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Grave Predictions: Tales of Mankind’s Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian and Disastrous Destiny
"This is a book of stories intended to describe that hand of mortal destruction in 16 utterly different, yet all apocalyptically stunning ways!" — Harlan Ellison, from the Introduction.
These compelling visions of post-apocalyptic societies and dystopian worlds include short stories by some of the most acclaimed authors of our time. Among the noteworthy contributors and their works are Stephen King's "The End of the Whole Mess," "The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury, and Arthur C. Clarke's "No Morning After."
The first-ever apocalyptic fantasy about global warming, "The End of the World," appears here, in translation from Eugene Mouton's 1872 French-language original. "The Pretence," by Ramsey Campbell, questions the nature and structure of everyday life in the aftermath of a doomsday prediction. In addition, thought-provoking stories by Philip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Greg Bear, Erica L. Satifka, and others offer an end-of-the-world extravaganza for fans of science fiction, horror, and fantasy.
"These doomsday tales are highly original, thought provoking, and reality questioning. Recommended as a collection for fans of intriguing and eccentric sci-fi!" — Read Well
These compelling visions of post-apocalyptic societies and dystopian worlds include short stories by some of the most acclaimed authors of our time. Among the noteworthy contributors and their works are Stephen King's "The End of the Whole Mess," "The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury, and Arthur C. Clarke's "No Morning After."
The first-ever apocalyptic fantasy about global warming, "The End of the World," appears here, in translation from Eugene Mouton's 1872 French-language original. "The Pretence," by Ramsey Campbell, questions the nature and structure of everyday life in the aftermath of a doomsday prediction. In addition, thought-provoking stories by Philip K. Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Greg Bear, Erica L. Satifka, and others offer an end-of-the-world extravaganza for fans of science fiction, horror, and fantasy.
"These doomsday tales are highly original, thought provoking, and reality questioning. Recommended as a collection for fans of intriguing and eccentric sci-fi!" — Read Well
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2016
92 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
Stephen King
2,408 books888k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 12, 2017
Ever wonder how the world will end......well, you'll find a multitude of ways life as we know it can be destroyed in GRAVE PREDICTIONS. For lovers of the weird and bizarre, this sci-fi/fantasy/horror collection of 16 short stories was not as scary as I hoped, but certainly thought-provoking.
THE END OF THE WORLD - (Eugene Mouton) - 3 Stars - Whew! Global Warming at its "hottest"!
THE COMET - (W.E.B. Du Bois) - 3 Stars - Only the dark silent figure and the woman in silk are left....with death and silence all around them until....headlights, but wait!....what the?....ok....great ending!
THE PEDESTRIAN - (Ray Bradbury) - 3 Stars - Just taking his daily LONG walk....all alone in the world....until the pick-up.
NO MORNING AFTER - (Arthur C. Clarke) - 3 Stars - Ha! Had a few too many buddy?....a hallucination maybe?....Well, no worries now!
UPON THE DULL EARTH - (Philip K. Dick) - 4 Stars - Be careful what you wish for Rick, and watch out for the white winged shadows....oh, and do not look in the mirror!
2 B R O 2 B - (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.) - 3 Stars - Check out the Bureau of Termination....Must call for an appointment!
I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM - (Harlan Ellison) - 4 Stars - Trapped....Starving, but not alone....Ewwwww, gross......Resignation.
THE ONES WHO WALK AWAY FROM OMELAS - (Ursula K. Le Guin) - 3 Stars - The misery of a little one....disgustingly awful and so sad.
THE ENGINEER AND THE EXECUTIONER - (Brian M. Stableford) - 4 Stars - The life system....robotic warning....destruction....deadly spores....Ha! The End.
THE END OF THE WHOLE MESS - (Stephen King) - 4 Stars - Want to live in a place with less violence?....not this one....an experience gone bad.
TIGHT LITTLE STITCHES IN A DEAD MAN'S BACK - (Joe R. Lansdale) - 5 Stars - Dear Mr. Journal....where were you when they dropped the big one?....the triangle is broken and the weight of the world is on his back....such sadness and despair, but oh how the deadly intertwining vines come together. Creepy good!
JUDGEMENT ENGINE - (Greg Bear) - 3 Stars - End time....the last new generation....deadly errors....genocide....destruction....lessons of life.
AUTOMATIC - (Erica L. Satifka) - 4 Stars - No way to leave....stuck in the stench of NYC....rent your body part and live for free!....a mold spore nightmare.
THE BLACK MOULD - (Mark Samuels) - 2 Stars - Ewwwww....see the ravages of live mold spores.
THE PRETENCE - (Ramsey Campbell) - 3 Stars - Boy this started out great; too bad it turned long and tedious. The warning from the Finalists....the delayed flight....turbulence....the strange reunion...."Believe in whatever matters to you and it will stay with you forever."
INVENTORY - (Carmen Maria Machado) - 3 Stars - Trying to survive a deadly virus....lots of visitors....lots of sex....escape.
Overall, it was a bit frustrating (my copy) not having a table of contents or paragraph breaks between stories, but still a 3+ Star read and Oh What A Fantastic Book Cover!
(Thank you Dover Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!)
October 19, 2016
This is a book of stories intended to describe that hand of mortal destruction in sixteen utterly different, yet apocalyptically stunning ways.
The End of The World …….Eugene Mouton (2 stars) - Global warming- You know the path we are currently on.
The Comet …….W.E.B. Du Bois (3.5 stars) - What if you thought you were one of the last people on earth? What if you had a second chance? Would you have changed?
The Pedestrian …. Ray Bradbury (5 stars) - I loved this one. Mr. Leonard Mead loves to go for a stroll at night, then one night the police come.
No Morning After ……...Arthur C. Clarke (3 stars) - You know it’s time to quit drinking
when……
Upon the Dull Earth ……… Phillip K. Dick (5 stars) - Another bright spot in this collection. Love is a many splendored thing, guard it well. And when all seems lost, remember if it seems too good to be true, well it likely is. Who you gonna call?
2 B R O 2 B …….. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - (4 stars) Think about the advances we have made in technology and medicine. Already the average lifespan is much greater than it was in the past. What if this trend continues and in the future people can be expected to live much longer, perhaps even 200 years. What other controls would have to be established in order for our little planet to accommodate everyone?
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream …...Harlan Ellison - (2.5 stars) Outwardly: dumbly, I shamble about, a thing that could never have been known as human, a thing whose shape is so alien a travesty, that humanity becomes more obscene for the vague resemblance. Inwardly: alone. Here. Living under the land, under the sea, in the belly of AM, whom we created because our time was badly spent and we must have known unconsciously that he could do it better.
The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas …….. Ursula K. Le Guin - (3 stars) The city of Omelas is a truly beautiful and joyous place of crisp, clean fields and magnificent mountains with moss covered gardens.. A place where children could run and play and people danced in the streets. But in the basement under one of the beautiful public buildings of Omelas, there is a room. A room that houses the ultimate cost of their happiness. Too sad.
The Engineer and the Executioner ……. Brian M. Stableford - (3.5 stars) The best and the brightest of earth’s engineers has accomplished the unthinkable. A life- system on a previously dead asteroid. Everything is used and reused as the life-system evolves and improves. But wait. Could that spore that I detect put earth at risk?
The End of the Whole Mess ……. Stephen King - (4 stars) What if there was a way to stop the violence, put an end to war once and for all? Did you ever make a mistake and not realize it until it was too late?
Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back …….. Joe R. Lansdale (4.5 stars) If the end does come by way of nuclear warfare, who is to blame? The scientist or the politician? Still there are survivors who make it to an underground shelter. Years pass and who knows perhaps it is a brave new world up there. Shall we go see?
Judgement Engine ….. Greg Bear - ( 1 star) I did not care for this one at all. I had a difficult time relating and I do believe that it just went on for far too long. Endtimes, massive mistakes, genocide?
Automatic ……. Erica L.Satifka - ( 2 stars) Can’t leave New York City? The rest of the countryside uninhabitable? No worries you can rent out your body parts to survive.
The Black Mould ……… Mark Samuels - (2 stars) Forget cockroaches it will be mould spores that survive us all and take over the planet.
The Pretence ………. Ramsey Campbell - (1 star) This is a case of a mistitled story. It should have been called “How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Story 101” This one is about the apocalypse as predicted by a religious group. Too bad the author felt the need to go on and on and on and on, with pointless drivel. Hmmmmm?
Inventory ……… Carmen Maria Machado - (1 star) A deadly virus you say. Well it is not here yet. May as well have some mind numbing sex with as many different partners as possible.
Personally I find reviews of this nature tedious. I say that as someone who reads a great many reviews on a daily basis and sure there is the exception, but still. Now I know they are tedious to write as well, so my apologies. ( I will not be doing this again ever.) Do not let that deter you from giving this a try. There are some good stories to be had here.
My thanks to Dover Publications and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The End of The World …….Eugene Mouton (2 stars) - Global warming- You know the path we are currently on.
The Comet …….W.E.B. Du Bois (3.5 stars) - What if you thought you were one of the last people on earth? What if you had a second chance? Would you have changed?
The Pedestrian …. Ray Bradbury (5 stars) - I loved this one. Mr. Leonard Mead loves to go for a stroll at night, then one night the police come.
No Morning After ……...Arthur C. Clarke (3 stars) - You know it’s time to quit drinking
when……
Upon the Dull Earth ……… Phillip K. Dick (5 stars) - Another bright spot in this collection. Love is a many splendored thing, guard it well. And when all seems lost, remember if it seems too good to be true, well it likely is. Who you gonna call?
2 B R O 2 B …….. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - (4 stars) Think about the advances we have made in technology and medicine. Already the average lifespan is much greater than it was in the past. What if this trend continues and in the future people can be expected to live much longer, perhaps even 200 years. What other controls would have to be established in order for our little planet to accommodate everyone?
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream …...Harlan Ellison - (2.5 stars) Outwardly: dumbly, I shamble about, a thing that could never have been known as human, a thing whose shape is so alien a travesty, that humanity becomes more obscene for the vague resemblance. Inwardly: alone. Here. Living under the land, under the sea, in the belly of AM, whom we created because our time was badly spent and we must have known unconsciously that he could do it better.
The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas …….. Ursula K. Le Guin - (3 stars) The city of Omelas is a truly beautiful and joyous place of crisp, clean fields and magnificent mountains with moss covered gardens.. A place where children could run and play and people danced in the streets. But in the basement under one of the beautiful public buildings of Omelas, there is a room. A room that houses the ultimate cost of their happiness. Too sad.
The Engineer and the Executioner ……. Brian M. Stableford - (3.5 stars) The best and the brightest of earth’s engineers has accomplished the unthinkable. A life- system on a previously dead asteroid. Everything is used and reused as the life-system evolves and improves. But wait. Could that spore that I detect put earth at risk?
The End of the Whole Mess ……. Stephen King - (4 stars) What if there was a way to stop the violence, put an end to war once and for all? Did you ever make a mistake and not realize it until it was too late?
Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back …….. Joe R. Lansdale (4.5 stars) If the end does come by way of nuclear warfare, who is to blame? The scientist or the politician? Still there are survivors who make it to an underground shelter. Years pass and who knows perhaps it is a brave new world up there. Shall we go see?
Judgement Engine ….. Greg Bear - ( 1 star) I did not care for this one at all. I had a difficult time relating and I do believe that it just went on for far too long. Endtimes, massive mistakes, genocide?
Automatic ……. Erica L.Satifka - ( 2 stars) Can’t leave New York City? The rest of the countryside uninhabitable? No worries you can rent out your body parts to survive.
The Black Mould ……… Mark Samuels - (2 stars) Forget cockroaches it will be mould spores that survive us all and take over the planet.
The Pretence ………. Ramsey Campbell - (1 star) This is a case of a mistitled story. It should have been called “How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Story 101” This one is about the apocalypse as predicted by a religious group. Too bad the author felt the need to go on and on and on and on, with pointless drivel. Hmmmmm?
Inventory ……… Carmen Maria Machado - (1 star) A deadly virus you say. Well it is not here yet. May as well have some mind numbing sex with as many different partners as possible.
Personally I find reviews of this nature tedious. I say that as someone who reads a great many reviews on a daily basis and sure there is the exception, but still. Now I know they are tedious to write as well, so my apologies. ( I will not be doing this again ever.) Do not let that deter you from giving this a try. There are some good stories to be had here.
My thanks to Dover Publications and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2017
INTRODUCTION - (Harlan Ellison) - No denigration to Ellison as a writer, but this 'Introduction' felt more like something someone would post on facebook after a few too many.
*** THE END OF THE WORLD - (Eugene Mouton) - This essay by a 19th-century French writer of the fantastic is unfortunately still awfully relevant. Sure, there are a few predictions here that haven't aged all that well, but the vast majority of Mouton's fears have turned out to be very well founded. (His main concern: global warming caused by increased industry and population density.)
*** THE COMET - (W.E.B. Du Bois) - I never knew that the famed civil rights activist had written a piece of post-apocalyptic fiction! This public-domain piece is also available online, here: http://hilobrow.com/2013/05/21/the-co...
A low-level bank employee is busy with a seemingly-unenviable task in the vaults when the Earth whisks through the tail of a comet. The astronomical event was predicted; its effects were not. When the man emerges from the sealed-off depths of the bank, he is shocked to find that it seems that he may be the last man on Earth: everyone around him has succumbed to toxic vapors from the passing comet.
The language the piece is written in is rather florid and overwrought, to the present-day reader. However, the point of the story is clearly impassioned and still-valuable, even today. DuBois was primarily concerned with human rights, not fiction, and this is a story with a message:
I'm extremely glad to have read this.
Later thought:
I've been asked many times: What is the appeal of post-apocalyptic fiction? I think DuBois cuts right to the heart of it, here. The question at the core of much of this genre is: What would we be, if everything we take for granted was stripped away?
Often, authors answer that question with "barbaric and terrible in oh so many ways." DuBois has a different answer, and I think his has much truth to it.
***** THE PEDESTRIAN - (Ray Bradbury) - Published in 1951, two years before his most-famed work, 'Fahrenheit 451,' the themes here will be very familiar to anyone who's read that book. The short story also makes very clear what Bradbury meant when he made his controversial statement that his novel was not about the dangers of censorship but about the evils of television. The content of this story is simple: a solitary man takes his habitual evening walk through his neighborhood, passing house after dark house full of people sitting and watching TV. No one else is on the streets - and the man is stopped and arrested by an unmanned police vehicle for his suspicious and deviant behavior.
