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This Way to the End Times: Classic Tales of the Apocalypse
THIS WAY TO THE END TIMES: Classic Tales of the Apocalypse, gathers 21 compelling, gripping stories of the not-too-distant demise of the earth as we know it. And what a collection. From little-known, brilliant tales by sci-fi legends Jules Vernes and Olaf Stapledon, to intense short works by sci-fi masters Ursula K. Le Guin, Connie Willis, Jack Vance, and Brian W. Aldiss, to haunting works by contemporary authors Dale Bailey, Alvaro Zinos-Amaro, Karen Haber and Megan Arkenberg, THIS WAY TO THE END TIMES paves the road to the fantastical future, alternating humor with grit, and hope with ghastly post apocalyptic visions.
Guest editor Robert Silverberg—winner of numerous Hugo and Nebula awards, Grand Master of Science Fiction Writers of America, and a Science Fiction Hall of Fame inductee—hand-picked each story, and offers an introduction to each, as well as an introduction to the anthology as a whole.
A unique collection for longtime and new fans of speculative fiction, THIS WAY TO THE END TIMES roars into the future wide-eyed and full speed ahead.
Complete list of authors:
Jules Verne, James Elroy Flecker, Frank Lillie Pollock, G. Peyton Wertenbaker, Philip Latham, Jack Vance, Fritz Leiber, Brian W. Aldiss, Ursula K. Le Guin, Robert Silverberg, James Tiptree, Jr., Malcolm Edwards, Connie Willis, Karen Haber, by Dale Bailey, Megan Artenberg, Alvaro Zinos-Amaro, Olaf Stapledon
Guest editor Robert Silverberg—winner of numerous Hugo and Nebula awards, Grand Master of Science Fiction Writers of America, and a Science Fiction Hall of Fame inductee—hand-picked each story, and offers an introduction to each, as well as an introduction to the anthology as a whole.
A unique collection for longtime and new fans of speculative fiction, THIS WAY TO THE END TIMES roars into the future wide-eyed and full speed ahead.
Complete list of authors:
Jules Verne, James Elroy Flecker, Frank Lillie Pollock, G. Peyton Wertenbaker, Philip Latham, Jack Vance, Fritz Leiber, Brian W. Aldiss, Ursula K. Le Guin, Robert Silverberg, James Tiptree, Jr., Malcolm Edwards, Connie Willis, Karen Haber, by Dale Bailey, Megan Artenberg, Alvaro Zinos-Amaro, Olaf Stapledon
468 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2016
68 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
About the author
Robert Silverberg
2,204 books1,578 followersThere are many authors in the database with this name.
Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.
Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.
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April 13, 2025
Twenty-one stories dealing with the End of the World. I have rated them, as follow--
THE ETERNAL ADAM by Jules Verne--4
THE LAST GENERATION by James Elroy Flecker--3
FINIS by Frank Lillie Pollock--3
THE COMING OF THE ICE by G. Peyton Wertenbaker--3
N DAY by Philip Latham--4
GUYAL OF SFERE by Jack Vance--2
A PAIL OF AIR by Fritz Leiber--4
WHO CAN REPLACE A MAN by Brian W. Aldiss--4.5
HERESIES OF THE HUGE GOD by Brian W. Aldiss--4.5
THE NEW ATLANTIS by Ursula K. Le Guin--4
WHEN WE WENT TO SEE THE END OF THE WORLD by Robert Silverberg--4
THE WIND AND THE RAIN by Robert Silverberg--4
THE SCREWFLY SOLUTION by James Tiptree, Jr.--5
AFTER-IMAGES by Malcolm Edwards--3.5
DAISY, IN THE SUN by Connie Willis--5
THREE DAYS AFTER by Karen Haber--4
THE RAIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Dale Bailey--2.5
THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT by Dale Bailey--4
FINAL EXAM by Megan Artenberg--2.5
PRAYERS TO THE SUN by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro--2
LAST AND FIRST MEN by Olaf Stapledon--4.5
I give this collection 4 stars overall. The best story was "The Screwfly Solution" by James Tiptree, Jr. (Alice Sheldon).
THE ETERNAL ADAM by Jules Verne--4
THE LAST GENERATION by James Elroy Flecker--3
FINIS by Frank Lillie Pollock--3
THE COMING OF THE ICE by G. Peyton Wertenbaker--3
N DAY by Philip Latham--4
GUYAL OF SFERE by Jack Vance--2
A PAIL OF AIR by Fritz Leiber--4
WHO CAN REPLACE A MAN by Brian W. Aldiss--4.5
HERESIES OF THE HUGE GOD by Brian W. Aldiss--4.5
THE NEW ATLANTIS by Ursula K. Le Guin--4
WHEN WE WENT TO SEE THE END OF THE WORLD by Robert Silverberg--4
THE WIND AND THE RAIN by Robert Silverberg--4
THE SCREWFLY SOLUTION by James Tiptree, Jr.--5
AFTER-IMAGES by Malcolm Edwards--3.5
DAISY, IN THE SUN by Connie Willis--5
THREE DAYS AFTER by Karen Haber--4
THE RAIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Dale Bailey--2.5
THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT by Dale Bailey--4
FINAL EXAM by Megan Artenberg--2.5
PRAYERS TO THE SUN by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro--2
LAST AND FIRST MEN by Olaf Stapledon--4.5
I give this collection 4 stars overall. The best story was "The Screwfly Solution" by James Tiptree, Jr. (Alice Sheldon).
March 11, 2017
From Jules Verne to Ursula K. Leguin, the curation of this collection was excellent and representative of each major literary era since the early 1900s. What better way to track modern western society's opinion of itself and its greatest fears than to read the classic apocalypse stories? I was impressed by the breadth of the collection, even as several authors (three, I believe?) each had two stories included--by breadth I mean in terms of style, method of destruction, and conclusions about humanity. This collection really covers it all. I also appreciated the editorial introduction to each story, which detailed both the author's contribution to the Scientific Fiction genre, his or her career, and the background of the particular story. Too many collections I read have zero introductions, and the curational decisions are as important to me as the stories themselves. Also, women authors are well-represented, and there are some fantastic feminist critiques.
The Eternal Adam by Jules Verne 3.5 stars -One of Verne's last works, believed to be written in 1904. Verne scholars argue whether it was actually written entirely by Verne or in part by his son Michel, who completed/published several of Verne's other unfinished works. A doctor 20,000 years in the future has to come to terms with a new archeological discovery that proves that humanity has completely started from scratch at least twice, reached the height of technological advancement, and then been utterly destroyed by a natural cataclysmic event. Though perhaps a bit dry for modern readers, the philosophy underlying the piece is what's fascinating. Verne wants us to consider the fact that we could have already achieved the same level of technology we have today, and due to a shifting of the continents and the ocean floor, all evidence of this "Atlantis" like civilization has disappeared.
The Last Generation by James Elroy Flecker - 4 stars - 1908 - "I saw rims and sparks of spectral fire floating through the pane. Then I heard someone say, 'I am the wind.'" One man is granted by a capricious wind the ability to travel to the future, where he sees what happens when humans decide to sterilize themselves and end the species because of all the damage they've done. The most interesting part of this story is the predictions about how we'd all act if there were plenty of food and resources for us to live without working, but knowing that once we died, that's it for humanity. The writing is also poetic and transporting.
