Contemporary Science Fiction

Jake is working at the neighborhood market under his apartment when the world ends. He expected nuclear war, a computer virus, or even climate change burning everyone to a crisp to bring about the downfall of civilization. But cruel and arbitrary gods from another world? Who would have guessed that? When these cruel gods shuffled Earth like a deck of cards, nothing was in the same place anymore. Monsters, dungeons, and magical items appear scattered across the globe. And suddenly, everyone has access to a new, strange magical card system that gives them magical powers.

Emerson Powers has been so focused on obtaining her science degree that she’s neglected the more social aspects of college life. With the new start of her junior year, she’s determined to fix that with a real hands-on lesson in biology. The assignment is simple enough—teach the rock star’s son how to be good, while he shows her how to be very bad. Two objectives, one outcome … will the lesson be love or heartbreak?

At sixteen, when Peri Sanguis's wild magic first appeared, she was forced to flee her Wyoming ranch—and her suddenly murderous family—to save her own life. On the East Coast, tutored by mages who run the Witch's Brew bookstore-cafe, Peri's world seems magically tranquil—until her estranged mother and a coven of witches are slaughtered. Now, to solve the violent mysteries of her past, she must put her trust, body and soul, in a sensual immortal who is every woman's darkest fantasy.

Long ago, homo nocturnus ruled the Earth, able to manipulate the forces of nature at their most basic level. Before the dawn of recorded history they were overthrown, leaving behind them only legends---our legends of shapeshifters and blood-drinkers, of cruel gods and evil magicians, of ogres and goblins, succubi and incubi.

Doctor Talbot Harrison, a professor in archaeology, receives a phone call one day which will destroy everything he perceives as reality. His brother has been mysteriously killed and within moments, the United States military appear at his door, literally dragging him from his home. Thrown into a helicopter under intense armed guard, it doesn't take long until they are attacked by something which cannot possibly exist, something drawn to destroy the one man who can stop the beasts from a land beyond Hades.

Charley is a cleaner by day and a professional gambler by night. She might be haunted by her tragic past but she's never thought of herself as anything or anyone special. Until, that is, things start to go terribly wrong all across the city of Manchester. Between plagues of rats, firestorms, and the gleaming blue eyes of a sexy Scottish werewolf, she might just have landed herself in the middle of a magical apocalypse. She might also be the only person who has the ability to bring order to an utterly chaotic new world.

When alien warrior Kozien Lorrz left behind life as the heir to his planet's throne to run a team that hunts down missing things, his father swore he'd make him regret the decision. According to the king, leaving his duties behind was a mistake, and taking his brothers was an act of treason. Now, with business dwindling, Kozien is forced to send a message into the universe that his team is offering a pro-bono case—a move that could draw in new clients or alert their father to their whereabouts.

The best science fiction and fantasy stories of 2021, selected by series editor John Joseph Adams and guest editor Veronica Roth. This year’s selection of science fiction and fantasy stories, chosen by series editor John Joseph Adams and bestselling author of the Divergent series Veronica Roth...

Emma Gavin writes best-selling novels about werewolves, but that doesn't mean she believes in them-and she certainly doesn't think she'll meet one. But that's exactly what happens when her books catch the attention of a rich and powerful pack of Manhattan Weres who have kept their existence hidden for centuries. Alarmed by the accuracy of her novels, they're determined to find out if a renegade is acting as her informant.

Among the Shadowdwellers, Trace holds power that some are willing to kill for. Without a stranger's aid, one rival would surely have succeeded, but Trace's brush with death is less surprising to him than his reaction to the beautiful, fragile human who heals him. By rights, Trace should hardly even register Ashla's existence within the realm of Shadowscape, but instead he is drawn to everything about her-her innocence, her courage, and her lush, sensual heat.

When thirty-two-year-old Ava Winslow inherits a flower farm from her late grandfather's estate, she's determined to uncover the secrets she knew her family was hiding. As she draws closer to the truth, the last thing she expects to find is a portal hidden on the property leading to another world. Desperate to learn what her mother never revealed before her death, Ava is thrust into a magical land of fae on the brink of war.

Latro now finds himself in Egypt, a land of singing girls, of spiteful and conniving deities. Without his memory, his is unsure of everything, except for his desire to be free of the curse that causes him to forget. The visions Gene Wolfe conjures, of the wonders of Egypt, and of the adventures of Latro as he and his companions journey up the great Nile south into unknown or legendary territory, are unique and compelling.

A god has died, and it’s up to Tara, a first-year associate in the international necromantic firm of Kelethras, Albrecht, and Ao, to bring him back to life before his city falls apart. Her client is Kos, recently deceased fire god of the city of Alt Coulumb. Without him, the metropolis’ steam generators will shut down, its trains will cease running, and its four million citizens will riot. Tara’s job: resurrect Kos before chaos sets in.

Black Hollow is a town with a dark secret. For centuries, residents have foretold the return of the Dreamwalker - an ominous figure from local folklore said to lure young women into the woods and possess them. Yet the boundary between fact and fable is blurred by a troubling statistic: Occasionally, women do go missing. And after they return, they almost always end up dead.

As a mafia-like demon family trapped on Earth, the Youngbloods have seen their share of family drama...but it’s never been like this before. While they battle the secret society trying to destroy them, Petra Youngblood must choose who she loves most. Will her loyalty lie with her family or with Killian Irons, the human she’s fallen in love with, whose family is hell-bent on eradicating her own? Complicating matters further, a long-hidden secret is about to come to light. Ora Youngblood has been holding out on the clan.

It was supposed to be a simple scouting mission. In and out. No fighting. No new quests. Just me, my hippocorn, Alice, and a few hired mercenaries. We were going to tiptoe into the Spiral, get the info we needed, and leave. You know, the Spiral? That tower-defense run that protects the hobgoblin capital from invaders? Easy, right? Nobody would even know we were there. Yeah, so about that....

Since its publication, Quidditch Through the Ages has been one of the most popular books in the Hogwarts library. Read by Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and many more, it is the essential guide to the wizarding world's favourite game.

Markham has returned to Seattle, searching for Katarina, the girl who, a decade ago, touched his soul, literally tearing it from his body. But what he discovers upon arriving is dark magick - of a most ancient and destructive kind! An encounter with a desperate spirit, leaping destructively from host to host, sets Markham on the trail of secretive cabal of magicians seeking to punch a hole through heaven, extinguishing forever the divine spark.

Percy Jackson n'est pas un garçon comme les autres. Il découvre un jour le secret de sa différence : son père, n'est autre que Poséidon, le dieu de la mer dans la mythologie grecque. Placé pour sa protection dans un camp de vacances pour enfants "sangs mêlés" (mi-humains, mi-divins), Percy se voit injustement accusé d'avoir volé l'éclair de Zeus. Afin d'éviter une guerre fratricide entre les dieux de l'Olympe, il va devoir retrouver l'éclair et démasquer le vrai coupable... au péril de sa vie.

Annie Jones works hard designing windows for iconic New York City department store Lawson's Finest. So when her Christmas window display gets upended by some rambunctious kids on Christmas Eve, the all-too-realistic store Santa gives Annie a little decorating tip on how to start over. With help from friendly security guard Braden Tate, Annie repairs the damage and heads home. But when she wakes the next morning, she's bewildered to find that it isn't Christmas day at all, but Christmas Eve all over again.