December days that feel like Spring. Droughts that last for years. Ocean temperatures creating massive hurricanes and frequent El Niños. The Earth is changing. Scientists estimate Earth will reach “Peak Heat” within the next several decades, forcing massive changes to the way humans live. What those changes will look like, we can only speculate…
Taipei Writers Group releases its third publication: Peak Heat, an anthology of dystopian stories dealing with the repercussions of a changing Earth pre-, during, or post- an apocalyptic global warming event. The stories range from optimistic, pessimistic, and pragmatic in each author’s perception of what the future holds.
I received a copy of this book from one of the authors for an honest review.
I love dystopian fiction. I’m so/so about anthologies, but so far every one I read hasn’t been so bad. This one was one of the best I’ve read.
Each story is set in a different part of the world, but are centered on the aftermath of a cataclysmic event. Each story shows how the survivors react and rebuild their new world.
What I found interesting is that you could see a bit of each author’s writing style, but each story fit together. If I wasn’t intentially looking at the titles and authors, I would have missed the fact that there were various authors instead of one. It was beautifully done and there was no story that I loved more than the other. I loved them all.
Some were heartbreaking, others were uplifting. Some had a mysticism feel to them. Every story was unique, but fit into the world the writing group created. I imagine that could be difficult, but boy does it make the read that much more.
In all, I really liked this anthology. I felt for every character. I wanted some to have a better life than they were given, but I enjoyed their story. This is definitely a read if you like anthologies and dystopian fiction.
Casia's Corner 