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The Future Chronicles: Special Edition
The Future Chronicles has grown, from a single collection of robot stories, into a series whose unique take on major science fiction and fantasy themes - AI, aliens, time travel, dragons, telepaths, zombies, immortality, galactic battles, cyborgs, doomsday - has made it one of the most acclaimed short story anthology series of the digital era.
Its companion series Alt Chronicles, The Illustrated Chronicles and Chronicle Worlds – are similarly ground-breaking in their coverage of less mainstream tropes such as alternative history and shared universes.
Created by award-winning author Samuel Peralta, and edited by some of the most-respected editors in the genre, each volume brings together work from visionary new voices and from the grandmasters of modern science fiction and fantasy.
This Future Chronicles Special Edition volume is a compendium of stories selected from the Chronicles’ standalone titles, and includes five new stories, never before published, from some of today’s best writers in speculative fiction.
Its companion series Alt Chronicles, The Illustrated Chronicles and Chronicle Worlds – are similarly ground-breaking in their coverage of less mainstream tropes such as alternative history and shared universes.
Created by award-winning author Samuel Peralta, and edited by some of the most-respected editors in the genre, each volume brings together work from visionary new voices and from the grandmasters of modern science fiction and fantasy.
This Future Chronicles Special Edition volume is a compendium of stories selected from the Chronicles’ standalone titles, and includes five new stories, never before published, from some of today’s best writers in speculative fiction.
477 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2015
211 people are currently reading
622 people want to read
About the author
Hugh Howey
151 books57.6k followersI'm the author of WOOL, a top 5 science fiction book on Amazon. I also wrote the Molly Fyde saga, a tale of a teenager from the 25th century who is repeatedly told that girls can't do certain things -- and then does them anyway.
A theme in my books is the celebration of overcoming odds and of not allowing the cruelty of the universe to change who you are in the process. Most of them are classified as science fiction, since they often take place in the future, but if you love great stories and memorable characters, you'll dig what you find here. I promise.
A theme in my books is the celebration of overcoming odds and of not allowing the cruelty of the universe to change who you are in the process. Most of them are classified as science fiction, since they often take place in the future, but if you love great stories and memorable characters, you'll dig what you find here. I promise.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
September 16, 2015
The Future Chronicles is a line of anthologies specializing in speculative fiction. Focusing on a central theme, each one tackling some of the most fascinating topics out there. From zombies to dragons to alternate history, these are excellent stories by top-notch independent authors. How do I know this? Because I have read all of these anthologies to date and found them to have page-turning stories of the highest caliber. From covers to editing to the stories themselves, this line of anthologies is a high-quality package from top to bottom.
This anthology in particular is a sampler of the first four anthologies in the Chronicles series, presenting full-length stories about robots, telepaths, aliens and artificial intelligence, as well as a couple of other subjects. With eleven reprinted stories and five new stories written especially for this edition, there is something here for everyone. Featuring an introduction by Hugh Howey about the best qualities of short stories and how this anthology exemplifies these ideas, here are the sixteen stories from this volume:
Sam Best’s “A Dream of Waking” – Jacob has been asleep for a very long time, held in a coffin-like container, tubes hooked up to his head and body. No one talks to him, except for one nurse, giving him little clues as to what’s happening. The next time he wakes up, he tries to pull off an escape, with some help from an unlikely source. Why he’s hooked up and sleeping so much and what he’s escaping from are the great mysteries that keep you turning pages. Deeply immersed in Jacob’s absolute terror, this is a scary and disturbing story with a fantastic ending.
A.K. Meek's "The Invariable Man" - In the far future, Micah works in a technology junkyard re-purposing what's there. His gift with machines brings him to try to help out mankind when it looks like it might once again be under threat from a malicious artificial intelligence that terrorized the world. Once he realizes that something deeper is going on, the mystery slowly unfurls and to our horror, we see what's been hidden all along. When we discover what becomes unleashed, it gives you the chills as it fully plays out on the page. Well-written, suspenseful and mysterious, it was a pleasure to read from beginning to end, with a chilling finale.
Peter Cawdron's "#Don'tTell": When a famous celebrity reporter is chosen for an interview of a lifetime with Subject X, a telepath, we slowly learn about the Telepathy Act before Congress, brought about due to a fearful public. Using telepathy as a prism to explore what it's like for minorities in society, we see first-hand from Subject X during the secret interview how afraid they are of this act coming to pass and how it's meant to imprison them without any rights. With a riveting narrative that keeps you guessing what's really going on here, it's a thoughtful and empathetic examination on what it means to be different with a surprising bombshell of an ending.
Susan Kaye Quinn’s “Defiance” – Cyrus, a young man trafficking in illegal goods, lives in a world ruled by super augmented humans called Ascenders, living off of their generosity and only for their own purposes. They’re only able to get what they need, making a subsistent living. So, when Cyrus’ closest friend Eli and his mother go to the hospital, they are afraid of the diagnosis. Once they get it, Cyrus goes to drastic measures to get what he needs to help her and also to salve his conscience, especially after a recent family tragedy. A powerful story with strong writing and a gripping plot all inhabit this highly detailed, well-constructed world.
Nina Croft's "Ethical Override" - Senior Homicide Detective Harper gets a late night call to investigate an extremely high profile case but gets told by a mysterious informant that she needs to rule it a suicide, offering a supremely tempting bribe if she does. As she continues to investigate, it becomes deliciously clear as all the facts are unspooled, it makes a statement about how society needs to conform to a higher ethical standard of behavior. Not just for the sake of mankind though, but also with the assistance of robots who can help encourage this behavior. A true mystery yarn where nothing is at seems and you'll never guess how or why it's all happening.