Finis by Frank Lillie Pollock 3 stars- 1906- The story has remained in print for more than a hundred years, a real Sci Fi classic. A distant sun pulls comes into our orbit and burns us up. Not very likely given today's knowledge of astrophysics, but interesting to read. The story covers the last 24 hours of life on earth, in the scenario that we discover very late in the game, and are quickly burnt up. Written engagingly, but didn't do a lot for me personally.
The Coming of the Ice by G. Peyton Wertenbaker 3 stars -1926 - One man gains immortality in the early 1900s, and lives to the end of humanity which comes during an ice age. To gain immortality through a medical procedure, he had to give up emotional and personal attachment. Interesting, but after reading the other fantastic stories in the collection, this one didn't leave a huge impression on me.
N Day by Philip Latham 5 stars - Latham was a pen name for R.S. Richardson, who was an astronomer at several observatories throughout his career. The science is therefore convincing and fascinating -- one shut-in astronomer discovers that the sun is giving all the telltale signs of a supernova. Once he's sure of what he's seeing, the world really only has about 72 hours left. Of course, no one believes him, and he therefore experiences a sense of freedom and fuck-it that he's never had in his entire life. Loved the writing, the premise, and the protagonist.
Guyal of Sfere by Jack Vance - 5 stars - 1950 - This reads like a cross between Tolkien and Murakami. One man in the future embarks on a journey to the Museum of Man to satisfy his curiosity about the meaning of life. It's more of a prismatic fantasy journey than a science fiction story, and I LOVED it. Probably because I love Tolkien and Murakami and fantasy.
A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber - 3.5 stars - 1951 - A lone family surviving in an ice age thinks they may have discovered someone else alive, but they're not sure who or what it is. Very atmospheric and well-written, the story's pace lagged a bit for me but was definitely one of the more memorable universes in this collection.
Who Can Replace a Man? by Brian Aldiss - 5 stars - 1958 - From the point of view of several machines after all men die. A blast to read, both tragic and comic. One of the joists of the comedy is the fact that each different machine has a different class brain, from 1-5, meaning that after men die the machines start to set up their own rogue bands based on their brain classes. The dialogue between the machines is hilarious.
Heresies of the Huge God by Brian Aldiss - 2 stars - 1966 - A big bug lands on earth, squishing much of it, and of course of a new religion crops up to worship it. The story details the history of the religion from the point of view of one of its adherents, and I just felt like I'd read several better "cult" stories.
The New Atlantis by Ursula K. Le Guin - 5 stars - 1975 - One of the best writers ever, Le Guin's story is completely absorbing, human, and transcendent. The story takes place in a dystopia created by a huge bureaucratic nanny state. The narrator's husband invents a solar cell that could potentially allow individuals to reclaim their own lives--what I loved were Le Guin's predictions, which so far are unequalled in the collection for their realistic probability, and of course her writing is just, so good. She's one of the few authors who can write a literary fiction/science fiction story that rivals the best stories of both genres.
When We Went to See the End of the World by Robert Silverberg - 5 stars - 1972 - Captures 1960s middle class ennui, swinging, excess. At a dinner party, several couples discover that they've all recently gone to see the end of the world via a new time-traveling technology. Each couple's experience is totally different. Meanwhile, the details of their everyday lives in the midst of an imploding society (earthquakes, cholera, mudslides, famine), makes the point that while they're all considering different potential apocalyptic scenarios, the world is already crumbling around them.
The Wind and the Rain by Robert Silverberg - 3 stars - 1973 - A cleanup crew is back on earth to undo all the damage that we caused to render it uninhabitable. Luckily, humans have managed to colonize other planets. The protagonist is obsessed with the wonderful irony of his forbearers, the destructive art they made of the world.
The Screwfly Solution by James Tiptree Jr (Alice Bradley) - 5 stars - 1977. Perhaps my favorite story in the whole collection. Comes very close to horror--a strange diseases is spreading among men who live at a certain latitude, and its causing them to link the aggressive and mating instincts such that they start killing all the women. Oo, shivers. So good. Alice Bradley, the author, is also an incredibly interesting character in her own right, and I really enjoyed the editorial introduction.
After Images by Malcolm Edwards - 4 stars - 1983 - One neighborhood in suburban England is affected by a timespace anomaly that temporarily shelters them from the nuclear blast occurring in London. Excellent writing and memorable story, though shorter than most of the others.
Daisy in the Sun by Connie Willis - 5 stars - 1979 - Such a beautifully wrought piece of art that unfolds at the perfect pace, revealing more and more of the mystery surrounding our teen protagonist Daisy--what exactly is happening to her, who the villain is, and how the apocalyptic element coincides with her adolescence. A story for other writers to study.
Three Days After by Karen Haber -4 stars - 2014 - Another story that makes you work to figure out what's going on. Short but beautiful, captures the internal chaos of a woman at the end of the world.
The Rain at the End of the World by Dale Bailey - 4 stars - 1999 - Death by deluge, the dissolution of a marriage in the midst of a flood that threatens to end the world. I've got to bookmark more of Dale Bailey's novels to read. It's the kind of writing that you can slip into and inhabit so easily. Lovely.
The End of the World as We Know It by Dale Bailey - 3 stars - 2004 - The show-off omniscient narrator bugged me in this one, but it was a great exploration of how an average man might act if everyone else on the earth suddenly died and he found himself to be the last person alive, with one exception. The narrator eschews all of the typical scenarios, and the conclusion is insightful.
Final Exam by Megan Arkenberg - 5 stars - 2012. Yes, it's written in the style of a multiple-choice exam, and no, it's not annoying at all. It's brilliant. Another story that combines personal conflict with global conflict, those always move me the most. Also, the writing is gorgeous and sharp.
Prayers to the Sun by a Dying Person by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro 3 stars-- This is my personal taste showing-- the story is evocative, well-written, and imaginative, but it will probably appeal to really die hard Sci Fi fans more than it did to me. It was a tad too out there for me--in the style of magical realism, the kind in which you're not sure exactly what's going on and it's never revealed, but everything is very deep. The basic premise is that a girl from the future comes back to the past to ask an old woman to help her save the universe.
Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon - 5 stars - 1930. I can't describe this story better than the editor can, but it was an excellent choice to close the collection. "A work of great poetic power. And the farther he gets from our own time, the more he astonishes us with his imaginative force."
The Eternal Adam by Jules Verne 3.5 stars -One of Verne's last works, believed to be written in 1904. Verne scholars argue whether it was actually written entirely by Verne or in part by his son Michel, who completed/published several of Verne's other unfinished works. A doctor 20,000 years in the future has to come to terms with a new archeological discovery that proves that humanity has completely started from scratch at least twice, reached the height of technological advancement, and then been utterly destroyed by a natural cataclysmic event. Though perhaps a bit dry for modern readers, the philosophy underlying the piece is what's fascinating. Verne wants us to consider the fact that we could have already achieved the same level of technology we have today, and due to a shifting of the continents and the ocean floor, all evidence of this "Atlantis" like civilization has disappeared.
The Last Generation by James Elroy Flecker - 4 stars - 1908 - "I saw rims and sparks of spectral fire floating through the pane. Then I heard someone say, 'I am the wind.'" One man is granted by a capricious wind the ability to travel to the future, where he sees what happens when humans decide to sterilize themselves and end the species because of all the damage they've done. The most interesting part of this story is the predictions about how we'd all act if there were plenty of food and resources for us to live without working, but knowing that once we died, that's it for humanity. The writing is also poetic and transporting.
