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Grounded after a rescue attempt in Earth orbit goes bad, Commander Martin Atkins of the Confederation Navy is approached by the Interscission Project, a consortium of civilian corporations on the verge of perfecting the technology to travel to another star. Despite his misgivings, the chance to get back in the pilotâs seat is too much to pass up, and he convinces his best friend and crewmate, Charles Davenport, to leave the military temporarily and join him as part of the crew of the Zenith, humanityâs first starship. Edward Harlen is a brilliant young engineer, and a key player in the construction of the Zenith to take advantage of the untested technology of foldspace drive. But Edward has his own agenda in joining the project, and a bitterly personal score to settle with his boss, Trevor Sutton, a vendetta of which Trevor is entirely ignorant. But when Edwardâs sister Stella enters the picture and manages to secure a position on the project, all of Edwardâs careful plotting is upset, and she might spell the downfall not only of his plans for revenge, but of the entire Zenith mission. The spark of attraction between Edward and Martin is a complication that Edward canât afford, but of which he canât let go. For Edward knows the secret at the heart of the Interscission Project, the hidden potential of the technology that in the wrong hands could become the ultimate assassinâs weapon: the ability to rewrite history, not just once, but many times. As an unseen enemy moves to destroy them, and the body count multiplies in their wake, Martin and Edward must choose whether they will allow the possibility of love to challenge their destinies, or will they instead take up arms in a war to control the most ancient and terrible power in the universe. Time, itself. |
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What would happen if the Earth stopped spinning? Half the world would become trapped in endless night, the other half in relentless day. Global communications would be crippled. The oceans would migrate to the Earthâs magnetic poles, and global tremors would threaten the stability of the entire planet. In other words, things would be bad. Very bad. Thatâs what happens in SKYBOUND. And the clock is ticking. The world is in chaos. Theories about the impossible phenomenon run the gamut from broken physics to little green men to the dawning of the end times. But everyone agrees on one thing: The massive metallic object that suddenly appeared in the sky is to blame. In his debut novel, Lou Iovino weaves a modern-day fable that traces the path of two small-town siblings who find themselves thrust into events that will reshape humanity, and grappling with the question that has plagued mankind for eons. Whatâs up there? |
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Wherever Seeds May Fall by Peter Cawdron FIRST CONTACT is a series of stand-alone novels that explore humanity's first interaction with extraterrestrial life. The Prince of Darkness is coming. Comet Anduru skimmed the clouds of Saturn. Rather than being drawn into the gas giant, it skipped back out into space. With the comet heading for Jupiter, speculation is mounting itâs an alien spacecraft making its way to Earth. Lieutenant Colonel Nolan Landis and Dr. Kath McKenzie are caught between an angry public and an anxious President as they grapple with the scientific, social, and political implications of First Contact. FIRST CONTACT is similar to BLACK MIRROR or THE TWILIGHT ZONE in that the series is based on a common theme rather than common characters. This allows these books to be read in any order. Technically, they're all first as they all deal with how we might initially respond to contact with aliens, exploring the social, political, religious, and scientific aspects of First Contact. |
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The war is nearly over, but alien-bred human Ry still must decide: species or family?Ryâs childhood was a lie. They told him that the humans had always worked for the lazuli, and in return, were protected from the horrors beyond the city of Lancer. In reality, all the cityâs shield guarded was the truth â the lazuli are aliens. For twenty years, they have been locked in a war with the humans, a war that has almost wiped out both species. When Ry learns the truth, he escapes his old home and leaves everything he has ever known behind. Now, six years later, the war is coming to a head, and he is forced to face his past, including the alien family who raised and cared for him â the family he still loves - when the human forces turn towards the last source of alien strength: the city of Lancer. Ry is going home. |
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The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King John Carver has three rules: Don't drink in the daytime, don't gamble when the luck has gone, and don't talk to the dead people who come to visit. It has been almost five years since the incident in Kabul. Since the magic stirred within him and the stories began. Fleeing the army, running from the whispers, the guilt, and the fear he was losing his mind, Carver fell into addiction, dragging himself through life one day at a time. Desperation has pulled him back to Afghanistan, back to the heat, the dust, and the truth he worked so hard to avoid. But there are others, obsessed with power and forbidden magics, who will stop at nothing to learn the truth of his gifts. Abducted and chained, Carver must break more than his own rules if he is to harness this power and survive. Packed with mystery, suspense, and snark. Download today to discover why readers of Dean Koontz, Jim Butcher, and Myke Cole love this high-octane fantasy thriller by #1 best-selling author Graham Austin-King. |
