sci fi – first contact

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Summary: Finding work is easy. Staying alive is a little bit harder. When Russ Wesley finds an unusual artifact in his grandfather’s collection of rare antiquities, the last thing he expects is for it to draw the attention of a ferocious alien from a distant planet. Equally surprising is the adventurous team of intergalactic exterminators dispatched to deal with the alien threat. They’re a little wild, and a little reckless. Worse yet, they’re so impressed with Russ’s marksmanship that they insist he join their squad . . . whether he wants to or not. Blurb “This book is so much fun it ought to be illegal in all known galaxies. Ash Bishop has written a wildly imagined, deeply felt, swashbuckling page turner. I loved it.” —Jesse Kellerman, New York Times bestselling author of The Burning

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Summary: What connects a new highly addictive gaming app, viral conspiracy theories by the mysterious Dark Court, and a fatal insomnia pandemic? Enter Lilith King, the world's most famous cybercrime detective. Lilith had always known she was different. Attitude to burn, for one thing. The strange chanting in her head since she was seven, for another. And then, the Aura, the sensory disturbance that makes her sick to the pit of her stomach, seemingly coinciding with the new, strange apparition that's haunting her. She also has the ability to solve crime through touch alone. Together with Dr. Kace Westwood, a sleep specialist genius and a freak like her, Lilith must figure out whether the deadly insomnia pandemic is linked to the vagus chip implants being offered to all qualifying Unskills Or are people's language chips being hacked? And why is only the lowest soc-ed class being targeted? In a desperate race against time to save billions of people, Lilith must confront shocking revelations about her origins and destiny, while attempting to save the one she loves.

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Summary: Fourteen-year-old Samantha spends her days exploring the shallow reef behind her island home. With her world locked in a battle against rising seas, scientists deploy genetically modified corals to rebuild reefs and protect the coastline. No one expects the reefs to be a hotbed of evolution, but they are. When an octopus flows off a rock in her lagoon, Samantha is startled. When he purposefully arranges pieces of coral on the sand, trying to communicate, she is shocked. How she responds may determine the fate of life on Earth. The year is 2045, and fourteen-year-old Samantha lives in a world where ocean levels are rising, destroying coastal cities and swallowing islands. Millions of displaced people are homeless. The planet is in a climate tailspin that threatens civilization. Researchers deployed genetically modified corals that can grow in warmer waters. They aimed to sequester carbon dioxide and stabilize the climate. The successful project produced an extensive barrier reef system along the coasts of Georgia and Florida. Samantha lives on a research island off the coast of Georgia with her scientist parents. She becomes obsessed with the ocean, spending all her time exploring the reef. One day, she encounters an octopus attempting to communicate with her. The story dives deep into an exploration of species’ intelligence and the quest to save the planet.

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Summary: Captain Talis just wants to keep her airship crew from starving, and maybe scrape up enough cash for some badly needed repairs. When an anonymous client offers a small fortune to root through a pile of atmospheric wreckage, it seems like an easy payday. The job yields an ancient ring, a forbidden secret, and a host of deadly enemies. Now on the run from cultists with powerful allies, Talis needs to unload the ring as quickly as possible. Her desperate search for a buyer and the fallout from her discovery leads to a planetary battle between a secret society, alien forces, and even the gods themselves. Talis and her crew have just one desperate chance to make things right before their potential big score destroys them all.

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Summary: Bobby Gene is a man who stands out even among his people. Guided by the knowledge of his heritage as a backwoods shaman and more perceptive than many, he's grown to be a valuable asset to those he knows. While he isn't surprised to be the first to know when the woods around him begin to show clues that something isn't right, he doesn't expect just how much these omens and signs will prove to foretell something far more sinister to come. Soon strange dreams and inexplicable encounters have him questioning everything he knows- and then the people who live in his woodland Appalachian community begin to disappear. It's his job to protect and guide the others, what will he do when he's the only thing between them and the end of life as they know it?

