The book grew out of a joint project between Slate, New America, and Arizona State University ... I would suggest checking out the corresponding science articles on Slate ... Though the collection is enjoyable reading, pairing the stories and articles together added another layer of depth to the project that is absent in the book ... Future Tense is an exciting and self-conscious celebration of what science fiction has often done best—predict the future. Readers who appreciate Arthur C. Clarke and William Gibson’s attention to science and Ursula Le Guin and Ted Chiang’s beautiful literary voices will find a lot to love here ... Each story takes some element of our current scientific or technological moment and follows the thread in to believable future, one refreshingly free from aliens and spaceships and superweapons.
... brings together an exciting table of contents that features many of the best speculative fiction and surrealist authors of the moment ... These 14 intelligent and complex stories hold both hopes and fears for our future, presenting poignant and fascinating tales of what we should consider as we alter our world.
Science fiction has long been the great equalizer in the American literary landscape—capable of imagining more inclusive futures even as it struggles to represent them equitably on its pages. Because of the diversity of its authorship, this anthology does more than imagine what the world might be like if all of our perspectives were included. Instead, it moves past the picture of representation to a clear, uncompromising, imaginative look at just what it is we are all included in ... Provocative, challenging stories that project the tech innovations of today onto the moral framework of tomorrow.
This dynamic, dud-free anthology of 14 short stories written by some of speculative fiction’s greats provides gripping, convincing glimpses into various near futures that explore the interrelated advancement of technology, society, and human nature ... Each author cleverly and thoroughly explores the benefits and consequences of change, making this essential reading for anyone intrigued by what might come next for humankind.
