What do you think?
Rate this book
The Obama Inheritance: Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir
Noir meets diversity and transforms the genre into an over-the-top, transcendental psychedelic thriller ride of pulpy goodness in Three Rooms Press' upcoming THE OBAMA INHERITANCE, a collection of fifteen stories of conspiracy noir curated by editor and award-winning African-American crime novelist Gary Phillips.
In the tradition of satirical works of Swift and Twain, with nods to the likes of Asimov and Philip K. Dick, these tales contain time traveling secret agents, Supreme Court judges who can clone themselves, kung fu'ing androids out for justice, and a race of ancient lizard people and their true master plan ...and these are just the tame ones mashed up in the blender of fake news bots, climate change is but a hoax by the Chinese and humans roamed with dinosaurs.
In an era where the outlandish and fantastic has permeated our media 24/7, where mind-bending conspiracy theories shape our views, THE OBAMA INHERITANCE writers riff on the numerous fictions spun about the 44th president of the U.S. Although Obama himself does not appear in most of these stories, contributors spin deliberately outlandish and fantastic twists on many of the dozens of screwball, bizarro conspiracy theories floated about the president during his years in office and turn them on their heads.
THE OBAMA INHERITANCE editor Gary Phillips is a critically acclaimed author of mystery and graphic novels (The Darker Mask, Bangers, Violent Spring). Raised in South Central Los Angeles, Phillips draws on his experiences from anti-police abuse community organizing and anti-apartheid activism in his work. He was the chair of the Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color committee, and was president of the Private Eye Writers of America.
Contributors include famed African-American crime/detective author Walter Mosley, former author and Department of Justice attorney Christopher Chambers (Sympathy for the Devil), noir author and screenwriter Johnny Shaw (Dove Season), actor and novelist Danny Gardner (A Negro and an Ofay), former Maine assistant attorney general Kate Flora (Death in Paradise), and award-winning Latina playwright and novelist Desiree Zamorano.
In the tradition of satirical works of Swift and Twain, with nods to the likes of Asimov and Philip K. Dick, these tales contain time traveling secret agents, Supreme Court judges who can clone themselves, kung fu'ing androids out for justice, and a race of ancient lizard people and their true master plan ...and these are just the tame ones mashed up in the blender of fake news bots, climate change is but a hoax by the Chinese and humans roamed with dinosaurs.
In an era where the outlandish and fantastic has permeated our media 24/7, where mind-bending conspiracy theories shape our views, THE OBAMA INHERITANCE writers riff on the numerous fictions spun about the 44th president of the U.S. Although Obama himself does not appear in most of these stories, contributors spin deliberately outlandish and fantastic twists on many of the dozens of screwball, bizarro conspiracy theories floated about the president during his years in office and turn them on their heads.
THE OBAMA INHERITANCE editor Gary Phillips is a critically acclaimed author of mystery and graphic novels (The Darker Mask, Bangers, Violent Spring). Raised in South Central Los Angeles, Phillips draws on his experiences from anti-police abuse community organizing and anti-apartheid activism in his work. He was the chair of the Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color committee, and was president of the Private Eye Writers of America.
Contributors include famed African-American crime/detective author Walter Mosley, former author and Department of Justice attorney Christopher Chambers (Sympathy for the Devil), noir author and screenwriter Johnny Shaw (Dove Season), actor and novelist Danny Gardner (A Negro and an Ofay), former Maine assistant attorney general Kate Flora (Death in Paradise), and award-winning Latina playwright and novelist Desiree Zamorano.
322 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2017
59 people are currently reading
844 people want to read
About the author
Gary Phillips
202 books229 followersGARY PHILLIPS has been a community activist, labor organizer and delivered dog cages. He’s published various novels, comics, short stories and edited several anthologies including South Central Noir and the Anthony award-winning The Obama Inheritance: Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir. Violent Spring, first published in 1994 was named in 2020 one of the essential crime novels of Los Angeles. He was also a writer/co-producer on FX’s Snowfall (streaming on Hulu), about crack and the CIA in 1980s South Central where he grew up. Recent novels include One-Shot Harry and Matthew Henson and the Ice Temple of Harlem. He lives with his family in the wilds of Los Angeles.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
March 26, 2018
Barack Obama is the greatest threat White America has ever faced.
For some reason I've always enjoyed watching SciFi shows like The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and Black Mirror but I've never been a fan of reading SciFi. I don't know why, Its just always been true.
