I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

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I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
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Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world – all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asmiov’s trademark.

The three laws of Robotics: 1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm 2) A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future – a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete.

The Demolished Man

The Demolished Man
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The first-ever winner of the Hugo Award for best sf novel of the year.

“One of the all-time classics of science fiction.”—Isaac Asimov

“Bester’s two superb books have stood the test of time. For nearly sixty years they’ve held their place on everybody’s list of the ten greatest sf novels”

—Robert Silverberg

“Alfred Bester wrote with the pedal to the floor and the headlights on full beam. His work combined erudition with an unparalleled imaginative inventiveness. Bester was writing cyberpunk while William Gibson was still running around zapping the other kids at school with a toy raygun.”—James Lovegrove

In a world policed by telepaths, Ben Reich plans to commit a crime that hasn’t been heard of in 70 years: murder. That’s the only option left for Reich, whose company is losing a 10-year death struggle with rival D’Courtney Enterprises. Terrorized in his dreams by The Man With No Face and driven to the edge after D’Courtney refuses a merger offer, Reich murders his rival and bribes a high-ranking telepath to help him cover his tracks. But while police prefect Lincoln Powell knows Reich is guilty, his telepath’s knowledge is a far cry from admissible evidence.

The Stars My Destination

The Stars My Destination
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#5 in the Millennium SF Masterworks series,
a library of the finest science fiction ever written.

“Science fiction has only produced a few works of actual genius,
and this is one of them”—Joe Haldeman

“Bester at the peak of his powers is, quite simply, unbeatable”
—James Lovegrove

Marooned in outer space after an attack on his ship, Nomad, Gulliver Foyle lives to obsessively pursue the crew of a rescue vessel that had intended to leave him to die.

Alfred Bester won the first, inaugural Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1953 for The Demolished Man

Hewas among the first important authors of contemporary science fiction. His passionate novels of worldly adventure, high intellect, and tremendous verve, The Stars My Destination and the Hugo Award winning The Demolished Man, established Bester as a s.f. grandmaster, a reputation that was ratified by the Science Fiction Writers of America shortly before his death. Bester also was an acclaimed journalist for Holiday magazine, a reviewer for the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and even a writer for Superman.

Messenger of Zhuvastou

In a future where the people of Earth have managed to somewhat unite under hegemonic governments, the universe has at last been explored and discovered.

Earth-born playboy Moris Keniston arrives in customs, wanting to go surface-side of the mysterious and hostile planet Sovold. Galactic rules dictate that he may not disturb the burgeoning culture, and therefore undergoes a physical transformation to match the one of the peoples on the planet.

With shaved head and skin dyed beige, he dons the green tunic of a Messenger of Zhuvastou, known as Zhogs – a knight to the people of this world – giving him almost free reign to pursue his mission.

He is hunting the beautiful Elaine Dixon, who has fled to this primitive planet for reasons unknown.

Though Keniston is the son of a Galactic Senator, an athlete of interplanetary reknown, and survivor of a historic starship disaster, he finds himself wholly unprepared for life on Sovold.

Only his athlete’s reflexes and history of fencing save him at first. However, in his quest to pursue Elaine, he meets companions that help him grow into the man he is meant to be – and finds his true purpose along the way.

Messenger of Zhuvastou is a roaring adventure in new cultures and brotherly bonding that is sure to satisfy any sci-fi enthusiast.

Praise for Andrew J Offutt:

“Great entertainment of epic scope” – Poul Anderson

“One of the major players from the sword and sorcery boom from the 70s” – Adventures Fantastic

“Offers a new dimension in heroic fantasy.” – Jerry Pournelle

Saturn Run

Saturn Run
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“Fans of Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers will eat this up.” –Stephen King

For fans of THE MARTIAN, an extraordinary new thriller of the future from #1 New York Times–bestselling and Pulitzer Prize–winning author John Sandford and internationally known photo-artist and science fiction aficionado Ctein.

Over the course of thirty-seven books, John Sandford has proven time and again his unmatchable talents for electrifying plots, rich characters, sly wit, and razor-sharp dialogue. Now, in collaboration with Ctein, he proves it all once more, in a stunning new thriller, a story as audacious as it is deeply satisfying.

The year is 2066. A Caltech intern inadvertently notices an anomaly from a space telescope—something is approaching Saturn, and decelerating. Space objects don’t decelerate. Spaceships do.

A flurry of top-level government meetings produces the inescapable conclusion: Whatever built that ship is at least one hundred years ahead in hard and soft technology, and whoever can get their hands on it exclusively and bring it back will have an advantage so large, no other nation can compete. A conclusion the Chinese definitely agree with when they find out.

The race is on, and an remarkable adventure begins—an epic tale of courage, treachery, resourcefulness, secrets, surprises, and astonishing human and technological discovery, as the members of a hastily thrown-together crew find their strength and wits tested against adversaries both of this earth and beyond. What happens is nothing like you expect—and everything you could want from one of the world’s greatest masters of suspense.

