Phoenix Pick: 180 books

 “Truly a love story of the ages.”—The Orlando Sentinel“Will keep you on the edge of your seat.”—David Brin“One of the most imaginative, exciting talents to appear on the SF scene.”—Publishers Weekly“Ambitious, elegiac, and ultimately satisfying.”—San Francisco...

Jay Hara is an ordinary young man growing up on the isolated planet of Erin. But Jay dreams of adventure and escapades and the legend of the lost “Godspeed” drive which allowed humans to travel at faster-than-light speeds. His life changes when he joins up with the seedy spacer, Paddy Enderton...

Jefferson Kopal, the privileged son of a wealthy family, knows he is a coward and a failure. He dreads appearing for and then barely passes the Space Navy test to qualify for service as an officer—something that has been an integral part of his family’s tradition.He is assigned to the remote...

Shelby Cheever is a spoiled brat. He is also the richest kid in the country. Actually, make that the universe. Bored with his all-the-amusements-money-can-buy life, he decides on a bit of interstellar action, Shelby-style. But it turns out life on a starship is not all fun and games. As part of a...

Scheming to get rid of obstacles, Josh Kerrigan’s step-aunt ships him and her autistic step-daughter to Solferino to work for Foodlines. Josh and Dawn join a small training group that is ostensibly doing scientific research and exploration under the watchful eye of the company.But as the...

"One of the most imaginative, exciting talents to appear on the sf scene in recent years."—Publisher's Weekly Charles A. Sheffield was an English-born mathematician, physicist and science fiction author, whose words are collected here in one of his most iconic short story collections...

Leisha Camden is a genetically engineered “Sleepless.” Her ability to stay awake all the time has not only made her more productive, but the genetic modifications have also given the “Sleepless” a higher IQ and may even make them immortal. Are they the future of humanity? Or...

“One of the best of the year...a compelling novella about a once-famous actress and her devoted manager who get much more publicity of an unfortunate sort when they inadvertently become embroiled with an act of biological terrorism with potentially world-changing results.” — Gardner Dozois, Locus *Nominee for Best Novella for both Hugo and Nebula awards*

Two stories about artificial intelligence from one of the most respected names in hard science fiction. Multiple Hugo and Nebula winner Nancy Kress gives us a fascinating look into the evolution of artificial intelligence and the impact it has on human society.

Set in the near future, Nancy Kress’s story gives us a world increasingly hostile to new ideas as religious fundamentalism dictates social agenda and where the primary use of science is to bolster these very same uncompromising attitudes.This is a world we can imagine very easily since the...

FBI Special Agent Robert Cavanaugh has been consigned to a backwater office in Southern Maryland where he can stay out of trouble. Yet trouble follows him as a special strain of malaria is discovered in Maryland that selectively kills African Americans with the sickle-cell trait. Melanie Anderson...

Judy Kozinski needs answers. Her husband, a prominent genetic scientist, has been found murdered and no one can find a motive.In Las Vegas, a showgirl sends a cryptic message to FBI agent Robert Cavanaugh from a murdered friend.How are the two related and what does it have to with the...

Mr. Charlie is a brain without a body, revived after being frozen for a thousand years. Charlie Outis has no idea of what the world might be like in the far future after he decides to have his brain frozen with the slim hope of it being revived one day. But even a thousand years from...

Welcome to the Well World: a construct of an ancient defunct race known as the Markovians. The Well World acts both as the controller of and the gateway to 1560 worlds created by the Markovians at the end of their time.Gilgam Zinder finally discovers the secret to the Markovian Well World but...