by Hal Duncan
First published 2010
Step into worlds where technology glimpses five minutes ahead and mythical creatures exist as captives in glass containers. These twenty-seven original stories and poems explore realities where disease transforms human bodies into crystalline structures and families auction their mental capacity to corporate buyers for minimal compensation. Dead family members return to share dinner conversations while ordinary objects possess extraordinary abilities. Each piece comes with recommended musical pairings that enhance the reading experience. Contributors span established and emerging voices in speculative fiction, creating a collection that blends the familiar with the impossible. The stories navigate territories where the mundane becomes magical and the fantastic feels inevitable. Readers encounter characters grappling with transformed worlds where the rules of physics bend and human connections persist despite radical change. This seventh installment maintains the series' reputation for discovering fresh perspectives on classic themes while pushing boundaries of genre fiction.
Genres: short-stories, science-fiction, fantasy
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, the-fantastic-feels-inevitable
206 pages · Paperback · Senses Five Press
Content warnings: body-horror