stories in and

Dead Star

Dead Star by Simon Kewin

SPSFC

A hidden trail among the stars The galaxy is in flames under the harsh theocratic rule of Concordance, the culture that once thrived among the stars reduced to scattered fragments. Selene Ada, last survivor of an obliterated planet, joins forces with the mysterious renegade, Ondo Lagan. Together they attempt to unravel the mystery of Concordance’s rapid rise to galactic domination. They follow a trail of shattered starship hulks and ancient alien ruins, with the ships of the enemy always one step behind. But it’s only when they find the mythical planet of Coronade that they uncover the true scale of the destruction Concordance is capable of unleashing… Don't forget to read the free prequel novella Home World (The Triple Stars volume 0) first.


Out of the Gray

Out of the Gray by Patricia Gilliam

SPSFC

Aliens, politics, and murder. Only the first one is new. Towards the end of the twenty-fourth century, it is common knowledge aliens have lived on the planet for a long time. The Hannarian royal family has stationed an ambassador to interact with Earth’s governments and to be an official bridge between humans and their race. They also want to assist humanity by offering access to advanced medical, communication, and transportation technologies. This does not ring true with the EIP, the Earth Independence Party. They are aware that Hannarians possess superhuman skills and abilities that they have kept hidden from Earth’s general population. To the people aware of these abilities, the Hannarians seem dangerous to some and downright demonic to others. They fear Hannarians pose a tangible threat to the Earth and every living human on the planet. The organization has spent decades preparing for the perfect opportunity to remove the Ambassador, expose the aliens what they truly are, and finally place themselves on equal footing with their enemies. Alex Verin, son of EIP Congressman Adam Verin, has had a very unexpected day. After chance meetings with the Hannarian Ambassador’s son and later the Ambassador himself, Alex has his beliefs about the Hannarians brought into question. Once at home and milling over what he has learned, Alex tries to figure out what is truth and what isn’t. When a visitor arrives at their home to speak with his father, Alex attempts to find out the man’s identity and why his father is being so secretive about him. While doing so, Alex overhears the man discuss plans to assassinate Hannaria’s Ambassador with his father. Rica Miller, the adopted daughter of Charlie and Rebecca Miller, is leaving Earth. After discovering that she is not human but Hannarian, Rica’s parents decide that relocating to Space Station Destiny would be the best option for her future. As a station engineer, Charlie has made arrangements for his wife and daughter to join him now that construction has entered its final phases. After boarding a transport leaving Baltimore, Rica meets Jernard. He introduces himself as the Hannarian Ambassador and explains he wants to ensure they arrive at Destiny safely out of friendship to Charlie. Rebecca does recognize Jernard, but considering she and Charlie told no one about Rica or that they were leaving, she is hesitant to trust him. How will Alex react to his father’s agreement with a plan to murder someone? Can Rica trust Jernard, and does he hold any answers on what happened to her birth parents? Will the EIP succeed in killing Hannaria’s Ambassador?


MOBIUS

MOBIUS by Vincent Vale

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

The Dimensional Gateway is built... A plot against humanity revealed... Humankind's ultimate evolution. Theron Mobius has worked his entire life on a Dimensional Gateway that will propel humankind into a new era of space travel. When it's sabotaged by a mysterious entity, he uncovers a plot against humanity that's been underway for millennia. Theron is driven against all odds to stop the entity, only to discover he's an integral part of the entity's sinister plan. Together with a small group of travelers, he must journey across galaxies in search of an ancient Guardian of the universe. If he fails, humankind will face oblivion.


Time and the Soldier

Time and the Soldier by David Dvorkin

SPSFC 2022

Thrown forward in time from 1945, three friends fight to find each other and go home. War, death, and love are the only constants. In the dangerous 21st Century, time changes them and they change time and history.


Behind Blue Eyes

Behind Blue Eyes by Anna Mocikat

SPSFC 2022

In a future world ruled by warring mega-corporations, cyborg Nephilim believed she was fighting a righteous cause. As a powerful, cybernetically enhanced elite soldier her job is to do all the dirty work for the mega-corporation she belongs to. She and her elite cyborg squad are deployed on the most dangerous missions – to protect Olympias from threats outside and inside at any cost. One day, a malfunction in her implants separates her from the all-controlling grid. For the first time in her life, Nephilim is free. She learns that everything she has believed in all her life is a lie and decides to defend her newfound freedom. But Metatron, the leader of her unit, has very special plans for her future and won’t let her get away. Soon, Nephilim finds herself hunted by the killer squads she once belonged to. She’s the best of them but will her skills be enough to survive? Blade Runner meets John Wick with a badass female lead.


Some of My Best Friends Are Human

Some of My Best Friends Are Human by Liz J. Andersen

SPSFC 2022

In an underground orphan center on an overpopulated planet, Tajen Jesmuhr dreams of freedom in a distant wilderness under an open sky. So when offered an interplanetary ecology class with offworld field trips, Taje leaps at the chance. But Taje isn't the only misfit here, where everyone has a tragic past and hidden wounds, and she soon clashes with her teacher and her classmates, including:A boy with a frightening secret who lost his family to a terrorist plague. A crafty female human-alien chimera whose parents disappeared in a paraspace accident. And a boy with a hidden past and a dead father he still hates.All may have promising careers ahead of them, but only if they can learn to trust themselves and one another enough to survive an uncaring system and a deadly final exam.Andre Norton believed in this story, and anyone--young and old--who loves science fiction with interesting characters, alien animals, and interplanetary adventures without war will enjoy it too.About the AuthorLiz J. Andersen grew up in Silicon Valley (Palo Alto, California), and wrote the first draft of this novel when she was about the same age as her main characters. Liz has red hair like Taje, but Liz is not Taje. The author just became tired of too many red-haired villains, and a scarcity of red-haired heroes.In real life, a serious lack of mentors undoubtedly led to this book, and a solution aimed at the author and other kids floundering on their own. However, once done, Liz realized she needed more science for an accurate SF novel.So she set her novel aside to earn a B.S. in Animal Physiology with Highest Honors at U.C. Davis, which required physics, chemistry, and calculus, as well as numerous physiology classes. It also allowed broad electives such as ecology, astronomy, and art. She proceeded from there immediately into veterinary school, and also earned her D.V.M. degree at U.C. Davis.During summer breaks Liz backpacked, primarily in the Sierra Nevada with her friend Carla Salido, where they enjoyed their own adventures. Liz has also defied death at least four times to bring you this novel, so it must be important.She now lives in Eugene, Oregon, with her husband, Brian, and has published several short stories about Dr. Tajen Jesmuhr in Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine. Find her at her website LizJAndersen.com, and her husband's music at labbwerk.bandcamp.com.


An Isolated System

An Isolated System by Stephen Weagraff

SPSFC

Humans have broken free of their home world using massive portals that bend space and provide instantaneous transport between the stars. These gates opened up far flung star systems for new human colonies. But these new worlds were desolate and dangerous so slave labor supplied by synthetic human like workers tamed these hostile planets and let the human colonies take root. But the workers that built the cities, tamed the rivers and dug the mines are now a problem. Fear of the synthetics spread and the new settled humans banish them from the cities to the frontiers, using them as slaves for jobs deemed still too dangerous.But Niko, a slave on a desolate, desert world will discover that all is not what it appears. An accident reveals a secret that could shatter the colony worlds and change the lives of the synthetic slaves forever. In a race against time and the colonial secret service, Niko and his partners must uncover the truth about themselves before it’s too late.


Aerovoyant

Aerovoyant by Patricia L. Tavormina

SPSFC 2022

On planet Turaset, droughts ravage farmlands, cyclones rip through coastal cities, and with every barrel of oil the combustion industry pumps from the ground, the climate worsens. Alphonse has just refused a council seat because taking it means serving that rapacious industry. He leaves the city to seek solace in the wilderness, and there, a power to live the past awakens within him. Alphonse walks the steps of his distant ancestors on long-dead Earth, soon growing plagued with memories of its collapse, and he's left with a troubling certainty: he must infiltrate the combustion industry to secure proof of its treachery, or Turaset will be next to fall. Alphonse finds an ally in Myrta, a farmgirl who sees air, every molecule in every pulse of breath or blast of exhaust. With her talent, she can evade the patrols on the industry's grounds. Together, Alphonse and Myrta can prove the industry lies about emissions. They can convince the councils to shut down fossil fuel use permanently. But people in the industry have grown wise to Myrta's power--and now she's marked for death.


Alien Advantage

Alien Advantage by Lorain O'Neil

SPSFC 2022

COMFORTABLE. SAFE. ORDERLY.

That’s what Mark Hemmings happily thinks of his law student life until one balmy Florida night he foolishly runs out to gawk up at that light in the sky. Zap! Mark is kidnapped by space aliens. 

When the aliens’ experiment on Mark teaches him a little too much, Mark is able to accidentally steal an alien ship and plunge back to Earth, only to land smack into the clutches of General Peerless and Dr. Montgomery, the warring co-directors of Little Island. Little Island, the U.S. government’s secret facility where the government “collects” abducted returnees. Being the only person who can ―sort of― fly the spacecraft makes Mark just what the government is looking for, but an imprisoned life on Little Island isn’t exactly what Mark had in mind. Not that Mark’s feelings matter, because no one has ever escaped Little Island. But no one before’s ever arrived with his very own spaceship!

In his fight for free will, Mark, the Doctor, and the General, battle each other to triumph, the Doctor by clever manipulation, the General by crushing force, and Mark by his cunning, wits... and spaceship! A humorous story of chase and determination, and above all else, refusing to forget who you really are, despite the craftiest of temptations. Bonus chapters from some of the author’s other books are included.


Broken Ascension

Broken Ascension by Dave Walsh

SPSFC

The war is over, and there are no winners. Just a broken galaxy. Now humans and aliens must share this war-torn galaxy. None of this matters to Drake, though, he's just an artist. He's tagging along on the busted up ship Trystero, along with its ragtag crew. Together, they traverse the Demilitarized Zone between Terran and Gra'al borders, taking on any job they can find. Big or small. Human or alien. The galaxy changes when the crew encounters a derelict alien ship, its crew slaughtered. With his dying breath, a crewman points them to a box. In it? An abandoned alien baby. When their government refuses to get involved, Drake and the crew need to return the baby they've been calling Bruce home, a bloodthirsty warlord on their tail. His quest? Find Bruce and claim the Gra'al throne, declaring a new war on humanity. Drake never wanted to be a hero... now he's all that stands in the way of a fragile peace between humans and aliens.


Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct by Kristine Smith

SPSFC

Captain Jani Kilian’s life should have ended in front of a firing squad. Instead, she evaded battlefield justice by dying in a transport crash. End of story, according to official Commonwealth Service records. But doctors repaired her in secret, using the most advanced Service Medical technologies available, or so they assured her. In the last days of the idomeni civil war, she escaped their homeworld of Shèrá, and spent the next 18 years on the run. But someone like Jani leaves a trail no matter how hard they try to hide it, and she soon learns the Service hunt for her never ended. When Interior Minister Evan van Reuter, her former lover, tracks her down and begs her help in finding his wife’s killer, she has no choice but to agree. The search takes her to the Commonwealth capital of Chicago, a hotbed of political intrigue as dangerous as any warzone. As the danger mounts, so do Jani’s struggles. Her rebuilt body is breaking down, and memories long suppressed are flooding back. Of one horrible night 18 years ago, and the gut-wrenching decision that changed her life forever.


Convergence (A DRMR Novel, Book 1)

Convergence (A DRMR Novel, Book 1) by Michael Patrick Hicks

SPSFC

MEMORIES ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS DRUG Jonah Everitt is a killer, an addict, and a memory thief. After being hired to kill a ranking officer of the Pacific Rim Coalition and download his memories, Everitt finds himself caught in the crosshairs of a terror cell, a rogue military squadron, and a Chinese gangster named Alice Xie. Xie is a profiteer of street drugs, primarily DRMR, a powerful narcotic made from the memories of the dead. With his daughter, Mesa, missing in post-war Los Angeles, Everitt is forced into an uneasy alliance with Alice to find her. Mesa's abduction is wrapped up in the secrets of a brutal murder during the war's early days, a murder that Alice Xie wants revenged. In order to find her, Jonah will have to sift through the memories of dead men that could destroy what little he has left. In a city where peace is tenuous and loyalties are ever shifting, the past and the present are about to converge. Convergence is a tech noir work of science fiction with dystopian and cyberpunk elements, perfect for fans of authors like Richard K. Morgan and his Takeshi Kovach's series, and is the first novel in the DRMR series.


Dropnauts

Dropnauts by J. Scott Coatsworth

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

Over a century after the end of the Earth, life goes on in Redemption, the sole remaining lunar colony, and possibly the last outpost of humankind in the Solar System. But with an existential threat burrowing its way to the Moon's core, humanity must recolonize the homeworld. Twenty brave dropnauts set off on a mission to explore the empty planet. After training for two and a half years, four of them-Rai, Hera, Ghost and Tien-are bound for Martinez Base, just outside the Old Earth city of San Francisco. But what awaits them there will turn their assumptions upside down-and in the process, either save or destroy what's left of humanity.


Lost Girl

Lost Girl by L.J. Kendall

SPSFC

Alone. Lost. Hunted. Pulled from chill waters, she doesn’t tell her rescuer that someone’s trying to kill her. Nor that capture would be far worse. She doesn’t tell him – because she can’t. She doesn’t remember. Why though was Mason Dane in New Francisco Bay in the middle of the night? Was it entirely by luck that he lifted her from its cold embrace? Who is he? Can she trust him? Can she trust herself? With her odd behaviors, her strange abilities… is she even human? It’s 2063, decades after magic’s return. Hunted and on the run, it’s not the shadowy Department she should fear: it’s those who stole her memories. That inner void however, that emptiness, has drawn the attention of uncanny forces. For humanity, the risk is Freedom itself. But for one lost girl – annihilation. When all is darkest, she shines most bright.


The Augmented

The Augmented by Brendon Hawkins

SPSFC

Harry Bo lives in the best time imaginable-no war, no starvation, and everything a person needs is readily available. All they have to do is watch a few ads. But when the all-seeing eye linked to his sensory system concludes that it's time for Harry to marry his girlfriend, he's not so sure. Despite his perfectly coded existence, Harry longs for a more authentic sensory experience, an escape from his augmented world. In his work as an analyst, he picks through the streams of metadata flowing invisibly around him, nudging the population to consume. Before long, Harry's caught up in a search for a mysterious golden-haired woman who might be responsible for the biggest attack on the AugNet in history. But the more he investigates, the deeper he's pulled into a reality beyond the crafted simulations of the safe but sanitized society he lives in. Because the flawless, tailored façade masks a vastly different existence. And when he's forced to make an impossible choice, Harry must decide just how much he's willing to pay for freedom.


Echoes of Another

Echoes of Another by Chandra Clarke

SPSFC 2022

"Clarke’s lush prose envisions a future both alien and utterly believable." - Kirkus Reviews In the groove. In the zone. A period of intense focus and high performance that feels effortless. Flow. In a near future Toronto, a naïve young scientist named Kel invents a device to produce the mysterious state of ‘flow’ on demand, hoping to unleash humanity's creative potential on our greatest problems. But the prototype she invents to record and then play back the neurological and physiological states associated with flow can be used to record other mind-body states. Her prototype is stolen, duplicated, and put to use for an astonishing range of causes, some good, and some very bad. As Kel struggles to regain control of her device, it threatens to destroy her legacy and upend the lives of several others, until all uses of the technology converge on the most unexpected and unintended consequence of all. "...an engrossing blend of thriller and hard sci-fi that will delight readers looking for crossovers that pepper social issues and developments into the story line." --D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review


The Chiral Agent

The Chiral Agent by L. L. Richman

SPSFC

WINNER OF THE 2021 Reader's Favorite Book Award for Science Fiction First, they stole his identity. Now, they want him dead. Shadow Recon pilot Micah Case awakens above an alien world, with no memory of his past and a mysterious voice inside his head. Worse, his own military is hunting him... and he has no idea why. His genetic code could destroy all life. The voice leads to a discovery so unbelievable, enemy nations would kill to control it — to control him. Now, Micah must use every skill in his arsenal to secure the stolen research. The stakes are impossibly high, but failure is not an option. The alternative could mean the extinction of a people Micah can no longer call his own. Humanity. THE CHIRAL AGENT is a fast-paced, cerebral thriller that's part hard science fiction, part spy novel, and one hundred percent adrenaline. It’s sure to keep you guessing every step of the way.


