Book picks similar to
Mushroom Summer by Kevin Candela


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Rising Thunder


Brandon Cornwell - 2017
    A giant amongst his kind, he dwarfs not only his fellow elves but the taller, stronger humans as well. Cast out by his own kind, he was sent to live amongst the Northmen at a young age, learning their ways and culture, but never wholly accepted by them. When his oldest friend, King Brynjar, dies in his old age, Elias's position among the volatile men of the Northlands becomes tenuous, and he sets out to make his place in the world.Far to the south, a war is brewing between his homeland of Lonwick, and the demonic Felle, an army of orcs, ogres, trolls, and men. Should he stay to the north and avoid the conflict, or should he travel south and join the forces that are defending his homeland? Who is the shadowy dark knight that hunts him? And will he ever find people in this world that see him for who he is, and not the freak he appears to be?From the warm, forested slopes of coastal mountain ranges, to the tropical shores of exotic islands, author Brandon Cornwell leads us on an adventure filled with battles, magic, love, and loss. As Elias faces the journey before him, rich characters and vivid settings transport us into a world that feels as real as it does fantastical.

The Variant


Justin M. Woodward - 2016
    As far back as he can remember, he has had unexplainable powers. Specifically, he has the power to prevent certain bad things from happening. Everything changes for Tyler when his son Nathan goes missing. Everyone blames him for his disappearance, while Tyler is determined to find out what happened to him. Things quickly spiral out of control in this page-turner of a thriller. This debut novel from author Justin M. Woodward will have you asking yourself, how far would you go for the ones you love?

The Afternet


Peter Empringham - 2011
    When the system begins to misfire under the workload, the ill-equipped representatives of God and the Devil tasked with managing the process are given an ultimatum. Fix The Afternet or go back to your previous afterlives. They begin an odyssey through the hordes of souls awaiting judgement and the oblivious living in search of a solution. Rich in comic detail and populated with characters real and imagined from throughout time, their quest is never going to be straightforward…

The Last Boy On Earth


Thomas M. Burby - 2011
    As far as his eyes could see, he was the only one left alive. You might think he was pretty upset about the whole situation and he was, for awhile. There were dead bodies and nothing but desolation and it's true that he sat around a lot and wished that he was dead, too. For a long time he wondered why he remained and all the others were taken. Then he thought, it doesn't matter. It just is. Anyway, sitting around just got boring. So he equipped himself with tools and weapons and set out with his faithful sidekick so see what there was left to see and do what there was left to do. He wasn't disappointed, because since the fall of Humanity, the world had changed in a thousand different ways too small to notice at first and some so fantastic he couldn't believe it. As the days passed into weeks, he discovered something amazing: there really are monsters in the dark." What if a pandemic plague struck the planet and when you woke up one morning, everyone else was dead? What if you were a fourteen year old boy with an excellent imagination and the will to survive? What if you found that something else was out there, hunting you? This is the story of Brady, a teenager who quickly discovers that although people may be scarce in the world of the Abandonment, other things are arising to take their place. He is master of all he surveys but discovers that the world has changed and that he has gained some new exciting abilities. With no adults to tell him what to do and no peers to judge him, Brady discovers that he is capable of great deeds and this is a good thing, because things long quiet are waking up from the sleep of ages. With his faithful dog, Max, and a host of non-human assistants, Brady discovers that there are monsters in the dark and that deep within his own heart, a hero dwells. This post-apocalyptic novel straddles the line between fantasy and magic surrealism and is intended for teenage audiences and beyond. Half survival tale and half magical odyssey, this is a hero's journey into the darkness of the monster's lair and back out again. Action, horror, and mystery blend together with a sense of wonder and loss at a world gone forever. If the world ended tomorrow and you were still alive, then what? In this novel, the main character decides to survive and finds that, aside from food, water and a safe place to sleep, his most necessary tool for survival is imagination and a good, sharp sword! This novel is lavishly illustrated with 50 beautifully crafted drawings by Brian Estes. The story is set in the present-day cities of Bangor and Brewer in central Maine after the advent of an airborne virus has destroyed all but a few humans on earth. Unless these people can find each other, the species is doomed to extinction. This reconnection of the few straggling survivors becomes one of the central themes of the story. Perfect for readers looking for adventure, ghosts, werewolves, and things coming to life that were never meant to do so. A ripping good tale!

