We Will Rise Again: Speculative Stories and Essays on Protest, Resistance, and Hope

by Karen Lord (Editor), Annalee Newitz (Editor), Malka Ann Older (Editor)

From genre luminaries, esteemed organizers, and exciting new voices in fiction, an anthology of stories, essays, and interviews that offer transformative visions of the future, fantastical alternate worlds, and inspiration for the social justice movements of tomorrow.

In this collection, editors Karen Lord, Annalee Newitz, and Malka Older champion realistic, progressive social change using the speculative stories of writers across the world. Exploring topics ranging from disability justice and environmental activism to community care and collective worldbuilding, these imaginative pieces from writers such as NK Jemisin, Charlie Jane Anders, Alejandro Heredia, Sam J. Miller, Nisi Shawl, and Sabrina Vourvoulias center solidarity, empathy, hope, joy, and creativity.

Each story is grounded within a broader sociopolitical framework using essays and interviews from movement leaders, including adrienne maree brown and Walidah Imarisha, charting the future history of protest, revolutions, and resistance with the same zeal for accuracy that speculative writers normally bring to science and technology. Using the vehicle of ambitious storytelling, We Will Rise Again offers effective tools for organizing, an unflinching interrogation of the status quo, and a blueprint for prefiguring a different world.

Genres: Short Stories, Nonfiction, Anthologies, Essays, Adult, Politics, Speculative Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published December 2, 2025

Reviews

[Chantaal · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Will Rise Again is such a fantastic, ambitious, hopeful, thoughtful project, and the care with which the editors have taken to really lay out their thesis is evident. Part of me is a bit biased in that I think Malka Older (co-editor) is rad as hell, but this is also genuinely GOOD.

The decision to mix speculative short stories, essays, and interviews with authors and activists (and activist-authors!) was a great one. There's so much to mine here, so much to take away from all these voices. There are times where it's so easy (for those of us with the privilege) to stick our heads in the sand and escape for a while. And there are also times where the world we live in seems to be swirling down the drain with no hope of escape. This anthology chooses to face our world and show us that there is, and always will be, hope in resistance of ANY kind.

This was a much needed balm for a lot of the psychic wounds the world has dealt us all in the last decade, and a reminder to keep moving forward, head high and eyes wide. Very highly recommended, 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Many thanks to Saga Press and NetGalley for the eARC to review. We Will Rise Again is available now!

[Panda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook (13 hours) narrated by a full cast, including:
Ali Andre Ali
Janina Edwards
Je Nie Fleming
Jackie Meloche
Andre Santana
Editors include:
Malka Older
Annalee Newitz
Karen Lord.
Authors include:
NK Jemisin
Charlie Jane Anders
Alejandro Heredia
Sam J. Miller
Nisi Shawl
Sabrina Vourvoulias
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

The narration and audio are flawless.
There was a separate narrator for each story, although narrators did narrate more than one story. Each one was a great match. Very well done.

I wasn't sure if I was in the mood for this anthology when it came up in my Libby queue, as I had read a couple of non fiction novels and was in the mood for something more fictional. I was pleasantly surprised as I really enjoyed the speculative fiction style of some of the short stories.

This group of talented authors spun entertaining, fantastical stories while maintaining the deep thoughts, meaning and inner stories that they wanted to convey.

Very well done!

[Venneh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do like an anthology that pairs authors with actual activists in the community to talk about how to buckle down for the long term in a deeply hostile state. These authors all would've hit hard on their own, but the additional knowledge added by the activists, and the interviews throughout with community activists allows the speculative futures we get to feel even more grounded. Yes, there's some dark times in here, but there's still hope for the future, and I love the diversity of authors and activists that the editorial board did here. Great read, and highly recommended this fall.

[Morgan Beynon (loriwaylittlelibrary) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with stories of hope, resilience and empathy, this book is the perfect for those that strive for and believe in social justice and building a better future! Especially at a time that feels so heavy and hopeless.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review

[Meghna S · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Will Rise Again is one of those rare anthologies that understands exactly what speculative fiction is for. Not escapism, not distraction, but a deliberate excavation of our collective future. This collection gathers some of the sharpest minds in contemporary SFF and pairs them with movement organizers, activists, and cultural theorists to build something that is equal parts storytelling and social blueprint.

