Space Survival Fiction

Earth is dying, but I hold the key to its survival. The people of Earth thought we wouldn’t survive. Why else would they only send their criminals with a ship full of aliens? We proved them wrong. All we have to do is cross the galaxy and return home before Earth freezes to death in less than three months. Easy, right? The unknowns of the universe, like meteor showers, wormholes, and space pirates, are nothing compared to what we face on our own ship. With our own people. Our salvation has never been so close…yet so far away. Will we make it back to Earth in time to save not only those ...

Today’s fans of science fiction and fantasy have an appetite for stories that address a wide variety of voices, perspectives, and styles. There is an openness to experiment and pushing boundaries, combined with the classic desire to hear about spaceships and dragons, future technology and ancient magic, and the places where they intersect. With a diverse selection of stories chosen by series editor John Joseph Adams and Diana Gabaldon, The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2020 explores the ever-expanding and changing world of SFF today.

Mase Colton has worked for years in the harsh unforgiving environment of the Moon building Tycho City. Now, with the completion of the Farside observatory complex, a deadly danger to the Moon and Earth has been discovered. A neutron star is about to enter the solar system.

Rostislav Volkov, a man defined by meticulous plans and an unshakeable faith in logic, finds his meticulously ordered universe shattered on the alien world of Lumina. Stranded after a catastrophic ship malfunction, he confronts a hostile landscape of shifting light and unpredictable dangers, battling not just the elements, but the bitter echoes of a past failure that cost him everything. His rigid protocols prove useless against Lumina's raw, chaotic beauty, and a failing life support system threatens to turn his armored suit into a tomb. Salvation arrives in the unexpected form of Kira, a ...

Fresh from his rebirth in the galactic graveyard, Mick Triton is a man with a new ship and an old problem: a dwindling bank account. To get back in the game, he takes a job that sounds too good to be true, a contract from a desperate corporate suit to retrieve the Star Wanderer, a legendary multi-trillion-credit luxury liner that vanished on its maiden voyage in the Sargasso Nebula. Every spacer knows the stories—the Nebula is a place where ships go to die, a navigational nightmare of gravimetric tides and phantom signals. But the payday is obscene, a king's ransom that could set him up ...

When the young crew of the Star Wanderer crash-lands on the icy, desolate planet of Frost's Edge, their mission of exploration turns into a desperate fight for survival. Trapped in an alien world far from home, Zane and his fellow cadets must harness their training and ingenuity to conquer the unknown. Zane, a budding engineer with a gift for innovation, reluctantly steps into the role of leader. His crew includes Allie, a xenobiologist determined to document the alien ecosystem; Tamika, a medical officer tasked with keeping the team alive against all odds; and Rorax, a Caraxian aspiring ...

How far would you go to find your sister? Would you sleep with someone? Xena’s sister went missing on Zeylan after she signed up for the Intergalactic Marriage Council, and now she’s is determined to get to the bottom of this. When Xena receives contact information about a shuttle pilot who makes runs between Earth and Zeynlan, she figures he might be the perfect person to toy with for secrets. Xena has a plan, but it doesn’t include being hot-to-trot for Axiss. Something about Axiss sets her off and all she wants to do is jump into bed with him. Maybe Xena’s plans need to change, ...

For a thousand years, humanity knew only peace. War was a forgotten word, a bloody relic studied only by historians in climate-controlled classrooms. The Commonwealth had engineered aggression out of its society, building a utopia across the stars, a monument to reason and cooperation. But the peace was a fragile illusion. Without warning, a fleet of silent, implacable warships descends upon the Outer Rim. The Hydrans have arrived. Their attack is not a war; it is an extermination. Worlds burn, and humanity’s mastery over the physical world shatters in a single day. In the chaos, a ...

Experience the timeless allure of the Golden Age of Science Fiction with "Science Fiction Novels Vol. 01: Five Science Fiction Novels" - an extraordinary anthology penned by the visionary authors of the Shadowplay Collective. Journey through five captivating tales that push the boundaries of imagination, captivating readers with their compelling narratives and evocative themes. In "The Poachers of Sato," enter a world of intergalactic intrigue as a team of renegade adventurers battles against ruthless foes in a race to uncover the truth behind a mysterious alien species. With high-stakes ...

