Book picks similar to
Windwalker by Sabrina Flynn
steampunk
fantasy
sabrina-flynn
sci-fi
Underneath the Moon
Dan Holt - 2015
Doug had started to believe the conspiracy theories and rumors that had swirled for years; that NASA had discovered more than just rocks on the Moon and had conspired to keep the rest of the world in the dark. A super computer’s enhancement and compilation of the old photos proved his belief and sent him on a quest that has now revealed revolutionary new space travel technology and will enable him to lead a group on a return journey to explore ancient ruins on the lunar surface. But Doug’s pursuit of the truth and discovery of a destroyed GLASS city on the Moon pale in comparison to what lies underneath the lunar surface. What he finds will solve the mystery of a long-dead Apollo Astronaut and provide clues to the missing elements of Earth’s ancient history. But, even he isn’t prepared for the discovery that will reveal the past and change the future of mankind…FOREVER!
A God in Chains
Matthew Hughes - 2019
Martin
Searching for his stolen past in the Dying Earth. He calls himself Farouche, after a character from legend, but his reality is that his memories and identity were stolen from him by a secret enemy.In a far-future world of wizards and walled cities, he finds himself trailing a wealthy merchant's caravan across a dusty plain. Possessed of a soldier's skills, he hires on with the merchant and begins to build a life. But his efforts to discover his past reveal a dark prospect: was he a participant in a notorious massacre of innocents?Will Farouche come to know the truth? Will he survive the journey across a lawless land to the remote city of Olliphract, ruled by half-mad thaumaturges? And when he finally lays bare the plot in which he has been ensnared, will it be too late?Matthew Hughes delivers another dark fantastical adventure set in a decadent Dying Earth, where men and half-men and even the gods themselves contend for earthly power and unearthly prizes.A God in Chains is a Dying Earth adventure of men, half-men, and gods and is the latest Matthew Hughes' Archonate series novel."Hughes's boldness is admirable" -- New York Review of Science Fiction
About the Author:
Matthew Hughes writes fantasy and space opera, often in a Jack Vance mode. Booklist has called him Vance's "heir apparent."His short fiction has appeared in Asimov's, F&SF, Postscripts, Lightspeed, and Interzone, and invitation-only anthologies including Songs of the Dying Earth, Rogues, Old Mars, Old Venus, The Book of Swords, and The Book of Magic, all edited by George R. R. Martin and/or Gardner Dozois.He has won the Arthur Ellis Award, and has been shortlisted for the Philip K. Dick, Aurora, Nebula, Endeavour (twice), A.E. Van Vogt, and Derringer Awards.He spent more than thirty years as one of Canada's leading speechwriters for political leaders and corporate executives. Since 2007, he has been traveling the world as an itinerant housesitter, has lived in twelve countries, and has no fixed address. Praise:
"Hughes's boldness is admirable" - New York Review of Science Fiction
"Hughes effortlessly renders fantastic worlds and beings believable" - Publishers Weekly
"Heir apparent to Jack Vance" - Booklist
"Criminally underrated" - George R.R. Martin
***
The Witch Squad #1-3
M.Z. Andrews - 2017
Causing problems with the law in her hometown, she’s faced with two options. Go to a correctional institution or get shipped off to witch boarding school, or as her mother prefers to call it, finishing school. Choosing the latter, Mercy’s mother, Linda, drives her daughter cross-country to the Paranormal Institute for Witches, situated high in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains in cozy, Aspen Falls, Pennsylvania.Upon arrival, Mercy is faced with cheerful smiles, friendly people, and a sticky sweet roommate who has turned their dorm room into an advertisement for the Pottery Barn. Mercy had hoped her fellow witches would be more like her, dark, dreary, and a little bit self-destructive.When the murder of a local teenager takes place on the first day of class, Sorceress Stone, headmistress of the college for wayward witches, takes the class on a consulting job to help the Aspen Falls Police Department solve the murder. Mercy and her mismatched classmates find themselves in the heart of the murder investigation and when the body of the murder victim suddenly goes missing, Mercy must put aside her feelings of resentment about her gift and put her paranormal abilities to good use.Son of a Witch – Book 2Mercy Habernackle has just gotten the surprise of a lifetime. She has a brother – and not just any brother, a dark, mysterious, and incredibly hot brother.Given up for adoption twenty-four years ago, Reign Alexander just wants to get to know his long lost sister, but things take a dangerous turn when on his first night in Aspen Falls, a woman ends up dead, in Reign’s bed!Desperate to prove her brother’s innocence and save her mother from heartache, Mercy enlists the help of the Witch Squad to find out who really killed Harper Bradshaw. But when Mercy discovers that her brother has been lying to her since he got to town, she must ask herself is her brother really as innocent as he begs her to believe?Witch Degrees of Separation – Book 3The first six weeks of witch college has been emotionally draining and physically exhausting for Mercy Habernackle. She’s had to adjust to a new environment and to a new group of friends, she’s solved several murders, saved her roommate from an abduction, found out she had a brother, AND her mother came to town. All she wants is a break.When her roommate suggests the Witch Squad take flying lessons as a way to unwind, Mercy is happy to cut loose.