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Dog Country by Malcolm F. Cross A crowdfunded civil war is Azerbaijanâs only hope against its murderous dictatorship. The war is Edane Estianâs only chance to find out if heâs more than what he was designed to be. Heâs a clone soldier, gengineered from a dogâs DNA and hardened by a brutal training regime. Heâd be perfect for the job if an outraged society hadnât intervened, freed him at age seven, and placed him in an adopted family. Is he Edane? Cathy and Bethâs son, Janineâs boyfriend, valued member of his MilSim sports team? Or is he still White-Six, serial number CNR5-4853-W6, the untroubled killing machine? By joining a war to protect the powerless, he hopes to become more than the sum of his parts. Without White-Six, heâll never survive this war. If thatâs all he can be, heâll never leave it. |
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Effacement by Hieronymus Hawkes A future where offline privacy is illegal. A lethal plot permanently deleting people in power. One determined genius caught in an assassinâs sights. 2037. Dr. Cole Westbay is proud of having helped eliminate crime. Groomed to take over the company that makes the surveillance chip everyone is required by law to have, heâs alarmed by a series of suspicious deaths the hardware caused. And after launching an investigation, the brilliant scientist panics when he awakes with his mandatory neural link ripped out and his recently recorded memories erased⌠Arrested for the federal crime of failing to have his life fully documented, Cole struggles to get back online and clear his name. And as his paranoia grows while the bodies continue to pile up, he fears government enforcers, friends, and even his fiancĂŠe may be in on the scheme to set him up for a deadly fall. Can the embattled scientist crack the conspiracy before his enemies hit CTRL+ALT+DEL on his life? Effacement is a gripping standalone science fiction technothriller. If you like gifted but flawed heroes, deep-state intrigue, and relentless villains, then youâll love Hieronymus Hawkesâs dystopian vision. Buy Effacement for a hard reboot today! |
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Emergence - The Emiliana Chronicles by Jacki Rawlinson To survive, she must emerge. To win, she must ascend. Just try and stop her. Born from an ancient race of gifted aliens, the whole universe is depending on Emilyâ¨to rise up to the challenge and become the Chosen One that she is destined to be.â¨Thereâs one hitch...she has no idea who she is or where she comes from.â¨â¨Being hunted by her kindâs mortal enemy, her home planet is savagely attacked.â¨Can she survive?â¨â¨Join Emily on her path of discovery, war and destruction as her true strengths emergeâ¨and she joins forces with an unlikely team, supported by Cedrick, the most advancedâ¨Artificial Intelligence unit known in the galaxy.â¨â¨This is the first in a multi-book series, showing how Emilyâs life began, taking youâ¨up to present day. I hope you enjoy the adventure and stick around to find out what theâ¨universe has in store for Emily and her team in book 2 and onwards!â¨â¨Please Note:â¨This series contains copious amounts of creative cussing.â¨If this offends you, then this book may not be for you. |
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Eric Folder has moved to Oregon to attend Portland State University when an automobile accident leaves him stricken with migraine headaches. The resulting visual effectsâsomething medical professionals term an auraârender him virtually blind and defenseless when a gang of street thugs attacks him. Desperate to see and needing to protect himself, Eric reflexively tears at the luminous lines of light and finds they have become tangible. When he pulls them aside, his present reality folds away with them, leaving him in better circumstances with his enemies vanished. Attempts to fold his way out of successive perils leave him in increasingly strange situations until, eventually, his world becomes a nightmare. âA wild young-adult alternate-worlds adventure that will leave you guessing right up to the end! Fans of Philip Pullmanâs His Dark Materials will love this!â âD. J. Butler, author of Witchy Eye âA big, engaging ride across our infinite possibilities - and our choice to be heroes.â âAnthony Dobranski, author of The Demon in Business Class |
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Life on Planet Earth by Andy Gorman Humankind is finally coming home, but they are no longer the dominant species... Nearly 700 years ago, the Terminal Plague turned Earth into a desolate wastelandâa world now riddled with the devolved progeny of Homo sapiens. The descendants of the only survivors live out a bleak existence in a lunar city called Omega, where the privileged live deep underground while the poor suffer radiation poisoning on the surface. Headstrong seventeen-year-old Liam Stone hates it there. When heâs not scrubbing shrimp and algae vats, he spends his limited free time in the Earth Simulator, training to leave the cramped halls and rigid schedules of Omega behind. Boasting higher scores and better biometrics than any other candidate, Liam is confident he will earn a spot on the return mission to Earth⌠Until the moment his sister is chosen instead. Devastated but unwilling to give up, Liam chooses to take matters into his own handsâto get to Earth at any cost. But Earth is not like the simulations, and the simulated monsters didnât prepare him for the real threats he will face. |
