Before, After, Alone: A Planetfall Universe Short Story Collection

Planetfall

by Emma Newman

Acclaimed author Emma Newman returns to her Planetfall universe with a collection of 10 short stories set before, during, and after the four interconnected novels of the Hugo-nominated Planetfall series.

From a shipwreck survivor struggling to appease the monster keeping him trapped on an island to an elderly woman at risk from being declared a non-person, each story offers a new glimpse into this dark near-future setting. This collection features stories that focus on some of the characters from the novels, including Arnolfi (Before Mars), Travis and Carl (After Atlas and Atlas Alone) and Mack (Planetfall).

A must-listen for any fans of Planetfall, After Atlas, Before Mars and Atlas Alone.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies, Audiobook, Collections, Speculative Fiction, Fiction

Audible Audio

First published March 30, 2023

About the author

Emma Newman writes short stories, novels and novellas in multiple speculative fiction genres. She is also a Hugo Award-winning podcaster and an audiobook narrator.

She won the British Fantasy Society Best Short Story Award 2015 for “A Woman’s Place” in the 221 Baker Streets anthology. 'Between Two Thorns', the first book in Emma's Split Worlds urban fantasy series, was shortlisted for the BFS Best Novel and Best Newcomer 2014 awards. Her science-fiction novel, After Atlas, was shortlisted for the 2017 Arthur C. Clarke award and the third novel in the Planetfall series, Before Mars, has been shortlisted for a BSFA Best Novel award. The Planetfall series was shortlisted for the 2020 Best Series Hugo Award.

Emma currently creates a podcast called 'Imagining Tomorrow' for Friends of the Earth. Her hobbies include dressmaking, LARP and tabletop role playing. www.enewman.co.uk.

Reviews

[Fraser Simons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most short story collections I’ve read, my interest varied from story to story—and though all are set in the same world and have a broad overarching theme to them, didn’t really build out or drill down into what interested me about the main series. Probably because the strength, for me, was in the character work, rather than the technological aspects, and I just don’t get enough time with a character in short stories to get much emotional payoff, typically.

It’s very nice that there’s a disclaimer before some stories for spoilers as well, citing how it would spoil the reader. I read this last because of it. The most impactful story for me, unsurprisingly, was one that continued the After Mars storyline, because I knew the character and wondered what became of them. Worth reading just for that, really.

[Cecilia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a disappointment for me! I liked the Planetfall series and expected something along the same lines, but the short stories here were uninspiring and felt very flat. They didn't come with any surprises or meaning to them so I am really surprised that this book got such good reviews.

[Sam Wescott · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5!

This is my first time reading this short story collection after what I believe is my third re-read of the four available Planetfall books (always hoping for more!). I generally enjoy short stories a little bit less than full length novels or novellas, but this collection was bolstered by my deep interest in this world and these characters.

I thought the first one (Albert and the Kraken) was actually the weakest, but that’s definitely just because of my bias against stories without known Planetfall characters and mild disinterest in that particular corner of world building, but it was still efficient and effective.

Some of them functioned as deleted scenes, which my obsessive heart really reveled in (What Travis Built, The Dangerous Choice, Act of Kindness, Inheritance) and others added context and depth to the world building, which I was also fascinated by (The Letter, Tailor Made, The Generation Gap). These were varying lengths and my personal interest varied a bit, but I am so glad that I read them and now have all these extra tidbits in my brain.

Primary Purpose wrecked me. I was astonished than Newman went there and gave us that glimpse. And I don’t know if it’s canon, but my heart is convinced than Non-person is about Claire (my favorite character from my favorite book, Before Mars) and I was literally fist-pumping in my kitchen.

Bash the Fash, indeed.

I love this series and this short story collection was such a treat. And the author interview at the end? Icing on the cake!

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gute Kurzgeschichtensammlung aus dem Planetfalluniversum. Ich mag einfach Newman's Art zu schreiben.

[Najaf Naqvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories focusing on kindness and taking pleasure in making things by hand. The one about the bear made me cry a bit. Was great to revisit the Planetfall universe.

[James Traxler · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
Some reasonably interesting stories from the Planetfall universe.
Worth a read if you've read the others in the series (as I have), which are excellent.

[Helena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning shortstories set the world I loved. The writing and stories are amazing. I felt emotional and on the verge of tears while reading some of them.

[Zivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to pace myself not to finish this PlanetFall universe short story collection in one gulp.
I took the time to severe each and every story, one at a time.

There is something about Newman's PlanetFall series that speaks to me. The level of attention to the characters feelings, traumas, pain and mental state, within a Sci-Fi setting, is unusual.
It may be found in other genres, but I love the speculative aspect, it gives the situations the characters have to deal with an extra level of interest.

Note that yet again we do not get to learn more about what happened at the city of god from the original PlanetFall novel. While I'm very curious about it, I have come to enjoy Newman's stories on their own terms without the alien artifact aspect of the first book.

P.S.
There is a short chapter at the end of the audiobook where Newman reminds you of the characters and location of each story within the PlanetFall universe. So if like me you have trouble remembering character names, it can help put each story in it's context.

4.5 Stars.

[Paul Trembling · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Emma Newman's great strengths as an author is to show her readers how life looks from another persons point of view. Which makes it all the more powerful when we begin to realise what's really going on in their life - because how things look from their perspective is very different!

She does this best in her Planetfall novels, but it also shows in some of these short stories from the same universe. They also show more of the marvelously well thought-out future world she's developed, with all its technological advances, and how they impact on people's lives. Sometimes, not very well.

In addition to the stories themselves, there's also a q & a section where Newman explains some of the background and her thinking behind the writing. Personally, I find that fascinating!

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't realize there was a short story collection surrounding Newman's SF works, but once I did, I was all over this. I like her writing a lot. Very personal, internal stuff, pitted against creepy cultural stuff in the center of real SF colonization issues.

Beyond that, however, I was very impressed with the clever situations and overwhelming emotions. And yet, it's all very much hard SF.

My favorite is absolutely the first story. The bear. So good.

Very fun, quick read.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciated coming back to the Planetfall universe and getting to see all these little snippets of people and the writing process behind it.
They all felt deeply realized and I loved how they did what Em does best - provided a sense of character along with a deep affection for whose those people are.

[Adriana Porter Felt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adored the Planet fall series, and this short story collection didn't live up from them. The best short stories are thought provoking and memorable; these were neither. They aren't bad—I found them worth reading—but they aren't the best, either. It mostly left me hungry for another proper book in the series.

[Simon B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Emma Newman's Planetfall books: they're 4 socially-aware near-future sci-fi thrillers with complex characterisation, which includes sensitive and insightful portrayals of mental illness. So I was very pleased to hear Newman had self-published this short story collection. A satisfying coda to a unique sci-fi series.

[Colin Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truthfully, about 3.5 stars - a slightly mixed bunch of stories.

Glad to support the author’s foray into self-publishing and ever hopeful that she will one day write the fifth novel that we all need to tie up some of the loose ends in the series!

[Dreximgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of Short Stories from the Planetfall series, they offered a nice little insight into things you know if you've read the main novels. The fact Emma herself narrates them really adds to it too as she is a really good narrator.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Albert and the Kraken ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Act of Kindness ⭐⭐⭐1/2
Inheritance ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Letter ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Primary Purpose ⭐⭐⭐1/2
The Generation Gap ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Dangerous Choice ⭐⭐⭐
Tailor Made ⭐⭐⭐⭐
What Travis Built ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
Non-Person ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Teleseparatist · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay collection of bits and pieces set in the Planetfall universe whose main effect was making me crave the next Planetfall book something fierce. What a bleak, fantastically realised vision they are. I hope Newman keeps writing them.

[Nanu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Albert and the kraken ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Act of kindness ⭐⭐⭐
Inheritance ⭐⭐⭐
The Letter ⭐⭐⭐
Primary Purpose ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The generation gap ⭐⭐⭐
The dangerous choice ⭐⭐⭐
Tailor Made⭐⭐⭐
What Travis Built ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Non person ⭐⭐⭐

[Leticia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the writing and the social themes in this short story collection. Especially the scary Non-person aspects of the story world.

I want more books in this series!

I loved Emma Newman's audiobook narration and her interview at the end of the audiobook.

[Walter Underwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some stories that fit into the cracks of the Atlas series. One of them might have been a chapter that just didn't quite fit.

These illuminate some other parts of the world and, interestingly, aren't quite as dark as the novels. That is a nice change.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing overly wrong with the individual stories- just none of them felt rich enough to add much to planetfall universe overall. I'm also biased in that I really jsut want a fifth novel- and the two stories set after the books didn't scratch that itch! Fingers crossed for a planetfall 5 somehow.

[Manuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

How wonderful! I love Newman's work. She almost always makes me cry in a good way.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great revisiting with some of the characters from the Planetfall series. I do hope the author writes more in that universe at some point.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm rather picky about short story collections, but I really liked all of the stories here.

[AJA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid and enjoyable short story collection. I didn’t find that I needed to remember much about the other novels to enjoy this.

[Clémentine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Reuben Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish the author would just write another full-length Planetfall book.

[Kurt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 to 3.5 stars