Humanity's Edge

by Tamara Wilhite

What makes one Human? This is a question which had been pondered for centuries. Author Tamara Wilhite has assembled a collection of short stories that make the Twilight Zone dull in comparison, to help the reader further ponder this question. Set in mankind's future, Humanity's Edge is a precursor to bigger and better things to come from this talented Science Fiction author.

Paperback

First published November 17, 2005

Reviews

[Robert Leere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humanity's Edge
by
Tamara Wilhite

http://www.amazon.com/Humanitys-Edge-...

Strap in your seat belt for Humanity's edge by Tamara Wilhite. Her imagination will take you on many excursions as you read each one of her Sci-Fi short stories...this collection of 13 short stories will spark your imagination. Here they are:

New Beginnings
"You can't repeat the past, even when you have a carbon copy."
An excellent story about a clone that remembers of a time when she was not a clone and the person they called Father trying to solve their new lives together.

Church of the Called
"Crazy cults may be more than they seem."
An investigator encounters a cult upon investigation of a felon's encounter that drove him into the lunatic asylum. This cult controls people's minds through telepathy and mind control. Would you keep your mouth shut if threatened with a lifetime of insanity?

Breathing Room
"A sigh of relief could be your last breath."
Earth now has become a life of gas masks and lung ailments with only a fraction of Earth's population that survives a scientific blunder meant to control earthquakes. Imagine if you will countless activated volcanoes spewing their poisonous gases throughout the Earth making Earth look like Venus.


Survival of the Fittest
"Does survival of the fittest always mean survival of the species?"
In a world where humanoid species have split how far would you go to help someone that is not human?

Banking on Hope
"Don't offer to help unless you know EXACTLY what their asking for."
Kenji, a futuristic lab technician is tricked, drugged and turned into a living non human species that will provide the needed enzymes and bone marrow for the invading species to survive.

Double Trouble
"What if your problems really WERE your father's fault?"
A cloned son is attempting to sue a father for the bad health effects of being chronologically, 17, biologically, 22 and genetically 67 years old.

The Hunter and The Hunted
"Better ability doesn't make for better people."
One telepath serial killer is stopped dead in his tracks by another telepath highly skilled in telekinesis, so a battle of the minds ensues.

The Ghost of Tedjai
"Ghosts come of all forms, and of all worlds."
Could you live on some distant planet battling its inhabitants to share natural resources the planet has to offer?

Moment of Humanity
"Humanity's children will only survive if they can find something in common."
About a battle between humanoids and cyborgs over survival. Will the humanoids quite their senseless bickering and unite against the cyborgs?

Cathedral
"Even genetically engineered geniuses have their problems..."
A futuristic Orwellian world in which people are test tube bred for the size of their brain capacity, to solve the worlds problems, rationalized okay even if they will only live to 25 or 30 years old.

Denny
"Beware of the Bum."
A Bum wanders digging in garbage containers not for food or possessions but confused because of lack of human touch as every person that does it is their last sending the Bum back on is way in a sea of despondent helplessness.

Gone in a Flash
"Can suicide be a valid life choice?"
In a world ruled by Islam suicide becomes an everyday occurrence like the birthday parties of the past when people would gather around to participate in an event meant to be a happy occasion handing out cards to announce the event.

Kyoto Plus Ten
"all that work for a burger..."
In a world where the simple act of cooking a hamburger can get you arrested and fined.

Oh gosh what can I say? Humanity's Edge is an interesting collection of science fiction short stories, mostly themed about survival. This collection would be excellent for young adult or any adult that loves science fiction with smatterings of a post apocalyptic scenario. All the stories are short enough one could read at work while on breaks, read on subway or bus on way to work daily. Each story I read it seemed my favorite would change. So at the end I had no favorite. This will go on my shelf as a permanent fixture to reread at some future date and enjoy again. A perfect gift for someone.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Humanity's Edge" is a collection of short stories that share a common theme; survival. Each story is incredibly different, and their plots involve everything from cloning to just trying to have a decent dinner. However different their plots may be, the theme of survival resonates through just the same. Some of the stories are rather bleak and grim; taking place in a future where its not safe to be outside due to toxic levels of gas in the air, others are a bit more uplifting. Many of these survival stories also involve acts of kindess, which serves to renew a reader's hope in humans as a species.

"Humanity's Edge" contains 13 stories, and each of them will make you stop and think. Many of them will make you ponder over what it means to actually be human. The book is a page turner, and one of the better short story collections I've read.

[Adam Huber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not big into the SciFi genre. Hell, I'm not into the SciFi genre at all, really. The premise of "Humanity's Edge," however, grabbed my attention, and I had a copy sitting around because of my work with Blu Phier, so I gave it a shot. I was very impressed with the original concepts presented in the stories, and it's truly fiction that raises moral and topical questions, despite most of the tales being set in the future. My only complaint was that Tamara didn't push the moral boundaries quite far enough, and some of the stories seemed to end without truly forcing the reader to ask all the questions they could have. Ultimately, "Humanity's Edge" is a a fine collection of progressive science fiction stories from a great small market publisher. Definitely worth a read, whether you're into the genre or not.

[BookChic Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of thirteen short stories, which are all set in mankind's future, all ask and attempt to answer the same question: What makes one Human? Author Tamara Wilhite has assembled a collection of short stories that make the Twilight Zone dull in comparison, to help the reader further ponder this question.

This book is extremely engaging and actually quite a quick read. Pretty much every story has an element of suspense that keeps the reader interested in what's going on. Though it is science fiction, each story's premise makes sense and any technology or other advanced subject is explained in a clear fashion. If you want a book that will make you think but also give you some great stories to read, this is the one for you.

[Jim]

i haven had much luck with collections of short stories but this science fiction collection is at least readable.