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Novum Chronicles by Joseph Rhea As the last descendants of Earth struggle to survive beneath the surface of an alien water planet, a young ship's captain awakens an ancient enemy that could destroy what's left of the human race, or be the key to its future.Jake Stone is a young man haunted by his past. As the reluctant captain of a transport submarine called the Rogue Wave, he just wants to forget his troubles and find a safe place for his crew to live in peace. But there is no peace in the crushing depths of this hostile world. Fueled by an oppressive government and failing resources, the people of Civica Colony have finally given in to their fears, and civil war is spreading like a virus. And now, an ancient enemy that was cast out after the destruction of Earth, the so-called Fall of Man, is returning to destroy what's left of the human race. Will Jake abandon the colony to protect his crew, or stay and fight to prevent humanity's final apocalypse? |
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On the run, Quinn holds a secret that nearly got him killed. If only he knew what it was. â¨â¨Though the ambush scrambled his memories, Quinn is sure of one thingâhe canât trust the electorgs on this alien planet. But they know information he desperately needs to puzzle out who wants him dead, and why. â¨â¨For decades, Eve and her fellow electorgsâpart human, part machineâhave beaten back toxic spores that poison the native people on the quiet planet of Aarde. When their new commander halts work right before a deadly spore release, Eve races to protect the villagers she considers friends and family. â¨â¨In the fray, a handsome traveler arrives with a story in conflict with the emotions the psychic Eve detects wafting from him. Quinn may not remember his past, but he knows this capable woman can help him, and soon theyâre caught up in his dangerous mission: Space marauders are risking the planet to harvest a valuable resource. But what is it? â¨â¨With the fate of life on Aarde in the balance, the logic of joining forces erupts into an attraction that could prove fatal for both of them. Buy Passages to unwind a thrilling science fiction fantasy mystery today! |
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Mountain Warriors Book I: Outcast by R J Burle Despite facing an immediate firing squad, a down on his luck journalist, Eric, violates a quarantine zone to investigate the wild lands of the Southern Appalachian Mountains that are inhabited by zombies, vampires and other terrors. After a betrayal, the government permanently exiles Eric to the wasteland of The Forbidden Zone and sends the ruthless Specter to trail him. Eric is no longer a nonparticipating observer but must quickly learn the ways of the warrior, when a group of survivors, who live under a strict code of sword and gun, turn against him, as they face off against a horde of zombies. Will Eric be accepted by this band of survivors or will he be exiled again to face not only the undead, but the other creatures of the forest that might be even worse. |
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Space Operatic by Dale E. Lehman Eternal fame or eternal shame? Hopeless optimist Roberto Maccarone has staked his fortunes on a bold move: he's brought grand opera to the Oort Territories, where there isn't enough culture to fill a petri dish. But it's a tough sell here in the cold dark of the next to last circle of hell, and soon Maccarone is up to his mephistophelean eyebrows in corporate greed, rebellious miners, bloodthirsty mercenaries, outrageous lies, intense loathing, inane conversations, and more unintended consequences than you can shake a baton at. Really, how hard can it be to stage a performance? One thing alone can save Maccarone and his company: the most fabulous theater in the solar system slumbers nearby, mysteriously shuttered without having once been used. But the keys are held in the icy grip of the local Culture Minister, and nothing-not Maccarone, not obscene amounts of money, not even that guy who juggles flaming kabobs while singing an ancient song about how great America was-can pry them loose. Will it be fame for Maccarone and his troupe? Or unemployment in Beelzebub's outhouse? |
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Alice works for Jaffle Tech incorporated, the worldâs biggest technology company and the creator of the Jaffle Port, the brain implant that gives users direct access to global communications, social networks and every knowledge source on the planet. Alice is on Jaffle Standard, the free service offered to all people. All she has to do in return is let Jaffle use a bit of her brainâs processing power. Maybe itâs being used to control satellites. Maybe itâs being used to further space exploration. Maybe itâs helping control self-driving cars on the freeway. Her brain is helping Jaffle help the world. And Jaffle are only using the bits of her brain she doesnât need⌠But when a kind deed goes wrong, Alice gains unauthorised access to her entire brain and discovers what she has been missing out on her entire life: music, art, laughter, love⌠Now that she has discovered what her mind is truly capable of, how long will the company bosses let her keep it? |
