Book picks similar to
Shiny Young Adult by Simon Cantan


science-fiction
short-stories
a-reviewed
amazon-ebooks

Aeson: Blue


Vera Nazarian - 2021
    Intelligent, well-educated, perfectly isolated in his lofty rank, responsibilities, and privilege of the divine Imperial Dynasty. He's the most powerful boy on Atlantis and he's going into the real world for the very first time. . . .Now just another student in Fleet Cadet School, Aeson must learn everything normal people take for granted—including the basics of how to look after himself, how to interact with others his age, how to laugh, and how to make friends.As if that wasn't enough to boggle the mind of a confident but shy boy who's never had a real conversation with anyone but his mother, Aeson has one more lesson ahead . . . what it's like to fall in love.Get inside Aeson's mind and learn his story from the inside out as he forms the bonds that will change him forever—with Elikara, Xelio, Oalla, Keruvat, Erita, and other favorite Atlantean characters, long before they took to the stars as astra daimon! AESON: BLUE is the first in The Atlantis Grail Novella Series.

The Reversion (Stonemont Book 1)


Steven C. Smith - 2017
    When the world did crash, his family’s home of Stonemont became not only a refuge, but a place where it might be possible to start over again, and reclaim the American ideal. Among the many novels in the SHTF/TEOTWAWKI genre, The Reversion stands apart – and, perhaps, alone. It does not follow the survival learning curve of the unprepared or minimally-prepared, as so many excellent books have already done so well. Rather, it is the story of a man who was prepared, and of how his preparation and foresight provided not only a safe haven for him and his family, but a re-start point for those who come together to survive the collapse of the world around them. As such, it is an unbelievably positive book about an unbelievably negative circumstance, and carries within it the lessons of preparedness and survival that every person should strive to learn. Tightly woven into the story are threads of history, morality, politics, economics, philosophy and comparative justice – the kind America was founded on, the kind they had devolved to under the weight of an increasingly liberal and socialist society, and the kind that might re-establish a society reflective of America’s original ideals. As these threads are woven into the fabric of the larger story of survival, the realization emerges that a great catastrophe enabled the return of what makes us, as human beings, truly happy and fulfilled, and that, perhaps, only a great catastrophe could. The Reversion, written by an expert in survival and preparedness with an interesting government and non-government background, is destined to be an instant classic in the preparedness/survival genre. More than a good story, it is a manual and a resource for all who are interested in these fields, and deserves to be kept on your desk or chair-side table where it can be read, re-read and referred to often.

Mystery: The Isherwood Case Files


Johnny Scotland - 2015
    Although Charley doesn't like the idea, he has no choice but to put up with it. Isherwood shows the squad what difference observation makes to how a potential crime scene is viewed, when asked to help by a member of the public who is worried for the safety of her sister. Is she right? Is the girl's fiance a monster who has already killed his previous wives? The problem is that he is perceived as a high profile member of society and the Chief warns the detectives to tread carefully. Will Isherwood tread on anyone's ego as he provides insight on this potential murder case? This is the first of the series of Isherwood Case Files in which our detective gets up close and personal with homicide, showing the squad the difference between the American approach and the more reserved British approach. Mystery 2:The Case of the Ghost Writer With Jon Isherwood being asked to help in the Los Angeles Police Department's homicide division, a call is received from a landlord who has found his tenant has been murdered. In this salubrious part of town, the ghost writer has found his demise. Will the clues be sufficient to pin the murder on anyone? Since the ghost writer lived a very private life, investigation takes Isherwood and his team to the home of a rich and famous author. There are many questions unanswered, though with forensics on their side, will they be able to work out the motive that anyone could have had to kill the solitary figure? Using observation, Isherwood and his team work toward finding a conclusion to a story which spells sadness, disappointment and revenge. But whose will the revenge be and will it be easy to crack the case? Readers will need to take the journey with our detectives to find the answers to their questions. Not all is always as it seems. Mystery 3:The Case of the Dead Man with No Identity When a victim is found at the bottom of the laundry chute in a hotel, where will the inquiries begin. There is no identification on the man and nothing to say who he was. Isherwood investigates the case of the dead man with no identity with his usual flare. Should he be looking in other places or are the clues there for him to find? As the story unfolds, is the killer who they think it is? Can a killer actually be charged with murder when the victim is seemingly already dead? One of Isherwood's most irritating cases, the blandness of the whole affair baffles him. Instead of being riddled with detail for him to unfold, this crime comes with no clues, no answers and no real leads. How will the detectives find out who killed Ian Bradshaw? And what stories can the dead body tell the coroner's office about how the death occurred? Readers will discover within the pages of this story. Mystery 4: A Case of Check Mate When a murderer leaves the calling card of a chess piece, Isherwood is left to find out the significance. Does this mean something particular? The preacher who was murdered seems an unlikely victim, though Isherwood is left to do what he can to make sense of the killing. Looking through past history, perhaps there are links that may have been missed, other than for that calling card.

