Dystopian

by Rory North

by Rory North

No one knows the real identity of the hospital's Plague Saint is sixteen-year-old Winter Pierce. No one knows she's a fraud. And no one knows she's a killer. While floods and heat waves devastate the southern lands, the northern cities face blizzards and plagues. Up until two weeks ago, the Plague Saint of Devil's Pass was a real doctor. But when Winter learned he was only saving the rich and planned to let her mother die, she confronted him. And killed him. The death was an accident, but taking his place to save lives was a choice. Then, Winter's forced to kill again to save her brother. Her double life, already doomed to fail, is complicated further when her assistant insists on tracking down the murderer. Attempting to cover her tracks leaves Winter tangled in a political web. All the while, people are getting sicker, and trying to find the cure leads her to an enemy far smarter and more dangerous than she is. Powerful people want to see Winter fail. There's more to the plagues than meets the eye. Winter is rapidly running out of time, but she's determined to save her brother from death and her city from corruption. And she'll kill anyone who gets in her way. PLEASE NOTE: Only the first book in this series is available for free here on Readerful. All books in the series are or will be available in ebook and paperback format. Check out my website [rorynorth.com](http://rorynorth.com) for more details.

by Jesse penman

#1 — You Were Never Meant to Disappear opens the series with a confrontation: the reader has spent years learning to shrink, stay quiet, and erase their own edges in the name of safety. It names that erasure for what it is — not peace, but a slow kind of dying — and insists the reader was built with weight and voice, not built to fade into the background of their own life.

by Maurice Huff

When the Time Comes (WTTC) is a grounded dystopian epic exploring how control is maintained not through open tyranny but through comfort fear and gradual compliance. Following the collapse of traditional governance the United States is reorganized into 9 centralized authoritarian districts under the Continuem of America. A regime promising stability and survival in exchange for obedience surveillance and erasure of the old world. Behind the Continuem operates a technocratic cabal leveraging artificial intelligence institutional capture and predictive modeling to shape outcomes rather than rule openly.

by Maurice Huff

When the Time Comes explores how ordinary people, acting through extraordinary institutions, can gradually build a world none them intended to create. Institutions gradually stop serving their stated purpose and begin serving their own preservation. How ordinary people respond when confronted with power, uncertainty, fear, and ambition.

by Maurice Huff

When the Time Comes (WTTC) questions if modern life has robbed us of the ability to prioritize the appreciation of living. WTTC asks how do Intelligent well-intentioned people build systems whose long term consequences they cannot fully forsee?

by Maurice Huff

When the Time Comes is a grounded dystopian epic exploring how control is maintained not through open tyranny, but through comfort, fear, and gradual compliance. Following the collapse of traditional governance, the United States is reorganized into 9 centralized authoritarian districts under the Continuem of America. A regime promising stability and survival in exchange for obedience, surveillance and erasure of the old world. Behind the Continuem operates a technocratic cabal leveraging artificial intelligence, institutional capture and predictive modeling to shape outcomes rather than rule openly. The story centers on siblings Rose and Maurice, divided by ideology yet bound by blood, whose choices force them into irreversible defection and collision with resistance networks, nomads, and defectors-all making understandable but incompatible choices. Each book in the series is titled by the consecutive era's that occur within them.

by Maurice Huff

When the Time Comes is a grounded science fiction franchise that explores how civilizations rise, fall, transform and redefine themselves under extraordinary pressures. Rather than following a single hero or villain the story to follows engineers, scientist, journalist, soldiers, politicians, religious leaders and ordinary citizens whose individual choices gradually reshape the world into something any of them never intended.

by A.S Thomas

Welcome to the Dome of Dreams aka the Dollhouse In a world where reality has become a twisted form of entertainment, Gia, an orphaned girl, finds solace in the escapist allure of Doll TV. This highly popular program offers a tantalizing glimpse into the lavish lives of the beautiful inhabitants of the Dollhouse – a domed utopian city where perfection reigns supreme. Gia's obsession with the show stems from a deep longing to escape the harsh realities of her own existence. Little does she know, her fervent wish is about to be granted in the most perverse way imaginable.

by Shawna K. Whaley

Billy goes back in time to try to stop his older brother from turning evil. If he succeeds, he'll not only save his brother - he'll save the world. If he fails, the future is doomed to the fate Billy grew up in. It's a terrible future, one he'll do almost anything to avoid. Almost, because he's not willing to lose his brother in the process of trying to save the world. The only thing standing in his way is his family. They don't trust him and want him gone. He can't tell them who he really is so he's got an incredibly difficult task ahead of him.

by L.A. Peña

Kaelin was bred for control, a subject engineered with a fragile spine augmented by ruthless technology. When the Cradle burns and her world shatters, she escapes into the inhospitable wasteland of Ashkaru with a silent, feverish child whose eyes see too much. The Drifting Truth, an old patched ship, becomes her sanctuary - but the Core reclamation teams are relentless, their reach stretching into the broken edges of space. As alliances shift and secrets emerge, Kaelin must navigate a maze of trust, technology, and survival. Will she protect those she loves, or become the weapon they made her to be?

by Fergus Hume

Archie Hope is desperately trying to win the approval of the irascible Professor Braddock so he can marry the professor's ward, Lucy Kendal. To satisfy the professor's archaeological obsession, Archie procures a rare and valuable Incan mummy. When the packing crate containing the artifact finally arrives at the professor's estate, the mummy has mysteriously vanished and been replaced by the murdered body of the assistant sent to fetch it. Detective Inspector Heatherstone takes on the confounding case. With the assistant dead, Archie immediately becomes a prime suspect in the crime, throwing his engagement to Lucy into jeopardy. As the detective delves into the investigation, he discovers a bizarre cast of characters. The story becomes a thrilling cat-and-mouse game involving the cursed or uncanny reputation of the mummy, hidden motives within the household, and multiple twists before the real killer is finally exposed and justice is served.

by Shawna K. Whaley

Kathleen Smith decides it's time for a vacation. After carefully checking the weather for possible storms, she and her daughters fly to California. She was expecting fun and relaxation but Mother Nature had other plans.  Chris thought he was going to spend a weekend with his best friend hanging out playing video games and relaxing at home. He was wrong.  Join Kathy and her daughters, along with Chris and Brian, as they navigate this new world devastated by tornadoes, flooding and earthquakes. Can love blossom in this new world or will survival be their only focus? This story started as a recurring nightmare that I decided to turn into a story to help process my fears.

by S. J. Malave

Felicity Ponce grew up thinking that she was a clone just like everyone else. However, after a random genetic code test was conducted, she begins to realize that nothing is what it seems and her world changes drastically. Now tasked with keeping this secret, she must find a way to avoid getting caught by government officials, find reliable allies, and understand what it means to be a unique individual. But, hey, what else could go wrong?

by Sarah Bantu

**About the Story** What if the key to your survival was locked inside a secret, ancient bloodline?\ Spun from a fascinating true piece of Russian history and set against the brutal, breathtaking backdrop of the frozen north, *Daughter of the Falcon* blends gripping suspense with an unforgettable romance.\ For centuries, deep within the endless, snow covered forests, an elite and hidden clan of warriors lived by their own laws. They did not just survive the winter they ruled it, training lethal military falcons to hunt, fight, and protect secrets hidden from the world. Today, that fierce bloodline legacy is alive, but the isolation of the frozen north is cracking. A dangerous, unpredictable threat is closing in, forcing old secrets into the light and testing the loyalty of a clan that has never bowed to anyone.\ Filled with high stakes twists, deep betrayal, and a slow burn love story that burns hot against the bitter ice, this fiction novel proves that some family histories can never stay buried. Step into a harsh, beautiful world where danger hides in every shadow, trust is a luxury, and you never know what's going to happen next. Discover what happens when the frost bites deep, and the falcon finally takes flight.

