Saturday, December 31, 2016

Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month for December 2016

Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month
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 November 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. This month, we have urban fantasy, epic fantasy, space opera, military science fiction, post-apocalyptic science fiction, dystopian fiction, science fiction romance, paranormal romance, vampires, werewolves, trolls, robots, starships, crimson queens, genetically engineered dragons, alien bounty hunters, Venusian affairs, telepaths, miracle drugs, brainwashed soldiers, monsters in the woods, Christmas in space 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:

Emperor of the Fireflies by Sarah AshEmperor of the Fireflies by Sarah Ash:

Sparks… glittering like fireflies against the night sky…

Kai and Masao, once enemies, are now condemned to the sea by the Tide Dragons Sacrifice. If Hotaru, the new emperor, is unable to summon the Tide Dragons of Ebb and Flood at the Autumn Moon Festival, he will forfeit the right to rule Cipangu. The two Sacrifices face a desperate race against time to free themselves from this ancient curse before Hotaru binds them with forbidden magic to obey his will – forever.

Sakami, Kai’s lover, has become a kitsune, a fox spirit. She is determined to do all in her power to save him – but is Hotaru, aided by his treacherous shikigami, Kurika, just too formidable an opponent to overcome?

Liquid Muse by Cora BuhlertLiquid Muse by Cora Buhlert:
 
Jonah Winter has developed the perfect creativity enhancing drug – one hundred percent effective, non-addictive and safe.

Ron Varnhagen has experienced the drug's remarkable properties for himself and plans to invest in Jonah's venture. But then he learns of the horrifying secret behind the drug and its production…

This is a short science fiction story of 2600 words or approx. 10 print pages altogether.

Ayers by Andrei CherascuAyers by Andrei Cherascu:
 
In the corrupt city of Mei Jhabo, a mysterious new thoughtenhancer has devastating effects on the consumer’s brain. Its emergence is linked to the sudden rise of one of the city’s most ruthless drug gangs. Leading the fight against it, Commissioner Celia Wallace employs the services of the famous Ayers-Ross Thoughtprotection Agency. Their mission: retrieve an undercover agent sent to infiltrate the gang and protect the information inside his mind.

For ambitious young telepath Alex Lea, this seems like the perfect opportunity to prove that he is a worthy successor to his idol, legendary Mindguard Sheldon Ayers. But, in this profession, the course of things can change in an instant.

After an ambush leaves him separated from his team, Alex must learn to become his own guardian first. Pushed to the limits of his ability, he comes across an enemy far more dangerous than anyone suspects and a plot that threatens the very future of the Federation.

AYERS is a prequel set a few months before the events of MINDGUARD. It can be read as a stand-alone or at any point in the series. For reasons pertaining to themes and character study the author recommends reading the books in order of publication.

Shadowrise by J.J. GreenShadowrise by J.J. Green:
 
In the void, the Shadows lurk, waiting to arise.

Jas Harrington and the crew of the Galathea have made it back to Earth. Now they face an investigation into the Shadow attack on the ship and the infiltration of the colony world of Dawn.

They find that things have changed since they went away. Strange disappearances and odd behavior lead them to the question: have the Shadows invaded their home planet?

When the former navigator Sayen Lee investigates, she’s taken hostage. Can Jas get her back? And can they find out what’s been happening on Earth before more lives are lost?

The Crimson Queen by Alec HutsonThe Crimson Queen by Alec Hutson:
 
Long ago the world fell into twilight, when the great empires of old consumed each other in sorcerous cataclysms. In the south the Star Towers fell, swallowed by the sea, while the black glaciers descended upon the northern holdfasts, entombing the cities of Min-Ceruth in ice and sorcery. Then from the ancient empire of Menekar the paladins of Ama came, putting every surviving sorcerer to the sword and cleansing their taint from the land for the radiant glory of their lord.

The pulse of magic slowed, fading like the heartbeat of a dying man.

But after a thousand years it has begun to quicken again.

In a small fishing village a boy with strange powers comes of age...

A young queen rises in the west, fanning the long-smoldering embers of magic into a blaze once more...

Something of great importance is stolen – or freed – from the mysterious Empire of Swords and Flowers...

