Books
5 stories
Blackquest 40 by jeff_bond
jeff_bond
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** WATTYS 2018 WINNER ** Big Tech meets Die Hard in this techno-thriller Kirkus Reviews calls "a clever, spirited tale with a brainy, nimble heroine at the helm." From IndieReader's 5-star (highest rating) review: "Bond weaves an entertaining tale filled with deceit, robots, Russians, and tech entrepreneurs that all combine to give the reader a reason to flip pages furiously to find out what might happen next." Deb Bollinger has no time for corporate training. Her company's top engineer at just twenty-seven, Deb has blocked off her day for the one project she truly cares about: the launch of Carebnb, an app that finds spare beds for the homeless. When she's told all employees must drop everything for some busywork exercise called Blackquest 40, it's an easy no. Trouble is, her bosses aren't really asking. Blackquest 40 is the mother of all corporate trainings. A near-impossible project to be completed in forty straight hours. No phones. No internet. Sleeping on cots. Nobody in, nobody out. Deb finds the whole setup creepy and authoritarian. When a Carebnb issue necessitates her leaving the office, she heads for the door. What's the worst that could happen? Armed commandos, HVAC-duct chases, a catastrophic master plan that gets darker by the hour - Blackquest 40 is a fresh take on the Die Hard formula, layering smart-drones and a modern heroine onto the classic action tale. Cover design and illustration by Ethan Scott.
The Throne of Ice & Ash (The Runewar Saga #1) (PREVIEW) by JosiahRosell
JosiahRosell
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In the frigid storms of winter, leaders and warriors are forged... Can the Jarl's heirs avenge their kin and protect their throne from ancient foes? Bjorn, son of the Jarl of Oakharrow, has always felt more at ease with a quill than a sword. Yet when tragedy strikes his family, he must draw a blade and lead a company of warriors into the cold, deadly mountains in pursuit of a mysterious enemy. But vengeance comes at a high price... Aelthena, Bjorn's sister, was born with the aptitude to lead, and she's eager to prove it. But her society's rules for women, and her love for her brother, restrain her efforts to command. As she walks the fine line between ambition and virtue, the city stirs in unrest, and even her allies question her right to rule... Yet more than one city's fate hangs in the balance. Mythic enemies emerge to conquer all humanity. And the only way they can be overcome is for Bjorn and Aelthena to unite their feuding peoples and master mysterious powers few humans have touched before... The Runewar is rising - and it begins with the fall of the throne. The Throne of Ice & Ash is Book 1 of The Runewar Saga, a Norse epic fantasy series by the author of the bestselling Legend of Tal books. Begin a new adventure of vast sojourns, political intrigue, grand-scale wars, and awakening magic... Perfect for fans of A Game of Thrones and Half a King!
How to Write Science Fiction by ScienceFiction
ScienceFiction
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"Science fiction writers foresee the inevitable, and although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not." - Isaac Asimov This piece is intended as a bit of a Help guide, a point of reference and hopefully something people will enjoy, as ultimately all of you will have different experiences reading and writing science fiction, and writing in general. If nothing else, I hope it inspires you to try your hand at writing Science Fiction if you haven't already.
The Ascent by JAPartridge
JAPartridge
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It was only supposed to be a minor military expedition and Kenneth Phon was only supposed to be an observer. But when the ambitions of powerful men turn to betrayal and murder, the largest human war fleet ever assembled finds itself leaderless and lost, thousands of light-years deep in the territory of a hostile alien empire. With the fleet surrounded and on the point of surrender, Kenneth Phon takes charge and leads them in their fight home through hundreds of enemy systems. The underachieving son of a wealthy shipbuilder, Ken must fight off more experienced commanders trying to undermine his authority and fractious mercenary ship captains who'd rather fight each other or turn pirate than cooperate. If he fails, not only will the fleet be destroyed, but the defenseless Earth will be sterilized by aliens bent on revenge. (Based on a true story.)
Taking SPACE by DanielLeonHeart
DanielLeonHeart
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A family of five lives in the far reaches of outer space on a mining station built by their father. Their lives are simple and their ambitions small but that all changed when they find an ancient ship deep in a nebula.