Sci-Fi Guy

EARC ALERT!!! We have a brand new eARC drop in the Ring of Fire Universe for you! 1637: Pilgrim's Passage by Eric Flint and Griffin Barber The Ring of Fire Series Returns with Conflict and Intrigue in the Middle East! The more things change, the more they stay the same... Jahanara Begum is on pilgrimage, a journey and rite every Muslim must essay if able. The uptimers of the USE Mission are escorting the princess in her travels to Jeddah before returning home, their mission accomplished and allies made of the court of Dara Shikoh, having helped to place him on the Peacock Throne. But the pilgrimage is only the public-facing reason for her departure from Agra. In reality, the begum sahib is also carrying her love child off to Jeddah in hopes of giving birth in secrecy. Everyone outside the Mission and her most loyal followers must be kept ignorant of the impending birth, a feat which would be hard enough if her brother hadn’t saddled her with the presence of her great aunt and frequent adversary, the sometime empress Nur Jahan. If the presence of her most brilliant adversary in her court wasn’t enough, a Mughal princess abroad is an important figure, and the political situation in the Hijaz—a complex of relations between Ottoman Bey, Sharif of the Hijaz, the Bedouin, and Persian interests—is about to boil over. Can Jahanara Begum and her USE allies safely navigate the power politics of the Pilgrim’s Passage? To learn more, go to: simonandschuster.com/books/1637-Pil… To get the eARC, go to: baen.com/1637-pilgrim-s… (This eARC is only available before release day, August 4, 2026!) #BaenBooks #eARCDrop #RingOfFire #EricFlint #GriffinBarber

The 2026 Dragon Awards nominations are now open! The Dragon Awards are by the fans, for the fans, and are your chance to reward those who have made real contributions to books, games, comics, and shows. Every fan, writer, publisher, and editor anywhere is welcome, and encouraged, to nominate and vote for the Dragon Awards! Below is a comprehensive list of all the Baen Books titles which are eligible (or will be eligible) for this year's contest! Dragon Award List 2026 (Publication Date: Jul 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) Science Fiction -THE PRESENCE MALIGN by Michael Mersault -THE LONG WAY HOME by Patrick Chiles -BEHIND THE VEIL by John Ringo & Lydia Sherrer -WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE by John Ringo with Casey Moores -GOLD DUST by Catherine Asaro -PERDITION’S STORM by Brian Trent -RINGER by Joelle Presby -DRAGONS GONE WILD by Dan Koboldt -TO TREAD OBSIDIAN SHORES by Jason Cordova & Melissa Olthoff -BEYOND THE RIFT by John Ringo & Lydia Sherrer -THE REDLINE HEIST by Michael Mersault -APOGEE by Travis Taylor -THE SHIP WHO DARED by Mercedes Lackey & Veronica Giguere -TWIN STAR by Mike Kupari -THE ISHTAR DECEPTION by James L. Cambias Fantasy -BLOOD AND FATE by A.C. Haskins -BLACK TIE AND TAILS by Wen Spencer -A PLAGUE OF MAGIC by Marisa Wolf -THE FAMILIAR SPIRIT by D.J. Butler & Aron Michael Ritchey -THE MILLS OF THE GODS by Tim Powers -BLOOD ON THE SAND by Kacey Ezell -HELL ON WHEELS by D.J. Butler & David J. West Alternate History -THE WINDS OF FATE by S.M. Stirling -FOR THE ETERNAL GLORY OF ROME by Tom Kratman Best Illustrative Book Cover -Pierluigi Abbondanza, To Tread Obsidian Shores -Pierluigi Abbondanza, The Familiar Spirit -Marianne Plumridge Eggleton, The Long Way Home -Dominic Harman, The Ishtar Deception -Dominic Harman, Black Tie and Tails -Dominic Harman, For the Eternal Glory of Rome -Sam Kennedy, The Winds of Fate -Sam Kennedy, Welcome to the Jungle -Sam Kennedy, The Ship Who Dared -Sam Kennedy, Blood on the Sand -Sam Kennedy, Twin Star -Tom Kidd, A Plague of Magic -Todd Lockwood, Blood and Fate -Kurt Miller, The Presence Malign -Kurt Miller, Behind the Veil -Kurt Miller, Apogee -Kurt Miller, Gold Dust -Kurt Miller, Perdition’s Storm -Kurt Miller, Ringer -Kurt Miller, Beyond the Rift -Kurt Miller, Hell on Wheels -Dave Seeley, Dragons Gone Wild -Dave Seeley, The Redline Heist -Kieran Yanner, The Mills of the Gods Fantasy TV Series, TV or internet The Rise of the Merlin network provider - The Daily Wire. Based on the Pendragon Cycle books by Stephen R. Lawhead For Dragon Award Nomination, go to: applyto.dragoncon.org/fan_awards/dc_… #BaenBooks #DragonAwards #NominateYourFavorite #ScienceFiction #Fantasy #AltHistory

