Every week, the Castalia House Blog spotlights some of the many new releases in independent, pulp, and web novel-influenced science fiction and fantasy.

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Best (Baneberry Hall #1) – Frederick Gero Heimbach

As he would be first to admit, Mason Best is a genius. He lied—oops, charmed—his way into Baneberry Hall, the nation’s top prep school, didn’t he? Angel Ferguson, the intimidating student body president, wants him at her side. The headmaster, the trustees, the top jocks: everyone wants a piece of him.

Mason wins at every game he tries—but being best is exhausting. Fortunately, Mason has a tower hideout he shares only with his friends:

• Miles Coffin: eccentric boy billionaire, addicted to candy cigarettes
• Sapphire Moon: glamour girl, born performer
• Eve Shepherd: matriarch of the hideout, with whom Mason is definitely not falling in love

Mason Best: political player – loyal friend. Can Mason be both kinds of person? Can he stay loyal when his political patrons demand he betray the people he loves, one by one?

Mason’s a smart kid. He’ll find a way to make it work. Of course he will. He’s sure of it.

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Origin (Parallax #1) – Matt Conant and Lauren Cipillo

A conspiracy threatens everyone in the colonized worlds. Only they can stop it.

In a distant future where advancements in cybernetics and gene-splicing have resulted in a dozen different variants of humanity, three individuals find themselves entangled in a conspiracy that could doom everyone in the colonized worlds.

Paige Angstrom, a fierce and loyal Peacekeeper, yearns to shield her sister Volara from a life of corporate-indentured servitude.

Hemlocke Shaw, a gene-spliced engineer, tirelessly searches for his missing eco-activist wife.

And Emrald Re, a no-nonsense bounty hunter, embarks on a mission to find a vanished wastelander named Lewis DuCane.

Amidst deadly power outages, vanishing civilians, and stalled terraforming projects, the trio unearths a cover-up of epic proportions. The revelation sends shockwaves through their lives, forcing them to confront their own identities and become unlikely heroes in the struggle against the very architects of the Terran race.

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Revelation (The Sol Saga #3) – James Fox

The solar system faces its darkest hour.

General Keith Brennan races against time to thwart the deployment of a city-destroying weapon of unprecedented magnitude. As the fate of millions hangs in the balance, Brennan’s resolve is put to the ultimate test.

Meanwhile, Edward McAaron grapples with a relentless internal struggle, torn between his thirst for vengeance and the weight of leadership. With Governor Chu’s fate in the balance and the lives of his followers on the line, McAaron must confront his own demons before it’s too late.

As Lisa Colt and Jonathan Spalding delve deeper into the conspiracy, shocking revelations come to light, shaking the very foundations of the system. President Trent, driven by desperation to end the war, faces mounting pressure from shadowy benefactors whose true motives remain shrouded in darkness.

As alliances crumble and betrayals unfold, the solar system hangs on the brink of destruction. Can Brennan and McAaron overcome their personal demons and unite against a common enemy? Or will the secrets they uncover tear them apart, spelling doom for all?

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Shadows of the Earth (The Token #2) – Nathan Hystad

The Delta is assembled, but the threat is far from over.

Rory travels to the Moon, encountering her grandfather’s footprints from fifty years ago. She returns to her parent’s home, eager to forget about the last few weeks, but the Shadow persists.

Silas and Cody are covertly led to the Planetae laboratory, but quickly realize there’s more to the tokens than their initial assumptions.

Waylen struggles to maintain peace as the walls between organizations crumbles. When one of his closest allies betrays them, Waylen’s trust is shattered.

Who invented the Delta?

What are the Echoes trying to show them?

Can they prevent an invasion, or has it already begun?

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The Wild Adventures of Sherlock Holmes #4 – Will Murray

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s immortal detective returns for ten puzzling cases ranging from his earliest career to his final bows.

“The Adventure of the Improbable American“ tells of Sherlock’s first U.S. friend, while “The Adventure of the Christmas Lesson” recounts Holmes’s and Watson’s first Christmas together.

Other cases depict the Great Detective endeavoring to untangle the struggle between mudlarks over a diamond ring of great value, and then unraveling the mystery of a nobleman found seated before his own fireplace––without his head!

The early 20th century finds Dr. Watson reuniting with the orderly who saved his life in Afghanistan, concluding with “The Disquieting Adventure of the Murmuring Dell,” reuniting Holmes with Algernon Blackwood’s enigmatic Dr. John Silence.