It’s that time of the month again, time for “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”.
So
what is “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”? It’s a round-up of
speculative fiction by indie authors newly published this month, though
some July books I missed the last time around snuck in as well. The
books are arranged in alphabetical order by author. So far, most links
only go to Amazon.com, though I may add other retailers for future
editions.
Once again, we have new releases covering the whole
broad spectrum of speculative fiction. We have a whole lot of space
opera this month, but also epic fantasy, urban fantasy, portal fantasy,
military science fiction, dystopian science fiction, science fiction
romance, time travel, vampires, witches, demons, dragons, aliens,
nanitechnology, starship mages, disasters in space, intergalactic
mercenaries, turncoat princes, outlaw swordfighters, FBI witches,
psychedelic coffee and much more.
As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so
Caveat emptor.
And now on to the books without further ado:
Graveyard Shift by Cora Buhlert
While docked at the civilian space station
Unity for repairs, the Republic of United Planets battlecruiser
Great Endeavour undertakes a trial flight with an inexperienced bridge crew. Disaster strikes and the
Great Endeavour crashes into
Unity's shopping concourse, killing more than three hundred people.
A
tragic accident, but in times of war, the public is not willing to
accept tragic accidents. And so the Republic's government sends its best
troubleshooter, Colonel Brian Mayhew of the Republican Special Commando
Forces to initiate a cover-up.
This is a novelette of 14100 words or approx. 48 print pages in the In Love and War series, but may be read as a standalone.
Courting Trouble by Cora Buhlert
Once,
Anjali Patel and Mikhail Grikov were soldiers on opposing sides of an
intergalactic war. They met, fell in love and decided to go on the run
together.
Now Anjali and Mikhail are trying to eek out a living on
the independent worlds of the galactic rim, while attempting to stay
under the radar of those pursuing them.
But when Anjali and
Mikhail stumble upon a protection racket during a routine shopping trip,
they have to make a choice: Lay low to avoid attracting attention or
stay true to their personal ethics and intervene?
This is a story of 6700 words or approx. 23 print pages in the
In Love and War series, but may be read as a standalone.
Arkadian Skies by Lindsay Buroker
With
the man who kidnapped her daughter imprisoned aboard her ship, Captain
Alisa Marchenko is closer than ever to reuniting her family. But her new
guest has been in a coma for weeks, with the secret to her daughter's
location locked away in his mind. She must find a way to sneak him into a
state-of-the-art hospital on Arkadius, a planet in the heart of
Alliance territory. Not an easy task when she and the cyborg Leonidas,
her most trusted ally, are wanted by the Alliance army.
As if that
mission weren’t daunting enough, the Staff of Lore has appeared on the
planet. As has the man who stole it: Alisa’s father.
Bloodless by Tori Centanni
Henri Dunn would love to avoid all vampire bullshit for the foreseeable future, but the universe has other plans.
When an exsanguinated corpse is left in the dumpster behind her
workplace, Henri knows it's a some kind of twisted message meant for
her. It's just not one she can decipher.
In addition to that
terrifying puzzle, Henri's new ex-vampire roommate is not adapting well
to human life and a Cure-obsessed vampire is stalking her. And of
course, her enigmatic vampire sire, Sean, is being his usual elusive and
infuriating self.
When a second body that's been drained of blood
is left in front of Henri's apartment building, it becomes clear that a
vicious serial killer is fixated on her. Using her ability to read
memories in blood, Henri must figure out who's behind these terrible
killings and stop them before she becomes the next victim.
Bloodless is the second installment of
The Henri Dunn Urban Fantasy Series, which features a snarky protagonist, intriguing mysteries, a captivating cast of characters, and elements of humor. Book 1,
The Immortality Cure, is also available.
Osdal by Michael Chatfield
Masoul
wasn’t just an uprising, it was the starting of a war. Harmony didn’t
start on Masoul; they were using it as a testing ground.
Moretti has a lead on where Harmony might have come from. First they need to defeat Harmony’s forces in Osdal.
Nerva’s
not going to throw his people at Harmony, this is not just a colonist
uprising, this is a well-armed and backed military. They need more
information. It comes down to the Triple-Two’s to find out that
information.
Once again the Victor brothers and their platoon will be right at the heart of Harmony.
Nothing will be the same after Osdal.