It's time for #BeyondTheCover, where we show you the amazing art behind our gorgeous book covers! Today we are featuring the art of Sam R. Kennedy for the cover of Blood on the Sand by @KaceyEzell1. Sam has 12 years of experience doing a wide variety of art jobs in the game business and freelance illustration market. Most of the time it has been conceptual or highly polished key illustration, but he has also done storyboards, character animation, and cinematics. Sam likes to work hard and be prolific. He loves the entertainment industry because of the loud dramatic pictures it allows him to draw. He particularly enjoys working in a variety of styles with different approaches. Some of his best work is photo realistic illustration. Sam uses the latest technologies to create bold, eye popping 3D images for video games. He is also strong in the area of drawing and painting things in a comic style. In his spare time you will find Sam drawing comics, children’s art, fantasy, and sci-fi art for freelance assignments. Blood on the Sand by Kacey Ezell IN HER DARKEST HOUR, AELYS CHOSE FREEDOM . . . BUT CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES. Bellatrix Aelys turned her back on the family that betrayed her and chose to forge her own destiny alongside the dangerous men she had accidentally bound. Now free, Romik, Vil, and Daen make the uneasy choice to continue to work with Aelys as her protectors and business partners. But when Aelys faced off against her family, she didn’t eliminate every threat, and now mysterious forces are moving against her once more. Fearing for her safety and that of her men, Aelys agrees to do a simple task for her old teacher: escort some old “friends” to Zandrine, one of the fabled cities located in the south of the empire. Only, not everything is as it seems. Zandrine is a city built on secrets and blood and pain. Aelys and her protectors will have to face the demons of the past and the dark schemes of the present, all while trying to figure out who they are to one another and how the four of them— warrior, sorceress, forester, and thief—can meld their strengths to keep each other alive. Can Aelys, Romik, Vil, and Daen make the necessary hard choices that will forge them into a team capable of surviving these new challenges? Or will the pain of the past and the danger of the present destroy them one by one? To see more of the artist’s work, go to: samrkennedy.artstation.com To learn more, go to: simonandschuster.com/books/Blood-on… To get the ebook, go to: baen.com/blood-on-the-s… #BaenBooks #NewRelease #BeyondTheCover #BloodOnTheSand #KaceyEzell #SamRKennedy

Unsure about companion robots for seniors? Here’s why some can’t wait. Many readers were horrified by the idea of robots helping older adults — but not all. washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/… For the fictional treatment of these issues, see Martin Shoemaker's insightful novel, TODAY I AM CAREY. baen.com/today-i-am-car…

How they're going to finish A Song of Ice and Fire is George is going to will the completion of the franchise to his proteges, who were the team behind "James S.A. Corey" who did The Expanse. When George kicks the bucket, those two will get the scepter. It's not a lock, but if I were a betting man . . .

