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.

Showdown


Dan Moren - 2019
    But Commonwealth operative Simon Kovalic knows nothing ever goes to plan. So, when a duplicitous bounty hunter lives up to his reputation, Kovalic’s ready—just maybe not ready enough.Now he and his team must get offworld, before their enemies catch up with them…

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. . .

Permian: Emissary of the Extinct


Devyn Regueira - 2019
     Lining the granite walls of the first, high above an orderly reservoir of fossilized eggs, an inscription spanning eighty-five miles describes the genome of a proto-mammalian species eradicated during the Permian Extinction. In the next, researchers discover etchings of the constellations as they would have appeared across the eons; a global timeline of ten billion years remembered and foretold by a primordial intelligence beyond our own. Armed with a genetic recipe, compelled to act by the harrowing implications of a pattern detected in the timeline, an international effort begins to return that species from extinction before mankind encounters its own. The human race has only just learned to pluck at the strings of life on Earth. Will the curtains rise on a siren's song? Where will they fall?

Storming Heaven (War of the Gods, #1)


Christopher G. Nuttall - 2012
    Now, the human race has spread through countless star systems, but remains hopelessly inferior to the Killers. The god-like aliens are systematically driving humanity to the verge of extinction.Desperate times need desperate measures and humanity launches a crazy plan, to board and seize a Killer starship, hoping to unlock their technology. But the Killer plan to rebuild the universe from scratch is well underway, leaving humanity at the verge of total extinction. If they fail, the Killers will be the only form of life remaining in the entire universe…

The Time Travelling Tourist


Nick James - 2020
    

Earth Bound


Michael Anderle - 2021
    Psychopaths who might, or might not, be human.Intergalactic lawman Terry Victor is betrayed by fellow officers and sent to a backwater planet on the interstellar arm of the universe.In short, he was sent to the planet called Earth.Fed up, he quits in a fit of disgust and seeks a peaceful retirement among the humans.Unfortunately, trouble has a way of finding Terry Victor.Keep his head down and away from Earth’s authorities, or help a woman about to be attacked by a gang?Can Terry Victor resist the siren call that could ruin his future on this planet?Is he willing to give up his forced retirement to take on Earth’s troubles?Finally, what happens when a string of deaths points to something even he fears?Will Terry Victor survive? If he survives, will the authorities realize there is an alien living among them?

Lockheed Elite


Tyler Wandschneider - 2017
    Now Anders must decide quickly—stay and fight or cut cables and run.Either way, it’s too late. Someone has other plans for them. The trap has been set, they’ve rescued the woman and taken the bait, and before long Anders and what’s left of his dwindling crew must navigate with caution through the grips of the military and an especially vile outlaw.But Anders doesn’t captain just another team flying the black. With a genius mechanic who uses his ragtag high-tech machine shop to aid them in getting in and out of trouble, they’ve earned a reputation as the best of the best. With Anders’s careful planning, this motley crew must band together and flip the military to use them on a monster heist and dig themselves out from the heat pressing in from both sides of the law.Fly with them. They are clever, they are fierce, they are Lockheed Elite.

Stasis


L.D.P. Samways - 2015
    The mercenary ship is commissioned to run missions on dangerous planets. To reap great rewards from unsuspecting alien races. To take minerals, precious metals and invaluable resources for Earths galactic expansion. They do the work that no other ship in Earths fleet would dare consider. Why? Because if they get found out, then Earth abandons them. Leaves them to rot in the middle of the universe, unaided and unheard of until the very end of time itself. For Captain Flynn, he never imagined that day would come. He and his crew were more than happy with the way things were going. That’s until one day they wake up from stasis not knowing how they got there. One minute they’re back on earth, relaxing after another hair-raising, highly-illegal mission, and the next, they’re waking up from a six-year slumber, in the middle of a galaxy they don’t recognise. But not all is as it seems. They are not alone. Aliens are aboard their ship. And unfortunately for Captain Flynn and his rag-tag group, they don’t come in peace. Earth has sold them down the river. Banished them from the blue planet with no return ticket home. Now the aliens have them. And they plan on using them against their enemies. They take them prisoner on their home planet. Shackled and bound, the crew fear that their fates are sealed. But unfortunately, it is just the beginning for them. The aliens that hold them captive have far greater plans for them than death. Plans that will undoubtedly shake earth to its molten core. Prepare yourself for a journey that leaps from star system, to star system, in a space opera filled to the brim with nail biting suspense throughout. Warning: This book contains some strong language and violence. Reader discretion is advised. Destroyer of Worlds, book two in the Alpha Ship One series releases February 2016.

