Space Opera First Contact

Alien university professor and author, Yol Rummy Blin Breganin, continues his research on the planet Earth. He introduces, into this final volume, some stories from the distant past of the Federation, which provide a greater insight into the vast alien empire. In the only free and independent part of the planet Earth – the United States of America – the populace is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the growing authoritarianism. With California in revolt, can the USA retain its own independence in this rebellious climate?

Jo Clayton, creator of the popular Diadem Saga, introduces a delightfully unforgettable new character - a tough, sexy, futuristic tomb raider Lara Croft with issues - and sets her loose in a wild and woolly galaxy of dastardly villains, alien shape-shifters, and all manner of strange sentient life-forms. Skeen is a bandit and a rogue, a master thief wanted throughout myriad solar systems for plundering the rare antiquities of countless alien civilizations while always keeping one rocket ship-length ahead of the intergalactic law.

Baston, Sca, and Cherie didn’t expect to crash on an unfamiliar planet. After they are kidnapped by interlopers on planet Sarta, they barely escape with their lives. Things go from bad to worse when they run out of fuel close to Adna and find themselves completely out of their element. The more time Baston and Sca spend around Cherie, the stronger their attraction becomes towards her. When they are surrounded by pheromone-driven plants, their attraction reaches the point of no return, and all bets are off.

Albert Birnbaum was once one of the biggest political talk show hosts around, but these days he’s watching his career enter a death spiral. A stranger offers a solution to his woes, promising to put him back on top. It’s everything Birnbaum wants, but is there a catch? And does Birnbaum actually care if there is? "A Voice in the Wilderness" is a tale from John Scalzi's The Human Division, a series of self-contained but interrelated short stories set in the Old Man's War universe.

While the Galactic Conglomerate continues to fight the rising Darkkon threat, a working Yau A.I. is recovered from the wreckage of the recent battle, and it is the one lead the team has to dig deeper into the heart of the enemy's operation. Meanwhile, a treaty with the Vael Empire - the long-standing enemy of the conglomerate - may be the galaxy's only hope of defending itself against the Darkkon and their growing aggression. Pride must be swallowed and differences set aside to join forces in an alliance.

After the dramatic and unexpected turn of events at the end of the first book, planet Earth is left with several factions trying to resolve the situation. The new president of the USA is trying to secure his hold on power, while a new group - who have named themselves Free America - is taking steps to overthrow what it considers an illegitimate regime.

Earth seceded from its suzerains' state and declared independence. Naturally, such a bold move did not go unnoticed by its powerful neighbors in space, who had aggressive plans for the inhabitable yet overly self-reliant planet. With black clouds gathering and the term of safety growing ever shorter, positive lines of the probable future for Earth's humanity and its allies were nowhere to be seen despite all Gnat the Devourer's efforts and unique abilities.

You have glioblastoma, an incurable brain cancer, and have less than a month to live. What price would you be willing to pay for a cure? Any price? Are you sure? Kayla, a 17-year-old teenager, and others with an assortment of lethal medical conditions are about to find out the price of life.

First contact has been made, and Earth's militaries and its premier mercenary companies stand ready to take their first tentative steps outside the solar system. With a galaxy of aliens to explore and fistfuls of credits to be made, follow along as the Four Horsemen select their contracts and venture forth to meet their destinies.

Reasonspace is in shambles after the disappearance of all magical creatures. Without faster-than-light travel, supply and communication routes have dried up, leaving humankind stranded and starving. Cowboy Jim and his complement of Reason soldiers search for the relocated Bala using the only surviving FTL drive. On their new utopian planet, the Bala are on the brink of civil war between those who want peace under old-fashioned unicorn rule and those who seek revenge on their human oppressors. Only Captain Jenny and her brain parasite can stop the Reason plan to enslave the Bala again.

Come along as Bob and the crew of the Gene help the Boatmen get settled on a new planet. See what dangers they find as they explore it together. Frank and Ernest save the day and the planet. The Walnut Cartel has one more try to get rid of BSR. See how the crew deals with it all.

While attempting to settle in as commandant of Starfleet Academy, Admiral James T. Kirk must suddenly contend with the controversial, turbulent integration of an alien warrior caste into the student body - and quickly becomes embroiled in conflict when the academy controversy escalates to murder. Meanwhile, Captain Spock of the USS Enterprise and Commander Pavel Chekov of the USS Reliant are investigating a series of powerful cosmic storms seemingly targeting Federation worlds - unstoppable outbursts emitting from the very fabric of space.

Star humans were engineered to exist within the mantle of a star, mere tools of their Earth-evolved makers in a war against the Xeelee, owners of the universe. Stephen Baxter's third novel in his magnificent Xeelee Sequence is an exotic and endearing story of an abandoned people. Abandoned to their fate, their history lost along with contact with their makers, Star people survive in an environment that is possibly the strangest in science fiction.

Former Marine Will Hawthorne has defeated the Gates of the Golden Staff, but the remnants of the cult have escaped with the tools he needs to finally save his adopted world. Searching for their last stronghold, he and three of his closest wives - fox-girl Merindra, cat-girl Narilora, and bat-girl Mereceeree - must trek deep into the Taitalan wilderness in hopes of destroying the cult once and for all.

The year is 2162. Thirty-eight years after first contact, Lord Commander Grayson St. Clair leads the Tellus Ad Astra on an unprecedented expedition to the Galactic Core, carrying more than a million scientists, diplomats, soldiers, and AIs. Despite his reservations about their alien hosts, St. Clair is deeply committed to his people - especially after they're sucked into a black hole and spat out four billion years in the future. Civilizations have risen and fallen. The Andromeda Galaxy is drifting into the Milky Way. And Earth is most certainly a distant memory.

Former Marine Will Hawthorne has solidified his position as the Makalang and averted war between Taitala's clans. But uncovering the truth about himself has only raised more questions about the challenge he faces: He must accomplish something no Makalang before him has ever managed, or the world will die.

Mankind has spread to the stars, only to become locked in warfare with an insidious alien race. All that stands against the alien menace are the soldiers of the Simulant Operation Programme, an elite military team remotely operating avatars in the most dangerous theatres of war. Captain Conrad Harris has died hundreds of times - running suicide missions in simulant bodies. Known as Lazarus, he is a man addicted to death. So when a secret research station deep in alien territory suddenly goes dark, there is no other man who could possibly lead a rescue mission.

This hard sci-fi novel is the sixth book in the Stasis Stories, a series of optimistic tales of technological innovation in the near future. They follow Kaem Seba, a young man with extraordinary math talents. With his friends, he’s come up with a device that allows time to be stopped within limited volumes of space-time.

AI/human hybrid Nyx Marcus must find her sisters, taken by the new Protectorate. She’ll stop at nothing to protect her family. She’ll even use her powers to their fullest…and deadliest. Discovering more AI family members, Nyx navigates building an army to rescue her sisters. But her growing family isn’t as simple as it seems. When Nyx discovers a new rival is pulling the Protectorate’s strings, she finds she has nothing to lose. With a burgeoning cult following her, and a clone army in the wings, Nyx has the power to wage another AI War.

Alien ambassadors are dying. The locals are in over their heads. Or are they turning a blind eye? The Magistrates band together to learn about the law, each other, and even themselves. They still need outside help to solve the case. Who do they call? And Barnabas stops by to refuel and spin a tale. More training for the Magistrates. But duty takes them away. Another Ambassador is brutally murdered. Rivka takes her team to find the perp and end the violence.