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Chronicle Worlds: Tails of Dystopia
1984 meets The Incredible Journey in thirteen dystopian tales by some of today's most accomplished writers of science fiction.
In this title in the acclaimed Future Chronicles series of speculative fiction anthologies created by award-winning author Samuel Peralta, discover tales of dark futures, tragic pasts, and a present that's run off the rails are presented in landscapes as varied as their authors' imaginations.
Set in bestselling worlds fully realized by their authors, the stories of Chronicle Worlds: Tails of Dystopia unfold as seen through the eyes of animals -- tamed and feral, domestic and savage -- as they traverse a world of perdition where often their capacity for nobility and self-sacrifice transcends our own.
Enter these worlds with some of the most inventive authors writing today, including USA Today bestselling authors David Adams and Cheri Lasota, Wall Street Journal bestselling authors Daniel Arthur Smith and Ann Christy, and Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award winner Rysa Walker.
Dystopian deserts, post-apocalyptic mountain ranges, the medieval English countryside, the far reaches of the galaxy - in each of these and more, animals and their human companions discover heart-stopping adventure among the ruins - and you will, too.
Discover Chronicle Worlds. Discover Tails of Dystopia.
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Proceeds from this volume of The Future Chronicles help support the charity Pets for Vets, which rescues and re-trains shelter animals and matches them with military veterans in need of a companion animal.
In this title in the acclaimed Future Chronicles series of speculative fiction anthologies created by award-winning author Samuel Peralta, discover tales of dark futures, tragic pasts, and a present that's run off the rails are presented in landscapes as varied as their authors' imaginations.
Set in bestselling worlds fully realized by their authors, the stories of Chronicle Worlds: Tails of Dystopia unfold as seen through the eyes of animals -- tamed and feral, domestic and savage -- as they traverse a world of perdition where often their capacity for nobility and self-sacrifice transcends our own.
Enter these worlds with some of the most inventive authors writing today, including USA Today bestselling authors David Adams and Cheri Lasota, Wall Street Journal bestselling authors Daniel Arthur Smith and Ann Christy, and Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award winner Rysa Walker.
Dystopian deserts, post-apocalyptic mountain ranges, the medieval English countryside, the far reaches of the galaxy - in each of these and more, animals and their human companions discover heart-stopping adventure among the ruins - and you will, too.
Discover Chronicle Worlds. Discover Tails of Dystopia.
-----
Proceeds from this volume of The Future Chronicles help support the charity Pets for Vets, which rescues and re-trains shelter animals and matches them with military veterans in need of a companion animal.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2017
150 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Chris Pourteau
47 books63 followersChris Pourteau is the bestselling author of the sci-fi thriller novels of the SynCorp Saga (co-authored with David Bruns), the post-apocalyptic Serenity Strain novels, and the military sci-fi collection Tales of B-Company. His first novel, Shadows Burned In, earned the 2015 eLit Book Awards Gold Medal for Literary Fiction. The Lazarus Protocol, the first novel in the SynCorp Saga, placed in the Top Ten in Read Freely's 2018 50 Best Indie Book of the Year contest; it was the highest-rated Sci-Fi novel in the contest.
He’s also edited and curated bestselling short story collections including the two animal-centric collections Tails of the Apocalypse and Tails of Dystopia (with Samuel Peralta), as well as Bridge Across the Stars, a collection of Sci-Fi stories from indie and traditionally published authors published by Sci-Fi Bridge, which Chris co-founded.
His dayjob is editor-in-chief for the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which researches cutting-edge technologies across the transportation spectrum. Chris Pourteau is the bestselling author of the sci-fi thriller novels of the SynCorp Saga (co-authored with David Bruns), the post-apocalyptic Serenity Strain novels, and the military sci-fi collection Tales of B-Company. His first novel, Shadows Burned In, earned the 2015 eLit Book Awards Gold Medal for Literary Fiction. The Lazarus Protocol, the first novel in the SynCorp Saga, placed in the Top Ten in Read Freely's 2018 50 Best Indie Book of the Year contest; it was the highest-rated Sci-Fi novel in the contest.