This week on the Baen Free Radio Hour, @seanphazlett begins part one of his interview with @RocketPulpHack to discuss a brand new universe and novel, Twin Star. After that, we’ll have more One Jump Ahead by Mark L. Van Name, part 59 Podcast: baen.com/podcast/ YouTube: youtu.be/-l6obXakn58 To learn more: simonandschuster.com/books/Twin-Sta… To get the ebooks: baen.com/twin-star.html and baen.com/one-jump-ahead… #BaenBooks #BFRH #TwinStar #MikeKupari #MLVName

The 2026 Dragon Awards nominations are now open! The Dragon Awards are by the fans, for the fans, and are your chance to reward those who have made real contributions to books, games, comics, and shows. Every fan, writer, publisher, and editor anywhere is welcome, and encouraged, to nominate and vote for the Dragon Awards! Below is a comprehensive list of all the Baen Books titles which are eligible (or will be eligible) for this year's contest! Dragon Award List 2026 (Publication Date: Jul 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) Science Fiction -THE PRESENCE MALIGN by Michael Mersault -THE LONG WAY HOME by @PatrickChiles -BEHIND THE VEIL by @Jringo1508 (John Ringo) & @LydiaSherrer -WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE by John Ringo with @caseymoops (Casey Moores ) -GOLD DUST by @Catherine_Asaro -PERDITION’S STORM by Brian Trent -RINGER by @JoellePresby -DRAGONS GONE WILD by @DanKoboldt -TO TREAD OBSIDIAN SHORES by @WarpCordova (Jason Cordova) & @MelissaOlthoff -BEYOND THE RIFT by John Ringo & Lydia Sherrer -THE REDLINE HEIST by Michael Mersault -APOGEE by @TravisTaylorX -THE SHIP WHO DARED by @mercedeslackey & Veronica Giguere -TWIN STAR by @RocketPulpHack (Mike Kupari) -THE ISHTAR DECEPTION by James L Cambias Fantasy -BLOOD AND FATE by A. C. Haskins -BLACK TIE AND TAILS by @WenSpencer -A PLAGUE OF MAGIC by @Marisa_comeaux (Marisa Wolf) -THE FAMILIAR SPIRIT by @DavidJohnButler & Aron Michael Ritchey -THE MILLS OF THE GODS by Tim Powers -BLOOD ON THE SAND by @KaceyEzell1 -HELL ON WHEELS by D.J. Butler & @David_JWest Alternate History -THE WINDS OF FATE by S. M. Stirling -FOR THE ETERNAL GLORY OF ROME by @TKratman (Tom Kratman) Best Illustrative Book Cover -@AbbondanzaArt (Pierluigi Abbondanza), To Tread Obsidian Shores -Pierluigi Abbondanza, The Familiar Spirit -Marianne Plumridge Eggleton, The Long Way Home -Dominic Harman, The Ishtar Deception -Dominic Harman, Black Tie and Tails -Dominic Harman, For the Eternal Glory of Rome -Sam Kennedy, The Winds of Fate -Sam Kennedy, Welcome to the Jungle -Sam Kennedy, The Ship Who Dared -Sam Kennedy, Blood on the Sand -Sam Kennedy, Twin Star -Tom Kidd, A Plague of Magic -Todd Lockwood, Blood and Fate - Kurt Miller, The Presence Malign -Kurt Miller, Behind the Veil -Kurt Miller, Apogee -Kurt Miller, Gold Dust -Kurt Miller, Perdition’s Storm -Kurt Miller, Ringer -Kurt Miller, Beyond the Rift -Kurt Miller, Hell on Wheels -Dave Seeley, Dragons Gone Wild -Dave Seeley, The Redline Heist -@kieranyanner (Kieran Yanner), The Mills of the Gods Fantasy TV Series, TV or internet The Rise of the Merlin network provider - The Daily Wire. Based on the Pendragon Cycle books by Stephen R Lawhead For Dragon Award Nomination, go to: applyto.dragoncon.org/fan_awards/dc_… #BaenBooks #DragonAwards #NominateYourFavorite #ScienceFiction #Fantasy #AltHistory

