Space War Fantasy

In this epic conclusion to the first series in the Human Chronicles Saga, Adam Cain and his band of Human warriors are presented to the Supreme Leader of the Galaxy. With only minutes to live, Adam convinces the Juirean leader that Humans are not the enemy, but that both their races have been part of a diabolical plot for galactic domination orchestrated by the Klin. And yet just when the truth dawns on the Juireans, the planet Juir is attacked by Kracori forces, which leads to a whole new set of problems for Adam and his band of Human Super-Men.

CONTENTS: Introduction; I Just Make Them Up, See; Someday; The Feeling of Power; Living Space; Satisfaction Guaranteed; The Last Question; Jokester; The Immortal Bard; Spell My Name With an "S"; The Ugly Little...

The Peacemaker-enforced ceasefire brought an end to the hostilities, but not a resolution, and now it’s up to the Four Horsemen to forge a lasting peace. Alexis Cromwell, despite her pregnancy, heads off to Capital with Nigel Shirazi to obtain justice from the enigmatic Mercenary Guild Council, but when they arrive, they’re quickly embroiled in galactic politics, and find out the situation is far, far worse than they could possibly have imagined.

Colonel Mitchell "Ares" Williams has won battles before. So while the recovery of the eternal engine and the emergence of a powerful new ally have given him hope that he can save humanity from enslavement and annihilation, he knows the war against the Tetron is far from over, and victory far from assured.

An der Spitze des Weltraum-Aufklärungsteams, das von der Erde entsandt wurde, steht Captain Taylor Ray, um in den unendlichen Weiten der Galaxie nach Anzeichen der Hedalt zu suchen, jener längst besiegten außerirdischen Feinde der Menschheit. Niemand erwartet wirklich, dass sie etwas Bedeutendes entdecken, denn das ist bislang noch niemandem gelungen. Nach Jahrzehnten der Jagd nach den Überresten der Hedalt über Lichtjahre hinweg, sind nur noch verlassene Geister-Stützpunkte übrig – längst vergessene Außenposten einer seit langem untergegangenen Zivilisation.

When leading archeologist Dr. Hank Murphy discovers an alien artifact on the Moon, corporate interests are quick to get involved. Murphy just wants to understand what this thing is and how it works. After months of research, he finally manages to locate the power source. The gate is soon activated...and Murphy is pulled through. Moments later, he finds himself in a war-torn corner of the galaxy where strangers like him are called Orphans...and they are considered extremely dangerous. Somehow altered by the experience, the archeologist now has enhanced strength, speed, and agility.

The interstellar bridges provide a lifeline for billions. To save humanity, the Darkspace Renegades must tear them all down. Unjustly kicked out of the Consortium Security Force, Hallam Knight has been reduced to working as a gunner, defending the precious Randenite fuel tankers from notorious extremists, the Darkspace Renegades. Then, he discovers that everything he thought he knew was a lie. Far from being the enemy, the Darkspace Renegades are humanity’s only hope.... They just don’t know it yet.

The brilliantly unorthodox Kylara Vatta - black-sheep scion of Vatta Transport Ltd., one of the galaxy's wealthiest merchant houses - is a heroine like no other, blessed with a killer instinct both for business and for battle. Now, in the aftermath of cold-blooded assassinations that have left her parents dead and the Vatta shipping empire shattered, Kylara faces her greatest challenge yet. There is a time for grief and a time for revenge. This is decidedly the latter.

Private Don Ekker joined the Berserkers expecting combat; that was what he wanted. But he got more than he bargained for. Escorting water shipments on the desert world of Wayward, he finds himself in a brutal and schizophrenic conflict, facing fanatical insurgents and bloodthirsty pirates, all with one thing in common: they want him dead. For Ekker, survival means quick reflexes, superior firepower, and horrific choices between life and death. Choices he must live with, if he doesn’t get wasted first.

Thirty years after the events in the Solar system, the Empire had entered a time of expansion and advancement. Six hundred light years from Earth, humanity starts again. But, their safety and peace are threatened when a hostile force is detected in one of the systems close to the Empire's border.

A Gauntlet War may seem inevitable. Multiple dominant races from different galaxies converge to annihilate you before retreating to their secret lairs waiting to be called out again. But the truth is, nothing is inevitable. And those conducting the invasions know this far better than their victims...

In a vastly overpopulated near-future world, businesses have taken the place of governments and now hold all political power. States exist merely to ensure the survival of huge transnational corporations. Advertising has become hugely aggressive and boasts some of the world's most powerful...

Soren, Alex, and the rest of their allies have given everything they have. They’ve challenged both the nature of the cosmos and the cruelest despot within it. They’ve given their blood, sweat, and tears, and somehow come out the other side.

Still reeling from heavy losses on Xenotia, the Chevaliers have a new client and a new contract—one that sees Vandal sent to the war front months ahead of the rest of the company on a special assignment. Tasked with turning a hangar full of derelict uprights from a fallen star empire into a fleet of battle-ready uprights to spur a revolution, Vandal must learn how to lead his detachment of unruly mechanics. Because once they make planetfall, Vandal will step once more from the hangar to the cockpit. And those tanks are the only thing between him, and certain death.

Human pioneers fleeing Earth for the promised land of New Eden found hell instead, falling prey to the reptilian Kresh. But street-savvy Cyrus Gant escaped the aliens, rescued master telepath Klane, and began a desperate journey to head off the impending Kresh invasion of Earth.

A good Gajur gave his life. Will that sacrifice help bring the galaxy back to balance? Or topple known space into a war to end all wars? Armagost wasn't the only light snuffed prematurely. The attack destroyed an irreplaceable piece of Valint's life, as well. Now, Mark must toe the delicate line between lawman and friend, partner and lover. With those in power divided, the work has only begun. The galaxy no longer needs a maker of peace, but a lobbyist and negotiator. In order to deconstruct the entombed and corrupt system, Mark and the gang must stack the deck in their favor.

En Ganímedes, asolada por la guerra y fuente de recursos de los planetas exteriores, una marine de Marte asiste a la aniquilación de su pelotón a manos de un supersoldado monstruoso. En la Tierra, una política de alto rango hace todo lo posible por evitar que vuelva a estallar una guerra interplanetaria. Y en Venus, una protomolécula alienígena se ha hecho con el planeta y desencadenado una serie de cambios misteriosos que amenazan con extenderse por el Sistema Solar. El futuro de la humanidad depende de que una sola nave evite una invasión alienígena.

The Republic, the Opters, and a strange Crystalline race of unknown origin all meet in a series of titanic battles. Commodore Straker summons thousands of ships, but he soon learns he’s technologically outclassed by the enemy. With traditional victory impossible, the race is on for each side to destroy the key worlds of the other. Billions die, entire planets are destroyed. Even while the war rages, dark suspicions grow. There are traitors in the midst of the chaos. Straker realizes the worst enemy is the one you believed to be your ally....

I thought the hard part of helping the Helta defeat the rampaging Tevynians would be the fighting. How wrong I was. To the Helta, we Earthers look just like the Tevynians, their mortal enemies. And convincing their government to ally with humans may be even beyond the crew of the starship James Bowie. But the clock is ticking, because the Tevynian fleet is bearing down on the Helta homeworld. If we can’t talk the Helta into accepting our help to fight them off, then Helta Prime will fall.... And Earth will be next.

With The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume 3, award-winning editor Neil Clarke provides a year-in-review and 27 of the best stories published by both new and established authors in 2017.