A conversational, contextual introduction: The extended introduction, framed as a discussion among the three editors, immediately stood out. It functions almost like a round-table seminar: contextualizing the anthology’s goals, dissecting why futurism and justice movements must be in conversation, and setting a tone of intellectual rigor without losing warmth. It is easily one of the strongest and most distinctive openings I have seen in a speculative anthology.

Stories with spine, purpose, and political clarity: The pieces I connected with most were the ones with overt social architecture woven into their narrative DNA. This anthology proves that when speculative fiction takes a stance, when it actively interrogates oppressive systems, it becomes a powerful analytical tool rather than just a narrative exercise.

I also loved the author perspectives following many stories. These reflective add-ons crystallize each writer’s intentions, methods, and their relationship to activism. For an anthology about worldbuilding and social change, these sections feel essential and generous, particularly for readers who enjoy understanding the scaffolding behind a story.

My ranking: from most impactful to least (relative): Here’s how the stories landed for me, not in terms of enjoyment alone but in terms of thematic heft and conceptual ambition:

Disruption by Samit Basu
AI, India, and unmistakable Black Mirror energy. Basu is razor sharp, and this story hit closest to home for me in terms of its sociotechnical accuracy and cultural intimacy.

Aversion by Malka Older
A compelling argument that simply “exposing injustice” is insufficient for dismantling it. Older uses speculative structure to critique real-world activism with clarity and nuance.

Blockbuster by Kelly Robson

Realer than Real by Charlie Jane Anders

If I Could Stay With You on Earth by Alejandro Heredia

Chupacabras by Vida James

Nonfiction that hits just as hard

Two pieces genuinely stunned me:

The Mighty Slinger’s End: An Interview with LA Kauffman and Andrea Dehlendorf
Moving, incisive, and emotionally grounded. This was one of the sections that lingered long after I closed the book.

How Long 'Til Black Future Month? The Toxins of Speculative Fiction, and the Antidote That Is Janelle Monae by N. K. Jemisin
Jemisin never misses, and this essay is a masterclass in diagnosing what speculative fiction has historically gotten wrong and how visionary artists rewrite the rules.

Other standouts: Originals Only and Other Worlds Elsewhere, both of which expand the anthology’s thematic scope into global, cross-movement contexts.

Overall impression

This anthology succeeds because it refuses to treat activism as metaphor. Instead, it positions speculative fiction as a functional tool for imagining and engineering better systems. Many stories feel painfully relevant to our current moment; others feel like warnings; several feel like sparks of hope.

I came away with a long list of authors whose backlists I’m now eager to explore, and a renewed respect for how fiction can double as a site of praxis. It’s a vibrant, thoughtful, and fiercely contemporary collection.

Thank you to @sagapress for the ARC.

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Saga Press, Colored Pages Book Tours, and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review #WeWillRiseAgainTour #coloredpagesbooktours #SagaSaysCrew

This was one of my most highly anticipated speculative fiction releases in the latter half of 2026. A collection of stories and essays that tackle protest, resistance, and the fight for a more just world… how could I resist?

First off, I’m glad that the editors paid proper homage to Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements, and began this anthology with an interview with adrienne maree brown and Walidah Imarisha, who coined the term “visionary fiction” for the type of stories that envision a future guided by social justice movements.

Both the fiction and nonfiction in WWRA imagine different possibilities for the future, from the near future to the centuries-away one. A lot of different topics are covered: ones that stood out to me include fighting conservative antitrans policies with a laughably literal interpretation of the Founding Fathers’ words in the Constitution; a Palestinian mother and son stumbling upon a left-behind AI relic of Israeli settlers who moved to space when life on Earth became too hard; and college students fighting hatred with mutual aid and the push for increased privacy measures.

