Virtual Reality Fiction

This second collection of short stories once again takes the reader beyond the paths we all walk in our everyday life, to where that thin veil of civilization is torn aside to reveal worlds in which the strange and impossible do happen, for better and for worse. In the nine tales here we meet; a man who buys a classic car that can do incredible things, things that could change his life forever, even if he’d rather it didn’t (The Song Remains the Same). A brilliant and nasty research scientist who is hell bent on unlocking the key to immortality both for herself and for mankind, even if ...

Nightmares, memory loss… a life long lived! Imagine each night enduring the pain of a never-ending nightmare. The torment of a life you don’t remember flashing through your mind. Deion Clark finds himself waking each morning from the torment of such of a dream. Falling from the sky, winds peeling his skin, the n ightmare prevents him from getting any sleep and leads to his memory loss. But… there’s more going on than he realizes. Lurking around the corner is Mania and Andras; seeking to keep all from discovering the secret behind the dreams. If you love Christian fantasy with a ...

In the heart of a decaying city, where the air is thick with the scent of rot and despair, Samuel and Lindsay find themselves trapped in the newest iteration of the reversion. Beyond the veil of reality, they stand on the precipice of an apocalyptic world overrun by an undead army, led by the formidable and malevolent Kole—Samuel’s own brother. Their harrowing odyssey takes them through a labyrinth of crumbling streets, where the line between life and death blurs. The decaying urban expanse becomes a treacherous battleground, a place where the dead walk and shadows speak. As they ...

From Emmy and Peabody Award winner Evan Mandery, MOSAIC is a sci-fi murder/thriller that explores the implications of technology that’s just around the corner. MOSAIC is a virtual-reality platform that allows participants to jointly relive past experiences. When Lindsey Rudin, is killed inside MOSAIC—and also dies in real life—her murder sends shockwaves into the real world and the simulation, in which she has lived for nearly three years. MOSAIC is told from two characters’ perspectives: Lindsey Rudin and Mark Collins, a broken down, alcoholic police officer who, weeks before his ...

The familiar world collapsed overnight. As the Transformation progressed, disasters occurred throughout the Earth. Materials changed their properties, new species of flora and fauna appeared. The Game converted our world into a huge dungeon, completely replacing the previous civilization. However, the alien plans for Earth began to go awry from the very beginning. The conversion was less successful than expected. An ordinary young man stole the bonus for the first gaming action, depriving the invaders of their perk.

Whether you’re dreaming of galactic empires, magical kingdoms, or dystopian futures, this comprehensive guide will help you bring your imagined worlds to life—and keep readers turning pages. Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy is your essential companion for crafting compelling characters, building immersive settings, and mastering the tools of powerful storytelling. You’ll learn: Worldbuilding Creating magic systems and technologies that feel real Pacing, suspense, and scene structure Character arcs, voice, viewpoint, and more How to write each genre, from time travel to high fantasy...

Alexandra McInnes hat als Pilotin der Special Forces zahlreiche Einsätze erfolgreich geflogen. Doch bei einem verheerenden Unfall wird sie schwer verletzt. Der Kybernetiker Dr. Jensen eröffnet ihr die Möglichkeit, an einem einzigartigen Experiment teilzunehmen: Sie soll ihr Bewusstsein in das Online-Spiel Vorena übertragen und dort vollständig geheilt weiterleben. Als Alexandra die gigantische Welt Vorenas betritt, verändert dies alles. Fortan muss sie als Kämpferin Questen erfüllen, sich mit anderen Spielern verbünden und Reiche erobern.

Otherland is civilisation's most stunning achievement: a private, multidimensional universe built by the greatest minds of the 21st century. But this most exclusive of places is also a jealously guarded secret, created and controlled by the Grail Brotherhood, a private cartel known to a few and made up of the world's most powerful and ruthless individuals. The purpose of Other is still a mystery. But it may not remain so for long. For a small band of adventurers has penetrated the secrecy that surrounds it and has broken into the amazing worlds with worlds it contains.

Otherland, a universe where any fantasy can be made real, but which is ruled by Earth's wealthiest and most ruthless power brokers, the Grail Brotherhood. Shrouded in secrecy, it is home to the wildest dreams and darkest nightmares. Vast amounts of money have been lavished on it. The best minds of two generations have laboured to build it. And somehow, bit by bit, it is claiming Earth's most valuable resources - its children

Kali Ling has faced down death hundreds of times for the entertainment of millions. She knows fear - and she knows what's truly terrifying.... There's a new game in town. A brutal, winner-takes-all international video game tournament showcasing the world's most elite players, promising fame, prestige, and unbelievable fortune. But there's a catch. The game uses new VR pods guaranteed to push digital warriors to their physical and psychological brink - adapting every time a gamer makes a move.

