Future Perfect: Six Stories of Genetic Engineering

by Nancy Kress

Nancy Kress is unrivaled in her treatment of genetic engineering. In 1991 she wrote the ground-breaking classic novella Beggars in Spain (Hugo/Nebula) and since then has only enhanced her outstanding reputation of telling stories set in the near-future and dealing with genetics. This collection brings together six of these stories written between 1984 and 2008, including "The Flowers of Aulit Prison" which won the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for best short story.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies, Science Fiction Fantasy, Collections, Ebooks

246 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2012

About the author

Nancy Kress is the author of thirty novels, four story collections, three books on writing fiction, and over a hundred short stories. Her work has won six Nebulas, two Hugos, a Sturgeon, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. Her most recent novel, Observer, co-written with Dr. Robert Lanza, concerns the nature of consciousness, reality, and love. Forthcoming in 2026 is an historical fantasy, The Queen’s Witch, set in the court of Henry VIII. Nancy’s work has been translated into two dozen languages, none of which she can read. She has taught writing at various venues in the United States and abroad, including Leipzig, Beijing, both Clarions, and the annual SF-writing intensive workshop Taos Toolbox. Nancy lives in Seattle with her husband, writer Jack Skillingstead, and Pippin, the world’s cutest Chihuahua.

Reviews

[Maryam]

I selected this book after I read the title and summary, I knew who the author was and I knew previous books that she has written so I thought "Future Perfect" would be interesting. I had already gotten the gist when I read the summary of the story being in the future so I gave it a chance.

Honestly, this book was interesting with the wild ideas that are presented. I was amazed at what we could possibly become in the future. There are six different stories in "Future Perfect" and they are written as short stories. Sometimes it did get pretty boring though most parts are not super attention-grabbing.

[Robert]

This might be the first Kress book I have read and I found it quite good. The book definitely does a good job of covering the title subject, genetic engineering, and Kress knows her subject good enough to write stories around it that are quite good in the area. Of course as one would expect each story touches on the morality of genetic engineering and some are better than others. But overall I found all six to be quite good I particularly liked Dancing on Air and And No Such Things Grow Here. I can see why a couple of these stories own some major awards. They deal with genetic manipulation and with people and even the the relatively short length of some stories Kress fleshes out the personalities very well. I would recommend this for those interested in genetic manipulation and the morality of such bio-engineering.

[Jon]

The letter is shaped into a utilitarian circle, very business-like, with a generic government seal. It could have come from the Tax Section, or Community Relief, or Processions and Rituals. But of course it hasn't; none of those sections would write to me until I am real again. The sealed letter is from Reality and Atonement.
It's a summons; they have a job for me.

from The Flowers of Aulit Prison

[Kat]

Some great stories (First Rites, And No Such Things Grow Here), and some horrifyingly tedious (The Flowers of Aulit Prison and especially Dancing on Air, which I had to force myself through, but I made it!). Still a big fan of Nancy Kress and her dystopia induced creations.

[Ken Weinert]

Couldn't finish the first story. I just didn't see the point of the story and it could not hold my interest.