He’s also edited and curated bestselling short story collections including the two animal-centric collections Tails of the Apocalypse and Tails of Dystopia (with Samuel Peralta), as well as Bridge Across the Stars, a collection of Sci-Fi stories from indie and traditionally published authors published by Sci-Fi Bridge, which Chris co-founded. His dayjob is editor-in-chief for the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which researches cutting-edge technologies across the transportation spectrum.
When he’s not writing, editing, or working the dayjob, Chris loves exercising regularly, watching shows like Star Trek and Stranger Things, and reading his favorite authors. Those include Bernard Cornwell, Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, Edgar Allan Poe, and Max Collins. He lives in Texas with his wife, son, and two dogs. (He’s a HUGE dog person, by the way.)
Find out more about Chris and his writing through his newsletter. Sign up and get free stuff at https://chrispourteau.com/newsletter.
He’s also edited and curated bestselling short story collections including the two animal-centric collections Tails of the Apocalypse and Tails of Dystopia (with Samuel Peralta), as well as Bridge Across the Stars, a collection of Sci-Fi stories from indie and traditionally published authors published by Sci-Fi Bridge, which Chris co-founded.
His dayjob is editor-in-chief for the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which researches cutting-edge technologies across the transportation spectrum. Chris Pourteau is the bestselling author of the sci-fi thriller novels of the SynCorp Saga (co-authored with David Bruns), the post-apocalyptic Serenity Strain novels, and the military sci-fi collection Tales of B-Company. His first novel, Shadows Burned In, earned the 2015 eLit Book Awards Gold Medal for Literary Fiction. The Lazarus Protocol, the first novel in the SynCorp Saga, placed in the Top Ten in Read Freely's 2018 50 Best Indie Book of the Year contest; it was the highest-rated Sci-Fi novel in the contest.
He’s also edited and curated bestselling short story collections including the two animal-centric collections Tails of the Apocalypse and Tails of Dystopia (with Samuel Peralta), as well as Bridge Across the Stars, a collection of Sci-Fi stories from indie and traditionally published authors published by Sci-Fi Bridge, which Chris co-founded. His dayjob is editor-in-chief for the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which researches cutting-edge technologies across the transportation spectrum.
When he’s not writing, editing, or working the dayjob, Chris loves exercising regularly, watching shows like Star Trek and Stranger Things, and reading his favorite authors. Those include Bernard Cornwell, Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, Edgar Allan Poe, and Max Collins. He lives in Texas with his wife, son, and two dogs. (He’s a HUGE dog person, by the way.)
Find out more about Chris and his writing through his newsletter. Sign up and get free stuff at https://chrispourteau.com/newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 11, 2017
First, this book of short stories by selected authors benefits Pets for Vets, Inc. with all proceeds going to that amazing cause. Second, all the stories have animals in them, have POVs by animals, or animals are the MCs. Whaaaatt!!? And third, Rysa Walker included a new Chronos Files story told by Daphne, Katherine’s amazing Irish Setter!
Any one of those had me at hello! All three, and I was a pile of mush and knew I had to read this book!
It was everything I wanted and more! Each story gives you a glimpse into one of the author’s world, and I found a few I really didn’t want to end that were so intriguing.
I really loved The Ones Who Walk Beside You (an Empty World Chronicles short story) by Harlow C. Fallon about Joe and his gift that connects him to animals.
Of course I adored Rysa Walker’s The Circle-That-Whines (a CHRONOS short story) from Daphne’s point of view! I can never get enough of Daphne and her squirrels.
The Last Pride (a Perfect Partners short story) by Ann Christy was another that I enjoyed tremendously about the last lion pride.
Cry Wolf (a Mosquito Constellation short story) by Jennifer Ellis had some great insights about working sheep dogs.
There were several others that I’d loved to have stayed in those worlds longer and see what happens next. All in all, this was a fun read as I’m a huge animal lover.
Thanks to the authors for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
First, this book of short stories by selected authors benefits Pets for Vets, Inc. with all proceeds going to that amazing cause. Second, all the stories have animals in them, have POVs by animals, or animals are the MCs. Whaaaatt!!? And third, Rysa Walker included a new Chronos Files story told by Daphne, Katherine’s amazing Irish Setter!
