Watcher’s Web is an exciting survival story set in an alien wilderness.
She is lost on an alien planet. He said he’d help her get home. He lied.
Jessica’s plane develops engine trouble over the dry Australian inland—and crashes in thick, unfamiliar rainforest.
A group she thinks is a search party shows up, but it consists of large-eyed not-quite people who kill all survivors except Jessica and a long-haired hippie named Brian.
No one is going to come to rescue her. In fact, they’re not even on Earth.
While the pair wrestle their way through the forest in search for help, Jessica becomes ever more suspicious of Brian. Why does he know so much about the world where they have ended up? Why is he so insistent on helping her?
Jessica has always been able to use her mind to tell animals what to do and now she’s hearing voices in her head. Another man is pleading her not to listen to Brian. Except this man can kill someone with a single look, and he uses his mental powers to order people around.
In this utterly strange and dangerous world where people seem to want something from her, who can she trust?
A gritty survival story in the vein of The Hunger Games, set in a Star Wars locality.
The rich and powerful tapestry of world building captures the imagination and just doesn’t let go. The characters are full of life and complexity. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It is easy to identify with the peoples and through suspension of disbelief, this world was very real, as are the struggles being faced. Love books that make me think about what I would or wouldn’t do in that situation. Great strong female lead.
Hollywood, are you listening? This story should be made into a movie! Avatar, move over. There’s a new kid on the block! This story is well written and the characters have plenty of depth. The story flows from one page to the next, from one chapter to the next. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from page one til the end.
Netflix’s marketing has been a blast. From Bright’s Orc auditions, to blending reality with Black Mirror episodes, to the upcoming Altered Carbon series with a real booth at CES promoting the fictional company’s services, they’re spinning their stories and firmly lodging them into everyone’s minds.
Netflix is doing exactly what we predict future corporations will do, meaning blend their own narrative into the real world and in the end it will become indistinguishable from reality. Of course, these are all PR stunts and viral tricks for now, but it won’t be long before these are used as real-world propaganda by more nefarious corps.
When they ventured inside, an army of slightly too pretty attendants, dressed-in-white offered vague sci-fi responses to questions (“It’s about transferring your conscious to a new, better body”), while screens all around scrolled through the benefits of replacing your body for a new (sexy, stronger, smarter) model. The aforementioned staff clutched tablets to take email addresses with promises of more information come February 2nd. Plenty took the bait, genuinely curious of where this company was based and whether this was all even possible.
The twist, if you can call it that, happens once you turn a corner, and you’re confronted with a vacuum-sealed human. This is another mannequin, although with some carefully-placed condensation inside the bag, made it rather unsettling. Naturally, I had to poke the “person” in a bag. Morbid fascination.
Needless to say that, at this point we frickin’ love Netflix.
Seven years after the nanocameras switched on and the feeds began, nanoengineer Samuel Ramone becomes the subject of an addictive reality feed. As his heart sinks further into the crush he’s been nursing, his popularity rises. He is a married man, after all.
When it comes to the new world of the feeds, Enforcers are nothing but a rumor. But the Editors . . . they’re real. With every human monitored endlessly, Ramone hasn’t had anything to fear in a long time, except seeing himself in a feed. Or worse, seeing his wife in one. With another man.
That’s why he’s never looked. If you can’t see something, it’s not there.
But when Ramone finally plans a way to hide from the unceasing surveillance–disguised as entertainment, monitored and enhanced by those all-seeing Editors–he learns that his viewership is endangering his attempts escape the feeds, and soon the people he loves most.
Now he is hunted by an Enforcer. Running is pointless. But staying in one place means learning the rumors aren’t just rumors.
If you enjoy 1984, Black Mirror, and other dystopians about surveillance, Feed 1 is right for you.