Finis by Frank Lillie Pollock 3 stars- 1906- The story has remained in print for more than a hundred years, a real Sci Fi classic. A distant sun pulls comes into our orbit and burns us up. Not very likely given today's knowledge of astrophysics, but interesting to read. The story covers the last 24 hours of life on earth, in the scenario that we discover very late in the game, and are quickly burnt up. Written engagingly, but didn't do a lot for me personally.
The Coming of the Ice by G. Peyton Wertenbaker 3 stars -1926 - One man gains immortality in the early 1900s, and lives to the end of humanity which comes during an ice age. To gain immortality through a medical procedure, he had to give up emotional and personal attachment. Interesting, but after reading the other fantastic stories in the collection, this one didn't leave a huge impression on me.
N Day by Philip Latham 5 stars - Latham was a pen name for R.S. Richardson, who was an astronomer at several observatories throughout his career. The science is therefore convincing and fascinating -- one shut-in astronomer discovers that the sun is giving all the telltale signs of a supernova. Once he's sure of what he's seeing, the world really only has about 72 hours left. Of course, no one believes him, and he therefore experiences a sense of freedom and fuck-it that he's never had in his entire life. Loved the writing, the premise, and the protagonist.
Guyal of Sfere by Jack Vance - 5 stars - 1950 - This reads like a cross between Tolkien and Murakami. One man in the future embarks on a journey to the Museum of Man to satisfy his curiosity about the meaning of life. It's more of a prismatic fantasy journey than a science fiction story, and I LOVED it. Probably because I love Tolkien and Murakami and fantasy.
A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber - 3.5 stars - 1951 - A lone family surviving in an ice age thinks they may have discovered someone else alive, but they're not sure who or what it is. Very atmospheric and well-written, the story's pace lagged a bit for me but was definitely one of the more memorable universes in this collection.
Who Can Replace a Man? by Brian Aldiss - 5 stars - 1958 - From the point of view of several machines after all men die. A blast to read, both tragic and comic. One of the joists of the comedy is the fact that each different machine has a different class brain, from 1-5, meaning that after men die the machines start to set up their own rogue bands based on their brain classes. The dialogue between the machines is hilarious.
Heresies of the Huge God by Brian Aldiss - 2 stars - 1966 - A big bug lands on earth, squishing much of it, and of course of a new religion crops up to worship it. The story details the history of the religion from the point of view of one of its adherents, and I just felt like I'd read several better "cult" stories.
The New Atlantis by Ursula K. Le Guin - 5 stars - 1975 - One of the best writers ever, Le Guin's story is completely absorbing, human, and transcendent. The story takes place in a dystopia created by a huge bureaucratic nanny state. The narrator's husband invents a solar cell that could potentially allow individuals to reclaim their own lives--what I loved were Le Guin's predictions, which so far are unequalled in the collection for their realistic probability, and of course her writing is just, so good. She's one of the few authors who can write a literary fiction/science fiction story that rivals the best stories of both genres.
When We Went to See the End of the World by Robert Silverberg - 5 stars - 1972 - Captures 1960s middle class ennui, swinging, excess. At a dinner party, several couples discover that they've all recently gone to see the end of the world via a new time-traveling technology. Each couple's experience is totally different. Meanwhile, the details of their everyday lives in the midst of an imploding society (earthquakes, cholera, mudslides, famine), makes the point that while they're all considering different potential apocalyptic scenarios, the world is already crumbling around them.
The Wind and the Rain by Robert Silverberg - 3 stars - 1973 - A cleanup crew is back on earth to undo all the damage that we caused to render it uninhabitable. Luckily, humans have managed to colonize other planets. The protagonist is obsessed with the wonderful irony of his forbearers, the destructive art they made of the world.
The Screwfly Solution by James Tiptree Jr (Alice Bradley) - 5 stars - 1977. Perhaps my favorite story in the whole collection. Comes very close to horror--a strange diseases is spreading among men who live at a certain latitude, and its causing them to link the aggressive and mating instincts such that they start killing all the women. Oo, shivers. So good. Alice Bradley, the author, is also an incredibly interesting character in her own right, and I really enjoyed the editorial introduction.
After Images by Malcolm Edwards - 4 stars - 1983 - One neighborhood in suburban England is affected by a timespace anomaly that temporarily shelters them from the nuclear blast occurring in London. Excellent writing and memorable story, though shorter than most of the others.
Daisy in the Sun by Connie Willis - 5 stars - 1979 - Such a beautifully wrought piece of art that unfolds at the perfect pace, revealing more and more of the mystery surrounding our teen protagonist Daisy--what exactly is happening to her, who the villain is, and how the apocalyptic element coincides with her adolescence. A story for other writers to study.
Three Days After by Karen Haber -4 stars - 2014 - Another story that makes you work to figure out what's going on. Short but beautiful, captures the internal chaos of a woman at the end of the world.
The Rain at the End of the World by Dale Bailey - 4 stars - 1999 - Death by deluge, the dissolution of a marriage in the midst of a flood that threatens to end the world. I've got to bookmark more of Dale Bailey's novels to read. It's the kind of writing that you can slip into and inhabit so easily. Lovely.
The End of the World as We Know It by Dale Bailey - 3 stars - 2004 - The show-off omniscient narrator bugged me in this one, but it was a great exploration of how an average man might act if everyone else on the earth suddenly died and he found himself to be the last person alive, with one exception. The narrator eschews all of the typical scenarios, and the conclusion is insightful.
Final Exam by Megan Arkenberg - 5 stars - 2012. Yes, it's written in the style of a multiple-choice exam, and no, it's not annoying at all. It's brilliant. Another story that combines personal conflict with global conflict, those always move me the most. Also, the writing is gorgeous and sharp.
Prayers to the Sun by a Dying Person by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro 3 stars-- This is my personal taste showing-- the story is evocative, well-written, and imaginative, but it will probably appeal to really die hard Sci Fi fans more than it did to me. It was a tad too out there for me--in the style of magical realism, the kind in which you're not sure exactly what's going on and it's never revealed, but everything is very deep. The basic premise is that a girl from the future comes back to the past to ask an old woman to help her save the universe.
Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon - 5 stars - 1930. I can't describe this story better than the editor can, but it was an excellent choice to close the collection. "A work of great poetic power. And the farther he gets from our own time, the more he astonishes us with his imaginative force."
April 5, 2020
2.5⭐
A collection of mostly mediocre stories, with a few bright spots, concerning the end of the world. Highlights would be the classic, creepy "A Pail of Air," by Fritz Leiber; Connie Willis' lyrical "Daisy, In The Sun" and James Tiptree jr's "The Screwfly Solution." There's a good Jack Vance story from his "Dying Earth" series. The rest are largely forgettable.
There are a number of old and archaic stories, copyrights expired, authors long dead (I suppose that's why the term "classic is applied in the title) including one by Jules Verne, which pad out the content by do not really add much in terms of an overview of the genre.
The editor, Robert Silverberg, includes two of his own stories and one of his wife's, accompanied by self indulgent introductions to the tales that usually don't add much. I wouldn't go out of my way for this one.
A collection of mostly mediocre stories, with a few bright spots, concerning the end of the world. Highlights would be the classic, creepy "A Pail of Air," by Fritz Leiber; Connie Willis' lyrical "Daisy, In The Sun" and James Tiptree jr's "The Screwfly Solution." There's a good Jack Vance story from his "Dying Earth" series. The rest are largely forgettable.
