stories in and

Lizard Girl & Ghost

Lizard Girl & Ghost by Olga Werby

SPSFC 2024

A child lies dying. To save her, to preserve some of her identity, memories need to be retrieved from her avatar—Lizard Girl. Jude’s dad is using a cyber reality game to recover some of his sick girl’s memories in an attempt to restore brain function. The avatar’s personality patterns help patch the holes in Jude’s brain ravaged by the disease. But what becomes of a virtual mind left to roam in cyberspace after its host falls sick? The Far Cinct is a cyber city forbidden to school kids and average citizens. The Far Cinct is where rogue entities go to hide and to innovate and to die. It’s where illegal cyber enhancements and compulsions are sold to those who have the money and the connections to find them. But that’s cyberspace for you—nothing is ever what it appears to be on the surface. As Jude’s consciousness starts to slip, her cyber awareness gains independence. What is a girl’s avatar without her human? Can consciousness and identity be tied up in a digital world without the wet works of a human body? Jump into the world of weird and surreal, and as you journey to look for memories of a sick girl, you might accidentally discover a virtual soul of her avatar. Cyberpunk meets Sleeping Beauty meets cats
 werecats


Coding Peter

Coding Peter by Olga Werby and Christopher Werby

Knowing that the world is a simulation doesn’t diminish the will to live. Even when the body is made from ones and zeros, the soul doesn’t feel any less real. In Coding Peter, the sequel to Suddenly, Paris, we learn more about the aliens who have altered the lives of the Vorov family. The URTs are a small band of scientists—the only survivors of a world simulation that no longer exists—who seek only to settle down quietly and unobtrusively in a new home. But contact with humans has led to accidents, misunderstandings, and deaths. A hundred years later, only a few of the alien refugees survive. Now Julie Orlov’s brother, ten-year-old Peter, is asked to take on the soul of a dying alien—for the good of his family, his alien ancestors, and the Earth itself. In doing so he will become more—but also, maybe less—than himself. It’s a lot to ask of a young boy, especially when the exact consequences to Peter are unknown, even by the aliens themselves. What Peter decides will change the fate of two civilizations—and maybe more



Suddenly, Paris

Suddenly, Paris by Olga Werby and Christopher Werby

Julie Vorov thought her job was to do well in high school and stay out of trouble. She also thought her biggest problem was betraying her best friend by hooking-up with a traitorous boyfriend. But in a world where being human is just a matter of programming, everything changes. Suddenly, Julie finds herself allied with a scrappy group of alien scientists whose own world has already been destroyed. Together, they mount a clandestine effort to stop the Earth from also being eradicated. And Julie discovers that she’s the pivotal instability—the tipping point—in the plans of another group of aliens bent on invasion. As Julie battles to save everything she cares about, she uncovers secrets about her own origins that shatter the core of her beliefs. And she falls so deeply in love that the most extreme obstacles posed by loyalty, age, gender, species, and parents will have to be overcome. Your heart always recognizes the one you love.


The FATOFF Conspiracy

The FATOFF Conspiracy by Olga Werby

Transdimensional Industries gave the world a technical solution to the obesity epidemic—eat more than you want, and store all that you want in their fat storage tanks conveniently located outside of our set of dimensions. Complete gluttony without sacrificing beauty or health...for a price. You can be rich and buy a thin body. You can be poor and lucky enough to get government assistance with your personal fat storage—Federal Assistance with Transdimensional Offloading of Fat and Flab. Or you can win the tits lottery—a lifetime of free blubber storage in the Transdimensional Industries' tanks where all the humanity’s fat is stored. Thin people live well, have high paying jobs, and wield all of the social and political power and prestige while consuming unlimited quantities of food as mandated by the government. Fat people? They don't do so well. Cindy Rella is a low-level bureaucrat at the Civil Office of Fat Excision. And while her job is to tell people "no" when they apply for government assistance, Cindy has been secretly saving for a set of gray-market papers that would guarantee her a zero dress size and a healthy lifespan of over 30 years. Because being fat is not only a life-time of being a second-class citizen in a society that worships physical beauty, it is also a death sentence. Cindy's plan doesn't work spectacularly and her life spins out of control into a dangerous world of revolutionary fat freedom fighters. Sucking off fat into another dimension is not the only way to get thin. Cindy Rella is a coming of age story in the world that is a cross between dystopian Brazil and Fast Food Nation with a sprinkling of sci fi.


Dragon Nanny

Dragon Nanny by Chasing Artwork

Indie Recs Indie

It's The Land Before Time meets Wall-E. Something has happened on this alien world once bustling with life and populated by dragons: the eggs have stopped hatching. With no new generation of baby dragons to replace the old, the cycle of life on the planet has screeched to a halt. Now, it’s up to a lone, determined little robot to find and hatch as many eggs as possible, and kickstart life back onto the sleeping planet.


