[Free eBook] Qualify by Vera Nazarian [YA Science Fiction]

Qualify by Vera Nazarian, a Nebula Award-nominated author and publisher of the Norilana Books small press imprint, is the 1st novel in the The Atlantis Grail trilogy of dystopian YA science fiction adventure, free for a limited time courtesy of the author herself via StoryBundle.

This is offered to promote StoryBundle’s The Sci-Fi SFWA Space Bundle, curated by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. (Humble Bundle also has an otherwise unrelated, but excellent and highly recommended ebook bundle, The Super Nebula Author Showcase 2018 presented by the SFWA containing backlist and newly-collected works reprinted by Open Road Media, Small Beer Press, Tachyon Publications, and more, featuring major authors and award-winners including Ursula K. Le Guin, Harlan Ellison, Jane Yolen, Octavia E. Butler, Tim Powers, Fritz Leiber, and many others for just $20 for 40 titles (fewer if you buy from outside the US, since some are unfortunately geo-restricted due to competing publisher rights).)

The series takes place in the near future of the 2040s, with an asteroid expected to hit Earth soon and the descendants of ancient Atlantis returned from space to help evacuate a small proportion of humanity, with a catch. This installment sets up the premise of the storyline, which is a Hunger Games-like sports competition for teens to qualify to escape the doomed planet and incidentally grant their other wishes before they leave, which one girl is hoping to win in order to cure her mother’s cancer, but for the fact that she’s an unathletic klutz.

Offered through May 31st at midnight Eastern Time, available DRM-free worldwide directly from StoryBundle.

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[Free eBook] The Futureworld Omnibus by Christopher Hodder-Williams [1970s Science Fiction Technothrillers]

The Futureworld Omnibus by the late British author Christopher Hodder-Williams is an omnibus of three vintage science fiction technothriller novels, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press’ Venture imprint.

This collected edition contains the standalone novels The Thinktank That Leaked, The Chromosome Game, and Coward’s Paradise, two of which were 70s-era early precursors to the modern style of blockbuster technothriller, originally published in 1974, 1979, and 1984 by United Writers Publications & Mithras Publishing.

The separate stories mainly involve then-contemporary characters uncovering disturbing and humanity-altering experiments, from persons undergoing treatment at institutes finding out what’s really being done to their fellow patients, to scientists discovering their colleagues’ less-than-ethical manipulation of human thought and emotional patterns. One novel is set on a future dystopian Earth where a team must locate the remains of a long-ago genetic engineering experiment that may revitalize the human race.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] Blossom by Raya Jones [Science Fiction Technothriller]

Blossom by Welsh author Raya Jones, a Reader in Social Studies at the University of Cardiff who is also currently doing scholarly research into studying social robotics in the context of psychology, according to her bio-blurb, is the 2nd novel in the Rinzler series of science fiction mystery/crime technothrillers, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press’ Venture Press imprint.

The series is set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian future dominated by technology, where humanity sometimes comes into conflict with artificial intelligence in the form of androids, starring a freelance PI investigating crimes and conspiracies.

This story follows a journalist who becomes cut off from her technologically advanced world, where one’s identity and access to resources are controlled by a digital fingerprint, when hers becomes corrupted, leading to a virtual “death” which may be a symptom of deeper trouble within the Artificial Intelligence network suspected by the PI.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] In the Valley, Where Belladonna Grows by Tim Lebbon [Psychological Horror Fantasy]

In the Valley, Where Belladonna Grows by Welsh author Tim Lebbon, a recipient of multiple British Fantasy Awards, is his standalone horror-ish novella with sfnal elements, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press’ Venture imprint.

This was originally published in 2005 by Cemetary Dance, as part of the Fourbodings anthology edited by Peter Crowther, and this edition contains a bonus short story, The Rain God.

The story is a Twilight Zone-esque blend of psychological horror and dystopian sci-fantasy, exploring an isolated woman’s chilling mental vision of the dangers outside which threaten to encroach upon her idyllic rural existence.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] Thaw by Stephen Bowkett [Young Adult Sci-Fantasy Adventure]

Thaw by Welsh author Stephen Bowkett is the 3rd novel in his The Wintering trilogy of YA science fiction with fantasy adventure elements, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press’ Venture imprint.

