Book picks similar to
The Return by Evan Innes


science-fiction
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sic-fi
science-fiction-fantasy

Raptor Apocalypse


Steve R. Yeager - 2012
    J. “Jesse” Prieo, a small town Deputy Sheriff, led a life of comfort with a loving family by his side. All that changed in an instant when genetically engineered creatures were set loose on an unsuspecting world. The creatures, terrifyingly similar to velociraptors, were cynically designed to remove humanity's surplus numbers. The situation soon spiraled out of control, and these 'Raptors' quickly became the new apex predator. In this lawless new world 'Justice' has become a forgotten term. Small pockets of civilization remain, but they are few and far between. Most are run by those ruthless enough and mad enough to claw their way to the top. Jesse Prieo still holds on to a personal code. He is not a ruthless man. He is not interested in gaining power. But he will do whatever it takes to lay his ghosts to rest and bring justice to the world. Helped by Cory Melkin, a former radical; Evelyn Phelps, a woman of many hidden talents; and Kate, a lost child who knows more than she is saying, Jesse must survive long enough to uncover the dark secrets that led to The Raptor Apocalypse and prevent the extinction of the human race. “Mad Max meets I Am Legend meets Jurassic Park meets Robert McCammon on speed.” — Harry F. Kane, Goodreads. “This was an unexpected good find.” — Kim Venatries, Amazon. “Loved every horrifying moment.” — K. Blakely, Goodreads. “This was a well written, fast pace, roller coaster of mayhem and emotion.” — Kkline, Amazon. “If you want a believable post-apocalyptic world, this is it.” — Garrett Robinson, Amazon. “It is a dangerous place with real consequences for the characters. They never feel safe. Not everyone is going to survive.” — Carl Sinclair, Amazon.

Without Rhythm


P.S. Power - 2012
    Left to fend for herself, all hope gone, she happens upon a helpless woman being attacked and tries her best to stop it.Breaking a few laws in the process.Now she has a choice, either learn to be an apprentice Guardian until things settle down, or learn to survive on the streets.The decision is easy, since eating is far more pleasant than starvation, or so she assumes. Being a Guardian is a lot more than she bargained for however and with each passing day it become far more obvious that something is very wrong with the world.Because people have started to worship the technologies of the past, and as a Guardian, no matter how new, it's up to her to stop them.Before they destroy the world.

Murder of Crows


Kevin Kauffmann - 2012
    Since interstellar travel was never developed, asteroids were towed into orbit around Earth and terraformed into smaller planets to deal with excess population. While most of the asteroids were designed for colonization, Eris was destined for constant commercial warfare. Most people just call it "War World" after their favorite show.In this new age of gladiatorial combat, the athletes are divided into teams and each person is cloned prior to the games. When they die, their consciousness and memories are transferred into new clones and the process begins all over again.What the rest of humanity doesn't realize is that each death and resurrection is incredibly painful and disorienting, let alone the monetary cost that is forced upon them.Rarely do any of them make it off the asteroid.Drawing on themes of grief, freedom and coping with an uncaring world, Murder of Crows tells the story of one of the best teams in the system, centering on the trauma these men and women experience as they die for public entertainment.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Author's note: As of June 14, 2016, Murder of Crows has been updated for a sixth time to deal with certain proofreading and editing missteps. It should be a much better read this time around.

Flood


Stephen Baxter - 2008
    Another wet summer, another year of storm surges and high tides. But this time the Thames Barrier is breached and central London is swamped. The waters recede, life goes on, the economy begins to recover, people watch the news reports of other floods around the world. And then the waters rise again. And again.Lily, Helen, Gary and Piers, hostages released from five years captivity at the hands of Christian Extremists in Spain, return to England and the first rumours of a flood of positively Biblical proportions…Sea levels have begun to rise, at catastrophic speed. Within two years London and New York will be under water. The Pope will give his last address from the Vatican before Rome is swallowed by the rising water. Mecca too will vanish beneath the waves.The world is drowning. A desperate race to find out what is happening begins. The popular theory is that we are paying the price for our profligacy and that climate change is about to redress Gaia’s balance. But there are dissenting views. And all the time the waters continue to rise and mankind begins the great retreat to higher ground. Millions will die, billions will become migrants. Wars will be fought over mountains.

Ghost Riders In The Sky


Timothy Zahn - 2020
    With every voyage taking exactly five hours, whether the distance is one light-year or a thousand, the drive allowed humanity to finally escape Earth and reach for the stars.But while the aliens owned the technology, they needed humans to make it practical. Specifically, humans who could temporarily leave their bodies and guide the tunnelships through the void of space.Nathan Skoda is one such navigator. After hundreds of trips, and with hundreds yet to go, all he wants is to finish out his indenture before he succumbs to burnout. So when he’s approached with a plan that might free the navigators from the Meerian chokehold, he decides to check it out.But when the Meerians move to protect their monopoly, Skoda realizes he’s let himself in for more than he bargained for.And he discovers that, dark though his life may be, there’s an even deeper darkness lying beneath the surface.

The Last World War


Dayton Ward - 2003
    But this fatal First Contact rapidly escalates into a global crisis as mankind discovers that two warring species of aliens have invaded our world through a network of hidden interdimensional portals. The apocalyptic conflict between the hastily labeled "Blues" and "Grays" has already devastated their home planet. Now Earth has become the final battleground in a cataclysmic war whose origins are barely understood. Forced into a hasty alliance with the alien Blues, humanity has no choice but to brave the awesome Gray onslaught in every corner of the Earth. From the mean streets of Atlanta to the mountains of Afghanistan, from Washington, D.C., to the alien's war-torn homeworld, all of humanity must unite to survive.

Terminal World


Alastair Reynolds - 2009
    Clinging to its skin are the zones, a series of semi-autonomous city-states, each of which enjoys a different—and rigidly enforced—level of technology. Horsetown is pre-industrial; in Neon Heights they have television and electric trains . . .Following an infiltration mission that went tragically wrong, Quillon has been living incognito, working as a pathologist in the district morgue. But when a near-dead angel drops onto his dissecting table, Quillon's world is wrenched apart one more time, for the angel is a winged posthuman from Spearpoint's Celestial Levels—and with the dying body comes bad news.If Quillon is to save his life, he must leave his home and journey into the cold and hostile lands beyond Spearpoint's base, starting an exile that will take him further than he could ever imagine. But there is far more at stake than just Quillon's own survival, for the limiting technologies of the zones are determined not by governments or police, but by the very nature of reality—and reality itself is showing worrying signs of instability . . .Terminal World is a snarling, drooling, crazy-eyed mongrel of a book: equal parts steampunk, western, planetary romance, and far-future SF.

The Klingon Dictionary


Marc Okrand - 1985
    It features a precise pronunciation guide, rules for proper use of affixes and suffixes, and a small phrasebook with Klingon translations for essential expressions such as "Activate the transport beam," "Always trust your instincts," and the ever-popular "Surrender or die!"

The Last Prayer


Lyndon Perry - 2013
    For generations, an oligarchy of priests and politicians preserved their standing while the common workers lived in ignorance. When a young girl starts speaking of heaven as if it were just outside, the rigid caste system begins to crack. Sides are quickly drawn. The only thing preventing a violent upheaval is an old priest's confession and the child's last prayer. But will such simple faith be enough to save them all?

DMQZ


Quinn Fleming - 2013
    The shores and waters of the East River are the "DMQZ," the uninhabited area that separates uninfected Manhattan from the slowly dying borough of Brooklyn.Jacob Hale is a Manhattan police officer rising in the ranks of the Safe Zone military government until a bank heist gone wrong lands him on suspension and under suspicion. On a quest to clear his good name, Hale finds himself drawn into a web of conspiracy, terrorism, and revolt - and into the orbit of a mysterious woman who may be the key to it all.

