Hard Contact

La guerra de los mundos narra por primera vez en la historia de la literatura un tema que será recurrente desde entonces y originará todo un subgénero dentro de la ciencia ficción: la invasión de la Tierra por extraterrestres procedentes de Marte. A través de esta fábula en la que ocupan un lugar central las descripciones científicas, las premoniciones sobre el futuro de la tecnología y los entresijos de la política, H. G. Wells nos habla sobre la vanidad y la seguridad ficticia de una humanidad autosatisfecha, y los peligros que acechan su supervivencia.

Two humans and a robot roam the universe in search of castaways. The Majestic Draght, a spaceship built by aliens and controlled by an AI, transports them from system to system at one-fifth the speed of light. But then the ship suddenly - and seemingly unstoppably - accelerates. Has the AI lost control of the propulsion system? Or is the AI pursuing its own plans? The Draght’s new course targets a planet that would not have been the destination of the human-alien crew for a long time: Earth.

When the first astronauts of the Mars Colony returned to Earth, they brought a mysterious, metal box they had found half-buried in the red dirt, called the Mars Cube. The scientists assigned to uncover its secrets tested it, scanned it, tried to blow it up, and everything in between. Then they accidentally opened it. Biosafety level-4 laboratories, BSL4, hold the most deadly viruses on the Earth, and Juliet handled them daily. Her research at the CDC landed her a position on the Mars Cube Investigative Team in the world’s only BSL-5 lab.

Years ago, one starship and its crew discovered an alien entity which changed everything. Its discovery finally bought an end to the interstellar war being fought between the masses of humanity and the few pockets of genetically engineered colonists. An uneasy peace was negotiated as the human race realised there was something else sharing our universe. Something that had plans for us. But the aliens have remained silent. The earthers have begun to test the edges of the peace treaty.

The diplomatic mission from Earth to World ended in disaster, as the Earth scientists discovered that the Worlders were not the scientifically advanced culture they believed. Though they brought a limited quantity of the vaccine against the deadly spore cloud, there was no way to make enough to vaccinate more than a few dozen. The Earth scientists, and surviving diplomats, fled back to Earth. But once home, after the 28-year gap caused by the spaceship transit, they find an Earth changed almost beyond recognition.

Twenty years have passed since the mysterious Near-Earth Object nicknamed Keanu appeared in the night sky and transported an assortment of humans from all over Earth into its interior. There they discovered that Keanu was an immense long-range spaceship - and they were not its only inhabitants. They joined forces with the aliens called the Architects, who had come from a distant galaxy to seek help in fighting the vicious Reivers. And they defeated them - or so they thought.

Bearing Earth's hopes for deliverance from the alien threat, Jack Kildare and his fellow astronauts successfully complete the long journey to Jupiter. But someone on board is trying to sabotage the mission. As they approach the mysterious alien spaceship orbiting Europa, the crew fractures into rival factions. Without warning, a long-range attack cripples the human ship. Now the broken crew is the least of Jack's worries. The alien spaceship isn't a wreck, after all. And whoever is on board wants the humans dead.

The colonization of Mars began with vision and the power of science and money, but it didn't take long for greed to rear its ugly head. As the wonder of Mars turned ugly, the United Nations formed the Joint Academic Research and Development Organization (JARDO) and choose the world-renowned scientist Marvin Dryer to head it up. Dryer uses his influence at Harvard and MIT to assemble a team of the brightest young minds in science. Individually, they are all superstars, but together with a sentient AI cognate known as SAMI, they become a mighty force that wields unimaginable powers.~~~ “...

Nova ist ein einsamer Planet, seit ewigen Zeiten unterwegs zur Andromeda-Galaxie. Und doch ist er bewohnt – von Menschen, die nie etwas anderes kennengelernt haben als die Höhlen unter der Oberfläche, die sie vor dem Vakuum und der kosmischen Strahlung schützen. Eine überraschende Begegnung ändert alles. Der Planet bekommt Besucher, die ihre eigenen Pläne zu haben scheinen und dabei so fremdartig sind, dass Kommunikation aussichtslos erscheint.

