Book picks similar to
Teal of the Institute: A Maya World Story by Chris Harte
science-fiction
steampunk
alternate-history
genre-syfi-fan-horr
The Fields of Durandor
Steven J. Shelley - 2016
No job. No prospects. He lives in one of the most crime-ridden apartment blocks on the west coast. His girlfriend uses him for a place to stay. His father is on life support. Rent is due next week… Games are Nick’s passion. He's played them all - well, the old screen ones anyway. He's never been able to afford an Immersion tank and the amazing games that come with them, but he's seen the web casts. He knows the names of every superstar pixel runner. His heroes. So when he's picked out of the crowd to participate in a competitive, quest-driven dark fantasy RPG, his brain melts. Could this be his opportunity to get ahead? Or will he be chewed up by the machine, just another failed pixel runner by the side of the road? STRENGTH BUILD is a LitRPG serial. The Fields of Durandor is the first episode, with more to come in the coming weeks!
Virginian (Matt Miller in the Colonies, #3)
Mark J. Rose - 2019
He’s become a wealthy businessman and politician, with a beautiful wife and family, but the American Revolution looms on the horizon. When a prominent British leader mysteriously disappears, Ben Franklin summons Matt to London to help investigate the involvement of Patrick Ferguson, a man whose ambitions are to change the future. Unknown to them all, another time traveler, with separate motivations, will join them in a struggle across two continents to change the destiny of Western Civilization.
The Refugee
C.A. Hartman - 2014
He's a brilliant but chilly alien. When he escapes his xenophobic planet and becomes the first Korvali to ever live among humans, the repercussions are far greater than anyone imagined.When Eshel arrives on Starship Cornelia, no one knows what to make of him or his cold, arrogant personality. Catherine, fellow scientist and the only human Eshel trusts, helps him navigate the world of "outsiders"... but she can only teach him so much. Eshel faces those who don't understand or trust him, political barriers to conducting his prized scientific work, and other challenges he never anticipated. When he crosses the line by violating one of his people's most rigid taboos, Eshel must face his own internal struggle... until he discovers that he has a far more treacherous enemy.
Residual Belligerence
C.G. Hatton - 2011
No one messes with the Thieves’ Guild. Except someone just did. Zach Hilyer is in trouble. Taking a package from A to B always gets more complicated when A doesn’t want to lose it and C will pay and do anything to get their hands on it. Hil is good, one of the best field operatives in the guild. Problem is, he can’t remember when it all went wrong. After crash landing on a planet with no memory of his last assignment, Hil discovers that his handler is dead and someone’s put a price on his head. Injured and alone, he has no choice but to go rogue from the guild, fight to clear his name and wreak revenge on the people who set him up. Blackmail, murder, betrayal and the highest bounty in history set the Thieves’ Guild at the centre of a conflict that threatens to spark a galaxy-wide war.
Strike Battleship Argent
Shane Lochlann Black - 2016
When an Admiral's ship disappears in the contested Gitairn Sector, Hunter re-unites his pilots to take command of DSS Argent, a brand-new strike battleship equipped with heavy weapons and squadrons of Paladin ground assault mechs, legendary Tarantula-Hawk hunter-killer gunships and next-generation Wildcat and Yellowjacket fighters. Skywatch Command is well aware Gitairn is a powder keg and that Argent might be the match. When a Sentinel planetary defense battery and surrounding minefield are discovered in an asteroid field where no human should be, Hunter is forced to call in reinforcements led by his twin sister Commander Jayce Hunter and her battlecruiser, DSS Fury. Before long, Argent is leading a 12-ship task force against enemy capital platforms ranging from heavy battleships to fleet strength carriers. Hunter's best marines, gunships, bombers and fighters will be put to the ultimate test against space pirates, interdimensional aliens, saboteurs, carnivorous insects, ghost ships, paranoid officers and a mysterious enemy so alien even its allies can't understand it.
The Retro War
Dietmar Arthur Wehr - 2014
The Synchronicity War is over and the Insectoid beachheads in our spiral arm have been destroyed but the aftermath of the war holds some nasty surprises for Humanity and its loyal AI allies. Somebody is messing with the human timeline. Is it the Friendlies, the Sogas, the Insectoids or a new race? This stand alone novel set in the same universe has new human and AI characters. Find out what happened to Valkyrie, Casanova, Iceman, Gunslinger and the other Rim AIs. The Retro War spans time and space in a galactic chess game with humans and their AIs as the pawns.
The Hyperscape Project -Book One (Awakening)
Donald Swan - 2013
It seemed as though the entire universe was holding its breath. Waiting. Whether waiting for the salvation of mankind or its demise was yet unclear.He set out to prove a theory. Now he’s racing to save the galaxy from his mistake.Along with his newly found, rag-tag band of alien friends, Nick Bannon battles to keep his devastating technology out of the hands of the biomechanoid race known as the Mok’tu.Nick is flung to a distant world when his hyperspace experiment goes awry. Technology can always be used for good or evil and now his peaceful experiment could become a horrific weapon of a malicious alien race. Every species in the galaxy is in danger of total annihilation and it may take one man’s greatest sacrifice to stop it.Full 86,000 word space opera novel! Official Website: TheHyperspaceProject.comSci-fi, Space Opera, Nanites, Hyperspace, Aliens, First Contact, Action, Adventure, Fun, Series, scifi, robot, mechanoid, prophecy, queen, battle, stargate, red shirts, takei, battle ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I found "The Hyperspace Project" to be an immensely enjoyable read. I kept picturing Harrison Ford, but with the Indiana Jones personality, but in a Blade Runner world as Nick Bannon. The pacing was great, Swan did an awesome job giving just enough desription of the new technology and alien races without dragging the story into a grinding halt. The story had a feel good sense that I got from watching "Guardians of the Galaxy" - where you get to know the characters to the point where you actually want to meet themand have a few drinks at a dive bar to hear more stories.The dialogue and writing were top notch - and it was clear that this story was thought out before Swan committed it to paper. With all of the rehashes (really - can we do a Spiderman reboot just one more time please.....) it is nice to meet some new characters in a new adventure - and it doesn't have to end here, since Swan already has book two on the shelves.Highly recommend this book for lovers of sci fi!!!" - Nathan Merceron⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "5 star sci-fi adventure - this book is FUN. The start of a new series, Book 1 : Awakenings does not disappoint. It has all the elements I desire in a good space adventure story - a reluctant hero fumbling his/her way through new alien space, interesting and unique aliens, exciting twists and turns, a good overall plot and a whole lot of fun. I am right on board the Hyperspace wagon, eagerly awaiting book 2, which means book 1 gets the OMGMOAR 5 star award from Tracing The Stars." -TracingTheStars.com ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "A lost Queen. An ancient prophecy. Worlds caught in an interstellar war between two malevolent alien races. Hyperspace, Nanites, Biomechanoids with a mysterious past. The Hyperspace Project is non-stop action and lots of fun." -John S.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "I really enjoyed this book. There is a lot of action, but it's well balanced. If you like Star Trek or shows like Stargate, then I think you'll like this book. Fun characters and a story that flows well. Some good futuristic science too. (Nanites, hyperspace, gadgets etc.) I only wish that the second book was already available. There is also an interesting extra chapter that can be unlocked with clues from the book. That added an extra bit of fun to it as well." -Sara, BestIndieBooks.com
The Archangel Response
Kevin Harmon - 2011
A collector of classic art and fine wine, Michael's business has provided him with a very good life.But Michael also has a secret. One that could cost him everything if discovered. With the aid of Marlin, a former CIA case officer and his longtime mentor, Michael operates a clandestine organization that protects his company from a global network of intellectual-property pirates who want what he has, even if they have to kill to get it. Together, the two men use whatever means necessary to defend what Michael has spent his life building.Because of his very dangerous life, Michael has forbidden himself from ever getting too close to anyone. That is, until he meets Caitlin Doyle, a beautiful, intelligent, and politically connected campaign strategist working on the upcoming presidential election. While on a weekend vacation to the mountains, Michael and Caitlin come under attack by a group of hired assassins. Barely escaping the sudden, brutal, and well-orchestrated assault, Michael must respond against a powerful and unknown enemy in ways that test his courage and beliefs like never before. With merely a blurred photo of a man's hand to go on, Michael wages a battle that circles the globe – all to hunt down the men who invaded his perfect life.Set against the contrasting worlds of high technology, politics, and espionage, The Archangel Response moves quickly from a defiled Russian monastery to an exploding supertanker in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor, through the corrupt halls of government in Washington DC to Spain's Running of the Bulls.Ending in a violent confrontation that could cost Michael everything he's worked for, and even the woman he loves, The Archangel Response is a pulse-pounding thriller from first-time author Kevin Harmon that will leave readers shocked and emotionally moved.
Mission: Destructor (The Transcended #7)
Anthony James - 2019
The Creator is the most powerful entity in the known universe. Protected by the walls of its dark sphere, it constructs vast machines designed to wipe out entire species. So far, it has not encountered significant resistance. Times change. Captain Becky Keller and Commander Joe Nation are given their most dangerous mission yet. Sent into the depths of the dark sphere, they must do whatever it takes to wipe out this deadly alien entity. It’s never easy and the stakes have never been higher. Luckily, Keller and Nation have been given a few tools to help them out. A warship fitted with a quad-barrelled experimental cannon and a spy craft carrying a bomb should be enough to guarantee success. Surely. In the Creator’s realm there are no guarantees. What lies ahead will be the hardest road Keller and Nation have ever travelled. Mission: Destructor is a high-action science fiction adventure involving massive space battles, overwhelming odds and exciting technology. It concludes the Transcended series of books, picking up straight after book 6: Monolith.
The Seafort Saga Books 1–3: Midshipman's Hope, Challenger's Hope, and Prisoner's Hope
David Feintuch - 2017
Campbell Award–winning author: The original trilogy chronicling the military science fiction adventures of Nicholas Seafort. In a “splendid homage to the grand tradition of the old seafarer’s tale,” the Seafort Saga tells the story of an intergalactic captain’s journey through the galaxy (Roger MacBride Allen). Now, the first three installments of this epic series are available in one volume. Midshipman’s Hope: The year is 2194. Seventeen-year-old Nicholas Seafort is a fresh recruit with the United Nations Naval Service, serving as midshipman onboard the UNS Hibernia. En route to the colony of Hope Nation, the ship answers a distress call—only to lose the senior command staff in a daring rescue attempt. The chain of command has elevated Seafort into a leadership role he never anticipated. Surrounded by resentful and potentially mutinous officers, Seafort earns his stripes throughout Hibernia’s voyage, but his real trial awaits at Hope Nation with a startling revelation for humanity. Challenger’s Hope: Capt. Nicholas Seafort was in command of the UNS Challenger until he was assigned to Adm. Geoffrey Tremaine’s task force. Removed from his flagship, Seafort has been given the smaller UNS Portia, transporting colonists to the world of Detour. But an alien attack devastates both ships, leaving dozens of crewmen and passengers dead. Only UNS Challenger is in good enough condition to bring the survivors home—provided Seafort can regain and retain his captaincy. Prisoner’s Hope: Nicholas Seafort’s disastrous mission as captain of the UNS Challenger cost him nearly everything. The aliens responsible for decimating the United Nations Naval fleet are still a threat to the colony world of Hope Nation, whose inhabitants feel abandoned as the navy returns to Earth. To save the colonists, Seafort will have to sacrifice everything he has left and commit an act of high treason that could result in his death sentence.
Agents of the Planetary Republic Books 1-10
Jaxon Reed - 2021
Treaties are signed, trade is restored. But spies and diplomatic turmoil lead to a high-tech cold war of epic proportions. Ex Space Marine Gina Wilcox finds herself in a law enforcement career after the war, but life can be just as dangerous on the streets as the battlefield. Sleeper cells activate, assassinating government officials. Crime syndicates flourish. And a certain high-tech android has been stolen by the League, spirited off world for unknown purposes. Into this milieu a band of Marine outcasts join the fight. They spent more time in the brig than on the battlefield, yet racked up admirable wartime kill ratios. These renegades are quietly recruited by Republican Naval Intelligence to lead black ops against the League. Gina Wilcox will join their leader Commander Hamilton Wolf in a risky interstellar quest to retrieve an android who doesn’t even realize she’s not human. The fate of two civilizations hangs in the balance . . .
Behind Enemy Lines: A United Federation Marine Corps Novel
Jonathan P. Brazee - 2017
Lieutenant Castor “Mountie” Klocek is a Navy pilot, shot down during an air-to-ground mission. Lance Corporal Javier Julio Gregory Portillo and Sergeant Gary Go are Marine combat engineers, the only survivors of a deep-recon mission to destroy a bridge. All four are thrust together by chance, and they must learn to work together if they are going to survive, Jasper to search for his wife and grandchildren who fled their destroyed village, and the three servicemen to reach Federation forces far to the north. Surrounded by enemy troops, they have to decide what “duty” means. Do they attempt to avoid the enemy and exfiltrate to friendly territory to live and fight another day, or do they aggressively prosecute the war despite overwhelming odds? This novel is set in the United Federation Marine Corps universe, 200 years before the previous series. It is a stand-alone book that does not directly tie into any of the other UFMC novels.
Out of Time
Michael Stewart - 2015
Searching for answers from his own past, James suddenly finds himself back in war torn Britain in December 1944 facing a new and very dangerous reality. James is enlisted as a member of an RAF bomber crew and is forced to face the horror of war in the skies over Nazi occupied Europe, an icy death in the English Channel and an execution at the hands of a crazed Gestapo officer. He also finds love amidst the drama of war and finally discovers that the reality of life on our world isn’t quite what we think it is.Out of time follows on from the extraordinary success of The Angel of Time by Michael Stewart. If you enjoy the thrill of historic war-time fiction coupled with a thought provoking twist. All sales during November will be donated to The Poppy Appeal!
Star Bourne (Star Man #1)
I.G. Roberts - 2016
When he wakes, he is in another place and, it seems, another time. Colin is a very long way from home, on the Ship FNS Destiny with no way to return. When he visits the devastated colony of Zafar, he becomes a changed man, a man with a new purpose in life. Pirates attacking planets and Star-Ships quickly show him the universe is not the friendly place he once thought it was. The idea that people who are as technologically advanced as these will be peaceful and benevolent is only partly true. These Aliens must still maintain a military to defend themselves against their enemies. After pirates attack the ship he is travelling on, the entire command structure is out of action, leaving only Colin to guide the repairs and help the crew steer the ship safely back to home port. Along the way he must rescue innocent civilians from the pirates and help the Federation of Sentient Peoples (FSP) to survive. He learns that the very actions he must take to save the ship and crew could also see him branded a pirate if he is successful. While the FSP is by no means a utopian society, its leaders are smart enough to know they are in trouble and who they should ask for help. Can Colin save the ship and her crew? If he does, will the Federation authorities put him in prison for doing so?