Start reading Feed book 1 for free on Amazon
“Ms Grotepas has written a novel that has made me care about characters again. The intriguing subject and a look into the not so distant future are at once frightening and believable.” — Rita Kaye,Amazon reviewer
“This book is really, really good. It does not bog itself down trying to explain the science behind everything but is so descriptive in its simplicity that you don’t notice right away. It feels like a mix of Harry Harrison and Robert Heinlein.” — Joshua Allen,Goodreads reviewer
“Each of the characters is unique and interesting in their own way and watching the interaction and development of relationships between the characters kept me turning the pages.” — William Hall, Amazon reviewer
“This book drew me in immediately . . . Was so engrossed, I immediately ordered Feed 2 – at 11:15 PM – ready to read all night!” — Passing Pilgrim,Amazon reviewer
“The writing is polished, and the characters well developed. The world the author has created is believable and terrifying at the same time.” — Marcus,Amazon reviewer
“Not that far from the world we live in now with reality TV the opioid for the masses. She created great characters with intense passions and frustrations. Four stars for this one. Give me more.” — Dolly, Goodreads reviewer
Welcome to the Wild North, a desolate wasteland where criminals go to hide—if they can outlast the drought and the dangers of the desert. Or the dangers of something else.
Meet Nox, the Coilhunter. A mechanic and toymaker by trade, a bounty hunter by circumstance. He isn’t in it for the money. He’s in it for justice, and there’s a lot of justice that needs to be paid.
Between each kill, he’s looking for someone who has kept out of his crosshairs for quite a while—the person who murdered his wife and children. The trail has long gone cold, but there are changes happening, the kind of changes that uncover footprints and spent bullet casings.
Plagued by nightmares, he’s made himself into a living one, the kind the criminals and conmen fear.
So, welcome, fair folk, to the Wild North. If the land doesn’t get you, the Coilhunter will.
New Release: Dustrunner
The third book, Dustrunner, completes the trilogy. Get on Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited.
Nox is a wanted man.
While searching for a criminal, the fabled Coilhunter wanders into a tribal village massacre. He didn’t do it, but that doesn’t matter. He’s the only one there, the clues point to him, and he’s made a lot of enemies over the years. Many would happily see the tables turned.
Nox, the Coilhunter, wakes up in unfamiliar territory, victim of a deranged man who claims he’s from another world, and who’s building an army of slaves to help him get back there.
The eccentric bounty hunter must face off the wild of the desert and the wild in men, all the while trying to piece together what happened from his fractured memory.
Some go to the Lostlands to find themselves, but the Coilhunter is on the hunt for the true Lostlander: the Man with the Silver Mane. Folk say those Magi are lost without their magic, but Nox has long found his own kind of mojo in his gadgets and his guns.
If you want to read a long series of space opera goodness, look no further than Lindsay Buroker’s Fallen Empire series.
You can start reading Star Nomad right now for free on Amazon.
The series is insanely deep and beloved by a ton of fans. It has also kicked-off a spin-off, so we’ll need Lindsay’s list of titles to keep track of it all.
Fallen Empire
Remnants — A short story that takes place 2-3 years before Star Nomad. It’s the adventure where Alisa and Mica first meet, and it’s currently only available in the You Are Here SF/F anthology.
Last Command — A novella that takes place 6 months before Star Nomad. It’s from Leonidas’s point of view and shows him carrying out his last mission before the fall of the empire. It’s currently available as a free bonus to those who sign up for the Fallen Empire newsletter.
Star Nomad — The first book and where the main adventure begins.
Saranth Three — A short story that takes place between Star Nomad and Book 2, Honor’s Flight. It’s currently a bonus for newsletter subscribers.
Starfall Station — A short story from Leonidas’s point of view. It takes place between Book 2 and Book 3. It’s currently available through the free Star Rebels anthology. (This is available on Kobo, Apple, and Barnes & Noble, as well as Amazon.)
Cyborg Legacy — This is a stand-alone novel that takes place a few years after the main series. It brings in a new hero, Jasim, but Leonidas also returns to go on the adventure.
Sky Full of Stars (Fallen Empire spinoff series)
A Sky Full of Stars takes place ten years after the events in Fallen Empire, with the next generation (Jelena, Thor, and Erick Ostberg) coming to the forefront for adventures of their own.
