Walter Jon Williams Knihy

V tomto románu se setkáte s hypertechnickým světem po meteorické válce, kterou vyhráli megakoncerny sídlíci na orbitě. S Amerikou rozdrobenou na malé státy pod vlivem nejrůznějších bloků, které mezi sebou vedou obchodní války. S beznadějností spodních vrstev na Zemi, které živoří v ulicích velkoměst. S nelítosnými orbitály ždímající domovskou planetu, která je pro ně jen další asteroid. S pašeráky, kteří jsou životně důležití pro oblasti bez kosmodromů. To vše a k tomu skvělá dávka cyberpunku vás čeká v románu Hardware... celý text

Ztracený hrdina se vrací, aby zastavil příliv temnoty... Nemilosrdní Yuuzhan Vongové dobyli Coruscant a srazili galaxii na kolena. Luke, Han, Leia a jejich děti a spolubojovníci přesto odmítají kapitulovat a hodlají tváří v tvář nepřátelské přesile vybojovat vítězství. Nová republika, rozdělena vnitřními neshodami, se však začíná rozpadat. Navíc se šíří intriky, jejichž zdrojem jsou nejen politici usilující o funkci nového prezidenta, ale také yuuzhanvongští atentátníci a špioni... a nevypočitatelná bytost Vergere, která ovládá Sílu a sleduje své vlastní tajné záměry. Zatímco se Luke Skywalker chystá obnovit Radu Jediů, rostoucí skupina jeho politických odpůrců připravuje strašlivou zbraň, která má zlikvidovat celý yuuzhanvongský národ. Pokud se jim podaří zbraň použít, udělají z Nové republiky to, proti čemu kdysi sama bojovala - a rozpoutají moc temné strany.

Steward je beta, tedy klon. Jeho vzpomínky však mají patnáct let zpoždění, protože si jeho alfa nenechal provést mozkový sken. Jenže za tu dobu se svět proměnil od základů. Stewardův někdejší chlebodárce, orbitální korporace Policorp, zbankrotovala, spousta jeho přátel padla ve vesmírné válce, lidstvo kontaktovala mimozemská rasa, jeho žena porodila dítě a rozvedla se s ním, jeho druhá žena jakbysmet a navíc ho někdo zavraždil. Steward kdysi pracoval jako elitní voják a ze svých schopností nic nezapomněl. Jenže v novém světě se musí proměnit také v detektiva, poskládat si dohromady střípky ztracených znalostí a uplynulých let a vypátrat svého vraha. Vichřice se odehrává sto let po událostech slavného Hardwaru. Orbitálové žijí v nezávislých, feudálních společenstvích a k dispozici mají převratnou technologii – mezihvězdný pohon. V jádru se však lidé nezměnili a politické intriky zuří v novém světě stejně jako kdykoli dříve…

Quillifer returns to court after two years away. The small castle and domain that came with his knighthood required much re-organization and further scheming ensues as Quillifer is acknowledged unofficially as Princess Floria's lover, and those who once despised him now court his favor. Of course Queen Berlauda will attempt to reconquer the country, with her husband's armies. At the very least, there will be a long, long war. But Quillifer has made his mark.-- Publisher's description

From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Walter Jon Williams comes an adventurous epic fantasy about a man who is forced to leave his comfortable life and find his fortune among goddesses, pirates, war, and dragons. Quillifer is young, serially in love, studying law, and living each day keenly aware that his beloved homeport of Ethlebight risks closure due to silting of the harbor. His concerns for the future become much more immediate when he returns from a summery assignation to find his city attacked by Aekoi pirates, leading to brigands in the streets and his family and friends in chains. First, he has to survive the night. Then, he has to leave his home behind and venture forth into the wider world of Duisland, where he can find friends and allies to help avenge his losses and restore Ethlebight to glory. His determination will rock kingdoms, shatter the political structure of Duisland, and change the country forever.