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Summary: Tangents & Tachyons is Scott's second anthology - six sci fi and sci-fantasy shorts that run the gamut from time travel to hopepunk and retro spec fic: Eventide: Tanner Black awakes to find himself in his own study, staring out the window at the end of the Universe. But who brought him there, and why? Chinatown: Deryn lives in an old San Francisco department store with his girlfriend Gracie, and scrapes by with his talent as a dreamcaster for the Chinese overlords. But what if a dream could change the world? Across the Transom: What if someone or something took over your body on an urgent mission to save your world? Pareidolia: Simon's not like other college kids. His mind can rearrange random patterns to reveal the images lurking inside. But where did his strange gift come from? And what if there are others like him out there too? Lamplighter: Fen has a crush on his friend Lewin, who's in a competing guild. But when the world goes dark, only a little illumination can save it. And only Fen, Lewin and their friend Alissa can light the spark. A Liminal Sky short. Prolepsis: Sean is the closeted twenty-five-year-old editor of an 80's sci-fi 'zine called Prolepsis. When an unabashedly queer story arrives from a mysterious writer, it blows open Sean's closet door, and offers him the chance to change the world - and the future. Plus two flash fiction stories – The System and The Frog Prince, never before published. This is the first time all of these stories have all been collected in one place.

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Summary: It’s the find of a lifetime – an ancient alien spaceship hanging in a forgotten corner of space. For Song this could change everything. She’s got as many problems with her finances as she does in her marriage, but maybe at last her passion for wreck-diving will pay off. One piece of unknown tech could set her whole crew up for life. The ship conforms to nothing in their records and dwarfs the largest human vessels. Battle-scarred and old before humanity ever reached the stars, it’s a mausoleum of an unknown, long-dead species. And it’s just winked at her.

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Summary: It appears out of nowhere—one moment the sky is empty, the next, there’s a rent in the fabric of space itself. And nothing in the system will ever be the same.  In the far reaches of the Rim Mountains, itinerant field-scientist Aran Romeu is searching desperately for the cure to an incurable disease—one that’s slowly killing his best friend. He’s sworn to do whatever it takes to find it. But when the portal opens, and something comes through, he realizes that ‘whatever it takes’ will involve travelling into the uncharted space beyond the portal. And he’s not the only one after the cure, and willing to do whatever it takes to get to it first … In the weighty halls of government, Chief Justice Alba Espina is preparing a political gamble that could change the shape of the system itself. The appearance of the portal shatters her carefully-laid plans and hands her political rival a weapon he could use destroy her—unless she can delay him with the promise of a diplomatic mission through the portal. But the stakes of the mission are higher than just her personal ambition. If her diplomatic mission doesn’t succeed, it might just spell the end of humanity itself. In a remote spaceport, Savina Moya, the system's most talented assassin-for-hire, is on the run again after her latest murder. But when a deadly government agent is sent after her, with instructions to bring her back dead or alive, the diplomatic mission heading into the portal may hold the key to Savina’s survival—if she’s brave enough, or desperate enough, to take it. No one knows what’s beyond the portal. And as the three of them are drawn inexorably together in uncharted space, with no idea who is an ally and who is an enemy—it’s an open question if any of them will live long enough to find out. 

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Summary: Desperate for a cure, Amanda will trade anything. Even her supernatural echo power. Plagued by schizophrenia, Amanda often has trouble distinguishing her delusions from the insights of her supernatural echo power. When her case catches the interest of a Cordovan geneticist, she soon discovers there’s a fine line between a patient and a test subject. Even worse, the treatment for her disease might also erase her power. With Amanda left vulnerable by her treatment, the crew is in a race to save both her and the other test subjects. But their lone ship is no match for the Cordovan’s advanced technology.  Can Amanda use her power to save them before her consciousness is erased? Echo is the thrilling continuation of the New Dawn science fiction series. If you like complex characters, clashing cultures, and supernatural powers, you’ll love this multi-realm space opera.

