Book picks similar to
The Balance (The Stone's Blade, #2) by Allynn Riggs
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favourite-worldbuilding
genre-syfi-fan-horr
sf
An Extraordinary Haunting
Michael Christopher Carter - 2015
Things moving which shouldn’t. And when an ethereal girl is glimpsed, they decide it's time for a seance to make contact. But when they do, objects fly across the room to a cacophony of shrieks to get out! Forty miles away, beautiful former housemate, Elin Treharne, is plagued by nightmares of her one-time home. She knows something the new tenants don't. Something life-threatening. But even she doesn’t understand the peril she's in. Someone must learn the truth... Before it’s too late.
A Faded Star
Michael Freeport - 2016
The crew of their newest flagship, the Rampart encounters an alien scout who is being chased by a dangerous foe. The encounter shakes the beliefs held by the people of Lashmere. With the aid of the mysteries of the origin tablet, they discover the true origins of their colony. These may be the last humans in the universe. Can they survive against their ancient enemy? Their only choice is to embrace an unknown past and fight with everything they have.
Harvester 7
Andy Lang - 2015
Terrillia was a dying planet and nothing could be done to prevent the inevitable.Master Maulik carried the responsibilities of feeding his race with pride, and he performed his harvesting duties with diligence and compassion... yet his heart longed for adventure.But it is often dangerous to long, for sometimes the heart receives that which it desires most, and Maulik finds himself plunged into a game of political intrigue and brinkmanship that could alter the balance of power in his galaxy as rival species form an uneasy alliance.For the ultimate doom approaches.And as opposing factions draw together he finds himself a pawn in the great game, his only true ally, his new found friend, the Kressa.Discover how the story begins, the preparations for war, deceit and double dealing, plans within plans, the strangest of friendships... and an entire race reduced to the status of livestock.
Halo: Silentium: Book Three of the Forerunner Saga
Greg Bear - 2019
Chaos rules the final days of the Forerunner empire. The Flood—a horrifying, shape-changing, and unstoppable parasite—has arrived in force, aided by unexpected allies, and internal strife has desperately weakened Forerunner defenses. Facing the imminent collapse of their civilization, the Forerunners known as the Ur-Didact and the Librarian reveal what they know about the relationship between the long-vanished race of the Precursors and the Flood. While the Precursors created many technological species, including those of the Forerunners and humanity itself, the roots of the Flood may be found in an act of enormous barbarity, carried out beyond our galaxy ten million years before. Because of that savagery, a greater evil looms. Only the Ur-Didact and the Librarian—husband and wife pushed into desperate conflict—hold the keys to a solution. As they face the consequences of a mythic tragedy, one of them must now commit the greatest atrocity of all time—a shocking act designed to prevent an insane abomination from dominating the entire galaxy…
Ambassador: Books 1, 1.5 and 2
Patty Jansen - 2016
1: Seeing Red - Cory Wilson is about to start his new job as representative to gamra, the alien organisation that controls the network for wormhole travel, when a political murder may well end his career before it started. In Coldi society, you can get killed for looking a superior in the eye. Never mind accusing him of murder. 1A: The Sahara Conspiracy - Cory is asked to deal with the alien mafia on Earth, and stumbles across a plot that endangers Earth's fragile peace. You did not hear me say "nuke from orbit". 2: Raising Hell - the wormhole network goes down, and Cory's friend and leader of the largest populated world Asto is caught off-world. Dangerous politics are afoot on Asto, and Cory decides to help his friend. Yeah. Famous last words.
Into the Dark
Jason Halstead - 2015
Aden Garrett is fresh out of security academy and looking for a little excitement. A little more than walking security at local space station bars and a little less than the job that got him kicked out of the academy. Meshelle and Janna are Vagnosian sisters that run a small transport and special operations ship, and they're looking to replace a fallen crew member. Chance brings them together and puts them work for one of the mysterious Kesari merchants who's looking for some expendable assets for a special job. It's a perfect match, except the crew of the Uma, Janna's ship, doesn't agree to being disposed of when the job is done. What follows is a game of cat and mouse through the galaxy with twists and turns at every solar system. Lost alien civilizations, six limbed insectoid warriors, plasma rifles, and more await. Much, much more… Keep your eye out for future Dark Universe novels: Book 1: Into the Dark Book 2: Out of the Dark Book 3: Chasing the Dark
Orion's Moon: A Paranormal Short Story
Terri Reid - 2016
(Previously published in 2011 Anthology - Every Witch Way But Wicked)
The Prisoner's Dilemma: A Military Sci-Fi Series (Liberty of Death Book 1)
Joe Kassabian - 2021
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.
Shepherd's Wolf
M. Andrew Reid - 2013
Many play for power and fame; others play to escape the pain and loneliness of real life. One boy, paralyzed at birth, knows no other world. For Ben Shepherd, Verdia is home. The Shepherd is Verdia’s most famous and mysterious blacksmith, constructing armor and weapons for elite and wealthy players while hiding from public view. Players ponder the Shepherd’s true identity, and Ben creates his masterpieces in isolation. Ben discovers friendship in the form of an enormous white wolf - a creature unique in all of Verdia. As news of the boy and his wolf spreads, Ben becomes the target of greed, envy, and fear; Ben’s tranquil life is shattered. A band of strangers, united by compassion, will battle a perilous landscape and unrelenting enemies to deliver the Shepherd and his wolf to a new home. To succeed, they must enlist the help of an enemy - a player who is as powerful as he is hated. They will discover that a small group of friends can face impossible odds, and that a hero can hide beneath a villain’s mask.