And the immortals who survived the ancient cataclysms bestir themselves, casting about for why the world is suddenly changing...

Mission: A Venus Affair by V.A. JeffreyMission: A Venus Affair by V.A. Jeffrey:
 
Bob and his family are going on a much-needed vacation towards the hottest destination in the solar system: Vepaja City, Venus! But as soon as they reach Venus someone from his past makes an inconvenient request: make a secret deal that promises to benefit Bob, U-net and the Boss. Who is this mysterious character? Does this person really care about helping him or is there a darker agenda? Is this side mission really in Bob's best interest? If he agrees to the deal U-net could reap an advantage in the coming war. But is this mission legitimate or is it a trap?

Of Cinder and Bone by Kyoko M.Of Cinder and Bone by Kyoko M.
 
After centuries of being the most dangerous predators on the planet, dragons were hunted to extinction. That is, until Dr. Rhett “Jack” Jackson and Dr. Kamala Anjali cracked the code to bring them back. Through their research at MIT, they resurrected the first dragon anyone has seen alive since the 15th century. There’s just one problem.

Someone stole it.

Caught between two ruthless yakuza clans who want to clone the dragon, Jack and Kamala brave the dangerous streets of Tokyo to steal their dragon back in a race against time before the world is taken over by mutated, bloodthirsty monsters that will raze it to ashes.

Of Cinder and Bone is an all-new sci-fi thriller from the author of the Amazon bestselling Black Parade novels. Don’t miss out on this explosive first-in-series!

Rayzor's One by Michele MillsRayzor's One by Michele Mills:
 
Rayzor of Twelve, a lonely Bounty Hunter banished from his home world, is determined to follow his mission parameters: He must extract his target from a primitive planet called Earth with zero human casualties.
His plan unfolds with precision, until a human female gets in the way.

Rebecca doesn’t understand what the hell is happening. One moment she’s scared and alone in the spooky forest. Then a seven foot tall alien warrior is gazing at her with dark passion, his clawed hands touching her reverently. He’s kissing her, claiming her and saying, his voice hoarse with emotion—that she is his Bride.

His Bride? Wtf?

This stranger is swoon-worthy, but…She doesn’t know his name, or what species he is and he’s kidnapped her, thrown her on his goddamn spaceship and now she’s speeding away from Earth to parts unknown. And he expects her to fall into his arms?

Oh hell, no.

For Whom the Bell Trolls by Lindy MooneFor Whom the Bell Trolls, edited by Lindy Moone and John L. Monk:
 
It's a Smorgasbord of Trolls!

Funny, touching, titillating and suspenseful, there's a story for every adult reader in For Whom the Bell Trolls, a unique, illustrated "antrollogy" by 24 international authors. Arranged from light to meaty fare, the book's "menu" offers up fanciful and farcical stories, family-oriented tales, romance, mystery, even magically surreal literary stories -- starring all sorts of trolls, from the all-too-real Internet variety to the man-eating, bridge-dwelling trolls of legend.

South of the Spire by Neil MossparkSouth of the Spire by Neil Mosspark:

Three weeks after a southern exploration team left the Citadel to map the unknown lands to the south, their cartographer’s journal was found stuffed into the hollow of a tree. It accounts the southern exploration team’s journey, documenting the ruins of ancient man, and the threats encountered in the post-apocalyptic forest.

… There are more than just wild things in the wilderness.

Ghosts of Noodlemass Past by T.S. PaulGhosts of Noodlemass Past by T.S. Paul:
 
The War with Earth looms over everything. It is overshadowing even Noodlemass, the Holiday Celebration of Athena Lee's planet. Refugees have no where to go and children are trapped out in the cold without shelter. The best solution is to use local Hotels to put them up for the winter. One problem with that. The owner won't sell or even lease.

What will Wilson and his gang of cybernetic heroes do to help? Wilson provides his unusual spin on a Christmas Classic!

Hounds of God by Justin SloanHounds of God by Justin Sloan
 
Torn from her parents at a young age, Katherine is raised in a pack of werewolves like herself and brought into the ways of the Hounds of God: An army of werewolves that will bring justice to evildoers.

But when their leader is killed and everything Katherine has believed is thrown on its head, she sets off with a small group of friends in search of a cure to what she now believes is a curse.

