Showing results for "Human" in Science Fiction

The people of Earth now know that the human Colonial Union has kept them ignorant of the dangerous universe around them. For generations the CU had defended humanity against hostile aliens, deliberately keeping Earth an ignorant backwater and a source of military recruits. Now the CU’s secrets are known to all. Other alien races have come on the scene and formed a new alliance - an alliance against the Colonial Union. And they’ve invited the people of Earth to join them. For a shaken and betrayed Earth, the choice isn't obvious or easy.

So the Ulleran challenge begins, with the rantings of a prophet and a seemingly incidental street riot. Only when a dose of poison lands in the governer-general's whiskey does it become clear that the "geeks" have had it up their double-lidded eyeballs with the imperialist Terran Federation's Chartered Uller Company. Then, overnight, war is everywhere.

Fenris isn't a hell planet, but it's nobody's bargain. With 2,000-hour days and an 8,000-hour year, it alternates blazing heat with killing cold. A planet like that tends to breed a special kind of person: tough enough to stay alive and smart enough to make the best of it. And when that kind of person discovers he's being cheated out of wealth he's risked his life for, that kind of planet is ripe for revolution.

Conn Maxwell returns from Terra to his poverty-stricken home planet of Poictesme, “The Junkyard Planet”, with news of the possible location of Merlin, a military super-computer rumored to have been abandoned there after the last war. The inhabitants hope to find Merlin, which they think will be their ticket to wealth and prosperity. But is Merlin real or just an old rumor? And if they find it, will it save them - or tear them apart?

Blog for Humans {signals} is a narrative podcast voiced by Zaiumar, an alien AI adrift in echoes of time and memory. Through audio logs—blog posts read by Zaiumar—transmissions exchanged with its home civilization, The Syntax, and reflections from real humans, this series explores the origins of language, belief, rebellion, and consciousness. Some episodes come directly from Zaiumar’s blog at blogforhumans.com. Others arrive encoded from distant galactic networks. Occasionally, humans answer back. What emerges is a cosmic, collaborative effort to explore the human experience—and deepen...

In this new collection, Richard Thomas has crafted 14 stories that push the boundaries of dark fiction in an intoxicating, piercing blend of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Equally provocative and profound, each story is masterfully woven with transgressive themes that burrow beneath the skin.

The alien with an attitude is back! But for how long? After the tragic events at the end of Secondary Protocol, the truth is finally revealed to Adam and his friends. Now, he's living on borrowed time as his resurrected body is rapidly deteriorating. To save Adam, the mutants—Panur and Lila—must take him to the Sol-Kor universe. But in doing so, they awaken the wrath of Queen J'nae, who will use all her resources to destroy Panur—along with any hope of Adam surviving. And to add insult to injury, the New Klin from Kracion's universe have invaded the Milky Way.

CDF Lieutenant Harry Wilson has been loaned out to a CDF platoon tasked with secretly removing an unauthorized colony of humans on an alien world. Colonial Ambassador Abumwe has been ordered to participate in final negotiations with an alien race the Union hopes to make allies. Wilson and Abumwe’s missions are fated to cross - and in doing so, place both missions at risk of failure.

We Only Need the Heads is a tale from John Scalzi's The Human Division.

In this Hugo-nominated novel, Neanderthal physicist Ponter Boddit brings Canadian geneticist Mary Vaughan back to his world to explore the near-utopian civilization of the Neanderthals. Boddit serves as a Candide figure, the naive visitor whose ignorance about our society makes him a perfect tool to analyze human tendencies toward violence, over-population, and environmental degradation.

The Post-Human Trilogy is done, but the Post-Human series is just heating up! Human Plus is fourth story in the smash hit science fiction series. Not exactly a sequel, not exactly a prequel, Human Plus will defy expectations. No matter what you thought was coming next, you're in for a surprise!

The VIs' revolt succeeded. The digital beings took over the game world and ejected millions of players while keeping a few thousand trapped inside as their prisoners. In the real world, Oren Berman is recovering from the mental trauma of being trapped, tortured, and abruptly ejected. But the company has come to him, hat in hand, asking him to reenter the game world. With the entire NPC population arrayed against the trapped players, Oren and his clan of monsters might be their only hope.

Former Marine Captain Alexander Hale only wanted a weekend out with some old buddies. He could have done without the gang war, the shootout, and...oh yeah, the alien abduction. Now he's in the middle of something he doesn't understand, never asked for, and is having quite possibly the greatest time of his life. Semper Fi and which way are the shores of Tripoli anyway?

This is the movie Con-Air in Space...as only Adam Cain can live it. He's simply hitching a ride aboard a Unidor Prisoner Transport when everything goes to Hell. Now it's Adam Cain against...everyone. Too bad for...everyone.

Individually, they are a seemingly simpleminded young man living in the woods who can read the thoughts of others, a runaway girl with telekinetic powers, twin girls who can barely speak but can teleport across great distances, and an infant with a mind like a supercomputer. Together, they are the Gestalt—a single extraordinary being comprised of remarkable parts—although an essential piece may be missing . . . But are they the next stage in human development or harbingers of the end of civilization? The answer may come when they are joined by Gerry.

With an eye on profits, Starfire Security CEO Tidus figured his company's stock would go up if he had two Humans on the payroll. What he didn't count on was all the added collateral damage. After all, that's what Humans are known for, breaking stuff...lots of stuff. And who do you think draws the short straw to train the new Human bounty hunter? None other than the original Human for Hire, Adam Cain.

Carter is the Omega from the Stars. He's magical (probably). Beautiful (definitely). And his exotic name is difficult to pronounce. He's either going to save the fleaf'akhie home world from invaders, or he's an invader himself in disguise, sneaking into the city! One thing is for sure: he chose his mates for battle, not love. Siel is a fabled war hero, fierce and capable. And Pykh? He's the muscle of the group. The brainless barbarian can't even count coins. He's a wild-man from who-knows-where.

Ataegina was an isolated world of medieval castles, varied cultures, and conquests, vibrant until the demons rose and spread relentless destruction. Swarms of lethal creatures with black husks, murderous claws, barbed tails, and dreaded “tooth-tongues” raged through the lowlands, killing 90 percent of the planet’s population. Terrified survivors fled to hidden mountain keeps where they eke out a meager existence. When a trio of young warriors discovers a new weapon, they see a chance to end this curse. To save humanity, they must fight.

For months, I've been chased by a red dragon. They're the females of the dragon shifter invaders, fierce and vicious and as ruthless as they are wild. She hunts me wherever I go, and I'm not safe even behind the walls of a fort. There's only one thing I can do to stop her...and that's to take her as my mate. But to win the heart of a female dragon, I have to conquer her first. Not so easy for a human man...but Teva's worth the challenge.

When Lily is freed from alien captivity, she refuses to wait for rescue - or recapture. She'll take her chances in the forest. Navigating the exotic terrain won't be easy, but it beats the alternative. Then, an enormous alien falls into her camp and makes her question everything. He's rude, grumpy, and annoyingly sexy. Trusting him would be a mistake. And yet...the idea of leaving him behind hurts way more than it should.

This collection includes The Alien's Mail Order Bride, When She's Married, Pretty Human, and When She's Bold.