Año 2031. Se encuentran rastros de actividad biológica en Encélado, una luna de Saturno. La noticia corre como la pólvora: es posible que exista vida extraterrestre. Una misión estelar parte rumbo a Encélado en busca de respuestas. Sin embargo, un accidente hará que toda la misión se vea alterada. Ya no es posible volver, y lo que aguarda al frente no es nada alentador.

The Prince of Peril – Using his secret method Dr. Morgan projects a young Martian's astral body into a certain Harry Thorne on Earth, who then gets transported to an ancient Venus. He arrives there in the body of Prince Zinlo of Olba, and he is soon forced to escape assassination, since an ambitious noble is killing off the Royals in a bid to seize the throne. With the help of the fellow interplanetary traveler Vorn Vangal he gets to know the planet and the rules of it.

Peace is shattered. Tragedy and chaos ensues.A year has passed, and the native c'thlooq have begun a savage guerilla war across the swamps and rivers of the entire planet. The colonists of Wetworld are hard-pressed, for the insurgents have somehow acquired advanced human weaponry, and are supported by mysterious allies. Sophie Singh is thrust into a leadership role as enemies from all sides attempt to crush the ruling conglomerate her family has built up over many generations. Meanwhile, Conrad Gorski, an agent from the Vatican, is sent to New Bali to find the missing Moises Borbon, the one...

The aliens are here. And they want to help. The extraordinary new project from one of the country's most acclaimed and consistently brilliant SF novelists of the last 30 years. The Jackaroo have given humanity 15 worlds and the means to reach them. They're a chance to start over, but they're also littered with ruins and artifacts left by the Jackaroos' previous clients.

The Ultimate Science Fiction Mega Collection contains 16 of the greatest science fiction works ever written.

Humanity's future has been disrupted and shaped by the mysterious alien Jackaroo. We spread to the planets they gave us, and we discovered the ruins of a dozen previous civilisations. All previous clients of the Jackaroo, all dead. So far we have escaped that fate - but we have also escaped from the Jackaroos' planets and begun to explore the galaxy. The discovery of ancient spaceships and the unlocking of their mysteries has led to a new way of life. But humanity's failings and conflicts are always with us.

Are the extraterrestrial Flickers what they seem to be? They're outwardly friendly, sometimes more than that. But troubling questions have emerged: What of the destroyed village on the Flicker world Alpha Orionis 8? Is there an acceptable explanation for the adult humans living on Flicker worlds, who were taken up by flying saucers as infants? And the biggest questions of all: What drew the Flickers to the solar system in the first place, and are the communities on Mars the first wave of a Flicker invasion? These are just some of the questions troubling Mac and Chuck, and there's more.

Life on the planet Jupiter? Former Senator Mitchell Ryan had always been told the violent, storm-tossed world was devoid of life. He had dismissed rumors of a strange life form living in the energy rich atmosphere as mere fantasy. Confronted with several mysterious deaths, sabotage, and similar acts of terrorism - possibly perpetrated by wealthy politicians who profit from the current crisis of fear - Ryan faces a dilemma that will change his life and determine the fate of the solar system forever.

A charming rogue, Dan Courtney is learning fast that it takes more than a little charm to lay the groundwork for a railroad. Particularly when the plan is to build it across some of the roughest and most dangerous territory on earth. Courtney's been hired to survey the land that would link up the Uganda Railway to the Anglo-Egyptian railroad. Running through desert, jungle and mountains, this is one line—and story—with more twists and turns than the New York City subway system.

Four hundred years ago, Ed and Alice Rico threw themselves through a mysterious portal on the London Underground, hunting for Ed's lost brother - Alice's husband - Verne. Now, starship captain Katherine Abdulov embarks on a desperate race against ruthless rival captain - and her former lover - Victor Luciano, to try and earn back her family's trust. Tomorrow, all their lives will be thrown together by disaster, as an ancient evil stirs among the stars, threatening the survival of all life.

Mankind explores Venus for signs of life, and an abandoned alien outpost is discovered. Dr. Veronica Hatch is sent to investigate, and she discovers an alien race escaped its dying planet and colonized Venus. When news reaches Earth, humans fear the aliens will invade and conquer the solar system, and they prepare for war.