Blooded by Shei and Annathesa Nikola Darksbane
Dakota
Shepherd gained Hellfire from a demoness on the day she Awakened. She
never asked for that power, but it worked out well...until the deadly
fire turned against her, forcing her to strike a deal with her even
deadlier benefactor.
A bloody quest. A score unsettled. A lesson finally learned.
Dakota
must recover the demoness’ stolen blood before a thief with
unparalleled power can turn it to his own dark purposes. Even with her
wealthy and powerful girlfriend on her side, Dakota is way out of her
league.
But when a demoness calls, only a dead girl says no.
Repulsive Origins - The Captain by Brian W. Foster
When
a supervillain attacks civilians, the US Army is first on the scene.
Lieutenant Samuel Shields is given the impossible task of protecting
lives and property. His weapons won’t hurt a three-story tall enhanced
hostile, and even if he could figure out a way to take the enemy out,
he’s not allowed to engage under any circumstances. Instead, he must
wait for the so-called superheroes to show up.
Leave it to the politicians to create such a FUBAR situation.
Two
children are put in danger, and Samuel is forced to make a
life-altering decision. If he follows orders, he’ll have the deaths of
two kids on his conscience. But if he disobeys, he risks his life and,
worse, a court martial.
The Night Watch by Chris Gerrib
In
the chaotic and crime-ridden settlement of Boxtown on Mars, Minty
Storey witnesses a bar fight she has no idea will change the course of
her life.
Halfway across the planet, Janet Pilgrim and the
Volunteer Space Rescue Service struggle to do something about the pirate
menace on the spaceways between Earth and Mars.
But the problems
both face are much bigger than pirates and bar fights. When a leader of
Earth's Manifest Destiny movement makes an appearance on Mars, events
begin to roll to a climax that will hold the fate of the planet in the
balance.
One Down by Bryce T. Hughes:
An
impenetrable barrier keeps Earth's ships from leaving. Teams of
specially-trained heroes fly the limited allowed space wiping out the
debris specialists suspect offended an alien force. Separated from her
lover, Jane treasures her team and performs her duty, but she suspects a
lie fuels the international sport. With her friend Julio's life hanging
in the balance, she faces the deadly force penning her planet and
battles the hypocrisy of her government.
This is a LGBT short story with lesbian and gay content, and mild swearing.
True Colors of Betrayal by J.C. Kang
The world knows Kaiya as the Dragon Charmer.
After
vanquishing the Last Dragon with the power of her voice, all she wants
is to return to a quiet life of anonymity. Instead, the Emperor assigns
her an onerous task: negotiating with the aggressive Teleri Empire for
the extradition of her cousin, who tried to murder the imperial family
and usurp the Dragon Throne.
The mission reunites her with her
childhood friend Tian, now an assassin-spy who loathes killing. He is no
longer the adorable, gullible boy from her memories, any more than she
is the adventurous, sweet girl from his. Instead of rekindling nostalgia
for a youthful innocence they both yearn for, their reunion ignites a
mutual hatred.
When the Teleri Empire breaks off negotiations,
Tian must help Kaiya escape. Orcs, Ogres, and enemy soldiers stand
between them and home, and their volatile relationship could get them
captured… or killed.
Stem by Aaron D. Lamb
After escaping the extermination of everyone they loved, Rome and Mae seek revenge.
However,
the world outside their city sized prison is too busy to care. They
form a desperate friendship with an unlucky Zoo guide, caught in the
wrong place at the right time. Together they face the forces of a
corrupt government, a sensationalist media, and an apathetic public.
And they only have a week left to live.
Suspenseful, political and awash with colourful characters and epic set pieces.
Stem the sequel to sci-fi hit
Pollen, builds to a finale that pits hero against hero.
Cargo by V.M. Law
On the
Age of Discovery, a massive cargo hauler, Kasey Lee works as a Custodial Technician, essentially a glorified janitor.
When the Ides, a hostile alien race, attacks Earth's outposts, the Age must assist in the war effort.
But
Kasey discovers that there is a conspiracy on board, one which led the
Ides straight to the outposts, and is now pointing them right at Earth.
You Don't Belong Here by Tim Major
Daniel
Faint is on the run with a stolen time machine. As the house-sitter of a
remote Cumbrian mansion, he hopes to hide and experiment with the
machine. But is the Manor being watched by locals, his twin brother or
even himself? Daniel is terrified about what the future may hold but, as
he discovers, there can be no going back.