The Exile Empire
Joshua Done - 2009
Run. The last message from Central Command was more a plea than an order, and running is exactly what the last remnants of humanity did to escape The Death as Earth was destroyed. Among the survivors is James Ursidae, a fearsome warrior whose despair now outweighs his expectations for the future. After months of drifting through intergalactic space, Ursidae and what humanity remains have found a spark of hope on the planet Lintalla and in the company of its native Illani. Unfortunately, starting anew comes at a price, and even in a strange system violence and war are a constant. A new enemy, the Tarin’Tal, hold the system’s inhabitants in a vice-like grip that continues to tighten. Can Ursidae and the Earthlings burn bright yet again and save their new world from the destruction they’d hoped to leave behind?This science fiction novel contains some of the most epic warfare you could ask for in a SciFi. By combining a style similar to Orison Scott Card with a practical, down to earth feel of Jim Butcher The Exile Empire throws you into a new world of real people, real machines, and real sci-fi action. If you enjoy the adventure and technology of science fiction but are tired of contrived drama and characters who act according to desires, motivations, and morals different then actual people then you will enjoy The Exile Empire. If you like advanced weaponry, technology, and gadgetry but are tired of unrealistic assumptions and deus ex machina application of indescribable concepts then you will enjoy The Exile Empire. The Exile Empire is jam packed with non-stop action pushing the reader to the edge of their metaphorical, literal, and digital seat. With alien armadas, incalculably powerful warships, antimatter, plasma, and energy weapons the Exile Empire has everything a scifi fan can ask for and more.Rather than rely only on endless grunt soldiers, or orbiting starships the Exile Empire takes a more practical look at life and warfare in the future.With machines and technology entwining every soldier and every aspect of life the Exile Empire takes a truly scientific look at fiction, building a practical world of might and mind. In the war for survival every life counts. If every life counts one must protect it with all one’s power, and in science fiction, that power can change the course of human events."
Talonian Warriors
Celeste Raye - 2018
Talonia is a peaceful, beautiful planet. Its existence is unknown and The Talonian weredragons are very happy that they are a secret. By accident, they are discovered, and they must try and learn to live amongst humans. Book #1- Kelan Book #2- Tae Book #3- Hesher Book #4- Maxxum Book #5- Blayze
All books in this page-turning Sci-fi alien romance series can be read as standalones, and happily ever afters are guaranteed!
Warning: Adults Only
Scion of Conquered Earth
Michael J. Allen - 2016
Fighters bombard the ruins. Monsters hunt the wastes – some humans serving the Welorin in order to indulge their petty cruelties. The last free survivors struggle against starvation and capture. It’s a world where friendship costs too dearly and heroics verge on suicide.One young man simply can’t resist either. Welorin torture machines ravage his world, filling it with literal nightmares. Cannibalistic aerobics instructors hunt him and snatcher teams dog his every step. Alaric attempts one rescue after another, hoping someone might possess keys to unlock memories stolen by the initial assault.An aborted rescue lands him in a three way fight between Welorin forces and interstellar raiders. He takes cover in the pirates’ ship, coercing its AI, Cassii, into helping him. Success comes with unexpected consequence as Cassii abandons her crew, his friends and Earth’s solar system.Cassii refuses to return to Earth, decrying her former captain’s despoiling of the ship’s weapons and armor. Alaric leverages goods stolen from Earth by Cassii’s former crew into a bid at privateering. Surrounded by tech he barely understands and exotic life forms, he’s easy prey for the Protectorate’s mercenary population.Escort Captain Manc Shepherd and the sultry pirate Tyne Ren – Manc’s onetime partner – manipulate, exploit and seduce him across the stars. Alaric’s perilous heroics complicate their tug-of-war, endangering both and Alaric’s ship – their intended prize.Alaric must decide who he is, what he holds dear and how far he’ll go to protect both. He must choose who to trust: his mentor, his temptress or his smitten ship’s AI. The right choice could save worlds. The wrong one could throw him into a desperate battle to save thousands from his betrayer at the cost of his truest friend.
Admiral's Lady: Ashes for Ashes, Blood for Blood
Luke Sky Wachter - 2014
For reference its about twice the size of the previous Admiral's Lady book. Product Description: While Jason was getting back and gearing up for his Revenge, Akantha wasn't just sitting quietly in the corner or out waving the flag on a PR tour. She was gearing up for some revenge of her own. Determined to punish those who planted the knife in the MSP and just as or even more importantly her own people's back, this is one Hold-Mistress who isn't about to let the events that took place at Omicron Station pass. As far as she's concerned her Protector was far too lenient, a mistake she's not about to repeat. You see she has a name for her pain and it is King James, the very man who sent the traitors that took their ship and killed their people. There will be ashes, there will be blood and while victory may not be possible one thing is certain... whether she goes home carrying her shield or carried upon it, they will suffer as she has suffered. Or her name is not Akantha of Messene!