Any one of those had me at hello! All three, and I was a pile of mush and knew I had to read this book!
It was everything I wanted and more! Each story gives you a glimpse into one of the author’s world, and I found a few I really didn’t want to end that were so intriguing.
I really loved The Ones Who Walk Beside You (an Empty World Chronicles short story) by Harlow C. Fallon about Joe and his gift that connects him to animals.
Of course I adored Rysa Walker’s The Circle-That-Whines (a CHRONOS short story) from Daphne’s point of view! I can never get enough of Daphne and her squirrels.
The Last Pride (a Perfect Partners short story) by Ann Christy was another that I enjoyed tremendously about the last lion pride.
Cry Wolf (a Mosquito Constellation short story) by Jennifer Ellis had some great insights about working sheep dogs.
There were several others that I’d loved to have stayed in those worlds longer and see what happens next. All in all, this was a fun read as I’m a huge animal lover.
Thanks to the authors for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Any one of those had me at hello! All three, and I was a pile of mush and knew I had to read this book!
It was everything I wanted and more! Each story gives you a glimpse into one of the author’s world, and I found a few I really didn’t want to end that were so intriguing.
I really loved The Ones Who Walk Beside You (an Empty World Chronicles short story) by Harlow C. Fallon about Joe and his gift that connects him to animals.
Of course I adored Rysa Walker’s The Circle-That-Whines (a CHRONOS short story) from Daphne’s point of view! I can never get enough of Daphne and her squirrels.
The Last Pride (a Perfect Partners short story) by Ann Christy was another that I enjoyed tremendously about the last lion pride.
Cry Wolf (a Mosquito Constellation short story) by Jennifer Ellis had some great insights about working sheep dogs.
There were several others that I’d loved to have stayed in those worlds longer and see what happens next. All in all, this was a fun read as I’m a huge animal lover.
Thanks to the authors for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
First, this book of short stories by selected authors benefits Pets for Vets, Inc. with all proceeds going to that amazing cause. Second, all the stories have animals in them, have POVs by animals, or animals are the MCs. Whaaaatt!!? And third, Rysa Walker included a new Chronos Files story told by Daphne, Katherine’s amazing Irish Setter!
Any one of those had me at hello! All three, and I was a pile of mush and knew I had to read this book!
It was everything I wanted and more! Each story gives you a glimpse into one of the author’s world, and I found a few I really didn’t want to end that were so intriguing.
I really loved The Ones Who Walk Beside You (an Empty World Chronicles short story) by Harlow C. Fallon about Joe and his gift that connects him to animals.
Of course I adored Rysa Walker’s The Circle-That-Whines (a CHRONOS short story) from Daphne’s point of view! I can never get enough of Daphne and her squirrels.
The Last Pride (a Perfect Partners short story) by Ann Christy was another that I enjoyed tremendously about the last lion pride.
Cry Wolf (a Mosquito Constellation short story) by Jennifer Ellis had some great insights about working sheep dogs.
There were several others that I’d loved to have stayed in those worlds longer and see what happens next. All in all, this was a fun read as I’m a huge animal lover.
Thanks to the authors for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2017
Fantastic anthology! Every single story is splendid. Rarely do I come across a collection of short stories that are so consistently good.
John L. Monk is a newcomer to the Chronicles series, but he's a long-time favorite of mine, beginning with "Kick," which evolved into the Jenkins trilogy. Food is one of the great hooks in the Dan Jenkins tales, and food is even more critical in "Monkey Do (a This Dark Age story)." Narrating from the point of view of Max the chimp, Monk captures the voice with authenticity and great comic effect. Darkly comic, of course. I thought The Jenkins cycle had a dark side, but Monk's second trilogy is set in a world where all the adults die of a mysterious new disease, leaving the children to take over the world on a scale that makes "Lord of the Flies" look like child's play.