Dragon's Trail by Joseph Malik
"I didn't come here to sell my soul. I came here to buy it back."
Once
dubbed "The Deadliest Man Alive," Jarrod Torrealday is a former Olympic
saber hopeful and medieval weapons expert banned from competition for
killing another fencer in a duel. Despondent, volatile, alcoholic, yet
still one of the greatest swordsmen alive, he now works for third-rate
fantasy films as a technical consultant and stuntman.
When Jarrod
accepts the gig of a lifetime from a sorcerer looking for a hero, he
finds himself facing an invading army in a world inhabited by creatures
from Earth's mythical past. He soon learns that the enemy mastermind is
also from Earth, and has laid the foundations for a new kind of war.
Born a Witch... Drafted by the FBI by T.S. Paul
Agatha
Blackmore came into her powers early as a child. Her first spell was a
thing of beauty and wonder. It brought terror into the hearts of her
family. Who wanted to accidentally become a pink chicken? Now that she's
older her magic is out of control. She needs a teacher and none of the
Witch Schools will take her. How about a career in law enforcement? The
FBI needs serious help in catching law breaking Paranormals. It's a
match made in heaven or is it in Hell? God only knows what happens next.
The Unmasking Engine by Ian W. Sainsbury
An experiment that began 2.8 billion years ago is about to end…
Seb
Varden is starting to get used to life as a World Walker. With a body
full of alien nanotechnology, the ability to travel anywhere instantly
and - most surprising of all - a steady relationship with Meera Patel,
things are finally looking up.
Until Seb has his first blackout,
starts meeting aliens and discovers a plan that threatens the entire
human race. And, of course, Mason, the most dangerous Manna user, picks
this particular moment to come after him and Meera.
Scariest of all, Seb is learning his transformation into a World Walker is far from complete…
Monkeys,
aliens, technology, parallel universes, music, psychopaths, A.I., a
magic tech spider, The Unmaking Engine has it all, including the
explanation of how all life on earth began. Did I mention monkeys?
The Unmaking Engine is book 2 in the
The World Walker Series.
The Turncoat Prince by Amelia Smith
Darna
is just a guildswoman, or so she’d like to think, but her alleged
father was the prince of a backwater province. Her uncle assassinated
him to claim the throne, and now he's coming after her.
With
assassins on her heels, Darna takes on a job in the remote province of
Slaradun. The prince is irate to find that this limping woman has
replaced the able-bodied man he hired, but according to the contract,
he’s stuck with her for the season. Darna finds the prince arrogant and
high-handed, but he’s also intelligent and well-read. As winter closes
in on Slaradun keep, late night conversations turn from sea walls to
more intimate territory, and the province’s lost dragon reappears.
This book is the second in the
Dragonsfall trilogy. To enjoy it properly, read
The Defenders' Apprentice first, and perhaps also the beginning of Darna’s story in the prequel novels,
Scrapplings and
Priestess.
Phobos Eclipse of the Heart by Colin Spindler
Colin Spindler's CULT Group Coffee Sequence is a mystical space yarn for lovers of psychedelic science fiction.
Phobos Eclipse of the Heart picks up the wild tale where
Of Bots and Beans left off.
Follow
the mysterious Participant's continuing misadventures in Sequencing.
Learn about The Scullythorne Thesis, an authoritative document which can
be twisted into providing support for any and every argumentative
perspective. Uncover a nefarious plot to bring down the Dos Boletos
facility. Mourn the tragic end of Sir Francis Buildobare and the loss of
the Vladimarino Gripebagger Expedition. Puzzle over the controversial
Alley Cat Initiative.
Revel in the mysteries of the nanobot-haunted Cosmos!
Alien Arcana by Glynn Stewart
An alien ruin
A murdered archeologist
An ancient secret—and a conspiracy that will kill to keep it!
When
a scientist is murdered after finding signs of alien magic in an
archeological dig, Mage Damien Montgomery, Hand of the Mage-King of
Mars, is sent to investigate both the murder and the alien runes.
His
investigation is interrupted when a mysterious ship attacks the ruins
with weapons only available to the Martian Navy. Despite saving the dig
site, Montgomery is left with more questions than answers.
His
investigations reveal questions about the origin of his magic and his
nation—and lead him back to the one place that should be safe: the court
of the Mage-King of Mars.
