A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. Even today, machines that mimic human thinking surround us. As the intellectual feats of computing machines grow more and more astounding, will there be a day when their apparent intelligence approaches, or even surpasses, that of human beings? And what if these machines then become conscious, self-aware? In this latest title in the acclaimed Future Chronicles series of speculative fiction anthologies, thirteen authors confront the question of the Singularity: at and beyond that point of time when A.I. becomes more than simply a human construct. From first awareness to omniscience, these original short stories explore that territory where human intelligence comes face-to-face with what is either its greatest hope, or its greatest threat. The A.I. Chronicles features stories by bestselling author David Simpson (the Post-Human series), Prix Aurora winner Julie Czerneda (In the Company of Others), Amazon Kindle Scout sensation Peter Cawdron (Anomaly) plus ten more of today's top authors in speculative and science fiction.

The A.I. Chronicles (The Future Chronicles)

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Cawdron, Peter

Peralta, Samuel

Quinn, Susan Kaye

Cavanaugh, Angela

Albrinck, Alex

Giorgi, E.E.

Simpson, David

Thoma, Chrystalla

Czerneda, Julie

Tyler, Pavarti K.

Science Fiction

Windrift Books

Z. Among the most monstrous creations of our imaginations, the zombie terrifies, with its capacity to pursue its prey, to run it down, exhaust it to surrender, unrelentingly. In this title in the acclaimed Future Chronicles series of speculative fiction anthologies, fourteen authors confront the nightmare, that horrific mirror of ourselves that pursues us with untiring hunger. The Z Chronicles features stories by bestselling authors Hugh Howey (Wool), Jennifer Foehner Wells (Fluency), plus twelve more of today's top authors in speculative and science fiction.

The Z Chronicles (The Future Chronicles)

Literature & Fiction

Wells, Jennifer Foehner

Howey, Hugh

Adams, David

Christy, Ann

Gould, Deirdre

Boore, Christopher

Ericson, Stacy

Short Stories & Anthologies

The Future Chronicles has grown, from a single collection of robot stories, into a series whose unique take on major science fiction and fantasy themes - A.I., time travel, dragons, telepaths, aliens, zombies, immortality, galactic battles, cyborgs, doomsday - has made it one of the most acclaimed short story anthology series of the digital era.Created by award-winning author and series editor Samuel Peralta, each volume brings together work from visionary new voices and from the grandmasters of modern science fiction and fantasy. This Future Chronicles: Special Edition volume is a compendium of complete stories selected from the Chronicles' standalone titles, and includes five new stories, never before published, from some of today's best writers in speculative fiction.

The Future Chronicles - Special Edition

Croft, Nina

Best, Sam

Fitzgerald, Patrice

Hello World (First Contact)

Independently published

Xenophobia (First Contact)

Peter Cawdron at Smashwords

“For lovers of Andy Weir’s The Martian, here’s a true hard-science-fiction tale set on the red planet — a terrific blend of high tech and high tension, of science and suspense, of character and crisis.” — Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award–winning author of Red Planet Blues “Post-apocalyptic disaster meets fractured utopian space exploration in this terrifying tale, which Cawdron (Anomaly) sets in a scientific outpost on Mars . . . This tense cat-and-mouse game plays off fears . . . to satisfying result.” — Publishers Weekly Venturing into space and traveling to Mars sounds like an exotic adventure, but the reality of living on a rocky, frozen, lifeless planet is exacting on the Mars Endeavour crew. The exhilaration of reaching the surface of Mars has worn off for the public, and the exploration has moved into its scientific phase. The only viable option for long-term habitation lies hundreds of feet beneath the surface, in lava caves that shield humans from harsh cosmic radiation. Connor, Harrison, and Liz are senior members of the U.S. module. When war breaks out on Earth and rumors spread to Mars, their core principles are rocked by the devastation and loss of friends and family. Whom can you trust on an international mission when your countries are at war? As colonists from different nations struggle to figure out what really happened on Earth, grief and anger become pitted against camaraderie and the spirit of exploration. “Science fiction as it should be. Retrograde combines realistic characters with depictions of Mars as our explorers will one day find it in a powerful story. A must-read!” — Ben Bova, Hugo Award winner and author of the Grand Tour series

