Books like Lockstep by Karl Schroeder

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune follows Paul Atreides as he rises from betrayed heir to the enigmatic Muad'Dib, guarding the precious spice melange that fuels galactic politics and extends life.

William Gibson’s debut Sprawl novel, *Neuromancer*, blends cyberpunk with a visionary digital future, following a hacker’s final job against a powerful AI. It earned Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick awards.

Red Mars chronicles the early days of humanity’s colonization and political upheaval on Mars, blending environmental engineering, terraforming and nation‑building in a hard‑science vision.

Reamde follows a high‑stakes hostage crisis intertwined with online gaming, money laundering, and global crime, as a diverse cast mobilizes to rescue a captive caught between Russian Mafia, Islamic terrorists, and virtual intrigue.

In 2380, astronomer Dudley Bose reports the disappearance of a distant star, prompting the Intersolar Commonwealth to send the starship Second Chance on a perilous mission that uncovers a hidden threat to the entire federation.

Explore a future where a billionaire’s quest for immortality unleashes a reality‑bending, virtual world, challenging what it means to be human.

Captain Vorpatril's Alliance in the Vorkosigan Saga series by Lois McMaster Bujold.

When the extradimensional Flow that powers interstellar travel moves, the vast Interdependency empire risks collapse. A scientist, a starship captain, and the emperox must race to save humanity.

A story of power, science, and suspense in a Colorado mansion.

The Dark Between the Stars is a grand-scale space opera where humanity must overcome internal divides and reignite an alliance with the Ildiran Empire to confront a new, ominous threat that endangers the galaxy.

Star Wars: A guide to all alien species in the films, novels, comics, and video games.

In a future where sentient animal–human hybrids reign the galaxy, a Fant Speaker who can converse with the dead uncovers a buried secret threatening to upend the fragile balance between species.

Superhuman: A Galactic Rivalry

In a near‑future America devastated by a pandemic, 1.7 million people are trapped in locked‑in syndrome. Science creates a VR world and a rare form of brain‑control that lets these individuals operate others’ bodies.

Clifford D. Simak’s *Out of Their Minds* whisks readers into a night‑marish realm where mythical creatures mingle with modern life, raising questions about humanity’s hidden heritage and the perilous bargains it may unknowingly make.

When Starfleet’s Prime Directive is violated, the celebrated Enterprise crew must revisit the ruined planet Talin to confront the disastrous consequences of their actions and uncover the fate of their disgraced captain.

Believe it or not, having the skill to pick locks may be the one thing that saves you when faced with a life or death situation. Most people think of survival as an apocalyptic situation that adversely affects the entire planet and all the people on it. Very few people realize that each day on this planet incorporates a struggle to survive. Survival can encompass any number of situations. Going to a concert, a public venue, or just walking down a crowded city street, can result in facing a deadly situation. Amidst the chaos of such an event, there will likely be opportunities to seek the safety of a shelter, although it may be hidden behind a locked door. This guide book details the step by step process of picking a variety of different locks and locking mechanisms. This skill set is not only a survival skill, it is a real world skill that could come in handy for a number of situations, such as locking the keys in the car, losing the house key, etc.

Thirteen-year‑old adoptees Jonah and Chip discover a plane filled with babies and no adults, uncovering a time‑travel mystery and a battle between forces striving to fix the fabric of history.

A fantasy romance by Sherrilyn Kenyon set in an imagined realm featuring royal families, outlaws and paranormal elements.

An ordinary life turned upside down when a mysterious entity merges Raleigh's and Nicci's worlds.

In a climate‑ravaged future, child Jack discovers that the only way to save Earth is to lock time, forcing him to choose between staying in the present or returning to the future world from which he came.

Twelve‑year‑old Jasper and his friends become the first Bounder cadets, trained to pilot teleporting spacecrafts, only to confront an alien society that seeks revenge for the theft of their brain‑sync technology.