by Jeff B White

The Brothers Grimm never told a story like this, and Mother Goose's egg would crack under the allegorical weight of this dark fairytale. *The Shards of Color Trilogy* is a battle cry of resilience for any person who's ever felt as if they are not good enough. With loving queer relationships at its core, this dark fantasy follows one man's story as it unfolds into a multi-generational epic. Classic fairytale tropes shatter in satisfying and surprising ways. In Evenhere, survival depends upon emotional intelligence, radical vulnerability, and psychological integration, in a universe where emotions are physics and color is physical force.  Blush Born is available for pre-order now ahead of its August 31st launch on Amazon! Click this link to secure your ebook today! https://a.co/d/0bq6EbyV Jethran Frye escapes a monochrome existence within Evenhere City under the Uncrowned King. After fleeing into the vibrant expanse of the Western Wilds, he meets Fable, sparking a connection that alters their lives. Years later, the FADES Crisis begins turning the Silvarii to dust. Jethran teams up with Fable's younger sister, Saga, as they journey to the seven Edges of Evenhere, seeking the Pixxels of Power. Meanwhile, Fable returns to Silvarii Hollow to defend against old enemies and face a faction of Silvarii who blame Jethran and his magic for the genocide threatening their people. The trilogy reaches its sweeping conclusion as an existential threat emerges to erase reality itself. The next generation of Evenhere steps into the story as secrets from the past come to light. Jethran and Fable face the most difficult test of their love while the boundaries of the world collapse. Saga and her future wife must answer for her past while preparing for motherhood and facing immense tragedy. As the kingdom faces erasure, the heroes combine their powers in a fusion unlike anything they have ever done before, making a monumental sacrifice to protect Evenhere.  \*death&violence

by Melanie Kallai

Beyond the walls, nothing is as they told her.  More than a century after global eruptions plunged the climate-fragile world into chaos, seventeen-year-old Barrett is destined for a Noble life in the coastal stronghold of Nuevo Leben, until Ronan, a dangerously perceptive rogue, shows her evidence that her mother is alive and captive in Old North America. Barrett's perfect future shatters. She must cross a deadly wasteland to find her, guided by the last person she should trust. As they face a forgotten world of hostile tribes, vicious predators, and unexpected allies, Barrett questions everything, including her growing feelings for Ronan and her place in this fractured world. But the further she travels from Nuevo Leben, the more she wonders whether its walls kept the world out, or kept her in.

by Maria Linn

Twelve-year-old brown bear Cara Dyson has always been drawn to Homo sapiens: dangerous creatures who roamed the planet long ago. Cara inherited this dark, unusual fascination from her father Buick, Animalia’s most renowned historian. He set out on a secret mission two years ago to gather definitive evidence that climate change was humanity’s undoing, and no one’s seen hide nor hair of him since. When Cara finds a clue to her father’s last known whereabouts, she runs away to find him.  But the sheltered young bear isn’t prepared for life outside the gates of her highly regulated, vegetarian society. In the wilds, animals react to Cara in baffling ways: fish flee, rabbits rebuff, hyenas tease. When a starving snake tries to steal her provisions, Cara realizes food—something she never had to think twice about back home—is scarce. Standing between Cara and the truth about her father is a herd of zealots led by Dunkin, a cruel predator who’s trying to bring back a more natural, animalistic way of life. If Cara can’t stop him and expose the shocking secret her father uncovered about humanity’s extinction and the rise of the animals, history will repeat itself. Before Cara can stand up to Dunkin, though, she must conquer an even more vicious enemy: the nasty voice inside, whispering that her famous, brilliant father abandoned her because she wasn’t worthy of his love.

by Jeff B White

Everyone stares at Jethran Frye, but no one truly sees him. Born with a pink blush on his cheeks, eyes, hands, and hair, he's labeled a Flaw. When his body erupts with new colors that stain the world, he becomes a fugitive accused of Malicious Vibrancy and Public Emoting. Crimes worthy of death. In the wilderness, Jethran discovers that lullabies are an ancient magic and varii tales carry historical truth. He meets Fable, a silver-skinned Silvarii carrying Wing FADES, a malady contracted through magical intimacy. Jethran names Fable his Chosen Water, a bond closer than blood. Together, they create Spectrasy, an ultimate power of totality channeled through emotional intelligence and radical vulnerability. Jethran must learn to navigate his new emotions and channel his new power, as he restores the world with color and fights to free his kingdom through song. *Blush Born* is a direct translation of the memoir *Shards of Hope*, told through a fairy tale lens. This story presents a strange world where emotions become physics and color is a tangible force. Queer defiance is baked into this epic entry point to the *Shards of Color Trilogy.* *All three books are available now on Readerful and Blush Born will be available on Amazon August 31st.* *Visit www.[jeffbwhite.com](http://jeffbwhite.com) to learn more.*

