Latest stories in - Indie Story Geek

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

The Threat Below by Jason Latshaw

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

Eos by Jen Guberman

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

Watson and Holmes by E.B. Dawson

Between Mountain and Sea: The Paradisi Chronicles by M. Louisa Locke

A SOLDIER TIRED OF WAR Born into wealth and privilege, Jenny Watson left her parents’ way of life behind when she volunteered to go fight the Shifters. After giving up her commission, she arrives in Linden hoping to make a fresh start and to put her medical degree to good use. But when her friend and fellow passenger is murdered, Jenny finds new purpose working with Detective Sharlotte Holmes. A DETECTIVE ITCHING FOR TROUBLE Sharlotte Holmes has lived in a three mile radius her entire life, content to pursue her varied interests and wholly unconcerned with the burden the outside world would place on her great intellect. But when Jenny's past comes back to haunt her, Sharlotte may have to choose between staying in her comfort zone and getting answers. EXPERIENCE SHERLOCK HOLMES LIKE NEVER BEFORE

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

Mei Lin Yu should have been looking forward to the next stage in her life. As a descendant of one of the Founding Families who led the exodus from a dying Earth and now rule New Eden, Mei's choices are endless. But she has never felt part of the Yu Family or the world of technological marvels and genetic perfection the Founders created. All that will change the summer she spends at Mynyddamore, the home her ancestor Mabel Yu built in western Caelestis. Here, living among the Ddaerans, the original inhabitants of New Eden, Mei will discover secrets about Mabel Yu that her family want to keep buried and a truth about herself that will forever change her own destiny. Between Mountain and Sea is a coming of age novel, the first book in USA Today Bestselling author Louisa Locke’s Caelestis series in the Paradisi Chronicles (an open source, science fiction world created by multiple authors).

The Chaos Job by T.M. Baumgartner

Far from civilization and only partially terraformed, the colony of Jackpot Drift struggles to survive. Silver Tailingstown hides the forbidden chaos god within her by keeping to her hilltop farm. When her damaged AI begins herding sheep into a symbol, she scrambles to disperse the beasts before anyone notices chaos has infected the area. But more gods than chaos play in this colony. Come along on this extraordinary adventure of gods, AIs, nanobots, and genetically engineered sheep. Welcome to Jackpot Drift!

Constellation by Robert Scanlon

A powerful battlecruiser adrift in space. Can a bold pirate steal it from under everyone’s nose? Indy Jackson longs to blast her father’s killer to ashes. But when her latest shady interplanetary deal goes bad, the plucky pirate is forced to go on the run, framed for an alien massacre. And to clear her name, her brutal blackmailer demands she enter dangerous territory to salvage a fabled warship. Desperate to return to her black market trades and hunt down her father’s murderer, Indy finds herself burdened with a ragtag crew of mercenaries. But the determined woman soon discovers finding the wreck no one has returned from could be an impossible task, with a galactic sector on the edge of anarchy and factions vying for power. Can Indy successfully play the sector’s fragile combat politics before she’s vaporized in a hail of laserfire? Constellation is the first book in the action-packed Blood Empire space opera trilogy. If you like gutsy heroines, classic sci-fi battles, and planet-loads of hidden agendas, then you’ll love Robert Scanlon’s rocket-powered novel. Buy Constellation to join a thrilling intergalactic adventure today! Get the prequel to Constellation, "A Bar Room Brawl on Ganymede" free at: RobertScanlon.com/prequel

The Invisible City by Brian K. Lowe

Captain Charles Clee stumbles onto a secret archaeological expedition from the 23rd century and finds himself stranded nearly one million years in the future. When the woman he loves is kidnapped by one of Earth's alien overlords, he becomes the enemy of one of the most powerful men in the world. But his quest to rescue her is complicated when he learns that a working time machine may still exist with which he could return to his own era and save his troops from certain annihilation. Now, torn between love and his duty to the men who served under him a million years past, pursued by the merciless assassins of the Time Police, Clee fights against war, slavery, and fantastic beasts in a race against time itself--knowing that whatever the outcome, he must lose.

