{"title":"Science Fiction","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"the-apex-book-of-world-sf-science-fiction-anthology","title":"The Apex Book of World SF: Volume 1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF\u003c\/em\u003e, edited by Lavie Tidhar, features award-winning science fiction and fantasy short stories from Asia, Eastern Europe, and around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe world of speculative fiction is expansive; it covers more than one country, one continent, one culture. Collected here are sixteen stories penned by authors from Thailand, the Philippines, China, Israel, Pakistan, Serbia, Croatia, Malaysia, and other countries across the globe. Each one tells a tale breathtakingly vast and varied, whether caught in the ghosts of the past or entangled in a postmodern age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmong the spirits, technology, and deep recesses of the human mind, stories abound. Kites sail to the stars, technology transcends physics, and wheels cry out in the night. Memories come and go like fading echoes and a train carries its passengers through more than simple space and time. Dark and bright, beautiful and haunting, the stories herein represent speculative fiction from a sampling of the finest authors from around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eS.P. Somtow (Thailand) — “The Bird Catcher”\u003cbr\u003eJetse de Vries (Netherlands) — “Transcendence Express”\u003cbr\u003eGuy Hasson (Israel) — “The Levantine Experiments”\u003cbr\u003eHan Song (China) — “The Wheel of Samsara”\u003cbr\u003eKaaron Warren (Australia\/Fiji) —“Ghost Jail”\u003cbr\u003eYang Ping (China) — “Wizard World”\u003cbr\u003eDean Francis Alfar (Philippines) — “L’Aquilone du Estrellas (The Kite of Stars)”\u003cbr\u003eNir Yaniv (Israel) — “Cinderers”\u003cbr\u003eJamil Nasir (Palestine) — “The Allah Stairs”\u003cbr\u003eTunku Halim (Malaysia) — “Biggest Baddest Bomoh”\u003cbr\u003eAliette de Bodard (France) — “The Lost Xuyan Bride”\u003cbr\u003eKristin Mandigma (Philippines) — “Excerpt from a Letter by a Social-realist Aswang”\u003cbr\u003eAleksandar Žiljak (Croatia) — “An Evening in the City Coffehouse, With Lydia on My Mind” (Read for free in \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e issue 5)\u003cbr\u003eAnil Menon (India) — “Into the Night”\u003cbr\u003eMélanie Fazi (France, translated by Christopher Priest) — “Elegy”\u003cbr\u003eZoran Živković (Serbia, translated by Alice Copple-Tošić) — “Compartments”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editor\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLavie Tidhar\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize-winning \u003cem\u003eA Man Lies Dreaming\u003c\/em\u003e, the World Fantasy Award-winning \u003cem\u003eOsama\u003c\/em\u003e and of the critically-acclaimed \u003cem\u003eThe Violent Century\u003c\/em\u003e. His other works include the Bookman Histories trilogy, several novellas, two collections, and a forthcoming comics mini-series, \u003cem\u003eAdler.\u003c\/em\u003e He currently lives in London.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":19212432,"sku":"WorldSF-01","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":748685753,"sku":"WSFe-01","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/ApexWSFBK1.webp?v=1742310032"},{"product_id":"the-apex-book-of-world-sf-2-science-fiction-anthology","title":"The Apex Book of World SF: Volume 2","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF 2\u003c\/em\u003e, editor Lavie Tidhar collects short stories by science fiction and fantasy authors from Africa to Latin America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn expedition to an alien planet; Lenin rising from the dead; a superhero so secret he does not exist. In \u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF 2\u003c\/em\u003e, World Fantasy Award-nominated editor Lavie Tidhar brings together a unique collection of stories from around the world. Quiet horror from Cuba and Australia; surrealist fantasy from Russia and epic fantasy from Poland; near-future tales from Mexico and Finland, as well as cyberpunk from South Africa. In this anthology, one gets a glimpse of the complex and fascinating world of genre fiction—from all over our world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing work from noted international authors such as Will Elliot, Hannu Rajaniemi, Shweta Narayan, Lauren Beukes, Ekaterina Sedia, Nnedi Okorafor, and Andrzej Sapkowski.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eTable of Contents\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Alternate Girl’s Expatriate Life” by Rochita Loenen-Ruiz\u003cbr\u003e“Mr Goop” by Ivor W. Hartmann\u003cbr\u003e“Trees of Bone” by Daliso Chaponda\u003cbr\u003e“The First Peruvian in Space” by Daniel Salvo (translated by Jose B. Adolph)\u003cbr\u003e“Eyes in the Vastness of Forever” by Gustavo Bondoni\u003cbr\u003e“The Tomb” by Chen Qiufan (translated by the author)\u003cbr\u003e“The Sound of Breaking Glass” by Joyce Chng\u003cbr\u003e“A Single Year” by Csilla Kleinheincz (translated by the author)\u003cbr\u003e“The Secret Origin of Spin-Man” by Andrew Drilon\u003cbr\u003e“Borrowed Time” by Anabel Enríquez Piñeiro (translated by Daniel W. Koon)\u003cbr\u003e“Branded” by Lauren Beukes\u003cbr\u003e“December 8th” by Raúl Flores (translated by Daniel W. Koon)\u003cbr\u003e“Hungry Man” by Will Elliott\u003cbr\u003e“Nira and I” by Shweta Narayan\u003cbr\u003e“Nothing Happened in 1999” by Fábio Fernandes\u003cbr\u003e“Shadow” by Tade Thompson\u003cbr\u003e“Shibuya no Love” by Hannu Rajaniemi\u003cbr\u003e“Maquech” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia\u003cbr\u003e“The Glory of the World” by Sergey Gerasimov\u003cbr\u003e“The New Neighbours” by Tim Jones\u003cbr\u003e“From the Lost Diary of TreeFrog7” by Nnedi Okorafor\u003cbr\u003e\"The Slows” by Gail Hareven (translated by Yaacov Jeffrey Green)\u003cbr\u003e“Zombie Lenin” by Ekaterina Sedia\u003cbr\u003e“Electric Sonalika” by Samit Basu\u003cbr\u003e“The Malady” by Andrzej Sapkowski (translated by Wiesiek Powaga)\u003cbr\u003e“A Life Made Possible Behind The Barricades” by Jacques Barcia\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editor\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLavie Tidhar\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize-winning \u003cem\u003eA Man Lies Dreaming, \u003c\/em\u003ethe World Fantasy Award-winning \u003cem\u003eOsama,\u003c\/em\u003e and of the critically-acclaimed \u003cem\u003eThe Violent Century.\u003c\/em\u003e His other works include the Bookman Histories trilogy, several novellas, two collections, and a forthcoming comics mini-series, \u003cem\u003eAdler.\u003c\/em\u003e He currently lives in London.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eExcerpt\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom: \"Alternate Girl's Expatriate Life\" by Rochita Loenen-Ruiz\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eIn springtime, her garden yielded a hundred wisteria blossoms. White English roses climbed the pergola. Digitalis purpurea, lavender from the South of France, mint and thyme, rosemary and tarragon, basil and sweet marjoram—they all grew in Alternate Girl’s one-hundred-percent super-qualified housewife garden. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcross the street, excavators dug up large swathes of grass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“They’re building a new complex over there,” her neighbour said. “I heard the farmer who owned that land went off to live the life of a millionaire.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer neighbour babbled on about yachts and sea voyages and Alternate Girl stood there staring while the machines went about their business of churning up grass and soil. She wondered what it would be like to be crushed under those hungry wheels, and she flinched at her own imagination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“A pity,” her neighbour said. “I sure will miss the view.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlternate Girl murmured something vague in reply, and went back to tending her flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe wondered if the farmer was happier now that he had his millions. Would wealth and sea voyages make up for severed ties and the erasure of generations of familial history?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe pulled out a stray weed, and scattered coffee grounds to keep the cats from digging up her crocus bulbs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shook her head and headed back indoors. She’d only known two kinds of lives, and in neither of them had she been a millionaire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMost expatriates pursue a model life. This makes them a desired member in their adopted society. They appear to assimilate quickly, adapting without visible complications to the customs of the country in which they reside. On the surface, they may appear contented, well-adjusted, and happy. However, studies reveal an underlying sorrow that often manifests itself in dreams. In dreams, the expatriate experiences no ambivalent feelings. There is only a strong sense of loss. It isn’t uncommon for expats to wake up crying.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—On Expatriate Behaviour, Mackay and Lindon— \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn her dreams, Alternate Girl fled from her life as an expat. She sprouted wings and let the wind take her back to the gates of her hometown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven in the dreamscape, she could smell the exhaust from passing jeepneys. She could taste the metal dust in the air. The moon shone on the gentle curve of asphalt, cutting through dusty thoroughfares, creating long dark shadows on the pavement. Metal tenements jutted up from the land, pointing like fingers at the night sky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy day, a constant stream of drones strove to keep those buildings together. Every bit of scrap metal, every piece of residual wiring was used to keep the landscape of steel and concrete from breaking to pieces. For all its frailty, for all its seeming squalor, there was something dear and familiar about the way the streets met and turned into each other.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven if her life was filled with the cosiness of the here and now, she could not shake off the longing that thrummed through her dreams in the same way that the thrum of the equilibrium machine pulsed through this landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTowering above the tenements was the Remembrance Monument. Made of compressed bits and parts, it contained all the memories of those gone before. Each year, the monument reached higher and higher until its apex was lost in the covering of clouds. When she was younger, she’d often imagined she could hear the voices of the gone-before.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbove the pulse of the Equilibrium Machine, above the gentle susurrus of faded ghosts, she heard a cry. High and shrill, it emitted a hopelessness Alternate Girl remembered feeling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was the same cry that pulled her out of her dreams and back into the present. She turned on her side, pressed her ear against her pillow and stared into the darkness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis is my home now\u003c\/em\u003e, she told herself. \u003cem\u003eI am happy as I am. We are happy as we are.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNever mind her personal griefs. Never mind her longing for that lost landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWould you like a chance to revisit the past or to visit the future? Optimum Labs offers you the chance to take the leap in time. Our company is 100% customer satisfaction guaranteed.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eUnlike the scams out there, Optimum Labs offers you the real thing\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlternate Girl stared at the screen. Each day the spam mail showed up without fail. Same time stamps, same recipient name, all from anonymous senders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWho sends this mail\u003c\/em\u003e? she wondered. And did everyone in her neighbourhood receive the same mail with the same time stamps every day? If she had the courage to reply, would she receive an answer from all the anonymous senders? Her hand hovered over the delete key.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you sent garbage to the landfill, it got buried underground, but what about garbage in the ether? Did it float around silently on the airwaves? Would all the spam and the deleted mail come back to haunt her in the form of ether pollution or some such specialised name?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile she sat there, the speakers gave off a faint ping. She clicked and waited as the new message filled her screen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHappy Birthday, Alternate Girl! Today is a milestone for all of us. You have successfully completed one hundred weeks of expatriate life. In recognition of your hard work, a reward has been issued to you at the designated station. Report in as soon as you can and don’t forget to register at our renewed website. Greetings from Memomach@metaltown.com.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlternate Girl squeezed her eyes shut. She opened them and stared once more at the message on her screen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCould it be what she had been waiting for all this time, or was Mechanic finally calling her home?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":197526822,"sku":"WorldSF-02B","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":750036973,"sku":"WSF2e-01","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/ApexWSFBK2.webp?v=1742309896"},{"product_id":"glitter-mayhem-science-fiction-anthology","title":"Glitter \u0026 Mayhem","description":"\u003cp\u003eA party in a science fiction anthology? Apex Books has that!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStep behind the velvet rope of these fabulous science fiction and fantasy stories of roller rinks, nightclubs, glam aliens, party monsters, drugs, sex, glitter, and debauchery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDance through nightclubs, roller derby with cryptids and aliens, be seduced by otherworldly creatures, and ingest cocktails that will alter your existence forever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin glittery authors Christopher Barzak (\u003cem\u003eOne for Sorrow\u003c\/em\u003e) and Daryl Gregory (\u003cem\u003ePandemonium\u003c\/em\u003e) on the dance floor, drink cocktails with Maria Dahvana Headley (\u003cem\u003eQueen of Kings: A Novel of Cleopatra, the Vampire\u003c\/em\u003e) and Tim Pratt (Marla Mason series), and skate with Seanan McGuire (InCryptid series), Diana Rowland (Kara Gillian series), and Maurice Broaddus (The Knights of Breton Court series). The fantastic Amber Benson gets the party started with her floor-rattling introduction (Calliope Reaper-Jones series).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’re waiting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eTable of Contents\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIntroduction by Amber Benson\u003cbr\u003e\"Sister Twelve: Confessions of a Party Monster\" by Christopher Barzak (Read for free at \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e!)\u003cbr\u003e\"Apex Jump\" by David J. Schwartz\u003cbr\u003e\"With Her Hundred Miles to Hell\" by Kat Howard\u003cbr\u003e\"Star Dancer\" by Jennifer Pelland\u003cbr\u003e\"Of Selkies, Disco Balls, and Anna Plane\" by Cat Rambo\u003cbr\u003e\"Sooner Than Gold\" by Cory Skerry\u003cbr\u003e\"Subterraneans\" by William Shunn \u0026amp; Laura Chavoen\u003cbr\u003e\"The Minotaur Girls\" by Tansy Rayner Roberts\u003cbr\u003e\"Unable to Reach You\" by Alan DeNiro\u003cbr\u003e\"Such \u0026amp; Such Said to So \u0026amp; So\" by Maria Dahvana Headley \u003cbr\u003e\"Revels in the Land of Ice\" by Tim Pratt\u003cbr\u003e\"Bess, the Landlord’s Daughter, Goes for Drinks with the Green Girl\" by Sofia Samatar\u003cbr\u003e\"Blood and Sequins\" by Diana Rowland\u003cbr\u003e\"Two-Minute Warning\" by Vylar Kaftan\u003cbr\u003e\"Inside Hides the Monster\" by Damien Angelica Walters (formerly known as Damien Walters Grintalis)\u003cbr\u003e\"Bad Dream Girl\" by Seanan McGuire\u003cbr\u003e\"A Hollow Play\" by Amal El-Mohtar  \u003cbr\u003e\"Just Another Future Song\" by Daryl Gregory\u003cbr\u003e\"The Electric Spanking of the War Babies\" by Maurice Broaddus \u0026amp; Kyle S. Johnson\u003cbr\u003e\"All That Fairy Tale Crap\" by Rachel Swirsky\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJohn Klima\u003c\/strong\u003e previously worked at \u003cem\u003eAsimov's, Analog\u003c\/em\u003e, and\u003cem\u003e Tor Books\u003c\/em\u003e before returning to school to earn his master's in Library and Information Science. He now works full time as the assistant director of a large public library. When he is not conquering the world of indexing, John edits and publishes the Hugo Award-winning genre zine \u003cem\u003eElectric Velocipede.\u003c\/em\u003e The magazine is also a four-time nominee for the World Fantasy Award. In 2007 Klima edited an anthology of science fiction and fantasy stories based on spelling-bee winning words called \u003cem\u003eLogorrhea: Good Words Make Good Stories.\u003c\/em\u003e In 2011 Klima edited \u003cem\u003eHappily Ever After,\u003c\/em\u003e a reprint anthology of fairytale retellings. He and his family live in the Midwest.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLynne M. Thomas\u003c\/strong\u003e is the Curator of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University. She’s probably best known as the co-editor of the Hugo Award-winning \u003cem\u003eChicks Dig Time Lords\u003c\/em\u003e (2010) with Tara O’Shea, \u003cem\u003eWhedonistas \u003c\/em\u003e(2011) with Deborah Stanish, and the Hugo Award-nominated \u003cem\u003eChicks Dig Comics\u003c\/em\u003e (2012) with Sigrid Ellis, all published by \u003cem\u003eMad Norwegian Press.