Patrice Fitzgerald’s “Piece of Cake” – Sandra is one of many citizens living in a world where weight is regulated by an A.I., citizens can only eat food in specially regulated quantities and your weight is measured everywhere you go. When Sandra is slightly over her COW (Citizen’s Optimal Weight), that sinful piece of yellow cake with chocolate frosting looks even more delightfully delicious, but it is ultimately denied to her. As Sandra begins an uproarious adventure to try to get around her COW, it goes to uncomfortable, disturbing and delightful new heights leading to a madcap conclusion, really making you thankful this is only fiction.
David Adams’ "Imperfect" - Taking a microcosmic look at the creation of robots on a distant world and its ideas of perfection, one anomaly occurs in this increasingly refined process but makes it past quality testing to the final stages of evaluation. Will this anomaly be able to achieve its freedom at the behest of its masters or will its newly-found individuality propel it on a new and unplanned destiny? I found the high level of detail in describing the robot-building process to be exciting and clinically scientific in its approach, much like the Toralii aliens who created them. And the fascinating story about this construct was even more interesting as sheer luck turned that one defect into an asset.
Deirdre Gould’s “Iteration” – Alex has a fear of death in a world where it is very difficult to permanently die. Barricading himself in his apartment, the state mandates therapy with a psychiatrist, who suggests immersion therapy. By stopping Alex’s heart temporarily to help him get over his fear of death (!), he meets someone peculiar in his mind, trying to make sense of the knowledge shared with him. Will he be able to get over his fear of death and what will happen to him if he does? A mind-bending journey in both a literal and figurative sense, thoughtful in its philosophical discussions about faith, imaginative in its concept and impressive in its execution.
Nick Endi Webb's "Green Gifts" - Through the viewpoints of a xenobiologist, a child and a retired pilot, we learn about their deep and enigmatic connection to their home planet of Belen. It's a point of pride for its human inhabitants to feel such loyalty and protectiveness from the Empire they hide these secrets from. But why is this so? That's the central question as these three discover that their love of Belen is more than just admiration, it's something so intriguing that the reader is truly compelled to find out more.
Ann Christy’s “PePr, Inc.” - Starting out as a story of three women complaining about their mates and the connections they have with them, Hazel has major issues with hers in that he seems to be a little too needy. These companions are custom-made, highly-programmable human simulacra and overall, are supposed to be the ultimate mate, the yin to your yang. At least, that how Perfect Partners, or PePr, Inc. created and designed them to be. As the story continues, there is a subtle but sly shift that becomes seismic in its significance when you realize how it affects the entirety of the story and the way you read it. A truly excellent twist with a perfect solution that effectively solves Hazel's relationship problems. A highly entertaining narrative that made me appreciate the smart and dexterous way it was written.
Vincent Trigili's "The Null" - A retired bounty hunter's family is taken hostage and he must help the government if he ever hopes to see them again because he's the only man for the job. His mission? Capture his archenemy who has somehow escaped and only then will he be able to recover his family. But to do that, he must go back to being the man he decided he no longer wants to be: The Null. The exhilarating search for his family leads him through an enthralling journey where he discovers there's more going on here than he knows.
Angela Cavanaugh’s “The Assistant” – Aeryn is a popular author with a popular blog, even though she is an introvert at heart. She finds socializing to be difficult, but when given an offer by Dr. Barnes to be among the first to have a virtual assistant installed in her brain, she goes for it. She slowly gives this artificial intelligence more and more control over her body while her mind is engaged in more productive tasks, like her blog and her writing. How much control is she willing to give this new technology and what will happen if she does? A highly entertaining story with a surprising and stunning ending that you never expected.
Nicolas Wilson's "Trials" - In deep space, an officer in the security division accepts a dangerous and challenging assignment to an alien planet to procure trade agreements for their mutual benefit. Going to the planet dominated by eight foot tall aliens called the Jotnar, he finds there's disagreement among them about the treaty and the officer must fight them in a series of increasingly brutal trials in order to prove himself. As each compelling battle necessitates deeper and more desperate strategy, we feel what the officer feels, wondering whether he will even survive the trials, caring about his fate and whether he can accomplish his mission. I also enjoyed how the author develops the rich Jotnar culture here, making them more three dimensional in the process.
Moira Katson’s “Legacy” – Meilang is in a coffin, being expected to follow through on her responsibility to follow her consort, the Emperor, into death. Rebelling against societal norms, we learn more about her predicament, why she’s being buried and why she wants to dearly escape. Angry at how her life is being cut short before her time, she rages against her situation, making your heart pound as she does so. An enthralling and immersive story about one person trying to find purpose in her actions and in what she attempts in her last gasp at living.
Jennifer Foehner Wells's "The Grove" - An unusual sentient plant/animal hybrid named Hain breaks away from her mother, the planet itself, in order to explore and feed her yearnings for knowledge. A self-contained vessel now, she eventually discovers a giant alien ship and her curiosity gets the better of her. What she discovers inside the ship horrifies her and us, forever changing Hain's destiny. One revelation after another with these aliens ultimately leads to devastation and a stunning conclusion. I also appreciated the duality between self and other being used here, as this theme resonates thoughtfully throughout this tale and becomes especially relevant by the end.
Samuel Peralta's "Humanity" - When a family gets into a major car crash on the side of a freeway due to cold, inclement weather, Mathison, a truck driver, attempts to help them escape the crash. He discovers that he can save some of them but realizes that the child is a lifelike robot who is in all actuality, the family's child. What happens next is an emotionally strong story of how society's prejudices affected Mathison's decision-making process on who to save and why. The author does a great job getting us into his head as you watch the gears turn, making justifications for his decisions before he comes to an epiphany on what to do. A profoundly moving tale of what makes us human and how we define what humanity is.