This search for a cure leads her to a fight for survival where she’s challenged to embrace the beast within. Will she give up everything to stop the nefarious army of werewolves, betraying those she once considered family?

Justice Is Calling by Justin Sloan and Michael AnderleJustice Is Calling by Justin Sloan and Michael Anderle:
 
The History of the World wasn't what Valerie was taught.

The daughter of a vampire and sister of a devil walking, Valerie finds out she has something neither her brother nor her father possess:

She has Honor.

Now, she needs to flee a brother who leaves her for dead. Because, if there is one thing Valerie understands?

It's that Justice Doesn't Turn the Other Cheek.

150 years after a near apocalypse, the world is rebuilding. Survival has become the only rule, and justice is in short supply. Now, Justice has come calling.

Shades of Honor by Sandy WilliamsShades of Honor by Sandy Williams:

She won her freedom. Can she win a war?

Commander Rhys Rykus is facing court martial. With his career on the line, he’s ordered to keep his distance from the brainwashed Ash and protect her from afar, but sinister elements threaten her safety. He accepts a new mission that puts them on the same warship, knowing it will take all his self-control to fight his feelings for her.

Lieutenant Ramie Ashdyn is no stranger to fighting for her life. Still under the influence of the Coalition’s brainwashing, she cares little for her own safety. She merely wants to protect the Coalition… and reconnect with Rykus.

Rykus knows how important Ash is to keeping all of them alive, but the target on her back is enormous. Will the growing threat to the Coalition take down Ash and Rip’s only shot at love?

Friday, December 30, 2016

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for December 30, 2016

Here is our last weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web for 2016, this week with tributes to Carrie Fisher, a whole lot of discussion about Star Wars: Rogue One, Passengers, the 2016 Doctor Who Christmas Special and the Assassin's Creed movie as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, awards news, con reports, crowdfunding projects, science articles and free online fiction. 

Speculative fiction in general:

Tributes to Carrie Fisher:

Comments on Star Wars in general and Rogue One in particular: 

Comments on the 2016 Doctor Who Christmas Special: 

Comments on Passengers:

Comments on Assassin's Creed:

Awards:

Writing, publishing and promotion:

Interviews:

Reviews:

Crowdfunding:

Science and technology:

Free online fiction:

Odds and ends:

Friday, December 23, 2016

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for December 23, 2016


Here is our weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with a whole lot of discussion about Star Wars: Rogue One, Passengers, Hidden Figures, the Assassin's Creed movie and season 2 of The Man in the High Castle, yet more Best of 2016 lists, favourite holiday movies, the latest controversies in the SFF world as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, awards news, con reports, crowdfunding projects, science articles and free online fiction. 

Speculative fiction in general:

Best of 2016 lists:

Comments on Star Wars: Rogue One:

Comments on Passengers

Comments on Hidden Figures:

Comments on the Assassin's Creed movie: 

Comments on season 2 of The Man in the High Castle

Awards:

Writing, publishing and promotion:

Interviews:

Reviews:

Crowdfunding:

Con reports:

Science and technology:

Free online fiction:

Odds and ends: 

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Hounds of God (Cursed Night, Book 1) by Justin Sloan

Release date: December 22, 2016
Subgenre: Urban fantasy

About Hounds of God:

 

Torn from her parents at a young age, Katherine is raised in a pack of werewolves like herself and brought into the ways of the Hounds of God: An army of werewolves that will bring justice to evildoers.

But when their leader is killed and everything Katherine has believed is thrown on its head, she sets off with a small group of friends in search of a cure to what she now believes is a curse.

This search for a cure leads her to a fight for survival where she’s challenged to embrace the beast within. Will she give up everything to stop the nefarious army of werewolves, betraying those she once considered family?

Excerpt:


You are the Hounds of God. Through your deeds, all sins will be corrected, all wrongs righted, and the evildoers of the world will cower in fear at your feet.
– The Way of Light, A Manifesto, Page 259: Section C.