Stranded
Rosalind Tate - 2020
Thankfully, she has her faithful dog Charlotte with her. Oh, and fellow student Hugo, annoying and charming in equal measure. Baffled by upper-class rules, courted by boring suitors, Sophie is desperate to get back to the twenty-first century, but the only way home is through a hidden portal — and she must work with Hugo to unlock its secrets. As one clue leads to another, Sophie and Hugo discover that history is unfolding differently. Mobs rule the streets. And when chaos turns into a deadly revolution, anyone in a grand house is fair game. Sophie and Hugo are running out of time…
Ghosts of Tsavo
Vered Ehsani - 2015
But she’ll need more than that if she’s to unravel the mystery of the Ghosts of Tsavo without being eaten in the process. All this while surviving the machinations of her best friend’s dashing godfather and the efforts of her safari guide to feed her to any lion willing to drag her away. What is a ghost-chasing widow to do?This is Case #1 in the “Society for Paranormals” series: A series concerning dead husbands, African legends and the search for a perfect spot of tea. For those readers who adore “Pride & Prejudice” and would love to experience “The Parasol Protectorate” set in colonial Africa, this is for you!
The Shadow Order - Books 1 - 8 + 120 Seconds
Michael Robertson - 2018
But in this galaxy, there are a million ways to lose…Seb Zodo has never backed down from a fist fight. After all, he’s been gifted with powers that make losing impossible. But lately, Seb’s gift seems more like a curse…Seb’s fearlessness leads to stupid decisions, short-lived jobs, and unwanted attention in dangerous places. In a desperate bid at a fresh start, Seb swears off fighting. But it may be too late…When a run-in with an electrifying thief and the head of a shadowy organization sends his life spiraling out of control, Seb has no choice left but to go down swinging…
The Pearl Savage
Tamara Rose Blodgett - 2011
alternate cover edition of ASIN B00563HRPMSeventeen-year old princess, Clara Williamson, lives an old-fashioned existence in a biosphere of the future.When her sadistic mother, Queen Ada, betroths her to an abusive prince of a neighboring sphere, Clara determines to escape Outside, where savages roam free.Clara escapes tyranny only to discover the savages are not the only people who survived the cataclysmic events of one hundred forty years prior.Once Outside, Clara finds herself trapped, unable to return to the abusive life of the sphere while facing certain danger Outside.Can Clara find love and freedom with the peril that threatens to consume her?Cover art by Phatpuppyart.com
Drinking Life
Kevin George - 2011
But it's not the other team she has to worry about stopping her - it's the two soldiers in ancient battle armor who attack during the game! Nia has always been a little quicker, a little stronger, a little more agile than everyone else. She quickly learns that hand-to-hand combat is another skill she possesses...The attack makes headlines and causes her parents to uproot the family business and move cross-country during her senior year. It's not an easy adjustment and before long she finds herself in the middle of another physical altercation, this time with the entire boy's lacrosse team. But a mysterious stranger named John Leon shows up to help and starts Nia's life on an uncontrollable spiral she never imagined...On the night of her eighteenth birthday, she begins to dream about being another person in another life. The dreams grow increasingly frequent - and increasingly clear - and she begins to question everything about her life, from who she really is, to who she really was, to whether her parents are who they claim to be...Nia unexpectedly finds herself falling for John but has fierce competition for his affection. Cassie is her neighbor and the daughter of her parents' business partner. She's selfish and ruthless and shallow and John seems like he can't stand her. But he also can't say no to her...John knows something about Nia's past and the dreams she's been having but getting the information from him might turn deadly...CHAPTER ONEI’m the first person to see the attackers though I have plenty of reason to be focused elsewhere. I don’t know how but it’s like I sensed the danger coming and looked up just in time to see a pair of behemoths charging out of the nearby woods. In the split second I first lay eyes on them, my mind registers every minor detail: two men well above six feet tall, biceps rippling like steroid-laced professional wrestlers. One has long greasy blond hair and wields a sword almost as long as his body; the other has brown hair just as long and greasy and wields a massive axe. Their teeth are equally brown and rotted, evil sneers of blood lust plastered across their lips. There’s no doubt in my mind that they’re both ugly but I can’t see their faces behind metal helmets that cover their heads and most of their faces. Only a single slit in the helmets allows them to see, their eyes focused in my direction.Had I not spotted the attackers right away, I surely would have heard them soon after appearing from the trees. They wear matching suits of armor that cover their chest and legs, clattering and clanging with every step they run. I can’t imagine how a normal human could walk in such bulky suits let alone run but they don’t seem slowed by them at all. For the second time in a matter of seconds, my mind surprises me with something else I can’t quite explain: somehow I know that these soldiers are from the Spanish Armada. Logically, I think this should be some sort of ill-advised joke. This type of soldier hasn’t been seen in centuries. Others around me must have the same thought because it takes several seconds for the first scream to cry out from the large crowd. I stop staring at the soldiers once I feel a heavy smash against the back of my leg; I’d almost forgotten that I was in the middle of the most important game of my life.Did I forget to mention that I’m in the middle of a field hockey game?CHECK OUT THE AUTHOR'S OTHER NOVELSKEEPER OF THE WATER TRILOGYBOOK ONE - Drinking LifeBOOK TWO - Recruits BOOK THREE - The Water Queens
Awakening
Brandon Sanderson - 2011
This was his father’s sacred mission, and his father’s before him, going back countless generations in an effort to free their people from enslavement. But when Siris somehow succeeds where all those from his bloodline previously have failed, he finds himself cast into a much larger world, filled with warriors and thieves, ancient feuds and shifting alliances, Deathless immortals and would-be kings. His quest for freedom will take him on an epic journey in search of the mythical figure known as the Worker of Secrets – the one being in the world who can unravel the secrets of the Infinity Blade.Based on the bestselling video game from ChAIR Entertainment and Epic Games, this all-new adventure from acclaimed fantasy author Brandon Sanderson digs deeper into the fantastical world of Infinity Blade, a world of mystery and intrigue where magic and technology are indistinguishable, and even life and death are not what they seem.
