System Fiction

Step into the mind-bending world of The Variable Man by Philip K. Dick. In a future where war, technology, and predictive algorithms determine every outcome, a man from the past unexpectedly arrives—throwing the entire system into chaos. As governments and military forces scramble to eliminate this anomaly, they soon realize that his very unpredictability might be the key to reshaping the future.

A bounty hunting survivor. A Galactic dark elf. A woman who has given up her humanity to become something more. These stories and more are available in the first short story anthology for the System Apocalypse, covering year one on Earth. When the world ends, humanity steps up, finding new ways to survive in a world with Classes, magic and monsters. The anthology features exciting, new stories by five new writers and a new, never publicly released short story by Tao Wong.

Step into The New Atlantis, Francis Bacon’s timeless masterpiece that blends exploration, philosophy, and early science fiction into one visionary work. Written in the 17th century, this classic novella follows the journey of European sailors who discover the mysterious island of Bensalem—a hidden civilization thriving on knowledge, discovery, and divine order. Through vivid storytelling and profound insight, Bacon presents a utopian society centered around Salomon’s House, a proto-scientific institution devoted to research, innovation, and the betterment of humanity.

When the end comes for Fool and Jackal, they’re going out with style. Past plans set in motion ago are coming to a head faster than expected. The Foundation has sent Fool and Jackal to Vancouver on another easy, simple mission. It's anything but. A mystery. A new enemy, stronger than both of them combined. Little grey aliens. Secrets revealed. And at the center of it all?

From a veteran insider with over 20 years’ experience in the US Foreign Service comes a taut, insightful thriller of global intrigue and behind-the-scenes international politics. Sam Trainor’s career of overseas work coupled with a penchant for being outspoken has left him on the outside of the competitive Washington establishment. Formerly the top South Asia expert in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Trainor has moved to the private sector, working as an analyst for the consulting firm Argus Systems.

The final novella set in the universe of James S. A. Corey's NYT-bestselling Expanse series. Now a Prime Original series. This story will be available in the complete Expanse story collection, Memory's Legion.

American Fred Fredericks is making his first trip to the moon, his purpose to install a communications system for China's Lunar Science Foundation. But hours after his arrival he witnesses a murder and is forced into hiding. It is also the first visit for celebrity travel reporter Ta Shu. He has contacts and influence, but he too will find that the moon can be a perilous place for any traveler. Finally, there is Chan Qi. She is the daughter of the Minister of Finance and, without doubt, a person of interest to those in power.

Case brief: The opening of the Kalamazoo City Dome - the world's largest indoor/outdoor amusement complex - has everyone in the city buzzing, especially because it's going to be the shooting site for Chase Mercy's new blockbuster film. But that's when things start to go haywire, and Mayor Saunders suspects foul play. Who would want to sabotage the Dome, and why?

After the death of her father, twelve-year-old Tomoko is sent by her mother to live for a year with her aunt and uncle. It is a year which will change her life. The 1970s are bringing changes to Japan and her uncle's big colonial mansion hides many secrets. It also has an unusual occupant in Pochiko, a Pygmy hippopotamus who is the last survivor from a time when the extensive gardens housed a zoo. But it is Tomoko's growing friendship with her cousin Mina which has the most profound effect on her time with the family.

6th December 1993. A drug dealer called Scrappy is shot and left for dead on her mother’s lawn in South Central Los Angeles. Two local gang members, Wizard and Dreamer, are arrested. The problem is: one is guilty, the other wasn’t even there. It had to be a frame-up. And the cops had to be responsible, didn’t they?

Running away is never the answer. After escaping from the Rogue Sect, John and Sarah find something new about each other. They're both Siders. Their path of loneliness will now take a turn, finding new allies in the most unexpected of places. But good things come hand-in-hand with the bad. Elder Han and his son are not willing to give up their chase. Chris's obsession over possessing Sarah's body for himself is not to be taken lightly. Nor is his father's. Fight or flight, it's now their choice.

Eloquent. Philosophical. Introspective. These are not the words usually associated with an autistic child. But in a remarkable display of courage and creativity, a boy named Tito has shattered stereotypes, and in The Mind Tree makes us question all of our previous assumptions about autism. For Tito is severely autistic and nearly nonverbal, and this is his story.

Dubbed “Dewey Decimal” for his desire to reorganize the library’s stock, he gets by as bagman and muscle for New York City’s unscrupulous district attorney. He takes no pleasure in this kind of civic dirty work. He’d be perfectly content alone among his books. But this is not in the cards, as the DA calls on Dewey for a seemingly straightforward union-busting job.

Earth as a new Dungeon World means opportunities and dangers galore. One of the enduring aspects of the System is the Shop, an interdimensional series of stores that compete for the opportunity to service clients and make a profit doing so. New clients on a new Dungeon World mean rare and heretofore unseen items and massive profits. No surprise that the vultures have arrived, searching for easy marks.

🌀 Reality is unraveling. Fragments of time and space are collapsing under the weight of a fractured system no one understands. Clara, an artist with a rare and dangerous gift, discovers her sketches can reshape the chaos—but even her abilities can’t stop the world from disintegrating. Drawn into a web of dark secrets and hidden forces, Clara faces a relentless figure wielding a mysterious tablet 📜 and an unstoppable collapse that threatens the erasure of everything she knows. With each fragment that shatters, the danger grows—and Clara’s place in this twisted reality becomes ...

Explore one of literature’s most enduring short stories in The Lady, or the Tiger? by Frank R. Stockton. Set in a semi-barbaric kingdom, this suspenseful tale follows a young man forced to choose between two doors—one hiding a beautiful maiden, the other a deadly tiger.

Earthmen Bearing Gifts by Fredric Brown is a gripping classic science fiction short story exploring humanity’s first contact with an alien civilization.

Jacob, Ron, and the two editors-in-chief are on their way to a meeting that will be held at the Washington Sentinel's building. The four will sort through the information from the Valley of the Dead field doctor. The four newspaper professionals will lay out their strategy for breaking the story to the world. Every consequence must be discussed. The legal portion must be considered if Names are to be Named. Back at the university, the four research students have gained permission to study off-campus at Deborah's place, but is it safe?

In its oppressive atmosphere of fog, mist, and mud, nothing conjures up the dreary days of November and its "implacable" weather like the celebrated opening of Bleak House. The plot concerns a long-running legal dispute (Jarndyce and Jarndyce) that has far-reaching consequences for all involved. Dickens' assault on the flaws of the British judiciary system is based in part on his own experiences as a law clerk.

A space cloud of unknown composition is on a collision course with Earth as the world holds its breath. The anomaly sails through the solar system, and the International Space Station, along with three astronauts and one cosmonaut, are thrown back to the Cretaceous period, where dinosaurs roam Earth hunting prey and great pterosaurs patrol the skies.