The first four volumes in the Future Chronicles line of anthologies are available if you want to read more on each of these subjects and experience more great stories just like these. With future volumes to focus on space opera and time travel, there is an anthology that will appeal to every speculative fiction fan out there.
This anthology in particular is a sampler of the first four anthologies in the Chronicles series, presenting full-length stories about robots, telepaths, aliens and artificial intelligence, as well as a couple of other subjects. With eleven reprinted stories and five new stories written especially for this edition, there is something here for everyone. Featuring an introduction by Hugh Howey about the best qualities of short stories and how this anthology exemplifies these ideas, here are the sixteen stories from this volume:
Sam Best’s “A Dream of Waking” – Jacob has been asleep for a very long time, held in a coffin-like container, tubes hooked up to his head and body. No one talks to him, except for one nurse, giving him little clues as to what’s happening. The next time he wakes up, he tries to pull off an escape, with some help from an unlikely source. Why he’s hooked up and sleeping so much and what he’s escaping from are the great mysteries that keep you turning pages. Deeply immersed in Jacob’s absolute terror, this is a scary and disturbing story with a fantastic ending.
A.K. Meek's "The Invariable Man" - In the far future, Micah works in a technology junkyard re-purposing what's there. His gift with machines brings him to try to help out mankind when it looks like it might once again be under threat from a malicious artificial intelligence that terrorized the world. Once he realizes that something deeper is going on, the mystery slowly unfurls and to our horror, we see what's been hidden all along. When we discover what becomes unleashed, it gives you the chills as it fully plays out on the page. Well-written, suspenseful and mysterious, it was a pleasure to read from beginning to end, with a chilling finale.
Peter Cawdron's "#Don'tTell": When a famous celebrity reporter is chosen for an interview of a lifetime with Subject X, a telepath, we slowly learn about the Telepathy Act before Congress, brought about due to a fearful public. Using telepathy as a prism to explore what it's like for minorities in society, we see first-hand from Subject X during the secret interview how afraid they are of this act coming to pass and how it's meant to imprison them without any rights. With a riveting narrative that keeps you guessing what's really going on here, it's a thoughtful and empathetic examination on what it means to be different with a surprising bombshell of an ending.
Susan Kaye Quinn’s “Defiance” – Cyrus, a young man trafficking in illegal goods, lives in a world ruled by super augmented humans called Ascenders, living off of their generosity and only for their own purposes. They’re only able to get what they need, making a subsistent living. So, when Cyrus’ closest friend Eli and his mother go to the hospital, they are afraid of the diagnosis. Once they get it, Cyrus goes to drastic measures to get what he needs to help her and also to salve his conscience, especially after a recent family tragedy. A powerful story with strong writing and a gripping plot all inhabit this highly detailed, well-constructed world.
Nina Croft's "Ethical Override" - Senior Homicide Detective Harper gets a late night call to investigate an extremely high profile case but gets told by a mysterious informant that she needs to rule it a suicide, offering a supremely tempting bribe if she does. As she continues to investigate, it becomes deliciously clear as all the facts are unspooled, it makes a statement about how society needs to conform to a higher ethical standard of behavior. Not just for the sake of mankind though, but also with the assistance of robots who can help encourage this behavior. A true mystery yarn where nothing is at seems and you'll never guess how or why it's all happening.
Patrice Fitzgerald’s “Piece of Cake” – Sandra is one of many citizens living in a world where weight is regulated by an A.I., citizens can only eat food in specially regulated quantities and your weight is measured everywhere you go. When Sandra is slightly over her COW (Citizen’s Optimal Weight), that sinful piece of yellow cake with chocolate frosting looks even more delightfully delicious, but it is ultimately denied to her. As Sandra begins an uproarious adventure to try to get around her COW, it goes to uncomfortable, disturbing and delightful new heights leading to a madcap conclusion, really making you thankful this is only fiction.
David Adams’ "Imperfect" - Taking a microcosmic look at the creation of robots on a distant world and its ideas of perfection, one anomaly occurs in this increasingly refined process but makes it past quality testing to the final stages of evaluation. Will this anomaly be able to achieve its freedom at the behest of its masters or will its newly-found individuality propel it on a new and unplanned destiny? I found the high level of detail in describing the robot-building process to be exciting and clinically scientific in its approach, much like the Toralii aliens who created them. And the fascinating story about this construct was even more interesting as sheer luck turned that one defect into an asset.
Deirdre Gould’s “Iteration” – Alex has a fear of death in a world where it is very difficult to permanently die. Barricading himself in his apartment, the state mandates therapy with a psychiatrist, who suggests immersion therapy. By stopping Alex’s heart temporarily to help him get over his fear of death (!), he meets someone peculiar in his mind, trying to make sense of the knowledge shared with him. Will he be able to get over his fear of death and what will happen to him if he does? A mind-bending journey in both a literal and figurative sense, thoughtful in its philosophical discussions about faith, imaginative in its concept and impressive in its execution.
Nick Endi Webb's "Green Gifts" - Through the viewpoints of a xenobiologist, a child and a retired pilot, we learn about their deep and enigmatic connection to their home planet of Belen. It's a point of pride for its human inhabitants to feel such loyalty and protectiveness from the Empire they hide these secrets from. But why is this so? That's the central question as these three discover that their love of Belen is more than just admiration, it's something so intriguing that the reader is truly compelled to find out more.