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Summary: In this explosive sequel to Lilith Frost’s groundbreaking debut novel Trials on the Hard Way Home, Bryan, now James, must undertake a harrowing journey into his past amidst the treacherous landscape of an apocalyptic America. James must do whatever it takes to continue protecting a lifetime of secrets—secrets that first led him to his new life and have since made him the target of nefarious plots. In the harsh realities of home, supernatural dangers lurk around every corner, and nothing is quite what it seems in the dark. James must contend with the horrors of his youth and his decision to abandon a brighter future with the men he loved, all while struggling to survive against human treachery and creatures of the night. Reconnected with family and a lost love he never thought he would see again, the past and present collide in this thrilling and heart-wrenching mystery that breathes fresh life into the science fiction, LGBTQ+, and fantasy genres. How to See in the Dark is an exciting and poignant story in which one man must face the traumas of his youth, navigate the challenges of unconventional love, and trust in the loyalty of friends in a world where everyone has a secret to protect.

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Summary:

The War Of The Worlds continues.... The terror of the coming of the Martians is all but a distant memory, a bad dream that has faded with time.

All George wants is a quiet suburban life – but at breakfast one morning his newspaper reports the shocking discovery of a Martian cylinder, found intact and unopened, and carefully transported to London. Could it be from the first alien invasion and after more than seven years are there Martians still alive inside?

By teatime George learns that vengeance seeking Martians and their tripod fighting machines are already on their way back. This time they are armed with a doomsday weapon, able to destroy all bacteria and completely annihilate Earth. The countless numbers of their projectiles form a huge green comet and invasion day will be just before Christmas.

The first attack by aliens was enough for any lifetime, but who would expect to be involved with two? Can George and his wife escape this new Martian apocalypse and how will our planet survive a second time? The Day Of The Martians continues the iconic Mars novel by H.G. Wells, in this exciting action adventure – the first volume of The Martian Diaries science fiction series.

If you're a fan of The War Of The Worlds you won't want to miss this award-winning 3 part continuation. Get the ebook today or check out the action-packed audio version featuring original music and sound effects.

Winner of 5 awards in the 2020 Los Angeles Science Fiction Film Awards, Audio Drama category, together with volume 2 Lake On The Moon.

WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT THE AUDIO VERSION

“...a wonderfully executed tribute to H.G. Wells.” Readers Favorite 5 stars

“...sometimes in life, amongst all the boring stuff, something comes along to shake up your life and make you grateful for other people’s creations.” Breakaway Reviews

“A splendid sequel.” C.A. Powell, science fiction author of The Last Days Of Thunder Child

“A little diamond from Mars!” Goodreads reviewer

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Summary:

What lies hidden inside the Martian Red Weed and what is the secret of the lake on the moon? When the first Martian cylinder crash lands in England, Ogilvy the astronomer barely survives the deadly heat ray from the attack by aliens. He then accidentally stumbles upon the truth about the Red Weed and sends vital evidence to scientists in France on board HMS Thunder Child, but the ship is attacked by a Martian tripod.

Years later in 1919, in the aftermath of World War 1 and Spanish influenza, a sinister plague emerges on Earth from the long forgotten Red Weed, and it threatens all life on our planet with global extinction.

Ogilvy suggests a daring and risky plan to combat the devastating alien menace, involving alternate history timelines. He persuades other original War Of The Worlds characters to participate, but how on earth can they locate the secret weapon hidden by the Martians at the lake on the moon?

Don't miss this compelling continuation of the H.G. Wells Mars novel in the gripping second volume of The Martian Diaries science fiction series. Get this award winning continuation of The War Of The Worlds today! Features a bonus chapter not included in the audiobook version.

Bronze medal winner in the Readers Choice Awards 2020

WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT THE AUDIO VERSION

“I sat spellbound while listening to this...as I’ve always been convinced nobody could ever out-rank the original War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, but he has succeeded in giving us this astonishing follow-up.” Breakaway Reviews

"The storyline is mesmerizing, and Mr Wilburson has done a magnificent job of melding his story with the original War of the Worlds." Readers Favorite Reviews

“I am in awe. I finished the audiobook an emotional wreck, especially after the epilogue...and cannot wait for episode three, Gateway to Mars." Goodreads reviewer

“Author Wilburson's trilogy is an enthralling companion to H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds. The Lake On The Moon is an audiobook treat, highly recommended!” Veronica Cline Barton - Mystery & Suspense author

Winner of 5 awards in the 2020 Los Angeles Science Fiction Film Awards, Audio Drama category, together with volume 1 The Day Of The Martians.

