Cirrus@Austlit

'Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Whimsy and swashbuckling adventure combine in this vast bounty of pirate stories. Jump aboard the Wicked Lass, the Anchovy, or the Red Rose as they ply the seven seas and seven dimensions in search of plunder. Come treasure hunting in vast spaceship graveyards, or stowaway on an airship bound for exotic fantasy realms. Space whales are calling, as are the bears of the frozen tundra, and there is excitement and loot to be had. But beware, the pirates of the empyrean seek to pillage your hearts and fill your minds with visions of gold.' (Publication summary)

'Human hubris has finally spelled the end of civilisation in these dark, dystopian tales. In the wake of nuclear holocausts, climate crises, and zombie virus outbreaks, the scattered survivors cling to life, fighting over the meagre remnants of a shattered world. Against all odds they forge friendships to take on wild beasts, crazed cults, and the mysterious shadows stalking the horizon. As mankind’s downfall unfolds, human nature is revealed in AND MAN GREW PROUD, a collection of eight novelettes by a team of international instigators, showing what the world could become if the worst were to happen.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Power up your portal gun and set the dials for the golden age of science fiction as we step back in time and space to where the genre really took flight. Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Vonnegut, Dick, Herbert, and Bradbury: these are some of the names which inspired a generation, creating visions of space travel, alien civilisations, advanced technology, and future worlds which still resonate with us today. Their visionary legacy lives on in RAYGUN RETRO, a collection of stories by some of the best up and coming authors in the genre, expanding upon the styles and themes which laid the foundation of science fiction as we know it.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'INFINITY AND I is a collection of seventy brand new science fiction stories from Sam M. Phillips, the co-founder of Zombie Pirate Publishing. Inside you'll find surreal space journeys, bizarre aliens, futuristic technology, rogue AIs, and a girl who just wants to be loved. Follow a huge array of exotic characters across the galaxy as they use inter-dimensional drugs and fight battles on faraway worlds. Action, drama, and science combine with the complexity of the human soul in the year's most exciting new sci fi release.

'Open up a portal and step into the depths of a unique mind with INFINITY AND I: Seventy Science Fiction Stories!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A daring pirate raid on a merchant ship ends in disaster. A dominatrix loses her dog. Officers count the terrible cost of human life in the wake of battle. A casting director comes face to face with his childhood bully. And why has a death sentence been issued for everyone named John Smith?

'These are but a few of the thrilling tales inside. We've gathered authors from around the world into this compendium of fast fiction fixes. Each of these one hundred and one super short stories can be read in only a few minutes, just enough time as you wait for your high speed transport to arrive and whisk you away to your next adrenaline packed adventure.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Zombie Pirate Publishing was founded in February 2017 with a simple dream: to print great quality books filled with fantastic stories from authors all around the world. Ten releases later, we’ve published more than three hundred amazing stories.

'In this special collection we’ve gathered some of our favourites.

'We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did.

'Inside you'll find twenty short stories taken from our first nine anthologies.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A shadowy silhouette stands beyond a lone street light, the brim of a hat pulled low. Their glowing cigarette tip flashes off dark, intense eyes. In the distance, sirens wail, but they’re already too late. Blood pools around a body, and smoke coils up from the barrel of the murder weapon.

'But who pulled the trigger?

'Einstein said: “I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”

'Turns out he was wrong...WORLD WAR FOUR: A Science Fiction Anthology features twenty explosive short stories from authors all around the galaxy including a brand new exclusive novelette from internationally acclaimed scifi author Neal Asher.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A shiver creeps down your spine and in an instant your blood runs cold. You can feel eyes on your back as, all of a sudden, you realise...

'IT’S BACK!

'The beast is upon you once more. FULL METAL HORROR has returned, and this time its gleaming metal fangs are dripping guts and gore. This bloodsplattered book is packed with twenty three short stories from authors all around the world. Inside, vicious vampires, murderous haunted houses, deadly demons, and stone cold killers destined to shock, horrify, and even sicken you.

'Beware the bloodstained beast: it bites.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'There’s something right behind you… You can feel its rancid breath on your neck, smell the blood dripping from its wicked fangs, sense its anticipation as you walk further from the house, confidently telling yourself you have no reason to fear the dark, that there is nothing there. You fight the urge to turn, fight the impulse to run, fight to keep your pace steady, but you are losing the battle. The monster is right behind you, and nothing you do can save you now.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Are you ready for a wild ride around the world without ever leaving your home? Here is your ticket to all the fun and adventure you can handle, and more besides. Exotic locations and thrilling action combine in PHUKET TATTOO: Crazy Tales of Far Away Places. People smugglers in Vietnam, sinister plastic surgery resorts, drinking in Serbia with Uncle Vlado, and many more stories of travel, mayhem, and broken bedframes.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The ground rumbles ominously, the earth surging and shifting to the iron will of the powers of old. Lightning sparks the air with forked tongue, darting between two venerable channelers, ragged yet regal, each wrestling wicked tempests to do their bidding. Their magicks are diametrically opposed, their powers equally limitless, their intentions shrouded in mystery; theirs is a battle for the ages. This surely means death for any mere mortal looking on. This is the beginning of the end. This is WITCHES VS WIZARDS. Packed with magical tales of pure unadulterated fantasy, this collection of short stories features eighteen authors from all around the world.'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'Twenty short stories from authors around the galaxy. A brutal dictator takes control of a broken and dying Earth. The last humans alive flee their dying galaxy travelling faster than the speed of light; their journey will last a thousand years. Humanity’s newest super drug is being created in the most unscrupulous way imaginable. Rich neonobles take their hunting game deep into the slums in search of a more interesting prey: the poor.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Relationships are at the very core of who we are as human beings. They can pull us together, or tear us apart. Love lifts us up, and just as quickly drives us to madness, despair, and even into the murky depths of the criminal underworld. RELATIONSHIP AND VICE is a thrilling blend of Crime and Romance, featuring more than twenty authors from around the world, twisted tales of life, lust, and lawlessness.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.