\u003c\/em\u003e Along with the Geek Girl Chronicles book series, Lynne is the Editor-in-Chief of the Hugo Award-nominated (2012 \u0026amp; 2013) \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e, an online professional prose and poetry magazine of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mash-ups of all three. She moderates the Hugo Award-winning SF Squeecast and contributes to the Verity! podcast. Lynne lives in DeKalb with her husband Michael, their daughter Caitlin, and a cat named Marie. Lynne is also a part-time Dancing Queen and grew up at roller rink in the wilds of Massachussetts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Damian Thomas\u003c\/strong\u003e is the Hugo Award-nominated Managing Editor of \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e and a former Associate Editor at \u003cem\u003eMad Norwegian Press.\u003c\/em\u003e He’s the co-editor of the Doctor Who essay anthology \u003cem\u003eQueers Dig Time Lords\u003c\/em\u003e with Sigrid Ellis. Michael lives in DeKalb with his wife Lynne, their daughter Caitlin, and a cat named Marie. He can solve most of the world’s problems with a cocktail, some music, and a pair of rollerskates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eExcerpt\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom: \"Sister Twelve: Confessions of a Party Monster\" by Christopher Barzak\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eIt didn't take with me, the world and its rules, the things it expected of me. In the end, that’s the only reason why I find myself still here after all these countless years, and still I refuse to leave the scene. If you drop a beat, I’m on it. If I hear the slightest scratch, I’m ready to spin. If my shoes give out, if I split a sole or break a heel, it doesn’t matter. I kick them off and keep on dancing like the music and my body can’t be put on pause.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have a date — the music, the dance floor, and I. We’re going to move all night long if we have anything to say about it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf I gave a damn about the world, though, and what it wanted from me, I’d be sitting in a high–backed chair right now with my needlepoint in my lap, collecting a fine layer of dust as I concentrated on a difficult stitch. My father liked seeing us girls do things like that. “Nothing more beautiful than to see a young lady with her head bent over a hoop,” he used to say as he passed through our room, where my sisters would be sitting in that exact position. Then he’d notice me heaped in the corner chair, where I’d pulled my legs under me and sat hunched over the yellowed pages of a novel, and he would tsk. Seriously, he would tsk. Once, he told me, “You are quite fortunate to have been born last of all my daughters.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Why is that?” I asked, placing my finger upon the sentence I was just then reading before looking up into his disappointed face, eyes blinking beneath their furry salt and pepper mantle. The gold crown on his head was tilted a little to the side, as if a beggar or a drunkard had just accosted him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Because the youngest child always gets away with more than his or her older siblings,” was his answer. Then he turned to walk away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Is that luck, Father,” I asked, “or is it just the intelligent observation of others going through life experiences before you have, and then analyzing the results of their conclusions, that leads to smarter decision–making?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Tsk–tsk,” said my father. Looking over his shoulder, he shook his head as if I were a bitter pill his advisor forced him to swallow each night for the sake of his health.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe youngest child is also supposedly the one everyone likes (except the older siblings, of course, because they tend to feel jealous of all the attention diverted to the baby). But whether any of that is true or just psychoanalytical bullshit doesn’t really matter. What matters is that, somehow, that psychoanalytical bullshit sometimes maps on to your life in a real way; and at those times, if you’re a person who’s able to be honest with yourself, you have to sit around and think, Well, okay, maybe I should pay attention to what this is telling me?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn my case, yes, almost everyone liked me, except for my sisters, who I always felt either hated or thought little of me, because of both my prolonged innocence and also because of the way I often stupidly pointed out the flaws in their thinking without realizing how embarrassing that might be for them. Really, my pointing out their flaws was a symptom of my innocence — back then I thought it was a good thing to be honest with people, no matter what — but that explanation doesn’t excuse the hurt I must have caused them. In the end, what matters is that I too often told the truth as if it were as ordinary as the air we breathe, and because of that I could sometimes make my sisters feel like the lowest creatures in existence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I told you so.” Those were the words I often found myself using with my sisters in the year after my brother–in–law, the soldier who I’m sure has gone on by now to be king in place of my father, discovered our secret. “I told you so, I told you so,” I would tell my sisters in the eleven months that passed during the year after that man brought a halt to our dancing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI said this so often because I so often realized things that my sisters never noticed, and they always made me feel like a stupid little girl when I said things like, “Shouldn’t we wait to leave until we hear the guard snoring?” or “Shouldn’t we maybe tie him to his chair anyway, just in case he’s fooling? That way, he can’t follow us down into the clubs.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey laughed at me, my sisters. They said, “Oh child, you are always so afraid.” But I wasn’t afraid. I was never afraid. I was just observant and cautious. I knew that soldier had something on us, I just didn’t know what.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTurns out, he had a cloak that could make him invisible, and he had some wisdom from an old crone he’d met in the woods on his way to our castle to solve the secret of our nightly disappearances for our father. The wisdom the old crone gave him was this: Don’t drink the cup of wine they’ll give you at the end of the night, but make them think that you did.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was good advice, really. Old crones know a lot. They’ve seen shit go down that most young people only hear about in songs and movies. The wine that we gave to our nightly guards, to our would– be saviors and suitors, was always drugged. It put them dead asleep within minutes of sipping it twice, and while they were nodding off in the corner, their minds growing black as a bog, my sisters and I — well, the twelve of us would go out dancing.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":763033373,"sku":"GM-01","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":763033369,"sku":"GMe-01","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/products\/glittermayhem.jpg?v=1741363889"},{"product_id":"the-apex-book-of-world-sf-3-science-fiction-anthology","title":"The Apex Book of World SF: Volume 3","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 3\u003c\/em\u003e, editor Lavie Tidhar collects short stories by science fiction and fantasy authors from Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese stories run the gamut from science fiction, to fantasy, and to horror. Some are translations (from German, Chinese, French, Spanish, and Swedish), and some were written in English. The authors herein come from Asia and Europe, Africa, and Latin America. Their stories are all wondrous and wonderful and showcase the vitality and diversity that can be found in the field. They are a conversation, by voices that should be heard. And once again, editor Lavie Tidhar and \u003cem\u003eApex Publications\u003c\/em\u003e are tremendously grateful for the opportunity to bring them to our readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eTable of Contents\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Courtship in the Country of Machine-Gods\" — Benjanun Sriduangkaew (Thailand)\u003cbr\u003e\"A Hundred Ghosts Parade Tonight\" — Xia Jia (China)\u003cbr\u003e\"Act of Faith\" — Fadzilshah Johanabos (Malaysia)\u003cbr\u003e\"The Foreigner\" — Uko Bendi Udo (Nigeria)\u003cbr\u003e\"The City of Silence\" — Ma Boyong (China)\u003cbr\u003e\"Planetfall\" — Athena Andreadis (Greece)\u003cbr\u003e\"Jungle Fever\" — Ika Koeck (Malaysia)\u003cbr\u003e\"To Follow the Waves\" — Amal El-Mohtar (Lebanon\/Canada)\u003cbr\u003e\"Ahuizotl\" — Nelly Geraldine García-Rosas (Mexico)\u003cbr\u003e\"The Rare Earth\" — Biram Mboob (Gambia)\u003cbr\u003e\"Spider's Nest\" — Myra Çakan (Germany)\u003cbr\u003e\"Waiting with Mortals\" — Crystal Koo (Philippines)\u003cbr\u003e\"Three Little Children\" — Ange (France)\u003cbr\u003e\"Brita's Holiday Village\" — Karin Tidbeck (Sweden)\u003cbr\u003e\"Regressions\" — Swapna Kishore (India)\u003cbr\u003e\"Dancing on the Red Planet\" — Berit Ellingsen (Korea\/Norway)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editor\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLavie Tidhar\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize-winning \u003cem\u003eA Man Lies Dreaming,\u003c\/em\u003e the World Fantasy Award-winning \u003cem\u003eOsama, \u003c\/em\u003eand of the critically-acclaimed \u003cem\u003eThe Violent Century.\u003c\/em\u003e His other works include the Bookman Histories trilogy, several novellas, two collections, and a forthcoming comics mini-series, \u003cem\u003eAdler.\u003c\/em\u003e He currently lives in London.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eExcerpt\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom: \"Courtship in the Country of Machine-Gods\" by Benjanun Sriduangkaew\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eIn the shadow of machine–gods I tell wayfarers of a time when my people were a nightmare the color of hemorrhage and glinting teeth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are other narratives, but this is the one they want to hear most, the one they pay with their adoration and bright–eyed want, for they’ve never known us for anything but peace. Conflict juts out from the skein of Pojama’s history, broken glass–shard, rupturing and ruptured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI smile; I oblige. Though the story is for me, there are parts that I share simply for the reality of speaking it out loud, for the virtue of being heard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy mouth moves, output for one of my cranial chips. My fingers sketch, autopilot, the forms of our heroes and enemies from a continent whose name and life has now been lost. My voice murmurs the tragedies and sings the heroics of Kanrisa and Surada, rising for climax, falling soft for denouement. The visitors’ district is machine–dead. What a thrill it must be to hear the thunderclap notes of my gloves, behold the psychedelic fires that pour from my nails.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce, they interrupt. The figures of our enemies do not seem real. They are right: with sagging eyes the hues of cheap jades and faces like skulls, even for villains they are too fantastical, too unhuman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“My great–grandmother told of them so,” I say and shrug. “Perhaps she was senile.” With a motion, I turn the figures into shapes more familiar, shapes more like ours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInside the vessel of my thought — a garden of sliding intelligences who whisper to me, childhood mates grown to adults next to my ventricles and lungs — a different story unfolds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI met my betrothed Kanrisa in our second cycle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA garden festooned with lights, on a day of the scythe. I was in academy uniform, narrow skirt and sigil–carved sleeves, surrounded by girl age–mates. I tried to look severe, and mature, and to be taken seriously. I can no longer remember what the gathering was about, albeit I recall that someone was terra–sculpting on the fly. The earth twitched and jolted, forcing us to hover. For an hour or so, I tolerated this, making stiff comments to my age–mates. The ground eventually stilled — I thought the mischief–maker had simply had enough; the hush that fell on everyone told me otherwise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA garden patch smoothed into an impromptu landing pad. The craft touched the grass quietly, which was not extraordinary until I realized that the engine had been off long before it touched the ground. It had shed altitude with nothing save clever maneuvering and air resistance. Brave. Reckless.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts hatch lifted, and out came echoes in training, each fitted in muted flexskin, their throats metallic with Bodhva implants that’d let them synchronize with machine–gods. The last of them, pilot, stepped out. She stood taller than most.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy age–mates rippled, whispering. “Oh her—” “The prodigy, my sister said.” Breathlessly. “Graduating soon, at our age.” “No she’s a little more senior… look how she moves.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI looked, compulsively. Kanrisa was dressed no differently from the rest, but she set herself apart in the sinuous fluidity of her steps. Where other echoes were soft and pared, she was hard and full– figured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow I remember why I was there, that day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI moved through the wave of giddy students on tiptoes at the sight of rarely–seen echoes, basking in reflected prestige and exotique. Most of us had been taught the theories of Bodhva training; few saw it in person, and even close observation told little. How did one stretch a mind to accommodate the multi–threading of machines?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“She’s lovely, birthed to echo, I think.” “Oh no you don’t, that’s not legal anymore — the molding matrices, surely not!” Someone sighed. “It was legal when she was made. Is she even entered into the Abacus? I’d guess not, a shame…”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne last line of young ambigendered and I was through. From her angle I must have looked as though I’d materialized out of nowhere, scandalized susurrus given flesh. Kanrisa glanced at me, over her shoulder, over a tight little smile: she wasn’t pleased to be here, preferred to be back in meditative spheres or else out flying. For that was the privilege of Bodhva.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe surprised each other. I didn’t expect to catch her; she didn’t anticipate anyone to touch her at all, let alone to clasp her hand and say, “I’m Jidri. You are to be my wife.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA few heard, her fellow echoes mostly. One or two behind me, part of the academy crowd.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKanrisa’s smile didn’t change, though she didn’t dislodge me or pull away. “You must be mistaken, student. The Abacus doesn’t rattle my name.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It will.” Courage or unreason moved me to draw closer. “Put your name in. It’ll match us.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntil that day, I had never met her: had no personal knowledge of her, let alone desired her. All she’d been to me was a name, output to me by a modified copy of the predictive algorithm that gave the Abacus its sapience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKanrisa submitted her name, out of either curiosity or an angry impulse to be proven right that the exercise was pointless, and within the week we were declared matrimonial potentiates. We would make a union of two, against the average match of four point five.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":823040989,"sku":"WorldSF-03","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":823040993,"sku":"WSF3-e01","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/ApexWSFBK3.webp?v=1742309798"},{"product_id":"war-stories-anthology","title":"War Stories: New Military Science Fiction","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWar Stories: New Military Science Fiction\u003c\/em\u003e features short stories by science fiction and fantasy authors dealing with the effects of war prior, during, and after battle to soldiers and their families. Edited by Andrew Liptak and Jaym Gates.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWar is everywhere. Not only among the firefights, in the sweat dripping from heavy armor and the clenching grip on your weapon, but also wedging itself deep into families, infiltrating our love letters, hovering in the air above our heads. It's in our dreams and our text messages. At times it roars with adrenaline, while at others it slips in silently so it can sit beside you until you forget it's there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin Joe Haldeman, Linda Nagata, Karin Lowachee, Ken Liu, Jay Posey, and more as they take you on a tour of the battlefields, from those hurtling through space in spaceships and winding along trails deep in the jungle with bullets whizzing overhead, to the ones hiding behind calm smiles, waiting patiently to reveal itself in those quiet moments when we feel safest. \u003cem\u003eWar Stories\u003c\/em\u003e brings us 23 stories of the impacts of war, showcasing the systems, combat, armor, and aftermath without condemnation or glorification.