Book picks similar to
The Orc Ranger by Jacob McElligott
fantasy
western
weird-west
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The Traveller's Stone (The Haven Series, #1)
S.J. Howland - 2019
Howland has created a wondrous fantasy world, inhabited by the creatures of myth and fairytale. Any fan of J.K. Rowling, C.S. Lewis or Philip Pullman will immediately feel at home in this fantastical place." - LoveReading
Xander King does not believe in fairytales. He prefers rational explanations, keeping his head down and trying to avoid the inevitable comparisons with his genius mother. The last thing he expects is to have his life turned upside down by terrifying shadows and an encounter with a mysterious stone tablet, challenging his entire view of reality and catapulting him into the parallel world of Haven.Faced with extraordinary creatures, ancient secrets and a heritage he does not understand, Xander is drawn into the struggle to protect the border between his own reality and Haven, and prevent disaster overcoming them both. But, as darkness spreads, he must confront new questions. Where does he belong, and is anything in Haven really as it seems?
Discover the mesmerising world of Haven and the truths long-hidden in the ancient stories in this gripping fantasy adventure.
Starship Relic
Darcy Troy Paulin - 2020
Secret histories. And squids. In space.Max is completing a survey in the barren, frozen north of planet Grailliyn, when he makes a startling discovery. There's a high-tech pod buried beneath the ice, and inside the pod is a young woman. She speaks his language, but with a strange accent.The two are barely past awkward introductions when they are attacked. Max and his new friend are forced to flee. The worst part? They don't even know who is trying to kill them, or why.Now, with assassins on their tail, the duo must find a way off the planet without blowing their cover. And then, if they can do that without getting eaten by space monsters, they might just find out the truth about their world.Starship Relic is book one of the Lost Colony Uprising Trilogy, a sci-fi space opera adventure with spaceships, alien contact, deep conspiracies, wise-cracking characters, and lots of pew-pew (space battle action).Content rating: All ages, teen and up. Minimal language.
The Earthling (Soldiers of Earthrise Book 1)
Daniel Arenson - 2019
Jon Taylor is an Earthling. He doesn't care much about space. At least until his brother dies on Bahay, a war-torn planet many light-years away. After the funeral, Jon joins the army. He learns to kill. And he flies to Bahay, sworn to avenge his brother. Centuries ago, Filipino colonists arrived on Bahay to build a utopia. But this world has become a nightmare. Jon finds himself in a dizzying dreamscape, a world of dark jungles and neon slums, of ruthless guerrillas and intoxicating bargirls, of blood-soaked battlefields and glittering brothels. Here on Bahay, a man can lose his life in the jungle, lose his sanity in the gleaming drug dens, or lose his heart to a local girl with a sweet smile and knife behind her back. On Bahay, nothing is as it seems. In this place of strange dreams and secrets, Jon hunts the man who killed his brother. But he learns that revenge always comes with a price... If you loved Ender's Game, Starship Troopers, and Battlestar Galactica, you'll love The Earthling, a new tale in the bestselling Earthrise universe.
Armstrong Station
D.M. Pruden - 2020
Upon learning the woman was kidnapped and forced into slavery by an interplanetary crime cartel, Mel makes it her mission to secure the woman's freedom and return her to her home on Earth.Working against Mel's efforts, a corrupt inspector of Luna's notorious Morality Police also searches for the victim so he can eliminate anyone who can implicate him in her kidnapping.Working against the clock, Mel must find a way to keep the girl away from those who would do her harm, and protect her own skin at the same time. If she fails, her crew mates aboard Requiem may well pay with their lives.Armstrong Station is the first in a series of prequel books that chronicle Melanie Destin's life before the events in the Mars Ascendant series.
Living in the Past
W.J. May - 2017
The present is your gift. The future is your motivation. From USA Today bestselling author, W.J. May brings you a spin off from the Chronicles of Kerrigan. This is a stand alone series, or can be read with the Chronicles of Kerrigan series How can you build a future, when a part of you is trapped in the past? Gabriel Alden’s problems were supposed to be over. The man who had enslaved him had been destroyed. The girl he was supposed to kill, had become his saving grace. And the people he had been sent to infiltrate, had ended up as family. So why, when everyone else had found their happy-ever-after, was Gabriel still out in the cold? Dark memories, hidden shadows, and secrets too terrible to imagine haunt his every breath—chasing after him as he races around the globe, searching for the truth. Can he ever truly escape his past? Will he ever have a shot at a future? How far can you run before your ghosts finally catch up with you? One thing is certain, Gabriel’s problems are just getting started… The Chronicles of Kerrigan: Gabriel Living in the Past Present for Today Staring at the Future READ THE WHOLE SERIES: Prequel Series: Christmas Before the Magic Question the Darkness Into the Darkness Fight the Darkness Alone in the Darkness Lost in Darkness The Chronicles of Kerrigan Series Rae of Hope Dark Nebula House of Cards Royal Tea Under Fire End in Sight Hidden Darkness Twisted Together Mark of Fate Strength & Power Last One Standing Rae of Light The Chronicles of Kerrigan Sequel A Matter of Time Time Piece Second Chance Glitch in Time Our Time Precious Time
Feisty Nuns (A Mary Catherine Mahoney Mystery Book 3)
Rita Moreau - 2016
A murder from hell. A mess only a psychic can sort out… Mary Catherine Mahoney, MC for short, has her work cut out for her. When a notorious bad boy turns up dead in Miami, the ex-wife turns to MC for help. It turns out the deceased left the ex-wife an envelope with instructions on what to do after his death. With the envelope empty, only MC’s psychic genes can solve the case. When Sister Hildegard and Sister Matilda come to town, they call on MC as well. They’re being audited. Not by the IRS, but by the Vatican! The feisty nuns tell MC she needs to handle the audit so that a certain “something” stays a secret. Throw in some zany Greek aunts, a treasure hunt in Key West, and an encounter with her ex, and you’ve got more than enough work for MC to handle. If she’s up for the jobs at all… Feisty Nuns is the third book in a series of cozy mysteries. If you like zany, relatable characters, upbeat cinematic stories, and edge-of-your-seat plot twists, then you’ll love Rita Moreau’s lively whodunnit. Buy Feisty Nuns to solve the witty mystery today!
