Best of
Space

2014

Space Case


Stuart Gibbs - 2014
    And he’s bored out of his mind. Kids aren’t allowed on the lunar surface, meaning they’re trapped inside the tiny moon base with next to nothing to occupy their time—and the only other kid Dash’s age spends all his time hooked into virtual reality games. Then Moon Base Alpha’s top scientist turns up dead. Dash senses there’s foul play afoot, but no one believes him. Everyone agrees Dr. Holtz went onto the lunar surface without his helmet properly affixed, simple as that. But Dr. Holtz was on the verge of an important new discovery, Dash finds out, and it’s a secret that could change everything for the Moonies—a secret someone just might kill to keep...

The Science of Interstellar


Kip S. Thorne - 2014
    Yet in The Science of Interstellar, Kip Thorne, the physicist who assisted Nolan on the scientific aspects of Interstellar, shows us that the movie’s jaw-dropping events and stunning, never-before-attempted visuals are grounded in real science. Thorne shares his experiences working as the science adviser on the film and then moves on to the science itself. In chapters on wormholes, black holes, interstellar travel, and much more, Thorne’s scientific insights—many of them triggered during the actual scripting and shooting of Interstellar—describe the physical laws that govern our universe and the truly astounding phenomena that those laws make possible.Interstellar and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s14).

You Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes


Chris Hadfield - 2014
    . .In You Are Here, bestselling author and celebrated astronaut Chris Hadfield creates a virtual orbit of Earth, giving us the really big picture: this is our home, from space. The millions of us who followed Hadfield's news-making Twitter feed from the ISS thought we knew what we were looking at when we first saw his photos. But we may have caught the beauty and missed the full meaning. Now, through photographs - many of which have never been shared - Hadfield unveils a fresh and insightful look at our planet. He sees astonishing detail and importance in these images, not just because he's spent months in space but because his in-depth knowledge of geology, geography and meteorology allows him to reveal the photos' mysteries.Featuring Hadfield's favourite images, You Are Here is divided by continent and represents one (idealized) orbit of the ISS. This planetary photo tour - surprising, playful, thought-provoking and visually delightful - provides a breathtakingly beautiful perspective on the wonders of the world. You Are Here opens a singular window on our planet, using remarkable photographs to illuminate the history and consequences of human settlement, the magnificence of newly uncovered landscapes, and the power of the natural forces shaping our world and the future of our species.

Interstellar


Greg Keyes - 2014
    At stake are the fate of a planet... Earth... and the future of the human race.

Starship's Mage: Omnibus


Glynn Stewart - 2014
    With no family or connections to find a ship, he is forced to service on an interstellar freighter known to be hunted by pirates. When he takes drastic action to save the "Blue Jay" from their pursuers, he sets in motion a sequence of events beyond his control - and attracts enemies on both sides of the law! Starship's Mage was originally released as five separate episodes.

Kids Want To Know About UFOs


J.W. Patterson - 2014
    Did you know that Christopher Columbus and some of his ship's crew said they saw a flying ship crash into the sea while on his first voyage to America?Did you know that an Air Force Base Commander reported seeing a UFO with some of his men and also recorded the incident on tape?Kids will learn what is known and not known about UFO's. Are UFO's real? What do the American people think about UFO's?Here Is A Preview Of What You'll Discover In This Book Learn about the Roswell incident Read about the exciting Rendlesham Forest incident Find out how 1000's of people saw the famous "Phoenix Lights" You'll learn about the U.S. governments "Project Sign" Did you know that a President of the United States saw a UFO and filed a report? Are UFO's real? And much, much more

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet


Becky Chambers - 2014
    While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.

Into the Dark


J.A. Sutherland - 2014
    Her options are few. She must marry and watch a stranger run the lands, or become a penniless tenant and see the lands she so dearly loves sold off. Yet there may be another option, one that involves becoming a midshipman on a shorthanded spaceship with no other women.

Starship's Mage: Episode 5


Glynn Stewart - 2014
     But even at the outlaw station of Darkport, their enemies have sought them out – and now the very leader of the galaxy’s largest crime syndicate pursues them with a stolen warship. With their backs to the wall, the Blue Jay’s crew must seek any edge to survive, for one thing is certain: This will end in fire. Starship's Mage Episode 5 is a 26,335 word novella, the last of five in a serial. An omnibus of all five episodes has also been released.

Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight


Jay Barbree - 2014
    Yet shy of fame and never one to steal the spotlight Armstrong was always reluctant to discuss his personal side of events. Here for the first time is the definitive story of Neil's life of flight he shared for five decades with a trusted friend - Jay Barbree.Working from 50 years of conversations he had with Neil, from notes, interviews, NASA spaceflight transcripts, and remembrances of those Armstrong trusted, Barbree writes about Neil's three passions - flight, family, and friends. This is the inside story of Neil Armstrong from the time he flew combat missions in the Korean War and then flew a rocket plane called the X-15 to the edge of space, to when he saved his Gemini 8 by flying the first emergency return from Earth orbit and then flew Apollo-Eleven to the moon's Sea of Tranquility.Together Neil and Jay discussed everything, from his love of flying, to the war years, and of course his time in space. The book is full of never-before-seen photos and personal details written down for the first time, including what Armstrong really felt when he took that first step on the moon, what life in NASA was like, his relationships with the other astronauts, and what he felt the future of space exploration should be.As the only reporter to have covered all 166 American astronaut flights and moon landings Jay knows these events intimately. Neil Armstrong himself said, "Barbree is history's most experienced space journalist. He is exceptionally well qualified to recall and write the events and emotions of our time." Through his friendship with Neil and his dedicated research, Barbree brings us the most accurate account of his friend's life of flight, the book he planned for twenty years.

Titanium Texicans


Alan Black - 2014
    He doesn’t want to leave the only home he’s ever known. He doesn’t want to be apprenticed on a space freighter crewed by Texas cowboys of Mexican descent. He certainly doesn’t want to be gone for so long that his home and inheritance are stolen. While trying to fit in and still get home he learns what it is like to live in space, what a cheerleader is, how spicy a taco can be, and that Texicans like a good fight as much as he does.

No Honor in Death


Eric Thomson - 2014
    Some called her overly aggressive. Others simply called her reckless. What the enemy called her was something else altogether. That she gave the Shrehari a good drubbing along the way didn't matter in the least, because not all her enemies wore an Imperial uniform. A reputation for bad luck was pretty much the only reputation she had left.Sailing yet another ruined starship home after a near defeat, she wanted nothing more than a long, long rest, because this time, she had escaped by the thinnest of bluffs. Unfortunately, the Admiralty had other ideas.  The frigate Stingray was known as the unluckiest ship in the Fleet and her Captain had just been removed in disgrace for cowardice. Some in the Admiralty would dearly love to retire the old warhorse. After all, she was the last of her type left in service, and perhaps it was time to break up the jinx permanently, along with the crew. But in the midst of an interstellar war, every ship that could fight was needed.In short order, Dunmoore went from staring down the Empire's finest on the bridge of a wrecked battleship to taking on a demoralized, semi-mutinous crew, scheming Admirals and a deadly mystery. Stingray's bad luck wasn't just superstition gone rampant. Between a crew that won't talk, political enemies who want her gone, and her personal demons, she's got her hands full. Taking the frigate into battle under those conditions would seem foolish to anyone else, but Dunmoore was never one to shrink from a good fight.  Failure was not an option, and defeat not an acceptable alternative, for there was no honor in death. She would redeem herself and her ship or be damned for all eternity.

Starship's Mage: Episode 4


Glynn Stewart - 2014
    But other powers have learned about the Blue Jay, whose Ship’s Mage has transformed her into a deadly weapon. Bounty hunters trail Damien Montgomery and the crew at every turn, forcing them to seek new allies. With both the criminal underworld and the soldiers of Mars pursuing them, they make a deal for a risky delivery in the shadow of a dead system. On the run, the Blue Jay and her crew set a course for the Fringe worlds, trailed by powerful forces who will stop at nothing to bring them to heel. Starship’s Mage is space opera set in a future we would never have predicted: where humanity’s far flung interstellar colonies are tied together by the Protectorate of the Mage King of Mars and the magic of the Jump Mages. Starship's Mage: Episode 4 is a 23,775 word novella, the fourth of five in a serial. All five episodes have been released, including an Omnibus of the entire serial.