This was originally published in 2002 by Orion Children’s Books’s Dolphin imprint. The trilogy is set in a future world frozen over by an ice age, where the remaining humans live in a protected enclave which is watched over by an all-encompassing AI whose guardianship has dominated them for millenia.

This story brings the escaped human hero home after life-changing adventures in the frozen outside world bonding with intelligent mutant wolves and discovering astonishing powers, completing the obligatory coming of age tale by coming full circle to confront the stifling AI and presumably liberate his original people.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] Storm by Stephen Bowkett [Young Adult Sci-Fantasy Adventure]

Storm by Welsh author Stephen Bowkett is the 2nd novel in his The Wintering trilogy of YA science fiction, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press’ Venture imprint.

This was originally published in 2002 by Orion Children’s Books’s Dolphin imprint. The trilogy is set in a future world frozen over by an ice age, where the remaining humans live in a protected enclave which is watched over by an all-encompassing AI whose guardianship has dominated them for millenia.

This installment apparently adds fantasy elements to the science fiction premise, as one rebellious teen escapes the enclave into the frozen world outside and bonds with the intelligent descendants of mutant wolves, embarking on a quest to help them confront a mortal enemy who slaughters their kind.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] The Chromosome Game by Christopher Hodder-Williams [Science Fiction Dystopian Technothriller]

The Chromosome Game by the late British author Christopher Hodder-Williams is his science fiction technothriller, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press’ Venture imprint.

This was originally published in 1984 by Mithras Publishing Limited and was his final novel printed before retiring due to illness (he completed another shortly before he died, which currently remains unpublished).

The story takes place in a future dystopian Earth, where it appears the remains of humanity exist in an alternate dimension outside a barren wasteland, and a group of adventurous persons is tasked to investigate and locate the remains of a long-ago genetic engineering experiment that may revitalize the human race.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] Fairweather by Raya Jones [Science Fiction Technothriller]

Fairweather by Welsh author Raya Jones, a Reader in Social Studies at the University of Cardiff, is her standalone debut science fiction novel, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press’ Venture imprint.

The story is set in a post-apocalyptic future world dominated by corporations which function as tribes, featuring an information retrieval specalist tasked with looking into an old mystery associated with one such corporation, and of course uncovering the obligatory disturbing revelations about past secrets and such.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free eBook] Ice by Stephen Bowkett [Young Adult Science Fiction]

Ice by Welsh author Stephen Bowkett is the 1st novel in his The Wintering trilogy of YA science fiction, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press’ Venture imprint.

This was originally published in 2001 by Orion Children’s Books as part of their Dolphin imprint. The trilogy is set in a future world frozen over by an ice age, where the remaining humans live in a protected enclave which is watched over by an all-encompassing AI whose guardianship has dominated them for millenia.

This installment begins the obligatory questioning of the benevolence of said AI, by characters beginning to have doubts about the doctrine and whispering of fomenting rebellion while speculating about the real world outside.

Offered worldwide, available at Amazon.

[Free Audiobooks] 2 free titles from AudioSYNC Summer of Reading [Young Adult, Dystopian Sci-Fi, Survival Thriller]

AudioFile’s SYNC Summer of Listening 2017 promotion for young adults continues, which offers 2 free audiobooks per week—1 classic or non-fiction, 1 modern—as free MP3 downloads, usually available worldwide (some titles are subject to geo-restrictions, and you can see the planned release schedule here).

This week’s two selected titles, which have a theme of orphaned and abandoned children in dystopias, available until 7am Eastern Time on July 27th, are as follows:

• Gone by Michael Grant, is the 1st novel in his Gone series of his sfnal dystopian teen survival thriller series, where all the adults have suddenly vanished for unknown reasons, leaving behind teens who are developing strange powers and must rise to the challenge of forming new societies while cut off from working technological infrastructure; from Tantor Media, read by Kyle McCarley
• The One Safe Place by Tania Unsworth, is her standalone sfnal dystopian future thriller starring an orphan who travels from his late grandfather’s farm to the city where a benevolent organization is supposed to take care of abandoned children, only to find its true agenda far more dangerously sinister than it appears; from HighBridge Audio, read by Mark Turetsky

Offered as DRM-free MP3s through 7am Eastern Time on July 27th, available in selected countries worldwide (requires installing Overdrive Media console software on your PC, Mac, Android, or iDevice, and you need to finish downloading before the time limit).