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sci fi h-r

Sci fi is a type of speculative fiction that looks ahead and asks “what’s next?” You can also check out these subcategories (h-r):

hard sci fi | hollow earth | hopepunk | human evolution | immortality | latinpunk | litrpg | lost worlds | military | mind uploads | multiverse | mutants | mythpunk | nanopunk | near future | nowpunk | piratepunk | pulp | robots/androids |romance

Note: these books are currently sorted by release date, with newest first.

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Word Count: 80000

Summary: Beware the demon prince who's sick and tired of running. Federico Duomo is dead, to begin with. But this is only the first bit of Shax's problems resolved. Powerful crime lords and an obscenely wealthy oligarch are still determined to destroy him and his crew, and Fluffy's original owner may be coming after the Brimstone now, too. It would be splendid to be able to take on one thing at a time. Adding to the external conflicts, life on board the Brimstone has only grown increasingly stranger. Shax has no idea what to do with the seven partly human children that Heckle rescued from slavers. Heckle himself has grown short-tempered, even with Mac. Someone from Julian's past catches up to them on Barbary. It's enough to put a demon off his cinnamon buns. Shax isn't panicking, though. In fact he's had it up to his handsome royal nose with the people he loves having to live in constant fear. The fox has turned at bay and the Brimstone's enemies are in for a shock. The demon prince of thieves is coming for them.

A Fine Mess - Angel Martinez - Brimstone
A Fine Mess: Brimstone 7
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: He's a criminal. She's far from it. Together, they’re Earth's last hope... they just don’t know it yet. Sinbad sh'en Singh had everything. A thriving smuggling career, his hologram on wanted posters on eleven planets, and plenty of women. Then she walked into his life. Andrea Talltrees, member of a backwards cult not believing in space travel or anything else invented after the Twentieth Century. She wants him to find her husband, a fugitive accused of being an Albegensian spy, the planet currently at war with Earth. He doesn’t want anything to do with an Earther, but a massive culture clash and a heavy dose of instant attraction get in the way, sending good sense flying out the viewport. They'll brave some very unsavory characters, maybe even prevent a second interplanetary war...if they can stop arguing. It's Star Wars meets Firefly in this exciting space opera thrill ride that doesn't let up. Pick up your copy today and join the adventure.

Star Smuggler: The Last Voyage - TS Snow
The Last Voyage
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Word Count: 69500

Summary: Strap in, turn down the lights, and enter worlds that will stretch your imagination to the full… From the multi-award-winning author of the First Contact Series, Milijun, Saving Paludis, Silently in the Night, and Those Alien Skies comes a spellbinding collection of short stories that promises hours of captivating entertainment. Experience tales ranging from a stranded alien comedian to the darkest corners of the human mind; from breathtaking galactic adventures to hidden extraterrestrial schemes on Earth. Each story is crafted to keep you guessing and enthralled at every turn. 2022 IAN Book of the Year Award: Short Story Collection - Finalist 2022 Incipere Book Awards - First Place 2022 Global Book Awards - Gold Winner 2021 Readers' Favorite - Finalist 2021 Literary Titan Gold Book Award 2021 Top Shelf Award - First Place 2021 Authors Shout Top Pick ★★★★★ "The writing style employed by Graham is unique and powerful. His wording is beautiful and well-crafted, making the act of slipping into the worlds that he creates an easy task. The characters, situations, and places are all created with care and depth. I loved the style of this author." ★★★★★ “Looking for Life is a spine-tingling, thrilling compilation of stories you mustn’t miss." ★★★★★ “Clayton’s way with words and his descriptions of both place and characters in distant and strange encounters and worlds are painted with elegance and authority. He leaves us with not a ‘what if’ attitude, but with a ‘when?’ and that is the essence of a fine science fiction author.” ★★★★★ “I fell in love with the book from the very first story. The plots varying from dark conspiracies to direct threats keep high suspense in all stories.” With tales of alien invasion, deep space mystery, time travel, and dystopian future Earths, this is a collection which takes inspiration from the much respected ‘old masters’ of Science Fiction.