The Wolf Queen (The Hope of Aferi #1)

The Wolf Queen (The Hope of Aferi #1) by Cerece Rennie Murphy

Indie Recs Indie

To fight for her future, she must first discover the magic of her past. Once great and powerful sorcerers, the Amasiti were hunted to the brink of extinction by the Hir and his followers. For four hundred years, their legacy faded from memory waiting for the hope of Aferi to be renewed
 In the Land of Yet At the edge of the Forbidden Forest A young woman lives alone. Forced to fend for herself after the brutal murder of her family, Ameenah Yemini has made a life for herself as a master tanner and farmer, only venturing into the world to earn her living then return to the safety and seclusion of her home. Until a chance encounter brings her work to the attention of the powerful Hir. And her careful life begins to unravel. Drawn to the hidden magic that lingers in everything she touches, the new Hir insists on having her for himself, using the people around her to force Ameenah into his grasp. When she realizes that her greatest enemy may hold the key to a secret she thought lost to her forever, Ameenah is determined to reclaim her stolen past. But, at what cost? As an ancient power waits to be unleashed, Ameenah's choices will make the difference between awakening a new magic or delivering it into the hands of evil.


Once Stolen

Once Stolen by D.N. Bryn

Kraken Collective

No one with half a brain would rob the jungle’s most notorious energy cartel. The vibrations of their power-producing stones are the only thing that calms the mer-snake Cacao’s agonizing sensory condition though—and after being banished from his homeland swamps for similar thefts, he’s desperate. When his attempt fails stunningly, a chaotic escape leaves him chained to a cartel prisoner: a self-proclaimed hero with a hidden stash of power stones so large, Cacao would never need to steal again. He’s determined to get his hands on it, even if it means guiding her home straight through the mist-laden and monster-filled swamp that exhaled him, with scheming poachers and a desperate cartel leader on their tail. But the selfish and the self-righteous can only flee together for so long before something snaps... Return to Our Bloody Pearl's steampunk-inspired world of merfolk in this fun, fast-paced adventure with a hate-to-love romance, a boat-load of sass, and even more heart.


Bloodflower (The Hidden Flames Artifact #1)

Bloodflower (The Hidden Flames Artifact #1) by K.J. Harrowick

Teacup Dragon Coop

Born into a world of futuristic technology, ecologist Jàden Ravenscraft wields starship fuel like magic but she’s losing control of her power. Marked as a dangerous weapon, she’s trapped in hypersleep for 4000 years and wakes in the backwoods of a terraformed moon. Now she’s determined to find her reincarnated lover and escape back to the stars before her power takes control... or she is found. Because one life is not the end. The man she loves has lived more than twenty lives without her, and Jàden’s alone in a world of swords and sorcery. When exiled prison guard Captain Jon Ayers shields her from an attack, Jàden seizes the chance for safety and human connection. Using her magic, she ties her energy to Jon, forging a bond to keep him close to her side. But Jon is hunted by mercenaries for the pendant he carries, a key to the gateway between worlds, and their bond stirs a desire neither can ignore. Jàden is faced with the hardest choice of her life: between Jon and her reincarnated ex. Saving one lover will destroy the other, and the wrong choice will land her in chains she can never escape.


My Hand and My Heart

My Hand and My Heart by Isabel Huntoon

WriteHive Book Club

Magic hasn't been used in Haven-the last human settlement in a flooded world-for hundreds of years. Except, that is, for the magical relic that powers the settlement. Nime and her younger sister, Navi, stumble upon a terrible secret one night: the relic is leaking deadly energy that could kill everyone in Haven in a matter of weeks. There's seemingly no way to fix it-not with all knowledge of magic lost at the bottom of the Endless Sea. But Nime is protective and reckless, and she refuses to give up. She throws herself into the search for a solution, setting her hopes on a dismantled machine that could lead to a place far away from danger. Navi, meanwhile, retreats into daydreams, where she is someone brave enough to save her home. Filled with priestesses and magic, vivid dreams blend confusingly with her waking life, until she wonders if there's something she, and only she, can do to protect the people she loves. But Nime and Navi have more than just time working against them, and both sisters may have to give more of themselves than they can afford if they want to save Haven.


Descendants of Time and Death

Descendants of Time and Death by Winnifred Tataw

Indie Recs Indie

It has been a year since the Reign of Ryton, the Demon King, came to an end. Leaving Rodrick to face the burden of the tyranny he left behind. Yet this time he is not alone. After foreseeing massive deaths on the horizon, Lady Death seeks out the twenty-year-old prince’s aid in stopping what seems like an unavoidable war. With the help of his older brother Rayden as his companion, the princess Arcelia, and Queen Riva for support, Roderick agrees to take on the monumental task. But the Diar Brothers are in for a wild ride of intrigue and betrayal when they meet a tyrant and a terrorist both fighting for control of a country that had already suffered under their father's reign. Secrets are revealed, promises broken, and trust is questioned. Rayden and Rodrick are going to have to race against time if they want to stop the war. Their journey will test every limit of their relationship and everything they've ever known.


Thrud

Thrud by Zach Schuster

Indie Recs Indie

In this vibrantly-illustrated graphic novel, a mute warrior named Thrud and her companion, Kvasir (a sentient puddle of god-spit she carries around in a flask), explore a post-Ragnarok Norse world. The stories, told through a series of short vignettes, are delightful twists on familiar stories from Norse mythology. Encountering gods, sea giants, viking hordes, magical artifacts, and more, Thrud never backs down from a brawl!


