Book picks similar to
Empires Ascendant: A Space Opera Anthology by Jay Allan


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UFO Down


D.C. Alden - 2020
    Convinced that a plane has crashed on a nearby peak, Harry races to the crash site, only to discover the wreckage is not an aircraft. It’s something else entirely.  And there’s a living, breathing survivor. As police and military forces seal off the mountain, others converge on the area, dark agents of powerful, clandestine organisations who know the truth about extraterrestrial visitations and will take any measures necessary to keep that truth from the public.With the noose slowly tightening, Harry and his family must decide between cooperation or deception – give up their unearthly visitor or deceive the cold, determined hunters hell-bent on capturing the entity and suppressing a bizarre and frightening phenomenon. A phenomenon that Harry has encountered once before, in the skies over Nazi Germany.

Expanse series #1-6


James S.A. Corey
    a. corey includes titles:- Leviathan Wakes, Caliban's War, Abaddon's Gate, Cibola Burn, Nemesis Games, Babylon's Ashes. Description:- Leviathan Wakes Humanity has colonised the solar system - Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond - but the stars are still out of our reach.Jim Holden is an officer on an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. Caliban's War While Earth and Mars have stopped shooting each other, the core alliance is shattered. The outer planets and the Belt are uncertain in their new - possibly temporary - autonomy. Abaddon's Gate For generations, the solar system - Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt - was humanity's great frontier. Until now. The alien artefact working through its program under the clouds of Venus has emerged to build a massive structure outside the orbit of Uranus: a gate that leads into a starless dark. Cibola Burn: Book 4 of the Expanse The gates have opened the way to a thousand new worlds and the rush to colonise has begun. Settlers looking for a new life stream out from humanity's home planets. Illus, the first human colony on this vast new frontier, is being born in blood and fire. Nemesis Games: Book 5 of the Expanse A thousand worlds have opened, and the greatest land-rush in human history has begun. As wave after wave of colonists leave, the power structures of the old solar system begin to buckle.Ships are disappearing without a trace. Babylon's Ashes: Book Six of the Expanse The Free Navy - a violent group of Belters in black-market military ships - has crippled the Earth and begun a campaign of piracy and violence among the outer planets. The colony ships heading for the thousand new worlds on the far side of the alien ring gates are easy prey, and no single navy remains strong enough to protect them.

Life as an Independent Space Hauler


Jason Hill - 2021
    Everything was taken from him and he was pressed into military service as a fighter pilot. A few years later, Jace has gotten out of military service and worked on a corporate freighter. He has grown to love space and plans to never return to earth. Dissatisfied with the corporate life, Jace finds the necessary backing to go independent. Thus, he begins the life of an independent freight hauler. This story is inspired by Nathan Lowell's Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series, Firefly, and some anime.

Ack-Ack Macaque: The Complete Trilogy


Gareth L. Powell - 2017
    Every day the cynical, cigar-chomping, hard-drinking monkey climbs into his Spitfire to do battle with the waves of German ninjas parachuting over the gentle fields of Kent. But life is not all the joyous rattle of machine guns and the roar of the engine, as Ack-Ack is about to find out… Because it is not 1944. It is the 21st century, in a world where France and Germany merged in the late 1950s, where nuclear-powered Zeppelins circle the globe, where technology is rapidly changing humanity, and Ack-Ack has lived his whole life in a videogame. Ex-journalist Victoria Valois finds herself drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the man who butchered her husband and stole his electronic soul. The heir to the British throne is on the run after an illegal break-in at a research laboratory, and Ack-Ack has been rudely awakened from his game world to find the doomsday clock ticking towards Armageddon… Two unlikely heroes and one mightily pissed-off monkey come together in a sci-fi trilogy full of action, adventure, bananas and bottles of rum. Includes the original Ack-Ack Macaque short story and a brand new epilogue, The Last Macaque.

Splashdown: First Contact?


Dave Cole - 2013
    "This is not possible, this isn't supposed to happen," he spoke out loud, well aware that the others couldn't hear him. He and his six passengers were going to die and there was no one in the universe that could save them.Splashdown tells a different story of first contact with extraterrestrials. L'atel is the pilot of an alien cargo ship who is illegally hauling passengers through our solar system when an accident forces them to crash-land on Earth.As L'atel and his passengers know, Earth is a primitive planet that has been placed off limits by the Ebens, the self appointed guardians of the galaxy. No outsider is allowed to land or even approach within one light year of Earth to protect its fragile culture. Or at least that is what the Ebens want the rest of the galaxy to believe.Soon L'atel and his passengers discover that all is not as it appears. The Ebens have secrets, and will go to any length to protect them, even if it means war, with the Earth as the battleground.Splashdown weaves a story to include many of the better known UFO and alien myths, as well as other conspiracy theories that are so popular in today's media. For example, Splashdown includes references to the 1947 Roswell New Mexico crash, the rumored 1954 meeting between aliens and President Eisenhower at Holloman Air Force Base, Project Serpo, the MJ12 documents as well as other lesser known events, such as, the Nuremberg Germany event of 1561. The novel also incorporates several historical events such as, the Kennedy assassination, the Cuban missile crisis, and the Watergate scandal resulting in a new and unique twist on the old aliens on Earth story.

Gallantry in Action (Halberd #1)


John Spearman - 2020
    Spearman. A sci-fi military novel set in space, the book follows Captain Jonah Halberd, newly assigned commander of the spaceship HMS Cumberland, an advanced cruiser in the Royal Navy of the Commonwealth, currently under the reign of King Edward XII. There is an ongoing war between the Commonwealth and the Rodinan Federation. After rescuing Lady Julia Hawthorne, the fiancee of First Space Lord Chesterfield, Jonah and his crew set off for yet another dangerous assignment. But an ensuing battle with the Rodinan armada causes heavy casualties, and Jonah finds himself captured by the enemy. A daring rescue led by Lieutenant Commander Fred MacMurray results in Jonah receiving a hero's welcome back home. Now, he must unite the Coalition for war.

Works of H. Beam Piper (32 books)


H. Beam Piper - 2009
    Beam Piper with active table of contents.Works include:The AnswerThe Cosmic ComputerCrossroads of DestinyDay of the MoronDearestThe Edge of the KnifeFlight From TomorrowFour-Day PlanetGenesisGraveyard of DreamsHe Walked Around the HorsesThe KeeperLast EnemyLittle FuzzyThe MercenariesMinistry of DisturbanceMurder in the GunroomNaudsonceNull-ABCOomphel in the SkyOmnilingualOperation R.S.V.P.PatrolPolice OperationRebel RaiderThe ReturnA Slave is a SlaveSpace VikingTemple TroubleTime and Time AgainTime CrimeUllr Uprising

Satan, Aliens, Go!: A novel (A Quantum Heart Trilogy Book 1)


Antonis Tsagaris - 2019
    The aliens are here.....and they won't leave until they've captured every single human on the planet.Meanwhile, in a dark room in LA, Satan is rewatching his favorite show when he hears someone banging on his door to bring him news of the invasion.Together, they set off on an epic journey that will take them through Hell and back. Literally.Will our heroes be able to stop the aliens from assimilating the human race? And what will they have to sacrifice if they hope to succeed?A hilarious, fast-paced romp through spacetime with a heart of gold! You'll fall in love with this funny, heartwarming story of invading aliens, lost love and newfound hope, because not every science fiction book has to be about huge, warring battleships and high-intensity mega-lasers.Get it now!

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.

Brilliant


Rick Lakin - 2018
    Edited to improve the timelines with new scenes.We all dream of discovering our superpower. For seventeen-year-old Jennifer Gallagher, that superpower is an IQ of 206. Captivated with the StarCruiser Brilliant movie franchise since she was five, she has a chance to intern with the Hollywood studio that produces the series.She knows that StarCruiser Brilliant is the key to finding out what happened to her father, but discovers that Brilliant will take her to the stars on her search.The first book of the StarCruiser Brilliant series will thrill and excite you as you get to watch Jennifer grow from a precocious teen to a powerful, professional woman and discover her true superpower.If you have read Brilliant before and would like the new edition, send me an e-mail at rilakin - at - gmail - dot - com and answer the following question: In the Virtual Copa, what was the name of the dancer Tayla replaced when she danced with Gene Kelly?Specify e-book, mobi, or pdf and I will send you the updated version and thanks for reading.

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.

