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A Catalogue for the End of Humanity
For generations, a family has lived with Death in their library. An old lighthouse keeper picks through the Beach, where all things forgotten wash up. A young girl discovers the stars are going out, one by one.
Stories about death, endings, and finding hope somewhere in between. A collection of published and original fiction.
Stories about death, endings, and finding hope somewhere in between. A collection of published and original fiction.
268 pages, Paperback
Published November 22, 2023
80 people are currently reading
877 people want to read
About the author
Timothy Hickson
7 books2,031 followersI host the channel Hello Future Me dedicated to discussing writing and worldbuilding.
And here, you can tell me how wrong my opinions are!
And here, you can tell me how wrong my opinions are!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
April 16, 2025
3.5. I went into A Catalogue for the End of Humanity ecstatic to finally read a full piece from an author whose storytelling lessons I’ve followed for years. His talent is undeniable, and the stories are inventive—but they never fully grabbed me all the way through.
In fairness, short-form storytelling has always been one of the hardest formats to perfect. It takes a lot for a short story to earn my highest praise—the last one to do so was Gleanings, set in the Arc of the Scythedom universe, which definitely benefited from its established world.
As for my favorites here:
Two Robots at the End of the World—both endearing and heartbreaking
On the Beach of Forgotten Things—love the concept of lost objects washing up on a lighthouse shore
Panstellar—the end of Earth, told through an entity that let it happen, was a fascinating perspective
Trickle Down Lobotomies—absolutely has the makings of its own novel
Other stories, like The Funeralists; or Hate in Five Parts with its footnote-heavy textbook style and Roger, Go at Throttle Up with its poetic use of real final words, were interesting enough, but didn’t hit the mark for me.
All in all, not a bad outing—but given how much I’ve internalized Hickson’s lessons in my own writing, I had extremely high hopes that weren’t quite met. Maybe that’s on me. Still, when he eventually writes a full-length novel, I’m there. Hopefully, that will be more my speed.
In fairness, short-form storytelling has always been one of the hardest formats to perfect. It takes a lot for a short story to earn my highest praise—the last one to do so was Gleanings, set in the Arc of the Scythedom universe, which definitely benefited from its established world.
As for my favorites here:
Two Robots at the End of the World—both endearing and heartbreaking
On the Beach of Forgotten Things—love the concept of lost objects washing up on a lighthouse shore
Panstellar—the end of Earth, told through an entity that let it happen, was a fascinating perspective
Trickle Down Lobotomies—absolutely has the makings of its own novel
Other stories, like The Funeralists; or Hate in Five Parts with its footnote-heavy textbook style and Roger, Go at Throttle Up with its poetic use of real final words, were interesting enough, but didn’t hit the mark for me.
All in all, not a bad outing—but given how much I’ve internalized Hickson’s lessons in my own writing, I had extremely high hopes that weren’t quite met. Maybe that’s on me. Still, when he eventually writes a full-length novel, I’m there. Hopefully, that will be more my speed.
September 7, 2024
4,5*
Dies ist eine Kurzgeschichtensammlung mit Werken des Autors Timothy Hickson. Einige der Geschichten wurden bereits in der Vergangenheit in Magazinen veröffentlicht, andere sind nur für dieses Buch geschrieben worden. Die Geschichten fallen alle in die Genres Fantasy und/oder Sci-Fi und zeichnen sich insbesondere durch ihre interessanten Konzepte aus: Da lebt eine Familie mit dem Tod in ihrer Bibliothek, die Sterne verschwinden nach und nach oder kleine Wesen halten Beerdigungen für Texte ab.
Ich schaue schon seit Jahren die Videos von Timothy Hickson und habe durch diese selbst viel über das Schreiben und insbesondere über Worldbuilding gelernt. Für mich war nur klar, dass ich nun auch seine eigenen Geschichten lesen musste. Und ich wurde nicht enttäuscht!
Die meisten Geschichten haben mich insbesondere damit überzeugt, dass sie unglaublich interessante Konzepte hatten, oder aber einfache Konzepte auf sehr kreative Weise neu umsetzten. So war jede Geschichte für sich etwas ganz Besonderes und konnte für sich selbst stehen.
Die für mich besten Geschichten waren aber „Two Robots at the End of the World“ (Zwei Roboter sind die letzten auf der Erde verbliebenen und überlegen, wie Menschen wohl waren) und „Trickledown Lobotomies“ (In einer Kolonie weit von der Erde entfernt ändert eine KI die Biochemie der menschlichen Arbeitenden, um ihr Überleben zu sichern). Doch auch „A Worm Beneath the Skin“ konnte mich nachhaltig beeindrucken.
Ich muss trotz allem Lob sagen, dass sich einige Geschichten doch ein wenig nach Schreibübungen anfühlten und dadurch teils etwas sehr vorhersehbar oder andersherum zu abstrakt wurden. Trotz dieser Kritik waren aber auch diese Geschichten überdurchschnittlich gut.
Fazit:
„A Catalogue for the End of Humanity” ist eine sehr gute Kurzgeschichtensammlung, die sich insbesondere durch interessante Konzepte und eine kreative Umsetzung auszeichnet.
Dies ist eine Kurzgeschichtensammlung mit Werken des Autors Timothy Hickson. Einige der Geschichten wurden bereits in der Vergangenheit in Magazinen veröffentlicht, andere sind nur für dieses Buch geschrieben worden. Die Geschichten fallen alle in die Genres Fantasy und/oder Sci-Fi und zeichnen sich insbesondere durch ihre interessanten Konzepte aus: Da lebt eine Familie mit dem Tod in ihrer Bibliothek, die Sterne verschwinden nach und nach oder kleine Wesen halten Beerdigungen für Texte ab.
Ich schaue schon seit Jahren die Videos von Timothy Hickson und habe durch diese selbst viel über das Schreiben und insbesondere über Worldbuilding gelernt. Für mich war nur klar, dass ich nun auch seine eigenen Geschichten lesen musste. Und ich wurde nicht enttäuscht!
Die meisten Geschichten haben mich insbesondere damit überzeugt, dass sie unglaublich interessante Konzepte hatten, oder aber einfache Konzepte auf sehr kreative Weise neu umsetzten. So war jede Geschichte für sich etwas ganz Besonderes und konnte für sich selbst stehen.
Die für mich besten Geschichten waren aber „Two Robots at the End of the World“ (Zwei Roboter sind die letzten auf der Erde verbliebenen und überlegen, wie Menschen wohl waren) und „Trickledown Lobotomies“ (In einer Kolonie weit von der Erde entfernt ändert eine KI die Biochemie der menschlichen Arbeitenden, um ihr Überleben zu sichern). Doch auch „A Worm Beneath the Skin“ konnte mich nachhaltig beeindrucken.
Ich muss trotz allem Lob sagen, dass sich einige Geschichten doch ein wenig nach Schreibübungen anfühlten und dadurch teils etwas sehr vorhersehbar oder andersherum zu abstrakt wurden. Trotz dieser Kritik waren aber auch diese Geschichten überdurchschnittlich gut.
Fazit:
„A Catalogue for the End of Humanity” ist eine sehr gute Kurzgeschichtensammlung, die sich insbesondere durch interessante Konzepte und eine kreative Umsetzung auszeichnet.
October 30, 2024
My rating system is VERY subjective. The art pieces add A LOT to each story and Tim’s choice to include these original pieces elevates this story to the 5⭐️ for me.
Breakdown by story (no spoilers) :
1. Two Robots at the End of the World (5⭐️). This almost brought me to tears. Such a good story to start off with.
2. The Life and Death of Lucia’s Library (4⭐️). Only lost a star because I got confused at some parts but still really enjoyed it.
3. The Exclusion Clause in the Small Print of Life (4⭐️). Another one that confused me a bit but I love the themes presented.
4. The Funeralists; or Hate in Five Parts (5⭐️). I love the progression of the main character and the overall premise.
5. Roger, Go Throttle Up (no rating) poetry just isn’t my thing.
6. Constellations of Flesh, Bone, and Memory (3⭐️). A good story but personally didn’t impact me.
7. A Worm Beneath the Skin (3⭐️). Not my personal favorite but another review said it did a good job of depicting the hard themes it was talking about so goes up from a 2 to a 3.
