Science-Fiction Novels for the Imaginative Mind
By: Hidden Gems on August 10, 2021
Science Fiction has a way of igniting a sense of wonder with imaginative and creative tales. From space exploration to time travel, extraterrestrial life to the mysterious unknown, these five science-fiction novels were popular with Hidden Gems readers who got to read them for free.
HAWK: Hellfire by Mike Waller
If you like great, classic science-fiction novels, you will love this new work by multi-award-winning author Mike Waller, an action packed dive into the world of a galactic mercenary driven by the ghosts from his past. Grab a copy now and join Lazarus Hawk in his search for justice for a remote colony world.
“I LOVED this new book, HAWK Hellfire!” writes Slugpuppy3 in their 5-star review. “Hellfire is a devastating, illegal street drug in the far future. Krystian (Hawk) Hauken’s mission has nothing to do with drugs – he thinks. Guarda officer, Abigail (Abbie) Renner’s mission has everything to do with drugs and nothing to do with Hawk – she thinks. Unfortunately, drug lords don’t care what anyone thinks… Absolutely great story and characters, realistic dialogue and satisfying ending. I’m hoping to read more about Hawk and Abbie in the future!”
“This author’s writing is so smooth, with nothing to distract, only more and more story!” raves Dinky Deb in her 5-star review. “Our hero in this one is Hawk, a man with a family yet is also a mercenary of a kinder sort. We don’t see much of this life as the story explodes open because he is ripped from them and sent to a hell-like place. I can’t say any more but the rest of the book exposes how much of a good guy hero our Hawk really is. Plenty of action with bad guys, cops, drug runners, paramilitary, by now you should be getting the gist. To quote another reviewer – I absolutely loved it!”
Erupting Trouble by Grace Hamilton
In a broken civilization the only way to survive is strength in numbers. One family is determined to work together in this new world, but will they be able to defend themselves against desperate survivors? If you love suspenseful dystopian science-fiction novels, add this one to your TBR list.
Customer Kristine writes in her 5-star review, “I always lose myself in Grace Hamilton’s books. The story jumps out at you on the first page and the pace never stops. You have a family that are not together when the world erupts that find they need to head home to the only people who are going to help them through the EMP catastrophe. Love the family members and you feel the desperation each feels about getting home to the other family member. The Riley’s are on the move to protect what they have and each other. Do they find the best of mankind or the worst? Maybe a little of both? Can’t wait for the next book to come out.”
“Having grown up in the Great Lakes region I was able to follow along and recognize where they were,” explains Kindle Customer in their 5-star review. “I found myself sympathizing with Ruth because we are around the same age and I am most like her. I read this in one night because I couldn’t put it down. Grace Hamilton’s books are like that. Grabs you from the start and keeps you on the edge of your seats. I was anxious when they were going through a nail biting crisis and cheering when they were victorious. I look forward to the next in this series and other books of hers. READ HER BOOKS!!!! :)”
The Thief and the Waste by Tanya Lee
The thrilling sequel to The Wolf and the Rain, this award-winning story of a missing girl in an anarchic city is suspenseful, emotional and perfect for lovers of YA sci-fi.
“This is an amazing book,” says Emzy Strong in their 5-star review. “The continuation of the series is a must read. If you like post apocalyptic, dystopian type books then you will love this. The world that the author creates is so vivid and engaging that you will not want to put down the book. The book continues to follow Samarra as she strives to find the missing girls. The flashbacks to when she was in the South get closer to answering that the faithful readers had at the end of the first book. Who is Corvus? Why is Samarra in the North to begin with? , and so many more. Her characters are engaging and you really connect with them for better or worse. This is a book I would recommend for anyone. I have been a teacher and I would recommend this book to my students and their parents as well. Please give this book and the first a chance!”
Jessica Huff writes in her 5-star review, “I absolutely loved reading The Thief and the Waste. I didn’t want the story to end, but I’m glad there’s another book coming. Samarra is a great character. I also like Vireo/Ash/Corvus. He is a perfect juxtaposition for the super strict district of Seira. I would recommend this series to anyone who likes the dystopian-type novels.”
Engage at Dawn: First Contact by Edward Hochsmann
Exploring the friendship and teamwork of a typical ship’s crew, in the face of unexpected and hazardous challenges, Engage at Dawn: First Contact illustrates the bonds and humor common to Coast Guard and other military units. Readers who like fast-paced thrilling sci-fi with a conspiratorial feel will enjoy this novel.
“Engage at Dawn: First Contact is an outstanding example of a perfect realistic thriller and I look forward to reading the next book,” raves Edward E. Morawski, Vine Voice in his 5-star review. “There is one thing I insist on in the books I read and write: realism. I crave authenticity, fact, and logic. I do my research and I expect every author to do the same. I can’t stand it when an author can’t get firearms, vehicles, aircraft, ranks, jargon or tactics correct – and I will gleefully point out such errors. This absolutely holds true in thrillers, mysteries, crime, historical fiction, and especially science fiction – where the key word is science. I am pleased to report there are none of these problems in Engage at Dawn: First Contact. There are no guns with endless bullets, no time nonsense when a boat travels miles instantly, no sailors being called sergeants, and no limb rending injuries where the heroes continue as if nothing happened. This is a well written, extensively researched, fast paced and exciting novel by a former Coast Guard officer. It is an enjoyable read.”
Karen Siddall writes in her 5-star review, “Engage at Dawn: First Contact is very well written, which made this exciting and action-packed story easy-to-read and hard to put down. It can be read solo, but I highly recommend starting with the prequel, Vis Major, which is the flipside story (the aliens’ point-of-view); it is excellent. I was delighted to see that there is a sneak preview of the next book in the series, Engage at Dawn: Seize and Destroy, included at the end of this volume. So, YAY! More to come! I recommend this book and series to readers that enjoy military adventure stories, Coast Guard-themed fiction, and first contact tales.”
Rivers, Weak Men and Wolves by Hunter Letendre
This debut novel from Letendre brings suspense, flawed characters, mystery, and action. Everything is perfectly woven together to create an apocalyptic science-fiction novel that belongs on your TBR list.
“This is my favorite post-apocalyptic novel I’ve ever read!” explains SK in their 5-star review. “The characters are very gritty and realistic and shows an interesting take on life after the world ends compared to some other mainstream books and movies. From the beginning I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t put the book down because I needed to know more about what happened. The author had a fantastic way of giving information in small doses, both satisfying your curiosity and keeping you glued to the pages to find out more. If you’re looking for the hunger games or some epic story about heroic characters with movie star features, this isn’t the book for you. If you want a gritty, suspenseful, and realistic view of deeply flawed people trying to survive in a wasted world or want a break from the mainstream then you need to pick up a copy.”
“I absolutely love the fresh take this author has on the post-apocalypse genre,” writes Hannah Louise in her 5-star review. “This is a gripping read featuring a seriously flawed protagonist and many dynamic characters . It takes the reader on a thrilling adventure full of twists and turns guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat, coming back for more. I highly recommend giving this book a shot; I predict it’s author is going to be a giant among novelists.”
If you can’t get enough of these mind-bending science-fiction novels, check out more books by these authors and remember that subscribers to Hidden Gems receive invitations to read books like these – plus other titles from any of up to 15 other genres – for free. All they’re hoping for is that you leave an honest review of them on Amazon when you’re done reading! Sign up today!
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