Ann Christy’s “PePr, Inc.” - Starting out as a story of three women complaining about their mates and the connections they have with them, Hazel has major issues with hers in that he seems to be a little too needy. These companions are custom-made, highly-programmable human simulacra and overall, are supposed to be the ultimate mate, the yin to your yang. At least, that how Perfect Partners, or PePr, Inc. created and designed them to be. As the story continues, there is a subtle but sly shift that becomes seismic in its significance when you realize how it affects the entirety of the story and the way you read it. A truly excellent twist with a perfect solution that effectively solves Hazel's relationship problems. A highly entertaining narrative that made me appreciate the smart and dexterous way it was written.
Vincent Trigili's "The Null" - A retired bounty hunter's family is taken hostage and he must help the government if he ever hopes to see them again because he's the only man for the job. His mission? Capture his archenemy who has somehow escaped and only then will he be able to recover his family. But to do that, he must go back to being the man he decided he no longer wants to be: The Null. The exhilarating search for his family leads him through an enthralling journey where he discovers there's more going on here than he knows.
Angela Cavanaugh’s “The Assistant” – Aeryn is a popular author with a popular blog, even though she is an introvert at heart. She finds socializing to be difficult, but when given an offer by Dr. Barnes to be among the first to have a virtual assistant installed in her brain, she goes for it. She slowly gives this artificial intelligence more and more control over her body while her mind is engaged in more productive tasks, like her blog and her writing. How much control is she willing to give this new technology and what will happen if she does? A highly entertaining story with a surprising and stunning ending that you never expected.
Nicolas Wilson's "Trials" - In deep space, an officer in the security division accepts a dangerous and challenging assignment to an alien planet to procure trade agreements for their mutual benefit. Going to the planet dominated by eight foot tall aliens called the Jotnar, he finds there's disagreement among them about the treaty and the officer must fight them in a series of increasingly brutal trials in order to prove himself. As each compelling battle necessitates deeper and more desperate strategy, we feel what the officer feels, wondering whether he will even survive the trials, caring about his fate and whether he can accomplish his mission. I also enjoyed how the author develops the rich Jotnar culture here, making them more three dimensional in the process.
Moira Katson’s “Legacy” – Meilang is in a coffin, being expected to follow through on her responsibility to follow her consort, the Emperor, into death. Rebelling against societal norms, we learn more about her predicament, why she’s being buried and why she wants to dearly escape. Angry at how her life is being cut short before her time, she rages against her situation, making your heart pound as she does so. An enthralling and immersive story about one person trying to find purpose in her actions and in what she attempts in her last gasp at living.
Jennifer Foehner Wells's "The Grove" - An unusual sentient plant/animal hybrid named Hain breaks away from her mother, the planet itself, in order to explore and feed her yearnings for knowledge. A self-contained vessel now, she eventually discovers a giant alien ship and her curiosity gets the better of her. What she discovers inside the ship horrifies her and us, forever changing Hain's destiny. One revelation after another with these aliens ultimately leads to devastation and a stunning conclusion. I also appreciated the duality between self and other being used here, as this theme resonates thoughtfully throughout this tale and becomes especially relevant by the end.
Samuel Peralta's "Humanity" - When a family gets into a major car crash on the side of a freeway due to cold, inclement weather, Mathison, a truck driver, attempts to help them escape the crash. He discovers that he can save some of them but realizes that the child is a lifelike robot who is in all actuality, the family's child. What happens next is an emotionally strong story of how society's prejudices affected Mathison's decision-making process on who to save and why. The author does a great job getting us into his head as you watch the gears turn, making justifications for his decisions before he comes to an epiphany on what to do. A profoundly moving tale of what makes us human and how we define what humanity is.
The first four volumes in the Future Chronicles line of anthologies are available if you want to read more on each of these subjects and experience more great stories just like these. With future volumes to focus on space opera and time travel, there is an anthology that will appeal to every speculative fiction fan out there.
January 27, 2018
Leadoff story, Sam Best’s “A Dream of Waking”, is just OK. Random passersby are imprisoned in coffin tubes, drugged, and used to sleep by proxy for customers, who then don't have to sleep. WTF? WSOD fails, and it's a pretty clumsily-written story too. 2 stars.
The windup story, Samuel Peralta's "Humanity", isn't much better, to my eye. A truck driver rescues an injured woman but leaves her android "child" in the snow. Then he has a change of heart. The End. Short-short, 2 stars.
I'm going to put his one on hiatus. If I don't like the first and last stories in an anthology -- well, life is short, books are many.
The windup story, Samuel Peralta's "Humanity", isn't much better, to my eye. A truck driver rescues an injured woman but leaves her android "child" in the snow. Then he has a change of heart. The End. Short-short, 2 stars.
I'm going to put his one on hiatus. If I don't like the first and last stories in an anthology -- well, life is short, books are many.
July 5, 2019
Tā kā grāmatā ir stāsti (tādi +/- 30-40 lpp) un katra stāsta autors ir cits, tad nevar gribēt, lai patiktu visi. Tā arī man - kāda trešdaļa lika ieplesties mutei un lasīt straujāk, vēl viena trešdaļa bija tīri labi, bet viena trešdaļa bija tādi, kas kaitināja... Nu tāda verbālā caureja par pilnīgi stulbu iespējamo nākotni.
September 7, 2020
Overall rating: 3/5
One note before we begin: all of these stories take place in already created universes by authors or are prequels/sequels to stories so if you like one story chances are it will continue.
This is an anthology, so buckle up:
A Dream of Waking – SAM BEST: 5/5
The suspense is 10/10 and has a pretty good twist.