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Four ex-convicts. One charismatic mastermind. And the most dangerous heist the System has ever seen. Jez is a damn good pilot, and sheâs always worked alone. Until she got picked up for smuggling, that is. Now sheâs lost her ship, lost her job, lost her reputation, and is on the run from the law. So when a mysterious stranger in a battered pilots coat comes to her with an offer that sounds too good to be true, she reluctantly agrees to listen. All she has to do is fly one little job. Then she gets the details. She and a hand-picked band of misfit ex-convicts will be pulling a heist on Vitali âthe Butcherâ Dobrev, the most deadly weapons dealer and crime boss in the System. Theyâll be stealing tech that could change the course of history. And the government, the mafia, and every enterprising criminal in the System would kill to get their hands on it. Thing is, Jez is out of options. Sheâs going to have to fly this job, and theyâll have to pull it off. And knowing Vitali, if they fail, dying is the least of their worries. Zero Day Threat is the first instalment in the space opera science fiction series The Ungovernable. Firefly meets Oceanâs Eleven in R.M. Olsonâs fast-paced, kick-ass, wickedly-fun series. |
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The distant world of Haphez is located on the edge of populated space. The planet's native superhuman race is feared and respected by neighboring civilizations. Their military and police forces are unmatched. Lieutenant Aroska Tarbic is an agent with the revered Haphezian Special Police. Heâs lost a lot in a short period of time; the other members of his squad were killed in a tragic accident, and his younger brother was wrongfully convicted and executed for a crime he didnât commit. Just when Aroska thinks heâs starting to piece his life back together, heâs assigned to a joint task force with a special operations team. It seems like a unique opportunity, at least until he learns his new commander is none other than Ziva Payvan, HSPâs finest operativeâŚand the assassin who killed his brother. Ziva is good at her job, a business that requires her to ignore her feelings and carry out her missions without question. Sheâs confident in her own abilities to complete the assignment, but Aroska is a wildcard. When their team stumbles across a young human during a routine investigation, they soon realize the situation isn't what it seems. The boy has unwittingly uncovered a sinister plot, one that could put the entire Haphezian race in jeopardy. Now the lines between friend and foe have become blurred, and no one can be trusted. United by the imminent threat, Ziva and Aroska must set their differences aside long enough to save their peopleâŚand maybe even each other. |
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Souls of Astraeus by Jeramy Goble Living one life is hard enough. Try living billions of lives. Akal Atka, a simple and submissive young man of the future is faced with losing the love of his life. Within moments, however, a catastrophic event makes him aware of the fact that he has lived billions of previous lives. As he explores the multiverse using exciting ships and technology, he reacquaints himself with countless races and gains access to the knowledge and abilities of his previous lives. But, why did this happen to him? Will he be able to save his love? Are there others like him? If so, how are they using their gifts? |
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The Bygone Wars 1: Songs of Space and Time by Scott Robinson Fifty thousand years ago, people were genetically engineered to take on different roles on the interstellar starships of a great civilization. For a while dwarves, elves, trolls, halflings, and giants worked with humans exploring the galaxy and colonizing amazing worlds. But then we discovered we weren't alone and, of course, we argued about what should be done. Nasty words were exchanged. Wars were started. And, of course, everything fell apart and the great civilization collapsed. Soon there were just scattered worlds with myths and legends to hint at what had come before. And, eventually, civilizations rose again... After years in the army, then more years backpacking around the world, Kim thinks she's seen just about everything there is to see. But she has to admit to being a little bit surprised when the giant bats started dropping bombs. And then the aliens came. There she was, wondering what a medieval hotdog might have been filled with, and five minutes later she was battling ugly, leathery-skinned aliens, beating them over the head with a historically accurate mace. And if that wasn't strange enough, she was shown a portal to another world, with the same war being fought on the other side. Kim knows the information she holds could be vital, but she doesn't like authority all that much, and it doesn't like her either. So, when the leaders of the Earth's defenses test her friendship one time too many she sets out to end the war on her own. Well, just her, an elf, a giant and a dwarf who may well be completely nuts. *** Please note-- "The Bygone Wars" series is the same as "The Tribes of the Hakahei". It has been rearranged and repackaged as 2 books instead of 4. (The books don't align though, so don't mix the series) The series is completed in All the Wars Of Heaven. If you have already read The Tribes of the Hakahei, don't buy this book. And if you read this book, follow it up with All the Wars of Heaven (Well, you can if you like, just don't say you weren't warned)*** |