Healer's Ruin


Chris O'Mara - 2015
    As the Ten Plains King lays siege to the mysterious kingdom of the Riln, the Healer realises that if he is to survive, he has to think and fight like a soldier. But Chalos isn't a soldier. He doesn't even own a sword. To make matters worse, the famed Wielder of Aphazail, a mage of extraordinary power, has come to the aid of the Riln... and is slaughtering the invaders in droves. Empires clash, gods walk, kingdoms tremble and sorcery carves a bright and blazing path across an ancient and mysterious land... a path that leads to HEALER'S RUIN.

The Time Bubble Box Set #1-5


Jason Ayres - 2021
    For the four spin-off novels, search for the Second Chances box set.1 The Time BubbleThe story begins as Charlie and Josh discover a time portal in a railway underpass which transports those who enter forward in time.2 Global CoolingTen years after the events of The Time Bubble, the world is gripped by a catastrophic climate event. Can time travel provide an escape?3 Man out of TimeA victim of The Time Bubble finds himself thrust twenty-two years into a future where he's been declared legally dead.4 Splinters in TimeJosh has perfected the art of time travel - until an accident sends him backwards in time on a nightmarish journey through a series of alternate universes.5 Class of '92A man from the 21st Century finds himself stranded in the pre-internet culture of 1992. Meanwhile, historical figures from the past are starting to turn up in Oxford.For more information on each individual book, plus reviews, please check out the individual product pages on Amazon.

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.

Divine Assistance


L.G. Estrella - 2017
    The gods were supposed to preside over Creation with unmatched wisdom and knowledge. Well, that was the idea. But what is Death – a god of terrible majesty and splendour – supposed to do when his daughter asks for a pony? Is he really supposed to just go out and get a mortal one? Like that’s going to work. It’ll keel over and die in a couple of decades. No, his daughter deserves something better, a pony truly worthy of her divine heritage, which means he’s going to have to get a little bit creative. And then there’s Bureaucracy. The Supreme Mother and Supreme Father might have given rise to Creation, but Bureaucracy is the one who has to keep everything running smoothly. But that’s easier said than done when there are hundreds of gods and countless mortals to consider – none of whom understand the importance of filing paperwork in triplicate. Luckily, not even gods can escape the awesome power of divine paperwork. And let’s not forget gods like Mayhem, Mischief, and Rabble. Their names speak for themselves. When the three of them take a holiday in the mortal world at the same time, trouble is right around the corner. Divine Assistance is a collection of fourteen short stories about the gods and their attempts to manage Creation. There are souls to claim, mortals to woo, and even the occasional city to smite. After all, what’s life without a little divine assistance?

The Forbidden Tower / Two to Conquer / Hawkmistress! / Darkover Landfall


Marion Zimmer Bradley
    

The Mage with the Dragon Magic


Irfan Mirza - 2016
    When Taro, a young orphaned mage, attempts to heal a stranger in the middle of a storm, his life is changed forever when he begins to tamper with foreign magic known only to most fierce and dangerous creatures of all: dragons.

The Amazing Adventures of Dave the Depressed Alcoholic Superhero. Book 1: Dave Decides to Become a Superhero