The Invariable Man – AK MEEK: 4.4/5
I got Old Man!Logan vibes and I really like how this gives information when needed without info-dumping and cluttering up the story.
#DontTell – PETER CAWDRON: 2/5
This was…not one of the stronger stories. It’s too busy talking about social issues that it forgets that it’s a story in an anthology and doesn’t give room for the actual story of the interviewer and interviewee.
DEFIANCE – SUSAN KAYE QUINN: 4/5
A story about friendship, a black market, future hope. The ending was 10/10 even though it didn’t technically end.
ETHICAL OVERRIDE – NINA CROFT: 4/5
This story ended a little too neatly for what it was; it had Westworld vibes so that was cool.
PIECE OF CAKE – PATRICE FITZGERALD: 2/5
A socialistic nation where pregnancy is illegal and desserts are basically drugs. This could have been interesting if done differently but I didn’t connect with this version.
IMPERFECT – David Adams: 3/5
Lots of experiments of/on humans and feels like 2BOrN2B. Has some interesting scenes but not enough for me to give it a higher rating.
Green Gifts – NICK WEBB: 4/5
There’s a lot of good worldbuilding here with some nice history.
PERR, INC. – ANN CHRISTY: 3.5/5
Human/Human relationships are taboo so there is always one human with one robot. Of course it doesn’t end well.
THE NULL – VINCENT TRIGILI: 3/5
While it was a good story, it was wordy and needed a little more room to be the best it could be.
THE ASSISTANT – ANGELA CAVANAUGH: 3/5
A story about the harm of too much tech.
TRIALS – NICOLAS WILSON: 2/5
While not my favorite, it reads like a Star Trek episode so if you want a more chill story this is it.
LEGACY – MOIRA KATSON: 1/5
This had Esther imagery and was too confusing for me.
THE GROVE – JENNIFER FOEHNER WELLS: 3/5
This was also confusing but I was able to follow it so it gets 3.
HUMANITY – SAMUEL PERALTA 3/5
Features the Turing Test and interesting thoughts on morality.
Rated 15+ for: Abuse/Mention of Abuse, Black market, Death, Eating disorder mention/glorification, Language, Murder/Suicide, Sex/Mention of Sex, Social Issues, and Violence
One note before we begin: all of these stories take place in already created universes by authors or are prequels/sequels to stories so if you like one story chances are it will continue.
This is an anthology, so buckle up:
A Dream of Waking – SAM BEST: 5/5
The suspense is 10/10 and has a pretty good twist.
The Invariable Man – AK MEEK: 4.4/5
I got Old Man!Logan vibes and I really like how this gives information when needed without info-dumping and cluttering up the story.
#DontTell – PETER CAWDRON: 2/5
This was…not one of the stronger stories. It’s too busy talking about social issues that it forgets that it’s a story in an anthology and doesn’t give room for the actual story of the interviewer and interviewee.
DEFIANCE – SUSAN KAYE QUINN: 4/5
A story about friendship, a black market, future hope. The ending was 10/10 even though it didn’t technically end.
ETHICAL OVERRIDE – NINA CROFT: 4/5
This story ended a little too neatly for what it was; it had Westworld vibes so that was cool.
PIECE OF CAKE – PATRICE FITZGERALD: 2/5
A socialistic nation where pregnancy is illegal and desserts are basically drugs. This could have been interesting if done differently but I didn’t connect with this version.
IMPERFECT – David Adams: 3/5
Lots of experiments of/on humans and feels like 2BOrN2B. Has some interesting scenes but not enough for me to give it a higher rating.
Green Gifts – NICK WEBB: 4/5
There’s a lot of good worldbuilding here with some nice history.
PERR, INC. – ANN CHRISTY: 3.5/5
Human/Human relationships are taboo so there is always one human with one robot. Of course it doesn’t end well.
THE NULL – VINCENT TRIGILI: 3/5
While it was a good story, it was wordy and needed a little more room to be the best it could be.
THE ASSISTANT – ANGELA CAVANAUGH: 3/5
A story about the harm of too much tech.
TRIALS – NICOLAS WILSON: 2/5
While not my favorite, it reads like a Star Trek episode so if you want a more chill story this is it.
LEGACY – MOIRA KATSON: 1/5
This had Esther imagery and was too confusing for me.
THE GROVE – JENNIFER FOEHNER WELLS: 3/5
This was also confusing but I was able to follow it so it gets 3.
HUMANITY – SAMUEL PERALTA 3/5
Features the Turing Test and interesting thoughts on morality.