The stories are varied, and at times challenge us with contradicting ideas about the same theme. For instance, in one story, increased privacy becomes the tool through which spewers of hate are no longer allowed to voice their opinions in public, while in another, it is actually the decrease in privacy that serves as an abolitionist method of publicly shaming crime-doers, thus eliminating the need for police. As with all anthologies, some are stronger than others; some simply lacked the time and word count to be further developed, so I was at times hard-pressed to follow storylines.

I think I preferred the nonfiction essays in this sliiightly more than the fiction; they brought me hope in knowing that people have been fighting for far longer and in much more varied ways than I had anticipated, and some essays even give extremely inspiring and practical advice for steps to take. I think that the interview with L. A. Kauffman and Andrea Dehlendorf in particular, which gives such a clear insight into how protests work and succeed, should be a must-read for all of us who wish to be involved but aren’t sure how best to be.

The world needs more books like WWRA right about now. This will be a collection to always keep on hand, for you to flip through to get the right inspiration and advice as you need it.

[Rachel Pollock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this to support the project, but did not expect so many of the stories to be innovative and striking. Even though some contributors do not normally write fiction, it’s an interesting compelling collection.

[Alan]

Rec. by: A Goodreads giveaway, via Rachel; theme; editor and authors listed

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Review:
-This anthology is excellent, there are no weak stories and many incredible stories. I can’t stop gushing about it to my friends!
- As someone who cares deeply about social justice and finds it hard to read non-ficiton books, this collection was perfect. The balance of mostly fiction interspersed with brief non-fiction essays/interviews and author’s notes worked really well.
- I don’t think i’ve ever read an anthology with such a clear throughline, and I think there were a couple of elements that contributed to that. First, the authors notes after the fiction pieces help make the individual contributors’ perspectives on social justice topics clear. Second, the editors created a very thoughtful order. The non-fiction and fiction pieces that are near each other in the book talk to each other. I wouldn’t have appreciated Ursula Vernon’s piece about gardening as much without the fictional story about a community garden directly following it, and vice versa. The collection ends with some more joyful stories, which I think is a smart way to end, since it helps energize the reader: change is possible!
- I wish every book I read, especially every anthology, was as deliberately inclusive as this one. The intersectionality and diversity of perspectives within and between all of these stories was incredibly well done. We get stories from and about immigrants, trans people, queer people, people outside of the US & Europe, BIPOC authors & characters, and more groups that are usually not as well represented in anthologies as they could and should be.

Notes on individual pieces (standout pieces marked with *):

Introduction: A Discussion with adrienne maree brown and Walidah Imarisha. Lovely to see this collection pay homage to Octavia’s Brood, and I love the promise that this collection too will be grounded in Octavia Butler's work.


1. Other Wars Elsewhere by R.B. Lemberg. I think the portrayal of organizer/activist burnout in this story is so realistic. I liked that the story also has some tender moments and some magical elements: Eating grandmother's jam, the birds that symbolize dead people, the magic gold threads that form a web throughout the city.


2. Originals Only by Rose Eveleth. I found myself relating to the main character of this story, because when I'm brain fogged I feel like he does. Like everything just kinda goes over my head. I liked the manatee metaphor too. Very accessible story, appreciated how easy to read it was, and the more light-hearted tone despite quite serious subject.


3. Rewriting the old Disability Script by Nicola Griffith. This is a powerful, compelling and short non-fiction essay on disability in literature. I loved learning about the Fries test (similar to the Bechdel test but focused on disabled characters), though it is sad how few books actually meet the criterion.


4. *Where Memory Meets the Sea by Laia Asieo Odo. This story hits hard. It is raw and real. Memory blockers and memory erasure may be speculative fiction elements, but the rewriting of history to erase war crimes and genocides has happened and keeps happening over and over again. This is a must read.


5. Interview with Kendra Pierre-Louis. I really appreciated her ability to link pop culture stories, like the expanse and the hunger games, to real world social justice theory. I am not usually able to make those parallels myself (e.g. I had never heard of world systems theory) but her explanations work really well.


6. Disruption by Samit Basu. I liked the premise of this story -- with generative AI being increasingly used it felt very timely. That being said, some of this story went a bit over my head. Some of that is due to my own lack of background knowledge wrt Indian history. However, some of it was also due to the writing style: very long sentences, you are thrown into the deep end with this story.


