Take to the stars with our science fiction indie eBook favorites set in outer space! These ten titles are not just literally out-of-this-world space operas, but are out-of-this-world amazing, too. Thankfully, there’s plenty to binge with these bestsellers.
Lift off into the unknown with our list of science fiction indie eBook favorites today!
Reliance by Kaitlyn Anderson
Finn No Last Name’s life is going exactly the way she likes. Sure, she lives on the Mud Pit with some of the worst criminals and cast-offs the Reliance has to offer, but she has a knack for stealing things that has earned her a reputation as the best thief in the Farthers. Unfortunately for Finn, her life gets turned on its head when a job leaves her stuck in space on a merchant ship run by an eclectic crew. Finn quickly learns that there is more to them than meets the eye. Before she can escape or con her way back home, she finds herself joining them on a mission, one that leads to the Reliance’s darkest secret . . . a secret that may hit closer to home than she could have ever imagined.
What People Are Saying: The start to a thrilling new trilogy. Fans of crew-driven space operas by authors such as Rachel Bach (Fortune’s Pawn), Mike Brooks (Dark Run), and James S.A. Corey (The Expanse) will find themselves racing through at light speed.
Broken Ascension by Dave Walsh
War is over. But the galaxy is broken. Humans and aliens must learn to live and rebuild. None of this matters to Drake, though. He’s just an artist and tagging along on the busted up ship Trystero, along with its ragtag crew. Together, they traverse the Demilitarized Zone, taking on any job they can find. Then things change when the crew encounters a derelict alien ghost ship with an abandoned alien baby. Drake and the crew need to return the baby home, but a bloodthirsty warlord is on their tail. His quest? Find the baby and claim the Gra’al throne, declaring a new war on humanity. Drake never wanted to be a hero… now he’s all that stands in the way of a fragile peace between humans and aliens.
What People Are Saying: “The story was great…” – Roymond, B&N Reviewer
Starshine by G.S. Jennsen
By 2322, humanity has expanded into the stars, inhabiting over 100 worlds across a third of the galaxy. Alexis Solovy is Earth Alliance royalty, her father a fallen war hero and her mother an influential military leader. But she seeks only the freedom of space and has made a fortune by reading the patterns in the chaos to discover the hidden wonders of the stars. Nothing about her latest objective suggests the secret it conceals will turn her life– not to mention the entire galaxy–upside down. But a chance encounter with a mysterious spy leads to a discovery which will thrust Alex into the middle of a galactic power struggle and a sinister conspiracy, whether she likes it or not.
What People Are Saying: “Jaw-dropping, great science fiction! This is a well-crafted sci-fi novel with strong plot and creative concepts. The characters are complex and well developed.” – JJY, B&N Reviewer
The Mages of Starsea by Kyle West
Lucian dreams of a new life outside the cesspool of Earth. Unfortunately, his wish comes true when the government identifies him as a mage, a fate worse than death. No one knows why their powers lead to madness and death in a terrifying disease known as “the fraying”. When Lucian is exiled from Earth, he must travel to the distant world of Volsung to receive training. During the long passage, he meets a woman who prophesies Lucian is marked by the Manifold, the reality that is the source of all magic. It is a destiny and a burden, the last thing Lucian wants. Now, he faces a terrible choice. Accept his new reality as a mage. Or, to try and outrun destiny.
What People Are Saying: “Brilliant and gripping plot! What an exciting beginning to a new series. Spaceships and magic… action and plot twists… endearing characters kept me engaged with the story. I can’t wait for the rest of the series.” – Barbara H, B&N Reviewer
The Initial Fold by Nick Adams
It’s 2049, and NASA-sponsored physicist Edward Virr is on the cusp of man’s greatest breakthrough – the ability to fold space, and to travel faster than light. He personally tests NASA’s futuristic prototype fold ship with a hand-picked crew. But when their first mission takes an unexpected twist, Edward suspects that they may not have been the only ones developing the new technology. Discovering there’s a lot more at stake than first contact, they soon realise that Earth’s survival depends on their ability to solve a crime of galactic proportions. Join Edward Virr and his crew as they undertake their first space adventure, laughing and swearing their way into the depths of the Milky Way.