Empire of Bones


Terry Mixon - 2014
    Long live the Empire! Commander Jared Mertz, the bastard son of the Emperor, and his half-sister, Princess Kelsey, barely speak to one another. To their dismay, their father seizes an opportunity to change that and sends them on a dangerous quest to explore the fallen Empire. Separated from home by an impassable gulf and struggling to redefine their relationship, they find themselves thrust into a vicious war. Unless they work together to stop the Empire’s deadly legacy, billions face a horrific fate.

Starship's Mage: Episode 3


Glynn Stewart - 2014
    Wanted as criminals, they seek sanctuary in the UnArcana worlds. When the Captain is offered a contract by the secret enemies of the Mage King, Damien must ask himself: how far can a Mage trust those who despise all things magic? Starship’s Mage is space opera set in a future we would never have predicted: where humanity’s far flung interstellar colonies are tied together by the Protectorate of the Mage King of Mars and the magic of the Jump Mages. Starship's Mage: Episode 3 is a 25,786 word novella, the third of five in a serial. All five episodes have been released, including an Omnibus of the entire serial.

The Churn


James S.A. Corey - 2014
    Corey...Before his trip to the stars, before the Rocinante, Amos Burton was confined to a Baltimore where crime paid you or killed you. Unless the authorities got to you first. Set in the hard-scrabble solar system of the Expanse, The Churn deepens James S. A. Corey's acclaimed series.The Expanse (a major SyFy Channel television series)Leviathan WakesCaliban's WarAbaddon's GateCibola BurnNemesis GamesThe Expanse Short Fiction The Butcher of Anderson StationGods of RiskThe Churn

Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space


Lynn Sherr - 2014
    A member of the first astronaut class to include women, she broke through a quarter-century of white male fighter jocks when NASA chose her for the seventh shuttle mission, cracking the celestial ceiling and inspiring several generations of women.After a second flight, Ride served on the panels investigating the Challenger explosion and the Columbia disintegration that killed all aboard. In both instances she faulted NASA's rush to meet mission deadlines and its organizational failures. She cofounded a company promoting science and education for children, especially girls.Sherr also writes about Ride's scrupulously guarded personal life-she kept her sexual orientation private-with exclusive access to Ride's partner, her former husband, her family, and countless friends and colleagues. Sherr draws from Ride's diaries, files, and letters. This is a rich biography of a fascinating woman whose life intersected with revolutionary social and scientific changes in America. Sherr's revealing portrait is warm and admiring but unsparing. It makes this extraordinarily talented and bold woman, an inspiration to millions, come alive.

Starship's Mage: Episode 2


Glynn Stewart - 2014
    Starship’s Mage is set in a future we would never have predicted: where humanity’s far flung interstellar colonies are tied together by the Protectorate of the Mage King of Mars and the magic of the Jump Mages.Damien Montgomery, Ship’s Mage on an interstellar freighter, broke the rules to save his ship from pirates.Now he and his crew must repair the damage and find a cargo – without anyone learning how they survived!

Koban Universe 1


Stephen W. Bennett - 2014
    These are tales involving the Kobani people and Koban. Reading the series is NOT required to understand and enjoy these stand-alone tales. Australian Krall: (Novelette) A fully gene enhanced Kobani woman finds herself trapped in total darkness and underground, pursued by hundreds of slavering, semi-sentient, maniacally aggressive and hungry aliens. Let’s take a walk on the dark side! Bats of a Leather Flock Together: (Short story) The wolfbat Flock Leader takes his colony to an unexplored Koban continent to set up a nest in virgin territory. The wily leader uses his cooperative experience with humans to forge similar alliances with other native creatures. Not everyone wants to play nice. Kobani Kiddie Capers: (Novella) How do Kobani parents cope with children that are born with the contact telepathy gene, and have eidetic memory? Adults who think teenagers act like they know everything never had an overconfident four-year old super child, with a ripper cub as his partner in crime. Living to reach his teens seems doubtful. The Smuggler and the Crime Lord: (Novelette) When you land a known smuggler’s ship in a ruthless Crime Lord’s city using false registry, it’s hard to convince a platoon of armed thugs that you’re only shopping, that you don’t owe the boss his cut of your take. If the Kobani captain is buying drinks for friends in a spaceport bar, spoiling his evening and making threats is ill advised, and could prove fatal.

The Planets: The Definitive Visual Guide to our Solar System


D.K. Publishing - 2014
    Featuring all-new 3D models built using data gathered by NASA and the European Space Agency, The Planets is an awe-inspiring journey through the Solar System, from Earth to Mars and beyond.Viewed layer by layer, planets and other objects in the Solar System are taken out of the night sky and presented on a white background, revealing every detail of their surface and internal anatomy in astonishing detail.Looking at planets, the Sun, hundreds of moons and thousands of asteroids and comets, The Planets includes timelines that chronicle all major Space missions, right up to the latest Mars rovers, and infographics that present fascinating facts about all planets and the Solar System in a fresh new way.

Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos


Stephanie Roth Sisson - 2014
    From that day on he never stopped marveling at the universe and seeking to understand it better. Star Stuff follows Carl from his days star gazing from the bedroom window of his Brooklyn apartment, through his love of speculative science fiction novels, to his work as an internationally renowned scientist who worked on the Voyager missions exploring the farthest reaches of space. This book introduces the beloved man who brought the mystery of the cosmos into homes across America to a new generation of dreamers and star gazers.

Gravity


Jason Chin - 2014
    As in his previous books, Redwoods, Coral Reefs, and Island, Jason Chin has taken a complex subject and made it brilliantly accessible to young readers in this unusual, innovative, and very beautiful book. A Neal Porter Book

The Lost Planet


Rachel Searles - 2014
    This is what the boy is told:• He woke up on planet Trucon, inside a fence he shouldn't have been able to pass.• He has an annirad blaster wound to the back of his head.• He has no memory.• He is now under the protection of a mysterious benefactor.• His name is Chase Garrety.This is what Chase Garrety knows:• He has a message: "Guide the star."• Time is running out.

Life on Mars


Jennifer Brown - 2014
    Twelve-year-old Arcturus Betelgeuse Chambers' quest to find life on other planets seems at an end when his parents decide to move to Las Vegas, but while they look for a house he stays with his neighbor, an astronaut who soon becomes a friend.

Soviet Space Dogs


Olesya Turkina - 2014
    These homeless dogs, plucked from the streets of Moscow, were selected because they fitted the program's criteria: weighing no more than 15 pounds, measuring no more than 14 inches in length, robust, photogenic and with a calm temperament. These characteristics enabled the dogs to withstand the extensive training that was needed to prepare them for suborbital, then for orbital, space fights. On 3 November 1957, the dog Laika was the first Earth-born creature to enter space, making her instantly famous around the world. She did not return. Her death, a few hours after launching, transformed her into a legendary symbol of sacrifice. Two further strays, Belka and Strelka, were the first beings to make it back from space, and were swiftly immortalized in children's books and cartoons. Images of the Space Dogs proliferated, reproduced on everyday goods across the Soviet Union: cigarette packets, tins of sweets, badges, stamps and postcards all bore their likenesses. "Soviet Space Dogs" uses these unique items to illustrate the story (in fact and fiction) of how they became fairytale idols. The first book to document these items, it contains more than 350 images, almost all of which are previously unpublished, and many of which have never been seen before outside Russia. The rich and varied ephemera (from cigarette packets to sweet wrappers and children's toys) of Soviet graphics will have immense appeal to the art and design market, as well as appealing to dog-lovers everywhere.

Cosmigraphics


Michael Benson - 2014
    Selecting artful and profound illustrations and maps, many hidden away in the world’s great science libraries and virtually unknown today, he chronicles more than 1,000 years of humanity’s ever-expanding understanding of the size and shape of space itself. He shows how the invention of the telescope inspired visions of unimaginably distant places and explains why today we turn to supercomputer simulations to reveal deeper truths about space-time.Cosmigraphics explores the visual side of our great­est imaginative achievement as a species: the unveiling of a vast universe that is largely invisible to our senses. It will be a revelation to space-struck Earthlings, art lovers, and readers interested in the history of science, the visualization of information, graphic design, and mapping.