It's time for #BeyondTheCover, where we show you the breathtaking art behind our gorgeous book covers! Today we are showcasing the art of Sam R. Kennedy for The Ship Who Dared by @mercedeslackey & Veronica Giguere! Sam R. Kennedy has years of experience doing a wide variety of art jobs in the game business and freelance illustration market. He particularly enjoys working in a variety of styles with different approaches. Some of his best work is photo realistic illustration. Sam uses the latest technologies to create bold, eye popping 3D images for video games. He is also strong in the area of drawing and painting things in a comic style. In his spare time you will find Sam drawing comics, children’s art, fantasy, and sci-fi art for freelance assignments. The Ship Who Dared by Mercedes Lackey & Veronica Giguere Hoping to upgrade their capabilities on a shoestring budget, Brainship Tia and her Brawn Alex accept a contract to test a prototype singularity drive from the military. There’s a catch, of course: the drive “might” occasionally commit a starship to “random” jumps. With some trepidation and the new drive installed, the pair resume their courier duties. The drive works flawlessly, at first. Just as they start to relax, the drive places them in orbit around a partially abandoned research site. Partially, because the corporation that set it up abandoned the researchers there. Brain and Brawn rescue the researchers, but what is the reward for a ship who saves an abandoned station? Well, if you’re working for the Central Worlds, it’s a long, dull, and not very profitable courier route. One that results in more—not less—crises and danger for our intrepid Brainship as the random jumps continue. Crises and danger that will only resolve when Tia and Alex discover the reason why all is not as it should be with their new singularity drive. To see more of the artist’s work, go to: samrkennedy.artstation.com To learn more, go to: simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ship… To get the ebook, go to: baen.com/the-ship-who-d… #BaenBooks #NewRelease #BeyondTheCover #TheShipWhoDared

What are you doing tonight? Are you a fan of the lights in the sky that appear once the big ball of fire goes down? Just want an excuse to stay awake all night? You can always join us as we observe Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) on it's celestial journey! Scientists estimate that the last time this comet passed through our inner solar system was roughly 160,000–170,000 years ago. Now it's back and visible right now in the predawn sky. While we wait to see this rare visitor, you really need something to read. Might we suggest a few books? We think you'll love Saving Proxima by @LesAuthor and @TravisTaylorX, Fenrir by @EricFlint and Ryk E. Spoor, and Von Neumann's War by @Jringo1508 and Travis S. Taylor. Each book explores how mankind will look to and travel to the stars. Want more info? Here are a few of the many websites tracking this rare visitor from the stars: cobs.si/comet/2663/ in-the-sky.org/findercharts.p… theskylive.com/c2025r3-info Want to read the books? Here are the links: baen.com/saving-proxima… baen.com/fenrir.html baen.com/von-neumann-s-… Photo by Dimitrios Katevainis. #BaenBooks #PanSTARRS #ScienceFiction #StarGazing

Calling all @DavidWeberBooks fans!!! From now until May 5, 2026 the audiobook for Toll of Honor by David Weber is on sale for 60% off!! Toll of Honor by David Weber “It is our duty to pay for our liberty with our own blood. The freedom that we shall win through our sacrifice and exertions, we shall be able to preserve with our own strength.” —Subhas Chandra Bose Lieutenant Brandy Bolgeo has come home from the Battle of Hancock station wounded in both body and spirit. She will need months to regenerate her lost leg, but how long will it take to heal her heart? She’s come home to find that her wounds, her ship’s brutal damage, the deaths of so many friends, were the fault of an arrogant, aristocratic coward who broke and ran in the face of the enemy. Who left her ship to pay the price for his craven desertion under fire. And whose powerful political allies are determined to protect and preserve him at any price. They have held hostage the declaration of war until Lord Pavel Young escaped the consequences of his cowardice. They didn’t care what it cost the Navy. They didn’t care what it cost the entire Star Kingdom of Manticore. Their tactics have cost the Royal Navy the priceless initiative as revolution and military purges wrack the People’s Republic of Haven, and that lost window of opportunity will cost the Star Kingdom seventeen years of bloody warfare and hundreds of thousands of deaths. Now Young is free to seek vengeance on the people he feels have “wronged” him. People like Paul Tankersley and Honor Harrington. Paid duelists, smear tactics, hired assassins in public restaurants . . . nothing is beneath Pavel Young. But Captain Harrington can look after herself, and Pavel Young is about to face the fury of the woman the newsies call the “Salamander.” Yet who will save the Star Kingdom from the repercussions of his actions? Women and men like Brandy Bolgeo are about to pay the toll for the Star Kingdom of Manticore’s honor. Get the audio book at: audiobooks.com/promotions/pro… Get the ebook (we love an immersive read) at: baen.com/toll-of-honor.… #BaenBooks #audiobooksale #TollOfHonor