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Recombinant by Lisa Silverthorne What if you discover your life doesn't belong to you? Forced to give up your dreams and live a life you never chose. Because you and your DNA belong to the government. What if the government stole your memories? Parsed out your family and friends? How would it feel to live life in the third person? Private Peter Mitchell is one of thousands of recycled, cloned soldiers, holding the front lines of a deep space war. To save a world he's never seen before. His survival mechanism is a memory replacement chip (MRC) that parses out the horrors of war and anything hindering him from killing the enemy. Peter isn't like the other recombinants. He doesn't want to fight or kill. He wants to live. Marred by deep sensitivity and self-awareness, he is failing his training sims and endangering his entire unit. One recombinant and a training sergeant try to keep him from washing out, including the sergeant's shuttle pilot kid sister who falls for Mitchell. But the Antarans are pushing closer to home system. Because something is horribly wrong with Earth's combat tech-and its recombinant soldiers. Hardware Reclamation Specialist, Dr. Jeannette Kingston discovers a catastrophic failure in the MRCs affecting entire batches of recombinants. She's faced with a life-or-death decision: report the defect that will destroy hundreds of recombinants, including Private Mitchell, or say nothing and risk losing the war. Now, Dr. Kingston must choose between a life worth saving and the fate of her home world. |
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V.O.K. Variable Operations Knowledge by Jason Kucharik Earth has burned; My people made sure the humans paid for their insolence in the final days of the Blood War, but as it turns out the universe is pretty freaking huge and they werenât the only threat. Not by a long shot. Iâm an Alpha, one of the most feared special operations soldiers in the universe. Born out of blood, I am the eyes and ears of the High Order and, when need be, their unflinching reaper. I do not yield, I do not bow, I do not fail. Ever. For centuries our loyalty was unquestionable, but my partner and I uncovered a dark secret about our past that calls into question our entire lives. The High Order trained us to be the most intelligent, ruthless, and feared soldiers ever createdâŚtheyâre going to regret that. |
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The Authority Wars: Banished by T. H. Solomon The Authority Wars: Banished is the opening novel in a science fiction action series with expansive world building and a compelling ensemble of characters. Fans of science fiction and epic fantasy will love this new series that combines the best of space operas, westerns, thrillers, and epic sagas. For hundreds of years, the Authority guarded the secrets of their genetic modifications and enhancements. For hundreds of years, the Authority went forth and created inhabitable planets to rule with complete control. For hundreds of years, the Authority's reign was built upon the backs of the Citizen class. And for hundreds of years, any Citizens not conforming to the Authority's power would be banished to the brutal planet of Hadesâa desert planet where technology doesn't work and survival is everything. Then, when all hope seemed to be lost, a group of Citizen soldiers took their fate in their own hands when they started the Authority Wars. Now, a new group of heroes will emerge and change the course of history from the least likely place in the galaxyâHades. Stanton was designed by his father to become the height of genetic modifications and human development. He was raised to one day lead the other Gen Mods of the Authority to a final victory in the war. When he disobeys a direct order that would have led to the destruction of the Outer Fleet, Stanton discovers the elites of the Authority are not only threatened by his extraordinary abilities, but this may be the excuse they need to destroy him. Clara has lived on Hades since she was a child. She's fiercely held on to her deep faith despite the barbarity around her, but that faith will be tested when Authority-backed slavers steal her daughter. She only has an old horse, two bullets in her revolver, and knifeâand Clara will stop at nothing to get her back before it's too late. Gavin's family of Citizens has served the rulers of the Authority for generations. As he reluctantly prepares for his life of subservience to the ruling Gen Mods in the Galactic capital, Gavin begins to realize something about him isn't the same as everyone else. After the woman he loves goes missing, Gavin is plunged into the middle of events that will force him to confront a darkness unleashed deep within his genetic code. From gladiatorial combat mixed with six-shooter duels, a fight for survival in the vast dunes of Hades against wild outlaws and savage genetic Unstables, to a heart-pounding train heist with a surprising objective, The Authority Wars: Banished will become your new favorite adventure. Download your copy today and enter the immersive universe of the Banished! |
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The Immortality Game by Ted Cross Moscow, 2138. With the world only beginning to recover from the complete societal collapse of the late 21st Century, Zoya scrapes by prepping corpses for funerals and dreams of saving enough money to have a child. When her brother forces her to bring him a mysterious package, she witnesses his murder and finds herself on the run from ruthless mobsters. Frantically trying to stay alive and save her loved ones, Zoya opens the package and discovers two unusual data cards, one that allows her to fight back against the mafia and another which may hold the key to everlasting life. |
