System Fiction

A Little Journey by Ray Bradbury is a poignant and quietly powerful science fiction short story that explores faith, aging, and the human hunger for transcendence. Written during Bradbury’s golden early-1950s period, the story follows Mrs. Bellowes, an elderly widow who joins a group of older women on what is promised to be a miraculous voyage to Mars—and ultimately, a path to God.

For Sister Catina De Baciu, surviving the evils of Colony 76 was all the adventure she needed. Her homecoming to the planet Kasian should have heralded a quiet, peaceful life. But her arrival was not empty-handed. And secrets, even those nestled deep in the earth, rarely stay hidden. It wasn't long before the Transport Administration, cuffs in hand, appeared at her door...

Dive into The Go-Getter, Peter B. Kyne’s inspirational classic that has motivated generations with its powerful message of perseverance and purpose. Set in post-WWI America, this compelling short story follows the relentless journey of William Peck, a war veteran turned salesman, who stops at nothing to prove his worth and earn respect.

Uncover one of Sherlock Holmes’s most unsettling cases in The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot by Arthur Conan Doyle. Set against the stark, windswept coast of Cornwall, this 1910 mystery follows Holmes and Dr. Watson as they investigate a series of inexplicable deaths and sudden madness afflicting a single family.

Dr. Alfred Clarendon, once praised as a brilliant researcher, now spirals into darkness as his forbidden experiments unleash consequences he can no longer control. Isolated inside the California State Penitentiary, haunted by the failures of his fever research and manipulated by his mysterious assistant Surama, Clarendon descends into a psychological labyrinth where ambition eclipses ethics.

Getting dragged into an alien world was not high on Elias Critchley's to-do list. One moment, he's trying to avoid eye contact with people on the school bus. The next, he's suspended mid-air in a bizarre tutorial and dumped—naked—into a dangerous, System-bound world where survival is far from guaranteed. With nothing but his sarcasm, stubborn streak, dry wit and a few skills from his old life, Elias must navigate a world that feels like the games he used to play… only now, dying doesn't come with a respawn.

Colony 76 is silent. Distracted by civil war, its mother planet Kasian has been unable to reconnect. Until now. Catina, an Acolyte stuck within her Tests, spearheads a mission of mercy. Though each crew member has their own motives for being there, they must all band together to make it home.

Humanity has colonized over 500 planets under the not-always-benevolent administration of the Federation of Planetary States via the FED Army and Navy. Longstanding grievances over economic exploitation by Earth-based companies have grown into a full-scale rebellion, and attempted secession has been tried by many of the more successful colonies. The Rebels believe a peaceful separation is possible. The FEDs believe an easy and swift military resolution is available.

The Garden of Survival by Algernon Blackwood is a deeply introspective and emotionally resonant novel that explores the fragile boundaries between love, memory, remorse, and spiritual endurance. Written in the early twentieth century, this lesser-known work showcases Blackwood’s mastery of psychological depth and quiet metaphysical inquiry beyond his more overt supernatural tales.

The Philip K. Dick Short Story Collection gathers some of the author’s most unsettling and visionary works—stories that helped define modern science fiction and inspired generations of writers, filmmakers, and thinkers. In this gripping volume, Philip K. Dick explores paranoia, identity, war, and perception through razor-sharp ideas and unforgettable twists.

Knells plans have begun to come together. His crew grows larger and more powerful with every passing day, and rumors of Captain Sorfina's death have already started to spread but not all attention is beneficial. A group who have lurked in the shadows for centuries are moving once more, and their leaders motives are just as shrouded as their past. More pieces enter the board of looming war, and Knells crew finds itself at the center of everything, whether they want to be or not.

Everything is going according to plan. Ivan Susanin has successfully installed a beacon in the undead territory and returned home. The situation changes when the next mission to the city of goblins is delayed, while his home planet becomes the battleground. Monsters invade Earth, and Ivan must become one of the leaders and unite the players under his banner, albeit within the borders of his own country. If circumstances demand that he discloses his identity and cooperates with the authorities, so be it! Modern weapons and equipment, instructors, financing, and protection by law....

The first stage is complete. Ivan Susanin has managed to survive and, together with the other leaders, unite the various players into the Alliance. Yet this is only the beginning. A huge goblin army is approaching from the city outskirts, while the undead roam inside the city. The people from Earth are stuck between a rock and a hard place. The only way to escape another massacre is to capture the goblin fortress and hold out until the end of the mission - or to abandon their wounded and scatter, hoping to avoid getting killed.

Beautifully read by Indira Varma and poignantly told, Marking Time is the second novel in Elizabeth Jane Howard’s bestselling family saga The Cazalet Chronicles, set during the onset of World War II. 'Compelling, moving, unputdownable . . . Maybe my favourite books ever' - Marian Keyes...

The Second World War has finally ended and so begins a new era of freedom and opportunity for the Cazalet family in Casting Off, the fourth novel in Elizabeth Jane Howard's magnificent Cazalet Chronicles. Read by Indira Varma (Game of Thrones, Luther and Oedipus at The Old Vic). 'Compelling...

Step into one of Sherlock Holmes’s most suspenseful cases in The Adventure of the Dying Detective, a gripping short story by Arthur Conan Doyle first published in 1913. When Dr. Watson is summoned urgently to Baker Street, he finds Holmes seemingly on his deathbed—ravaged by a mysterious and fatal tropical disease. Refusing medical treatment and behaving with alarming cruelty, Holmes insists instead on confronting Culverton Smith, a man linked to a suspicious and unresolved death.

When Mia Strong, proud geek girl and popular gaming blogger, auctions off her virginity online, she knows she'll make waves. But what she will not be making is a love connection. Her rules are set in stone: One night. No further contact.

Eloquent. Philosophical. Introspective. These are not the words usually associated with an autistic child. But in a remarkable display of courage and creativity, a boy named Tito has shattered stereotypes, and in The Mind Tree makes us question all of our previous assumptions about autism. For Tito is severely autistic and nearly nonverbal, and this is his story.

Set in the height of the Second World War, The Cazalet Chronicles continues with the third in the series, Confusion, where chaos has become a way of life for the Cazalet family. Read by Indira Varma (Game of Thrones, Luther and Oedipus at The Old Vic) 'Compelling, moving, unputdownable...

Dennoch wird es für Hal Mason kein Kinderspiel sein, die System-Apokalypse zu überleben. Während er einen Kautionsflüchtling dingfest macht, unterbrechen ihn durchsichtige, blaue Fenster. Sie kündigen es an: Das System – eine Welle strukturierter mystischer Energie, die Galaxien umspannt, alle Elektronik zerstört und der Menschheit Fähigkeiten aus Videospielen verleiht.