When I first saw The Obama Inheritance, I assumed it was an Obama bashing book written by Republican lunatics. I was very happy to discover that it was in fact just the opposite. The Obama Inheritance is a collection of stories based off the wacky conspiracy theories that Republicans made up about President Obama. This collection includes stories about President Obama's "real" birthplace, Obama's ties to the "deep state", and the vast Left-Wing agenda.
I'm giving this collection 4 Stars because it was so entertaining and a really fast read, though I thought the best stories were at the beginning with the quality falling off towards the end.
Here are my top 2 stories and my bottom 2 stories: My absolute favorite story was ...The Continuing Mission, in which we discover the true birthplace of not only Barack Obama but his trusty sidekick Joe Biden. My second favorite story was Evens, in which we discover Obama's diabolical plan to ensure the Supreme Court stays the way it is. My least favorite story was Give Me Your Free, Your Brave, Your Proud Masses Yearning to Conquer, the least said the better. My second least favorite story was At the Conglimeroid Cocktail Party, I didn't think it had a plot.
Overall it was a fun read and if you enjoy your Science Fiction mixed with some Politics this collection is for you.
Popsugar 2018: A book you borrowed or that was given as a gift.
For some reason I've always enjoyed watching SciFi shows like The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and Black Mirror but I've never been a fan of reading SciFi. I don't know why, Its just always been true.
When I first saw The Obama Inheritance, I assumed it was an Obama bashing book written by Republican lunatics. I was very happy to discover that it was in fact just the opposite. The Obama Inheritance is a collection of stories based off the wacky conspiracy theories that Republicans made up about President Obama. This collection includes stories about President Obama's "real" birthplace, Obama's ties to the "deep state", and the vast Left-Wing agenda.
I'm giving this collection 4 Stars because it was so entertaining and a really fast read, though I thought the best stories were at the beginning with the quality falling off towards the end.
Here are my top 2 stories and my bottom 2 stories: My absolute favorite story was ...The Continuing Mission, in which we discover the true birthplace of not only Barack Obama but his trusty sidekick Joe Biden. My second favorite story was Evens, in which we discover Obama's diabolical plan to ensure the Supreme Court stays the way it is. My least favorite story was Give Me Your Free, Your Brave, Your Proud Masses Yearning to Conquer, the least said the better. My second least favorite story was At the Conglimeroid Cocktail Party, I didn't think it had a plot.
Overall it was a fun read and if you enjoy your Science Fiction mixed with some Politics this collection is for you.
Popsugar 2018: A book you borrowed or that was given as a gift.
October 23, 2017
What a joy to discover this collection of short stories, all expertly crafted around the satirical premise: What if all the right-wing conspiracy theories about The Deep State are foundationally true? The 15 pulp-noir stories are all over the map and wrought by some of the finest authors alive, including Walter Mosley, Robert Silverberg and the collection's editor, Gary Phillips.
They're all first-rate, but among my favorites: "The Continuing Mission" by Adam Lance Garcia, "A Different Frame of Reference" by Walter Mosley, "Forked Tongue" by Lise McClendon, "I Know They're In There" by Travis Richardson and "Deep State" by Désirée Zamorano. "Give Me Your Free, Your Brave, Your Proud Masses Yearning to Conquer" by L. Scott Jose is a masterpiece of satire and Gary Phillips' "Thus Strikes the Black Pimpernel" is a tour de force that sticks the landing on the entire compendium.
Each piece packs a surprise and takes wild chances. If a couple of stories are overwrought? Well, that's the whole point. This book, right down to the amazing artwork on the cover is pure fun.
They're all first-rate, but among my favorites: "The Continuing Mission" by Adam Lance Garcia, "A Different Frame of Reference" by Walter Mosley, "Forked Tongue" by Lise McClendon, "I Know They're In There" by Travis Richardson and "Deep State" by Désirée Zamorano. "Give Me Your Free, Your Brave, Your Proud Masses Yearning to Conquer" by L. Scott Jose is a masterpiece of satire and Gary Phillips' "Thus Strikes the Black Pimpernel" is a tour de force that sticks the landing on the entire compendium.
Each piece packs a surprise and takes wild chances. If a couple of stories are overwrought? Well, that's the whole point. This book, right down to the amazing artwork on the cover is pure fun.