There are a number of old and archaic stories, copyrights expired, authors long dead (I suppose that's why the term "classic is applied in the title) including one by Jules Verne, which pad out the content by do not really add much in terms of an overview of the genre.
The editor, Robert Silverberg, includes two of his own stories and one of his wife's, accompanied by self indulgent introductions to the tales that usually don't add much. I wouldn't go out of my way for this one.
August 23, 2017
"This Way to the End Times" is a collection of short stories centered on the theme of apocalypse. Contributors range from modern literary superstars like Ursula K. LeGuin to the one and only published story by an author (Malcolm Edwards). Jules Verne, Philip Latham, Dale Bailey, and Robert Silverberg, along with many others, are also represented. As might be expected from such a collection, the quality of the works included ranges wildly. For me, Ursula LeGuin is always a high point and her story "The New Atlantis" does not disappoint. Other memorable stories are: "A Pail of Air" by Fritz Leiber, "Who Can Replace a Man?" by Brian Aldiss, and "Final Exam" by Megan Arkenberg.
What is fascinating about this collection is the many different ways in which the various authors imagine the end of the world. Ice, fire, flood, disease, a trick of the cosmos, and the simply unknown are among the causes they present. Always, it is the way the world's inhabitants respond that matters. These stories provide a revealing glimpse into how we react in the most extreme circumstance, thereby showing us the inner truths of so many different characters (and their authors.)
I enjoyed this book, though it does take a certain toll to read so many stories about the end of the world. There was an unevenness to the collection that I think represents science-fiction very well and I loved the fact that so much of the material came from the early 1900s, a period we forget was filled with change and uncertainty, and viewed by many as the end of times. It is a sentiment mirrored in our own present, making this collection all the more relevant.
What is fascinating about this collection is the many different ways in which the various authors imagine the end of the world. Ice, fire, flood, disease, a trick of the cosmos, and the simply unknown are among the causes they present. Always, it is the way the world's inhabitants respond that matters. These stories provide a revealing glimpse into how we react in the most extreme circumstance, thereby showing us the inner truths of so many different characters (and their authors.)
I enjoyed this book, though it does take a certain toll to read so many stories about the end of the world. There was an unevenness to the collection that I think represents science-fiction very well and I loved the fact that so much of the material came from the early 1900s, a period we forget was filled with change and uncertainty, and viewed by many as the end of times. It is a sentiment mirrored in our own present, making this collection all the more relevant.
October 30, 2016
This Way to the End Times: Classic Tales of the Apocalypse edited by Robert Silverberg is a very highly recommended anthology of 21 wildly diverse apocalyptic stories. Don't miss this collection!
This collection covers the gamut from early, classic writers to recent contemporary authors. The end comes in incredible variety of ways, including the expected fire and ice scenarios, to willful extinction in many forms, to natural disasters, to "visitors" from beyond and more. The stories selected are all well written, most of them are exceptionally well written. Silverberg did a wonderful job in his selection of stories to include in this anthology. He opens the book with an introduction to the collection, where he points out: "Since apocalyptic visions are nearly universal in the religious literature of the world, and probably always have been, it’s not surprising that they should figure largely in the fantasies of imaginative storytellers." Then, before each story, he has an interesting and informative shorter introduction to the specific author and story.
There are many stories in this collection that I loved, but, incredibly, didn't have even one that I disliked. I'm giving credit to the care in which they were chosen as well as the talent of all the writers included. This is a great collection of superb stories!
Contents include:
INTRODUCTION by Robert Silverberg
THE ETERNAL ADAM by Jules Verne
THE LAST GENERATION by James Elroy Flecker
FINIS by Frank Lillie Pollock
THE COMING OF THE ICE by G. Peyton Wertenbaker
N DAY by Philip Latham
GUYAL OF SFERE by Jack Vance
A PAIL OF AIR by Fritz Leiber
WHO CAN REPLACE A MAN by Brian W. Aldiss
HERESIES OF THE HUGE GOD by Brian W. Aldiss
THE NEW ATLANTIS by Ursula K. Le Guin
WHEN WE WENT TO SEE THE END OF THE WORLD by Robert Silverberg
THE WIND AND THE RAIN by Robert Silverberg
THE SCREWFLY SOLUTION by James Tiptree, Jr.
AFTER-IMAGES by Malcolm Edwards
DAISY, IN THE SUN by Connie Willis
THREE DAYS AFTER by Karen Haber
THE RAIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Dale Bailey
THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT by Dale Bailey
FINAL EXAM by Megan Artenberg
PRAYERS TO THE SUN by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro
LAST AND FIRST MEN by Olaf Stapledon
Disclosure: My advanced reading copy was courtesy of the publisher/author.
October 24, 2016
The question many authors have explored is how the world will end. This is a collection of 21 stories from classic science fiction authors and present day authors and how they think the world would end. I loved how each story came up with different endings. You will read about the world ending my ice, fire, flood, aliens and so much more. It was great reading from some of my favorite authors and discovering new ones.
I have to say I loved Robert Silverberg’s introductions to each story. They helped me to figure out when the author wrote the book and who they were so I could find other stories by them. I enjoyed following along as humans try to figure out their history and how one many decides to live forever but fails to grow along with the rest of humankind.
If you like apocalyptic stories this is one book that you need to add to you collection. You can’t go wrong with a collection of so many classic authors.
I received This Way to the End Time from Over the River PR free of charge. This has not influenced my opinion of this book.
I have to say I loved Robert Silverberg’s introductions to each story. They helped me to figure out when the author wrote the book and who they were so I could find other stories by them. I enjoyed following along as humans try to figure out their history and how one many decides to live forever but fails to grow along with the rest of humankind.
If you like apocalyptic stories this is one book that you need to add to you collection. You can’t go wrong with a collection of so many classic authors.
I received This Way to the End Time from Over the River PR free of charge. This has not influenced my opinion of this book.
May 4, 2021
How times have changed. And writing. The opposite of engaging. Fascinating. And interesting to see what brought about the apocolypse in the majority of the stories. But, with the lack of engaging, I did find myself skimming most works.
October 31, 2016
A collection of stories with the theme of the Apocalypse; some take place during, others pre- or post-. The stories are presented chronologically by published date with the occasional break in the rule. Robert Silverberg is an excellent editor; every story starts with his introduction to the author and story at hand. Invaluable information for the reader. The collection on a whole is very good with both famous and lesser known authors represented. I enjoyed the early stories the most but did find a handful that were complete duds for me, which brought my overall rating of the collection to a solid three, though I've rated many individual stories 4 or 5 stars.
Introduction by Robert Silverberg - An essay on the history of apocalyptic fiction from ancient times to the early 20th century. Silverberg discusses its attraction, a few forms it can take, discussing particular literature and finally surmises that it is here to stay as long as we are.