7. The Gray and the Green by Nisi Shawl. Some of the business stuff in the story went kind of over my head, but the fact that he called all his employees in one role Colin and all his employees in another role Jessie was a fun metaphor for corporate soulless uniformity. The story made me feel uncomfortable about the religion and the relationship with the spiritual mentor -- was it meant to make me feel that way or is that my ingrained capitalism feeling like he was being swindled into becoming a better person? Also, I loved that the main character was a trans man without his transness being the topic of the story. It just was.


8. The Quiet Heroics of Gardening by Ursula Vernon (T. Kingfisher). I learned a lot from this story. It prompted me to do some reading outside of this anthology on the history of seeds being brought along by enslaved and displaced people, and on the danger of monocultures and the Potato Famine. Gardening is not a topic I had necessarily connected with social justice before reading this anthology.


9. *Perséfoni in the City by Sabrina Vourvoulias. This story consisted of an intriguing mix of Greek myths and Guatemalan culture and community organizing. I love that Nemesis is personified as a trans woman. I thought it was also interesting how she is perceived and labeled as a trans woman vs a woman depending on whose perspective we are in. Beautiful story!


10. A Brief Letter on the Origins of the Harpy Aviary in the Kirani Citadel by Jaymee Goh.
To be honest, I liked the interesting family structure in this novel more than the political stuff. Polyamory, family structures by choice rather than bloodline, inheritance not dependent on blood, a non-binary sovereign. The political content seemed to have some plot holes. If the people in certain municipalities had been struggling for a long time, as is said at a point later in the story, how can all that suffering have happened during a brief time of mourning and the sovereign being absent during that time only? Or was the sovereign negligent?


11. Interview with Scott Gabriel Knowles. I resonated most with what he said about memorials. That reminded me of some of the discussions on mourning in ‘The Future is Disabled: Prophecies, Love Notes and Mourning Songs’ by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha.


12. Aversion by Malka Older. I struggled with the language in this story, it was hard to read for me, a lot of long sentences and hard words; not accessible prose. I did think several aspects of the story felt very realistic. For example, the meeting where activists can't agree on the method and how far to take it. Another character’s frustration with getting people to care about 'your' issue as much as their own issues was also realistic and spoke to the first story in this collection. I did like the idea for the video game the two activists came up with at the end.


13. Realer than real by Charlie Jane Anders. This story has trans folx dress up in Victorian gender assigned at birth clothing to make a point about originalism. It wasn't my favorite story, because it felt a bit one dimensional compared to some of the other stories in the collection.


14. *The Mighty Slinger by Tobias S. Buckell and Karen Lord. Very ambitious story, I think it could shine even more as a novella or even a full novel. I hope the authors expand on it, because it was so cool and I wanted to know more in order to understand it better: the cohorts, the technology, the ring project. I loved that it spoke to the power of music in building a resistance. I also thought the ending was well done.


15. Interview with L.A. Kauffman and Andrea Dehlendorf. I really appreciated that they emphasized how hard protesting, direct action, and change making is. How you can feel defeated, and even if you 'win' that it's still never enough. I also appreciated the mention of beautiful and memorable protests, protests as an art form to capture attention and the imagination. I ended up searching out pictures of the specific protests mentioned. As a disabled person I really appreciated them calling ways to protest and contribute to movements that don’t necessarily involve marching down a street, e.g. taking care of others in the community as a form of direct action.


16. The Rise and Fall of Storm Bluff, Kansas: an Oral History by Izzy Wasserstein. I loved the style of this story, it was reminiscent of ‘World War Z’ in the best way. The story was interesting, perhaps out of all of the stories in this collection it felt the least speculative and the most realistic, like a contemporary dystopia. I was a bit confused about who Z was. I initially assumed Z was Lilly’s nickname for Josie, but near the end she talks about him as having died. Maybe Z only 'died' in the sense of forced detransition because they took his meds away?


17. *Chupacabras by Vida James. I loved this story. It's a horror revenge story where the colonialists get eaten alive. As a white person living in the US it prompted reflection on places I’ve traveled to for vacation and how my tourism has impacted locals.


