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sci fi – colonization

Sci fi stories that embody worldbuilding in the truest sense, showing a new world as it is built from the ground up. Return to general Sci Fi

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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: Ray Bradbury wrote, "...this book is wonderful!" in his review of War Eagles. A disgraced pilot, world against him, takes the only job he can get - to circumnavigate the globe to test a new plane. Crashing in a volcanic garden on an uncharted island over the arctic, he encounters a tribe of Vikings who ride giant eagles, treacherous prehistoric creatures and a secret Nazi airbase. When the Nazis attack America, the humiliated pilot bravely sets out with a small ragtag group to save his country. FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS! "Wonderful story. War Eagles is a really good adventure story." amazon reader "WW2 with a dash of fantasy! I really enjoyed stepping back in time as the race for air travel was developing. One could truly feel the passion these pilots and engineers had for these magnificent machines. The twist of stepping back into a land of Vikings and dinosaurs was very well executed." amazon reader Inspired by a concept by Merian C. Cooper - the creator of King Kong.Just prior to the start of WWII a publicly humiliated Army Air Corps test pilot, court-martialed for an unauthorized flight that endangered the life of President Roosevelt, takes the only job he can get - flying an experimental airplane around the world from South to North poles. When his plane is attacked and crashes in the Arctic, he finds himself in an undiscovered land inhabited by a lost tribe of Norsemen who ride giant eagles and, in a surprising turn of events, becomes America's only hope against a devastating sneak attack by the Nazis and their powerful new electromagnetic weapon. Review excerpt: "... Debbie Bishop and Carl Macek 's War Eagles delivers a pulse-pounding adventure that blends historical fiction, fantasy, and aerial combat into an exhilarating story. The novel introduces us to court-martialed test pilot Court Bannister, who finds himself thrust into a lost world teeming with Viking warriors riding giant eagles and prehistoric beasts. From the moment his experimental aircraft is attacked over the Arctic, the story launches into a gripping tale of survival, discovery, and redemption. Bishop’s vivid descriptions of aerial maneuvers and intense dogfights immediately immerse the reader in the action, making the high-stakes battles feel incredibly real. What makes War Eagles so captivating is its seamless fusion of historical elements with fantastical concepts. The world-building is particularly strong, as Bishop and Macek bring to life an ancient civilization that has thrived in isolation for centuries, untouched by modern warfare."

COMING SOON
War Eagles - Debbie Bishop
War Eagles
Available on:

Word Count: 88,000

Summary: Peanut butter and chocolate. Cheese and wine. Sex and rock n' roll. History is full of great pairings. Get ready for your new favorite: Lesbians and Space! Join a host of intrepid explorers heading to the outer reaches of the galaxy, exploring planets, space stations, strange new worlds and interesting aliens. Launch into stories that span the cosmos, covering Space Opera, Xenobiology, Space Stations, Adventure, and Spaceships! From spaceship mechanics to intergalactic colony queens, heists, smugglers, gods, and sentient planets, Lesbians in Space explores the galaxy from the unique perspective of the lesfic world, blending the best of sapphic literature with modern sci-fi and space opera tropes. With stories by: Mary Robinette Kowal, Seanan McGuire, Travis Baldree, Emma Newman, MK Hardy, Ashleigh Martin, Nathan Chu, Stewart C Baker, Kayla Whittle, Joel Glover, Caye Marsh, Kira Neu, Jes Honard, S.M. Passmore, Sylvie Althoff, Jasmine Gower, Siena Buchanan, Beáta Fülöp, Danielle Woolhead, J.S. Fields, and Heather Tracy

Lesbians in Space - J.S. Fields, William C. Tracy & Heather Tracy
Lesbians in Space: Where No Man Has Gone Before
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Word Count: 96500

Summary: Aik will never be the same … and neither will his world. War is coming. Aik has become the Progenitor, and the Seed Mother has released him to transform the world for her alien brood. Silya and Raven, Aik's former friends, are the only ones who can save him and the world. But what if the cure is worse than the invasion? As Silya rushes to prepare Gullton for the battle to come, she's determined to save as many people as she can. But new crises emerge that demand her attention. Raven has his own hands full, keeping the dragon-like verent in line, while helping Silya to save the world. But what if the only way to do so is to sacrifice Aik, the man that he loves? It's the end of the world … or could it be the start of something new?

The Death Bringer - J. Scott Coatsworth
The Death Bringer
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: A collection of five speculative short stories by H. L. Moore, including award-winning tales Entente and No Place of Honour.

Entente - H. L. Moore
ENTENTE & other short stories
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Word Count: 85000

Summary: The fate of Lida looms. Agetha thought her fate was sealed, pushed to the edge of the colony to die. But with the revelation that the biomass is not only intelligent, but sentient, changes to colony are accelerating, threatening its very existence. Those who were controlled by the biomass once again have free will. Now, the human colonists are raising their voices and for the first time really influencing their new home. The planet-wide consciousness is slipping into a crisis of identity, when it doesn’t even have a sense of self. The wilds surrounding the colony are becoming increasingly unstable, and the colonists find themselves divided into those who have been touched by the biomass and those who are still wholly human. Can one small colony survive its inner conflicts as well as the titanic might of an entire planet?

The Spores of Wrath - William C. Tracy - The Biomass Conflux
The Spores of Wrath
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Word Count: 93300

Summary: Silya comes into her own, but will she be enough? Silya finally has everything she always wanted: She's the Hencha Queen, head of the Temple, and is mastering her newfound talents. So why does the world pick now to fall apart? Her once-nemesis Raven is off riding dragons, and their mutual friend (and her ex) Aik is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, a new threat menaces the Heartland from the East. If she can't convince a reluctant city council to prepare for the worst, she may lose everything—and everyone—she's ever cared about. As Silya wields her abilities, dry wit, and sheer determination to save her city, she's joined by Raven and his new friends, just as a dark storm threatens to sweep them all away. Will their aid help tip the scales? And will she and Raven finally find out what happened to Aik? Forget messy. Things just got apocalyptic.

The Hencha Queen - J. Scott Coatsworth
The Hencha Queen
Published:

Word Count: 105000

Summary: Cmd. Boone knows he works for the bad guy. He knows the warlord wants to end humankind. And he knows his treachery—hiding the warlord's rival—means death. His plan: escape with the warlord's weapon. But his superiors are catching on, and the rival fleet isn't as receptive as he'd hoped. And worse: the weapon has a reckless agenda of her own. Multi-award winning space opera. Full of page-turning action, epic space battles, twists & biological magic.

The Handler's Gambit - Ingrid Moon - Saxen Saga
The Handler's Gambit
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Word Count: 38000

Summary: RISE (noun / verb) Eight definitions to inspire writers around the world, and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell: 1) An upward slope or movement 2) A beginning or origin 3) An increase in amount or number 4) An angry reaction 5) To take up arms 6) To return from death 7) To become heartened or elated 8) To exert oneself to meet a challenge Rise features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

Rise Anthology
Rise
Published:
Genres:

Word Count: 96,000

Summary: A guard and a thief. What could go wrong? Aik has fallen hopelessly in love with his best friend. But Raven's a thief, which makes things … complicated. Oh, and Raven has just been kidnapped by a dragon. Now Aik is off on a quest of his own, to hunt down the foul beast and make them give back his … friend? Lover? Soulmate? The whole not-knowing thing just makes everything harder. Meanwhile, the world of Tharassas is falling apart, besieged by earthquakes, floods, and strange creatures no one has ever seen before. Aik's ex, Silya has gone back to Gullton to try to save her people as the Hencha Queen, and Aik's stuck in a caravan with her mother and a damnable magical gauntlet that won't let him be. He has to find Raven, before it’s too late. Things were messy before … but now they're much, much worse.

The Gauntlet Runner - J. Scott Coatsworth
The Gauntlet Runner
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: Forty years after landing on Lida, the colony still isn't finished. Agetha has survived many more battles than she anticipated when she first landed on her new home planet. She's older and wiser, has gained family and lost loved ones. And yet her reward for four decades of service is to be pushed to the colony’s outer edges with the other aging Generationals. But that was only the beginning of her adventure. The biomass has spent years studying the intruders who landed on its surface, carving a new home from its very essence. Never satisfied in its attempt to communicate with this new and invasive species, finally it has found a way to express its intentions. The colonists may never be the same. Discover the fate of the colony in the second book of The Biomass Conflux trilogy!

To a Fungus Unknown - William C. Tracy
To a Fungus Unknown
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Word Count: 93700

Summary: Raven's a thief who just swallowed a dragon. A small one, sure, but now his arms are growing scales, the local wildlife is acting up, and his snarky AI familiar is no help whatsoever. Raven's best friend Aik is a guardsman carrying a torch for the thief. A pickpocket and a guard? Never going to happen. And Aik’s ex-fiancé Silya, an initiate priestess in a magical crisis, hates Raven with the heat of a thousand suns. This unlikely team must work together to face strange beasts, alien artifacts, and a world-altering threat. If they don’t figure out what to do soon, it might just be the end of everything. Things are about to get messy.

The Dragon Eater - J. Scott Coatsworth
The Dragon Eater
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Word Count: 8,000

Summary: In 1962, in the western jungle region of Belize, Father Carl, an American missionary priest was found lying dead on the floor of his study. People from the nearby village of San José were blamed but, strangely, no one was ever officially charged or found guilty. Since then the village has been known as, “the village that murdered the priest.” This is only one secret within a carefully guarded web of desire, envy and guilt which torment and isolate people in this village. Thirty years later, with the introduction of water and electricity, satellite TV and the completion of the Western Paved Road, the village is connected to the outside world: people collide and their secrets unravel, sometimes tragically. Secrets of Ishtabay takes you into a world of mysticism and antiquity and introduce you to a people who are suspended between an eroding past of ancient lost cities, half-forgotten myths and subsistence farming, and a hostile present of encroaching global economics, illicit drugs, artifact smuggling and civil wars.

Secrets of Ishtabay - Mark David Campbell
Secrets of Ishtabay
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Word Count: 109,000

Summary: Time is running out for planet Earth. An insidious Martian plague has been infecting the planet for over twenty years, and has resisted all human efforts to eradicate it. With all life on Earth facing extinction, the only solution left is to directly access a specific piece of Martian technology. But, according to diaries left behind by Ogilvy the astronomer, the Martians have hidden it at the lake on the moon. In 1945, three rockets converted from Martian cylinders take off on the vital lunar mission, and amongst the crew is Ogilvy's nephew, Jack Stent. Will the astronauts locate the Martian shadow-weapon, thought to hold the desperately needed cure for Marseria? Can it really be used to instigate another timeline on Earth so that mankind can survive? The stakes are high and so is the risk of contact and conflict with Martians. Nearly two hundred years later, at a scientific colony on Mars, a shocking discovery is made about Jack Stent, and Ogilvy's Martian diaries are once again pivotal to human survival and the continuation of life on Earth. Gateway To Mars is the third volume of The Martian Diaries series that continues the classic H.G. Wells alien invasion novel in a compelling, unmissable action adventure. If you're a fan of The War Of The Worlds you won't want to miss this story of survival, courage and hope, that brings the original tale full circle. Available in paperback, ebook and audiobook featuring original music and immersive sound effects. What readers/listeners have said: "A riveting sequel...I highly recommend this flawless production to sci-fi, action-thriller, time travel and adventure fans." Readers Favorite Reviews (Audiobook version) "Gateway To Mars delivers a perfect conclusion to this remarkable trilogy, one I know I'll revisit time and again." Goodreads “A really well written, excellent continuation of the story and a truly brilliant tribute to HG Wells! I do recommend!” Goodreads "An absolute peach of sci-fi adventure - this series is dynamic. Fabulous escapism all the way." C.A. Powell sci-fi author The last Days Of Thunder Child

Gateway to Mars - HE Wilburson - The Martian Diaries
The Martian Diaries: Vol.3 Gateway To Mars
Published:

Word Count: 81,000

Summary: Explore the birth of a new world! Journey through time and space to the intricate biosphere of Juno, where three species have been birthed by the gods. First the Kuhifadi, inheritors of sun magic, able to do great deeds with magic stored in their bodies. Second the fearsome Uchafumlaji, technological savants who live in the depths of the ground. Third the weird Ngisikaa, a species uplifted from animals through communal memories. Small decisions and single individuals will affect the tide of history. Learn of the first Ngisikaa to meet death, whether a Kuhifadi will make the sacrifice to become a mage, and if an Uchafumlaji can build a bridge to the past. These stories and more will create The World of Juno! With content by: Nick Bright and Brent Lambert, C.J. Hosack, Nate Battalion, Daniel Eavenson, Malcolm F. Cross, Katie Cordy, William C. Tracy, N.L. Bates, Reese Hogan, Cedan Bourne, Robin C.M. Duncan, and X.M. Moon Genres: Science Fiction / Fantasy / Adventure / LGBT and Non Binary Market: Adult

The World of Juno Anthology
The World of Juno
Published:

Word Count: 33000

Summary: Clarity (noun) Four definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell: 1) Coherent and intelligible 2) Transparent or pure 3) Attaining certainty about something 4) Easy to see or hear Clarity features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

Clarity anthology
Clarity
Published:
Genres:

Word Count: 100,000

Summary: Lida was their last chance for an uncolonized planet. But a world-spanning fungus had colonized it first. Agetha and her husband have spent their whole lives in the fleet’s zero-G. Now all is turmoil as the fleet lands, discovering they are surrounded by a single fungal biomass spanning the entire planet. To build a new home, the fleet must confront a dangerous organism, and Agetha must decide if she can raise a family in this inhospitable landscape. Jane Brighton holds tenuous command over the colony and its administrators. She and the other gene-modded leaders emerged from their four-hundred-year suspended animation to find a crew much different from the one that departed Old Earth. Jane must direct the colony’s fragile growth and defend it against being overrun by the fast-growing biomass. But there is something none of the colonists know. The massive organism that spans the planet is not simply a fungal mass, nor even a chimerical combination of species that once roamed the planet. The biomass has desires and goals, and one is to know these strange beings carving out a home in its midst. Download today to read of the colony’s fate in Of Mycelium and Men! Genres: Space Opera / Science Fiction / Colonization / Alien Contact / LGBT / Non Binary / Trans Market: Adult

Of Mycelium and Men - William C. Tracy - The Biomass Conflux
Of Mycelium and Men
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: Nothing is new under another sun. Not even murder. This mission should be simple. Exoplanetary scout Leif Grettison and ace pilot Yang Yong are off to deliver a load of supplies and reinforcing settlers to a recently colonized planet. It’s as routine as a starflight can be. Famous last words. Something is wrong with the colonists. They are astonishingly ill-suited for the task of settling a new world. The planet, too, is a poor place to plant a town for humans. Even if everything goes right, the colony might not survive. Then one of the colonists is found dead. Murder is a possibility. Not long after, another one dies—and this time, it’s definitely murder. In a world with only two hundred people, there’s at least one killer. Meanwhile, the colony’s new leader has a plan—but Leif has doubts. Will this man save the settlement, or use his power to become a dictator? Leif and Yong’s mission is clear: they must leave the colony in shape to survive. Leif is a retired soldier, not a detective, and when it comes to investigating a crime, he doesn’t have a clue. Literally. Still, it falls to him to follow the evidence and find the killer. He also needs to deal with the leader and the leader’s plan. If Leif fails, the only mystery may be how long it will take for everyone to die.

Murder Under Another Sun - Colin Alexander - Leif the Lucky
Murder Under Another Sun
Published:

Word Count: 130000

Summary: Life after the Crash. 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 into the Moon's core, humanity must recolonize the homeworld. Twenty brave dropnauts set off on a mission to explore the empty planet. Four of them—Rai, Hera, Ghost and Tien—have trained for two-and-a-half years for the Return. They're 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.

Dropnauts - J. Scott Coatsworth
Dropnauts
Published:

Word Count: 21,400

Summary: When do dreams become reality? Orin sells dandelion latex at a no-name market, barely scraping by. Mette is a princess. Maybe. What Orin does know is that for thirty seconds every night, Mette visits Orin in xir dreams. Orin has long since written the fancy ghost woman off as a recurring nightmare, but when Mette insists upon meeting in real life, Orin's inner world turns out to be more substantive than imaginary. Along with best friend Blathnaid, Orin embarks on a journey to discover the truth behind xir otherworldly connection--determined to free xir mind and finally get a good night's sleep. But it's an ancient, planetary magic that binds Orin to Mette, and Orin's dandelions may be their only chance to survive the separation. If you want a fun, queer romp through a sci-fi planet with magic and dragons (of a sort), download Awry with Dandelions today! Note: this book uses xie/xir pronouns for Orin. Genres: Space Opera / Science Fiction / Romance / LGBT Lesbian Non Binary Market: Adult and New Adult

Awry With Dandelions 0 J.S. Fields
Awry With Dandelions
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Word Count: 26000

Summary: Reimund Swiđhun has it made. With the king's blessing, he will capture Lady Mildthryth, marry her, and finally have land to call his own. Lady Mildthryth Rúna has been fighting off would-be 'suitors' for months. She will marry on her terms or not at all. On their world, a noblewoman is expected to marry and accept her subordinate place. Unfortunately for Reimund, Milthryth's people have other traditions. She refuses give up and be a broodmare for any of the knights and lordlings the king sends after her. And before long, she has Reimund right where she wants him. For Reimund, the only thing more shameful than being captured by a woman is bending knee to one, but he will do what he must to keep his friends and followers safe. Even if it means spending the rest of his life Bound by His Oath.

Bound By His Oath - Jess Mahler
Bound by His Oath
Published:
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