When young Jammal (a.k.a. Prince Menzuo) found out that he was adopted and from another planet, his true destiny as the new Universal Protector was revealed. After saving the Earth from one very dangerous pirate warrior named Morbid, Menzuo is ready to continue his preparation to become the true Universal Protector.

For 12 years, the virtual world of Yggdrasil has served as the playground and battlefield for the skeletal lord Momonga and his guild of fellow monsters, Ainz Ooal Gown. But the guild's glory days are over, and the game is shutting down permanently. When Momonga logs in one last time just to be there when the servers go dark, something happens - and suddenly, fantasy is reality. A rogues' gallery of fanatically devoted NPCs is ready to obey his every order, but the world Momonga now inhabits is not the one he remembers.

A prophesied king is born, but not all will benefit from his foretold conquests. In a realm where only clerics are permitted to practice magic, Kibure, a mere slave, draws the attention of much more than just his master after wielding an unknown force in a moment of desperation. In a twist of fate, Sindri, the priestess hired to strip Kibure of his power, defies the law, revealing designs of her own. This wayward pair will have to work together if they hope to evade capture at the hands of the Empire's most potent wielders.

From stories about time-traveling assassins, to Black Mirror-esque tales of cryptocurrency and internet trolling, to heartbreaking narratives of parent-child relationships, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories is a far-reaching work that explores topical themes from the present and a visionary look at humanity’s future. This collection includes a selection of Ken Liu’s speculative-fiction stories over the past five years - 17 of his best - plus a new novelette.

In deepest space the ruthless Federation lays waste to one rebel colony after another, leaving comrades-in-arms Van Orskey and Tayn Kassik without family, without a home, and without hope. With nothing left but each other, they run contraband and smuggle fugitives from the safety of their ship, the Cormorant - with the occasional clandestine mission for the rival Coalition thrown in. Their heists have not gone unnoticed, though even the bounty on their heads doesn’t prevent them from being a thorn in the enemy’s side at every opportunity. Pissing them off? Big mistake.

Once, there was a truce. Desperaux controlled the west with magic, and Desire claimed the east with steel and science. But now, magic has disappeared, and the world has changed. The kingdom of Desire will stop at nothing to maintain the new world order. On Juno’s wedding day, their Mengery soldiers came marching through the Nine desert to rip his world apart. Now, he journeys east with his adopted brother, Trey, in search of revenge, after the murder of his family.

A pyramid predating all known cultures appears without warning. Its discovery throws into question everything we know about the origins of mankind. Inside lies incredible technology, proof of a culture far more advanced than our own. Something dark lurks within, eager to resume a war as old as mankind. When it is unleashed it heralds the end of our species’ reign.

The gods are dead, but they are not gone. Their bodies litter the cosmos, magical fuel for vast interstellar empires, giving birth to mages, and more importantly, to magitech.

A wildly successful innovator, Vivian Liao is prone to radical thinking, quick decision-making, and reckless action. In the chilly darkness of a Boston server farm, she sets her ultimate plan into motion. A terrifying instant later, she is catapulted through space and time to a far future where she confronts a destiny stranger and more deadly than she could ever imagine. The end of time is ruled by an ancient, powerful Empress who blesses or blasts entire planets with a single thought. Rebellion is literally impossible to consider - until Vivian arrives.

Victoria’s dreams of a cozy life as a small-town doctor come crashing down when the monstrous Kryptids make first contact. The alien invaders have only one goal: to turn Earth into a breeding ground. As she fights to protect her patients in their makeshift hospital, an even more fearsome alien and his beast enter the fray. She should be terrified of the male ominously named Doom. But she’s mesmerized.

A formidable alien armada stands on the brink of vanquishing the cosmos, their gaze set firmly on every inhabited world. The last line of defense? An eclectic crew of improbable champions: a maverick starfighter pilot, a daredevil stuntwoman, a lethal super-assassin, and a cosmic prankster with alien tricks up his sleeves. Their mission is to shield not just humanity, but billions of other intelligent lifeforms spanning the multiverse.

For two decades he served...and never questioned the orders. Would one act of mercy cost him? Alistair believed in the work. It was important to stop the rebels for the good of the Commonwealth. Over his career he’d become the greatest Titan the Corp had ever seen. It was a simple mission. Then the rebels said one thing...and Alistair’s life changed forever.

Owen Deathstalker sacrificed everything to topple a corrupt empire and usher humanity into an age of peace and prosperity. Now, Lewis Deathstalker, Owen's descendant, carries on the family name and honor as a Paragon, warriors famed for their skill and heroism who dispense the king's justice throughout the galaxy. However, 200 years have passed since Owen and his gang of heroes disappeared into legend, and the peace that the Deathstalker bought with his life is quickly coming to an end.

For centuries, Jinn has watched from afar as the powers-that-be fought to claim a part of the world as their own. With no stake in the game, the djinn remained a powerful but neutral party. That was until an old friend presents Jinn with an offer he can’t refuse. The love he thought he’d lost forever is still alive, and he has the map to her location.

When a time agent lets his historically significant student get killed, Josh is the only agent that can take his place. This event is causing the universe to play fast and loose with physics, allowing the sins of the ONLE time agency to haunt them from the past. Will ONLE survive this attack? Can Josh figure out how resurrection works and get the girl? Will Raj find a curry that doesn't leave him running for the toilet? Join the adventures of Josh and the rest of the ONLE time agency to find out.