Book picks similar to
Cascade Point by Joshua Guess


sci-fi
science-fiction
space-opera
military-sci-fi

Alliance


Jonathan P. Brazee - 2017
    Humanity is involved in a limited war with the alien Klethos, where gladitorial combat decides the fate of worlds, but that doesn’t affect the common Marine or sailor. His career has been training hard but never seeing actual combat. All of that changes when a new enemy invades the galaxy, one that threatens both humanity and Klethos. Mankind hasn’t fought an all-out war in centuries, but they’re about to. McKeever is assigned to a special task force with the mission to find out what makes this new enemy tick, and, if possible, stop them in their tracks before humanity is eliminated like so much insignificant vermin.

Keeper of the Well


Steve Kaide - 2017
    The one thing that lets him escape the monotony is writing his fantasy novel, Keeper of the Well. Until he discovers something about his book that leaves him terrified, something impossible. Jack’s normal life is thrown into chaos, and he finds himself wrapped up in an adventure wilder than anything he could have written himself. An ancient order from another world threatens to destroy Earth, and mankind will be defenseless without his help. Soon, Jack will realize he must bear the weight of destiny upon his shoulders. Keeper of the Well is a thrilling, unique take on modern fantasy that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

No Middle Ground


Caleb Wachter - 2014
    With twenty years of military service under his belt, it was time to settle down on a colony somewhere and start the next phase of his life. But without warning, the Empire of Man withdrew its support of the Confederated Spineward Sectors, taking the vast majority of high-value military assets - including capable officers - with it. The would-be retiring Lieutenant Commander was improbably given a field commission of Captain, and tasked with a simple 'wave the flag' operation by his even more improbable commanding officer, Admiral Jason Montagne. So Captain Middleton set out to patrol the adjacent Sectors, and carry out his orders to the best of his ability. But, as is so often the case, one thing leads to another and Middleton finds himself and his ancient warship, the Pride of Prometheus, caught in quandary after quandary as the shadows of a Sector-wide conspiracy loom wherever they turn. The further down the rabbit hole he goes, the less he likes what he finds and his simple patrol mission soon turns into something much, much larger. With a crew of rookies and society's unwanted - including a pair of teenagers from a world very different from his own - Captain Middleton will discover one simple, incontrovertible truth: In life, there is no middle ground.

Captain Hawkins


H. Peter Alesso - 2016
    His heroic effort to save the lives of innocent women and children, caught in the cross-fire of war, placed him squarely in the cross-hairs of avenging soldiers.Hawkins was stunned when his rescue effort was seen as treachery. Unfairly convicted of treason by a corrupt judge, he was sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor on an infamous penal colony.Once in prison, his courage and perseverance won him the admiration and trust of his fellow convicts. While he was plotting his escape, an enemy attacked the planet--giving this daring warrior his chance. Together with his fellow prisoners, he launched a bold assault and high-jacked an enemy warship.From then on, Captain Jamie Hawkins and his ship the Indefatigable fought against a corrupt government--only to discover a mysterious alien presence was behind the war.

Trapped


Randolph Lalonde - 2016
    Some time later, mankind is slowly regaining control, destroying artificial intelligences by any means but leaving a chaotic, lawless galaxy behind as a result. Aspen has found a new home with the crew of the Cool Angel, a mercenary ship, unaware that she will soon be back in the hands of her old masters and will have to fight for her freedom all over again. From the author of the best selling Spinward Fringe series, this new novella promises adventure, drama and space with swagger!

Archangel Down


C. Gockel - 2015
    They’re wrong.Commander Noa Sato plans a peaceful leave on her home planet Luddeccea ... but winds up interrogated and imprisoned for her involvement in the Archangel Project. A project she knows nothing about.Professor James Sinclair wakes in the snow, not remembering the past twenty four hours, or knowing why he is being pursued. The only thing he knows is that he has to find Commander Sato, a woman he’s never met.A military officer from the colonies and a civilian from Old Earth, they couldn’t have less in common. But they have to work together to save the lives of millions—and their own.Every step of the way they are haunted by the final words of a secret transmission:The archangel is down.

The Signal


Nick Cook - 2018
    Why? Could it be we really are alone in the universe? Or is it that the truth has been withheld from us by a global conspiracy of silence? When radio telescope operators Lauren Stelleck, a woman with a special gift enabling her to literally see certain sounds, and Steve Andrews, a diehard sci-fi geek, detect a signal like no other at Jodrell Bank in England, a chain of events is unleashed that propels Earth towards all-out nuclear war. Can Lauren and Steve unlock the secret of the signal before our species tears itself apart? The Signal is a prequel novella to the Fractured Light trilogy, and is part of the Multiverse Chronicles, an epic series of interlinked stories that follows the struggle of humanity to survive across parallel universes. Watch the skies because the darkness is coming for us. Please note that there is the occasional use of strong language in The Signal and the story deals with adult themes. Recommended age is 16+.