Katherine pulled at her dusty leather jacket to fend off the cold wind’s bite, mind racing at the possibilities of what they’d find in these mountains. A cure? More clues? As long as it wasn’t simply another dead end, she’d accept anything.
With each leap over rocks and along the mountain path, she became increasingly annoyed at the bounce of her ponytail. One of these days, she’d just shave it all off and be done with it. She liked to tell herself it didn’t matter what Danny would think if she did, but she often found herself taking the extra minute each morning to look her best, even if she knew they’d be searching freezing mountains for hidden caverns—as they were this day.
Searching, and probably ending up disappointed—again.
The years had been a mixture of hope and defeat. Nine years of looking for answers as to why she’d become a werewolf. Nine years of hoping to find a cure, but always coming up empty-handed.
She had only two companions left at this point—Babur and Danny. During their search, they’d found myths of wolf spirits taking over one’s body, and of Native Americans who had called upon these spirits for help. So far, they’d dismissed the European stories of villagers transforming in the night to fight off the evil witches, or going into Hell to keep the demons at bay—they had to draw the line somewhere between plausible and ridiculous.
In these days of the internet, there was no shortage of stories and theories. Yet, in all their searches, they hadn’t come across anything regarding the cure she longed for. The myths were their best bet, and they had led them to the mountains of Washington State.
She slowed at a fallen tree she’d noted earlier as a marker, smiling to see Danny crouching nearby and inspecting the area. His tan leather jacket was covered with dust, and a layer of sweat shone from his forehead.
When he turned to grin up at her, his white teeth gleamed in the dim light of dusk.
“You found it?” he asked.
“I found something.”
She motioned for him to keep up as she led him back to the small cave she had discovered. This could be it, she thought, as he knelt down and kicked at the clods of dirt that blocked the entrance. They broke apart to reveal stone steps leading down, chipped and worn.
“You think it’s down there?” he asked. She could tell he was trying to keep the hope out of his voice. Like her, he’d been disappointed many times, too.
“There’s only one way to find out.”

Amazon

 

About Justin Sloan:

Justin Sloan writes urban fantasy, epic military fantasy, and supernatural thrillers. He is a video game writer (Game of Thrones; Walking Dead; Michonne, Minecraft: Story Mode), novelist (Allie Strom and the Ring of Solomon; Teddy Bears in Monsterland, Back by Sunrise, Falls of Redemption), podcaster, and screenwriter.

He has written on taking writing from hobby to career in his book Creative Writing Career and its sequel, and how veterans can pursue their passions in Military Veterans in Creative Careers. Justin studied writing at the Johns Hopkins University and UCLA after five years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and now works as a writer and editor for Military.com. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Podcast | IMDb

 




Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Liquid Muse by Cora Buhlert

Release date: December 15, 2016
Subgenre: Near future science fiction, Biopunk

About Liquid Muse

 

Jonah Winter has developed the perfect creativity enhancing drug – one hundred percent effective, non-addictive and safe.

Ron Varnhagen has experienced the drug’s remarkable properties for himself and plans to invest in Jonah’s venture. But then he learns of the horrifying secret behind the drug and its production…

This is a short science fiction story of 2600 words or approx. 10 print pages altogether.

Excerpt:

 

