Another Review at MyShelf.Com

After
Nineteen Stories of Apocalypse and Dystopia
Edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

Hyperion Books
October 9, 2012/ ISBN 978-1423146193
Genre Anthology/Science-Fiction/Fantasy/Teen
Amazon
Reviewed by Jan Fields

First, I love anthologies. Second, I love Post-Apocalyptic and Dystopian stories. I actually giggled when I got this book. The stories come from some of the most amazing names in YA fiction including Gregory Maguire, Carrie Ryan and Cecil Castellucci. I didn't run into a single dull or tiresome story in the collection -- they all held my attention and left me thinking long after I finished the story. I found the "what if" of some of the stories fascinating. What if reality tv's questionable definition of "real life" carried over to news? What would this mean for the actors playing out the "news stories?" What if bugs could eat metal and they were always hungry? What if someone invented a substance that turned everything into plastic -- including people? As much as I enjoyed reading each author's take on what might happen after such an event, I also enjoyed thinking about the premise myself -- what would like be like then? As a fantastic overview of everything this type of story can be, this anthology just blew me away. The only weakness I found in it was that eventually I ran out of stories to read.

Reviewer Janis Fields is the editor of Kid Magazine Writers emagazine and has written dozens of stories and articles for the children's magazine market.
Reviewed 2013
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