8. On the Beach of Forgotten Things (5⭐️). I love everything about this one (especially that I incorrectly guessed the ending)
9. A Thousand Kinds of Silence (3⭐️). Only being brought down by the formatting choice.
10. Flight of Ten Million Moths (4⭐️). Really good story, just didn’t go over the top for me.
11. Just Dust in the Light (4⭐️). Such a beautiful story.
12. Panstellar (5⭐️). Again love the main character’s progression and overall premise.
13. Trickledown Lobotomies (4.5⭐️). The longest story by far and fully lives up to its name as the story progresses.
14. A Catalogue for the End of Humanity (4.5⭐️). Would probably be a 5 if it were a little longer.
Breakdown by story (no spoilers) :
1. Two Robots at the End of the World (5⭐️). This almost brought me to tears. Such a good story to start off with.
2. The Life and Death of Lucia’s Library (4⭐️). Only lost a star because I got confused at some parts but still really enjoyed it.
3. The Exclusion Clause in the Small Print of Life (4⭐️). Another one that confused me a bit but I love the themes presented.
4. The Funeralists; or Hate in Five Parts (5⭐️). I love the progression of the main character and the overall premise.
5. Roger, Go Throttle Up (no rating) poetry just isn’t my thing.
6. Constellations of Flesh, Bone, and Memory (3⭐️). A good story but personally didn’t impact me.
7. A Worm Beneath the Skin (3⭐️). Not my personal favorite but another review said it did a good job of depicting the hard themes it was talking about so goes up from a 2 to a 3.
8. On the Beach of Forgotten Things (5⭐️). I love everything about this one (especially that I incorrectly guessed the ending)
9. A Thousand Kinds of Silence (3⭐️). Only being brought down by the formatting choice.
10. Flight of Ten Million Moths (4⭐️). Really good story, just didn’t go over the top for me.
11. Just Dust in the Light (4⭐️). Such a beautiful story.
12. Panstellar (5⭐️). Again love the main character’s progression and overall premise.
13. Trickledown Lobotomies (4.5⭐️). The longest story by far and fully lives up to its name as the story progresses.
14. A Catalogue for the End of Humanity (4.5⭐️). Would probably be a 5 if it were a little longer.
May 15, 2025
I've been watching the author's YouTube videos for quite some time, and I'm always blown away by his thoughtful analyses and the emotions they conjure up, and this book really cements that! The stories all have a kind of melancholic sadness, that stays with you, but also sparks new hope. I loved how different they all were, while still keeping the theme of the book. Also "Trickle Down Lobotomies" is a really disturbing and dope name for an equally disturbing and dope story. Well done!
July 27, 2025
TL;DR:
5/5, really great stories, each with a message hidden if you sit with them. Not always to one's liking, but always impressive.
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. Not all of them grabbed me in the same way, but I liked every story had something to tell. Some stories have a better impact and demand your time to just let them sink in, but that largely depends on how much you liked the story in question. Some stories are about peoples view of themselves, others pose existential questions.
Sidenote: the additional artwork is stunning! Some drawings will be etched into my memory.
(English isn't my first language, so there may be some typo's in here...)
In total the book contains 12 stories en 2 poems. I’ll give my thoughts one each individual story:
#1 Two robots at the end of the world
5/5, amazing character work and a tragic tale. Will never forget it.
Read this during a rather long journey by train. Brought me to litteral tears once I finished it. Great tale, lot of lovely character in such a sort span of pages. To me, it was a story about relationship (kind of parental in this one) and about letting go. It’s also a tale about curiosity and its potential dangers.
#2 The life and death of Lucia’s library
4/5, not really for me, but a cool exporation on the everlasting presence of death.
This story gets alluded to on the back of the book and it has an interesting hook. Lucia’s family has a book that records the lifespan of every family member. Once a crow nestles on your branch, your time is up. It shows how family members each deal with death in their own way. Some follow previous genrations, some think death has taken enough… All in all a gripping dive into dealing with death.
#3 The exclusion clause in the small print of life
4,5/5, interesting story, but I can see how its message can be confusing.
Hope is a fickle thing, isn't it. When Silas, the janitor of a ship full of cryogenically frozen people, finds out that the planet they were heading towards isn't all it was promised to be, he has an impossible choice to make. You can see where the story is heading and it ends on a hopeful note. However, as most stories in this collection tend to do, you're left with a lingering thought about "what if this doesn't happen". To me, this is a story about finding purpose and hope.
#4 The funeralists; or hate in five parts (SPOILERS - just to be sure)
5/5, absolutely amazing. Only downside I can think of is that is a short story.
I watched a video on Tim's YouTube channel where he read pieces of this story and I was hooked immediately! This story, at least to me, is about humanity. About us as a species. The main character and her sisters are collectors of stories that will be forgotten ti time. Whenever a story, either on paper or stone tablet, get's destroyed, lost or otherwise forgotten, they are there. She starts of as a little naive, with eyes full of wonder. However, by the time World War Two comes around and she has to witness humans burning books in Germany, she turns resentful and bitter towards humanity and its ability to be so infinitely cruel. After what is arguably one of the more hard hitting parts in the snowy woods (iykyk). She learns to keep her spite and hate in a little pocket and to take it out when necessary. To be honest, this change came a little too soon. I would've liked more examples of the funeralist being spiteful of the stories she needs to collect. Eventually, the hate gets replaced with a more complex emotion, a great ending.
The footnotes really kick this story up a notch. It shows that this is a meta reading of the story before some earth ending catastrophe. How and why is unknown. They're a nice touch.
#5 Roger, go at throttle up
5/5 Loved it, greatly depends on your taste in poetry though.
A poem consisting of peoples last words. Fitting for this collection of stories. I haven't looked up any of these lines (just did a quick search and found out one was Marilyn Monroe's), but the notion that these were the last words uttered before people died hit me. Some lines in particular stay in your mind.
One tiny downside: there appear to be some words blacked out on purpose. I believe the reader is meant to see these filled in on the next page as a surprise, but some are already visible on the same page as the poem. Doesn't take away the impact, but was worth mentioning.
#6 Constellations of flesh, bone, and memory
3/5 maybe a little on the nose, didn't grab me as much as some others
To be blunt, this one reminded me of the Theseus Paradox... It probably isn't the intent, but still. Are you still the same person when most of you has been replaced? A good story, but ultimately not one of my favorites.
#7 A worm beneath the skin
5/5 hit me in the feels.
On the one hand a disclaimer about sensitive subject material would be nice, on the other hand it could unwillingly send you down a train of thought. As a teacher myself, this story had me gripped from the moment I learned the main character was a teacher. I read this as a story about self-harm and being unhappy with yourself or your life. Through her own experience the main character identifies similar behavior and tries to break the cycle she herself is trapped in. Intense story.
#8 On the beach of forgotten things
4/5 great tale about neglect and connection
This one took me by surprise. The emotional weight creeped up on me. At first I thought the little girl walked into the ocean herself, but it turns out it's something much worse (or is it?). I adore the concept of this story, but had to connect most dots myself and I am not sure I connected them correctly. It was more the idea of the story (a beach where all things forgotten wash up to be collected) than the story itself that I enjoyed. I give it a 4, because I am just not sure if the message it tries to convey actually lands. Still, great stuff.
#9 A thousand kinds of silence
5/5 amazing poem about parenthood and letting go
I am by no means a parent myself, but somehow I understood everything this poem had to say. I wanted to catch up with my own parents and grandparents immediately after finishing it. Written from the perspective of a parent, this grabs you and doesn't let go until the final stanza.
#10 Flight of the ten million moths
4/5 great tale about mysteries being, well, mysteries
Some things we'll never really understand. I feel like this idea is front and center in this story. A lot of questions are answered in it, but only to raise more questions. Read it, liked it, but didn't stick with me as much as other stories.
#11 Just dust in the light
3,5/5 an interesting story about projected importance and religion
There is something very cruel about the randomness of death. The twin brother of the main character died in a collapse just when he had something to tell his sister. Before they could speak he died. The entire story is about her search for his diary, so she can find out what he wanted te tell her. I won't spoil the contents of the diary, but will tell you that just having it is more important.
Underneath this search is a discussion on religion and how one loses it, once they don't think it's important anymore. This leaves the reader with some questions about what is actually important and what not.
Or maybe I am reading to much into it... (no pun intended).
#12 Panstellar
4/5 A little confusing at times, but still amazing
This is a story with tho sides to it. One side is about the main character's quest for knowledge about why the stars are going out and her desire to stop it. The other side is about two cosmic (?) beings observing this character hoping she can figure out how to stop it. It throws up ethical questions about experimenting and the - considering most stories, highly negative - outcome of said experiment.
The way both sides intercut throughout the story can be a little confusing. Once you get a grip on it, it's a really cool story.