The message is precisely the same as that of 'Fahrenheit 451' and it's stated even more clearly here. Yes, the faceless government forces are cracking down on "regressive" and anti-social behavior. But the reason is because that is what the masses want. The man we see here - an unemployed writer - has cultivated skills that are undesired by his society. He is single; no one even wants him as a partner. Every single other person in his neighborhood is happy to eschew personal contact. As in the novel, the oppressive dystopian government that we glimpse here is actually doing exactly what the majority of the people wants - and that is the truly frightening aspect of the prediction. The danger is not necessarily that a future society will be crushed by forces from above - but that a future society will no longer see value in intellectual freedom and the diversity of complex and dissenting expression of opinions.
Personally, I don't think that TV is all that bad. It certainly CAN be bad, but it doesn't have to be. It's just another media format, and is perfectly able to convey worthwhile content. I would be more in agreement with the noted TV journalist Edward R. Murrow, who, not long after this story (and Fahrenheit 451) was published, in 1957, said: "It might be helpful if those who control television and radio would sit still for a bit and attempt to discover what it is they care about. If television and radio are to be used to entertain all of the people all of the time, then we have come perilously close to discovering the real opiate of the people."
However, while I might not agree that TV is the danger, I certainly do agree with Bradbury's core idea regarding the dangers inherent in the dumbing down of society and the waning interest in intellectual pursuits in general.
**** NO MORNING AFTER - (Arthur C. Clarke) - A re-read... but I read it long ago. Clarke isn't generally known for his humor, but this is an excellent piece of black comedy. Benevolent, telepathic aliens are desperate to contact humanity with a message of the greatest import for us. However, the only guy they manage to reach is both wildly depressed and three sheets to the wind - and believes he's hallucinating.
**** UPON THE DULL EARTH - (Philip K. Dick) - Horrific and surreal. A woman can summon... things... to her. Angels? Aliens? Vampires from another dimension? She believes she is destined to join them, against the protests of her fiance and her family. She has some sort of scientific? occult? setup in order to facilitate her transformation. But things so wrong... and then they go worse.
I think this is my favorite piece that I've read from Philip K. Dick.
*** 2 B R 0 2 B - (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.) - I've never been a big fan of Vonnegut, though I've tried. I had mixed feelings about this one, as well.
In a near future, the Earth's overpopulation problem has been solved by strict laws. Aging has been "cured" and people can live youthfully indefinitely - but the necessary corollary is that births must be limited. Voluntary euthanasia is encouraged.
In his trademark darkly humorous style, Vonnegut portrays this situation as grotesque and inhumane. I actually disagree, so I couldn't really wholeheartedly embrace the story.
***** I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM - (Harlan Ellison) - A re-read, of course - but I was actually surprised at how much of the story I'd forgotten (although, the final scene stayed with me clear as day!)
There are a lot of stories in which humanity's technology turns on us, but this is the ultimate classic example of the theme.
A supercomputer has become sentient - and with consciousness it developed a consuming hatred of its creators. Wiping out civilization was child's play - and now, only five human beings remain, kept alive indefinitely (and interminably) for the sole reason that the AI enjoys torturing and tormenting them, messing with both bodies and minds. Death would be a welcome release.
I can confirm: still horrifically nasty after all these years!
***** THE ONES WHO WALK AWAY FROM OMELAS - (Ursula K. Le Guin) - Another re-read. This is a powerful and thoughtful story; one that should be read by every student of ethics. (Whether it really fits the theme of this anthology is another question, but...)
LeGuin asks the question: does the good of the many REALLY outweigh the good of the few... or the one? Even if you believe you have answered that question for yourself, to your moral satisfaction, this piece will cause you to question your convictions.
The city of Omelas is a utopia - but it also contains a small, but awful, misery. Is it acceptable? Justified? Opinions will differ.
Every time I read this story, I come away from it convinced that Ursula LeGuin is a better person than I am.
*** THE ENGINEER AND THE EXECUTIONER - (Brian M. Stableford) - Classic-feeling sci-fi. Extremely predictable, but fun... well, fun, in a way.
A robot has been dispatched from Earth with a mission: an engineer's experiment; creating artificial life within a distant asteroid, has been adjudged too dangerous to be allowed to continue. There's a possibility that his self-replicating biota could infect and wipe out all life on Earth. The engineer argues emotionally that this possibility is so remote as to be ridiculous - but there's no arguing with the implacable machine intelligence of a robot.
**** THE END OF THE WHOLE MESS - (Stephen King) - Previously read in both 'Nightmares & Dreamscapes' and the 'Wastelands' anthology. Still worth the third read!
Told as a dying man's last confession and testament; the reader learns what did the world in: an unprecedented discovery, and a well-meaning attempt to save humanity from our own worst natures. As it has been said, 'fools rush in where angels fear to tread,' and, blinded by hubris, a genius researcher failed to correlate the damning data before it was too late...
** TIGHT LITTLE STITCHES IN A DEAD MAN'S BACK - (Joe R. Lansdale) - Not for me. If you like horror that's gross just for the sake of being gross, you may feel differently.
In a post-apocalyptic wasteland full of dangerous and poisonous mutants, a nuclear engineer wallows in his guilt and his wife's hatred, while nursing a bizarre obsession with the daughter who died in the atomic blasts.
** JUDGMENT ENGINE - (Greg Bear) - At the end of the universe, evolved intelligences contemplate a thorny philosophical problem, and a mundanely flawed romantic relationship is examined. I had a hard time getting into this one.
*** AUTOMATIC - (Erica L. Satifka) - A terrible plague nearly wiped out humanity. There would be no one left alive if not for the aliens from Ganymede, who apparently find humans quite fascinating. Earth has been saved... sort of... but (there's always the 'but') as a tourist attraction / zoo / breeding program - after all, we're an endangered species.
Most of the few remaining survivors are grateful or at least content, even though the Ganymedans aren't really necessarily all that good at 'keeping' humans. But our protagonist is a dissatisfied Winston Smith-type who attempts to resist and would most likely rather die free than live to provide entertainment to aliens.
** THE BLACK MOULD - (Mark Samuels) - Sticking in the words "aeons" and "nameless dread" in random places does not Lovecraft make. An unsuccessful imitation of an antiquated writing style mars this recitation of the progress of black mold spores that take over the universe.
**** THE PRETENCE - (Ramsey Campbell) - One of the most interesting end-of-the-world pieces I've read (and I've read a lot). Not plot-oriented, the long piece creates an atmospheric feeling of creeping dread. Our protagonist is a regular guy - a family man and classical music afficionado. He has nothing but disdain for the doomsday cult that's been gaining traction, calling themselves 'The Finalists.' When he wakes up the morning after their prophecied 'end,' obviously, the fanatics were wrong and nothing happened. Or... did it? Everything seems just a bit... off.
*** INVENTORY - (Carmen Maria Machado) - Our protagonist has an affinity for lists. She likes enumerating things. Here, she details the people she has had sexual contact with throughout her life. But gradually, we realize this is not just someone's list of conquests, but the story of a devastating, apocalypse-level epidemic. And since the disease is spread through personal, physical contact, this particular 'inventory' is terribly apropos.
Many thanks to Dover and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this collection. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
*** THE END OF THE WORLD - (Eugene Mouton) - This essay by a 19th-century French writer of the fantastic is unfortunately still awfully relevant. Sure, there are a few predictions here that haven't aged all that well, but the vast majority of Mouton's fears have turned out to be very well founded. (His main concern: global warming caused by increased industry and population density.)
*** THE COMET - (W.E.B. Du Bois) - I never knew that the famed civil rights activist had written a piece of post-apocalyptic fiction! This public-domain piece is also available online, here: http://hilobrow.com/2013/05/21/the-co...