I can't help but love Max and his mission to feed all the animals Farmer Ray left in his care. When a boy and girl discover the farm--free food for the taking!--Max must find a way to thwart them. His progression from mild Max to avenger and defender has me thinking this would be great as a graphic novel. Ever consider turning this into a comic book, Mr. Monk?
E.E. Giorgi never fails to delight and intrigue me. A strong heroine has a close bond with her brother and an animal companion and a tendency to venture outside the boundaries set for her. All authors have a recurring theme, and this one will never grow old. I can't begin to emphasize how much I love it. "Octant VI" is the third short story set in the world of The Quarium Wars. A tween girl, Destiny, and her ferret, Duyi, scavenge a ruined planet (what better place for refugees and war orphans to hide?). What they find in the scrap heap one day changes everything. There's a scene as epic as Dorothy, Toto, and the hot air balloon in Wizard of Oz, but I will leave the details for readers to discover and savor. Just... EPIC!
"The Last Pride (a Perfect Partners story)" is another winner from Ann Christy. I love the PePr universe in all her stories, but this one comes with a bonus: a PePr who's a lion. (How I love lions!)
Jennifer Ellis stole my heart with a cat named Santiago in the first Tails anthology. This time, a border collie named Emmett does what instinct tells him to do, and ultimately, he saves the day, but boy, does he have to work hard to prove himself.
I have good things to say about every tale in Tails of Dystopia, but I need to get this review posted asap, so I'm going to stop here and come back later with comments on the rest of this splendid anthology. Samuel Peralta and Chris Pourteau hand-pick authors from the hundreds of books they read every year, and their judgment is like the iconic Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Trust them. They choose only the best.
p.s. I'll focus on the sci-fi stories when I review this for Perihelion Science Fiction.
John L. Monk is a newcomer to the Chronicles series, but he's a long-time favorite of mine, beginning with "Kick," which evolved into the Jenkins trilogy. Food is one of the great hooks in the Dan Jenkins tales, and food is even more critical in "Monkey Do (a This Dark Age story)." Narrating from the point of view of Max the chimp, Monk captures the voice with authenticity and great comic effect. Darkly comic, of course. I thought The Jenkins cycle had a dark side, but Monk's second trilogy is set in a world where all the adults die of a mysterious new disease, leaving the children to take over the world on a scale that makes "Lord of the Flies" look like child's play.
I can't help but love Max and his mission to feed all the animals Farmer Ray left in his care. When a boy and girl discover the farm--free food for the taking!--Max must find a way to thwart them. His progression from mild Max to avenger and defender has me thinking this would be great as a graphic novel. Ever consider turning this into a comic book, Mr. Monk?
E.E. Giorgi never fails to delight and intrigue me. A strong heroine has a close bond with her brother and an animal companion and a tendency to venture outside the boundaries set for her. All authors have a recurring theme, and this one will never grow old. I can't begin to emphasize how much I love it. "Octant VI" is the third short story set in the world of The Quarium Wars. A tween girl, Destiny, and her ferret, Duyi, scavenge a ruined planet (what better place for refugees and war orphans to hide?). What they find in the scrap heap one day changes everything. There's a scene as epic as Dorothy, Toto, and the hot air balloon in Wizard of Oz, but I will leave the details for readers to discover and savor. Just... EPIC!
"The Last Pride (a Perfect Partners story)" is another winner from Ann Christy. I love the PePr universe in all her stories, but this one comes with a bonus: a PePr who's a lion. (How I love lions!)
Jennifer Ellis stole my heart with a cat named Santiago in the first Tails anthology. This time, a border collie named Emmett does what instinct tells him to do, and ultimately, he saves the day, but boy, does he have to work hard to prove himself.
I have good things to say about every tale in Tails of Dystopia, but I need to get this review posted asap, so I'm going to stop here and come back later with comments on the rest of this splendid anthology. Samuel Peralta and Chris Pourteau hand-pick authors from the hundreds of books they read every year, and their judgment is like the iconic Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Trust them. They choose only the best.
p.s. I'll focus on the sci-fi stories when I review this for Perihelion Science Fiction.