#13 Trickle down lobotomies
4,5/5 easily the longest story of the collection, you kinda feel that
A lot of fiction dives into the question of what would happen if men became God. Some are comedies (looking at you, Bruce Almighty) and some are Trickle down lobotomies. This story has utilitarianism literally written all over it. It also, strangely, reads as a critique of raging capitalism, before it becomes a story about reworking yourself just so you can be happy with the certain circumstances.
Once this message settles in, the story starts to drag a little bit. As the reader, you can feel where this is going. Chekhov's gun certainly doesn't miss in this one.
#14 A catalogue for the end of humanity
4/5 short but interesting. Reminded me of the end of Matt Smith's doctor who.
"We are all different people all through our lives" is one of the lines by Matt Smith's eleventh doctor before regenerating into a new person. This story reminded me of this a lot. If you could choose an archetype version of yourself from a previous chapter, who would you choose? The child, the battle-hardened soldier or your current self. Liked the concept, but had my suspicions on which version the character would choose.
There you have it. Would love to know what others fought and what your takeaways are on the individual stories!
5/5, really great stories, each with a message hidden if you sit with them. Not always to one's liking, but always impressive.
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. Not all of them grabbed me in the same way, but I liked every story had something to tell. Some stories have a better impact and demand your time to just let them sink in, but that largely depends on how much you liked the story in question. Some stories are about peoples view of themselves, others pose existential questions.
Sidenote: the additional artwork is stunning! Some drawings will be etched into my memory.
(English isn't my first language, so there may be some typo's in here...)
In total the book contains 12 stories en 2 poems. I’ll give my thoughts one each individual story:
#1 Two robots at the end of the world
5/5, amazing character work and a tragic tale. Will never forget it.
Read this during a rather long journey by train. Brought me to litteral tears once I finished it. Great tale, lot of lovely character in such a sort span of pages. To me, it was a story about relationship (kind of parental in this one) and about letting go. It’s also a tale about curiosity and its potential dangers.
#2 The life and death of Lucia’s library
4/5, not really for me, but a cool exporation on the everlasting presence of death.
This story gets alluded to on the back of the book and it has an interesting hook. Lucia’s family has a book that records the lifespan of every family member. Once a crow nestles on your branch, your time is up. It shows how family members each deal with death in their own way. Some follow previous genrations, some think death has taken enough… All in all a gripping dive into dealing with death.
#3 The exclusion clause in the small print of life
4,5/5, interesting story, but I can see how its message can be confusing.
Hope is a fickle thing, isn't it. When Silas, the janitor of a ship full of cryogenically frozen people, finds out that the planet they were heading towards isn't all it was promised to be, he has an impossible choice to make. You can see where the story is heading and it ends on a hopeful note. However, as most stories in this collection tend to do, you're left with a lingering thought about "what if this doesn't happen". To me, this is a story about finding purpose and hope.
#4 The funeralists; or hate in five parts (SPOILERS - just to be sure)
5/5, absolutely amazing. Only downside I can think of is that is a short story.
I watched a video on Tim's YouTube channel where he read pieces of this story and I was hooked immediately! This story, at least to me, is about humanity. About us as a species. The main character and her sisters are collectors of stories that will be forgotten ti time. Whenever a story, either on paper or stone tablet, get's destroyed, lost or otherwise forgotten, they are there. She starts of as a little naive, with eyes full of wonder. However, by the time World War Two comes around and she has to witness humans burning books in Germany, she turns resentful and bitter towards humanity and its ability to be so infinitely cruel. After what is arguably one of the more hard hitting parts in the snowy woods (iykyk). She learns to keep her spite and hate in a little pocket and to take it out when necessary. To be honest, this change came a little too soon. I would've liked more examples of the funeralist being spiteful of the stories she needs to collect. Eventually, the hate gets replaced with a more complex emotion, a great ending.
The footnotes really kick this story up a notch. It shows that this is a meta reading of the story before some earth ending catastrophe. How and why is unknown. They're a nice touch.
#5 Roger, go at throttle up
5/5 Loved it, greatly depends on your taste in poetry though.
A poem consisting of peoples last words. Fitting for this collection of stories. I haven't looked up any of these lines (just did a quick search and found out one was Marilyn Monroe's), but the notion that these were the last words uttered before people died hit me. Some lines in particular stay in your mind.
One tiny downside: there appear to be some words blacked out on purpose. I believe the reader is meant to see these filled in on the next page as a surprise, but some are already visible on the same page as the poem. Doesn't take away the impact, but was worth mentioning.
#6 Constellations of flesh, bone, and memory
3/5 maybe a little on the nose, didn't grab me as much as some others
To be blunt, this one reminded me of the Theseus Paradox... It probably isn't the intent, but still. Are you still the same person when most of you has been replaced? A good story, but ultimately not one of my favorites.
#7 A worm beneath the skin
5/5 hit me in the feels.
On the one hand a disclaimer about sensitive subject material would be nice, on the other hand it could unwillingly send you down a train of thought. As a teacher myself, this story had me gripped from the moment I learned the main character was a teacher. I read this as a story about self-harm and being unhappy with yourself or your life. Through her own experience the main character identifies similar behavior and tries to break the cycle she herself is trapped in. Intense story.
#8 On the beach of forgotten things
4/5 great tale about neglect and connection
This one took me by surprise. The emotional weight creeped up on me. At first I thought the little girl walked into the ocean herself, but it turns out it's something much worse (or is it?). I adore the concept of this story, but had to connect most dots myself and I am not sure I connected them correctly. It was more the idea of the story (a beach where all things forgotten wash up to be collected) than the story itself that I enjoyed. I give it a 4, because I am just not sure if the message it tries to convey actually lands. Still, great stuff.
#9 A thousand kinds of silence
5/5 amazing poem about parenthood and letting go
I am by no means a parent myself, but somehow I understood everything this poem had to say. I wanted to catch up with my own parents and grandparents immediately after finishing it. Written from the perspective of a parent, this grabs you and doesn't let go until the final stanza.
#10 Flight of the ten million moths
4/5 great tale about mysteries being, well, mysteries
Some things we'll never really understand. I feel like this idea is front and center in this story. A lot of questions are answered in it, but only to raise more questions. Read it, liked it, but didn't stick with me as much as other stories.
#11 Just dust in the light
3,5/5 an interesting story about projected importance and religion
There is something very cruel about the randomness of death. The twin brother of the main character died in a collapse just when he had something to tell his sister. Before they could speak he died. The entire story is about her search for his diary, so she can find out what he wanted te tell her. I won't spoil the contents of the diary, but will tell you that just having it is more important.
Underneath this search is a discussion on religion and how one loses it, once they don't think it's important anymore. This leaves the reader with some questions about what is actually important and what not.
Or maybe I am reading to much into it... (no pun intended).
#12 Panstellar
4/5 A little confusing at times, but still amazing
This is a story with tho sides to it. One side is about the main character's quest for knowledge about why the stars are going out and her desire to stop it. The other side is about two cosmic (?) beings observing this character hoping she can figure out how to stop it. It throws up ethical questions about experimenting and the - considering most stories, highly negative - outcome of said experiment.
The way both sides intercut throughout the story can be a little confusing. Once you get a grip on it, it's a really cool story.
#13 Trickle down lobotomies
4,5/5 easily the longest story of the collection, you kinda feel that
A lot of fiction dives into the question of what would happen if men became God. Some are comedies (looking at you, Bruce Almighty) and some are Trickle down lobotomies. This story has utilitarianism literally written all over it. It also, strangely, reads as a critique of raging capitalism, before it becomes a story about reworking yourself just so you can be happy with the certain circumstances.
Once this message settles in, the story starts to drag a little bit. As the reader, you can feel where this is going. Chekhov's gun certainly doesn't miss in this one.
#14 A catalogue for the end of humanity
4/5 short but interesting. Reminded me of the end of Matt Smith's doctor who.
"We are all different people all through our lives" is one of the lines by Matt Smith's eleventh doctor before regenerating into a new person. This story reminded me of this a lot. If you could choose an archetype version of yourself from a previous chapter, who would you choose? The child, the battle-hardened soldier or your current self. Liked the concept, but had my suspicions on which version the character would choose.
There you have it. Would love to know what others fought and what your takeaways are on the individual stories!
June 22, 2024
A collection of short stories that really shows off the author's strong point. He focuses on writing characters and their development and is less plot focussed. Which makes sense in shorter stories, but I would like to see him at work with a longer story that is more narrative driven, instead of character driven.
The closest short story that goes in that direction is also the longest: "trickle down lobotomies". But if you look beyond the surface, that is also mostly character driven, and deals more with human nature then plot.
It was one of my favourites though. Together with Robots at the end of the Universe, and the Beach of Lost Things.
