Showing results for "The Unexpected" in Science Fiction & Fantasy

Against his will, Thaden was transported elsewhere in a big flash of light along with millions of other Humans from Earth, to a place where they would train to become Contenders in a whole new world. Unfortunately for him, something occurred during his transference into the “Training” program, and he was ejected from the whole training process and sent into the open mouth of an active volcano for bodily disposal.

This exciting collection presents two previously unpublished stories by SF legend Octavia E. Butler. A Necessary Being precedes the events of Survivor, Butler's third (famously disowned) installment in her Patternist series, and includes characters from it, focusing exclusively on the Kohn, aliens who build their social hierarchies on the blueness of their fur. In Childfinder, a black woman with the gift of identifying children with latent psychic ability refuses to share her skill with an organization of white telepaths.

Sorry... Really? Thrust? Anyway, Danny Kendrick was a down-on-his luck performer who always struggled to find his place. He certainly never wanted to be a hero. He just hoped to earn a living doing what he loved. That all changes when he pisses off the wrong guy and gets sucked into a fantasy realm straight out of a Renaissance Fair. Getting used to a new world is tough. It's even tougher when you're surrounded by axe-wielding barbarians, super hot elf assassins, strange magic, and a jaded System that doesn't appear interested in being charged with yet another companion.

The clock is ticking. What Elle should do is sneak right back out of the Royal Ball and make her way home. Unfortunately, what she does is sneak into the castle. A chance encounter leads her right into the Crown Prince’s arms…and things heat up fast. But when the clock strikes midnight, Elle remembers her curfew - one that, if broken, will get her kicked off the rowing team for good. No team, no scholarship, no future. So she runs. The problem? Prince Charlie isn’t done with Elle. Not for a minute. Not even when he finds out she's carrying his heir.

Your dead are our business. Got a loved one who’s passed? Want to ask your dead aunt where she hid that elusive will? Head over to Necro city and look no further than Soul Savers Inc. One day the world was normal, and the next, it was filled with ghosts. And then the reapers came. Blood-sucking hot dudes with wings and wicked scythes. They took control, and now we have a system. Now we have Necro city, the hub of all things untethered.

Hotshot astronomer Rick Tagler thought terminal brain cancer limited his options—until a celestial cataclysm hurls him and other Outcasts into Illdari, a perilous new universe where survival is just the beginning. Join Rick, his pet turtle Gams, and a spitfire Fae named Gail as they navigate monstrous beasts, mercurial storms, sinister guilds, and rule-breaking overseers. In Illdari, the odds aren't just stacked against you; they'll stomp you into jelly and spread you on toast.

My bond with Mithraheal, Luke, and Levi has unlocked more of my powers, and now I’m ready to hunt down the evil that destroyed my peaceful life. My determination and sheer power is formidable, but will it be enough for the coming battle? My mates and I find unlikely allies in the wizards. Unexpected, but I’ll take whatever I can get! Among them is the nerdy genius Leo, who struggles to prove himself and gain the approval of the wizards. Little does he know that meeting me will change his life forever…and the mate bond will unlock even more secrets.

When I get my hands on those who betrayed me, I’m going to punt their butts over the dang moon! First, though, I need to work on escaping this dungeon while also surviving the torture by the traitors trying to steal my power. Idiots. Just wait until I get my hands on a blade. After merging with Beasty, I was left struggling to handle the onslaught of power as my dragon instincts spun out of control. I’ve been betrayed by someone I trusted, and now I’m being held in a dungeon straight out of a movie. To make matters worse, I’m in heat.

Immerse yourself in "Tales of the Unexpected," a series of riveting stories shaped by AI powerhouse, ChatGPT, and elevated by Eleven Labs, Adobe Podcast, and Canva. Set to the evocative tunes from Epidemic Sound and polished in CapCut, these AI-crafted tales promise captivating journeys that plunge you into the heart of mystery and suspense.

Author Chris Pike's debut novel Unexpected World is a gritty and compelling survival tale about human courage and steadfast determination to live, to endure, and to persevere against all odds. Assistant District Attorney Dillon Stockdale is on the phone with his daughter when an EMP obliterates the entire electrical grid of the United States. Anything relying on a computer is fried, including the plane his daughter is on.

Zaena's close to securing the final artifacts she needs to save her people, but doing so requires her to strike deals with the most dangerous elven tribes. Thousands of years ago, diplomacy failed, and she has only hope to convince her it'll work this time. Team Princess has advanced too far to succeed without the help of powerful humans. Zaena doesn't know whom to trust when every human around her wants to take advantage of her power for their own agenda. A surprising request from an ally forces her into a deadly race against time.

In Tales of the Unknown, Wells' series of 15 stories investigate "the other side"; that is, a fourth dimension where human beings enter into a world outside or parallel to our own. In the otherworld that Wells describes, it seems we can see others, observe their actions, yet be unable to speak, hear, or touch them.

An ancient war, a tenuous truce, a delicate balance. Sounds ominous right? It is. The tri-pack collective has existed for centuries—three dire wolf packs bound to the most powerful coven in the world through a single witch born under the thirteenth sign of the zodiac. Through this covenant they keep an ancient threat unlike any other at bay. At the next blood moon, I'll be that witch-bound to the three leaders of the dire wolf packs. Responsible for keeping the peace. That is if I make it to the blood moon alive, because someone is trying to kill me.

Alvin was happy to finally give Gothy one of the things she’d been begging for all along - a plane. So, he was understandably upset when it died in its first, short-lived flight as they helped the Red River Army Depot fend off a horde of zombies from Dallas. Gothy was happy to get a replacement for the plane, however, and the armored vehicle sporting a BIG gun pleased Alvin as well. With the Bradley Fighting Vehicle in their possession, he couldn’t help but wonder what could possibly be a real challenge in the future.

Mark is a handsome and troubled young man seeking help from a therapist to escape the damage school bullying has done to him and find a way forward. Trying a new therapist can be a gamble, but surprisingly, the stodgy and skeptical Dr. Myron might be the loser when he discovers the magic of a kiss.

Turmoil has long lived in the world…. But one halfling has had enough. Paris Beaufont has decided that the wars being waged for centuries need to stop. But to keep fairies from battling as they have for decades will be costly.

After becoming trapped in present-day Bath due to a mishap with her time-traveling charm, Jane Austen is safe and sound back in the 1800s thanks to Rose Wallace’s help. Now, Rose is ready to focus on her fledgling romance with dreamy Dr. Aiden Trevellyan. But when Jane reappears in the present, it looks like Rose and Aiden have no choice but to follow her back to 1813....

The This is the new social media platform everyone is talking about. Allow it to be injected into the roof of your mouth and it will grow into your brain, allowing you to connect with others without even picking up your phone. Its followers are growing. Its detractors say it is a cult. But for one journalist, hired to do a puff-piece interview with their CEO, it will change the world forever.

Get ready to go to geosynchronous orbit, the Moon, Venus' cloud tops, Io, Titan, and beyond! What happens when Mr. Foodster cannot synthesize inverse guacamole? What's found under the lunar south pole? When should Q-alpha contact Q-omega? Will dusk fall too soon at SkyTyme? Buckle up and find out! There are also plenty of soft sci-fi, absurd, literary, and humorous fiction pieces. From a man with a closet full of wearable bodies, to a romance budding from a remarkable loaf of bread, to an interview with an angel that takes a dark turn, there are sure to be tales for everyone.

Girl meets dragon. Girl works to befriend dragon. A large, red, dangerous dragon. Raven Alby will have to train her new ride and save the dragon’s life or die trying. Mix in starting at Fowler Academy as a first-year, becoming a stronger mage, and oh...people disappearing. It's all adding up to typical teenager stuff for a young mage. The first lesson Raven will learn? Don’t ever let anything come between a girl and her dragon.