World Glimpses: Parasite


Sara King - 2014
    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!

Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology


Bruce Sterling
    

The Last Broadcast


Christopher Ruz - 2011
    There are too many gaps in his code, too many mistakes left unfixed.Could Barry's programmers really have been so lax? Or does he have a greater purpose, some secret mission buried in his source code? He has another eighteen thousand years to find the answer. In the meantime, he's growing bored, and idle hands are the devil's playthings...

Sun River Brides Box Set


Karla Gracey - 2016
    Come along for the ride to meet feisty Boston city girls who know what they want, and rugged Montana men who just need to be loved. It's 1900, and things are changing fast in sleepy Sun River. As the town begins to expand, its inhabitants are getting restless, looking for love and adventure. A Bride for Carlton Why would an accomplished governess respond to an advertisement in the Matrimonial Times? Myra Gilbert had never considered such a thing, but something has awoken within her and she is determined to take her chance on love. Carlton Green claimed his lands, and now has the deeds in his grasp. But something is missing in his life. Will his quest to find love fill that hole, or is there something from his past that could change everything and leave him with nothing? A Bride for Mackenzie Annie Cahill has had a tough life, forced to leave home and work from an early age to support her sick Mama and younger siblings. Always the one everybody else could rely on she decides to finally reach out to take something for herself. But will she find the courage to see it through? A Bride for Ethan Maggie Smith left her home and family behind her to forge a successful career. But she is beginning to wonder if it truly was worth all the sacrifices she has made. But her desire for a family and loving partner may be a challenge to far. Has she already had everything she dreamed of, and foolishly pushed it away? A Bride for Thomas Catherine Parker has been brought up in the lap of luxury, and has always expected she would someday make an expedient marriage, but when her Papa insists she marry a man she knows he despises she has no choice. But will she find the love and companionship she craves, or is she merely trading one kind of hell for another? Can she trust a stranger to care more for her than her own father? A Bride for Matthew Emily Wilkins has led a glamorous life, part of a famous Circus family she has her own Act and a loving family. But a dramatic accident in the Ring means she has to face up to the fact that she never felt she fitted in. With her faithful donkey Claude she sets out for Montana to heal and find herself, but she gets much more than she ever bargained for. A Bride for Daniel Alice Springham has worked as a maid in a top Boston hotel since she was a girl. But she is feeling restless. Not knowing what she wants she answers and advertisement in the Matrimonials that made her smile. She has no idea if it is love she is missing, or if she even wants to wed. Will she ever learn what it is she truly wants? A Bride for William Madelaine Crane has led a life of privilege, but her comfortable life has been ripped apart by scandal. Can she overcome the gossip and forge her way to a life of fulfilment and love despite their censure? A Bride for Aaron Frederica Milton has been struggling to find her place in the world since the tragic deaths of her parents. Her Aunt is making her life a misery, though she knows her kindly Uncle loves her - but it is time for her to take her destiny into her own hands. Our feisty heroine places an advertisement for a husband, but will she finally find what she truly longs for? A Bride for Gideon Alberta Freemont, the daughter of a prominent Boston politician knows all about the need to marry well and that love isn't always a consideration.

The Church of Accelerated Redemption


Gareth L. Powell - 2018
    That the Church uses artificial intelligences to power its never-ending prayer machines doesn't interest her at all: they're paying, and she needs enough money to survive in an increasingly crumbling world. Until a demonstration outside the Church's headquarters, and the appearance of Stéphane, an enigmatic man Lisa finds herself powerfully drawn to. What lies beneath his headscarf, why is he so interested in the Church--and how far will she be willing to go in order to earn his trust? Aliette de Bodard, winner of the Nebula, Locus and BSFA Awards, teams up with BSFA Award-winner Gareth L. Powell to present an uplifting short story of machines and humans, of intense emotions and cutting-age technology culled from tomorrow’s headlines. “Full of character and wit” - Zone SF "Wonderful and full of promise.” - SF Revu

M.O.D.


