Bangs & Whimpers: Stories About The End Of The World (1999) - Plot & Excerpts
The Bangs & Whimpers by tons of authors such as Isaac Asinov , Arthur C. Clarke , Phillip K. Dick , Neil Gaiman ,Robert A. Heinlein, Frederik Punt, Robert Silverberg, James Thurber, James Tiptree Jr, and Connie Willis is kind of weird book honestly. It is a book with all kind of different short stories by different authors describing or predicting how the world would end and who would be alive to tell the horror story. It was written in 1999.Who might be interested in this book? Why?I think people who like horror; tragic, futuristic books would be interested in reading this, not really a specific gender. It is in dark, conspiracy type of book that basically explained how all the different ways the world could actually end. I think those type of people would like it because if they can relate to it which in not believing in god and really believing in science, they would believe it. I would say it is pretty difficult and easy at the same time to read and understand this book.My overall is okay. Not to good but also not too bad where I just want to drop the book. I gave it 3 stars because it isn’t that easy to keep up. It switches up from short story to short story like every chapter with all types of different authors moods and tones changing throughout the story so you really didn’t know how the vibe was of the story at certain points. But it is a very depressing, weird, book. A lot of freaky like “Wow” scenes it in just the stories about people dying, suffering and etc. I really don’t like stories like these honestly, they freak me out and really seem like that it can possibly happen in reality
I started reading Bangs and Whimpers: Stories About the End of the World as part of my research for my own post-apocalyptic novel. Now I have all kinds of interesting ideas about how things will end for us. It also seems like many science fiction authors view the human race as something that needs to be purged from the planet. I realize that this collection focuses on the end of the world--a pessimistic topic in itself, but come on folks: wouldn't you be at least a little bit sorry to see us go?My favorites from this collection:We Can Get Them for You Wholesale by Neil GaimanA bitter little man takes his love of a good bargain way too far.Fire Catcher by Richard KadreyGrim, graphic, brilliant and beautiful. This is one of the best short stories I've ever read.The Wind and the Rain by Robert SilverbergThe planet cleanses itself, but why not help it along.Ultimate Construction by C.C. Shackleton akaBrian W. Aldiss
What do You think about Bangs & Whimpers: Stories About The End Of The World (1999)?
"On the evening of the third of April, standing at the window of his pleasant three-bedroom, split level house and admiring the sunset, Alfred Collins saw a hand rise above the horizon, spread thumb and forefinger and snuff out the sun." Alternately, there's a Neil Gaiman short story that may be the only thing of his I've ever read and enjoyed (maybe I just need to read short stories so I don't get bored halfway through?), and a fairly long Heinlein story (Year of the Jackpot) that I also really liked. End of the world + short stories = WIN.
—Carrie
