Science Fiction and Fantasy Books You Can Read for $5 or Less

With this inaugural volume at Tor, the annual Nebula Award collection is reborn as a fiction-only anthology, edited by the incomparable Kevin J. Anderson. This collection of nominees for 2010's Nebula Awards includes all of the prior year's most celebrated stories, and will be published in time for the 2011 Nebula Awards in May, 2011.

2009's award winners, announced in May 2010, include Kage Baker's novella "The Women of Nell Gwynne's," Eugie Foster's novelette "Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast," Kij Johnson's short story "Spar," plus Paolo Bacigalupi's novelette, "The Gambler."

Once a werewolf, always a werewolf? That's not the case for rock star Nate Zilar, who was saved from the ultimate transformation. Now he's devoted his life to hunting wolves… until he rescues the mysterious Violet from their clutches. But when she must return to the Otherworld, Nate is left with an impossible choice: lose the only woman he desires or forever become the one thing he despises.

At first, Violet can't remember how she came to Nate's world. It isn't long before she realizes she poses the ultimate threat to her sexy protector. How could he possibly love the daughter of his sworn enemy? But where there's a wolf, there's a way…

In “Hillary Orbits Venus,” a young Hillary Rodham pursues her childhood dream of becoming an astronaut, while in the Nebula Award–winning “Danny Goes to Mars,” former US vice president Dan Quayle embarks on the first expedition to Mars. “The Sleeping Serpent” reveals what might have happened if the Mongols had conquered all of Europe and then crossed the Atlantic to the New World, “Collectors” follows an American expatriate in France during a most unusual alien invasion, and “All Rights” offers a humorous look at a writer and a literary agent forced to negotiate deals in the multiverse.

Whether satirizing the ambitions of a politician, exploring an alternate history, or delving into the consequences of immortality, there is no finer author of short science fiction than Pamela Sargent. This collection displays both her narrative strengths and her versatility.

In the not-too-distant future, in what was once the old City of New York, megacorporations have taken over everything. Now even the internet is owned, and the only way to transmit sensitive information is by a network of highly skilled couriers called “data runners” who run it over the sneakernet. It is a dangerous gig in a dirty world, but Jack Nill doesn’t have much choice in the matter. A brilliant young math whiz and champion of parkour, Jack must become one of these data runners in order to get his father out of a major gambling debt.

When a mysterious stranger loads Jack’s chip with a cryptic cargo that everybody wants, he soon becomes the key figure in a conspiracy that could affect the entire North American Alliance. Now it’s all up to Jack.

With the help of his best friend, Dexter, and a girl who runs under the name Red Tail, Jack will have to use all his skills to outrun the retrievers and uncover the truth before they catch him and clip him for good.

After a youth spent trapped in space exile, Jeff Font returned to Earth to seek vengeance against the planetary mogul who had framed and destroyed his family. Jeff’s plans backfired: He was captured, drugged, rammed through a computerized court system, convicted... and ringed.

The ring. The ultimate high-tech civics lesson. A surgically implanted electronic monitor that automatically caused unendurable agony when a convict strayed from righteousness. A ringer would do no evil, think no evil, see or hear evil robocops—nor defend himself or others from insult or injury.

And in a corrupt world of licensed sin and satanic parties, floral estates, and city-size slums, ringers were the ultimate victims. But the ring’s data banks had not factored in Jeff Font’s strength, courage, and his will to fight society, the world, and the agony of the ring to unravel the plot that entrapped him—and see justice done.

After forfeiting his identity as heir to the House of DeKoven Woolf, Lord Alexand morphs into Alex Ransom, leader of the Society of the Phoenix, sworn to bring about the evolution of the Concord in order to prevent its threatened collapse.

But his birthright isn’t all Alex lost when Lord Alexand died. He gave up the extraordinary Lady Adrien Eliseer, and it was like tearing out his own heart. He realizes ultimately that as desperate as he is to bring peace to the Concord, he is equally desperate to be reunited with Adrien, especially when he learns that she is about to pay a terrible price for Lord Alexand’s death.

A Russian scientist in post-apocalyptic London is targeted by foreign powers in the second novel of this Philip K. Dick Award-winning series.

Latent Emanation is a cruel world where ordinary people do everything they can to stay out of the way of their vicious masters, the mysterious Night Lords. Apprentice alchemist Alivet Dee is more cautious than most, having devoted her life to making enough money to buy back her imprisoned sister from the Night Lords—but trouble is about to find her. When a client dies during a routine alchemical session, Alivet flees—pursued by the Night Lords, their minions, and a dark force that haunts her dreams.

She is rescued by Ghairen, a Poison Master from another world who offers her a chance to save her sister—and humanity, as well. He is charming and handsome, with ruby-red eyes that glow in the night—but how can she trust a professional assassin? As she proceeds warily alongside the Poison Master, Alivet finds a chance not just to save mankind, but to unlock the mysteries of humanity’s very existence.