Collection: Science Fiction

A BLOOD-PUMPING JOB
Strep throat! Hay fever! Influenza! The world is a dangerous place for a red blood cell just trying to get her deliveries finished. Fortunately, she's not alone... she's got a whole human body's worth of cells ready to help out! The mysterious white blood cell, the buff and brash killer T cell, the nerdy neuron, even the cute little platelets -- everyone's got to come together if they want to keep you healthy!

Now celebrating the 42nd anniversary of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, soon to be a Hulu original series!

"Hitchhiker fans rejoice! . . . [Here's] more of the same zany nonsensical mayhem."--The New York Times Book Review

It's easy to get disheartened when your planet has been blown up and the woman you love has vanished due to a misunderstanding about space/time. However, instead of being disheartened, Arthur Dent makes the terrible mistake of starting to enjoy life a bit--and immediately all hell breaks loose.

Hell takes a number of forms: there's the standard Ford Prefect version, in the shape of an all-new edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and a totally unexpected manifestation in the form of a teenage girl who startles Arthur Dent by being his daughter when he didn't even know he had one.

Can Arthur save the Earth from total multidimensional obliteration? Can he save the Guide from a hostile alien takeover? Can he save his daughter, Random, from herself? Of course not. He never works out exactly what is going on. Will you?

"Douglas Adams is a terrific satirist. . . . He is anything but harmless."--The Washington Post Book World

A Hugo and Nebula Award nominee, The Urth of the New Sun is the long awaited sequel to science fiction Grand Master Gene Wolfe's four-volume classic, The Book of the New Sun.

We return to the world of Severian, now the Autarch of Urth, as he leaves the planet on one of the huge spaceships of the alien Hierodules to travel across time and space to face his greatest test, to become the legendary New Sun or die.

The strange, rich, original spaceship scenes give way to travels in time, wherein Severian revisits times and places which fill in parts of the background of the four-volume work, that will thrill and intrigue particularly all readers of the earlier books. But The Urth of the New Sun is an independent structure all of a piece, an integral masterpiece to shelve beside the classics, one itself.

"...one of the most unique and subversive artifacts of pop culture in recent memory." - Salon.com

"Seldom do comics burst onto the scene and shatter our worldview by being entirely poignant, raw, and captivating - but then, most comics aren't Bitch Panet." - Entertainment Weekly

Eisner Award-nominated writer Kelly Sue DeConnick (Pretty Deadly, Captain Marvel) and Valentine De Landro (X-Factor) team up to bring you the premiere volume of Bitch Planet, a deliciously vicious riff on women-in-prison sci-fi exploitation.

In a future just a few years down the road in the wrong direction, a woman's failure to comply with her patriarchal overlords will result in exile to the meanest penal planet in the galaxy. When the newest crop of fresh femmes arrive, can they work together to stay alive or will hidden agendas, crooked guards, and the deadliest sport on (or off!) Earth take them to their maker?

Nominated for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Series. "Wells...merrily ignores genre conventions as she spins an exciting adventure around an alien hero who anyone can identify with."--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Moon has spent his life hiding what he is -- a shape-shifter able to transform himself into a winged creature of flight.

An orphan with only vague memories of his own kind, Moon tries to fit in among the tribes of his river valley, with mixed success. Just as Moon is once again cast out by his adopted tribe, he discovers a shape-shifter like himself . . . someone who seems to know exactly what he is, who promises that Moon will be welcomed into his community. What this stranger doesn't tell Moon is that his presence will tip the balance of power . . . that his extraordinary lineage is crucial to the colony's survival . . . and that his people face extinction at the hands of the dreaded Fell! Now Moon must overcome a lifetime of conditioning in order to save himself . . . and his newfound kin.

Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.

From Lovecraft to Borges to Gaiman, a century of intrepid literary experimentation has created a corpus of dark and strange stories that transcend all known genre boundaries. Together these stories form The Weird, and its practitioners include some of the greatest names in twentieth and twenty-first century literature.

Exotic and esoteric, The Weird plunges you into dark domains and brings you face to face with surreal monstrosities. You won't find any elves or wizards here...but you will find the biggest, boldest, and downright most peculiar stories from the last hundred years bound together in the biggest Weird collection ever assembled.
The Weird features 110 stories by an all-star cast, from literary legends to international bestsellers to Booker Prize winners: including William Gibson, George R. R. Martin, Stephen King, Angela Carter, Kelly Link, Franz Kafka, China Miéville, Clive Barker, Haruki Murakami, M. R. James, Neil Gaiman, Mervyn Peake, and Michael Chabon.

The Weird is the winner of the 2012 World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Set before the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, this new novel is a thrilling follow-up to Star Wars: Darth Plagueis.

