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sci fi – space opera

Epic sci fi takes that take place across an empire of stars – think Star Wars or Star Trek. Return to general Sci Fi

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

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Word Count: 86000

Summary:

Eight hundred years ago, the Zhen Empire discovered a broken human colony ship drifting in the fringes of their space. The Zhen gave the humans a place to live and folded them into their Empire as a client state. But it hasn’t been easy. Not all Zhen were eager to welcome another species into their Empire, and humans have faced persecution. For hundreds of years, human languages and history were outlawed subjects, as the Zhen tried to mold humans into their image. Earth and the cultures it nourished for millennia are forgotten, little more than legends.
One of the first humans to be allowed to serve in the Zhen military, Tajen Hunt became a war hero at the Battle of Elkari, the only human to be named an official Hero of the Empire. He was given command of a task force, and sent to do the Empire’s bidding in their war with the enigmatic Tabrans. But when he failed in a crucial mission, causing the deaths of millions of people, he resigned in disgrace and faded into life on the fringes as a lone independent pilot.
When Tajen discovers his brother, Daav, has been killed by agents of the Empire, he, his niece, and their newly-hired crew set out to finish his brother’s quest: to find Earth, the legendary homeworld of humanity. What they discover will shatter 800 years of peace in the Empire, and start a war that could be the end of the human race.

The Widening Gyre - Michael R. Johnston
The Widening Gyre
Published:

Word Count: 54,000

Summary: Welcome back to Charybdis Station and the crew of the Blue Solace: (Fourth Book in the series) Sebastian Dolarnio has a past. His parents sold him into indentured servitude when he was seventeen which led him to enforced prostitution. Fortunately, with the help of some very good friends, him and his daughter are safe and have a home - a beautiful, accepting place with more family than he ever dreamed of having. Then there's his mate. A handsome, wonderful man calls Sebastian "mate" and Sebastian knows he doesn't deserve him. He has to find a way to be worthy of his new home and his new mate. A strange Crellic book provides him with the answer to his problems, but it comes with complications of its own. Alois has been dreaming of finding his life-mate since he was a kid. He knows that Sebastian is a dream come true, but how can he convince his mate of that plus fight the baggage he carries from his own past? When Sebastian begins a strange, wonderful journey, Alois knows that he has to be the loving and supportive mate that Sebastian deserves. The two men build a life together and learn to love one another, but the galaxy is in turmoil and Charybdis Station is in the middle of it all.

Book Cover: The Lieutenant's Mate (Blue Solace Book 4)
The Lieutenant's Mate (Blue Solace Book 4)
Published:

Word Count: 71800

Summary: A little blue world, the third planet from the sun. It's home to 7 billion people with all manner of faiths, beliefs and customs, divided by bigotry and misunderstanding, who will soon be told they are not alone in the universe. Anyone watching from the outside would pass by this fractured and tumultuous world, unless they had no other choice. Todd Landon is one of these people, living and working in a section of the world called the United States of America. His life is similar to those around him: home, family, work, friends and a husband. On the cusp of the greatest announcement humankind has ever witnessed, Todd’s personal world is thrown into turmoil when his estranged brother shows up on his front porch with news of ships heading for Earth’s orbit. The ships are holding the Nentraee, a humanoid race who have come to Earth in need of help after fleeing the destruction of their homeworld. How will one man bridge the gap for both the Humans and Nentraee, amongst mistrust, terrorist attacks and personal loss? Will this be the start of a new age of man or will bigotry and miscommunication bring this small world to its knees and final end?

Contact - M.D. Neu - A New World
Contact
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: Civilization fell. It rose. At some point, people built starships. A millennium after the Earth was abandoned to climate change and resource depletion, Sharon Manders wakes up in a body that used to belong to somebody else, and some say she was a terrorist. She has no idea how she could be digging for Pleistocene bones in Africa one day, and crewing on a starship the next. That was just before she met the wolfman, the elf, and the sex robot. Struggling with distressingly unreliable memories, the expectations of her host body’s family and crewmates, future shock, and accusations of treason, Sharon goes on the lam to come face to face with terrorists, giant bugs, drug cartels, AIs, and lawyers. All things considered, she’d rather be back in 21st Century California.