Under the Lesser Moon

Under the Lesser Moon by Shelly Campbell

Indie Recs Indie SPFBO9

“Dragons once led our people across the wastelands, away from storms, and toward hunting grounds.” That’s what the elders say, but Akrist has squinted at empty skies his whole life. The dragons have abandoned them, and it’s Akrist’s fault. He’s cursed. Like every other firstborn son, he has inherited the sins of his ancestors. In his camp, he’s the only eldest boy left. Something happened to the others. Something terrible. When Akrist befriends Tanar, an eldest boy from another tribe, he discovers the awful truth: they’re being raised as sacrifices to appease the Goddess and win back her dragons. The ritual happens when the dual moons eclipse. Escape is the only option, but Akrist was never taught to hunt or survive the wastelands alone. Time is running out, and he has to do something before the moons touch.


The Dusk of Eternal Night

The Dusk of Eternal Night by Vincent Lazzari, Ben Dever, Joe Dever

Indie Recs Indie

The second posthumous Lone Wolf book and the penultimate adventure in the saga. It is also the largest Lone Wolf adventure - standing at a mammoth 650 pages. Written by Joe Dever's son Ben, and collaborator Vincent Lazzari, using notes and instructions from Joe in the weeks leading up to his passing. Archlord Vashna has returned. Sommerlund is under threat of invasion, and as a commander in Lone Wolf’s army, you must prepare to face the Legion of the Restless Dead. But another tide of Darkness rises to threaten all Magnamund, in the Dark God Naar’s unholy name. You will uncover a secret society, shrouded in mystery. Some hide among the courts, guilds and armies of the Freelands, others amongst the black sorcerers and warriors of the Darklands. In an epic adventure spanning Southern Magnamund, you must infiltrate hidden lairs protected by ancient spells in a race against time to stop them. They who for millennia have schemed, preparing a ritual to free the True Son of Naar.


The Rose and the Thorn

The Rose and the Thorn by Katherine Macdonald

Indie Recs Indie

A gripping and mesmerising retelling of a classic story, filled with romance, mystery and intrigue. There is a pale, penetrating loneliness etched into the walls of this forgotten place. A kind of loneliness made living... is this what it feels like to be a ghost, alone in some kind of half world? Taking shelter from a storm, Rose accidentally strays into a deserted fairy realm, and finds herself trapped there with only a mysterious talking beast for company. Although initially reluctant to befriend her strange companion, Rose quickly finds herself growing closer to him. She names him Thorn, and as the castle blossoms into a place of beauty, so too does their friendship. But something else lurks within the walls, a dark force that will stop at nothing to be free once more... If Rose is to survive and lift the curse placed upon the castle, she will have to face her fears and conquer the nightmares that have haunted her since childhood, as well as confront the terrifying creature that stalks the shadows in the night. A passionate retelling of a classic tale, fairy tale fantasy meets Gothic. Will have you sobbing and laughing, and truly believing in the power of true love.


Words of Fury Part One (Words of Power series Book 2)

Words of Fury Part One (Words of Power series Book 2) by Ritchie Valentine Smith

'A wonderful story, in the spirit of Robert Jordan' - David Wingrove, 'Chung Kuo'. Epic fantasy, with magic... To a samurai wonderland comes a young man exiled from the all-conquering steam-powered Empire of Albion. This is Emmanuel, 'Man' to friends and enemies alike. But the cold inhuman power called 'the Lord of the North' is after him and his friends. Driven from the cosmopolitan city of Jade, he and the others are seeking sanctuary at the psychic fortress known as The Waning of the Moon. If Man and the others don't make it, if they die along the way, then their world ends - and our world ends too... Enjoy the magic. Enjoy hope triumphing, finally, over adversity. Enjoy the books. 'Words of Fury Part One' is the first part of the full-length novel 'Words of Fury' and is a low-cost (sometimes free) introduction to the 'Words of Power' sequence, a multicultural epic fantasy series from the award-winning creator of 'Rocket Man'.


The Paragon: A Powers, Masks and Capes Universe Novelette

The Paragon: A Powers, Masks and Capes Universe Novelette by Tao Wong

Shocking Revelations by the Paragon! Centuries old secrets revealed! Hidden identities! Learn why the Paragon was missing during the Bareyes-Masgani War. Listen to the Paragon as he relates his full thoughts on the Powers Defense Act. Get his full thoughts of the penultimate superhero on anti-Capes like the Enforcer. You won't want to miss the first ever recorded interview by the Cape of capes!


A Jinn's Wish: Hidden Wishes Book 3

A Jinn's Wish: Hidden Wishes Book 3 by Tao Wong

Sometimes your greatest Wish becomes your greatest challenge. Henry Tsien made a wish to gain magic in a mundane world. Now he’s a mage living in a supernatural and dangerous world. When news that he holds a powerful wishing ring reaches the wrong ears, the danger grows imminent. Even the strongest of allies may fall as his enemies take action. Henry will have to run for his life, Leveling up and becoming more powerful as he tries to hide from his many enemies. All the while, Henry holds one last trump card. But wielding it might see the end of everything he and the world knows. A Jinn's Wish is the final book in the Hidden Wishes trilogy, a Gamelit / LitRPG urban fantasy novel that combines gaming concepts with popular fantasy tropes. It features a hidden supernatural world, magical leveling up, Knight Templars, kickass women, and shadowy supernatural organizations. No romance, no harems but pure magic and adventure.