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInstead, \u003cem\u003eWar Stories\u003c\/em\u003e reveals the truth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWar is what we are.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForeword — Gregory Drobny\u003cbr\u003e\"Graves\" — Joe Haldeman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 1: Wartime Systems\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"In the Loop\" — Ken Liu\u003cbr\u003e\"Ghost Girl\" — Rich Larson\u003cbr\u003e\"The Radio\" — Susan Jane Bigelow\u003cbr\u003e\"Contractual Obligation\" — James L. Cambias\u003cbr\u003e\"The Wasp Keepers\" — Mark Jacobsen\u003cbr\u003e\"Non-Standard Deviation\" — Richard Dansky\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 2: Combat\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"All You Need\" — Mike Sizemore\u003cbr\u003e\"The Valkyrie\" — Maurice Broaddus\u003cbr\u003e\"One Million Lira\" — Thoraiya Dyer\u003cbr\u003e\"Invincible\" — Jay Posey\u003cbr\u003e\"Light and Shadow\" — Linda Nagata\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 3: Armored Force\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Warhosts\" — Yoon Ha Lee\u003cbr\u003e\"Suits\" — James Sutter\u003cbr\u003e\"Mission. Suit. Self.\" — Jake Kerr\u003cbr\u003e\"In Loco\" — Carlos Orsi\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePart 4: Aftermath\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"War Dog\" — Mike Barretta\u003cbr\u003e\"Coming Home\" — Janine Spendlove\u003cbr\u003e\"Where We Would End a War\" — F. Brett Cox\u003cbr\u003e\"Black Butterfly\" — T.C. McCarthy\u003cbr\u003e\"Always the Stars and the Void Between\" — Nerine Dorman\u003cbr\u003e\"Enemy States\" — Karin Lowachee \u003cbr\u003e\"War 3.01\" — Keith Brooke\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndrew Liptak\u003c\/strong\u003e earned his Master of Arts in Military History from Norwich University, and has written extensively about military science fiction for \u003cem\u003eio9\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eSF Signal,\u003c\/em\u003e and has written for such websites as\u003cem\u003e Kirkus Reviews,\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eStrange Horizons,\u003c\/em\u003e as well as Military History for magazines such as \u003cem\u003eArmchair General \u003c\/em\u003eand the \u003cem\u003eNorwich Record\u003c\/em\u003e. He is currently an editorial assistant for \u003cem\u003eLightspeed Magazine.\u003c\/em\u003e His first story, 'Fragmented', is set to be published by \u003cem\u003eGalaxy's Edge Magazine.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJaym Gates\u003c\/strong\u003e is the editor of the zombie anthology \u003cem\u003eRigor Amortis, \u003c\/em\u003ewhich was a Barnes and Noble Top 10 pick in 2011, and short fiction author, published in \u003cem\u003eThe Aether Age: Helios, Goldfish Grim \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eHeroes! \u003c\/em\u003eShe has a strong background in organizing, supporting, and launching Kickstarter projects, such as \u003cem\u003eGeek Love,\u003c\/em\u003e the highest-funded anthology in Kickstarter's history. Her fiction has been published in \u003cem\u003eThe Aether Age: Helios, Goldfish Grim,\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eM-Brane SF. \u003c\/em\u003eShe is the Communications Director for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eExcerpt\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom: \"In the Loop\" by Ken Liu\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eWhen Kyra was nine, her father turned into a monster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt didn’t happen overnight. He went to work every morning, like always, and when he came in the door in the evening, Kyra would ask him to play catch with her. That used to be her favorite time of the day. But the yesses came less frequently, and then not at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe’d sit at the table and stare. She’d ask him questions and he wouldn’t answer. He used to always have a funny answer for everything, and she’d repeat his jokes to her friends and think he was the cleverest dad in the whole world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe had loved those moments when he’d teach her how to swing a hammer properly, how to measure and saw and chisel. She would tell him that she wanted to be a builder when she grew up, and he’d nod and say that was a good idea. But he stopped taking her to his workshop in the shed to make things together, and there was no explanation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen he started going out in the evenings. At first, Mom would ask him when he’d be back. He’d look at her like she was a stranger before closing the door behind him. By the time he came home, Kyra and her brothers were already in bed, but she would hear shouts and sometimes things breaking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMom began to look at Dad like she was afraid of him, and Kyra tried to help with getting the boys to bed, to make her bed without being asked, to finish her dinner without complaint, to do everything perfectly, hoping that would make things better, back to the way they used to be. But Dad didn’t seem to pay any attention to her or her brothers. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen, one day, he slammed Mom into the wall. Kyra stood there in the kitchen and felt the whole house shake. She didn’t know what to do. He turned around and saw Kyra, and his face scrunched up like he hated her, hated her mother, hated himself most of all. And he fled the house without saying another thing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMom packed a suitcase and took Kyra and her brothers to Grandma’s place that evening, and they stayed there for a month. Kyra thought about calling her father but she didn’t know what she would say. She tried to imagine herself asking the man on the other end of the line what have you done with Daddy?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA policeman came, looking for her mother. Kyra hid in the hall so she could hear what he was telling her. We don’t think it was a homicide. That was how she found out that her father had died.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey moved back to the house, where there was a lot to do: folding up Dad’s uniforms for storage, packing up his regular clothes to give away, cleaning the house so it could be sold, getting ready to move away permanently. She caressed Dad’s medals and badges, shiny and neatly laid out in a box, and that was when she finally cried.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey found a piece of paper at the bottom of Dad’s dresser drawer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What is it?” she asked Mom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMom read it over. “It’s from your Dad’s commander, at the Army.” Her hands shook. “It shows how many people he had killed.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe showed Kyra the number: one thousand two-hundred and fifty-one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe number lingered in Kyra’s mind. As if that gave his life meaning. As if that defined him—and them.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":870461337,"sku":"WS-01","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":961526281,"sku":"WSe-01","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/products\/warstories_COVER_FINAL4.jpg?v=1741363895"},{"product_id":"severance-science-fiction-novel","title":"Severance","description":"\u003cp\u003eCracked.com columnist Chris Bucholz mines humor, desperation, and a generational ship in his science fiction debut novel \u003cem\u003eSeverance\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter 240 years of traveling toward Tau Prius and a new planet to colonize, the inhabitants of the generation ship Argos are bored and aimless. They join groups such as the Markers and the Breeders, have costumed orgies, and test the limits of drugs, alcohol, and pain just to pass the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo Laura Stein, they’re morons and, other than a small handful of friends, she’d rather spend time with her meat plant than with any of her fellow passengers. But when one of her subordinates is murdered while out on a job, Laura takes it as her responsibility to find out what happened. She expects to find a personal grudge or a drug deal gone wrong, but instead stumbles upon a conspiracy that could tear the ship in two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLabeled a terrorist and used as a pawn in the ultimate struggle for control, Laura, with help from her friend Bruce and clues left by a geneticist from the past, digs deep into the inner working of the ship, shimmying her way through duct work, rallying the begrudged passengers to rise up and fight, and peeking into an unsavory past to learn the truth and save their future.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChris Bucholz\u003c\/strong\u003e is a professional video game and humor writer. His weekly column at \u003cem\u003eCracked.com\u003c\/em\u003e offers his readers a mix of historical curiosities, short fiction, and spectacularly bad advice. During the day he works as a writer for the video game developer \u003cem\u003eStardock\u003c\/em\u003e on various game-related projects, including the latest entries in the \u003cem\u003eGalactic Civilizations\u003c\/em\u003e and\u003cem\u003e Star Control\u003c\/em\u003e franchises. He lives in Vancouver, B.C. with his wife and son.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eExcerpt\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaura Stein rolled onto her side, taking care to not crush the bag of urine strapped to her thigh. Through the vanes of the air damper, she could see the upper side of a suspended ceiling facing her. An art studio lay that, assuming the occupancy database was accurate, which it occasionally was. She waited a few seconds, listening for any sign that art was currently happening, and after hearing nothing, pried open one of the damper vanes, creating a gap wide enough to drop through. Feet , she passed through the damper and set herself down on the suspended ceiling, confident the frame would support her weight. She repositioned the damper vane in place, then rolled to her side and opened a tile in the ceiling, peering into the space below. Empty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe lowered herself out of the ceiling and dropped to the floor. Standing on a chair, she repositioned the tile above her, then made her way to the closet at the back of the studio. From the webbing strapped around her waist, she withdrew a tool to remove an embedded floor panel, exposing a dark cavity. She descended feet first into the hole, again mindful of the flexible package of urine, then awkwardly positioned herself face up and dragged the access panel into place above her. In darkness again, she tapped a luminescent patch on her shoulder, shedding a dim light in front of her. Rolling over onto her stomach, she began dragging her way down the crawlspace, scraping her hands, chin, and every other part of her body as she went.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned for maintenance robots, utility crawlspaces could theoretically accommodate human-sized travelers—the theory essentially being: “but they really have to want to be there.” The number of scrapes, abrasions and calluses on Stein’s hands and knees attested to the number of times she’d really wanted to be in such places. Typically for work-related reasons, but she wasn’t working tonight. Stein was one of the enviable few Argosians whose profession—ship’s maintenance—overlapped significantly with her hobby—light burglary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaching a junction, she checked the identification tag on the wall. L3-UC-3401. The odds of her being in the wrong place were slim, but the next section would be a dead end, and she didn’t want to back in and out of more side passages than she had to. She patted the satchel of urine strapped to her hip for the tenth time since entering the crawlspace, reassured that it was still dry to the touch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shimmied a few meters down the side passage, counting the number of panel seams above her as she went. When she reached the sixth seam, she stopped. Reaching behind her, she fished a cutter from her tool webbing, then began to roll over. She stopped abruptly, perilously close to wetting herself, shivered, then rolled over the other way, maneuvering her body until she was lying on her back. Exhaling, she tapped the terminal on her other hip and spoke softly, “How we doing?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Still clear,” Bruce replied. “I told you, this guy’s definitely befouling someone’s party right now. Take as long as you want.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Well, just keep watching. I’ve got a shy bladder,” Stein whispered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Just relax and it will come. Imagine you’re in a really crowded room and everyone’s watching—that’s what I do when I need to go.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStein laughed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Or maybe imagine my mom. That sometimes works for me too.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe grinned and adjusted the controls of the cutter. “Okay, here we go,” she whispered. Positioning the tool, she drilled a tiny hole in the panel above her. Applying light pressure to the cutter, she listened to the torch as it cut through the sandwiched materials into the room above. A change in pitch announced the end of the cut, at which point she turned off the tool and tucked it back in her webbing. Her hand returned with a micro-lube gun. Positioning it in the hole she’d just made, she began threading the sturdy tube up until she was confident it had breached the threshold of the floor above. Pausing, she rolled her shoulders, releasing the tension that had crept into her neck. After a deep breath, she reached down to her right hip and delicately detached the sack of urine from the webbing. Carefully, she twisted off the cap of the sack and slid the lube gun’s feed tube into it. She exhaled. Slowly, she depressed the trigger of the lube gun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe contents of the satchel traveled up the tube at high velocity, ejecting over a small patch of floor in the room above. The donor of the urine was not Stein herself, but a gentleman by the name of Gerald Lehman, a Marker. Lehman had not known he was donating the urine at the time, and indeed would have been impressively paranoid if he had. A small device attached to the trap underneath his toilet had been collecting his urine for days, a trap implanted during a similar subterranean raid a week earlier. But however upset Mr. Lehman might be after discovering the theft of his urine, it would pale beside how he’d feel if he knew its ultimate destination: the living room of Sebastian Krol, leader of the Markers, and his nominal boss.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout the course of human history, peeing on your boss’s living room floor has always been regarded as a pretty bad move, but in an organization like the Markers, it was particularly ill-advised. The Markers were a club\/society\/street-gang—one of many on the Argos—that distinguished themselves from their peers by pissing on things and off people. Markers, when queried about this behavior, would usually expound on the importance of keeping in tune with humanity’s ancient mammalian roots, or recite a prepared speech about the tyranny of indoor plumbing. Everyone else, when queried about this behavior, would suggest that they just liked being dicks. Markers were a particular annoyance for those whose work involved crawling around in poorly drained and ventilated areas, people such as Laura Stein and Bruce Redenbach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStein and Bruce’s scheme involved placing an ambitious junior’s Mark within the leader’s home, which they hoped would incite an internecine conflict within the Marker organization and possibly some mild bloodshed. “And if it does lead to some murders,” Bruce had noted, “then so be it. Horrible smelling murders that security doesn’t try very hard to solve.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe satchel empty, Stein withdrew the tube and stowed everything in her webbing. As gracefully as possible, she scuttled her way back down the corridor. “All done,” she whispered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Bet that feels better,” Bruce said. “Coast is still clear. Do you smell? I bet you smell.