January 1, 2018
The TRUTH about what the Deep State is doing against the MAGA Administration! Or perhaps a pleasant froth of science fiction, crime noir, and lizard men. Enjoyed Robert Silverberg's "At the Conglomeroid Cocktail Party" and "...The Continuing Mission" by Adam Lance Garcia (did you know that Obama and Biden were actually members of the Star Trek crew sent back in time??). Grossed out by L.Scott Jose's story. All in all a bit of fun and diversion from the depressing news.
October 15, 2017
Consistently amazing loving homages to noir style
PLUS
story concepts that are top top shelf!
PLUS
story concepts that are top top shelf!
April 4, 2019
Surprise package from Andrew, Sandy, Max, Jolena and Carolina.... Right in my wheelhouse and a great 'other' anthology of stories based on some of the crazy conspiracy theories of the Obama Presidency. I'm really looking forward to the promised stories with LIZARD MEN!
I've ended up reading this in bits and pieces--what are short stories for if not that. The problem is that the book can end up under other things and thus take ages to get them all read!!!
First up is "Michelle in Hot Water" by Kate Flora. Sums up her predicament with "She should have stuck to promoting children's nutrition."
Next "... The Continuing Mission" by Adam Lance Garcia, a Star Trekian riff starting with the Birther Conspiracy and beyond....
Then at last! Lizard Men! "True Skin" by Eric Beetner. The perils of talk radio.....
Next up, "Evens" by Nisi Shawl. Oh my! Planet Pizza, the Notorious RBG, and Barry's hand.... This story is insanely wonderful!
Fifth is "A Different Frame of Reference" by Walter Mosley. A twisty story about the WTW (Whiter than White) secret organization, Vanessa Shankforth Trammeling, George Brown, the children of the meteorite, and President Obama.
Next is "Brothers Keeper" by Danny Gardner. From the outset, the description of life during the third (!!!!!) term of President Trump I, made me double crazy. As bizarre as it all was, you could believe it could be true.
The seventh story, "Forked Tongue' by Lise McClendon is definitely a favorite. Beginning in a saloon in Forked Tongue, Montana, the story careens off into insane and wonderful ways! I want the "Double O''s" to swing into action NOW!!!
I seem to be using the word 'insane' in describing a number of the stories, but "Sunburnt Country" by Andrew Nette takes that to another level. Set in Australia, everything that can go wrong does. Maxine, the get-away driver for Johnny Boy's botched attempt at armed robbery is fleeing the scene when she comes across a flaming car by the side of the road with a small boy nearby. She picks up the boy and takes him with her. Cue the creepy music! Crazy experiments in genetics, a giant robot with a circular saw for one hand, men in black body armor.... helicopters, Hummers, someone who is really a lethal insect posing as a human, what more could you want? The end of the world is nigh....
I hadn't picked the book up in a while, but today I needed a boost and the ninth story was just what the doctor ordered. Which is a perfect phrase since it's about Lloyd and his ragtag group invading the Broken Arrow, OK, hospital demanding access to the Death Panel! He'd gone in the day before and told the receptionist he wanted to apply for a job on the panel and she said there weren't any but he knew that was a lie. He finally gets access to the panel and learns what these things are all about! What a lot of laughs. I really enjoyed this one.
Another day, another need.... Story #10 is "The Psalm of Bo" by Christopher Chambers. This one is a sort of post-apocalyptic tale written in Biblical style of the dogs hiding out in the Dome, and their fights with their enemies the apes led by 'their MAGA lord, Bird-Tail Mane Bulbous-Faced Ape. 'Verily I say unto you' this is how the leadership role is passed from one generation to another in order to keep the dog group viable. Not my favorite story, but it was an interesting approach.
#11--long time since I read #10 as the book got 'relocated' (lizard men in action?) and vanished from its normal resting place. Robert Silverberg's 'At the Conglomeroid Cocktail Party" is by far the weirdest story in the collection to this point. I can't even begin to describe the action, but have to say it includes one of the BEST use of a word practically at the beginning--harking back to my early introduction to French in junior high school. I love that moment absolutely.
#12 is "Deep State" by Desiree Zamorano. Loved this one. Two members of The Fellowship of Damocles are tasked with taking care of a truly difficult problem. Complications ensue....