A low-level bank employee is busy with a seemingly-unenviable task in the vaults when the Earth whisks through the tail of a comet. The astronomical event was predicted; its effects were not. When the man emerges from the sealed-off depths of the bank, he is shocked to find that it seems that he may be the last man on Earth: everyone around him has succumbed to toxic vapors from the passing comet.
The language the piece is written in is rather florid and overwrought, to the present-day reader. However, the point of the story is clearly impassioned and still-valuable, even today. DuBois was primarily concerned with human rights, not fiction, and this is a story with a message:
I'm extremely glad to have read this.
Later thought:
I've been asked many times: What is the appeal of post-apocalyptic fiction? I think DuBois cuts right to the heart of it, here. The question at the core of much of this genre is: What would we be, if everything we take for granted was stripped away?
Often, authors answer that question with "barbaric and terrible in oh so many ways." DuBois has a different answer, and I think his has much truth to it.
***** THE PEDESTRIAN - (Ray Bradbury) - Published in 1951, two years before his most-famed work, 'Fahrenheit 451,' the themes here will be very familiar to anyone who's read that book. The short story also makes very clear what Bradbury meant when he made his controversial statement that his novel was not about the dangers of censorship but about the evils of television. The content of this story is simple: a solitary man takes his habitual evening walk through his neighborhood, passing house after dark house full of people sitting and watching TV. No one else is on the streets - and the man is stopped and arrested by an unmanned police vehicle for his suspicious and deviant behavior.
The message is precisely the same as that of 'Fahrenheit 451' and it's stated even more clearly here. Yes, the faceless government forces are cracking down on "regressive" and anti-social behavior. But the reason is because that is what the masses want. The man we see here - an unemployed writer - has cultivated skills that are undesired by his society. He is single; no one even wants him as a partner. Every single other person in his neighborhood is happy to eschew personal contact. As in the novel, the oppressive dystopian government that we glimpse here is actually doing exactly what the majority of the people wants - and that is the truly frightening aspect of the prediction. The danger is not necessarily that a future society will be crushed by forces from above - but that a future society will no longer see value in intellectual freedom and the diversity of complex and dissenting expression of opinions.
Personally, I don't think that TV is all that bad. It certainly CAN be bad, but it doesn't have to be. It's just another media format, and is perfectly able to convey worthwhile content. I would be more in agreement with the noted TV journalist Edward R. Murrow, who, not long after this story (and Fahrenheit 451) was published, in 1957, said: "It might be helpful if those who control television and radio would sit still for a bit and attempt to discover what it is they care about. If television and radio are to be used to entertain all of the people all of the time, then we have come perilously close to discovering the real opiate of the people."
However, while I might not agree that TV is the danger, I certainly do agree with Bradbury's core idea regarding the dangers inherent in the dumbing down of society and the waning interest in intellectual pursuits in general.
**** NO MORNING AFTER - (Arthur C. Clarke) - A re-read... but I read it long ago. Clarke isn't generally known for his humor, but this is an excellent piece of black comedy. Benevolent, telepathic aliens are desperate to contact humanity with a message of the greatest import for us. However, the only guy they manage to reach is both wildly depressed and three sheets to the wind - and believes he's hallucinating.
**** UPON THE DULL EARTH - (Philip K. Dick) - Horrific and surreal. A woman can summon... things... to her. Angels? Aliens? Vampires from another dimension? She believes she is destined to join them, against the protests of her fiance and her family. She has some sort of scientific? occult? setup in order to facilitate her transformation. But things so wrong... and then they go worse.
I think this is my favorite piece that I've read from Philip K. Dick.
*** 2 B R 0 2 B - (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.) - I've never been a big fan of Vonnegut, though I've tried. I had mixed feelings about this one, as well.
In a near future, the Earth's overpopulation problem has been solved by strict laws. Aging has been "cured" and people can live youthfully indefinitely - but the necessary corollary is that births must be limited. Voluntary euthanasia is encouraged.
In his trademark darkly humorous style, Vonnegut portrays this situation as grotesque and inhumane. I actually disagree, so I couldn't really wholeheartedly embrace the story.
***** I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM - (Harlan Ellison) - A re-read, of course - but I was actually surprised at how much of the story I'd forgotten (although, the final scene stayed with me clear as day!)
There are a lot of stories in which humanity's technology turns on us, but this is the ultimate classic example of the theme.
A supercomputer has become sentient - and with consciousness it developed a consuming hatred of its creators. Wiping out civilization was child's play - and now, only five human beings remain, kept alive indefinitely (and interminably) for the sole reason that the AI enjoys torturing and tormenting them, messing with both bodies and minds. Death would be a welcome release.
I can confirm: still horrifically nasty after all these years!
***** THE ONES WHO WALK AWAY FROM OMELAS - (Ursula K. Le Guin) - Another re-read. This is a powerful and thoughtful story; one that should be read by every student of ethics. (Whether it really fits the theme of this anthology is another question, but...)
LeGuin asks the question: does the good of the many REALLY outweigh the good of the few... or the one? Even if you believe you have answered that question for yourself, to your moral satisfaction, this piece will cause you to question your convictions.
The city of Omelas is a utopia - but it also contains a small, but awful, misery. Is it acceptable? Justified? Opinions will differ.
Every time I read this story, I come away from it convinced that Ursula LeGuin is a better person than I am.
*** THE ENGINEER AND THE EXECUTIONER - (Brian M. Stableford) - Classic-feeling sci-fi. Extremely predictable, but fun... well, fun, in a way.
A robot has been dispatched from Earth with a mission: an engineer's experiment; creating artificial life within a distant asteroid, has been adjudged too dangerous to be allowed to continue. There's a possibility that his self-replicating biota could infect and wipe out all life on Earth. The engineer argues emotionally that this possibility is so remote as to be ridiculous - but there's no arguing with the implacable machine intelligence of a robot.
**** THE END OF THE WHOLE MESS - (Stephen King) - Previously read in both 'Nightmares & Dreamscapes' and the 'Wastelands' anthology. Still worth the third read!
Told as a dying man's last confession and testament; the reader learns what did the world in: an unprecedented discovery, and a well-meaning attempt to save humanity from our own worst natures. As it has been said, 'fools rush in where angels fear to tread,' and, blinded by hubris, a genius researcher failed to correlate the damning data before it was too late...
** TIGHT LITTLE STITCHES IN A DEAD MAN'S BACK - (Joe R. Lansdale) - Not for me. If you like horror that's gross just for the sake of being gross, you may feel differently.
In a post-apocalyptic wasteland full of dangerous and poisonous mutants, a nuclear engineer wallows in his guilt and his wife's hatred, while nursing a bizarre obsession with the daughter who died in the atomic blasts.
** JUDGMENT ENGINE - (Greg Bear) - At the end of the universe, evolved intelligences contemplate a thorny philosophical problem, and a mundanely flawed romantic relationship is examined. I had a hard time getting into this one.
*** AUTOMATIC - (Erica L. Satifka) - A terrible plague nearly wiped out humanity. There would be no one left alive if not for the aliens from Ganymede, who apparently find humans quite fascinating. Earth has been saved... sort of... but (there's always the 'but') as a tourist attraction / zoo / breeding program - after all, we're an endangered species.
Most of the few remaining survivors are grateful or at least content, even though the Ganymedans aren't really necessarily all that good at 'keeping' humans. But our protagonist is a dissatisfied Winston Smith-type who attempts to resist and would most likely rather die free than live to provide entertainment to aliens.