Retrograde

United States

Harper/Voyager

After almost dying on Mars, astronaut Liz Anderson returns to Earth, but not to a hero’s welcome. America is in turmoil. The war is over, but the insurgency has just begun. So while life on Mars may have been deadly, at least up there she knew who the enemy was. Along with her, Liz has brought the remnants of the artificial intelligence that waged war on two planets. Buried somewhere deep within the cold electronic circuits lies the last vestiges of her dead partner Jianyu. Liz is torn, unsure whether he’s somehow still alive in electronic form or just a ploy by an adversary that will go to any length to win. Heartbroken and treated with suspicion, she finds herself caught up in the guerrilla war being waged on Earth, wondering if the AI threat is truly gone, or if it has only just begun.

Reentry (Retrograde, 2)

The international team at the Mars Endeavour colony is prepared for every eventuality except one—what happens when disaster strikes Earth? Mankind has long dreamed of reaching out to live on other planets, and with the establishment of the Mars Endeavour colony, that dream has become reality. The fledgling colony consists of 120 scientists, astronauts, medical staff, and engineers. Buried deep underground, they’re protected from the harsh radiation that sterilizes the surface of the planet. The colony is prepared for every eventuality except one—what happens when disaster strikes Earth?

John Joseph Adams/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

What is Tales of Tinfoil? It is a dark reimagining of every conspiracy theory that ever lived. It is the JFK assassination, Area 51, the moon landing, the surveillance state. It is a French spy posing as Abraham Lincoln, it is a video game designed by the CIA, it is "Suicide Mickey." It is Adolf Hitler and it is Elvis Presley. In this bizarre and wonderful short story collection, today's top fiction authors pull back the curtain on the biggest conspiracies of all time. Who really killed JFK? What happened in Roswell, New Mexico? Is Elvis still alive? With stories that run the gamut from touching to thrilling to utterly deranged, Tales of Tinfoil will take you on a tour of paranoia you won't soon forget. Twelve short stories, twelve conspiracy theories, twelve twisted rabbit holes. Hold on to your hats.

Tales of Tinfoil: Stories of Paranoia and Conspiracy

Cole, Nick

Robertson, Edward W.

Bünker, Michael

Lindsey, Ernie

Gleaves, Richard

Pourteau, Chris

Bale, Lucas

Ellis, Jennifer

Miller, Wendy Paine

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

BECOME AN EXPLORER TODAY! An exciting collection of First Contact science fiction stories, each set in the same universe. Join many of today's best SF authors as they tell you stories of explorations. The Sphere ship appeared suddenly, damaged and dying. After making contact, Earth learned they weren’t alone in the universe. The Sphere gave them knowledge of space travel, and coordinates to other races spread across the expanse. It asked them to continue its mission of exploration and contact, but also left them with a stark warning: Stay away from the Star. Over the next twenty years, the United Earth Foundation formed, and their ships were built, their displacement drives giving them the sphere shape when engaged. Their Mission: First Contact Prologue - Stephen Moss Deja Vu - Peter Cawdron The Signal - Ralph Kern Status: Inactive - Richard Fox The Bottom Line - Chris Kennedy End of the Line - Robert M. Campbell Mercurial Rescue - Isaac Hooke The Mission - PP Corcoran The Last Command - Nick Bailey Sleeping Giant - PJ Strebor The Darklady - Scott Moon Triaxial - Stephen Moss Harbinger - Josh Hayes Epilogue - Empyrean - Jacob Cooper Join the SciFiExplorations.com newsletter and become an Explorer today! http://eepurl.com/ccWrwf

Explorations: First Contact

Hayes, Josh

Fox, Richard

Moon, Scott

Moss, Stephen

Kennedy, Chris

Kern, Ralph

Corcoran, PP

Hooke, Isaac

Campbell, Robert M.

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