Ephialtes


Gavin E. Parker - 2015
    The nation breathes a sigh of relief, and looks forward to the resumption of elections.Across the solar system, the leading industrialist in the USAN’s small colony on Mars is thinking about independence. When the Martian population votes in favour, Mars secedes from the union.It seems to be a fait accompli until it’s suggested that a massive dropship carrying spacecraft, Ephialtes, built to patrol the Earth, could be refitted for interplanetary spaceflight. Maybe the USAN could use its military might to persuade the colonists to reconsider.With an enormous instrument war of heading toward them, the Martians resolve to defend their independence. Limited resources force them to rely on wit and ingenuity as they prepare their defences. Can they prevail against the mighty Ephialtes?Political intrigue, heart-pounding action and page-turning drama abound in this gripping opening to the Ephialtes Trilogy.

Tanis Richards: Shore Leave


M.D. Cooper - 2018
    But Tanis's commanding officer has other things in mind for her. Enfield Technologies has developed a new technique to pair enhanced L2 humans with AIs, and the military wants Tanis to undergo the procedure. Though she feared the worst, after meeting Darla, Tanis realizes that having an AI—especially a fabulously wealthy one—is better than she'd ever imagined. Darla foots the bill for Tanis to enjoy her convalescence at The Grand Eire, Vesta's most luxurious resort. Swimming in the infinity pool with a stunning view of space is just what the doctor ordered, except it will be far from a restful vacation. Everything starts to go downhill when Tanis sees someone who should be nowhere near the resort—largely because Tanis had killed him a week ago. Tanis is thrust into a mysterious conspiracy that could bring down the Federation, but when she gets to the bottom of it, what she finds is...none other than herself. NOTE: This novel was previously published in the Galactic Genesis anthology.

Living with Markus


Florence Osmund - 2016
     Having put an embittered past behind him, Marc builds a successful landscaping business with clientele from the affluent suburbs of Chicago and starts to appreciate the finer things in life—and he's found the perfect woman to share in it. But when his alcoholic sister and her two young sons enter into the picture, Marc falls victim to their helplessness and temporarily puts his own life aside. When his despondent father is added to the mix, it doesn’t take long for Marc to completely lose sight of his own dreams—and his girlfriend. Does Marc save his relatives from their ill-fated lives, or save himself from entering into a life of self-sacrifice and missed opportunities? Painful soul-searching and late-night talks with the captivating tenant downstairs guide him to an unexpected decision and discovery of his true purpose in life.

Platoon F: Pentalogy


John P. Logsdon - 2014
    His only out is to undergo a complete physical makeover, get a rank and name change, and agree to take over a new platoon in the Segnal Space Marine Corps (SSMC). Mission 2: Angry Robots A group of antiquated robots have decided that they've had enough of being treated like second-class citizens. Working together, they take over the sewage plant on Segnal Prime and start pumping the sludge back up into the buildings. Mission 3: The SSMC Voyeur A space probe that was sent out 500 years ago has returned...sort of. It's actually a copy of the original model of The SSMC Voyeur, which begs the question: What happened to the original craft? The crew of The SSMC Reluctant is dispatched to learn about the originating planet that sent this cloned vehicle. And, if Rear Admiral Conster gets his way, they're also to blow the entire planet that it came from to smithereens. Mission 4: Earthlings After their last mission, the Segnal Space Marine Corps (SSMC) saw the value of the GONE Drive. The ability to move through space in a blink of an eye would be highly appealing to any military body, but specifically to Rear Admiral Parfait who has a bit of a thing for military bodies. Parfait sets a mission in place where The SSMC Reluctant must go to one of the planets that they briefly landed on during their last mission: Earth. Parfait sees the opportunity to...probe another society of human-like creatures and possibly build relations with them. Furthermore, and much to Captain Don Harr's chagrin, Parfait has put in for a title change to Senior Diplomat so that he can join the crew! Mission 5: Synthetic DNA After a close call in the year 2440 at the planet called "Earth," the crew of The SSMC Reluctant makes a quick escape back to their home of Segnal. However, Geezer didn't have time to set the clock on the GONE Drive to return them back to their own era, and things have changed greatly in the Segnal System over the past 500 years. The system is ruled by Synthetic Lifeforms now, and they find humans and standard robots an affront to their intellectual capacity. From their perspective, only Synthetic Lifeforms should be allowed to live.