We have a new book review for you! Upstream Reviews has released @TempusMalleo's review of the audiobook for The Monster Hunter Files, Volume 2, edited by @monsterhunter45 and @WarpCordova just in time for the pre-order! Find the review at: upstreamreviews.substack.com/p/review-monst… Get the ebook (we love an immersive read!) at: baen.com/monster-hunter… #BaenBooks #BookReview #MonsterHunterFilesVol2

What's going on this week at Baen Books? We've got multiple convention appearances this coming weekend! Join S.M. Stirling at Writers of the Future (writersofthefuture.com/the-awards-eve…) on April 16 in Los Angeles, CA. .@MelissaOlthoff will be appearing at JordanCon (jordancon.org) from April 17 - 19 in Dunwoody, GA. Meet @thewriterike at the Pikes Peak Writing Conference (conference.pikespeakwriters.org) from April 17 - 19 in Colorado Springs, CO. #Baenbooks #AuthorAppearances

The Artemis II is splashing down today, and author and retired rocket scientist @LesAuthor was on @NewsNation today! You still have time to grab Les and @TravisTaylorX's novel BACK TO THE MOON as well. baen.com/back-to-the-mo…

This week on the Baen Free Radio Hour, Griffin Barber sits down with @KaceyEzell1 to discuss her sequel to the brilliant Magelight: Blood on the Sand. After that, we’ll have more One Jump Ahead by Mark L. Van Name, part 58 Podcast: baen.com/podcast/ YouTube: youtu.be/9Y_i-RhOvaY To learn more: simonandschuster.com/books/Blood-on… To get the ebooks: baen.com/blood-on-the-s… and baen.com/one-jump-ahead… #BaenBooks #BFRH #Magelight #BloodOnTheSand #KaceyEzell #MLVName

This week for #WeReadWednesday, we're loving a series re-read! Today it's the first book in @KaceyEzell1's Magelight series, the book that started it all . . . Magelight by Kacey Ezell Fleeing her sheltered life, a noblewoman must trust a warrior, a forester, and a thief to unlock her true power and face her destiny. Embrace Your Power and Forge Your Destiny All her life, Aelys of Brionne had been weak. As the noble daughter of one of the empire’s most powerful magic-wielding families, it should have been easy for her to live her dream of bonding with a warrior protector and joining the Imperial Battlemage Corps. But when her weakness robs her of her dreams, her best friend, and the man she loves, Aelys makes the only choice she can see: she takes her fate into her own hands and she runs, leaving her safe, protected world behind. Now she must find a way to work with three dangerous strangers—a warrior, a forester, and a thief—to escape the bandits stalking her, fight through the dangers of the untamed forest, and make her way back home, where her family and her destiny await. Only . . . her violent protectors might be the key to the power and freedom she’s always craved. Can Aelys find the strength to choose her own destiny and become the sorceress she was born to be? Or lose herself on the path to power? To learn more, go to: simonandschuster.com/books/Mageligh… To get the ebook, go to: baen.com/magelight.html #BaenBooks #WeReadWednesday