#13 is "I will Haunt You" by Anthony Neil Smith.... I got the gist of the story, but this wasn't my favorite. Taking place is an almost post-apocalyptic earth. Devastated oceans, lands, contribute to the desperate situation....
#14 is "Give Me Your Free, Your Brave, Your Proud Masses Yearning To Conquer" by L. Scott Jose.
I have no words....... one to go!
#15 is "Thus Strikes the Black Pimpernel" by Gary Phillips. Last, but definitely not least, this story was totally bizarre and super fast paced. My favorite highlights were the genetically altered Anacondas, and the Black Pimpernel demonstrating his skills against the guy in the exoskeleton suit. What a great way to end this collection of (almost all) superb stories. I. Want. More. Lizard. Men!
I've ended up reading this in bits and pieces--what are short stories for if not that. The problem is that the book can end up under other things and thus take ages to get them all read!!!
First up is "Michelle in Hot Water" by Kate Flora. Sums up her predicament with "She should have stuck to promoting children's nutrition."
Next "... The Continuing Mission" by Adam Lance Garcia, a Star Trekian riff starting with the Birther Conspiracy and beyond....
Then at last! Lizard Men! "True Skin" by Eric Beetner. The perils of talk radio.....
Next up, "Evens" by Nisi Shawl. Oh my! Planet Pizza, the Notorious RBG, and Barry's hand.... This story is insanely wonderful!
Fifth is "A Different Frame of Reference" by Walter Mosley. A twisty story about the WTW (Whiter than White) secret organization, Vanessa Shankforth Trammeling, George Brown, the children of the meteorite, and President Obama.
Next is "Brothers Keeper" by Danny Gardner. From the outset, the description of life during the third (!!!!!) term of President Trump I, made me double crazy. As bizarre as it all was, you could believe it could be true.
The seventh story, "Forked Tongue' by Lise McClendon is definitely a favorite. Beginning in a saloon in Forked Tongue, Montana, the story careens off into insane and wonderful ways! I want the "Double O''s" to swing into action NOW!!!
I seem to be using the word 'insane' in describing a number of the stories, but "Sunburnt Country" by Andrew Nette takes that to another level. Set in Australia, everything that can go wrong does. Maxine, the get-away driver for Johnny Boy's botched attempt at armed robbery is fleeing the scene when she comes across a flaming car by the side of the road with a small boy nearby. She picks up the boy and takes him with her. Cue the creepy music! Crazy experiments in genetics, a giant robot with a circular saw for one hand, men in black body armor.... helicopters, Hummers, someone who is really a lethal insect posing as a human, what more could you want? The end of the world is nigh....
I hadn't picked the book up in a while, but today I needed a boost and the ninth story was just what the doctor ordered. Which is a perfect phrase since it's about Lloyd and his ragtag group invading the Broken Arrow, OK, hospital demanding access to the Death Panel! He'd gone in the day before and told the receptionist he wanted to apply for a job on the panel and she said there weren't any but he knew that was a lie. He finally gets access to the panel and learns what these things are all about! What a lot of laughs. I really enjoyed this one.
Another day, another need.... Story #10 is "The Psalm of Bo" by Christopher Chambers. This one is a sort of post-apocalyptic tale written in Biblical style of the dogs hiding out in the Dome, and their fights with their enemies the apes led by 'their MAGA lord, Bird-Tail Mane Bulbous-Faced Ape. 'Verily I say unto you' this is how the leadership role is passed from one generation to another in order to keep the dog group viable. Not my favorite story, but it was an interesting approach.
#11--long time since I read #10 as the book got 'relocated' (lizard men in action?) and vanished from its normal resting place. Robert Silverberg's 'At the Conglomeroid Cocktail Party" is by far the weirdest story in the collection to this point. I can't even begin to describe the action, but have to say it includes one of the BEST use of a word practically at the beginning--harking back to my early introduction to French in junior high school. I love that moment absolutely.
#12 is "Deep State" by Desiree Zamorano. Loved this one. Two members of The Fellowship of Damocles are tasked with taking care of a truly difficult problem. Complications ensue....
#13 is "I will Haunt You" by Anthony Neil Smith.... I got the gist of the story, but this wasn't my favorite. Taking place is an almost post-apocalyptic earth. Devastated oceans, lands, contribute to the desperate situation....
#14 is "Give Me Your Free, Your Brave, Your Proud Masses Yearning To Conquer" by L. Scott Jose.
I have no words....... one to go!