Rated 15+ for: Abuse/Mention of Abuse, Black market, Death, Eating disorder mention/glorification, Language, Murder/Suicide, Sex/Mention of Sex, Social Issues, and Violence
September 22, 2015
This review is from: The Future Chronicles - Special Edition (Kindle Edition)
I absolutely loved this anthology.The variety of stories by authors I already know and new ones to add to my list of future reads is really satisfying.The stand outs to me are PePr,Inc by Ann Christy that has an intriguing twist on what it's like to be human.A Dream of Waking by Sam Best is wonderfully engaging.The author wove the story with a sense of mystery and tension that had me hooked till the last word.Invariable Man by A.K. Meek was unique and interesting.The unexpected twist at the ending was quite satisfying.I highly recommend reading the novel based on this short story.#Don'tTell by Peter Cawdron was insightful and made me think about how humanity repeatedly tries to classify certain people and traits as undesirable.Ethical Overide by Nina Croft was amazing and left me with a desire to read her future books set in the world created in this short story.I recommend this book to every fan of the sci-fi genre.I received a copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this anthology.The variety of stories by authors I already know and new ones to add to my list of future reads is really satisfying.The stand outs to me are PePr,Inc by Ann Christy that has an intriguing twist on what it's like to be human.A Dream of Waking by Sam Best is wonderfully engaging.The author wove the story with a sense of mystery and tension that had me hooked till the last word.Invariable Man by A.K. Meek was unique and interesting.The unexpected twist at the ending was quite satisfying.I highly recommend reading the novel based on this short story.#Don'tTell by Peter Cawdron was insightful and made me think about how humanity repeatedly tries to classify certain people and traits as undesirable.Ethical Overide by Nina Croft was amazing and left me with a desire to read her future books set in the world created in this short story.I recommend this book to every fan of the sci-fi genre.I received a copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2018
I know you're not supposed to look a gift horse in the mouth and yes this book was free, but I didn't really like it, I didn't dislike it, I mean it was OK, but I have to say that I abandoned it. I've been reading SF for at least 50 years, so perhaps I'm a little jaded by now, but the stories just weren't good enough to hold my attention. So maybe if you were younger, or haven't read much SF, then maybe you'd rate this book higher, but maybe you wouldn't.
December 3, 2017
Excellent read! I really enjoyed this fine group of short stories. I'm thrilled to learn there are many other books in the Future Chronicles collection, and look forward to reading them.
September 17, 2015
Over the past year, Samuel Peralta has diligently and deliberately put together a powerhouse science fiction anthology series. He's been able to attract big name authors such as Hugh Howey, Ken Liu, Seanan McGuire, Robert J. Sawyer, Jennifer Foehner Wells, and Matthew Mather among many others. But, what makes the Future Chronicles volumes great is the platform for new and emerging talent from the trenches of indie authors. While the established authors have been the cornerstone for these collections, the indie talent Sam chooses for each book is exciting and raw.
Full Disclosure: I've been privileged to be in three FC anthologies so far (Alien, Z & Immortality) and have spots reserved in at least two more scheduled to run in the next six to eight months. Other than reading and loving The Future Chronicles Special Edition anthology, I have no involvement in the collection.
So if the different anthologies released in the past year were all-star teams, then The Future Chronicles is a best of the best. Some of my favorite stories from collections like The Robot Chronicles, The Telepath Chronicles, The Alien Chronicles and The A.I. Chronicles appear, inviting you to rediscover them, to read them again for the first time in the context of this new collection, outside of the confines of their genre-specific collection. For some, it seems to imbue them with new meaning. When reading A.K. Meek's The Invariable Man (later expanded to a longer book) with a brand new story on one end and stories about telepaths just pages later, it almost can be read with a new and different point of view.
In The Future Chronicles, we get eleven stories previously released in those first four of the Future Chronicles collections. Each of these stories is excellent and represents those anthologies wonderfully. What is an extra treat are five brand new stories from Sam Best, Susan Kaye Quinn, Deirdre Gould, Angela Cavanaugh, and Moira Katson, as well as a Foreword penned by Hugh Howey. Each is a breath of fresh air. With the general theme, you don't quite know what to expect...will these stories be about robots, telepathy, aliens, or something else entirely. I'm thrilled to say each of these could very well serve as a foundational block for an anthology of their own.
While I don't want to ruin any discovery a reader will make on their own, Sam Best really rocks the beginning of the entire collection, Quinn again provides her own brand of singularity fiction with her story, Gould presents a mind-bending tale that will leave you shaking your head, Cavanaugh could give you nightmares (or are they...) for her story The Assistant and Katson threatens to leave you with tears after reading her heartbreaking story of defiance in the face of death.
What's really amazing is how each of these stories works not only in the confines of their own specific genre, but also all alone and then back in the comfort of other Future Chronicles stories that may or may not be in the same vein. Peralta has crafted a juggernaut and readers are reaping the benefits. If you get the chance, read The Future Chronicles and then explore the other titles available in the Kindle Store.
Full Disclosure: I've been privileged to be in three FC anthologies so far (Alien, Z & Immortality) and have spots reserved in at least two more scheduled to run in the next six to eight months. Other than reading and loving The Future Chronicles Special Edition anthology, I have no involvement in the collection.
So if the different anthologies released in the past year were all-star teams, then The Future Chronicles is a best of the best. Some of my favorite stories from collections like The Robot Chronicles, The Telepath Chronicles, The Alien Chronicles and The A.I. Chronicles appear, inviting you to rediscover them, to read them again for the first time in the context of this new collection, outside of the confines of their genre-specific collection. For some, it seems to imbue them with new meaning. When reading A.K. Meek's The Invariable Man (later expanded to a longer book) with a brand new story on one end and stories about telepaths just pages later, it almost can be read with a new and different point of view.
In The Future Chronicles, we get eleven stories previously released in those first four of the Future Chronicles collections. Each of these stories is excellent and represents those anthologies wonderfully. What is an extra treat are five brand new stories from Sam Best, Susan Kaye Quinn, Deirdre Gould, Angela Cavanaugh, and Moira Katson, as well as a Foreword penned by Hugh Howey. Each is a breath of fresh air. With the general theme, you don't quite know what to expect...will these stories be about robots, telepathy, aliens, or something else entirely. I'm thrilled to say each of these could very well serve as a foundational block for an anthology of their own.
While I don't want to ruin any discovery a reader will make on their own, Sam Best really rocks the beginning of the entire collection, Quinn again provides her own brand of singularity fiction with her story, Gould presents a mind-bending tale that will leave you shaking your head, Cavanaugh could give you nightmares (or are they...) for her story The Assistant and Katson threatens to leave you with tears after reading her heartbreaking story of defiance in the face of death.
