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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The Apothecary Diaries #14 – Natsu Hyuuga

In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there.

Lord of Fate (Arkwright Cycle #2) – Brian Niemeier

A holy warrior plagued by doubt …

A cloistered mystic yoked with rulership …

A fated prophet seeking the powers of life and death …

Besieged by a ruthless prince and a cruel legion, the free port of Dailij seems doomed.

Trapped in the embattled city and lionized by its desperate people, imperial envoy Zebrin finds his faith tested by their newly elevated queen. Spies and traitors seek to topple the walls from within. The quest for the Burned Book stands on the brink of failure.

To survive, Zebrin must discover his place in the prophecies reshaping the world. But when solving an ancient riddle of tragic love means choosing between his honor and his soul, will Zebrin find strength enough to save the fallen savior? Or will evils not of the world reign over it?

The choice lies with the Lord of Fate.

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Old Habits (The Survivors #25) – Nathan Hystad

Kids grow up so fast.

Jules must take Star on a mission directed by the Messenger and his guardian, Daron. Jules realizes it’s safer to keep her daughter close than risk her fledgling powers becoming public knowledge.

Dean and Karo begin an arduous search for the lost Theos. Karo finds himself torn between his duty to the Alliance, and his responsibility to an ancient bloodline. Only Karo can make that decision, but Dean won’t sit back and wait for the consequences.

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Star Empires: Dominion – Jasper T. Scott

Corvus Centauri and his crew found the legendary lost fleet, but they lacked the fuel to claim it, so Jorhan Solari seized its ships and their experimental jump tech for himself, vowing to use them to expand his empire.

Meanwhile, a crisis surges at the heart of the Dominion, on Earth. Spiraling corruption and economic ruin have triggered rebellion across the outer worlds. To preserve unity, the Galactic Assembly invokes a meritorium: neural scans of every citizen will determine the Dominion’s next Supremark.

On returning to Frontier Space, Corvus discovered that his adoptive parents are alive. They are rallying a fleet against the clans that betrayed them, and they are asking their children to join the fight. Corvus also learned that he’s eligible to compete in the meritorium, and an unlikely prophecy claims he will become the next Supremark of the Dominion. Pulled in every direction at once, Corvus must decide which cause is worth fighting for.

Alliances will shatter, secrets will be exposed, and a war is coming. Can Corvus stop the galaxy from unraveling before it’s too late?

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Silver Buster – a Kickstarter campaign by Jordan Allen

Jeffrey “Jeff” Marshall was having a normal day until an alien bounty hunter arrived in his town seeking a living metal organism called a metatite. As the bounty hunter is about to deliver a killing blow to Jeff, the metatite fuses with him, granting him the power to turn his body to metal.

Teaming up with his new symbiotic buddy, who he names Sleek, the pair synthesise a combat suit and fight as the mighty masked hero, Silver Buster! Using his heavy metal powers, he fights off the alien Kryn Mercenaries led by the nefarious Captain Zaneck as they continue to pursue Sleek for their own ends.

With the seemingly endless alien forces arriving in his hometown of Belmont, Silver Buster knows it’s his duty to knock those goons right back into space and save the day. The only problem is, he still has to go to school!

This campaign will continue until Thursday, 26 June 2025.