Void Blade (The Transcended #5)


Anthony James - 2019
     The enemy are down but they not defeated. The detonation of the galaxy bomb has brought something new into the fight. The Scions are not a natural living species and now their mysterious creator has taken an interest in the human Confederation. The Hyranus is coming and it has power beyond anything known. Left unchecked, it will not only rebuild the Scion fleet, but destroy humanity in the process. Keller and Nation are given a mission with incredible scope and if it succeeds, it will end the fight once and for all. Somehow, they must accomplish the impossible and subdue an alien god. This time, the Confederation does not stand alone. An ally from the distant past has once more taken an interest in the affairs of the universe. The Ghasts have returned and they have not been idle. Their spaceships are fitted with the only weapon capable of tipping the scales. Even the invulnerable Hyranus can be hurt by the void blade… Void Blade is a high-action science fiction adventure involving massive space battles, overwhelming odds and exciting technologies. It continues the Transcended series and picks up straight after book 4: Galaxy Bomb.

Guard at the Gates of Hell (Gladius Book 1)


George Olney - 2016
    The Empire, the structure that held civilization together for a thousand years, is collapsing. Trying to hold things together is the Corps of Imperial Gladius, one of the pillars originally created to support and protect the Empire throughout its long life. A Gladius is a genetically bred ultimate soldier, the best soldier that ever existed. Despite that, the Emperor, a deeply paranoid sociopath, fears the Corps and is trying to destroy them, regardless of what that will do to the Empire's security.A surviving portion of a devastated Gladius legion arrives on the isolated and decadent world of Cauldwell to be confronted with the fact they must once again take up their ancestral trade, war. The appearance of the legion is probably the most newsworthy event on Cauldwell for the last century and star reporter Shana Ettranty decides to do a series of stories about them for her network. That decision radically changes her life when she decides to undergo Gladius recruit training to get a better perspective on the Corps. As she continues, Shana learns deeply buried secrets about Cauldwell... and about herself. Those secrets will change the course of human history. In the end, they destroy the Empire.This is a military science fiction book written by a retired Army officer whose viewpoint has ranged from being in the ranks to general staff, not just an action book. The story asks some very tough questions about survival and sacrifice made to let humanity survive. In it, the Corps and Shana are forced to make some hard decisions. Are their answers right or wrong? In the end, only the reader can decide.