18. If I Could Stay with You on Earth by Alejandro Heredia. This story was relatively short and sweet compared to some others in the collection, but it managed to focus on a single, well defined cause without feeling one dimensional. I thought the plot was (horribly) realistic, it reminded me of Akwaeke Emezi retracting her submission from a prize due to the transphobic requirements specified after their book was long-listed. Transphobia and racism are two sides of the same coin, so similar to the story’s protagonists I wondered: had the first trans/non-binary writer to get nominated for that prize been white, would these transphobic guidelines have even happened? This story focuses on a single decision that is relatively easy to revert, and it does get reverted, creating a bittersweet ending to the story. I thought this story did an excellent job showcasing intersectionality and how one ‘win’ isn’t the be all end all, there is more work to do.


19. *How Long ‘Til Black Future Month?: The Toxins of Speculative Fiction, and the Antidote That Is Janelle Monáe by N.K. Jemisin. N.K. Jemisin might be the most brilliant writer of her generation. I too have felt what she describes when reading fantasy novels, but whereas I can’t begin to express it Jemisin does so poignantly.


20. One of the Lesser-Known Revolutions by Annalee Newitz. This story addresses trauma in a very thoughtful way. I too experience throat closing, and I think a lot of people who have been told to stay quiet about being marginalized do.


21. *Blockbuster by Kelly Robson. I thought this story was just so joyful! I loved all the burlesque, and how diverse it was too. I liked the tie in with restorative justice. It was interesting too to read two very different stories about privacy one after the other.


22. *Kifaah and the Gospel by Abdulla Moaswes. I loved this story. As the author notes, it captures some of the absurdity of colonization. This story was deeply meaningful and full of symbolism as well as at times funny. Beautiful!


23. What Does Joy Look Like: A Documentary Short by Sam J. Miller. Another story in the ‘World War Z’ format. Felt a bit less realistic than the earlier one, but was very hopeful which I guess was nice to end on. Not the best or most creative story in the collection.

I was provided with an eARC by the publisher of this book, and have tried to write an unbiased review.

[Johnsnowwasright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Saga Press for the e-ARC!

We Will Rise Again is a series of speculative/scifi short stories about activism, resistance and equality written by authors both new and experienced in the genre. Interspersed are essaies and interviews with various activist leaders in our own world.

I have to say overall, I really liked the idea of using speculative fiction to explore the complicated nature of activism and fighting for a cause. The collected authors don't shy away from the ugly side of resistance movements or how flawed the people comprising the movement are. Generally I feel that the stories started out weak and became stronger towards the end of the collection. Particular stand outs were: 'A Brief Letter on the Origins on the Harpy Aviary in the Kirani Citadel' , 'The Mighty Slinger' , 'Chupacabras', 'Kifaah and the Gospel' and 'Blockbuster'. I'd like full length novels or novellas for each of those please and thank you. They show the power of speculative fiction to reflect the absurdity and unreality of our own world.

The only story that I had issue with was 'Originals Only'. It tells the story of professional sports in the future where bionic enhancements become commonplace to the point where athletes are used to advertise certain enhancement products. The main character is a basketball player who is talented enough to play in the NBA without any enhancements but is continuously harassed to prove he's enhancement free. He accidentally becomes the focal point of a far right campaign to do away with all enhancements despite not wanting that. In the story, he has two trans neighbors who give him shit for not being vocal about his opposition to the movement and how the vague nature of the proposed bill could effect anyone who has their body surgically changed. But at no point is there commentary made on our main character essentially being forced by the NBA to have enhancement procedures so that the controversy can die down. He's given the choice to have the procedures so they can license the products or he be done with basketball which is his only means of income. Like this man is being given so much shit by all of these people and yet NO ONE has issue with him being forced to mutilate his body to make everyone else happy (I can't remember if he is meant to be black but if he was, that's even more fucked up). I just think to not comment on that aspect of the imagined world was a huge miss by the author.

