Remain Alert: Science Fiction Stories


Book Description

Lesson #1 in intergalactic mixology: VIPs take it floated, not stirred. Explore the farthest reaches of the galaxy in Kate Sheeran Swed's newest collection of science fiction stories. -In "Chosen," an intergenerational spaceship returns to Earth after disaster strikes; -in "Ugly Earthling," an ambitious chef attempts to fry her way across the universe; -and in "It's All Fun and Games Until Someone Usurps the Galaxy," a Supreme Galactic Emperor takes on an ambitious building project under dubious circumstances. Absurdity and tragedy commingle in tales where space travel is run-of-the-mill, time can be recovered, and second chances hold the key to survival.




The Tournament


Book Description

Her life is a crime. To survive, she'll steal another. Reggie's spent her life stowed away in the crawl spaces of a generation ship that's headed to the stars. If the ship's tyrannical authorities discover she exists, it'll mean a long walk out of a short airlock. When the authorities announce a tournament to make peace with the estranged other half of their fleet, Reggie steals another girl's identity -- along with her spot in the games. She doesn't want to win; she wants to escape to the other fleet. But avoiding the trials is harder than she expects, and avoiding the other contestants is even harder -- especially the charmingly naive future captain who keeps trying to bring her into the fold. When a threatening note appears under her door Reggie must decide how ruthlessly she's willing to be -- and who she's willing to betray to protect her secret.




Bypass the Stars


Book Description

Frankie Hartiger can reroute any elevator, steal any data, and scramble any facial recognition software. The only thing she can’t hack? Her parents. They won’t trust her with a coffee order, never mind a position in their inter-world exploration company. When their very first tour goes wrong, Frankie sets out to rescue her parents—accompanied by Earth’s first (and most annoying) interworld immigrant, Jord Mathison. But a transport malfunction hurtles them into the wrong world, where a deposed prince wears Jord’s face. To the prince, Frankie’s last name is a curse: his world is dying, and Frankie’s family is at fault. As a breadcrumb trail of conspiracies leads Frankie toward her parents, she’s sure Jord knows more than he’s willing to admit. If she can’t root out the truth, she’ll be stuck forever—and if the inhabitants get their way, she’ll burn with their world.




Essays on Life Sciences, with Related Science Fiction Stories


Book Description

This collection of essays highlights, in a new, critical fashion, some of the classic questions in life science. These include “what is life?”; “what is death?”; “what is consciousness?”; “why is life cellular?”; and “why are enzymes macromolecules?”. It also explores whether evolution is pre-determined, whether science and spirituality can harmonize with each other, whether artificial intelligence is at odds with the human spirit, and whether, and to what extent, we are genetically determined. In this text, some of the main conceptual tools used to tackle life’s many aspects are necessarily reviewed, such as the systems view of life, the notion of contingency, and the concept of autopoiesis. Each of the three chapters of the book contains a number of short science fiction stories which discuss aspects of the present-day development of artificial intelligence.




Corporate Risks and Leadership


Book Description

The context of business has been changing for companies in recent years, and following numerous corporate and accounting scandals, many countries have increased the number of national and international regulations designed to ensure transparency and compliance with the law. Because of the existence of these new regulations, the level of control, the severity of sanctions by governments, and the amount of the fines for noncompliance have increased dramatically. In parallel, with the technological revolution in communications, business management has become more transparent, and any negative event is uploaded to social networks and shared with an indeterminate number of people. This change in the regulatory, sanctioning and technological context has forced large companies to rethink risks, investments and budgets to deal in this more complex environment. To transition to this change, some companies have included ethics and compliance programs in their corporate agenda, along with marketing and sales plans, strategies, growth targets, investment plans and/or talent acquisition. While each industry has its particular risks, in this book, the author describes the essential elements that any effective ethics and compliance program should contain. This book is a source of information that connects yesterday with today. The author shares observations and lessons of the past to suggest corporate leaders implement effective ethics and compliance programs to protect their organizations and themselves. The book covers theories of ethics but with an eye focused on practical application. Risks, ethics, and compliance are analyzed with an overall vision, connected to the reality of business life, without getting bogged down in abstract thinking or in technical and regulatory details. Ethics and compliance are disciplines that have increasingly achieved greater recognition in organizations. Thus, due to the importance of risk management in the business world and the necessary involvement of the CEO and the board of directors, it seems appropriate that executives get access to a book about risks, ethics, compliance and human resources directed not only to compliance experts but also to any organizational leader. This book is a wake-up call that allows business leaders to understand the benefits of implementing an effective ethics and compliance program that will help members of organizations to make the right decisions and act within the law. If they do, they can better prevent and react to the difficult obstacle course of risks, dangers and threats that organizations face and that may jeopardize the sustainability, resilience, and survival of companies.