A Squire's Wish: Hidden Wishes Book 2

A Squire's Wish: Hidden Wishes Book 2 by Tao Wong

When a squire on a mission becomes allies with a beginning mage, are wishes enough to keep the world safe? After Henry Tsien wished for magic and the knowledge that comes with it, his world became dangerous. Finding an unlikely ally in Alexa Dumough, the Knight Templar Initiate is not the strangest thing to happen to Henry but it could be just as dangerous. As their partnership becomes friendship, Alexa teaches Henry how to survive in the supernatural world. But soon, Alexa is forced to choose between her friendship with Henry and her loyalty to the Order. Her test to become a Squire plunges them both into a trial by fire, putting their lives and magic to the test. A Squire’s Wish is book 2 of the Hidden Wishes trilogy, an urban fantasy GameLit series. It features a hidden supernatural world, friendship, magical leveling up, Knight Templars, kickass women, and shadowy supernatural organisations. No romance, no harems but pure magic and adventure.


The Forest's Silence: Adventures on Brad Book 6

The Forest's Silence: Adventures on Brad Book 6 by Tao Wong

In a magical forest, danger awaits the team. Having escaped the Dungeon, Daniel and his new party members have just begun to relax before a new challenge awaits them. Tula, their Ranger, takes on an expedition quest into the wild's, dragging Daniel and his city-dwelling friends into a new environment. Together, they'll have to face unknown, new dangers, monstrous aerial creatures and learn about the greater dangers on Brad. The Forest's Silence is book 6 of the Adventures on Brad, a young adult LitRPG / GameLit fantasy series. A slice-of-life adventure of everyday heroes attempting to make their living as Adventurers in a fantasy world inspired by your favorite isekai and Japanese light novels.


The Adventurers Bond: Adventures on Brad Book 5

The Adventurers Bond: Adventures on Brad Book 5 by Tao Wong

A new Dungeon. New friends. And more danger than ever. Daniel Chai's tight-knit adventuring party has now grown with the addition of two new members. The silent Ranger and the maverick Enchanter make for new, interesting dynamics - at a time when the team must face their greatest challenge yet. As one of two teams to enter the newly re-opened Dungeon, the pressure to perform and clear the Dungeon floors have increased. The Adventurers Bond is book 5 of the Adventures on Brad, a LitRPG young adult LitRPG fantasy series. This book includes a healer, a Catkin, a terse Ranger, a loud barbarian, monsters, dungeons and stat screens.


The Arena's Call: Adventures on Brad Book 4

The Arena's Call: Adventures on Brad Book 4 by Tao Wong

To Quest, To Win, To Progress. The Arena Awaits. As Advanced Adventurers, Daniel and his friends journey to Silverholt to attempt larger and more dangerous Dungeons. But just because they've graduated from Beginner Dungeons doesn't mean they'll get any more respect from the experienced Adventurers that make up their new city. They'll have to train, struggle and take part in an arena battle to win a chance to enter the new Dungeon and to gain some respect. The Adventures of Brad series is a traditional fantasy story with LitRPG elements and features a Catkin, a Healer and an enthusiastic barbarian.


A Dungeon's Soul: Adventures on Brad Book 3

A Dungeon's Soul: Adventures on Brad Book 3 by Tao Wong

When the Dungeon changes, a race to the finish begins. The Karlak Dungeon has re-opened with a brand new configuration. A whole new Dungeon awaits Daniel and Asin. Joined by Omrak, the party races to be the first to complete the Dungeon but must face new monsters, new traps and new floor layouts. Will the Adventurers complete the new Dungeon in time? A Dungeon's Soul is traditional fantasy story with LitRPG elements written in the Japanese light novel format of short, slice-of-life features.


An Adventurer's Heart: Adventures on Brad Book 2

An Adventurer's Heart: Adventures on Brad Book 2 by Tao Wong

Not all adventures happen in Dungeons. Having returned from their time with the Army, Daniel and Asin must now complete the Dungeon in Karlak. To do so though, they will need to get better gear,more Skills and higher Levels. Taking a quest, the pair must leave Karlak to travel across the Kingdom of Brad and learn a few life-lessons along the way. The Adventures of Brad series is a traditional fantasy story with LitRPG elements.


Birds of a Feather

Birds of a Feather by Sandy Butchers

WriteHive Book Club

Gifted with wings and an exceptional predator’s instinct, Gideon finds that The Keep of Whispers is not too fond of Splices like him. Growing up in a cruel city, he quickly discovers that the only people who care about him are the people who created him through generations of genetic enhancements. Trained to be a killer in the name the tech-hoarding Houses, Gael Griswold, the man behind the Splice technology, sells Gideon to the highest bidder. Here, he discovers that there’s more to life than his head on a wanted bounty pamphlet. Follow Gideon Crowby as he tries to discover who he is and how he can become a better man. Birds of a Feather is the third volume in a series of short story collections that prelude the 'The Singularian'


Deeper, Darker, Older

Deeper, Darker, Older by P. J. Richards

Ancient yew trees - living links between the past and present - embody a magical discipline that offers a way to reach beyond the mundane world. An occult group has rediscovered this knowledge, and uses it to experience a reality where legends live, magic is currency and willpower is a weapon. They find themselves drawn into a hunt for the last magical artifacts left in Britain - but the land is an entity with its own deadly agenda, and is harnessing these individuals for its own ends.


