Welcome back to the Hearth!
This week, we are covering the full spectrum of indie fiction. I’ve found three incredible stories that take us from a high-tech future to a mythical matriarchy, and finally to a frozen whaling station in the 1930s. Whether they are fleeing an empire or fighting to save a marriage in the wilderness, this week’s misfits are all battling to find their way home.
Let's get into it.
This Week's Sci-Fi Thriller
The AndroBiotica File by David Gittlin
Genre: Sci-Fi / Technothriller
Key Themes: Artificial Intelligence, Dynamic Duo, Ethical Dilemmas
Note: The series is now a trilogy with Book 3 just released!
Let’s start with a fast-paced, intellectual thriller for fans of Blade Runner. When a file containing plans for "nearly human" androids is stolen, investigator Derrick Faulk and his partner Aurora must navigate a web of government secrets to get it back. This isn't just an action story; it’s a deep dive into the moral boundaries of what makes us human. The protagonists are a classic "dynamic duo"—partners who have to rely on each other when the system turns against them. Plus, with Book 3 recently released, this is a perfect time to binge the whole series.
This Week's Epic Fantasy
Whispers of the Elixir by C.P. Silver
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Key Themes: Fleeing Legacy, Matriarchal Empire, Forbidden Magic
Note: Praised by Foreword Clarion and BlueInk Reviews!
Next, we enter a world of "ghost-flowers" and iron-willed empresses. Tori is a princess who should be the ultimate insider, but a dangerous secret—a forbidden elemental power—makes her a target in her own mother's kingdom. To survive, she must flee into the hidden lands, stripping away her privilege to discover who she really is. This is a fresh, critically acclaimed spin on the genre about a woman rebelling against the destiny forced upon her to forge her own path in legend.
This Week's Literary Award-Winner
The Last Whaler by Cynthia Reeves
Genre: Historical / Literary Fiction
Key Themes: Isolation, Grief & Healing, Found Partnership
Note: Winner of the 2025 IndieReader Discovery Award for Fiction!
Finally, we have a stunning, atmospheric novel set at an Arctic whaling station in the 1930s. Tor and his wife Astrid are stranded in the endless winter, isolated not just by geography, but by a deep, despondent grief. This is a powerful story about the ultimate "Hearth"—a marriage that must be forged anew in the harshest conditions on earth. Winner of the IndieReader Discovery Award, this is a beautifully written, emotional story about two people finding their way back to each other when the rest of the world has fallen away.
Whether it's a high-tech conspiracy, a magical exile, or a frozen winter, this week's stories remind us that even in the most extreme circumstances, we don't have to face the dark alone.
Happy reading, and I'll see you back at the Hearth in two weeks (Due to the Thanksgiving holiday next week).
All the best,
C.J.