Writers of the Future - Volume 31

I received an advanced reading copy of Writer's of the Future Volume 31, for review purposes. I will review the stories that stuck out to me in this post, but don't worry, no spoilers here.

For those of you who don't know, Writers of the Future is a contest held yearly to find the best science fiction writers, and compile original short stories by the best of them.

So, here's my review of my favorite stories in this year's edition.

The God Whisperer, by Daniel J. Davis: The God Whisperer is a humorous short story, about a disruptive death god, adopted by a human. This story made me laugh out loud, and was extremely well written. 5/5 stars.

A Revolutionary's Guide to Practical Conjuration, by Auston Habershaw: In this story, a young man buys a magical book, unaware of the consequences it may cause. The story is witty, and is well paced. 5/5 stars.

Planar Ghosts, by Krystal Claxon: This story focuses on a boy, and his friend Ghost. Ghost is only seen by him, but everything changes when he finds out that Ghost isn't all that she seems. I throughly enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend. 4/5 stars.

Rough Draft, by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta: When a washed up former science fiction writer is handed a novel written by an alternate version of himself, he isn't entirely sure what to think. But his decision ends up changing his life. I loved this story. The concept was great, as was the writing. 5/5 stars.

Between Screens, by Zach Chapman: A teenaged boy "skips" through space using portals, watching the supernova deaths of planets with his new friends, but the has a shocking realization. I liked this story, it was gripping, and the ending had a nice, ominous feel. 4/5 stars.

Half Past, by Samantha Murray: This is a touching story of ghosts, and leaving home. Combine that with a surprise plot twist at the end, and you have a great story. 5/5 stars.


Wisteria Melancholy, by Michael T. Baker: After a man's sister pushes him off a cliff, he discovers he isn't like other people. He enrolls in a live in facility with other's like him, only to discover the rest of the residents are children.  This story is overall awesome, with elements of humor, betrayal, and mystery.  5/5 stars.

Overall the anthology is very good. I personally could do without the various essays thrown in with the fiction, but otherwise the book is fantastic. Another thing that deserves mention is the art. Every story is accompanied by an original work of art, and every single one is absolutely amazing. 

I would definitely recommend this anthology to anyone who loves science fiction.

Here is the Amazon link to purchase the book. http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Future-Volume-Hubbard-Presents/dp/1619863227
                                                                          -Tony Snark