Now a dozen years old, the award-winning collection continues to provide dozens of the best stories of the year, including work by renowned veterans and exciting newcomers, including Stephen Baxter, Michael Bishop, Terry Bisson, Pat Cadigan, Greg Egan, Eliot Fintushel, Michael F. Flyn, Lisa Goldstein, Jose Haldemnan, Katherine Kerr, Nancy Kress, Ursula K. Le Guin, Maureen F. McHugh, Robert Reed, Mike Resnick, Mary Rosenblum.

Contents: Surfacing (1988) Video Star (1986) No Spot of Ground (1989) Flatline (1988) Side Effects (1985) Witness (1986) Wolf Time (1987) The Bob Dylan Solution (1989) Dinosaurs (1987)

This collection showcases a diverse array of short stories, highlighting Walter Jon Williams' imaginative storytelling. Featuring the Nebula Award-winning tale "The Green Leopard Plague," the anthology includes other captivating narratives such as "Daddy's World" and "The Last Ride of German Freddie." Each story explores unique themes and settings, from futuristic scenarios to poignant reflections on life, offering readers a rich tapestry of speculative fiction that highlights Williams' skill and creativity.

The setting is an Earth where the monetary standard is "plasm," an energy which can be transmitted by wireless. It can help one to be more clever, it can heal, it can move objects. The novel deals with an attempt to acquire lots of this energy to stage a revolution.

Williams evokes a future reminiscent of Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light, in which the promises of science and technology are fulfilled. In the far-distant future, only a specially adapted group of people--the Aristoi--can operate the ultra-advanced computer system that controls their vast interstellar empire.

The best stories of the year: here is a collection of the best science fiction prose written in 2006, by some of the genre's greatest authors, and selected by Rich Horton, a contributing reviewer to many of the field's most respected magazines.

"Interstellar adventure has a new king, and his name is Walter Jon Williams." --George R.R. MartinBlending fast-paced military science fiction and space opera, the third and final volume in a dynamic trilogy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Praxis, set in the universe of his popular and critically acclaimed Dread Empire's Fall series, comes a tale of blood, courage, adventure, and battle in which the fate of an empire rests in the hands of two lovers.Shattered VictoryStar-crossed lovers Gareth Martinez and Caroline Sula have decisively beaten the forces of the corrupt Zanshaa government. It seems all there's left to do is to travel to the capital of Zanshaa to reunite the empire under the banner of the Restoration. Before they can sweep up the pieces, though, it's revealed that any advance would spring an enemy trap. To make things worse, their opponents have more resources than Martinez and Sula could have imagined, and a superior force is now aimed at the heart of the Restoration.Shattered LoveBut before Martinez and Sula can contend with the gathering enemy forces, a surprising act of violence on Sula's part threatens their relationship--and damages their trust. Hurt and confused, Martinez sends Sula into exile while he tries to recover from his broken heart. Somehow, these two lovers must repair their relationship in order to defeat this new enemy threat... especially when more than love is at stake.

“Space opera the way it ought to be [...] Bujold and Weber, bend the knee; interstellar adventure has a new king, and his name is Walter Jon Williams.” -- George R.R. MartinAt last, the climactic final episode of the Dread Empire’s Fall trilogy--what started with The Praxis and The Sundering comes to the brilliant conclusion in Walter Jon William's epic space adventure.Working on opposite sides of the galaxy--one in deep space, the other undercover on an occupied planet--and haunted by personal ghosts, Captain Gareth Martinez and Lieutenant Lady Caroline Sula fight to save the Empire from the vicious, alien Naxid. In a desperate, audacious bid to stop the Naxid fleet, Martinez makes a move that could win the war...and lose his career. Meanwhile, Sula’s guerilla tactics may not be enough to stop the Naxid, until she tries one deadly, final gambit.And make sure to see what happens after, in the first new Praxis novel in ten years, The Accidental War, available Fall 2018!