Funny Science Fiction
Alex ShvartsmanShaenon Garrity - 2015
Fiction by Hugo and Nebula award winners and nominees as well as talented newcomers. Stories were selected by the Unidentified Funny Objects series curator Alex Shvartsman.
The Daughter Claus
D. Thrush - 2013
Santa is a grumpy workaholic who focused all his attention on grooming her brother to fill his boots when he retires. But Nick has plans of his own to become a rock star. Now after a family emergency, it's up to Tina to leave college and return home to the North Pole to temporarily manage the family business.Not only does she have to deal with a long distance crush on her brother's band mate, rowdy reindeer, and family drama, but there's also her irresistible ex-boyfriend who broke her heart, her best friend's flirtation with an elf, and way too many Peppermintinis at the local pub. Christmas Eve is quickly approaching and she's counting on her undependable brother to deliver the presents. It's not easy being Santa's daughter!Crazy fun, girl power, and Christmas magic make this a fun story any time of year!
Galdoni
Cheree Alsop - 2011
Kale, rescued by three high school students and nursed back from the brink of death, is given the chance to experience life as a human. When he is captured, he has to use what he learned in the world outside the Academy in order to free the other Galdoni and return to the human girl he loves. Dark and exciting, Galdoni pushes the boundaries of love in a world of violence.
Citizen of Earth
Joseph J. Kassabian - 2019
His unplanned future changes dramatically when he is arrested and charged with crimes against the Central Committee. Rather than being put to death, he is sentenced to three-year's service in the Earth Defense Forces. Relieved by this twist of fate, Vincent is sent off to train at the local Replacement Depot. But any dreams of him lazing away his years of servitude are shattered when an alien horde called the Alliance attacks. On their way to the harsh killing fields of war, Vincent meets Fiona, a Martian gangster serving a life sentence. Together, they must find a way to survive against the most terrifying foe humanity has ever seen.
Dogs of War
Adrian Tchaikovsky - 2017
I am a good dog. Rex is also seven foot tall at the shoulder, bulletproof, bristling with heavy calibre weaponry and his voice resonates with subsonics especially designed to instil fear. With Dragon, Honey and Bees, he's part of a Multiform Assault Pack operating in the lawless anarchy of Campeche, south-eastern Mexico. Rex is a genetically engineered Bioform, a deadly weapon in a dirty war. He has the intelligence to carry out his orders and feedback implants to reward him when he does. All he wants to be is a Good Dog. And to do that he must do exactly what Master says and Master says he's got to kill a lot of enemies. But who, exactly, are the enemies? What happens when Master is tried as a war criminal? What rights does the Geneva Convention grant weapons? Do Rex and his fellow Bioforms even have a right to exist? And what happens when Rex slips his leash?
The Legend of the Firewalker
Steve Bevil - 2013
She gasped and her brown eyes grew wide. Nathan watched helplessly as a small trickle of blood fell from her mouth. Other hooded figures appeared; their silver swords clutched upright against their chests. Nathan held tight to her lifeless body while trying to fight back the tears that swelled in his eyes. “No,” he cried. “No!” Nineteen-year-old Nathan Urye is supposed to be having a relaxing summer as a camp counselor but ever since he started having nightmares about a beautiful girl being hunted by flesh-clawing monsters, his life has been anything but normal. Soon, Nathan discovers that the sleepy college town of Cahokia Falls is far from ordinary when two unexplained deaths rock the town and campus. Who or what is behind the murders? Does it have anything to do with the newly-discovered cave symbol? And what about the spine-chilling campfire stories about ancient tribal beliefs and mystical legends? For Nathan Urye, things just keep getting creepier and creepier, and now it appears that everyone at camp is in danger…