it seems. |
Stray Magic (Faerene Apocalypse #1) by Jenny Schwartz When magic crashes through the Rift, Earth devolves into an apocalyptic nightmare. Survival becomes the only game in town, and college girl, Amy Carlton, learns she’s a more ruthless player than she ever imagined. Magistrate Istvan signed up for the Faerene Migration knowing that the price of Earth’s future would be paid for in hellfire and blood. But the black griffin hadn’t anticipated humans accessing magic. Now, a new and impossible bond must be forged between a Faerene invader and a human familiar. But first Istvan and Amy must survive to form the bond. *Note: “Faerene” refers to the many peoples of another world: the griffins, dragons, unicorns, werewolves, elves and ogres who've crossed to Earth. No prepper or survivalist could have been prepared for their arrival. |
Star Compass (Victoria Eternal #1) by Anthea Sharp Charles Dickens meets Firefly in this tale of an orphan destined for the stars. Steampunk with a twist! Enter a fantastical world filled with alien spacecraft and Victorian sensibilities, ball gowns and travel to the stars - where a pickpocket with a particular gift yearns for the stars… (Note: This novel was part of the Dominion Rising collection) |
First Steps (Meandering Paths #1) by Luke Daher Not all roads lead to desired destinations... A swordsman struggles beneath the burdens of lost friends, survival in the lawless Wilds and a fate he wishes to outrun. An artist stands on the fringes of her society, derided by her peers while striving to impress the Divine her people worship. An uncaring world shifts around them, leading their feet onto greater paths unknowingly. |
The Edge of Nothing (The Lex Chronicles #1) by Crystal Crawford An evil force terrorizes Arameth, but those out to stop it have a serious problem: their prophesied hero is dead. Centuries ago, a malevolent magicborn overtook Arameth, fracturing their world and unleashing a devastating war between magicborn and their non-magic neighbors. To protect their magical heritage, the Ancients of Arameth sealed themselves off in The Core, wiping all memory of magic from the ordinary people. The remaining magicborns retreated into hiding, unable to use their abilities for fear of inciting the wrath of the Ancients’ dark regime—or the terror of their own neighbors. Two hundred years later, the damage wreaked by the Fracture threatens to unravel their world. A dark energy from The Core is slowly corrupting once-beautiful Arameth, and the Worldforce, the source of all Arameth’s magic, is destabilizing. The heroes sworn to restore the balance fail catastrophically in their final battle, and tensions peak between the peoples of Arameth. Fluctuations in the unstable Worldforce bring frequent disasters. But not all of Arameth’s problems come from The Core... Lex is a seventeen-year-old with no memories before this morning, and no clue why a group of villagers want him dead. Realizing they have mistaken him for a destructive magicborn who slaughtered innocents in their village, Lex flees for his life—only to discover he’s more tangled in the conflicts of the past than he ever imagined. And the mysterious girl he stumbles upon during his escape creates a whole new set of problems... An epic fantasy / portal fantasy / soft sci-fi mashup, this book is teeming with quirky characters, fantastical creatures, surprises and suspense. With subtle clean/sweet romance, high-stakes adventure, and a strong focus on friendship and second chances, this all-the-feels fantasy debut will keep you flipping the pages. |
Family Binds (The Journey Missions Book 2) by Holly Ash It should have been a routine rescue mission Lieutenant Commander Crystal Wolf could lead in her sleep: go in, restore life support, and evacuate the colonists of Stapleton Farms if things went south. But when the true identity of Stapleton Farms’ leader is revealed, it changes everything. And for the first time in her career, Crystal is emotionally compromised. With the Commander gone, Lieutenant Desiree Flint must put her own prejudices aside and lead an investigation into the sabotage against Stapleton Farms’ computers; but she soon realizes there’s more at stake here than one colony or Neophia's food supply. War is in the air, even if no one else can see it yet. And Desi can’t stop it on her own. In over her head, Desi only has one person she can turn to for help. But can Crystal set aside the betrayal, pain, and chaos of a compromised past in time to stop Stapleton Farms from being destroyed – and prevent war? |
Crystal and Flint (The Journey Missions Book 1) by Holly Ash Teacup Dragon Coop SPSFC SPSFC 2024 It’s been 300 years since humans arrived on Neophia and the planet’s intelligent species have yet to agree on how much influence humans and their advanced technology should have on the planet. With the threat of war hanging in the air, Lieutenant Commander Crystal Wolf races to finish construction of the mega submarine, Journey, in order to calm political tensions on Neophia and cement her already stellar military career.Lieutenant Desiree Flint never dreamed she would leave Earth to serve on Neophia, but with the end of her military career in sight she doesn’t see a way around it. Determined to rebuild her reputation on Neophia, no matter the cost, she sets her sights on dethroning Commander Wolf in order to prove her own superiority. When Journey is attacked by someone from Crystal’s past, the two women must find a way to work together to save the ship, liberate an underwater colony from an oppressive government, and prevent a war. |
Unknown Horizons by Casey White Alone and hunted, Sam is lost in the cold emptiness of space. Abducted from Earth and whisked into the depths of the Milky Way, Sam wakes up amidst a grotesque menagerie of aliens. Imprisoned by the Nalitokk, an advanced species out for information no matter the cost, Sam is shielded by one simple fact: Out of the many aliens the Nalitokk have captured, the only thing to make humans stand out is how unimpressive they are. When they come to regard their newest test subject as little more than a defective pet, Sam is all too happy to play along. As humiliating as the deception is, it’s the only way to survive. But times are changing, and every game comes to an end. When disaster strikes, Sam is faced with hard decisions about how to break free of their grasp. Decisions which change everything - from the Nalitokk’s view on humans, all the way down to Sam’s humanity itself. With the Nalitokk hot in pursuit, Sam breaks free with one singular goal - to find the way home. |