Mind-expanding -Kirkus, starred review

A science fantasy noir tale from the Nebula-nominated author of Tower of Mud and Straw.

Refusing the queen's order to gas a crowd of protesters, Minister Shea Ashcroft is banished to the border to oversee the construction of the biggest defensive tower in history. However, the use of advanced technology taken from refugees makes the tower volatile and dangerous, becoming a threat to local interests. Shea has no choice but to fight the local hierarchy to ensure the construction succeeds-and to reclaim his own life.

Surviving an assassination attempt, Shea confronts his inner demons, encounters an ancient legend, and discovers a portal to a dead world-all while struggling to stay true to his own principles and maintain his sanity. Fighting memories and hallucinations, he starts to question everything...

Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory is a thought-provoking meditation on the fragility of the human condition, our beliefs, the manipulation of propaganda for political gains, and our ability to distinguish the real from the unreal and our willingness to accept convenient truths. The novel is a compelling exploration of memory, its fragile nature, and its profound impact on our perception of identity, relationships, and facts themselves.

Eloquent, moody, poetic. . . masterful.-Beth Cato (author of A Thousand Recipes for Revenge)

A note from the author: A major theme of the book is how disinformation and propaganda can be used to justify violence, and how ignoring evil can lead people to accept atrocities. I was able to witness all this first-hand, having spent the first 21 years of my life in Russia and absorbing the recent events unfiltered and in my native tongue. Sleeping worlds are not only devoid of memories; they are also oblivious to the pain of others.

A unique blend of science fiction, fantasy and noir, with zeitgeist and prophetic qualities (the original novella anticipated the Russo-Ukrainian War), this is a must for fans of China Miéville's Bas-Lag series, Ted Chiang's Tower of Babylon, and Robert Silverberg's Tower of Glass.

An imaginative, heady clash of fantasy and science-fiction that delivers powerful messages-FantasyBookCritic

Triumphs in its emotional and unsettling storytelling -The Fantasy Hive

Leisha Camden is a genetically engineered 'Sleepless.'

Her ability to stay awake all the time has not only made her more productive, but the genetic modifications have also given the 'Sleepless' a higher IQ and may even make them immortal.

Are they the future of humanity? Or will the small community of 'sleepless' be hunted down as freaks by a world that has grown wary of its newest creation?

His best since The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Jerry Pournelle

A charming protagonist in a story as sleekly engineered as a starship. This one should fly.--Publishers Weekly

One of Heinlein's best, which is to say one of the best in all of Science Fiction--terrific story with a superbly realized heroine and world.--Poul Anderson

Friday is a secret courier and ardent lover. Employed by a man she only knows of as Boss, she is given the most awkward and dangerous cases, which take her from New Zealand to Canada, and through the new States of America's disunion, all the way out into the stars and the new colony of Botany Bay.

Thrust into one calamity after another, she uses her enhanced wits and very many skills to evade, seduce or even kill her way out of any sticky situation she finds herself in. For she is both superior and inferior to the average human.

As an AP--artificial person--the best humanity has to offer has been written into Friday's DNA. Yet she is often treated like a second class citizen--if she were ever able to claim citizenship. Her mother was the test tube and her father the knife, as the saying goes, so she has less rights than the biologically-born human, and no soul, according to the church.

But in Friday Heinlein has created one of the most enlightened, warm, engaging and humane characters in the science fiction field, gifting us a novel of female empowerment that was well ahead of its time.

One of Heinlein's best, which is to say one of the best in all of Science Fiction--terrific story with a superbly realized heroine and world.--Poul Anderson

As the concept of intelligent fighting machines developed, the Bolo division of General Motors started working on tank designs that incorporated awareness and intelligence within the development of their tactical tanks.

With each new generation,

Pursuing humanity's redemption to its final interstellar frontier, Flynn delivers an impressive and original epic.-Publishers Weekly, starred review

Experience a truly extraordinary journey aboard a colossal generation ship, where Earth's brightest minds have forged a strict regime to ensure survival of the human race. The unintentionally-oppressive rules form uniquely distinct societies as the years pass, until differences in ideology, class, and cultural identity stirs up rebellion among the beleaguered crew, igniting the first whispers of revolution.

A masterful exploration of humanity's relentless quest for freedom, In the Belly of the Whale pushes the boundaries of the genre, offering a deeply insightful examination of societal evolution and personal resilience. Each character is so set in their convictions it will make you continuously reevaluate what is right and wrong as you dive into the depths of the human spirit and space.

A gripping epic that will take readers on a profound voyage of the mind and space.

This is the much-anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Hot Moon (A nail-biting thriller-Publishers Weekly) by two-time Sidewise Award-winning author Alan Smale.

Vivan Carter, the electrifying hero from Hot Moon, returns to lead a lunar geological survey team comprised of both Americans and Soviets. Their journey takes them across the harsh and barren lunar surface as they chart the moon and collect samples for this grueling mission. It is dangerous enough, but the stakes become much higher when an ambush threatens the entire mission.

