Trouble happens everywhere in the universe. Any time. Any place. And to make sure whatever cockeyed balance exists is kept, the universe takes care of itself. Some ethereal cosmic force assigns special individuals to the unpredictable, unrewarding, and usually life-threatening task of Troubletaking, being in the completely wrong places at the totally right times to hopefully keep everyone… or most everyone from dying. But the universe doesn't trust just one person to do this. No, it works ...

In a world where the League and its assassins rule, where betrayal and treachery are everywhere . . . the only survivors are those ones who are . . .BORN OF SHADOWSFor Caillen Dagan, a defiant soldier of fortune, survival isn't a right, it's a brutal daily battle. Moving through the Ichidaian universe like a wraith, his brushes with the law and death are legendary. But when an act of rare heroism reveals his hidden birthright, he's forced into a world much more dangerous an...

The third novel in the Nebula Award–winning author's classic series: "A challenging, pacesetting work of hard science fiction that should not be missed" ( Los Angeles Times ).Nearly 100,000 years after first contact with the machines that dominate the universe, a few hundred humans survive. Trapped on Snowglade, a barren world near the center of the galaxy, people like Killeen of Family Bishop and his child Toby are primiti...

Two Stories of a Tumultuous TimeThe Department of the Interior's bloody plot against planet Liad has failed, at least for now, but Clan Korval's firing upon Solcintra, Liad's capital city, to save it from the release of ancient killer machines has resulted in the clan's banishment. Korval has accepted this ruling with glee, but not everything is solved yet, especially with the clan's urgent Plan B still in effect."Hidden Resources" deals with untested pilot Quin yos'Phelium...

A year has passed since the Paladin Nation was exposed to the public. Their mission is still to protect humanity from whatever may threaten them. Previously, it was the human duplications, but now that they've been extinguished their biggest challenge is dealing with the complications of public image.Socket Greeny, now 17 years old, has been a Paladin cadet for the past year and is nearing the final test. But that's the least of his problems. He's trying to live two lives: one as a...

Accused as witch, Eileen must flee for her life, leaving her village and true love behind. With her pursuers closing in, she chances across a strange black horse - but does she dare to pay the price of escape?Fae Horse is a short story of 5k words (about 23 pages) in the traditional dark faerie tale style.

Alien Experiment, 2Grath and his twin brother, Zlade, have tackled many obstacles to obtain passage to Earth to find their mate. When they finally arrive, they don't find one man but identical twins. With the same tempting blood, they know they must keep both.James and Adam are at the end of their rope when they discover an alien craft deep in the woods outside their camping ground. When they're abducted by two of the sexiest men they've ever seen, they aren't sure what to ...

A violent home invasion shatters Eileen’s tranquil country life, forcing her to confront her deepest fears.This short story takes place in the world of the Elements of the Undead, but is not part of the series.

Howl Down the Galaxy!The plan: wipe out and enslave those weed-eating, monkey-spawn humans and march on toward galactic domination! Easy, right Not quite. Now the smarter Kzin see the writing on the wall and form alliances of convenience with humans. But the battle rage on! A strange OLD world seemingly settled by pre-Romans is about to have the honor of Kzin enslavement—unless a human and mercenary-Kzin team can stop it. A human secret agent with wiped memories mu...

A fast paced sci-fi adventure, A Game of War blends dizzying excitement with a whirlpool of emotions to keep you gripped from beginning to end. Like ‘The Hunger Games'? You'll love this. A Game of War so far: Ally flies and dad shoots. She’s got a gift for flying, always has, even before she joined the Game. The Game? A weekly contest between slaves, winner takes all, losers get to walk home, assuming they survive tha...

A collection of nineteen short stories from the Nebula and Hugo Award–winning author of The Iron Dragon's Daughter and Stations of the TideWritten over the course of a decade, Tales from Old Earth contains nineteen masterful pieces of short fiction—including the Hugo Award–winning stories "The Very Pulse of the Machine" and "Scherzo with Tyrannosaur;" the World Fantasy Award–winning novella "Radio Waves;" Hugo Award finalists "The Dead," ...

Bleys Ahrens is now a political power on the planet Association, home of the Friendlies. His people--his Others, not Dorsai or Friendly or Exotic, but hybrids--are in place on all the new worlds, and are ready to take his message to the greater human public. But within his inner circle is Henry McLean, Soldier of God, and a True Faith-Holder. Henry fears for the soul of his nephew Bleys, and while he guards, he also watches, and judges. And beyond Bleys Ahrens' control is Hal Mayne: the on...