A Star Named Vega by Benjamin J Roberts

The View from Infinity Beach by R.P.L. Johnson

The 30th Century is a technological paradise. Androids have built a utopian future of advanced robotics, augmented reality, and simulated worlds. Humanity thrives across the Thirteen Suns. Why not spread some chaos, shake things up a bit? Aster Vale leads a secret life as the Wildflower, a competitive street artist with dreams of infamy. When her father joins a mysterious research project in the Vega System, Aster sees their luxury starcruiser as just another canvas to explore. How else is she supposed to channel all this teenage rebellion? But not everyone prospers in this world of synthetic gods. Rel Akepri is a young soldier from a broken planet, genetically engineered for war. The research project in the Vega System now threatens the fate of his people, and he must embark upon a deadly mission to stop it. Rel's orders: intercept the starcruiser on its voyage to Vega, or face extinction. Perhaps Aster might find something new to fight for.

There's something hidden in the asteroid belt. A fresh start for the human race? Or just an oasis for the corrupt rulers of a dying planet? A teenager from Earth may be the key. Kade Morton is a young man far from home. He's been told that humanity's future lies in space, but Excalibur Station is just as cramped and dirty as the tenements he left behind on Earth. He is unaware that the station holds a secret that could change the course of humanity. A secret Kade together with some new friends are about to uncover at their peril. As the forces of old Earth tighten their grip on his adopted home, Kade becomes an unlikely hero in the station's war of independence. Humanity stands on the brink of its next great adventure and Kade has finally found a future worth fighting for. But when his dream is about to be snatched from him, he has to face a terrible dilemma. Forced to choose between his friends and the fate of a new world, what will he do? The View from Infinity Beach is a fast-paced science fiction adventure for freedom fighters of all ages from Writers of the Future and Jim Baen Award winning author R.P.L. Johnson.

The Piranha Solution by John Triptych

Omnilogos: Extended Edition by Michele Amitrani

In the near future, a new space race begins. Private industry is now pushing the limits of human exploration and colonization. NASA has changed its mandate into a regulatory agency for overseeing all US-based corporations and individuals involved in interplanetary expansion. Stilicho Jones always has his hands full while working as a personal troubleshooter for eccentric trillionaire Errol Flux and his numerous cutting edge space projects. When a mysterious and potentially deadly situation threatens the colonies on Mars, Stilicho must team up with a feisty NASA special agent in a race against time to avert a looming catastrophe that could end any hope of inhabiting the Red Planet.

“I am a collector of hopes and peregrine truths, a shepherd of thoughts, ideas, projects and dreams too important not to be realized. I’m an abstract concept that has no body, no smell, no boundaries, no shape and no color. I am the Omnilogos.” So it is forged, a Science Fiction saga that gave birth to a legend, a tale about the life of a man with one project that will change mankind’s future forever. Ten stories about his life, his sorrow, and his quest to gather the resources and the people needed to claim our place among the stars. This is Wei’s story. This is the world of the Omnilogos.

Ignite The Shadows by Ingrid Seymour

Seattle. The near future. A dark force infects humans and takes over their minds. Seventeen-year-old Marci is a hacker. The best in the city. Ever since she can remember, her mind has been under attack, but lately it’s getting worse. A dark force overrides her and makes her do awful things. Her mother and best friend believe that she’s a rebel child and that she meant to race her bike with the cops hot on her tail. She wasn’t in control. Someone else was. Time and time again, Marci defeats the invading shadows and remains herself. The ability to prevail doesn’t go unnoticed by James McCray, the leader of a rebellious group known as IgNiTe. He soon recruits her and assures her she’s not crazy. It turns out it’s far worse. Marci is infected by a terrible plague, and so is half of Seattle. People are being supplanted at an alarming rate. The human race may be doomed, unless Marci, alongside IgNiTe, can find a way to stop the spread of the infection before it's too late. For fans of dark urban fantasy and apocalyptic fiction. Ignite the Shadows has intrigue, romance, and a heck of a lot of action. If you enjoyed Divergent, you will love this series.

