Contemporary Science Fiction

Bree Waters has escaped the town that took her magic, but claiming her power was only the beginning. Merfolk exist at sea, and Bree has found them. Approaching the Luna pod for help defeating corruption back home was supposed to be a simple task, but their people are fighting a battle of their own. To obtain the help she needs, Bree must assist the seafolk in return. Bree should be able to access the full range of her magic, but when her mermaid tail and siren call fail to appear, the merfolk prince is tasked with training her to wield the incredible power of her ancestors.

The science fiction genre has become increasingly influential in mainstream popular culture, evolving into one of the most engaging storytelling tools we use to think about technology and consider the shape of the future. Along the way, it has also become one of the major lenses we use to explore important philosophical questions. The origins of science fiction are most often thought to trace to Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, a story born from a night of spooky tale-telling by the fireside that explores scientific, moral, and ethical questions that were of great concern in the 19th century - and that continue to resonate today.

Nyssa Blacksea is eager to silence her doubters. As the only warrior in her guild without magick, she's forced to rely solely on her martial arts mastery, unwavering confidence, and charisma. When given the chance to hunt down a mysterious woman named Quinn and earn the coveted title of Ashcloak, Nyssa seizes the opportunity. Track down a fugitive? An easy task. There's just one problem—Quinn isn't receptive to Nyssa's charms and refuses to go down without a fight. Dangerous secrets swirl around Quinn and a treacherous guild leader, rattling Nyssa's faith in the very system that raised her.

By the divine promise of sacrifice, he awakened an Ash Angel with a new body, new powers, and a new war to fight. Cassandra, his temperamental trainer, tries to get him ready to battle Ghostpackers and Dreads, but it might be too little too late: for the first time in history, the Ash Angels are faltering against the fury of an evil more ancient than they are. While he fights to survive run-ins with a Sheid-hunted pop star and a gorgeous but dangerous Dread, Trace realizes his new life cannot erase the trauma of the old.

Tech designer Sloane Reinhart and her ten-year-old daughter, Gwyneth, were living ordinary lives outside of Milan, Italy, when an extraordinary event occurred. The sky turned to swirling hues of purplish red and blue, and a thunderclap shook the land. Then there was a blinding flash and a gale force of wind that separated Sloane and Gwyn from each other—and Earth.

The last in a proud line of witches, he’s come to test his small magic in the big city. Stealing enchanted artifacts pays the rent, but the competition is fierce. And handsome. And great at magic too.

Working as a quality-assurance grunt in the gaming industry sounds like fun, right? You get to play the coolest new games before anyone else. And all you have to do is to find, reproduce, and report bugs before the last pixel is locked in and the games are launched to an eager public. Sure, there’s the unpaid overtime, the office politics, and the ever-present threat of layoffs. But you get to game!

Once upon a time, there was a forgotten era of magic and monster. But the remnants—and all memory—of the old world have been replaced by the sane, the scientific, and the rational. But sometimes the magical past isn’t content to stay past. That’s where Jack Damian comes in. It’s his joy to protect our present from the supernatural remnants of an earlier time, a different history. It’s his job to make the past safe. Jack is called to the Tate Museum, where dozens of people have disappeared beneath the surface of a painting.

Psychologist Loche Newirth becomes hunted when he sees a painting that opens a window onto the afterlife. An ancient order of men seeking to control the art pursue him across the world, through centuries, into madness, and beyond. The first part of Michael B. Koep's the Newirth Mythology The Invasion of Heaven is mystery, adventure, myth, betrayal, murder, and madness. Loche Newirth wonders if it was his fall: The 50-foot drop from the rocky cliff to the icy water below. Is this why he has been hallucinating?

Liv is a rebel with royal blood who abdicated her birthright. A string of murders changes everything and the House of Seven asks her to take on a role as a Warrior, one of seven positions revered for protecting magic. Although Liv would rather stay out of the politics and conspiracies that she ran away from years ago, her family needs her. It’s only a twelve-year stint until her sister, the next in line, can take over.

Young Erich’s quest for an invincible character build will require more than his decades as a number-crunching munchkin, though. Even with power-leveled skills, feudal life is no cakewalk—especially when you keep drawing more attention than you can handle. Can Erich adapt to his strange new world before his worst impulses take the campaign of a lifetime completely off the rails?

Born without magic, Mackenzie Little has few prospects. In a futile attempt to break her out of the null caste, her mother ropes her into participating in a charity auction, where anything can be bought with enough money.

As White Haven enjoys the Beltane fire festival, a creature of smoke, shadow, and searing flame emerges from the celebrations with one burning ambition: to claim the dragon eggs hidden in Ravens' Wood and reshape the world. Events further spiral out of control when Avery decides to use an ancient dragon spell from the family grimoire to bring her mother and sister back to White Haven, demanding answers after years of silence. The spell is more powerful than expected, and the family reunion is as fiery as Beltane—especially when Helena is involved.

For Franny, the end of everything is just the beginning of her adventure. The world as we know it is no more. Cities are mobile. Electricity is rare. Reading is a relic of the past. After an explosive encounter with a mysterious stranger, Franny, a 14-year-old orphan girl, embarks on an epic quest to find the mysterious pilots who steer the cities, hoping that if she finds them, she will get answers about her family's past - and the world's future.

Delve back into Witchlight Cove as Beatrix learns to use the Eternal Flame to protect herself, and her hidden magical town. Perfect for fans of strong heroines, lovable animal sidekicks, and heart-racing urban fantasy, Secrets of the Forgotten Heir delivers action, charm, and supernatural surprises. With stand-alone mysteries, sharp humour, and a swoon-worthy slow-burn romance spanning the series, it’s an unmissable treat.

Amid the sumptuous backdrop of the London season in 1905, headstrong Katherine Sinclair must join the ranks of debutantes vying for suitors. Unfortunately for Katherine, she cannot imagine anything more loathsome - or dangerous. To help ease her entrance into society, Katherine’s family has elicited the assistance of the Earl of Thornewood, a friend and London’s most eligible bachelor, to be her constant companion at the endless fetes and balls.

Justin Hawthorne's bloodline has protected Four Paths for generations from the Gray - a lifeless dimension that imprisons a brutal monster. After Justin fails to inherit his family's powers, his mother is determined to keep this humiliation a secret. But Justin can't let go of the future he was promised and the town he swore to protect. Ever since Harper Carlisle lost her hand to an accident that left her stranded in the Gray for days, she has vowed revenge on the person who abandoned her: Justin Hawthorne.

In a perfect world where everyone destroys everything and eats human flesh, one zombie has had enough: Buck Burger. When he rebels at the natural disorder, his marriage starts deteriorating and a doctor prescribes him an anti-depressant. Buck meets a beautiful green-haired pharmacist fairy named Fairy_26 and quickly becomes a pawn in a cold war between zombies and supernatural creatures.

As the fight for Boran-al's Citadel draws to a close, Dave's learned one important lesson: To protect what he cares for, he's going to have to become stronger. He can't just sit back in Cliff-Hill and take things easy. Emerilia is filled with danger as well as possibilities. It's time that Dave becomes a Master Smith.

Watch out - the Earth just fell into a dark sun's orbit! Or maybe you'd rather visit a theme park called Hell? These are just two of the strange and unnerving tales you'll find in this collection of great science fiction and fantasy stories.