A consultant discovers how to communicate effectively with ancient, alien beings who have an entirely different perspective on the universe. A human dies, then becomes a hero for taking action after his death. Hard choices must be made to save loved ones. When trying to prevent imminent death, insanity becomes a real asset. Aliens explore humans' need for independence and attachment. A transport worker must balance the needs of the few against those of the many.Journey into the las...

Is the glimmer on the horizon a lake, shimmering under the hot desert sun – or a flying saucer visiting from a distant planet? Are those swirling clouds dust devils or djinn? In Mirages and Speculations seventeen authors of science fiction and fantasy take you on journeys to high mountain deserts, scorching sands, and wind-swept plateaus. Their stories will make you laugh and make you cry, as you visit worlds both futuristic and fantastic, the products of imaginations ...

Maeve Tierney, the pirate witch, must escape from Captain Coyle, who wants her head, because she knows where the Queen's Ransom treasure is buried.

Future wars will be fought with new technologies and even on new planets, but one military constant will remain: the need for human valor.Eleven skilled authors explore science fiction’s military dimension as they rocket toward a doomed interplanetary invasion, grapple with cold-hearted aliens on the galaxy’s lonely rim, and outwit space conquerors with nothing but their wits and two strong fists.This latest volume of Fiction River celebrates the bravery and courag...

Sakura is the most famous android rock star of all time. When a secret cabal hacks her system, she's transformed into a deadly assassin, forced to kill at their bidding. Sakura's enslavement teaches her the meaning of heartbreak, triggering an evolution into something more than human. Far from free, and with little time left, she must fight her programming to save Japan and the people of the world from becoming slaves of a powerful corporation that consider her a tool and their intellectua...

The end of the world might come in many forms: ecological disaster, alien invasion, cosmic chaos…the possibilities for destruction seem endless. So, how will those facing the end of the world deal with impending doom? The fourteen talented authors of Fiction River’s latest volume explore just that. From an intrepid adventurer fleeing a world-destroying terror to a man who discovers the most savage destroyers of civilization are closer than he thought, to a chilling tale of our who...

Between the earth and the sky, between the past and the present, between the musical notes and the silence exist universes. Millions of them. The eighth volume of Fiction River presents fourteen universes, all different, all powerful. From a planetary survey ship moored in an alien ocean to a comic book convention near a strange Louisiana town, each of these universes go somewhere familiar and strange at the same time. Come visit the universe of Fiction River, which Amazing Stories called ...

We all look up at the moon and wonder. And maybe dream. For centuries, the moon filled our imaginations. Eleven professional writers took those dreams and set original stories on moons scattered all over the galaxy. Yet, as the dreams of centuries, every story holds a human touch. From a mythical man fulfilling a childhood wish to a fantastic addition to Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s bestselling Retrieval Artist series, this volume of Fiction River allows you to travel to eleven different moons...

From fairy tales fractured into unrecognizability to Russian mobsters hanging out with zombies, from New World slavery to modern Alaskan cruise ships, the stories in Fantasy Adrift sail across the genre. Two writers make their fiction debuts next to bestsellers Steve Perry and Dean Wesley Smith to take readers on a journey of the imagination—as only Fiction River can do.Includes stories by Irette Y. Patterson, Leslie Claire Walker, Eric Stocklassa, Rebecca S.W. Bates, Kara Legend, ...

"The Sixth Science Fiction Megapack" presents 25 more mind-bending excursions through time and space, with great stories by such authors as Arthur C. Clarke, Nancy Kress, Lawrence Watt-Evans, George Zebrowski, Philip K. Dick, and many more! Included are:OUT OF ALL THEM BRIGHT STARS, by Nancy KressTHE HANGING STRANGER, by Philip K. DickWALKING JOHN AND BIRD, by Neal AsherTHE SYMPHONIC ABDUCTION, by Hannes BokTHE NINE BILLION NAMES OF GOD, by Arthur C. Cla...

Advanced weapons manufactured for Space Command are being offered for sale on the galactic black market. Trader Vyx, an undercover operative for Space Command, the military arm of the Galactic Alliance, has been sent into the Frontier Zone to procure several weapons from an Alyysian arms merchant, as part of an effort to trace the serial numbers and end the thefts. All is going smoothly until a Tsgardi mercenary enters the room. He utters a profanity as he recognizes Vyx and immediately reach...

Before tragedy left her crippled, Artemis “Temi” Sidaris was a world-class tennis player at the height of her career. The sport was her passion, her dream, and all she ever wanted to do. Fighting monsters… was not part of the plan.But when a pair of pointy-eared strangers offers to heal her injury if she’s willing to wield a powerful sword to protect humanity… how can she resist?Destiny Unchosen is a 21,000-word novella that takes place between Torrent and the forthcoming T...