The Narrows

The Narrows by Travis M. Riddle

SPSFC

"Riddle’s intricate worldbuilding and familiar but strong narrative arc sustain fear throughout. ... Fans of eerie tales will easily fall into this one." - Publishers Weekly "I can show you how to enter the Narrows to find what you seek." Oliver and his friends have returned to their hometown of Shumard, Texas for the funeral of their close friend Noah. They each grapple with the loss in their own ways, trying to understand the strange circumstances of their friend's unexpected death. While visiting the site where the body was found, Oliver stumbles across a chilling discovery that he knows must be related to what happened to Noah. Wanting to protect his friends from these newfound horrors, Oliver takes it upon himself to venture into the grotesque otherworld known as the Narrows to learn what happened to his friend and find a way to bring him back. Entering the Narrows is one thing, but will whatever he finds there allow him to leave?


The Orphans of New Lur

The Orphans of New Lur by Blake Vanier

SPSFC

Iona and Nero are Human orphans; one born with powers she can’t explain, the other bound to a terrifying friend no one else can see, both hunted by a woman that does not fail. When a ragtag bunch of five orphans stumble upon glowing canisters containing ethereal weapons designed to fuse with a Human’s soul, they unwittingly risk life and sanity by opening them. One canister is overlooked as it appears empty, but a lack of light in their world does not correlate to a lack of power in the other. Nero opens it to find an otherworldly being that cannot survive unless it finds a host; a being that must decide to either kill Nero or accept his offering… Confused and exhilarated, the empowered orphans must adapt to their new abilities to keep each other alive, as Isis, a woman of incomparable will, is determined to pursue these Humans in search of secrets to an ancient civilization. The Anterra Collection is perfect for fans of Mistborn, looking for a fresh, new epic fantasy series.


In the Orbit of Sirens

In the Orbit of Sirens by T.A. Bruno

SPSFC

THE LAST FRAGMENTS OF THE HUMAN RACE ARE FORCED TO ADAPT TO A DANGEROUS NEW WORLD OR FACE EXTINCTION. When starship mechanic, Denton Castus, is caught in the destructive path of a devastating war, he abandons his home and seeks refuge on a distant planet. However, this new safe haven has undiscovered threats of its own. Eliana Veston, a scout preparing the planet for the refugees, struggles with a deadly pandemic that is killing off colonists. The hunt for a cure unleashes a new threat to humanity—the Sirens—mysterious beings with incredible powers and a deep hatred for invaders.


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).


Roko's Catalyst

Roko's Catalyst by Michael Blackbourn

SPSFC

The AI-ravaged world humanity once knew has vanished under a treacherous sea. A small fleet of ships survives, trapped for thirty years in constant cycles of freezing and thawing. The ships endure, suspended in ice above a seemingly bottomless chasm. The next thaw threatens to be the final one and would put an end to the survival of the fleet. Hendry has only known this brutal freezing cycle in his thirteen years of life. Like the other survivors, he scavenges on the ice by dogsled and races back to his ship before the icy crust melts. Knowing that it’s only a matter of time until a big enough thaw destroys the fleet, he befriends an unlikely pair of survivors: one an old mercenary, the other a mysterious young girl. She has an ability to predict the thaws, and may have discovered the secret to escaping the knife's edge humanity inhabits. But someone or something wants to stop them all. Now Hendry and his companions are on a mission, and time is running out. The ice will thaw.


The Paradise Factory

The Paradise Factory by Jim Keen

SPSFC

She's a policewoman with a past. In a future ruled by AI, one bad decision could get her killed... or worse. Former UN Marine Alice Yu is a beat-down cop running from guilt in a ruined city. Brutally ambushed and left for dead, she's powerless to prevent a ruthless crime boss from abducting her NYPD partner. Though it will cost her job in a world with 99% unemployment, she vows to bring him back from the lawless and forbidden Fourth Ward Territory. Fighting through injuries and resurfacing trauma, Yu tracks her mentor's trail. But when her war born PTSD flares in the face of a cartel death squad, her bloody background could spell her demise. And if she doesn't succeed, the entire city is doomed. Can Yu save the man she failed, or will her quest for redemption become a suicide mission? If you like James S.A. Corey, Martha Wells, and William Gibson, you'll love the thrilling Alice Yu series. Buy The Paradise Factory to discover this amazing new world today!


Steel Guardian

Steel Guardian by Cameron Coral

SPSFC

The AI Uprising destroys society as we know it. Banking is wiped out overnight. No internet, phones, or electricity. Anything “smart” or “connected” turns against humans. The military’s SoldierBots have one function--seek and destroy. Block is a simple CleanerBot programmed to clean and serve hotel guests. Forced to leave his city, he must avoid dangerous SoldierBots and find a new hotel he can call home. But when Block discovers a human infant, his surprise attachment to the girl compels him to protect her while traveling across the metal infested wastelands of America to a safe haven. Without his help, the abandoned baby could die before they reach safety. When he encounters Nova - a surly soldier who becomes an unlikely ally - they must tackle the biggest challenge of their lives. Together, they face mortal danger from bands of scavengers, militaristic SoldierBots, and Combat Mechs. A cyborg Bounty Hunter will stop at nothing to find Block and the child - an infant who holds the key to humanity’s future.

If you enjoy characters with heart and action-packed adventure, then you’ll love the first book of this thrilling post-apocalyptic sci-fi series.


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.


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.


