Stories From the End of the World

by Janine Shiota

Six lives. One signal beneath everything.

Set within and after a quantum attack called the Q that resets the global power map overnight. A child sees the end of the world in her teacup and throws a party. An ancient intelligence delivers a keynote in Vienna on the day a quantum attack resets the world order. A grief-shattered engineer rebuilds his murdered wife from her data and hunts her killer alongside her AI SIMulation. A smuggler moves between light and dark, and prefers the dark. A WE-V star is at the height of her influence in glistening Mumbai. A marine biologist dies for nine minutes and comes back with a signal she doesn’t understand.

They will never meet. They are already connected.

Set in a near future of fractured nation-states and technocratic dynasties, Stories From The End of the World braids six lives into one converging argument about intelligence, extinction, and what it means to be part of the universe. A debut novel that refuses easy answers and interrogates power and its erosion, class and who survives its collapse, the uncertain boundary between artificial and sentient minds, and the nature of consciousness itself. This is speculative fiction operating at the register of literary inquiry. Less concerned with prophecy than with the harder question underneath it: not whether the world ends, but what in us deserves to continue.

A complete, standalone novel and Book One of the Genesis Series.

For readers of Cloud Atlas, Exit Party, and Klara and the Sun.

238 pages, ebook

Published July 30, 2026

Reviews

[Suki J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author/ NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A speculative book told through a series of 6 voices that read a little like interconnected short stories, this was an intelligent and thought-provoking read.
Each of these voices are unique, and point towards an end of the world event.

This was a book that requires a lot of concentration, and some of the science elements went over my head a little. What I really appreciated is how the author has incorporated science and technology that we can see today and imagined its use in the future.

This was a very interesting read and one I know I would get more out of on a second read.

[Todd Lieman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The author’s ability to create characters and weave incredible details and nuance into each world blew me away. I don’t typically read this kind of work. And I could never write something like this. But then, it also has Douglas Adams vibes, for me. And even some Matt Haig (love).

The takeaways were endless:

—And my epiphany is that you are not broken. You are mid-process.

—We hope you come to know that you are in a loving
universe.

—WWIII is not predestination, but neither is survival.

—Intelligence must protect life.

—We don’t need hope and prayers, or blame and more borders. We need better incentives. If the biosphere is priced correctly, extinction becomes irrational.

I need to read this book again. Slower.

[Nashali Niomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this ARC from NetGalley and I just want to say WOW! This is my first scientific novel and I enjoyed every single page. Without giving any spoilers, the way the author is using comparisons between what we believe with events that formed our history, and then creating a futuristic storyline was amazing. One of my favorite parts was when the author mentioned works like Siddhartha, and places like the Library of Alexandria; and how, as humans, we’re literally never satisfied.

I will absolutely recommend this to my friends.

[Gee Beadle · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

this novel presents a believable and unsettling multi-POV account of the world ending in the not-so-distant future. as a lover of both dystopian fiction and sci-fi—and as someone who is really quite fearful of AI and our reliance on tech—i really expected to love this book but unfortunately it fell flat for me.

the first chapter after the prologue is written from the perspective of a child; i found the way the author chose to depict the child’s voice through choice of words and some (let’s just say) interesting usage of punctuation very off putting and had this not been an ARC i would have DNF’d there. i likely would have a different opinion had this not been the first chapter of the book, although i personally do not enjoy reading from a child’s point of view.

there were some real moments of greatness, for me i found the concept of chapter 3, SIM, so compelling and i really enjoyed the use of code in the text. despite only having a rudimentary grasp of HTML i felt this really added some depth and nuance to the storytelling and i was able to somewhat understand what the code was conveying.

for me i struggled most with the large amounts of infodumping throughout. i understand it is difficult to present complex scientific concepts and backstory without infodumping. however, there were moments where the reader could have been shown the information through the experiences of the characters. this would have added a real edge to the work and made the overarching story much more digestible while adding a lot of depth to the characters, who at times did feel slightly underdeveloped.

as i already mentioned, this novel is so close to being a very compelling and maybe even great read. although i didn’t love the idea of an intelligent extraterrestrial being as the source of all human knowledge and genial breakthroughs i did think it was a super interesting and original concept! i think this work would have benefitted from a more extensive and critical beta-ing and editing process.

