Science Fiction Litrpg

The best of the year's science fiction and fantasy stories as selected by the multiple award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan. Distant worlds, time travel, epic adventure, unseen wonders, and much more! The best, most original and brightest science fiction and fantasy stories from around the globe from the past 12 months are brought together in one collection by multiple award winning editor Jonathan Strahan.

Greater political influence and power always comes at the cost of new enemies. Between digging up ancient secrets, a war that seems to escalate with every passing day, and dealing with the schemes of his political enemies, Zareth really hasn’t had the chance to truly enjoy his newfound wealth and status. But that doesn’t mean that things are all bad.

Last time we saw Jake, he was [redacted to avoid spoilers] with [redacted] in order to travel to [redacted]. He had finally learned [redacted] and [redacted]. He was just starting to [redacted]! So join him now on his new adventure as he [redacted! redacted! redacted!]. Ok, no spoilers allowed, but be prepared for a life-changing, world-spanning, time-twisting conclusion to Jake's story!

It seems Max is one of many people abducted from Earth to participate in the Cosmic Games, conducted by the Intergalactic Consortium of Civilized Beings. Humanity and three alien species have been recruited to wage war on behalf of ICCB members in a conflict over resources. The species that wins the game for their benefactors will return to their home planets, rewarded with the knowledge to guide them to peace and immortality. The other, losing species will be made extinct.

With the newly hatched Nishari at his side, it is finally time for Hump to face his fate in Drakalyn, home of the wolf dragons, but to get there he must venture through the Fallen Lands—a realm lost to dungeons and monsters. Only, time is not on his side. The Book of Infinite Pages has awoken, and if Hump fails to master his manifested soul, others will seek to claim it. Even in these distant lands, a new danger approaches, and it seeks the blood of a goddess. The Dragon Keepers are all that stand between Celaine's people and death. The White Flame must blaze again.

The Antithesis want nothing more than to consume other worlds, altering their environments and birthing armies of monsters to continue their spread across the galaxy. Their next target is Earth, but with hundreds of Samurai protecting their home, it will be no easy victory. Taking root on Mars and its moons, the Antithesis have concocted a plan for the ultimate cosmic takeover: transform Phobos into a living satellite and hurtle it toward Earth.

Stephen Crawford is trying to finish his PhD dissertation when he's transported to a magical land he's previously only experienced through gaming. With a strange new capability that causes him to capture (and remove from existence) places, things, and people, he's trying to make sense of his situation and make his way back to Earth.

Stuck under a mountain of debt, Ike can only dream of the world of hunters. Ranks, power, and the System are out of his reach, until the day he awakens a Unique skill. Ike must break out of the slums and overturn the hierarchy of the System to fulfil his dream of becoming the ultimate hunter. Harvesting the skills of monsters, he turns against the world's logic.

Rising from the ashes, Ashlock fully accepts his new reality as a tree. However, he is still surrounded by an antagonistic demonic sect that is too big a threat to face by himself. With no way to run, he must stand his ground and fight. But not alone. It's time for him to gather dependable allies and form his own sect. But a sect is more than the sum of its people. Not only must he gather talented individuals, but he will also need to build a place he can proudly call home in this crazy world.

Young Gary Dem has come a long way from the streets of Tier-3 Slough. With the ever-increasing power of his ill-gotten Werewolf System, he's risen from street slug to Howler gang leader to legit scrapper at the Altered Fighting Academy. Unfortunately, trouble follows him everywhere, bringing not only the usual battles, bloodshed, and general chaos but also the introduction of an all-new nemesis.

In The Land: Predators, the Mist Village has harnessed its power. With core buildings, professional fighters, and now their own dungeon, the settlement is primed to grow into a kingdom of true power and magic. The path to power has not been without risk, however. The MistVillage has been noticed. Evil nobles from the Kingdom of Law, bloodthirsty goblins from the Serrated Mountains, an undead lord with a penchant for human sacrifice, and fanatical kobolds from the Depths all plot the village's destruction.

In just seven days, the world will crumble. The System's Descent will usher in a new era of chaos: wild animals mutating, monstrous creatures emerging, and the cessation of modern technology. Humanity will be left defenseless. Drew Wright knows none of this. At least not until he is rudely ripped from his bed and thrust into a white room to undergo a taser-happy ‘Tutorial’. Turns out, he is one of a thousand randomly selected people to be forewarned of the approaching apocalypse. Now, he faces the delightful task of convincing his wife and mother of the devastation hurtling towards them.

The Jaeger squad has finally tracked down Griff’s kidnapped daughter. The problem? She’s locked away in the deadliest dungeon in the wasteland—the Supermax. A magical prison for the mobs and Incants too dangerous to go free, but too valuable to kill off. None of the magical prisoners who have disappeared into the dungeon turned prison have ever been heard from again, but the Jaeger squad is looking to be the first. It’s time for a jailbreak in the IZ. But the Supermax is hiding a deep, dark secret. One that just might get the Jaegers killed. Or worse.

Don't miss the start of this LitRPG adventure about a reincarnated necromancer growing in power and finding his way in a new world where the rules have changed vastly since he last "lived".

The world has been remade. Transformed by the touch of the World Tree, Earth has regressed to a pretechnological age. Machines no longer function, nations have fallen, and the remnants of humanity struggle to survive in a world brimming with danger . . . and power. But from the ashes of civilization, Ethera—a mystical energy that grants supernatural abilities through a game-like system of stats, spells, and magical evolutions—has emerged.

Three volumes in a single offering! Fighting with your heart on the line may be hard, but it's sure as hell worth it. Emma and Kaitlynn are about to start the next—and final—series of Trials, and the only thing that seems certain is that it’s going to be a bumpy friggin’ ride. Past those, there's still the mysterious Final Hub to tackle, undoubtedly featuring a certain flying Lightning Witch with a grudge.

Twelve players set off through the online world of Galactogon, lured by the game owners' promise of an enormous payoff. The question is, who will survive to tell the tale? Which of the 12 is a potential hero - or a traitor in the making? Which of them will defend the weak, and who will become the ultimate evil overlord? A knight or a coward? Each of the 12 will have to choose his or her path.

Elise was always made fun of for her big ears and buck teeth. She tried her best to overcome the mockery, only to work herself to death and wake up as... a big-eared, buck-toothed rabbit. Now, with nothing but an almost worthless System Assistant to help her, she needs to survive in a world full of magic and monsters. On top of all that, for some reason she's been given the ominous [Mark of Fate] skill. She has no idea what it does, but things keep happening to her, most of them unpleasant.

Ethan was just a plain old engineer, but everything changed when he was reborn into a world of skills, levels, and magic. With advanced knowledge far ahead of the time period he now finds himself in, he's primed to succeed. Especially because he can construct, deconstruct, and reconstruct runes—something no one else can do.

Earth continues to struggle as the system infuses our world with mana. Creatures and those seeking power lurk on the fringes and it’s up to Rico and the other summoned beings to hold back the tide. With each summoning, Rico grows in power, and that power will help him resist the threats to our world. Unfortunately, there is threat right under Rico’s nose, a threat that might not only spell Rico’s doom, but also Earth’s.