Modulus

Modulus by Richard T Romero

SPSFC

Steve Holbrook, with his defense reserve squadron, is called upon to resist the incursion of an unknown star cruiser. The defenders fail to prevent the cruiser from destroying their world, but manage to survive. Who destroyed the planet and the pioneers who lived there? How was it done? Why would anyone destroy an out-of-the-way agricultural planet in such a destructive display of power?To track down and apprehend the one responsible, Steve will rely on friends old and new, follow a trail of clues, endure an assassination attempt, use powerful new technologies, and discover something alien that no human technology seems able to unlock.This is the first book in the Modulus series.


Fatal Extraction

Fatal Extraction by Evangeline Rain

SPSFC

She’s a space pirate and thief… …who gives to the poor. Would this modern-day Robin Hood pull off the greatest job in history? For 10-years Nirvana led the crew she inherited from her father. They trusted her and liked the life, but she had a nagging need for revenge. It had made her some enemies. Two world leaders wanted her. Was the ambush the end? It looked bad for Nirvana and her crew, but she was both a bad ass and quick thinker. The General of Panderon listened, and they made a deal for the lives of her men. She needed a strong, capable soldier for the job. What she got was Zane. A shy, awkward, genius, who suffered from depression and anxiety was to be her partner in crime, but there was more to him than meets the eye. He was better with books than guns. Don’t judge a book worm by his cover. You’ll love this wonderful science fiction romance journey, because it has all the excitement, steam, and interesting characters one needs to get hooked on a new series. Get it now.


NEANDER: A Time Travel Adventure

NEANDER: A Time Travel Adventure by Harald Johnson

SPSFC 2022

"My God. These people really are Neanderthals!" At an archeological dig in Gibraltar, science journalist Tom Cook's hopes and dreams are shattered in an instant by a mysterious explosion—his pregnant fiancée is missing. During the search, things go from bad to worse when Tom plunges through a time portal and into the strange and dangerous era of the Neanderthals. Can he get back, or is he stuck in the past forever? On top of figuring out how to return to the present, Tom must use his modern-day wits to fight for survival in the world of 40,000 years ago. And contend with a group of archaic humans that are not at all like what he expects. Finally, Tom faces a crucial decision that could alter the course of human history. A history he knows he has the power to change. Will he make the right choice? If you're a fan of the time travel fantasy novels of Jack Finney (Time and Again), Stephen King (11/22/63), or Michael Crichton (Timeline), you'll savor this science-fiction, time-travel adventure from historical fiction author Harald Johnson. "It's 40,000 years ago and I'm stuck here. Now what?" (Book 1 of the series)


ARvekt

ARvekt by Craig Lea Gordon

SPSFC

Will the battle for humanity be fought in reality? Or in her mind? Tannis Ord is a black-ops cyborg assassin. A highly-trained human-weapon, dedicated to hunting down the last of the brain hacking syndicates. There’s just one problem… Her mind was broken from a psychotic episode. Neural programming erased her trauma, gave her a fresh start. But when an old brain hacker cult resurfaces, and a sentient AI is set to govern the entire human population, she starts seeing things. Horrors that can’t possibly be real… that make no sense… that only she can see. Ix, their AI Guardian, is abducting innocent citizens from the streets in broad daylight. And it’s using the Augmented Reality it has thrown over the world as cover. Is the AI hellbent on humanities destruction? Or is her mind tearing itself apart again? ARvekt is an explosive story, fusing action and intrigue into a journey full of twists and turns where you won’t know what’s real and what isn’t. If you enjoy books with amazing plots and characters, set in a stunning futuristic world, then input ARvekt into your brain now. ARvekt is book two of the Instant Reality Series.


The Reintegrators

The Reintegrators by Will Weisser

SPSFC

Welcome to Oakmont Academy. Study hard, make friends, and whatever you do, don’t get lost in the Metaverse. Tormented by crippling panic attacks and desperate to find a way to help his catatonic father, Teddy Cartham is running out of options. When he receives an invitation to attend the elite academy where his father once taught, he believes his luck is changing. Until he uncovers a shocking secret—his new math teachers are Reintegrators, members of an ancient cult dedicated to exploring alternate universes. With the help of his classmates and some unlikely allies, Teddy searches a maze of bizarre worlds for the key to his father’s shattered mind. But deadly surprises lurk in the depths of the Metaverse…


Empire Reborn

Empire Reborn by A.K. DuBoff

SPSFC 2022

WINNER - 2021 Reader’s Favorite International Book Awards

Break the treaty, be destroyed.
We forgot.
Now we pay the price. Jason Sietinen lives in the shadow of greatness. He’s worked hard to become a TSS officer in his own right, but having war heroes for parents is hard to top. When Jason is assigned to investigate a mysterious attack, he finds evidence of powerful transdimensional beings never before seen. Or so he thought. Jason soon learns that critical information was lost through the millennia: Tarans had an ancient treaty with the aliens. Unfortunately, rogue actions by a shadow faction within the Empire just broke the peace. With the future of the Empire hanging in the balance, Jason must find a way to unite the Taran worlds, including the lost colony of Earth, against the mounting threat. There’s just one problem: how do you fight an enemy you can’t see or touch? Perfect for fans of epic sci-fi featuring sprawling galactic empires, drama, intrigue, and psionic abilities, Empire Reborn is the first book in the Taran Empire Saga, a new entry point to the bestselling Cadicle Universe. Grab your copy today!