#15 is "Thus Strikes the Black Pimpernel" by Gary Phillips. Last, but definitely not least, this story was totally bizarre and super fast paced. My favorite highlights were the genetically altered Anacondas, and the Black Pimpernel demonstrating his skills against the guy in the exoskeleton suit. What a great way to end this collection of (almost all) superb stories. I. Want. More. Lizard. Men!
December 21, 2017
A book sure to be disparaged by dullards and alt-right folks. For everyone else, this is dystopia for big kids at its best. Stories like Kate Flora's Michelle in Hot Water and Forked Tongue by Lise McClendon, are smart and can get the reader into wishful thinking mode. Several, including True Skin, A Different Frame of Reference and Sunburnt Country are scary in their dark possibility as future realities. Then There's Nisi Shawl's Evens, a story everyone who felt gypped by the Republicans after the Supreme Court vacancy debacle, will relate to.
Some are straightforward reading, others, like The Paslm of Bo, require the reader's full attention in order to get rewarded at the end, but all in all, it's a darn good collection that will shock some, creep out many and leave most with fragments that will explode in their heads when they read or hear about political events in coming years.
Some are straightforward reading, others, like The Paslm of Bo, require the reader's full attention in order to get rewarded at the end, but all in all, it's a darn good collection that will shock some, creep out many and leave most with fragments that will explode in their heads when they read or hear about political events in coming years.
January 23, 2018
In this fun, wacky, mind-bending collection, top-notch writers play with the concept of conspiracy about the presidency of Obama. Some really far-out ideas make this an interesting grouping, and show how different stories can be despite a similar theme. You never know if you'll meet super-spies, lizard-people, or be thrust into an apocalyptic landscape.
Good writing and different ideas make this a book to be read, no matter what your political views, despite the negs from treason-trolls trying to pee on something which mocks their prejudices. Yeah, it's got echoes of Philip K. Dick, and that's a good thing.
Good writing and different ideas make this a book to be read, no matter what your political views, despite the negs from treason-trolls trying to pee on something which mocks their prejudices. Yeah, it's got echoes of Philip K. Dick, and that's a good thing.
May 9, 2018
Perhaps I just wasn't in the right frame of mind when I read this. Some of the stories are pretty good and others leave much to be desired, also the writing styles and subject matter are all over the place.
But as we are constantly bombarded with political stuff in our daily lives, do we really need some fictionalized, mostly sci-fi, c0nspiracy theories about Obama and Trump?
Parts of it were fun for me, but it got tiresome after reading the first few. Nevertheless I plowed ahead to finish it. Ah well, it's behind me now.
But as we are constantly bombarded with political stuff in our daily lives, do we really need some fictionalized, mostly sci-fi, c0nspiracy theories about Obama and Trump?
Parts of it were fun for me, but it got tiresome after reading the first few. Nevertheless I plowed ahead to finish it. Ah well, it's behind me now.
October 31, 2017
These short stories were a great, mind-bending, imaginative trip, and the The Obama Inheritance book cover itself is worth the purchase price. Conspiracy theories conjured during Obama's terms as President, on their own, were nutty and off the rails of reality. The authors take the conspiracy theories and thrust them into another dimension, resulting in thought provoking tales of action, fear, comedy, despair and hope.
Want to read
January 12, 2020Ghislaine Maxwell's Silver Hammer
A book seemingly engineered in a lab for anyone who has ever been up at 3 in the morning, reading through Twitter threads discovered by searching the following terms (or variations): adrenochrome, Epstein Island + Disney cruise, RBG clone, Taylor Swift clone, solar warden, flat earth, Anthony Bourdain murder, David Icke, frazzledrip, transpocalypse, JFK Jr. is Q, sealed indictments, flu vaccine microchip, Comet Ping Pong kill room, Red Shoe club, Black Eye club, Vatican snake, predictive programming, deep fake, false flag, crisis actors, chemtrails or, heck, just chanced upon the Mickey is Wicked coffee cup meme.
I had a more comprehensive list, but, y'know, time...you're prolly already clicking on to the nex
A book seemingly engineered in a lab for anyone who has ever been up at 3 in the morning, reading through Twitter threads discovered by searching the following terms (or variations): adrenochrome, Epstein Island + Disney cruise, RBG clone, Taylor Swift clone, solar warden, flat earth, Anthony Bourdain murder, David Icke, frazzledrip, transpocalypse, JFK Jr. is Q, sealed indictments, flu vaccine microchip, Comet Ping Pong kill room, Red Shoe club, Black Eye club, Vatican snake, predictive programming, deep fake, false flag, crisis actors, chemtrails or, heck, just chanced upon the Mickey is Wicked coffee cup meme.
