In a time defined by uncertainty, change and inequality, speculative fiction is fast-becoming the genre of the 21st century. Straddling genres such as fantasy, science fiction, dystopia, alternative history, and horror, this book is a comprehensive introduction to the art of writing in this imaginative, fluid, and inclusive mode. An all-in-one textbook combining a craft guide with an extensive, diverse anthology, Speculative Fiction explores the multiplicity of in...

Christine Harmon is not afraid of anything. Dr. Blau wants to know why. He subjects her to a seemingly endless series of experiments, testing her reactions to spiders, rollercoasters, and being buried alive. Christine's boyfriend, Carl, a professional archer turned party-entertainer, doesn't care why. He subjects her to a seemingly endless series of increasingly dangerous party tricks. As the experiments and tricks grow weirder and more dangerous, Christine is forced to come to terms with ...

On a searing summer Friday, Eddie Chapman has been stuck for hours in a traffic jam. There are accidents along the highway, but ambulances and police are conspicuously absent. When he decides to abandon his car and run home, he sees that the trees along the edge of a stream have been burnt, and the water in the streambed is gone. Something is very wrong.When he arrives home, the power is out and there is no running water. The pipes everywhere, it seems, have gone dry. Eddie and his...