Ron Varnhagen looked around. The office was spacious, all granite, steel and black leather. Designer furniture, of course, names and shapes and styles the knowledgeable would recognise. There was art on the walls, abstract swirls and random swishes of paint, exclusive and hideously expensive. Floor to ceiling plate glass windows took up two entire walls, providing a striking view across the city.
It was a space designed to impress, but that was only to be expected. Most start-ups spent a lot of effort on their headquarters to impress potential investors — garages or mismatched offices in converted warehouses had always been rare and become even rarer in recent years.
None of the potential investees had any idea how unimpressive their identikit offices really were, especially when you’d seen it all before and knew that this office suite and everything in it — designer furniture, artwork, even the sad potted palm in the corner — could be rented by the hour.
Jonah Winter sat enthroned behind an ebony desk. He was still young — mid-thirties perhaps — and tried to look even younger. Three days beard, precisely trimmed and cultivated, hipster designer glasses he didn’t really need, a Savile Row suit over a Kylo Ren t-shirt (the idiot didn’t even have enough sense to go for Darth Vader), hand-stitched Italian trainers. Winter was every inch the model of a modern CEO and every inch a poser.
He rose when his administrative assistant — for today, at least, since she’d been probably rented along with the office — showed Ron in.
“Ronny,” Winter exclaimed in that annoying faux jovial tone of start-up founders everywhere, So good of you to drop by.” He held out his hand, a sharkish smile on his face. “I trust you’ve ascertained yourself of the qualities of our product?”
Ron ignored the proffered hand. “Indeed, I have. Which is why I’m here. So let’s cut to the chase, Winter. No need to flatter me — I know it’s all an act anyway.”
The smile vanished. “All right. So have you… uhm… tested our product on yourself?”
“No, I paid someone to test it,” Ron replied, “This isn’t the first time I’ve been asked to invest in a new miracle drug, you know? Not all of them work as advertised or at all, so I’d rather not run the risk of testing it on myself.”
“Our product works exactly as advertised,” Winter declared with the smug confidence of someone certain of his genius, “No side effects either.”
“So I realised once I read the report of the young man I paid to test it,” Ron said, “So I decided to give it a shot myself. Quite literally.”
Winter’s gaze grew speculative. “And…?”
“I had ten excellent ideas in two hours,” Ron admitted grudgingly ,”Normally, I have that many in a month. So your product works. What I want to know is how?”
Winter slapped him on the back in another demonstration of faux camaraderie. “Oh, come on, Ronny, you know that I can’t possibly reveal any trade secrets and proprietary information without a firm commitment, signed and issued in writing.”
Ron moved away, out of Winter’s backslapping range. “I’m not asking you for the damned formula,” he growled, “All I want to know the basics of what precisely your product is. Because so far, all attempts to pharmaceutically enhance human creativity have failed miserably. Unless you count alcohol and various street drugs with their unfortunate side effects.”
“Side effects which my product does not have,” Winter boasted, “Creativity at the press of an injector, where you need it and when you need it — no impairment, no side effects, non-addictive…”
“I don’t want a goddamned ad slogan, I want to know what it is.”
Winter’s eyes — icy blue, as befitted his name — narrowed. “Did you have the product analysed?”
“Of course, I had it analysed,” Ron snapped, “You don’t think I’d run the potential liability risk of injecting an untested drug into a volunteer, even if I’m paying him handsomely for the privilege.”
“And…?”
“The lab said that substance is organic. Biological. Contains animal protein. And DNA. Human DNA. So what sort of fucking Soylent Green are you trying to sell me here?”
Winter stumbled backwards, clearly caught off guard. “Soylent what? The protein shake, you mean?”
“No, like in the movie. You know, ‘Soylent Green is people’?”
The confused look on Jonah Winter’s face told Ron that he didn’t.
“Let me guess, you haven’t seen the movie.”
Winter shook his head.
“Ah well, it was probably before your time. Anyway, what I’m saying here is that I don’t want a potential PR nightmare on my hands, when it turns out your product is created by unethical means. So if your drug contains the shredded bodies of Iraqi war orphans, I need to know. Now.”


Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple | Smashwords | Scribd | DriveThruFiction | OmniLit/ARe | 24symbols

 


About Cora Buhlert:

Cora Buhlert was born and bred in North Germany, where she still lives today – after time spent in London, Singapore, Rotterdam and Mississippi. Cora holds an MA degree in English from the University of Bremen and is currently working towards her PhD. 
Cora has been writing, since she was a teenager, and has published stories, articles and poetry in various international magazines. She is the author of the Silencer series of pulp style thrillers, the Shattered Empire space opera series, the In Love and War science fiction romance series, the Helen Shepherd Mysteries and plenty of standalone stories in multiple genres. When Cora is not writing, she works as a translator and teacher.

 

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Friday, December 16, 2016

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for December 16, 2016

Here is our weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with discussion about Star Wars: Rogue One, yet more Best of 2016 lists, plenty of movie trailers, tributes to Shirley Jackson on the event of her 100th birthday, the latest controversies in the SFF world as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, awards news, con reports, crowdfunding projects, science articles and free online fiction. 

Speculative fiction in general:

Best of 2016 lists:

Comments on Star Wars: Rogue One:

Awards:

Writing, publishing and promotion:

Reviews:

Interviews:

Crowdfunding:

Con reports:

Science and technology:

Free online fiction:

Odds and ends: