Books Tagged With when - period - near future

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Summary: NOMINATED FOR BEST NOVELLA OR SHORT STORY IN THE 2020 PARANORMAL ROMANCE GUILD REVIEWER'S CHOICE AWARDS Taken from the arms of her mother, a girl is raised by a family so alien that she hardly knows how to describe them. They are incredibly feral. She is anything but. As life with them becomes more and more bizarre, she has no choice but to incur the wrath of the pack and plead for her release--risking her life to ask it. Much to her surprise, but even more to his, her chosen mate devises a plan to get her home. It involves considerable deception but if ultimately successful, makes it possible for her to return to the mother and the home she so desperately misses. The plan succeeds. It has, however, unintended consequences since his actions cause her to question his motives and what it is to be his mate. She leaves him, nevertheless, returning home with her faithful dog as her travelling companion. Once there, she has a chance encounter with someone--a man who has a surprising connection to her past. But their joyful and unexpected reunion is short-lived. And in the aftermath of the tragedy that occurs, they learn family is what you make it, the people who love you most are the ones who make the greatest sacrifices, and home is where you belong.

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Summary: In a world of secrets and aliens, who can you trust with your heart? Working for a secret organisation specialising in alien cover-ups, Connor Smith has seen it all. His love life is as boring as his work life is thrilling… until a blind date introduces him to a man who seems to tick all the right boxes. Connor’s happiness is short-lived, however, when he becomes the target of an alien stalker. Noah Jones has been stuck on Earth since 1648, leading an unremarkable, solitary existence as a bookshop owner. He has only experienced a profound connection with a human once… until he encounters Connor. Driven by an irresistible pull, he finds himself drawn into Connor’s orbit, despite his employer and that he’s involved with someone else. Among vanishing alien artefacts and lurking shadowy collectors, Noah’s constant presence stirs a swirl of emotions Connor struggles to decipher. But when Noah goes missing, and doubts arise around his perfect boyfriend, Connor’s orderly world shatters. As the lines between the personal and the extra-terrestrial blur, Connor and Noah must navigate a maze of betrayal and hidden identities in this thrilling sci-fi romance.

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Summary: In the space of ten hours, civilization was gone... Their parents were survivors of World War Last. Children of The Vista have become guardians of the secluded valley they call home. Wanderlust will take them out into a land they know nothing about, where the line between enemy and ally blurs. Backlash - Introducing Team Three Facing an unknown adversary that threatens to wreak havoc across what little humanity remains, they must rely on their unusual abilities, and hope they're strong enough to stop the chaos. The first to join Security, Mac is an outsider despite knowing he's as different as his partners. All three are Gen En, genetically enhanced, and he understands it's not a safe thing to be. Wade is their unofficial leader. Few people outside the team gain his trust, making him seem difficult and distant. He's protecting everyone by hiding what they are. As the Scout, Shannon keeps watch on the long-abandoned roadways. This gives her time to consider what might exist beyond Montana. More curious than afraid, she wants to see for herself. Together, they are unstoppable. Their enemies are gathering and know the secrets they hide.

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Summary: In November 2039, marine scientist Wend Taylor heaves themself aboard a zero-emissions boat skippered by elusive nature photographer Viola Yang. Guided by instinct, ocean dreams, and a shared birthday in 1972, they barter stories for passage across the Pacific. Aljon, Viola’s younger cousin, keeps a watchful eye and an innovative galley. Story by story, the trio rethink secrets, flying dreams, and how they experience their own minds. When they reach Hawaiʻi and prepare to part ways, opportunity and mystery pull them closer together. Both scientific and personal discoveries take shape as they join with ex-lovers, lost friends, and found family. Wend must navigate an ever-shifting future, complicated by bioengineered microbes and a plot to silence scientists, entangled with inexplicable dreams and a calling to Be the Sea.

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Summary: On Earth a stranger is convicted of murder, though he has no memory of the crime. A young architect wins his Masters degree, but -- still battling his demons -- he makes a momentous decision. A young woman waits for her father to come home, but her troubles are only just beginning. These three people share a connection they have yet to discover. On the remote world of Berikatanya the people suffer the most cataclysmic failure of Elemental magic in their history. How will they deal with the loss of so many powerful magicians? Berikatanyan Dawn is a prequel novella that can be enjoyed on its own, and also sets the scene for John's SF/Fantasy trilogy: The Berikatanyan Chronicles. It is only available as a free download when signing up to John's mailing list.

