Space Exploration Fiction

🌌 In the dark, we whispered. In the silence, we were judged. The universe is a graveyard — ancient, watchful, and merciless. When humanity made its presence known to the stars, it broke the sacred law of survival: stay silent, or perish. Silent Requiem marks the beginning of the saga: Dr. Nia Raine and Commander Ellis Vorn lead the Artemis Ascendant into the mythic Orion Expanse, awakening an ancient intelligence within the Dark Forest. A fragile peace is forged... but at a terrible cost. In War Without Stars, centuries later, new explorers stumble upon the forest once again — and ...

After taking a Peacemaker job to find missing fuel, Perry finds something far more sinister than simple theft - a voice, crying out in a forge of heat and flame, and the discovery reveals a series of acts so vicious that nothing short of revenge will suffice. Following leads across the stars, Van, Perry, and Torina discover the wealthy elite are doing more than just taking fuel.

A Fire Upon the Deep is the big, breakout book that fulfills the promise of Vinge's career to date: a gripping tale of galactic war told on a cosmic scale. Thousands of years hence, many races inhabit a universe where a mind's potential is determined by its location in space, from superintelligent entities in the Transcend, to the limited minds of the Unthinking Depths, where only simple creatures and technology can function.

Jazz pianist Gus Kitko expected to spend his final moments on Earth playing piano at the greatest goodbye party of all time, and maybe kissing rock star Ardent Violet, before the last of humanity is wiped out forever by the Vanguards—ultra-powerful robots from the dark heart of space, hell-bent on destroying humanity for reasons none can divine. But when the Vanguards arrive, the unthinkable happens—the mecha that should be killing Gus instead saves him. Suddenly, Gus's swan song becomes humanity's encore, as he is chosen to join a small group dedicated to saving humanity.

The Indomitus Crusade has brought the Emperor's vengeance to thousands of star systems. The fleets and armies under the leadership of Roboute Guilliman fight for the survival of humanity against the forces of the Chaos Gods. But the traitors and heretics are not the only foe looking to destroy the rule of Terra. Xenos prey on human worlds in numbers not seen for millennia. Worst amongst them are the rampaging orks, whose migration conquests threaten to reverse the many gains of Fleet Primus.

When the Fafnir responds to a desperate distress call, their act of kindness is turned against them, making Van the most wanted man in the known universe. Targeted by a vicious, charismatic politician and his shadowy partner, Van and his friends are faced with a decision that carries long term consequences—deliver justice...or run and hide. The choice is easy. The Fafnir will attack, and criminals will pay regardless of the bounty chasing them across the stars.

Season after season, the clans of the Brilliant Valley rely upon nature's dependable bounty. From their river's ceaseless flow, to the berry patch's delectable fruit, none among the valley's inhabitants could ever conceive of drought, or deprivation of any kind—until the night a colossal entity fell from the stars… The Shepherd of the Brilliant Valley - a new sci-fi short story from the bestselling author of The Dig and Exigency.

New Continent is an action-packed military Sci-Fi thriller. This real-time futuristic adventure is both a space opera and a hard science fiction novel. Join the crew of the New Continent as they race against time that is waged in this annihilated world where microbiological investigations, encrypted messages, and space battles intertwine with the epic fast action scenes of a marine platoon. Follow the trail of deadly bacteria and alien attacks of the past. The New Continent, the only remaining starship in the fleet, was somehow lost in the galaxy for over five centuries. Approaching the ...

In a past age, humanity fled a dying Earth in massive ark ships. These searched the galaxy to find a new home. Then one fleet found Centauri, a dense cluster of stars teeming with habitable planets. Now, thousands of years later, Centauri’s settlers have evolved into advanced beings known as Celestials – and their great houses rule vast star systems. As they vie for supremacy, Earth’s ark ships continue to arrive, and humans must serve these repressive masters. But is there a better life beyond the empire?

After thousands of years searching, humans stand on the verge of first contact with an alien race. There are two human groups: the Qeng Ho, a culture of free traders, and the Emergents, a ruthless society based on the technological enslavement of minds. The group that opens trade with the aliens will reap unimaginable riches.

A genocidal psychopath resurrects an ancient, powerful space fleet to dominate the Solar System. And the crew of the Sea Rover are humanity’s last hope... they just don’t know it yet. Captain Calin Aku and his crew specialize in smuggling across the new Martian colonies. It was a simple job with a paycheck, until they find themselves caught in the clandestine war of a secret advanced civilization hidden for a millennium. Can Calin and his crew transcend their roles as mere smugglers and outlaws to become true heroes? Corsair of Mars is the riveting second installment in a Solar System-...

There are two things guaranteed on Kaivanto: rain and terror. Subaltern Zyst has just joined the Imperial Fleet. He expects adventure, glory and action. Instead, he’s assigned to the mining world of Kaivanto, where he can expect only rain, mud and terror. In a universe with faster than light travel, power armour and energy weapons, Subaltern Zyst has been assigned to the most archaic world in the Empire. A place nobody has ever heard of and where misery is par for the course, with a simple mandate: keep the ore flowing and keep the monsters outside the perimeter. A War Beneath the Clouds ...

When Van gains rank as a Peacemaker, he becomes a bigger target for the criminals scattered among the stars. And he wouldn’t have it any other way. On a distant world under an alien sun, hunters and their companions—the Rovan—bond in a ritual as old as their civilization. But one of the hunters is missing, and Van, along with his growing crew, knows where to look. Climbing up into the rarified air of the super-rich, Van uncovers a new enemy: The Fade. And they are as cruel as the stars are many.

A pristine planet near Alpha Centauri offers an escape for Earth’s elite from the damage they’ve done. But running from your problems never works. Even at light speed. Young Adam Proctor has dreamed of leaving the Earth too, it runs in the family. Searching for answers behind his mother’s death as an astronaut and his own place in space he charts a path to the prestigious Astronaut Academy run by the mysterious Arseo Chapman. Graduation earns Adam a ticket to Mars for a grueling training regimen in preparation for Arseo’s secret interplanetary mission. Once there, Adam meets his ...

A good Gajur gave his life. Will that sacrifice help bring the galaxy back to balance? Or topple known space into a war to end all wars? Armagost wasn't the only light snuffed prematurely. The attack destroyed an irreplaceable piece of Valint's life, as well. Now, Mark must toe the delicate line between lawman and friend, partner and lover. With those in power divided, the work has only begun. The galaxy no longer needs a maker of peace, but a lobbyist and negotiator. In order to deconstruct the entombed and corrupt system, Mark and the gang must stack the deck in their favor.

The continued adventures of Jake. Jake, along with his forever-increasing alien family. They run a busy family business that transports food and goods between alliance worlds, encountering various situations in the process. The human race would not have been considered ready for first contact if it were not for one overriding reason. The most deadly alien foe known to the alliance has its sights on Earth and is set on a path to invade, not to conquer but to annihilate all the planet’s human inhabitants. Earth’s primitive weapons will not save them; this is where Jake can help. Jake has ...

A spaceship crash survivor, Addie Rye is lucky to be alive. But being stuck on a primitive planet isn’t exactly the epitome of luck. With no way home, Addie has no choice but learn how to use stone tools and catch her dinner before cooking it, all while attempting to befriend a tribe of wild nomads who inhabit this planet.

Tornado Onwubiko is one of seven people on Earth paired with sentient ships to explore and research the cosmos for twenty million euros. A decade of solitary life for a lifetime of wealth. Five years into the ten-year mission of total isolation comes a consolation: a temporary meetup among fellow travelers. A lot can happen in a week. For Tornado, who left a normal life behind, a little company can be life-changing.

Get ready to experience two more origin stories in the Backyard Starship universe.

A spaceship has crashed on a deserted alien world. Only one unit is capable of responding: Imperial Rescue Technicians. On the surface, the rain is constant, nothing electrical works and unknown terrors lurk in the darkness. For the crew of the Vanuri, their survival depends on a few brave Rescue Techs who can get down to the surface and save them from the planet’s horrors before it’s too late.