Books like 'When the children return'
Readers who enjoyed When the children return by Barry Kirwan also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary military, war & conflict epic drama aliens invasion first-contact space-opera cyberpunk crime
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Tiamat's Wrath by James S.A. Corey
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 48 ratingsThirteen hundred gates have opened to solar systems around the galaxy. But as humanity builds its interstellar empire in the alien ruins, the mysteries and threats grow deeper... -
![The Dark Forest by Liu Cixin, Eisso Post]()
The Dark Forest by Liu Cixin, Eisso Post
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 68 ratingsThis is the second novel in "Remembrance of Earth’s Past", the near-future trilogy written by the China's multiple-award-winning science fiction author, Cixin Liu. In The Dark Forest, Earth is reeling from the revelation of a coming alien invasion — four centuries in the future... -
![Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey]()
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 79 ratingsHumanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our reach.Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted... -
![Countdown by Michael Atamanov]()
Countdown by Michael Atamanov
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsAt long last, an extraterrestrial civilization reached out and made the First Contact. However, no one on Earth took their communique for the genuine article. In a similar vein, very few people appreciated just how little time our new suzerains had promised to keep our planet safe.Regardless, the end of their message showed humankind how to access a mysterious game...Categorized as:
aliens cyberpunk first-contact invasion space-opera action-adventure adult alternate-history -
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![Forbidden by Tana Stone]()
Forbidden by Tana Stone
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBe a tribute bride for some brawny alien warrior? Not on your life. Ella is one of the few human females who rejected her Drexian warrior match. Sent to live with the other “rejects” in a special part of the high-tech space station, she has no desire to have her life dictated by a bunch of alphas on steroids. And no way would she ever be charmed by an alien playboy... -
![Alien in Chief by Gini Koch]()
Alien in Chief by Gini Koch
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Mastermind has upped his game . . .As Kitty can tell you, it's not easy being the wife of the vice president - especially not when he's an alien from the Alpha Centauri system. And being a parent of preternaturally talented children, don't even go there. But she and her A-C husband, Jeff, have learned how to roll with whatever life and the bad guys throw at them - they think... -
![Web of Worlds by Michael Atamanov]()
Web of Worlds by Michael Atamanov
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCeasefires have one big downside: they eventually come to an end. And when they do, once again game nodes are set ablaze, and platoons of Dark Faction soldiers threaten our customary world with destruction. The enemy has grown stronger and more numerous. To make matters worse, they also got their hands on even deadlier weaponry...Categorized as:
aliens cyberpunk first-contact invasion space-opera action-adventure adult alternate-history -
![Between Worlds by J.L. Williams]()
Between Worlds by J.L. Williams
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsInspired by the likes of James Galloway's Subjugation and John Scalzi's Old Man's War, Between Worlds is a thrilling military sci-fi set in a strange new universe...Jason had thought about punching a Shil’vati... -
![SoL by Jennifer Julie Miller]()
SoL by Jennifer Julie Miller
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAlanaThe question is, do I allow this dark moment in time to rob me of the life I could possibly have here? I have never known such horror or fear. If I hadn’t experienced it myself, I would have never believed any other living thing could possibly do this to another. The scars may be gone on the outside now, but they will remain forever in my soul... -
![Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric S. Nylund]()
Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric S. Nylund
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsAs the bloody Human-Covenant War rages on Halo, the fate of humankind may rest with one warrior, the lone SPARTAN survivor of another legendary battle... the desperate, take-no-prisoners struggle that led humanity to Halo--the fall of the planet Reach. Now, brought to life for the first time, here is the full story of that glorious, doomed conflict...Categorized as:
aliens invasion space-opera 21st-century action-adventure audiobook book contemporary -
![Columbus Day by Craig Alanson]()
Columbus Day by Craig Alanson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsWe were fighting on the wrong side, of a war we couldn't win. And that was the good news. The Ruhar hit us on Columbus Day. There we were, innocently drifting along the cosmos on our little blue marble, like the native Americans in 1492. Over the horizon come ships of a technologically advanced, aggressive culture, and BAM! There go the good old days, when humans only got killed by each other... -
![Polity Agent by Neal Asher]()
Polity Agent by Neal Asher
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom eight hundred years in the future, a runcible gate is opened into the Polity and those coming through it have been sent specially to take the alien maker back to its home civilization in the Small Magellanic cloud. Once these refugees are safely through, the gate itself is rapidly shut downbecause something alien is pursuing them. The gate is then dumped into a nearby sun... -
