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Maze


Tony Bertauski - 2017
    Their consciousness thrown into the Maze—a virtual reality where anyone is anything and anywhere. Battles are fought, riddles are solved. To win a lifetime of riches one has to escape the Maze. First, they have to remember who they are.Some never do.

New Kings of Tomorrow (The Order of Chaos Series Book 1)


J.M. Clark - 2018
    Just as he was starting to figure out life as a college freshman, his world was suddenly shattered when a devastating illness destroyed the world he once knew and claimed the lives of everyone that mattered to him. Jacob and the other survivors of the pandemic were transported to the Palace Program. Housed in a quarantined modern facility, the Palace is a perfect community designed to protect them from the sickness that wiped out ninety-five percent of the world population. The Order, which has risen as the new ruling power, and believes the desires of the old world were responsible for its collapse. They appoint Sirus, the program director, to rehabilitate the survivors and continue with the reproduction of mankind. As the years go by and Jacob's relationships in the Palace become more complex, he slowly begins to see that the man-made utopian society is nothing close to a perfect tomorrow, but is instead an unfathomable deception.

The Fool


Karen Amanda Hooper - 2014
    **first episode of a seven-part YA SF serial** Kelsey loves books and lattes, preferably together, and is the kind of girl who follows rules to the letter. Unfortunately, her twin sister is obsessed with outlawed virtual reality... a bad vice to have when the government controls everything from entertainment privileges to caffeine consumption. If her sister would just keep her nose out of trouble, maybe they could survive senior year. But when Kelsey meets a charming book connoisseur and accepts his offering of a tarot card, she takes the first step toward her own risky addictions: the guy of her dreams, and his virtual escapes into her beloved storybooks. But the tarot cards can’t guarantee a happy ending when the line between reality and fiction becomes dangerously blurred. **Get this seven-part serial of future gadgets, mind-bending virtual reality, and dangerously fun addictions in the complete Season One Box Set.**SEASON 1 EPISODE LIST: The Fool ~ Virtual Arcana #0The Magician ~ Virtual Arcana #1The High Priestess~ Virtual Arcana #2The Empress ~ Virtual Arcana #3The Emperor ~ Virtual Arcana #4The Hierophant ~ Virtual Arcana #5 The Lovers ~ Virtual Arcana #6

The Old Soul


Joseph Wurtenbaugh - 2012
    As tiny and inconspicuous as it may seem, That-Which-Had-Been exhibits an unexpected and varied gift for survival, as it journeys implacably toward its ultimate destination. Along the way, it meets a rich array of ordinary human beings, some of whom assist it along its way, others who impede its progress, none of whom have any idea of its existence.From whence comes the strange, but universal, experience of deja vu? Why do some people exhibit a wisdom far beyond their age and experience - persons reincarnationists refer to as 'old souls'? Joseph Wurtenbaugh in this short story offers a fascinating and tantalizingly plausible explanation for these phenomena, presented in a natural setting that brims with adventure and exhilarating possibility. Not to be missed by anyone who enjoys science fiction or thinking outside the box.

Under the Pines


Jennifer Bisbing - 2016
    Author Jennifer Bisbing intertwines her own 1970's childhood memories of life with a renowned forensic scientist into an authentic whodunit. Drawing on her father’s career — which included forensic consulting on high-profile cases like the O.J. Simpson trial and JonBenét Ramsey murder, as well as the hit CBS show CSI — Bisbing reveals how one girl, powerful beyond measure, can derail conventional crime scene investigation.

Bones of Fire


Eric M. Hill - 2011
    He doesn’t believe in demons or warlocks, and he only theoretically believes in angels. But his ignorance of spiritual warfare won’t shield him from being chosen by God for a mission so critical that the angel who commanded the forces at The Battle of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the angel known as The Sword of the Lord, has been assigned to help him. And Edwin will need all the help this famed warrior angel has to offer. For the kingdom of darkness has assigned the Mighty Bashnar, one of its most ruthless demons and cunning military strategists, to thwart God’s plan and to destroy this man of God. He will soon learn from painful experience why this cruel warrior spirit was granted the title, Mighty.Edwin's wife, Elizabeth, is a Christian, but she’s not passionate about the Lord or His work. What she is passionate about is her good-looking husband, Edwin. Everything is lovely until the Mighty Bashnar attacks her husband and revives a shameful weakness from his past that shuts down their love life. But Elizabeth isn’t the longsuffering type. She’s going to get her needs met one way or the other.Sharon is the perfect Christian daughter. A teenager whose wisdom and devotion to God far surpasses her fifteen years. She’s the spiritual anchor of the family—until a relentless witchcraft spirit orchestrates a devastating betrayal and assault that shakes her faith to its core, perhaps beyond repair.And for all this, Hell’s fury is not satisfied. Only total destruction of the Styles’ family is acceptable.But is the Mighty Bashnar as strong as he thinks he is? Or will he discover that “God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty”? (1 Corinthians 1:27)

Tune Up: The Secrets of Mylin - Book I


Joe Klingler - 2017
    Hit and run. By a motorcycle. The victim is an elderly Asian woman. A young witness in a nearby dry cleaner and a truck driver suggest all “accidents” aren’t created equal. Then the Captain drops a new assignment on their desk: an affluent Bay Area lawyer is missing. The man’s wife stomps into their office screaming about a contract she found hidden in the backups of their home computer. A contract with a seven-figure payout, and an incriminating Exhibit A.Following the trail of both the motorcycle rider and the lawyer with Kandy complaining, “We’re homicide detectives, there should be a body,” leads to a vintage motorcycle club called the Ton Up where lips are sealed, a yacht harbor on the coast where riddles run deep, and a midnight roadside confrontation that ends with a splash. As the trails twist they soon find that these people and places have one thing in common:A violist named Mylin. Who plays in an all-female orchestra called The Girls of the Orient. And, unbeknownst to her, is the subject of a fine-art photographer’s latest collection.From San Francisco to Mexico, the treacherous cliffs of the Pacific coast to the desolation of Nevada’s high desert, Tune Up moves like Kandy’s turbocharged Mini through a foggy landscape of false identities, fake romance, and frenzied chases, as Qigiq realizes one picture really can reveal more than 1,000 words.

2084: The Short Story Version


Mason Engel - 2017
    Orwell’s dystopia has been stalled - so far. The world wears Lenses, computerized glass contacts manufactured by a corporation called Newsight. The technology is regulated by the Senate, so no one worries about breaches in privacy. A teenage boy named Vincent, however, feels quite differently. After his Senator father tells him that Newsight has been pushing for an appeal on the data regulations, Vincent begins to dig deeper. He learns that Newsight’s CEO claims to want to use the data in his fight against the Order, a terrorist organization whose attacks have recently been mounting in frequency, but the man’s true motives aren’t so clear - until Vincent meets a girl from school whose father is a Newsight developer. There is a trail of bread crumbs in the software’s code. Newsight has a closer relationship to the Order than anyone may have guessed, and the Lenses have been doing more than just running simulations. Caught in the middle of a world blinded by progress, Vincent finally discover the truth. But it might already be too late. “2084” casts a technocentric world into an Orwellian shadow. Told in close but unique parallel to “1984”, Vincent’s ever-quickening journey to the world’s new dystopia has left readers wanting more. Reviews “Honestly I didn't enjoy 1984 and don't usually like Sci-Fi/Post-Apocalyptic stories, so when my friends told me I had to check it out, I was more than hesitant. Surprisingly, after the first few pages, I couldn't put it down. It made my commute to/from work fly by. If 1984 had been this engaging, I would have paid more attention in high school. Perfect short read for book clubs on the go. One complaint: I WANT MORE.” “Engel is able to create vividly detailed environments without slowing the pace his story. Definitely a good quick read that makes me want to see more by him.”

Raven's Choice


Harper Swan - 2014
    Her own survival soon becomes doubtful when the band’s leader threatens to cast her out onto the steppe for what he sees as dangerous willfulness. Raven feels an unexpected empathy for the mysterious Neanderthal. But while trying to preserve his life and health, will she go so far as to commit what could be the worst error of her own life? Mark Hayek will never find out that Raven faced a frightening dilemma. But if he did know, he would understand that the present reality exists because of choices made in the past. As meticulously researched as Jean Auel’s Earth Children series but with the benefit of recent discoveries, this novella is an updated story revealing how contact between Neanderthals and Early Humans had surprising results.

Breakers of the Dawn


Zachariah Wahrer - 2014
    Desperate for resources to prop up an aging galactic dynasty, humans seize every planet they find, exterminating their alien inhabitants.Across the empire, a group of dissidents come together through happenstance. As they learn more, however, they sense a strange force directing their lives. Can they discover the truth before the empire destroys them?Dispatched to subdue an uprising, a government operative unearths an ancient relic. It somehow knows everything about him, even his darkest secrets. The strange device promises extraordinary power, but can he trust it?The first book in a four part saga, Breakers of the Dawn is epic science fiction, featuring a diverse cast of characters. It’s easy to read, but hard to put down.

The Cold Pools


Chris Ward - 2012
    As civilization comes to an end, Lewis and Karen take their last vacation to the only cold place left on Earth, the remote resort town of Cold Pools. There, they will say goodbye ...The Cold Pools - a short story of 3,000 words, is taken from the author's collection Ms Ito's Bird & Other Stories.

Time Trials


Terry Lee - 2015
     None of the Bad-Ass Girls are girls anymore, not since their freshman year in college when the eight of them formed a most unlikely bond. Diverse in personalities, the Bad-Ass Girls continue their on again-off again friendship during stages of growth spanning forty-plus years. Time Trials depicts how close friends can help each other navigate through the most catastrophic life events, accomplishments, and disappointments, often with tears and laughter. Lifelong friendships…what a treasure.

EMP: Electromagnetic Pulse


Bobby Akart - 2016
    The clock is ticking.In poll after poll, one of the threats facing our nation is the use of an electromagnetic pulse weapon to cause a grid down scenario. There are many bad actors on the international stage capable of unleashing a devastating electromagnetic pulse attack. The list is long, including Russia, China, North Korea, and  Iran. Each is capable of wreaking havoc in the US by shutting down our power grid and enjoying the resulting chaos.Sixteen time bestselling author, Bobby Akart, provides a non-fiction primer on the threats we face as a nation from the bad actors mentioned above. It explores the history of the electromagnetic pulse technology, and discusses its use for both military and non-military purposes. EMP: Electromagnetic Pulse provides a detailed, non-fiction analysis of the EMP threat, whether man-made or naturally occurring.  It also provides the reader suggestions on how to prepare for a grid down scenario.MORE BOOKS IN THE PREPPING FOR TOMORROW SERIESCyber WarfareEconomic CollapseMORE BOOKS FROM BOBBY AKARTTHE BLACKOUT SERIES (An EMP post-apocalyptic survival series)36 HoursZero HourTurning PointShiloh RanchHornet's NestDevil's HomecomingTHE PANDEMIC SERIES (A medical thriller post-apocalyptic survival series)BeginningsThe InnocentsLevel 6QuietusTHE BOSTON BRAHMIN SERIES (A political thriller post-apocalyptic survival series)The Loyal NineCyber AttackMartial LawFalse FlagThe Mechanics Choose FreedomBOSTON BRAHMIN NOVELSPatriot's Farewell

Cold Sweats and Vignettes


John Bowen - 2015
    THE STEAL - A thief is hired by a collector to acquire an occult aaaaaartefact... CRASH - A hard landing on an alien plaaaaaanet... COLLISION - A world changing incident at the Laaaaaarge Hadron Collider... THE FALL - A London gangster finds himself in a baaaaaad situation...

Timecaster


J.A. Konrath - 2014
    With crime at an all-time low, Talon has little to do except give lectures to schoolkids--and obsess on his wife's profession as a licensed sex partner. Then one of her clients asks Talon to investigate a possible murder. When Talon uses the TEV to view the crime, the identity of the killer is unmistakable--it's him, Talon Avalon. Someone is taking timecasting to a whole new level and using it to frame Talon. And the only way he can prove his innocence is to go off the grid--which in 2064 is a very dangerous thing to do. Time is not on his side.