Cradle of Sea and Soil

Cradle of Sea and Soil by Bernie Anés Paz

Indie Recs Indie

The Primordial Wound has festered with corruption since the birth of the world. The island tribes have warred against its spawn for just as long—and they are losing. Burdened by the same spiritual affliction that drove the first Halfborn insane, Colibrí lives in exile with little more than her warrior oaths and her son. But when Colibrí discovers corrupted land hidden away by sorcery, those same oaths drive her to find answers in an effort to protect the very people who fear her. Narune dreams of earning enough glory to show that he and his mother Colibrí are nothing like the Halfborn that came before them. Becoming a mystic will give him the strength he needs, but first, Narune will need to prove himself worthy in a trial of skill and honor. Together, Colibrí and Narune must learn to become the champions their people need—and face the curse threatening to scour away their spirits with fury.


The Second Sect: A Thousand Li Book 5

The Second Sect: A Thousand Li Book 5 by Tao Wong

Not All Injuries Heal True. Wu Ying saved his master from the machinations of the dark sect but was gravely injured during the process. His body has changed, his bloodline awakened and his cultivation compromised. Physicians and healers at the Verdant Green Water can do nothing for him. Forced to travel to a new sect for healing, Wu Ying might find opportunity in his distress. But the dark sect is not done with him, or their machinations. Caught up in the winds of war, Wu Ying and his friends must continue to balance their journey to immortality against the pull of mortal politics. The Second Sect is the fifth novel in the A Thousand Li series, a book on immortal cultivation, wondrous martial arts, evil cultivation sects and spirit beasts. This series will be loved by those searching for wuxia and xianxia works and those looking for a more westernised cultivation story.


The Citrine Key

The Citrine Key by L.L.MacRae

A stolen artefact. An ancient dragon. One man’s final chance. Life-long thief Apollo Tamlin has been marked for execution. When the mage Queen Surayo offers him a pardon, he doesn’t ask questions - any task she has is better than a walk to the gallows. Succeed, and not only will it preserve peace in his homeland, but Apollo can rebuild the life he’s ruined. Sent to a distant continent to feed a stolen artefact to an ancient and powerful dragon spirit sounds simple, but things quickly start going wrong. His companions are not what they seem, the dragon would rather eat him, and the artefact displays its own magic - throwing the entire mission into peril.


Sojin

Sojin by Cully Mack

Some dreams dig deep into the soul and never let go. Before the gods, before the war, there lived a freckled-face little mugger called Sojin. He dreamed of growing into manhood, finding a wife and settling down. But that was before... On the run, hiding from gods, giants and chimeric beasts, Sojin meets a new foe. Lestas, a brigand who demands Sojin pay his dues and join his band of runners. As Sojin strives to stay alive, he refuses to abandon a new dream. To kill the god who murdered his mother. It’s an impossible dream until he spies a stranger. A formidable rogue, an assassin, a thief—an Acquisitioner. Some say he speaks to the wind and she listens. His name is Ammo, you may have heard of him? Sojin is an epic fantasy prequel that can be read at any point in the series. It focuses on Ammo and Sojin, two awesome characters who appear in the Voice that Thunder series.


The Second Expedition: A Thousand Li Book 4

The Second Expedition: A Thousand Li Book 4 by Tao Wong

Even the great may fall. Wu Ying's idle winter, one filled with training and recovery, is thrown awry when his Master and Elder Yang return, injured. The Three Seasons poison fills Master Cheng's veins, slowly killing the powerful Elder. His only hope - a rare antidote. But the ingredients for such an antidote are scarce and located in the deepest wilds. Together, Wu Ying and Elder Yang take it upon themselves to embark on a Second Expedition to acquire the necessary materials. It would be a dangerous journey through the State of Wei normally, but in the shadows, enemies await to finish the job. Wu Ying is once again pitched against dark forces as a Sect war looms. The Second Expedition is book 4 of the A Thousand Li series which focuses on immortal cultivation, eastern philosophy, wondrous martial art styles and spirit beasts. The series draws upon the long tradition of wuxia and xianxia works and will thrill those looking for such high flying fantasy.


The First War: A Thousand Li Book 3

The First War: A Thousand Li Book 3 by Tao Wong

As war threatens his family, Wu Ying must decide on his path to immortality and the mortal ties that bind Winter has passed, taking with it the hope of peace. The state of Wei deploy an increasing number of cultivators and soldiers, intent on taking over the state of Shen. Caught in-between the armies is Wu Ying's village and all those that he cares about. Advised to keep away from the approaching war, Wu Ying will have to decide what is more important - his journey to immortality or the ties to the mortal that he holds onto still. Or perhaps, there is a third way, one that balances both the needs of Heaven and destiny and the karmic ties of the family. The First War is book three of the xianxia cultivation series, A Thousand Li. The series features immortal cultivation, gods, wondrous martial art styles and spirit beasts and will be loved by wuxia and xanxia fans.


A Vow That Clashes (Voice that Thunders #4)

A Vow That Clashes (Voice that Thunders #4) by Cully Mack

When a vow demands sacrifice, who will pay the price? Far behind Gabe is his innocence, destroyed when a Watcher slaughtered his clan. Now considered a chosen one, Gabe strives to understand his magic and his calling. He desires nothing more than to find his sister but is besieged by hybrid abominations intent on extinguishing mortal life, his most of all. His allies: a cunning thief, an Immortal, and a Fire Wielder stand fast with those seeking sanctuary underground. It’s a trap. The god of deep mines and solver of secrets is coming... A perilous maze of tunnels, their sole hope of escape. As vows and destiny collide, Gabe faces a devastating choice: abandon the people and his allies or forsake his beloved sister. The fate of the world rests on his decision, for the Watchers know a greater adversary approaches, a possessor of flesh. The clash between darkness and light has never been more dreadful. A Vow That Clashes is the fourth novel in the Voice that Thunders series and runs parallel to A Fire That Whispers.