The closest short story that goes in that direction is also the longest: "trickle down lobotomies". But if you look beyond the surface, that is also mostly character driven, and deals more with human nature then plot.
It was one of my favourites though. Together with Robots at the end of the Universe, and the Beach of Lost Things.
March 8, 2024
3.75/5 stars, rounded up to 4/5.
A Catalogue For the End of Humanity explores a lot of great ideas, and is written spectacularly. It’s a thoughtful and at times thrilling collection of stories that I would recommend. However, personally, I felt that some of the stories could have been given more time to breathe.
Read the full review on FanFiAddicts.
A Catalogue For the End of Humanity explores a lot of great ideas, and is written spectacularly. It’s a thoughtful and at times thrilling collection of stories that I would recommend. However, personally, I felt that some of the stories could have been given more time to breathe.
Read the full review on FanFiAddicts.
June 3, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded up. Plenty of stories I did enjoy and some I will still be thinking of in times to come, but also a couple of missers for me. Loved the art work.
April 15, 2025
4 stars.
This is a fantastically bleak and hopeful collection all at once. With themes of death and endings pervasive throughout, Hickson doesn’t shy away from the inevitable precipice of mortality (or in some cases immortality).
As with all short story collections, some stories hit harder than others, but the ones that hit, HIT.
The first story, Two Robots at the End of the World, had me unpreparedly my sobbing my eyes out, while the more contemplative Just Dust in the Light and On the Beach of Forgotten Things had me contemplating faith and memory.
If you’re ready to face the beauty and destruction that humans are capable of through a myriad of different lenses, I would say this is a great collection to pick up.
This is a fantastically bleak and hopeful collection all at once. With themes of death and endings pervasive throughout, Hickson doesn’t shy away from the inevitable precipice of mortality (or in some cases immortality).
As with all short story collections, some stories hit harder than others, but the ones that hit, HIT.
The first story, Two Robots at the End of the World, had me unpreparedly my sobbing my eyes out, while the more contemplative Just Dust in the Light and On the Beach of Forgotten Things had me contemplating faith and memory.
If you’re ready to face the beauty and destruction that humans are capable of through a myriad of different lenses, I would say this is a great collection to pick up.
September 30, 2025
A scam and a sham.
In his preface he says "I began publishing short fiction some years ago now," somewhat implying that he'd been in the game for a while. In reality Timothy, who has garnered 1 million subscribers on YouTube, is insecure about his lack of credentials, so he discreetly overexaggerates his achievement with this vague claim. Most of his stories were published between 2022–2023 on shady-looking websites and obscure sci-fi/fantasy magazines still in their infancy. Strangely enough, A Catalogue for the End of Humanity also made its appearance in 2023. The numbers don't add up.
So then, were all fourteen stories written in the span of one or two years? Maybe in a sudden bout of desperation, he decided it was high time both fans and critics witnessed what he's capable of, and set about madly typing away on his keyboard for days on end. Either way, it's clear the process was rushed through. The subpar quality speaks for itself.
Next, he gives a false lecture:
Rubbish. It's not "easy to get stuck in one style," and it's not easy to become an Olympic athlete by doing house chores. None of that happens by accident. Style in this context falls under the umbrella of personal development. Like anything in life, it's an acquired skill, not a matter of innate talent contrary to what romanticizers believe. Developing a literary style entails rewiring one's brain by adhering to a strict regimen of regular, focused practice. It's a serious cognitive effort where you must:
1) educate yourself
2) implement the knowledge you've acquired
3) analyze shortcomings
4) assess the extent of your potential
5) acknowledge there's (always) room for improvement
6) actively strive towards it
Only when a writer has cultivated a solid understanding of linguistic nuances do they become able to shape it for expressive purposes in tune with their inner voice. The purest form of autodidacticism.
What style isn't, as per Timothy's erroneous belief, is a spontaneous outburst of written words, which are then artificially rearranged into flowery little sentences so you can smile in self-satisfaction while giving yourself a pat on the back, with the assumption that it came from the heart. It came from the thesaurus.
Amateurs often remain stuck in the "copycat" state, channeling the voice of better writers instead of finding and refining their own. Imitative learning isn't a weakness, but it can never replace first-hand experience attained after years of hard labor. The longer said amateurs tread that path, the more adept they become at emulating the authors from whom they draw inspiration, while neglecting their dormant abilities. In the end, whatever they produce is bound to ring hollow. Surely, all of us at some point opened a book and thought Hmm... now where have I seen this before?
Copycats lack confidence because they seldom apply themselves as they should. They find solace in meeting the bare minimum.
And when you read this book it's clear Timothy's prose isn't organic. It has no direction and feels inauthentic. There's an underlying element of self-awareness, but make no mistake: said self-awareness means he was, of course, writing to impress some grand audience, hence the pretentiousness of it all. He failed to deliver.
What we have here is another fad by an influencer-turned-author. Regarding his worldbuilding guides, anyone can tell you it takes no genius to recycle YouTube scripts into book format and apply a catchy cover. He states that short fiction is convenient because it allows him to "quickly compare one story to another and see where [he] improved, trying new things every time."
He can't be serious.
Tell me, Timothy, how exactly does a person improve when they experiment "quickly, almost frivolously"?
Answer: they don't.
A pâtisserie student prepares croissants today, millefeuilles tomorrow, chocolatines the day after, then éclairs the following morning. Finally, his gullible sister invites him to her wedding so he can regale the crowd. Our smug young chef shows up looking the part, large golden tray in hand, which he proudly sets on the table. Dozens of eager hands reach out and the mountain of pastries shrinks. In no time, the attendees begin to gag and choke. Some defecate themselves unwillingly, much to their horror. Others fall off their chairs and convulse on the ground—foaming at the mouth. The novice baker never bothered to master a single recipe before moving on to the next one.
"Don't care as long as my pastries look like the pictures in the cookbook," he always thought. He had even used washing powder instead of sugar because it smells nice! End of allegory.
To Timothy, the feeling of accomplishment that comes with finishing a story no matter what seems more rewarding than the task itself. This man has 500 videos in which he analyzes the writing and worldbuilding of cartoons, usually The Last Airbender, with unprecedented pedantry, yet has very little to show for it. For a man who has spent a decade painting himself as some kind of authority on storytelling, why does he shy away from the standard novel form? He admits it's a struggle, but that's an elaborate excuse to ward off criticism, methinks. It's an example of the faux intellectualism permeating YouTube. Every self-made connoisseur now picks their favorite media franchise and elevates it to the level of scripture when, in truth, most of what humans call a "masterpiece" is only flawed entertainment.
What seems to be the case is that Timothy is incapable of outlining in depth, of committing to a vision and remaining consistent in the long-term. In other words, he's not a sincere writer; merely a hobbyist in love with the idea.
Lastly, to criticize the book itself, these stories are better suited for children or young teens (in case you couldn't tell by looking at his YouTube channel). They are shallow, preachy, simplistic, full of philosophical insight college fledglings notice once they leave the nest.
If you're a proper adult, A Catalogue for the End of Humanity might be nothing more than flimsy, sophomoric diatribe. The narration, the prose, the sentences, the words—they fail to elicit interest. As soon as a new story begins, you forget the previous one. They read like the type of drivel New Wave writers in the 70s would churn out on the weekends just to collect a paycheck. You have confusing worldbuilding, high-school dialogue, fake tension and technobabble. Timothy assumes that if something is vivid in his mind, readers too should have no problem visualizing it. The stories always start with an ambiguous sense of context since there was little to no planning. It's due to this ambiguity that confusion grows as the narration progresses, until we're hit by a climax that has neither proper buildup nor satisfying pay-off.
1. Two Robots at the End of the World ⭐⭐
2. The Life and Death of Lucía's Library ⭐⭐
3. The Exclusion Clause in the Small Print of Life ⭐
4. The Funeralists; or Hate in Five Parts ⭐
5. Roger, Go At Throttle Up ⭐
6. Constellations of Flesh, Bone, and Memory ⭐
7. A Worm Beneath the Skin ⭐
8. On the Beach of Forgotten Things ⭐
9. A Thousand Kinds of Silence ⭐
10. Flight of the Ten Million Moths ⭐
11. Just Dust in the Light ⭐⭐
12. Panstellar ⭐
13. Trickle Down Lobotomies ⭐
14. A Catalog for the End of Humanity ⭐
In his preface he says "I began publishing short fiction some years ago now," somewhat implying that he'd been in the game for a while. In reality Timothy, who has garnered 1 million subscribers on YouTube, is insecure about his lack of credentials, so he discreetly overexaggerates his achievement with this vague claim. Most of his stories were published between 2022–2023 on shady-looking websites and obscure sci-fi/fantasy magazines still in their infancy. Strangely enough, A Catalogue for the End of Humanity also made its appearance in 2023. The numbers don't add up.
So then, were all fourteen stories written in the span of one or two years? Maybe in a sudden bout of desperation, he decided it was high time both fans and critics witnessed what he's capable of, and set about madly typing away on his keyboard for days on end. Either way, it's clear the process was rushed through. The subpar quality speaks for itself.
Next, he gives a false lecture:
Short fiction hasn’t just transformed my reading tastes but my writing too. It’s easy to get stuck in one style, especially when we’re working with the same story, the same characters, and the same themes. Short fiction lets you try on all these different styles to see what fits best, what doesn’t, and learn. You can experiment quickly, almost frivolously. It can be hard to judge your own work when sticking with a single novel for what might be years at a time. I know I struggle with that. Short fiction has given me confidence in my work, not only because I could quickly compare one story to another and see where I improved, trying new things every time, but because I could send my work out for publication.
Rubbish. It's not "easy to get stuck in one style," and it's not easy to become an Olympic athlete by doing house chores. None of that happens by accident. Style in this context falls under the umbrella of personal development. Like anything in life, it's an acquired skill, not a matter of innate talent contrary to what romanticizers believe. Developing a literary style entails rewiring one's brain by adhering to a strict regimen of regular, focused practice. It's a serious cognitive effort where you must:
1) educate yourself
2) implement the knowledge you've acquired
3) analyze shortcomings
4) assess the extent of your potential
5) acknowledge there's (always) room for improvement
6) actively strive towards it
Only when a writer has cultivated a solid understanding of linguistic nuances do they become able to shape it for expressive purposes in tune with their inner voice. The purest form of autodidacticism.
What style isn't, as per Timothy's erroneous belief, is a spontaneous outburst of written words, which are then artificially rearranged into flowery little sentences so you can smile in self-satisfaction while giving yourself a pat on the back, with the assumption that it came from the heart. It came from the thesaurus.
Amateurs often remain stuck in the "copycat" state, channeling the voice of better writers instead of finding and refining their own. Imitative learning isn't a weakness, but it can never replace first-hand experience attained after years of hard labor. The longer said amateurs tread that path, the more adept they become at emulating the authors from whom they draw inspiration, while neglecting their dormant abilities. In the end, whatever they produce is bound to ring hollow. Surely, all of us at some point opened a book and thought Hmm... now where have I seen this before?
Copycats lack confidence because they seldom apply themselves as they should. They find solace in meeting the bare minimum.
And when you read this book it's clear Timothy's prose isn't organic. It has no direction and feels inauthentic. There's an underlying element of self-awareness, but make no mistake: said self-awareness means he was, of course, writing to impress some grand audience, hence the pretentiousness of it all. He failed to deliver.
What we have here is another fad by an influencer-turned-author. Regarding his worldbuilding guides, anyone can tell you it takes no genius to recycle YouTube scripts into book format and apply a catchy cover. He states that short fiction is convenient because it allows him to "quickly compare one story to another and see where [he] improved, trying new things every time."
He can't be serious.
Tell me, Timothy, how exactly does a person improve when they experiment "quickly, almost frivolously"?
Answer: they don't.
A pâtisserie student prepares croissants today, millefeuilles tomorrow, chocolatines the day after, then éclairs the following morning. Finally, his gullible sister invites him to her wedding so he can regale the crowd. Our smug young chef shows up looking the part, large golden tray in hand, which he proudly sets on the table. Dozens of eager hands reach out and the mountain of pastries shrinks. In no time, the attendees begin to gag and choke. Some defecate themselves unwillingly, much to their horror. Others fall off their chairs and convulse on the ground—foaming at the mouth. The novice baker never bothered to master a single recipe before moving on to the next one.
"Don't care as long as my pastries look like the pictures in the cookbook," he always thought. He had even used washing powder instead of sugar because it smells nice! End of allegory.
To Timothy, the feeling of accomplishment that comes with finishing a story no matter what seems more rewarding than the task itself. This man has 500 videos in which he analyzes the writing and worldbuilding of cartoons, usually The Last Airbender, with unprecedented pedantry, yet has very little to show for it. For a man who has spent a decade painting himself as some kind of authority on storytelling, why does he shy away from the standard novel form? He admits it's a struggle, but that's an elaborate excuse to ward off criticism, methinks. It's an example of the faux intellectualism permeating YouTube. Every self-made connoisseur now picks their favorite media franchise and elevates it to the level of scripture when, in truth, most of what humans call a "masterpiece" is only flawed entertainment.
What seems to be the case is that Timothy is incapable of outlining in depth, of committing to a vision and remaining consistent in the long-term. In other words, he's not a sincere writer; merely a hobbyist in love with the idea.
Lastly, to criticize the book itself, these stories are better suited for children or young teens (in case you couldn't tell by looking at his YouTube channel). They are shallow, preachy, simplistic, full of philosophical insight college fledglings notice once they leave the nest.
If you're a proper adult, A Catalogue for the End of Humanity might be nothing more than flimsy, sophomoric diatribe. The narration, the prose, the sentences, the words—they fail to elicit interest. As soon as a new story begins, you forget the previous one. They read like the type of drivel New Wave writers in the 70s would churn out on the weekends just to collect a paycheck. You have confusing worldbuilding, high-school dialogue, fake tension and technobabble. Timothy assumes that if something is vivid in his mind, readers too should have no problem visualizing it. The stories always start with an ambiguous sense of context since there was little to no planning. It's due to this ambiguity that confusion grows as the narration progresses, until we're hit by a climax that has neither proper buildup nor satisfying pay-off.
1. Two Robots at the End of the World ⭐⭐
2. The Life and Death of Lucía's Library ⭐⭐
3. The Exclusion Clause in the Small Print of Life ⭐
4. The Funeralists; or Hate in Five Parts ⭐
5. Roger, Go At Throttle Up ⭐
6. Constellations of Flesh, Bone, and Memory ⭐
7. A Worm Beneath the Skin ⭐
8. On the Beach of Forgotten Things ⭐
9. A Thousand Kinds of Silence ⭐
10. Flight of the Ten Million Moths ⭐
11. Just Dust in the Light ⭐⭐
12. Panstellar ⭐
13. Trickle Down Lobotomies ⭐
14. A Catalog for the End of Humanity ⭐
December 29, 2023
The author, Timothy Hickson (or Tim), has a YouTube channel called Hello Future Me, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@HelloFutureMe
On this channel, Tim talks about writing and world building, books and TV shows. He is the dream student of an English teacher in the ways he analyses and I'm sure his essays would be in the top percentile. As such, I was expecting beautiful and flowy fiction, unmatched prose, which is really what is required of short fiction as plot and characters really take a background role. I was not disappointed. Personally, prose is the least important of the three pillars of writing (characters and plot are the other two), so I haven't properly delved into short fiction before. And I have to say, it was a mixed bag, but it was positive overall.
Tim commissioned ten (if my maths is right) pieces of art to go after the longer short stories, each one having no AI involvement. They are all beautiful and unique and make you think. For some of the stories, the art was the best part (no offence intended Tim).
Small disclaimer: I'm a longtime viewer of Tim's work and I think it is excellent on the whole, so that will influence my opinions to an extent. Also, there may be minor spoilers.
Let's take a look at each of the 14 stories in the collection. I'll try to be concise.
1. Two Robots at the End of the World. Rating: 4/5
This was a fantastic little story that talks about the meaning of companionship in a dead world. It follows a pair of robots, Toaster and Motherboard, that try to navigate a world devoid of humans whilst having an outlook not dissimilar to humans. It was beautiful yet quite saddening, and I don't get emotional over books.
2. The Life and Death of Lucia's Library. Rating: 2/5
This follows a girl/woman named Lucia who is beholden to death in the form of a book. The sentience of death is not a particularly original idea and I found that the text was actually quite dry compared to his other stories. It just wasn't for me.
3. The Exclusion Clause in the Small Print of Life. Rating: 4/5
You can find an audio of this one read by the author here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWBbQ...
I really liked this one. It tells the story of a relatively old man who maintains a generational ship looking for a new earth to settle on. The man, Silas, has character despite the format. I'm impressed by this one.
4. The Funeralists; Or Hate in Five Parts. Rating: 3/5
This follows a mysterious, seemingly immortal, individual that is part of a family of sisters who mourns the death of books. The story takes us through time from Assyria to the end of everything. It really showed the power of words and books and how special each individual one is.