What People Are Saying: “The book is fast and fun and keeps you guessing at each turn. The characters are great and have you involved from the start. I hated to finish the book and leave my friends!” – Glenn Megehee, B&N Reviewer
Any Job Will Do by John Wilker
Jackson “Jax” Caruso inherited a ship from his parents. They’re dead, they don’t need it. The unification wars happened a while ago, Jax’s parent’s fought for the losing side. Now he takes the jobs he can get; smuggling, bounty hunting, hauling cargo. If it pays, he’ll do it. When Jax is approached with a job that seems to good too be true, he should have known better, he should have walked. He didn’t. Now he and a few friends are in it deep; Imperial entanglements are the least of their concerns with organized crime on their tails. Will Jax and his friends finish the job without getting caught, or killed? Only one way to find out!
What People Are Saying: “It was a great read for us traditional sci-fi readers.” – Dr T, B&N Reviewer
Descent into the Void by Stephen P. Vincent
Sergeant Talon Stiler thought he’d been through hell. Then he got sent to Baker V. Stiler thought he was out – discharged from the Terran Union Marines – until a devastating attack by the hated alien Dioscuri drags him right back in again. In a flash, a war fought on the frontier of human-controlled space comes close to home, pushing humanity to the brink. Now responsible for the development of the Union’s most secretive weapon system, Stiler and his ragtag crew of Marines have one chance to turn the tide of the war. Their mission: rescue a stranded scientist who might have discovered the key to winning the war from an occupied planet deep behind enemy lines. And that’s the easy bit…
What People Are Saying: If you like James S.A. Corey’s The Expanse series, or novels by Frank Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson or Iian Banks, you’ll be right at home in this explosive science fiction series, The Frontier Saga.
Starflight by Ron Collins
Everguard‘s mission: Establish a multidimensional gate inside Alpha Centauri A for Interstellar Command to fuel their new faster-than-light spaceships. Lieutenant Commander Torrance Black, career already on shaky grounds, finds himself facing questions. Did they just contact sentient life in the Centauri system? Will humankind sacrifice an entire alien species in their quest for the stars?
What People Are Saying: “This is sci fi with a strong human element that had me wondering what I would do if faced with the same situations.” – mbtins, B&N Reviewer
Well of Furies by Craig Delancey
From this planet, the godlike Ulltrians waged war on all life among the stars. Then disappeared. Now, the galaxy is in danger again, and Amir Tarkos is the only human in the Predator Corp, the most elite military force in the galaxy. With his partner, they are given a dangerous and difficult mission to locate the World Hammer, a pair of co-orbiting sunless planets and the last refuge of the Ulltrians. To find the World Hammer, they first must brave the dangers of the Ulltrian homeworld, The Well of Furies. To save Galactic civilization, Tarkos and Bria will have to work with surprising allies, explore perilous and dark places, and fight a fierce battle in the ice rings of burning world.
What People Are Saying: “Couldn’t put it down! A one sitting book and good story! Great characters and plot, good world building. Will try to get the rest of the series!” – Anonymous, B&N Reviewer
The Lasaran by Dianne Duvall
Taelon discovers his sister is being held prisoner on Earth. He is intent on freeing her and exacting vengeance. However, before he can find her, Taelon is captured and experimented upon. All he knows is pain and fury until a mind touches his own. At the Anomalous Cognition Research, Lisa discovers too late the terrifying experiments. Then, a deep, compelling voice penetrates the looming insanity and lends her hope. Together, the two make their escape, but are hunted by mystifying preternatural beings. If they survive their quest, will Taelon have to bid Lisa farewell… or can he coax her into leaving her planet and joining him for the adventure of a lifetime?
What People Are Saying: “Very interesting beginning to a new series. It’s always gratifying when an author realizes he/she has taken one series of characters as far as it can go without losing the edge… this Alliance series should be a great opportunity to read new worldbuilding with familiar characters.” – Cobbie6874, B&N Reviewer
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