by Johnny Tabales

In a city where immortality is a subscription and police officers are heavily augmented weapons, Silas Vane is a terrifying anomaly: a Baseline. He suffers from Type-4 Host-Graft Rejection Syndrome, a rare biological condition that causes his immune system to violently attack any cybernetic implants. In a precinct of chrome-plated gods, Silas is rotting, un-augmented meat. When his failing, analog body causes a high-stakes raid on a Chrome Jackal chop shop to go sideways, Silas is handed a brutal ultimatum by his superiors: undergo a mandatory Class 3 Ocular and Neural Suite upgrade, or turn in his badge. Refusal means immediate involuntary termination and exile to the toxic, decaying slums of The Sump. A death sentence for both Silas and the woman he loves, Elara. Desperate to keep his job and protect his fragile life, Silas turns to the only surgeon he trusts, an underground doctor named Aris Thorne. Silas agrees to go under the knife, gambling that his stubborn biology can be forced to accept the cold steel of progress. But the city of Obsidian Heights doesn't accept payment in good intentions. As Silas lies strapped to the surgical chair, he is about to discover exactly what it costs to buy a future in a world that wants him erased. *Lazarus Zero* is the gritty, neon-soaked novelette prequel to the biopunk noir thriller *The Lazarus Defect*. It explores the tragic origin of the city's most broken, dangerous detective, and the day Silas Vane died and decided to keep living anyway.

by Anthony Egerton

The end of civilization few surviving humans. In the aftermath a power emerges promising to bring humanity back and rebuild civilization from the rubble. A new start a better way could this be heaven on earth. A reflection back to us in this present from a very near future crying out for mankind to inspect the governments that they continue to place over themselves for the past 4 thousand years all ending in disaster only to be repeated in hopes of a better result with nothing changing. That people is the clinical definition of insane.

by Judah Ray

In 1955, a secret experiment at the Large Hadron Collider tore open a doorway to another realm.\ \ Extradimensional beings came through, possessed the top scientists and military officials in the room, and kept the portal open.\ \ One of the first crossed over and took a human infant as its host. That infant was Christina.\ \ The only issue is that Christina forgot what she was,  and the others could not enter or control her, but she could see them. So they declared her unstable and institutionalized her.\ \ Years later, world leaders, billionaires, media figures, and political dynasties are all possessed. The New World Order is not a conspiracy theory. It is literal possession.\ \ A decade later, Christina escapes and resurfaces in Berlin. The forces that have tracked her since childhood want her reclaimed or eliminated.\ \ With the help of Jory, who has been able to see the entities inside people since surviving a near-death experience as a child, Christina uncovers a power structure that has ruled humanity from within for generations.\ \ When she learns she is one of them, she must choose between her own kind or the man she loves and the humanity she chose to protect.\ \ They have ruled the world from inside us.\ Now one of their own stands against them.

by Christina Farley

***What was buried is awakening…*** Do not question the Paladins.\ Do not cross into the Wilds.\ Do not seek the Magic. Tara has spent her life following those rules. On an island where obedience is survival, she’s learned to swallow her doubts, hide her powers, and pretend Eden is the paradise everyone claims it to be. But a secret always has a pulse. And Eden’s secrets are starting to beat louder. When Tara is chosen to train as one of the isle’s revered Paladins, she believes she can make a difference. But the moment she steps inside the Paladin stronghold, her whole world turns upside-down. Tor, the man she confessed her love to, is haunted by secrets he refuses to share. Rune, another trainee, starts to awaken feelings in her that are both thrilling and terrifying. And there are whispers of rebellion and forbidden passageways that lead to dangerous secrets. So when Tara discovers something she wasn’t meant to find, it shatters the foundation of everything she believes. Now she’s trapped between loyalty and truth, two men with different agendas, and an island she swore to protect. Darkness is rising. Magic is awakening. But her people are dying. Tara must become the Paladin she was destined to be or lose everything she loves.