Predator Moons by J.H. Ramsay

The Lost Signal by Jennifer Sarai Fernandez Morales

Leviathan centipedes. Ravenous wasps. Moon universities. Viscoelastic AI's in the nude. One upstart anthropologist trying to learn echolocation. A tortured weapons dealer dodging exploding flowers. Predator Moons is equal parts horror and wonder. It's Dune meets Pokémon, with a splash of Blade Runner and a touch of Annihilation.

An ancient threat returns to conquer humanity. They ruled the planet once and they will do it again. Humans can't fight this war—not without help. For years, Dr. Ethan Fawkes has been communicating with a mysterious scientist using an encoded signal, and together, they designed the first spaceship meant for war. But when the government orders Ethan to dismantle it, his collaborator reveals a terrible secret. An army of powerful aliens is about to invade Earth, and humans must rush to prepare a defense or risk losing their freedom forever. Collaboration with an unlikely ally is humanity’s only chance at survival. Fiona has no memories of her origins, but somehow, she shares half her DNA with the invaders. For this, she lives a life of scorn and shame amongst humans. When the enemy arrives to enslave her village, will she help the humans who hate her or join the aliens who welcome her? The key to victory lies in the depths of her obscure past. Can she remember her true heritage before it's too late? The Lost Signal is the first book in the Slaves of Zisaida trilogy: a riveting Science Fantasy saga about our galaxy's war for survival against an intergalactic threat. If you're a fan of Stargate, The Atlantis Gene, and Battlestar Galactica, get on this thrill ride. Come for the Space Force, stay for the aliens. Content Warning: Suicide, graphic violence, torture and deaths.

Load Custom Character by Tyler R Lee

Life as a teenager is never easy. This is especially true for Peter Robinson, a boy of 16 just trying to survive high school. This is made all the more difficult with constant bullying, discouraging parents, and no friends.One day, after a particularly rough time at school, Peter finds a mysterious package on his doorstep. Inside is an Emerser, the most advanced virtual reality system in the world, along with a copy of the best selling game Our World. Thrilled at the prospect of finally diving into the game he's always dreamed of playing, Peter doesn't hesitate to plug in.Once inside, the game gives Peter everything he's always wanted: freedom, friends, strength, and a sense of acceptance. For a brief moment, he is happy.However, sometimes paradise can turn to perdition. One day while inside Our World, the millions of players discover that they are trapped inside with no escape other than to defeat the creator of the game itself. All this with one new, horrible rule: if you die in the game, you die in real life.Peter and his companions can either live in fear of their virtual prison, or fight back and risk death as they struggle to escape.

Viral by Toby Bennett & Benjamin Knox

Stray Cat Strut: A Young Lady's Journey to Becoming a Pop-Up Samurai by Ravens Dagger

Two years after a violent pandemic wracked the vast future-sprawl of New Manau, reporter Vivian Liu and her cameraman Al join the first team sent beyond the wall into the quarantine zone – a two hundred square kilometre containment area where nine million citizens were left to a grisly fate. Vivian knows there's more going on than what the pharmaceutical giant Omni-Chem is saying. She can smell a conspiracy and will do anything to uncover the story. Joining a team of rag-tag mercenaries, armed with the latest high-tech weaponry, and lead by scientist and cult-leader Dr Brooker, they prepare to enter the quarantine zone in search of survivors... and perhaps a cure. What follows is seventy-two hours of nightmarish carnage and brutality unlike anything they could have imagined. At night roving packs of cunning and sadistic Stalkers roam the streets in search of fresh victims. But the day brings worse horrors as the sunlight has degraded the infected, mutating them into new grotesque forms. Sinister corporations, mutant abominations, vampiric hordes, cannibal clowns, twisted experiments, orbital lasers and enough gore to drown a city. Grab a bug burger and a box of pop-roaches, sit back and let the glorious pulp wash over you with... Viral: Omnibus Edition.

