I’ve noticed a pattern to end of the world movies: a band of heroes figure out a way to stop the storm, destroy the meteor, or deter a missile at the last minute. Basically, humanity finds a way to save the world. But, what if we were to zero in on the everyday person? What if there is no way to stop the world from ending? In Storgy’s Exit Earth, we are given this microscopic view of the people that have to deal with the consequences of a higher power. Throughout the collection of 24 stories we explore the before, during, and after of a cataclysmic event and what it takes to survive.
When I heard about this anthology through Kickstarter I knew I was going to put my money down and help it get published. And I’m really glad I did. Each story is unique and wonderful in its depiction of “real” people going through a terrible situation. Accompanying the stories are beautiful full color pieces of art, as well as an afterword from the authors.
I want to make it clear I did have a hand in bringing this to light(my name is in the list of supporters). But, a lot of other people also wanted to see this come to fruition, possibly because they thought it was a cool concept or wanted a handbook for surviving the future.
Storgy went into a lot of hard work voting on the best stories to fit the theme of Exit Earth. Some of these stories will make you sad, others might make you laugh, and a few will just leave you feeling depressed. All of them, however, do a great job in taking a mirror to real life and reflecting the terrible things we could do to each other when faced with impending doom. Or we are past the doom and just trying to survive. At the end of this collection I found myself wondering what I’d do if I was faced with any of these situations. Which I think is the perfect reason why these stories are in the book.
I’d love to go into detail on each piece, but I think I’d do a disservice to the work the authors put into their stories. Besides, there’s 24 of them and in the end I think you should just read it. But, they are all so good, it’s hard for me not to highlight a few of them. So bare with me as I try to give you a little taste of what you might find within these covers.
Rachel Connor’s How to Curate a Life is a disturbingly close-to-home tale regarding a family trying to delete a deceased daughter from the internet. They go to a business that can collate the life of a loved one, but the family wants them to go one step further, hating the idea of possibly seeing her face somewhere online. It’s crazy how true this is going to be soon, or how true it probably already is for quite a few people. Connor delivers a remarkable story that’ll make you wonder how much of your life is going to exist in the world after you are gone.
When the Tide Comes in by Joseph Sale gives us the final moments before the earth is destroyed. Everyone knows it’s coming and there is nothing anyone can do about it. So what does everyone do? They get wasted, have sex, steal things. Basically, no cares are given. But, the morning of the end of the world, three people sit on the beach, each holding back a secret from the others. Only when the clouds part do they decide it is time to open up. I love this story because there is so much heart in it. That feeling of using hopelessness to finally reveal how you feel is so real. I’m sure everyone has something buried away that would only come out when death is imminent.
And the Waves Take the Words by Phillip Webb Gregg is just awesome. He takes the simple concept of someone stranded on a deserted island and makes it more. A woman is on an island, she sees the bombs explode in the distance, then things start washing ashore. She collects them, starts building stories about the items and where they came from. Eventually, she writes the story of the world on the beach. It’s one of the shorter stories in the collection, but, man does it pack a wallop. You’ll feel strong and devastated about what is lost.
Okay, let’s do one more…
The dark and disturbing Ken from Jessica Bonder. A never ending war needs soldiers. Supplies for humans are running low. Women can become War Moms, donating their unborn babies to the war. However, not everyone supports this idea, they protest the moms and the cause. When one mother gets an eight hour window to explore, she discovers that the papier-mache effigy is not the only thing that will burn. This story is pure power. I found myself screaming at the mom to get out of there and get back to the centre. Bonder found a joyful thing like a fair and corndogs and turned it into a suspenseful look at what someone will sacrifice to survive in this world.
I could go on and on about the different stories in this book, from revolutions, to trying to find food, to visiting old Earth. Each one is just a slice of the bigger picture of the end times. I can guarantee that at least one or two of these pieces will stick with you long after you read it. If you are feeling a bit paranoid about society, want a glimpse of possible timelines, or just want to read some kick-ass stories, Exit Earth will have what you are looking for.
I'll do you a favor...go here and buy it!
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