Showing results for "Systems Science" in Genre Fiction

There is a huge, bold black streak in the sky. Branches appear out of nowhere over North America, Southern Europe, and Central Africa. People who live beneath The Rift can see it. But scientists worldwide are distressed - their equipment cannot pick up any type of signal from it. The rift appears to consist of nothing. Literally. Nothing. Nada. Niente. Most people are curious but not overly concerned. The phenomenon seems to pose no danger. It is just there. Then something jolts the most hardened naysayers, and surpasses the worst nightmares of the world's greatest scientists.

Defense Mech by Ray Bradbury is a haunting and psychologically rich science fiction short story that explores the fragile boundary between reality and illusion. Set during a tense voyage from Earth to Mars, the narrative follows Halloway, a deeply anxious man whose terror of space threatens both his sanity and the mission itself. In a desperate bid to protect him, the ship’s psychiatrist deploys an experimental psychological “defense mechanism,” constructing an artificial reality in which Halloway believes he never left Earth.

In a world where deceit shaped its history, a new era of rifts dawns. Red rifts, harbingers of divine wrath, bring forth gods and monsters, challenging humanity's very existence. As anarchy rises, the remnants of humanity cling to survival, relying on the Hunters who brave these rifts to keep them at bay. Amidst the chaos, the so-called heroes maintain their rule over the fractured land, backed by the powerful Association that seeks to control the coming change. But change is inevitable, and Sloan will be at the heart of it.

Not for John Lee. His search for answers for the System Quest has taken him deep into the Forbidden Zone, into the very arms of his enemies. He's betrayed family and friends and been betrayed in turn. The most powerful human in the System has come to the final leg of his journey. And still, he has no idea if what he will find will fill the burning need within him. For the Redeemer of the Dead will not stop, until the cries of the lost and the sacrificed are answered.

Terry Fairway came back from the Underworld stronger, faster—changed. But the power he won came at a cost. He saved a world. He might have damned his own. All across the globe, incursion rifts split the sky, flooding Earth with Awakened invaders from distant worlds. Cities burn. Alliances crack. And Earth’s defenders race to seal the breaches—before the next city falls to ash.

King Jack. The title was still foreign to Jack who had no love for the empire or the throne. But, with his loved ones secured and his daughter safe, Jack now has the opportunity to do one thing he never thought he could do. Be a father.

The System just keeps throwing new experiences at our MC and his friends. For example, our antisocial lone-wolf hero Kasp was awarded the title of Head of the Settlement by the System. However, he has no intentions of being a leader.

After saving the world and defeating his enemies, Sloan has gained an incredible title and unmatched power in the system. Enjoying a decade of peace, his calm life is suddenly disrupted, pushing him towards a new journey and a new mission. A new enemy, known only as the Architect has emerged, causing chaos and breaking the balance. As new rifts appear, Sloan must explore unknown realms, find strong allies, and learn ancient secrets to stop the Architect's plans.

Nick Vandal faces his greatest challenge yet in the Risen Tower, a place of trials and floors designed to test the survivors' limits. As Nick and his new companions battle through casino mazes—and relentless hordes—they uncover the truth behind the Admin's grand design. Hidden enemies within the survivors' ranks plot to sabotage their progress, and success is far from guaranteed. Nick must use every resource, including his knowledge of the future, to navigate the challenges and forge alliances necessary to reach the top.

In a world upended by the whims of the [Admin], all of humanity has been forced into a brutal game of survival. Nick is more than just another man: he's a man who saw the ending and used a wish to travel back in time. His story has started over. Following his escape from the Manhattan Rooftops, he must next fight against the Ancient Mariner of Central Island and the hoard of undead that the Ancient Mariner commands. The survivors are under attack, and all eyes are on Nick to make sure they survive to see the next challenge.

In this concluding volume of Neal Stephenson’s epic work, “Half-Cocked Jack” Shaftoe must escape the noose of Jack Ketch; the rivalry between Newton and Leibniz comes to a head; and Daniel Waterhouse pursues his dream to build the Logic Mill

In a violent world, peace always comes at a cost. And to pay for this expansive commodity, to give those he cares about a chance, Jack has to step up... Even if it means doing things he would have never imagined.

With Princess Selfia suddenly missing, it is now up to Jack to plan and organize his team for the academy mid-term. The next task, a low altitude airdrop into the Frelia Mountain range where Almus cadets will put their landnav, survival, and teamwork skills to the test. The criteria for passing? Survival, simple enough. However what was supposed to be a simple test of preparedness becomes far more as Jack and his squad become victims to events that forever change the trajectory of their lives and the world as they know it.

Nicknamed Dewey Decimal for his obsessive attempts to bring order to the New York Public Library in the wake of disastrous events in the city, the hero of this series earns his keep as a bagman and enforcer for unscrupulous politicians and underworld figures. Now, he’s stumbled upon information concerning the gruesome murder of a prostitute that involves a prominent US senator - and finds himself chasing ghosts and fighting for his life, pursued by private military contractors and the ever-present specter of his own past....

The man known as Dewey Decimal works in a near-future Manhattan decimated by terrorism and plague, running dirty operations for the crooked Senator Howard - though he’d prefer to spend his time among the stacks at his beloved New York Public Library. When Dewey is tasked with disrupting unrest from a growing group of outcast civilians, and simultaneously given the assignment of protecting a pair of Saudi royals, he is forced to look within and make some impossible choices - and it will put him at odds with his benefactor and the powers that be....

The return to the city of goblins draws ever closer but Ivan Susanin's survival hangs in the balance. It is more than just the monsters. The capture of the Dungeon, creation of the Minor Altar and growth of the Cult of Heresy has attracted the attention of the Earth gods. The number of contenders for the grand prize is growing, hostile gods are joining the race, and the existence of an independent candidate is unacceptable. Nevertheless, the gods cannot sentence one of the Alliance leaders and the strongest player on Earth to death.

The Beautiful People by Charles Beaumont is a chilling and visionary science fiction story that explores a dystopian future where physical perfection is mandatory and individuality is a threat.

Pillar of Fire by Ray Bradbury is a haunting and philosophical science fiction novella that explores the boundaries between life and death in a sterile, futuristic society that has abolished the very concept of mortality. When William Lantry, a man long dead, awakens in a world where death has been erased from memory and corpses are destroyed rather than buried, he becomes the last ghost of humanity’s forgotten fear. Driven by loneliness and rage, Lantry wages a one-man war against a civilization that refuses to remember its dead.

Prospector’s Special by Robert Sheckley is a gripping sci-fi adventure that blends biting satire with raw human determination. When Tom Morrison’s sandcar fails and his supplies dwindle, he must face Venus’s deadly terrain—and his own ambition—armed with nothing but grit and a bizarre robotic mailman.

Set in a world where every comfort and convenience comes at a staggering cost, the story follows Carrin, an ordinary man crushed beneath the weight of debt in a society obsessed with technological luxury. As he reflects on the tragic suicide of a neighbor and prepares for a visit from a relentless finance agent, Carrin confronts the unsettling truth about consumerism, inherited debt, and the price of happiness.