All the Whys of Delilah's Demise by Neve Maslakovic

In the year 2057, the world has become a corporate-run utopia for the super-rich, and a hellhole for all the rest. Catherine 'Cat' Leblanc is an orphan that is about as far from super-rich as one can be. When the Incursion alarms start blaring and the sky starts raining hungry xenos, it's just another blemish on an already piss-poor afternoon. A cyberpunk magical-girl alien-invasion LitRPG. It’s exactly as wild as it sounds.

Code of the Kyoushi (Miraibanashi Book 1) by James Litherland

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

A wanted rebel tries to infiltrate the enemy hunting him in this gripping spy story set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic Japan. IN THE SHADOW of Mt. Fuji, the oppressive Batsu government controls the rebuilding of the devastated country, bestowing boons on privileged citizens while leaving most to fend for themselves on the fringes. After a disastrous job ends with Batsu enforcers hunting him, reformed thief Roshike runs—right into the heart of their regime, the fortified Gaku complex, to take on an almost impossible task. And he just might stand a slim chance of success, if only he’ll accept some help. But first he has to decide who he can trust… (Previously published as Whispers of the Dead.)

Inish Carraig by Jo Zebedee

SPSFC SPSFC 2022

Post-alien invasion Belfast. Earth has been defeated. Pity the locals aren't listening. Teenager John Dray will do whatever he must to survive. When he's offered desperately needed food in exchange for dispersing a mysterious compound over the city, he takes the job. When it goes horribly wrong, John is sent to Inish Carraig, a forbidding prison, where he discovers a conspiracy that threatens Earth and everyone he loves. He has to unveil the plot. He just has to get out of prison first.

Nexus Point by K. Pimpinella

Resistance (Divided Elements #1) by Mikhaeyla Kopievsky

Late in the twenty-second century, teams of Time Rangers travel back in history to capture Time Runners, renegade time travellers who endanger the future by changing the past. Kai Sawyer, son of a rear admiral who was a founding member of the Time Ranger unit, is a Spawn, a genetically enhanced human with powerful strength and abilities. But despite his advantages, he carries the burden of his father’s cold and calculated plans for Kai’s future. As Kai rises through the ranks to become the Time Rangers’ youngest commander ever, he must constantly prove himself to fend off perceptions, even from his own team, that nepotism is behind his meteoric rise. But when Kai and his team are sent to seventeenth-century France to capture a sadistic Time Runner altering the arc of medical advances, Kai finds his considerable strengths used against him. And he fears that he might be a pawn in a dark scheme concocted by mysterious forces even he can’t defeat.

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

Before the Sun Hits by Arthur Swan

When an unrelenting universe threatens to end Earth in an instant, one man could make a difference . . . In a small North Carolina college town, a disillusioned math professor, Drew Bauer, discovers the sun is dying. His abandoned research could hold the key to survival, but he needs more information, and he needs help against the growing conspiracy to stop him. Trenton Smith, a sadistic billionaire who plans to sacrifice Earth for his own survival, attempts to isolate and control Drew. But Drew escapes with his engineer pal, Joe Sandusk. They plunge into a dangerous cross-country trip to a secret NASA facility where Drew falls for a scientist, Liza Maddox, whose uncertain loyalty could sabotage all their efforts. Almost out of time—and with Smith’s forces closing in—Drew, Liza, and Joe race down the California coast to save the world.

Seattle Quake 9.2 by Marti Talbott

Lies the Guardians Tell by Herman Steuernagel

They knew it could happen - scientists had been warning them for years. Yet, nearly two million people living in the greater Seattle area went about their daily lives as usual. A Detective Agency thought they had found a missing woman, an upstart radio station was on the air, and an eccentric banker had just started a round of golf. Thousands were driving on freeways, shopping in malls, awaiting flights, working in downtown high-rises, and on buses in the bus tunnel. They knew -- they just didn't believe it could happen to them.

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

Derelict by LJ Cohen

When Rosalen Maldonado tinkers with the derelict freighter, she's just hoping to prove she deserves a scholarship to University. She certainly doesn't count on waking the ship's damaged AI or having three stowaways, Micah Rotherwood and brothers Jem and Barre Durbin, along for the ride. They all have their private reasons for hiding aboard and lives they are seeking to escape, but if the accidental crew can't work together and learn to trust each other, they'll die together, victims of a computer that doesn't realize the war ended decades before any of them were even born.

