Collective Chaos

by Elizabeth Suggs (Editor), Jonathan Reddoch (Editor), Joshua G.J. Insole (Contributor)

World-Ending Terror




From the creators of Darkness 101 and Collective Darkness, comes Collective Chaos, a dystopian and apocalyptic anthology.




Journey into worlds where society's greatest fears have come to life-where technology, politics, and the human condition have spiraled out of control. Within these pages, you will encounter planets devastated by environmental collapse, alien invasions, and cities where freedom is but a distant memory.




Each tale reveals the fragility of our present and the terrifying possibilities of our future.

146 pages, Paperback

Published October 26, 2024

About the author

Elizabeth Suggs is co-owner of the indie publisher Collective Tales Publishing, owner of Editing Mee, and is the author of several stories, two of which were in a podcast and poetry journal. She is the president of two writing groups, and she is a book reviewer and popular bookstagramer. When she is not writing or reading, she is playing video/board games or making cookies.

Current Projects:
http://ctpfiction.com/

https://www.editingmee.com/

Reviews

[Елена · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm thrilled to have my short story "Home Deep Above" published in this anthology of world-ending tales ✨

[Makayla Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve rated each of the stories and used the average to get a four star rating. My list from highest to lowest rating are as follows:

(10) The Last Days of Lust by L. J. Duncan

(9) Beyond the Vinyl Veil by Elizabeth Suggs

(9) Crescendo by Alex Child

(9) Home Deep Above by Elena Boshbozh

(9) Rust by Patrick Moody

(9) Blurred by Zach Festini

(8) Monarch by Jennifer Leo

(8) Afterlife by Elizabeth Rayne

(8) Luminosity by Morgan’s Price

(8) Divide and Conquer by Robin Knabel

(7) Tragedy on Ichor Street by Edward Suggs

(7) Picture Show by Jay Seate

(7) Emily by Garrett K. Jones

(7) Unstable by Michaela Rae

(7) The World After Tomorrow by Jonathan Reddoch

(4) The Price We Paid by Stetson Ray

(4) Smart by Joshua G. J. Insole

(2) The Tuneful Town Horror by Gregory R. Marshall

(1) Doggone Catastrophe by Robert J. Foster

These ratings are mainly based on how much I enjoyed the story, pacing, and world building. I’m so happy I got a chance to review this, as it gave me new authors to look up!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Igor Neox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collective Chaos: An Apocalyptic Anthology

-Unstable (Michaela Rae)
★★★★★

-Smart (Joshua G.J. Insole)
★★★★★

-Beyond the Vinyl Veil (Elizabeth Suggs)
★★★★☆

-The Price We Paid (Stetson Ray)
★★★★☆

-Monarch (Jennifer Leo)
★★★☆☆

-Luminosity (Morgana Price)
★★★★☆

-The World After Tomorrow (Jonathan Reddoch)
★★★★☆

-Divide and Conquer (Robin Knabel)
★★★★☆

-The Tuneful Town Horror (Gregory R. Marshall)
★★★★☆

-Emily (Garrett K. Jones)
★★★★☆

-Tragedy on Ichor Street (Edward Suggs)
★★★★☆

-Picture Show (Jay Seate)
★★★★★

-Rust (Patrick Moody)
★★★★★

-Crescendo (Alex Child)
★★★☆☆

-The Last Days of Lust (L.J. Duncan)
★★★★☆

-Doggone Catastrophe (Robert J. Foster)
★★★★★

-Blurred (Zach Festini)
★★★★★

-Home Deep Above (Elena Boshbozh)
★★★★★

-Afterlife (Elizabeth Rayne)
★★★★★

[Daniel Yocom · Rating 4 out of 5]

What will cause the end of days, or even the end of life as we understand it? It is a philosophical question that people have been pondering as long as there have been written texts. Along with the philosophies discussing this topic, writers have turned to telling stories to explain concepts, ideas, beliefs, or fantasies of what it might be.

Here is a collection of those stories to spark your own imagination about what it could all be like.

I received a copy of Collective Chaos from the publisher for review purposes.

Collective Chaos is nineteen short stories, written by as many authors. Each one is told in with a different take on the philosophical question, even if there are some similar themes between some of the tales.

Within the pages there are the larger classic apocryphal events so many readers are familiar with. There is an end due to war, a zombie uprising, ecological and economic collapse. There are also those ends that are more personal, the loss of belief, sanity, desires, and even life.

The stories are centered around individuals who are facing these ends and not the large-scale descriptions, even if they are included, they are not the focus. This makes each story a good piece of storytelling of the personal level of involvement (good, bad, or neutral) each of the characters are facing.
Overall
I liked the wide variety of stories and the wide range of possibilities within Collective Chaos.

Not every story leaves you with a sense of hope, but it does give you a sense of what we, as a race, are capable of both good and bad. Many of these are stories drawing on older elements of survival and apocryphal writing, but with a twist that dates them to our current age of knowledge, technology, understanding, and mysticism.

I recommend Collective Chaos for those who enjoy Tales of the end of the world, large and small. And to those who are willing to look at the world we are in with a dark carnival mirror that gives a twisted perspective of what we believe to be real.

You can read the complete review at https://guildmastergaming.blogspot.co...

[Naito Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not usually a fan of dystopian settings, and horror tends to come without the comfort of happy endings—but I had a story in mind I needed to write, so I turned to Collective Chaos looking for inspiration. To my surprise, the anthology was a worthwhile read, showcasing a diverse range of dystopian visions, from bleak and brutal to unexpectedly funny.

Yes—funny. Humor in a dystopian horror collection isn’t what I expected, but “Smart” had me laughing out loud. Its absurd take on a collapsing world was refreshing, and I couldn’t read it with a straight face. “Doggone Catastrophe” also stood out for its delightfully furry, adorable take on dystopia—honestly, that’s a future I wouldn’t mind living in.

On the darker, more traditionally horror side, “The Last Days of Lust” really stuck with me. The final line was an absolute gut punch—a brilliant twist that elevated the entire piece. I also appreciated the psychological intensity of “Emily,” which carried a haunting survival theme after a shipwreck, layered with subtle manipulation and tension.

Anthologies are always hard to rate because tastes vary, but if at least four stories hit the right notes for me, I consider it a success. Collective Chaos manages to surprise, disturb, and even amuse—sometimes all at once. If you’re open to horror that doesn’t always play by the rules and aren’t afraid of exploring humanity’s worst (and weirdest) futures, this collection is worth a read.

Recommended for dystopian horror fans who like variety, psychological twists, and the occasional unexpected laugh.

[Amanda Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collective Chaos isn’t just a book it’s a wake-up call. Each story drags you into a new vision of the future, and not one of them lets you leave untouched. From broken governments to collapsing ecosystems and eerie alien threats, this anthology paints a vivid picture of how close we are to the edge. Disturbing, imaginative, and brilliantly crafted this collection lingers in your mind like the smoke after a fire. If you’re drawn to intelligent, chilling dystopian fiction, this is essential reading.

[Sam]

This is a great collection of short stories, some thing for every mood & moment! I found I was completely gripped by some of these adventures, some are a little dark, some a little more fun! I do recommend as you are in for a treat!