What's really amazing is how each of these stories works not only in the confines of their own specific genre, but also all alone and then back in the comfort of other Future Chronicles stories that may or may not be in the same vein. Peralta has crafted a juggernaut and readers are reaping the benefits. If you get the chance, read The Future Chronicles and then explore the other titles available in the Kindle Store.
November 3, 2015
I enjoyed this anthology a great deal and can honestly say that it contains plenty of food for thought. The stand-out stories for me were:
A Dream of Waking by Sam Best
The first story of the anthology and one of the shorter ones. Harvesting the dreams of sleeping prisoners? I was drawn in from the first page!
Imperfect by David Adams
Identical constructs - artifical slaves - are created on the great forge world in the inner sphere of Toralii space. Each one is different ... but one is more different than the others. I loved how this story slowly built to its climax and made me think about AI.
The Grove by Jennifer Foehner Wells
Fabulously different! Hain is a sentient "plant creature" who holds herself separate from a super-intelligent being known as the Mother. Great pacing, fantasic characters, I want more.
Would recommend to anyone looking to get a fresh dose of scifi in their lives.
A Dream of Waking by Sam Best
The first story of the anthology and one of the shorter ones. Harvesting the dreams of sleeping prisoners? I was drawn in from the first page!
Imperfect by David Adams
Identical constructs - artifical slaves - are created on the great forge world in the inner sphere of Toralii space. Each one is different ... but one is more different than the others. I loved how this story slowly built to its climax and made me think about AI.
The Grove by Jennifer Foehner Wells
Fabulously different! Hain is a sentient "plant creature" who holds herself separate from a super-intelligent being known as the Mother. Great pacing, fantasic characters, I want more.
Would recommend to anyone looking to get a fresh dose of scifi in their lives.
February 14, 2017
A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW:
As with all books like this, some of the stories are great and others, well, not so much. There was a fantastic story about a "fixer" tracking down some unknown technology. Another good story looked into the world when telepathy becomes a reality and how the politicians deal with it. Finally, there was a comical tale about a man's discovery of God, who happens to be himself.
One thing that I noticed with most of the stories that I didn't like was that they were "snippets" or side stories based on books the authors had already written (and were hoping to sell). Maybe they felt incomplete?
If you like short stories and sci-fi, this is a great book to pick up.
As with all books like this, some of the stories are great and others, well, not so much. There was a fantastic story about a "fixer" tracking down some unknown technology. Another good story looked into the world when telepathy becomes a reality and how the politicians deal with it. Finally, there was a comical tale about a man's discovery of God, who happens to be himself.
One thing that I noticed with most of the stories that I didn't like was that they were "snippets" or side stories based on books the authors had already written (and were hoping to sell). Maybe they felt incomplete?
If you like short stories and sci-fi, this is a great book to pick up.
October 30, 2015
Definitely love reading anthologies like this, I always get turned onto new authors and series, although I'm often left wanting more when the story ends up being a one-off! This one doesn't have very many of those disappointments, and is definitely worth picking up. I've got four more books in my queue as a result of reading this, and that's a good thing!
January 25, 2017
Outstanding! Reminds me of The Twilight zone TV series which I loved watching. These short stories are great; They're sometimes creepy, unexpected endings, hair raising scenes mixed with sci fi. I really enjoyed reading this book! Congrats!
March 9, 2017
I was fancying reading some new authors of sci-fi and a great way to do that is through compilations of short stories. So I thought this set of stories would be a good start, particularly as the foreword is by Hugh Howey, author of 'Wool', another book that I previously enjoyed.
The individual stories in the book are:-
“A Dream of Waking” by Sam Best
“The Invariable Man” by A.K. Meek
“#DontTell” by Peter Cawdron
“Defiance” by Susan Kaye Quinn
“Ethical Override” by Nina Croft
“Piece of Cake” by Patrice Fitzgerald
“Imperfect” by David Adams
“Iteration” by Deirdre Gould
“Green Gifts” by Nick Webb
“PePr, Inc.” by Ann Christy
“The Null” by Vincent Trigili
“The Assistant” by Angela Cavanaugh
“Trials” by Nicolas Wilson
“Legacy” by Moira Katson
“The Grove” by Jennifer Foehner Wells
“Humanity” by Samuel Peralta
In the main, I enjoyed each of the books. The ones that really caught my attention were 'The Grove', 'The Assistant' and 'PePr, Inc'; just pulling three out there.
I was caught by the idea that a plant-based life form could have free moving, autonomous, independent elements which eventually return to their 'mother' form to consolidate. The Grove was a good taster for a universe containing these species, alongside others in the tale.
The Assistant is definitely a warning! All you early adopters of technology, be warned. Make sure that you find a way to build in a safety exit.
But also have some sympathy for those who are created to serve. PePr, Inc reports the difficulties these may experience. Humans can be troublesome things to deal with!
I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The individual stories in the book are:-
“A Dream of Waking” by Sam Best
“The Invariable Man” by A.K. Meek
“#DontTell” by Peter Cawdron
“Defiance” by Susan Kaye Quinn
“Ethical Override” by Nina Croft
“Piece of Cake” by Patrice Fitzgerald
“Imperfect” by David Adams
“Iteration” by Deirdre Gould
“Green Gifts” by Nick Webb
“PePr, Inc.” by Ann Christy
“The Null” by Vincent Trigili
“The Assistant” by Angela Cavanaugh
“Trials” by Nicolas Wilson
“Legacy” by Moira Katson
“The Grove” by Jennifer Foehner Wells
“Humanity” by Samuel Peralta
In the main, I enjoyed each of the books. The ones that really caught my attention were 'The Grove', 'The Assistant' and 'PePr, Inc'; just pulling three out there.