Book Review Alert!! If you look closely at the cover of Blood on the Sand by Kacey Ezell, you may notice a delightful cover blurb from Upstream Reviews. Go ahead and look at the cover, we'll wait. But that's not a book review, you say. Oh, but there is one! Upstream Reviews has published their review, written by Declan Finn. Be warned, there are spoilers and if you haven't read your copy yet, you may want to do that now! Also, today is the last day to buy the eARC of this book, only the finished copy will be available starting tomorrow. Let's be honest, you want them both. To read the review, go to: upstreamreviews.substack.com/p/book-review-… To learn more about the book, go to: simonandschuster.com/books/Blood-on… To get the eARC TODAY ONLY, go to: baen.com/blood-on-the-s… To get the ebook on release day (tomorrow!!), go to: baen.com/blood-on-the-s… #BaenBooks #NewReleases #KaceyEzell #UpstreamReviews #BloodOnTheSand

What's going on this week at Baen Books? We are busily getting ready for Release Day, which is tomorrow!!! We don't want you to get bored while you wait, so let's go look at two of our many authors who will be guests at a couple of upcoming conventions. Are you meeting us at LiberyCon 38? We will be in Chattanooga, TN from 26-28 June 2026 and so will S.M. Stirling, the LibertyCon 38 Special Guest of Honor. He isn't the only one, so stay tuned for more announcements! We also can't wait to see you this year at Dragon Con in Atlanta! We'll be there from 3-7 September 2026 and so will Dragon Con Literature Guest of Honor, Timothy Zahn. If you'll be at Dragon Con, make sure to look up Timothy Zahn's schedule, he does a bunch of signings in addition to his panels! #BaenBooks #ReleaseWeek #LibertyCon #DragonCon

MALORY NAMED 2026 JIM BAEN MEMORIAL SHORT STORY AWARD WINNER RIVERDALE, NY, March 27, 2026—Author “Malory" (@Maloryauthor ) of Birmingham, United Kingdom has been named first place winner of this year’s Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award Contest. Now in its 19th year, the contest has been held annually since 2007 by Baen Books in partnership with the National Space Society to discover original stories celebrating optimistic, near-future space exploration. In addition to Malory’s winning story, Baen Books and the National Space Society have honored two runners-up. Liam Hogan of London, United Kingdom earned second place, and Thomas Butler of Santa Ana, California earned third place. Judges for the award included Baen publisher Toni Weisskopf and the editorial staff of Baen Books, and all entries were judged anonymously. The contest is held annually and seeks stories that highlight the positive potential of space exploration and discovery. All three writers will be honored at the 2026 International Space Development Conference (ISDC), which takes place June 4–7, 2026, in McLean, Virginia. In addition to the award, winners receive membership in the National Space Society, and the first-place story will be offered publication at Baen.com at professional rates. Baen Books is known for its New York Times bestselling science fiction and fantasy, including David Weber’s Honor Harrington series, Eric Flint’s Ring of Fire alternate histories, Larry Correia’s Monster Hunter International urban fantasies, and Lois McMaster Bujold’s multiple award-winning Vorkosigan Saga. Baen’s physical books are distributed by Simon & Schuster, while their ebooks are available via numerous venues, including their own website. Entries for the 2027 Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Contest open October 1, 2026. For more information, visit baen.com/contest-jbmssa and baen.com. #BaenBooks #JBMSSA

Rounding our our week of "The Ship Who...", this week on the Baen Free Radio Hour, Jeremy Comeaux sits down with authors @mercedeslackey and Veronica Giguere to discuss their new Brainship novel, The Ship Who Dared. After that, we’ll have more One Jump Ahead by Mark L. Van Name, part 57 Podcast: baen.com/podcast/ YouTube: youtu.be/Et0NU0V_cFo To learn more: simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ship… To get the ebooks: baen.com/the-ship-who-d…. (eARCs are only available until the day before release day) and baen.com/one-jump-ahead… #BaenBooks #BFRH #JeremyComeaux #TheShipWhoDared #MercedesLackey #VeronicaGiguere #MLVName

Interview Alert! We are excited that @iSamw1se and @AaronIrber sat down with Baen author Tim Powers to chat about his newest release, The Mills of the Gods. To watch the interview, go to: youtube.com/watch?v=fSK8k1… To get the ebook, go to: baen.com/the-mills-of-t… #BaenBooks #TimPowers #TheMillsOfTheGods #ISamWise #AaronIber