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":968076273,"sku":"SEV-01","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":1003426125,"sku":"SEV-01e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/products\/Severance.jpg?v=1741363900"},{"product_id":"the-lost-level-fantasy-novel","title":"The Lost Level","description":"\u003cp\u003eBrian Keene crafts an imaginative and fascinating lost world fantasy novel that will appeal to fans of Burrough's \u003cem\u003ePellucidar\u003c\/em\u003e, Howard's \u003cem\u003eAlmuric\u003c\/em\u003e, and Lansdale's \u003cem\u003eThe Drive-in\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther titles in this series:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/return-to-the-lost-level-dark-fantasy-novel\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eReturn to the Lost Level (Book Two)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/hole-in-the-world-lost-world-fantasy\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eHole in the World (Book Three)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen modern-day occultist Aaron Pace discovers the secrets of inter-dimensional travel via a mystical pathway called The Labyrinth, he wastes no time in exploring a multitude of strange new worlds and alternate realities. But then, Aaron finds himself trapped in the most bizarre dimension of all—a place where dinosaurs coexist with giant robots, where cowboys fight reptilian lizard people, and where even the grass can kill you. This is a world populated by the missing and the disappeared, a world where myth is reality and where the extinct is reborn. Now, side-by-side with his new companions Kasheena and Bloop, Aaron must learn to navigate its dangers and survive long enough to escape... \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Level\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrian Keene\u003c\/strong\u003e is the Bram Stoker and Grand Master award-winning, bestselling author of over forty books, including \u003cem\u003eDarkness on the Edge of Town, Take the Long Way Home, Urban Gothic, Castaways, Kill Whitey, Dark Hollow, Dead Sea,\u003c\/em\u003e and The Rising trilogy. He’s also written comic books such as \u003cem\u003eThe Last Zombie, Doom Patrol,\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eDead of Night: Devil Slayer. \u003c\/em\u003eHis work has been translated into many foreign languages. Several of his novels and stories have been developed for film, including\u003cem\u003e Ghoul \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eThe Ties That Bind.\u003c\/em\u003e In addition to writing, Keene also oversees \u003cem\u003eMaelstrom,\u003c\/em\u003e his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions via \u003cem\u003eThunderstorm Books.\u003c\/em\u003e Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as \u003cem\u003eThe New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, \u003c\/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e Rue Morgue Magazine.\u003c\/em\u003e Keene lives in Pennsylvania. You can communicate with him on Twitter at @BrianKeene.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":998290873,"sku":"TLL-01","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":1037192101,"sku":"TLL-dig","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/The_Lost_Level_7f2de243-1a95-4a56-a64b-c6d4637395bd.webp?v=1742310902"},{"product_id":"the-apex-book-of-world-sf-4-science-fiction-anthology","title":"The Apex Book of World SF: Volume 4","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 4\u003c\/em\u003e, edited by Mahvesh Murad, features award-winning science fiction and fantasy short stories from western Europe, east Asia, and the Middle East.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other volumes in this series:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/the-apex-book-of-world-sf-science-fiction-anthology\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 1\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/the-apex-book-of-world-sf-2-science-fiction-anthology\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 2\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/the-apex-book-of-world-sf-3-science-fiction-anthology\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 3\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/the-apex-book-of-world-sf-5-science-fiction-anthology\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 5\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom Spanish steampunk and Italian horror to Nigerian science fiction and subverted Japanese folktales, from love in the time of drones to teenagers at the end of the world, the stories in this volume showcase the best of contemporary speculative fiction, wherever it’s written.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTABLE OF CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003eVajra Chandrasekera (Sri Lanka) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"Pockets Full of Stones\"\u003cbr\u003eYukimi Ogawa (Japan) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"In Her Head, In Her Eyes\"\u003cbr\u003eZen Cho (Malaysia) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eThe Four Generations of Chang E\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShimon Adaf (Israel) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eLike a Coin Entrusted in Faith\" (Translated by the author)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCeleste Rita Baker (Virgin Islands) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"Single Entry\"\u003cbr\u003eNene Ormes (Sweden) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eThe Good Matter\" (Translated by Lisa J Isaksson and Nene Ormes)\u003cbr\u003eJY Yang (Singapore) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"Tiger Baby\"\u003cbr\u003eIsabel Yap (Philippines) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"A Cup of Salt Tears\"\u003cbr\u003eUsman T Malik (Pakistan) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eThe Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani Family\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKuzhali Manickavel (India) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eSix Things We Found During the Autopsy\" \u003cbr\u003eElana Gomel (Israel) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"The Farm\"\u003cbr\u003eHaralambi Markov (Bulgaria) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"The Language of Knives\"\u003cbr\u003eSabrina Huang (Taiwan) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"Setting Up Home\" (Translated by Jeremy Tiang)\u003cbr\u003eSathya Stone (Sri Lanka) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"Jinki and the Paradox\"\u003cbr\u003eJohann Thorsson (Iceland) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"First, Bite a Finger\"\u003cbr\u003eDilman Dila (Uganda) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"How My Father Became a God\"\u003cbr\u003eSwabir Silayi (Kenya) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"Colour Me Grey\"\u003cbr\u003eDeepak Unnikrishnan (The Emirates) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"Sarama\"\u003cbr\u003eChinelo Onwualu (Nigeria) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"The Gift of Touch\"\u003cbr\u003eSaad Z. Hossain (Bangaldesh) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eDjinns Live by the Sea\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBernardo Fernández (Mexico) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eThe Last Hours of the Final Days\" (Translated by the author)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNatalia Theodoridou (Greece) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eThe Eleven Holy Numbers of the Mechanical Soul\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSamuel Marolla (Italy) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eBlack Tea\" (Translated by Andrew Tanzi)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJulie Novakova (Czech Republic) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eThe Symphony of Ice and Dust\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThomas Olde Heuvelt (Netherlands) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cspan\u003eThe Boy Who Cast No Shadow\" (Translated by Laura Vroomen)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSese Yane (Kenya) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"The Corpse\"\u003cbr\u003eTang Fei \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"Pepe\" (Translated by John Chu)\u003cbr\u003eRocío Rincón (Spain) \u003cspan\u003e—\u003c\/span\u003e \"The Lady of the Soler Colony\" (Translated by James and Marian Womack)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLavie Tidhar\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize-winning \u003cem\u003eA Man Lies Dreaming,\u003c\/em\u003e the World Fantasy Award-winning \u003cem\u003eOsama,\u003c\/em\u003e and of the critically-acclaimed \u003cem\u003eThe Violent Century. \u003c\/em\u003eHis other works include the Bookman Histories trilogy, several novellas, two collections, and a forthcoming comics mini-series, \u003cem\u003eAdler.\u003c\/em\u003e He currently lives in London.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMahvesh Murad\u003c\/strong\u003e is a book critic and recovering radio show host. She writes for multiple publications and hosts the\u003cem\u003e Tor.com\u003c\/em\u003e podcast \u003cem\u003eMidnight in Karachi.\u003c\/em\u003e She was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan, where she still lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":4414748225,"sku":"WorldSF-04","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":5152150657,"sku":"WSFe-04","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/ApexWSF4.webp?v=1742309681"},{"product_id":"science-fiction-anthology-best-of-apex-magazine","title":"Best of Apex Magazine: A Selection of Fantasy and Science Fiction Shorts from 2011-2017","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis anthology of fantasy and science fiction published in \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e from 2011-2017 includes numerous award-nominated short stories, our readers' Story of the Year selections, and personal favorites chosen by \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e editor-in-chief Jason Sizemore and managing editor Lesley Conner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTABLE OF CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003e\"Jackalope Wives\" by Ursula Vernon \u003cbr\u003e\"Going Endo\" by Rich Larson \u003cbr\u003e\"Candy Girl\" by Chikodili Emelumadu \u003cbr\u003e\"If You Were a Dinosaur, My Love\" by Rachel Swirsky \u003cbr\u003e\"Advertising at the End of the World\" by Keffy R.M. Kehrli \u003cbr\u003e\"The Performance Artist\" by Lettie Prell \u003cbr\u003e\"A Matter of Shapespace\" by Brian Trent \u003cbr\u003e\"Falling Leaves\" by Liz Argall \u003cbr\u003e\"Blood from Stone\" by Alethea Kontis \u003cbr\u003e\"Sexagesimal\" by Katharine E.K. Duckett \u003cbr\u003e\"Keep Talking\" by Marie Vibbert \u003cbr\u003e\"Remembery Day\" by Sarah Pinsker \u003cbr\u003e\"Blood on Beacon Hill\" by Russell Nichols \u003cbr\u003e\"The Green Book\" by Amal El-Mohtar \u003cbr\u003e\"L’esprit de L’escalier\" by Peter M. Ball \u003cbr\u003e\"Still Life (A Sexagesimal Fairy Tale)\" by Ian Tregillis \u003cbr\u003e\"Build-A-Dolly\" by Ken Liu \u003cbr\u003e\"Multo\" by Samuel Marzioli \u003cbr\u003e\"Armless Maidens of the American West\" by Genevieve Valentine \u003cbr\u003e\"Pocosin\" by Ursula Vernon \u003cbr\u003e\"She Gave Her Heart, He Took Her Marrow\" by Sam Fleming\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJason Sizemore\u003c\/strong\u003e is the publisher and former editor-in-chief of \u003ci\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e. He has been editing for nearly 20 years and in that time has picked up numerous major award-nominations for his work. Currently, he lives in Lexington, KY, where he futilely tries to convince the locals that science fiction is far more fun than thoroughbred racing. Find him online at jason-sizemore.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLesley Conner\u003c\/strong\u003e is the editor-in-chief of \u003ci\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Maryland where she leads the local Girl Scout troop, taking them to frequent forays into the eastern wilds. You can follow her online via Twitter @lesleyconner.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":10324516737,"sku":"BestApex-00","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":11240304065,"sku":"BOAM-01","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/bestofapex_c5d918f5-48e5-45d3-a37b-900cc2bb8150.webp?v=1742310994"},{"product_id":"glitch-rain-cyberpunk-novella","title":"Glitch Rain","description":"\u003cp\u003eA cyberpunk thriller from Apex Books! Author Alex Livingston injects traditional elements of the sub-genre—action, tech, and resistance—in a breathtaking tale of identity and privacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAkuba is a low-level hacker for the city's wealthy, making just enough to keep her bills paid and her booze flowing. Her job is to scrub the social feeds for faces who don't want to be seen, hanging out at parties to guard the elite from errant social media statuses and incriminating photo posts. Not the most glamorous job, but she’s getting by. When an old debt comes due early, suddenly she is the one who needs to keep her face out of the drones' omnipresent eyes. Thrown into the high-stakes world of international cybercrime, Akuba will have to outmaneuver unlimited surveillance, high-tech con artists, and an international hacker kingpin if she wants to survive. Every identity has a price in \u003cem\u003eGlitch Rain\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlex Livingston\u003c\/strong\u003e grew up in various quiet New England towns before moving to Buffalo, NY to study English at Canisius College. His fiction has appeared in \u003cem\u003eDaily Science Fiction, Bastion, Quantum Fairy Tales, Goldfish Grimm’s Spicy Fiction Sushi,\u003c\/em\u003e and other venues. He lives in an old house with his brilliant wife and a pile of aged videogame systems. Visit him online at galaxyalex.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eExcerpt\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAkuba needs to get rid of her client’s face if she plans on living past the week.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe sees herself from above, the image floating in front of her eyes. She’s in a gondola, high above the canal. Isaac is with her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe tweaks something on his phone. “Getting it?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe nods. Her new airhud keeps the video in the same spot, in the upper left of her field of vision. She slides down the bench to get a look at the city’s dark skyline, making the gondola sway. They’re too far away from downtown to see any people, but the haze of drones is just visible in the fading light. The airhud puts bubbles above the buildings, recommending places she can spend her daily.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Can’t believe you bought that thing,” Isaac says with a petty grin. He told Akuba once that his teeth are so very white from sucking on sugar cane as a boy back in Gulu. He tells her lots of things. “What’s wrong with your phone?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I got a bunch of kiz from the last job. And it’ll be useful.” It won’t really be all that useful, but that’s the kind of thing people say about money. Responsible people. And airhuds are getting so popular now. They’re not as expensive as they used to be.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIsaac sniffs. “Tell that to Shaky. He’d rather you paid him than bought yourself pretty toys.” He takes her hand, pushes up the sleeve of her very flash technical jacket, and locks an unadorned black plastic bracelet around her wrist. It looks like a fitness tracker.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe video of two very stylish people sitting in a gondola shivers as a red light pops to life on the bracelet. The angle changes immediately as the passive security drone watching them moves on to other things.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“When’s he expect your next payment?” Isaac asks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Tomorrow. I’ll have it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If tonight goes okay.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’ll be fine,” Akuba says. “See? Your drone trick is working great. It’s like I’m not even here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe video cuts out as the drone gets too far away for Isaac’s signal. “Gonna take more than just confusing a few drones. I can’t even be sure I’ll be able to pull this off. Depends on what they’re running. Do we know where we’re going yet?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’ll hear soon.” He knows the drill. They’ve done this a dozen times. He’s just being nervous.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe city installed the gondolas a decade ago to show off all the new build. The clickbaiters say it’s one of the Top Twenty Urban Day-Trips You Can Make For Under Fifty Bucks, You Won’t Believe #7. They don’t say it’s one of the top twenty spots in the city to plan some crime. No sec cams up here, and the drone cover is light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIsaac leans back and crosses his feet on Akuba’s bench. His sneaks are too old for her taste, but his pants fit well and he looks good in a track jacket. “So what happens if you’re late on a payment?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA text comes in, sparing her from having to think too long about that. The client.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Corner of Gwaldam and Elm,” she says. “Eleven o’clock.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIsaac flicks at his phone for a few seconds. “Corp sec. Drones should be okay. Don’t know how we’re gonna get in, though.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe doesn’t know either. But she’s damn sure she has to figure it out real fast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSneaking around isn’t Akuba’s style. One look at her hair, cropped close to the skull and dyed a luscious lime-green, is enough to tell anyone that. But if that’s what it takes to do the job, that’s what she’ll do.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":11306479361,"sku":"GlitchRain","price":10.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":12240406721,"sku":"GR-01","price":2.