** THE BLACK MOULD - (Mark Samuels) - Sticking in the words "aeons" and "nameless dread" in random places does not Lovecraft make. An unsuccessful imitation of an antiquated writing style mars this recitation of the progress of black mold spores that take over the universe.
**** THE PRETENCE - (Ramsey Campbell) - One of the most interesting end-of-the-world pieces I've read (and I've read a lot). Not plot-oriented, the long piece creates an atmospheric feeling of creeping dread. Our protagonist is a regular guy - a family man and classical music afficionado. He has nothing but disdain for the doomsday cult that's been gaining traction, calling themselves 'The Finalists.' When he wakes up the morning after their prophecied 'end,' obviously, the fanatics were wrong and nothing happened. Or... did it? Everything seems just a bit... off.
*** INVENTORY - (Carmen Maria Machado) - Our protagonist has an affinity for lists. She likes enumerating things. Here, she details the people she has had sexual contact with throughout her life. But gradually, we realize this is not just someone's list of conquests, but the story of a devastating, apocalypse-level epidemic. And since the disease is spread through personal, physical contact, this particular 'inventory' is terribly apropos.
Many thanks to Dover and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this collection. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
June 15, 2017
Grave Predictions -
The End of the World - Eugene Mouton
A prediction from 1872 about how Mouton thought the world would end. Oddly enough, his prediction was from global warming. An interesting assessment from the past. Reads like an essay.
3 out of 5 stars
The Comet - W.E.B. DuBois
Jim and Julia are the last people left alive in NYC after the earth passes through the tail of a comet and the population is decimated by poisonous gas. Jim is a poor black man and Julia is a rich white woman. As they come to grips with their situation, they are about to put racial prejudices aside when Julia's family show up alive and the racist views begin flying again. Sad story.
3 out of 5 stars
The Pedestrian - Ray Bradbury
Leonard takes a stroll every night all alone in this empty world for fresh air and to see what there is to see. Every night he returns, except this night. Even when you're the only person left on earth, Big Brother still messes with you.
3 out of 5 stars
No Morning After - Arthur C. Clarke
Intelligent life on the planet Thaar have discovered that Earth's sun will blow up in three days. They must find someone on earth who has the ability in their mind to receive telepathy so they can save the earthlings. Unfortunately, the only person they are able to communicate with is Bill. And Bill is on a bender due to Brenda leaving him.
4 out of 5 stars
Upon the Dull Earth - Phillip K. Dick
Sylvia is special. She is able to communicate with angel-like beings from the other side. They tell her how wonderful it is in their world and that she will be one of them once she dies. Rick is frightened to death at Sylvia's special ability and would do anything to keep her in our world. Be careful what you wish for. Creative short story with a unique premise, but the ending drags on and on.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
2BR02B - Kurt Vonnegut Jr
If they discovered the cure for aging and everyone on the planet could live forever, how long would you really want to live. Thought provoking tale
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream - Harlan Ellison
A man against machine story. AM is the all-knowing god now and he hates the creatures that built him. He's destroyed them all except 5. These five are now his play things as he puts them through countless layers of hell.
2 1/2 out of 5 stars
The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas - Ursula K. LeGuin
The residents of Omelas happiness is dependent on the misfortune of one locked up child. About as enjoyable as a root canal.
1 out of 5 stars
The Engineer and the Executioner - Brian M. Stableford
A philosophical showdown between a man that created an artificial world that was deemed too dangerous by the powers that be and the robot that was sent to terminate the creator and his creation. Thought provoking.
4 out of 5 stars
The End of the Whole Mess - Stephen King
Howard's brother, Bobby, is a certifiable genius. And geniuses like to push the envelope. Bobby is obsessed with world peace and discovers a small town in west Texas where violence is non-existent. So, he goes there to discover why. When in doubt, test the water and like all good things, there always has to be a catch. Fun tale that I enjoyed from start to finish.
5 out of 5 stars
Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man's Back - Joe R. Lansdale
For one of the men that helped build the bombs that ended the world, Karma can be a real bitch. Way out there one from Lansdale.
4 out of 5 stars
Judgement Engine - Greg Bear
Just shoot me. I tried. I really tried to get into this, but it was god awful and a complete waste of 25 minutes.
0 (only because I can't do negative) out of 5 stars
The Black Mould - Mark Samuels
Cosmic mould spores take over the universe and control every living thing. Meh.
1 1/2 out of 5 stars
The Pretence - Ramsey Campbell
An endless journey into nothing. This story droned on forever. A confusing attempt to be shadowy and mysterious turned into being a torturous labor to get through. Didn't I tell you to shoot me a couple of stories ago??
1/2 out of 5 stars
Inventory - Carmen Maria Machado
Making lists as the world crumbles around you. Meh.
2 out of 5 stars
There were a few decent stories in this collection, but overall it was a rough one to get through. Way too much boring trash to sift through. Do yourself a favor and read King's and Lansdale's tales in their own collection.
Overall - 2 out of 5 stars
The End of the World - Eugene Mouton
A prediction from 1872 about how Mouton thought the world would end. Oddly enough, his prediction was from global warming. An interesting assessment from the past. Reads like an essay.
3 out of 5 stars
The Comet - W.E.B. DuBois
Jim and Julia are the last people left alive in NYC after the earth passes through the tail of a comet and the population is decimated by poisonous gas. Jim is a poor black man and Julia is a rich white woman. As they come to grips with their situation, they are about to put racial prejudices aside when Julia's family show up alive and the racist views begin flying again. Sad story.
3 out of 5 stars
The Pedestrian - Ray Bradbury
Leonard takes a stroll every night all alone in this empty world for fresh air and to see what there is to see. Every night he returns, except this night. Even when you're the only person left on earth, Big Brother still messes with you.
3 out of 5 stars
No Morning After - Arthur C. Clarke
Intelligent life on the planet Thaar have discovered that Earth's sun will blow up in three days. They must find someone on earth who has the ability in their mind to receive telepathy so they can save the earthlings. Unfortunately, the only person they are able to communicate with is Bill. And Bill is on a bender due to Brenda leaving him.
4 out of 5 stars
Upon the Dull Earth - Phillip K. Dick
Sylvia is special. She is able to communicate with angel-like beings from the other side. They tell her how wonderful it is in their world and that she will be one of them once she dies. Rick is frightened to death at Sylvia's special ability and would do anything to keep her in our world. Be careful what you wish for. Creative short story with a unique premise, but the ending drags on and on.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
2BR02B - Kurt Vonnegut Jr
If they discovered the cure for aging and everyone on the planet could live forever, how long would you really want to live. Thought provoking tale
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream - Harlan Ellison
A man against machine story. AM is the all-knowing god now and he hates the creatures that built him. He's destroyed them all except 5. These five are now his play things as he puts them through countless layers of hell.
2 1/2 out of 5 stars
The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas - Ursula K. LeGuin
The residents of Omelas happiness is dependent on the misfortune of one locked up child. About as enjoyable as a root canal.
1 out of 5 stars
The Engineer and the Executioner - Brian M. Stableford
A philosophical showdown between a man that created an artificial world that was deemed too dangerous by the powers that be and the robot that was sent to terminate the creator and his creation. Thought provoking.
4 out of 5 stars
The End of the Whole Mess - Stephen King
Howard's brother, Bobby, is a certifiable genius. And geniuses like to push the envelope. Bobby is obsessed with world peace and discovers a small town in west Texas where violence is non-existent. So, he goes there to discover why. When in doubt, test the water and like all good things, there always has to be a catch. Fun tale that I enjoyed from start to finish.
