Showing results by author "Craig A. Falconer" in All Categories

An alien signal. Of all the things I expected to uncover while trying to make sense of the Anomaly, this didn't even enter my mind. But now, the signal has changed my understanding of everything. The Anomaly that's suffocating Earth isn't natural, and decoding this message could be our one shot at saving the planet. The trouble is, we don't even know where to start. What will it take to decipher the alien signal and unlock the secrets of the Anomaly? And how should we reply when we decode their message?

Surviving in space was the easy part … I’m not alone anymore. I've made it down from the solitude of the station, all the way to an incredible underground bunker complex. Thousands of humanity’s best minds are by my side. I’m surrounded by secret cutting-edge technologies that almost defy belief. Too bad none of that is a match for what I’m up against now.

When Kurt Jacobs imagines the ultimate gadget—one capable of replacing phones, credit cards, keys and TVs—the idea consumes his every waking moment. When the Sycamore corporation buys into Kurt's creation and The Seed becomes a reality, his every dream comes true.

When a sudden impact sends a spacecraft bound for a distant research station hurtling toward a previously unseen and inexplicable planet, responsibility for the safety of its passengers immediately falls on Ivy 'Holly' Wood, a former poster child of the public space program now fleeing Earth's tyrannical leadership. The mysterious planet's startlingly Earth-like atmosphere initially breeds optimism among Holly's group of stranded survivors, but before long it becomes clear that Earth's rules don't apply.

All eyes fall on the closing stages of a colony-defining isolation test within Terradox’s least hospitable zone—the man-made hellscape of Little Venus, where six astronauts-in-training have survived 51 weeks surrounded by an almost impossibly hostile atmosphere. But while the astronauts of tomorrow count down their final few days until freedom, the gravest threat of all might already be on the wrong side of their Isolation Kompound’s impenetrable walls....

There's no time like the present, but there's no place like Yester Year... When Paula Frederick gets a weekend job on Dream Rock, a former prison island that now serves as the world's largest leisure destination, she can hardly believe her luck. Dream Rock's outlandish surroundings are a welcome break from her studies. Paula's fully costumed role within the island's smallest zone, a medieval-themed amusement park called Yester Year, seems set to allow for even more immersive fun than she imagined.

At long last, the dream of a functioning research colony on Terradox has become reality. Thousands of men, women, and children now call the distant romosphere home, with experts in countless fields recruited from Earth to spearhead the most ambitious research projects ever devised. All eyes fall on the closing stages of a colony-defining isolation test within Terradox’s least hospitable zone—the man-made hellscape of Little Venus, where six astronauts-in-training have survived 51 weeks surrounded by an almost impossibly hostile atmosphere.

Beyond Horizons explores classic sci-fi themes through a contemporary lens. Continuing the legacy of decades gone by, these fast-paced standalone stories offer wondrous settings, philosophical sci-fi questions, and twists that pack a punch.

With the Terradox colony stable and established, attention turns to the most ambitious endeavour in human history: the creation of a planet-sized romosphere capable of carrying a sizeable population on a one-way course for the stars.

When a group of prize-winning high school graduates blasted off on a mission to space, their parents beamed with pride. When news of the disaster came in, a nation mourned. But nothing is truly as it seems.

Four years after Ivy "Holly" Wood's dramatic escape from Terradox, the once-hostile romosphere's new hotel and leisure development is thriving. But while adventurous guests from all corners of the Earth marvel at the awesome wonders of the Terradox Resort's artificial environment, a deadly threat looms large. When it becomes clear that an unimaginable risk offers the only hope of preventing an unimaginable disaster, responsibility for the safety of the many innocent civilians stranded on Terradox once again falls on Holly's shoulders.

When the government's new private welfare system begins rewarding unemployed viewers for watching the right kind of ads, Roger Birch welcomes a Funscreen into his home. Like millions of others, Roger and his family soon depend on ad-viewing income for their survival. Unlike millions of others, the events of one uncomfortable evening leave Roger aware of the government's shadier reasons for investing in Funscreens.

"Terradox Zero: Before the Crash", an illuminating prequel story to the best-selling Terradox series, giving new insight into the journey's crew and passengers.

As the well-tipped tour guide at a model town within a nuclear test site in 1950s Nevada, Darren Murphy has a job to die for. His work is easy and relaxed, much like himself, drawing envy from his wide circle of friends. But one fateful day, after one particularly late night in the burgeoning city of Las Vegas, Darren makes a huge mistake. "I'll try my best to get us all out of here before the next bomb goes off..." Murphy often jokes to his rapt tour groups. Only this time, due to a slip-up no one could have foreseen, his best might not be enough.

Every night for the past four months, I've dreamed of being chosen for the trip to Calbora. The others have grown comfortable in the safety of the station's bunks, praying their names won't be called. Not me. Every day since we got here, I've looked up and wondered. Not anymore. No one can know the real reason it matters so much, but one way or another...I'm getting on that ship.

All throughout Moonshine Mall, shelves are empty of the year's most sought-after toy — the Sheepy McFinnigan action figure. Santa's elves are run off their feet trying to meet demand. Jolly old Saint Nick himself is even busier...so busy that a Robot Santa has to stand in at Moonshine Mall's famous grotto. Even worse, the mall's new manager, Nancy Collins, is sucking the fun out of everything. Robot Santa is the only thing keeping the kids smiling amid the Sheepy McFinnigan stock shortage, but Nancy has her own selfish reason for putting him in place.

On their golden wedding anniversary, Lorraine Green and her husband made an unbreakable pact. As the surviving partner, her life insurance payout will fund a one-way ticket to the solar system's most exclusive retirement community: Sunset Stays. Her children say she is too old. Too vulnerable. Too frail to face the many risks of space travel. But Lorraine Green is nothing of the sort. Though the real reason for the pact can never cross Lorraine's lips, she leaves no doubt that her mind is made up. The adventure of a lifetime calls...but so does a burning thirst for justice.

When Judy Fletcher's life is at its lowest ebb, she jumps at the chance to trial a truly next-gen digital assistant. Oracle promises to change everything. By harnessing live and historical data from billions of users' messages, habits and even real-world conversations, there is almost nothing the app can't do. As Judy's life immediately changes for the better, she feels empowered like never before.

For thousands of years, man has reigned supreme over nature. But deep in the African jungle, at the edge of Genusphere's controversial research facility, a challenger rises. Broken fences. Smashed cameras. Unusual tracks in the mud. The locals talk of apes behaving strangely. Sarah O’Leary, leader of the genetic research team, rubbishes their warnings - until the first bodies are found. The Genusphere compound locks down amid a media blackout, but the villagers fear it could already be too late.

Chad Mitchell is an outsider. Born on an alien-controlled colony and with human servants for parents, a good life was never in his future. But as he develops into a remarkably fast learner and unrivaled pilot, Chad finds himself valued more and more by his autocratic alien overlords. From the edge of the colony's inner circle, the true extent of the aliens' wickedness becomes apparent. Chad's human friends watch him mingle with the leadership and think he has changed - that he has sold out to the oppressors - but Chad Mitchell knows better.