November 8, 2017
This collection is diverse and sure to please and animal loving fan of the dystopian genre.The standouts to me were The Water Finders Apprentice by David Bruns.It is incredible and I hope he continues writing about these characters.The Ones Who Walk Beside You by Harlan C Fallon was intriguing and made me curious about the world and characters she created.Planetfall by Cheri Lasota was enjoyable and showed the power of love.Octant VI by E.E. Giorgi was enjoyable and left me wanting to know more about the characters future.I received an ARC from the authors for an unbiased reveiw,but I also purchased a copy to support such a worthy cause.
July 6, 2019
Like its predecessor, “Tails of The Apocalypse”, “Tails of Dystopia” is a wonderful anthology by some extremely talented authors. And of course each story is either told from the point of view of an animal or one figures prominently in the story. It’s hard to find adequate words to express my enjoyment of this collection but I’ll mention of few of my favorites: “The Ones Who walk Beside You” by Harlow C Fallon opens the anthology perfectly. “The Last Pride” by Ann Christy, “The Last Bobcat” by Justin Sloan, “Eggby”, by Daniel Arthur Smith. “He Knows the Way Home” by Hank Garner is very poignant and “The Water Finder’s Apprentice” by David Bruns (David’s story in “...Apocalypse” was one of my favorites in that anthology.)
And of course there is one exceptional story that really got to me - “The Weight of Hunger” by Roberto Calais. I know it’s good if it makes me cry.
Most of these stories take place in the respective authors’ established wider universes so there is plenty more to look into if these stories whet your appetite to know more of the background in which they are set. And the icing on the cake here is that a portion of the proceeds of this anthology goes to “Pets for Vets”, an organization that matches shelter pets that might otherwise be euthanized with veterans suffering from PTSD and other health issues in need of support animals. A win-win situation all around. I hope there will be more “Tails...” anthologies in the future.
And of course there is one exceptional story that really got to me - “The Weight of Hunger” by Roberto Calais. I know it’s good if it makes me cry.
Most of these stories take place in the respective authors’ established wider universes so there is plenty more to look into if these stories whet your appetite to know more of the background in which they are set. And the icing on the cake here is that a portion of the proceeds of this anthology goes to “Pets for Vets”, an organization that matches shelter pets that might otherwise be euthanized with veterans suffering from PTSD and other health issues in need of support animals. A win-win situation all around. I hope there will be more “Tails...” anthologies in the future.
November 10, 2017
Looking for a good book for the weekend? Look no further than Tails of Dystopia... You'll find yourself captivated as you read this book because, well... Animals! They star on every page, stalking, prowling, running, jumping, flying. You'll discover an unlikely duo in a horse and wolf, and an owl -or is that a kestrel- and you'll see that a 12 year old is wiser than her dad when it comes to choosing the champion for his story. One clever pup might even lead you to a very precious water source!
Maybe you'll find an Artificially Intelligent animal or two roming around africa, as Ann Cristy takes her PePr (Perfect Partner) series to a whole new level... As per usual, Hank Garner made me cry!
If you like dystopian stories and animals, this book will steal your heart... You should also consider getting Tails of the Apocalypse, if you haven't read it...
Maybe you'll find an Artificially Intelligent animal or two roming around africa, as Ann Cristy takes her PePr (Perfect Partner) series to a whole new level... As per usual, Hank Garner made me cry!
If you like dystopian stories and animals, this book will steal your heart... You should also consider getting Tails of the Apocalypse, if you haven't read it...
January 31, 2018
Ah...satisfaction.
These are incredible (but immersive and believable) stories that are promos for the contributors' other work. Unlike stories in too many other anthologies, these are plotted and well-crafted stories that are self-contained, not obvious prequels or teasers with cliff-hanger endings that prompt the reader to continue reading with a separate, three- or five-part series of books. Making animals the protagonists causes a suspension of disbelief to be initially unwilling, but each story does convince. A satisfying collection.
These are incredible (but immersive and believable) stories that are promos for the contributors' other work. Unlike stories in too many other anthologies, these are plotted and well-crafted stories that are self-contained, not obvious prequels or teasers with cliff-hanger endings that prompt the reader to continue reading with a separate, three- or five-part series of books. Making animals the protagonists causes a suspension of disbelief to be initially unwilling, but each story does convince. A satisfying collection.