Weird Theology
Alex Raizman - 2018
How it happens is still up in the air.Every god has a nanoverse, but only one will give its wielder the ability to end the world. After years of searching, it has finally been found, with the power to kick start the apocalypse.They never thought to look in a gift store's box of Knick-knacks. Ryan Smith didn't expect anything interesting to happen to him. He was a boring guy. The only remotely interesting thing about him was the man in a suit that no one else could see. Always watching, always taking notes. Ryan didn't know it meant he was one of the candidates to find the last nanoverse. Now that he has it, he has the power of a god, and it’s up to Ryan to try and save humanity, even though he can’t save the world. At least things have stopped being boring.Now Ryan finds himself in a fast paced adventure, caught in the power struggle between gods as he is forced to battle for his life against forces he can barely comprehend as gods try to stop him from fulfilling his duty. Foremost among them is Enki, a villain so terrible he...wants to save the world.A high octane battle between good and evil ensues, where the heroes’ best hope is a kinder, gentler Armageddon.
Enchanted
Melinda Kucsera - 2016
Carry No Weapons. Do No Harm. Those three rules safeguarded countless generations of travelers through the enchanted forest—until they didn’t. One boy’s murder ripped open a gateway allowing evil to enter. Now no one is safe from corruption.Enchanted trees take Sarn to where the forest failed to uphold its rules. Seeing a dead child gifted with the same magic as his son unhinges Sarn. He vows to find out the truth no matter what the cost. But his gift is untrained.Finding answers won’t be easy. Sarn must balance nights serving the Rangers with days dedicated to hiding his son from the dark forces stalking them both. When Sarn’s masters demand he abandon the quest, he faces an impossible choice—doom the ghost whose murder endangers them all or die from the backlash of breaking his word. With the odds stacked against him, can Sarn fix anything or will all be lost? In a country where magic is illegal, an untrained mage is their only hope.
High Strangeness
Eric Bickernicks - 2018
Ken Wakeman, a skeptical UFOlogist who seeks the truth about paranormal phenomenon, struggles to discredit the myriad of crackpot theories out there. Melissa "Mel" Howard, a reporter for a small Cape Cod newspaper, copes with the seasonal tourist invasion and its accompanying anxieties. When the Cape becomes the national focus over a rash of UFO sights, they join forces to get to the bottom of it. Despite denials from town officials and the military that UFOs have landed, mass hysteria overcomes the seaside community. In addition to the frantic humans, Astro (Ken’s Golden Retriever) has also been acting strangely. Joining the invasion is Klick, the promiscuous leader of a spandex-clad UFO cult whose members want to “amalgamate” with the Fornacisians when their spaceship lands. Mel learns that when dealing with wing nuts, the truth isn’t necessarily “out there”. Tom Frasier, an infamous proponent of crashed saucers and frozen alien bodies, claims the local military base houses some intriguing secrets. After a visit from the FBI gives legitimacy to Tom’s story, Ken will ultimately decide how far he’s willing to go to witness humanity’s greatest close encounter.