Shadows of Mars by I.O. Adler

The message from Carmen Vincent’s mother wasn’t possible. She died in the Mars base disaster two years ago. But when government agents show up at Carmen’s door, she realizes the message is no hoax. Someone is still trying to cover up the disaster and the reason why Earth abandoned its space program. It’s a race to discover the truth of what happened on Mars before Carmen loses her mother for a second time. I.O. Adler’s relentlessly entertaining space opera adventure channels the excitement of The Expanse and the Mass Effect games.

Earth Warden by Tony James Slater

The Wardens are our planet's last line of defence. Powerful warriors, they stand firm against every threat humanity faces. It’s more than just a career – it’s a sacred calling… But it comes with a very short life expectancy. Lord Kreon, Warden of the First Circle, has a problem. He’s been forced to kill another apprentice, and he’s rapidly running out of candidates. In fact, there is precisely one left… Raised on modern-day Earth, Tristan knows nothing of the wider galaxy. He’s been fighting just to survive, ever since the day his dad left for work – and never came home. He’s always believed that there was more to life. That he could make a difference. He’s about to discover that what you don’t know can not only hurt you, it can tear your world apart! Forcibly abducted, he has no choice but to join the hand-picked warriors of Lord Kreon’s team: Kyra, a rainbow-haired mercenary with a tongue as sharp as her swords; Blas, a gigantic super-soldier left for dead by his unit; and Loader, a cargo handling robot with an incredible secret. All he wants are answers – but will he survive long enough to get them? Join Tris, as he’s catapulted into a universe beyond his wildest imagination. Where bizarre aliens threaten mankind, genetically engineered assassins lurk in the shadows, and the mysterious Wardens live by an ancient code… Of sacrifice. With a healthy dose of Joss Whedon-style humour, fans of Firefly and The Expanse will love this fast-paced and action-packed space opera. Buckle up, brace yourself, and download Earth Warden today! ***Complete 5-book series available now! All books in Kindle Unlimited.***

The Brickweavers by J. F. Williams

Thujwa is a desert city, built from clay and mud, surrounded by walls, secretive, thirsty, and desirous of wealth. But it is also a place of cool breezes, improbably tall towers, plentiful water, bountiful farmland, and vehicles that traverse great distances in a few hundred heartbeats. That is because the Thujwani long ago discovered the secrets of brickweaving: the laying of bricks in special patterns that manipulate the forces of magnetism and gravity. They have used this knowledge to gouge a world of comfort out of the desert, and to enslave others. Jeppo is a brickweaver but a social pariah who rejected status for love. Nonetheless, Thujwa's highest holy man chooses him to complete a cryptic mission outside the city walls. Joining him will be his new apprentice, a hapless youth named Kulkulla who had washed out in the other guilds. What they find on their trek will only be the first of many discoveries, including the secret of Thujwa's founding, the origin of brickweaving, the nature of the mud-clothed people who speak in a clicking language, and, ultimately, the parts the two of them will play in a centuries-old struggle against injustice.

The Crafting of Chess by Kit Falbo

Nate wants more to life than moving from town to town, hustling chess with his con-man grandfather or wagering pick-up games online. A new immersive game opens up the chance to bring in a steady paycheck. Maybe enough to convince his grandfather to stay straight. Little does he know how his actions will change his life. A GameLit coming of age story.

Quantum Dark by R. A. Nargi

Famed archaeologist. Daring adventurer. Total imposter. Jannigan Beck is the exact spitting image of his father: Sean Beck, the most famous explorer in the galaxy. But ever since the elder Beck disappeared on a mission inside an alien wormhole, Jannigan has secretly been masquerading as his father, shaking hands, doing press junkets, and attending meetings. But when a wealthy trade consortium plans an expedition back into the same mysterious wormhole where Jannigan’s father perished, they demand that Sean Beck personally lead the mission to recover an ancient alien artifact. And they are willing to pay handsomely for his presence. Now, posing as his father, Jannigan Beck (a complete greenhorn) must command a crew that doesn’t respect him on a perilous mission to the uncharted edge of the galaxy. There he will face alien megafauna, hostile competitors, and a mysterious force with the power to destroy worlds. Quantum Dark by Amazon Bestselling Author R.A. Nargi is a fast-paced swashbuckling science fiction adventure in the classic space opera and science fantasy tradition, packed with intrigue, betrayal, explosive battles, and edge-of-your-seat thrills that will keep you turning pages long into the night.

