At long last, War Stories: New Military Science Fiction is officially out in bookstores today! Co-edited by Jaym Gates and myself, the anthology takes a new look at warfare in science fiction, with the central focus of how the people who wage it and are caught up in it are impacted by the fighting.
Here’s the back-cover blurb:
War is everywhere. Not only among the firefights, in the sweat dripping from heavy armor and the clenching grip on your weapon, but also wedging itself deep into families, infiltrating our love letters, hovering in the air above our heads. It’s in our dreams and our text messages. At times it roars with adrenaline, while at others it slips in silently so it can sit beside you until you forget it’s there.
Join Joe Haldeman, Linda Nagata, Karin Lowachee, Ken Liu, Jay Posey, and more as they take you on a tour of the battlefields, from those hurtling through space in spaceships and winding along trails deep in the jungle with bullets whizzing overhead, to the ones hiding behind calm smiles, waiting patiently to reveal itself in those quiet moments when we feel safest. War Stories brings us 23 stories of the impacts of war, showcasing the systems, combat, armor, and aftermath without condemnation or glorification.
Instead, War Stories reveals the truth.
War is what we are.
The anthology contains 23 stories (21 original, 2 reprints), from some of the finest SF authors writing today. Needless to say, I’m very, very proud of this book, and after 2+ years of work, which included planning, soliciting, a kickstarter campaign, editing, and more, it’s finally here for the general public to read.
Interested? Here’s what you can do to help:
Not convinced yet? Here’s what some of the reviewers have said about the book:
“An essential set of stories for readers interested in military science fiction” – Paul Weimer, SF Signal
“Last came the ‘Aftermath.’ It was this group that hit hard and tried it’s best to give everyone a good, thorough mindfuck.” – Nathan, Fantasy Review Barn.
“Put all this together and you have a superior anthology with one or two genuinely outstanding stories. ” – David Marshall, Thinking About Books
“Having read it I think I’ll need to go look up some more of those authors and add them to my reading list. Not one of the stories in the collection seemed like it didn’t belong there, and all of them had something novel and engaging about them.” – James Kemp, Themself.
“War Stories is a collection of military science fiction that at once salutes any and all who have ever worn a uniform in service to a nation, just as the stories collected here call into question what society demands of its warriors and how, in making those demands, society sometimes fails to consider the deeper question: Why am I asking this person to go if I am not willing to go myself?” – Aaron Sikes, Goodreads.
“War Stories is pretty hefty military SF anthology that boasts a wonderfully diverse group of authors, including veterans and active duty military personnel. The twenty-three stories in this timely collection tackle contemporary issues (drones and robotization of war; privacy rights; colonialism; PTSD) with an eye to the future. The result is a rather imaginative glimpse into the future of warfare, and the impact these changes (and sometimes, lack thereof) have on all those involved: soldiers, civilians, robots, clones, and, yes, even aliens.” – Kelly, Goodreads.
Finally, if you’re in Vermont this Saturday, join myself, F. Brett Cox and James Cambias at Phoenix Books in Burlington, where we’ll read some selections from the book, answer questions and sign copies. Details are here.
Huge thanks are due to our 357 backers, my co-editor Jaym, Galen Dara for her fantastic artwork and our fantastic authors for their incredible stories.
War Stories 