A Quest of Heroes
Morgan Rice - 2012
A Quest for Heroes revolves around the epic coming of age story of one special boy, a 14 year old from a small village on the outskirts of the Kingdom of the Ring. The youngest of four, the least favorite of his father, hated by his brothers, Thorgrin senses he is different from the others. He dreams of becoming a great warrior, of joining the King’s men and protecting the Ring from the hordes of creatures on the other side of the Canyon. When he comes of age and is forbidden by his father to try out for the King’s Legion, he refuses to take no for an answer: he journeys out on his own, determined to force his way into King’s Court and be taken seriously. But King’s Court is rife with its own family dramas, power struggles, ambitions, jealousy, violence and betrayal. King MacGil must choose an heir from amongst his children, and the ancient Dynasty Sword, the source of all their power, still sits untouched, waiting for the chosen one to arrive. Thorgrin arrives as an outsider and battles to be accepted, and to join the King’s Legion. Thorgrin comes to learn he has mysterious powers he does not understand, that he has a special gift, and a special destiny. Against all odds he falls in love with the king’s daughter, and as their forbidden relationship blossoms, he discovers he has powerful rivals. As he struggles to make sense of his powers, the king’s sorcerer takes him under his wing and tells him of a mother he never knew, in a land far away, beyond the Canyon, beyond even the land of the Dragons. Before Thorgrin can venture out and become the warrior he yearns to be, he must complete his training. But this may be cut short, as he finds himself propelled into the center of royal plots and counterplots, ones that may threaten his love and bring him down—and the entire kingdom with him. With its sophisticated world-building and characterization, A Quest for Heroes is an epic tale of friends and lovers, of rivals and suitors, of knights and dragons, of intrigues and political machinations, of coming of age, of broken hearts, of deception, ambition and betrayal. It is a tale of honor and courage, of fate and destiny, of sorcery. It is a fantasy that brings us into a world we will never forget, and which will appeal to all ages and genders. It is 82,000 words.
I Am Mech
Jonathan Yanez - 2020
Instead, they get Jack.This ace mech pilot contends with legendary prophecies, ancient powers, and fickle companions as he sets out on an epic task to save his planet from a baddie hellbent on destruction.Has his positive self-talk got him in too deep or will he actually pull through to do some good this time?I Am Mech is a nonstop, rollercoaster ride of an adventure full of snarky humor and more than a few spit-out-your-drink moments.
First Flight
Zachary Jones - 2019
Just the Earth Federation and the League of Sovereign Systems fighting for the third time over who would be the supreme power in settled space, and who would have to exist in the victor’s shadow. Then the Ascendency showed up and ruined everything.One moment, Flight Lieutenant Mason Grey was a fighter pilot of the Federal Space Forces about to strike a League base located on a dwarf planet in an uninhabited system. The next, unknown starships showed up, blew his carrier to hell, killed his squadron, shot down his fighter, and left him stranded amid the ruins of the very base he had come to attack.With nothing but a space suit and a dwindling life support system, Mason was in way, way over his head. And that was just the start of his problems. (Content Warning: This novel contains violence and adult language)
The Sisters, Texas, Box Set I (Books 1-3): Welcome to The Sisters!
Becki Willis - 2020
FREE in Kindle Unlimited.Each book features a challenging whodunit mystery with a successful conclusion and keeps you guessing until the end. The underlying backstory weaves throughout the series and brings the characters and their small community to life.The series has won numerous awards, regularly appears on multiple bestsellers lists, and has an option for a television movie series, but the ultimate compliment comes from readers. They say ‘it’s like visiting with old friends.’These true-to-life characters will warm your heart, challenge your sleuthing skills, bring a smile to your face and sometimes a tear to your eye, and will draw you into their own little world known as The Sisters, Texas, Population 2000. (Give or take a dead body or two.)The Sisters, Texas, Box Set One: Welcome to The Sisters consists of:Chicken ScratchWhen the Stars FallStipulations and ComplicationsBehind-the-scenes insights and researchNotable QuotablesAlso available in audio format. Each sold separately.Word of Caution: Readers claim this series is addictive!
Longshot
Sean Platt - 2020
For the first time in his life it feels like he can do no wrong. But it's gonna take more than a boatload of chips to survive the alien apocalypse. It might even require him to pull together the motley crew of left-over lowlifes and Vegas vagabonds to embark on a high-risk crusade.In order to get a dying alien to Area 51, and hopefully save the world, John's only hope is a disillusioned showgirl, a snarky comedian, a cynical slot machine junkie, and the rest of the Las Vegas leftovers.Unless they die, and destroy the universe along the way.It's a race against time as the aliens arrive in this new stand-alone book in the Alien Invasion universe.
Heart Of Destiny
Susan Faw - 2017
Magic exiled. Magic murdered. During the Great Purge, all magic was destroyed and those who could wield it were driven into exile. From that time on, the world of Gaia churned on in relative peace and prosperity. When the emperor of the central Citadel suddenly dies, his apprentice takes his place. Benevolent and loved, the new emperor is a benign ruler, bridging the age-old conflicts between the provinces. The citadel is a symbolic as well as a physical barrier to maintaining the fragile peace. However, the brazen kidnapping of ten young women shatters the accord, and the councillors of the provinces gather at the Citadel to demand that justice be served. It is a flame dropped into dry tinder. Rife with suspicion and hatred, each province accuses its neighbour of treachery. But the emperor has other plans. He alone knows who is responsible for the kidnapping of the young women, and he has no intention of sharing that knowledge. Where magic is involved, there can only be one conqueror. The fight for ultimate control of magic has begun. Purchase this thrilling first novel of The Heart of The Citadel today, and strap in for an amazingly magical ride!