Memory & Metaphor - Andrea Monticue
Memory and Metaphor
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Word Count: 55,000

Summary: Morgan Murray is an easy, fun-loving guy. He excels at being a soldier, but never wanted more out of life. Somehow, he ends up in a position of authority on Dru's new ship, the Blue Sparrow. Now he has to deal with what he dreads most. Responsibilities. Dru and her crew are given the task of finding Wyatt Morrick and telling him about his father's death. Along the way, Morgan soon learns that responsibility can be painful, difficult, and frightening. It can also lead to something very special. Dr. Wyatt Morrick is in trouble. Big trouble. He and his medical crew are stuck on a planet under attack. He may not be a soldier, but he has patients and friends to worry about. With very few supplies left, something has to give for them to survive. The whole planet's future is at stake and he is stuck hiding in a cave. When Morgan saves Wyatt and his friends, the two men are given a gift, each other. Their love can't stop the Concord, though, and someone has to. Morgan has to grow and accept his responsibilities, and Wyatt has to move on from his father's death. That death just happens to be a little more complicated then Wyatt expected.

Soldier's Mate - C.W. Gray - Blue Solace
The Soldier's Mate
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Word Count: 29000

Summary: Sofia Cancino is tired of her mundane life, her artificial environment and her large, boisterous family descending every holiday season. She's promised herself this year will be different and books a stay on the exclusive—and expensive--holiday-themed resort, Yule Planet. She looks forward to being pampered while reconnecting with Old Earth traditions steeped in the magic and mysticism of nature. Everything will be perfect and she'll leave as a more authentic human, better connected to her roots. Naturally, things go horribly wrong. Sofia's landing pod goes off course and instead of stepping out on the landing pad at the resort, she finds herself in the snow-swept perpetual winter of the planet's hinterlands. If that wasn't bad enough, she's "rescued" by a band of criminals on work release who run deliveries to the resort from far-flung shuttle delivery sites. They refuse to take her, a paying customer, to the resort and insist on dragging her along on their parcel run. Riding giant monsters. In frigid weather. Not to mention, Marta, who handles the monsters, obviously hates her. If Sofia survives her vacation, she's definitely yelling at someone's supervisor until she gets a refund.

Yule Planet - Angel Martinez
Yule Planet
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Word Count: 60000

Summary: Welcome back to the Blue Solace: (Sequel to "The Mercenary's Mate") Leti Ando and Will Hackett are certain about one thing in all the galaxy. They love one another. Now that they are mated, it's time to meet Hack's parents and settle into their new home. In a normal courtship, the two would spend time getting to know one another and reveling in their love. Normal isn't what they get. Leti struggles to understand the artifact Dr. Morrick left them, but what he's discovering is unbelievable and completely frightening. If his theories are true, then the entire galaxy is at risk. Meanwhile, he tries to adjust to Charybdis Station, deal with his parents, and worse of all, learn to cook. Luckily he has friends, old and new, to help him. Hack comes home to Charybdis Station, expecting a break from the hectic adventures of the past few months. What he gets are changes, more responsibilities, and a war with the Concord. He'll deal with it, though. All he has to do is look around him to understand why it's time to fight back. Together, the new couple must learn to stand together, to accept and support one another. Their happiness isn't the only thing at risk. Author's Note: 60,000+ words. This is a m/m love story with no angst and no cheating, just a HEA. There is lots of action, a little sex, mpreg, and a few potty mouths involved in the story. 18+ readers only, please. It is also the second book in a series that is best read in order. Read "The Mercenary's Mate" first!

The General's Mate - C.W. Gray
The General's Mate
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: The fallout from Derrick’s union with Rhaegar and Blake’s aid in his son’s elopement has been intense, to say the least. After a blistering brawl between Blake and Davos, Davos leaves Blake, because he isn’t ready to forgive him, and most shockingly of all, he says he isn’t sure he even wants to. Blake is frightened and hurt by his actions, but terribly angry. He follows the king back to Tygeria, if only because Davos had the gall to take their two younger children with him when he left. His ship is slower than the king’s, though, and when he arrives back on Tygeria, he finds the king has left again, on a wild chase after his errant son and his pirate mate. Even worse, he makes a unilateral decision to send their son Larz to a faraway planet for military training, against Blake’s express wishes. When Davos, Derrick and Larz all go suddenly missing, Blake attempts a rescue mission, but encounters a strange wormhole in space, and is flung through it to crash on an unknown planet called Tveir. Strangest of all the planet is populated by Tygerians and their handsome king. Injured and disoriented, Blake begins to feel as if he’s trapped in some crazy story. Except this isn’t any kind of story at all—this is Blake’s life, and the plot has just taken an unexpected, heartbreaking and totally infuriating twist.