1. The Eternal Adam by Jules Verne (1910) - Very intriguing! A world divided into four quadrants has fought and battled for thousands of years until now they are one and at peace with each other. Recent unrest has been stirring, In the meantime our narrator is a scientist involved in geology and evolution. Having found that creation sprung from the waters and evolved the scientists are looking for proof of the first man (ie the missing link) nothing comes close. But our narrator continues to dig deeper past the clay that proves this land was once covered with water when he finds a man-made device, a time capsule in a foreign language.He deciphers it and we read the astonishing history of anther mankind. Man have not evolved but instead regenerated time and time again once they become too mighty. This makes me think is it nature's way or God's way. A good story but the start was very slow and a bit difficult to read. (4/5)
2. The Last Generation by James Elroy Flecker (1908) - This has the same theme as the first, a de-evolution of man. The projection of the future is totally off whack when reading today in the 21st century, but looking back at when this was written I can sense a hopelessness in the future both from this author and the one above. A man is visited by the Wind of Time and rather than travelling into the past he chooses the future expecting a scientific age. Instead, he travels forward stopping now and then to watch the entire species consciously choose to be the last generation. What follows is debauchery, then despair, then death. (4/5)
3. Finis by Frank Lillie Pollock (1906) - This is a cataclysmic end of the world. The science is imaginary because of what we know today but that doesn't effect the terror and brutality of the end. A sun, at the centre of the universe, has been predicted ,about 70 years ago, to show itself at the present time. What no one took into consideration was the intense heat this central sun must have. Of course, the heat brings other natural phenomena such as tidal waves, hot rain, earth tremors, etc. A vision of how the earth will end. As reading, I couldn't help but compare the events as similar to those described in "Revelation" about the biblical end of the world. (5/5)
4. The Coming of the Ice by G. Peyton Wertenbaker (1926) -Again the science in this is imaginary, but the "details" are never given using layman's terms which makes it easier to accept, even if it is silly. Great story though! A man receives an operation to give him eternal life, the only problem is that it makes him an intellectual only with no feelings, love or sex. He is writing his memoirs of the past hundred thousand years or so when something man had forgotten all but destroys the human race, the next Great Ice Age. (5/5)
5. N Day by Philip Latham (1946) - Written by an actual distinguished astronomer (RS Richardson) under his nom de plume. Thus, the introduction tells us, the science is accurate for the day. These are diary entries by the author (Latham) as he watches and records sunspots, flares, etc. The sun is going nova and he has predicted the date. The papers are being sensationalistic about it and his superiors don't believe him, thinking he is mad. He will lose his job; that is if the world weren't ending tomorrow! Decent enough story, but actually very boring with all the scientific jargon. (3/5)
6. Guyal of Sfere by Jack Vance (1950) - This is the first fantasy in the collection and not really what I would call apocalyptic. A boy is born with a vast desire for knowledge. The world he lives in decries such seeking living in a "this-is-the-way-it-is" fashion. The boy grows up, people think him mad, and finally ,when a grown youth, he asks his father one question where can he find this "Curator" that everybody says is the reason that things are as they should be. Given a horse and a few magic items he sets forth for this legendary Curator and his "Museum of Man". He meets all sorts on his journey, each out to get him until finally near the Museum he acquires a female companion sent there as a sacrifice. He finds the Curator and if you are used to how these fantasies work the ending is obvious. I didn't really like the story, finding it formulaic, rather fairytale-ish and long. (2/5)
7. A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber (1951) - It's post-apocalypse and a family of four presume they are the only survivors on Earth. I wont go into all the "scientific" explanations but Earth got dragged away by a dark star. The world is frozen, even the gases that make up the atmosphere. But there is a layer of crystallized oxygen and this is where the survivors scoop up air to bring to the insulated nest they created. Then one day the 10yo son sees a light moving from room to room in an office building across the way. Very good! The science didn't seem real but the surviving an ice age was a good yarn. Good ending as well. (4/5)
8. Who Can Replace a Man? by Brian W. Aldiss (1958) - Brilliant. One day the machines, all with brains, receive no instruction through the radio from man. Seems man has become extinct. Machines with low intelligence brains are fighting but those from class 3 to class 1 brains plot that now they will take over the cities. One agricultural group heads for cities but find them already in chaos a the stronger brains are midst-takeover. So this team heads for open country that they are more suited to. We find how ruthless local brains with no emotion can be. However, they get a report that a few humans are not extinct and live in this area. Fantastic ending! (5/5)
9. Heresies of the Huge God by Brian W. Aldiss (1966) - I didn't enjoy this; there is a tone that just gets my back up. Briefly, a gigantically huge non-living thing from space lands on earth. It obliterates half the world and causes all sorts of turmoil akin to the biblical apocalypse. A new religion is formed and over the years forced upon the people. This is a report from a priest of some sort proclaiming what should now become the 4th heresy. The story seems to be suggesting that religious people are first and foremost stupid and secondly will use any kind of force to make others submit. (1/5)
10. The New Atlantis by Ursula K. Le Guin (1975) - The continents are sinking into the sea because new (old) continents are rising up out of the sea. The narrative switches between a woman and the "we" who are sentient under the water. The woman describes the totalitarian socialist society she lives in. The "we" talk as they become more and more conscious. I really liked the woman's narrative but the other part was just weird and interrupted the flow of the oppressive dystopian society being presented. (4/5)
11. When We Went to See the End of the Wold by Robert Silverberg (1972} - A fun take on the theme, though still ominous. People are taking the new time machine to see the end of the world. At a party each tells the story of their trip all the while in the background the world actually is falling apart before their very eyes, blind to it though the are. Similar conditions as the present day with earthquakes, viruses, bombings, infected water. (4/5)
12. The Wind and the Rain by Robert Silverberg (1973) - Very interesting story. The scientific explanation for the Earth's ecological failure, resulting in extinction of all life, except strangely flora, is very similar to today's apocalyptic extremists of global warming. The gas that ruined this earth is methane (part carbon, part hydrogen), Cows are blamed as one of the most powerful effects on the destruction of earth along with human chemical use. What appealed to me was the fresh tone. Humans who relocated to other planets have come back and are returning life to the planet through cleansing and supporting sustainable vegetation. Whatever the reasons, they believe the destruction and nature's own cleansing are a natural, normal, processes. The earth is cleansing itself with rain, hurricanes, tidal waves, and other natural disasters. I'm left with the thought that the arresting of the apocalypse could have been halted by earthling's use of pollution control and safe disposal methods. Good story. (5/5)
13. The Screwfly Solution by James Tiptree, Jr. (1977) - This is the best story I've read so far in this collection. Awesome! I can't say what it is about as it unravels as it goes along and that is the fun of the story. A unique premise on how the end of the world comes about! I just loved the ending and am very interested in reading more of this author. (5/5)
14. After-Images by Malcolm Edwards (1983) - Good. A nuclear explosion has gone off. At one island nation, the explosion has stopped as if it were in another time dimension stuck in a bubble, very slowly approaching the residents left behind. They all behave like normal, but two men venture into the bubble for a look-see. (4/5)
15. Daisy, in the Sun by Connie Willis (1979) - The sun is going to go nova. This is the story of teenage Daisy who is not afraid, who loves the sun but she is also confused. The story unravels so we have no idea what is happening until the end. The end is actually quite beautiful. Really good! (5/5)
16. Three Days After by Karen Haber (2014) - This is a short one but chilling. A woman narrates the day before and some days after an apocalypse for which no reason is ever given. Radiation, warm snow (ash) and flooding are our only clues to perhaps either nuclear or a nova sun. It isn't clear whether the woman knows what exactly has happened. She is visited twice, once before and once after, by either a robot or man in an anti-contamination suit though he never converses with her. Good. I liked it.BTW, this author is the editor's wife. (4/5)
17. The Rain at the End of the World by Dale Bailey (1999) - Not that exciting. A familiar story of continuous rain pouring on the entire world. Things have got pretty drastic, communications are down with the odd radio station coming in. A couple heads for their mountain cabin and the woman's narrative shows how each of them is handling this differently. Unsatisfying. (2/5)
18. The End of the World as We Know It by Dale Bailey (2004) - Different. A man wakes up and everybody is dead. He's the last person on earth. He starts thinking about all the usual end of the world scenarios from books and movies. But he has no clue what happened and is not like those survivors of fiction. He just sets up house somewhere nice and drinks. (3/5)
19. Final Exam by Megan Arkenberg (2012) - Weird. Written in the form of a multiple choice test with the correct answers following. The story of a marriage break-up and brief invasion by huge gelatinous humanoid monsters from the sea. Makes you wonder whether it really happened or the narrator, the wife, is just crazy. (2/5)
20. Prayers to the Sun by a Dying Person by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro (2016: first time published) - This just plain didn't make sense to me. Time had broken and the future is falling into the present. A girl time travels to find and fix the problem. She meets a woman who has survived her time's end of the world. Two things I didn't like: the story is full of Hinduism which I didn't understand though I've read their myths so had a vague concept of what was going on; secondly all the scientific explanations were too scientific making them over my head and tedious. Not entertaining at all. (0/5)
21. Last and First Men: Epilogue by Olaf Stapledon (1930) - This is a novel in which Silverberg describes the plot in his introduction. The history of the billions of years future of the Earth. It ends with the final, 18th, evolution of man and Silverberg reprints for us the book's Epilogue only. It is fairly hard to read as it is dry history being told from the current future which has discovered they will all perish in a couple thousand years. At the end, a Jesus like figure is born and he gives them hope in their conclusion. Just not a good read. (0/5)
Introduction by Robert Silverberg - An essay on the history of apocalyptic fiction from ancient times to the early 20th century. Silverberg discusses its attraction, a few forms it can take, discussing particular literature and finally surmises that it is here to stay as long as we are.