November 26, 2017
A wonderful collection for a very worthy cause. Some are written from the POV of the animals while others are from the human side of the equation. Either way they are all great stories that could introduce the reader to a new universe. I don't have a favourite as they all were enjoyable to read, but I did feel more from the stories told through the creatures eyes. It is amazing how authors can put across an animal's emotions to make a story feel so real.
December 4, 2017
Great collection of animal themed stories. Each is set in a world from the author's previous works. Naturally, my favorites were the ones in worlds that I've read of before. I also liked a couple others enough to look for more from the authors, always a good thing. Fun reading, with the proceeds benefiting Pets for Vets. You can't go wrong there.
November 14, 2020
Wonderful short stories with animal main characters
When I was young I cut my reading teeth on a series of novels from England who's main characters were animals. These delightful stories have animals as main characters in a post apocalyptic world for them. Interesting idea and fun reads.
When I was young I cut my reading teeth on a series of novels from England who's main characters were animals. These delightful stories have animals as main characters in a post apocalyptic world for them. Interesting idea and fun reads.
March 25, 2025
Impressive. Congratulations!
There is not a single bad story in this anthology. Well, one has zombies. Zombies are not possible, I hate zombies. One is a YA ( meaning for children) space opera, it breaks natural laws left and right...
But the rest are at least four stars. Some of these worlds I will visit to see if they are worth exploring further.
There is not a single bad story in this anthology. Well, one has zombies. Zombies are not possible, I hate zombies. One is a YA ( meaning for children) space opera, it breaks natural laws left and right...
But the rest are at least four stars. Some of these worlds I will visit to see if they are worth exploring further.
August 21, 2019
An excellent collection
Peralta delivers a delightful collection of stories that blend the best characteristics of the selected authors with verve and imagination. Being an animal lover adds an extra dimension of delight found in each short story. Read it then read it again.
Peralta delivers a delightful collection of stories that blend the best characteristics of the selected authors with verve and imagination. Being an animal lover adds an extra dimension of delight found in each short story. Read it then read it again.
March 18, 2018
A great collection again
This was a wonderful collection of short stories that I really enjoyed. It also put me on to some new authors that I'll look up and read.
This was a wonderful collection of short stories that I really enjoyed. It also put me on to some new authors that I'll look up and read.
October 15, 2018
It's well done, and the writing's generally good, but the animal points of view just aren't working for me.
August 20, 2019
This is an excellent collection of speculative dystopian short stories all involving animals. The stories were well written and interesting. An added bonus was that proceeds funded Pets for Vets.
November 7, 2017
Tails of Dystopia is a must for animal lovers who enjoy apocalyptic stories or future worlds. Like its predecessor Tails of The Apocalypse, it features twelve short stories taking the voice of an animal, and placing the reader squarely in their world view of confusing and sometimes terrifying events - dogs seem particularly prone to disorientation. Some of the animals cope better: the tiger and the bobcat seem to get a handle on the new world order pretty quickly. A wolf and a horse find communication easier with a boy who has survived a world plague. A monkey learns to disobey his master's orders, but keep his purpose clear.
One thing I found in this book was less poignancy within the stories than in the previous volume. There is an aim to place the animal characters in the author's fictional worlds. It's a good introduction to some seriously good writing. Many of the stories are ideal for reading on a coffee break, and I found that refreshing.
I recommend this volume (and its predecessor) for science fiction readers and dystopia fanatics, especially if they have, have ever had, or indeed are a companion animal.
And the proceeds go to a charity - Pets for Vets. What a great idea.
One thing I found in this book was less poignancy within the stories than in the previous volume. There is an aim to place the animal characters in the author's fictional worlds. It's a good introduction to some seriously good writing. Many of the stories are ideal for reading on a coffee break, and I found that refreshing.
I recommend this volume (and its predecessor) for science fiction readers and dystopia fanatics, especially if they have, have ever had, or indeed are a companion animal.
And the proceeds go to a charity - Pets for Vets. What a great idea.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews