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sci fi – dystopian & post apocalyptic

Sci fi stories that posit a society or world destroyed by something terrible and/or under autocratic rule. Return to general Sci Fi

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Word Count: 108540

Summary: The Library is dying. Ryn is finally working in the Ancestral Library, a childhood dream and a way to find her birth parentage. But the magic of the Library is being sabotaged, allowing pests, water damage and worse, while hostile Ancestor Houses are vying to move the books from the location they’ve occupied for a thousand years. Rumors of a secret society bent on sabotage, with only the words “Kill the roots, take the fruits,” leads Ryn and her stepbrother Zo on a chase across Waatch and the ancestor Islands. Three items are a danger to the Library: a rock, and sword, and a branch. Though Ryn has hated being an Ordinary her whole life, it seems the Ordinaries of Waatch, disdained by the Ancestor descendants, might hold the true key to the Library. They might be the only way for Ryn to find the saboteur and items, and save the Library along with any hope of finding her birth family.

The Traveler's Magic - CJ Hosack - Beads of Bone
The Traveler's Magic
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: First came the virus. Next, the messiah. Then, the purge. 2113 isn't the future we hoped for; it's the one we feared. But fear not! Your redemption draweth near. === The year is 2113. A virus has annihilated fifty percent of mankind. In the aftermath, a charismatic figure rises to the fore. He's young. He's rich. He's handsome. He's resourceful. He is Constantine Jedidiah Goodfellow. And America, in her desperation, elects him president. But Goodfellow soon rebrands himself as Nero, and reveals his true intentions. Under the guise of a census, he has Christians secretly branded by laser scan, allowing him to begin the systematic eradication of both the religion and its faithful. Using his government-contracted army of mechanoids known as 'Guardians,' and his high-tech warships the 'AirGuard,' he hunts down believers, forcing them to eke out an existence in the shadows. 18-year-old Sage Maddox wants to do God's will and assassinate Emperor Nero. Nero's highest vassal, Maximillian, just wants to serve his lord. And all the while, Colonel Thomas Drexler is hellbent on dethroning him. Prepare for a collision course as all three lives intersect! There will be redemption and defection galore. There will be victories and losses. When a man with power believes he's God, mankind doesn't have a prayer. Defiance can be deadly; almost as deadly as obedience. Sometimes, prayer only goes so far...rising again requires Something Greater. === Bestselling author Aaron Ryan of the Dissonance alien invasion saga presents a captivating new dystopian Christian end times fiction series across three volumes: THE END: Alpha, THE END: Omicron and the epic finale, THE END: Omega. THE END brings home a hammer-punch of gut-wrenching emotion and redemption as God's people, believers and non-believers alike, fight to depose

The End - Aaron Ryan
The Complete 'THE END' Christian Dystopian Saga
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: Disaster narrowly averted. New alliances and old enemies. Fentor's foes are advancing. His hairline is receding. His uniform is ... cheaply dyed. Mere weeks ago, the elves had been his bitterest enemies. Now, against all odds, his conscience had forced him to switch sides and save them from obliteration (although, they still didn't really like him much). With few supplies, few friends, little time, and a world to save, Fentor will have to find a way to build a rebellious movement. Also, if there's time, find a hat—or scarf, or something—to hide his rapidly retreating follicles. **** Fentor was sent stumbling back, obliged to match every forceful, wild, yet well-timed swing directed at him. All refinement forgotten, he did his best to simply fend off the onslaught and keep his balance. He made every effort not to kill his attackers. They did not extend the same courtesy to him. “It’s very rude to try and kill someone who’s showing you mercy, you know!” Fentor said, panting heavily. “Hear that, Cartín? A lesson in manners from Lord Lonochy himself!” “Well, I’ve never been more honored,” the Norimandian replied, in a voice so dry and droning that even Fentor almost snickered. “What about ‘All life cares for all life?’ Does that mean nothing to you?” Fentor asked. “Call this the exception that proves the rule!” Cartín said, punctuating his words with several quick thrusts. “But this is so dreadfully unfair! I’m one of the good people now!” Fentor pouted. **** Hiding from Elatea and her Greycoats. Desperately recruiting equally desperate crooks, runaways and ne'er-do-wells. Lacking any semblance of a plan or cohesion, but making up for it with bravado and panache. The war with elves continues, the same as ever, but Fentor knows that if he doesn't act soon, everything will change forever.