1. The Eternal Adam by Jules Verne (1910) - Very intriguing! A world divided into four quadrants has fought and battled for thousands of years until now they are one and at peace with each other. Recent unrest has been stirring, In the meantime our narrator is a scientist involved in geology and evolution. Having found that creation sprung from the waters and evolved the scientists are looking for proof of the first man (ie the missing link) nothing comes close. But our narrator continues to dig deeper past the clay that proves this land was once covered with water when he finds a man-made device, a time capsule in a foreign language.He deciphers it and we read the astonishing history of anther mankind. Man have not evolved but instead regenerated time and time again once they become too mighty. This makes me think is it nature's way or God's way. A good story but the start was very slow and a bit difficult to read. (4/5)
2. The Last Generation by James Elroy Flecker (1908) - This has the same theme as the first, a de-evolution of man. The projection of the future is totally off whack when reading today in the 21st century, but looking back at when this was written I can sense a hopelessness in the future both from this author and the one above. A man is visited by the Wind of Time and rather than travelling into the past he chooses the future expecting a scientific age. Instead, he travels forward stopping now and then to watch the entire species consciously choose to be the last generation. What follows is debauchery, then despair, then death. (4/5)
3. Finis by Frank Lillie Pollock (1906) - This is a cataclysmic end of the world. The science is imaginary because of what we know today but that doesn't effect the terror and brutality of the end. A sun, at the centre of the universe, has been predicted ,about 70 years ago, to show itself at the present time. What no one took into consideration was the intense heat this central sun must have. Of course, the heat brings other natural phenomena such as tidal waves, hot rain, earth tremors, etc. A vision of how the earth will end. As reading, I couldn't help but compare the events as similar to those described in "Revelation" about the biblical end of the world. (5/5)
4. The Coming of the Ice by G. Peyton Wertenbaker (1926) -Again the science in this is imaginary, but the "details" are never given using layman's terms which makes it easier to accept, even if it is silly. Great story though! A man receives an operation to give him eternal life, the only problem is that it makes him an intellectual only with no feelings, love or sex. He is writing his memoirs of the past hundred thousand years or so when something man had forgotten all but destroys the human race, the next Great Ice Age. (5/5)
5. N Day by Philip Latham (1946) - Written by an actual distinguished astronomer (RS Richardson) under his nom de plume. Thus, the introduction tells us, the science is accurate for the day. These are diary entries by the author (Latham) as he watches and records sunspots, flares, etc. The sun is going nova and he has predicted the date. The papers are being sensationalistic about it and his superiors don't believe him, thinking he is mad. He will lose his job; that is if the world weren't ending tomorrow! Decent enough story, but actually very boring with all the scientific jargon. (3/5)
6. Guyal of Sfere by Jack Vance (1950) - This is the first fantasy in the collection and not really what I would call apocalyptic. A boy is born with a vast desire for knowledge. The world he lives in decries such seeking living in a "this-is-the-way-it-is" fashion. The boy grows up, people think him mad, and finally ,when a grown youth, he asks his father one question where can he find this "Curator" that everybody says is the reason that things are as they should be. Given a horse and a few magic items he sets forth for this legendary Curator and his "Museum of Man". He meets all sorts on his journey, each out to get him until finally near the Museum he acquires a female companion sent there as a sacrifice. He finds the Curator and if you are used to how these fantasies work the ending is obvious. I didn't really like the story, finding it formulaic, rather fairytale-ish and long. (2/5)
7. A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber (1951) - It's post-apocalypse and a family of four presume they are the only survivors on Earth. I wont go into all the "scientific" explanations but Earth got dragged away by a dark star. The world is frozen, even the gases that make up the atmosphere. But there is a layer of crystallized oxygen and this is where the survivors scoop up air to bring to the insulated nest they created. Then one day the 10yo son sees a light moving from room to room in an office building across the way. Very good! The science didn't seem real but the surviving an ice age was a good yarn. Good ending as well. (4/5)
8. Who Can Replace a Man? by Brian W. Aldiss (1958) - Brilliant. One day the machines, all with brains, receive no instruction through the radio from man. Seems man has become extinct. Machines with low intelligence brains are fighting but those from class 3 to class 1 brains plot that now they will take over the cities. One agricultural group heads for cities but find them already in chaos a the stronger brains are midst-takeover. So this team heads for open country that they are more suited to. We find how ruthless local brains with no emotion can be. However, they get a report that a few humans are not extinct and live in this area. Fantastic ending! (5/5)
9. Heresies of the Huge God by Brian W. Aldiss (1966) - I didn't enjoy this; there is a tone that just gets my back up. Briefly, a gigantically huge non-living thing from space lands on earth. It obliterates half the world and causes all sorts of turmoil akin to the biblical apocalypse. A new religion is formed and over the years forced upon the people. This is a report from a priest of some sort proclaiming what should now become the 4th heresy. The story seems to be suggesting that religious people are first and foremost stupid and secondly will use any kind of force to make others submit. (1/5)
10. The New Atlantis by Ursula K. Le Guin (1975) - The continents are sinking into the sea because new (old) continents are rising up out of the sea. The narrative switches between a woman and the "we" who are sentient under the water. The woman describes the totalitarian socialist society she lives in. The "we" talk as they become more and more conscious. I really liked the woman's narrative but the other part was just weird and interrupted the flow of the oppressive dystopian society being presented. (4/5)
11. When We Went to See the End of the Wold by Robert Silverberg (1972} - A fun take on the theme, though still ominous. People are taking the new time machine to see the end of the world. At a party each tells the story of their trip all the while in the background the world actually is falling apart before their very eyes, blind to it though the are. Similar conditions as the present day with earthquakes, viruses, bombings, infected water. (4/5)
12. The Wind and the Rain by Robert Silverberg (1973) - Very interesting story. The scientific explanation for the Earth's ecological failure, resulting in extinction of all life, except strangely flora, is very similar to today's apocalyptic extremists of global warming. The gas that ruined this earth is methane (part carbon, part hydrogen), Cows are blamed as one of the most powerful effects on the destruction of earth along with human chemical use. What appealed to me was the fresh tone. Humans who relocated to other planets have come back and are returning life to the planet through cleansing and supporting sustainable vegetation. Whatever the reasons, they believe the destruction and nature's own cleansing are a natural, normal, processes. The earth is cleansing itself with rain, hurricanes, tidal waves, and other natural disasters. I'm left with the thought that the arresting of the apocalypse could have been halted by earthling's use of pollution control and safe disposal methods. Good story. (5/5)