Other than that, most of the stories were strong and I had a good time reading them.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book, as the promise of the title is one that is much needed right now, and speculative fiction is an excellent medium with which to explore the concepts listed in the subtitle. I think I was expecting something along the lines of Cory Doctorow's writing, along the lines of Radicalized. Unfortunately the entries in this compilation aren't nearly up to that standard. Of course they do vary in quality, and a few of them were pretty good, but most were mediocre at best.

Part of the problem is that having a good idea isn't enough to create a good story. There also needs to be a good story. A couple of the attempts should have stayed as non-fiction essays rather than be tortured into a heavy-handed allegory. Conventional components such as characters, plot, dialogue, etc. are all still important, even when trying to Make A Point.

The language employed takes the much maligned form favoured by leftist academia. There are no concrete objects like places or parties, having been replaced by abstract concepts like spaces, movements, communities. They don't talk about "minorities," but rather "minoritized populations." In this worldview, hashtags MeToo, BLM, FreePalestine are used in place of actual platforms or policies, made even more ludicrous with stories set in places like Malaysia, India, and Ukraine.

The singling out of Israel as the source of many of the world's problems was especially disappointing. None of the world's intolerant theocracies, brutal authoritarian regimes, or heinous human rights abusers are condemned like this, only the Jewish State.
One of the stories is just the old fashioned blood libel dressed up in modern garb, with the author stating his desire for the complete eradication of all "settler-colonial" Jews from "Occupied Palestine." That the editors thought it appropriate to include a piece using the same arguments that motivated the heinous October 7 attacks as representative of their vision for resistance and liberation is terrifying, morally abhorrent, and undermines the legitimacy of the entire effort.

[Jeannette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of We Will Rise Again: Speculative Stories and Essays on Protest, Resistance, and Hope edited by Karen Lord, Annalee Newitz, and Malka Older from Saga Press via NetGalley. This book will be published around December 2, 2025.

Here's the truth. I will read anything that Annalee Newitz is involved with period. I love their writing, fiction and nonfiction. When I saw that Annalee was partnering with Karen Lord and Malka Older to edit the anthology, We Will Rise Again: Speculative Stories and Essays on Protest, Resistance, and Hope, I knew I had to get my hands on this book immediately. Karen Lord is another favorite of mine. While I was living in Barbados, I kept hoping I would meet her. I didn't, but I did adopt two cats remind me daily of the island.

Fawning out of the way, this collection of stories is exactly what so many of us need right now. Having writers pair up with activists to reflect stories of what the world could be was a brilliant idea. Each story offers a unique perspective on making a difference through collective action. At the end of each fictional story, there is an explanation of the activist that inspired the story. There are also some nonfiction interviews with activists. If you are looking for ways to get involved, I would be shocked if you couldn't find something to inspire you in here. If you find reading or hearing the news currently to be incredibly depressing, you owe it to yourself to give this a read.

[Dan Trefethen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the subtitle says, these are "speculative stories and essays on protest, resistance and hope". They offer hopeful visions (and methods) to overcome the systematic oppression of those whom our society marginalizes. The stories feature people of color, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities. Many of the LGBTQ stories focus on the T, as it is trans people who are most strongly attacked these days by official policy.

Many of the proposed solutions involve some sort of collective action, a tried and true approach to resist those in power. While there are some stories that seem to achieve a collective consensus a little too readily, there are others (especially those about anarchy) that recognize that the losses will seem to outweigh the wins all too often, and achieving agreement within a group on actions to take can be slow and daunting.

Collective action solutions remind me of the possible solutions offered in Cory Doctorow's new book: "Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It". Although Cory's book focuses on technology we use today, and not specifically on marginalized communities (except to the extent we are all marginalized and commodified by tech), he shares a common vision of the types of repression those in power employ against those who seem to have little recourse.

[Kaycee]

Thank you to Colored Pages Book Tours and Saga Press for the gifted copy of this book.

This book is not my usual read, but I was so excited for it when it was previewed. I thought the concept of this book to be very interesting. A collection of speculative fiction, essays, and interviews interspersed throughout this anthology to showcase the hopeful mission of social justice movements. I did not read every single piece in the collection, but I did like how the fiction pieces ended with a statement from the author as to background of that particular piece. Not every segment was for me, but I did find some that I enjoyed.