I had a more comprehensive list, but, y'know, time...you're prolly already clicking on to the nex
March 22, 2018
This was a fun read. Authors dive into their favorite Obama conspiracy theories crafting ridiculous short stories. Some made me laugh, some made me mad, and some made me roll my eyes. Russian bots, white supremacists, lizard people, thought control, time travel, secret societies, government plots, aliens... these stories have it all. Great read.
February 17, 2018
A fun, funny collection of stories that take on the right-wing conspiracy theories of the Obama era. Two feature lizard people. I liked Obama as a Vulcan (or Vuhlk'n). The strongest story I feel is Brother's Keeper that also served as a critique of some of Obama's discourse on race. After reading We Were Eight Years In Power, I understood the message much better. As with any collection, some are better than others. Good read for anyone needing help getting through the current administration.
October 18, 2017
I received this book for free from Goodreads.
I enjoyed one or two of the fifteen short stories contained in this pulp political satire gathering. A lot of the stories started out okay, but I quickly lost interest for various reasons. Some of the stories were very formulaic and predictable, many were just plain meh, while others contained so many n-words that I lost track of what the story was supposed to be about. The theme was intriguing and full of potential – play out the conspiracy theories surrounding Obama and his presidency in any genre of your choosing. There is mostly a mix of science fiction and spy thriller in this compilation. The lizard people appear throughout the book, Michelle is an undercover agent, Ruth Bader Ginsberg keeps cloning herself, and Obama kisses Trump - on the mouth. There is a story towards the end of the book where one of the main plot devices is edging, which some people might find to be graphic, FYI. “At the Conglomeroid Cocktail Party” by Robert Silverberg is a sci-fi about genetic engineering set in Australia, and I wasn’t quite sure how it fit in with Obama. Overall, this book just wasn’t for me.
I enjoyed one or two of the fifteen short stories contained in this pulp political satire gathering. A lot of the stories started out okay, but I quickly lost interest for various reasons. Some of the stories were very formulaic and predictable, many were just plain meh, while others contained so many n-words that I lost track of what the story was supposed to be about. The theme was intriguing and full of potential – play out the conspiracy theories surrounding Obama and his presidency in any genre of your choosing. There is mostly a mix of science fiction and spy thriller in this compilation. The lizard people appear throughout the book, Michelle is an undercover agent, Ruth Bader Ginsberg keeps cloning herself, and Obama kisses Trump - on the mouth. There is a story towards the end of the book where one of the main plot devices is edging, which some people might find to be graphic, FYI. “At the Conglomeroid Cocktail Party” by Robert Silverberg is a sci-fi about genetic engineering set in Australia, and I wasn’t quite sure how it fit in with Obama. Overall, this book just wasn’t for me.
October 25, 2017
Somewhat uneven, but overall entertaining conceit and execution.
October 30, 2017
A mixed bag for sure, but brimming with ominous angles, and usually a hoot (to boot)
September 21, 2018
The pitch for this anthology sounded right up my street – 15 stories where the basic instruction for each writer was: “Pick any conservative conspiracy theory about President Barack Obama – no matter how loopy – and just run with it.”
The result – at least for me – is disappointing. For the most part, the stories here either aren’t very well written or don’t really follow the instructions – at least as far as I understood them. Maybe I misunderstood the overall premise, but it seems like at least half the stories here are less about exploring the fun fictional possibilities of Obama conspiracy theories and more wishful-thinking revenge tales where conservatives who badgered the Obamas for years finally get theirs – which is fine as far as it goes, but in my mind it isn't really in the spirit of the stated mandate. And what a Robert Silverberg story from 1982 is doing here is a mystery in itself.
To be sure, there are a quite a lot of good ideas here – Michelle Obama as covert operative, Barack Obama leading a secret resistance movement after Trump goes full fascist, the true secret of Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s longevity, Obama and Biden as Star Trek time travellers – but not many develop into decent stories. Notable exceptions include Walter Mosley’s “A Different Frame of Reference”, which riffs on that photo of Obama sneaking a smoke (or was he?), and Christopher Chambers’ “The Psalm of Bo”, which gets points for coming up with the idea of Obama’s dog leading an army of weaponized dogs against the last MAGA stronghold in post-apocalyptic America – written in semi-Biblical language, no less.