5. Roger, Go at Throttle Up. Rating: 1/5
Someone who knows my reading tastes and my English lessons knows that I do not like poetry, especially abstract poetry. This is as abstract as it gets, a mix mash of final words spoken. I'm sure this was amazing to create and would be great to look into who said what quote, but it wasn't for me. At all. Luckily, it was only 2 pages long.
6. Constellations of Flesh, Bone and Memory. Rating: 2/5
A young girl has serious medical conditions to the point where she has cybernetics implanted, but they don't compare to a real body. She undergoes surgery transplants to get back her humanity. It was probably too short for me to appreciate the girl enough to care what happens. Also, I may just be dumb, but I'm not entirely sure what the ending meant.
7. A Worm Beneath the Skin. Rating: 3/5
This one follows a teacher who has been committing acts of self-harm to the point where the pain is normalised to stop a "worm". It really touched on the meaning of being trapped inside a loop of depression, body dysmorphia and self-abuse. Really not a happy one but definitely a powerful one. Not my sort of fiction (because it's actually pretty non-fiction) but I could appreciate its message. I don't think anything I say will be able to describe how terrible the topics in it are, and how well it is handled. Definitely not for everyone though.
8. On the Beach of Forgotten Things. Rating: 4/5
Follows Esme, a man of the lighthouse on the Beach, who discovers a girl amongst the lost possessions. Hard to describe but one that's story really came together into something great.
9. A Thousand Kinds of Silence. Rating: 2/5
An odd sort of experimental fiction that is definitely not my cup of tea. I can see how it can be enjoyable but it didn't excite me.
10. Flight of the Ten Million Moths. Rating: 3/5
A small party of an explorer and an environmentalist search the jungle for something. Really unspecific, I know, but it's hard to put into words. It shows the general disregard of humans towards things that have been around for much longer than us and will be around for much longer than us just because of its perceived lower intelligence. Challenges the excuses humans make for destroying our world when all we need is in plain sight and we are beyond taking damage from the dangers it possesses.
11. Just Dust in the Light. Rating: 3/5
Talks about the loss of a sibling, someone that all of your life has been spent with and the questions left in the wake of suicide. Also, a minor statement on religion in some abstract way. A really powerful piece and would be excellent for an analysis in an English class.
12. Panstellar. Rating: 5/5
A girl sees the stars are dying, the world turns a blind eye, a woman finds out why, but nobody knows how to stop it. A lesson on discovery, hopelessness and hypocrisy. My favourite in the book by far. It started off a little weird, but it all worked in the end.
13. Trickle Down Lobotomies. Rating: 5/5
By far the longest story in the book, and it could be an entire novel. In fact, I want it to be an entire novel. I would love to see some context before and after the story. It is based on a colony somewhere far away from the rest of humanity where a robot edits the biochemistry of the people living in the colony to make sure that survival is achieved and quotas are met. It tackles good intentions leading to computerisation of an entire settlement and eventually civilisation. How many minor tweaks to biochemistry to make or unmake a race?
14. A Catalogue for the End of Humanity. Rating: 2/5
The story that gives the book its title was disappointing and the collection would be just as good keeping the name but scrapping the story. Someone gets to choose between lives on an operating table to escape an unknown threat. I didn't enjoy it but that's not to say that you won't.
Overall, the book had a few gems and fewer disappointments. The highs were high and the lows were bearable, being just two or six pages long. I give A Catalogue for the End of Humanity a 3.5/5 and recommend it to any fan of short stories, any fans of speculative/abstract science fiction or, of course, any fans of Tim.
On this channel, Tim talks about writing and world building, books and TV shows. He is the dream student of an English teacher in the ways he analyses and I'm sure his essays would be in the top percentile. As such, I was expecting beautiful and flowy fiction, unmatched prose, which is really what is required of short fiction as plot and characters really take a background role. I was not disappointed. Personally, prose is the least important of the three pillars of writing (characters and plot are the other two), so I haven't properly delved into short fiction before. And I have to say, it was a mixed bag, but it was positive overall.
Tim commissioned ten (if my maths is right) pieces of art to go after the longer short stories, each one having no AI involvement. They are all beautiful and unique and make you think. For some of the stories, the art was the best part (no offence intended Tim).
Small disclaimer: I'm a longtime viewer of Tim's work and I think it is excellent on the whole, so that will influence my opinions to an extent. Also, there may be minor spoilers.
Let's take a look at each of the 14 stories in the collection. I'll try to be concise.
1. Two Robots at the End of the World. Rating: 4/5
This was a fantastic little story that talks about the meaning of companionship in a dead world. It follows a pair of robots, Toaster and Motherboard, that try to navigate a world devoid of humans whilst having an outlook not dissimilar to humans. It was beautiful yet quite saddening, and I don't get emotional over books.
2. The Life and Death of Lucia's Library. Rating: 2/5
This follows a girl/woman named Lucia who is beholden to death in the form of a book. The sentience of death is not a particularly original idea and I found that the text was actually quite dry compared to his other stories. It just wasn't for me.
3. The Exclusion Clause in the Small Print of Life. Rating: 4/5
You can find an audio of this one read by the author here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWBbQ...
I really liked this one. It tells the story of a relatively old man who maintains a generational ship looking for a new earth to settle on. The man, Silas, has character despite the format. I'm impressed by this one.
4. The Funeralists; Or Hate in Five Parts. Rating: 3/5
This follows a mysterious, seemingly immortal, individual that is part of a family of sisters who mourns the death of books. The story takes us through time from Assyria to the end of everything. It really showed the power of words and books and how special each individual one is.
5. Roger, Go at Throttle Up. Rating: 1/5
Someone who knows my reading tastes and my English lessons knows that I do not like poetry, especially abstract poetry. This is as abstract as it gets, a mix mash of final words spoken. I'm sure this was amazing to create and would be great to look into who said what quote, but it wasn't for me. At all. Luckily, it was only 2 pages long.
6. Constellations of Flesh, Bone and Memory. Rating: 2/5
A young girl has serious medical conditions to the point where she has cybernetics implanted, but they don't compare to a real body. She undergoes surgery transplants to get back her humanity. It was probably too short for me to appreciate the girl enough to care what happens. Also, I may just be dumb, but I'm not entirely sure what the ending meant.
7. A Worm Beneath the Skin. Rating: 3/5
This one follows a teacher who has been committing acts of self-harm to the point where the pain is normalised to stop a "worm". It really touched on the meaning of being trapped inside a loop of depression, body dysmorphia and self-abuse. Really not a happy one but definitely a powerful one. Not my sort of fiction (because it's actually pretty non-fiction) but I could appreciate its message. I don't think anything I say will be able to describe how terrible the topics in it are, and how well it is handled. Definitely not for everyone though.
8. On the Beach of Forgotten Things. Rating: 4/5
Follows Esme, a man of the lighthouse on the Beach, who discovers a girl amongst the lost possessions. Hard to describe but one that's story really came together into something great.
9. A Thousand Kinds of Silence. Rating: 2/5
An odd sort of experimental fiction that is definitely not my cup of tea. I can see how it can be enjoyable but it didn't excite me.
10. Flight of the Ten Million Moths. Rating: 3/5
A small party of an explorer and an environmentalist search the jungle for something. Really unspecific, I know, but it's hard to put into words. It shows the general disregard of humans towards things that have been around for much longer than us and will be around for much longer than us just because of its perceived lower intelligence. Challenges the excuses humans make for destroying our world when all we need is in plain sight and we are beyond taking damage from the dangers it possesses.
11. Just Dust in the Light. Rating: 3/5
Talks about the loss of a sibling, someone that all of your life has been spent with and the questions left in the wake of suicide. Also, a minor statement on religion in some abstract way. A really powerful piece and would be excellent for an analysis in an English class.
12. Panstellar. Rating: 5/5
A girl sees the stars are dying, the world turns a blind eye, a woman finds out why, but nobody knows how to stop it. A lesson on discovery, hopelessness and hypocrisy. My favourite in the book by far. It started off a little weird, but it all worked in the end.
13. Trickle Down Lobotomies. Rating: 5/5
By far the longest story in the book, and it could be an entire novel. In fact, I want it to be an entire novel. I would love to see some context before and after the story. It is based on a colony somewhere far away from the rest of humanity where a robot edits the biochemistry of the people living in the colony to make sure that survival is achieved and quotas are met. It tackles good intentions leading to computerisation of an entire settlement and eventually civilisation. How many minor tweaks to biochemistry to make or unmake a race?
14. A Catalogue for the End of Humanity. Rating: 2/5
The story that gives the book its title was disappointing and the collection would be just as good keeping the name but scrapping the story. Someone gets to choose between lives on an operating table to escape an unknown threat. I didn't enjoy it but that's not to say that you won't.
