Dystopian Short

Killer bots anyone? What about an eco-Armageddon? And what really happened at Roswell anyway? From ancient mysteries on Earth to far-future conflicts on other worlds, this collection of sixteen sci-fi short stories from the author of The Anti Life Series and the Final Update trilogy promises to take you on an adventure. Whether it’s human-sized parasites, clone lovers, or intergalactic war—there’s something in this novel-length story collage for every science fiction enthusiast.

In a world with an uncertain future, do you imagine for the best or for the worst case scenario? Twelve writers tackle extreme solarpunk utopias and apocalyptic or political dystopias—and the gray areas in between—in Biketopia, the fourth volume of the Bikes in Space series of feminist science fiction stories about bicycling. Some find love and fierce resistance in the end times; others imagine an ecological future of saving technology, with solarpunk ecotopian visions, at times paired with crushing social control.

In the distant future, the Earth lies barren. Devoid of vegetation, what remains of the human race scours the land as scavengers. During one gathering a survivor, Josiah, discovers a map leading to an unknown destination. His newfound quest becomes a journey of hope and redemption as he lays eyes upon a miracle: the world's last living tree.

This post-apocalyptic dystopian short story follows Elizabeth, a mechanical and chemical engineer who used to work for a rapid prototyping firm. She uses the skills from her former life to provide for her and the woman she took under her protection, Melissa. The two seem to thrive in adverse conditions to bring semi-modern conditions to their hidden camp. But even after the world ends, you sometimes need something pretty.

Some religions state that the very universe was created by words. The nation of America was founded using words. Words established the rights and freedoms this nation enjoys. The first of those rights is freedom of speech, which implies so much more than the right to use words. This anthology contains four stories from four authors. Each story pays tribute to either the ideals held by America’s First Amendment or to the concept that the words people use hold power. These authors took the concept of words and placed it in futuristic, apocalyptic, and fantasy settings.

Nyra has escaped Cavallier with her father and mother. For the first time in a long while, their family is together again. But it's not that rosy. After what Sara has done, she has to try harder if she wants to mend things with her daughter. Regardless, Nyra has it good at the other side of the coin. Gary's missed her like hell, and the two can't get enough of each other. It's life as it should be until Cavallier comes knocking. Nyra learns the full extent of Cavallier's power, but she learns it when it's too late. Now, her life and that of everyone she loves are on the line. In the race ...

Step into a world that defies all boundaries and explore the unknown with Science Fiction Short Stories Vol. 07 by The Shadowplay Collective. This anthology of short stories will take you on a journey through time and space, where you'll encounter fascinating characters, mind-bending concepts, and awe-inspiring technology. Whether you're a science fiction enthusiast or just looking for a thrilling read, this book is sure to leave you captivated from beginning to end. The Shadowplay Collective has masterfully crafted a series of stories that will transport you to alternate universes, ...

In a time when a pandemic is threatening the entire population, Risa and her family apply for coveted acceptance into a new Safe City - a place designed to keep the virus out and to preserve a select few of the population. But getting accepted into the city may not be worth it - especially when she is sedated for secure transport and wakes up, unable to find her family. Meeting a few new friends and an intriguing soldier named Camsen Luck may help, but none of them can convince her that self-preservation is more important than finding her family; or that trying to escape is suicide.

For decades, George R. R. Martin - best-selling author of A Song of Ice and Fire - has collaborated with an ever-shifting ensemble of science fiction and fantasy icons to create the amazing Wild Cards universe. In the aftermath of World War II, the Earth’s population was devastated by a terrifying alien virus. Those who survived were changed forever. Some, known as Jokers, were cursed with bizarre mental and physical deformities; others, granted superhuman abilities, are known as Aces.

I’ve been an exile my entire life, stuck on a forgotten planet with alien overseers that enslave human men and keep human women as little more than prized pets. I hide in the wilderness alone, away from the oppressive alien civilization. The alien overseers send human men to hunt feral women like me all the time. When three human hunters finally manage to trap me, there’s only one thing I have to offer them to barter for my freedom: me. It’s the one thing they’re forbidden from ever having—a human woman. Their Human Captive is a reverse-harem sci-fi romance SHORT-STORY with ...

If someone observed us from afar, they could claim that our civilization was a civilization of walls. That was its main purpose. Such observers would likely not be able to explain why. I cannot either. Walls do not protect. They just trap and kill. Three short stories about a dystopic future, about people turning into machines, about walls and fences, about the way history works. Three short stories about now.

The ant scurries on the counter, alone, and the only remnant of its poisoned colony. Empathizing with the ant, Natalie ponders putting it out of its misery. As a scientist, she knows her flowcharts point to humankind's destruction: much like the ants, we polluted our colony too. Heading up one of a handful of secret labs, Natalie's mission to save humanity seems more like a cliché sci-fi movie than reality. Or maybe the world-weary views she possesses stem from her own bitter past.

1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley are two of the most famous and influential dystopian novels ever written. Both books depict a future world in which individual freedom and privacy are subordinated to the demands of a totalitarian state, and citizens are manipulated and controlled through technology, propaganda, and social conditioning. The two novels have often been compared and contrasted, and both are considered to be among the most important works of literature of the 20th century.

Delight in intriguing, thought-provoking conversations about ethics, philosophy, and social issues! After Dinner Conversation is a monthly literary magazine publishing short fiction. Each issue features both established writers and up-and-coming authors who contribute fascinating philosophical insights on controversial topics like marriage equality, assisted suicide, the meaning of death, animal rights, and defining your "purpose." It's time to go deep in search of truth! If you love reading imaginative short stories on hot topics that make your brain think deeply but also have you laughing...

In The Memory Librarian, music, fashion, film and activist icon Janelle Monáe returns to the Afrofuturistic world of her critically acclaimed album, Dirty Computer, to explore how different threads of liberation—queerness, race, gender plurality, love—become tangled in a totalitarian landscape...and to discover costs of unravelling them.

The perfect addition to the number one New York Times best-selling Red Queen series, Broken Throne features three brand-new novellas, alongside two previously published novellas, Steel Scars and Queen Song. Fans will be delighted to catch up with beloved characters after the drama of War Storm and be excited to hear from brand-new voices as well. This stunning collection is not to be missed.

In a future where humanity is split between an opulent floating city in the sky and a subterranean realm hidden from the sun, young Tim, an inquisitive resident of the underground, dreams of witnessing the world above. The aerial metropolis, with its radiant technology, hovers like a forbidden promise over the people below, dictating a life of shadows and secrecy. When an anomaly strikes the floating city, Tim's curiosity propels him to the surface, setting him on an adventure that bridges the gaping divide.

In the distant future the United States has been split into two regions separated by a barren wasteland; this is the country of Dystopia. Here the individual is discouraged, freedom is an illusion, food is rationed, and everything you do is tracked by a chip implanted in your arm. This is Dana Ginary's world.

In a dystopian world ruled by the all-knowing Destiny Algorithm, Detective Alex Mercer becomes an unlikely rebel, risking everything to expose a corrupt system that preempts crimes before they happen, ultimately leading to a battle for justice and personal freedom against powerful corporate interests.

In a broken world there exists a strange and sinister eating establishment unlike anything known or imagined - referred to in some quarters as Cafe Grotesquerie - where only the most discriminating and well-connected are privileged enough to enter its doors and devour its dark delicacies. Once inside, however, status still reigns supreme, and for one particular couple - Audrey and Aubrey - a hunger for power proves far more desirable than anything on the menu. But when confronted by the suspicious disappearance of their waiter, and civilization collapsing all around them, will they even be able to make it through dessert?