13. The Screwfly Solution by James Tiptree, Jr. (1977) - This is the best story I've read so far in this collection. Awesome! I can't say what it is about as it unravels as it goes along and that is the fun of the story. A unique premise on how the end of the world comes about! I just loved the ending and am very interested in reading more of this author. (5/5)
14. After-Images by Malcolm Edwards (1983) - Good. A nuclear explosion has gone off. At one island nation, the explosion has stopped as if it were in another time dimension stuck in a bubble, very slowly approaching the residents left behind. They all behave like normal, but two men venture into the bubble for a look-see. (4/5)
15. Daisy, in the Sun by Connie Willis (1979) - The sun is going to go nova. This is the story of teenage Daisy who is not afraid, who loves the sun but she is also confused. The story unravels so we have no idea what is happening until the end. The end is actually quite beautiful. Really good! (5/5)
16. Three Days After by Karen Haber (2014) - This is a short one but chilling. A woman narrates the day before and some days after an apocalypse for which no reason is ever given. Radiation, warm snow (ash) and flooding are our only clues to perhaps either nuclear or a nova sun. It isn't clear whether the woman knows what exactly has happened. She is visited twice, once before and once after, by either a robot or man in an anti-contamination suit though he never converses with her. Good. I liked it.BTW, this author is the editor's wife. (4/5)
17. The Rain at the End of the World by Dale Bailey (1999) - Not that exciting. A familiar story of continuous rain pouring on the entire world. Things have got pretty drastic, communications are down with the odd radio station coming in. A couple heads for their mountain cabin and the woman's narrative shows how each of them is handling this differently. Unsatisfying. (2/5)
18. The End of the World as We Know It by Dale Bailey (2004) - Different. A man wakes up and everybody is dead. He's the last person on earth. He starts thinking about all the usual end of the world scenarios from books and movies. But he has no clue what happened and is not like those survivors of fiction. He just sets up house somewhere nice and drinks. (3/5)
19. Final Exam by Megan Arkenberg (2012) - Weird. Written in the form of a multiple choice test with the correct answers following. The story of a marriage break-up and brief invasion by huge gelatinous humanoid monsters from the sea. Makes you wonder whether it really happened or the narrator, the wife, is just crazy. (2/5)
20. Prayers to the Sun by a Dying Person by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro (2016: first time published) - This just plain didn't make sense to me. Time had broken and the future is falling into the present. A girl time travels to find and fix the problem. She meets a woman who has survived her time's end of the world. Two things I didn't like: the story is full of Hinduism which I didn't understand though I've read their myths so had a vague concept of what was going on; secondly all the scientific explanations were too scientific making them over my head and tedious. Not entertaining at all. (0/5)
21. Last and First Men: Epilogue by Olaf Stapledon (1930) - This is a novel in which Silverberg describes the plot in his introduction. The history of the billions of years future of the Earth. It ends with the final, 18th, evolution of man and Silverberg reprints for us the book's Epilogue only. It is fairly hard to read as it is dry history being told from the current future which has discovered they will all perish in a couple thousand years. At the end, a Jesus like figure is born and he gives them hope in their conclusion. Just not a good read. (0/5)
August 13, 2021
Overall I give this book 3 stars. There are a few stories (mainly the first 5) that I would only give 1 or 2 stars to. The rest are 3+, with a couple of 5 star stories, like Daisy in the Sun by Connie Willis.
A complete list of the stories is below, with intermittent comments.
The Eternal Adam by Jules Verne - 1904
The Last Generation by James Elroy Flecker - 1908
Finis by Frank Lillie Pollock - 1906
The Coming of the Ice by G. Peyton Wertenbaker - 1926
N Day by Philip Latham - 1943
I guess these first five stories are interesting for their historical context, but I found them tedious. The world-ending events are implausible, and with the exception of Finis, the stories have no believable human reactions. N Day might as well be a text book. The Last Generation is conceptually interesting but fails to deliver the emotional impact of having no more children ever.
Guyal of Sfere by Jack Vance - 1950
A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber - 1951
These two stories are where the volume gets good. I've read both before, but still enjoyed rereading them. It's debatable whether the Jack Vance story fits the concept of the anthology because I doubt the end of the world will involve sorcery, ghosts and demons, but it comes from his "Dying Earth" series, so I guess it fits in a literal sense.
Who Can Replace a Man? by Brian Aldiss - 1958
Heresies of the Huge God by Brian Aldiss - 1966
The first one is just so-so. It's a comedy piece about robots. The second one is really strange -- the premise is that a giant space lizard (the size of a continent) lands on the earth and becomes worshiped as a god. I think it's meant to poke fun at religion in general, and succeeds in doing that. There are really no characters in the story, but I still found it interesting.
The New Atlantis by Ursula K. Le Guin - 1975
I was looking forward to the Le Guin story because I've never read her before, even though she is regarded as one of the best ever. I'll have to try something else, because this story didn't grab me. I love her writing style, especially the under water parts -- very poetic and haunting. But there is virtually no plot here, and the two sides of the story have nothing to do with each other. Also, I found the anti-government stuff disappointing.
When We Went to See the End of the World by Robert Silverberg - 1972
The Wind and the Rain by Robert Silverberg - 1973
The Screwfly Solution by James Tiptree Jr - 1977
After Images by Malcolm Edwards - 1983
Daisy in the Sun by Connie Willis - 1979
This Connie Willis story is one of the best in the book. It's an end of the world story combined with a coming of age story, all with an ongoing mystery that compels you to keep reading.
Three Days After by Karen Haber - 2014
The Rain at the End of the World by Dale Bailey - 1999
The End of the World as We Know It by Dale Bailey - 2004
Final Exam by Megan Arkenberg - 2012
This is a weird but good experimental story, where the world ends due to an invasion by Cthulhu-esque monsters. Structurally, the story is entirely a set of multiple choice questions and answers, followed by the answer key. It seems like it should not work as a narrative, but it actually turns out to be one of the most interesting stories in the book. Probably my favorite.
Prayers to the Sun by a Dying Person by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro -
This is the only new story in the book, although almost all of them were new to me. It's a more poetic philosophical story, where the premise is that time is condensing to a singularity where everything happens at once. Ironically, not much happens in the story, besides everything.
Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon - 1930
The volume ends with an excerpt from a novella, and a return to the more tedious old-fashioned writing style, with no characters other than the narrator. I wasn't thrilled with the story, but it is a fitting end to the anthology. It features an ancient, far-future, post-human narrator facing the end of the human race, and writing with a sense of pride about the accomplishments of the species.
