Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
John Joseph Adams assembles a wide variety of apocalypse-related fiction in Wastelands. some of which are older than I am, while others are more recent. What you end up with is a diverse anthology covering topics such as religion, war, and exploration while containing horror, comedy, and a sense of wonder.
The majority of the stories are easy to get into. Some stories are more subtle than others. Overall, Wastelands is an enjoyable read and the selection seems balanced. Having said that, here are my top three stories:
- “Bread and Bombs” by M. Rickert is one of the more horrifying stories in this anthology, and this is achieved through her characterization and commentary on society. It’s easy to jump into Rickert’s text and there is a foreboding established early on which rewards the reader by the time they reach the end.
- “Artie’s Angels” by Catherine Wells is another favorite; the author succeeds in using a first-person narrative to tell another character’s story. Again, characterization is a key strength of this piece and the ending has that perfect combination of hope and complexity.
- “The End of the World as We Know It” by Dale Bailey is perhaps the post-modern apocalypse story as it’s one-part meta-fictional commentary and one-part anti-thesis to the conventions of the sub-genre.
Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse is an interesting ensemble and I enjoyed many of the stories in this anthology. Adams succeeds in providing a diverse array of pieces despite the seemingly specific theme.
FanLit thanks Charles Tan from Bibliophile Stalker for contributing this guest review.
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