Set in the expansive Praxis universe, this novel continues the thrilling space opera saga with the return of the hero from Dread Empire's Fall. The story promises a blend of adventure and intrigue, showcasing Walter Jon Williams' signature world-building and character development. Readers can expect a captivating journey filled with complex relationships and high-stakes conflicts, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

"Space opera the way it ought to be . . . Bujold and Weber, bend the knee; interstellar adventure has a new king, and his name is Walter Jon Williams."--George R. R. Martin Following The Accidental War, the second book of a brand-new series set in the Praxis--an epic mix of space opera and military science fiction, from a grand master of science fiction, Walter Jon Williams. The Praxis, the empire of now extinct Shaa, has again fallen into civil war, with desperate and outnumbered humans battling several alien species for survival. Leading the human forces are star-crossed lovers Gareth Martinez and Caroline Sula, who must find a way to overcome their own thorny personal history to defeat the aliens and assure humanity's survival. But even if the human fleet is victorious, the divisions fracturing the empire may be too wide to repair, as battles between politicians, the military, and fanatics who want to kill every alien threaten to further tear the empire apart. While Martinez and Sula believe they have the talent and tactics to defeat an overwhelming enemy, what will prevent their fellow humans from destroying themselves?

The alien Naxids have won a shattering victory at Magaria, a victory that clears the way for an advance on the loyalist capital, Zanshaa. To help save Zanshaa comes Lord Gareth Martinez, formerly a despised provincial officer, now, in the aftermath of a brilliant victory, a celebrated war hero.

Blending fast-paced military science fiction and space opera, the first volume in a dynamic trilogy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Praxis, set in the universe of his popular and critically acclaimed Dread Empire’s Fall series—a tale of blood, courage, adventure and battle in which the fate of an empire rests in the hands of a cadre of desperate exiles. It’s been seven years since the end of the Naxid War. Sidelined for their unorthodox tactics by a rigid, tradition-bound military establishment, Captain Gareth Martinez and Captain the Lady Sula are stewing in exile, frustrated and impatient to exercise the effective and lethal skills they were born to use in fighting the enemy. Yet after the ramshackle empire left by the Shaa conquerors is shaken by a series of hammer blows that threaten the foundations of the commonwealth, the result is a war that no one planned, no one expected, and no one knows how to end. Now, Martinez, Sula, and their confederate Nikki Severin must escape the clutches of their enemies, rally the disorganized elements of the fleet, and somehow restore the fragile peace—or face annihilation at the hands of a vastly superior force.

All will must bend to the perfect truth of The Praxis For millennia, the Shaa have subjugated the universe, forcing the myriad sentient races to bow to their joyless tyranny. But the Shaa will soon be no more. The dread empire is in its rapidly fading twilight, and with its impending fall comes the promise of a new galactic order . . . and bloody chaos. A young Terran naval officer marked by his lowly birth, Lt. Gareth Martinez is the first to recognize the insidious plot of the Naxid -- the powerful, warlike insectoid society that was enslaved before all others -- to replace the masters’ despotic rule with their own. Barely escaping a swarming surprise attack, Martinez and Caroline Sula, a pilot whose beautiful face conceals a deadly secret, are now the last hope for freedom for every being who ever languished in Shaa chains -- as the interstellar battle begins against a merciless foe whose only perfect truth is annihilation.

Once upon a time, there were four of them. And though each was good at a number of things, all of them were very good at games . . . But when one of them is gunned down in a parking lot, the survivors become players in a very different kind of game – one that is played for the highest stake of all. Now they must draw on all their resources – not least millions of online gamers – to track down the killer. Imagine a game with no boundaries. Waiting in a parking lot, sitting at your computer, walking down the street – you could be called at any moment, and you’d better be ready. This is not a game. This is a novel that will blow your mind.