Looking for Life - Clayton Graham
Looking for Life
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Word Count: 84000

Summary: Someone’s hunting the Ungovernable. And they’re not going to stop until every one of the crew is dead. When an enemy from ex-smuggler pilot Jez’s past reappears, determined to extract revenge, the crew of the Ungovernable have two options: fight, or run. But when a hyperjump gone wrong leaves the Ungovernable crippled, her weapons down and her cloaking disabled, their options become scarce indeed. As they scramble to repair the ship with rapidly-dwindling supplies and even more rapidly-dwindling oxygen, their pursuers are inexorably closing in. And if they’re going to survive, each of the crew will have to confront dangerous secrets from their past, before those secrets come back to destroy them. Time Bomb is the third book in R.M. Olson’s science fiction space opera series The Ungovernable. With a crazy, close-knit crew, plenty of humour, and loads of action, Firefly meets Ocean’s Eleven in this fast-paced, kick-ass, wickedly fun series.

Time Bomb - R.M. Olson - The Ungovernable
Time Bomb
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: A flicker of hope lies in darkness. Cora reels from the death of a friend. With their soul trapped in her body, she desperately seeks a way to bring them back. Her hunt for a healer lands her on the doorstep of Helen, the most powerful dragon in Seattle. But when the world comes under threat, Cora is given a choice. Help Helen save the dragon that threatens Earth in exchange for the healer. Faced with the entire Dragon Council, Cora once again puts herself at odds with Lucius. Is this another twist in the road or is it how the war begins?

Helen of Seattle - D.C. Fergerson - The Dragon's Dream Saga
Helen of Seattle
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Word Count: 101,000

Summary: AWARDS B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree 2020 READERS FAVORITE International Book Awards 2021 - Bronze Medal LITERARY TITAN Silver Medal 2021 READERS FAVORITE 5 star review 2020 Sometimes, death is necessary. Two thousand years after the Great Diaspora, humanity has spread across the Orion Spur, the human domain fractured and diverse, divided into numerous small federations, empires, dictatorships, and a thousand unaligned and lonely planets. On one of those small worlds, a plant grows, a weed that feeds the addiction of many and the greed and avarice of a few, and kills without favor. Lazarus Hawk, ex-soldier and ex-mercenary, convicted of a crime of terror he did not commit, and sentenced to life on an airless prison moon from which there is no escape, has been offered a way out. It’s a chance. A good chance. To accept the offer, all he has to do is die. Forced to undertake a mission against his better judgment, Hawk finds himself teaming up with the locals of a small, backward world, and Abbie Renner, a young Guarda officer searching for the source of the drug Hellfire, and prepared to go to any lengths. This time, she has gone too far. This time she needs help. Can Hawk overcome the mistrust and reticence of a small colony world to accomplish the mission he has been forced to undertake in return for his life? If you like great, classic science fiction, you will love this new work by multi-award-winning author Mike Waller, an action-packed dive into the world of a galactic mercenary driven by the ghosts from his past. Grab a copy now and join Lazarus Hawk in his search for justice for a remote colony world.

Hawk Hellfire - Mike Waller
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Word Count: 87200

Summary: Some stories are epic. The Earth is in a state of collapse, with wars breaking out over resources and an environment pushed to the edge by human greed. Three living generation ships have been built with a combination of genetic mastery, artificial intelligence, technology, and raw materials harvested from the asteroid belt. This is the story of one of them—43 Ariadne, or Forever, as her inhabitants call her—a living world that carries the remaining hopes of humanity, and the three generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers working to colonize her. From her humble beginnings as a seedling saved from disaster to the start of her journey across the void of space toward a new home for the human race, The Stark Divide tells the tales of the world, the people who made her, and the few who will become something altogether beyond human.

The Stark Divide - J. Scott Coatsworth
The Stark Divide
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: The entire Redemption trilogy in one box set. Jed Welch thought washing out of the Marines Corps was the worst thing that could happen. It landed him back in his old life of crime, running with drug dealers in Queens. Just when he thought his luck couldn’t get worse, a global viral outbreak unleashed virulent hordes of Alpha predators. He quickly finds himself alone, saving his own skin, and on the run in New York City as the outbreak spreads. In a twist of fate, Jed discovers the remnants of a devastated Marine platoon, and decides to join them in the fight for survival. With these new allies, Jed has more than a new safe haven. He finds a renewed sense of mission and the conviction to serve again. Together, he and the other Marines will take the fight to the enemy, striking them where it matters most. As the battles rage across the earth and humanity slowly gains a foothold, Jed grows into a leader, bringing his squad into the front lines against a new and more dangerous threat than any they have yet faced.

Redemption Trilogy Box Set - AJ Sikes
The Redemption Trilogy Box Set
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: The Parada had been lost for almost two hundred years before they recovered the ship, drifting in stygian interstellar darkness, and brought her home again. But that was not the miracle. The miracle was that the crew was still alive. That was also the problem. Six crew members went out on the Parada, Earth’s first starship. All contact was lost, and the ship vanished for almost two centuries. When the Parada’s successor found the drifting ship and somehow managed to bring it home, the six crew members were not only still alive but barely older, due to the time dilation effects of near-FTL travel. Their return was a miracle – but it could not be revealed to the waiting world. The problem was, six individuals went out to the stars. More than seventy fractured personalities came back. Psychologist Stella Froud and Jesuit Father Philip Carter were recruited as part of the team assembled to investigate the mystery, and to try and help the Parada’s crew understand their condition and possibly reverse it. What they discovered was a deepening mystery, and very soon they found themselves forced to take sides in a conflict that nobody could have possibly predicted. Their world would never be the same again.

The Second Star - Alma Alexander
The Second Star
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Word Count: 46000

Summary: Royal dukes from rival countries, shipwrecked on a deserted island. The grudge match of the century—or a love story of super-heroic proportions? Sander Fiala, Duke of Roses, is fourth in line to the South Abarran throne, even though his rogue power earned him the nickname “The Monster of Roses” and got him banished from the Castle. But right before he’s about to set off on his annual birthday sailing trip, the Queen asks him to meet with the notoriously volatile North Abarran Duke of Arles. Tarik Jaso, Duke of Arles, expects the worst from people because—let’s face it—people are the worst. His superpower bombards him with any and all electronic transmissions, which…yeah, people suck. So when he’s attacked and wakes up in the cabin of a stranded boat, he knows he’s royally screwed. Because the man looming over him—the man he’d gone toe-to-toe with right before the attack—is the infamous Monster of Roses. Tarik is positive the Monster is behind his kidnapping. Sander is sure the whole thing is Tarik’s fault. As they work toward rescue, Tarik realizes that the disturbingly hot Sander is no monster, and Sander discovers that Tarik’s temper masks a caring soul wrapped in a cantankerous (though undeniably sexy) body. tt For their burgeoning connection to endure, they’ll have to duke it out with political factions, dark conspiracies, and centuries of traditions that keep them on opposite sides of the border. But first? They have to get off this damn island. Duking It Out is a 46,000-word M/M enemies to lovers, opposites attract, superhero rom-com, featuring Only One Bed, a grumpy duke who should know better than to jump to conclusions, a self-doubting duke who’s good with his hands (heh), gossipy seagulls, competent assistants, a guaranteed HEA, and (unfortunately) capes.

Duking It Out - E.J. Russell
Duking It Out
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Word Count: 27686

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.

Berikatanyan Dawn - John Beresford
Berikatanyan Dawn
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Word Count: 20,000

Summary: Aled is a gay man in a soldier's uniform. Unhappy with the turn his country is taking, Aled seizes the opportunity to enter a mysterious portal into the strange, primitive world of Thera. Finding himself trapped there, Aled discovers Marius, a man left to wander blindly in the wilderness. Surrounded by intrigue, Aled and Marius must find a way to trust each other, to save both themselves and Thera's Lady. Gay Romantic Sci-Fi Novella

Portal - L.V. Lloyd
Portal
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: AN EPIC TALE, A MEETING OF TWO UNIVERSES Disgraced scientist, Captain Anton Ekels, seizes the opportunity for redemption he recognizes in the Endeavor’s near-collision with an alien stasis pod. Expelled from the mouth of a remote wormhole, the capsule—once taken onboard the deep space research vessel--reveals clues that the captain believes may link its female humanoid occupant to an alternate reality. A student of Earth’s space exploration history, Ekels quickly recognizes a plaque similar to that attached to the twentieth century’s Pioneer space probes--but the universe described is potentially unlike anything ever encountered by the Intragalactic Science Consortium. SIX-HUNDRED YEARS EARLIER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORMHOLE Grand Master G’lea and her assistant, Master T’reau, aim their innovative celestiscope skyward and make a heretical discovery. Suppressed and warped by influential P’nesian Clerics, this startling revelation further secures the dominance of the Grand Conclave, enhances the mystery of the Heavenly Visitors and seals the fate of G’lea and T’reau. Despite the best efforts of the Grand Conclave the legend of the Grand Master and her assistant lives on in hand-copied, forbidden books, the furtive whisperings of radical academics and the tall tales of drunken sailors on the island of Lolus. Hundreds of years later, on this oft-denigrated island, unique circumstances unite a sea captain raised on those whispered tall tales with the estranged son of the powerful P’nesian Archcleric. Aboard the Vagus, A’zra and G’regor begin an adventure that not only challenges entrenched religious beliefs, but eventually inspires a much greater scientific leap—towards the Celestial Ocean and beyond. PIERCING THE CELESTIAL OCEAN THE SAGA OF THE CERULEAN UNIVERSE BEGINS

Piercing the Celestial Ocean - Kip Koelsch
PIERCING THE CELESTIAL OCEAN
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: The Dissolution approaches, and all will change. "Science fantasy with fantastic queer rep" -J.S. Fields, Author of the Ardulum Series The Dissolution approaches. Sam has saved the Assembly of Species, but at a terrible cost. Locked in his apartment, his memories gone and his best friend abducted, he is once again crippled with anxiety. Meanwhile, Enos struggles to free her brother from imprisonment, alone for the first time in her life. Her true species has been revealed, and there are hints the deadliest of her kind survived an ancient war. But the Nether contains more secrets. A musical chime disrupts daily life, signaling changes to its very fabric. To solve this mystery, Sam must face his anxiety and confront truths about his memories and unique abilities. Only then can he save his friends from the machinations of the Life Coalition, by understanding the reality behind the Facets of the Nether. If you like epic fantasy, space opera and music-based magic, you'll love William C. Tracy's Dissolution Cycle. Download Facets of the Nether today and discover the diverse cultures, genders, and alien species of an epic science fantasy space opera! The Dissolution Cycle (Epic Space Opera, LGBT): Book 1: The Seeds of Dissolution Book 2: Facets of the Nether Book 3: Fall of the Imperium Book 4: Tales of the Dissolutionverse (Novella collection)

Facets of the Nether - William C. Tracy - Dissolution Universe
Facets of the Nether
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Word Count: 45000

Summary: Returning to the frozen planet Aren died on was bound to have complications... Major Aren Dalsgaard's newest assignment is to investigate a series of murders on the frigid planet, Drass, where relations between the Treaty settlers and the indigenous inhabitants have taken a nasty turn. A linguist and trained xenologist, Major Dalsgaard should be the ideal Special Investigations Officer for this case, but Drass is where he died, over a hundred and twenty years ago. Sent by his family to the chigyel city, Nyachung finds himself confronted with a murder charge, racial prejudice, and a man who claims to be a hero from his grandmother’s generation. The man could be crazy or he could be lying to manipulate Nyachung, but the sincerity in those spring-green eyes disturbs him more than anything else he's encountered in the foreigners’ city. Evidence that makes no sense, mysterious boxes, and a suspicion that they can't trust anyone in the city drives the major and Nyachung together and out into the wilderness. No one's telling Major Dalsgaard everything, but every step leads him closer to a feeling of imminent catastrophe if he can't wrap this case up in time.

