Future Uncertain - E-Book version by Tony Thorne MBE    Books by Tony Thorne MBE · TALL TENERIFE TALES · The Junior Philosophical Society · Second Opinion · Future Reassured? · Future Uncertain                 >> View all
Category:	Science Fiction	Publisher:	Etcetera Press	ISBN-10:	0905119193	Type:
Pages:	136	Copyright:	Dec 1, 2004			Fiction

Quirky SF tales, including a few prize winners, never before available in this one DOWNLOAD (.pdf or .doc format) edition. Offered at $2.00 but only available directly from the author. Email to ...tonythorne@aol.com Buy your copy! Etcetera Press Tony Thorne MBE Tony Thorne MBE       See my website for details - www.tonythorne.co.uk and the review below ... Excerpt See the pocketbook version notes.

Tony Thorne MBE's latest ..!

Future Uncertain: A Collection of Speculative Tales
In the introduction to his second anthology, Tony Thorne states that he has a longstanding reputation "as being some kind of a nutter" for engaging in the audacious practice of writing science fiction. However, a look at the best-seller lists on both sides of the Atlantic suggests that the genre is a long way from losing popularity, and flipping through Future Uncertain reveals that its author is as much a fan of science fiction as a craftsman thereof.
The collection gets off to a strong start with "Timely Encounter," which taps into the dark side of stepping into the future with a twist that only those who favor the "science" end of science fiction are likely to foresee. Other noteworthy tales include "Killer," set in the world of Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, and "Free Range," a twist on the traditional alien invasion story. In the spirit of early science fiction, an anti-technology theme runs through the material, with characters encountering everything from too-literal time machines and malicious mechanical arms to websites predicting the end of your life with deadly accuracy. Perhaps the most imaginative story in the anthology is the title piece, which turns the classic horror story of the Stepford Wives on its head. Nearly all of the stories feature similar twists on classic themes, making for a clever collection that runs the range from chilling to light.
For would-be fellow writers, one of the most valuable pieces of this collection is the author's attempt to break down the writer-reader barrier. Before each story, Thorne presents a one- or two-line summary of the idea's origins, and aspiring writers may well be encouraged by the notation that these tales were inspired by everything from a frustration with do-it-yourself furniture assembly to sitting at home with a migraine. Overall, Thorne's collection is a good read, worthy of an evening curled up in front of the fireplace. With the computer and other mechanical devices safely locked away in another room.

Hannah Emery