Book picks similar to
Running Start by J.A. Sutherland
science-fiction
sci-fi
read-and-liked
dark-runs-series
A Tangled Road to Justice (Paladins of Distant Suns #1)
Olan Thorensen - 2019
When former soldier Everett Cole signed on to help colony planets prepare for joining the Federation, his employers were disconcertingly vague about their identity and his duties. Yet, the pay was good and it got him off Earth and on the way to a fresh start. More reservations arose when - 11 light-years from Earth - he met his partner, Edgar Millen, an enigmatic man with a penchant for violent solutions and a fetish for the mythology and language of the American Wild West. It wasn’t until they reached the colony world of Astrild that the mission became somewhat clearer. They were players in multi-faceted efforts to steer colony worlds in preparation for joining the Federation. Unfortunately, not all obstacles were amenable to diplomatic, political, or economic solutions. Cole and Millen were agents, troubleshooters, hired guns - or whatever you wanted to call them - tasked with removing impediments to civilized law and order - the methodology left open-ended. Millen and Cole’s first mission to test their partnership? The backwater town of Justice was under the control of a strongman and his henchmen. All they had to do was convince the cowed citizens to rise against their tormenter. Formal authority and backup? None. Millen was blasé at the assignment. Everett’s first thought was, “What the—!”
Megastructure: A Military Sci-Fi Series (Battle Ring Earth Book 1)
Jon Frater - 2021
More suited for the academy than combat, his assignment to a rear echelon support squadron seemed a good fit. Everything changed when the Sleer attacked Earth’s newly salvaged spacecraft, UEF Ascension. In a flash, Brooks goes from fleeing a burning transport plane to piloting a broken mech and learning the habits of a fighter pilot from Lt Sara Rosenski, the terror of Nightmare Squadron.But his rising star takes a hit when he learns to talk to the Sleer AI, Genukh…and suddenly the UEF doesn’t know whose side he’s on.Now Brooks and Rosenski are stuck aboard Earth’s Sleer weapon—the Battle Ring--and they may be all that stands between Earth and its induction into the Sleer Empire…Experience the start of a Military Science Fiction Series perfect for fans of Rick Partlow, Jamie McFarlane, and Joshua Dalzelle.
The Last Spaceship (Course of the Worlds Book 1)
J.A. Hawkings - 2015
The colonization of the solar system has begun. Engineer Jeff Baker and exobiologist Nicole Price find themselves on an exploratory mission. Destination: the Jovian moon of Callisto. As the two are about to land, however, their ship is compromised by a malfunction of its electrical system. Having reached the surface without serious damage, they are startled by the sight of an unknown spacecraft. It appears to have crashed. Baker, an expert in space flight mechanics, explores the ship and realizes it’s like nothing he’s ever seen before. He suspects there are only two logical explanations: it’s either some secret government project or the ship came from another star system. Course of the Worlds: Book 1 - The Last Spaceship Book 2 - New World Book 3 - Cosmic Destinies
Trinity Unleashed
Rodney W. Hartman - 2017
When the Intergalactic Empire has a tough mission, they send in a wizard scout. When they have an impossible mission, they send in Wizard Scout Trinity Delgado. The planet Cavos is on the verge of civil war. Only an outmanned, outgunned force of Empire peacekeepers prevent an outbreak of bloodshed on a global scale. When the peacekeepers’ commander requests an armored regiment as reinforcements, the Imperial High Command sends him Wizard Scout Trinity instead. With only a fresh out of the university grad student and a half-crazy old pilot as allies, Trinity has to find the source of Cavos’s troubles before the Empire becomes part of a disaster far greater than a mere local civil war. Caught between the peacekeepers’ resentful commander and suspicious local government officials, Trinity and her battle computer, Jennifer, have their work cut out for them. Together they must weave their way through one mystery after another leaving a trail of bloody bodies along the way until they find the answer. That is, if they can remain alive long enough to find it.
