Stephen Baxter Books

Michael Poole's wormholes constructed in the orbit of Jupiter had opened the galaxy to humankind. Then Poole tried looping a wormhole back on itself, tying a knot in space and ripping a hole in time. It worked. Too well. Poole was never seen again. Then from far in the future, from a time so distant that the stars themselves were dying embers, came an urgent SOS--and a promise. The universe was doomed, but humankind was not. Poole had stumbled upon an immense artifact, light-years across, fabricated from the very string of the cosmos. The universe had a door. And it was open...

This landmark anthology presents thirty groundbreaking stories from the masters of speculative fiction heralding the future of the genre with original and revolutionary works. All-new, original stories by � Ursula K. Le Guin � Gregory Benford � Joe Haldeman � Joyce Carol Oates � and many others On K2 with Kanakaredes by Dan Simmons The Building by Ursula K. Le Guin Froggies by Laura Whitton What We Did That Summer by Kathe Koja and Barry N. Malzberg A Slow Saturday Night at the Surrealist Sporting Club by Michael Moorcock In Xanadu by Thomas M. Disch Commencement by Joyce Carol Oates Unique Visitors by James Patrick Kelly BIack TuIip by Harry Turtledove Belief by P. D. Cacek In the Un-Black by Stephen Baxter Weeping Walls by Paul Di Filippo Anomalies by Gregory Benford Captive Kong by Kit Reed Feedback by Robert E. Vardeman Between Disappearances by Nina Kiriki Hoffman Resurrection by David Morrell Cleopatra Brimstone by Elizabeth Hand Burros Gone Bad by Peter Schneider Pockets by Rudy Rucker and John Shirley Ave de Paso by Catherine Asaro Road Kill by Joe Haldeman Ting-a-Ling by Jack Dann ‘Bassador by Catherine Wells Ssoroghod’s People by Larry Niven Two Shot by Michael Marshall Smith Billy the Fetus by Al Sarrantonio Viewpoint by Gene Wolfe Fungi by Ardath Mayhar Rhido Wars by Neal Barrett, Jr.

The anthology features a curated collection of outstanding short stories from British and British-based science fiction authors, showcasing the best talent in the genre over the past eight years. Edited by Donna Scott, this award-winning series highlights the strength and diversity of contemporary British SF, offering readers a selection of exceptional narratives that reflect the creativity and innovation of its contributors.

The story follows Rab, whose life is irrevocably altered by his mother's drastic decision to prevent him from a grim fate in the mines of Mercury. Fearing for his future, she sacrifices his hand in a desperate attempt to save him from a life of toil and despair. This harrowing choice sets the stage for Rab's journey through a world shaped by sacrifice and survival, exploring themes of maternal love, resilience, and the harsh realities of life in a dystopian Solar System.

Featuring a triptych of collaborative stories, this collection highlights the mastery of two renowned science fiction authors. Each narrative unfolds on a grand scale while maintaining a strong focus on the human experience, showcasing the authors' ability to blend expansive ideas with relatable characters. This volume brings together previously unpublished works, offering readers a unique exploration of both the cosmos and the human condition.

An alien occupation of Earth has been thrown off. Now a ferocious new government called the Coalition is sweeping through the solar system, seeking out those who collaborated with the hated enemy.

Half a million years in the future, on a dead, war-ravaged world at the centre of the Galaxy, there is a mile-high statue of Michael Poole. Poole, born on Earth in the fourth millennium, was one of mankind's most influential heroes. He was not a warrior, not an emperor. He was an engineer, a builder of wormhole transit systems. But Poole's work would ultimately lead to a vast and destructive conflict, a million-year war between humanity and the enigmatic, powerful aliens known as the Xeelee. The Xeelee won, but at a huge cost. And, defeated in a greater war, the Xeelee eventually fled the universe. Most of them. A handful were left behind, equipped with time travel capabilities, their task to tidy up: to reorder history more to the Xeelee's liking. That million-year war with humankind was one blemish. It had to be erased. And in order to do that, a lone Xeelee was sent back in time to remove Michael Poole from history ...

One of the world's bestselling science fiction authors returns to the series which made his name. The Xeelee are back for the last time...

On the far outskirts of the solar system, one small ship is about to discover something amazing. And it wants to talk . . .

Return to the eon-spanning and universe-crossing conflict between humanity and the unknowable alien Xeelee in this selection of uncollected and unpublished stories, newly edited and placed in chronological reading order. From tales charting the earliest days of man's adventure to the stars to stories of Old Earth, four billion years in the future, the range and startling imagination of Baxter is always on display. As humanity rises and falls, ebbs and flows, one thing is always needed - the ability to endure. Contains eleven short stories and novellas.