Short Stories Science

Hugh Howey is known for crafting riveting and immersive tales of boundless imagination. Now comes Machine Learning, an impressive collection of Howey's science fiction and fantasy short fiction, including three stories set in the world of Wool, two never-before-published tales written exclusively for this volume, and 15 additional stories collected here for the first time. These stories explore everything from artificial intelligence to parallel universes to video games, and each story is accompanied by an author's note.

A classic tale featuring two of the most-memorable characters in sword and sorcery, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Over a span of 50 years, the late Fritz Leiber wrote dozens of adventures, set in the fictional city of Lankhmar, featuring the seven-foot-tall barbarian and the diminuitive thief. The stories were recognized with both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

A classic tale featuring two of the most-memorable characters in sword and sorcery, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Over a span of 50 years, the late Fritz Leiber wrote dozens of adventures, set in the fictional city of Lankhmar, featuring the seven-foot-tall barbarian and the diminuitive thief. The stories were recognized with both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

In the magic lands of the Fae Wild, the Goblin King's virility is the lifeblood of the realm. But an insidious curse has put the kingdom on the precipice of a population panic. Enter Thomas Stone: architect, engineer, and unknowing half-blood heir to the goblin throne. Whisked away to a world where baby-making makes the world go round, Thomas finds himself in a pickle thicker than goblin stew. Birth rates are dropping faster than a fairy on a bad flight path, and it’s up to Thomas to save the fae from themselves.

Join the Librarian as he does his best to make the post-apocalyptic world a better place by protecting the weak, fighting injustice, squaring off against a group of former renaissance fair workers who have established a kingdom in the Rocky Mountains, and so on. Can one man make a difference in the face of such murderous cannibals and super smart bears? Probably not.

We are Draekons. Dangerous, fire-breathing dragon shifters. For the safety of the galaxy, we’ve been exiled to a prison planet. Then, a spaceship carrying human women crashes into our lives. The instant we lay eyes on them, we know. They are our mates. Ours to protect. Ours to cherish. Ours. Forever. Draekon Desire: Exiled to the Prison Planet: The Complete Collection features hours of exciting, heart-pounding, panty-melting alien dragon shifter menage romance.

With more than 10 stories from exciting new voices and a few veterans of the universe, the second anthology highlights the lives and struggles of humanity's best and worst years after system advent.

Ethan's got a cushy job and an empty apartment to prove he's mastered monotony. But a mysterious talisman sends him tumbling into a whole new world—quite literally. He says goodbye to spreadsheets and hello to becoming the first-ever human Goblin King. Rivals? The ex-King’s ticked-off offspring are itching to overthrow him. Duels? They’re on his calendar next to ‘avoid rebellion.’ Wives? He’s required to have at least two.

Levi Walker died by Truck-Kun and found himself reincarnated on the magical world of Taryl. With a new body comes a whole new curriculum as he's expected to enroll in the Otherworld Academy, a prestigious institute that trains magi to hone their magical prowess. If that's not enough, Levi's been sorted into the smallest house in the school, told he's a Demon Lord, and his dominant magic is beast taming. But Levi's never been one to focus on the negative. With beautiful classmates, entrancing faculty, and a very sassy squirrel at his side, he's ready to make Taryl his new home.

When the end of the world arrived, it came not with a bang, as most expected, but with more of a "pfft" instead. Humanity has been torn asunder and brought to the edge of total annihilation in less than an hour. For those who died, it was a quick death, so fast that their brains didn't have time to process the pain signals from their nerves. For those who survived, the true horror is about to begin as they struggle to not only stay alive, but come to grips with the shocking realization about what - and who - was responsible.

The Legend of Drizzt: The Collected Stories expands upon the epic legend of the dark elf with 12 tales performed by the all-star cast of Felicia Day, Dan Harmon, Greg Grunberg, Tom Felton, Danny Pudi, Sean Astin, Melissa Rauch, Ice-T, Wil Wheaton, Al Yankovic, Michael Chiklis, and David Duchovny!

Trapped in hostile territory just after the resolution of the Avan-Thrak war, Gryl lives off the land and the spoils of his once-ally, the chaotic Thrak berserkers. When a chance encounter with a group of renegade Shytan knights offers him a chance at a warm meal and a few nights of relative peace, and the possibility of coin in his pouch, Gryl finds himself unable to refuse. He soon learns, however, that no matter how far removed from the war he might be, the past is never far behind.

One minute, Kaelan’s a marketing exec with a dreary life. The next, he’s summoned by a gorgeous priestess into a world of swords, magic, and a warlord out for his blood. He’s not sure it’s an improvement until he learns the rewards are most certainly worth the risks. With unique and mighty powers to unlock, levels to gain, and some daring damsels on his team, can he survive long enough to save the kingdom?

A strange cry for help distracts Daniel from his boring study session. Curiosity gets the better of him and he is thrust through a portal where he emerges into a fantasy world of myth, magic, dragons and war. His arrival grants him a special opportunity. After stumbling upon a dying dragon, he discovers an egg that is about to hatch. Daniel knows a grand adventure awaits him and he seizes the moment to become a dragon rider.

Noted as one of the most popular series in American literature, the works of L. Frank Baum have been brought together in this singular collection that ensures the fun never stops! Embark on the journey that has capitated audiences for more than a century.

OK, Reg. You’re a bouncer who’s barely eking out a meager existence in the decaying Wilds outside Detroit. So a little job tracking the Eddies on their patrols seems like easy money. Well, think again, Reg. Because a riot’s about to happen… and you’re going to be the cause…

This story was originally published in the Hugo Award-nominated METAtropolis.

A conspiracy looms that threatens Cascadia itself. So why is Reg, a demolition crew worker, the last, best hope to stop it? Because there’s more to Reg than meets the eye…

The body of the latest minion of the demigod Aeyr was barely cold when we found our next urgent task. Some dude calling himself the Searcher, on the hunt for explorers and scholars, with the goal of ending their careers…and their lives. At the top of the list is Lirien, a kangaroo beastkin Brin has worked with before. My bevy of sexy women and I saddled up and made a beeline for Olliaran, land of the elves and the motherload of archaeological sites. Lirien is an explorer, made from the same mold as a certain raider of tombs, looking for something our enemy did not want found.

My family has run Sugarville’s one and only B&B for years. Sure, it's a little rundown and the gardens are overgrown, but it’s still got what I like to call rustic charm. If things go my way, it’ll become a cozy shelter for Hellhounds, Alicorns, Kobolds, and more! Yup – I’ve just become the manager of a government-run home for monster girls. Not only will I need to patch the roof, fix the barn, and master my burgeoning magic, but I’ll also need to help our guests adapt to living on Earth! However, unscrupulous forces are prowling about, trying to exploit monster girls for their arcane power.

This last volume in the definitive collection of the best science fiction novellas published between 1929 and 1964 contains 11 great classics. No anthology better captures the birth of science fiction as a literary field. Published in 1973 to honor stories that had appeared before the institution of the Nebula Awards, The Science Fiction Hall of Fame introduced thousands of young listeners to the wonders of science fiction and was a favorite of libraries across the country.