J.C. Allen - 2011
    Scott Carver is asked to make this decision when "M.O.D." asks him to help plan a revolution.

The Best Science Fiction of the Year 12


Terry Carr - 1983
    Le Guin * 197 • Understanding Human Behavior • (1982) • novelette by Thomas M. Disch * 221 • Relativistic Effects • (1982) • novelette by Gregory Benford * 243 • Firewatch • [Time Travel] • (1982) • novelette by Connie Willis (aka Fire Watch) * 283 • The Wooing of Slowboat Sadie • [Springfield] • (1982) • shortstory by George Alec Effinger [as by O. Niemand ] * 293 • With the Original Cast • (1982) • novelette by Nancy Kress * 323 • When the Fathers Go • (1982) • novelette by Bruce McAllister * 351 • The Science Fiction Year (1982) • (1983) • essay by Charles N. Brown * 359 • Recommended Reading - 1982 • (1983) • essay by Terry Carr

In the Shadow of El Paso


Frank Zafiro - 2012
    Isabella is a beautiful Mexican woman that everyone in town loves, including the hapless Pete and the wealthy, powerful Jack...but most of all, Carl.Part romance, part police procedural, IN THE SHADOW OF EL PASO contains two short stories by Frank Zafiro. Both stories explore love, race, class and the ambiguity that exists on the southern border.

Collision


Peter Cawdron - 2016
    For hundreds of years, the danger of collision has been ignored as mere crackpot theories, until now, and now it's too late. Collision is a short story commissioned by Vanquish Motion Pictures for development in film and television, and is the first in a series of character-rich, mystery-driven science fiction grounded in science fact.

The Billionaire's Secret Pregnant Lover 1: Seduced by the CEO


Danielle Jamesen - 2015
    Her boyfriend, Kyle, has proposed, she’s graduating from college with honors, and she’s got a plan for her future. It couldn’t be more perfect. Then things start to go wrong, one right after the other. Mel catches her roommate, Amy, naked in Kyle’s bed. After breaking things off with Kyle, the man she thought she was ready to start a life with, she moves back in with her parents. While suffering through the heartbreak, Mel makes a shocking discovery that changes her whole world. She’s pregnant.

Perfect F*ck


Lucia Jordan - 2016
    She’s a professionally trained chef in her own right, but the years she spent married have left her personal ambitions thrown to the wayside. When an opportunity to cook for an on-location camp of mountain loggers comes up, she can hardly find a reason not to take it. She knows that it may be a little below her skillset, but she also knows that this might just be the fresh start she’s been after. When she meets the owner, Lucas Coleman, Hannah is instantly overcome by her attraction to the brawny lumberjack. His arms bulge from his sleeves, and his generous and charming personality immediately intrigues her. On the day she’s to leave for the camp, she catches a ride with Lucas, using the opportunity to get to know her new boss a little better. He proves to be even more genuine and interesting than Hannah had initially expected. As Hannah’s tenure on the mountain begins and her time spent alongside Lucas grows more frequent, it quickly becomes clear that Hannah’s feelings for Lucas aren’t one-sided. But will Hannah’s past keep her from embracing what’s before her in Lucas? Will mountain life prove to be too much of a challenge for her? And what will happen when an unexpected guest arrives at the campsite demanding answers?

The Chronicles of Engella Rhys


Paul Ian Cross - 2018
    The first few chapters are available as 'The Chronicles of Engella Rhys (Preview).' Would you sacrifice your future to save your past? Engella Rhys is alone, adrift and on the run. Pursued by a secret agency, known only as the Hunters, she must stay ahead to stay alive. As she travels through space-time using dangerously experimental technology, she only has one wish: to be reunited with her lost parents. After a close shave with a Hunter on the streets of New Shanghai, Engella escapes to find herself on a deserted beach. When she meets a kind stranger, who offers her food and shelter, Engella feels safe and protected for the first time in years. But who is this woman? And why did their paths cross at the most convenient of times? Engella soon discovers their lives are intertwined in more ways than she could ever imagine.