2.5/5⭐️ rounded up to 3⭐️. brb getting existential at the concept of uploading your dead wife to an AI model in order to find out her secrets.

[Karly Nakashima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
It took me a little while to get into this book. The first character introduced, without any context, seemed preachy and egoistic. I am glad I continued reading. As more of the story unfolded I was able to appreciate how human it really is. All of the characters, with their hopes and experiences, read as bright sparks drifting from a fire in the night sky. Even my perspective on the initial character evolved from that of a self important observer to a desperate caretaker. The story tied the characters together in a way that made sense and kept its empathy throughout. My main takeaway of the book as a whole was its humanity. Janine Shiota unfolds humanity, privilege, and the future of technology in a way that preserves empathy without shying away from some of its darker aspects. However, she does not browbeat or relish in gore. Rather, each scenario is presented as a vignette that allows you to make greater implications about the world around them. I appreciated that the more violent aspects of the end of the world were implied rather than drawn out or romanticized. I also liked that the author did not try to guilt people into action; rather she laid her vision bare and leaves it to the reader to take the final steps.

Vaguely connected thoughts:
Without revealing too much of the story, certain aspects reminded me very much of the New Age interpretation of Lemurians. My second thought reading it was that of starseeds.
As a child educator for eighteen years, the child character did not read to me as an eleven year old. The sentence structure read closer to a child of six or seven, but with some words that children generally don’t use (ie “larder”)
I was thrown right out of the experience when my high school was mentioned. That was a trip. I had to stop the book and try to find out why the author knew my school at all.
I would love to see more variation in punctuation. At one point I counted seven commas in one sentence. However, I see this as a conscious stylistic choice meant to emphasize the stream of consciousness style of the vignettes.
I appreciated the notes in the afterword. Overall an interesting read!

[Space Cats Read · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This was a really cool & interesting read! I loved the format which follows multiple characters & points of view, as well as switching between two different times (I did need to re-check the dates a few times to make sure I was keeping the timeline straight). While each vignette seems isolated, simply capturing the experiences of unrelated people as they experience the same global event, the narratives are woven deftly together as the book progresses. The book is well researched & I enjoyed learning tidbits of history that I didn't know before. The fictional possibilities explored in Stories from the End of the World are founded on current knowledge & science, creating a very believable premise (e.g. AI agents are already escaping human control). It's an ambitious book that grapples with some large questions and captures the conflicting feelings of holding both fear & hope for the future. I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Zoetic Digital, & the author for a review copy, all thoughts my own.

[McKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this fascinating book this summer and it's been top of mind ever since. The incredible detail of Shiota's worldbuilding post the AI takeover is haunting as we face our own mysterious future on Earth. I loved this book for how ambitious and considered its ideas are, and it pays off as a great read with its imagination and its heart.

[Alissa Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

These six linked stories have a beautifully mystical quality about them. Images will stay with you long after you've finished the book, and the questions raised feel resonant and timely. Will appeal to fans of Ted Chiang's Exhalation and Emily St. John Mandel. A very promising debut!

[Maddie T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copy received on behalf of Goodreads giveaways. Honestly a really good collection of short stories that all intertwined in a cohesive manner. Quite enjoyable and fast paced.

[Bruce P · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling, prescient and sometimes frightening read on the future of our planet. Told in a variety of voices and styles with each chapter in a hopeful tone that all will end well.

[Steve Raizes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories from the End of the World is a satisfying collection of linked sci-fi stories. Each works on its own, but together they build a larger, connected picture. Fast-paced and hard to put down. Loved it!

[Lilah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you very much to the author and the publisher, and to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Stories from the End of the World is an episodic novella featuring eight distinct characters in the days and years leading up to the end of the world in 2042. As each character’s perspective unfolds, the reader uncovers more of the events that culminate in the world’s curtain call—with more than a few twists along the way.

