AustLit

'Brett Buckley was a normal family man once. When he unexpectedly turned undead, he struggled to regain the love and respect of his wife and kids... a struggle he ultimately lost in a single moment of weakness that cost him everything.

'Now, after months of estrangement, and still trapped in the limbo between life and death, Brett is propelled suddenly back into family life to face his greatest challenge yet: becoming the primary carer for his children.

'More than just another zombie story, Undad Volume Three is about the challenges of facing down what really scares you, while being (literally) dead inside.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Three times he will prove his love for her. The third time will kill him.

'In a world where violent magic is punished by the gods, mages have learned to use their powers for manipulation and deception instead.

'Rynold has learned these lessons better than most.

'But when, in a moment of jealousy, he misuses his sacred power to send Princess Mirelda’s lover Damian into exile, he inadvertently rekindles an ancient evil that has lain dormant for a thousand years, waiting for its chance to awaken.

'Chosen by the gods themselves to bring Damian back, Rynold and Mirelda leave their home in desperate pursuit of Damian, the fate of the entire world upon their shoulders. But as their long journey progresses, they come to learn that the greatest threat to them – and to the world – might well come from within…'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Sometimes it’s impossible to mend what has been broken…

'Each of them is fleeing something different, but they’ve all come to the same place. When their ship is attacked and marooned in deep space, three dozen refugees pass the time by sharing stories. Things that have happened to them, events they’ve witnessed, and rumours they’ve heard.

'As time passes and despair sets in, they must rely upon each other to survive. But when the chips are down, will they all be pulling in the same direction?

'Featuring stories from two dozen brilliant writers from around the world, All The King’s Men takes a look at the lives of those on the periphery, ordinary people struggling to make sense of their lives and dreams in a galaxy torn apart by civil war.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'More than just another zombie story, Undad is about the challenges of being a husband and father while being (literally) dead inside. A chance encounter with a ragged homeless man leaves Brett Buckley with deep teeth marks in his arm, and a sudden ravenous hunger for living flesh. Unable to control these urges, he consumes the hamster that belongs to his son's class. Fearing that losing his family might cost him the last of his dwindling humanity, Brett must win back their love and respect, all the while attempting to find his new place in the world and reconcile his vegetarian morals with his insatiable appetite for live meat...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'More than just another zombie story, this stunning continuation of the Undad saga is about the challenges of being a good role model while being (literally) dead inside.

'Brett Buckley was a normal family man once. When he unexpectedly turned undead, he found himself struggling to regain the love and respect of his wife and kids.

'Now, not only is Brett in trouble with the law, but his family, his safety net, is starting to pull away from him. Suddenly alone and destitute, Brett begins to question whether he really can still have a place in his kids' lives without being a danger to them.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'The devastating war between the Senate and Padakan House is over. Under Frank Tomhines’ new government, power will at last be returned to the citizens of the galaxy. But not everyone is prepared to accept such a system…

'Remnants of Padakan House continue to wage war, using the small children of their enemies as shields; someone has put a contract out on Frank Tomhines’ life; and a tenuous political situation, controlled by rampant self-interests, risks not only the lives of hundreds of innocents, but also the delicate new-found stability of the entire galaxy.

'It’s all part of the Game… and this game is played hard. The stakes are high, the participants ruthless. Winner takes all.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'James Mawson has spent the last three months enmeshed in increasingly dirty schemes, his own days of glory long behind him. The execution of prisoners, including Ross Tillman, is the next item on the agenda. But when one of the doomed prisoners is the woman he loves, Mawson has no choice but to take a stand on principle, even though it could cost him everything.

'Ross and Edana desperately evade Padakan search parties, trying to survive even just one more day. They carry with them a secret that could bring the Padakan empire crumbling down... if they could just manage to get off-world with it.