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The Swallowed World, Book One: The Eternal Season by Tyler Bumpus THE FUTURE IS WRITTEN. AT THE END OF OUR WORLD IT BEGINS. THE GREAT RIFT N. Amer. informal the wholesale collapse of the United States of America as a political and federal entity in Y3 of the DILUVIAN ERA. Major contributing factors: mass flooding of old coastal power centers; the PETROL DROUGHT and resultant crippling of transit and supply lines; the NUTRICIDE attacks and impending nation-wide famine; the ecological CALAMITIES and shortfall of aid in affected regions; and burgeoning separatist camps ushering in the sectarian bloodbath of the OLD STATE CLASHES. The fractured country plunged headlong into a new age of war, industry, and technology from which there was no returning.(from Terminology of Post-Rift America, 3rd Ed., Y64, DE) So begins THE SWALLOWED WORLDâa bold new futurist saga. At the crossroads of innovation and collapse, genius and madness, humankind faces the ultimate trial to which all must submit: Transformation or extinction. From literary to science fiction, horror to allegory, the apocalyptic to the mythicâthis multi-volume epic is a window into a truly alien future civilization; deep in world building, rich in character, breathtaking in scope. BOOK ONE of The Swallowed World saga opens some fifty years after the Great Rift that shattered the continent, when America is again uncharted and wild. At civilization's edge, the drowned peninsula once known as Florida, a world-weary outlaw finds himself smuggling the one cargo he never dreamed he'd possessâthe future of the human race. The powerful first volume of a visionary new sci-fi universe Map and illustrations Glossary and appendices delving deeper into the lore and mystery of The Swallowed World Sneak preview of Book Two! |
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The world froze. Jagged glaciers and freezing waters cover the seven continents. One man lived through it all. Through war. Through death. Through time. He's been alone since the collapse, believing everyone else dead. He was wrong. There are others. They've built cities on top of the frozen steel that lies beneath the ice. Below them trouble is brewing. Somewhere deep in the ice. |
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L.I.F.E. in the 23rd Century by Jason R. Richter "A laudable sci-fi yarn thatâs both irreverent and relevant."Kirkus Reviews Meet Pat McGewan-X04. Pat is a Patriot who spends his days watching robots build cubicles for corporations that keep getting blown up by those pesky terrorists in the soon to be won, weâve got them on the ropes, 232nd year of the War on Terror. Heâs content in his world of mediocre corporate coffee, vid-link chats with his wife who the government discourages him from ever meeting in person, and an endless barrage of travel bans, terrorist attacks, and never-ending nightly news emergency broadcasts. But everything changes when a freak car accident puts Pat in the national spotlight. One minute heâs a hero for being the sole survivor of this weekâs most recent terrorist attack, (but not long enough to get a commemorative coffee cup with his face on it before the next attack happens). In the next minute, the nationâs most vitriolic talking head has branded Pat the greatest threat to truth, justice, and stockholder profits -- and the manhunt begins! Pat has to decide between fighting the corporate-controlled media and possibly losing his life or giving in to his Academy training and lose his soul and possibly any hope of ever getting a decent cup of coffee. Welcome to LIFE in the 23rd Century: an absurd, light-hearted dystopian future to distract you from your horrific dystopian present. Brought to you by the makers of prescription Chillaxafed. Jason R. Richter writes humorous dystopian adventures with a touch of real-world cynicism. |
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Silicon Minds of Mars by Jeremy Reimer Mike Lee was a writer-for-hire who yearned for excitement. After a strange man invites him to a meeting, Mike is kidnapped and put on a spaceship to Mars. He's unwillingly become part of the world's most expensive reality TV show. He meets Kyla Vox, a starry-eyed computer hacker with a passion for finding the truth. When a mysterious set of accidents put all the contestants in danger, Mike and Kyla must band together to protect everyone on board the ship. But when they arrive at Mars, their struggles are just beginning. Mars is a strange place, where humans and sentient robots walk under giant ice-domed cities, and computers and automation have made some people rich beyond measure. Mike and Kyla find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy, putting not only their lives in danger, but the future of all intelligent life-- silicon-based and otherwise! |
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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 Concordanceâs 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 itâs 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. |
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Out of the Gray by Patricia Gilliam 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 Earthâs 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 Earthâs 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 Ambassadorâs 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 isnât. When a visitor arrives at their home to speak with his father, Alex attempts to find out the manâs identity and why his father is being so secretive about him. While doing so, Alex overhears the man discuss plans to assassinate Hannariaâs 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, Ricaâs 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 fatherâs 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 Hannariaâs Ambassador? |