Mars Rover Curiosity: An Inside Account from Curiosity's Chief Engineer


Rob Manning - 2014
    Manning and his team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, tasked with designing a lander many times larger and more complex than any before, faced technical setbacks, fights over inadequate resources, and the challenges of leading an army of brilliant, passionate, and often frustrated experts.Manning's fascinating personal account--which includes information from his exclusive interviews with leading Curiosity scientists--is packed with tales of revolutionary feats of science, technology, and engineering. Readers experience firsthand the disappointment at encountering persistent technical problems, the agony of near defeat, the sense of victory at finding innovative solutions to these problems, the sheer terror of staking careers and reputations on a lander that couldn't be tested on Earth, and the rush of triumph at its successful touchdown on Mars on August 5, 2012. This is the story of persistence, dedication, and unrelenting curiosity.

Foothold: The Story of Mankind's First Expedition to the Stars


Dennis Ingram - 2014
    Adversity. Hope. A starship with eight people is launched into the unknown for the epic adventure of a lifetime. In the second half of the 21st century, Earth is struggling under the load of an ever-increasing population and a degrading environment. The tide of human politics ebbs and flows. Rising above the turmoil, the will is found to build one lone starship and launch it toward Tau Ceti. Hope for the future, hope for humanity. +++ An interview with the author Is this the original edition? No, it was professionally re-edited and given a new cover in May 2016. How would you describe Foothold? It’s a space colonization adventure. There’s adversity, but no violence. There’s science, but not so much that the characters and adventure are lost in technobabble. So it’s not for those that like hard science fiction? I love hard science fiction! Any book that features interstellar travel needs technological breakthroughs, and Foothold is no exception. The science is deliberately low-tech in some ways though, as our colonists need hardy technology that they can repair themselves. As the series progresses, we will see more and more high-technology appearing. Will the series remain non-violent? No, that will change in book 2. Why? Humans are humans. Wherever they go, conflict is bound to follow. It’s the first book of a series, right? Will there be a cliff-hanger? Yes, Foothold is the first in a series of eight or nine books. It definitely does leave the ending open for the next book, but not in a sudden cliff-hanger that has you reaching for your pitchfork and torch. Oh, and book 2, The Seasoning, is already out! In the book, a starship is launched in 2063. Surely that’s way, way too soon? Not if you believe in exponential progress. If we measure what we will achieve in the next 45 years by what we achieved in the last 45, it’s too soon. But I think it’s more likely the pace of change is accelerating and it’s not so far-fetched to think of subluminal star travel happening sooner rather than later. If it were a movie, how would you rate it? PG-13 for language and some mild sexual content.

The Interstellar Age: The Complete Trilogy


Valmore Daniels - 2014
    There is no trace of their young son, Alex Manez, or of the asteroid itself. On the outer edge of the solar system, the first manned mission to Pluto, led by the youngest female astronaut in NASA history, has led to an historic discovery: there is a marker left there by an alien race for humankind to find. We are not alone! While studying the alien marker, it begins to react. Four hours later, the missing asteroid appears in a Plutonian orbit, along with young Alex Manez, who has developed some alarming side-effects from his exposure to the kinetic element they call Kinemet. From the depths of a criminal empire based on Luna, an expatriate seizes the opportunity to wrest control of outer space, and takes swift action. The secret to faster-than-light speed is up for grabs, and the race for interstellar space begins! Music of the Spheres The technology for interstellar flight exists through the power of Kinemet, but the key to unlocking its code lies in a thousand-year-old scroll left on Earth by an alien species. When the ancient manual is stolen before a full translation is completed, Alex, Michael and Justine scramble to recover it. Along the way, they stumble on an interplanetary conspiracy and uncover a secret that shatters their view of life and shakes the very foundations of our existence. Worlds Away For a thousand years the Kulsat Armada has ravaged the galaxy searching for the lost legacy of an extinct race of technologically advanced beings. They destroy anyone who gets in their way. Now they have turned their attention to Earth and are gathering their forces for an invasion. Justine, Michael and Alex each hold a key to stopping the enemy, but they are worlds away from each other, and they are running out of time...

The Synchronicity War Part 4


Dietmar Arthur Wehr - 2014
    Over a hundred Sogas ships appear to be headed for Earth and Space Force is in no condition to stop them. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the nightmarish Insectoids will be arriving in Earth orbit within months to finish off the survivors of the impending Sogas attack. Admiral Victor Shiloh, Commander Amanda Kelly and Valkyrie will have to make some heartbreaking decisions if Humanity is to have any chance at all of avoiding extinction in this final chapter of the Synchronicity War saga.The paperback version is now available on createspace.com.Fans of this series will also like The Retro War, a stand-alone novella set in the same Synchronicity War Universe.

Swallow the Sky: A Space Opera


Chris Mead - 2014
    Professionally edited and proofed..Swallow the Sky embodies the essence of classic science fiction: real science, adventure, high spirits, and above all, a sense of wonder.Galactic culture is still reverberating from the nanotech disaster that destroyed Earth. But this is ancient history to Carson, an inter-stellar mailman and a collector of antique technology, until he learns of the secret location of Earth’s lost treasures. Carson is not alone in his discovery and becomes embroiled with a wealthy megalomaniac determined to capture the bounty for himself. As their race across the galaxy accelerates it becomes chillingly clear that far more is at stake than ancient artifacts, leading to the protagonists’ final confrontation in the ruined kingdom of Sol."Somewhere, EE Smith, Gene Roddenberry, and Iain Banks are sitting around wishing they'd written a Space Opera as entertaining as Swallow the Sky. Intelligent world-building, strong characterization, and settings that are just rip-roaring good fun! It tells a tale the old-fashioned way - brilliantly!"Chris Garcia, Hugo award-winning editor“This book is fun, filled with machines who have sassy personalities, leviathans who enjoy a good-natured game of hide-and-seek, and sentient insects who trust that someday, humans will evolve... Carson really is a unique antique himself, and an adorable good-guy to spend time with as a reader.”Yvette Keller, Science Fiction in San Francisco Magazine

Last Stand of the Legion: Rift


Rod Carstens - 2014
     All that stands in their way are the men and women Colonel Dasan Daniel Sand's armored infantry and Fleet Admiral Usiche Raurk's sailors who must find a way to defeat the Xotoli with only the naval forces left after the overwhelming attack. They lead the likes of Private Ja Hu who just months out of training must face the most desperate battle humans have ever fought. Destroyer Captain Ririsa Grogen and her crew as they desperately try to fight back alien invasion fleet and save their ship. Petty Officer Zenus Lee a misfit who finds his purpose in the midst of battle. This is the story of the men and women who stand between the aliens and the rest of humanity. They include the crews aboard the Swift Boats, destroyers and battleships; Legion pilots; the Anjin assassin; Von Fleet Corporation's executives; and so many more. The Last Stand of the Legion is a story of intense combat and non-stop action that will change the course of history.

Photography Night Sky: A Field Guide for Shooting After Dark


Jennifer Wu - 2014
    You'll learn how to overcome the unique issues that confront nighttime photographers and capture images of which you'll be proud. Co-author Jennifer Wu, an elite Canon "Explorer of Light" professional photographer, has become renowned for her ability to capture nighttime phenomena, from quarter-phase moon rises to shooting stars to the ephemeral Milky Way. this new guide reveals her methods and concentrates on photographing four principal subjects: stars as points of light, star trails, the moon, and twilight. these subjects share common photo techniques and considerations, but each also requires a distinct approach. Once captured, your digital images must be fi nished on the computer; coauthor and author of the bestselling Photography: Outdoors, James Martin, delves into the settings and procedures that elevate an image from mundane to striking. This clear and practical guide will help photographers of all levels portray the stunning spectacle of the night sky, preserving those special memories and moments from a life outdoors.

Deep Space: Beyond the Solar System to the End of the Universe and the Beginning of Time


Govert Schilling - 2014
    Join award-winning astronomy writer Govert Schilling on a journey across the universe that will ignite the imagination. The trip begins inside our own solar system with a brief tour of the sun, the planets and their moons, asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets. We then accelerate into deep space. With Schilling as our guide, we explore the birth of stars and stellar nurseries, such as the Orion and Carina Nebulae; the death of stars, from red giants to catastrophic supernova explosions; and galaxies and galaxy clusters beyond our own including spiral galaxies, elliptical galaxies, and lenticular galaxies. We learn about supermassive black holes, which astronomers now believe exist at the center of every galaxy including our own, and exoplanets, billions of which are believed to be orbiting stars in the Milky Way and beyond. The book concludes at the edge of the cosmological horizon with a look at dark matter, dark energy, and theories of extraterrestrial life and the Multiverse. Including hundreds of photographs and custom illustrations, as well as a star atlas that shows the full celestial sky, Deep Space is the perfect book for astronomy buffs, students, and anyone fascinated with the mystery and beauty of the cosmos.

Love Without Boundaries


M.K. Eidem - 2014
    Lord Oryon must now return home and try to explain to his remaining Warriors just how their universe has changed. House Rigel is about to be transformed and as it is, dark and long held secrets are revealed that threaten not only the House but the love between Oryon and Isis. Mate Quest by JA Hornbuckle The Mission: To travel to small blue planet, to seek and secure females in order to mate and repopulate our dying worlds. The Timeframe: One half of Earth’s rotation around its Sun. Resources Available: Earth’s worldwide web (also known as the Internet) Conclusion to Date: Original plan too simplistic in not anticipating the independent minds and lifestyles of human females. Mating Urge by Michelle Howard Desperate to escape her stepfather and false criminal charges, Elliana Cage needed a way out fast. Aran T'Kar didn't expect to discover a beautiful woman hiding out on the Zanian IX.

Species Imperative


Julie E. Czerneda - 2014
    Where on that scale does one woman fall?Dr. Mackenzie "Mac" Connor’s goal in life is to be left in peace to study her salmon and their migration. She has no interest in the Interspecies Union, space travel, or the mysterious Chasm, an expanse of dead worlds filled with the ruins of alien civilizations. The only cloud on Mac’s horizon is having to meet with the Oversight Committee to defend any research intrusions into the protected zones on shore.But what Mac wants no longer matters. There’s another, darker, migration underway, this time across space. What created the Chasm has awakened once more, to follow its imperative to feed on living worlds. How can it be stopped?Aliens have asked Mac to find that answer. She knows it may mean sacrificing all she loves, including Earth itself. She’s determined to find another way.But, first, she must survive.The Chasm of the past was only a trial run, for this species intent on replacing all life with its own. And they’ve learned her name.

Shiva XIV


Lyra Shanti - 2014
    A galaxy in peril. And only the reincarnation of an ancient god can save them.Prophesied to become the messiah of his kingdom, Ayn is charged with saving his people from disease and war. But when an unknown enemy threatens everyone he loves, the destiny he thought was his spins out of control.His sheltered existence torn asunder, Ayn finds himself on an epic journey where he meets new friends, foes, and a mysterious cat creature that no one but Ayn can see. Is the supposed reincarnation of "The Great Adin" losing his sanity? Or is everything guided by Fate? Ayn must decide before the entire galaxy is destroyed! *Adult themes, intended for mature teens and up.Other books in the series:The Veil of Truth: Book 2The Riddle of the Gods: Book 3The River of Time: Book 4

Bold They Rise: The Space Shuttle Early Years, 1972-1986


David Hitt - 2014
    In this spirit, the team at NASA set about developing the Space Shuttle, arguably the most complex piece of machinery ever created. The world’s first reusable spacecraft, it launched like a rocket, landed like a glider, and carried out complicated missions in between.  Bold They Rise tells the story of the Space Shuttle through the personal experiences of the astronauts, engineers, and scientists who made it happen—in space and on the ground, from the days of research and design through the heroic accomplishments of the program to the tragic last minutes of the Challenger disaster. In the participants’ own voices, we learn what so few are privy to: what it was like to create a new form of spacecraft, to risk one’s life testing that craft, to float freely in the vacuum of space as a one-man satellite, to witness a friend’s death. A “guided tour” of the Shuttle—in historical, scientific, and personal terms—this book provides a fascinating, richly informed, and deeply personal view of a feat without parallel in the human story.

Transport: Death Mission


Phillip P. Peterson - 2014
    Death-row inmate Russell Harris and nine other convicts are given the chance to save their own lives by agreeing to travel as test subjects on the transporter. But when the first volunteer dies a gruesome death, it becomes clear to Russell and his comrades that the venture is little more than a merciless death mission on which they will all perish. Their only chance of survival is to uncover the secret of the mysterious object, but that too seems hopeless – because no trace of the transporter’s constructors can be found

Interstellar: Beyond Time and Space


Mark Cotta Vaz - 2014
    Interstellar: Beyond Time and Space documents the making of Nolan's latest masterpiece in fascinating detail and features interviews with the acclaimed director, along with screenwriter Jonathan Nolan, producer Emma Thomas, and other key members of the production team. Delving into the science and philosophy behind the film, Interstellar: Beyond Time and Space dynamically showcases its incredible concept art, including costume designs, storyboards, and other fascinating preproduction elements. Also featuring interviews with the exceptional cast, including Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, Interstellar: Beyond Time and Space tells the full story of the making of the film, with candid pictures illustrating its elaborate set pieces and reliance on classic special effects techniques. Visually enthralling and engrossing in its in-depth exploration of the themes and ideas at the heart of Interstellar, this book is the perfect accompaniment to one of the most anticipated films of 2014. Based on the film from Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures. From acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight" films, "Inception"), "Interstellar" stars Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey ("Dallas Buyers Club"), Oscar winner Anne Hathaway ("Les Misébles"), Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain ("Zero Dark Thirty"), Bill Irwin ("Rachel Getting Married"), Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn ("Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore"), and Oscar winner Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules"). The main cast also includes Wes Bentley, Casey Affleck, David Gyasi, Mackenzie Foy and Topher Grace. Christopher Nolan directed the film from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jonathan Nolan. Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Lynda Obst produced "Interstellar," with Jordan Goldberg, Jake Myers, Kip Thorne and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers. Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures present, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy/Lynda Obst Productions production, a film by Christopher Nolan, "Interstellar."

AL:ICE


Charles W. Lamb - 2014
    Returning to the Marine Corps after a failed attempt at reconciliation with his estranged wife, Jake volunteers for a DARPA experiment that catapults him into a future where humanity has been stripped of 200 years of technological advancements and more than half its population. With the help of a faceless benefactor named AL:ICE (Artificial Life: Intelligent Computing Environment), he escapes the confines of an abandoned lab facility and starts a journey to put earth back on a path to recovery. Jake's path begins in the rich farmlands of central California and eventually places him in orbit and face to face with the very evil that started it all.

The Enclaves of Sylox


T.R. Harris - 2014
    Now he makes a fairly decent living as the top real estate broker on the planet Sylox, the capital of the Galactic Union. His clients are primarily Humans coming to the planet to work at the huge Embassy Complex, and they find Earth-like housing - along with a little taste of home -- in the sprawling Enclaves of Sylox.Things are going pretty well for Jason, right up to the time his latest customers from Earth arrive - and that's when all hell breaks loose! Now Jason finds himself entangled in layer upon layer of deadly conspiracy involving a quasi-religious artifact whose theft is about to trigger a galactic war. The Earth has also become ensnared in this conspiracy, placing her squarely in the sights of two vindictive alien species bent on her destruction. Now all Jason King has to do is recover the artifact, capture the thief, prevent a galaxy-wide war and save the Earth from annihilation. And do all this between his real estate closings. Oh, and there's also a super-hot woman right in the thick of things, too, just to make things interesting. And don't forget the headlong chases through exotic star systems, and the shoot-outs, and the fist-fights -- you know, all the good stuff that puts the adventure in space opera!

Marketing the Moon: The Selling of the Apollo Lunar Program


David Meerman Scott - 2014
    How did space exploration, once the purview of rocket scientists, reach a larger audience than "My Three Sons"? Why did a government program whose standard operating procedure had been secrecy turn its greatest achievement into a communal experience? In " Marketing the Moon," David Meerman Scott and Richard Jurek tell the story of one of the most successful marketing and public relations campaigns in history: the selling of the Apollo program.Primed by science fiction, magazine articles, and appearances by Wernher von Braun on the "Tomorrowland" segments of the "Disneyland" prime time television show, Americans were a receptive audience for NASA's pioneering "brand journalism." Scott and Jurek describe sophisticated efforts by NASA and its many contractors to market the facts about space travel -- through press releases, bylined articles, lavishly detailed background materials, and fully produced radio and television features -- rather than push an agenda. American astronauts, who signed exclusive agreements with Life magazine, became the heroic and patriotic faces of the program. And there was some judicious product placement: Hasselblad was the "first camera on the moon"; Sony cassette recorders and supplies of Tang were on board the capsule; and astronauts were equipped with the Exer-Genie personal exerciser. Everyone wanted a place on the bandwagon.Generously illustrated with vintage photographs, artwork, and advertisements, many never published before, "Marketing the Moon" shows that when Neil Armstrong took that giant leap for mankind, it was a triumph not just for American engineering and rocketry but for American marketing and public relations.

National Geographic Kids Super Space Sticker Activity Book: Over 1,000 Stickers!


National Geographic Kids - 2014
    For kids who love our universe, this book features the coolest science kids can't get enough of: our planet Earth, cool asteroids, fun aliens, comets, and so much more. Packed with mazes, spelling and pattern games, drawing activities, and more, kids are sure to love these pages loaded with fun.

The Alex Benedict Collection: A Talent For War, Polaris, Seeker


Jack McDevitt - 2014
    Perfect for fans of Ray Bradbury and Joe Haldeman. In A TALENT FOR WAR, Alex Benedict unearths a piece of information with the power to rewrite history and expose interstellar hero Christopher Sim as a fraud. On his quest for the truth Alex will venture into an unknown alien galaxy and face something stranger than he could ever have imagined. In POLARIS, Alex Benedict is determined to solve the mystery of the luxury space yacht that never returned from its interstellar journey sixty years ago. The search party found Polaris empty and adrift in space and now Alex must travel across the stars in a life-threatening mission to discover the truth.In the Nebula award-winning SEEKER, Alex Benedict is convinced that he has stumbled across an artefact from the infamous transport ship that fled a religious dictatorship in twenty-seventh-century America. Alex and his pilot Chase are taken into the very heart of danger on the deadly trail to Seeker.

See Inside The Universe


Alex Frith - 2014
    Discover planets, stars and galaxies and explore intergalactic spaceCurious young minds will be fascinated by this detailed space book, packed with flaps to lift to reveal answers to some of the biggest questions in the universe.

Astrophotography


Thierry Legault - 2014
    Legault shares advice on equipment and guides you through techniques to capture and process your images to achieve spectacular results.Astrophotography provides the most thorough treatment of the topic available. This large-format, richly illustrated book is intended for all sky enthusiasts-newcomers and veterans alike.Learn how to Select the most useful equipment cameras, adapters, filters, focal reducersextenders, field correctors, and guide telescopes Set up your camera digital, video, or CCD and your lens or telescope for optimal resultsPlan your observing sessionsMount the camera on your telescope and focus it for razor-sharp imagesPolar-align your equatorial mount and improve tracking for pin-point star imagesMake celestial time-lapse videosCalculate the shooting parameters focal length and ratio, field of view, exposure time, etc.Combine multiples exposures to reveal faint galaxies, nebulae details, elusive planetary structures, and tiny lunar craters Adjust contrast, brightness, light curves, and colorsPostprocess your images to fix defects such as vignetting, dust shadows, hot pixels, uneven background, and noiseIdentify problems with your images and improve your results

Mars Up Close: Inside the Curiosity Mission


Marc Kaufman - 2014
    Renowned science journalist Marc Kaufman spent two years embedded with the engineers and scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, cheering on the rover's spine-tingling landing, learning the backstory of anticipated findings, and witnessing the inescapable frustrations that come from operating a $2.5-billion multitasking robot on a planet 35 million miles from Earth. For pop science, space, and technology lovers, Mars Up Close takes you inside the mission and onto the surface of Mars. As an added special feature, this book contains embedded Augmented Reality coding: Download NASA's free app and bring the Curiosity rover and other Mars spacecraft into 3-D reality right on its pages!

#Houston70: The Miracle Journey of Apollo 13


Philip Gibson - 2014
    It is the story of the incredible Apollo 13 mission in 1970 told as if in real time in the form of imaginary social media posts written by the main participants and observers. The narrative is based on astronaut accounts, NASA transcripts of the astronauts’ conversations with Mission Control and live broadcasts of the major U.S. TV networks covering the unfolding drama hour by hour. There is a list of major sources at the back of the book. Apollo 13 was a mission that gripped the entire nation and the world. It would test the courage, endurance and ingenuity, not just of three astronauts but also of the thousands of controllers, technicians and engineers back at Mission Control in Houston and across America.

Benji Franklin: Kid Zillionaire


Raymond Bean - 2014
    Unlike other fat cats, this tiny tycoon uses his wealth for the greater good instead of selfish gain -- because it's not all about the Benjamin!For ages 7-10.

The Ultimate Guide to Vintage Star Wars Action Figures, 1977-1985


Mark Bellomo - 2014
    The adventures continued with a toy line that soon followed, starting a hobby that still leaves collectors fascinated almost 40 years later.The Ultimate Guide to Vintage Star Wars Action Figures 1977-1985 is the definitive reference to vintage action figures, accessories, creatures, playsets and vehicles. Written by nationally renowned toy expert Mark Bellomo, the book features current values on the secondary market and 600+ beautiful color photographs.

Echo of Tomorrow: Book One


Rob Buckman - 2014
    They say that vengeance is a dish best served cold, but to the men and woman who went with him over the border to deliver that vengeance, it was dish served hot, and out of the barrel of a gun and cannon, and from the air. Yet in victory came defeat as he found three hundred years later in the world he woke up in. One far different from the one he'd left behind when he went into cold sleep. Now he had to find a place in this strange new world, one without the means to wage war against an alien race raping the planet of its young people. First, he had to build an army, navy and air force from scratch while fending off attacks from the aliens and the secret government that wanted to put him and his men back into cold sleep or the grave.

Admiral's Lady: Ashes for Ashes, Blood for Blood


Luke Sky Wachter - 2014
    For reference its about twice the size of the previous Admiral's Lady book. Product Description: While Jason was getting back and gearing up for his Revenge, Akantha wasn't just sitting quietly in the corner or out waving the flag on a PR tour. She was gearing up for some revenge of her own. Determined to punish those who planted the knife in the MSP and just as or even more importantly her own people's back, this is one Hold-Mistress who isn't about to let the events that took place at Omicron Station pass. As far as she's concerned her Protector was far too lenient, a mistake she's not about to repeat. You see she has a name for her pain and it is King James, the very man who sent the traitors that took their ship and killed their people. There will be ashes, there will be blood and while victory may not be possible one thing is certain... whether she goes home carrying her shield or carried upon it, they will suffer as she has suffered. Or her name is not Akantha of Messene!

Nature's Third Cycle: A Story of Sunspots


Arnab Rai Choudhuri - 2014
    But is there a third natural cycle of importance for us humans? On 13 March 1989, six million people in Canada went without electricity for many hours: a largeexplosion on the sun was discovered as the cause of this blackout. Such explosions occur above sunspots, dark features on the surface of the Sun that have been observed through telescopes since the time of Galileo.The number of sunspots has been found to wax and wane over a period of 11 years. Although this cycle was discovered less than two centuries ago, it is becoming increasingly important for us as human society becomes more dependent on technology. For nearly a century after its discovery, the cause ofthe sunspot cycle remained completely shrouded in mystery. The 1908 discovery of strong magnetic fields in sunspots made it clear that the 11-year cycle is the magnetic cycle of the sun. It is only during the last few decades that major developments in plasma physics have at last given us the clueto the origins of the cycle and how the large explosions affecting the earth arise.Nature's Third Cycle discusses the fascinating science behind the sunspot cycle, and gives an insider's perspective of this cutting-edge scientific research from one of the leaders of the field.

John Glenn: America's Astronaut


Andrew Chaikin - 2014
    Since then John Herschel Glenn Jr. has stood in the popular imagination as a quintessentially American hero. In John Glenn:  America's Astronaut, a special edition e-book featuring 45 stunning photographs as well as a video, Chaikin explores Glenn's path to greatness.  John Glenn features new details on Glenn's selection as an astronaut in 1959, newly synchronized onboard film and audio of Glenn's harrowing reentry from orbit on his 1962 Mercury mission, rarely seen images of Glenn in orbit and from the John Glenn archives at Ohio State University, as well as new, touching reminiscenes of Glenn's 1998 return to space from his Space Shuttle crewmates. Glenn is the embodiment of the history of human spaceflight and the indefatigable American spirit, and John Glenn:  America's Astronaut is his amazing story.

Nova The Dark Reach Wars Vol I


Lora E. Rasmussen - 2014
    When Avara and her Squad are given their next mission, to track down and capture the Vosaia STF Agent K’llan Z’arr and recover the deadly Arcatech Enhancement research she has stolen, what Avara thought would be a very straightforward mission quickly becomes anything but.Assigned to work with a second Shield Operative to maintain political relations between the Human Ministry and Vosaia Consulate, it becomes apparent that hard questions need to be asked as to the identity of the true culprit behind the missing data, inquiries made all the more critical as it is revealed that the intended recipient of the pilfered Arcatech is the hostile Karukai Imperium. With the Margrom War ended only two and a half years ago, the apparent defection of Quorum agents and the theft of the newly developed Arca technology threatens to crack the fragile status quo of the ongoing cold war between the Quorum Aligned Systems and the Karukai Imperium. If ignited, such a large-scale conflict would result in the enslavement or death of trillions of people. The demands of this mission will push Captain Avara Serros and Nova Squad to the very limits of what they can physically and emotionally endure, and beyond.Nova, The Dark Reach Wars, features complex and highly diverse characters in a gritty narrative that blends heart-racing firefights, suspense, romance, and tension-laden struggles for survival within the context of looming war. Set in the far future when Earth no longer exits and Humans are only one of a dozen sentient species, Nova is epic cinema made page-turning literature set in a fully realized futuristic world.

Rebel


Edward W. Robertson - 2014
    A thousand years after their defeat, the aliens haven't been seen since. Rada Pence has spent the last three years driving carts for an independent mining crew. Most likely, that's how she'll die, too. Then, deep beneath the ice of a Neptune moon, her crew discovers a long-lost ship. If it's from Earth's first space age, it would be worth millions. When they dig down to it, they discover it's not human—it's alien. And its secrets are worth killing for.

The Art of Space: The History of Space Art, from the Earliest Visions to the Graphics of the Modern Era


Ron Miller - 2014
    In The Art of Space, award-winning artist and best-selling author Ron Miller presents over 350 high-quality and often photorealistic images that chart how artists throughout history, working with the knowledge and research available during their time, have endeavored to construct realistic images of visions throughout the universe. Beginning with depictions of space ships, unmanned probes, and space stations, Miller moves through collections that also illustrate the planets, moons, galaxies, and stars; cities, colonies, and space habitats; and possible alien life. The artwork presented here has been created in a variety of media, from the woodcuts and oil paintings of the Victorian and Edwardian eras to the digitally enhanced work of contemporary artists. Each chapter also includes two special features: one profile of an artist or group of artists of particular influence and one sidebar discussion of general cultural topics, such as the use of space art for propaganda purposes during the Cold War or the impact of the digital revolution on the resources available to artists. A fascinating study on the intersection of science and the artistic imagination, The Art of Space shows how astronomy and space travel has been reflected in popular art and public perception over the past two centuries. With forewords from Carolyn Porco and Dan Durda, this book is the ultimate resource for space art fans.

The Collected Stories of Frank Herbert


Frank Herbert - 2014
    But while best known for originating the character of Paul Atreides and the desert world of Arrakis, Herbert was also a prolific writer of short fiction. His stories were published individually in numerous pulps and anthologies spanning decades, but never collected. Until now.The Collected Stories of Frank Herbert is the most complete collection of Herbert's short fiction ever assembled-thirty-seven stories originally published between 1952 and 1979, plus one story, "The Daddy Box," that has never been appeared before.

Idiot's Guides: The Cosmos


Christopher G. De Pree - 2014
    Dozens of stunning, full-color photos highlight the latest discoveries and beauty of space, including the solar system, the Sun, the asteroid belt, the Milky Way, various star types, black holes, and more.

Milestones of Space: Eleven Iconic Objects from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum


Michael J. NeufeldCathleen Lewis - 2014
    Throughout the whole of human history, across all of Earth's cultures and landscapes, countless individuals have gazed up at the stars with wonder and awe. Getting to space was no easy task, and our curiosity with the surrounding universe has long been a source of earthly pride and competition. At the bottom of this international technology driven rivalry lies one unifying purpose, which is to understand the impossibly vast heavens. In Milestones of Space, Michael Neufeld and select curators of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum present a gorgeous photographic celebration of some of the most groundbreaking artifacts that played key parts in giving humanity its first steps into the cosmos. Focusing on the most iconic objects and technology - such as Friendship 7,the Lunar Module 2, Neil Armstrong's Lunar Suit, the Hubble Space Telescope, and Space Shuttle Discovery - this book extensively profiles eleven of the NASM's most important breakthroughs in space technology. The NASM curators feature each object in incredible detail with compelling timelines, sidebars and captions, and over 150 archival images that provide new and little-known insights into their development and historical context. We are still a long way from grasping our universe . . . but for now, Milestones of Space magnificently commemorates the individuals and inventions that have taken us this far.

Planets for Pagans: Use the Planets and Stars for Personal and Sacred Discovery


Renna Shesso - 2014
    Beyond its pragmatic usefulness, the sky was the domain of spirit, traversed by deities and a place to which human souls departed. Let's re-enchant it, shall we?""-Renna ShessoImpeccably researched by one of the most eclectic pagan scholars working today, this book aims to reengage our fascination with the planets and stars. Shesso looks at the mythology, legend, science and lore about the planets and most significant stars in a chapter-by-chapter format. Included are nearly 150 diagrams and illustrations--of the heavens, astrological views, depictions of gods and goddesses, sky totems, Tarot symbols, star charts, and more.Anyone with even a vaguely pagan bent, anyone with a reverence for the natural world, who has ever marveled at the night sky will love this enchanted view of the planets and stars.Previously published as "A Magical Tour of the Night Sky" 9781578634958

Make: Rockets


Mike Westerfield - 2014
    Starting with the basics of rocket propulsion, readers will start out making rockets made from stuff lying around the house, and then move on up to air-, water-, and solid propellant-powered rockets.

Conscripts: The First Book of The Off World Trilogy


Patrick Locke - 2014
    He had finished his education, found the right girl, and was now just waiting on that ideal job that would launch him towards his perfectly-planned-out future. Instead, he awakes to find himself forced onto a different path—as a human conscript in an alien war—far from everything he knows and loves.Propelled into danger against his will, he will soon realize that his only choice—and that of his new comrades—is to rise to the occasion, to endure unimaginable difficulties and help each other beat the odds and make it home. Unbeknownst to Jacob, not only is he in a struggle for his life, but one that will impact humanity itself and the balance of his planet. Back on Earth, when a mass disappearance of people across the globe calls for governmental investigations it is quietly dismissed as an unsolved and strange coincidence, like the flocks of birds that drop dead from the sky. With so little information, even the 24-hour news cycle soon abandons its coverage. The only ones that appear unable to move on are the loved ones that the missing left behind. Luckily for Jacob, his family refuses to give up on him. In this survival story, science-fiction writer Patrick Locke transports us to new worlds and epic battles filled with unfair circumstances, tough decisions, fumbles and despair, victories and betrayal, courage and hope, but most of all heart.

Snowburn


E.J. Frost - 2014
    Save the girl.Hale Hauser is a Company killer. Perfectly engineered, highly trained, superbly effective. He has everything, and nothing.Kezra Kerryon is a runner on the backwater colony of Kuseros. She'll get anything from A to B, for a price.When Kez hires Hale to help her retrieve a black-market package, Hale is plunged into the maze of strange loyalties and twisted customs of Kuseros’ underground gangs. In payment, he takes the one thing only a woman can give him, and finds the one thing he's missing.But Kez has a secret, which will threaten them both. To protect her, Hale must unleash the monster. Can he control the killer inside long enough to discover the truth before it destroys them? Or will he lose everything just as he’s found it?Publisher's Note: this book contains references to subjects that readers may find triggering, including genetic modification and past physical abuse. The book also contains elements of power exchange. Please do not buy this book if such subjects offend you.

The Secret Galaxy


Fran Hodgkins - 2014
    Each book aims for the highest standards of scientific accuracy and storytelling magic.

Galaxy: mapping the cosmos


James Geach - 2014
    But the stars we see are only those that make up our own Milky Way galaxy—but one of hundreds of billions in the whole of the universe, each separated  by inconceivably huge tracts of empty space. In this book, astronomer James Geach tells the rich stories of both the evolution of galaxies and our ability to observe them, offering a fascinating history of how we’ve come to realize humanity’s tiny place in the vast universe.             Taking us on a compelling tour of the state-of-the-art science involved in mapping the infinite, Geach offers a first-hand account of both the science itself and how it is done, describing what we currently know as well as that which we still do not. He goes back one hundred years to when scientists first proved the existence of other galaxies, tracking our continued improvement in the ability to collect and interpret the light that stars in faraway galaxies have emitted through space and time. He discusses examples of this rapidly accelerating research, from the initial discovery that the faint “spiral nebulae” were actually separate star systems located far beyond the Milky Way to the latest observations of the nature of galaxies and how they have evolved. He also delves into the theoretical framework and simulations that describe our current “world model” of the universe.             With one hundred superb color illustrations, Galaxy is an illuminating guide to the choreography of the cosmos and how we came to know our place within it that will appeal to any stargazer who has wondered what was beyond their sight.

Reason For Vengeance


Adrian D. Roberts - 2014
    With Shadow Company, the foremost elite unit of the Pantheon, she has fought on countless worlds for masters who care for only power and wealth.Hanna is an orphan who has seen the wonders of the Privileged but known only grief, hunger and pain in her fourteen years. Now her chance to change her life has arrived but to do so she must rely on a drunken, broken soldier who has lost everything.The Privileged live lavishly at the expensive of the rest of humanity and they must maintain the Pantheon as the pre-eminent civilisation. A class war has been brewing for centuries and all it would take is one persons need for Vengeance to ignite it.

The Large Hadron Collider: The Extraordinary Story of the Higgs Boson and Other Stuff That Will Blow Your Mind


Don Lincoln - 2014
    The Large Hadron Collider (or what scientists call "the LHC") is one of the wonders of the modern world--a highly sophisticated scientific instrument designed to recreate in miniature the conditions of the universe as they existed in the microseconds following the big bang. Among many notable LHC discoveries, one led to the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for revealing evidence of the existence of the Higgs boson, the so-called God particle.Picking up where he left off in "The Quantum Frontier, " physicist Don Lincoln shares an insider's account of the LHC's operational history and gives readers everything they need to become well informed on this marvel of technology.Writing about the LHC's early days, Lincoln offers keen insight into an accident that derailed the operation nine days after the collider's 2008 debut. A faulty solder joint started a chain reaction that caused a massive explosion, damaged 50 superconducting magnets, and vaporized large sections of the conductor. The crippled LHC lay dormant for over a year, while technical teams repaired the damage.Lincoln devotes an entire chapter to the Higgs boson and Higgs field, using several extended analogies to help explain the importance of these concepts to particle physics. In the final chapter, he describes what the discovery of the Higgs boson tells us about our current understanding of basic physics and how the discovery now keeps scientists awake over a nagging inconsistency in their favorite theory.As accessible as it is fascinating, " The Large Hadron Collider" reveals the inner workings of this masterful achievement of technology, along with the mind-blowing discoveries that will keep it at the center of the scientific frontier for the foreseeable future.

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Space & Space Exploration


Giles Sparrow - 2014
    Including more than 2,000 color photographs and artworks, the book covers and wide range of topics: from the effects of the Moon on the Earth's tides to exploring the most distant stars, and from the Great Bear to meteorites to the first dog in space. Accessibly written for the general reader, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Space & Space Exploration will inspire and educate anyone interested in finding out more about what makes up our universe.

Stargazers: Galileo, Copernicus, the Telescope and the Church


Allan Chapman - 2014
    It was later popularized by Galileo—a fantastic debater whose abrasive style won him many enemies—who presented new evidence, which suggested that the earth moved. This thorough examination of Galileo explores both his achievements and influences. It then goes on to trace the impact of his ideas on those who followed him, including Sir Francis Bacon, Dr. John Wilkins, Dr. Robert Hooke, Sir Isaac Newton, and Rev. Dr. James Bradley. Chapman investigates the church’s role and its intriguing relationship with the astronomers of the day. The support and involvement of the church meant that research could be undertaken, but at times the relationship was fractious, leading Galileo to famously declare, “the Bible is to teach us how to go to Heaven, not how the heavens go.” In 1728, the theory of the moving earth was finally proven by the young Rev. Dr. James Bradley.

Guy Erma and the Son of Empire


Sally Ann Melia - 2014
    The immediate fall-out will be dead infants and murdered teachers... Teodor has fallen into the hands of the ruthless yet charismatic Chart Segat, a populist politician, he is also head of the military crack space troops: the Dome Elite. Teodor’s mother, Regent Sayginn of Freyne 2 will use every resource at her disposal to find and free Teodor … The only question is can they get to Teodor in time? Meanwhile in the shadow of the Dome, living a life of desperate poverty is another boy: 13-year-old Guy Erma. His only dream is to join the Dome Elite, and the only way he can do that is by ‘doing whatever Chart Segat says.’ Whatever he says!

A Little Course in Astronomy


Robert Dinwiddie - 2014
    Learn at your own pace, in your own time and in the comfort of your own home.A Little Course in Astronomy takes you from complete beginner to being able to identify stars, planets and other objects in space. Start simple by studying the Moon, build on your skills to find constellations and observe the solar system to see the Milky Way, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The step-by-step pictures show you what other courses only tell you and you can learn by doing with sections on locating and observing stars, planets and constellations and choosing and using equipment like planispheres, binoculars and telescopes. A Little Course in Astronomy will show you how to succeed at your new skill in no time.

Alien Assassin (Assassin Series 2)


T. Jackson King - 2014
    He narrowly escapes death by laser at the opening of a memory crystal library on Thixen only to discover that a greedy Alien has unleashed a ‘mind virus’ that turns people who use memcrystals into violent psychotics! Then his lifemate Delo and their Dino babies are nearly killed by the mind virus crime syndicate. Al vows an Honor Fight to eliminate the Alien who threatens the lives of everyone in Markan, but finds his own Guild of Assassins unwilling to help him. Al soon faces an ultimate battle against the praying mantis-like Ketchetkeel Aliens who are somehow linked to the mind virus. He may die. Delo may die. But the mind virus must be killed before the A.I. algors in Markan eliminate every lifeform as a means of protecting themselves from insanity infection! This is Book 2 in the Assassin series. Book 1 is Stellar Assassin. Book 3 will be Human Assassin.

Second Suicide: A Short Story


Hugh Howey - 2014
    My tentacles slime in disgust.Or is it fear?If this is the last planet we ever conquer, I'll be glad. Be nice to settle down somewhere, get off this ship, own a square of land, learn to love all that open sky.Eight more days before planetfall. Eight days before we reach planet Earth.

Voices of the Soviet Space Program: Cosmonauts, Soldiers, and Engineers Who Took the USSR into Space


Slava Gerovitch - 2014
    In this remarkable oral history, author and interviewer Slava Gerovitch helps to enrich and complicate space historiography by presenting interviews with the men and women who witnessed Soviet space efforts firsthand, from the cosmonauts themselves to the military officials who directed the program to the engineers who made real the grand ambitions of the USSR. Rather than comprising a monolithic "master narrative," these fascinating and varied accounts bring to light the often divergent perspectives, experiences, and institutional cultures that defined the Soviet space program.

The Battle of Castle Nebula


Stephanie Ricker - 2014
    But Elsa Vogel still has her duty, and she will do it, no matter the peril, no matter the anguish in her heart as she leaves her ravaged home planet, perhaps never to return. And the same tragedy that tore Elsa’s life to pieces also transformed the lives of others. Others who may need a reason to go on living, after the cataclysmic Battle of Castle Nebula.If you enjoyed the world of A Cinder’s Tale in the Five Glass Slippers anthology, explore that universe further in The Cendrillon Cycle, a series of novellas recounting the past and future adventures of Elsa, Karl, Bruno, and the rest of the cinder crew.

How Many Planets Circle the Sun?: And Other Questions About Our Solar System


Mary Kay Carson - 2014
    Why is there life on earth? How did Saturn get its rings? Which planet is biggest, which one's hottest—and which has a cloud named Scooter? Take a trip into outer space to learn about the asteroid belt, Martian volcanoes, dwarf planets, and other fascinating facts about our universe.

Canadian Spacewalkers: Hadfield, MacLean and Williams Remember the Ultimate High Adventure


Bob McDonald - 2014
    Astronauts leave earth's atmosphere in a spaceship. Spacewalkers don pressure suits and step outside into the universe.Spacewalking is a physically exhausting, mentally rigorous endeavor. It’s so difficult, only three Canadians have ever succeeded: Chris Hadfield, Steve MacLean and Dave Williams. Chris Hadfield and Dave Williams are record breakers; Hadfield completed thefirst Canadian spacewalk and installed the Canadarm 2 on the International Space Station, while Williams holds the record forthe longest spacewalk by a Canadian. And Steve MacLean, Senior Research Affiliate at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and former head of the Canadian Space Agency, was one of Canada’s original six astronauts.But what is it really like to step into that abyss; to leap out into space with only the thin fabric of your suit between you and the universe? In Canadian Spacewalkers , author Bob McDonald compiles each of the spacewalkers' perspectives and presents an extensive interview transcription -- a one-on-one with spacewalkers who tell tales of training underwater in the world's largest swimming pool, recount how they learned to use power tools in zero gravity while wearing bulky gloves and describe the moment when they opened the hatch and stepped outside.McDonald, science journalist and simulator-spacewalker, also shares his own experiences with astronaut training: the almost- reality of simulators, the sensory deprivation of the spacesuit, and even a zero-g airplane ride where he experiences the wonder and giddiness of floating weightless.Highly illustrated with stunning NASA photos, Canadian Spacewalkers will inspire, astound and surprise. This is the gripping first-hand story of unique adventurers -- in their own words -- who have gone where very few humans have had the privilege to go.

Living Among Giants: Exploring and Settling the Outer Solar System


Michael Carroll - 2014
    In fact, it may ultimately be the best place for Earthlings to set up permanent abodes. This book surveys the feasibility of that prospect, covering the fascinating history of exploration that kicks off our adventure into the outer Solar System.Although other books provide surveys of the outer planets, Carroll approaches it from the perspective of potential future human exploration, exploitation and settlement, using insights from today s leading scientists in the field. These experts take us to targets such as the moons Titan, Triton, Enceladus, Iapetus and Europa, and within the atmospheres of the gas and ice giants. In these pages you will experience the thrill of discovery awaiting those who journey through the giant worlds and their moons.All the latest research is included, as are numerous illustrations, among them original paintings by the author, a renowned prize-winning space artist."

Star Cat: Book 1


James Turner - 2014
    In the deepest depths of space, there is only one crew brave enough to take on the universe's most dangerous villains...Unfortunately they weren't available for this book, so you'll have to make do with...The crew of the STAR CAT!Join Captain Spaceington and his team as they blunder across the universe, stumbling onto strange planets, sticking their noses into spatial anomalies, and poking funny-looking aliens with sticks.

Space Rocks!


Tom O'Donnell - 2014
    Those accursed pink bars entranced me with their sugary magic! But I digress . . . Life on Gelo was fine until the fur-headed "humans” arrived. They invaded our peaceful asteroid with their loud drill machines and their endless greed, stealing our precious Iridium to take back to their weird looking blue-and-green planet. Then the mothership took off and four little fur-heads were marooned here. But thank Jalasu Jhuk that Hollins, Becky, Nicki, and Little Gus are actually pretty cool. They have awesome gadgets like hologram games and rocket bikes, and they can pilot starships! But there’s plenty the juvenile humans don’t know, like how to fight a ferocious thyss-cat or ride a giant usk-lizard. They’re decidedly terrible at dealing with my stink-gland.  Luckily the Earthlings have me, Chorkle, and all five of my eyes to look after them. If only I knew how to help them get back home . . .

A Sad Jar of Atoms


Monica Enderle Pierce - 2014
    It contains no spoilers.* Accused of adultery and manslaughter, and nine months pregnant, Rachel Pryne faces community judgment and a terrible decision. She can accept the protection of her community's leader -- the man who fathered her child by rape -- or be expelled into a world devastated by alien conquerors. Rachel must choose death or the devil and find hope somewhere in between. In this short story prequel to the sci-fi/post-apocalyptic novel, Girl Under Glass, readers will meet Rachel Pryne and discover just how determined a mother can be, even when the odds against her are overwhelming.

Why? Encyclopedia: Brilliant Answers to Baffling Questions


D.K. Publishing - 2014
    Well, why not? Sometimes kids asking "why" is the fastest way to understand the world around them.This exciting visual encyclopedia is perfect for your curious children who want their questions answered. With an easy, interactive question-and-answer format, brilliant images and illustrations, your kid's favourite subjects will come to life!A world of knowledge is packed into a one-stop-shop reference book for your child. Full of fun facts and trivia, colourful 3D-digital images, and games that will feed their brains and help them shape their ideas about the world around them. The kids' encyclopedia is filled with age-appropriate knowledge on a range of topics that are complementary to your school's curriculum. Don't Be Afraid To Ask Why!Kids ask questions all the time, and this exciting visual encyclopedia is perfect for curious children everywhere. The book covers a wide range of topics in a question and answer format. The book goes from the tiny things we can't see in our bodies to the enormous planets in our solar system in an easy to understand and visually appealing way. Amaze and inspire young readers to find answers to questions such as: What's inside my body? Why do I get hungry? Why do lions have fur? Why does metal rust? What is a rainbow? How many animals are in the world? Find out all the answers to these questions and everything you ever wanted to know inside the Why? Encyclopedia. This educational book will answer your questions on:- Space and our planet- The human body and the broader living world- History - Science - and more!

Our Sun


William B. Rice - 2014
    It makes the seasons change. Our sun is very important! Learn about the sun with this engaging science reader. With easy-to-read text, this book teaches students important scientific concepts and vocabulary. Aligned to state and national standards, the book contains nonfiction text features like an index, a glossary, captions, bold font, and detailed images to keep students connected to the text. A hands-on science experiment helps students apply what they have learned and develops critical thinking skills.

Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook (7th Edition)


Games Workshop - 2014
    The galaxy-spanning Imperium of Man, beset on all sides by ravening aliens, foul traitors and Warp-spawned Daemons, looks once more to its greatest heroes to stave off the encroaching darkness. There is no time for peace. No respite. No forgiveness. There is only war. Warhammer 40,000 is your essential guide to fielding majestic armies of Citadel miniatures across the war-ravaged battlefields of the far future. It comprises three core volumes: The Rules – a comprehensive set of rules allowing you to recreate the vicious conflicts of the 41st Millennium on the tabletop. Using your collection of Citadel miniatures, you can command the heroes and villains of Warhammer 40,000 in a galaxy where there is only war. Dark Millennium – a glimpse into the grim darkness of the far future. It details the crumbling Imperium of Man and the many enemies, within and without, who are constantly plotting its downfall. A Galaxy of War – an introduction to Warhammer 40,000. It contains photographs of beautifully painted Citadel miniatures and provides inspiration for your own collection.

Reentry Window


Eric Tozzi - 2014
    But a strange atmospheric anomaly at Mars single handedly resurrects the program, giving birth to the first manned mission to the Red Planet for an up-close investigation of this fantastic event. For astronaut Brett Lockwood it’s a dream come true. A chance to make history. But what he discovers is a window through time that will change the entire course of space exploration—decades before he was ever born."Reentry Window" was originally published in the best-selling anthology, Synchronic: 13 Tales of Time Travel.

The Magic School Bus Presents: Our Solar System: A Nonfiction Companion to the Original Magic School Bus Series


Tom Jackson - 2014
    MAGIC SCHOOL BUS PRESENTS THE PLANETS will expand upon the original title with fresh, updated, Common Core aligned content about the amazing planets in our solar system. With vivid full-color photographs on each page as well as illustrations of the beloved Ms. Frizzle and her students, the Magic School Bus Presents series will enthrall a whole new generation of Magic School Bus readers.

Recruit


Jonathan P. Brazee - 2014
    However, Ryck soon discovers that the Corps is more than a means of escaping his former life as he is pushed beyond the very limits of his strength and willpower. From bootcamp brawls to skirmishes with galactic pirates, Ryck's new life presents him with unimaginable adventures and forces him to prove his mettle as he forges his new identity and fights to earn his place as one of the Brotherhood of Marines.

Astrophysicist and Space Advocate Neil Degrasse Tyson


Marne Ventura - 2014
    The universe was calling him. Tyson pursued his interest in astronomy and studied to be an astrophysicist. In 1996, he became the director of New York's Hayden Planetarium. He is passionate about teaching people about the universe. Known for making science fun and easy to understand, he has hosted and appeared on TV shows such as Nova ScienceNow and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He even has more than one million Twitter followers! But how did he get there? Follow his path from fascinated kid to popular space expert.