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/products\/GlitchRain.jpg?v=1741363929"},{"product_id":"return-to-the-lost-level-dark-fantasy-novel","title":"Return to the Lost Level","description":"\u003cp\u003eReturn to Brian Keene's imaginative lost world series in the dark fantasy novel \u003cem\u003eReturn to the Lost Level\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther books in this series:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/the-lost-level-fantasy-novel\"\u003eThe Lost Level\u003c\/a\u003e (Book One)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/hole-in-the-world-lost-world-fantasy\"\u003eHole in the World\u003c\/a\u003e (Book Three)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe snake-like Anunnaki have always been a blight for the people living in the hidden dimension known as the Lost Level, but now, the denizens are fighting back. After their community is decimated and their loved ones are enslaved in the aftermath of a devastating Anunnaki attack, Aaron Pace leads a diverse group of warriors—including the bow-woman Tolia, the mighty Karenk, a baby Triceratops, and a time-displaced Ambrose Bierce—on a trek through primordial jungles, dark forests, and a sun-blasted desert while battling pterodactyls, man-eating worms, and other dangers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCan their small band lay siege to the Anunnaki city and rescue their friends, or will they suffer the same cruel fate so many others have before them? Find out in Brian Keene's \u003cem\u003eReturn to the Lost Level\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncludes the bonus short story \"The Chinese Beetle.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sequel to \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Level\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrian Keene\u003c\/strong\u003e writes novels, comic books, short fiction, and occasional journalism for money. He is the author of over fifty books, mostly in the horror, crime, and dark fantasy genres. His 2003 novel, \u003cem\u003eThe Rising,\u003c\/em\u003e is often credited (along with Robert Kirkman’s \u003cem\u003eThe Walking Dead \u003c\/em\u003ecomic and Danny Boyle’s \u003cem\u003e28 Days Later\u003c\/em\u003e film) with inspiring pop culture’s current interest in zombies. Keene’s novels have been translated into German, Spanish, Polish, Italian, French, Taiwanese, and many more. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe father of two sons, Keene lives in rural Pennsylvania.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":3293482942490,"sku":"RTTLL-01","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":3293482975258,"sku":"RTTLL-02","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/products\/returntothelostlevelFRONTcopy.jpg?v=1743178177"},{"product_id":"the-apex-book-of-world-sf-5-science-fiction-anthology","title":"The Apex Book of World SF: Volume 5","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 5\u003c\/em\u003e, edited by Cristina Jurado, features award-winning science fiction and fantasy short stories from South America, southeast Asia, First Nations, and Africa.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther volumes in this series:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/the-apex-book-of-world-sf-science-fiction-anthology\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 1\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/the-apex-book-of-world-sf-2-science-fiction-anthology\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 2\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/the-apex-book-of-world-sf-3-science-fiction-anthology\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 3\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/the-apex-book-of-world-sf-4-science-fiction-anthology\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Apex Book of World SF: Volume 4\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCyberpunk from Spain, Singapore, and Japan; mythology from Venezuela, Korea, and First Nations; stories of the dead from Zimbabwe and Egypt, and space wonders from India, Germany, and Bolivia. And much more. The fifth volume of the ground-breaking \u003cspan class=\"il\"\u003eWorld\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"il\"\u003eSF\u003c\/span\u003e anthology series reveals once more the uniquely international dimension of speculative fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTABLE OF CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003eVina Jie-Min Prasad (Singapore) — \"A Series of Steaks\"\u003cbr\u003eDaína Chaviano (Cuba, translated by Matthew D. Goodwin) — \"Accursed Lineage\"\u003cbr\u003eDarcie Little Badger (USA\/Lipan Apache)  — \"Nkásht íí\"\u003cbr\u003eT.L. Huchu (Zimbabwe) — \"Ghostalker\"\u003cbr\u003eTaiyo Fujii (Japan, translated by Jim Hubbert) — \"Violation of the TrueNet Security Act\"\u003cbr\u003eVandana Singh (India) — \"Ambiguity Machines: An Examination\"\u003cbr\u003eBasma Abdel Aziz (Egypt, translated by Elisabeth Jaquette) — \"Scenes from the Life of an Autocrat\"\u003cbr\u003eLiliana Colanzi (Bolivia, translated by Jessica Sequeira) — \"Our Dead World\"\u003cbr\u003eBo-young Kim (South Korea, translated by Jihyun Park \u0026amp; Gord Sellar) — \"An Evolutionary Myth\"\u003cbr\u003eIsrael Alonso (Spain, translated by Steve Redwood) — \"You Will See the Moon Rise\"\u003cbr\u003eSara Saab (Lebanon) — \"The Barrette Girls\"\u003cbr\u003eChi Hui (China, translated by John Chu) — \"The Calculations of Artificials\"\u003cbr\u003eAna Hurtado (Venezuela)  — \"El Cóndor del Machángara\"\u003cbr\u003eKarla Schmidt (Germany, translated by Lara M. Harmon) — \"Alone, on the Wind\"\u003cbr\u003eEliza Victoria (Philippines) — \"The Seventh\"\u003cbr\u003eTochi Onyebuchi (Nigeria\/USA) — \"Screamers\"\u003cbr\u003eR.S.A. Garcia (Trinidad and Tobago) — \"The Bois\"\u003cbr\u003eGiovanni De Feo (Italy) — \"Ugo\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLavie Tidhar\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize-winning \u003cem\u003eA Man Lies Dreaming,\u003c\/em\u003e the World Fantasy Award-winning \u003cem\u003eOsama,\u003c\/em\u003e and of the critically-acclaimed \u003cem\u003eThe Violent Century.\u003c\/em\u003e His other works include the Bookman Histories trilogy, several novellas, two collections, and a forthcoming comics mini-series, \u003cem\u003eAdler.\u003c\/em\u003e He currently lives in London.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCristina Jurado\u003c\/strong\u003e is a bilingual author and editor who writes in Spanish and English. She studied Advertising at the Universidad de Sevilla (Spain) and holds a Master’s degree in Rhetoric from Northwestern University (USA).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":9050762870836,"sku":"WorldSF-05","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":9050762903604,"sku":"WSF5e-01","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/WSF5.webp?v=1742309502"},{"product_id":"do-not-go-quietly-an-anthology-of-victory-in-defiance","title":"Do Not Go Quietly: An Anthology of Victory in Defiance","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom small acts of defiance to protests that shut down cities, \u003cem\u003eDo Not Go Quietly\u003c\/em\u003e is an anthology of science fiction and fantasy short stories about those who resist. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin the authors as they chronicle the fight for what is just and right, and what that means: from leading revolutions to the simple act of saying “No.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResistance can be a small act of everyday defiance. And other times, resistance means massive movements that topple governments and become iconic historical moments. Either way, there is power in these acts, and the contributors in \u003cem\u003eDo Not Go Quietly\u003c\/em\u003e will harness that power to shake our readers to the core. We are subordinates to a power base that is actively working to solidify its grip on the world. Now is the time to stand up and raise your voice and tell the world that enough \u003cem\u003eis\u003c\/em\u003e enough!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTABLE OF CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003eJohn Hornor Jacobs - \"Glossolalia\"\u003cbr\u003eA. Merc Rustad - \"The Judith Plague\"\u003cbr\u003eMaurice Broaddus\/Nayad Monroe - \"What the Mountain Wants\"\u003cbr\u003eKarin Lowachee - \"Sympathizer\"\u003cbr\u003eBrooke Bolander - \"Kindle\"\u003cbr\u003eCassandra Khaw - \"What We Have Chosen to Love\"\u003cbr\u003eFran Wilde - \"The Society for the Reclamation of Words and Meaning\"\u003cbr\u003eRich Larson - \"Scurry\"\u003cbr\u003eSarah Pinsker - \"Everything Is Closed Today\"\u003cbr\u003eSheree Renée Thomas - \"Thirteen Year Long Song\"\u003cbr\u003eDee Warrick - \"Nobody Lives in the Swamp\"\u003cbr\u003eRussell Nichols - \"Rage Against the Vending Machine\"\u003cbr\u003eMeg Elison - \"Hey Alexa\"\u003cbr\u003eMarie Vibbert - \"South of the Waffle House\"\u003cbr\u003eVeronica Brush - \"Face\"\u003cbr\u003eJo Miles - \"Choose Your Truth\"\u003cbr\u003eRachael K. Jones - \"Oil Under Her Tongue\"\u003cbr\u003eEugenia Triantafyllou - \"April Teeth\"\u003cbr\u003eE. Catherine Tobler - \"Kill the Darlings (Silicone Sister Remix)\"\u003cbr\u003eShanna Germain - \"Salted Bone and Silent Sea\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePOETRY\u003cbr\u003eAnnie Neugebauer - \"To Write\"\u003cbr\u003eJeremy Paden - \"The Skeleton Archer Speaks\"\u003cbr\u003eMary Soon Lee - \"If the Fairy Godmother Comes\"\u003cbr\u003eLucy A. Snyder - \"Permian Basin Blues\"\u003cbr\u003eChristina Sng - \"The Dolls\"\u003cbr\u003eJoshua Gage - \"#greenlivesmatter\"\u003cbr\u003eAlethea Kontis - \"Witch's Star\"\u003cbr\u003eBianca Spriggs - \"Plot Twist\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJason Sizemore\u003c\/strong\u003e is the son of an unemployed coal miner in a tiny Kentucky Appalachian villa named Big Creek (population 400) where he fought his way out of the hills to the big city of Lexington. He attended Transylvania University (a real school with its own vampire) and received a degree in computer science. Since 2004, he has owned and operated Apex Publications. He is the editor of five anthologies, author of the short story collection\u003cem\u003e Irredeemable\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eFor Exposure: The Life and Times of a Small Press Publisher\u003c\/em\u003e, a three-time Hugo Award loser, and a freelancer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLesley Conner\u003c\/strong\u003e is a writer, social media editor and marketing leader for Apex Publications, and Managing Editor for \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine.\u003c\/em\u003e She spends her days pestering book reviewers, proofreading, wrangling slush, doling out contracts, and chatting about books, writing, and anything else that crosses her mind on the @ApexBookCompany Twitter account. Most of her nights are spent with a good book and a glass of wine. Her alternative history horror novel, \u003cem\u003eThe Weight of Chains,\u003c\/em\u003e was recently published by \u003cem\u003eSinister Grin Press.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":9537378222132,"sku":"DNGQtpb","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":9537397751860,"sku":"DNGQhardcover","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":9537397784628,"sku":"DNGQdigital","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/DoNotGoQuietly.webp?v=1742308884"},{"product_id":"hole-in-the-world-lost-world-fantasy","title":"Hole in the World","description":"\u003cp\u003eHorror icon Brian Keene delivers otherworldly thrills in the third book of his lost world fantasy series \u003cem\u003eHole in the World\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther titles in this series:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/the-lost-level-fantasy-novel\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Lost Level\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cem\u003e(Book One)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/return-to-the-lost-level-dark-fantasy-novel\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eReturn to the Lost Level\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cem\u003e(Book Two)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn hour ago, they were nineteen strangers on an airport shuttle, braving travel delays and a freak blizzard. Then they fell through a hole in the world. Now, they are nineteen strangers trapped in a dangerous dimension filled with prehistoric monsters, futuristic technology, and otherworldly mysteries. They'll have to learn to work together if they want to survive and return home ... but will any of them be left alive by then?\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is easily read as a standalone, but will certainly enhance your enjoyment of \u003cem\u003eThe Lost Level\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eReturn to the Lost Level\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrian Keene\u003c\/strong\u003e is the Bram Stoker and Grand Master award-winning, bestselling author of over forty books, including\u003cem\u003e Darkness on the Edge of Town, Take the Long Way Home, Urban Gothic, Castaways, Kill Whitey, Dark Hollow, Dead Sea,\u003c\/em\u003e and The Rising trilogy. He’s also written comic books such as \u003cem\u003eThe Last Zombie, Doom Patrol,\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eDead of Night: Devil Slayer\u003c\/em\u003e. His work has been translated into many foreign languages. Several of his novels and stories have been developed for film, including \u003cem\u003eGhoul \u003c\/em\u003eand T\u003cem\u003ehe Ties That Bind.\u003c\/em\u003e In addition to writing, Keene also oversees \u003cem\u003eMaelstrom,\u003c\/em\u003e his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions via \u003cem\u003eThunderstorm Books.\u003c\/em\u003e Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as \u003cem\u003eThe New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, \u003c\/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e Rue Morgue Magazine. \u003c\/em\u003eKeene lives in Pennsylvania. You can communicate with him on Twitter at @BrianKeene.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":13973399568436,"sku":"HITW-1","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":14314674946100,"sku":"HITWe-1","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/products\/holeintheworld_cover2front.jpg?v=1743178177"},{"product_id":"pimp-my-airship-steampunk-novel","title":"Pimp My Airship","description":"\u003cp\u003eNotable dark fantasy author Maurice Broaddus weaves a tale of revolution and resistance in this thrilling steampunk Afro-SF adventure!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRevolution vibrates the airwaves in Indianapolis. Join Sleepy, (120 Degrees of) Knowledge Allah, and heiress Sophine Jefferson in a steampunk adventure as they battle for the soul of their city and their people.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWarning: Don’t Believe the Hype!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll the poet called Sleepy wants to do is spit his verses, smoke chiba, and stay off the COP’s radar—all of which becomes impossible once he encounters a professional protestor known as (120 Degrees of) Knowledge Allah. They soon find themselves on the wrong side of local authorities and have to elude the powers that be.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen young heiress Sophine Jefferson’s father is murdered, the careful life she’d been constructing for herself tumbles around her. She’s quickly drawn into a web of intrigue, politics, and airships, joining with Sleepy and Knowledge Allah in a fight for their freedom. Chased from one end of a retro-fitted Indianapolis to the other, they encounter outlaws, the occasional circus, possibly a medium, and more outlaws. They find themselves in a battle much larger than they imagined: a battle for control of the country and the soul of their people.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe revolution will not be televised!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRead the \u003ca rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Read the short story version that inspired the novel Pimp My Airship\" href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/a\/blog\/apex-magazine\/post\/pimp-my-airship\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eshort story\u003c\/a\u003e that inspired the novel in \u003c\/em\u003eApex Magazine\u003cem\u003e!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA community organizer and teacher, \u003cstrong\u003eMaurice Broaddus’s \u003c\/strong\u003ework has appeared in \u003cem\u003eLightspeed Magazine, Weird Tale, Apex Magazine, Asimov’s, Cemetery Dance, Black Static,\u003c\/em\u003e and many more. Some of his stories have been collected in \u003cem\u003eThe Voices of Martyrs. \u003c\/em\u003eHe is the author of the urban fantasy trilogy, The Knights of Breton Court, and the (upcoming) middle-grade detective novel series, The Usual Suspects. He co-authored the play \u003cem\u003eFinding Home: Indiana at 200\u003c\/em\u003e. His novellas include \u003cem\u003eBuffalo Soldier, I Can Transform You, Orgy of Souls, Bleed with Me, \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eDevil’s Marionette. \u003c\/em\u003eHe is the co-editor of \u003cem\u003eDark Faith, Dark Faith: Invocations, Streets of Shadows,\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003ePeople of Colo(u)r Destroy Horror\u003c\/em\u003e. His gaming work includes writing for the \u003cem\u003eMarvel Super-Heroes, Leverage,\u003c\/em\u003e and\u003cem\u003e Firefly \u003c\/em\u003erole-playing games as well as working as a consultant on \u003cem\u003eWatch Dogs 2.\u003c\/em\u003e Learn more about him at MauriceBroaddus.com.