![Alien Hope by Ursa Dax]()
Alien Hope by Ursa Dax
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsABBYI have a secret.I’m pregnant. With a human baby. And not a much-needed girl the Sea Sand Gahns would welcome.Nope. I’m carrying a 100% human male .So when the kind, quiet Bitter Sea warrior Kohka tells me he’s leaving for the Deep Sky settlement, I convince (aka, beg) him to take me along. I just need to get away from here... -
![A house of DaR celebration by Jennifer Julie Miller]()
A house of DaR celebration by Jennifer Julie Miller
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter the return of ANDI, the information now available about the human race is astounding. What happens when three AI’s, decide to bring a little piece of home to the humans they have all come to love? A Celebration of epic proportions.Be prepared to shed some tears, as new, and old memories tug at the heartstrings... -
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![External Threat by Michael Atamanov]()
External Threat by Michael Atamanov
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe countdown timer continues to tick, but Earth is still not ready to repel an invasion from space. Gnat is on his voyage with the Shiamiru, all the while trying to find backup for humanity among the great spacefaring races. After all, based on what he’s already seen, he knows not to count on the good sense of his own kind...Categorized as:
aliens cyberpunk first-contact invasion space-opera action-adventure adult alternate-history -
![Saving Runt by S.E. Smith]()
Saving Runt by S.E. Smith
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAmelia ‘Runt’ Thomas’ life revolves around a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the most ruthless criminals in the world. She follows two codes: the code of hackers and her personal code of honor to bring down anyone who thinks they’re untouchable. She is on target until one fateful night when the touch of a strange man sends an unexpected shock wave through her...Categorized as:
aliens first-contact invasion space-opera action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history audiobook -
![Sarazen's Hunt by Isabel Wroth]()
Sarazen's Hunt by Isabel Wroth
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratings-GOOD LUCK ON THE HUNT. Newly-appointed Commander Kalix has been tasked with a crucial mission for the Sarazen race: discover the fates of the remaining human starships, and bring home the survivors—if there are any left, that is… His crew come upon the wrecked remains of the Sestrenka, and the chattering captain’s logs set them on the trail of a human colony established over twenty years ago... -
![Alien Collective by Gini Koch]()
Alien Collective by Gini Koch
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDespite not having run for office, nor wanting to remain in office, Representative Jeff Martini is being wooed as the vice presidential running mate for a charismatic senator who seems likely to win the campaign... -
![Hero by Dan Sugralinov]()
Hero by Dan Sugralinov
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA lazy and wussy ex-gamer, Phil becomes one of the few humans who receive a mysterious alien piece of wetware which allows them to see the world through an augmented-reality interface very similar to those used in a MMORPG game. Guided by its stats and messages, Phil begins to level up, gradually transforming himself and his life... -
![Losing Mars by Peter Cawdron]()
Losing Mars by Peter Cawdron
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsDisaster strikes in orbit around Mars. A Chinese spacecraft is disabled, stranded near Phobos. Well over a hundred million miles from Earth, their only hope for rescue comes from the American base on the edge of the Vallis Marineris on the surface of Mars... -
![Game Changer by Michael Atamanov]()
Game Changer by Michael Atamanov
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsOur galaxy is at war! Great alien races have just clashed in desperate combat and its aftershocks are echoing even in our backwater. The Geckho - protectors and overlords of planet Earth - join the global conflict too. Is it a good thing for humanity? Hard to say. On one hand, the Geckho are too busy to defend our planet which doesn’t sound too good...Categorized as:
aliens cyberpunk first-contact invasion space-opera action-adventure adult alternate-history -
![Brass Man by Neal Asher]()
Brass Man by Neal Asher
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIan Cormac, a legendary Earth Central Security agent, the James Bond of a wealthy future, is hunting an interstellar dragon, little knowing that, far away, his competition has resurrected an horrific killing machine named "Mr. Crane" to assist in a similar hunt, ecompassing whole star systems. Mr... -
![Cosmos' Promise by S.E. Smith]()
Cosmos' Promise by S.E. Smith
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsCosmos Raines is considered to be one of the most brilliant inventors in the world. A prodigy, he is a self-made billionaire who would rather be in his lab than jet-setting around the world. Things change when his latest experiment literally opens a Gateway into a whole new world... -
![Beth's Stable by Amanda Milo]()
Beth's Stable by Amanda Milo
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThey say that in space, no one can hear you... (Yeah, you know what I'm quoting.) But there are lots of places you can still scream and be heard. Especially if you suddenly find yourself on a ship traveling through space. I’ve been abducted by aliens and auctioned to an alien pirate. My epic love of movies sort of comes in handy, what with all the sci-fi suddenly in my face... -
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![Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke]()
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsAn all-time science fiction classic, Rendezvous with Rama is also one of Clarke's best novels--it won the Campbell, Hugo, Jupiter, and Nebula Awards. A huge, mysterious, cylindrical object appears in space, swooping in toward the sun. The citizens of the solar system send a ship to investigate before the enigmatic craft, called Rama, disappears... -
![The Awakening: Fate in Motion by Suzanne Boisvert]()
The Awakening: Fate in Motion by Suzanne Boisvert
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsExiled from Earth thousands of years ago, Sar is hiding and waiting in our Galaxy. Manipulating the dark side of humanity and controlling many government leaders. he has now found the way back in. But, what does he really want? When Lanie Montrose ascended to the top of the music charts she felt an even deeper void within... -
![Zane by Tasha Black]()
Zane by Tasha Black
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s about to discover a whole new world...Sarah Flynn longs for a child of her own, and the excitement of settling a frontier moon.But she isn’t ready for the baby to come with an Invicta dragon warrior, who has sworn to protect the child with his life.And she certainly doesn’t expect the burly warrior to awaken feelings in her that she thought she left behind forever... -
![Alien Paladin's Woman by Vi Voxley]()
Alien Paladin's Woman by Vi Voxley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSometimes, what the galaxy needs is a hero no one's ever heard of. Tieran, the Commander of the Palian paladins, has never been allowed to have anything of his own, other than the blade in his hands and the honor he serves with. But a feisty, curvy, and utterly impossible human woman is about to change all that... -
![Tom and G.E.R.I. by C.A. Knutsen]()
Tom and G.E.R.I. by C.A. Knutsen
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTom Williams had been away from his hometown, Tipton, Washington, for fifteen years. When he got the opportunity to purchase the forest he had always wanted to explore as boy he bought it right away. He returned home expecting to explore the mysteries of the forest, and quickly found that the universe had a way of complicating things... -
![When the children come by Barry Kirwan]()
When the children come by Barry Kirwan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNathan, emotionally scarred after three tours in Afghanistan, lives alone in Manhattan until New Year’s Eve, when he meets Lara. The next morning, he notices something strange is going on – a terrified kid is being pursued by his father, and a girl, Sally, pleads with Nathan to hide her from her parents. There is no internet, no television, no phone coverage... -
![Amidst the Rising Shadows by Ken Lozito]()
Amidst the Rising Shadows by Ken Lozito
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn this third installment of the Safanarion Order Series, the Free Nations Army desperately scrambles to prepare for war not only with the High King, but the looming threat of an invasion force determined to enslave them all. Aaron is held captive on the Hythariam home world that’s only weeks away from being destroyed... -
![Hunted by Harmony Raines]()
Hunted by Harmony Raines
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGarth is intent on filling the hours aboard the fourth deep space mission with pleasure, in the form of his curvy human female, Tamzin. With his prime upon him, he knows he as to breed a son with Tamzin soon. So what better way to pass the time? Yet soon he learns another side of himself, a softer side, and he begins to feel less like a primal hunter, as his love for his female grows... -
![Allies by Harmony Raines]()
Allies by Harmony Raines
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPetra never wanted to go to Karal, but when her mother becomes the new President of Earth, thanks to the Karal, she is part of the deal. Never having entered the lottery, she feels used, but soon begins to appreciate the huge Karalian who is her mate. Sent into deep space with him, their bond grows, as they race to find a new planet suitable for a human colony... -
![Saved by Heather Fox]()
Saved by Heather Fox
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEllie: I always knew the only person who would save me after crash landing on a primitive jungle planet was myself. Our corporate overlords won't be coming for us, and the alien I've been dreaming about might say a lot of pretty words about coming to find me, but he's not real. Definitely not. It's up to me to keep everyone fed, but it's slim pickings on the beach where we've landed... -
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![Havik: Warlord Brides by Nancey Cummings]()
Havik: Warlord Brides by Nancey Cummings
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBetrayed and sold at auction, Thalia is a long way from home. When she’s given the opportunity to bring those who abducted her to justice, she’s all in. One problem. Her alien partner hates humans, and he really hates her.Too bad for him that she loves to tease the monstrous cross between a devil and an orc. He’s big, dangerous, and hits all her buttons.No problem. She can keep it professional... -
![Shadow by Cara Bristol]()
Shadow by Cara Bristol
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTheir love demands the ultimate sacrifice.Tragedy sends clairvoyant Mandy Ellison to seek refuge in the small town of Argent, Idaho. Her ESP failed her, and now she’s closing her eyes to the second sight forever. Until Shadow, an alien from planet ‘Topia, comes into her healing and wellness center with a request. Will she help him find a mate? Time is running out for Shadow... -
![Lorran by Nancey Cummings]()