SubZero - Angel Martinez - Esto Universe
Sub Zero
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Word Count: 77000

Summary: Breaking into one of the most secure prison planets in the system isn’t the hard part. The hard part is going to be getting back out again. They just pulled off the heist of the century. Now ex-smuggler pilot Jez and the motley crew of the Ungovernable have a promise to keep: an extraction from a high-security political prison. But the timeline for the rescue is shorter than they ever imagined, and if they want to save their target from certain death, they’ll have to go in blind—no specs, no intel, no time to prepare, and only the skeleton of a plan. And between prison gangs, murderous guards, and a vicious warden, extracting their target might be the least of their worries. Jailbreak is the second book in R.M. Olson’s science fiction space opera series The Ungovernable. With a crazy, close-knit crew, plenty of humour, and loads of action, Firefly meets Ocean’s Eleven in this fast-paced, kick-ass, wickedly fun series.

Jailbreak - R.M. Olson - The Ungovernable
Jailbreak
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Word Count: 69504

Summary: The Prince of Shadows, the Jack of Shades or just plain Jack is a naughty boy, a good boy really but naughty all the same. There's nothing he likes better than a wrong to right. Hmm . . . let's start again . . . there's nothing he likes better than a willing man or woman for that matter, willing to get down and dirty with Jack. If he can right a wrong and get laid on the side then Jack is a very happy man. I say man but then do we really know who or what Jack is? Never mind he is still one of the good guys. Jack is a man with many shadows, many inhabitants as it were, and not all of them originating from this world. He has a problem. Part of him or is it one of him needs to go home and sort out things. It's going to be dangerous, it could be a one way trip but, what the heck, there could be a chance of getting it on with . . . . well that's to be seen.   Available on Smashwords - free

The Jack of Shades - Tony Farnden
The Jack of Shades
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Word Count: 103,000

Summary: The Pirates of Sufiro is the story of a planet and its people—of Ellison Firebrandt the pirate captain living in exile; of Espedie Raton, a man from the streets of Earth looking to make a fresh start for himself and his wife on a new world; of Peter Stone, the geologist who discovers a fortune and will do anything to keep it; and of the lawman, Edmund Ray Swan who travels to Sufiro seeking the quiet life but finds a dark secret. It is the story of privateers, farmers, miners, entrepreneurs, and soldiers—all caught up in dramatic events and violent conflicts that will shape the destiny of our galaxy.

The Pirates of Sufiro - David Lee Summers - Space Pirates' Legacy
The Pirates of Sufiro
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Word Count: 61,000

Summary: New Colorado Protectorate fell with the assassination of Chancellor Clarke. Like many others, Todd and Nick Ruger left the land of their birth and made a home to the north in Yellowknife. Their world was ever changing. The time came to say a sad farewell to some of their friends and loved ones, but they were taken in with open arms by others and in turn offered shelter to yet more. Through the years they remained steadfast in their duty as sentries to protect and defend those that needed it the most. Time marches on but through it all they hold each other dear and cherish the love they've shared. There are still angry ghosts, Windigos and water spirits to contend with. Their lives change, offering them new roles. When the time comes, they do what sentries have done for generations prior and teach others the skills to carry on as sentries. The Rugers lives were rich and their hearts full with their devotion and love for each other. The tradition of the sentries lived on forever. It was the legacy of Todd and Nick Ruger. That was the way it was always meant to be. Winner Gay Fantasy Romance category 2016 Rainbow Awards and Runner Up Best Gay Book 2016 Rainbow Award

Ringed Love - Elizabeth Noble - Sentries
Ringed Love
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Word Count: 30000

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.

Eating Stars - Angel Martinez
Eating Stars
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