Book picks similar to
Through the Gate by L.J. Dalton Jr.
sci-fi
dnf-quit
first-in-series
alternative-earth
Empire of Silence
Christopher Ruocchio - 2018
The galaxy remembers him as a hero: the man who burned every last alien Cielcin from the sky. They remember him as a monster: the devil who destroyed a sun, casually annihilating four billion human lives--even the Emperor himself--against Imperial orders.But Hadrian was not a hero. He was not a monster. He was not even a soldier.Fleeing his father and a future as a torturer, Hadrian finds himself stranded on a strange, backwater world. Forced to fight as a gladiator and into the intrigues of a foreign planetary court, he will find himself fight a war he did not start, for an Empire he does not love, against an enemy he will never understand.
The Blacktongue Thief
Christopher Buehlman - 2021
His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path.But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.Galva is a knight, a survivor of the brutal goblin wars, and handmaiden of the goddess of death. She is searching for her queen, missing since a distant northern city fell to giants.Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galva's. Common enemies and uncommon dangers force thief and knight on an epic journey where goblins hunger for human flesh, krakens hunt in dark waters, and honor is a luxury few can afford.
Alpha Zero
Arthur Stone - 2020
Those who cannot grow stronger, die. No empty child has ever reached a year of age, yet I am now thirteen.It has been a long and miserable thirteen years, where the best I can manage to do is walk with difficulty. Sometimes, I cannot even manage that.My clan has paid dearly for every minute of my life. And money is not so easy to obtain, here at the edge of civilization.Perhaps I might have lived in this state for many years. A cripple, strong in mind but feeble in body. But when some unexpected guests came to our estate, everything changed. I would die at last – or, I would learn to survive on my own.
Ben Bova's Grand Tour SciFi Series: Mars, Moonrise, Moonwar, Return to Mars
Ben Bova
Mars and Return to Mars follow the struggle of settling on Mars, and Moonrise and Moonwar follow the events of colonizing the Moon – all struggling against the limitations Earth would set on these bold innovators. Mars: A team of astronauts face many challenges on a mission to Mars—including subzero temperatures, violent meteor showers, and a deadly virus. Native American geologist Jamie Waterman must navigate political intrigue at home, team conflict on the base, and a harsh and unforgiving environment to protect his own life and those of his crewmembers.Moonrise: A private company has established the first permanent human settlement on the Moon. But all is not as it seems there. Facing internal conflict and external protest, the company threatens closure—and former astronaut Doug Stavenger must protect the base and its inhabitants from the Moon’s harsh environment and the threat of murder.Moonwar: The second of Ben Bova’s Moonbase Saga, Moonwar picks up seven years after the events of Moonrise—when Doug Stavenger succeeded in protecting his beloved lunar colony. But the nanotechnology that keeps the colony functioning is now illegal on Earth—and the settlers must defend themselves against new threats from Earth.Return to Mars: Six years after the first manned expedition to Mars, a second is being planned, and Native American geologist Jamie Waterman is assigned as commander. He must face deadly internal rivalries, dangerous "accidents" that look like sabotage, and an intense new attraction to one of the crew members—and keep his crew safe while exploring the secrets of the Red Planet.
England Expects
Charles S. Jackson - 2011
Edward VIII still reigns and mourns the death of his mistress, Wallis Simpson. Left with almost no troops, guns or tanks, Britain stands alone against the might of a German Wehrmacht armed with assault rifles, main battle tanks, aircraft carriers and a pair of 'superguns' firing seven tonne shells across the English Channel.Day after day, Squadron Leader Alec Trumbull and a fast-dwindling number of broken veterans and inexperienced new-recruits take to the skies against the seemingly endless streams of German aircraft. His Spitfire damaged in the heat of battle and pursued by enemy fighters he can’t outrun, Trumbull is saved at the last moment by a strange jet aircraft that can land and take off vertically. He discovered that the advanced aircraft belongs to the Hindsight Unit: a UN task force from the 21st Century sent to combat a group of Neo-Nazis also returned from the future to aid Nazi Germany wins the Second World War. As technology accelerates and events begin to spiral out of control, Trumbull finds himself drawn into Hindsight’s desperate struggle to prevent a seemingly inevitable invasion of Great Britain and return history to its true course.