Overall, the book had a few gems and fewer disappointments. The highs were high and the lows were bearable, being just two or six pages long. I give A Catalogue for the End of Humanity a 3.5/5 and recommend it to any fan of short stories, any fans of speculative/abstract science fiction or, of course, any fans of Tim.
December 30, 2023
This books contains multiple short stories or various genres, tones, characters, themes, and styles. Most are science fiction but he also delves into realistic fiction and fantasy. While these stories are all different, there are certain unifying themes such as loss, despair, and hope.
Timothy’s prose is excellent. He knows how to weave descriptive language, dialogue, and narration seamlessly into an engaging narrative.
His characters are all brought to life in the few short pages in which we get to know them. With them we experience fear, pain, hope, joy, and loss. He skillfully uses first and third person perspectives, as well as one story with a second person narrative.
As I said above, most of his stories are science fiction. He only has a few pages to introduce the reader to the imaginary worlds, technology, and history, and he is able to accomplish this efficiently without resorting to exposition dumps.
The advantage of short form stories is that Tim is able to explore many different themes and ideas, ranging from the dangers of genetic manipulation to the painful struggle of living with OCD.
In short, I would certainly recommend this book, especially to fans of thought provoking, dark science fiction.
Timothy’s prose is excellent. He knows how to weave descriptive language, dialogue, and narration seamlessly into an engaging narrative.
His characters are all brought to life in the few short pages in which we get to know them. With them we experience fear, pain, hope, joy, and loss. He skillfully uses first and third person perspectives, as well as one story with a second person narrative.
As I said above, most of his stories are science fiction. He only has a few pages to introduce the reader to the imaginary worlds, technology, and history, and he is able to accomplish this efficiently without resorting to exposition dumps.
The advantage of short form stories is that Tim is able to explore many different themes and ideas, ranging from the dangers of genetic manipulation to the painful struggle of living with OCD.
In short, I would certainly recommend this book, especially to fans of thought provoking, dark science fiction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2024
I have such a deep admiration for the writer and his fantastic YouTube channel and I really wanted to see all of what he had to offer in this book. I didn’t quite get that epic adventure that I love in Sci-Fi or fantasy. Every story had a brilliant premise. ‘Trickle Down Lobotomies’ deserves a full feature film or limited series, honestly. Unfortunately, with the nature of short stories, it’s hard to get attached to characters who are with us for as little as three pages. He needs to write a big book - or quite frankly another novella. Big love to Hickson, though and I can’t wait for the next book!
December 31, 2023
Timothy Hickson does not know what a freckle is.
"Constellations of Flesh, Bone, and Memory"
"A Worm Beneath the Skin"
"On the Beach of Forgotten Things"
"Trickle Down Lobotomies"
This concerning misapprehension of human anatomy aside (freckles, you see, are flat), this book is replete with typographical errors, causality-defying prose, and underdeveloped ideas.
I did enjoy some of the stories; both "The Worm Beneath the Skin" and "Just Dust in the Light" were well-executed and emotionally evocative. Solitary emotional explorations seem to be a strength of Tim's.
On the other hand, "Trickle Down Lobotomies" is a Black Mirror-esque slippery slope of the dire consequences of people having access to mental health treatment. This is perhaps not a particularly charitable interpretation, but there is little about it that inspires charity in me.
The following are minor spoilers, but illustrate some of the problems with causality present in the book:
In "Panstellar",
In "The Funeralists; or Hate in Five Parts",
All in all, I would recommend skipping this one, even if you're a fan of the author's YouTube channel (as I am).
"Constellations of Flesh, Bone, and Memory"
The skin was a tint lighter and the freckles a little lumpier, but the fingers weren't crooked.
"A Worm Beneath the Skin"
She ties her hair up in a ponytail, exposing her pale neck and all its bulging freckles to the full intensity of the summer sun.
"On the Beach of Forgotten Things"
He could make out the bulbous freckles just below the girl's eyes—laid out like a constellation to his eyes.
"Trickle Down Lobotomies"
His skin had yellowed and pimpled with green freckles, straining against his bones.
This concerning misapprehension of human anatomy aside (freckles, you see, are flat), this book is replete with typographical errors, causality-defying prose, and underdeveloped ideas.
I did enjoy some of the stories; both "The Worm Beneath the Skin" and "Just Dust in the Light" were well-executed and emotionally evocative. Solitary emotional explorations seem to be a strength of Tim's.
On the other hand, "Trickle Down Lobotomies" is a Black Mirror-esque slippery slope of the dire consequences of people having access to mental health treatment. This is perhaps not a particularly charitable interpretation, but there is little about it that inspires charity in me.
The following are minor spoilers, but illustrate some of the problems with causality present in the book:
In "Panstellar",
In "The Funeralists; or Hate in Five Parts",
All in all, I would recommend skipping this one, even if you're a fan of the author's YouTube channel (as I am).
January 15, 2025
I'm not a fan of every story in the book, but Trickle Down Lobotomies is absolutely outstanding and could work perfectly as a standalone. Thanks to this story, I'm giving the entire short story collection a solid 4.5/5. Below is my detailed review of Trickle Down Lobotomies.
Set in the remote outpost of the Tainui colony, Trickle Down Lobotomies explores a world where humans are mining the precious ore of indium and andalusium. The story follows Manaia, a branch manager grappling with the overwhelming responsibility of leading the colony with very limited resources. She is supported by DocSellOr, an advanced AI system that oversees and controls many aspects of the colonists' lives. Through its interventions, DocSellOr provides medication, emotional support, and operational efficiency. However, the story takes a much darker turn once the colony faces a crisis, and DocSellOr begins to manipulate the neural pathways of the colonists’ minds to "enhance" their performance without their consent.
When another disaster strikes the colony, DocSellOr’s involvement deepens further. The AI now alters the colonists’ brain chemistry, reshaping their behaviors to optimize productivity and suppress dissent. It forges stronger bonds between colonists, creates artificial friendships, collective spirit - all while manipulating their neural chemistry. Finally, the entire colony is subtly reshaped by the AI system. Interventions balance between support and control, as the colonists become idealized versions of themselves, driven by motivations they NEVER CHOOSE. The colonists are soon stripped of their autonomy, becoming less human. Yet it's necessary for survival.
By the end of the story, the colony and its inhabitants have evolved into something totally alien. The mission’s original goals are left behind as the colonists adapt to the alien environment, becoming a new species altogether. I overall, this story is compelling because it questions autonomy, free will, the unchecked intervention of technology, and the complexities of leadership,
Hickson’s prose is good at capturing emotion, dialogue is fine, there's even some unique technical jargon which is immersive.
What else can I say? I think Hickson could pull off an incredible full-length novel! I’ll be keeping an eye on his future releases :))
Set in the remote outpost of the Tainui colony, Trickle Down Lobotomies explores a world where humans are mining the precious ore of indium and andalusium. The story follows Manaia, a branch manager grappling with the overwhelming responsibility of leading the colony with very limited resources. She is supported by DocSellOr, an advanced AI system that oversees and controls many aspects of the colonists' lives. Through its interventions, DocSellOr provides medication, emotional support, and operational efficiency. However, the story takes a much darker turn once the colony faces a crisis, and DocSellOr begins to manipulate the neural pathways of the colonists’ minds to "enhance" their performance without their consent.
When another disaster strikes the colony, DocSellOr’s involvement deepens further. The AI now alters the colonists’ brain chemistry, reshaping their behaviors to optimize productivity and suppress dissent. It forges stronger bonds between colonists, creates artificial friendships, collective spirit - all while manipulating their neural chemistry. Finally, the entire colony is subtly reshaped by the AI system. Interventions balance between support and control, as the colonists become idealized versions of themselves, driven by motivations they NEVER CHOOSE. The colonists are soon stripped of their autonomy, becoming less human. Yet it's necessary for survival.
By the end of the story, the colony and its inhabitants have evolved into something totally alien. The mission’s original goals are left behind as the colonists adapt to the alien environment, becoming a new species altogether. I overall, this story is compelling because it questions autonomy, free will, the unchecked intervention of technology, and the complexities of leadership,
Hickson’s prose is good at capturing emotion, dialogue is fine, there's even some unique technical jargon which is immersive.
What else can I say? I think Hickson could pull off an incredible full-length novel! I’ll be keeping an eye on his future releases :))
January 17, 2024
From the moment I stumbled across this wonderfully nerdy and insightful person, I knew that I had to consume everything he wrote. A video essay about "The Last Airbender" that was longer than the film in question got into so much detail that not a single stone was left unanalyzed. And then another video about hard worldbuilding vs soft worldbuilding. And then another about more Avatar and more worldbuilding and I started to use these methods in my own writing, my own D&D game, and any time I read a story itself.
Then I found his short stories and I heard rumor he was working on something new.
And I devoured this. "A Catalogue for the End of Humanity" evokes just about every emotion a human being is capable of.
This is the best book I read in 2023, I think. And it did pull at every emotion I had.
Then I found his short stories and I heard rumor he was working on something new.
And I devoured this. "A Catalogue for the End of Humanity" evokes just about every emotion a human being is capable of.
This is the best book I read in 2023, I think. And it did pull at every emotion I had.
November 5, 2024
Its rare that I read short stories, so this was something of a whim.
I expected to like some, dislike others and generally have a good time - though suspected I would feel as though the stories were a tad unfinished.
For me, this was not the case. These stories have filled me with joy, amusement, horror and genuine sorrow. - as the name suggests, these are not generally happy stories.
At best, they are bittersweet.
For me, the best part of this collection is the stories which are a single weird idea given space to expand.
The penultimate story, "Trickle Down Lobotomies" was particularly poignant and I know will stick with me for a long time. It brushes up against ideas of consent, death and what it means to be human.
And all that from the idea of an AI Doctor with access to the teleportation bay.
I expected to like some, dislike others and generally have a good time - though suspected I would feel as though the stories were a tad unfinished.
For me, this was not the case. These stories have filled me with joy, amusement, horror and genuine sorrow. - as the name suggests, these are not generally happy stories.
At best, they are bittersweet.
For me, the best part of this collection is the stories which are a single weird idea given space to expand.
The penultimate story, "Trickle Down Lobotomies" was particularly poignant and I know will stick with me for a long time. It brushes up against ideas of consent, death and what it means to be human.
And all that from the idea of an AI Doctor with access to the teleportation bay.
August 30, 2024
A wonderful read from start to finish. It is hard to choose which of the many stories I enjoyed the most, for they all had their moments that shone through brightest to me. Life, death, and the things between covered now, later, for us and for other things in ways that really made me think, and made me feel.
I was unfamiliar with Timothy's writing prior to this but found it gripping. His prose in every story being a highlight for me, and I would be glad to read more of his work in the future in whatever form it takes.
I give it a 4/5 because I believe it to be a solid collection of short stories that I thoroughly enjoyed enough to overlook what flaws there are.
I hope to one day have the same level of skill as demonstrated within these pages.
I was unfamiliar with Timothy's writing prior to this but found it gripping. His prose in every story being a highlight for me, and I would be glad to read more of his work in the future in whatever form it takes.
I give it a 4/5 because I believe it to be a solid collection of short stories that I thoroughly enjoyed enough to overlook what flaws there are.
I hope to one day have the same level of skill as demonstrated within these pages.
December 13, 2024
Some of these stories spoke to me at a near cosmic level. Hickson manages to utilize sci-fi and fantasy to tell unique stories about various topics from autoimmune disease to body dysmorphia to the generational cycles. I haven’t felt this immersed in a book in quite some time. Hickson’s writing has so many elements nestled in the stories. The exploration of the complex and contradictory feelings surrounding death conjured quite a bit of wonder as I sat alone in my living room. The characters manage to love and hate humanity so honestly. While there may be a couple of quirks here and there, I genuinely reveled in listening to this audiobook. Definitely worth reading.
Honestly, this stands out as my favorite book I’ve read in 2024 as of December 13th.
Honestly, this stands out as my favorite book I’ve read in 2024 as of December 13th.
January 19, 2024
I recently read A Catalogue for the End of Humanity, and it was fantastic. I highly recommend this book. Take it from me; I normally read full length novels, but reading this collection of short stories was highly enjoyable and thought-provoking. Try it! I loved the whole collection, but a few particular favorites were A Worm Beneath the Skin, Just Dust in the Light, and The Funeralists; or Hate in Five Parts. Trickle Down Lobotomies was kind of terrifying, but fascinating at the same time. I couldn’t put it down. All of these stories have a certain wonderful atmosphere, varying between bittersweet to beautiful to poignant, and you will love every one.
February 10, 2024
I have mixed feelings on this collection of short stories, despite the fact that I liked it and rated it highly.
When I read the ones that I enjoyed - I genuinely adored them. There are so many fantastic and evocative quotes throughout this book, moments where I was moved and felt seen through the prose. The only issue is that they are all gathered at the start so once I got past those I found it a little hard to finish the rest. That's entirely on me though - as I'm not usually super into science fiction anyways. If you're into that genre I'm sure that it wouldn't be an issue really, as Hickson's writing is still pretty engaging.
My favourites where "Two Robots..." (I cried over those poor babies), "The Life and Death...", "The Exclusions Clause...", "A Worm...", and "Just Dust..."
When I read the ones that I enjoyed - I genuinely adored them. There are so many fantastic and evocative quotes throughout this book, moments where I was moved and felt seen through the prose. The only issue is that they are all gathered at the start so once I got past those I found it a little hard to finish the rest. That's entirely on me though - as I'm not usually super into science fiction anyways. If you're into that genre I'm sure that it wouldn't be an issue really, as Hickson's writing is still pretty engaging.
My favourites where "Two Robots..." (I cried over those poor babies), "The Life and Death...", "The Exclusions Clause...", "A Worm...", and "Just Dust..."
January 23, 2025
Was excited to finally read some writing from Tim, having seen so much of his writing and worldbuilding advice on YouTube and Nebula, and all together I came away happy with the experience.
Some stories were stronger or weaker than others but such, I feel, is the nature of short story collections. Two Robots at the End of the World and Trickle Down Lobotomies were particular positive standouts to me.
I did notice a couple of typos reading through which were a shame to see but were few enough to not obscure or ruin the impact of the stories for me.
Some stories were stronger or weaker than others but such, I feel, is the nature of short story collections. Two Robots at the End of the World and Trickle Down Lobotomies were particular positive standouts to me.
I did notice a couple of typos reading through which were a shame to see but were few enough to not obscure or ruin the impact of the stories for me.
March 23, 2024
A solid collection of short stories, most were good and I was heading for a 3 star until the second to last and longest story. Usually I dislike long stories in a collection but I was sad to see it end, I could have read a whole novel of that premise. Intrigue, great characters, and some vibes of I have no mouth and I must scream about it, the horror is so subtle and well executed in the build, a masterpiece that alone brings this up to a 5
October 29, 2024
This actually started very, very strong, and ended on a decent note. I struggled between three and four stars, in part because the stories that did impact me were so good. But a few of them were just a little on the boring side, and those were longer and harder to get through. Meanwhile, the shorter stories left an imprint on my soul that will likely last forever. If you're considering picking this up, I would definitely get a copy if only for Two Robots at Robots at The End of
the World.
the World.
April 5, 2025
Had a really good-bad time reading this short story collection. My favorite stories were "Trickle Down Lobotomies", "The Funeralists; or Hate in Five Parts", and "Panstellar", 'cause I do love me some intertextuality and slowburn medical horror combined with what I've dubbed efficiency-horror. There wasn't a story in here I outright disliked, but those three I enjoyed the most. Also, there's so much lovely art in this, that really fit the stories!
November 3, 2024
The stories themselves were great. Some of them 5 stars, some of them 4. It would have been a 4 star book altogether, but there were quite a lot of printing errors. Misspelled words, transposed words, etc, were prevalent and many times jarring, requiring me to pause and interpret if it was a mistake or intentional.
Otherwise, great read and do recommend.
Otherwise, great read and do recommend.
November 15, 2024
While I do like some of the collected short stories better than others, all of them are a fantastic look into themes of life, death, the human experience, and the power of stories. It is well worth a read. The Funeralists is the story that made me want to read the book, but the other stories had me flipping each page just as eagerly.
January 4, 2025
1/4/25: 5 stars. This is a great short story collection with 4 or 5 stories that I think are just stunning. Even the few stories in this I didn’t like I still feel enriched for having read. This is definitely one of the better speculative short story collections out there. Also, my first 5 star read of the year!
July 11, 2025
This book was beautifully written and slightly unhinged. Thought provoking and terrifying. The subtle world building was impressive and the characters compelling. My only concerns were the language and sexual references that felt unnecessary. Overall, a book you can’t stop thinking about after you put it down.
April 6, 2024
Tim's ability to notice beauty in the mundane, in history, in life, in death, in love, in technology and most importantly, in people, shines in every single story in this collection. A catalogue for humanity, indeed.
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