Books with author Paul (ed) Collins

According to the Australian Book Review: “Australia is not the science fiction capital of the world; in fact we are probably not even on the map. This unfortunate fact would change if we could produce more writers like Paul Collins.”Collins has just added another impressive work to his record. An action-packed science fiction thriller, The Hiveborn completes his highly acclaimed series The Earthborn Wars. Welkin Quinn and his small community of Earthborn and Skyborn survivors face the vastly superior technology of the Hiveborn—an ancient race of parasitic aliens. The Hiveborn possess the humans they encounter, turning them into automata, thoughtless zombies who follow the singular will of the Hiveborn Queen: this ruler is the source of the implacable Hivemind, the consciousness that desires universal domination. To survive, the human resistance is forced to leave the bowels of the New Zealand mine they call home. Their special-ops forces take the fight to the Hiveborn base centered in post-apocalyptic Melbourne, and finally to space itself.In The Earthborn Wars, Collins has provided readers with a gritty, lived-in world—a believable future with believable characters. Though set centuries in the future, The Hiveborn’s themes and questions of warfare and freedom, morality and responsibility are intimately familiar. This third installment of The Earthborn Wars provides a thought-provoking conclusion full of seamless action sequences and stunning plot twists.

Calamity has befallen the city of Quentaris! Due to a vengeful plot by warlike Tolrush (which backfires), Quentaris is uprooted—city, cliff-face, harbour and all—and hurled into the uncharted rift-maze. Lost and adrift in this endless labyrinth of parallel universes, encountering both friend and foe and facing unknown dangers, Quentaris must somehow forge a new identity and find its way home. But there are other surprises too. When Quentaris gets over its shock, it discovers that it’s not only lost in some other universe, but now it is a floating city, adrift high above some unknown land, at the mercy of the winds.Quentaris must somehow forge a new identity and find its way home.

After the crash of the ship Colony, 14-year-old Welkin was left for dead on the inhospitable landscape of a ravaged Earth. After being rescued by a gang of Earthborn, Welkin proves his value and becomes a trusted member of the Family. But existence is still hand to mouth. The nuclear ravaged landscape is hardly more than a vast wasteland. Dangers from bands of mutants threaten continually. As does the ominous presence of Colony itself. Inside the grounded starship Skyborn inhabitants feed on their hatred of the Earthborn. When on routine patrol a Colony scout is captured by the Family, he reveals a secret: authorities onboard Colony have regrouped and mean to launch a final assault-to rid the Earth of the "savage" Earthborn for ever. But even Welkin--armed with his knowledge of Skyborn ways and methods--could never have been prepared for what he finds.

Wardragon is the culmination of The Jelindel Chronicles in a soaring saga. Finally Jelindel, with her allies, Zimak and Daretor, has tracked the alien mailshirt across two radically different worlds. But the journey is perilous when each step is lined with flying beasts, metal wasps, mercenaries and assassins . . . and the mailshirt linked up with the evil Preceptor to create a deadly enemy. All Jelindel has is a little magic, Zimak’s wit and Daretor’s sword to scrape through and that is not enough.Collins captures a terrifying, tense world with a touch of humour and holds it to the last shattering battle.