The Survivors (Box Set of Books 7-12) (The Survivors Collection Book 2)
Nathan Hystad - 2020
Triple Threat
M.R. Forbes - 2018
An awesome-mix of paranormal fantasy, space opera, and military science-fiction, it's a cyclone bomb of frenetic action and adventure you won't want to put down.
Acadia
James L. Erwin - 2013
She’d loved the thrill of staring off the ship’s stern, watching the Sun slowly shrink, peering as closely at the white-hot thrusters as she could before Virgil shut off her visor. She’d loved looking forward at Acadia’s magnetic scoop, trying to catch some glimpse of the invisible cone that was funneling the vacuum’s stray atoms into its antimatter furnace. In those days, she’d even grinned at the dizzying challenge of spacewalking on a rotating cylinder. But that was five years ago . . .Acadia — the latest work of fiction from critically acclaimed author, James Erwin (Rome, Sweet Rome) takes to the far reaches of space to weave a tale of intrigue and suspense among the stars.
Galactic Empire Wars: The Beginning Books 1-3
Raymond L. Weil - 2016
Weil comes a chilling story of the future.To the Kleese, the Earth is nothing more than a planet full of conscripts to be used to fight in their numerous wars of aggression against other planets. The Kleese are one of several large Galactic Empires that control the majority of the galaxy. To them, Earth is a dangerous planet due to the aggressiveness of the humanoid species that inhabits it. This is a species that cannot be allowed to spread out into the galaxy. Once they have taken their handful of conscripts, the planet will be destroyed.Unknown to the Kleese, their attack against the human homeworld will ignite a war that will spread across the known galaxy. Billions will die in their quest to free themselves from the heartless alien race. Can the human race rise up and lead the few worlds willing to fight against the Kleese? Find out in the Galactic Empire Wars.
The Alorian Wars: Volume I
Drew Avera - 2017
But, as his ship decimates planet after planet, he finds his sympathies swinging toward their defeated enemies. Sergeant Anki Paro, a Luthian Marine, has been anxiously awaiting the call to deploy. As the last line of defense against the crushing Greshian forces, she hopes the time has finally come for her world to stand against tyranny. However, as her society prepares for imminent destruction, questions of misplaced loyalties lead Anki to wonder if the world she is trying to save has any real intentions of surviving. As Brendle's and Anki's worlds collide, they find themselves in an unlikely alliance to try to stop the full might of the Greshian Empire before there's nothing left to fight for.
A stolen ship, a mission on the line, enemies at every turn...
After four months in hiding, Brendle Quin can't delay his mission any longer. His ship, the Replicade, is held together with failing patches, and he needs to make repairs in a port. Unfortunately, the nearest world with proper facilities is situated deep in Greshian-owned enemy territory. The Greshian colony of Farax is a safe hold for piracy in the region, and none is more vile than Crase Tuin, a man known for trafficking people and weapons across the Alorian Galaxy. He has a reputation as the only pirate never to lose a ship--with the exception of the Replicade. When Crase finds the Replicade, he vows to claim the lives of those who stole her. But Brendle won't go down without a fight.
Nothing has stopped the Greshian Empire's expanse, but all hope isn't lost...
The illusion of peace shrouds a hidden darkness. Just as the crew of the Replicade are getting settled on a seemingly tranquil world, they encounter a young girl with special abilities--and she's being hunted by a secret, powerful organization that will stop at nothing to have her. When Anki and Brendle intervene to help the girl, they are caught in the organization's crosshairs. The crew must make a decision: give into the looming threat of the organization, or die fighting to protect her. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Commander Ilium Gyl has taken command of a Greshian scout ship. A breach in protocol raises questions of his loyalty to the Greshian Empire, leading to a power struggle as a rebellion sparks in a distant sector of the Alorian Galaxy. His ambitions may cripple the Greshian Fleet, or he might just be the empire's savior. The Alorian Wars is a space opera series, filled with political intrigue and shrouded in mystery, is sure to please fans of "The Expanse", "Dark Matter", "Firefly", and "Killjoys". Join the war today!