'Meanwhile, things have come to a head on Earth. Tensions between Padakan House and the Confederacy are escalating quickly, and it seems only a matter of time before a shot is fired in anger. Frank Tomhines devises a plan to set things right. But his plan demands blood. A lot of blood.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Six years have passed since Padakan House was defeated in the skies above Earth. Their surrender is imminent and, under Frank Tomhines, the victorious Confederacy is about to restore democracy to its oppressed citizenry. But dissenters from within the Confederacy oppose both the surrender and the leadership of Frank Tomhines... and forces from outside have their own plans to keep the battle raging. Forced to take matters into his own hands, Frank begins to exploit weaknesses in his own democratic system to maintain control of a galaxy spiraling inexorably toward conflict.

'After six years of unsuccessful campaigning to outlaw his homeworld's chief export, Ross Tillman is pulled unwittingly back into the centre of events. When Frank offers Ross a chance to achieve his goals and protect his world, Ross is forced to make a difficult decision between two equally unpalatable moral outcomes. But there's even more at stake than Ross realises. It soon becomes clear just how much this decision is going to cost him... but only when it's far too late.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

A sequel to Smith's The Lesser Evil, set six years after the events of that trilogy.

'Young Ross Tillman cannot wait to get out of school and pursue his dream of owning his own ship. Struggling against what seems to be his genetic fate, Ross is determined to avoid following his father into a career in local industry. The manufacture and sale of the narcotic tubinj is the economic cornerstone of Messar, but Ross is determined to escape from its pull.

'For Stanley Myres, Chancellor of the galactic Senate, the writing appears to be on the wall. His political position is becoming more tenuous by the day, as rival factions in the Senate seem poised to enact a coup de tat. In an attempt to retain control, he utilises his secret paramilitary forces and hatches a violent scheme that casts Messar into a state of civil war.

'Overlord of exiled superpower Padakan House, Elam Padakan wants to create a better galaxy, with himself at its head. When the opportunity to liberate Messar from the Senate presents itself, he sees it as a chance to achieve everything he has ever striven for. There's just one problem: he hasn't even told his own brother what his true intentions are.

'All three men are drawn into the civil war on Messar, and as their paths begin to intersect and tangle together, they come to realise that the galaxy has very different plans for all of their dreams.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Having failed in his goals to get his family to safety, there doesn't seem to be much reason for Ross to stay on war torn Messar. With enraged Padakan forces in hot pursuit, Angus' ship heads for the relative sanctuary of Earth, but what they find there will test them all to their very limits.

'With nowhere to turn, Ross and his companions must be prepared to sacrifice everything they hold dear if they hope to stem the tide of violence threatening to engulf the galaxy...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

"Young Ross Tillman cannot wait to get out of school and pursue his dream of owning his own ship. Struggling against what seems to be his genetic fate, Ross is determined to avoid following his father into a career in local industry. The manufacture and sale of the narcotic tubinj is the economic cornerstone of Messar, but Ross is determined to escape from its pull.

For Stanley Myres, Chancellor of the galactic Senate, the writing appears to be on the wall. His political position is becoming more tenuous by the day, as rival factions in the Senate seem poised to enact a coup de tat. In an attempt to retain control, he utilises his secret paramilitary forces and hatches a violent scheme that casts Messar into a state of civil war.

Overlord of exiled superpower Padakan House, Elam Padakan wants to create a better galaxy, with himself at its head. When the opportunity to liberate Messar from the Senate presents itself, he sees it as a chance to achieve everything he has ever striven for. There’s just one problem: he hasn’t even told his own brother what his true intentions are.

All three men are drawn into the civil war on Messar, and as their paths begin to intersect and tangle together, they come to realise that the galaxy has very different plans for all of their dreams." (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'With the aid of philanthropist pirate Angus Baxmerian, Ross has managed to blast his way free from the war on his home world. Having had a brutal taste of the adventure he has always craved, he is beginning to reassess his goals for his life. However, with his family still in danger, he has no time to think about that, and no choice but to return home.

'Sucked once again into the turmoil on Messar, Ross will come into contact with both Elam Padakan and Stanley Myres, and discover that there's a lot more to this war than first meets the eye...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Three men are drawn into the civil war on Messar, and as their paths begin to intersect and to tangle together, they come to realise that the galaxy has very different plans for all of their dreams. The Lesser Evil is a series that examines what it means to have a dream, and what that dream can end up costing.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.