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":14652769992756,"sku":"PMA-01","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":28581659574324,"sku":"PMAdigital","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/products\/PimpMyAirshipLGcopy.jpg?v=1743178176"},{"product_id":"coil-science-fiction-novel","title":"Coil","description":"\u003cp\u003eA futuristic crime-noir mystery that will shock you with its serpentine plot and unflinching violence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this gritty horror-scifi novel by Ren Warom, Bone Adams is a legend, the best mortician in the spires. When a new killer begins leaving bodies twisted and bent into grotesque pieces of art, City Officer Stark tasks Bone to unravel the clues. As more victims are discovered, Bone and Stark are drawn deeper into a world where pain and personal statement blend and blur, and finally end up hunting for a semi-mythical man-machine named Burneo deep within the sewers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut things aren't what they seem. While searching for Burneo, Bone and Stark discover a hidden lab full of evidence of horrific abuses of science and experimentation. Meanwhile, the killer is still on the loose, and, as Stark becomes more and more obsessed with the case, Bone is forced to a shattering realization. Everything is connected: the killings, the gang activity, the labs, and his own past. Unless he can figure out how, he won't survive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRen Warom\u003c\/strong\u003e lives in the West Midlands with her children, her cat-pack, a snake called Marvin, and innumerable books. She’s currently pursuing a PhD and thinks she may have lost her mind. If you find said mind, please return in a secure, locked box to the address on the collar. Do not, repeat, do not, attempt to feed it! Thank you.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":14753397309492,"sku":"COIL-1","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":14753808875572,"sku":"COIL-e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/products\/Coil_-_Front_Cover.jpg?v=1743177202"},{"product_id":"mirrorstrike-dark-fantasy-novella","title":"Mirrorstrike","description":"\u003cp\u003ePolitical intrigue and romance highlights this gorgeous dark fantasy novella rooted in Han Christian Anderson's Snow Queen fairy tale. This is the second book of the author's Her Pitiless Command trilogy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther books in this series:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/winterglass-dark-fantasy-novella\"\u003eWinterglass\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003e(Book One)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apexbookcompany.com\/products\/shattersteel-dark-fantasy-novella\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eShattersteel\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cem\u003e(Book Three)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith her mother's blood fresh on her hands, Nuawa has learned that to overthrow the tyrant Winter Queen she must be as exact as a bullet... And as pitiless.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the greatest city of winter, a revolt has broken out and General Lussadh has arrived to suppress it. She's no stranger to treason, for this city is her home where she slaughtered her own family for the Winter Queen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccompanying the general to prove her loyalty, Nuawa confronts a rebel who once worked to end the queen's reign and who now holds secrets that will cement the queen's rule. But this is not Nuawa s only predicament. A relentless killer has emerged and he means to hunt down anyone who holds in their heart a shard of the queen's mirror. Like the general. Like Nuawa herself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn these fields of tumult and shattered history, the queen's purposes will, at last, be revealed, and both Lussadh and Nuawa tested to their limits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne to wake. Two to bind. These are the laws that govern those of the glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenjanun Sriduangkaew\u003c\/strong\u003e writes love letters to strange cities, beautiful bugs, and the future. Her work has appeared on\u003cem\u003e Tor.com,\u003c\/em\u003e in \u003cem\u003eBeneath Ceaseless Skies, Clarkesworld,\u003c\/em\u003e and year’s best collections. She was shortlisted for the Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and her debut novella \u003cem\u003eScale-Bright\u003c\/em\u003e was nominated for the British SF Association Award. She is the author of \u003cem\u003eWinterglass, Mirrorstrike,\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAnd Shall Machines Surrender.\u003c\/em\u003e She has lived in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Jakarta.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":29498944880692,"sku":"Mirrorstrike-01","price":10.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":29498944913460,"sku":"Mirrorstrike-e01","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/Mirrorstrike.webp?v=1742309323"},{"product_id":"plague-birds-science-fiction-novel","title":"Plague Birds","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNEBULA AWARD FINALIST FOR BEST NOVEL\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePHILIP K. DICK AWARD FINALIST\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this far-future dark science fiction novel—a Philip K. Dick and Nebula Award finalist—Jason Sanford imagines a future of genetically and artificially advanced humans who protect the remnants of the human race.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGlowing red lines split their faces. Shock-red hair and clothes warn people to flee their approach. They are plague birds, the powerful merging of humans and artificial intelligences who serve as judges and executioners after the collapse of civilization.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the plague birds’ judgment is swift and deadly, as Crista discovered as a child when she watched one kill her mother.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a world of gene-modded humans constantly watched over by benevolent AIs, everyone hates and fears the plague birds. But to save her father and home village, Crista becomes the very creature she fears the most. And her first task as a plague bird is hunting down an ancient group of murderers wielding magic-like powers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Crista and her AI symbiote travel farther from home than she ever imagined, they are plunged into a strange world where she judges wrongdoers, befriends other outcasts, and uncovers an extremely personal conspiracy that threatens the lives of millions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlague Birds \u003c\/em\u003eis a genre-bending mix of science fiction and dark fantasy and the epic story of a young woman who becomes one of the future’s most hated creatures with a killer AI bonded to her very blood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJason Sanford\u003c\/strong\u003e is a two-time finalist for the Nebula Award who has published dozens of stories in \u003cem\u003eAsimov’s Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, Interzone, Beneath Ceaseless Skies,\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eFireside Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e along with appearances in multiple year’s best compilations along with \u003cem\u003eThe New Voices of Science Fiction\u003c\/em\u003e, edited by Hannu Rajaniemi and Jacob Weisman. Born and raised in the American South, Jason currently works in the media industry in the Midwestern United States. His previous experience includes work as an archaeologist and as a Peace Corps Volunteer. His website is www.jasonsanford.com.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":39479218929801,"sku":"PB-01","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":39479218962569,"sku":"PB-02","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/PlagueBirds_ce007c33-3698-4f11-a048-ec5cfd89c73b.webp?v=1742311501"},{"product_id":"future-artifacts-stories","title":"Future Artifacts: Stories","description":"\u003cp\u003eBrutal. Devastating. Dangerous.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKameron Hurley, an award-winning author and expert in the future of war and resistance movements, has created eighteen exhilarating tales giving glimpses into the warfare of tomorrow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin an investigation into a cruel and heartless leader... Crawl through filth and mud to escape biological warfare... Team up with time-traveling soldiers faced with potentially life-altering instructions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA bleak future, yet there is hope for us. With Hurley’s characteristic grim optimism, her characters fight for what they believe is right. They exhibit degrees of humanity only possible in the worst of circumstances. These characters, driven by a murky sense of honor and written with sincere, deep empathy, make \u003cem\u003eFuture Artifacts: Stories\u003c\/em\u003e a powerful collection you won’t soon forget.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTABLE OF CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003e\"Sky Boys\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Overdark\"\u003cbr\u003e\"The Judgement of Gods and Monsters\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Broker of Souls\"\u003cbr\u003e\"The One We Feed\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Corpse Soldier\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Leviathan\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Unblooded\"\u003cbr\u003e\"The Skulls of Our Fathers\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Body Politic\"\u003cbr\u003e\"We Burn\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Antibodies\"\u003cbr\u003e\"The Traitor Lords\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Wonder Maul Doll\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Our Prisoners, the Stars\"\u003cbr\u003e\"The Body Remembers\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Moontide\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Citizens of Elsewhen\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKameron Hurley\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of \u003cem\u003eThe Stars are Legion, The Light Brigade\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eThe Geek Feminist Revolution\u003c\/em\u003e, as well as the God’s War Trilogy and the Worldbreaker Saga. Hurley has won the Hugo Award, Kitschy Award, BSFA Award, and Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer. Visit her at kameronhurley.com.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":40058747977865,"sku":"FAS-01","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":40058748010633,"sku":"FAS-02","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/products\/futureartifacts_front.jpg?v=1741364025"},{"product_id":"apex-magazine-2021","title":"Apex Magazine 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003eWith stories by Alix E. Harrow, Sam J. 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Highly recommended.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Eric Primm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom a spaceship in the far-flung reaches of space to a cozy living room where a detective interviews a killer, this anthology explores the good and the ugly. It dissects what makes us human versus what makes us monsters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin these pages, you will meet a golem that doesn’t know how to save its family, a group of robots debating whether they are alive, and a woman striving for that social media-perfect life. From parasitic twins to a hospital dreamscape, to a town full of people wearing masks, this anthology will take you on journeys you never could have expected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCome with us and discover the 48 surreal, strange, shocking, and beautiful stories in \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine 2021. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTABLE OF CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003e“Root Rot” — Fargo Tbakhi\u003cbr\u003e“Your Own Undoing” — P H Lee\u003cbr\u003e“Love, That Hungry Thing” — Cassandra Khaw\u003cbr\u003e“Mr. Death” — Alix E. Harrow\u003cbr\u003e“The Niddah” — Elana Gomel\u003cbr\u003e“All I Want for Christmas” — Charles Payseur\u003cbr\u003e“Gray Skies, Red Wings, Blue Lips, Black Hearts” — Merc Fenn Wolfmoor\u003cbr\u003e“Barefoot and Midnight” — Sheree Renée Thomas\u003cbr\u003e“The Amazing Exploding Women of the Early Twentieth Century” — A.C. Wise\u003cbr\u003e“Black Box of the Terraworms” — Barton Aikman\u003cbr\u003e“If Those Ragged Feet Won’t Run” — Annie Neugebauer\u003cbr\u003e“A Love That Burns Hot Enough to Last: Deleted Scenes From a Documentary” — Sam J. Miller\u003cbr\u003e“The Life and Death of Mia Fremont: An Interview with a Killer” — A.K. Hudson\u003cbr\u003e“This Is the Moment, Or One of Them” — Mari Ness\u003cbr\u003e“Throw Rug” — Aurelius Raines II\u003cbr\u003e“Mishpokhe and Ash” — Sydney Rossman-Reich\u003cbr\u003e“All This Darkness” — Jennifer R. Donohue\u003cbr\u003e“DEMON FIGHTER SUCKS” — Katherine Crighton\u003cbr\u003e“Eilam Is Forever” — Beth Dawkins\u003cbr\u003e“Without Wishes to Bind You” — E. Catherine Tobler\u003cbr\u003e“How to be Good” — R. Gatwood\u003cbr\u003e“Osu” — Kingsley Okpii\u003cbr\u003e“Survival, After” — Nicole J. 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Wagner\u003cbr\u003e“Hank in the South Dakota Sun” — Stephanie Kraner\u003cbr\u003e“I Call Upon the Night as Witness” — Zahra Mukhi\u003cbr\u003e“Soil of Our Home, Storm of Our Lives” — Renan Bernardo\u003cbr\u003e“Robin’s Last Song” — Nina Munteanu\u003cbr\u003e“Godmother” — Cheryl S. Ntumy\u003cbr\u003e“The synchronism of touch” — Gabriela Damián Miravete\u003cbr\u003e“Dreamports” — Tlotlo Tsamaase\u003cbr\u003e“Samsāra in a Teacup” — Lavanya Lakshminarayan\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJason Sizemore\u003c\/strong\u003e is the publisher and former editor-in-chief of \u003ci\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e. He has been editing for nearly 20 years and in that time has picked up numerous major award-nominations for his work. Currently, he lives in Lexington, KY, where he futilely tries to convince the locals that science fiction is far more fun than thoroughbred racing. 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In “A Taste of Unguja” sweet taarab music, full of want, seeps into a mother’s life on the streets of Melbourne as she evokes the powers of her ancestors to seek vengeance on her cursed ex. In the cyberfunk of “Unlimited Data” Natukunda, a village woman, gives her all for her family in Old Kampala. Other stories explore what happens when the water runs dry—and who pays, capture the devastating effects on women and children of societies in which men hold all the power, and themes of being, belonging, and otherness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpeculative, realistic, and even mythological, but always imbued with truth, empathy, and Blackness, \u003cem\u003eDanged Black Thing\u003c\/em\u003e is a literary knockout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTABLE OF CONTENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Simbiyu and the Nameless\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"The Water Runner\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Phantasms of Existence\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Unlimited Data\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"A Pod of Mermaids\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"When the Water Stops\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"A Strange Communion\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Messier 94\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Still She Visits\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"A Visit in Whitechapel\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"The Failing Name\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"The Widow's Rooster\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Rain Doesn't Fall on One Roof\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Danged Black Thing\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"De Turtle O'Hades\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"A Taste of Ungua\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Forgotten Toolern\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEugen Bacon\u003c\/strong\u003e is an African Australian author of several novels and fiction collections. She’s a twice World Fantasy Award finalist, a British Fantasy Award finalist, a Foreword Book of the Year silver award winner, and was announced in the honor list of the 2022 Otherwise Fellowships for ‘doing exciting work in gender and speculative fiction’. \u003cem\u003eDanged Black Thing\u003c\/em\u003e by Transit Lounge Publishing was a finalist in the BSFA, Foreword, Aurealis and Australian Shadows Awards, and made the Otherwise Award Honor List as a ‘sharp collection of Afro-Surrealist work’. Eugen’s creative work has appeared worldwide, including in \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine, Award Winning Australian Writing, Fantasy Magazine, Fantasy \u0026amp; Science Fiction,\u003c\/em\u003e and\u003cem\u003e Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction.\u003c\/em\u003e Visit her website at eugenbacon.com and Twitter feed at @EugenBacon.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Publications","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":41255628931209,"sku":"DBT-01","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":41255628963977,"sku":"DBT-02","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/Danged-Black-Thing-Generic.jpg?v=1741364472"},{"product_id":"robotic-ambitions-tales-of-mechanical-sentience","title":"Robotic Ambitions: Tales of Mechanical Sentience","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRobotic Ambitions: Tales of Mechanical Sentience\u003c\/em\u003e explores the nuance of sentience manufactured and evolved within mechanical beings. It peels back the metal exterior and takes a hard look at what is inside.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eWhether striving to protect the family they’ve chosen, searching for meaning amid the chaos of the world, or questioning what it is that makes one alive, robotic ambition can mean many different things.