The First Stop: A Thousand Li Book 2

The First Stop: A Thousand Li Book 2 by Tao Wong

Who knew immortal cultivation came with so many decisions? As an inner sect member in the Verdant Green Waters, Long Wu Ying must navigate the customs of the cultivators and choose his secondary occupation. From immortal alchemists, blacksmiths, physicians, martial specialists and more, Wu Ying must find an occupation that defines and contributes to his dao. Outside, the drums of war continue to beat and the Sect is about to be pulled deeper into the battle for supremacy between states. The Sect Elders will take Wu Ying and his friends on a desperate gamble to prepare for the upcoming war, putting to test everything that Wu Ying has learnt. As Wu Ying stops and takes account of himself and the Sect, he will need to accept his place in this new martial world, put aside his past and strive for the future. The First Stop is the second novel in A Thousand Li series, a book on cultivation, immortals, wondrous martial art styles and spirit beasts. This series will be loved by wuxia and xanxia fans and those looking for a more westernised cultivation story.


A Fire That Whispers (Voice that Thunders #3)

A Fire That Whispers (Voice that Thunders #3) by Cully Mack

War has begun, and the destined Voice of Thunder foretold to save the world is nowhere in sight. Mirah is an elemental wielder whose extraordinary magic has proved too powerful for the Immortal Watchers to ignore. Captured, they demand she destroys their portals. If she yields, it will trap her friends in the immortal realm forever. As shocking discoveries unfold, it forces Mirah further under her enemies’ control. Flames once thought dead arise and test the bonds of love and sacrifice. But not everyone once trusted is pure; not everyone once despised is vile
 and Mirah must unravel the lies. One truth she knows: The Shadow Beast lurks beyond the portals. The Immortals dread its arrival, but is the Beast more of a danger to them or to herself? A Fire That Whispers is the third novel in the Voice that Thunders epic fantasy series wherein hope hides in the darkest of places and honour-bound promises seal your fate.


Another Day, Another Plot: Eternal Night Book 2

Another Day, Another Plot: Eternal Night Book 2 by Tao Wong

It’s a long way down from the top. In the world of Eternal Night, Johnathan Masters is at the top of his game. He’s worked hard to build up his influence, trading favours and playing politics. But when a Blood from another city arrives on the scene and attempts to cut into his business by increasing his own status, Johnathan is forced to defend his turf. Maybe he’ll play nice. But then again, sometimes a bit of tough love sends the right message. Another Day, Another Plot is the second work in Eternal Night, A Vampire LitRPG Short Story series, written by Tao Wong, author of the bestselling System Apocalypse and A Thousand Li series of books.


A Scream That Shatters (Voice that Thunders #2)

A Scream That Shatters (Voice that Thunders #2) by Cully Mack

Mirah has risen from the ashes of her slaughtered clan to become the greatest Elemental Wielder the immortals have ever known. But the immortals craving her power are nothing compared to another darkness rising. Mirah calls it the Shadow – a defiling beast trapped in the other realm who bound her to itself. Her brother Gabe may be the Voice of Thunder destined to lead the war, but Mirah knows the Shadow is creeping closer and its reach is too powerful. She has seen the devastating lengths to which it will go, and it shattered her heart. Mirah faces a profound choice: stay and fight for humanity’s freedom, and risk the Shadow’s wrath, or flee to protect the brother she loves. A Scream That Shatters is the second novel in the Voice that Thunders epic fantasy series filled with explosive revelations and betrayals where romances bloom and others are severed.


Zeroth Law (Digitesque #1)

Zeroth Law (Digitesque #1) by Guerric Haché

Autonomous machines polish the bones of a civilization slowly being swallowed by wilderness. Creatures not born of Earth inhabit the remote corners of the world. Humans live with legacies they don’t understand - old ruins, strange technological artifacts, incredible powers in their blood. There are other worlds alongside this one, and death is not what it once was. Isavel is ripped from a simple life into the heat of a conflict she doesn’t understand, and saddled with powers and expectations she doesn’t know how to handle. Lost in a storm, she hopes that by following the will of her gods, she might find purpose - and ultimately, peace. Ada took her own peaceful life and threw it out the window. Outcast for heresy against the scholarly dogma of her people, she decides the world needs to change, and she thinks she’s the one to do it. To her surprise, she happens to be living at a time of more wondrous and terrible change than she can imagine. These two young women must navigate a world that is is barely holding together, each only slowly becoming aware of the other’s existence and power. Each of them will have the chance to light a fire to change the world - but first, they must become the people they will need to be.