Felix used to be a traveling salesman, drifting through the galaxy and hawking his wares. Used to be, that is, until a freak accident in an out-of-the-way system. One rough landing later, Felix finds himself stranded on a wild, alien planet - front and center - in a deadly role he never auditioned for to entertain a secret audience. The upside? A fellow passenger made it to the escape pod with Felix. With this reptilian stranger at his side, he’s not totally alone. The downside? They don’t share a language.

Forgiveness isn’t always easy. Xena is doubtful she can ever move past what Axiss did. How can she love someone who lied to her? Despite enjoying the bonding time with her sister, Xena is unsettled and needs to make a decision. Can she ever forgive Axiss and get her happily ever after? ------------------ This story contains graphic depictions of sex between consenting adults. Reader discretion advised.

Things always go wrong when you try to be God. In the case of Reinhardt Base, the Coalition's attempts have now cost them an entire planet. Now the survivors are just trying to get out with their lives. Can they do it? Read Flight From Reinhardt today!

NOMADS 1 – The Invaders February 21, 4589: First contact with extraterrestrial life. But instead of bringing peace, the alien species known as the Keymon and Akkato bring their war to Earth — and humanity becomes their battlefield. While the ruthless Keymon show no mercy, the Akkato recognize the resilience and tenacity of humans. They recruit them for their cause — among them Dominic Porter, who, by sheer luck, finds himself aboard one of their ships. What begins is a perilous journey that will take him to the farthest corners of the galaxy. NOMADS That’s what humans are called by ...

The rule of law comes hard. Sudden independence breeds chaos. Cristina Flores returns in this thrilling sequel to The Far Shore. Can young men and women—none of them trained astronauts—learn to cooperate and survive on Mars? Is self-determination possible for those who grew up under an authoritarian government? Along with the most grueling struggles ever faced by humans, the tiny colony is now threatened by a new menace that could extinguish their hard-won freedom forever. If you enjoy bold heroes, convincing technolgy, and science fiction in the classic tradition, you'll love Glenn ...

What happens when you find out you’re sleeping with the enemy? Xena arrives on Zeylan and the search for her sister doesn’t go as well as she hoped. Axiss is keeping secrets from her, and the fabulous sex isn’t calming her nerves when it looks more and more like something bigger is going on than just a simple missing person. Can Xena handle finding out the truth about Axiss and his involvement in her sister’s disappearance? ------------------ This story contains graphic depictions of sex between consenting adults. Reader discretion advised.

The miners on the moon have supply, but no demand, The colony on Mars is suddenly no longer a project with earth as a safety net, it is the future, presuming they can make it through the present. As for those who have ventured beyond the edges of the universe, it is questionable the return trip will be worth it. What do you do with all those solar collector panels when the sun goes out?

A journey home… New challenges to face… An ultimate decision to be made… Kara Howard faces her greatest fear when she returns to Earth. She is now the purple faced alien who is designated to represent her new world. All her work to reunite families will soon meet its final test. No longer able to breathe her home planet’s air, her future must be made galaxies away. Her life is further complicated when the mission is jeopardized by betrayal. Once again, Kara must choose sides in the ambiguous allegiances between families. She walks a tightrope of her own making between the two men in...

The lunar colonies have no lifeline. They must find a way to survive… for the sake of humanity. All Logan wants is to continue his engineering responsibilities and compete in the upcoming moon buggy race. But when disaster strikes, he must step up and negotiate politics, diplomacy and the perils lurking in the solar system to lead the human remnant into the future. A responsibility he doesn't want, but knows he must accept. No one else he trusts wants the job. He pleaded for volunteers! And he knows the alternative is too frightening to even contemplate. But when everything seems headed ...

She holds the key to humanity’s survival—if she can unlock the truth buried inside her own mind. In a near-future Earth ravaged by unstoppable disease, the last hope for survival lies in the stars. The Rangatiratanga, the Absolute Sovereignty of New Zealand, launches three Galaxy Cruisers toward distant exomoons—each ship a final lifeline for the human race. But one by one, the ships are lost. River, a brilliant but isolated prodigy, may be the only one who can stop the destruction. She is unknowingly bound to a Māori prophecy—an ancient myth colliding with quantum reality—that ...

An elite team of Special Ops combat soldiers from around the world Are brought into a small town where a zombie invasion has begun. It was not what was thought…it was worse…far worse! It was the beginning of an invasion from beyond the stars. An invasion of beings who had no human qualities… Because they were not human. Not even close! They were GIANT INSECTS!