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin these pages you will discover stories of robots defying their coding for a chance at love, resisting societal norms so that they may experience art and pleasure, and searching for their place in a world that was not made for them, but rather was made to use them. These are stories about striking out on your own, building something new amid destruction, and doing whatever it takes to make sure you survive. Robots and AI are more than tools for humanity. They have their own goals, dreams, and aspirations. This anthology includes stories by Lavie Tidhar, Premee Mohamed, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, Jason Sanford, and many more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTABLE OF CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction by Martha Wells\u003cbr\u003e\"It-Who-Dreams-Under-Grey-Clouds in The-Town-Within-The-City\" by Marie Croke\u003cbr\u003e\"She Builds Quick Machines\" by Lyndsie Manusos\u003cbr\u003e\"Out There With Them\" by N.V. Haskell\u003cbr\u003e\"Prospecting\" by Lavie Tidhar\u003cbr\u003e\"The Caregivers\" by Marie Vibbert\u003cbr\u003e\"The Town Full of Broken Tin Men\" by Danny Cherry Jr.\u003cbr\u003e\"Ark\" by Liam Hogan\u003cbr\u003e\"A Still Life\" by Elliott Wink\u003cbr\u003e\"The City in the Forest\" by Premee Mohamed\u003cbr\u003e\"An Incomplete Record of Databank Deletions, in Alphabetical Order by Mar Vincent\u003cbr\u003eBuilt to Cheat\" by Derrick Boden\u003cbr\u003e\"The Big Book of Grandmamas\" by Sheree Renée Thomas\u003cbr\u003e\"Everything Else is Advertising\" by J. Wallace\u003cbr\u003e\"Alice \u0026amp; Lucy\" by Edward Daschle\u003cbr\u003e\"Fearfully and Wonderfully Made\" by Izzy Wasserstein\u003cbr\u003e\"A Lifeline of Silk\" by Renan Bernardo\u003cbr\u003e\"Little Fathers of Darkness\" by Jason Sanford\u003cbr\u003e\"Solar Sonata for Four Hands\" by Jennifer R. Donohue\u003cbr\u003e\"Tenets of Ascendance\" by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and Somtu Ihezue\u003cbr\u003e\"Intersecting Datafields\" by Myna Chang\u003cbr\u003e\"A Fragility, a Shadow\" by Leah Ning\u003cbr\u003e\"Insatiable Life\" by Kathleen Schaefer\u003cbr\u003e\"Ribbit\" by Mona West\u003cbr\u003e\"How to Get to Be a Three-Thousand-Year-Old-Mining AI\" by Nick Hartland\u003cbr\u003e\"An Android in the Desert\" by Rachel Gutin\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLesley Conner\u003c\/strong\u003e is the editor-in-chief of \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine,\u003c\/em\u003e as well as a writer and a Girl Scout leader. Her first novel \u003cem\u003eThe Weight of Chains \u003c\/em\u003ewas published by \u003cem\u003eSinister Grin Press\u003c\/em\u003e in September, 2015. She has co-edited four anthologies with Jason Sizemore, including \u003cem\u003eDo Not Go Quietly\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine 2021.\u003c\/em\u003e Their newest anthology \u003cem\u003eRobotic Ambitions\u003c\/em\u003e was released in November, 2023. She lives in Maryland with her husband, daughters, and her dog Oz, and is currently working on a new novel. To find out all her secrets, you can follow her on Twitter at @LesleyConner, on Instagram at @lesley_conner, and BlueSky at @lesleyconner.bsky.social.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJason Sizemore\u003c\/strong\u003e is the owner and publisher of \u003cem\u003eApex Book Company\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine.\u003c\/em\u003e He was the editor-in-chief of \u003cem\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e for seven years and has edited or co-edited ten anthologies. He has been nominated for the Hugo Award multiple times and picked up a Stoker nomination for his first anthology, \u003cem\u003eAegri Somnia.\u003c\/em\u003e Currently, he lives in Lexington, KY, where he runs Apex from a dark basement office.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Softcover","offer_id":41480288501897,"sku":"Robotic-Ambitions-Print","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"ebook","offer_id":41480288534665,"sku":"Robotic-Ambitions-ebook","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/Robotic-Ambitions-Generic.jpg?v=1741364947"},{"product_id":"chlorophilia","title":"ChloroPhilia","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWould you sacrifice your humanity to save the world?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn English for the first time (translated by Sue Burke), \u003cem\u003eChloroPhilia\u003c\/em\u003e, an Ignotus Award-nominated novella by Cristina Jurado, is a strange coming–of-age story while addressing life after an environmental disaster, collective madness, and sacrifices made for the greater good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eChlorophilia\u003c\/em\u003e could be viewed as an example of the New Weird genre. Other New Weird books like \u003cem\u003eAnnihilation\u003c\/em\u003e encourage us not to fight the inevitable changeability of the world around us, but rather to embrace it, even if we may not fully understand it. ... While \u003cem\u003eChlorophilia\u003c\/em\u003e intentionally leaves many questions open, one point is clear: humanity requires a connection with the natural world to survive.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cem\u003eAncillary Review of Books\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eChloroPhilia\u003c\/em\u003e —an unsettling, enticing novella about evolution in overdrive—is Cristina Jurado's most recent work in English. Like her collection \u003cem\u003eAlphaland, \u003c\/em\u003e which came out in English in 2018 and then was reissued in 2023, \u003cem\u003eChloroPhilia \u003c\/em\u003e offers readers Jurado's unique vision of the world, in which the bizarre and grotesque erupts into the mundane world.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e—Strange Horizons\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKirmen is different from the other inhabitants of the Cloister, whose walls protect them all from the endless storm ravaging Earth. As a result of the Doctor’s cruel experiments, his physical form is gradually evolving into something better fit for survival in the world outside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKirmen worries about becoming a pariah, an outcast among the other denizens of the domes. But his desire for affection and acceptance, and his humanity, fade away as the Doctor’s treatments progress. 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Since 2015 she has ran the Spanish multi-awarded magazine \u003cem\u003eSuperSonic\u003c\/em\u003e. In 2020 she was distinguished as Europe’s Best SF Promoter Award and started to work as a contributor for the bilingual quarterly \u003cem\u003eConstelación\u003c\/em\u003e magazine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Translator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSue Burke\u003c\/strong\u003e is the author of the science fiction novel \u003cem\u003eDual Memory\u003c\/em\u003e. She also wrote \u003cem\u003eSemosis, Interference,\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eImmunity Index\u003c\/em\u003e, along with short stories, poems, and essays. As a result of living overseas, she's also a literary translator, working from Spanish into English for such writers as Angélica Gorodischer, Sofia Rhei, and Cristina Jurado. She's currently enjoying life in Chicago.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Trade Paperback","offer_id":43141599133833,"sku":"CHLOROPHILIA-TPB","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital","offer_id":43141599166601,"sku":"CHLOROPHILIA-DIGITAL","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/ChloroPhilia-Front-FInal_5a4199f6-03d4-46be-966f-be873044d30f.webp?v=1781290239"},{"product_id":"zen-and-the-art-of-starship-maintenance-and-other-stories","title":"Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eZen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 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. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Funny, serious, charge, and innovative, the short stories of \u003cem\u003eZen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Storie\u003c\/em\u003es take prophetic glimpses into future possibilities.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e—Foreword Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection ranges from galactic adventures to intimate explorations of humanity—sometimes in the same story—rich with a sense of wonder and deft storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTABLE OF CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIo, Robot\u003cbr\u003eA Jar of Goodwill\u003cbr\u003ePale Blue Memories\u003cbr\u003eZen and the Art of Starship Maintenance\u003cbr\u003eThe Might Slinger\u003cbr\u003eSunset\u003cbr\u003eChi's Cargo\u003cbr\u003eDestination Day Blues\u003cbr\u003eThe Galactic Tourist Industrial Complex\u003cbr\u003eFive Point Three Milligrams\u003cbr\u003eBy the Warmth of Their Calculus\u003cbr\u003eDW\u003cbr\u003eThe Very Last Curator of What Little Remains of the Western World\u003cbr\u003eA Girl and Her Rover\u003cbr\u003eThe Longest Distance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTobias S. 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Every entry is equal parts thought-provoking, insightful, and impactful.\"\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e—\u003cem\u003ePublishers Weekly \u003c\/em\u003eStarred Review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Each author offers us a unique ecological niche to reveal what our present and future could be, ranging from wrenching disasters to elating possibilities of recovery. These stories are personal and lyrical, and the breadth of imagination and styles make this anthology dazzling. Every story is a gem.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Sue Burke, author of \u003cem\u003eSemiosis\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"This first of a series exploring humanity's 'communal fears, grief, and passion as we try to protect our natural world' is a triumph. Van Uden (editor of \u003cem\u003eThe Off-Season\u003c\/em\u003e) brings together 23 stellar tales offering creative and varied takes on the book's themes... Every entry is equal parts thought-provoking, insightful, and impactful.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cem\u003ePublishers Weekly \u003c\/em\u003eStarred Review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"A diverse collection unified by a common question: what is humanity's role in the destruction and ultimate healing of nature?\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Priya Chand, speculative fiction and poetry author\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"I did not realize that there is enough sci-fi and horror fiction on the theme of ecology to fill a year's best anthology, but it is better than that. \u003cem\u003eECO24 \u003c\/em\u003eis filled to the brim with powerful and entertaining stories. Speculative fiction is uniquely positioned to explore the nature of our fragile relationship to the only planet in the cosmos that we depend on for life. The fantastic Marissa van Uden has built a collection of stories that demand attention and warn of futures we can still avoid, if we listen. A must read.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—David Agranoff, author of \u003cem\u003eThe Last Night to Kill Nazis \u003c\/em\u003eand cohost of \u003cem\u003eThe (Philip K. Dick) Dickheads Podcast\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"The diversity of stories reflects the diversity of the authors and also showcases the indefinable quality of ecofiction. As a whole, the collection challenges our definitions of nature and forces the reader to consider different perspectives.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Ben Lockwood Ph.D., ecologist and publisher of the \u003cem\u003eBrief Ecology \u003c\/em\u003ewebsite\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"The collection is a strong offering from Violet Lichen that helps showcase what the press and its mission is all about. \u003cem\u003eECO24\u003c\/em\u003e is, in essence, a collection that is more than the sum of its parts.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e—Paul Weimer, reviewer at \u003cem\u003eNerds of a Feather\u003c\/em\u003e, blogger, podcaster, and two-time Hugo Award Winner for Fan Writer and Fanzine (Editor)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"A prescient anthology... The stories range from haunting and poetic to visceral and speculative, offering a rich snapshot of how contemporary fiction grapples with themes of habitat, grief, resilience, and hope.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Mary Woodbury, author, editor and founder of \u003cem\u003eDragonfly.eco\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing works by rising stars and established names, this anthology is an exploration of humanity's deep relationships with other species and of our communal fears, grief, and passion as we try to protect our natural world—all told through the lens of the fantastic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRanging from literary science fiction and magical realism to dark fantasy and climate fiction, the stories form a unique snapshot of how some of the most brilliant and imaginative authors writing today are engaging with this extraordinary time in Earth's natural history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe inaugural edition, selected by award-winning editor and anthologist Marissa van Uden and a team of passionate ecofiction judges, features works by \u003cstrong\u003eEugen Bacon, E. Catherine Tobler, Hiron Ennes, K-Ming Chang, Kay Vaindal, Kelsea Yu, Renan Bernardo, \u003c\/strong\u003eand many other brilliant authors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eErrata: As of April 2nd, 2026, an updated ebook version of this title is available with a corrected bio for Eugen Bacon.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"In the Field\" — Shelly Jones\u003cbr\u003e\"The Water Runner\" — Eugen Bacon\u003cbr\u003e\"Ama's Jungle\" — K-Ming Chang\u003cbr\u003e\"A Seder in Siberia\" — Louis Evans\u003cbr\u003e\"Love, Scotland\" — E.M. Faulds\u003cbr\u003e\"Our Best Selves\" — Hiron Ennes\u003cbr\u003e\"The Ghost Tenders of Chornobyl\" — Nika Murphy\u003cbr\u003e\"Swarm X1048 - Ethological Field Report: Canis Lupus Familiaris, '6'\" — F.E. Choe\u003cbr\u003e\"Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackened Husk of a Planet\" — Adeline Wong\u003cbr\u003e\"The Last Library\" — Joshua Jones Lofflin\u003cbr\u003e\"Bodies\" — Cat McMahan\u003cbr\u003e\"Pig House\" — Kay Vaindal\u003cbr\u003e\"The Plasticity of Being\" — Renan Bernardo\u003cbr\u003e\"Batter and Pearl\" — Steph Kwiatkowski\u003cbr\u003e\"Parasite's Grief\" — Katharine Tyndall\u003cbr\u003e\"Skittering Within\" — Kelsea Yu\u003cbr\u003e\"To Drive the Cold Winter Away\" — E. Catherine Tobler\u003cbr\u003e\"One with the Ground\" — Guillermo G. Mendoza\u003cbr\u003e\"We the People Excluding I\" — Osahon Ize-Iyamu\u003cbr\u003e\"Father Time Dares You to Dream\" — Trae Hawkins\u003cbr\u003e\"Birdseed\" — Matthew Freeman\u003cbr\u003e\"The Colonists\" — Jennifer Hudak \u003cbr\u003e\"Mangrove Daughter\" — E.M. Linden\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Editor\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMarissa van Uden \u003c\/b\u003eis a writer, editor, and nature-lover originally from Aotearoa New Zealand but now based in Vermont, where she lives in a little cabin in the woods overlooking a beaver pond. As an anthologist, her credits include the award-winning \u003cem\u003eThe Off-Season: An Anthology of Coastal New Weird \u003c\/em\u003eand the Strange Microfiction anthology series (\u003cem\u003eStrange Libations, Strange Machines, \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eStrange Locations\u003c\/em\u003e). Her short stories have been published in \u003cem\u003eVastarien Literary Journal, Dark Matter Magazine, \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eSmall Wonders, \u003c\/em\u003eamong others. You can find her at bluesky @marissavu.bsky.social; instagram @marissa.vu, or at marissavu.com. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44421536678025,"sku":"ECO24-PRE-1","price":21.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital (EPUB Mobi PDF)","offer_id":44421536710793,"sku":"ECO24-PRE-2","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/ecocoverfront4copy.webp?v=1756316167"},{"product_id":"the-cellar-below-the-cellar","title":"The Cellar Below the Cellar","description":"\u003cp\u003eA playfully dark folk horror inspired by the fairy tale \"Vasilisa the Beautiful\" and the mythology around Frau Perchta, set under the blazing sky of endless auroras.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Grimes conjures a world that is simultaneously vast, mysterious, and fully lived in, replete with idiosyncratic folk horror elements. . . . Kelly Link fans won’t want to miss this.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e— \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Starred Review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Trust me when I say the folk horror community needs this book. A fresh mythology, off-grid dread, and a grandmother with secrets—it's everything we love about the genre in a one-sitting read.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e— Sadie Hartmann, the Bram Stoker Awards® winning author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Ivy Grimes has a one-of-a-kind voice and is at her best here! A wonderfully strange surreal coming-of-age story of an already-grown woman who still needs to come into her own.