Book picks similar to
Keep an Ace in the Hole by Andrew Seiple


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The Outlaw: Origins


Alan Janney - 2015
    After being spotted on security cameras and thrust into the national spotlight, he is pursued by both the media and powerful new enemies. Little does the world know the Outlaw is just High School junior Chase Jackson wearing a mask and wondering why his body is suddenly…extraordinary. The story continues in Book Two of the Outlaw Series. 'Infected',

The Villain's Sidekick


Stephen T. Brophy - 2013
    The job goes south in a hurry, and his supervillainous employer, Dr. Eye, is none-too-thrilled about it. But those complications are nothing compared to an unexpected custody visit from his six-year-old daughter, the kind of kid who thinks her deadbeat dad hung the moon, not tried to blow it up.

Warrior Academy: A Hiro's Journey - Episode 1


G.L. Rathweg - 2017
    Now in a world forever changed, a place where magic is real, and monsters have come to life. A place where magic and science blend with pop culture

Typhon Pact: The Khitomer Accords Saga: Plagues of Night, Raise the Dawn, and Brinkmanship


David R. George III - 2012
    For almost three years, the Federation and the Klingon Empire, allied under the Khitomer Accords, have contended with the nascent coalition on a predominantly cold-war footing. But as Starfleet rebuilds itself, factions within the Typhon Pact grow restive, concerned about their own inability to develop a quantum slipstream drive to match that of the Federation. Will leaders such as UFP President Bacco and RSE Praetor Kamemor bring about a lasting peace across the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, or will the cold war between the two alliances deepen, and perhaps even lead to an all-out shooting war? Raise the Dawn After the disastrous events in the Bajoran system, Captain Benjamin Sisko must confront the consequences of the recent choices he has made in his life. At the same time, the United Federation of Planets and its Khitomer Accords allies have come to the brink of war with the Typhon Pact. While factions within the Pact unsuccessfully used the recent gestures of goodwill—the opening of borders and a joint Federation-Romulan exploratory mission—to develop quantum-slipstream drive, they have not given up their goals. Employing a broad range of assets, from Romulus to Cardassia, from Ab-Tzenketh to Bajor, they embark on a dangerous new plan to acquire the technology they need to take control of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. While UFP President Bacco and Romulan Praetor Kamemor work feverishly to reestablish peace, Captains Sisko, Jean-Luc Picard, and Ro Laren stand on the front lines of the conflict...even as a new danger threatens the Bajoran wormhole as it once more becomes a flashpoint of galactic history. Brinkmanship The Venette Convention has always remained independent, but it is about to become the flashpoint for a tense military standoff between the two power blocs now dominating interstellar space—the United Federation of Planets and the recently formed Typhon Pact. The Venetan government turns to the Typhon Pact’s Tzenkethi Coalition for protection in the new order, and has agreed to allow three of their supply bases for Tzenkethi use. But these bases—if militarized—would put Tzenkethi weapons unacceptably close to Federation, Cardassian, and Ferengi space. While Captain Ezri Dax and the crew of the U.S.S. Aventine are sent to investigate exactly what is happening at one of the Venette bases, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the U.S.S. Enterprise are assigned to a diplomatic mission sent to the Venette homeworld in order to broker a mutually acceptable resolution. But the Cardassian delegates don’t seem particularly keen on using diplomacy to resolve the situation, which soon spirals out of control toward all-out war. . .

The Fae Wars: The Fall


Lucas Marcum - 2021
    

The Rings of Hesaurun


Peter Harrett - 2021
    Responding to the crash, the primitive earthlings discover the ship's commander Valerie Dunne is a 5,000-year-old woman from the future, forced to escape her nemesis, the Boecki, by hiding in the past. Soon they learn the fate of the future world now rests on this strange woman's ability to harness five Hesaurun rings - rings with the power to destroy, heal, and manipulate time - and somehow, to find a way to alter her own destiny.An epic Sci-Fi tale of good and evil, rescue and survival, betrayal and love, and a threat to mankind unlike anything the human race has ever faced, The Rings of Hesaurun: Book One burns with the scope and imagination of the greatest Fantasy novels of the golden age. Weaving in a huge cast of humans and aliens, Peter Harrett has crafted a galaxy for readers of the 21st century to believe in...immense, ancient, and mind-bending.

Cosmic Girl: Rising Up


R.S.J. Gregory - 2014
    find no leads to pursue, just some dead bodies, Britney vows to find the shadowy figure behind it all, and begins her own investigation.Back home in Chicago, she creates a costume, and gives herself a new name: Cosmic Girl.Then her search begins.But this is more than just a thirst for justice.This is personal.Experience the highs and lows of being a superhero through the eyes of Britney, as she embarks on her journey to greatness.

Rules Free VRMMO Life: Omnibus I (Volumes 1-4) (VRMMO Life Omnibus)


Stuart Grosse - 2017
    Age of Anarchy Online (AAO) is the newest game released by Icestorm, makers of the legendary World of Destiny (WoD). Unlike VR games before it, AAO promises a 110% 'Better Than Life' realism experience, and to showcase this, Icestorm announces that AAO will have no 'Out of Character' rules, save for actions like hacking or exploiting system errors. Players can do anything to NPCs and even other players, and there will be no consequences save what one may suffer in game. "Do what thou wilt, but it may be done to you in turn." Mike Greene, better known in WoD as Torgan, a max level Paladin and leader of the Lords of Light, one of the top 'light side' guilds in WoD, now sets off on a new adventure in AAO. -------------------- Author's Note: If you haven't guessed, there's going to be all kinds of nastiness in this story. Violence, language, racism, sexism, sex, gore, vore, and more! If you have triggers of any kind, this is your warning. If you're looking for a nice, heartwarming tale like Sword Art Online, keep looking. There will be 'good guys' as well, but this is a story where Might IS Right. However, if you've read Watchmen and Wanted, and like what you read (READ, not the movies!), then you just may find this story in your strike zone. And for f*ck's sake, this is just a story! Don't take this as an endorsement of any of the actions in this story. **This is an omnibus edition containing the first four volumes of Rules-Free VRMMO Life.**