Time's Alibi by Husky Harlequin

Cancer. Undetected, it relentlessly devours its host until there is nothing left. Andrew Acheson's grandfather has been searching for a cure since a rare blood born pathogen claimed the life of his beloved wife. Family. If damaged, it can be the breeding ground for social disease. Greed infected the Acheson clan long ago. David Acheson, the patriarch, has been missing for over a year and is presumed to be dead. Murdered? Kidnapped? The FBI has no leads. David's heirs can't wait to get their filthy fingers on his pharmaceutical empire. Discovery. If misunderstood, it has the power to destroy. Andrew desires the success and love that have painfully eluded him. Without his grandfather's guidance, he may never find it. Suddenly thrust into the center of a conflict with historic consequences, Andrew might be able to survive if he can overcome his flaws, both inherited and self-inflicted. But first, he must find his grandfather and deal with David's most dangerous invention yet: time travel.

One of One by S. R. Cronin

Celebrate the superhero in each of us in this unique exploration of the connections we forge. A young Nigerian telepath faces a crisis when her sister is forced into a frightening marriage, then disappears. Once Somadina cannot locate her sibling's thoughts, she seeks another telepath to help. What she finds is Lola, a busy Texan scientist who has ignored the disturbing phenomenon in her mind for decades, and has no intention of embracing this nonsense now. Yet these two women have more in common than they know, and a powerful link will be forged. Once Somadina discovers her sister is a pawn in a dangerous political game, the stakes rise for everyone, including an ancient organization of telepaths compelled to intervene. For both women are stronger than they realize, and they have ignited the wrath of a fanatic willing to kill anyone to alter his nation's future.

The Order of Chaos by Ben J Henry

Glimmer of The Other by Heather G Harris

How can a dream be dangerous? This is the lucid dreaming murder mystery that readers are calling intriguing, compelling and original. Alicia’s younger brother has been missing for two years. On the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she finds a book in her parents’ bedroom containing a hit list. How far is her mother prepared to go to return David to the family? While lucid dreaming, Alicia escapes the waking world, entering a realm where survival depends on the strength of your will. Is handsome Ryan a figment of her imagination, or was he sent by her brother’s kidnappers? The Order of Chaos is the first in a fantasy trilogy for young adults and adults young at heart. Readers who enjoy complex, unfolding mysteries like His Dark Materials are invited to follow Alicia to a realm where thoughts and insecurities are laid bare. What are we but a collection of memories, real and false?

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2022 SPSFC 2023

I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time. I’m Jinx. As a private investigator, being a walking, talking lie detector is a useful skill – but let’s face it, it’s not normal. You’d think it would make my job way too easy, but even with my weird skills, I still haven’t been able to track down my parent’s killers. When I’m hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar – yet my gut tells me there’s more to this case than a party girl gone wild. Firstly, she’s a bookish soul who’s as likely to go off the rails as Mother Theresa. Secondly, I’m not the only one on her trail; she’s also being tracked by the implacable and oh-so-sexy Inspector Stone. Stone and I team up, and he shoves me into a realm where magic is real – a place where there are vampyrs and werewolves, dragons and trolls. And where my skills are more than just detecting lies… Oh, and my dog? He’s a freaking hellhound who can manipulate the magical realms themselves. I need to find the girl. I need to discover who killed my parents. And I need to find out more about the attractive but mysterious Zachary Stone…

Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne

A superhero space opera for grownups. For fans of Invincible and Marvel Cinematic Universe films who like a little hard science fiction in their superheroes. If Thor and Harry Dresden combined in a transporter accident.

Blind the Eyes by K.A. Wiggins

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

The Wake of Manadar by T R Peers

The Harbinger of Freedom by Freddie A. Clark

Strive not for power, but for control. Power without control is nothing, control without power is a beginning. - First Book of Thelen, first stanza. The civil war that has riven the Empire of the Thelenic Curriculum for five long years nears an end. Besieged in Manadar, their final fortress, the surviving twelve Royalist Magisters hatch a desperate plot- to break the walls of reality itself and turn the power of another universe against the Lily College. Unknown to the Twelve, that universe is home to Operative Amanda Devereux, and the most highly-advanced dimensional research facility on Earth. When the Royalists’ magic touches the cutting-edge science of The Office, the results are apocalyptic. Of the Twelve and their bastion, there is no trace. But in the crater that lies in the wake of Manadar, Amanda Devereux stirs, a cybernetic infiltration agent hurled into a world she could never have imagined- a world that has never seen anything like her. Science-fiction and fantasy collide head-on in the first novel of the Thelenic Curriculum: The Wake of Manadar.

Lightblade by Zamil Akhtar

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2022

In three days, Jyosh will slay the God Emperor, or die trying. But first he must train his lightblade skills. While asleep. Each hour of sleep equals a day in a lucid dream, plenty of time to master the essential lightblade techniques and hopefully get skilled enough to defeat the monster who enslaved him and beheaded his parents and sister. When Jyosh awakens to learn that the God Emperor has surrendered to an even crueler foe, a mysterious lightblade master who can summon divine dragons to burn whole cities, he’ll face a trial by fire against forces far more frightening than he could ever dream. That is, if he’s not still in one.

In the millenary world of Taenand, the continent of Empiria is oppressed by a fifty year lasting military dictatorship perpetrated by the Army of the Harpy, the leader of which is the young General of aristocratic descent Ludwig Maximilian Eckhale who inherited the throne and became the second Emperor of his Era.In these challenging times, Valerius Raleigh, a young noble as the Emperor himself, takes on the mission to inspire his country to break its chains and free itself from the ever more raging tyranny, first becoming a symbol and a messenger of freedom, then building an army whose purpose is to take down the reign of terror and injustice which threatens to spread all over Taenand due to the ruthless ruler’s strategic mindset and powerful alliances.The Harbinger of Freedom is the first act of the Falling Feathers Series, a crazy mix of blood, sex, drugs, hacking, cybernetic augmentations, shamanism, fantasy creatures, artificial life and an overall retrofuturistic and cyberpunkish aesthetic. In this vast, complex world, liberty and self-determination play a pivotal role in the search for balance and justice for all, while the diverse characters are pawns in a gritty game of power, intrigues and violence in which there is no place for surrender or subjugation.

Bystanders by Phillip Murrell

"Intrepid reporters end up dead." That's what Claire Kennedy's boss told her. Claire doesn't care. She's prepared to risk her life to land an interview with her city's superhero. The mysterious vigilante is a demolition force against the criminal empire operating inside Colberton. He won't identify himself to the public, so Claire will assign him a name herself. She's willing to create other "facts" as necessary, anything to get a promotion at Data to Information News. The hero, Votary, cares not for her goals. Nor does Votary worry about the actions of the police or criminals. The city must be protected from itself and outside threats. Votary is the only person capable of this, though the methods used will lead to death and trauma for many citizens of Colberton. Most will debate the methods of this crusader. Some support Votary, others fear the vigilante, but none will know the person beneath the armor, despite trying.

The Burnt Watcher by Keith Healing

Empire Under a Dying Sun by Joseph O. Doran

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

What use is magic, when your sun is dying? Empress Anyosa and her loyal general Sethes are ill-prepared to respond when, without warning, the sun changes colour and fire-like devastation starts to rain from the heavens. Anyosa is a young ruler struggling to assert her authority against a rebellious royal court, while Sethes is an old warhorse beset by personal demons. Three holy relics hold the key to protecting their people from the coming devastation, but the Empire only has one, and so Sethes and Anyosa must decide how far they are willing to go to obtain the other two. As Sethes wages an unprovoked war against the Shalisun Sultanate to steal one, Anyosa strives to hold her people together as the calamity takes its toll. And all the while, the possessor of the third relic, the Kingdom of Asdor, looks on hungrily at the Empire of Kelamenai... And yet the question remains: politics, war, honour... what are their worth, when the world is ending around you?

Orange Storm by Ned Marcus

Pale orange snow falls over London. With it arrives life from another universe intent on manipulating the fabric of reality—to deadly effect. When linguist Luke Lee witnesses the aliens murder a senior British politician, he becomes a target. And when they kidnap his pregnant wife, he will do anything to get her back. He’s one of the few people with the skills to understand and defeat them. Psychic Amelia Blake never imagined she would be called upon to defend humanity—but the message is clear. She must stop this evil. And she sees what others cannot—a magic unlike anything she’s encountered. In her search for help, she’s drawn to another plane where she faces a witch of terrifying power. Should she risk summoning an alien witch to counter an alien threat? Can Luke and Amelia prevent further deadly intrusions into Earth? They have 38 hours to act. If you like fast-paced urban fantasies with science fiction elements, you’ll love Ned Marcus’s exciting new adventure.

Aya and the Alphas by Berneta L. Haynes

When a young girl, Aya Wright, develops extraordinary abilities and becomes a target of the world’s most powerful fader, Eve must protect her. But at what price? In the twenty-five years since she exposed the existence of faders, Eve Cooper has survived the collapse of her country and the loss of her closest friends. Now she lives a mostly solitary life in rural Indiana, where she runs a secret network and safe house for faders—individuals like her with extraordinary abilities. In nearby Chicago, a young girl named Aya Wright becomes a target of the world’s most powerful fader because of her unparalleled abilities. When she arrives at the safe house after an attack, Aya soon sets in motion a series of events that threaten not only to upend Eve’s settled life but potentially change the world. As Eve struggles to reconcile her past with the choices in front of her, she must decide whether to leave her recluse life to protect Aya or allow the headstrong girl to find her own way in the world…  Aya and the Alphas is an action-packed and expansive sequel to Eve and the Faders that will thrill readers!

Any Minor World by Craig Schaefer

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2023

For Roy Mackey -- a recovering addict who makes his living as an unlicensed PI and occasional muscle for hire -- tracking down a dead writer's final manuscript should be a walk in the park. Too bad his client is a phony, the dead writer is a thief, and shadowy men are watching his every move. All clues lead to a canceled pulp-adventure comic, The Midnight Jury, and its mousy, reclusive author. Lucy Langenkamp is living a quiet life as an art restorer in Las Vegas; when Roy helps her escape from a crew of armed kidnappers, she's as baffled as he is. Then one of her own characters, a flamethrower-wielding "human exterminator," steps out of the pages of her comic book and into the real world. He's intent on hunting her down, and he isn't alone. The pulp villains spawned from Lucy's childhood imagination are coming to life, searching for their long-lost author. Her most sinister creation, the Illustrated Duke, has a dark plan in motion. This is a job for Lucy's two-fisted vigilante, the Midnight Jury. But the Jury is missing. To save the day, Lucy and Roy must descend into a noir-drenched nightmare city on a rescue mission. The walls between fiction and reality are shattered, there's wild magic in the air, and it's up to two unlikely heroes to risk it all and save the day.

Quenched in Blood by Sean Crow

Twilight City hosts over a hundred million souls, most held beneath the heel of the global empire, Tenocore. After suffering a bitter defeat in Europe, Angus Jarlson, the Glade Burner, has brought the Old Gods and what remains of his once mighty empire of Valhalla Steel, across the ocean to stake a claim in the megacity and begin to rebuild. Yet the long-lived Fae despise the Glade Burner and will muster their might and magic to destroy what remains of Angus and his clansmen. When vengeance and duty to family collide, violence ensues. The question is not only which side will be victorious, but will either remain standing at all?

The Last Lumenian by S.G. Blaise