Star Fox: Book One
Rob Buckman - 2020
Chris tries to find a way home, but the beautiful alien woman responsible for dragging him into this situation, and the dreaded Tal-Shial agents chasing her make it impossible. She needs all of Chris's cunning and courage to escape from the Imperium and the fate in store for her. Their only chance was to Masquerade as members of the Imperial secret police, only to find themselves plummeting deeper and deeper into misfortune, intrigue, and possible death. Bound together by fate, with enemies at every turn, Chris finds himself pulled ever deeper into this extraordinary advanced alien civilization, and further from Earth. His only solace was the strange benediction from an old man, ‘May the eternal stars shine on the path to your destiny’ to comfort him. Join Chris and Tara in this exciting first book of the 'Star Fox' trilogy. Alien civilizations, faster than light travel, and solving a galaxy wide mystery, form the backdrop for this amazing military science fiction tale of suspense, action, and alien attraction.Cover Artist: Jesus Condi
Star Mother
Charlie N. Holmberg - 2021
Holmberg.When a star dies, a new one must be born.The Sun God chooses the village of Endwever to provide a mortal womb. The birthing of a star is always fatal for the mother, and Ceris Wenden, who considers herself an outsider, sacrifices herself to secure her family’s honor and take control of her legacy. But after her star child is born, Ceris does what no other star mother has: she survives. When Ceris returns to Endwever, however, it’s not nine months later—it’s seven hundred years later. Inexplicably displaced in time, Ceris is determined to seek out her descendants.Being a woman traveling alone brings its own challenges, until Ceris encounters a mysterious—and desperate—godling. Ristriel is incorporeal, a fugitive, a trickster, and the only being who can guide Ceris safely to her destination. Now, as Ceris traverses realms both mortal and beyond, her journey truly begins.Together, pursued across the Earth and trespassing the heavens, Ceris and Ristriel are on a path to illuminate the mysteries that bind them and discover the secrets of the celestial world.
The Lyre Thief
Jennifer Fallon - 2016
If she can just convince her baseborn sister, Charisee, to play along, she might actually get away with it.But there is trouble brewing across the continent. High Prince of Hythria, Damin Wolfblade, must head north to save the peace negotiated a decade ago between the Harshini, Hythria, Fardohnya, Medalon and Karien. He must leave behind an even more dangerous conflict brewing between his wife and his powerful mother, Princess Marla....And in far off Medalon, someone has stolen the music.Their quest for the tiny stolen lyre containing the essence of the God of Music will eventually touch all their lives, threaten everything they hold dear and prove to be far more personal than any of them can imagine.
Galleon
C.J. Williams - 2018
His only hope for survival is to partner with an alien Artificial Intelligence named Alyssa. She is the brain of the most improbable star ship Gus has ever seen, part ancient sailing ship, part incredible star-faring vessel. But there is a catch. Alyssa’s first priority is to finish an epic yacht race that started twenty-eight thousand years ago. THE WORLD IS CAPTURED BY THE ALIEN DRAMA Every day Gus sends a video love letter to his wife via the lifeboat’s one-way subspace signal where it is automatically posted on YouTube. Few people care until another lifeboat crashes with two young women aboard, both of them celebrities. Their fame turns Gus into a worldwide phenomenon; everyone watches the three castaways fight to carve a life from the tiny island life even though they have little hope of rescue. When disaster threatens, Gus and the girls have no choice but to resurrect the crippled galleon. Their impossible task is to sail Alyssa across an alien sea and then fly her across unimaginable galactic reaches. WHEN ALYSSA FINALLY AGREES TO HELP, SPACE PIRATES STRIKE On live television, the public watches helplessly when a ship of vicious murderers attack the three survivors. The world grieves when the now-famous exiles go silent. At least until Earth's Space Navy reports they are under attack by a ship that is beyond imagination.
Repulse: Europe at War 2062-2064
Chris James - 2016
The climactic engagement of this war, Operation Repulse, took place from August 2063 to February 2064, and was the most significant clash of arms on European soil in four hundred years.