Emerging Chaos


Grace Hamilton - 2021
    No lights. A world in chaos…When a Coronal Mass Ejection causes an EMP catastrophe that shuts down power worldwide, Melanie Pearson must embark on a dangerous journey to reunite with her husband and daughter. But to earn a spot in a secure fortress along the way, she agrees to help her boss find his own son first. And it quickly becomes clear she may have made a deal with the devil himself…Meanwhile, her husband Mark vows to do whatever he can to protect their daughter Shona. There’s no way to turn the power back on, and their home town of Knoxville is quickly descending into chaos. His only goal is to find a way to get his family to safety.As they struggle to come together, this fractured family must face off against a society gone mad. And when even greater tragedy strikes, they will need to find a new way to survive. But what is the cost of survival in a world on the brink of collapse?

Farthest Shores of Ursula K Le Guin


George Edgar Slusser - 1976
    An examination of Le Guin's career, from her obscure beginnings in the science fiction magazines to her rapid rise to the top in the 1970's.

Assault on Dread Fortress Paine (The King Henry Tapes)


Richard Raley - 2018
     But even in victory, the legacy of Obadiah Paine is not so easily washed away. His hidden lair yet remains, Dread Fortress Paine yet stands! Within it . . . none can be sure what monstrous acts are waiting to be uncovered or guess the number of Paine loyalists who linger. It falls on the shoulders of ESLED Strike Alpha to answer these questions and to seize Paine's hideout for the Elemental Learning Council. Led by spectromancer Ramses Lamprey, joined by civilian observer Tyson Bonnie, and aided by Council fixer Eva Reti, failure is not an option. This volume is a can't miss for Foul Mouth fans, acting as an action packed epilogue for "The Foul Mouth and the Pit of No Return" while priming many plot points for the next main volume and even those well beyond. Dread Fortress Paine must fall! THE KING HENRY TAPES Book 1 - "The Foul Mouth and the Fanged Lady" (released) Book 2 - "The Foul Mouth and the Cat Killing Coyotes" (released) Book 3 - "The Foul Mouth and the Troubled Boomworm" (released) Book 4 - "The Foul Mouth and the Headless Hunny" (released) Book 5 - "The Foul Mouth and the Mancy Martial Artist" (released) Book 5.5 - "King Henry and the Three Little Trips" (released) Book 6 - "The Foul Mouth and the Pit of No Return" (released) Book 6.5 - "Assault on Dread Fortress Paine" (released) Book 6.75 - "The Glassbreaker Goes Home" (forthcoming) Book 7 - "The Foul Mouth and the Runaway Rumble" (forthcoming)

Baron Steele


Rhett C. Bruno - 2020
    As a matter of fact, he doesn’t even wear a mask. And he doesn’t even fight crime anymore. That’s for the guys with too much brawn and not enough brain.No, Steele works in consulting. After having his license revoked by the Guild of Masked Crimefighters, he decided he would scout talent instead. Match up heroes with their villainous counterparts, help the young bucks and buckettes discover their talents and abilities. That sort of thing.It’s all going fine and well until Steele gets a bad cup of coffee. No. Seriously. Day after day, the same little twerp gets his order wrong. From there, it’s a downhill spiral into chaos, and Steele finds himself fighting for his freedom in a court of law. Did he really kill a barista over a cup of joe?Don't miss this hilarious spin on the superhero genre from the number one Audible best-selling duo of Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle.

Ultraviolet Dawn (Ultraviolet Superhero Universe #1)


B.A. Schulte - 2018
    Literally.That's what happens when your parents are the most successful supervillains the world has ever known. Now, years after their defeat, Sabrina lives with her superhero aunt, Solar Storm, where she watches from the sidelines as her cousin trains to become the world's next superstar superhero, Radiant.But when tragedy strikes the superhero community, and powerful supervillains make their triumphant return, Sabrina finds herself at the center of a power struggle of titanic proportions that will determine the future of the world.Action! Mystery! Robots! Gadgets! Fruit Pies! Evil Lairs!Classic superhero action with a modern flair!

Foundations


J.D. Astra - 2020
    His acceptance letter in hand, Jiyong is sure nothing will stand in the way of his dreams.When a street brawl lands him in a coma only weeks into the year, his chances of graduating are all but shot. With an unlikely digital companion, he’ll have to rebuild his magic core and catch up on all his classes, or risk being dropped from the academy at the end of the year.But kingdom life is not like the outer-cities, and kingdom kids are far more ruthless about who they’ll allow to climb to the top. Jiyong will have to train hard and fight for every score to make it in this wealthy academy for powerful families, all while supporting his own from afar.From J.D. Astra, author of Viridian Gate Online: Firebrand, comes a brand-new Cultivation Academy series, bursting at the seams with nanites, martial arts, and LitRPG goodness.

A Rational Zombie


Virlyce - 2020
    Please note that this is not a comedic story.Content Warning: Profanity, Cannibalism (Is it still cannibalism if it's a zombie eating a human?), Gore (Just a little, it comes with the cannibalism)