I was caught by the idea that a plant-based life form could have free moving, autonomous, independent elements which eventually return to their 'mother' form to consolidate. The Grove was a good taster for a universe containing these species, alongside others in the tale.
The Assistant is definitely a warning! All you early adopters of technology, be warned. Make sure that you find a way to build in a safety exit.
But also have some sympathy for those who are created to serve. PePr, Inc reports the difficulties these may experience. Humans can be troublesome things to deal with!
I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
September 12, 2021
Normally, I'm not a huge fan of book compilations. I find it difficult to build connections with characters in short stories. I prefer to read full novels that give me the chance to get to know the characters, and grow with them. But, in this book, I found worlds and civilizations that were rich and fully realized. I felt deeply connected to many of the characters in this book, and found myself wanting to hear more from them. If you are looking for a sci-fi book that is rich and compelling, you need to check out this inexpensive read on Amazon!
March 20, 2018
Amazing!!!
I loved this science fiction anthology!! I had read the Ai Chronicles first and loved that one too!!! This one took me awhile to read because I loved one short story so much that I wound up taking a break from the anthology right in the middle of reading it to read full novels by one of the authors featured in the book. Then I came back to the Future Chronicles and am glad I did! I can’t get enough of this kind of great as Sci-Fi! 5 Stars easily!!!
I loved this science fiction anthology!! I had read the Ai Chronicles first and loved that one too!!! This one took me awhile to read because I loved one short story so much that I wound up taking a break from the anthology right in the middle of reading it to read full novels by one of the authors featured in the book. Then I came back to the Future Chronicles and am glad I did! I can’t get enough of this kind of great as Sci-Fi! 5 Stars easily!!!
July 6, 2018
Superb Sci-fi Short Stories
I greatly enjoyed this collection. I am a huge fan of the short story format and science fiction may be the best fit for it. This collection contains something for every sci-fi reader. There are some stories in this collection that have spurred me to pick up other works by the authors. I will definitely pick up another one of the Future Chronicle series as well.
I greatly enjoyed this collection. I am a huge fan of the short story format and science fiction may be the best fit for it. This collection contains something for every sci-fi reader. There are some stories in this collection that have spurred me to pick up other works by the authors. I will definitely pick up another one of the Future Chronicle series as well.
March 5, 2020
The first story was really good, but it all just went downhill after that. After reading 4 of these stories, I’m not interested anymore. The 5th seems pretty bad. About a hard boiled future detective woman who sleeps around, fantasizing about her robot coworker... Maybe this is somebody’s idea of a good story but not mine. As usual, books that you get for free on kindle are usually letdowns, and this one’s no exception to me.
December 29, 2017
I would actually give this four and 1/2 stars. With the exception of one story I completely enjoyed every story within this anthology. The only one I didn't resembled more of a history book rather than an actual story to me. Most of this one story was bland with no real action. However the rest were so entertaining that I would eagerly read more stories by those authors.
September 19, 2018
I am enjoying this whole series. Each book, and this one is no different, introduced new stars in speculative fiction along with favorite authors who have been writing for a while. Most of the anthologies follow a special it is theme. Special Edition is a free-for-all. I think there was only one story I did not finish reading.
March 3, 2021
A mixed bag this in terms of quality but many of the stories were thought provoking and it did it’s job in that I found some new authors to check out. Highlights for me were Iteration by Deirdre Gould, Imperfect by David Adams, PePr, Inc. by Ann Christy, The Assistant by Angela Cavanaugh, The Grove by Jennifer Foehner Wells, and Humanity by Samuel Peralta.
July 12, 2017
These stories are great . The surprises really throw you for a loop. I really loved the first story by Sam Best. Also David Adams writes some pretty awesome stories that really draw you in with the descriptions. Sam Best's story still makes me question the humanity in some people. Awesome writing!
July 4, 2018
Plenty here to engross
Sometimes I just have a half hour or want a quick read before bed. The Furture Cronicles fills the bill. Enjoyable, thought provoking but no requirement to remember 5 or 10 characters to get an interesting perspective.
Sometimes I just have a half hour or want a quick read before bed. The Furture Cronicles fills the bill. Enjoyable, thought provoking but no requirement to remember 5 or 10 characters to get an interesting perspective.
July 4, 2018
This book contains fifteen stories by young and talented writers. A unique look at science and fantasy themes. You get time travel, dragons, aliens, Zombies , Galactic battles, the list goes on. This is one fantastic read. I look forward to reading more books by these authors.
June 21, 2025
This was a collection of short stories about what the future could be, and no two stories are alike. It was sufficiently diverting and mostly well-paced. It's not a re-read for me, though, and it's worth reading once.
June 8, 2017
As Many Futures as the Stars
So much food for the imagination my brain is utterly sated! Great variety--topics, lengths. I can't recommend these anthologies highly enough!
So much food for the imagination my brain is utterly sated! Great variety--topics, lengths. I can't recommend these anthologies highly enough!
July 5, 2017
This was awesome. Enjoyed every single story!
August 31, 2017
Hit and miss. More of a sampler than genuine short stories.
September 30, 2017
Love a good short story, and this collection has a bunch of great ones. I like finding new authors to follow and found a few interesting stories that I know I will be seeing more of.
October 1, 2017
Excellent set of short stories. Very good broad spectrum of science fiction covered.
October 17, 2017
not a bad story in the bunch. discovered some new authors to read!
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