Tobias S. Buckell is an acclaimed author whose works often explore themes of identity and cultural exchange within futuristic societies. His prose is celebrated for its fluidity and ability to craft vivid, intricate worlds that resonate with readers globally. Buckell delves into complex interpersonal dynamics and societal structures with keen insight and a unique perspective that has garnered international recognition. His skill in masterfully weaving adventure with profound philosophical contemplation makes for a compelling literary experience.
Humanity has been forced to the brink of extinction. Deadly civil strife, the mysterious legacy of an ancient civilization, and a fanatical covenant of alien races threaten to destroy us.Once a legendary instrument of death, Master Chief John-117 has now become an unlikely symbol of hope. If humanity can emerge from the chaos of war and reclaim stewardship over a troubled galaxy, we may find the secret to our ultimate evolution.
When humanity expanded beyond the safety of Earth to new stars and horizons, they never dreamed what dangers they would encounter there. When the alien juggernaut known as the Covenant declared holy war upon the fragile human empire, millions of lives were lost—but, millions of heroes rose to the challenge. In such a far-reaching conflict, not many of the stories of these heroes, both human and alien, have a chance to become legend. This collection holds eleven stories that dive into the depths of the vast Halo universe, not only from the perspective of those who fought and died to save humanity, but also those who vowed to wipe humanity out of existence.INTRODUCTION - Frank O’ConnorBEYOND - art by Sparth, words by Jonathan GoffPARIAHB. - K. EvensonSTOMPING ON THE HEELS OF A FUSS - Eric RaabMIDNIGHT IN THEHEART OF MIDLOTHIAN - Frank O’ConnorDIRT - Tobias S. BuckellACHERON- VII - art by Sparth, words by Jonathan GoffHEADHUNTERS - Jonathan GoffBLUNT INSTRUMENTS - Fred Van LenteTHEMONA LISA - Jeff VanderMeer and Tessa KumICON - art by Robogabo, words by Jonathan GoffPALACE HOTEL - Robt McLeesHUMAN WEAKNESS - Karen TravissCONNECTIVITY - art by Robogabo, words by Jonathan GoffTHE IMPOSSIBLE LIFE AND THE POSSIBLE DEATH OF PRESTON J. COLE - Eric NylundTHE RETURN - Kevin GraceFROM THE OFFICE OF DR. WILLIAM ARTHUR IQBAL
Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories is Tobias S. Buckell's seventh short fiction collection and is comprised of 15 stories, several of which are original to the collection or were previously only available through his Patreon. This collection ranges from galactic adventures to intimate explorations of humanity-sometimes in the same story-rich with a sense of wonder and deft storytelling. This collection includes the following stories: Io, Robot A Jar of Goodwill Pale Blue Memories Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance The Might Slinger Sunset Chi's Cargo Destination Day Blues The Galactic Tourist Industrial Complex Five Point Three Milligrams By the Warmth of Their Calculus DW The Very Last Curator of What Little Remains of the Western World A Girl and Her Rover The Longest Distance
A sensational short story collection in the expansive universe of HALO, the New York Times bestselling series! Launch once more into galaxy-spanning conflict and legendary heroism…shards of an ever-expanding journey where human and alien alike find their finest hours in facing their greatest challenges. These scattered stories span untold millennia, from the age of the ancient custodial race known as the Forerunners…to the aftermath of the Covenant’s bloody war against humanity…and even the shocking events surrounding the resurrection of the mysterious Guardians. Halo: Fractures explores mythic tales of bravery and sacrifice that blaze brightly at the very heart of the Halo universe.
Tobias S. Buckell is well known as the New York Times bestselling author of Halo: The Cole Protocol. Tor is now proud to reintroduce Buckell's first science fiction novels to his many fans in handsome trade paperback editions featuring stunning new cover art. In a universe run by alien tyrants, humanity faces its greatest threat—systematic extermination. The Benevolent Satrapy, the universe's overlords, has placed a stranglehold on all technology, sending its stormtroopers to destroy any civilization foolish enough to defy them. The Ragamuffins are pirates and smugglers plying the lonely spaceways around a dead wormhole. For years the Satrapy has tolerated them, but no longer. The aliens are determined to wipe out the unruly humans once and for all, and the Ragamuffins now face a campaign of extermination. But one runaway woman may complicate the aliens' plans. Surgically altered, Nashara is more machine than flesh, and she carries inside her a doomsday weapon that could reduce the entire galaxy to chaos. But, all she wants to do is make it home before she's forced to destroy civilization—and herself....
