For some, it’s the end of the world. For others, it’s just the beginning. With brilliant imagination, today’s most visionary writers point to the future in the Forward: Stories of Tomorrow collection, curated by bestselling author Blake Crouch. These stories range from darkly comic to deeply chilling, but they all look forward.
Originally released in 2019 this collection features the short stories Ark by Veronica Roth, Summer Frost by Blake Crouch, Emergency Skin by N.K. Jemisin, You Have Arrived at Your Destination by Amor Towles, The Last Conversation by Paul Tremblay, and Randomize by Andy Weir.
Ark
The first short story in this collection is Ark written by Veronica Roth. The story follows Samantha, a young scientist cataloging Earth’s flora in the face of the planet’s imminent destruction by an incoming asteroid.
Being a fan of the Divergent series, seeing Veronica Roth’s name attached to this collection had my attention. While this tale may not have been my favorite entry in this collection, it still holds its own as a solid and thoughtful story.
Interestingly enough, I did find that I appreciated this story a bit more thinking back on the book while putting together this review. In the moment, I wasn’t a fan of the slower pace and quiet tone, but the writing seemed as a more purposeful and intentional decision from the author. However, I did struggle with the characters and their lack of connection which made it harder to really immerse myself. It’s unfortunate that, while the concept was fantastic, the overall execution didn’t seem as compelling as one would’ve hoped.
Ark is available on Amazon. The audiobook, narrated by Evan Rachel Wood, is available via Audible.
Summer Frost
The second story in this collection is Summer Frost written by Blake Crouch. It follows Riley, a video game developer who realizes that one of her non-player characters has broken free from her programming.
Blake Crouch takes a common science fiction trope—artificial intelligence going awry—and transforms it into something uniquely compelling. Blending cutting-edge technology with a thrilling story and real emotional depth, Crouch crafts a tale that is both thrilling and heartfelt. This story is a fast-paced read that I devoured it in a single sitting. Packed with intrigue and unexpected twists that stayed with me after putting the book down.
Crouch combines thought-provoking concepts with an engaging plot that made for a solid short story. It’s a fascinating exploration of familiar themes, reimagined in a way that made it feel fresh and new. While the story itself may not have connected with me on a personal level, but the protagonist shares the same name as my daughter, Riley, making a connection that made the reading experience even more meaningful.
Summer Frost is available on Amazon. The audiobook, narrated by Rosa Salazar, is available via Audible.
Emergency Skin
The third story in this collection is Emergency Skin by N.K. Jemisin. Emergency Skin is set in a future where humanity has abandoned the Earth following its devastation by climate change. It follows an explorer who is sent back to Earth centuries later.
When approaching an anthology or collection of short stories, I usually start with pieces by authors I’m already familiar with or names I see often. N.K. Jemisin was a new author for me, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, this entry turned out to be one of the standout stories in the collection.
This story is intelligent, insightful, and wonderfully crafted. What seems like a simple concept at first evolves into something a bit deeper by the end of the story. Initially, I wasn’t sure where the story was headed, but as we moved forward, its hopeful and meaningful message became abundantly clear.
The AI character, arguably the highlight of the story for me, kind of steals the show. Its amusing dialogue with the traveler brings a nice sense of humor to an otherwise thought-provoking tale. This entry is both clever and hopeful, which makes for a great story.
Emergency Skin is available on Amazon. The audiobook, narrated by Jason Isaacs, is available via Audible.
You Have Arrived at Your Destination
You Have Arrived at Your Destination by Amor Towles is the fourth story in this collection. The story centers on Sam, a man who begins to question the life he has led as he and his wife consider using a fertility clinic to alter their unborn child.
Like with Emergency Skin, having never read anything by Amor Towles before (yes, I know—I’ve been missing out), I left You Have Arrived at Your Destination for last. After reading, I am both thrilled and kicking myself for the decision to wait. Thrilled, because this tale is the best in the collection and kicking myself, because I waited till the end to experience.
This tale is wonderfully written, balancing serious undertones with just a touch of humor. Towles has written a story that captivated me from the very outset with its fascinating and creatively unique plot. I know this tale will stay with me for a long time.
As a father of two under the age of five, this story hit especially close to home. It resonated with me as it made me reflect on how my children will grow up and whether I am doing the right things for them along the way. Towles’ did a great job weaving emotional depth with an engaging story which left an impression on me.
You Have Arrived at Your Destination is available on Amazon. The audiobook, narrated by David Harbour, is available via Audible.
The Last Conversation
The fifth story in this collection is The Last Conversation by Paul Tremblay. The story follows an individual who wakes up in a room with no recollection of who they are; they are guided by the voice of the mysterious Dr. Kuhn who tries to help them regain their lost memories.
The Last Conversation is by far the most eerie and unsettling story in this collection, which may come as no surprise given it was written by Paul Tremblay, one of the best horror authors in the game right now. This innovative and suspenseful story delivers a truly unique and terrifying experience.
The use of second-person narration heightens the disturbing nature of this short story, which made me feel deeply connected to our protagonist–even feel like you are in his shoes. What the main character uncovers about their odd situation is chilling and the implications of the ending are even more haunting. Tremblay crafts a narrative that is an unnerving and bizarre experience, a horror story standing out in the mix of science fiction.
The Last Conversation is available on Amazon. The audiobook, narrated by Steven Strait, is available via Audible.
Randomize
The final story in this collection is Randomize by Andy Weir. This story follows a high-tech casino robbery attempt in the near future.
While I don’t tend to read a lot of science-fiction, but Andy Weir is definitely one of the best authors in the genre. This made my decision to read his short story in this collection first an easy one. However, it didn’t quite deliver the tale I was hoping for. While the heist plot and overall story were well executed, the heavy use of technical jargon—especially around math and quantum physics—made parts of the story harder to follow.
Something I always appreciated about Weir’s The Martian and Project Hail Mary is how accessible and engaging they are, even for readers who aren’t experts. Randomize, on the other hand, felt less approachable in this regard. That being said, it’s still a solid story that fits perfectly in this collection.
Randomize is available on Amazon. The audiobook, narrated by Janina Gavankar, is available via Audible.