Earth is governed by Corporations. Automation has made unemployment normal. The work ethic has been replaced by interactive virtual reality. Yet within ten years the population will exceed the ability of the infrastructure to feed everyone, and it will all come tumbling down... unless a productive solution can be achieved. In Volume 1 (Modulus) Paul Harden attempted a solution and failed badly. In the process, he destroyed an entire planet, killing almost all of its settlers. Now Harden is on the run, an escapee. He has a hole card he believes in, a way back to what he believes is his ...

The Matchmaker calls... ...and only the gifted will be selected. In a world where the infamous Matchmaker actually hunts mages, eighteen-year-old Mei is the most sought after sorceress to be born in centuries. After it's revealed that a husband is not Mei's fate, she learns she has been recruited to join the infamous Red Emperor's army of mages. But, all is not what it seems... There are rumors that the emperor has dark abilities, and can shift into whatever creature he wishes. With war brewing between the Spirit Realm and the Shadow Lord, an army of supernatural beings may be the solution ...

Beneath Pinewood research facility is Bunker 10, holding the two most dangerous creatures on earth. A little girl and a mouse. And they've just escaped. Winner of the UK Royal Mail Award.

HOLMES IS STILL MISSING BUT NOW HIS GOOD FRIENDS HAVE AN IDEA OF WHERE HE MIGHT BE. A DUPLICATE HOLMES APPEARED WHEN SHERLOCK VANISHED. HIS NAME IS STEAMPUNK HOLMES. WHILE STEAMPUNK HOLMES, A LONG GUN TOTING STEAMPUNK COWBOY DETECTIVE, MESSES WITH WATSON’S MIND IN A FORCED PARTNERSHIP, THE REAL HOLMES IS WAKING UP TO AN EMPIRE DRIVEN BY BRUTAL FORCES AND VIOLENCE.

For eighty million years, the Tourists have taken Snapshots of Earth, creating living replicas of continents. Life in the Snapshots quickly diverges from the real world, creating a universe where humans and animals from Earth's history fly between Snapshots, exploring, fighting, and sometimes meeting their alternate history selves. In 2014, the Tourists create a Snapshot of North America in a snow-globe shaped artificial universe, linked like pearls on a necklace to other copied times and places. In that timeline, Simon Royale—a.k.a. Simon-2014— is a legendary best-selling author. When ...

Louis Parker is the divorced father of two teenagers who is still trying to find his life's purpose. After losing his job, Louie' financial situation convinces him he has nothing to lose if he agrees to test out a radical new virtual reality video game for a substantial fee. But Louie quickly learns that virtual reality is a lot more complicated than he realized. By the end of his seven days, is Louie trapped in virtual reality forever? If he is able to return to his own reality, is it the same one he started from, or has it immeasurably changed.

Cameron Scott’s reality TV show career is spiraling into an abyss. She’s desperate enough to do almost anything to keep a roof over her head and provide the financial support that’s needed for her daughter and ailing grandmother. When her estranged husband, Jacob Gray, reenters her life offering a lifeline she realizes she still loves him. Cameron has kept a painful secret that continues to be at the root of the unspoken words between them. She’s a woman of great faith, but regaining trust requires telling all and healing old wounds that she believes would destroy any chance for ...

Being a mercenary isn't all it's cracked up to be. Especially when Riko's hard-won reputation has taken a hard dive into f--ked. Now she's fair game for every Tom, Dick, and Blow looking to score some cred. In this city, credibility means everything - there's no room for excuses. She still doesn't know what she did to screw up so badly, and chasing every gone-cold lead is only making it worse. Without help and losing ground fast, Riko has a choice: break every rule of the street on her search for answers...or die trying.

Ranked Top 10 "Best Lit Mags of 2023" by Chill Subs Synopsis: Carefully curated stories from our monthly magazine to create a themed short story book about the philosophy and ethics of technology. Perfect for classrooms and book clubs, each story is 1,500-7,000 words and comes with five suggested discussion questions. Edition Editor - Deborah Serra Abrama’s End Game: Abrama learns the gods created her dimension as their play-space to visit, and is forced to fight across realities when she discovers their plan to shut it down. The Formula: A group of boys get into a car crash and an AI ...

Das Rennen um die Entwicklung einer superintelligenten Künstlichen Intelligenz hat begonnen. Und das Land, das gewinnt, wird den Globus beherrschen. Als Amerikas Programm zur Erschaffung einer mächtigen KI sabotiert wird, beginnt für den US-Agenten Cameron Carr eine verzweifelte Suche nach dem Schuldigen, wobei das Schicksal der Menschheit auf dem Spiel steht. In den richtigen Händen könnte eine solche KI die Zivilisation in ungeahnte Höhen führen. Aber in den falschen Händen könnte diese Technologie die größte Bedrohung darstellen, die die Menschheit je gesehen hat.