The golden age of expansion, of exploration. Stories of new and vibrant civilizations growing, reaching out…and sometimes fighting desperately for the future. Empires Ascendant brings 6 masters of military science fiction and space opera together in one volume of all new, original material. Shadow of Purple Jay Allan One honorable man. Altharic Vennalus is a general, and a loyal servant of the Republic. He has battled endlessly, fighting to preserve the Republic from the usurpers who would topple it. The civil wars that have raged for three decades are nearly at an end. But peace is an elusive dream, and pain and loss will drive Altharic to places he couldn’t have imagined. In the end, he will be faced with answering one burning question. What is the cost of his honor? The Thousand Colors of Night Daniel Arenson A strange signal comes from deep space. A folk song from hundreds of light-years away. A song where there should be only silence. One starship flies to investigate. It finds a mystery that will change humanity forever. Banshee’s Last Scream Jason Anspach and Nick Cole From the world of Galaxy's Edge: When a Dark Ops legionnaire is found dead under suspicious circumstances, his fellow operatives employ the notorious bounty hunter Tyrus Rechs to find those responsible and make them pay for their actions. But Rechs uncovers a sinister plot much bigger than a simple murder. Jason Anspach & Nick Cole deliver the first original Galaxy's Edge short story ever to appear in an anthology… Banshee’s Last Scream! The Ganymede Arbitration JN Chaney In 2833, Arbiters Wojtek Dimek and Gabriel Anderson are sent to contain an escalating genocide on Ganymede. Jovian Alliance Prime Minister Frank Wallace directs a campaign of systematic murder on the frozen moon. The Arbiters board Wallace’s ship to take the Prime Minister into custody, only to find themselves at ground zero of a coup, and they must now fight to reach extraction against overwhelming military forces in an increasingly volatile situation. Demons at War JN Chaney A Republic war in paradise. A Marine faced with the ultimate decision. Sergeant Magnus pictured the beach covered with bikini-clad women working on their tans. Instead, it has been overrun by those who would see him dead. Outnumbered and surrounded, Magnus must find a way to keep his unit alive against an unrelenting enemy from the ocean. It's time to do what he does best. Rogue Factions Joshua Dalzelle All 3 of the warring nations of humanity had finally agreed to meet and discuss an end to the slaughter that had gone on for centuries. Could this really be the end of a conflict that had taken millions of lives and left economies on the verge of collapse? As the 3 delegations meet on neutral ground to discuss the chance for peace, not everyone is happy that the war could be ending. Soon, multiple assault forces, smuggled into the conference in secret, engage each other. Who will dictate the future of humanity, those who want war without end, or those who want to forge all of humanity into a mighty empire? Acheron Rising Ken Lozito Lt. Commander Elias Browning's military career was over, or so he thought. When a secret research colony is discovered by a ruthless enemy, Elias must take command of a small battlegroup.

     All Proceeds go to Heroes & Horses - Grab your copy and help an American Hero today! Prairie Heat (Cowboys of the Flint Hills #1) Tessa Layne Will an Alpha Cowboy find true love on the range in this sexy, small-town western? Blake Sinclaire will do anything to reclaim his family’s stolen land, including talking sexy scientist Maddie Hansen into a fake engagement. As he falls for her, will he risk losing everything when long kept secrets come to light? Forever a Soldier (Always a Cowboy #1) Genevieve Turner Solider Hank Moreno has finally returned home from combat, ready to lick his wounds in solitude. But when beautiful historian Lale Pehlivan crashes into his life in search of an old family mystery, will their hearts survive the upheaval? Return to Love (Willow Valley #1) Christine Kingsley Cassie Powell is perfectly happy with her small town life in Willow Valley until her old crush, Jack Martin swaggers back into town. As things heat up with Jack, secrets she's worked too hard to keep threaten to bring it all tumbling down around her. Secret Heart (Hearts of Three Rivers: The Montgomerys #1) Amity Lassiter Former rodeo star Nate Montgomery has returned home to Three Rivers to nurse his wounds and come to terms with his new life. Perpetual girl from the wrong side of the tracks Layla Sullivan's been keeping a secret for nearly two years that's about to turn his world upside down...if they can keep the sins of their past from destroying it. Accounting for Love (Long Valley #1) Erin Wright When Stetson Miller inherits his father’s farm in Idaho, he’s too focused on crops and yields to pay attention to the financial side of things. The next thing he knows, he’s got a stack of unpaid bills, the bank is threatening to foreclose … and the auditor who’s come to examine his accounts is the sexiest thing he’s ever laid eyes on. The sparks between them fly even faster when the road washes out and Jennifer has to spend the night on the farm. But passion alone won’t pay the bills. Can Jennifer find a way for Stetson to save his farm? And if she can’t, will he ever forgive her? Mountain Angel (Northstar Angels #1) Suzie O’Connell A strong-willed woman, a heart-weary deputy, and a cozy mountain cabin. What could possibly go wrong… or right? Aelissm Davis has finally returned home to Northstar, Montana - exhausted by fast-paced city life and shadowed by an obsessive friend. The last thing she needs is another complication, and sexy Deputy Pat O’Neil is definitely that. Still, there’s something irresistible about the haunted man, and as she gets her bearings again, a different kind of problem arises. When his “vacation” is over, will she be able to convince him to stay? AUTHOR QUESTIONS Q: What makes Kiss Me Cowboy special? Many of us write Military Heroes (or are planning to real soon!) in our western romances. While we guarantee happy endings for our heroes, we know that the men and women who serve our country often aren’t so lucky. Twenty-two veterans kill themselves each day.

    Hephaestus Books represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as Hephaestus Books continues to increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge. This particular book contains chapters focused on The Chronicles of Amber, Chronicles of Amber books, and The Chronicles of Amber characters. More info: The Chronicles of Amber is a popular fantasy series by Roger Zelazny. The main series consists of two story arcs, each five novels in length. Additionally, there are a number of Amber short stories and other works.

    For Ky, it's no contest: Even running the prestigious Vatta Transport Ltd. shipping concern can't hold a candle to shipping out as an officer aboard an interstellar cruiser. It's adventure, not commerce, that stirs her soul. And despite her family's misgivings, there can be no doubt that a Vatta in the service will prove a valuable asset. But with a single error in judgment, it all comes crumbling down. Expelled from the Academy in disgrace--and returning home to her humiliated family, a storm of high-profile media coverage, and the gaping void of her own future--Ky is ready to face the inevitable onslaught of anger, disappointment, even pity. But soon after opportunity's door slams shut, Ky finds herself with a ticket to ride--and a shot at redemption--as captain of a Vatta Transport ship. It's a simple assignment: escorting one of the Vatta fleet's oldest ships on its final voyage ... to the scrapyard. But keeping it simple has never been Ky's style. And even though her father has provided a crew of seasoned veterans to baby-sit the fledgling captain on her maiden milk run, they can't stop Ky from turning the routine mission into a risky venture--in the name of turning a profit for Vatta Transport, of course. By snapping up a lucrative delivery contract defaulted on by a rival company, and using part of the proceeds to upgrade her condemned vehicle, Ky aims to prove she's got more going for her than just her family's famous name. But business will soon have to take a backseat to bravery, when Ky's change of plans sails her and the crew straight into the middle of a colonial war. For all her commercial savvy, it's her military training and born-soldier's instincts that Ky will need to call on in the face of deadly combat, dangerous mercenaries, and violent mutiny....

    Another tale tells of the heroic exploits of “sysadmins”—systems administrators—as they defend the cyberworld, and hence the world at large, from worms and bioweapons. And yes, there’s a story about zombies, too.

    A mage cop on his first assignment learns the world isn't as black and white as hopedA jump mage and a starship with matching needs turn out to be a magnet for troubleDigging in 1940s New York City awakens a monster--and brings in the elite of the FaeThe protected heir of an interstellar dictatorship is called to a battle no one expected him to fightAn explosive collection of four novellas from science fiction and fantasy author Glynn Stewart, spanning his ONSET, Starship's Mage, Changeling Blood and Exile universes, including two brand new urban fantasy novellas.  Includes:ONSET: Murder by MagicStarship's Mage: Episode 1Fae, Flames and FedorasAshen Stars

    Horrific specters walking the streets. A drug that promises to change the world. An apocalyptic cult. Something is stirring in the city of Duluth, Minnesota. Ever since a celebrated researcher announced the creation of a new experimental drug—a drug with the potential to cure the mind of countless ills—people have been disappearing. When a grad student involved with the drug's development unexpectedly commits suicide, a private detective is tasked with unearthing the details of her tumultuous final days. This miracle drug may not be what it seems. Others touched by the drug begin to see things—horrible things—and find themselves transported into a nightmarish world where an ancient evil stirs. Those who taste the drug are left spiraling into horror. Dark figures tail them on the street, and the scenery of their nightmares begins to encroach upon waking life, blurring the lines between dreams and reality. Their terrifying experiences make up the individual fragments of a dire mosaic. As the pieces fall into place, they come to realize the unspeakable horrors that await all of mankind. Midnight is looming, and the sun may never rise again over the city of Duluth.

    In Planetside and Opening Night at the Naturals Preserve, you get to look into her upcoming new world of After Earth. In Parasite, for which this edition is titled, you have the chance to read into some of the background and history of one of the brilliant characters from Sara's Millennium Potion series, of which you can find the first novel, Wings of Retribution, right here on Amazon!

    

    Plus more! An excellent gift! Delightful reading!

    To your head. Through this audiobook.""Ethan, a digital sound engineer in Los Angeles, becomes aware that his life is unraveling when the audiobook he's listening to reveals his deepest, darkest secrets, escalating until the narrator addresses him directly, threatening to destroy him from within. Vivian, a single mother running an antique store in San Francisco, listens to her audiobook to distract herself from missing her young daughter, but is shaken when the narrative is interrupted by her daughter's voice, faintly calling for help.""Ethan and Vivian are drawn together as they fight to solve a generation-spanning conspiracy that begins with a boy listening to the Orson Welles broadcast of War of the Worlds in 1938 and evolves through the latest innovations in digital technology, unearthing the mind-bending concept of a POSSIBILITY PARASITE bent on unleashing an explosion of APOCALYPTIC META HORROR.""From Eric Luke, screenwriter of EXPLORERS, and comic books GHOST and WONDER WOMAN: an experiment in audio horror.""INTERFERENCE. Just click PLAY..."I found this as a Free release over on iTunes.

    The critically acclaimed and award-winning tradition continues with another stunning collection, including stories by M. T. Anderson, Laird Barron, Simon Bestwick, Simon Brown, Stepan Chapman, Douglas Clegg, D. Ellis Dickerson, Terry Dowling, Andy Duncan, Jean Esteve, John Farris, Mélanie Fazi, Jeffrey Ford, Christopher Fowler, Stephen Gallagher, Theodora Goss, Elizabeth Hand, Alice Hoffman, Shelley Jackson, John Kessel, Margo Lanagan, Tanith Lee, Bentley Little, Elizabeth A. Lynn, Gregory Maguire, China Miéville, Richard Mueller, Joyce Carol Oates, Frances Oliver, Chuck Palahniuk, Tina Rath, Philip Raines and Harvey Welles, M. Rickert, Anna Ross, Alison Smith, R.T. Smith, Peter Straub, Lucy Sussex, Catherynne M. Valente, Greg Van Eekhout, and Conrad Williams. Rounding out the volume are the editors’ invaluable overviews of the year in fantasy and horror, and sections on comics, by Charles Vess, on anime and manga, by Joan D. Vinge, on media, by Ed Bryant, and on music, by Charles de Lint. With a long list of Honorable Mentions, this is an indispensable reference as well as the best reading available in fantasy and horror.

    This all-star lineup of bestselling authors includes... Tijan, Alessandra Torre, Lauren Blakely, Skye Warren, CD Reiss, Anna Zaires & Dima Zales, Red Phoenix, Cherise Sinclair, Kendall Ryan, Chelle Bliss, TK Leigh, Toni Aleo, Sam Crescent, Jenika Snow, Julia Sykes, Nina Levine, Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott, Ainsley Booth, Katy Regnery, Shari Slade & Amber Lin, Shoshanna Evers, Pam Godwin, Carolyn Crane, Molly Joseph, Ella Sheridan, Karla Doyle, and Brooke Cumberland Download TASTE ME now for a sneak peek of Hold Me, the highly anticipated third book in the dark romance Twist Me series from Anna Zaires. Push your boundaries with a twisty scene from Tight by Alessandre Torre, one of the blockbuster books of the year. Sink your teeth into an alpha rocker bad boy in the not-yet-released Second Chance with a Rock Star from Shari Slade and Amber Lin. Note: This compilation is intended as a FREE preview of this year’s hot releases to help readers find their next scorching read. May not be free in all countries due to price matching delays.

     Martin L. Shoemaker, author of “Today I Am Paul”, presents stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary work. Planning, exploring, constructing… living and growing and dying… across the Solar System. Includes these award-winning stories: Scramble (second place, Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award, 2012) Unrefined (third place, Writers of the Future, 2014) Racing to Mars (first place, Analog Analytical Laboratory award, 2016) Plus seven more stories!

     Now Sean must find a way to survive more than 200 million years in the past, in a world populated by monstrous creatures that would rend him limb from limb if they got the chance. And that's just his fellow prisoners. The dinosaurs are almost as bad.