It's kill or be killed in the space penitentiary that houses the galaxy's worst criminals, where convicts face off in gladiatorial combat while an underworld gambling empire reaps the profits of the illicit blood sport. But the newest contender in this savage arena, as demonic to behold as he is deadly to challenge, is fighting for more than just survival. His do-or-die mission, for the dark masters he serves, is to capture the ultimate weapon: an object that will enable the Sith to conquer the galaxy.

Sith lords Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious are determined to possess the prize. And one of the power-hungry duo has his own treacherous plans for it. But first, their fearsome apprentice must take on a bloodthirsty prison warden, a cannibal gang, cutthroat crime lord Jabba the Hutt, and an unspeakable alien horror. No one else could brave such a gauntlet of death and live. But no one else is the dreaded dark-side disciple known as Darth Maul.

Praise for Lockdown

"Schreiber . . . was a great choice for this novel, imbuing the story with a dark, foreboding tone while never quite stepping into the horror territories that Death Troopers and Red Harvest took us."--Jedi News

"Fans of the dark side should rejoice. Lockdown delivers a can't-put-this-down tale of scum and villainy."--Club Jade

"[Lockdown is] an action-packed ride that spins one entertaining chapter after another. The multiple layers of story keeps readers guessing what will happen next and just who will live and who will die. . . . It certainly adds to the character of Darth Maul while matching [Darth] Plagueis's complexity with sheer fun. . . . Five out of five metal bikinis."--Roqoo Depot

"Somehow, Schreiber is able to skate the line between hard-hitting prison story and the adventure and excitement I love from Star Wars in a way that doesn't betray either genre. It's really quite masterful."--Big Shiny Robot

"Lockdown is an exciting, engaging read. . . . It actually lines up beautifully for a sequel, which I, for one, would love to read."--Coffee with Kenobi

"The novel makes The Clone Wars better. It also illuminates The Phantom Menace. I think it's the hallmark of the best tie-in fiction to resonate throughout other parts of the expanded universe in that way."--Knights' Archive

"By the fiftieth page, I was hooked. . . . Lockdown is a wonderful 'antihero' novel, where it's just fine to root for the villain, because there are even worse things out there. This book was so fun and entertaining. I'll have to keep an eye out for more Star Wars books from Schreiber."--Seattle Geekly

It's just an everyday apocalypse.

Four years ago the aliens invaded Tokyo. Nothing was ever the same again. But after a while, even impending doom starts to feel ordinary.

The end of the world really sucks--rogue AI, foreign occupation, constant firefights between freedom fighters and terrorists, sudden death raining from above. How do you even begin to start over in the middle of all that? Maybe you can't. Maybe you just have to reset. This is the end!

The final follow-up volume of the Eisner-nominated, bittersweet sci-fi romance manga series that became a New York Times bestseller and inspired an anime!

When Naho received a letter from her future self, it told her she needed to save the life of a boy in her class, Kakeru. At first Naho had to shoulder this burden alone, until her friends stepped in with their own revelations! Beyond the journey of Naho and Kakeru, what happens next for Naho's friends, now that they're living in this brand-new timeline?

The final volume!

Lemon Peabody is certain that aliens visited Grandpa Walt thirty years ago, but she's running out of time to prove it before he forgets his best story. This humorous and tenderhearted story about family, friendship, and always believing in yourself is for fans of Greg van Eekhout, Stuart Gibbs, and Hour of the Bees.

Lemon Peabody loves spending time with Grandpa Walt. Even though he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and moved to an assisted living facility, he's still the same funny, loving grandpa he's always been. One of Grandpa's claims to fame is his story about meeting an alien years ago--and that it looked like a garden gnome. Ever since, it's been something of a town-wide joke, and the cause of a rift between Grandpa and Lemon's dad. Lemon is determined to find those extraterrestrial gnomes and vindicate Grandpa Walt--while Grandpa can still remember it.

Late one night, after seeing the flash of a spaceship during a storm, Lemon enlists the help of two friends to find out what might have crashed in the woods. But then the aliens find her, and nothing goes the way she expected. Lemon is sure she can convince the aliens to fix Grandpa Walt's memory and bring back the grandpa she misses so much for good. But the aliens are dealing with problems of their own. With a little creativity and compassion, maybe they can all help one another.

Casey Lyall's lively, voice-driven novel bursts with heart and humor. With family and friendship--and aliens!--at its core, Gnome Is Where Your Heart Is will captivate readers of Rebecca Stead's and Wendy Mass's Bob, Greg van Eekhout's Weird Kid, and Adam Rex's The True Meaning of Smekday.

The highly anticipated second book in the New York Times bestselling Matched trilogy!

Perfect for fans of 1984, Brave New World, Black Mirror, and The Handmaid's Tale.

Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky--taken by Society to his certain death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life . . . and the enthralling promise of rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices everything to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game. On the edge of Society, nothing is as expected, and crosses and double crosses make Cassia's path more twisted than ever.

Look for the epic series finale, REACHED!

Create authentic-looking maps of fantasy cities, hamlets, fortifications and more in a popular tabletop, RPG style.

- 30+ step-by-step demonstrations show you how to create your own unique RPG maps
- Learn how to draw fantasy cities, medieval settlements and more from a professional gaming illustrator
- Tips and techniques for drawing fences, stone walls, forests, fields, bridges, footpaths, mountains, harbors, shields, coats of arms and other cartography elements
Put your design and drawing skills on the map!

The thrilling fourth installment in Cleopatra's adventures in space. Now an animated TV series streaming on Hulu and Peacock!

Cleo is back at Yasiro Academy, recovering from the tragic events that occurred on planet Hykosis. She feels responsible for the death of her friend Zaid, and trains nonstop. And when she learns that the Golden Lion -- a star with immeasurable energy that could destroy them all if weaponized -- has been located, she goes alone to the snowy, icy planet Cada'duun to find it. There, she faces off with a new enemy who has been instructed to destroy the Golden Lion... and her.

An action-packed sci-fi story for fans of Hilda and Amulet.

"The incandescent artwork equally embraces both verdant homespun and cool, clean technological aesthetics to give us a new magical girl for readers to follow...A plucky heroine, a cute sidekick, and a well-crafted story that will delight readers."
--School Library Journal

"Soh's radiant illustrations stand out with a combination of compellingly cute character designs and nifty mechanical touches, channeling Steven Universe vibes."
--Publishers Weekly

"Sarah Soh's stunning story follows guardian warriors, genius inventors, and cute critters in a moving tale about friendship."
--Aminder Dhaliwal, author of Woman World

"You are immediately hooked into Juniper's story and lose yourself in the exquisitely rendered landscapes, and delightfully charming characters."
--Chris Garbutt, co-creator of Netflix's We Lost Our Humans

"Juniper Mae strikes the perfect balance of adventure, relatability, and charm."
--Megan Nicole Dong, creator of Netflix's Centaurworld

"Heartwarming, action-packed and full of magical images."
--Mark Griffiths, author of Space Lizards Stole My Brain!

"A beautiful book, crammed with breath-taking drawings and exciting adventures. Your jaw hits the floor in astonishment from the opening page."
--Gary Northfield, author of the Julius Zebra series

Tykotech City is a marvelous and peaceful place, filled with technology beyond anyone's wildest dreams. But as power cuts begin to plague the residents, and a sinister force infiltrates the city, the lives of the cityfolk are in terrible danger...​
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It falls to Juniper Mae, a tiny, brave inventor, obsessed with the legends of the Guardian Knights, to overcome her fears and save her city. Can she embody the bravery of the Guardian Knights and invent some cool gadgets to save Tykotech City in time?​

A new horror/comedy about adorable threats in a post-apocalyptic world!

A virus spreads across the world, transforming all humankind into wild, slavering, furry beasts: cats, to be precise. Those few survivors who remain human take refuge in the dark corners of the earth as they fight back against the feline horde. Kunagi, a man with no memory of his past yet a deep knowledge of cats, struggles to hold on with only his wits and a will to survive. Yet the virus transmits merely through cuddles, and Kunagi finds kitties so hard to resist! Is his willpower strong enough to withstand this hair-raising cat-tastrophe?

A playful wordless story about the power of imagination and creativity in play

A child zips up their orange suit, pulls on a pair of boots, and adjusts their hat. They're ready for an adventure. But where are they going? With the push of an elevator button, their adventure begins, and they're transformed ... into an astronaut!

The child takes one small step into a barren landscape. Then one giant leap. Soon, they're hopping around a strange new planet and scaling space mountains. But they've got an important mission--finding their lost spaceship! In their search, the astronaut discovers colorful space creatures of all shapes and sizes. Suddenly, a blizzard hits, and the astronaut races through the storm right into ... the school hallway! The little astronaut was a child on their way to school, and the space odyssey was all part of their imagination.

This inventive and satisfying new wordless picture book from acclaimed author and illustrator Thao Lam celebrates a child's talent for making the mundane magical. Thao's signature storytelling style is dynamic, engaging, and rewards close observation. Keen-eyed readers will spot clues in the illustrations that reveal what's really going on and feel inspired to creatively reframe tiresome tasks.