The result – at least for me – is disappointing. For the most part, the stories here either aren’t very well written or don’t really follow the instructions – at least as far as I understood them. Maybe I misunderstood the overall premise, but it seems like at least half the stories here are less about exploring the fun fictional possibilities of Obama conspiracy theories and more wishful-thinking revenge tales where conservatives who badgered the Obamas for years finally get theirs – which is fine as far as it goes, but in my mind it isn't really in the spirit of the stated mandate. And what a Robert Silverberg story from 1982 is doing here is a mystery in itself.
To be sure, there are a quite a lot of good ideas here – Michelle Obama as covert operative, Barack Obama leading a secret resistance movement after Trump goes full fascist, the true secret of Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s longevity, Obama and Biden as Star Trek time travellers – but not many develop into decent stories. Notable exceptions include Walter Mosley’s “A Different Frame of Reference”, which riffs on that photo of Obama sneaking a smoke (or was he?), and Christopher Chambers’ “The Psalm of Bo”, which gets points for coming up with the idea of Obama’s dog leading an army of weaponized dogs against the last MAGA stronghold in post-apocalyptic America – written in semi-Biblical language, no less.
September 14, 2018
worth owning...
May 25, 2018
Fun, pulpy goodness. One story is heavily metaphorical, so it took me a while to figure out its presence in this collection. One story is straight out of the '50s and is decidedly hohum. The rest of the stories are quite entertaining and occasionally hilarious.
October 1, 2017
Three stars for the three anthologies I actually enjoyed. One piece was particularly vile in respect to the authentic memory of the former POTUS. I never want to think of Trump and Obama locking lips and it created a most disturbing visual. I wish the editor had used better discretion about the stories he ultimately allowed in this collection.
November 12, 2017
The premise of this anthology is quite brilliant. Unfortunately only a few stories really lived up to my anticipation. Overall it’s fun, bet very uneven.
March 22, 2018
This was a bit uneven. Several stories were awfully good, others less so. Overall it's worth reading and fun to see how everyone expanded on the Obama rumors.
September 15, 2018
I enjoyed the concept very much. However, the stories were very inconsistent so my overall rating is only 3 stars.
April 16, 2018
An unasked-for Christmas gift from my parents. Read gradually, between books, in fits, starts, stupors, benders, hangovers, and crannies of time. General impression - the kernels of good stories all, with execution effective in about half of them. Usually it felt more like a "Wouldn't it be cool if..." moment hit the author, with the result inconsistently translating to an entire story. Still, generally amusing, occasionally engaging, and always a fascinating book to read in these strange days. Most peculiar, mama.
October 28, 2018
There are some crazy strange short stories in this collection, in short, something for everyone. There were two that didn't grab me, but the others did their job of entertaining me.
April 9, 2021
A very mixed bag of stories that weren't what I was really expecting or wanting. The story by Danny Gardner was just the sort of dark cynicism that I appreciate. It starts with a dystopian extrapolation of the dreams of the 45th president, but ends with an equally dystopian view of the 44th. I give that story 5 stars and will see out his other work.
January 31, 2019
Thought this would be fun but these were mostly not. Some didn't even make sense. My absolute favorite was "... The Continuing Mission" where science officer Commander Bah'rack and ship's doctor Joe Biden are sent back from the future to prevent the Klinguns from messing with our upcoming glorious future. A sweet sense of hope goes a long way.
December 21, 2017
Some of these stories are extremely entertaining, though they feel distinctly like online fiction, replete as they are with minor typos and errors. The one that really stuck with me was "Brother's Keeper" by Danny Gardner. Maybe because I had just started reading Ready, Player One, it felt like a version of Cline's stacks with actual teeth. Some of the stories go off the deep end, at least for my taste, especially the L. Scott Jose piece near the end.
October 18, 2019
So far I have read 2 stories. Both were good: "Michelle In Hot Water" by Kate Flora and "... The Continuing Mission" by Adam Lance Garcia. This is a late update. I recently read "A Different Frame of Reference" written by Walter Mosley. This takes 2 surprising twist. It is a well told story, but I was no fan of the ending.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews