Book picks similar to
Brickbreaker by Al Hess


companion-story
dystopia
freebie
z1-travelers

Alive


Andreas Christensen - 2013
    When Ed Walker learns that others have been preparing for the disaster for years, he realize finding them may be his only shot at survival. But time is running out...In a dying world one man makes a choice to keep going, hoping against hope there might be a future after all.Alive is a 10.000 word story loosely based on events in Exodus by Andreas Christensen, but can also  just as easily be read as a stand alone.Notice: this novella is also available for FREE on the author's website.

The Last Walk Out: A Tribal Space Opera


David Helton - 2014
     The catastrophic Abunga virus has wiped out everyone on Earth except for a few scattered souls with natural immunity. Other humans escaped this Apocalypse by fleeing to other parts of the Solar System, populating and exploiting its moons and planets. A thousand years on, those now living on these distant outposts still can't return but secretly confine and observe the survivors as a combination of social experiment and nostalgic entertainment. Their former home is now a ‘holopark’, a new Eden, a Heaven on Earth. It’s a chance for the human race to start all over again. There, Gibbous Moon, a 70-year-old tribal story-teller and seer, is leaving his settlement on a solitary Last Walk Out. Except that he is not alone. Reluctantly he has to accept animal company in the shape of a determined dog he names Yellow. And then his daughter-in-law Paintbrush and her baby Skyman suddenly appear after their clan is brutally massacred by rivals on the reservation. Could it be possible that this small renegade band could now form an unlikely alliance, the basis of a real New Beginning? Praise for David Helton: "The Last Walk Out is a story that satisfies on many levels – compelling and adventurous, with engaging characters including strong and individualistic women, it investigates the wisdom and contradictions mankind has confronted across history." - Amazon Review David Helton was born in San Francisco, graduated from the University of Texas and has spent most of his working mainly as a freelance journalist and documentary scriptwriter. He has won or been nominated for several international awards and has written one other novel, King Jude. He now lives in England.

A Galactic Coming of Age


Krystyn Dean - 2017
    Races operating within their own planetary systems are to be left alone until they begin to develop the ability to travel at FTL (faster than light speeds). When the ability to travel at FTL becomes apparent, one of the members of the Federation is nominated to help ease the newcomer through the Galactic citizenship process. Unfortunately, not all the galaxies systems belong to the Federation, and some of those systems are much less than friendly. The last several decades have seen the development of war like societies that systematically loot developing planets. They take the water, and other precious resources, including slaves, leaving the remaining native inhabitants a barren planet. Without resources the population simply dies a slow death. The Egolari are here because we, meaning the people of Earth, happen to possess a skill set and an aptitude that is critical to the needs of the Federation. The major problem within the Federation is that virtually all the members have, for centuries been living in peace. They have developed a society that is not well suited to counter the growing violence presented by the nonaligned races. In short, they have no way to protect themselves, let alone protect the fledgling races just arriving on the galactic scene. Enter Earth. Of all the emerging races to become future galactic members, one has a superior potential to face the violence threatened by the nonaligned races. You guessed it, Humanity. The Federation realized that to continue to function as an organized galactic society, they would have to develop a military arm that could provide the Federation and emerging systems the protection of a fleet of space vessels and marines. Humanity was the race most capable of leading the development of that military organization because we had not progressed so far that our war like tendencies had begun to erode. Although we were not yet ready for galactic membership, we were a necessity that could fill the need, thus we were getting a crash course in how to travel the galaxy, protecting ourselves and the Federation with the full expectation that we would go where no human has gone before, and kick some alien ass.

Time Split


Patricia Smith - 2011
    His search for the truth soon becomes a fight for survival and a race against evil, with any chance of correcting the timeline slowly slipping away.*** Time Split is also available in paperback. Also by Patricia Smith: Distant Suns, Distant Suns - The Journey Home, Islands - The Epidemic and Nebathan.

Final Days: The Complete Series


Jasper T. Scott - 2021
    

One In A Billion, Vol 3


Lola Silverman - 2017
    Titles Included:Nine MonthsDiamond tycoon, Aiden has everything money can buy, except a kid. Yeah, he’s a guy, but guys get broody, too. Besides, his biological clock is ticking. The only hitch is he doesn’t want the wife. Who wants to go through a messy divorce, especially if you risk losing half of your hard-earned fortune to your ex-wife? He could pay a surrogate mother, but it will contradict the very value of marriage his engagement ring jewelry business stands for, and he worked too hard to throw it away, now. When his CFO embezzles company funds, Aiden finds the solution to his dilemma. To prevent her father from going to jail, Jenna must give Aiden a baby. Problem solved.Secret VacationFrida thinks she has successfully managed to hide from what she was running away. She believes living in isolation is exactly what cures a broken heart. Till the handsome, witty and older, Gareth shows up. He is a guest in her B&B and therefore out of bounds, besides Frida doesn’t have the space in her heart for another man. Although she knows nothing about Gareth, what she does know is that he isn’t interested in anything serious. Frida cannot afford to have her heart broken again, especially by someone who is hiding secrets of his own.Tragic TaleAlready on the run from an abusive ex-husband, Holly Price doesn’t realize that when she accepts the job writing for billionaire Julian Petrokov, she is getting in over her head. Julian tells her dark stories about his past and though they frighten Holly, she can’t help but to be captivated by his history and his charm. When Holly is threatened by the gang who is after Julian’s head, the two of them are forced to flee to Julian’s private island, where they grow even closer as he weaves his tragic tale. It’s there that Holly realizes just how deeply she feels for Julian, but what she doesn’t know yet is that loving him could mean making the ultimate sacrifice, one that could cost her her life.Coded In YouBeaches and BenchesKaarin Lind is perfectly happy all alone, thank you very much, despite whatever her aunt might say. With a successful career as a lawyer, she feels no desire to seek out companionship outside of her half-feral tomcat. That is, until she meets Carson Deveroux. After a whirlwind romance that leaves her questioning everything in her life, Kaarin meets Carson once again--this time, in the court room. Carson Deveroux thought he had life all figured out. Until Kaarin Lind stumbled onto his private beach and turned his world upside down. Now, he must choose between his future and the woman he has fallen madly in love with, and his comfortable past and family. comfortable past and family.

Alien Firestorm (Fire and Rust #2)


Anthony James - 2019
    The Raggers have come and they’re the dregs of the universe, as the Unity League is about to find out. An unprovoked Ragger incendiary attack on the human city of Satra kills millions. Not everyone dies. Lieutenant Tanner Conway and a few of his squad survive the flames, as does Captain Jake Griffin, his spaceship Star Burner brought down by enemy fire. The survivors want payback, but it’s hard to beat an alien attack fleet when you’re stuck in the middle of a burning city. The Ragger spaceships are still in orbit and threaten the rest of the planet with the same fate. Someone has to stop them. The Star Burner has a massive nuke in its hold. Conway and Griffin think they can put the bomb to good use, but the spaceship won’t fly and the enemy have their own interest in the wreckage. A plan to bring the bomb to the aliens has unintended consequences and far-reaching effects. The fight will take Conway and Griffin from the ruined city to a spaceship with capabilities beyond reckoning. They will face unimaginable horrors and a foe that has no regard for life. Every contest has a prize and this one is no different. Victory against the Ragger fleet will save billions from death and set back the enemy’s ambitions in this part of the Unity League’s territory. It’s going to take skill, guts and a lot of dead aliens before it happens. Alien Firestorm is a fast-paced military sci-fi shooter filled with guns, tech and warfare. It follows on from book 1 in the Fire and Rust Series: Iron Dogs.

Alpha Centauri: First Landing (T-Space: Alpha Centauri Book 1)


Alastair Mayer - 2016
    A multinational expedition is launched to land on and explore these worlds, but political intrigue and natural disasters threaten the mission . . . and what they find may threaten Earth itself.

... and they are us


Patrick McClafferty - 2014
    Voracious and relentlessly, the Creednax consume everything in their path, including people, planets and themselves if necessary. Only the Rose of the Dawn has the smallest chance of stopping them — if the abducted captain and shanghaied crew can figure out how to run the alien ship in time. Unfortunately, time is the one thing they don’t have.

Snowday: A festive feel good romantic comedy (The Riverside Series Book 1)


B.R. Maycock - 2018
     Eloise is too busy juggling the chaos of three kids, an ever present ex-husband and a demanding boss to even remember the last time dating crossed her mind. But as soft snow falls silently all around, romance twinkles with the flakes. After being single for so long, Eloise suddenly has a lot of choices. Too many choices. Will anyone be worthy of melting the guard around her heart to let love in? A fun-filled, festive read for fans of Christie Barlow, Fiona Gibson and Colleen Coleman

Hunter Homestead


Boyd Craven Jr. - 2019
    & China. Out of control sectors of government. Unrealistic regulations. Genetically engineered food.From the mind of Boyd Craven Jr. comes a story world that most readers find "Scarily Believable..."  "Right out of today's headlines..."  "Different than anything else in this genre that I've read..."HUNTER HOMESTEAD — Smack dab in the middle of all that, Jacob and Elaine Hunter sell their home on the water in a small Michigan city for more than they could've ever dreamed, and at the perfect time—just before the big real estate crash. With a fist full of cash, and timing on their side they retire from their jobs and set out to find the perfect place to settle down to a life of homesteading and sustainability. They might have found the perfect place, out in the middle of nowhere in South Carolina, but they also found something they hadn't counted on. His name was Mike Ford.★★★★★ The start of a new world!!  This first book in a new series I found quite enjoyable!! It's well written and the characters are fleshed out very well! I look forward to reading the next in the series!★★★★★ A Scary Premise!! Great start to a fascinating storyline. I love the characters - being as I am of the older generation - their doubts, and their hopes and dreams. It's a scary premise - the whole genetic manipulation and I am really anxious to see where this series is going. Well done, Boyd Craven Jr.★★★★☆ Different This story is different than what I'm used to from the Craven guys but still enjoyed it. Think it's actually the first story I've seen along these lines. I can say honestly the storyline interested me because I worry about what these big companies are doing to our food. Looking forward to starting book two.

Sex with a Shooting Star


J.A. Kazimer - 2011
    Benjamin Coleman is in love. Jodie Dean has a secret. Will either survive sex with a shooting star?

Trust a Few


E.M. Swift-Hook - 2017
    But the past is hard to escape. The 'City has always been a dangerous place to live: now it's lethal. Not only are the crime lords exploiting its lawless streets, it is also the unwitting test bed for a sinister corporate technology. As Jaz tries to find an old friend who needs him, can a new ally help? Can he even be trusted? 'Trust A Few' is the first book in 'Haruspex', a tense new, sci-fi trilogy from Fortune's Fools.

The Amplified Trilogy: The Amplified Books 1-3


Lauren M. Flauding - 2017
    Includes The Amplified, The Dissenters, and The Restrainers.

A Love to Heal a Broken Heart


Lilah Rivers - 2019
    Needing a new start, she decides to visit her best friend, Amy, in New Mexico and help her through her pregnancy. Her trip to the west turns out to be a healing journey for her, filled with new opportunities, including the affection of the handsome local sheriff. The time she felt she would never feel happiness again seems so far away now. But will she dare to give him her heart after everything she’s been through? Sheriff Covey was always focused on his job, and kept to himself until a mesmerizing woman arrived in town. To his surprise, Jodi brings out a warmer side of him that he didn’t even know existed. But what he doesn’t realise is that Jodi still carries the wounds from her past. When the past comes knocking at her door, Covey will be called to decide if her heart was ever his in the first place. When all seems to be against his love for her, will he defy everything and follow his heart? In this story about childhood friends and second chances in love, can faith help two people come together? Twists and turns keep these complex and determined protagonists racing toward their destinies, leaving the most discerning reader on the edge of their seats! Action and emotion comes alive like never before on the page! An intense drama for fans of spiritual love stories. "A Love to Heal a Broken Heart" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.