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e— Christi Nogle, author of the Bram Stoker Award® winning novel, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eBeulah\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“\u003cem\u003eThe Cellar Below the Cellar\u003c\/em\u003e, with its poetic turns of narrative to its easily imaginable characters . . . really is spectacular, and idiosyncratic in all the ways masterful works of fiction are.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e— RSL, author and reviewer at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Fantasy Hive\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“\u003cem\u003eThe Cellar Below the Cellar\u003c\/em\u003e possesses a wild sense of wonder married to a sense of menace—one juxtaposed against the other in a frame that keeps disappearing when you stare too long at the overlap of the two.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e— TJ Price, author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Disappearance of Tom Nero\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Grimes’s prose is impactful and poetic, pulling you in as the world ends around the characters within. Written like a vintage, delicate, and beautiful fairy tale, this novella is comforting and hopeful, even in its darkness. . . . Definitely on my favorites list.\"  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e— P.L. McMillan, author of \u003cem\u003eSisters of the Crimson Vine\u003c\/em\u003e, host of the PLM Talks YouTube channel and cohost of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eDead Languages Podcast\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Grimes does an amazing job of showcasing natural and supernatural horror. . . . A unique twist on a post-apocalyptic story.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e— Joseph Pietris, editor and reviewer at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Horror Tree\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“The eponymous subcellar inspires a potent atmosphere of creeping dread. . . . Grimes’ penchant for the morbid and strange perfectly suits the tone of the original, darker versions of fairy tales, and left me enraptured with every page.” \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e— Magdalena Nitchi, ImaginAtlas\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDescription\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen a wild solar storm wipes out all electronics and traps Jane at her grandmother's house in the woods, she is forced to start a new life off-grid as part of a small, isolated community.\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, there is something very strange about her new neighbors, and the longer she lives under the eerie glow of the auroras, the more she feels her grandmother may be hiding unsettling secrets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo have any hope in her new world, Jane must find the courage to step into her power and claim her identity, but that would mean facing whatever hides in the cellar below the cellar—a place that seems to be waiting for her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFull of delightfully weird surprises and off-kilter characters, this adult coming-of-age story explores themes of female empowerment, spirituality, identity, and community. For fans of Kelly Link, Karen Russell, Otessa Moshfegh, and Leonora Carrington.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIvy Grimes\u003c\/strong\u003e is originally from Birmingham, Alabama and currently lives in Virginia. She has an MFA from the University of Alabama. Her stories have appeared in \u003cem\u003eThe Baffler, Vastarien, hex, Maudlin House, ergot., Potomac Review, \u003c\/em\u003eand elsewhere. She is the author of the collection \u003cem\u003eGlass Stories \u003c\/em\u003e(Grimscribe Press) and \u003cem\u003eThe Ghosts of Blaubart Mansion \u003c\/em\u003e(Cemetery Gates). To learn more, please visit \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/ivyivyivyivy.com\/\"\u003ewww.ivyivyivyivy.com. \u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44671897305225,"sku":"CELLAR-TPB","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital (EPUB Mobi PDF)","offer_id":44671897337993,"sku":"CELLAR-EBOOK","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/Cellarcoverfront-final.webp?v=1781290539"},{"product_id":"the-world-sf-collection","title":"The World SF Collection","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe World SF Collection is all five volumes of the acclaimed Apex Book of World SF anthology series, showcasing outstanding speculative fiction from diverse global voices. Each book offers expertly curated stories that push the boundaries of science fiction and fantasy, highlighting unique cultural perspectives and imaginative storytelling. This comprehensive set is an essential resource for readers and scholars seeking a deeper understanding of world science fiction’s evolution and its vibrant, varied narratives. Experience the innovation and richness of global speculative fiction over the broad scope of fiction presented.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44754302501001,"sku":null,"price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/ApexWSFBK1.webp?v=1742310032"},{"product_id":"multitude","title":"Multitude","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe float to the surface, and we see that there is more to the world than the ocean. We see stars.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThen one day, we hear a song from far away.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIt could be nothing, a new dance of energies made by stars muttering to themselves... but it could be everything. We pull tight to your direction in the hope that the universe may gift us a conversation. A banquet.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn Australia, a SETI Technician asks her colleague, \"A fake from 44 parsecs?\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn Nevada, a soldier flinches as unidentified craft fly overhead.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn Beirut, a mathematician pets her cat and thinks about language.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe are coming. For the hospice orderly with open arms, the seamstress in her alleyway shop, the lawyer angry at her neighbor's sloppy garden. For you are many, and cannot speak as one.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnd yet we see you communicate without words. We see you organize and build.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe see you killing us.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor fans of Ray Nayler, Ann Leckie, and Martin MacInnes, follow the hivemind of cephalopod aliens and explore the power of language, community, and hope. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eMultitude \u003c\/em\u003eshows Marie Vibbert's range as an author of science fiction. It encompasses unique prose and unusual viewpoints in a gripping tale of discovery—of the other and of oneself. It is able to break any expectations readers might have about first contact stories and about human (dis)connection. You won't regret reading this!\"\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e—Renan Bernardo, Nebula and Ignyte finalist and author of \u003cem\u003eDisgraced Return of the Kap's Needle\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"In \u003cem\u003eMultitude, \u003c\/em\u003eMarie Vibbert reminds us how very good she is at making the alien feel familiar and accessible, and teaching us something about ourselves in the process. \u003cem\u003eMultitude \u003c\/em\u003eis both witty and wise. Highly recommend!\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Michael Jan Friedman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Marie Vibbert is a vibrant new voice in science fiction. Her new novella, \u003cem\u003eMultitude, \u003c\/em\u003eis a kaleidoscopic look at how the people-world would react to the sudden arrival of alien visitors whose way of thinking is so alien from ours that there seems to be no common ground.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Geoffrey Landis, Nebula, Hugo, Locus, and Sturgeon Award winner\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Vibbert combines the best of first contact: \u003cem\u003eMultitude \u003c\/em\u003eis trenchant and meditative while also being immediate and visceral. A book for thinkers and feelers alike.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Meg Elison, author of \u003cem\u003eThe Book of the Unnamed Midwife\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Multitude \u003c\/em\u003eis a refreshing take on first contact, a powerful story of the need for kinship, both with aliens and ourselves.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—S. Andrew Swann, author of the Moreau\/Confederacy series\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarie Vibbert \u003c\/strong\u003eis a Hugo- and Nebula nominated author, with short fiction that has appeared over 100 times in top magazines like \u003ci\u003eNature\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAnalog\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eClarkesworld\u003c\/i\u003e, and has been translated into Czech, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Her debut novel, \u003ci\u003eGalactic Hellcats\u003c\/i\u003e, was longlisted by the British Science Fiction Award, and her work has been called \"everything science fiction should be\" by the Oxford Culture Review. She is the editor of the 2026 Triangulation anthology, \u003ci\u003eBad Romance\u003c\/i\u003e. She also writes poetry, comics, and computer games. By day, she is a computer programmer in Cleveland, Ohio.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":45012434190473,"sku":"MULTITUDE-TPB","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ebook (EPUB\/PDF\/MOBI)","offer_id":45012434223241,"sku":"MULTITUDE-EBOOK","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/multitudecoverfront2_5ea773e2-0b4f-4036-9902-6c1dbc9692b0.webp?v=1781288378"},{"product_id":"plague-birds-the-red-day-edition","title":"Plague Birds: The Red Day Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePreorder and save 30%!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelease Date 6\/30\/26\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinalist for the Nebula and Philip K. Dick Award! \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReturn to Jason Sanford's dark sci-fi world in \u003cem\u003ePlague Birds: \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Red Day Edition, \u003c\/em\u003enewly updated and with an additional afterword and short story, \"Little Fathers of Darkness,\" originally published in \u003cem\u003eRobotic Ambitions: Tales of Mechanical Sentience. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eReviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"A stand-out work within the landscape of contemporary science fiction. The novel's blend of technology, mysticism, ethics, and human emotions creates a deeply satisfying reading experience. It's a book that challenges the reader, poses questions without easy answers, and constructs a world that lingers in the memory long after the last page has been turned.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cem\u003eDistópolis, Novedades \u0026amp; Rese\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eñas Sobre Literatura Fantástica\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Without a doubt, one of the best science fiction novels in recent years... A story with a very well-constructed lore, from the past events that have led to chaos and a great war, the creation of a new post-apocalyptic civilization and its rules, and the lack of a great leader or goverment in a Middle Ages styled world under the control of artificial intelligence. The book is a fierce critique of humanity, which has played at being gods without analyzing the subsequent consequences.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Monica Grau Seto, \u003cem\u003eNuevo Tribuna\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Such a perfect blend of SF and fantasy, weaving memory, loss, technology, and family into a wholly unique tapestry that left me turning the pages just to see what he would do next.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Maurice Broaddus, author of \u003cem\u003ePimp My Airship \u003c\/em\u003eand the Astra Black trilogy\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"A book thick with bloodlines of family, friendship, and history. This is truly Jason Sanford at his finest: a story with real bite. Its characters are so clear and so real that I laughed with them, cried with them, and sat gripping the final pages because I didn't want to let them go. With cities that come alive (literally) and prose with personality, \u003cem\u003ePlague Birds \u003c\/em\u003eis a book that I'll be thinking about for days, months, years to come.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Jordan Kurella, Nebula and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award nominated author\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"A masterpiece in world-building, \u003cem\u003ePlague Birds \u003c\/em\u003eis a wildly imaginative thrill ride set in a weird future populated by biogenetically engineered human\/animal hybrids, benevolent and malevolent AIs, alien forces and—strangest of all—plague birds, powerful arbiters of justice who are bonded to AIs that course through their veins. An action-packed and riveting page-turner, I couldn't put it down.\" \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Mercurio D. Rivera, World Fantasy Award nominated author\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGlowing red lines split their faces. Shock-red hair and clothes warn people to flee their approach. They are plague birds, the powerful merging of humans and artificial intelligences who serve as judges and executioners after the collapse of civilization. And the plague birds' judgment is swift and deadly, as Crista discovered as a child when she watched one kill her mother.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a world of gene-modded humans constantly watched over by benevolent AIs, everyone hates and fears the plague birds. But to save her father and home village, Crista becomes the very creature she fears the most. And her first task as a plague bird is hunting down an ancient group of murderers wielding magic-like powers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Crista and her AI symbiote travel farther from home than she ever imagined, they are plunged into a strange world where she judges wrongdoers, befriends other outcasts, and uncovers an extremely personal conspiracy that threatens the lives of millions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlague Birds\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eis a genre-bending mix of science fiction and dark fantasy and the epic story of a young woman who becomes one of the future's most hated creatures, with a killer AI bonded to her very blood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h5\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJason Sanford\u003c\/strong\u003e is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy writer who’s also a passionate advocate for fellow authors, creators, and fans, in particular through reporting in his Genre Grapevine column (for which he's been a finalist multiple times for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer). He’s also published dozens of stories in magazines such as \u003cem\u003eAsimov’s Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, Interzone\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eBeneath Ceaseless Skies\u003c\/em\u003e along with appearances in various “year’s best” anthologies and \u003cem\u003eNew Voices of Science Fiction\u003c\/em\u003e. His first novel \u003cem\u003ePlague Birds\u003c\/em\u003e was a finalist for both the 2022 Nebula Award and the 2022 Philip K. Dick Award. Born and raised in the American South, Jason’s previous experience includes work as an archaeologist, journalist and a Peace Corps Volunteer. His website is \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.jasonsanford.com\/\"\u003ewww.jasonsanford.com.\u003c\/a\u003e","brand":"Apex Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Trade Paperback","offer_id":45231729148041,"sku":"PBREDDAY-TPB","price":13.96,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ebook (EPUB\/PDF\/MOBI)","offer_id":45231729180809,"sku":"PBREDDAY-DIGITAL","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0000\/7796\/files\/plaguebirdsthereddayeditioncoverfront_1.webp?v=1774199075"},{"product_id":"the-book-of-apex-volume-1","title":"The Book of Apex: Volume 1","description":"\u003cp\u003eContains dark SF stories from from the early days of \u003ci\u003eApex Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e curated by former Editor-in-Chief, Jason Sizemore.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDescription\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Post Apocalypse\" - James Walton Langolf\u003cbr\u003e\"These Days\" - Katherine Sparrow\u003cbr\u003e\"In the Seams\" - Andrew C. Porter\u003cbr\u003e\"The Nature of Blood\" - George Mann\u003cbr\u003e\"Scenting the Dark\" - Mary Robinette Kowal\u003cbr\u003e\"The Limb Knitter\" - Steven Francis Murphy\u003cbr\u003e\"I Know an Old Lady\" - Nathan Rosen\u003cbr\u003e\"Blakenjel\" - Lavie Tidhar\u003cbr\u003e\"Behold: Skowt!\" - Jason Heller\u003cbr\u003e\"A Splash of Color\" - William T. Vandemark\u003cbr\u003e\"A Night at the Empire\" - Joy Marchand\u003cbr\u003e\"Organ Nell\" - Jennifer Pelland\u003cbr\u003e\"Starter House\" - Jason Palmer\u003cbr\u003e\"On the Shadow Side of the Beast\" - Ruth Nestvold\u003cbr\u003e\"Cai and Her Ten Thousand Husbands\" - Gord Sellar\u003cbr\u003e\"Dark Planet\" - Lavie Tidhar\u003cbr\u003e\"The Puma\" - Theodora Goss\u003cbr\u003e\"Mind of a Pig\" - Ekaterina Sedia\u003cbr\u003e\"Waiting for Jakie\" - Barbara Krasnoff\u003cbr\u003e\"Hindsight, In Neon\" - Jamie Todd Rubin\u003cbr\u003e\"Clockwork, Patchwork and Ravens\" - Peter M. 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