Review: Cyber World: Tales of Humanity’s Tomorrow by Multiple authors

Cyber World: Tales of Humanity’s Tomorrow by Jason Heller

( I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

Cybernetics. Neuroscience. Nanotechnology. Genetic engineering. Hacktivism. Transhumanism. The world of tomorrow is already here, and the technological changes we all face have inspired a new wave of stories to address our fears, hopes, dreams, and desires as Homo sapiens evolve—or not—into their next incarnation. Cyber World presents diverse tales of humanity’s tomorrow, as told by some of today’s most gripping science fiction visionaries.

OVERALL REVIEW OF THE BOOK

As a whole, the book was quite interesting but there were some stories that weren't as captivating as the rest. Those stories would have made great novels on their own but I feel did not make a huge impact as a short story. Below are my comments on the stories I liked best.

SERENADE by Isabel Yap (4/5)

The main character Anj is a young techgirl who is approached by a client who wants to access encrypted files from an AI-USB. The story has some very interesting technology and also deals with other concepts like forgotten love and letting go.

REACTIONS by Mario Acevedo (4.5/5)

The main character is a war veteran suffering from the drugs used to connect soldiers to machines for remote warfare. It's a poignant story that reminds one the importance of family and friends and stresses upon human interactions.

THE BEES OF KIRIBATI by Warren Hammond (5/5)

The story is told from the PoV of a translator and deals with surrogacy, baby farms and consequences of war. It was a really disturbing but captivating story that shocked me. The ending wasn't something I was expecting!

PANIC CITY by Madeline Ashby (4.5/5)

It is a really unique story as the protagonist is a city. A city that wants it's inhabitants to never leave and outsiders to never enter. The city is described as being a mother to the inhabitants and hearing the story from the city was really refreshing!

YOUR BONES WILL NOT BE UNKNOWN by Alyssa Wong (5/5)

The MC is as assassin who infiltrates a meeting to kill a crime lord. The story features highly interesting technology but we warned, the story has gory and macabre elements. I found the plot to be really good and this story is one of my favorites!

OTHER PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS by Chinelo Onwualu (4/5)

The story is set in the future where not just physical features but also personality traits can be altered. The MC's mother turns her into a hyper empath who can feel emotions and read thoughts to an extent. This was a unique love story and very touching.

A SONG TRANSMUTED by Sarah Pinsker (5/5)

It's a beautiful musical story. The protagonist loves music and has a beautiful relationship with her grandfather (a very endearing man). The story deals with loss, remembrance, creativity and music. The story left me smiling and asking for more.

IT'S ONLY WORDS by Keith Ferrell (5/5)

Sem is a guy who prefers to type on papers in a world that is 'tapped'; everyone is linked to everyone via implants in the brains and this has caused communication as we know it to become obsolete. The story was emotional and proves the weapons we need are not the weapons we see in the world but rather just words.

SMALL OFFERINGS by Paolo Bacigalupi (5/5)

The story is set in a world where there is so much pollution and toxicity that birthing of healthy children is basically a miracle. The story follows a woman torn between her religion and her profession (in the words of another character). The story is frankly highly disturbing but has a unique and interesting concept all the same.

It is an interesting anthology that wasn't perfect but had some really amazing stories. Worth a read.

4 of 5

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