This week: a new addition to my indie sci-fi collection, past sci-fi books I’m recommending, plus the winner of last week’s book giveaway.
From classic space adventures to cyberpunk crime and first-contact horror, there’s a book for every sci-fi reader.
Dark Sands by J.S. Harman
Exploration | Horror
Dark Sands is a sci-fi horror adventure book for readers who enjoy a dark exploration of a new planet with deteriorating conditions & a survival story that will tear bonds apart or bring the survivors together.
Tarlo, a scientist sent as part of humanity’s first mission to discover life on other planets, is looking for more in the cosmos.
Tarlo is the main character, but the multi-POV allows the reader to jump between different characters as they split up to explore Cahros—a sandy, desert planet that looks desolate—but looks can be deceiving.
Themes: human nature—our tendency to deplete resources & selflessness vs. self-preservation.
Find it here.
The Sandcastle in the Rain by S.R. Emonts
Cyberpunk | Crime & Mystery
This book kept me guessing until the end. Set in a futuristic post-apocalyptic world, The Sandcastle in the Rain questions what it means to be human and how humanity looks at the past after war.
The story follows two special officers in the future as they grapple to take down a criminal organization that steals and replaces people’s memories, while also coming to terms with their own pasts during and immediately after the war. It's a complex storyline that made me want to go back and reread sections more carefully.
Find it here.
Transmigrant by Stephen B. Anthony
Colonization | Space exploration
For sci-fi fans that enjoy a scrappy fight against an evil corporation.
Transmigrant explores themes of what it means to be human. Set in a future where Earth is not the only planet we call home, the story follows three main characters as they fight to reveal the truth behind the mega corporation Niruku.
A senator’s daughter, a fugitive, and a transgalactic migrant meet in a bar… Okay, this isn’t the setup for a punchline; these are the real characters you’ll be following through this story. I can’t really say much about the fugitive without giving too much away, but I was pleased to learn more about her by the end of the story that brought it all together for me.
Find it here.
The Maiden Voyage by Jon Howard
Humorous | Space Adventure
A throwback to classic space sci-fi. Humorous and light, with an everyday hero born out of necessity. Derek could be any package delivery driver (except in space, of course) against a conglomerate of a corporation and space gangsters.
Space package delivery specialist Derek gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to fly a special charter mission that is anything but straightforward.
Laden with humor, this is an uncomplicated story reminiscent of classic sci-fi tales of the unlikely hero seeking to rescue the damsel in distress.
Find it here.
How to support an indie author
If you’ve read a book from an indie author, one of the most helpful things you can do is leave a review on a site like Amazon, Goodreads, or The Storygraph (or all of them).
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Giveaway Winner
Last week, I ran a giveaway for one subscriber to win a copy of my books, Beyond the Water’s Edge and The Water Between Us.
Congratulations Jonathan Phillips — you’ll receive the ebooks in an email.
Dovan the book dragon’s quote of the week:
That desperate fear returned, of death taking him without preamble, without warning, without consent.
—J.S. Harman, Dark Sands
Until next week—happy reading!
Janine Eaby is the author of Beyond the Water’s Edge—a fantasy book series influenced by her faith, love of nature, and desire for adventure. For fans of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Shadow and Bone.
P.S. US and UK readers can catch a discount by buying directly from IngramSpark.
I'm kind of curious about cyberpunk, because I haven't really read anything in that genre yet. Going to have a look at this one!
Thank you so much. I look forward to reading.