The Gaia Effect

The Gaia Effect by Claire Buss

SPSFC

In City 42 Corporation look after you from cradle to grave.  They protect you from the radiation outside the wall.  They control the food, the water, the technology and most important of all, the continuation of the human race.  Kira and Jed Jenkins were lucky enough to win Collection but when their friends start falling pregnant naturally, everything changes.  How long has Corporation been lying to them?  Is it really toxic outside the wall?  As the group comes to terms with the changes in their lives they discover there is a much more powerful and ancient force at work, trying to bridge the gap between man and nature.


Dusk

Dusk by Ashanti Luke

SPSFC

In the year 2500, humanity has become so technologically advanced that overpopulation has led to an Earth too arrogant to acknowledge its own failures. With the Earth overpopulated and polluted, a group of twenty premier scientists must depart on a mission to explore Asha—a distant, uninhabited planet that may offer solutions to humanity’s burgeoning problems. But when they arrive at Asha, the scientists are brusquely greeted by a mysterious human military force that imprisons them with no explanation. They find that during their journey, a faster ship not only delivered humans to Asha, but those humans defeated Earth in an interplanetary civil war. With this war and the discovery of an inexplicable link to mankind’s past, the team finds Asha holds more mysteries than answers. Astrophysicist Cyrus Chamberlain is among those who left behind their old lives and risked everything on this journey. Unfortunately for Dr. Chamberlain, he finds that even if he survives the many challenges this new world holds for him, he may have already lost more than he ever imagined.


Prophecy

Prophecy by Justin Wilkerson

SPSFC

Cuzak Rudir is the newly crowned King of the Specter Alliance. His coronation has left the position as head of the military empty. When he decides to promote his longtime friend, Gregor, over his own brother, Destor, the King's brother takes matters into his own hands. Destor travels to the Alliance's adversary, Mars, and returns with an enemy fleet and a mind for revenge. Amidst the fighting a discovery is made. A book written generations ago, foretelling the war and depicting Cuzak as a hero with supernatural abilities. Now, Cuzak must come to grips with his role in the prophecy as he tries to protect his people from his traitorous brother. But what is driving his brother's actions? Is it simply anger, or an even more mysterious force, long forgotten by the people of Specter? Prophecy is the first book in The Ghost Wars Saga, a series that blends the science fiction and fantasy genres into an action packed adventure of space ships and dragons, lasers and magic.


Gunships and Goodbyes

Gunships and Goodbyes by Casey White

SPSFC

McCallister was done with the galaxy. The galaxy wasn’t quite done with him. When the Tamani blew a hole in his ship, his friend, and his career, Richard McCallister called it quits. No more TerraCorp work. No more cheerfully donning the uniform and pretending he couldn’t see the cracks in the bulkheads around him. From that moment, he’d be his own man again. Until the message came – a whisper, carried through the few contacts he had left to the Dust, the farthest reaches of settled space. A warning that the Tamani had returned. When it arrives, McCallister is presented with a choice: He can run, hiding in a darker corner of the universe that the Tamani haven’t found yet. He can stay moving, and stay alive. Or he can turn back, straight into the maw of their approaching doom, and pluck his friend’s legacy from its teeth. Winning means honoring his partner’s memory. Losing means sharing his fate. The choice is his.


Into Neon: A Cyberpunk Saga

Into Neon: A Cyberpunk Saga by Matthew A. Goodwin

SPSFC 2022

When a corporate lacky discovers a terrible secret that exposes his illusions, will his hidden fire dwindle or ignite a rebellion? Orphaned and alone, Moss is happy to have found a place in the world. But his humdrum working routines take a terrifying turn when a mysterious woman breaks into his apartment and hands him a data chip from his dead parents. Suddenly hearing messages revealing his benevolent employer has a far darker side, he braves the dangerous megacity streets in search of the truth. Surrounded by outcasts and criminals and running on instinct, Moss stumbles onto a rebel group intent on exposing their corrupt oppressors. And though he fears for his life when his old boss has put a price on his head, the naïve man believes the key to taking down the enemy may lie inside the high-tech device… and his own cerebral cortex. Will Moss’s attempt to fight the power cause him to terminally short circuit? Into Neon is the electrode-laden first book in A Cyberpunk Saga science fiction series. If you like everyman heroes, futuristic tech, and immersive dystopian worlds, then you’ll love Matthew A. Goodwin’s mind-expanding epic. Buy Into Neon to hack the system today!


Mantivore Dreams

Mantivore Dreams by S.J. Higbee

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

On a colony planet, in a hot, dusty village where no one wants to live, is someone who was exiled there a long time ago. Someone who stole something so precious, others are prepared to lie, kidnap and murder to get it back. Drawn into this web of deceit is Kyrillia, a teenager who dreams of running the village’s branch of the Node, the planetwide organic information system, but instead drudges for her mother… Seth, member of the disgraced Priest family who can read and write, but instead toils as a day labourer on the smelliest, most thankless jobs in the village, in exchange for scraps of food and temporary shelter… And Vrox, an ancient, sentient alien who lives only in Kyrillia’s imagination, or so she thinks... When Kyrillia sneaks into the Node and opens up a forbidden site, she triggers a chain of events that not only rips through her own life, but affects those living thousands of miles away in the capital. For when something so precious goes missing, others will stop at nothing to get it back. For fans who enjoy Lois McMaster Bujold


Killing Dragons

Killing Dragons by Kristie Clark

SPSFC

"A smart, science fiction thriller that will have readers looking twice at dolphins - and scanning the waters for something far more menacing. Highly recommended." - Chanticleer Reviews In a world where sea dragons terrorize dolphins, you enter the reef at your own risk. Marine biologist Eva Paz is on the verge of revolutionizing linguistics by cracking the dolphin communication code. Then police call her away to investigate a dead fisherman. It's her mother's boyfriend, but Eva is running out of time to complete her dolphin whistle library by the deadline, putting her grant at risk. Without funding, her dolphins will soon be turned loose in the deadly Caribbean. A cartel leader makes Eva an offer she can't refuse. He'll fund her dolphin research if she'll help him capture the sea dragon. His aid comes with a catch, and he doesn't count the cost. Then geneticist Thomas Sternberg arrives on sabbatical to lead a dive school. He wants to help Eva, but they share a tragic past. While on his watch as a Navy Seal, Eva's brother was killed, and her dolphin was wounded. Eva doesn't trust Thomas, but can she set that aside to work with him to stop the sea dragon and save her dolphins? For fans of Jaws and Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park, Killing Dragons is book one in Kristie Clark's Order of the Dolphin series. Buy Killing Dragons to join Eva and her dolphins on their adventures today! Book club questions included. May be read as a standalone, but Killing Dragons is best enjoyed with the other Order of the Dolphin series books: Dragon Gold and Dragon Clan.


I, Cunningham

I, Cunningham by Benoit Goudreault-Emond

SPSFC 2022

Gordon Cunningham, an ordinary citizen of 22nd century Earth, died in an unfortunate accident. Except he didn't die. Not really. Instead, he woke up stuck inside a robot. In the 29th century. Thirteen light-years from home. In a space station. Which is orbiting a planet that was meant to be a new home for the colonists. Unfortunately, everything went wrong. He was brought back to life by accident, but the station denizens need him. Their colony is failing. Most colonists have lost hope. The AI in charge can't do much, which is somewhat moot, since it's out of ideas. But Cunningham is a reluctant hero at best. He's disoriented by his new body. He doesn't know anything about his new environment. He doesn't trust the station's authorities. And yet, somehow, he must help them. Or, in less than a century, no one human will remain. Join him as he discovers his new home, his new body, and, perhaps, his new... mind? Content warning: the book presents only minimal violence and no sexual content. That said, the main character does use four letter swear words when life throws him a curve ball. Please bear with Mr. Cunningham; to say his day starts on the wrong foot is quite the understatement.


Escape From B-Movie Hell

Escape From B-Movie Hell by M T McGuire

SPSFC

If you asked Andi Turbot whether she had anything in common with Flash Gordon she'd say no, emphatically. Saving the world is for dynamic, go-ahead, leaders of men and while it would be nice to see a woman getting involved for a change, she believes she could be the least well-equipped being in her galaxy for the job. Then her best friend, Eric, reveals that he is an extraterrestrial. He's not just any ET either. He's Gamalian: seven-foot, lobster-shaped and covered in Marmite-scented goo. Just when Andi's getting used to that he tells her about the Apocalypse and really ruins her day. The human race will perish unless Eric's Gamalian superiors step in. Abducted and trapped on an alien ship, Andi must convince the Gamalians her world is worth saving. Or escape from their clutches and save it herself.


The Dawn Cluster I: Detriment

The Dawn Cluster I: Detriment by Mark J. Schultis

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

"Military SF, galactic intrigue, and a fight for survival: The Dawn Cluster I: Detriment is action-packed with twists and turns. The start of an exciting series." —Tom Sweterlitsch, author of The Gone World and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Terik Donato has lost his place in the universe. Casting aside a promising career, years spent in fleeting pursuit of truth has left him with nothing. But an ill-timed visit to the Sacramento, a space vessel well past her prime, could change everything for the former Mako-6 agent. Terik’s arrival vexes many on board, including Captain Garett Soness, but when both a terrorist attack and a bizarre anomaly catch the skeleton crew off guard, all onboard must band together. Soon the surviving crew members of the Sacramento find themselves halfway across the galaxy, stranded on a planet where humans are not as alien as the crew would think. Their stay may be brief, as a brutal species seeks to enslave all in its path and kill all that resist. Terik Donato and Garett Soness will find themselves tested in the face of death, forced to become either the men they were meant to be, or the monsters they always feared they were. Survival takes its toll in this first volume of The Dawn Cluster. About THE DAWN CLUSTER: Spanning three novels, THE DAWN CLUSTER is a tale of tragedy, revenge, fortitude and hope. It is a rousing space opera that follows a fledgling crew, longing to survive after being inexplicably displaced to the center of the galaxy. Hunted by a relentless warlord, their fate hinges on the choices of two men, both of whom teeter between valor and self-destruction.


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.


Iron Truth

Iron Truth by S.A. Tholin

SPSFC SPSFC Winner

Fresh and surprising on every level, IRON TRUTH is an epic science fiction adventure with a twist of cosmic horror, bursting with staggering world-building, unremitting action and memorable characters. When miners on a remote colony dig too deep, the golden age of space exploration comes to a bloody end. A corruption springs from Xanthe's alien soil, possessing every mind it touches. Embroiled in civil war, the galactic community spirals into panic, and the Primaterre Protectorate seizes control. In order to preserve Earth, its surface is quarantined, and all further deep space colonisation is outlawed. Aboard one of the last colony ships, junior botanist Joy Somerset slumbers in cryostasis, unaware of war and corruption. Expecting the clear skies of a garden colony, she instead wakes stranded on Cato - a planet whose menacing sands seem to share a hunger with the crazed locals - and Joy faces mortal peril at every turn. Commander Cassimer, troubled by a past of epic proportions, is a Primaterre veteran dedicated to fighting the corruption. Now he leads Scathach Banneret Company's elite strike team on a mission to recover a clandestine starship lost on Cato. On this storm-lashed world, surrounded by shadow and ruin, Cassimer faces not only failure, but the loss of what little sanity he has. Joy and Cassimer must trust each other long enough to uncover Cato's dark secret and work together to survive deranged cultists, terrorist rebels, and the IRON TRUTH.


Symphony Under Siege

Symphony Under Siege by Stephen Hall

SPSFC

512 years in the future. Not your typical Thursday morning. Five centuries from now, ex-navy officer Diana Singh commands the monumental luxury spaceliner the 'Symphony of the Stars'. None of her crew knows that their ship is smuggling a treasure worth millions. None of them knows which one of them is the serial killer. As Captain Singh pilots the mighty cruise ship back to base, she races to unmask the murderer in their midst before they can kill again. So, not the most convenient time to be attacked by pirates... "I am Captain Salazar Sharp, here to claim what is wrongfully mine!" For the flamboyant leader of the pirates, infiltrating the 'Symphony' is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But the secret treasure that could make him and his crew filthy rich is only the beginning; his ultimate goal is a far greater prize... 'Symphony Under Siege' is a witty sci-fi adventure packed with heroic exploits, twists and turns, nail-biting cliffhangers and daring escapes. If you like rollicking, fast-paced sci-fi with a sense of humour, then you'll love this exuberant debut novel from veteran TV comedy writer Stephen Hall. Buy 'Symphony Under Siege' today, and get on board the adventure!


The 5th Gender

The 5th Gender by Gail Carriger

SPSFC

A species that has no word for murder has a murderer aboard their spaceship! New York Times bestselling romantic comedy author Gail Carriger (writing as G.L. Carriger) brings you a light-hearted science fiction mystery featuring an adorable lavender alien and his human crush. ALIEN Tristol lives in exile. But he’s built a life for himself aboard a massive space station. He’s even begun to understand the complex nuances of human courting rituals. Detective Hastion is finally flirting back! MURDER Except that Tristol’s beloved adopted home is unexpectedly contacted by the galoi – a xenophobic species with five genders, purple skin, and serious attitude. They need the help of a detective because there’s a murderer aboard their spaceship. Murder is so rare, the galoi don’t even have a word for it. Tristol knows this because he is galoi. ROMANCE Which means that he and Detective Hastion are on the case… together. "This is a fun, funny, sexy book, and I’m so happy it exists. It hits you in the feels, makes you laugh and cry, and makes you think about matters of family, kin, and the heart." ~ Bookriot


SPINDOWN

SPINDOWN by Andy Crawford

SPSFC 2022

*** A B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree *** Cyrus Konami is the Chief Inspector on the first colony vessel, Aotea, to leave Earth's solar system. Deep within the machinery of the ship, a suspicious death upends the routine on board. Mysterious signals from deep space add to the confusion, along with a series of debilitating malfunctions. Cy and Lieutenant Beatriz Mattoso dig into the deceased crewman's background. The first signs point to a tragic accident. Ship scuttlebutt points to the deep-space signals -- is a mysterious force trying to prevent humanity from spreading into deep space? Or are the radical pacifists and cultural separatists who funded the journey somehow involved? With an increasingly uncooperative populace, a shocking assassination attempt, and a spaceship falling apart around them, Cy and Bea must unravel secrets that threaten the lives of thousands before it's too late!


The Enodia Enigma

The Enodia Enigma by Christopher J Wright

SPSFC

Enodia – an obscure, unimportant world. As humanity emerges from a galactic dark age, Amber Stefans is drawn to the newly rediscovered planet. What starts as academic curiosity grows more urgent when an ancient superstition proves to have sinister roots. Navy Lieutenant Yorvin Bandrell has a simpler problem – he wants to see his wife and family again. Stranded, his search for a way home unearths a long-buried secret. Amber and Yorvin have never met. They never will. In “The Enodia Enigma” by Christopher J Wright, Amber and Yorvin’s lives are brought together by a mystery that threatens all humanity, unleashing events that will forever change mankind’s place in the universe.


Otherworlders

Otherworlders by Angela Cavanaugh

SPSFC

When a virus threatens humanity with extinction, the desperate and dwindling number of uninfected seek refuge in a parallel universe. The technology is untested. The other universe is unprepared and one thing is made violently clear: they are not wanted. As a fatal virus mutates and threatens to kill all life forms on Earth, Special Agent Williams conspires to send the healthy away. After space travel and going underground are ruled out, all that remains is the theoretical technology of an autistic savant: escaping to a parallel universe. But when they travel to the other dimension, their arrival is met with suspicion and hatred. To evade persecution, experimentation, and to save their lives, the Otherworlders must find a way to escape, survive, and outwit Agent Williams's murderous double.


Spacecrime Domino

Spacecrime Domino by Kai MFS

SPSFC

A THRILLING space adventure that hits the ground running and unfolds unlike anything you've seen before! In a foreboding future, the United Earth Government brands its citizens and dictates what they are allowed to do. The stars are the only refuge of freedom left in a world where all countries are one. World War Four, mankind's first galactic war, left humanity divided and Earth a regulated, classist society that brands its people based on their genetics. Two decades later, an alien from beyond our universe arrives on Earth and interrupts events already in motion, rearranging the unseen threads that weave human lives together. Mike, a space-faring pirate on a rescue mission encounters the alien being and a pair of displaced teenagers, Natalie and Will. In a galaxy reeling from the wounds of a recent war, the incident sets his crew on a collision course with a tenacious and unsavory special agent kept in check by an idealistic officer from the Ministry of Science.


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