M. P. Shiel = Matthew Phipps ShielOne of the strangest books I have ever read—part melodrama, part political treatise, part mystical fantasy. The story is of Richard Hogarth, a man of lofty spirit who on discovering a cache of giant diamonds inside a fallen meteor undertakes a bold project to re-shape the human condition on a global scale. The prose is old-fashioned and ornate, and is at times tiresome, but at other times it is quite wonderful and poetic. You can tell that the author was swinging for the fences, and if he was perhaps a little more hip he might have actually made it out of the park.It's worth mentioning that the book may seem to have anti-Semitic moments, but I don't think that that was the author's intent; Shiel uses the Jewish people as a kind of symbol in the way that another writer might use a myth or a legend as a way of adding meaning and weight to a text. There are Jews in the novel who are stingy, mean and cunning according to the old stereotype, but there are also Jewish protagonists, and in time the Jews people are depicted as a sort of God-chosen, noble race. Of course, one might ask whether it was a good idea for Shiel to bowdlerize a real community of people as a literary device, and I can hardly blame them. Interestingly, the novel prefigures the state of Israel by almost half a century. Views: 683
Think living on the moon as a teen would mean an escape from cliques and teenage pranks? Think again. When Marci's longtime friend Jess joins the pop-crowd at school, Marci finds herself talked into participating in one of their initiation rites and questioning herself, her friendships, and her values in the process.Included is a special excerpt from CONVERGENCE, Karen's YA sci-fi novel.Think living on the moon as a teen would mean an escape from cliques and teenage pranks? Think again. When Marci's longtime friend Jess joins the pop-crowd at school, Marci finds herself talked into participating in one of their initiation rites and questioning herself, her friendships, and her values in the process.This Luna Short Story includes a special excerpt from CONVERGENCE, a full-length novel by the same author. Views: 683
Death is a grim reality in the Philippine countryside. For Buck Stardust, it's even worse when he tries to bury the body.Duel at Strolling Ponds is the second installment in The Tales of Katsume Shogoro, masterless samurai, and last surviving member of his family. Shogoro’s quest is to restore his clan’s lost honor, and undo the shame that burdens his soul.Picking up where A Ronin’s Honor left off, Shogoro receives a reply from his nemesis, Matsuo Kaname, regarding his challenge to a warrior’s duel. A date and time is set for the fateful meeting. The location is the Strolling Ponds Garden.Elsewhere, an army of unknown size and intent marches towards Shinano Province. Views: 683
Stephen Baxter's The Martian in the Wood, a Tor.com OriginalIn the aftermath of the First Martian War, in the interim between it and what was to come later, England seemed to once again become a green and peaceful place, if one haunted by the terrible events in Surrey that had happened in those early years of the century. Although people hoped and prayed peace had come, they were wrong. Across the gulf of space, plans were being drawn for a return, but before they could bear fruit a terrible discovery was made deep in Holmburgh Wood, one that would tear a family apart and shock the world.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. Views: 682
Love can be as elusive as stardust.
After thirty-five years married to a controlling husband, Robyn Martin Donahue now has her freedom, friends, and a job she adores. And there’s still room in her heart for a special someone. Where in the galaxy can she find a man who will love and respect her, not try to rule her?
By law, a monarch cannot govern alone.
Recently widowed Kyzel Raptorclaw, the remaining sovereign of his clan, is on the hunt for a new mate. This time he wants more than just an ally; he wants love. But breaking with his peoples’ ancient mating tradition comes at a personal price—one his new mate may not accept.
Can Kyzel convince Robyn they are better together, or will their happily ever after crash and burn before it has a chance to soar?
Welcome to the Silverstar Agency, specializing in intergalactic love matches for those over fifty. Views: 682
A Team Fortress 2 fan fiction. The pyro suffers amnesia. Special thanks to Cred-Injuries for the silhouettes. Is credit to team.Jackson never thought buying a yacht could be so dangerous. A deadly attack at sea leaves Jackson wet and bewildered, fighting for his life. Views: 682
THE UNWITHERING REALM is a massive tale of a greater and darker evil with longer reach than anything Man can imagine, of despair without bounds, of pain beyond measure, and of the faith required to surmount all three. It is a story of inexorable destiny written in the stars and the stubborn courage that is required to defy it.
In THE BLOOD STORM, Ilya Muromets is bound and determined to be a hero, and heroes do not quit simply because they face impossible odds.
THE BLOOD STORM is the fourth book in THE UNWITHERING REALM, the Dragon Award-winning series by science fiction grandmaster John C. Wright, author of THE GOLDEN AGE, MOTH & COBWEB, and AWAKE IN THE NIGHT LAND. Views: 682
TRAVELLER WEDDING is narrated by a nomadic woman called Christine who is furious at the release of a violent videogame about a traveller wedding for the Christmas market.Simon Eady and his mother have been on the run for many years. He lost his father at an early age and he has no other family or close friends. His most prized possessions are three old photographs and a series of postcards.Simon is a very talented and resourceful teenager who is continuously developing and refining his skills: learning new languages, and excelling in sports and studies. Unbeknown to Simon, his life is about to change.Within the span of a few hours, he will find himself involved in a kidnap attempt, discover that his mother is terminally ill, be targeted by the secretive British spy agency MI6, being hunted by a cold-hearted assassin, and be informed that his father is in fact alive and hiding somewhere on the opposite side of the world. Triggered by his mother’s dying wish of seeing her husband one last time, shaken by a botched kidnapping attack, Simon is suddenly confronted by the insurmountable task of finding his father. Simon will be drawn into a world where survival depends on one’s ability to master espionage, resort to deceit, commit crime, and be willing to kill without hesitation. Simon will be required to use all of his skills and knowledge to stay alive whilst frantically racing around the world looking for his father. Along his transcontinental race, Simon will become friends with an old retired Italian spymaster, who will equip him for a life in a world that few have survived. His quest will lead him to discover dangerous secrets about his family’s past whilst sinking into a world from which there is no escape. Views: 682
Running - The Alien in the Mirror can be considered the prequel to the military scifi Iron Series but might also be the prequel to other science fiction thriller series.Ishmael Bodd 'wakes up' for the first time, a billion years in the future. He is a Citizen of Supercity, a city with no crime. But he suddenly feels compelled to commit a crime and goes on the run. He can never stop running.Running - The Alien in the Mirror can be considered the cyberpunk prequel to the military scifi Iron Series but might also be the prequel to other science fiction thriller series.Ishmael Bodd 'wakes up' for the first time, a billion years in the future. He is a Citizen of Supercity, on Marstoo, far away from old Earth in the Universe. In his world, crime doesn't exist and Citizens only need electricity to live, whereas clones, who eat food and drink liquids, are banished to Clonecity.But he suddenly feels compelled to commit a minor crime and goes on the run. He can never stop running until he has escaped his culture and found the reason why everything suddenly feels so 'strange' to him in this science fiction thriller.If you like the Terminator series, Blade Runner or Greg Bear’s Hull Zero Three, you will love Running - The Alien in the Mirror.Categories: science fiction, thriller, far future, clones, androids, cyborgs, time travel, genes, genetic engineering, military science fiction.Read more about the Ischians' war with Earth and blankers in Iron I: Too Bright the Sun, also available on Smashwords. Views: 682
A man trapped in a runaway escape pod fights to find out who he is and where he fits in amidst rumblings of war between the huge mechs, the Bakanhe Grana, and the human Federation. Views: 681
