In Ken Breniman's a three body solution, during a period of political collapse, Tâm, Chip, and TaDoo become internationally famous after presenting their committed thruple as a public alternative to fear-driven leadership and social isolation. Their rise begins with the MMMurphyBed, a futuristic invention that...

Jeff Nesbit’s Autocrat is satirical, grotesque, and timely; it follows a narcissistic reality TV host named Rex Vanner who launches and wins the 2015 presidential campaign. But his leverage is a network contract, and what he succeeds in summoning is the darkest impulse in the...

“There’s no such thing as a whole, functional, fuck-up-free human. We all have our problems and things that prevent us from being perfect.” True, and that may include Nicholas Bruechle, author of the novel All Writers Are Liars. At the very least, his characters certainly...

The Chinese thinker Lao Tzu once said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” and that sentiment is echoed in Kaci Curtis's Along the Trail. Winnifred “Winnie” Hayes and her family take that first step as they leave their home and...

“Always have papers in your hand, walk fast, and look worried. Fewer people bother you.” Interestingly and funnily enough, I experienced this at a job I once had, though we used a clipboard, not papers. Even funnier is the whimsical nonsense in Average Civil Employee:...

All Things Green by John Westren is a story on two levels. Jack Adams has a major problem to solve, which will impact his life and that of his family, who depend on him. He has promised to defend the pharmaceutical company he works for...

A Life Worth Living by Don Lehmkuhl follows the story of an eccentric professor and his young protégé over the course of two decades. Kameron Burkhardt attended Saint Augustine's University in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the late 1980s. With youthful vigor, Kameron delved into university life...

Another Life: And Other Mindbending Sci-Fi Stories by Mike Marsbergen is a collection of thought-provoking futuristic stories. Take a glimpse into the lonely life of Tilly, a bounty hunter who follows a mysterious crow into the unknown, and that of Natalie, a woman seeking love...

A Brief History of Wasting Time by Gary C McAuley follows Cyrus, a man who decides that doing as little as possible will govern his days after finishing a long-postponed physics book. He stays indoors, organizes his hours around television, minor contests, and talk, then...

A.I. and the Metawisdom Civilization by Tran The Cong follows Michelle Daryna, who awakens from hibernation in Edenearth City 213 under the supervision of nurse Phuong Linh and the AI Lyra. Michelle completes rigorous assessments to regain physical, cognitive, and perceptual control, activating her personal...