Battleborn
Andrew Beery - 2019
For generations, the Riker men have been the best of the best. For the Battleborn that comes with a cost. *** I had to give the other guy credit. That was a fine right hook. Every bit as good as my mom used to give me. Of course, the best right hooks were the ones I landed on the other guy rather than the ones the other guy landed on me. My dear departed mother had always taught me it was better to give than receive. It’s unlikely that her cherished advice was meant to apply to bar fights, but then, she wasn’t a big fan of bars or fights in general. I spit out the blood in my mouth. My name is Tad Riker. I serve as a tactical weapons officer for the Wolves, but I was raised by the Stallions. The poor unfortunate reprobate, who was even now feeling the wrath of my fist, was serving as an armorer for the Stallions. That’s why I took this fight so personally . . . not that he was an armorer, but that he was a Stallion.
Field Two
Simon Winstanley - 2016
The 64 years were over: Mankind's extinction was set.The devastation was inevitable: Billions had died.Archive's solution had failed: But it wasn't too late...There was still Time.An emergent symbol now echoes through key moments,influencing the course of human affairs.In a myriad of possible futures,a single mind holds the key.Book Two in the Field series.
Pursue the Past: Samair in Argos: Book 1
Michael Kotcher - 2014
Dropped in the void and left for dead, lost in survival sleep for centuries, she awakes to find her world has changed and hitches a ride on a decrepit freighter. Tamara and the crew work together to fix the dying ship, try to fight off pirates with a Republic Naval warship captain ruthlessly pursuing them, all while trying to turn a profit. The Argos Cluster is a dangerous place, but some of the worst threats are those left behind.
A Christmas Carol
Marion G. Harmon - 2019
It’s time for snowball fights and Christmas lights, family and tradition. So when Astra is attacked by a villain she’s never seen before, and saved by Faith, her sister in another reality, she takes her home for Christmas. That alone would have made it the most amazing Corrigan Family Christmas ever—but when Christmas morning dawns and the world awakens to find that Santa Claus really, truly delivered on the wishes of millions of children around the world, Astra and Joyeuse Guard are called upon to find out what happened. Because they may just have to save Christmas. ----------------------------------------------------- Wearing the Cape: A Christmas Carol, takes place after Wearing the Cape Book 8.
Galaxy Bomb
Anthony James - 2019
The Trivar rats and the life-draining Antaron have taken turns and now, their cruel overlords, the Scions, have joined the fight. As if the odds weren’t bad enough already. The Scions are savage, brutal and arrogant. They have brought with them a weapon beyond comprehension. If the Scions are not stopped, everyone will die. Captain Becky Keller is flying the refitted ES Devastator. It’s the only spaceship with the firepower to match the Scions in a one-on-one. Unfortunately, this enemy doesn’t fight fair. Neither does humanity. Not anymore. Deep in the Devastator’s hold, Lieutenant Joe Nation and his squad wait to try out the newest piece of untested Space Corps tech. If it works, they’ll have a chance to show the Scions exactly what happens when you push too hard. Some people push back. There is one question even victory will not answer. Is this midgame, endgame, or has the fight for survival only just begun? Galaxy Bomb is a high-action science fiction adventure involving massive space battles, overwhelming odds and exciting technologies. It continues the Transcended series and picks up straight after book 3: Far Strike.
Evasion (Scattered Stars: Evasion Book 1)
Glynn Stewart - 2021
Betrayal and failure sent him into exile and flight. Now owner-operator of the freelance star freighter Evasion, he treks the edge of human space, taking cargos that lead him ever onward—but there are lines he will not cross.When those lines are challenged, EB makes enemies of the most powerful crime syndicate for a hundred light-years. When one of their victims stows away on his ship, he finds himself pursued by an enemy with assets everywhere he turns.Caught between the devil and the deep dark void, EB has run out of places to run—but in a child looking to him for salvation, he may have found something to fight for!CONTENT WARNING: This novel deals with themes and details of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.