Lorran by Nancey Cummings
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsChecklist for a top secret mission:Pack your favorite knifeBefriend your fellow badassEnsure that you have plenty of explosivesWhat’s this about a stowaway?Lorran has wanted nothing more than to find his mate for years. Now fate unexpectedly delivers a luscious human female in the midst of a dangerous mission.His warlord says he lacks focus and discipline... -
![Vykor by Susan Hayes]()
Vykor by Susan Hayes
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLooking for love on all the wrong planets? Try the Star-Crossed Dating Agency. Born without a dragon’s spirit, Vykor has no magic, no clan, and no reason to stay on his home planet of Romak. He’s come to Earth to research old legends – and maybe even find acceptance... -
![Ren by Nancey Cummings, Starr Huntress]()
Ren by Nancey Cummings, Starr Huntress
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe red guy. Again.Emry thought she was done with alien Romeos who made promises and then ditched you, but their paths continued to cross. What’s a girl to do when the same guy keeps turning up like a bad penny?Steal his shipThe wrong thing for the right reason.Four years ago, Ren made the mistake of choosing duty above his mate, a fragile human female unsuited for his toxic planet... -
![Alien General's Fated by Vi Voxley]()
Alien General's Fated by Vi Voxley
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis general will never lose...This is a full 100 k sci-fi romance novel, featuring a growly Alien Alpha general and a feisty, curvy human woman going against all the odds... -
![Heir of Shandara by Ken Lozito]()
Heir of Shandara by Ken Lozito
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTwo warriors separated by time must sacrifice everything to preserve Safanar. Aaron and Sarah have defeated the High King, but the danger of war is far from over. As they relentlessly hunt down rogue Elitesman strongholds, they know General Halcylon and the Zekara won't stay in hiding for long... -
![The Legislator's Lover by Miranda Bridges]()
The Legislator's Lover by Miranda Bridges
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsI want a baby.However, none of the aliens have picked me as a breeder. Talk about a self-esteem boost. Sure I was horrified like everyone else when we arrived, but after being here without any chance of returning home I've decided to adapt. Now I just need to find a male who's interested in having a family.Then I end up on babysitting duty, except this is no child... -
![Between Worlds Two (The Occupation Saga Book 2) by J.L. Williams]()
Between Worlds Two (The Occupation Saga Book 2) by J.L. Williams
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsInspired by the likes of James Galloway's Subjugation and John Scalzi's Old Man's War, Between Worlds is a thrilling military sci-fi set in a strange new universe.. -
![Alien Research by Gini Koch]()
Alien Research by Gini Koch
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen rumors of a new super-drug surface, the FBI comes to Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini for help. It becomes quickly apparent that the drug is merely the tip of a deadly iceberg and a much more insidious plan is underway involving Titan Security, Gaultier Enterprises, and YatesCorp... -
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![Exposed by Tana Stone]()
Exposed by Tana Stone
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSuspected of kidnapping. Broke. Dumped. Katie thought things couldn’t get any worse. Then, she was abducted by aliens. Sure, they were hot warrior aliens, and the space station she was taken to was the coolest place she’d ever seen... -
![Alien vs. Alien by Gini Koch]()
Alien vs. Alien by Gini Koch
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJeff and Kitty Katt-Martini and the rest of the American Centaurion Diplomatic Corps are still recovering from their introduction to Washington D.C. politics, parties, and conspiracies. So when compromising pictures arrive, no one’s too surprised. They’re also the least of anyone’s worries... -
![Seized by Tana Stone]()
Seized by Tana Stone
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHow unlucky do you have to be to get abducted by aliens. . . twice? Snatched from Earth to be a bride for a bad-ass race of warriors, Bridget has barely gotten used to her new life on the high-tech Drexian space station when she’s abducted again. This time the aliens are vicious and bloodthirsty, and they have very different plans for the pretty human... -
![The Great Silence by Ted Chiang, Karen Joy Fowler]()
The Great Silence by Ted Chiang, Karen Joy Fowler
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratings"Ted Chiang’s very short story, 'The Great Silence' adds another set of questions to the Fermi Paradox speculations... -
![Universal Alien by Gini Koch]()
Universal Alien by Gini Koch
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBeing the wife of the Vice President isn’t easy. Especially when your talents lie in kicking butt and rocking out . . .Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini find out just how easy it is for the wife of the Vice President of the United States to unintentionally insult an ally... -
![Alien Diplomacy by Gini Koch]()
Alien Diplomacy by Gini Koch
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBeing newlyweds and new parents is challenging enough. But Jeff and Kitty Martini are also giving up their roles as super-being exterminators and Commanders in Centaurion Division while mastering the political landscape as the new heads of Centaurion's Diplomatic Corps. Enter a shadowy assassination plot and a new set of anti-alien conspirators, and nothing will ever be the same..
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