Sacrifice (The Gods of Trivium, Book 1)

Sacrifice (The Gods of Trivium, Book 1) by Vicky Walklate

Dragon gods rule the realm, demons lurk in the shadows and a sorcerer hides a dangerous secret. A war is brewing in Jothesia, and the gods have no idea. Being selected as human sacrifice to the immortal dragon shifters is supposedly an honor, but rebellious Libby doesn’t see it that way. When the sacrificial ritual goes badly wrong, she finds herself in a reluctant alliance with eldest god Rhetahn. He’s grumpy, cynical and utterly exasperating 
and she can’t get him out of her head. Rhetahn knows there’s something wrong with this sacrifice, and it’s not just her infuriating stubbornness or the way she makes his jaded heart skip a beat. When misfortune befalls his brothers and renders him powerless, his only choice is to unite with Libby to seek answers. Setting out on a dangerous quest across the realm, the compelling attraction between them is undeniable, yet doomed. To recover his magic, regain his strength and prevent the demons from seizing power, Rhetahn needs her blood. He must kill her at the end of their journey, even if it breaks his heart to do so. But a terrible power lies hidden in Jothesia, one that could destroy everything the gods have built. Libby and Rhetahn’s forbidden relationship may be the realm’s only hope against utter ruin.


All Things Huge And Hideous

All Things Huge And Hideous by G. Scott Huggins

"Hilarious! Veterinary horror like Terry Pratchett would write!" -- D.J. Butler, author of WITCHY EYE "A rollicking adventure that hits all the right notes." --Christopher Ruocchio, Award-Winning Author of The Sun Eater Series Everyone says it was better in the Good Old Days. Before the Dark Lord subjugated us. Before he gave all the good land to his ogres, orcs and trolls, reducing the civilized races to serfdom and the dirty work: pig farming, sewer cleaning, veterinary medicine. But even before that happened, things weren't that much different for the veterinarians. Everyone cheered the heroes who rode their unicorn chargers into combat against the Dark Lord's dragons, but no one ever remembered who treated the unicorns’ phosphine burns afterward. The only real difference is that now I'm treating the dragons. Today I have to save one's life. Know what fewmets are? No? Then make a sacrifice of thanks right now to whatever gods you worship, because I have only a few hours to figure a way to get them flowing back out of the Dark Lord’s favorite dragon. Yeah, from the other end. And that’s just my most illustrious client. I’ve got orcs and trolls who might eat me and dark elf barons who might sue me if their bloodhawks and chimeras don’t pull through. And that doesn’t even consider the possibility that the old hag with the basilisk might show up. The only thing that’s gone right this evening is finding Harriet to be my veterinary assistant. She’s almost a witch, which just might save us both. If we don’t kill each other first.


First Steps into the Night: Eternal Night Book 1

First Steps into the Night: Eternal Night Book 1 by Tao Wong

Step Carefully For The Night Is Dark Kylie Porter needs a break. Novacore VR's Eternal Night is it - the VR vampire game that her editor wants her to write about. But she's not a gamer, so she's going to have to learn to fake it for her article. With a little help. Johnathan Masters is that help. An old friend who is doing her a favour, he's a lot more confident and good looking in the game, even if they've both touched themselves up. But she's a professional and this is just a game. None of it's really real? Is it? First Steps into the Night is a Vampire LitRPG Short Story (approximately 10k long) written by Tao Wong, the author of the System Apocalypse, Hidden Wishes and A Thousand Li series. It is not a fade-to-black story, set in a VR vampire MMORPG.


The Technopath: A Powers, Masks and Capes Universe Novelette

The Technopath: A Powers, Masks and Capes Universe Novelette by Tao Wong

Breaking News: Confessions of the Supervillain Mask the Technopath! In an exclusive scoop, the Daily Messenger has acquired the transcript of the infamous Technopath’s interview with the Power Defense Authority upon her initial capture after the August 19th terrorist incident in downtown Mayson. Among the shocking revelations in the transcript is allusions to the PDA knowing of her villainous sire, on-going abuse of the children of Masks and accusations of terrorism and collusion against Mordant Technologies. For full details, just subscribe to the Daily Messenger within!


A Gamer's Wish: Hidden Wishes Book 1

A Gamer's Wish: Hidden Wishes Book 1 by Tao Wong

A Magic Ring, an unsuspecting mundane and a hidden world. What could go wrong? Henry Tsien has been living the quiet life of a mundane mortal until he stumbles upon a magical ring. Within, an ancient jinn resides, willing to grant him his deepest desires. Faced with gaining his greatest desires, Henry wishes for magic. Granted magic and magical knowledge in increments, Henry stumbles into a world of adventure and a hidden magical world that is more banal and wondrous than he could ever imagine. A Gamer’s Wish is book 1 of the GameLit fantasy trilogy Hidden Wishes. With game-like elements, incredible magic, a beautiful game-addicted Jinn as a companion, and shadowy supernatural organizations, this story is the adventure you’ve been waiting for. No romance or harems involved.


A Healer's Gift: Adventures on Brad Book 1

A Healer's Gift: Adventures on Brad Book 1 by Tao Wong

A Gifted Healer. A Dungeon Town. A Fate Yet to be Determined. Daniel was Gifted by the gods at birth, able to heal with a touch even the most grievous wounds. Born in a mining camp, he's unable to still his restless heart and journeys to a nearby Dungeon town to take his first steps as an Adventurer. Follow his journey in a world filled with monsters, dungeons and a leveling system. A Healer's Gift is a traditional fantasy story with LitRPG elements inspired by popular light novels like Dan Machi, Konosuba and Grimgar. The Adventures on Brad is a series of short novels set in a fantasy world and details the day-to-day life of Daniel and his friends as he learns what it means to be an Adventurer.


Life in the North: System Apocalypse Book 1

Life in the North: System Apocalypse Book 1 by Tao Wong

SPSFC

What happens when the apocalypse arrives, not via nuclear weapons or a comet but as Levels and monsters? What if you were camping in the Yukon when the world ended? All John wanted to do was get away from his life in Kluane National Park for a weekend. Hike, camp and chill. Instead, the world comes to an end in a series of blue boxes. Animals start evolving, monsters start spawning and he has a character sheet and physics defying skills. Now, he has to survive the apocalypse, get back to civilisation and not lose his mind. The System has arrived and with it, aliens, monsters and a reality that draws upon past legends and game-like reality. John will need to find new friends, deal with his ex and the slavering monsters that keep popping up. Life in the North is Book 1 of the System Apocalypse, a LitRPG Apocalypse series that combines modern day life, science fiction and fantasy elements along with game mechanics. This series contains elements of games like level ups, experience, enchanted materials, a sarcastic spirit, mecha, a beguiling dark elf, monsters, minotaurs, a fiery red head and a semi-realistic view on violence and its effects. Does not include harems.


The First Step: A Thousand Li Book 1

The First Step: A Thousand Li Book 1 by Tao Wong

Indie Recs Indie

Long Wu Ying never expected to join a Sect or become a real cultivator. His days were spent studying, planting rice on the family farm and spending time with his friends. Fate, however, has different plans for Wu Ying and when the army arrives at his village, he and many other members of the village are conscripted. Given the opportunity to join the Verdant Green Waters Sect, Wu Ying must decide between his pedestrian, common life and the exciting, blood soaked life of a cultivator. Join Wu Ying as he takes his first step on his Thousand Li journey to become an immortal cultivator. The First Step is the first novel in A Thousand Li series, a book on cultivation, immortals, wondrous martial art styles and spirit beasts and will be loved by wuxia and xanxia fans. The First Step is written by Tao Wong, the bestselling scifi and fantasy LitRPG author of the System Apocalypse, Adventures on Brad and the Hidden Wishes.


Split Paths (Fall of Emros 2)

Split Paths (Fall of Emros 2) by Thomas J Devens

Paths split, sometimes to merge once more. Sometimes only to stray ever further. Friends and comrades are made, lost, and sometimes, against all odds, found again. None can predict the turns one’s life may take. None can predict the losses to come. One can only hope. A killer seeks his path to freedom. A path away from the blood that has haunted his life. A young warrior, journeys to a new world in search of glory, only to find himself forgotten. A sellsword searches for an easy job. The mercenaries of the Stone and Shield have suffered great losses, their numbers decimated, many comrades lost. The bulk of the surviving mercenaries return to their home in Frostmoor on the edge of the Norwaldian Wilderness. Eager to begin a period of rest while they winter in. Others survive, scattered across the world. Whether arriving on the distant western shores, far from the reaches of the Emrosian Empire, or in the capital of the troubled kingdom of Talres. For some of the surviving mercenaries, there will be anything but a time of rest.


The Gottingen Accident

The Gottingen Accident by James Mordechai

SPSFC 2023 SFINCS

What if three famous scientists with superhero powers do team up to fight a villain that wants to subvert the very fabric of the Universe by using non-Euclidean geometry? What if the Germans won the Great War and the 1917 Bolshevik revolution never took place? Time is not always a straight line and sometimes it can expand and contract. Then, Charles Darwin could change the evolutionary destiny of any living being and be coeval with Marie Curie that in turn could see through walls thanks to her X-Ray vision. A terrible accident, the Gottingen Accident, made them all. It made them like this. Superhumans. Or maybe just monsters.


Tales of Salvation and Damnation

Tales of Salvation and Damnation by Alan Scott

Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy You may like, if you enjoy the following authors: by Anne Bishop, David Gemmell, and Joe Abercrombie ‘Tales of Salvation and Damnation’ is the seventh book in dark fantasy series “The Storm Series”, and is a book of short stories set within the land of Talocants For me, one of the strengths of ‘The Storm Series’ is that it constantly changes and evolves, and the stories within “Tales of Salvation and Damnation” continue that fine tradition. As always, I’ve tried to make the stories full accessible for new readers, whilst giving long term readers answers to some of their questions.


Fear and Fury

Fear and Fury by Jamie Jackson

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2023

Meet Megaera, Meg for short. She’s like Deadpool, except for funner. For a girl with the power of fear the recruitment attempts from both sides are never-ending. A self-described not-a-hero, villain-leaning humanoid, Meg just wants to live her life, work her dead-end job and have everyone else (especially the heroes) leave her alone. But when a bigger fish who can turn superpowers back on their users enters the picture and threatens the person Meg loves the most (herself), she must turn to the last group of people she would admit she needs help from. Forced to team up with the heroes she despises (but won’t murder, because let’s face it, orange is not the new black), Meg will have to face the choices from her past that she won’t get therapy for. Self-centered, snarky, sarcastic and a little bit dramatic, she’s going to have to save the world, even if that wasn’t her intention. And try not to get shot in the process. Because that shit hurts.


The Darkness Within

The Darkness Within by Michael D. Nadeau

The Incarnation of death has been slowed, but at a cost. Rhoe and his companions must reach the city of Everknight and find a way to stop the Incarnation for good.Yet Everknight is not a safe city. Intrigue and assassins lie around every corner, and the mastermind behind it is eager for Rhoe to arrive. Revelations and long hidden secrets come to light, but will they help our heroes cause... or tear it all down? (Book 2 in the Lythinall series)


© 2026 Hakea Media | Terms | Privacy