E.D. Wallace - 2016
    I mean like special powers. I can do stuff like fly, throw fat people really far or knock a giraffe out. To clarify, I haven’t done the last two (just saying I could if I wanted). Also to be clear, I’m not mentally ill. Well, not officially anyway.You’re probably thinking my life must be awesome, full of crazy adventures, fame, fortune and glamour. You’d be wrong. I have a desk job and live at home with my wife and parents. That’s my entire loathsome life. The only thing that gets me through the day is knowing that I can have a drink or two. Sometimes three. Okay four. Fine, five. Ten. It’s usually at least ten, but that’s a guess because by that point I have no idea what I’ve been doing, am doing, or going to do. Some might say I have a problem, but I would disagree and politely ask them to take a long walk off a short pier.Recently though, I’ve been getting seriously agitated with the world. There’s so much wrong and no-one’s doing anything about it. I’m not just talking about crime, I’m talking about the bigger picture. You know, stuff like war, poverty, corruption and all that high level stuff. I’m thinking I could do something to help. I don’t know what exactly, but I’ve got some mad skills that could be useful. I don’t know what the consequences will be if I do this, but I’ll just assume the worst...I’ll assume that I’m gonna brush shoulders with the dregs of society; murderers, rapists, traffickers, politicians and CEOs. I’ll assume that I’m gonna upset a lot of nasty people, powerful people, people who will come after me. I’ll assume I’m gonna get hurt, badly, maybe even die (if that’s even possible). I’ll assume my wife is going to get really annoyed at me.On second thought maybe this is a bad idea. Maybe I should just stick to the day job and play happy families.Screw that, I’m doing this! Get your copy now and find out what happens!

Fractured Earth: An Apocalyptic LitRPG (Viceroy's Pride Book 3)


Cale Plamann - 2022
    

The Seafort Saga Books 1–3: Midshipman's Hope, Challenger's Hope, and Prisoner's Hope


David Feintuch - 2017
    Campbell Award–winning author: The original trilogy chronicling the military science fiction adventures of Nicholas Seafort. In a “splendid homage to the grand tradition of the old seafarer’s tale,” the Seafort Saga tells the story of an intergalactic captain’s journey through the galaxy (Roger MacBride Allen). Now, the first three installments of this epic series are available in one volume.  Midshipman’s Hope: The year is 2194. Seventeen-year-old Nicholas Seafort is a fresh recruit with the United Nations Naval Service, serving as midshipman onboard the UNS Hibernia. En route to the colony of Hope Nation, the ship answers a distress call—only to lose the senior command staff in a daring rescue attempt. The chain of command has elevated Seafort into a leadership role he never anticipated. Surrounded by resentful and potentially mutinous officers, Seafort earns his stripes throughout Hibernia’s voyage, but his real trial awaits at Hope Nation with a startling revelation for humanity.  Challenger’s Hope: Capt. Nicholas Seafort was in command of the UNS Challenger until he was assigned to Adm. Geoffrey Tremaine’s task force. Removed from his flagship, Seafort has been given the smaller UNS Portia, transporting colonists to the world of Detour. But an alien attack devastates both ships, leaving dozens of crewmen and passengers dead. Only UNS Challenger is in good enough condition to bring the survivors home—provided Seafort can regain and retain his captaincy.  Prisoner’s Hope: Nicholas Seafort’s disastrous mission as captain of the UNS Challenger cost him nearly everything. The aliens responsible for decimating the United Nations Naval fleet are still a threat to the colony world of Hope Nation, whose inhabitants feel abandoned as the navy returns to Earth. To save the colonists, Seafort will have to sacrifice everything he has left and commit an act of high treason that could result in his death sentence.

Agents of the Planetary Republic Books 1-10


Jaxon Reed - 2021
    Treaties are signed, trade is restored. But spies and diplomatic turmoil lead to a high-tech cold war of epic proportions. Ex Space Marine Gina Wilcox finds herself in a law enforcement career after the war, but life can be just as dangerous on the streets as the battlefield. Sleeper cells activate, assassinating government officials. Crime syndicates flourish. And a certain high-tech android has been stolen by the League, spirited off world for unknown purposes. Into this milieu a band of Marine outcasts join the fight. They spent more time in the brig than on the battlefield, yet racked up admirable wartime kill ratios. These renegades are quietly recruited by Republican Naval Intelligence to lead black ops against the League. Gina Wilcox will join their leader Commander Hamilton Wolf in a risky interstellar quest to retrieve an android who doesn’t even realize she’s not human. The fate of two civilizations hangs in the balance . . .

The Children of the Gods Series #41-43


I.T. Lucas - 2021