The Thunder of War


Dietmar Arthur Wehr - 2017
    The Tyrell are a race that loves to fight, and they’re very good at it. The harder they fight, the better they like it. Whenever they discover another intelligent race, they force them into combat whether they want it or not. When humans are warned of an inevitable confrontation with the Tyrell, they attempt to form a multi-species Alliance, but the challenges are great, and they know it’s only a matter of time before a Tyrell fleet of massive ships will arrive in Earth orbit. Cate Harrow and Gort Eagleton are two Aerospace Force officers with the kind of strategic and tactical skills that the Alliance needs to win this war, but before they can even begin to defeat the Tyrell, they must survive the incompetent leadership that threatens complete disaster. Defeating the Tyrell will be far more difficult than the Alliance initially believes unless they can discover their one weakness. This action-packed series has lots of space battles and political intrigues, as well as personal triumphs and tragedies. Excerpt: “Flight Ops to Skydiver. You and your squadron have the green light, Commander. Good luck.” “Thanks, Ops. Skydiver to Squadron. We have a green light. Sound off when you’ve undocked in sequence order. Here we go.” She turned and nodded to her co-pilot who would maneuver the corvette out the half kilometer wide maw of the carrier, Ranger, while she monitored the rest of the squadron. As Skydiver gently pulled away from the docking bay then past the baffles and moved towards the opening, Harrow switched one of her displays to the rear external view, using computer enhancement to compensate for the low level of light inside the main hangar space. Each corvette in the squadron was undocking and maneuvering in a specified sequence in order to avoid collisions. “Skydiver is clear of Ranger,” said the co-pilot. As the ship began to accelerate, Harrow watched the carrier start to recede into the distance. Just as she began to shift her gaze, she saw a streak of light hit Ranger from below, penetrate up through the interior of the huge hangar and come out the top of the ship. “FLIGHT OPS! WHAT THE HELL—“ shouted Harrow. “—BEEN HIT! RANGER’S BEEN HIT!” Harrow recognized the voice of the Flight Operations Duty Officer. “OH GOD! BISMARK REPORTS BEING HIT TOO!” Harrow thought fast. The Tyrell had obviously detected the four carriers and were firing their long range, faster-than-light kinetic energy projectiles from below. The mission was clearly compromised, and to her way of thinking, getting the carriers to a safe distance was now not only their top priority, it was their only priority. “SL to Flag!” said Harrow quickly. “We’re kinda busy right now, Commander!” Harrow didn’t know who was replying, but she did know it wasn’t Vice-Admiral LeClair, and that’s who she wanted to talk to. “You tell the Admiral that he needs to order his carriers to jump RIGHT NOW, Goddamit! We’re sitting ducks here!” Without waiting for a reply she turned to the co-pilot. “How many of our ships have cleared the Ranger?” “They’re all out! Do we try to dock again?” “God no! No time for that. We’ll have to catch up with her at the rally point if our carriers bug out in time!” She looked at the display that was still showing a now much smaller Ranger.

Discovery of the Saiph


P.P. Corcoran - 2014
    There is but one conclusion... that mankind overcomes it's alien foes... isn't there? The Terran Republic draws the lines of conflict - it must protect Earth ..... and it's allies Dr Jeff Moore, the unassuming squat, brown haired theoretical physicist, unlocks the Galaxy with his unintentional invention of the Gravity Drive whilst carrying out research on the Vega Star Probe, intended to provide Earth with colonies outside its own Solar System. Ancient Alien Civilisation This remarkable development leads to the construction of the new Vanguard Survey starship.The Terran Defence Force (TDF) Marco Polo is Captained by David Catney, he leads interstellar exploration outside Earths Solar System and leads humans to the ultimate Discovery of an ancient, dead, civilisation. Alien technology is submerged deep within an extinct planet and it leads to the shocking discovery... man is not alone. The Drake Equation may be... finally... unequivocally?... Proven? Military Space Fleet As the military space fleet of the Terran Republic, explores newly discovered planets in space, mandated by politicians, aided by alien technology, the Captains find both friends... and an enemy... an enemy they must repel The Politicians and the military are obligated to work together towards their objective. To hold the line. Defend the earth. No matter the cost

For Sale by Owner


D.D. Godley - 2017
    Lieutenant Joshua Simpson receives his final order, “bond with it.”While “bonding with it” the Lieutenant discovers the frightening truth about humanity. Where did we come from? How did we get here? Who are these visitors?˃˃˃ Disclosure: October 16th, 2020 -One-thousand breeding couples are abducted.Why? How are these abductions related to Lieutenant Joshua Simpson?Book Two of this series is Refuge Planet: Colonization.You will believe.

Trespassers


T.R. Cameron - 2017
    A new commander. His ship catapults uncontrolled through space. Now the aliens want him and his ship dead. Anderson Cross and Kate Flynn are in the crosshairs of the alien invasion. Their ship bears the hatred of an entire species.  It will take all they can give to survive. It will take even more to win. The enemy has more ships and better technology.It’s life or death for them.For their ship and crew.For all of humanity.It’s the human fleet vs. the aliens in run-and-gun battles for survival. Can Cross and Flynn rise above his mistake and slow the alien advance? There’s only one way to find out. Get it now. If you loved Old Man’s War and the Honor Harrington series, you’ll love the five-book Chaos Shift Cycle. It is a powerful new addition to the military sci-fi adventure tradition of David Weber, John Scalzi, and Robert Heinlein. It is perfect for fans of Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly, and Battlestar Galactica. The Chaos Shift Cycle:Book 1: TrespassersBook 2: DefendersBook 3: ProtectorsBook 4: Deliverers Book 5: Victors (coming March 2018)