Future Tense: Tales of Apocalyptic Vision, Michaelbrent Collings

I confess I don’t read enough short stories. I either read classics or a few in magazines from the author’s I follow. So when the request for Future Tense came into my inbox, I knew I would love it because I’m a fan of Collings’s work.

I appreciate the author’s notes at the end of (and once at the beginning of) each story. It set up where Collings was in writing the stories and furthered the story itself. I will keep my thoughts vague on this collection because if you’ve read Collings, you know that his imagination can take the reader anywhere. So it’s good to go into reading expecting twists and horror, some humor, and sci-fi elements that are out there, in a believable way.

“I Am an Ocean” is creepy. I loved the direction it took because I completely wasn’t expecting that. “The Floor is Lava” was filled with nostalgia for me. We played Kick the Can in our youth, which resulted in a shattered wrist for me. But I still think of those days so fondly. The story took a fantastic turn. “The Shortest Con” was amusing, and I laughed out loud a lot. “End of Shift” was a total surprise for me.

Ultimately, all the stories went in ways I couldn’t have imagined. They’re creative, multi-dimensional, and take you into a new world in compact form. I think readers are in for a treat with Future Tense; it’s an enjoyable read the whole way through.

A final note, in addition to the author’s notes: Thank you for discussing your mental health, Michaelbrent. We need more people to have open discussions, so we can see ourselves in books, and see that there are others going through what we are.

For now, you can read this review on Goodreads. Future Tense is releasing on March 23rd, but you can give Collings a follow on Twitter for more release information.

About the Book:
A world where suicide is illegal – unless you agree to kill yourself over and over again…

A place where childhood games turn back the clock – and bring with them monsters long forgotten…

A home where secrets abound – until the killing begins…

A reality where a writer’s dreams can make her rich – if she’s willing to sacrifice the universe…

All these, and more: stories of darkness and of light.
Stories of despair, and lingering hope.

Stories of a future unknown, where ignorance feeds our souls, and where the only hope that remains in a world gone dim… resides in Tales of Apocalyptic Vision!