This is a phenomenal novella. Each character’s voice is powerfully distinct, their uniqueness so tangible that I imagine the stories would be quite easily readable without any speaker tags. All the characters are beautifully nuanced, embodying the full range of humanity’s kaleidoscope of selfhood. The story itself bears a subtle mystery, unraveling to reveal a resolution the reader is subconsciously aware of, yet reluctant to acknowledge until it’s brought to the forefront as the existential reality it is.

My favourite voices were those of Genesis, Lali, and Joyce, but all of them were excellent. Even the characters whom I found reprehensible were ultimately human in their selfishness. There is a form of hubris and moral questionability that I believe only mankind is capable of, and regardless of whether it’s pretty, it remains a fundamental part of our reality.

Author Janine Shiota weaves a powerful tale, striking a poignant message into the reader’s heart that blossoms into hope like a rose from a thorn. The future does not come suddenly; it is the culmination of every nanosecond of action and inaction, of risk and regret, and of kindness and cruelty. I was also humbled and delighted by the author’s dedication to accuracy and realism, indicating the extensive research that went into the writing process.

In the end, life is defined by its capacity for love. We are loving creatures, whether we love each other, our world, humanity itself, or even ourselves. We take it for granted, overlook it, languish in its insufficiency, and all the while remain ignorant of its latent power. When the world comes to its end, when there is no money to hoard and no power to gain, all that will remain of us is that which we loved. Perhaps it is that selfsame love that will also pull us back from the brink.

Overall, this novella is excellent for fans of the messages underlying films like Interstellar and Arrival. Readers who enjoyed Story of Your Life will also find a welcome taste of sci-fi and existentialism here. That said, I believe this novella would be an enriching, valuable experience for anyone at all.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yesterday I should have been doing chores around my house, but instead I spent several hours reading because I had to know where this story was going. That alone should tell you how much I enjoyed Stories from the End of the World.

This is one of the most interesting and creative books I've read this year. It has been compared to Cloud Atlas, and I can understand why because of the structure, but the comparison only goes so far. While Cloud Atlas spans vastly different time periods, this novel focuses on an eleven-year period that begins only a few years in our future. The result feels much more immediate and unsettling because it is easy to imagine many of these events unfolding within our own lifetimes.

I've also seen comparisons to Kim Stanley Robinson because of the inclusion of hard science. For me, however, the science in this novel is woven into the story far more seamlessly. Robinson's work can sometimes become so focused on scientific detail that the narrative slows down. Here, the science enhances the story and makes the world feel more believable without ever becoming overwhelming. In that respect, it reminded me more of Neal Stephenson. The ideas are ambitious, but the book remains a genuine page-turner. As a science lover, I was not disappointed! Several different scientific disciplines are represented including physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science. Some parts involving coding I didn't understand because I'm not a computer scientist, however, this did not detract at all from the overall story.

The writing style also brought to mind Emily St. John Mandel. This is not a novel that follows a single set of characters from beginning to end. Instead, it is a collection of interconnected stories happening during the same time period where some characters appear in each other's stories. As you progress through the book, gradually the full picture is revealed.

One thing I really appreciated was how much this book gave me to think about. I found myself reflecting on the questions it raises about technology, science, society, and the future. In fact, I wish I had read it with a group because there is so much here that would make for fascinating discussion.

This was a memorable and thought-provoking read that managed to balance big ideas with compelling storytelling. I highly recommend it!

[J Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Debut That's Bold, Timely, and Leaves You Wanting More

Janine Shiota's debut novel is an ambitious, multi-threaded narrative weaving together six perspectives on a combined climate and AI apocalypse. Unfolding across different points in time, it's a sweeping cautionary tale about technology, capitalism, and ecological negligence — and largely a successful one.

Shiota's greatest strength is her ability to inhabit radically different voices, from Lali's child-eye view of a post-apocalyptic California commune – evocatively modeled after Shiota’s home of Bolinas, with its "little" and "big" mesas – to the algorithmic cadence of AI characters SIM and JANUS. (Note to readers: don't skip the coded passages — they contain important plot points.)

One of the novel's standout threads is its noir-inflected murder mystery. Sabian's grief and obsession — fueled by love, jealousy, and selfish ambition — leads him to create the AI persona SIM, which becomes an unlikely catalyst for future events. The twist lands well. Equally memorable is hacker George, whose Spaceballs-inspired avatar and plot-critical code-writing provide a welcome streak of ironic humor in an otherwise weighty narrative.

The book is meticulously researched, though technical detail occasionally slows the pace. Its primary shortcoming is paradoxically a symptom of its ambition: it could have been longer. Several story arcs feel truncated, and characters like Benben and Joyce seem to deserve more room to breathe. Given that some of these threads feel complete enough to stand alone, one wonders whether Shiota has future standalone works — or a companion collection — in mind. That would be a welcome development.

Final Verdict:
Stories from the End of the World is a confident, thought-provoking debut that tackles enormous themes without losing sight of its deeply human (and non-human) characters. Shiota writes with skill and empathy, and her structural ambition pays off in surprising and satisfying ways. Readers willing to engage with its technical passages and non-linear timeline will find a richly rewarding story — one that lingers long after the last page.

Recommended for: Fans of speculative fiction, cli-fi, and character-driven ensemble narratives. Rating: ★★★★☆

[Emi Yoshida · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle of this book is "Six Lives - One Signal Beneath Everything," however there is some overlap of characters and stories. The timeline hurtles back and forth, but it works in a way that isn't too confusing. I don't read much sci-fi, and generally try to avoid quantum- or philosophical subject matter, but here Janine Shiota manages to present all that in her story-telling so it is captivating, not confounding.

First there are children in a tiny post-apocalyptic village; then we meet Malcolm the scientist presenting at a global conference just as the modern world ends as we know it; then we go back to the future before the crash to the scene of a murder but when the grieving widower uses AI to investigate, it leads to the rogue AI threat everybody is dithering about today. The next life we see is The Smuggler's, a fixer named BenBen who is uniquely positioned to procure and deliver whatever is needed, even in the end times; and then we meet Joyce an extreme marine biologist whose near death saves Earth's future. The final story differed from the others in that it wasn't so much the story of a life but more like a tying up of the relationship between AI and human entities, among other things.

Corrupt politicians broker deals with enemy nations, urban cities war against rural populations, and ultimately there is no more electricity, water, currency, or government. Throughout the book there is trauma and compartmentalization and disassociation, there is a thread about beauty and power and social class structures, all of it fascinating. I did kind of feel like the ending was actually a vast series of endings, but it all works. My experience reading this book was similar to first learning about the California Billionaires Tax Act: illumination, the alleviation of fear with a commonsense path forward via justice and moral rectitude.

[Annaka · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the epilogue, "speculative fiction at its best is not escapism but a form of serious attention - a way of looking at where we are going by imagining where we might end up." I believe Shiota succeeds in her attempt to shine attention on many of the concerns of today while presenting a story that holds interest as it jumps through the timeline and shares perspectives of what is, was, and could be. I'm often not the biggest fan of too many POVs because I find it hard to really get into the story and care about the narrators/characters and this was a bit of a challenge with this read; but I feel it was all tied together nicely by the end and each individual POV was long enough to feel almost like a collection of short stories that contribute to an overall narrative. The story wrestles with both the worst and best of humanity and, I feel, lands on hopefulness of what and who we can be. The prologue ends with the statement of "I have felt your goodness as the dominant framework to overcome any fears that point you to the contrary. We hope you come to know that you are in a loving universe."

An enjoyable journey overall which I would recommend to those interested in this type of book.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imaginative, speculative look at what could happen if all our current geo-socio-political issues play out to a drastic tech-driven end game: war between the East and the West, climate change, anti-vaxxers, bio-hacking, cyber attacks. In the not-too-distant future, a a cyber attack called Q thrusts the West into a dystopia that ends life as we know it and creates the dark side (the West) and the light side (the East). We see how six different people and intelligent life forms are living at the point of the Q as well what life is like for them ten years later on both sides. Through this dark view of a future driven by tech gone bad and used for harm, humanity and love emerge. It was okay for me. Each character's quest for love and human connection is unique and interesting, but some of the technology and world building explanations took me too far out of the story. I felt that the story is grasping at big questions of humanity but didn't quite land the plane.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[elisa]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Six lives. One signal beneath everything.

In a near-future of fractured nation-states, technocratic dynasties, and a quantum event called the Q that resets the global power map overnight, the novel unfolds across six distinct voices.

I liked the premise of the book, and loved the Prologue of it setting up the world and how we got there, however I found it wasn't far into the future enough to be believable if that makes sense? I absolutely sped through the first chapter "The Party" and it was like nothing I had read before, which I really enjoyed, but once I was halfway through "Cop 37" it kind of lost me. 2031 is just not far into the future enough if everything before that time has been basically the same as our current reality.

[Eric Farnsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

Stories From the End of the World by Janine Shiota.

This is a remarkable book of big ideas. Spanning from human pre-history to the near future, and trying to make sense of what we humans are doing here on Earth.
Most of the action takes place in that near future, and concerns the consequences of the rise of AI.

So there is some serious data dumping that the author needed to get done, but I thought she paced along well enough that I didn’t give up.

Then when the focus zooms in to the lives of a few actors in the hectic AI/political/environmental mess that many of us worry about, the stories become a tight sci-fi thriller.

Do I think our future will play out exactly this way? Probably not, but it doesn’t matter. Janine Shiota centers her story around some real issues that we had better get busy dealing with.

[John Shock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories From the End of the World is not conventional science fiction, nor is it a conventional apocalypse story. It is something more interesting: a beautifully constructed thought experiment about where humanity might be heading and whether the end of our world might actually be the beginning of something else.

A timey narrative of six stories centered around a single event, each told from distinct and different perspective as well as location. Each story could be its own distinct novel, each compelling in its own right, but digested as a collective points to something more profound. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys intelligent, ambitious fiction that doesn't simply tell you a story, but makes you look at the world differently.

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like Stories From The End of the World, especially since it started off so strong with the first short story. But as the collection went on, I found myself losing interest with almost every single new story. 

This is listed under Sci-Fi, but personally, a lot of these stories leaned way too heavily into political intrigue, geopolitics, and dense technical infodumps rather than delivering engaging sci-fi storytelling. It just completely lost my attention. It got to a point where I wasn't enjoying my reading experience at all, and I ended up skipping the last few stories entirely. 
Great concept and a strong opening, but ultimately not the kind of sci-fi read I was looking for.

[Mary Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way this book looks at the future through the eyes of several different intriguing characters. The characters and their settings span the world. From a little girl who sees massive change coming and plans a party to welcome it, to a smuggler in Eastern Europe who crosses borders, to an AI who loves her creator and escapes the bonds of her code. Somehow this book manages to portray the collapse of the modern world with creativity and survival, not despair. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to launch!

[Anu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks for NetGalley.

A novel that spans the past and the future. It’s an interesting look at what the future world might look like.
The stories move through different worlds as it were- the “analog” world a seemingly post apocalyptic world. Then there are the advanced Eastern countries which was an interesting twist. The book feels at times like just exploration of various thoughts and ideas the author had about the future and has a rambly feel. But it’s still interesting and engaging.

[Jason Rosson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't write book reviews so this will probably be a bit rambly. I really liked this book! The SIM chapter in particular was a real page turner. It turns on its head some typical tropes found in modern dystopian science fiction: the East vs West split after the Q event especially. The technical details were accessible w/o being hand wavy, the pseudo code snippets were great. I didn't connect with all of the characters but did find the Joyce's chapters to be the easiest to relate to, especially the scuba diving scene. Loved it, looking forward to more!

[Andy Wiedlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a huge and ambitious book. Not sure if it is scifi or dystopian future, but the individual characters and stories are compelling. And linked together in a dynamic narrative. Just beautiful and complex and interrelated. I loved it.