In Atocha, New Mexico, gelten noch die alten Werte. Jeder kennt jeden, und der Polizeichef kennt sie alle seit vielen Jahren. Als ein Regierungsinstitut, in dem geheime Experimente auf dem Gebiet der Kernforschung durchgeführt werden sollen, seine Arbeit aufnimmt, passieren merkwürdige Dinge, die Hawn zunehmend Ärger bereiten. Und als ein alter Bekannter von Kugeln zersiebt auf ihn zutaumelt und ihn um Hilfe bittet, bevor er tot zusammenbricht, versteht er die Welt nicht mehr - denn dieser Mann ist vor zwanzig Jahren bei einem Unfall ums leben gekommen. Die Sicherheitsbehörden des Instituts erweisen sich alles andere als kooperativ - im Gegenteil: sie hetzen Hawn den Teufel auf den Hals. Heyne Science Fiction Deutsche Erstausgabe

Ein Schlitzohr von Geblüt und ein Gauner erster Klasse - das ist Drake Maijstral ganz ohne Zweifel. Seit dem Aufstand der Menschen gegen die allesbeherrschenden Khosali, die einen Planeten nach dem anderen - einschließlich der Erde - unterworfen haben, geht es dem Adel schlecht. Er muß seinen Unterhalt mit Hochstapelei und Gaunereien verdienen. Drake Maijstral tut dies mit Charme und Stil, und die Medienrechte an seinen Coups verscherbelt er gleich mit. Im Auftrag einer schönen Frau stiehlt er einen unscheinbaren silbernen Behälter, der aber nichts weniger als eine Spermaprobe des letzten Khosali-Kaisers enthält. Und damit tappt er prompt in ein unglaubliches Gewirr von Intrigen um die dynastische Politik des Kaiserhauses, das ihm und seinem Khosali-Diener Kopf und Kragen kosten kann.

Tutto comincia con l'incessante latrare dei cani. Poi la terra trema. Un brusco risveglio, pochi attimi e la distruzione è totale. Lungo tutta la valle del Mississippi gigantesche onde di piena sommergono intere comunità seppellendole sotto il fango e i detriti. In questo scenario apocalittico, la straordinaria amicizia tra Jason Adams e Nick Ruford sarà l'unica ancora di salvezza.

Ein Schlitzohr von Geblüt und ein Gauner erster Klasse - das ist Drake Maijstral ganz ohne Zweifel. Seit dem Aufstand der Menschen gegen die allesbeherrschenden Khosali, die einen Planeten nach dein anderen - einschließlich der Erde - unterworfen haben, geht es dem Adel schlecht. Er muß seinen Unterhalt mit Hochstapelei und Gaunereien verdienen. Drake Maistral tut dies mit Charme und Stil, und die Medienrechte an seinen Coups verscherbelt er gleich mit. Diesmal soll er ein Halsband von unschätzbarem Wert »besorgen«, mit einem Stein, in dein das Feuer eines sterbenden Sterns eingefangen ist. Doch sein Rivale Geoff Fu George, der einzige im Gewerbe der ehrenhaften Halunken, der ihm das Wasser reichen kann, hat sich das gleiche Objekt in den Kopf gesetzt, und damit ist eine offene Konfrontation der Meisterganoven unausweichlich. Science Fiction Deutsche Erstausgabe

Der Autor legt mit Engelstation einen spannenden Roman aus dem Bereich der Hard Science Fiction vor, der unter den sog. Freien Familien spielt, die als Händler zwischen den menschlichen Siedlungen auf Planeten und Orbitalstationen unterwegs sind. Dies ist eine Geschichte von Ubu Roy und der schönen Maria, die der alte Pasco aus Genmaterial gebastelt und mit besonderen Fähigkeiten ausgestattet hat, damit sie mehr Geschick hätten als er, um zu Geld zu kommen. Und damit er nach seinem Tod immer noch an ihren Fahrten und Abenteuern teilnehmen kann, hat er sich unauslöschlich im Schiffscomputer eingenistet und spukt in den Programmen herum.