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Summary: What might the ethical Governor David Gedden give up for one man's exquisite beauty? It's terrifying to consider when the man is a destructive blood prostitute and David is responsible for the state's peaceful vampire community. Blood sales in Boston are up, blood taxes support a thriving new nightlife, neighborhoods have been refurbished, and deaths by vampires have plummeted. David is assured reelection. However, the blood addict Stephen Salando has returned from exile with one unalterable plan: to turn the good governor into a vampire. Stephen is an immortal dhampir, whose beauty obliterates reason, who rouses in David a fierce desire he's ignored his whole life. But for David to have Stephen, he must ally with an ancient vampire, the community's seductive archnemesis. To have him, he must become a killer himself. Will David hold on to his ethical public life? Or will he follow what he most desires, a kiss with a killer to become a vampire himself?

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Summary: Alessia is an Outsider—a member of the not-quite-human community that has recently been released from their underground prison. Shortly after their liberation, Alessia is given an ultimatum: obey all the United Earth Alliance’s demands, or her mother will forever remain a hostage—a mother she’d believed dead for fifteen years. Reluctantly, she agrees, though she has no idea what those demands may be or how she will balance her obligations to the UEA with her responsibilities to her people and her family. As the UEA tightens its grip on humans and Outsiders alike, it becomes clear that meaningful social change will not be possible without a revolution. Alessia and her peers embark on a mission to discover just how far the government is willing to go to maintain their monopoly on power. What Alessia and her comrades discover, however, goes much deeper than they’d ever anticipated. Who are the Outsiders, really? What secrets of their destiny lay hidden within a top-secret space station? And why are the Outsiders linked to an emerging disease the UEA seems desperate to keep secret?  As they delve deeper, it isn’t only Alessia’s identity that will be called into question, but the fate of the entire planet.

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Summary: RELEASING IN AUDIOBOOK FORMAT APRIL 26TH, 2021 Colton is a trans man living in a climate-changed world. He plies the canals that used to be city streets, earning a living taking tourists on illicit journeys through San Francisco's flooded edges beneath the imposing bulk of the Wall. Tris is an elf who comes through the veil to the City by the Bay - the Caille - on a coming of age pilgrimage called the Cailleadhama. He is searching for his brother Laris, who went missing after crossing through the Caille years before. The two men find they have common cause, and together they set off to find Laris in a world transformed by the twin forces of greed and climate change. And in the end, they find out more than they ever expected, both about the warming world and their own selves. Note: This story was originally published in the "Myths Untold: Faery" anthology from Wilde City Press. It is presented here in its original form.

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Summary: In the wake of a worsening climate crisis, magic runs rampant and demons roam across the Canadian prairies. A long-dead god stirs in the Pacific Ocean, while the wilderness is choked by invasive, screaming grass. The Cascade has shattered political stability, leaving a scandal-plagued government clinging to power in Ottawa. As catastrophe looms ahead, a precognitive rainman, Ian Mallory, stands between run-of-the-mill corruption and a nightmarish, dystopian future. It is up to a diverse and unlikely band of activists, scientists, journalists, and one underpaid, emoji-spell wielding intern to save their beleaguered country from its own worst impulses

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Summary: Rising seas, coral bleaching, and her friendship with an intelligent octopus shaped Samantha's world. As a promising young marine biologist, she travels to Australia's Great Barrier Reef to study the blue octopus (Cyanea). Her interactions with these intelligent creatures challenge humanity's established views of sentient beings and ecological rights. Disturbing events at home leave her isolated from her research team. She grapples with a pressing question: Can humanity repair the damage they've done? Is a viable future for life on land and sea still possible?

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Summary: Who expects a haunted doll to be such a nuisance? When Dare’s dog discovers an abandoned doll on their doorstep, Dare assumes it’s nothing more than a lost toy… until it begins to talk. After the doll offers up a string of bad suggestions and unhelpful advice, Dare is left wondering if the isolation of lockdown has finally proved too much. Struggling to get rid of the bad-tempered toy, Dare has no idea that this not-quite-scary fiend will accidentally change everything. With a dash of humour, this queer cosy-horror short story is a fun, quirky tale – perfect for readers who like the idea of being scared more than the reality of it.