An Elvish Rebel's Field Guide to the Art of Hit & Run - Timothy S Currey - Elixir of Power
An Elvish Rebel's Field Guide to the Art of Hit & Run
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Word Count: 74061

Summary: Peace in the Sky Peace-in-the-Sky awakens, captive, after a brutal head injury. With her fractured memories, she knows only that she must protect her daughter Anissa. Even if Peace-in-the-Sky manages to escape the fierce wasteland tribe holding her captive, she and Anissa face a journey through a blasted landscape inhabited by warring peoples scrabbling for subsistence. To find safety, Peace-in-the-Sky must use her developing power of the pillars-of-flame to clear their path. As her memory reveals the secret of her true nature, her body and mind deteriorate. But nothing can stop her from delivering Anissa to the promised paradise of safety and plenty, even at the expense of her life. Station in the Sky Donna, once Peace-in-the-Sky, awakens aboard Station-in-the-Sky and rejoins a society that had been her home for thousands of years before knowing Anissa. But she soon discovers her fellow stationers have lost sight of their original mandate to protect Earth. Instead, their new plans will threaten all of Earth’s inhabitants. As her memories return, she becomes suspicious her head injury was actually an attack by another stationer. Framed as being faulty, Donna must navigate the eccentricities of the other stationers without being caught, and covertly assemble proof of their plans before they realize she will do anything to keep Earth safe from their meddling.

Station in the Sky - Caye Marsh
Station in the Sky
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Word Count: 117,412

Summary: A sense of unrest is growing among the descendants of those who survived the asteroid impact. It's been 230 years since it hit earth. Some feel it’s time to leave the retrofitted mine. The mayor enforces the old rules. Only when he feels it's safe will anyone go topside. That’s despite the breakdowns and crop failures. So, the rebellion begins. The rebels have spent years preparing and gathering supplies. They are hoping to escape soon. Will they find a way out? Will they be able to survive topside? No one is sure, but they plan on trying.

Year of Reckoning Emergence - Barbara J. Gilbert
Year Of Reckoning, Emergence
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Word Count: 68538

Summary: The Great Forest and Other Love Stories  is a collection of short stories, with various settings, including an alien planet, an imaginary country, and places in Virginia, and the end of the world. These gay love stories explore the growth of relationships, and the negotiations of various complications and challenges.

The Great Forest and Other Love Stories - Warren Rochelle
The Great Forest and Other Love Stories
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Word Count: 100000

Summary: An unprecedented heat and humidity has fallen upon the city of Bridges. People are dying. Crops are failing. And the Inventors can't find the cause. With all she's learned in our previous chapter, Jacqui has what she needs to unravel the conspiracy against the Four Families. The plans that her old nemesis Jack Diamond has set into motion are all that stands in her way. She's ready to stop him. Warning: Bad language, alcoholism, mental illness, animal abuse/death, smoking, gun violence, rioting, infidelity, sexual situations. This series centers a crime family and is intended for adults. This is the eleventh chapter of a 13-part serial novel: * The Jacq of Spades * The Queen of Diamonds * The Ace of Clubs * The King of Hearts * The Ten of Spades * The Five of Diamonds * The Two of Hearts * The Three of Spades * The Knave of Hearts * The Four of Clubs * The Jack of Diamonds <-- you are here * Book 12 coming March 2026 * Book 13 scheduled for March 2028

The Jack of Diamonds - Patricia Loofbourrow - Red Dog Conspiracy
The Jack of Diamonds
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: In this epic conclusion to the groundbreaking Venerable Series, the new order is evolving, but powerful forces still exist that want to prevent further change and destroy what has already been gained. The cost of freedom proves great as Rachel, Abraham and their followers struggle to blend the past with the present with hopes of creating a bright future.

Vigilant The Enigma of Acceptance - Samuel Freedman - Venerable
Vigilant
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Word Count: 130,000

Summary: There are monsters outside the city walls. Harvard is small, anxious, and plagued by a constant tremor, which is not an ideal combination for a desert scavenger. He and his crew are under constant threat of desertwalker attacks, and Harvard is nearly useless against them. When the biggest mistake of Harvard’s life separates him from his crew, he must learn the secrets of the desert beasts in order to survive the dangers of the dusts. Returning to Bastion with a surprising ally, Harvard is forced to choose between saving his crew or allying with the “monsters” who rescued him. Harvard never saw himself as a hero, but when the beasts of the dusts implore him to aid their rescue mission, he holds the lives of crabs and humans alike in his trembling hands. For awesome post-apocalyptic action, where Earth is ruled by gargantuan crab beasts, get your copy of Empress of Dust today!

Empress of Dust - Alex Kingsley - The Bastion Cycle
Empress of Dust
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Word Count: 91550

Summary: “IMMORTALITY BYTES: Digital Minds Don’t Get Hungry” — Genre: Science Fiction/Humor/Heist-Thriller Tagline: “Living forever... it's almost worth dying for.” One-line Story Pitch: “When an idealistic hacker’s ex-girlfriend nears inventing digital immortality, an indicted tycoon compels him to steal it.” Accolades: • Winner “Best Sci-Fi: Cyberpunk” — 7th Annual American Fiction Awards (2024) • Winner “Best Science Fiction” & "Best Political Fiction" — American Writing Awards (2024) • Winner “Best Humor/Satire” — Storytrade Awards (2024) • Semifinalist — Chanticleer's Cygnus Award for Best Science Fiction • Triple Finalist: Best Sci-Fi, Best Humor/Satire, & Best First Novel — IAN Book of the Year Awards (2024) Back Cover Blurb: In a not-so-distant future dominated by AI, universal basic income, and “subtirees” living pod-bound lives of leisure, idealistic, semi-slacker hacker Stu Reigns dreams of more. When Stu’s brilliant ex, Roxy Zhang, develops digital immortality, the world’s powerful elite scramble to secure their eternal existence. Enter Chuck Rosti, a merciless, terminally ill tycoon made more dangerous since he’s on the brink of conviction for massive fraud. His plan? Coerce Stu into helping get Roxy’s groundbreaking invention so “Feds can incarcerate my corpse.” Caught between a sick billionaire, a Russian mob, digital mind clones, and a shrewd, devout Southern matriarch, Stu gets tangled in a twisted, high-stakes, ‘inverted heist.’ But as betrayals mount and revenge includes murder, Stu and new allies must race to save lives and seek justice in humanity’s digital immortality. Fans of smart cyberpunk, like Neal Stephenson’s Snowcrash, or sci-fi with humor, as in Andy Weir’s The Martian or John Scalzi’s Redshirts, will love Immortality Bytes. Book Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul3KA2zT0aw Reviews: 1)  “Feels like an American Douglas Adams” — San Francisco Book Review 2) “A supercharged, high-stakes cyberpunk thriller.” — VERDICT:GET IT — Kirkus Reviews 3) “Perfect for anyone looking for a fun, easy read that combines sci-fi elements with a bit of social satire. Abrams’ sharp, witty prose and inventive world make it well worth the ride, especially for fans of snappy, humorous sci-fi." — 5-Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Manhattan Book Review 4) “Dark humor and crisp dialogue drive the twisty storytelling” — EDITOR'S PICK — Publishers Weekly's Booklife Reviews https://linktr.ee/immortalitybytes

Immortality Bytes - Daniel Lawrence Abrams
Immortality Bytes
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: "Hauntingly beautiful and poignant." ~ Readers' Favorite In a world shattered by war, a lone robot soldier awakens with one mission: to protect the last surviving human - a little girl named Amy. Together, they form an unbreakable bond in a world where hope is scarce. But danger lurks in the form of robotic mutations known as wolfhounds. One Shot's prime directive is clear: protect Amy at all costs. On a perilous journey through a devastated world, the bond between a girl and a robot might be the key to humanity's future. If they can survive.

I, Robot Soldier - Joel R. Dennstedt
I, Robot Soldier
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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: Information not available

Summary: Patreon -- stormcrowproductions GET YOUR POST APOCALYPTIC ON!!!! COMPLETE SERIES!!! ALL SIX BOOKS!!! The Nocturne Saga Part One!!! The Nocturne Saga Part Two Coming early next year!!!! A man who was forced to become an Assassin is interrupted just as he was to kill the last impediment to get to the Senator who sent him down the path. Earth has been chosen for Integration into the Multi-Versal System and reality itself will shift to a post apocalyptic scenario. It will not stop him from keeping the promise to end the Senator and bring justice for the broken women he left behind. Similar in scope and theme to Primal Hunter and Defiance of the Fall... Gideon Sho -- The Umbral Savage. Excerpt from Book 1 A man of wealth and means sits at an ornate table in a high end luxurious hotel speaking into a cell phone, a malicious glint to his eyes as he closes another million dollar pharmaceutical merger. He is blissfully unaware of the man behind him, in a black leather trench coat, a hood obscuring his face in deep shadow, a pistol with a suppressor aimed at the back of his head. Both are frozen within the moment of moments, between a breath and sift of sand, one with the anticipation of a killer, the other, riding high upon the arrogance of wealth. System Initializing…. -- Romance -- Progression -- LitRPG -- Multi-Versal Factions -- Gods -- GrimDark -- Classes, Levels, Skills, Abilities -- Dragons -- Dragonling Companion -- Horror

Nocturne - JD Glasscock - Umbral Savage
Nocturne -- Book 1 -- Umbral Savage
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Word Count: 77200

Summary: Earth on the Cusp of the Twenty-Second Century Just think how the world has changed in the last seventy-six years. In 1948, scientists ran the first computer program, and "the Ultimate Car of the Future," the futuristic, three wheeled Davis Divan, debuted. Since then, a succession of inventions—the personal computer, the internet, the World Wide Web, smart phones and social media—have transformed every aspect of our lives. How might the next seventy-six years change us, in ways we can barely even begin to imagine, as culture, climate change, politics and technology continue to reshape the world? Earth in 2100 will be as unrecognizable to us as today would be to someone from 1948. Eighteen writers tackled this challenge, creating an amazing array of sci-fi possibilities. From emotional AI's to photosynthetic children, from virtual worlds to a post-urban society, our writers serve up compelling slices of life from an Earth that's just around the corner. So dive in and and take a wild ride into these amazing visions of our collective future.

SALE
Earth 2100
Earth 2100 SALE
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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: Information not available

Summary: She escaped Spadros Manor, but her troubles are only beginning. Not even hostile mobs, assassins, drive-by shootings, and an explosive encounter with her worst enemy can stop private eye and mafia wife Jacqueline Spadros. She's on a quest to destroy the Red Dog Gang - before they destroy her. Dark, gritty, violent steampunk crime fiction which keeps you guessing to the very end. If you like crime fiction, noir, Victorian/historical, gritty steampunk, psychological thrillers, hardboiled mystery, hard sf, dystopian, or slow burn mafia romance you will love this series. If made into movies, this set would be rated R for bad language, graphic violence, smoking and alcohol use, pregnancy loss, child injury/murder, animal injury/death, and sexual content (Jacqui is married, after all). This digital box set comprises Act 2A of a 13 part serial novel, which brings us to the midpoint of the story. Included in this set: The King of Hearts: Part 4 of the Red Dog Conspiracy The Ten of Spades: Part 5 of the Red Dog Conspiracy The Five of Diamonds: Part 6 of the Red Dog Conspiracy The Two of Hearts: Part 7 of the Red Dog Conspiracy The Red Dog Conspiracy is one giant book - please read the first three books in the series (start with The Jacq of Spades, or read Red Dog Conspiracy Act 1) before beginning this set.

Red Dog Conspiracy meme - Patricia Loofbourrow
Red Dog Conspiracy Act 2A
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Word Count: 86000

Summary: In a post-apocalyptic world ruled by fear, where a mere glance could mean death, can one soldier rise above the chaos to reclaim humanity's lost hope? === The gorgons descended upon Earth in 2026, and by 2042, humanity is reduced to a mere whisper, hiding in fortified blockades away from the paralyzing gaze of these alien predators. For those who remain, the rules are simple: stay quiet, move quickly, and don't look. Sergeant Cameron "Jet" Shipley knows the stakes all too well; he's lost family, friends, and faith in a world where survival means living in the shadows. When he is thrust into a perilous mission to investigate mysterious thermal signals that could lead to more survivors, a new recruit within his squad unveils a shocking revelation: a weapon that could turn the tide against their alien foes. But as Jet grapples with the implications of this hidden technology, he is forced to confront a troubling truth: why has it been kept under wraps for so long? With a growing sense of distrust in the military, the sergeant is torn between loyalty to his superiors and the desire to see justice for his fallen loved ones. When the lines between friend and foe blur, can Jet confront his doubts and unite humanity against the gorgons, or will his thirst for vengeance blind him to the real threat lurking in the shadows? ===   Pick up your copy of a gripping post-apocalyptic novel with alien predators that plunges readers into the urgency of survival after invasion, where military sci fi and alien artifacts shape the fate of humanity. With a screen adaption underway for streaming networks, now is the perfect time to order your copy of this science fiction alien invasion series opener. Dissonance Volume I: Reality has it all: post-apocalyptic survival, military conspiracy, found family and horror all wrapped into one!

Dissonance - Aaron Ryan - Reality
Dissonance Volume I: Reality
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Word Count: 76,625

Summary: The era of darkness has passed, and humanity has painstakingly rebuilt its technological prowess in science and engineering, medicine, and even space flight. Despite the gradual restoration of knowledge over the past millennium, much of history remains shrouded in a dimly-remembered, murky past. Enter Reysa Sahin, a brilliant young archaeologist, who unearths a manuscript from the lost age, penned by the esteemed oracle Blessed Julia Lowell herself. This precious relic not only unveils a forgotten past but serves as a stark warning against repeating the mistakes that once nearly annihilated humankind. Revealing Blessed Julia's wisdom triggers an unstoppable chain of events, ensnaring astronaut Kallman Dorn, his cautious and empathetic partner, the aging patriarch of the Holy See of Klen, and the fanatical, fiery leader of the Zealots—who is determined to finally purify the human race. Once again, humanity is at a crossroads. Echoes from the past collide. Will a discovery on the far side of the moon reignite the powder keg and send it back to the Dark Ages, or will it point the way toward the stars and enlightenment?

The Chains of Orion - Gordon Bonnet - Arc of the Oracles
The Chains of Orion
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Word Count: 75000

Summary: Enjoy the next chapter in this dark, psychological, steam-powered future mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Patricia Loofbourrow. Recovering from the tremendous losses she's suffered in our last chapter, private eye and mafia wife Jacqueline Spadros gets a new case from an unlikely source: her mobster husband. But when a mutual friend goes missing, Jacqui and her husband must join forces on a case which quickly turns deadly.

The Four of Clubs - Patricia Loofbourrow - Red Dog Conspiracy
The Four of Clubs
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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
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