Star Wars: The New Jedi Order - Balance Point


Katherine Tyers - 2012
    Fortunately a deal struck: In exchange for a new home, the refugees will work to restore the planet to health under the watchful eye of Lei Organa Solo.While tempers flare between the Duros and the New republic, Han Solo, his son, Jacen and the Ryn called Droma arrive to keep the peace. They are unaware that Leia is on Duro…and that Luke, Mara and Anakin are on their way, searching for a missing Jedi apprentice. And none realize that the Yuuzhan Vong have chosen this embattled planet as the next target in their brutal coreward thrust.Now, as the fragile stability on Duro threatens to collapse into violence, Jaen Solo must face hisgreatest dilemma: At what point does the use of power become aggression? Whatever he decides, his next step could tip the galaxy’s destiny toward the light or toward the darkness-with the life of someone he loves hanging in the balance…

Citadel 32: A Tale of the Aggregate


Tom Merritt - 2015
    But someone wants to stop him from pursuing it. Meanwhile on Earth, a monk of the Citadel discovers a strange ancient artwork. Could it lead to truth of the myth of the Moon Men? Finding out the truth could kill him.

Creature


John Saul - 1989
    A postcard-pretty company town. Families. Children. Sunshine. Happiness. A high school football team that never-ever loses. And something else. Something horrible ... Now, there is a new family in town. A shy, nature-loving teenager. A new hometown. A new set of bullies. Maybe the team's sports clinic can help him. Rebuild him. They won't hurt him again. They won't dare. "Saul has the instincts of a natural storyteller." -- "People"

The Nova Chronicles: Books 1-5


S.J. Bryant - 2015
    Enjoy full-throttle action and adventure.SurvivorWhen everyone runs, who will stand?Nova is a new recruit to the Jagged Maw: an elite bounty hunter guild.During a routine collection, she finds herself dragged into the middle of an alien uprising.The Ancients, merciless beings set on reclaiming the universe, have only one person left to stop them: Nova.She must battle the Ancients, time, and her sanity, in order to stop the annihilation of the human race.Fear the hero who has nothing left to lose.PilgrimAfter her encounter with the Ancients, Nova is more determined than ever to break free of the Confederacy.When she arrives on a planet that’s been silent for over one hundred and fifty years, she discovers that the planet is far from abandoned.In order to survive, Nova and her companions must fight.When a historical enemy emerges, there will be more than their lives at stake.HunterEver wanted to hunt a vampire?They're nothing compared to the lecheons Nova faces in this gripping action adventure.The blood-sucking lecheons are running rampant on Boullion Five and the police have been over-run.Nova is the only one who will take the job, but with deadly cunning, super reflexes, and a thirst for blood, the lecheons could prove too much, even for her.It will take her killer instinct to survive, and even that may not be enough.GamblerWhen Aart goes missing Nova is forced to travel back to her hated home planet of Tabryn.Her latest job to solve a casino heist takes her deep into the fetid underbelly of the corrupt planet, and faces from her past start to resurface.It will take all of her strength to stay afloat as the past tries to pull her back to where it all began.Discover the planet that made the bounty hunter in Book Four: Gambler.JusticeAfter the Ancients and the lecheons, Nova is looking for something simple, but life is never that easy.Murder, man-eating plants, and rumours of cannibalism from the Inner Galaxies all await Nova in Book 5: Justice.

Marooned


Martin Caidin - 1964
    Caidin has invented a new literary form: the electronic novel. He substitutes communications devices, computers, guidance systems and launching specifications for those homely old paragraphs of food, love and labor that used to hold our interest. What he has done is to create a melodramatic situation that allows him to exploit, mention and catalogue every fuel line, transistor and operation in ... More Project Mercury. Major Richard J. Pruett, USAF, on detached service with NASA, is hanging just outside the atmosphere in a space capsule whose retro-rockets won't fire and get him back to earth. He's our fifth astronaut and quite likely first casualty (only three days of oxygen left). Cape Canaveral starts mysterious preparations but before they can be completed the Russians launch a rocket which attempts to rescue Pruett for a propaganda feat. The Russian cosmonaut adjusts his orbit to the American's and tells him he'll pick him up, but meanwhile Pruett's best friend has taken off in a missile to beat the Russian. Though the Russian is satisfied that he could perform the rescue, he aids the best friend to rescue Pruett. Each detail of this story is patiently particularized, with the slow-motion climax of a launchpad cavalry charge to save a white man from the Reds.--Kirkus