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Summary: Other stories will take you to Mars. This one will take you inside the boardroom, the pub, and the bedroom with the people planning the mission. Gurdeep is an engineer and a soldier. Georgie’s a food scientist. One is pragmatic with a tough outer shell; the other’s an optimist, a person of ideas and compassion. In the span of a single afternoon, the couple find themselves in charge of planning a self-sustaining colony on Mars. Together, they’re humanity’s last hope for survival. They have 160 slots to fill with experts from all over the world as they set about designing an all-new society with its own government, economy, and culture – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Among those chosen for the mission is Devon, an autistic scientist with a unique skill set who finds life on Earth strange and alienating. Maybe a whole new planet is exactly what’s needed. With 1,114 days until the launch, excitement and tensions run high. Earth’s second chance hangs in the balance. Between strict genetic requirements and the dangers of the dystopian almost-present, will everyone make it to the final countdown? This is a work of neurodiverse, culturally diverse, gender-bendy, socio-politico-economic, drunken-arguments-in-the-pub science fiction – not bang-bang-pew-pew science fiction.

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Summary: My kid, Romy, says I'm old and she's worried about me. What's to worry about... aside from Jordan, my ex? Really, she didn't have to come all the way home to check on me. It's all good—especially Nova, the girl at the drive-up coffee shop. I keep to my work and surfing the local breaks to keep her out of my head... But it doesn't work. Her perfect skin and brilliant hair crash through my mind and draw me to her—like a super-moon tide. There's something about her... Bodie Catalan knows second chances don't just happen after a hard life, wracked by mistakes. Every now and again, however, the universe throws down a wildcard. Drive-Up is a fabulist, sentimental, 21st century tale. It rides the beach breaks along the shores of several genres and connects the wildcard thrown to entangled, beach-bound lives and the inexorable tidal change that moves all that cross it. Dive into this tale and see what's been served at the Drive-Up.

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Summary: Flee. Scatter. Take your mates and your offspring and run. The escape pods fall to Earth one by one over the course of weeks, a mysterious and diverse alien diaspora, each pod containing a different alien race and leaving the world's governments scrambling to deal with this unexpected immigration. Serge Kosygin, still grieving and isolated after his husband's death, watches events with gray disinterest until one day he witnesses a pod crash for himself while driving home. Two of the alien visitors have died, but one survives, badly injured, and Serge is determined that if this alien is also going to die, it won't be under the harsh lights of a government facility. Devastated by the loss of his life mates in their desperate effort to reach safety, the knowledge that Een is the last Aalana in this sector of the galaxy only compounds his sorrow. He wakes in an alien dwelling under the care of one of the native dominant builder species, a being who appears to share nothing with Een besides a bipedal structure. Slowly, with the help of his patient and kind host, he discovers they are more similar than he imagined as they share harmonies and his host assists him with language acquisition. Their tentative first contact soon evolves into a deepening friendship, a balm for two grief-weary souls. They'll need each other and their growing bond for the troubles lurking just ahead. Publisher's Note: Eating Stars was previously published as part of Meteor Strike: Serge & Een as a novelette. It has undergone extensive rewrites and edits with over 10,000 words of new content added.

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Summary: Special Agent Kerri Elias joined the Boundary Guards to escape the haunting memories of her past, dedicating her life to battling the enigmatic Black-eyed Children—creatures that masquerade as innocent kids to snatch unsuspecting victims. But when her partner vanishes before her eyes, Kerri’s world shatters, thrusting her into a dark labyrinth of betrayal and deception, where not all of humanity’s enemies bear the Children’s deep obsidian gaze. As she navigates this perilous new reality, Kerri finds herself thrown together with a shaky crew: her boss, Hank Stillwell; the fierce deputy, Danielle Tauriac; the handsome yet secretive newcomer to the Guards, Aaron Vincent; and the scrappy Louisiana native Dr. Will Daigle, who suspects he may be in way over his head. With the threat of the Black-eyed Children looming ever closer, Kerri is unnerved by a chilling note left for her in the New Mexico desert. Is she the key to humanity's survival—or the next target? As alliances shift and secrets unravel, Kerri must confront the darkness within herself and the sinister forces that threaten to consume everything she holds dear.