Tempered: A Space Opera Military Adventure


T.S. Paul - 2019
     Casey Lewis led the best Special Operations unit in all of the Confederation until it betrayed her. Taking revenge, she expected to die in a blaze of glory and gunfire but that was not to be. Now she's Chef of the Navy and it's her job to teach, tutor, and investigate each and every kitchen in the fleet. On her own terms. When she accidentally uncovers a plot against not only the battleship she's on but the Confederation as a whole, all hell breaks loose. Bad Casey is back and she's not fooling around this time! ***This book contains bad language, sexual situations, violence, more violence, and a whole lot of innuendo. No actual Chefs were harmed in the making of this book.

Earth Must BE Stopped (The Assassin Guild, #1)


Saxon Andrew - 2018
    Fifty-colonies were founded hundreds of years ago, after Nordstrum Haladay discovered Phase Field technology. Millions of Colonists left Earth to escape the incessant wars, famine, and over-population plaguing the planet. Earth regressed to a primitive civilization after nuclear holocaust killed more than twelve-billion. They became little more than primitive farmers; blaming science and technology for the climactic nuclear war and abhorred all technology. The colonies were left to fend for themselves. Four-hundred-years after the war, the Colonies sent starships back to Earth to trade for the crops and forced an unfairly low price on the farmers. Earthlings came to detest the colonies and decided that technology might be needed for defense. Earth began evolving quickly and three-hundred-years, after the colony traders first arrived, Earth rivaled the colonies in advanced technology. However, Earth did not possess Phase Field Technology, and was held captive inside their Solar System for lack of stardrive technology. The colonies knew if Earth possessed a stardrive there would be reason to worry. The President of the Colonies’ Council has intel information that a scientist on Earth might be close to developing a working Phase Field Stardrive and felt that Earth must be stopped! The Assassins Guild was contracted to eliminate the scientist and all those working around him to prevent the discovery of a stardrive. The Assassins Guild kills millions of citizens in the colonies every year and receives billions in payment. This contract would be the most difficult ever accepted by the Guild. The assassins will take on the daunting task of blending in with Earth’s population, being forced to operate on a planet they are completely unfamiliar with while avoiding Earth’s formidable Security Forces. The top two ranked assassins are chosen for the contract and don’t know what lies ahead. The twists and turns in this full-length novel at 94,000 words will keep you guessing at what’s coming next as you keep turning the pages to find out. Excerpt: Earth Must Be Stopped Tal lowered his eyes, “The Council will be extremely unhappy if the Assassins Guild fails to carry out their contract.” The Guild Master’s face turned angry, “What are you saying? Is this a threat?” “No, Guild Master, I’ll accept the job on one condition?” “And what is that?” “I want the names of the guild members that paid you off to send us?” The Guild Master stared at Tal, and Tal continued, “You know you’d prefer to not have to look over your shoulder wondering if they’re angry if we survive. I’d be doing you a favor, Guild Master.” The Guild Master turned to Ka, “Are you in or out?” Tal turned to Ka, “He’s right, Ka. The reason he’s sending two-agents is because the security forces on Earth know that assassins usually work alone. If either of us tried to do this alone, Earth’s agents would be on us like white on rice. We know nothing about what we’ll be facing on Earth and scouting will be close to impossible. Going as a couple makes sense and increases the odds of success.” Ka stared at Tal and then turned back to the Guild Master, “I’m in, if you give him the names…” The Guild Master stared at her and she smiled, “before we leave.” “You won’t have time to do anything about it.” “Even so.” The Guild Master took out a business card from a desk drawer and wrote on the back of it.

Galaxy's Edge: Takeover: Season Two: Book One


Jason Anspach - 2020
     Goth Sullus and his empire have fallen. With the Legion and the rest of the galaxy watching from the still-smoldering galactic core, Carter, a former legionnaire turned private contractor, and Jack Bowie, a Navy spy with nowhere left to turn, sign up to work for an enterprising private contractor looking to make a statement on the planet Kublar. Plans are in motion dating back to the Savage Wars, and as the galaxy rushes to fill in the vacuum created by the fall of the Imperial Republic, the bodies are hitting the floor. But every plan has a reckoning… Takeover is the thrilling aftermath of the final, desperate execution of Article Nineteen and the looming rebirth of the Legion and the galaxy itself as Galaxy’s Edge: Season Two begins! Available now in Audio book format performed by Ray Porter!

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.