The Tyger Kings - Shannon West - Mate of the Tyger Prince
The Tyger Kings
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Word Count: 170000

Summary: The enemy hunts him, but not for the reason he thinks. How does a human survive in an alien dominated InterGalactic Community? By becoming an assassin, of course. At least, that’s what Leopold thought when he became an assassin for the elite. Pretending to be an alien known as Voidstriker, Leopold feeds his appetite for vengeance, killing aliens as well as taking their money. It's a win-win to his mind. That is, until a bounty is placed upon his head. With his true identity now revealed to the IG Community, Leopold knows it's only a matter of time before the powerful family members of his victims come for blood. Far worse is the fact that the one who put the bounty on his head, is the one he most fears. A routine job three cycles ago brought him face-to-face with Mastrodai, a prince of the powerful Mrrog Nation. Not only did Leopold—accidentally—destroy part of Mastrodai’s moon, but one glimpse of the mighty alien had him feeling desire for the first time in his life. He ran, and like predator after prey, Mastrodai never stopped hunting him. Leopold is convinced that Mastrodai wants bloody revenge.  But when he finally confronts the mrrog, he is stunned to realize Mastrodai wants something very different. Something surprisingly intimate—the one thing that scares Leopold more than torture. Reader Discretion advised: Off page torture and abuse, and aftermath of rape. While the intimacy between Leopold and Mastrodai is always consensual, there are others who wish to break Leopold into as many pieces as possible.

Leopold - M.D. Grimm - Saga of the Bold People
Leopold
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Word Count: 41000

Summary: Welcome to the mercenary ship, The Blue Solace: Leti Ando needs off planet and fast. He has a best friend and a new half-sister to rescue, and he needs to be sneaky about it. Unfortunately sneaky isn't really his thing. With the help of a friend, Leti and his menagerie, along with his two companions, stow away aboard a mystery ship. Little does he know that The Blue Solace belongs to the infamous mercenary, Captain Will Hackett, a man he'll come to love with everything inside him. Will has been in a bitchy ass mood for the past six months. He's restless and grumpy, but doesn't know why. He knows he needs something and he can't find it, but his crew are out of patience and insist on some R &R back home at Charybdis Station. Then Hack finds a stow away angel and everything changes. Leti is his mate and he'll do anything to keep him safe and happy, even smile. The galaxy's not a safe place, though, and The Blue Solace has a job to do: pick up a renowned scientist and his mysterious artifact. Then get them safely back to Charybdis Station. Hack and Leti don't realize their romance story is about to get hijacked by Concord mercenaries. Their love is easy, it happens just like that. Staying alive and keeping the galaxy safe? That's a little harder. Author's Note: 41,801 words. (Previously published as "Happens Just Like That"). This is a m/m love story with no angst and no cheating, just a HEA. There is lots of action, sex, mpreg, and a few potty mouths involved in the story. 18+ readers only, please. It is also the first of two books about this specific couple.

The Mercenary's Mate - C.W. Gray - Blue Solace
The Mercenary's Mate
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Word Count: 126600

Summary: The fight for the Commonwealth comes to an explosive conclusion! The good news is that Captain Vaslisha Tor Dain and most of her rag tag band of mercenaries managed to survive a devastating confrontation with the resurrected ancient enemy the Asarlaí. The bad news is that the Warrior Wench has crash landed on a deserted planet in an unknown galaxy. Priority number one is getting off this dead rock and hopefully reuniting with the rest of their missing crew. Sadly, that’s easier said than done, especially when a supposedly long ago destroyed ship called the Defiant shows up. Vas and the gang can’t seem to catch a break, for just as they are starting work on salvaging the Defiant, Garmainian bounty hunters suddenly appear to claim a prize on Vas’s head. Vas is guilty of a lot of things, but she honestly can’t remember the crime she is accused of committing and as far as she knows hasn’t ever been to Garmainian space. Disturbingly, this crime apparently occurred during the mysterious missing weeks Vas experienced on her recent “vacation”. Vas and her second in command Deven’s to do list keeps getting longer: escape from the Garmainian hunters before they get executed; reunite their small banged up fleet and try to get back into Commonwealth space; find out if their frenemy Marli survived; and of course, finally defeat the Asarlaí for good. Unfortunately during the six months Vas and company have been stranded, the Asarlaí have been on the move….which means time and options are rapidly running out!

Defiant Ruin - Marie Andreas - Asarlai Wars
Defiant Ruin
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Word Count: 161800

Summary: Following the dramatic events in The Starchild Compact, the starship Starchild departs on a 185-year interstellar journey. Meanwhile, the Iapetus Federation in cooperation with the Founders, descendants of the people who originally constructed Iapetus, expands to include the Mirs Complex at L-4, the Lunar Complex, a new habitat being constructed at L-5, the growing Mars settlements, and several asteroids including Daphne and Ceres. On Earth, America turns away from its world leadership position to focus on internal matters and the idea of an all-inclusive, multicultural society. Saeed Esmail, the stowaway Jihadist who played a significant role in The Starchild Compact, becomes the guiding prophet of a new form of Islam that quickly dominates the vanquished Persian Caliphate territories, and threatens the rest of the planet. Aided by Founder Asshur, the besieged Israelis reluctantly forge a new homeland on Mars, while the United States balkanizes into a half-dozen smaller units dominated by the Lone Star Conservancy under the leadership of Texan Sam Houston, who had earlier established the Lone Star Settlement on Mars. Science does not stand still. Founder researchers develop a longevity treatment that has the potential to extend human life indefinitely. The Starchild Institute, headed by former U.S. President Marc Bowles, develops advanced spacecraft, and a new form of transportation based on artificial wormholes. As the global Jihad on Earth heats up, most of the planet falls under the domination of Saeed Esmail, with only the Lone Star Conservancy, Columbia Freehold, Australia, and New Zealand left as independent territories. The Institute opens evacuation portals between Earth and Iapetus to rescue as many people as possible. While Earth sinks into medieval barbarism, the focus of human activity shifts from Earth to the Iapetus Federation as humans settle virtually every potentially habitable spot in the Solar System and begin planning for expansion into the rest of the Galaxy.

The Iapetus Federation Exodus From Earth - Robert G. Williscroft - Starchild Trilogy
The Iapetus Federation: Exodus From Earth
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Word Count: 366200

Summary: This is a Kindle book and Audible book of all three volumes in the set.      The Starchild Trilogy begins with building a Space Launch Loop enabling massive movement off Earth and subsequent settlement of Cislunar-Space, Mars, and beyond.      Slingshot is the story of the struggle behind constructing the largest machine ever built stretching between Baker and Jarvis Islands in the Equatorial Pacific, and how the men and women behind Slingshot overcome the project's physical, economic, and human obstacles.      In The Starchild Compact, a team exploring Saturn's moon Iapetus discovers it to be a derelict starship, and meets the Founders, remnants of an ancient, advanced race, the Ectarians, that arrived in the Solar System 150,000 years ago. Together, they create the Starchild Institute governed by a document they call the Starchild Compact to further develop and introduce Ectarian technology to the Solar System. Using Ectarian technology, they develop near lightspeed spacecraft, artificial wormholes, FTL starships, and human longevity.      As human colonies expand into the Solar System, they form a governing coalition: The Iapetus Federation. While a united Islam pursues a global Jihad that rages across the planet putting millions to the sword, the Federation enables an exodus from Earth using artificial wormholes. From hand-to-hand combat in the oceans, to battles on Earth's surface, to the challenge of living off-Earth and reaching for the stars, our heroes fight to survive and to expand humankind to the far reaches of the universe.

The Starchild Trilogy - Robert G. Williscroft
The Starchild Trilogy
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Word Count: Information not available

Summary: This short novella follows Fixit, a worker on the surface of Tau Ceti Prime in another adventure. As Prime comes out of its perihelion orbit at the end of the pass, a new peril raises its head and only Fixit, Vega, is in any position to save the star system from calamity. Vega and Glitch must put all of their knowledge, skills, and creativity to the test to go off world to save Vashon and the population of the floating cities of Prime from certain death. Familiar friends and new enemies abound as Fixit races against time in the harshest environment she has ever faced... space!

Descent - Eric Schubach - Fixit
Descent
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Word Count: 131000

Summary: Are we the children of starchildren? The Starchild Compact is an adventure of heroic proportions, commencing on a planet 500 lightyears distant, arriving here just a few years from now, and ending up in the far distant expanses of the Universe. Is Saturn’s moon Iapetus an artifact? To find out, Jon Stock takes his international exploration team on a 1.4 billion km journey to Saturn, but will Jihadist stowaway Saeed Ismail succeed in sabotaging the mission? On Iapetus, Jon Stock and his team meet the Founders. Where are they from? How did they get here? How will they impact Earth and the Solar System? Will the Founder’s presence signal the end of humanity, or will it pave the way for a joint push to the distant reaches of the Galaxy?  The Starchild Compact is hard SciFi reminiscent of Arthur C. Clarke or James P. Hogan, with a geopolitical twist worthy of Tom Clancy or Clive Cussler.

The Starchild Compact - Robert G. Williscroft - Starchild Trilogy
The Starchild Compact: A Novel of Interplanetary Exploration
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Word Count: 47,000

Summary: A collection of tales filled with monsters, be they human or beast, ranging in setting from dystopia to pitch black noir and even general silliness. From the ludicrous to the frighteningly plausible; from deep space to after the end of the world. There are clumsy werewolves and bloody revenge, monster sleep overs and a dieting fad sure to kill your appetite. Whether looking into the past or the future, you're sure to find that stuff gets really weird.

Shotgun Bastards and Other Stories - Andrea Speed
Shotgun Bastards and Other Stories
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Word Count: 106,300

Summary: 2018/19 RAINBOW AWARD WINNER First Place: Best LGBTA Book First Place: Best Contemporary General Fiction, Fantasy & Sci-Fi / Futuristic The Taking Shield series comes to its shattering conclusion in Day of Wrath, the fifth and final book. In less than a week, Bennet will finally return to the Shield Regiment, leaving behind the Gyrfalcon, his father, his friends… and Flynn. Promotion to Shield Major and being given command of a battle group despite the political fallout from Makepeace the year before is everything he thought he wanted. Everything he’s worked towards for the last three years. Except for leaving Flynn. He really doesn’t want to leave Flynn. There’s time for one last flight together. A routine mission. Nothing too taxing, just savouring every moment with the best wingman, the best friend, he’s ever had. That’s the plan. Bennet should know better than to trust to routine because what waits for them out there will change their lives forever.

Day of Wrath - Anna Butler - Taking Shield
Day of Wrath
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Word Count: 46000

Summary: Lieutenant Mike Oliver has long dreamed of a Patrol ship berth, flying between the stars—surely this time his application will be successful. What he doesn’t expect, is to be sent to establish a Patrol station on Asra, a tiny mining settlement on a frozen mudball of a planet, blanketed with nitrogen storms. Deeply resentful, Mike suspects he is being discriminated against. The only option he can see is to become celibate, at least while he is on Asra. And that means rejecting the advances of both Callan Rian, the colony’s flamboyant Governor, and sexy Dane, Callan’s business partner, despite the growing attraction. While sexual tension mounts between them, a far more sinister danger is lurking, and when Callan is abducted, Mike will have to choose—between his ambition and his heart. (Gay / Romantic Sci-Fi) A novella in the Aurigan Space Saga

Night Traveller - L.V. Lloyd
Night Traveller
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Word Count: 59337

Summary: The Brimstone. Demon owned and—mostly—demon operated. Shax, an exiled prince of Hell, has gathered only the best misfits for his motley crew. You've been with us from the rescue of a runaway angel in a psychedelic nightmare jungle to the house that Poe built. Now share some in-between moments with the Brimstone crew – flash fiction snippets plucked from various spots in each personal timeline, from Shax and Verin's youth in Hell to after the events of Beside a Black Tarn. The Brimstone Journals, Collection Two also includes an exclusive short story, never published as part of the blog series. Leopold meets his formidable grandmama, much to his father's dismay.

Brimstone Journals Collection 2 - Angel Martinez
The Brimstone Journals: Collection Two
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Word Count: 128000

Summary: Death isn’t a big deal in the virtual world of online gaming, but after poking her nose where it doesn’t belong, Dakota Marx finds herself running for her life―and reality doesn’t come with a respawn. At twenty-two, she’s still slinging coffee at an Amazon Cafe despite having a degree in programming. It’s not because she’s unlucky, unmotivated, or even that she fancies herself an underground activist crusading against evil corporations… hunting for a ‘real’ job would take time away from her game. Axillon99 is the world’s most popular multiplayer online experience, with a universe containing billions of planets to explore. Ever since video games broke the screen barrier, plunging players fully into their characters, reality just can’t compete. Cognition Systems International announces a ten million dollar prize to celebrate the release of the next generation Neurona 4 interface helmet. After her crew decides to try chasing the money, Dakota discovers a sinister intent behind the new technology. Going public threatens the lives of her friends, but keeping CSI’s secret could destroy the very fabric of society.

Axillon99 - Matthew S. Cox - LITRPG
Axillon99
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