Science Fiction & Fantasy Books

Chane Pili, a gypsy teenager, becomes the accidental possessor of one of the greatest magical weapons in the desert city of Belestria. His only hope to free himself of this deadly treasure lies with Master Alchemist Doctor Griswald Grimm and his apprentice, Fleet. But someone else knows that Chane is the possessor of this coveted magical item, and deadly strangers begin to appear on the street of dreams. Then Chane’s home is attacked by kidnappers, and the alchemist’s friends and allies become involved as a deadly firestorm begins. Who is pursuing them? And did the creator of the ordinaire have other deadly secrets, as well?

Meet the werewolves, wizards, soldiers, and spies of Bob Liddil’s world, as they step out of the pages of “Sorcerer’s Apprentice Magazine” and into a deadly contest of magic.

This story was originally proposed by the late Bob Liddil.

           

Archie Chamberlain wanted little more than his teaching certification, and a nice job teaching English Lit anywhere in the Solar System: “An easy chair, a nice cuppa tea, and a game on the weekend.”  The greatest obstacle to this quiet life was his best friend, Gennaro, the single-minded, genetically-modified owner of Gamemaster Inc. and ruler of the futuristic City of West Meg.

Archie recognized the signs of executive temperament when he saw them, and pulled back.  “There’s more to this racket than we thought.  Let Robinson show you what he’s got. I think he’s one hundred per cent right,” Archie told Gennaro. “You must let—”

Robinson’s hand went to his holster. “What’s that?”

Archie realized he’d been ignoring a background noise. With a sinking heart, he knew he’d ignored it because it was a sound he associated with the ordinary buzz of the Gee-9 lab, with virtual war games that did not interest him: the ‘zat, crack, thung’ of weaponry.

Robinson recognized it, too, and moved. “Behind the bar,” he ordered the two Gamemasters, turning toward the door with his gun drawn.

The door smashed inward. Archie saw weapons. The Gamemaster Security personnel jumped into action, toward the door. Immediately Archie closed his eyes, threw himself against Gee and knocked him behind the rude wooden bar. There was the deafening sound of weapons fire, a burnt smell, noises of men yelling—and the grunt of men being hit. Blinding flashes of light coruscated about the room.

The bar wasn’t much cover at all. Archie knew it. No miracle would save them.

“Max—” said Archie, too late. A final bright blast knocked him into darkness.

           

Trapped aboard an unfamiliar ship, at the merciless whim of alien beings, the four prisoners from the scout ship “Gentle Wind” must somehow survive. The problem is, they don’t speak the language and they don’t understand the culture. Also, one of them is wounded, one has a concussion, and the third is a child. Adding to their difficulties is that an alien has been thrown into their cell. Is this alien supposed to help them or hinder them?

Sly-Eyes launched himself at the monster at their den’s door. He tried to stretch out his left beside his other arm with claws extended. The sling, however, interfered, and made him bend his arm awkwardly. Unfortunately, he had the farthest to jump. He knew he didn’t have a chance of reaching the creature before it managed to get off at least one shot, if not two. If he were lucky, the wounds wouldn’t kill him immediately and he could take down the monster. If he weren’t lucky, well, at least the shots fired at him were not being fired at his Co-husbands. That might give one or both them time to deal with their monsters, and his as well.

The metal floor of their den betrayed him. He felt his claws sliding as his legs straightened to propel him out the den door. He wasn’t getting the purchase he required. He failed to hit the monster with his claws at its throat. Instead, Sly-Eyes crashed into its knees, knocking it down on top of him.

That probably saved his life. The monster, on seeing him leaping, had shot at where he had been seated. Sly-Eyes heard the “TWANG” as the projectile, fired at his head, slammed into the wall behind him.

           

Brannon, ex-Confederation Space Fleet Marine, blacklisted and broke, dodges an arrest warrant by joining an operation that needs money desperately enough to take the worst surveying jobs on the books. The team of Gonderjhee and Company, Surveyors, includes a cheated and bankrupt owner, an elderly office manager, an over-excitable intern, a clinically-depressed alien Fleet Captain, and a staff with a host of formidable handicaps, weaknesses – and strengths. Brannon’s goal is to keep them all alive long enough to pick up his share of the profits. But they aren’t the only ones getting an education out of this adventure.

Calmly, Cyntoj answered the invisible Korgorite. “Don’t you think my own marksman will trace your shot? Think before you fire.” The soldiers were recovering quickly, and tossing hostile little glances at me.

That?” A note of contempt--meaning me.

“No. The others. Do you think I am here alone?”

Pause. “I know you are not. There is only one reason a Tyrellian would be here. But with humans?”

Cyntoj’s voice returned to normal. “You speak remarkably good Universal Basic, Captain. I don’t suppose you worked on one of the Tyrel 3 Confederation Fleet bases.”

“Turn slowly,” the voice said. Cyntoj obeyed. The voice said, “By God.” That was a human expression, not Tyrel 3.

A large Korgorite commander stepped out from the trees, interphase rifle in hand.

“By God,” he repeated. “The Dead Man.”

“We received more fan mail for this story than for anything else we have ever published.” – Warren Lapine, Absolute Magnitude