Power Struggle: A Sci-Fi Superhero Novella


Book Description

Mary O'Sullivan would rather throw punches than parties. But though her vigilante-league family can fly and support collapsing bridges on one shoulder, Mary’s stuck with her wits, muscles, and a desperate need to prove herself. When the league uses her celebrity secret identity to infiltrate a gala, she takes the opportunity to flaunt her skills as an operative. Mary's decision to bend protocol results in the loss of a dangerous artifact — one that could grant her the power she lacks. Sidelined by the league for going rogue, she pursues the power-granting stone without backup. But she's not the only one looking for the artifact. If she can't secure it, superpowers will be available to the highest bidder — and the league's anonymity could become a thing of the past. Power Struggle is a stand-alone prequel to the League of Independent Operatives series.




Lizzie's chase to save times and other sci-fi short stories


Book Description

This work is a piece of children literature, a collection of six sci-fi short stories. There are stories of six ordinary children with extra-ordinary courage and resolve. Children are the only hope of humanity. With their innocence, strength and courage they can save humanity from annihilation, destruction and subjugation. The book is also a dedication to author's sister who struggled fighting all odds by herself to help author write.




The Resistance


Book Description

How do you escape when there's nowhere to run? Reggie Sylvester and her friends are fugitives from the tyrannical rage of Admiral Xavier, which is no longer contained to the New Fleet. Without crops or fuel for their shuttle, though, they won't last very long alone in the black. When they learn the Resistance is still alive and well – and fighting back against Xavier's First Fleet invasion – Reggie hatches a plan to increase their allies and join in the fight. But her new friends don't trust her motives, and the feeling's mutual. If they can't find common ground before the clock runs out, they'll be thrown to Xavier's mercy – and the entire fleet will burn right along with them.




Don't Look Back (And Other Stories)


Book Description

From science fiction and fantasy author Kate Sheeran Swed, Don't Look Back is a short story collection that blends space travel with ghostly encounters and explores the possibilities of near-future technology—the good, the suspect, and the outright alarming. -In 'The Rest is Silence,' a powerful corporation buys the government—and pays its citizens in cash for each day they don't speak; -In 'Windfall,' a would-be wizard aims to con his classmate out of a magical inheritance; -In a reimagining of the Orpheus myth, the collection's title story features a rock star who chooses virtual reality over the real world in an attempt to save his true love. From intergalactic ghost-hunting museums to magical road trips through Upstate New York, Don't Look Back's stories promise adventure, romance, and an ever-present hint of revolution.




The Frank Belknap Long Science Fiction Novel MEGAPACK®: 4 Great Novels


Book Description

Frank Belknap Long (1901-1994) -- one of the early masters of fantasy and science fiction, friend of (and collaborator with) H.P. Lovecraft -- produced hundreds of novels, short stories, and poems throughout his long and distinguished career. From fantasy and horror in Weird Tales to action-adventure science fiction in Planet Stories and Thrilling Wonder Stories to more "nuts and bolts" science fiction in Astounding Stories, and also work in the romance and mystery fields, his career spanned 7 decades and was filled with remarkable achievements. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement at the 1978 World Fantasy Convention, the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1987 from the Horror Writers of America, and the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award in 1977. This collection assembles 4 of his best science fiction novels: Space Station 1 Mars Is My Destination The Three Faces of Time Survival World If you enjoy this ebook, don't forget to search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see more of the 290+ volumes in this series, covering adventure, historical fiction, mysteries, westerns, ghost stories, science fiction -- and much, much more!