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Brutality, infrastructure collapse, daily threats of war: 45 writers of speculative fiction share their visions of what's to come. Fighting in the streets, corruption at the highest levels, thuggish police, a daily threat of nuclear war: few of us thought we'd find ourselves here, so far into the 21st century. What's next? Are we really going to be "great again," however that's meant?
In this diverse and vigorous mix of original stories by newcomers and luminaries, writers offer their takes on what life might hold for us in the next few years. The resulting visions of oppression, and daily struggle are sometimes humorous, sometimes terrifying, but always thought-provoking.
Including stories by K. G. Anderson, Richard Bowes, Elizabeth Bourne, Scott Bradfield, J.S. Breukelaar, Jennifer Marie Brissett, Becca Caccavo, Don D'Ammassa, Stephanie Feldman, Eric James Fullilove, Ron Goulart, Eileen Gunn, Leslie Howle, Matthew Hughes, Janis Ian, Michael Kandel, Thomas Kaufsek, Paul La Farge, Yoon Ha Lee, Michael Libling, Heather Lindsley, Lisa Mason, Barry N. Malzberg, David Marusek, Mary Anne Mohanraj, James Morrow, Ruth Nestvold, Deji Bryce Olukotun, Marguerite Reed, Robert Reed, Madeleine E. Robins, Jay Russell, Geoff Ryman, James Sallis, J. M. Sidorova, Brian Francis Slattery, Harry Turtledove, Deepak Unnikrishnan, TS Vale, Leo Vladimirsky, Ray Vukcevich, Ted White, Paul Witcover, N. Lee Wood, and Jane Yolen.
List of contents
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction
Sneakers
Michael Libling
re: Your Wedding
Ruth Nestvold
Everything Is Fixed Now
K. G. Anderson
His Sweat Like Stars on the Rio Grande
Janis Ian
Agnosia
J. M. Sidorova
The Adventure of You
Paul La Farge
¿
N. Lee Wood
Birds
Deepak Unnikrishnan
The Only Constant
Leslie Howle
The Terrific Leader
Harry Turtledove
Two Explicit and Three Oblique Apologies to My Oldest Daughter One Month Before Her Eighteenth Birthday
Heather Lindsley
The Levellers
Deji Bryce Olukotun
No Point Talking
Geoff Ryman
Glow
J.S. Breukelaar
Precaution at Penn Station
Michael Kandel
Newsletter
Jennifer Marie Brissett
Statues of Limitations
Jay Russell
Suffocation
Robert Reed
Application for Asylum
Eileen Gunn
Welcome to Triumph Band
Yoon Ha Lee
Loser
Matthew Hughes
We All Have Hearts of Gold®
Leo Vladimirsky
Notes on Retrieving a Fallen Banner
Marguerite Reed
Ticket to Ride
Eric James Fullilove
Burning Down the House
Ted White
Dangerous
Lisa Mason
Class Assignment
Thomas Kaufsek
Walls
Paul Witcover
The Passion According to Mike
Scott Bradfield
Bright Sarasota Where the Circus Lies Dying
James Sallis
The Name Unspoken
Richard Bowes
The Elites
Stephanie Feldman
January 2018
Barry N. Malzberg
Farewell
Mary Anne Mohanraj
The Amazing Transformation of the White House Dog
Ron Goulart
Handmaid's Other Tale
Jane Yolen
Sanctuary
Brian Francis Slattery
One Fell Swoop
James Morrow
BK Girls
TS Vale
Isn't Life Great?
Don D'Ammassa
The Men Will Be Hungry Afterwards
Ray Vukcevich
The Road South
Madeleine E. Robins and Becca Caccavo
Skippy's Visit East
Michael Kandel
Designed for Your Safety
Elizabeth Bourne
Extreme Bedding
David Marusek
About the Contributors
About the author
GORDON VAN GELDER is the publisher of
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. He is the editor of many anthologies, among them
Welcome to the Greenhouse: New Science fiction on Climate Change (OR Books). He has twice received the Hugo Award for Best Editor (short form), and has twice won the World Fantasy Award.
Summary
Brutality, infrastructure collapse, daily threats of war: 45 writers of speculative fiction share their visions of what's to come.
Fighting in the streets, corruption at the highest levels, thuggish police, a daily threat of nuclear war: few of us thought we'd find ourselves here, so far into the 21st century. What's next? Are we really going to be "great again," however that's meant?
In this diverse and vigorous mix of original stories by newcomers and luminaries, writers offer their takes on what life might hold for us in the next few years. The resulting visions of oppression, and daily struggle are sometimes humorous, sometimes terrifying, but always thought-provoking.
Including stories by K. G. Anderson, Richard Bowes, Elizabeth Bourne, Scott Bradfield, J.S. Breukelaar, Jennifer Marie Brissett, Becca Caccavo, Don D'Ammassa, Stephanie Feldman, Eric James Fullilove, Ron Goulart, Eileen Gunn, Leslie Howle, Matthew Hughes, Janis Ian, Michael Kandel, Thomas Kaufsek, Paul La Farge, Yoon Ha Lee, Michael Libling, Heather Lindsley, Lisa Mason, Barry N. Malzberg, David Marusek, Mary Anne Mohanraj, James Morrow, Ruth Nestvold, Deji Bryce Olukotun, Marguerite Reed, Robert Reed, Madeleine E. Robins, Jay Russell, Geoff Ryman, James Sallis, J. M. Sidorova, Brian Francis Slattery, Harry Turtledove, Deepak Unnikrishnan, TS Vale, Leo Vladimirsky, Ray Vukcevich, Ted White, Paul Witcover, N. Lee Wood, and Jane Yolen.
Additional text
Praise for Welcome to Dystopia
"In these stories, as in our own world, the global elites know how to hack any democracy from both inside and outside a country’s borders . . . Welcome to Dystopia is a must-read—and may well be worth adding to your own list of books to pass on to the next generation." —Strange Horizons
"The 45 original stories in this volume achieve their objectives laudably, presenting bleak dystopic near-futures that are firmly rooted in the here and now. ... This is a bracing collection of short, sharp shocks, all of which stimulate and some of which stun." —Publishers Weekly
"This current anthology, edited by the indefatigable Gordon Van Gelder, leans toward the literary strain of SF. There are no less than 45 original stories by 46 authors . . . The variety is incredible: there are wars, disasters both natural and artificial, economic collapse, and invasion, as well as more personal stories of oppression and struggle. As you might expect, a number of stories are rooted in current-day politics. Some are humorous, ranging from ironic chuckle to actual belly laugh; some are terrifying; not a few bring tears to the eyes. All of them leave the reader with new ideas to ponder." –ANALOG
"This is a worthy anthology. In fact, there wasn't a duff story in the bunch." –SFcrowsnest
Praise for Welcome to the Greenhouse: New Science Fiction on Climate Change
"Welcome to the Greenhouse is a treat for anyone who appreciates good SF in the best speculative tradition." —Analog Science Fiction and Fact
Praise for The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction: Anthology
"For sheer reading pleasure, this anthology is unparalleled." —Publishers Weekly
"Still the gold standard for short fiction in America." —Stephen King