February 9, 2017
This is a great a great collection. Robert Silverberg has done a wonderful job of bringing what amounts to a history of Apocalyptic short stories. Starting with Jules Verne, the reader receives a taste of the various historical periods and how the authors of the times see the apocalypse. You will notice the writing styles have become less stilted over time and the same concerns appear over and over again of how the world will end. Robert Silverberg gives the reader an author introduction and bit about both the story and their lives. It is a very nice touch.
There is not a miss among the stories selected with a few true gems. My personal favorite is Who Can Replace a Man by Brian W. Aldiss. It is both provocative and very funny. I also enjoyed the The Screwfly Solution, which you may recognize from an Outer Limits episode.
My only complaint is that the collection used two stories each from three authors including Silverberg himself. The stories are very good and certainly belong, but I only wish there could have been three extra writers I could be exposed too.
If you thinking about dipping your toe into the Apocalyptic genre or want a bit of a historical tour of the genre, this is a great place to start.
There is not a miss among the stories selected with a few true gems. My personal favorite is Who Can Replace a Man by Brian W. Aldiss. It is both provocative and very funny. I also enjoyed the The Screwfly Solution, which you may recognize from an Outer Limits episode.
My only complaint is that the collection used two stories each from three authors including Silverberg himself. The stories are very good and certainly belong, but I only wish there could have been three extra writers I could be exposed too.
If you thinking about dipping your toe into the Apocalyptic genre or want a bit of a historical tour of the genre, this is a great place to start.
July 2, 2017
Solid collection of end of the world short stories.
October 23, 2016
This Way to the End Times: Classic Tales of the Apocalypse, is an anthology filled with dystopian fiction. Showing all the ways that authors can come up with to tell of the apocalypse.
The legendary Robert Silverberg introduces each story. The stories are ones that he has hand-picked and he details exactly why he chose them for the collection.
View my full review on Thoughts on Books after 10/26/2016.
I received this book free from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
The legendary Robert Silverberg introduces each story. The stories are ones that he has hand-picked and he details exactly why he chose them for the collection.
View my full review on Thoughts on Books after 10/26/2016.
I received this book free from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
August 25, 2018
A diverse collection of short stories covering a wide variety of ways the world may end, or the aftermath thereof. I'm a sucker for apocalyptic fiction, and this was right up my alley. As with all short story collections, some were better than others, but all were worth reading. Presented in mostly chronological order by date of publication beginning with the early 20th Century, the reader can see how the apocalypse changes as technology advances. That all by itself makes for fascinating reading.
November 3, 2016
I received this book from Goodreads giveaway. These stories covered the spectrum of the apocalypse genre and each one was enjoyable. Silverberg provides an excellent introduction to each story. I could digress and cover each story; however, I won't. There isn't a story here that I would not recommend.
January 8, 2017
I received a review copy of this book from Three Rooms Press and Goodreads for an honest review.
Who knew the world could end is so many terrific and horrifying ways? A great short story anthology with stories by authors such as Jules Verne, Robert Silverberg, Connie Willis and Ursula K. LeGuin. A great collection for those who enjoy Post Apocalyptic tales.
Who knew the world could end is so many terrific and horrifying ways? A great short story anthology with stories by authors such as Jules Verne, Robert Silverberg, Connie Willis and Ursula K. LeGuin. A great collection for those who enjoy Post Apocalyptic tales.
March 13, 2023
Ultimately pretty meh for me. I was also turned off that the editor included multiple stories by some authors (two of their own and one of their spouse). While I'm sure there were reasons, I cant help but think there were other authors and stories that were omitted in the process. That's probably just a personal thing but it was a turn off.
November 17, 2022
A couple of the stories I couldn't get through, but overall I enjoyed the collection.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
June 14, 2018
There are a few standouts in here but I found the collection itself to be a little lacking.
August 30, 2016
For review in Booklist
October 20, 2024
A good collection of stories, from a span of several decades. All the stories were at least decent, and many were really good. It was interesting to read all the different world-ending scenarios*, and the different ways humans deal with the situation. Silverberg's introductions to the stories provided just enough information to set up the story and provide anticipation, not long-winded, no spoilers.
My favorite was "Who Can Replace a Man?" by Brian W. Aldiss
*
My favorite was "Who Can Replace a Man?" by Brian W. Aldiss
*
June 26, 2021
I seem to be reading a fair number of apocalyptic books lately, could be because of the pandemic or could just be because I have always liked them. At first, I couldn't get into this book. It's short stories or novellas and I found the first couple not to be as entertaining as I wanted. They felt like hard work, but I started to skip around and read them out of order, then I circled back to the beginning and i liked them better then. There really is a wide variety of classic tales and some interesting authors that you might not know about. It took me awhile to work my way through it, but it was worth it.
April 15, 2024
favorite story: Final Exam 5/5.
I loved this story so much, how the narrator's personal conflict paralleled, and in some ways, trumped the global apocalypse conflict.
Daisy, In the Sun was an interesting read. Not my favorite, but still very intelligent.
I loved this story so much, how the narrator's personal conflict paralleled, and in some ways, trumped the global apocalypse conflict.
Daisy, In the Sun was an interesting read. Not my favorite, but still very intelligent.
January 28, 2025
Worst cover and title of all time maybe. Makes recommending this collection of absolute gems tricky. One of my favorite reads of the year though. So many great worlds and stories that I think about all the time after reading.
January 22, 2017
I wanted some stories about how folks would deal with an end-times apocalypse. All the stories were boring, muddy, or just poorly written. Skip this one folks.
September 25, 2017
Classic tales, maybe, but all depressing. Forget it. I should remember that Silverberg is not the editor for me.
June 23, 2023
Classic apocalyptic short stories, certainly surpassed by more modern stories.
September 23, 2019
"At what point did you know–and I mean really know, in your gut, in the tautness of your heartstrings–that things had gone horribly wrong?"
--Final Exam, pg 403
--Final Exam, pg 403
November 5, 2016
This Way To The End Times: Classic Tales of the Apocalypse, contains twenty-one stories about, as the title implies, the apocalypse. The book is true to the word classic in its title, unlike most such collections, this one literally goes back to the beginning of science fiction with a story by Jules Verne. It follows with a number of not particularly well known stories by some classic SF authors (Ursula Le Guin, Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance, and Brian Aldiss); only five of the stories included were written in the last thirty years. A mixture of some less well-known, relative newcomers wrote the remaining five. The stories, as in most such collections are a mixed bag, really good ones mixed with some that were just okay, but all were entertaining and there wasn’t one that I would consider bad. Each story also gets an introduction by Robert Silverberg as an added bonus. If you’re a fan of the apocalypse (and who wouldn’t be) you should read this collection. I’ve read a good number of such collections over the years and I have only read one of the stories in this volume before, so while most of them are not new, they’ll probably be new to you. 3.5 stars.
October 11, 2022
Enjoyed less than half of the stories in this collection. Especially good was - A Pail of Air, Who Can Replace a Man, Heresies of the Huge God, The New Atlantis, When We Went to See the End of the World, The Wind and the Rain. Interesting enough all these in the middle of the book. Personally, The Wind and the Rain is by far the best story in the book. If you can find it anywhere, read it.
December 11, 2020
This book was quite good. One of the best aspects was Silverberg, the editor. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the SF field and reading his introductions is an education.
As with most compilations, some stories I liked, some not so much, but all were interesting.
As with most compilations, some stories I liked, some not so much, but all were interesting.
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