Cemetery World and Destiny Doll

Brave explorers encounter a dangerous new world and a terrifying future Earth in these two classic novels by the pioneering SFWA Grand Master.

Cemetery World

After a disastrous planet-wide war, Earth is nothing more than an elite graveyard—but Fletcher Carson is venturing back in search of a vital bounty. Fletcher, a former artist, is joined by a sentient machine, an ancient, powerful robot, and a treasure-seeking beauty. They soon discover that Earth harbors more than the carefully groomed tombstones. In the wild land beyond the cemetery there are dangerous machines, mutant creatures, and even humans who never left their home planet.

Destiny Doll

When a team of explorers is beckoned to a strange planet, it closes around them like a Venus flytrap. Assailed by strange perils and even stranger temptations, the small group struggles to survive as, surrounded by creatures of myth and mystery, they are stalked by a deadly nemesis. Even more peculiar is the little wooden painted doll that offers them salvation . . . or damnation.

Empire by Clifford D. Simak

Empire by Clifford D. Simak
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Mankind is united under the rule of a single corporation and has begun to explore and settle the stars.

The corporation maintains its control over mankind by having a monopoly on energy. But that’s about to change and the corporation will do anything to hold onto its power, even plunge all of mankind into war. Powerful and poignant.

The Trouble with Tycho and Cosmic Engineers

Adventurers journey into the foreboding unknown regions of outer space in these two classic science fiction tales from the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author.

The Trouble with Tycho

Prospecting on the moon is grim, dangerous, and usually unrewarding. Most greenhorns don’t know that until after they arrive, and Chris Jackson is no exception. He put everything he owns, and then some, into this venture, and he’ll be ruined if he fails. Jackson’s last chance at success is hidden in the uncharted crater Tycho—where three expeditions have already disappeared. Jackson, a beautiful immigrant, and a visiting doctor set out to find their fortunes . . . and discover whether the terrifying rumors of what lurks within Tycho are true.

Cosmic Engineers

“Upon you and you alone must rest the fate of the universe. You are the only ones to save it.” Thus spoke the mysterious Cosmic Engineers to a small group of human beings on the rim of the Solar System. Courageously journeying beyond uncharted stars, somewhere in the vastness of the galaxy, they will meet the greatest challenge of their lives—the catastrophic fury of the Hellhounds of Space.

Ad Astra by Jack Campbell

From the author of the New York Times–bestselling Lost Fleet series comes 11 action-packed stories of space exploration.

In   Lost Fleet series, Jack Campbell’s hero Captain “Black Jack” Geary explores the furthest reaches of space. Here, Campbell explores what kinds of problems mankind might face as our horizons expand. The third in a series of collections of Campbell’s short stories includes some of Campbell’s favorite stories, and some of his earliest. A brand-new author’s note accompanies each story.

“Lady Be Good” is one of Campbell’s most popular stories, winner of Analog magazine’s “AnLab” reader poll for Best Short Story and cited in Gardner Dozois’s Year’s Best SF.  The Lady Be Good is an old ship, running obscure routes (not all on the right side of the law), with her loyal first officer Kilcannon and reclusive captain. When Kilcannon decides to rescue the survivors of an attack on a Vestral Company ship, a mysterious new passenger thanks him by asking difficult questions about the Lady, with unexpected answers.

In “Kyrie Eleison,” the Verio shipwrecked centuries ago on an out-of-the-way planet, and the descendants of the ship’s survivors have gotten along as well as they can by following the orders that were passed on to them. But those orders weren’t intended to govern life on the planet’s surface, and when the Bellegrange arrives on a rescue mission, her captain will have to reckon with the unexpected social order on the planet.

In “Do No Harm”, a ship is so technologically advanced that it can repair itself—but turning over the keys might not be the best idea. And in “Down the Rabbit Hole,” a series of failed attempts at faster-than-light travel lead to a novel approach: sending an untested Naval captain out in a space ship to see if he can figure out what’s gone wrong.

With eleven stories in all, Ad Astra is the most multi-faceted introduction to the short fiction of Jack Campbell, and an essential complement to his bestselling book-length work.

Stark’s War

Stark's War
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The Americans were the first to set foot on the moon. They intend to be the last.

The United States of America reigns over Earth as the last surviving superpower. To build a society free of American influence, foreign countries have inhabited the Moon, taking advantage of the natural resources to earn their own riches. Now the U.S. military has been ordered to wrest control of Earth’s satellite from America’s rivals.

Sergeant Ethan Stark must train his squadron to fight against a desperate enemy in an airless atmosphere at one-sixth normal gravity. Ensuring his team’s survival means choosing which orders to obey–and which to ignore…