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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. |
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Time and the Soldier by David Dvorkin 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. |
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Behind Blue Eyes by Anna Mocikat 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 â 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 wonât let her get away. Soon, Nephilim finds herself hunted by the killer squads she once belonged to. Sheâs the best of them but will her skills be enough to survive? Blade Runner meets John Wick with a badass female lead. |
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Some of My Best Friends Are Human by Liz J. Andersen 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. |
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An Isolated System by Stephen Weagraff 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 itâs too late. |
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Aerovoyant by Patricia L. Tavormina 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. |
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Alien Advantage by Lorain O'Neil COMFORTABLE. SAFE. ORDERLY.â¨â¨Thatâs 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. â¨â¨When the aliensâ 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. governmentâs secret facility where the government âcollectsâ abducted returnees. Being the only person who can âsort ofâ fly the spacecraft makes Mark just what the government is looking for, but an imprisoned life on Little Island isnât exactly what Mark had in mind. Not that Markâs feelings matter, because no one has ever escaped Little Island. But no one beforeâs ever arrived with his very own spaceship!â¨â¨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 authorâs other books are included. |
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Broken Ascension by Dave Walsh 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. |
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Code of Conduct by Kristine Smith Captain Jani Kilianâs 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 ShèrĂĄ, 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 wifeâs 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 Janiâs 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. |
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Convergence (A DRMR Novel, Book 1) by Michael Patrick Hicks 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. |
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Dropnauts by J. Scott Coatsworth 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. |
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Alone. Lost. Hunted. Pulled from chill waters, she doesnât tell her rescuer that someoneâs trying to kill her. Nor that capture would be far worse. She doesnât tell him â because she canât. She doesnât 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? Itâs 2063, decades after magicâs return. Hunted and on the run, itâs not the shadowy Department she should fear: itâs 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 â annihilation. When all is darkest, she shines most bright. |
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The Augmented by Brendon Hawkins 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. |
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Echoes of Another by Chandra Clarke "Clarkeâs 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 naĂŻve young scientist named Kel invents a device to produce the mysterious state of âflowâ 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 |
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The Chiral Agent by L. L. Richman 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 â 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. Itâs sure to keep you guessing every step of the way. |
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The Narrows by Travis M. Riddle "Riddleâs intricate worldbuilding and familiar but strong narrative arc sustain fear throughout. ... Fans of eerie tales will easily fall into this one."Â -Â 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? |
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The Orphans of New Lur by Blake Vanier Iona and Nero are Human orphans; one born with powers she canât 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 Humanâs 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. |
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In the Orbit of Sirens by T.A. Bruno 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 humanityâthe Sirensâmysterious beings with incredible powers and a deep hatred for invaders. |
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The real world is only where you breathe⌠In High Earth, entertainment is everything. Virtual worlds, hyper-realistic simulations, endless streamable contentâthereâs 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. Itâs 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). |
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Roko's Catalyst by Michael Blackbourn 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 itâs 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. |
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The Paradise Factory by Jim Keen 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! |