Endworld: Lord of Ends
Sam Ryder - 2019
Survival depends on your ability to kick ass and take names.Radiation transforms select humans into mutated creatures who are banished from society--Enders. The males are libido-less wild animals incapable of satisfying the females, who are hot, forward and badass.Cutter has kept to himself for ten years, avoiding the conflict with a sharp tongue, stiff drink and his two best friends, his six-shooters Alpha and Beta. But the perils of the wastelands won't leave him the f--- alone. Two sisters, one human and one Ender, offer him a generous salary to protect them as they set off on a doomed peace mission. It's an offer he can't refuse, even as he knows there's no chance in hell of their succeeding.All the odds are stacked against them, but Cutter soon learns his destiny is to be more than just a bodyguard, even if it involves forging together a crack team of gorgeous human and Ender operatives who will make the insane mission much more pleasurable.Warning: Contains a harem.
Taking on the Dead
Annie Walls - 2012
It's the only way to survive. The only way not to draw the living dead. Helping a small group of people, she learns the new world might not be what she assumes. Venturing out of her refuge and comfort zone, she meets Rudy, who helps her find a greater purpose. She realizes that the world has moved on without her. Only it's not what she expects. Her knowledge of the living dead grows and only makes her more curious as humanity continues to hang on by a thread. While on her search for answers she finds comfort in new friendships and love, but her past seems as if it will haunt her forever. Kansas takes it upon herself to help other survivors, which would be easy if the famished were the only obstacles.
The Suck (Hunters for Hire, #1)
Jonathan Yanez - 2020
When John finds out the supernatural live among us, it's game on.Sign twirling and rideshare driving while waiting for his next casting call soon take a back seat to hunting the supernatural for a pretty penny.But not all is as straight forward as it may seem. There are those close to John who are more than they're letting on and that spells trouble for our reluctant hero, big trouble.For fans of Larry Correia's Monster Hunters International, Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, and M.D. Massey's Junkyard Druid comes your next romp in the graveyard.
Shepherd Moon
G.R. Cooper - 2015
As he explores the alien races, star systems and planets, he discovers a rich, vast, limitless expanse of possibilities. From gritty fights for control of colonies with hostile alien and human forces, to interstellar trade, to thrilling hunts to eradicate space piracy, to epic battles between star-ships, Duncan finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into the virtual world. As Duncan gains and evolves his online power, his 'real world' friends and activities take smaller and smaller roles as Duncan is, unbeknownst to himself, being targeted for special attention by forces he doesn't even realize exist.
Judge, Jury, & Executioner Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4): You Have Been Judged, Destroy The Corrupt, Serial Killer, Your Life is Forfeit
Craig Martelle - 2019
Be one who judges and punishes the guilty. The first 4 books in the Space Opera Adventure Legal Thriller are here together for you in one boxed set!
You Have Been Judged, Book 1
Could she look herself in the mirror after meting out justice? She's about to find out. Rivka heads to space to be the Judge, Jury, & Executioner. Criminals have nowhere to go.You Have Been Judged...
Destroy The Corrupt, Book 2
No one runs a racket and gets away with it.
Not in the Federation and not when it steals business from The Bad Company. Punish the interlopers! But justice must be served. Is it a racket? Or are they just better at business?Send in the Magistrate to investigate and apply the law. What will Rivka uncover? What justice will she deliver?Keep pulling the threads. See what unravels. They keep leading her...
Somewhere. She knows she has to follow. Even if it smells like a trap.
Serial Killer, Book 3
Alien ambassadors are dying.
The locals are in over their heads. Or are they turning a blind eye?The Magistrates band together to learn about the law, each other, and even themselves. They still need outside help to solve the case. Who do they call?
And Barnabas stops by to refuel and spin a tale. More training for the Magistrates.
But duty takes them away. Another Ambassador is brutally murdered. Rivka takes her team to find the perp and end the violence.
Very little is as it seems.
Your Life is Forfeit, Book 4
Red has a price on his head. Rivka is determined to find those who put it there.
Criminals commit crimes. Career criminals do it in secret. They are good at hiding.Rivka’s latest case has her hunting fugitives. Red is on a mission to find them and make them pay for what they’ve done.Her search leads her through dark warrens of political intrigue and ecological disasters. All the while, Rivka is swinging the scales of justice, judging the guilty, and delivering punishment.Villainy and scum have toe-holds throughout the galaxy, but Rivka doesn’t mind stepping on their toes even when she’s not judging them. She considers it her job because no one is above the law.Is Rivka’s search sanctioned or has she gone rogue? Will the Federation back her play?
Magistrate Rivka Anoa is the legal eagle you want on your side. No better friend. No worse enemy.
Judge, Jury, & Executioner is a stand-alone series in t