The two pieces I enjoyed the most was an essay about gardening where I learned something new about heirloom seeds and an interview of Kendra Pierre-Louis. The interview stuck with me for several days, and I kept ruminating on the things she said. I was also really impacted by N.K. Jemisin’s essay regarding the lack of representation in science fiction and fantasy and encourage every fan of the genre to read her essay: “How Long ’Til Black Future Month?: The Toxins of Speculative Fiction, and the Antidote That Is Janelle Monáe "

[Kim Layman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great collection of writings and gives you quite a bit to chew on. There’s stories that range from the use of A.I. and the danger in asking questions (Disruption by Samit Basu), to who has the right to prosper and fight for what is theirs (The Rise and Fall of Storm Bluff, Kansas by Issa Wasserstein), to the simmering angry that arises from rage against injustice (Chupacabras by Vida James) to who defines traditional gender (Realer than Real by Charles Jane Anders). Each story places you in the shoes of individuals or people groups that struggle with injustice, oppression, and the like, and strive to push back against the systems that oppress them.

The essays and interviews were also informative and provide insight and perspective on people who work consistently for better change. It’s fascinating to hear about what goes on behind the scenes, and encouraging to reader and activist alike.

I really enjoyed this book, and it, once again, showed me that all is not lost-which is easy to feel in today’s world. I highly recommend this one. 4.5 stars

A big thank you to Saga Press for this arc. My opinion is my own.

[Sacha · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is a unique collection of genres and writers and tones, and I really enjoyed the change of pace it provided in my typical reading queue.

I came to this collection for the writers I knew, and while they did not disappoint, I was even more enthusiastic about some of the writers who were new to me. That is a mark of a great anthology.

Each entry ends with an artist's statement, which also makes this work stand out. It's great to gain insight into each writer's perspective immediately after reading their content. For obvious reasons, this adds a lot and helps those who can struggle a bit with speculative fiction to see that social change doesn't have to be a fantasy at all: that it can be based on very real inspirations and scenarios. I will take any hope I can get on that front these days.

This is a provocative collection that offers diverse perspectives and a unifying set of themes and motifs.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and S&S/Saga Press for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Holly Dolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Join the conversation…

Thank you @sagapressbooks and @coloredpagesbt Book Tour for gifted copy of We Will Rise Again, edited by Malka Older, Annalee Newitz, and Karen Lord.

With the world ablaze from social injustices, disability discrimination, loss of human rights, and environmental threats comes a work of esteemed authors, researchers, political activists and community activists. This anthology of short stories, essays and speculative fiction offers hope and gives voice to the movement of change.

What stood out: Highlighting the importance of activism against corporate greed, media biases and twisted narratives

[Penny lurkykitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Will Rise Again is a fascinating mix of speculative short stories, essays and interviews with authors and activists. Not a single one of these creations was weak and all were thought provoking, interesting and inspiring. My heart and brain grew three sizes listening to all these brilliant voices and taking in such a variety of perspectives.
This hopeful and intelligent collection is what we all need right now. Read We Will Rise Again!
Thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy for review.

[Jasmine Shouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I think this is a desperately needed anthology full of stories and interviews that are wildly different but also have a common thread of tenacity among them. Speculative fiction is a genre that I need to read more of, because I felt a little bit like I wasn't smart enough for some of these stories, and that's the only reason my rating isn't higher. That won't stop me from recommending it!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this and am so grateful because it was exactly what I needed right now as a deportation defense attorney

[J R · Rating 5 out of 5]

great and inspiring set of stories that imagine what might be, not what is, and showcase a world that we seek. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

[Adri · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Laura Rhodes]

DNF

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story collections can be pretty uneven but most of these were pretty good!

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING

[Krystal Kraft · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology was outstanding. I absolutely loved reading the notes from each author after their section they wrote. With how crazy everything has been in the world the last how many years but especially super recently- it was hopeful, uplifting, filled with strength and resilience and SO well written. Definitely recommend it!