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Summary: Oberon is unique among the Common Worlds - a half-world with a strange past and an uncertain future. Jameson Havercamp and Xander Kinnson are thrust into the middle of a world-ending event and have to scramble to save the world - and themselves. Along the way, they peel back the layers of the onion to discover secrets wrapped in secrets that will eventually take them to where it all started - and may provide the key to saving Oberon and everyone on it. SKYTHANE Jameson Havercamp, a psych from a conservative religious colony, has come to Oberon—unique among the Common Worlds—in search of a rare substance called pith. He’s guided through the wilds on his quest by Xander Kinnson, a handsome, cocky skythane with a troubled past. Neither knows that Oberon is facing imminent destruction. Even as the world starts to fall apart around them, they have no idea what’s coming—or the bond that will develop between them as they race to avert a cataclysm. Together, they will journey to uncover the secrets of this strange and singular world, even as it takes them beyond the bounds of reality itself to discover what truly binds them. LANDER The world needs saving, again. Xander and Jameson thought they’d fulfilled their destiny when they brought the worlds of Oberon and Titania back together, but their short-lived moment of triumph is over. Reunification has thrown the world into chaos. A great storm ravaged Xander's kingdom of Gaelan, leaving the winged skythane people struggling to survive. Their old enemy, Obercorp, is biding its time, waiting to strike. And to the north, a dangerous new adversary gathers strength, while an unexpected ally awaits them. In the midst of it all, Xander’s ex Alix returns, and Xander and Jameson discover that their love for each other may have been drug-induced. Are they truly destined for each other, or is what they feel artificial? And can they face an even greater challenge when their world needs them most? ITHANI Time is running out. After saving the world twice, Xander, Jameson and friends plunge headlong into a new crisis. The ithani―the aliens who broke the world―have reawakened from their hundred millennia-long slumber. When Xander and Jameson disappear in a flash, an already fractured world is thrown into chaos. The ithani plans, laid a hundred thousand years before, are finally coming to pass, and they threaten all life on Erro. Venin and Alix go on a desperate search for their missing and find more than they bargained for. And Quince, Robin and Jessa discover a secret as old as the skythane themselves. Will alien technology, unexpected help from the distant past, destiny and some good old-fashioned firepower be enough to defeat an enemy with the ability to split a world? The final battle of the epic science fiction adventure that began in Skythane will decide the fate of lander and skythane alike. And in the north, the ithani rise….

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Summary: I'm chasing him from world to world, to stop him before he kills again. Before he destroys another of the beacons and releases the agents of chaos. This time, I'm early. This time, I'll get to the beacon first. Too bad I landed in you.

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Summary: An intriguing collection of short stories, from Space Opera to harder sf. Life can be hard when your papers suddenly aren’t valid anymore and you are forced to leave your home for another planet. How do you cope? Friendly aliens come in all shapes, as do the ones you don’t want in your mind. You will find some futuristic social science and a speculative one thrown in for good measure. The characters are younger and some are older, some are strange and some perhaps, are more familiar. This collection of short stories reveals capable humans, intriguing aliens, and new areas of trade.

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Summary: Time is running out. After saving the world twice, Xander, Jameson and friends plunge headlong into a new crisis. The ithani―the aliens who broke the world―have reawakened from their hundred millennia-long slumber. When Xander and Jameson disappear in a flash, an already fractured world is thrown into chaos. The ithani plans, laid a hundred thousand years before, are finally coming to pass, and they threaten all life on Erro. Venin and Alix go on a desperate search for their missing and find more than they bargained for. And Quince, Robin and Jessa discover a secret as old as the skythane themselves. Will alien technology, unexpected help from the distant past, destiny and some good old-fashioned firepower be enough to defeat an enemy with the ability to split a world? The final battle of the epic science fiction adventure that began in Skythane will decide the fate of lander and skythane alike. And in the north, the ithani rise….

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Summary: Seeing the future is not the same as saving it. When the first premonition hits, Amanda thinks it’s a hallucination. She doesn’t have psychic power; she echoes the powers of others. No one on the ship has that power, but the Confluence stones they acquired on Terrana seems to have extended her range. Her sudden ability to see the future has done little to help her crew prepare. Led off course, their ship finds Nola, a peaceful farming town celebrating their annual Festival. The moment she enters the city, Amanda feels more echoes of power than she can control. Overwhelmed by both the Festival and the spirit power in the city, Amanda begins a hunt for a powerful human-spirit half-breed that can help her, and finds herself at the center of the city’s battle to purge spirit-kind from their midst. Can Amanda’s borrowed powers give the crew the edge the need? Find out in this epic sci-fi thriller, because knowing the future is only half the battle.

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Summary: Trusting an alien is hard ... figuring out which alien is trustworthy might be impossible. Marcus carries the weight of the cosmos on his shoulders. Still, he loves being one of the chosen enrolled in the alien-driven education tract at his university. This extraterrestrial Federation always said he was important, so they’re taking the next logical step by inviting him to join their mysterious research Cohort. If he survives selection, Marcus will solidify himself as one of the elites tasked with preparing humanity to face an alien Confederation bent on enslaving Earth. The simulated realities he experiences during this Subsumption research creates critical data the Federation needs to understand human nature, choice, and to integrate worlds. But the alien experimentation proves more physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing than Marcus ever imagined, pushing him to the breaking point. As the doomsday clock continues its countdown to the Confederation’s invasion, Marcus is running out of time to get his personal life in order. Can he live up to his family’s idea of always moving forward? Or will he sink humanity's chance to reach the stars? Either way, Marcus is learning what the Federation already knows: the ability to choose is the most powerful force in the universe. If the conspiracy theories are right, though, he might be aligning with the wrong aliens. Subsumption is the first novel in the Subsumption Series, a story about humanity's pivotal position between two warring alien empires. If you enjoyed Ender’s Game, Ready Player One, and the Amazon Prime series Upload, then the Subsumption Series is for you!

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Summary: A galactic war begins at dawn … so tonight they’re going to party like it’s 2020. Marcus is ready to put a terrible year behind him. The virus and social unrest made his first semester at University a memorable one for all the wrong reasons. It’s New Year’s Eve and tomorrow, he’ll become a legal adult. So tonight, with his loved ones, they’ll race against the darkness to summon a brighter future. But Marcus can’t shake the feeling that something is off. Maybe it’s conditioning, or maybe it’s the series of unwelcome guests pushing the party toward chaos. Underestimating his abilities, Marcus takes a step too far, forcing his family and friends to fight over his well-being as an unidentified object appears in the sky. All celebration ends once an artificial intelligence discloses the arrival of friendly extraterrestrials sent to stop another alien force bent on enslaving the planet. Now the galactic clock is ticking, and according to the AI, Marcus is the key to humanity’s defenses against the imminent invasion by these hostile outsiders. Can an artificial emissary be trusted? Or are Marcus’s friends right to doubt the alien’s intentions? The world has changed irrevocably as zero day begins. The party is over, and humanity is fighting for their lives. Disclosure is a short story prequel to the Subsumption Series, a story about humanity's pivotal position between two warring alien empires. If you enjoyed Armada, Signs, and the Joe Rogan Experience, then Disclosure and the Subsumption Series is for you!

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Summary: The Dissolution is here. It is both an end, and a beginning. "Science fantasy with fantastic queer rep" -J.S. Fields, Author of the Ardulum Series The Dissolution has begun. Sam is finally reunited with Enos and Inas, only to see his new home under siege by beings that dissolve reality at a single touch. Even as they battle their personal demons, the three apprentices must also fight to save their home. Enos lashes out at those she loves, plagued by voices she’s consumed, and Inas must risk his sanity to access ancient memories of the Nether. Sam must learn how he uniquely affects the Symphony, but there is little time to master what usually takes a lifetime. The Nether is leaderless and the Assembly is in chaos. The three apprentices must counter an invasion by aliens who rip the Symphony, and the very universe, apart. Ancient antagonists will resurface, a battle must be fought, and the secrets of the Nether and the universe will be laid bare in this final book of the Dissolution Cycle. If you like epic fantasy, space opera and music-based magic, you'll love William C. Tracy's Dissolution Cycle. Download Fall of the Imperium 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)