Revenge is Best Served Hot


Saxon Andrew - 2014
    Two genetically modified human babies have been taken to the Choten-Zan Monastery to be raised to adulthood. The ancient priests have agreed to teach them their best hand-to-hand combat techniques and develop their speed and reflexes. The two children are sent away on their eighteenth birthday with a small warship and space armor that was left for them by the one that delivered them to the Zan. That’s all they received when they left the Monastery and they do not know who they are or where they were born. They kidnap a Werstag Engineer on a planet where they are attacked by hundreds of Yellow Armored Warriors. He tells them that they are a species called human and that their attackers are from a civilization that destroyed their home world. Grant and Cinny decide that Earth’s destroyers must pay for their crime. But first they have to find an invincible warship named Orion’s Sword to make that happen. The Werstag tells them that they were created to be the Orion’s pilots and the Yellow Species knows the danger they represent. It’s a race to see if the Raiders can kill the two before they find the most powerful warship in the universe. The action is non-stop as the two young humans struggle against dark forces arrayed against them. Discovering their real enemy is a shock that forces them to reevaluate their determination to take revenge for Earth’s destruction. But revenge served hot has a way of getting out of hand. Excerpt from Nemesis-Revenge is Best Served Hot Cinny shook her head, “What is so special about us?” The woman looked at her and her eyes twinkled, “You and your companion are the ultimate product of genetic development. You are unique and only the two of you can activate the Orion. Anyone else who tried would die.” Whippet nodded, “They are very different from what I saw Tom could do.” The woman looked at him, “They are faster, stronger, and smarter than any being alive today.” She paused, “And they are not at their ultimate abilities…yet.” Grant sat down, “I’m not sure what you mean, ultimate abilities?” “Part of my programing is to start your development. The Choten-Zan could only take you so far; you probably noticed that you surpassed their abilities.” Cinny and Grant nodded. “The landing bay on this ship has devices to assist you to develop your skills. However, there is another place we need to visit first.” Grant nodded, “Where you left the genetically modified animals from Earth.” The woman smiled and shook her head, “You are incredibly smart. How did you figure that out?” “I saw the ancestors of the animals you chose on the first download and I’ve talked with them several times in the past.” The Hologram stared at Grant, “You what?” “The coordinates of the planet where you left them were still in the navigation log. We went to see what was there and ran into them.” “That was an incredibly dangerous thing to do.” “I had a blaster and they didn’t take the chance of attacking.” The woman slowly shook her head, “That blaster wouldn’t have fazed them and they knew it.” Grant stared at the Hologram and Cinny said, “You mean they could have killed us.” “Yes. I’m surprised they didn’t. Those animals are the most dangerous creatures in the universe. They were specifically designed to be used against the civilization attacking Earth.

War Without End


G.P. Hudson - 2017
    Throughout the galaxy, planetary systems seek independence and freedom. Everywhere there is war. Trying to maintain its grip, the Empire has become more ruthless, and reliant on mercenary armies. The powerful Zeta Corp fills this need with its advanced weapons, and legions of genetically engineered soldiers. These soldiers, while fiercely loyal, are nothing more than slaves. Danny is a Zeta Corp mercenary who has known nothing but war, and service to Zeta Corp in his short life. But when a routine mission ends in disaster, he finds himself questioning everything he believed in. Pitted against the Empire, and Zeta Corp, can he gain freedom for himself, his friends, and the galaxy?

Star Bourne (Star Man #1)


I.G. Roberts - 2016
    When he wakes, he is in another place and, it seems, another time. Colin is a very long way from home, on the Ship FNS Destiny with no way to return. When he visits the devastated colony of Zafar, he becomes a changed man, a man with a new purpose in life. Pirates attacking planets and Star-Ships quickly show him the universe is not the friendly place he once thought it was. The idea that people who are as technologically advanced as these will be peaceful and benevolent is only partly true. These Aliens must still maintain a military to defend themselves against their enemies. After pirates attack the ship he is travelling on, the entire command structure is out of action, leaving only Colin to guide the repairs and help the crew steer the ship safely back to home port. Along the way he must rescue innocent civilians from the pirates and help the Federation of Sentient Peoples (FSP) to survive. He learns that the very actions he must take to save the ship and crew could also see him branded a pirate if he is successful. While the FSP is by no means a utopian society, its leaders are smart enough to know they are in trouble and who they should ask for help. Can Colin save the ship and her crew? If he does, will the Federation authorities put him in prison for doing so?

Agents of the Planetary Republic Books 1-10


Jaxon Reed - 2021
    Treaties are signed, trade is restored. But spies and diplomatic turmoil lead to a high-tech cold war of epic proportions. Ex Space Marine Gina Wilcox finds herself in a law enforcement career after the war, but life can be just as dangerous on the streets as the battlefield. Sleeper cells activate, assassinating government officials. Crime syndicates flourish. And a certain high-tech android has been stolen by the League, spirited off world for unknown purposes. Into this milieu a band of Marine outcasts join the fight. They spent more time in the brig than on the battlefield, yet racked up admirable wartime kill ratios. These renegades are quietly recruited by Republican Naval Intelligence to lead black ops against the League. Gina Wilcox will join their leader Commander Hamilton Wolf in a risky interstellar quest to retrieve an android who doesn’t even realize she’s not human. The fate of two civilizations hangs in the balance . . .