No, wait. Start the presses. Start them. Bad analogy.
Scrooge Is Looking For A Taxi
The retelling of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens is now on paperback.
Scrooge is looking for a taxi to get home on Christmas Eve. But he will get the ride of his life, as he is walked through his past, his present and his future to end up a changed man.
Set in modern day Athens, this science-fiction version of the classic ghost story is guaranteed to bring shivers down your spine and a smile to your face.
“It isn’t too late for all us Scrooges, and this story did make me see more than the classic.”
“An entertaining, uplifting novella perfect to read during Christmastime.”
“This is a rollicking, hiccup producing, laugh out loud morality play that would make Dickens sit up and take notice. A lot of fun!”
Look at these gorgeous Victorian illustrations by Arthur Rackham, the book illustrator of Ebenezer Scrooge’s story. A fine Mythographer indeed. His gritty, realistic drawings inspired the director Guillermo del Toro, who cites Rackham as an influence on the design of “The Faun” of Pan’s Labyrinth.
Sounds fun. Can I get it in time for cozy reading with twinkly ambiance?
Get the paperback book just in time for Christmas:
Amazon says it’ll be there on time. Trust the AI. The AI never lies.
It’s available on Amazon and other regional stores.
The novel Slow Up has a lot of things going on. While knowing these is not a necessity in enjoying the story, a deep background in the possible technologies and techniques involved will make it a much better read.
10. Rapid Serial Visual Representation
Can you read it?
It’s a speed-reading trick where text is parced into single point. Some speed readers like it, others do not.
9. Most of the IT Scenes Are Inspired by my Own Job at Wind Telecommunications HQ
Most of the tickets came in at a frantic pace, just like in the novel.
The scenes have nothing to do with real persons and situations. But the feeling of an uphill battle, that Sisyphean task of fixing hundreds of computers every day is there in Galene’s job.
8. For More on Nootropics, Check Out Reddit
Nootropics are real and have measurable effects. If you want to try them out, consult an expert. There is a lot of info online, but don’t push yourself too hard. Again, consult a doctor, not the marketing brochure.
Nothing is like the movie Limitless of course, that was a magic pill with insane powers. Real nootropics help you focus, help with creativity, memory.
7. Polyphasic Sleep is Real But You Should Take it Slow
Going directly at Uberman will most probably make you a zombieman.
We’ve all heard about geniuses who simply skipped sleep like Leonardo Da Vinci. That is not actually possible, of course, they only took short naps, powernaps as they call them now, to help their brain recharge.
My opinion is that getting good sleep is more important that gaining a few drowsy hours. I’ve seen that sleep deprivation cuts down on creative thinking. And there are serious medical risks involved.
The logical next step in athletic events is to have augmented races. Some augmentations actually give an advantage over other athletes, like in swimming. Especially with world-powers sending out troops at stupid wars and having young veterans come back disabled all the time, the day where augmentations are common-place is today.
The Cybathlon is not quite an Olympic-level event yet. But it showcases what can be done, and it won’t be long before augmented athletes can compete side-by-side with regular ones, like Pistorius did in the Summer Olympics of 2012. Yes, we know what he did afterwards, that’s not the point.
You can watch the scene mentioned by Gregoris in the novel, where the winner shows unprecedented evgenis amilla (fair game spirit) and swaps out his number with Oscar’s so he can be the winner:
5. Humans With Amplified Intelligence Could Be More Powerful Than AI
Frankly, a merge of mind and machine where a trained user can hook up and amplify his intelligence for short amounts of time is what we consider most plausible.
Another archetype of this is the Mentat from Dune. Human Computers that crave information and can help with decisions.
Wacky hair is a must
From David Lynch’s Dune, we got the Mentat Mantra (It’s not from the Frank Herbert novels but fits so well it got adopted instantly):
It is by will alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the juice of sapho that thoughts acquire speed, the lips acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.
It looks adorable. The real-live version, not so much.
External wombs are being researched and seem to work just fine. There are many real medical conditions where external wombs would be suitable. Of course, that opens up a can of worms, since humans could be raised from prime genetic material without people knowing. It’s almost like a dystopian sci-fi story.
Slow Up is Available to Read Now
Limitless meets Black Mirror in this novel that pushes the limits of a couple’s minds.
When Galene meets a man who’s only goal in life is to make his mind go faster, she ends up falling for him. But will she manage to keep the relationship going at the top of the glass tower, when in reality she’s too much of a slob and is bogged down with all her unfinished goals, when their age difference becomes too much of a problem, and when his work places them in the sights of an unforgiving huntress?
Do you want to know what’s next for the computer geek Galene? Do you wanna meet Artemis? Then read this bittersweet story in a world where thinking too swiftly can get you killed.
Win 52 Sci-Fi & Fantasy paperbacks. Escape to another world for an entire year and enjoy this whopping collection of novels, from classics and bestsellers to new reads.
The giveaway starts at Nov 1 and ends at Jan 31. Sign up for a chance to win one of these epic reads:
The Human Division, by John Scalzi. Mother frickin awesome. I suggested that one, just read it. Fall in love with the B team.
Robert Jordan. Meh, TLDR.
Michael Crichton. Should be a good thriller.
Star Wars. If you’re into the EU.
The Book of Lost Tales. J.R.R. Tolkien. Posthumous publication. It’s worth being on your shelf. Not really dying for it, but I’d want to rifle through it’s pages. Sniff them. My preciousss.
Good Omens. Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Quite good. Falls flat at the climax, though. Will be made into a series starring David Tennant. Read it before it premieres. For hipsterism.
There’s a project out there, that is quite interesting. Future Fiction translates sci-fi stories from selected authors around the world and makes them available in English (And Italian, apparently).
The one I want to point out to you is the one containing two excellent shorts by my mentor, Michalis Manolios. Mentor is a strong word when you’ve had as many beers together as we’ve had, but it’s accurate. I think it was 2010, maybe 2009 when he read my stories, pushed me forward and told me I could do this, and do it well. I was fascinated with fantasy back then, but my true calling has been science fiction apparently. I shifted towards sci-fi and I honed my craft every year. The results seem to be good, as shown by reader reactions and sales numbers.
So, Michalis has two of his best short stories translated into English. They are not my favourite but they are definitely good. The stories in that Greek collection are pretty mindblowing, and these two fit the bill. Aethra and Quantum Mommy.
The rest of the volumes are either a single novella or two short stories from authors around the world. It’s a shame that we don’t have access to these stories, and that’s what I like about Future Fiction, they bring these unreachable gems to English, thus making them available to us. Some authors you’ve never heard of, naturally, others are quite well known in their countries.
Everything in the collection has the feel of old-school sci-fi, like the books I have in my bookcase. The covers, the stories, the atmosphere is a way to go back to that time when science fiction showed us what was possible instead of just shoving dystopian warnings at us. Which I’m guilty of, obviously.
Athens is becoming an important stop in the worldwide fantasy event circuit. This year, we had guest visitor Kate Madison, who’s made an indie series called “Ren – The Girl With the Mark.”
The cosplay competition was extremely fun and very popular. Here are some indicative pics, for the whole gallery from CosplayersGR click here.
And we had the author Ioanna Bourazopoulou, who has been translated in English and won awards for her novel “What Lot’s Wife Saw.” Here’s where you can get copies on Amazon US and UK:
There were plenty of other stuff, mostly in Greek of course. Check out the convention’s English page here and contact them in case you want to take part next year. The visitors gobble up English content like there’s no tomorrow, stuff like Saga comic volumes, memorabilia, Chibi figures and whatever sort of loot you might peddle.
To end this article, here’s Sci-fi author Judith Blish getting eaten by a zombie. Um, guys, maybe we should be taking better care of legendary writers, especially now that Star Trek is cool again? Guys? Anybody left alive?
Get the Boxset on Amazon US