Sly Mongoose: a thrilling science fiction tale by the New York Times bestselling author—now featuring brand-new cover art. Tobias S. Buckell is well known as the New York Times bestselling author of Halo: The Cole Protocol. Tor is proud to reintroduce his early science fiction novels to his many fans in handsome trade paperback editions featuring stunning new cover art. Welcome to Chilo, a planet blasted by corrosive rain, crushing pressure, and deadly heat. A planet where people live in floating cities high above the inferno. A select group of young men, including fourteen-year-old Timas, risk death to obtain the raw materials necessary for survival by travelling down through the acid clouds to mine the planet's surface. Timas's life is turned upside down when a man named Pepper crash-lands on the city. Pepper is fleeing a bizarre alien intelligence, and he bears ominous news that a full-scale invasion cannot be far behind. As Timas and Pepper try to convince the reluctant city government to prepare for war, floating cities all across Chilo fall silent one by one. Time is running out for Timas and Pepper to discover how to defeat an enemy that turns Chilo's own citizens into monsters, and to discover the secret hidden beneath Chilo's deadly clouds—a secret that could save the planet and may prevent interplanetary war.
Navy Lieutenant Jacob Keyes is tapped to lead a top-secret mission behind enemy lines in an effort to protect the Earth from a merciless alien foe in the early days of the Human-Covenant War.
In the early days of the Human-Covenant War, the UNSC implements the Cole Protocol to protect Earth and its inner colonies from a relentless alien enemy. Navy Lieutenant Jacob Keyes, called back into action after a hiatus, is assigned a top-secret mission by ONI that takes him deep behind enemy lines to a place where nothing is as it appears. Beyond the Outer Colonies lies Hesiod, a gas giant encircled by a vast asteroid belt. As the Covenant devastates nearby human-occupied planets, survivors, aided by a group of human Insurrectionists, seek refuge in the asteroid belt. They have ingeniously transformed the satellites into a precarious settlement known as the Rubble, managing to coexist with a Covenant settlement of Kig-Yar. This unexpected alliance has caught the attention of both sides. Fortunately for the UNSC, the Spartan Gray Team, a three-man renegade squad, is on a mission to create chaos behind enemy lines. However, the Prophets have dispatched their most ambitious Elite, who is determined to achieve nobility and rank through any means necessary, driven by a ruthless quest for power and the desire to secure his Ascendancy.
From the legends of Atlantis, El Dorado, and Shangri-La to classic novels such as King Solomon's Mine, The Land That Time Forgot, and The Lost World, readers have long been fascinated by the idea of lost worlds and mythical kingdoms. Read short stories featuring the discovery of such worlds or kingdoms--stories where scientists explore unknown places, stories where the discovery of such turns the world on its head, stories where we're struck with the sense of wonder at realizing that we don't know our world quite as well as we'd thought. Featuring new tales by today's masters of SF&F: Tobias S. Buckell James L. Cambias Becky Chambers Kate Elliott C.C. Finlay Jeffrey Ford Theodora Goss Darcie Little Badger Jonathan Maberry Seanan McGuire An Owomoyela Dexter Palmer Cadwell Turnbull Genevieve Valentine Carrie Vaughn Charles Yu E. Lily Yu
Celebrating fifteen years of the acclaimed podcast Escape Pod, this collection showcases new and classic science fiction stories from bestselling authors like Cory Doctorow, Ken Liu, and Ursula Vernon. Edited by Mur Lafferty and S.B. Divya, the anthology highlights the innovative storytelling that has defined the podcast and its impact on the genre. This compilation is a tribute to the creativity and imagination that has captivated listeners and readers alike.