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Summary: Unseen by human eyes, something sinister is attacking the inner solar system. In his third clone incarnation, Joe has dedicated his life to two unwavering pursuits: the hunt for the elusive Tanakhai starships and the construction of a colossal war fleet. His mission - to protect humanity from the inevitable alien onslaught he believes is coming. An alien fleet suddenly enters the solar system, and the fate of humanity once again hangs in the balance. Positioned beyond Jupiter's orbit, the Fleet of Humanity stands ready, expecting an all-out battle. But, to everyone's shock, the alien intruders don't attack. Instead, four of their enigmatic vessels vanish, leaving the rest in an eerie stalemate. What is their true agenda? Humanity soon discovers the grim truth—a catastrophic crisis unfolds on Mercury and Venus, threatening the very existence of all human worlds. Time is running out, and the stakes have never been higher. "FALCON'S BANE" is the thrilling conclusion to the multi-award winning Falcon Trilogy, by author Mike Waller. Join the indomitable Joe Falcon as he faces humanity's greatest and most relentless adversary in a final showdown that will leave you breathless.

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Summary: Reader's Favorite Gold Medal Winner 2019 B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree 2019 Chill With A Book Premier Award 2019 In a heart-pounding battle for humanity's survival, one man holds the key to a glorious future or utter extinction. In a race against time, Earth and Mars race to claim a derelict alien ship as it enters the Solar System, both aware that whichever planet succeeds might in so doing achieve technological advantage over the other. But who should they send? Joe Falcon, an unlikely candidate, never saw himself as the "right" person. Accompanied by a crew of misfits, each fleeing their own personal demons, he questions why he should be the chosen one. But destiny calls, and he can't ignore it. When Joe's survey vessel, Butterball, rendezvous with the mysterious visitor, he encounters a ship so colossal that exploring its vast expanse is impossible. The alien craft responds to his presence in awe-inspiring and unsettling ways, yet no signs of its inhabitants can be found. Everything Joe and his team witness defies explanation, shrouded in deception and uncertainty. Joe soon realizes he and his crew are expendable and cannot take anything or anyone at face value, including the alien ship’s owners. Unbeknownst to Joe, their every move is being scrutinized and analyzed. But the true threat to humanity isn't the awe-inspiring spacecraft—it's something far more perilous. Unbeknownst to Joe, he holds the power to determine the destiny of two worlds, launching humankind into a glorious future or hurtling them towards oblivion. Immerse yourself in Falcon's Call, an electrifying journey into the unknown, paying homage to the timeless classics of science fiction. Prepare for unexpected twists, captivating characters, and a hero driven by genuine compassion. Mike Waller delivers a must-read novel that will leave you breathless. Grab your copy of Falcon's Call today and let Joe Falcon's odyssey ignite your imagination.

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Summary: One man holds the future of humanity in his hands. Six decades after the Blackship War, Earth is once again under alien attack, the weapon of choice one that humanity could never anticipate, and never hope to counter. Humankind is being attacked by its own planet. Six decades after the departure of the gigantic, alien star-ship dubbed the ‘Minaret’, Joe Falcon thinks it is finally over, and he can settle down to a better, quieter life. He is wrong. At the outermost edge of the Solar System lurks an alien intelligence the like of which humanity has never before encountered, with an agenda of its own. As the leading authority of the Minaret, it falls to Joe to find a solution and travel billions of kilometers to confront Mankind’s greatest ever threat. But how do you deal with a mind so alien, so advanced, and so filled with hatred that nothing will sway it from its destructive course? Joe must find a way. If humanity is to survive, he has no choice.

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Summary: The seas spell freedom. Pirates and kraken, boats and submarines, deadly sirens, mermaids, and the women who face them all. These are our heroes. High seas adventure, fantasy, and magic weave together in this sapphic anthology focusing on the joy of the unbounded oceans. If you like diverse stories with lesbian and sapphic heroines exploring oceans, battling sea monsters, and seducing pirates, buy Farther Reefs today! With stories by: Sarah Day and Tim Pratt, Kim Pritekel, Kyoko M. Sara Codair, William C. Tracy, N.L. Bates, Robin C.M. Duncan, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Margaret Adelle, and J.S. Fields Genres: Science Fiction / Fantasy / Adventure / Lesbian / LGBT and Non Binary Market: Adult

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Summary: "...an apocalyptic survival story that moves with the speed of a raging river..." This is how the world ends. For one man, this is how it begins. Donald Kerston's life up to now could only be described as a nightmare. But what he wakes up to suddenly becomes much worse. Struggling for his very survival, for the first time he finds friends and a future - only to be confronted with the one thing he didn't ever want to face.