Sci-Fi Shorts: A Collection of 13 Short Science Fiction Stories Vol. II


Book Description

"SciFi Shorts: A Collection of 13 Short Science Fiction Stories" transports readers into the far reaches of the imagination with its diverse and captivating tales. From the depths of outer space to the inner workings of the human mind, this anthology offers a thrilling journey through the boundless realms of science fiction. Within these pages, readers will encounter a myriad of futuristic worlds, each with its own unique set of challenges, wonders, and mysteries waiting to be explored. Whether delving into the complexities of artificial intelligence, confronting the ethical dilemmas of advanced technology, or venturing into uncharted galaxies teeming with extraterrestrial life, each story in this collection offers a thought-provoking glimpse into the possibilities of the future. Written by a talented ensemble of authors, "SciFi Shorts" showcases the limitless creativity and ingenuity of the science fiction genre. With each story expertly crafted to both entertain and provoke reflection, readers will find themselves drawn into tales of adventure, discovery, and the boundless potential of human imagination. From pulse-pounding action to poignant meditations on the nature of existence, "SciFi Shorts" offers something for every fan of speculative fiction. Whether you're a seasoned aficionado or new to the genre, this collection promises to ignite your imagination and leave you eagerly anticipating the next frontier of exploration in the vast cosmos of science fiction.




Project Hail Mary


Book Description

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Martian, a lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this “propulsive” (Entertainment Weekly), cinematic thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science—in development as a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling. HUGO AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST BOOKS: Bill Gates, GatesNotes, New York Public Library, Parade, Newsweek, Polygon, Shelf Awareness, She Reads, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal • “An epic story of redemption, discovery and cool speculative sci-fi.”—USA Today “If you loved The Martian, you’ll go crazy for Weir’s latest.”—The Washington Post Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company. His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone. Or does he? An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian—while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.




A Matter of Matter (Stories from the Golden Age)


Book Description

Chuck Lambert is taken advantage of by an unsavory real estate swindler of a galactic economy that sells unwary customers like him a planet where they can't sit down, because there's something the matter with its matter. But even though swindled, Chuck may just end up getting the last laugh....




Gold


Book Description

Gold is the final and crowning achievement of the fifty-year career of science fiction's transcendent genius, the world-famous author who defined the field of science fiction for its practitioners, its millions of readers, and the world at large. The first section contains stories that range from the humorous to the profound, at the heart of which is the title story, "Gold," a moving and revealing drama about a writer who gambles everything on a chance at immortality: a gamble Asimov himself made -- and won. The second section contains the grand master's ruminations on the SF genre itself. And the final section is comprised of Asimov's thoughts on the craft and writing of science fiction.




The New Space Opera 2


Book Description

Some of the most beloved names in science fiction spin all-new tales of interstellar adventure and wonder Neal Asher John Barnes Cory Doctorow John Kessel Jay Lake John Meaney Elizabeth Moon Garth Nix Mike Resnick Justina Robson Kristine Kathryn Rusch John Scalzi Bruce Sterling Peter Watts Sean Williams Tad Williams Bill Willingham Robert Charles Wilson John C. Wright




A PAIL OF AIR


Book Description

Pretty soon I was feeling my familiar way through the thirty or so blankets and rugs Pa has got hung around to slow down the escape of air from the Nest, and I wasn't quite so scared. I began to hear the tick-ticking of the clocks in the Nest and knew I was getting back into air, because there's no sound outside in the vacuum, of course. But my mind was still crawly and uneasy as I pushed through the last blankets — ..FROM THE BOOK..




The Martian Chronicles


Book Description

The tranquility of Mars is disrupted by humans who want to conquer space, colonize the planet, and escape a doomed Earth.




The Kite Maker


Book Description

The Kite Maker is Brenda Peynado's science fiction novelette of how humans cope with alien contact. After aliens arrive on earth, humans do the unthinkable out of fear. When an alien walks into a human kite maker's store, coveting her kites, the human struggles with her guilt over her part in the alien massacres, while neo-Nazis draw a violent line between alien and human. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.




The Great Secret


Book Description

Women. Liquor. Power. Women. Liquor. Power. That is Fanner Marston's mantra--his reason for being--and while he knows a little about the first and a lot about the second, he may well be on the verge of learning everything there is to know about the third. Power. He may, in fact, be about to uncover the key to gaining absolute control over the entire universe. The only problem is, Fanner is certifiably insane.... His starship has crash-landed, and he's the sole survivor, which doesn't matter to him. Driven by greed and lust for power, wracked by thirst, hunger and pain, all he cares about is reaching the ancient city of Parva and making himself at home. Because there lies The Great Secret to universal domination--and what's a little suffering on the road to becoming God? Does Fanner have a prayer? The writing's on the walls of Parva--and you won't believe what it says.... Also includes the science fiction adventures, "The Space Can," in which a decrepit space battleship is a civilian fleet's only defense; "The Beast," the tale of a hunter in the jungles of Venus, chasing an immoral beast; and "The Slaver," in which an alien race has enslaved the human race, but can't repress the power of human love. Blast off on a head-trip you'll never forget as The Great Secret takes you inside the mind of a man who is crazy with lust for power. "Serves as a wonderful introduction to the breadth of Hubbard's output." --Comic Buyers Guide




Parable of the Sower


Book Description

This acclaimed post-apocalyptic novel of hope and terror from an award-winning author "pairs well with 1984 or The Handmaid's Tale" and includes a foreword by N. K. Jemisin (John Green, New York Times). When global climate change and economic crises lead to social chaos in the early 2020s, California becomes full of dangers, from pervasive water shortage to masses of vagabonds who will do anything to live to see another day. Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding anarchy. In a society where any vulnerability is a risk, she suffers from hyperempathy, a debilitating sensitivity to others' emotions. Precocious and clear-eyed, Lauren must make her voice heard in order to protect her loved ones from the imminent disasters her small community stubbornly ignores. But what begins as a fight for survival soon leads to something much more: the birth of a new faith . . . and a startling vision of human destiny.