The crew must navigate a treacherous path where survival requires ingenuity, courage, and an uneasy alliance with their Soviet counterparts. As the stakes grow higher, the mission becomes a test of skill, endurance, and trust in an era defined by suspicion and rivalry.

Dive into an electrifying alternate history where space rivalry takes center stage. Radiant Sky is a thrilling continuation of the highly acclaimed hard science fiction novel that will captivate fans of NASA fiction books, near-future adventures, and hard science fiction series. Set in a meticulously crafted world where the Cold War extends far beyond Earth's atmosphere, humanity's reach into space creates a new frontier of tension and exploration.

With breathtaking accuracy from a retired NASA director and an immersive look at the untold stories of space rivalry, Radiant Sky brings hard science fiction alive, capturing the imagination and the thrill of space exploration. Prepare for a pulse-pounding experience that redefines what it means to venture into the unknown.

ACCLAIM FOR THE SERIES

Smale's latest will delight and enthrall.-Library Journal *starred review*

A nail-biting thriller set in a plausible alternate 1979.-Publishers Weekly

Hot Moon is a provocative science fiction novel set in an alternative but plausible reality. It follows a war in space with original, imaginative flourishes.-Foreword

I loved it. Great 'hard' science fiction with convincing space battles.-Larry Niven

Alan Smale is one of the brightest stars in the hard-SF firmament, and Hot Moon is his best novel yet. -Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author

Intriguing, adrenaline-fueled, and engaging, author Alan Smale's Hot Moon is the perfect sci-fi meets political thriller.-Anthony Avina's Blog

A frightening glimpse into what the future may hold. This unforgettable journey takes readers to the very edge of reality, and possibly, our future.-Mostly Mysteries' and Other Books Too

A tale beloved by many fans of Robert A. Heinlein, Podkayne of Mars tells the story of a young Marswoman and her inter-planetary adventures with her uncle and her genius brother.

Told largely through Podkayne's diaries, the story details her travel to Earth with her two companions. Podkayne has very definite plans on what to do and how to do it, but not everything is as it seems. She is suddenly thrust into the middle of life and death situations when the liner they are travelling on makes a stop at Venus.

The original publisher of this book asked Heinlein to change the controversial ending, which Heinlein did extremely reluctantly. He felt the original ending much better suited the story line and was never satisfied with the modified 'safer ' ending. This edition restores the book to how Heinlein originally wrote it. It also includes a letter to his agent, decrying the changes asked for by his original publisher.

No one ever wrote like Smith, with his special blend of intense myth-making and rich invention --Publishers Weekly

Cordwainer Smith was one of the original visionaries to think of humanity in terms of thousands of years in the future,

No one ever wrote like Smith, with his special blend of intense myth-making and rich invention --Publishers Weekly

Cordwainer Smith was one of the original visionaries to think of humanity in terms of thousands of years in the future, spread out across the universe. This brilliant collection, often cited as the first of its kind, explores fundamental questions about ourselves and our treatment of the universe (and other beings) around us and ultimately what it means to be human.

In Scanners Live in Vain we meet Martel, a human altered to be part machine--a scanner--to be able withstand the trauma space travel has on the body. Despite the stigma placed on him and his kind, he is able to regrasp his humanity to save another.

In The Dead Lady of Clown Town we get to know the underpeople--animals genetically altered to exist in human form, to better serve their human owners--and meet D'Joan, a dog-woman who will make readers question who is more human: the animals who simply want to be recognized as having the same right to life, or the people who created them to be inferior.

In The Ballad of Lost C'mell the notion of love being the most important equalizer there is--as first raised in The Dead Lady of Clown Town--is put into action when an underperson, C'mell, falls in love with Lord Jestocost. Who is to say her love for him is not as valid as any true-born human? She might be of cat descent, but she is all woman

And in A Planet Named Shayol it is an underperson of bull descent, and beings so mutilated and deformed from their original human condition to be now considered demons of a hellish land, who retain and display the most humanity when Mankind commits the most inhumane action of all.

Whether it is the simplicity of a lively tale, the complexity of the situation, or the depth of characterization, the book has developed a loyal following. It also won Heinlein his first Hugo.

The story revolves around Lawrence Smith-also known as Lorenzo the Great-a down-and-out actor wasting the remainder of his life in bars.

When he encounters a space-pilot who offers him a drink, before he knows what is going on, he is on Mars involved in a deep conspiracy with global consequences. He is given a mission where failure would not only mean his own death, it would almost certainly mean an all-out planetary war.

Heinlein's novels of the 1940s and 50s shaped every single science fiction writer of my generation and everyone currently writing science fiction. Or making science fiction movies ... and Double Star is an excellent example of all the reasons why.-Connie Will

Nominee for Sidewise Award. The Sidewise Awards for Alternate History were established in 1995 to recognize the best alternate history stories and novels of the year.

A terrifying tale about HIV spreading in the early sixteenth century by an author, Publisher Weekly calls The Master of Alternate History.

What if HIV started spreading in the early 1500s rather than the late 1900s? Without modern medicine, anybody who catches HIV is going to die.

A patriarchal society reacts to this devastating disease in the only way it knows how: it sequesters women as much as possible, limiting contacts between the sexes except for married couples. While imperfect, such drastic actions do limit the spread of the disease.

The 'Wasting' (HIV) has caused devasting destruction throughout the known world and severely limited the development of technology as well, creating a mid-nineteenth century England and London almost unrecognizable to us. This is the world Viola is born into. Extremely intelligent and growing up in a house full of medical books which she reads, she dreams of travelling to far-off places, something she can only do via books since her actions and movements are severely restricted by both law custom.

Meticulously researched and exquisitely detailed in a way only a master like Harry Turtledove can do, this book is a tour-de-force from one of the best historical and alternate history writers ever to write in the genre.

Rollicking first of an alternate history series.... Readers will eagerly anticipate a trip to Mars in the sequel.-Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

Early probes to Venus and Mars found both to be teeming with life in this alternate universe.

Marc is stationed at Jamestown, a US-Commonwealth base on this alternate Venus rife with life, including sabertooths and dinosaurs. This base is not just a scientific outpost; it's a frontier of American and allied adventurers and scientists navigating a world as perilous as it is mysterious.

Cynthia is a newly arrived scientist from Earth tasked with studying some strange geological formations. She teams up with Marc, and during their investigation, they stumble across trouble brewing in the alien wilderness. The scientists are baffled by Venus's Earth-like life forms, which stir scientific and political tensions. The EastBloc's nearby base, Cosmograd, adds to the chilly diplomatic climate.

In a parallel struggle, Teesa of the Cloud Mountain People native to Venus is locked in a fierce battle with Neanderthal-like beastmen over sacred caves. An EastBloc shuttle crash escalates the conflict, arming the beastmen with modern weaponry.

Jamestown's mission to rescue the EastBloc cosmonauts spirals into a journey of discovery. The protagonists face tribal warfare and unearth secrets that could redefine their understanding of science and history. Amidst all this, a hidden enemy lurks on their own airship.

Events come to a head when Marc and Cynthia uncover evidence that may hold the key not only to the mystery of Venusian life, but of life on Earth, too.

Stirling offers an easygoing, atmospheric tale airbrushed with fuzzy political overtones, along with a good bit of humor and lively characterization.-Kirkus Reviews

The first completely automated Bolo, designed to operate normally without a man on board, was the landmark XV Model M, which performed remarkably well.

However, the always-present possibility of capture and use of a Bolo by an enemy was a constant source of anxiety to military leaders and, in time, gave rise to the next and fi­nal major advance in Bolo technology: the self-directing and self-aware Mark XX Model B Bolo, Tremendous.

But what happens when a self-aware fighting machine de­cides to go rogue?

After Hastings is a remarkable alternate history novel. A must read for anyone interested in the history of England and the Catholic Church. -MICHAEL A. BURSTEIN, Campbell/Astounding Award Winning Writer

On October 14, 1066, William of Normandy defeated King Harold of England at Hastings and changed the course of English history. But what if King Harold won the battle? After Hastings takes a look at a world in which the Norman Invasion of England is not successful, but the future of English history is still changed. The land Harold rules is not the same as the Anglo-Saxon kingdom before the attempted conquest.

With William vanquished, Harold sets about recreating his kingdom to ensure that it will no longer be at the mercy of foreign enemies. The Pope, overseeing the Church from Rome, however, may have different ideas about England's place in the world. Harold finds himself in a battle of wills with the Pope's emissary, Hildebrand.

After Hastings offers a medieval England filled with complex people, political intrigue, and religious upheavals, always under the increasing possibility for armed conflict.

On October 14, 1066. Harold held his throne ... but can he keep it?

Amidst political turmoil on Earth, a rescue mission to ailing colonists on Mars becomes a battle for power and survival in the harsh realities of space.

As humanity explores space, political strife rips apart nations and increases social divides. US President Horton Willoughby III governs only Eastern America and is seen as a political farce. Industrialist Richfield Chan sees opportunity in the fractured government and plans to seize power.

Chan rallies allies to send a seventh colony ship to Mars, hoping to undermine the current president. The Ngu family, responsible for terraforming and mining on Pallas, realize that any rescue mission from Earth will arrive too late. Four siblings launch a rescue mission from Pallas to save the ailing colonists with their expertise and better chosen implements.

The Ngu siblings know their mission is one-way and must teach the colonists to survive on the inhospitable planet or find a way to endure until another rescue ship arrives. The little people refuse to be subject to incompetent governments any longer and must make their own stand.

Scholar and bestselling author Turteltaub], encapsulates his vision of the ancient world through the eyes of these two engaging merchants.-Historical Novel Society

After some long and perilous journeys, Menedemos and Sostratos finally head back to Athens just in time for the Dionysia, a bacchanalian festival of plays and celebrations.

Like earlier installments in the series, Owls to Athens has the cousins going through various adventures, trade negotiations and sexual escapades, all set against a finely painted mosaic of Hellenic life in the fourth century BCE.

However, this time, most of their time is spent in the City of Athens instead of sailing on the high seas. But even in the City, life can be treacherous, particularly when Menedemos decides to have an affair with one of the most influential and dangerous women in Athens.