5 out of 5 stars
Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man's Back - Joe R. Lansdale
For one of the men that helped build the bombs that ended the world, Karma can be a real bitch. Way out there one from Lansdale.
4 out of 5 stars
Judgement Engine - Greg Bear
Just shoot me. I tried. I really tried to get into this, but it was god awful and a complete waste of 25 minutes.
0 (only because I can't do negative) out of 5 stars
The Black Mould - Mark Samuels
Cosmic mould spores take over the universe and control every living thing. Meh.
1 1/2 out of 5 stars
The Pretence - Ramsey Campbell
An endless journey into nothing. This story droned on forever. A confusing attempt to be shadowy and mysterious turned into being a torturous labor to get through. Didn't I tell you to shoot me a couple of stories ago??
1/2 out of 5 stars
Inventory - Carmen Maria Machado
Making lists as the world crumbles around you. Meh.
2 out of 5 stars
There were a few decent stories in this collection, but overall it was a rough one to get through. Way too much boring trash to sift through. Do yourself a favor and read King's and Lansdale's tales in their own collection.
Overall - 2 out of 5 stars
September 29, 2016
These are stories of the end of the world, and the various ways it can come about. There are lots of big name writers which is what attracted me to this book but also I was hoping for a little more horror and a little less science fiction. You may have come across some of these stories in previous publications. All are worth a read but none are particularly terrifying. I did particularly enjoy "Automatic"
"2BRO2B" where population control is of such importance that if you want to have a baby you must find a volunteer to die. "The End Of The Whole Mess" a Stephen King story that I don't think I have read before.
I received a complimentary copy for review
"2BRO2B" where population control is of such importance that if you want to have a baby you must find a volunteer to die. "The End Of The Whole Mess" a Stephen King story that I don't think I have read before.
I received a complimentary copy for review
April 10, 2017
I have always been fascinated by stories of the end of humanity so I jumped at the chance to pick up a copy of this book especially with greats such as Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, and Arthur C. Clarke gracing the pages. Usually I read one story at a time but I found myself reading more in this book and sometimes could not put it down. Every story was completely original. All in all, I really enjoyed reading this anthology of the last days of Mankind.
I received a copy of this book from the publishers (via) Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book from the publishers (via) Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2016
I really enjoyed reading this anthology and, unlike some, I was able to read more than one story in a sitting because the stories are all different than one another even though they have the same general theme. One or two stories were a little too hardcore sci-fi for my tastes, but I will mention some of my favorites. Before I get started, I should mention that I like to listen to quiet background music when reading some of my rather "moody" books. The album that accompanied this book was Agnes Obel's "Aventine". Some samples:
Chord Left
Fuel to Fire
- The End of the World by Eugene Mouton: It amazes me that this incredibly prescient story was written in 1872! It's hard not to grow increasingly uncomfortable, even creeped out, as the story unfolds - you recognize the descriptions. You are watching it unfold in real life, even as you are turning pages.
- The Pedestrian: Ray Bradbury
Simple but creepy story with just the right amount of atmosphere. I couldn't finish his "Something Wicked This Way Comes", so it was nice to realize that I do enjoy Bradbury's writing after all.
- 2BR02B: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Loved the premise and conclusion - all wound up tightly with a nice little bow. Population control at its finest.
- I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream: Harlan Ellison
This story was a total trip - as in, a bad acid trip or a nightmare you can't wake up from. Completely original and compelling.
- The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas: Ursula K. Le Guin
This is the second time I've read this story, and it's just as great as the first time. Haunting.
- The End of the Whole Mess: Stephen King
So this story was written in 1986 - how have I not come across it yet?? This was probably my favorite story of the bunch. I love King's writing. It's nice to be able to read a "short" story and become totally engrossed. I felt as if the character were speaking directly to me and it was so authentic. So good.
- Tight Little Stitches In a Dead Man's Back: Joe R. Lansdale
I thought Joe R. Lansdale had the unenviable spot of following Stephen King's story - that's a lot to live up to. Turns out I was wrong - great story and again, completely original, like nothing I've ever read. I need more Lansdale in my life.
There were other stories that were good, but the ones above just stood out for me. If you like short stories, if you like apocalit, if you like great writing - read this book.
*Thanks to netgalley for providing this book for an honest review*
Chord Left
Fuel to Fire
- The End of the World by Eugene Mouton: It amazes me that this incredibly prescient story was written in 1872! It's hard not to grow increasingly uncomfortable, even creeped out, as the story unfolds - you recognize the descriptions. You are watching it unfold in real life, even as you are turning pages.
- The Pedestrian: Ray Bradbury
Simple but creepy story with just the right amount of atmosphere. I couldn't finish his "Something Wicked This Way Comes", so it was nice to realize that I do enjoy Bradbury's writing after all.
- 2BR02B: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Loved the premise and conclusion - all wound up tightly with a nice little bow. Population control at its finest.
- I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream: Harlan Ellison
This story was a total trip - as in, a bad acid trip or a nightmare you can't wake up from. Completely original and compelling.
- The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas: Ursula K. Le Guin
This is the second time I've read this story, and it's just as great as the first time. Haunting.
- The End of the Whole Mess: Stephen King
So this story was written in 1986 - how have I not come across it yet?? This was probably my favorite story of the bunch. I love King's writing. It's nice to be able to read a "short" story and become totally engrossed. I felt as if the character were speaking directly to me and it was so authentic. So good.
- Tight Little Stitches In a Dead Man's Back: Joe R. Lansdale
I thought Joe R. Lansdale had the unenviable spot of following Stephen King's story - that's a lot to live up to. Turns out I was wrong - great story and again, completely original, like nothing I've ever read. I need more Lansdale in my life.
There were other stories that were good, but the ones above just stood out for me. If you like short stories, if you like apocalit, if you like great writing - read this book.
*Thanks to netgalley for providing this book for an honest review*
February 10, 2017
A good selection of end of days stories. I don't know why I'm so fascinated by the many many ways humanity imagines it's own demise. It's too hard to pick a favourite as they're all so different. Le Guin's The Ones Who Walked Away From Omela, and Machado's Inventory both resonated deeply. W.E. B. Du Bois 1920 story The Comet seemed almost contemporary. I recommend this collection.
September 18, 2016
Grave Predictions, Edited by Drew Ford- A lot of well-known authors are collected here in this book about apocalyptic ends of human civilization. Harlan Ellison starts things off with an introduction only as Harlan can. We will visit him again later in the book with his famous short story "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream." Sixteen stories about Mankind's last breath beginning with a 1872 declaration by Eugene Mouton "The End of The World" and including works by Stephen King, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Joe R. Lansdale, Greg Bear, Ramsey Campbell and many more. Some are classics while others are less so, but still remain tied to the central theme. My copy did not have an active table of contents which would have aided me greatly as I like to hop around an anthology, cherry-picking my favorites first. Bur if facing the end is what you're into, this anthology has got you covered.
May 22, 2018
When I read this was a collection of stories about the end of the world, I knew I would enjoy it. Each of these stories is incredibly creative. Some of them blindingly so - you think you know where some of the authors are going. . . but no. So make no mistake, while all the stories follow the same theme, they are all very, very, different.
I don’t review the stories individually. Normally, I list my favorites, but I can’t give any in this case because all of them were great in some way, shape, or form. A majority of them had me wishing they weren’t shorts. And of course, like all good anthologies, it gives you a list of authors to hunt down and read more of. I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology.
Not reading this anthology is only depriving your readerly brain of some very imaginative reads.
I don’t review the stories individually. Normally, I list my favorites, but I can’t give any in this case because all of them were great in some way, shape, or form. A majority of them had me wishing they weren’t shorts. And of course, like all good anthologies, it gives you a list of authors to hunt down and read more of. I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology.
Not reading this anthology is only depriving your readerly brain of some very imaginative reads.
February 24, 2023
Grave Predictions was my seventh read of 2023.
I picked up Grave Predictions because it contained Harlan Ellison's "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream." I'd always wanted to check out this short story but could never find it anywhere—and I didn't want to pirate it. Then, after a chat with friends about disturbing ideas—such as Roko's basilisk—Ellison came up. Thus, I decided I needed to read it and find a copy.
The collection as a whole stands as a bit hit-and-miss. "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream"—the reason I got it in the first place—was excellent, as expected. As were several other stories, such as King's "The End of the Whole Mess". I also enjoyed the early pieces from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The progression through the decades was a nice touch. But a few parts did not work for me.
It's worth the price of admission for some of the more standout stories. Of course, some are weaker than others. But the high moments make it all worthwhile. And that closing story is breathtaking.
Please give it a go, but don't be afraid to pass on the stories that aren't working for you.
I picked up Grave Predictions because it contained Harlan Ellison's "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream." I'd always wanted to check out this short story but could never find it anywhere—and I didn't want to pirate it. Then, after a chat with friends about disturbing ideas—such as Roko's basilisk—Ellison came up. Thus, I decided I needed to read it and find a copy.
The collection as a whole stands as a bit hit-and-miss. "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream"—the reason I got it in the first place—was excellent, as expected. As were several other stories, such as King's "The End of the Whole Mess". I also enjoyed the early pieces from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The progression through the decades was a nice touch. But a few parts did not work for me.
It's worth the price of admission for some of the more standout stories. Of course, some are weaker than others. But the high moments make it all worthwhile. And that closing story is breathtaking.
Please give it a go, but don't be afraid to pass on the stories that aren't working for you.
March 11, 2024
Grave Predictions is an anthology of doomsday stories well above the usual standards. The stories are culled from the last 150 years, and stories by Bear, Machado, Du Bois, and Campbell are very accomplished firsts among equals.
January 10, 2017
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway a few months back. That being said, I nearly didn't get it. It took a good six weeks or more to receive, and only then after I contacted the one in charge of the giveaway and took to pestering. Still, this review is about the book, not the journey to it. In that regard, I can say that I rather enjoyed it. I won't go into detail about each story, as that has been done already and would take entirely too much time that I intend to direct towards further reading. That said, I enjoyed nearly every story here, including the ones that I've read in other collections a hundred times before. I think that's part of the issue here: there's really nothing new being offered up here. I believe most if not all these stories have been reprinted already at least once, so chances are you'll run across more than a few that you've previously read. Even so, it's nice to have them all together in this nifty little collection. While a few are familiar immediately to any fan of the genre (Stephen King's The End of the Whole Mess, Harlan Ellison's I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, etc.) there are others that have somehow eluded me and yet turned out to be wonderful. The best example of this was Ursula K. Le Guin's The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas. This one more than any blew me away. I've always admired that tiny, fiery woman, ever moreso now that I've read this particular story. It shook me, ladies and gents, as a story of this type should. Final verdict: it's not perfect, there are a ton of reprints, and Harlan Ellison's introduction is garbage. Disregarding all of that, nearly every tale is worth reading again, the somewhat minimalist cover art looks nice on a good bookshelf, and you just may be surprised by a few unfamiliar stories.
December 15, 2016
The theme of the stories in this anthology is covered by its title. It is speculative fiction. It is fiction created by the author's imagination and possibilities rather than "real"everyday life. It was an interesting look at how author's looked at the destiny of earth as they wrote their story. It's interesting to see how the future of the earth ends and/or survives.
The editor did a good job of choosing stories for this anthology. It is varied. There is science fiction and horror in this volume. I know some of my friends may consider some of the stories steampunk o4 cyberpunk. Read this anthology withe the excellent stories and decide for yourself! I loved it!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
The editor did a good job of choosing stories for this anthology. It is varied. There is science fiction and horror in this volume. I know some of my friends may consider some of the stories steampunk o4 cyberpunk. Read this anthology withe the excellent stories and decide for yourself! I loved it!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
November 11, 2016
Paul Simon sang of 50 Ways to Leave your Lover, this book shows 16 ways the world could end!
This apocalyptic book of stories will give you food for thought and leave you thinking about your own mortality for some time!
Wonderful cover illustration - very appropriate!
Very highly recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Dover Publications via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review, which I wholeheartedly do.
This apocalyptic book of stories will give you food for thought and leave you thinking about your own mortality for some time!
Wonderful cover illustration - very appropriate!
Very highly recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Dover Publications via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review, which I wholeheartedly do.
January 15, 2022
I love post-apocalyptic fiction, and this is an impeccable short-story collection that houses some absolute classics. The highlight for me was the inclusion of Harlan Ellison’s ‘I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream’, but the contributions of Kurt Vonnegut, Arthur C. Clarke, Ursula K. Le Guin, Joe R. Lansdale, Philip K. Dick and Eugene Mouton were all top-tier, with the remainder not sloppy by any measure either. Quality all the way through.
October 6, 2020
Very difficult to rate this as it is a collection. Some of these stories were fantastic and thrived in this medium, some would do well as an extended novel or film. Other stories were convoluted and frankly unenjoyable.
December 22, 2016
Grave Predictions is another anthology with an apocalyptic or dystopian theme to the stories. I consider myself a fan of the apocalyptic/dystopian genre so I was excited to see a collection with a variety of stories. There are 16 different stories by 16 different writers. I included the full list of stories below. It is always nice to know what stories are in a collection like this beforehand. The stories are not new and have been published before. Only one of the 16 I have read before. There is something for everyone - super computers, comets, aliens, global warming, nuclear war and more. My favorites were The End of the World, Upon the Dull Earth, The End of the Whole Mess, and Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man's Back. Short stories are always a hit or a miss. You either love them or hate them. Most of them weren't too depressing either, which is a plus. Overall, I rated the majority of the stories as three stars. If you haven't read these before and you are a fan of sci fi and short stories, then this would be a good collection to read.
Eugene Mouton - The End of the World (1872)
W. E. B. Du Bois - The Comet (1920)
Ray Bradbury - The Pedestrian (1951)
Arthur C. Clarke - No Morning After (1954)
Philip K. Dick - Upon the Dull Earth (1954)
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. - 2 B R 0 2 B (1962)
Harlan Ellison - I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (1967)
Ursula K. Le Guin - The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas (1973)
Brian M. Stableford - The Engineer and the Executioner (1976)
Stephen King - The End of the Whole Mess (1986)
Joe R. Lansdale - Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back (1992)
Greg Bear - Judgment Engine (1995)
Erica L. Satifka - Automatic (2007)
Mark Samuels - The Black Mould (2011)
Ramsey Campbell - The Pretence (2013)
Carmen Maria Machado - Inventory (2013)
Eugene Mouton - The End of the World (1872)
W. E. B. Du Bois - The Comet (1920)
Ray Bradbury - The Pedestrian (1951)
Arthur C. Clarke - No Morning After (1954)
Philip K. Dick - Upon the Dull Earth (1954)
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. - 2 B R 0 2 B (1962)
Harlan Ellison - I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (1967)
Ursula K. Le Guin - The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas (1973)
Brian M. Stableford - The Engineer and the Executioner (1976)
Stephen King - The End of the Whole Mess (1986)
Joe R. Lansdale - Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back (1992)
Greg Bear - Judgment Engine (1995)
Erica L. Satifka - Automatic (2007)
Mark Samuels - The Black Mould (2011)
Ramsey Campbell - The Pretence (2013)
Carmen Maria Machado - Inventory (2013)
October 30, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am always looking for a fantastic anthology, especially one with post-apocalyptic stories. As soon as I saw this title listed on NetGalley, I immediately requested it for that reason. Once I saw that Stephen King was a contributor I was even more anxious to read it. Maybe these two reasons are why I was disappointed in this book. First, the story Stephen King contributed was one I had already read. My mistake for not reading the title of his story before getting excited. Second, I really only enjoyed 2, maybe 3 of the stories in this anthology. I very rarely skim or skip pages in a book I am reading, but I found myself doing this more and more often reading this. Certain stories started off well, then took a sharp left into the unreadable category for me. Other stories I couldn't even get into from page one. If you are a fan of any of the John Joseph Adams anthologies, this one does not even come close to comparing to his collections. I am sorry to write a negative review of this collection and I am sure others will disagree, but I just wasn't a fan of this one.
I am always looking for a fantastic anthology, especially one with post-apocalyptic stories. As soon as I saw this title listed on NetGalley, I immediately requested it for that reason. Once I saw that Stephen King was a contributor I was even more anxious to read it. Maybe these two reasons are why I was disappointed in this book. First, the story Stephen King contributed was one I had already read. My mistake for not reading the title of his story before getting excited. Second, I really only enjoyed 2, maybe 3 of the stories in this anthology. I very rarely skim or skip pages in a book I am reading, but I found myself doing this more and more often reading this. Certain stories started off well, then took a sharp left into the unreadable category for me. Other stories I couldn't even get into from page one. If you are a fan of any of the John Joseph Adams anthologies, this one does not even come close to comparing to his collections. I am sorry to write a negative review of this collection and I am sure others will disagree, but I just wasn't a fan of this one.
January 23, 2022
A good mix of unique ideas
Eugene Mouton The End of the World (1872), 3⭐
W. E. B. Du Bois The Comet (1920), 4⭐
Ray Bradbury The Pedestrian (1951), 3
Arthur C. Clarke No Morning After (1954), 4⭐
Philip K. Dick Upon the Dull Earth (1954), 4⭐
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. 2 B R 0 2 B (1962), 4⭐
Harlan Ellison I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (1967), 3⭐
Ursula K. Le Guin The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas (1973), 3⭐
Brian M. Stableford The Engineer and the Executioner (1976), 3⭐
Stephen King The End of the Whole Mess (1986), 3⭐
Joe R. Lansdale Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man's Back (1992), 2⭐
Greg Bear Judgment Engine (1995), 4⭐
Erica L. Satifka Automatic (2007), 3⭐
Mark Samuels The Black Mould (2011), 2⭐
Ramsey Campbell The Pretence (2013), 1⭐
Inventory (2013), 4⭐
Eugene Mouton The End of the World (1872), 3⭐
W. E. B. Du Bois The Comet (1920), 4⭐
Ray Bradbury The Pedestrian (1951), 3
Arthur C. Clarke No Morning After (1954), 4⭐
Philip K. Dick Upon the Dull Earth (1954), 4⭐
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. 2 B R 0 2 B (1962), 4⭐
Harlan Ellison I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (1967), 3⭐
Ursula K. Le Guin The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas (1973), 3⭐
Brian M. Stableford The Engineer and the Executioner (1976), 3⭐
Stephen King The End of the Whole Mess (1986), 3⭐
Joe R. Lansdale Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man's Back (1992), 2⭐
Greg Bear Judgment Engine (1995), 4⭐
Erica L. Satifka Automatic (2007), 3⭐
Mark Samuels The Black Mould (2011), 2⭐
Ramsey Campbell The Pretence (2013), 1⭐
Inventory (2013), 4⭐
October 30, 2016
As with any anthologies, this one has some gems and some trash.
By far the best of these are those by Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, and Arthur C. Clarke. You might have read these before, but they’re worth rereading.
Many of the others go on for too long –perhaps the writers were being paid by the word – and others are simply stupid.
You will be able to tell which the gems are and which the trash and those that you wish had been shortened to perhaps a half or a quarter of the length.
My suggestion? Read the gems; skip the trash, the stupid ones, and speed read the ones that are interminable.
By far the best of these are those by Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, and Arthur C. Clarke. You might have read these before, but they’re worth rereading.
Many of the others go on for too long –perhaps the writers were being paid by the word – and others are simply stupid.
You will be able to tell which the gems are and which the trash and those that you wish had been shortened to perhaps a half or a quarter of the length.
My suggestion? Read the gems; skip the trash, the stupid ones, and speed read the ones that are interminable.
November 7, 2017
I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review. This is a fascinating and thought provoking collection of stories about the end of the world. There is a lot of variety to the stories in terms of writing style and the method of our destruction. None of these stories are new; it is the theme of the collection that is new. Some I liked more than others. There was an eerily prescient story about global warming written in the 1800s. I like Ursual K. LeGuin's story as it really makes one think about today's society.
September 30, 2023
Crazy ideas and not so crazy ones. I got so swept away in this when I was reading it but I absolutely had to have breaks from this (thankfully easy with short stories). It was so dark, I… I don’t know if enjoyed is the right word, but certainly appreciated the dystopian pallor of each story. Favourites were ‘The End of the World’ (1872), ‘2 B R 0 2 B’ (1962), ‘I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream’ (1967), ‘Judgement Engine’ (1995); ‘Inventory’ (2013) gets honourable mention for it’s lustful take on living through a pandemic.
October 20, 2017
I received an early copy of this book from Netgalley and Dover Publications, Inc. in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you!
This was a great book. The stories were fairly even in quality. I especially liked Arthur C. Clarke, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and Harlan Ellison’s contributions. Greg Bear’s Judgment Engine is high brow but, as it went along, became very enjoyable. I’m glad I got to read this!
This was a great book. The stories were fairly even in quality. I especially liked Arthur C. Clarke, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and Harlan Ellison’s contributions. Greg Bear’s Judgment Engine is high brow but, as it went along, became very enjoyable. I’m glad I got to read this!
May 19, 2017
I think the story I liked most was the last called Inventory. I have read 90% of these stories already so that is likely why it wasn't that enjoyable for me, I was hoping for other stories that are published in less volumes or something
May 23, 2017
Several short stories about the end of the world. Some were good and entertaining, but several were not.
January 12, 2019
So grim. Really interesting stories, for sure, but the sort of dark end of the world scenarios that leave little hope. Hey, it's not as if the title didn't warn me!
August 28, 2021
These are tough stories to get through. Even the King story they selected for this was sub-par. Got a little more than halfway through and just couldn't do it.
dnf
January 9, 2022Spent almost 4 hours over almost 2 weeks slogging through this, and it’s just not doing it for me. I had already read the Stephen King story. The others are all far too sci-fi for me, I guess.
Read
November 25, 2022Highlights:
PK Dick: Upon the Dull Earth
Vonnegut: 2BRO2B
Ellison, I Have No Mouth, & I Must Scream
Le Guin: The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas
Lansdale: Tight Little Stitches In a Dead Man's Back
PK Dick: Upon the Dull Earth
Vonnegut: 2BRO2B
Ellison, I Have No Mouth, & I Must Scream
Le Guin: The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas
Lansdale: Tight Little Stitches In a Dead Man's Back
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